Dispensing pill box

Abstract

 Two half-shells (2), (3) of plastics material or the like fit together under pressure to form a container for tablets. One half-shell comprises a corner (8) turnable about an elastic flexibility line (9) to form the lid for the container opening; when closed, said corner engages with flanges (11) projecting from the complementary part (12) of the other half-shell, on which there are provided retaining rims (12) for the tablets (1) and lateral spacers (13) for limiting their discharge passage.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a container for tablets or the like, consisting substantially of two half-shells of plastics material which fit together under pressure by means of male-female insertion elements.

[0002] One corner of one half-shell can be turned about a linear section of elastic flexibility and comprises a profiled edge which, when closed by pressing, engages with flanges projecting from the peripheral edge of the corresponding complementary corner of the other half-shell.

[0003] The peripheral edge of said corner comprises a projecting rim for retaining tablets, and spacers for limiting the discharge passage of said tablets.

[0004] Of the many pocket containers currently used for sweets, sugar coated pills, tablets and/or pills in general, the object of the present invention is to solve the problem of constructional simplicity and economy, together with the necessary functionality and suitability for dispensing one at a time the products contained in the container.

[0005] The invention, as characterised by the claims, solves the problem by means of a container for tablets or the like, by which the following results are obtained: the container consists of only two half-shells of plastics material or the like, which fit together by the mutual insertion of male-female elements under pressure; combined with and integral with the two half-shells there are also formed the lid for opening and closing the container together with the relative hinge and the fixed means to which said lid is secured by snap action on closure; in correspondence with its aperture, the container comprises a collection region for the discharged products, with a retention rim and spacer means for guiding and limiting the discharge of the products; the interior space of the container is sufficiently large to allow uniform dispensing, adjacently in plan, of a single layer of products such as tablets, pills, sugar-coated pills, sweets and the like.

[0006] The advantages provided by the present invention consist essentially of the fact that the container is of simple and rapid construction, of very low production cost, and easy to use for the measured dispensing of its contents.

[0007] In addition, the container is of very small dimensions and in particular thickness, and can be easily carried in the pocket and/or handbag.

[0008] The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the container from that side comprising the snap-action aperture for the corner lid;

Figure 2 shows the other side of the container, with a plan view of the corner aperture;

Figure 3 is a view of one of the half-shells seen from the inside, showing the collection region, the retention rim, the spacer means and the connection means;

Figure 4 is a view of the other half-shell seen from the inside, showing the angular lid for the corner aperture and the connection means.

[0009] The figures show a container for tablets, pills, sugar-coated pills, sweets or the like (1), consisting substantially of two half-shells (2) and (3), which fit securely together by means of male (4) and female (5) insertion elements formed directly during the moulding of the half-shells. In addition, in order to maintain the internal distance between the two adjacent half-shells constant, on at least one of them there are provided intermediate spacers (6) which, on fitting together, rest against the inner wall of the half-shell opposite that from which they project.

[0010] Along their peripheral edges (7), the two half-shells (2) and (3) are provided with conjugate profiles, the purpose of which is to centre and seal the parts when fitted together.

[0011] The half-shells are fitted together by simple pressing.

[0012] With the aforedescribed configuration, the container has its aperture at one corner; it comprises a lid (8) which is substantially integral with one of the half-shells, for example the upper (3), the hinge (9) about which the lid turns consisting of a strip of the same material of reduced thickness, and possibly undulated.

[0013] Basically, the lid (8) and half-shell (3) are connected together along the hinge (9), which is nothing more than an intrinsically elastic continuous section of the same material, of reduced thickness and possibly undulated.

[0014] For this reason the container is preferably constructed of elastic plastics material. Along its two sides (10) the lid (8) is provided with bent edges which, on closure, elastically engage, under snap action by slight manual pressure, over two lateral flanges (11) projecting from the lateral edges (16) of that corner portion of the lower half-shell (2) complementary to the lid (8).

[0015] In correspondence with that corner, the lower half-shell (2) comprises a retention rim (12) and two opposing lateral spacers (13) which define a passage compartment (14).

[0016] The container is constructed with sufficient thickness to totally contain sugar-coated pills, sweets, pills, tablets or the like in a substantially aligned manner; at the moment of use, having snap-raised the lid (8) by elastically releasing its bent edges from the grip of the lateral flanges (8), it is sufficient to downwardly incline the corner corresponding to the aperture and allow the the products to slide from the inside to the outside through the passage compartment (14), defined by the spacers (13).

[0017] After passing through the passage (14), the tablets (1) or the like halt against the rim (12). In this position they can be collected and consumed, leaving the space available for the next discharge.

Claims

1. A container for tablets or the like, characterised by consisting of two half-shells (2) and (3) which fit together under pressure by the insertion-coupling and centering of complementary male (4) and female (5) elements and peripheral edges (7); said half-shells comprising, in correspondence with a complementary corner, an aperture (14) delimited by opposing lateral spacers (13) and a retention rim (12), on which there engages a lid (8) which is integral with one of the half-shells via a hinge (9) originating from the same elastically preformed material.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised by consisting of two half-shells (2) and (3) complete with an aperture (14), spacers (13), a rim (12) and a lid (8), all formed of elastic plastics material.

3. A container as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the lid (8), integral with one half-shell (3) and rotatable about a hinge (9) deriving from the elastic forming of a strip of material integral with the said half-shell and the said container, comprises bent lateral edges which, on closure, enter into elastic engagement relationship by snap action over lateral flanges (11) which project from the lateral edges (12) of that corner portion of the second half-shell (2) complementary to the lid.

4. A container as claimed in claims 1, 2 and 3, characterised in that one half-shell (2) comprises a corner, complementary to the lid (8) of the other half-shell (3), in which there is provided a passage compartment (14) delimited by opposing lateral spacers (13) and facing a front region, enclosed by the rims (12), in which the products discharged by the container towards said compartment become positioned.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising internal spacers (6).

6. A container for tablets or the like as claimed in the preceding claims as described and illustrated and for the objects specified.

Drawing