Tab release child safety feature
A child-resistant container including a container body, a lid, and at least one resilient tab is provided. The lid is pivotable about an axis through a hinge joining the lid to the container body to open and close the container. The resilient tab has a proximal portion fixed to the lid, a distal portion projecting from the lid, and at least one abutment on the distal portion. The abutment on the distal portion of the tab is normally biased into engagement with an abutment on the container body when the lid is in its closed position. The distal portion of the tab is displaceable against the bias to disengage the abutment of the tab from the abutment of the container. Displacement of the tab releases the lid so that it can be pivoted about the hinge to open the container.
1 . A child-resistant containercomprising:
a container body comprising a mouth and a guard, the guard defining a downward-facing abutment;
a lid having a proximal portion mounted in pivotable relation to the container body by a hinge and a distal portion pivotable between a seated position, wherein the lid covers the mouth, and a raised position, wherein the mouth is at least in part exposed;
the lid having a sealing plug sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the mouth; and
at least one tab having a proximal portion fixed to the lid, a distal portion projecting from the lid, and at least one upward-facing abutment on the distal portion, the upward-facing abutment being at least partly beneath and in engagement with the downward-facing abutment of the container body when the lid is seated, thus latching the lid closed;
wherein the tab projects perpendicularly downward from the lid when the lid is in its seated position; and
wherein the container body includes a shield that at least partially blocks access to the tab.
2 . The child-resistant container of claim 1 , wherein the guard is integral with the container.
3 . The child-resistant container of claim 1 , wherein the lid and the mouth form a seal.
4 . The child-resistant container of claim 3 , wherein the lid and the mouth form a resealable seal.
5 . The child-resistant container of claim 3 , wherein the lid and the mouth form a moisture-tight seal.
6 . A child-resistant container comprising:
a container body comprising a mouth and a guard, the guard defining a pair of downward-facing abutments, each located at the same height on the container;
a lid having a proximal portion mounted in pivotable relation to the container body by a hinge and a distal portion pivotable between a seated position, wherein the lid covers the mouth, and a raised position, wherein the mouth is at least in part exposed, the lid defining a pair of upward-facing abutments;
the lid having a sealing plug sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the mouth;
wherein each of the upward-facing abutments is spaced radially forward from the front portion of the sidewall of the container body when the lid is in the seated position;
wherein each of the downward-facing abutments is in an engagement position with a corresponding one of the pair of upward-facing abutments when the lid is in the seated position;
wherein the lid is movable from the seated position to the raised position by simultaneously applying a first motion and a second motion to respective side portions of the guard by pinching the side portions inwardly, each motion acting on one of the respective pair of upward-facing abutments and downward-facing abutments until the upward-facing abutments are disengaged from the downward-facing abutments, thus allowing the lid to move from the seated position to the raised position; and
wherein the distal portion of the lid has a front edge and a tab is positioned on the lid such that the front edge extends beyond the tab.
7 . The child-resistant container of claim 6 , wherein the guard projects outwardly from the container body beneath the front edge of the lid and defines an area that is sized and shaped such that the front edge of the lid is recessed within the area defined by the guard when the lid is in the seated position.
8 . A child-resistant containercomprising:
a container body comprising a mouth and a guard, the guard defining a downward-facing abutment;
a lid having a proximal portion mounted in pivotable relation to the container body by a hinge and a distal portion pivotable between a seated position, wherein the lid covers the mouth, and a raised position, wherein the mouth is at least in part exposed;
the lid having a sealing plug sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the mouth; and
at least one tab having a proximal portion fixed to the lid, a distal portion projecting from the lid, and at least one upward-facing abutment on the distal portion, the upward-facing abutment being at least partly beneath and in engagement with the downward-facing abutment of the container body when the lid is seated, thus latching the lid closed;
wherein the tab projects perpendicularly downward from the lid when the lid is in its seated position; and
wherein the distal portion of the lid has a front edge and the tab is positioned on the lid such that the front edge extends beyond the tab.
9 . The child-resistant container of claim 8 , wherein the guard projects outwardly from the container body beneath the front edge of the lid and defines an area that is sized and shaped such that the front edge of the lid is recessed within the area defined by the guard when the lid is in the seated position.
10 . A child-resistant containercomprising:
a container body comprising a mouth and a guard, the guard defining a downward-facing abutment;
a lid having a proximal portion mounted in pivotable relation to the container body by a hinge and a distal portion pivotable between a seated position, wherein the lid covers the mouth, and a raised position, wherein the mouth is at least in part exposed;
the lid having a sealing plug sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the mouth; and
at least one tab having a proximal portion fixed to the lid, a distal portion projecting from the lid, and at least one upward-facing abutment on the distal portion, the upward-facing abutment being at least partly beneath and in engagement with the downward-facing abutment of the container body when the lid is seated, thus latching the lid closed;
wherein the guard comprises a deformable portion, wherein the guard can be deformed inward.
11 . A child-resistant containercomprising:
a container body comprising a mouth and a guard, the guard defining a pair of downward- facing abutments, each located at the same height on the container; and
a lid having a proximal portion mounted in pivotable relation to the container body by a hinge and a distal portion pivotable between a seated position, wherein the lid covers the mouth, and a raised position, wherein the mouth is at least in part exposed, the lid defining a pair of upward-facing abutments, the lid having a sealing plug sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the mouth;
wherein each of the upward-facing abutments is spaced radially forward from the front portion of the sidewall of the container body when the lid is in the seated position;
wherein each of the downward-facing abutments is in an engagement position with a corresponding one of the pair of upward-facing abutments when the lid is in the seated position;
wherein the lid is movable from the seated position to the raised position by simultaneously applying a first motion and a second motion to respective side portions of the guard by pinching the side portions inwardly, each motion acting on one of the respective pair of upward-facing abutments and downward-facing abutments until the upward-facing abutments are disengaged from the downward-facing abutments, thus allowing the lid to move from the seated position to the raised position; and
wherein the guard includes at least one deformable portion which, when deformed, causes displacement of the tab.
12 . A child-resistant container comprising:
a container body comprising a mouth and a guard, the guard defining a pair of downward-facing abutments, each located at the same height on the container; and
a lid having a proximal portion mounted in pivotable relation to the container body by a hinge and a distal portion pivotable between a seated position, wherein the lid covers the mouth, and a raised position, wherein the mouth is at least in part exposed, the lid defining a pair of upward-facing abutments, the lid having a sealing plug sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the mouth;
wherein each of the upward-facing abutments is spaced radially forward from the front portion of the sidewall of the container body when the lid is in the seated position;
wherein each of the downward-facing abutments is in an engagement position with a corresponding one of the pair of upward-facing abutments when the lid is in the seated position;
wherein the lid is movable from the seated position to the raised position by simultaneously applying a first motion and a second motion to respective side portions of the guard by pinching the side portions inwardly, each motion acting on one of the respective pair of upward-facing abutments and downward-facing abutments until the upward-facing abutments are disengaged from the downward-facing abutments, thus allowing the lid to move from the seated position to the raised position; and
wherein the container body includes a shield that at least partially blocks access to the tab.