Apparatus and method for a child-resistant oral nicotine can
Provided herein is a child-resistant can including a base and a lid. The base may include a bottom plate, a base circumferential wall, and an interior surface defined by the bottom plate and base circumferential wall. The lid may be configured to enclose the interior surface.
1 . A child-resistant can comprising:
a base comprising:
a bottom plate;
a base circumferential wall surrounding and extending from the bottom plate,
the bottom plate and the base circumferential wall defining an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface,
the base circumferential wall comprising two base projections extending inward from the interior surface; and
two snap-fit connectors, each snap-fit connector comprising an upper portion, a lower actuator portion, and a horizontal rotational axis disposed between the upper portion and the lower actuator portion; and
a lid configured to enclose the interior surface, the lid comprising:
a top plate; and
a lid circumferential wall extending from the top plate and configured to abut against the interior surface of the base circumferential wall, the lid circumferential wall comprising:
two indents, each indent being configured to receive and engage with the upper portion of one of the corresponding snap-fit connectors; and
two lid projections each being vertically aligned with one of the indents,
wherein each of the base projections are configured to abut against an upper surface of the corresponding lid projection when the lid is coupled to the base,
wherein the snap-fit connectors are configured to rotate around the rotational axis when pressure is applied to the actuator portion, such that the upper portion disengages from the corresponding indent, and
wherein the rotational axis comprises a pin around which the actuator portion and the upper portion are configured to rotate.
2 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , wherein the can is configured to provide at least one of an audible, visual, or tactile feedback to a user when the upper portions engage with the corresponding indents.
3 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , wherein the snap-fit connectors are equally spaced from one another around the base circumferential wall.
4 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , further comprising two cavities, each cavity corresponding to an actuator portion.
5 . The child-resistant can of claim 4 , wherein each of the cavities is disposed radially inwards from the corresponding actuator portion and is configured to receive the actuator portion when the actuator portion is pressed radially inwards by a user.
6 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the can is within a range of about 50 mm to about 100 mm.
7 . The child-resistant can of claim 6 , wherein the diameter of the can is within a range of about 60 mm to about 90 mm.
8 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , wherein a height of the can is within a range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm.
9 . The child-resistant can of claim 8 , wherein the height of the can is within a range of about 15 mm to about 25 mm.
10 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , wherein a width of the snap-fit connector is within a range of about 10 mm to about 20 mm.
11 . The child-resistant can of claim 10 , wherein the width of the snap-fit connector is within a range of about 12 mm to about 17 mm.
12 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , wherein the can comprises at least one of aluminum, a plant-based plastic, or a petroleum-based plastic.
13 . The child-resistant can of claim 12 , wherein the can is formed of a biodegradable material.
14 . The child-resistant can of claim 12 , wherein the plant-based plastic is one or more selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroalkanoates (PHAs), polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB), polyhdroxyvalerate (PHV), and polyhydroxy hexanoate (PHH); and
the petroleum-based plastic is one or more selected from the group consisting of polyglycolic acid (PGA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polycaprolactone (PCL), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), and oxo-degradable polypropylene (oxo-PP).
15 . The child-resistant can of claim 1 , wherein the pin is disposed in a channel formed within the snap-fit connector.
16 . A method of opening the child-resistant can of claim 1 , comprising:
pressing the two lower actuator portions radially inwards with respect to the can, such that the upper portions disengage from the indents;
rotating the lid with respect to the base such that the lid projections disengage from the base projections;
lifting the lid upwards away from the base.
17 . A method of closing the child-resistant can of claim 1 , comprising:
pressing the actuator portions radially inwards with respect to the can;
aligning the lid with the base such that the indents are misaligned from the upper portions of the snap-fit connectors;
inserting the lid into the base;
rotating the lid until the two base projections engage the two lid projections and the upper portions snap in place to engage with the indents.