Container with button release

1. A container for storing products therein, comprising:

a container body defining an interior for housing the products, and an opening leading to the interior;

a lid that is movable with respect to the container body to move the container between a closed position in which the lid covers the opening and encloses the products therein, and an opened position in which the opening is exposed;

a housing affixed to an upper portion of the container body, adjacent to the opening, the housing defining a housing space within the housing; and

a release that is movably housed within the housing space, the release being configured to move between a locked position in which the release retains the lid in the closed position, and an unlocked position, in which the release does not retain the lid in the closed position, such that the lid is permitted to move into the opened position;

wherein the release is configured to move from the locked position to the unlocked position by a first movement in a radially inward direction of the container, followed by a second movement comprising sliding of the release in an axially upward direction of the container.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the release, when moved into the unlocked position, disengages the lid from the container body to actuate movement of the lid from the closed position to the opened position.

3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the container is a vial comprising a bottom wall having an outer edge and a tubular side wall extending upward from the outer edge, the bottom wall and the side wall defining the interior, and an upper edge of the side wall defining the opening.

4. The container of claim 3 , further comprising an engagement ridge at the upper edge of the side wall, the engagement ridge configured to engage a portion of the lid when the container is in the closed position.

5. The container of claim 3 , further comprising a rim that extends radially outwardly from the sidewall at a location between the housing and the opening.

6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the lid has an outer perimeter that is less than an outer perimeter of the upper edge of the side wall.

7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the lid is attached to the container body by a hinge, and the lid pivots about the hinge to move the container between the closed position and the opened position.

8. The container of claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a base wall configured to cover the opening when the container is in the closed position and a seal that extends downwardly from a bottom surface of the base wall, the seal configured to engage the container body when the container is in the closed position, to form a substantially moisture tight seal between the lid and the container body.

9. The container of claim 3 , wherein the lid comprises a base wall configured to cover the opening when the container is in the closed position, and a skirt that extends downward from the base wall about the outer perimeter thereof, wherein the skirt contacts an upper edge of the side wall when the container is in the closed position.

10. The container of claim 9 , wherein the skirt engages the side wall to form a substantially moisture tight seal.

11. The container of claim 1 , wherein:

the lid further comprises at least one of a tab or a front portion that is positioned to extend over the housing when the container is in the closed position;

the at least one of a tab or a front portion is formed as an extension of the base wall and has an end that is positioned flush with or radially inward with respect to an outer surface of the housing when the container is in the closed position; and

a bottom surface of the at least one of a tab or a front portion faces an upper side of the housing when the container is in the closed position.

12. The container of claim 11 , wherein the at least one of a tab or a front portion further comprises a guide extending downward from the bottom surface, the guide being positioned to contact the outer surface of the side wall when the container is in the closed position.

13. The container of claim 12 , wherein the guide defines a slit, and the side wall comprises an engagement ridge that is retained within the slit when the container is in the closed position.

14. The container of claim 13 , wherein the guide defines a notch and the release mechanism comprises a latch that is retained within the notch when the container is in the closed position, and the first movement of the release disengages the latch from the notch.

15. The container of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a bridge wall, the bridge wall having first and second ends that attach to the container body and define the housing space between the container body and the bridge wall, the housing space dimensioned for slidably housing the release.

16. The container of claim 15 , wherein the release comprises a button configured to actuate the first movement and the second movement.

17. The container of claim 16 , wherein the button projects from beneath the bridge wall when in the locked position.

18. The container of claim 17 , wherein the button clears the bridge wall during the first movement, and passes beneath the bridge wall during the second movement.

19. The container of claim 16 , wherein the button is pivotally affixed to a body of the release.

20. The container of claim 1 , wherein the release comprises an upper edge that pushes upward upon the lid during the second movement.

21. The container of claim 1 , wherein the release is biased to the locked position.

22. The container of claim 1 , wherein the release comprises two arms extending outward from opposite sides thereof.

23. A method of moving a container between an opened position and a closed position, comprising:

providing the container, wherein the container comprises:

a container body defining an interior for housing the products, and an opening leading to the interior;

a lid that is movable with respect to the container body to move the container between a closed position in which the lid covers the opening, and an opened position in which the opening is exposed;

a housing affixed to an upper portion of the container body, adjacent to the opening, the housing defining a housing space within the housing; and

a release that is movably housed within the housing space, the release being configured to move between a locked position in which the release retains the lid in the closed position, and an unlocked position, in which the release does not retain the lid in the closed position, such that the lid is permitted to move into the opened position;

moving the release from the locked position to the unlocked position by moving the release within the housing in a radially inward direction of the container; and then sliding the release within the housing space in a axially upward direction of the container; and

moving the lid from the closed position to the opened position.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the lid is pivotably affixed to the container body by a hinge, and moving the lid from the closed position to the opened position comprises pivoting the lid about the hinge.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising closing the container by moving the lid from the opened position to the closed position.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the release is biased to the locked position, and returns to the locked position after closing the lid.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein the release comprises a button, and moving the release from the locked position to the unlocked position comprises pushing the button in the radially inward direction of the container and then pushing the button in the axially upward direction of the container.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the button is affixed to the release by a hinge, and moving the release in the radially inward direction of the container comprises pivoting the button towards the container about the hinge.