US3759371A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Containers for small articles such as pills
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-07-12
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Granted: 1973-09-18
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Expires: 1992-07-12
Abstract
Abstract Containers are disclosed for such small articles as pills that are to be removed and used one at a time. Each container has a bottom section provided with a plurality of article-receiving collapsible pockets and a cover section to overlie and close the pockets with its pocket-closing portion provided with score lines rupturable when an article is forced against it when a pocket is collapsed by digital pressure applied to the bottom thereof. The sections have portions that are interengageable to provide locks to hold them together so that the pockets and pocket-closing portion become pods and also prevent adjacent pockets from opening when a pod is ruptured.
Inventors
- 👤 R Marks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 00:06
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D75/00; B65D75/28; B65D75/30; B65D75/32; B65D75/325; B65D75/327; B65D2575/00; B65D2575/28; B65D2575/30; B65D2575/32; B65D2575/3209; B65D2575/3218; B65D2575/3227; B65D2585/00; B65D2585/56
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A molded container of flexible plastic comprising a bottom section and a cover section, said cover section includ-ing a plurality of article receiving pockets each of a wall structure enabling it to be collapsed by digitally applied pressure to the bottom thereof, said sections also including complemental interengageable male and female locking members distributed throughout the sections to be operable when inter-engaged to hold the cover section closed with reference to each pocket, each section also including interengageable portions extending continuously about the periphery thereof to provide a marginal seal when the container is closed, each of the portions of the bottom section that closes a pocket defining therewith an article-containing pod and having score lines that rutpure to open the pod when a contained article is forced against that underlying portion by said pressure, said score lines of each pod-containing portion of the cover section radiating from the center thereof to a point close to the boundary of that portion and also including transversely extending terminal portions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A molded container of flexible plastic comprising a bottom section and a cover section, said cover section includ-ing a plurality of article receiving pockets each of a wall structure enabling it to be collapsed by digitally applied pressure to the bottom thereof, said sections also including complemental interengageable male and female locking members distributed throughout the sections to be operable when inter-engaged to hold the cover section closed with reference to each pocket, each section also including interengageable portions extending continuously about the periphery thereof to provide a marginal seal when the container is closed, each of the portions of the bottom section that closes a pocket defining therewith an article-containing pod and having score lines that rutpure to open the pod when a contained article is forced against that underlying portion by said pressure, said score lines of each pod-containing portion of the cover section radiating from the center thereof to a point close to the boundary of that portion and also including transversely extending terminal portions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The container of claim 1 in which a hinge integrally connects said sections and the continuous peripheral interengageable portions extend from one end of the hinge to the other end thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The container of claim 1 in which one portion of said continuous peripheral interengageable portions is a channel and the other portion is a channel-entering flange dimensioned to engage with the bottom of the channel and suf-ficiently thin to be flexed by such engagement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The container of claim 1 in which there is a small central web separating the inner ends of the radial score lines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The container of claim 4 in which each radial line is interrupted with the length of the interruption being approximately equal to the thickNess of the pod-containing portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The container of claim 5 in which the terminal portions are arcuate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The container of claim 5 in which each pod-containing portion includes four equally spaced radial score lines.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The container of claim 1 in which the terminal portions of each radial score line terminate short of the other terminal portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The container of claim 1 in which there are a plurality of locks adjacent each pocket with the radial score lines being disposed out of alignment with the adjacent locks.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The container of claim 1 in which the bottom of each pocket is flat and is substantially thinner than the side wall thereof adjacent its open end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The molded container of claim 1 in which the male and female locking members are tubular sockets, the outer surface of the side wall of the male members tapering inwardly towards their open ends and the inner surfaces of the side walls of the female locking members tapering outwardly towards their closed ends.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The molded container of claim 11 in which the male members are in the bottom section and the female members are in the cover section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-17 | 1977-03-19 | 1977-09-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-17 | 1981-03-19 | 1981-09-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-17 | 1985-03-19 | 1985-09-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |