Child resistant container
A child resistant container for nicotine products includes latching elements ( 8, 25 ) adapted to interlock with cooperating latching elements ( 9, 27 ) when a lid ( 3 ) is pushed onto a the base ( 2 ) to retain the lid ( 3 ) to the base ( 2 ). The latching elements ( 8, 25 ) are further adapted to disengage from the cooperating latching elements ( 9, 27 ) when a simultaneous force is exerted on all releasable latching arrangements ( 6, 7, 12, 13 ) by two hands of a user or the like.
1. A child resistant container for tobacco or a tobacco substitute product comprising:
a base that comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral base flange extending from said bottom wall;
a detachable and re-attachable separate lid comprising a top wall and a peripheral lid flange extending from said top wall,
wherein said peripheral lid flange is adapted to be attached over and around at least an upper portion of said peripheral base flange;
a first pair of releasable latching arrangements and a second pair of releasable latching arrangements,
wherein each of said releasable latching arrangements comprises a latching element, a cooperating latching element, and a release actuation surface,
wherein said release actuation surface of each of said first pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral base flange, and said release actuation surface of each of said second pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral lid flange,
wherein a split line between said peripheral lid flange and said peripheral base flange is visible along the edge of said actuation surfaces of said first pair of latching arrangements and is concealed along said base at least at said second pair of latching arrangements,
wherein said latching elements are adapted to interlock with said cooperating latching elements when said lid is pushed onto said base to retain said lid to said base, wherein said latching elements are further adapted to disengage from said cooperating latching elements when an inward force is exerted on said release actuation surfaces, and
wherein simultaneous force exerted on all of said releasable latching arrangements by at least four fingers of a user is required to open said child resistant container.
2. The child resistant container of claim 1 , wherein said first pair of releasable latching arrangements is arranged on substantially opposite sides of said child resistant container,
wherein said second pair of releasable latching arrangements is arranged on substantially opposite sides of said container, and wherein an angle (α) between a first plane passing through said first pair of releasable latching arrangements and a second plane passing through said second pair of releasable latching arrangements, each of said planes being perpendicular to a third plane defined by said bottom wall, is within the range of 70° to 110°.
3. The child resistant container of claim 2 , wherein said angle (α) is within the range of 80° to 100°.
4. The child resistant container of claim 2 , wherein said angle (α) is within the range of 85° to 95°.
5. The child resistant container of claim 2 , wherein said angle (α) is 90°.
6. The child resistant container of claim 1 , wherein said peripheral lid flange, said peripheral base flange, and the location of said release actuation surfaces are adapted such that said peripheral lid flange and said peripheral base flange will at least partly deform inwardly upon inward force exerted on said release actuation surfaces, resulting in disengagement of said latching elements from said corresponding latching elements.
7. The child resistant container of claim 1 , wherein said hinged flap is in the shape of a circular or elliptical segment.
8. The child resistant container of claim 1 , wherein said peripheral base flange and said peripheral lid flange have a rectangular configuration defining four side walls of said child resistant container, wherein one of said releasable latching arrangements is provided on each of said side walls.
9. The child resistant container of claim 1 , wherein said latching elements are located on said lid flange,
wherein said latching elements of said first pair of latching arrangements are inwardly directed latching projections,
wherein said latching elements of said second pair of latching arrangements are latching recesses,
wherein said corresponding cooperating latching elements are located on said peripheral base flange or on said bottom wall,
wherein said cooperating latching elements of said first pair of latching arrangements are latching recesses, and
wherein said cooperating latching elements of said second pair of latching arrangements are inwardly directed latching projections.
10. The child resistant container of claim 1 , wherein said latching elements of each of said second pair of releasable latching arrangements is formed as a snap-latch cantilever beam arranged at a lower portion of said hinged flap.
11. The child resistant container of claim 10 , wherein each of said snap-latch cantilever beams comprises a first catch surface adapted to interlock with a second catch surface of said corresponding latching element, and wherein said second pair of releasable latching arrangements are self-locking.
12. The child resistant container of claim 1 , wherein said split line between said peripheral lid flange and said peripheral base flange is concealed along said base of said container except where it is visible along said peripheral base flange at the edge of said actuation surfaces of said first pair of latching arrangements.
13. A child resistant container for tobacco or a tobacco substitute product comprising:
a base that comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral base flange extending from said bottom wall;
a detachable and re-attachable separate lid comprising a top wall and a peripheral lid flange extending from said top wall,
wherein said peripheral lid flange is adapted to be attached over and around at least an upper portion of said peripheral base flange;
a first pair of releasable latching arrangements and a second pair of releasable latching arrangements,
wherein each of said releasable latching arrangements comprises a latching element, a cooperating latching element, and a release actuation surface,
wherein said release actuation surface of each of said first pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral base flange, and said release actuation surface of each of said second pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral lid flange,
wherein said latching elements are adapted to interlock with said cooperating latching elements when said lid is pushed onto said base to retain said lid to said base, wherein said latching elements are further adapted to disengage from said cooperating latching elements when an inward force is exerted on said release actuation surfaces,
wherein, said peripheral lid flange completely covers said peripheral base flange at least at said second pair of releasable latching arrangements, and
wherein simultaneous force exerted on all of said releasable latching arrangements by at least four fingers of a user is required to open said child resistant container.
14. The child resistant container of claim 13 , wherein only said actuation surfaces of said first pair of latching arrangements are visible and the rest of said peripheral base flange is concealed by said peripheral lid flange when said child resistant container is closed.
15. A child resistant container for tobacco or a tobacco substitute product comprising:
a base that comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral base flange extending from said bottom wall;
a detachable and re-attachable separate lid comprising a top wall and a peripheral lid flange extending from said top wall,
wherein said peripheral lid flange is adapted to be attached over and around at least an upper portion of said peripheral base flange;
a first pair of releasable latching arrangements and a second pair of releasable latching arrangements,
wherein each of said releasable latching arrangements comprises a latching element, a cooperating latching element, and a release actuation surface,
wherein said release actuation surface of each of said first pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral base flange, and said release actuation surface of each of said second pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral lid flange,
wherein said latching element of each of said second pair of latching arrangements comprises at least one pivotable element that is part of a hinged flap integrally attached along an upper portion of said peripheral lid flange, wherein a circumferential rim of said peripheral lid flange does not form part of said hinged flap,
wherein a split line between said peripheral lid flange and said peripheral base flange is visible along the edge of said actuation surfaces of said first pair of latching arrangements and is concealed along said base at least at said second pair of latching arrangements,
wherein said latching elements are adapted to interlock with said cooperating latching elements when said lid is pushed onto said base to retain said lid to said base, wherein said latching elements are further adapted to disengage from said cooperating latching elements when an inward force is exerted on said release actuation surfaces, and
wherein simultaneous force exerted on all of said releasable latching arrangements by at least four fingers of a user is required to open said child resistant container.
16. A child resistant container for tobacco or a tobacco substitute product comprising:
a base that comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral base flange extending from said bottom wall;
a detachable and re-attachable separate lid comprising a top wall and a peripheral lid flange extending from said top wall,
wherein said peripheral lid flange is adapted to be attached over and around at least an upper portion of said peripheral base flange, and
a first pair of releasable latching arrangements and a second pair of releasable latching arrangements,
wherein each of said releasable latching arrangements comprises a latching element, a cooperating latching element, and a release actuation surface,
wherein said release actuation surface of each of said first pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral base flange, and said release actuation surface of each of said second pair of latching arrangements is provided on said peripheral lid flange,
wherein said latching element of each of said second pair of latching arrangements comprises at least one pivotable element that is part of a hinged flap integrally attached along an upper portion of said peripheral lid flange, wherein a circumferential rim of said peripheral lid flange does not form part of said hinged flap,
wherein said latching elements are adapted to interlock with said cooperating latching elements when said lid is pushed onto said base to retain said lid to said base, wherein said latching elements are further adapted to disengage from said cooperating latching elements when an inward force is exerted on said release actuation surfaces,
wherein, said peripheral lid flange completely covers said peripheral base flange at least at said second pair of releasable latching arrangements, and
wherein simultaneous force exerted on all of said releasable latching arrangements by at least four fingers of a user is required to open said child resistant container.