US2971638A - Dispensing containers - Google Patents

Description

Feb- 14, 1961 c. G. ALLlsoN ETAL 2,971,638

DISPENSING CONTAINERS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1956 1 I I I I I I l I I I I h, ,a/f

l I I I I l III IFAIy IN V EN TORS.

Feb. 14, 1961 c.G.A1 L1soN ETAL DIsPENsING CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1956 N 5.0 mu TL MZ VA me. 0^ 0 fr W C falllrinnfblfvllluln.

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United Statesv Patent DISPENSING CONTAINERS Crawford G. Allison, Plymouth Meeting, Maurice D.

Hartman, Jr., Telford, and George C. Sparks, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to The Sparks Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 24, 1956, Ser. No. 587,143

3 Claims. (Cl. 20H2) This invention relates generally to dispensing containers or packages, and is particularly directed to devices for containing and dispensing pills or pellets, say of medicinal ingredients.

` The particular embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in the drawings and which will be described hereinafter in Vgreater detail, comprises generally a sheet formed with indentations or recesses opening toward one side of the sheet and adapted to receive pills, and an additional sheet arranged in facing engagement with said recessed sheet to close the recesses thereof, and outlet means provided in the last mentioned sheet for discharging the pills from the recesses exteriorly of both sheets.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a dispensing container of the type described which is simple and inexpensive in construction, extremely easy to operate, highly. attractive in appearance, andy/Ilich enables the contents and advertising indicia to beadvantageously displayed, if desired. v It is a further object of the present inventionto provide a pill dispensing container having the characteristics mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, which is durable and reliable in use, light in weight, and vsmall in size, being substantially at for convenience in mailing or carrying on the person of the user.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view showing a dispensing container of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a back view of the device of Figure. l;

`Figure 4 is a front view showing a slightly modified with the present invention; v Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the Vline 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a back view of the device of Figure 4;

ice

Figure 12 is a rear view showing the device of Figure l piece of cardboard folded upon itself, with the marginal edge portions of the outer sheets suitably secured together in facing engagement, as by adhesive or the like.

Preferably centrally of the front sheet 20 is formed a generally circular aperture or opening 24; and, a stop or tab 25, preferably connected to the bounding edge of the opening 24 by a fold line 26, extends generally radially inward into and terminates short of the center of the opening. Formed in the outer, back sheet 21, directly behind and of an area smaller than the tab 25, is an outlet opening or aperture 27.

The inner sheet 22, preferably fabricated of transparent plastic material, is of a generally circular configuration and has a diameter slightly larger than that of the front sheet opening 24. Further, the inner sheet 22 is sandwiched between the outer sheets 20 and 21 substantially concentric with the front sheet opening 24, and is connected to the back sheet 21 by an eyelet or rivet 29 extending centrally through the inner sheet to mount the latter for axial rotation relative to the outer sheets. The 'inner sheet 22 is Aformed with a plurality of depressed, cup shaped portions 30 arranged generally circularly at substantially equal radial distances from the pivotal axis defined by the eyelet 29 and spaced inwards from the peripheral edge of the inner vsheet so as to protrude through the front sheet opening 24 and open toward the back sheet 21. The depressed portions 30 define recesses each of a size and shape to receive one or any desired number of pills or pellets 31; and, the recesses are normally all closed by the back sheet 21 to prevent unintentional removal of the pills from the recesses. As best seen in Figure 1, the recessed portions 30 or protrusions defined thereby, are all equally spaced from each other, with the exception of one adjacent pair of recessed portions, the lowermost pair in the drawing,

Aform of dispensing container constructedV in accordance Figure 7 is a front View showing another slightly niodiii l,

FigurelO is a front view showing 'still another slightly .y l

modified `form of .dispensing container constructed in .accordance with the present invention;

Figure l1 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 11-11 of Figure 10; and

which are spaced apart sufficiently to receive there between the tab 25. That is, in the position illustrated in the drawings, the tab 25 is located closely overlying the inner sheet region 32 intermediate the lowermost pair of recessed portions 30, and serves to prevent inadvertent rotation of the inner sheet by abutting engagement with one of the recessed portions upon incipient rotation of the inner sheet.

However, when it is desired to dispense a quantity of pills contained in one of the recessed portions 30, it is only necessary to bend the stop tab 25 forward out of the path of movement of the recessed portions, thereby allowing the latter to be successively positioned in registry with the back sheet outlet opening 27. The recessed portion thus positioned in registry with the aperture 27 communicates through the latter with the exterior of the back sheet, so that the contained quantity of pills may be discharged directly through the back sheet to the exterior of the container or package. Any desired number of recessed portions 30 may thus be emptied, by merely successively positioning the recessed portions in registry with the outlet opening 27; and, discharge of the contents remaining in the recessed portions may be prevented by returning the inner sheet to its original position of rotationvand bending the stop tab 25 toward thev inner 3 sheet into the path of movement of the recessed portions.

While the outer sheets 20 and 21 have been described as formed of cardboard, and the inner sheet 22 of transparent plastic, which has been found desirable in attractively decorating the device and presenting the pills to the users view, Vit is appreciated that a wide variety of other suitable materials may be employed, if desired.

In Figures 4-6 are shown a slightly modified form of pill dispensing container constructed in accordance with the present invention, wherein a pair of front and bacl sheets 20a and 21a are arranged in facing relation with respect to each other and serve to sandwich there between an inner or intermediate sheet 22a. The outer sheets 20a and 21a may be formed of a single piece folded upon itself, or of separate pieces having their marginal edge portions secured together in facing engagement by any suitable means. The front sheet 20a is provided centrally thereof Awith an elongate opening 24a having a plurality of removable stop elements 25a detachably secured in one end region of the opening, the upper end region as seen in the drawings. More particularly, the stop elements V25a are arranged in aligned contiguous relation with respect to each other, longitudinally of the sheets 29a and 2in and the opening 24a, and detachably secured together and in the front sheet opening by perforate severance lines 26a or the like. Each stop element 25a is preferably of generally rectangular configuration and provided with an inwardly extending pull tab or extension 34 to facilitate individual manual detachment and removal of the stop elements successively in the outward direction away from the inner sheet 22a.

Underlying the innermost stop element 25a, that stop element adapted to be removed first, are outlet openings orv apertures 27a formed in the back sheet Zia.

The inner sheet 22a is of a configuration slightly larger in the lateral direction than the front sheet opening 24a and arranged with its side margins slidably received beneath the side margins of the front sheet opening, so that the inner sheet is slidably retained between the outer sheets, for reasons appearing presently in greater detail. Formed in the inner sheet 22a, spaced longitudinally there along, are a plurality of depressed portions 30a, each of which defines a protrusion projecting forward into the front sheet opening 24a and a recess opening rearward towards and being closed by the back sheet 21a. lMore particularly, the recesses 39a are Vspaced inward from the peripheral edges of the inner sheet 22a so as to lie within the front sheet opening 24a, in the lower end region thereof as seen in the drawing, and are each shaped to receive a desired quantity of pills or pellets 31a. Thus, the recesses 30a are all closed by the back sheet 21a, in the illustrated condition; and, the inner sheet 22a and its contained ,pills 31a are mounted for longitudinal shifting movement limited by engagement of the end recesses 30a with edge portions of the opening 24a and innermost stop element 25a. l

Upon removalof the innermost Ystop element 25a, as by severance of the latter from the front sheet 20a along its severance lines 26a, the inner sheet 22a is shiftable longitudinally (upward in the drawing), until the recsed portions 36a engage with the next adjacent, undetached Stop element 25a. Such shifting movement of the inner sheet 22a will place the 4uppermost recesses 39a in registry with the outlet apertures 27a, so that pills may be discharged exteriorly of the device through the latter apertures. This procedure may be repeated by removing the next adjacent stop element 25a, which will enable the inner sheet 22a to be shifted further upward to place other recesses 30a in registry with the outlet apertures 27a for discharging additional quantities of pills.

Another embodiment of the instant invention is illustrated in Figures 7-9, wherein 20h 'and 2lb denote front and back, outer sheets arranged in facing relation with respect to each other and having their marginal portions secured togetherinfaci'ng engagement. The front sheet 4 20b is formed with a Vgenerally rectangular, central opening 24b; and, the back sheet 2lb is perforated or otherwise scored to define a generally longitudinally extending removable portion or outlet section 2711.

Interposed in sandwiched relation between the front and back sheets 20b and 21b.isf an inner, preferably transparent sheet 22h. The inner sheet 22b is preferably of an outline configuration Vslightly larger than that of the front sheet opening 24b, and provided with a plurality of depressed portions 30h protruding forward through the front sheet opening and defining recesses facing toward the back sheet 2lb. The recesses 30h are adapted to contain pills 31b and are closed by the bachA sheet 2lb to retain the pills in the recesses.

In Figure 9, wherein the removable portion 27 b is partially removed, it is seen that the removable portion is defined by a perforate crease or otherwise severable outline 36 shaped to define a plurality of Ynotches 37 each located in the region of a respective inner sheet recess 30b. The outline configuration of the removable section 27b also defines a pull tab 38 extending outwards to the peripheral edge of the back sheet 2lb and affording a grasping tab for manually detaching or removing the section 27h from the back sheet 2lb. When the section 27b is removed from the back sheet 2lb by severance along the perforate outline 36, each of the notched portions 37 will leave a finger, tongue or projection 39 underlying the adjacent recess 30h on the open side thereof and preventing removal of the recess contents. Thus, the fingers or tongues 39 serve to retain the pills 31b in their respective recesses 30h even after detachment of the removablesection 27b. However, the pills may be removed from one or more of the recesses by merely bending the fingers or tongues 39 away from their respective recesses, so that the pills may be discharged through the back sheet 21'b exteriorly of the containing device.

Still another modification of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 10-12, wherein 20c and 21p` designate a pair of front and back, outer sheets arranged in facing relation and having their marginal portions secured together in facing engagement. The front sheet 20c may be substantially identical to the front sheet Zllb of Figures 7-9. A preferably transparent inner sheet 22C is sandwiched between the outer sheets 20c and 21e, and may be similar to the inner sheet 22h, being provided with a plurality of depressed portions-30c defining protrusions projecting through the front outeu. sheet 23e and recesses opening toward the back, outer sheet 21C. Thus, the recesses 30:: are adapted to contain pills 31e and be closed by the back sheet 21C for retaining the pLlls in the recesses. v

The back sheet 21C is provided in the regions adjacent to the recesses 30C with removable portions or outlet sec- Y' tions 27e, the removal of which ofpens the associated receses to the exterior of the container. In particular, each of the removable sections 27e is formed in the back sheet by a perforate or otherwise severable score line 41 and a cut out or aperture 42 defining a free edge portion or pull tab 43 on the removable section. As will be observed in AFigure l2, the rightmost outlet section 27C has beenremoved vfrom the back sheet 21e, to thereby open the adjacent .recesses '30e Sand enable the contained pills 31C to be discharged exteriorly of the container directly .through the back sheet.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a dispensing container or package for pills which fully accomplishes its intended objects, and `is well Yadapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although thepresent'invention has been described some detail by way of'villustration and examplefor .purposes of clarity of understanding, .it is understood :that certain changes and .modifications may be `made within the spirit of the .invention I'and Vscope of ythe appended claims. Y l

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing container for pills comprising a formretaining transparent inner sheet provided with a plurality of pill-receiving indentations spaced from the periphery of said sheet and defining recesses on one side or said sheet and protrusions on the other side of said sheet, a pair of outer sheets arranged in facing relation with respect to each other on opposite sides or said inner sheet and having their marginal-edge portions secured in facing engagement beyond the periphery of said inner sheet, the outer sheet on said other side of said inner sheet being provided with an opening receiving said protrusions, outlet means provided on the outer sheet on said one side of said inner sheet for passing pills outward from said recesses through said last-mentioned outer sheet, said inner sheet being mounted on the outer sheet on said one side of said inner sheet for rotation relative to the lastmentioned outer sheet, said recesses being arranged circularly on said inner sheet about the axis of inner-sheet rotation, whereby rotation of said inner sheet successively positions said recesses in communication with said outlet means, and a stop tab extending from the bounding edge of said opening in the outer sheet on said other side of said inner sheet and into said opening for normal disposition in the path of movement of said protrusions, said tab thus normally engageable with an adjacent one of said protrusions to limit movement of the latter and being sWingable out of the path of protrusion movement to allow rotation of said inner sheet.

2. A dispensing container for pills comprising a formretaining transparent inner sheet provided with a plurality of pill-receiving indentations spaced from the periphery of said sheet and defining recesses on one side of said sheet and protrusions on the other side of said sheet, a pair of outer sheets arranged in facing relation with respect to each other on opposite sfdes of said inner sheet and having their marginal-edge portions secured in facing relation beyond the periphery of said inner sheet, the outer sheet on said other side of said inner sheet being provided with an opening receiving said protrusions, outlet means provided on the outer sheet on said one side of said inner sheet for passing pills outward from said recesses through said last-metioned outer sheet, said inner sheet being mounted on the outer sheet on said one side of said inner sheet for rotation relative to the last-mentioned outer sheet, said recesses being arranged circularly on said inner sheet about the axis of inner sheet rotation, whereby rotation of said inner sheet successively positions said recesses in communication with said outlet meansand a stop tab extending from the bounding edge of said opening in the outer sheet on said other side of said inner sheet and into said opening for normal disposition in the path of movement of said protrusions, said tab thus normally engageable with an adjacent one of said protrusions to limit movement of the latter Iand being swingable out of the path of protrusion movement t0 allow rotation of said inner sheet.

3. A dispensing container according to claim 2, in combination with pivot means connecting said inner sheet centrally thereof to the outer sheet on said one side of said inner sheet for rotation of said inner sheet relative to said last-mentioned outer sheet.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,095,215 Hess Oct. 5, 1937 2,258,866 Sanford Oct. 14, 1941 2,474,639 `Shprentz June 28, 1949 2,519,156 Sparks Aug. 15, 1950 2,578,444 Nicolle Dec. 11, 1951 2,660,983 Lanning Dec. 1, 1953 2,687,211 Sparks Aug. 24, 1954 2,813,624 Phipps Nov. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 578,736 Great Britain July 10, 1946

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