WO1997011003A2

WO1997011003A2 - Container with means for holding a leaflet

Info

Publication number: WO1997011003A2
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001971
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tim Rayner
Original assignee: Jaycare Ltd
Current assignee: Jaycare Ltd
Priority date: 1995-09-20
Filing date: 1996-08-13
Publication date: 1997-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 1998-03-20
Also published as: WO1997011003A3; GB9519196D0; AU6747296A

Abstract

The invention provides a one piece plastics container (10) for example for medicines for human consumption is supplied with an instruction leaflet (20) for the taking of the medicine, and the leaflet (20), instead of being supplied inside the container or held thereto by an elastic band, is held in a pocket (19) which is formed between inner (16) and outer (18) walls of the container (10). The pocket (19) is open at one end (21), at the lower end of the container (10), and closed at the other end, at the top end of the container (10), and inside the pocket (19) at the closed end are projection ribs or bars (30-34) which extend from top to bottom of the container (10) and project radially from the outer and inner walls (16, 18), whilst being circumferentially interspaced, and are tapered at their ends (30A-34A) facing the bottom of the container (10), so that when the leaflet (20) is pushed into the pocket (19) the tapered ends (30A-34A) of the ribs (30-34) guide the edge of the leaflet (20) into gripping, frictional engagement with the ribs (30-34) to prevent the leaflet (20) from falling accidentally from the pocket (19). Also disclosed is that a tamper evident label (50) is applied across the mouth of the pocket (19) which must be torn away to gain access to the leaflet (20).

Description

CONTAINER WTTH MEANS FOR HOLDING A LEAFLET

This invention relates to packaging containers, and particularly although perhaps not exclusively, relates to packaging containers of a small hand-held type used for containing contents such as medicaments for example in the form o f pills.

Small hand-held containers of this type are used in large numbers, and typically comprise a body with an open top and a closure which is connected to the top of the body often in a tamper evident fashion. The closure itself after it has been removed to gain access to the contents often is reconnectible to the container in a tamper resistant manner so that it is difficult for children accidentally to open the container and consume some or all of the contents.

With these containers there is frequently supplied instruction information, as to how the contents are to be used, and the care to be taken in consuming and handling the contents. The instructional information is usually in printed form on a label or on a small booklet or leaflet, and there are several ways of providing that the instructional information remains connected to the container including the following -

1 . Putting it in the head space between the top of container contents and the undersurface of the closure.

2. As a label applied to the outer surface o f the container (such a label may be multi-sheet and in booklet form) .

3. Held to the container body by means of an elastic band or the hke.

Each of these methods has disadvantages. In the first method, the information must be placed inside the container before it is closed and in mass production this is difficult. Also, the additional step of placing the information inside the container leaves open greater possibility that the container contents may be tampered with. The second method requires a processing step involving the application of adhesive to the container body and/or label. Also, the printed information may become detached from the container during subsequent handling of the container along with many others in collating and transporting. This disadvantage also applies to the third method, but in addition in relation to the third method if the elastic band breaks, the printed information may become detached from the container.

It has been proposed before to design containers so that they include a pocket for the reception of a label or the like, and one such arrangement is set forth in United States Patent No 3,165,218 wherein a container has a pocket which extends circumferentially of the container and can receive a label inserted therein through the mouth of the pocket. In order to retain the label in the pocket however, the container is designed to receive a separate ring seal which closes the mouth of the pocket after the label has been inserted.

In another arrangement for the holding of a label, as disclosed in United States Patent No 2,844,893, a separate sleeve is fittable to the container in order to hold the label in position.

The present invention in a first aspect seeks to provide a container arrangement wherein the printed information may be more readily connected with the container in a more secure manner.

According to the invention there is provided a container comprising a body having an interior for contents, wherein the container comprises inner and outer walls defining a peripheral pocket) which has an open end to enable an instruction leaflet relating to how the contents are to be used to be inserted therein and removed therefrom, and a closed end limiting the extent to which the leaflet can be inserted in the pocket, characterised in that in the pocket is at least one friction gripping means to receive and frictionally hold the leaflet when inserted into the pocket to a pre-determined extent.

When the pocket is formed integrally in the container, it is preferably formed integrally in the container body by making the body at least over a portion of its periphery, with the inner and outer walls spaced apart to define the pocket. The pocket may be open downwardly towards the bottom o f the container to provide a lower pocket mouth through which the printed material can be inserted into the pocket.

Where, as will apply in the majority of cases, the container is a one piece injection moulded plastic component, the printed material receiving pocket and gripping means can be formed during the injection moulding process, and preferably the pocket is such as to extend entirely circumferentially of the container body. The lower edge o f the outer wall may be provided with a thumb insertion cut¬ out to enable the printed material after it has been placed into the pocket to be engaged by the thumb and removed from the pocket for examination.

The container preferably is circular sectioned and is in the nature of a jar shape, and the closure may be a plastics material cap which is fitted in the manner indicated above, and to provide the functions of tamper evidence and tamper resistance as mentioned above.

In an alternative embodiment, the pocket for receiving the printed information mav be formed alternatively or additionally in the closure cap or an attachment for the closure cap, but such a pocket would be of more limited size than a pocket formed adjacent the container body walls.

It also the case that it is preferred that the leaflet should be protected from tampering. Such tampering could be for example the replacement with another, wrong leaflet, which could be disastrous in the case of medical products, and the present invention in another aspect provides a tamper evident means which is effective in protecting against this problem.

According to this second aspect there is provided a container comprising a body having an interior for contents, wherein the container comprises inner and outer walls defining a peripheral pocket which has an open end and holds an instruction leaflet relating to how the contents are to be used and which can be removed therefrom, characterised by a tamper evident label adhered to the container which extends across the pocket open end and must be torn away or removed to enable the leaflet to be removed from the pocket .

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention wherein the pocket for the printed information is formed integrally in the container body;

Fig. 2 is an underneath plan of the container shown in Fig. 1 ; and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the container shown in Fig. 1 , the section being taken on the line B-B in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the container shown therein is formed in plastics material and is of jar or can shape and is provided with a top closure of a similar plastics material which fits the top o f the container to close same in a tamper-evident manner by the closure having a tamper evident tear band. When the closure is properly removed, it can be re-fitted to the container body in a tamper- resistant manner, but such a container closure and its functioning are well known and will not be described further herein.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the container 10 comprises a body 12 and the closure 14. The body 12 comprises a double sided wall including outer wall 18 and inner wall 16 (Fig. 3) . The interior 15 of the container 10 is bounded by the inner wall 16. These two walls are separated by an air space or pocket 19 which has a mouth 21 open towards the bottom of the body 12, and the pocket 19 serves to receive printed matter in the form of a leaflet 20 which can be rolled to the configuration shown to match the shape of the container, and can be pushed into the pocket as indicated bv arrow 22. The pocket is dimensioned and designed so that the leaflet can be easily inserted and will be held frictionally therein by gripping means whilst the container is transported and until it reaches the eventual user who can remove the leaflet to read the information contained therein by inserting his or her thumb through a cut-out 24 in the outer wall and by gripping the edge of the leaflet and pulling it from the pocket.

The arrangement for the holding of the leaflet 20 forms an aspect o f the present invention and the gripping means will now be described in relation to Figs. 2 and 3. There are two of such gripping means and these are arranged inside the pocket 19 and they are disposed diametrically opposite in relation to the container 10. The gripping means are defined by radial ribs which are formed integrally with the container 10 during the moulding process, and these ribs are provided at the closed end of the pocket 19. They are configured to ensure that as the leaflet is pushed into the pocket, the leading edge of the leaflet will be guided into friction gripping arrangement with the ribs as described below.

As shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, each gripping means comprises three rib s 30, 32 and 34 extending from top to bottom of the container 10. Ribs 30, 32 are on the inner surface of the outer wall 18, and project radially inwards o f the container 10 towards the inner wall 16. Rib 34 is on the outer surface of the inner wall 16 and projects radially outwards of the container 10. In circumferential direction, the ribs 30, 32 respectively lie to opposite sides of the rib 34, and in this embodiment, the outer edges of the ribs 30, 32 and 34 all lie on the same pitch circle 36 as shown in Fig. 2. This is to provide a satisfactory gripping pressure, to hold the leaflet and to allow it to be removed and replaced repeatedly.

As shown in Fig. 3, the edges 30A, 32A and 34A of the ribs 30, 32 and 34 which face the open mouth 21 of the pocket 19 are tapered to zero thickness towards the walls 1 8, 1 6 from which thev project, so as to serve as guiding means to ensure that the leaflet when inserted into the pocket 19 will be reliably and accurately positioned in the pocket 19, and will be held by the gripping means.

From the above, the operation of the container gripping means will be readily understood. When a leaflet is to be inserted, it is simply pushed into the pocket 19 and the leading edge o f the leaflet will engage the tapered edges of the ribs 30, 32 and 34 and be forced to deflect into wavy configuration around the ribs as shown in Fig. 2

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 2. and will be held thereby until forcibly removed. The invention provides an effective means of holding the leaflet.

It will be appreciated that the gripping means can be modified or take other forms to achieve the same effect. Thus, the ribs may project more or less from the walls to which they are connected to provide greater or less gripping effect, and more or less ribs may be used. Indeed, the gripping means may be simply a narrowing of the pocket 19 towards the closed end.

The arrangement described has the advantage of enabling the leaflet to be loose but nevertheless held firmly to the container during transportation.

According to another feature of the invention, the container is rendered tamper evident in relation to tampering with the leaflet or the like in that a label may readily be applied over the open end of the pocket by adhesive or the like, whereby the leaflet must be or will be torn away to enable the leaflet to be removed from the pocket. One such label is shown in Fig. 3 in dotted lines and by reference numeral 50. The label extends from the base52 of the body 12, across the mouth of the pocket and onto the outside of the outer wall 18. The adhesive use for adhering the label will preferably be such that any attempt to remove the label will result in it being torn or destroyed.

The invention can be applied to containers of any size and for any purpose but we envisage its main use being in relation to small plastic containers which are used for holding medicaments such as pills. CLAIMS

1. A container (10) comprising a body (12) having an interior (15) for contents, wherein the container (10) comprises inner and outer walls (16, 18) defining a peripheral pocket (19) which has an open end (21 ) to enable an instruction leaflet (20) relating to how the contents are to be used to be inserted therein and removed therefrom, and a closed end limiting the extent to which the leaflet (20) can be inserted in the pocket, characterised in that in the pocket (19) is at least one friction gripping means (30-34) to receive and frictionally hold the leaflet (20) when inserted into the pocket (19) to a pre-determined extent.

2. A container according to claim 1 , characterised in that the friction gripping means (30-34) comprises at least one rib (30-34) on at least the inner surface of the outer wall (18) or the outer surface of the inner wall (16), which rib (30-34) extends in the direction from top to bottom of the container (10) and projects inwardly or outwardly depending upon the wall on which it is provided, so that the leaflet (20) can be gripped between the rib and the opposite wall or the rib or ribs (30-34) on the opposite wall.

3. A container according to claim 2, characterised in that the or each gripping means (30-34) comprises a single rib (34) on the inner wall (16) and two ribs (30,32) on the outer wall (18), said two ribs (30,32) on the outer wall lying, in a direction circumferentially of the container (10), to opposite sides of the single rib (34).

4. A container according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the or each rib (30-34) is tapered at its end (30A-34A) which faces the open end (21 ) of the pocket (19), to guide the leaflet (20) into the gripping position. 5. A container according to any preceding claim, characterised in that there are two of said friction gripping means (30-34) located at diametrically opposite locations of the container (10) .

6. A container according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the or each gripping means (30-34) is located at the bottom of the pocket (19) .

7. A container according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the container (10) is a one piece container of plastics material.

8. A container according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the container (10) is of circular configuration in cross section.

9. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is of a size capable of being held in the hand.

10. A container according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the container pocket (19) has its open end (21 ) at the bottom of the container (10) .

1 1. A container according to claim 10, characterised in that the outer wall (18) at the bottom of the container has at least one finger cut out (24) to enable the leaflet (20) to be gripped by hand and removed from the pocket (19) .

12. A container according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the container is of the tamper evident, child resistant type, and is adapted to be closed by means of a cap having a tamper evident tear band.

13. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein (10) the pocket (19) has an instruction leaflet (20) therein and there is a tamper evident label (50) adhered to the container (10) which extends across the pocket open end and must be torn away or removed to enable the leaflet (20) to be removed from the pocket

(19) .

14. A container (10) comprising a body (12) having an interior (15) for contents, wherein the container (10) comprises inner and outer walls (16, 18) defining a peripheral pocket (19) which has an open end (21 ) and holds an instruction leaflet (20) relating to how the contents are to be used and which can be removed therefrom, characterised by a tamper evident label (50) adhered to the container (10) which extends across the pocket open end and must be torn away or removed to enable the leaflet (20) to be removed from the pocket (19) .