Container with locking device

Abstract

A container ( 1 ) comprises a container body comprising first and second parts ( 3, 5 ) which may be brought together to close container and separated to open the container, and a retaining device ( 11 ) comprising a retaining member ( 13 ) and a release member ( 15 ), wherein the retaining member is securable in a retaining position in which it retains the first and second parts ( 3, 5 ) of the container body together and thereby contains the container closed, the retaining member ( 13 ) being manually disengageable from its retaining position by movement of the release member ( 15 ) with respect to the retaining member ( 13 ). The container is particularly suitable for containing one or more packs of pharmaceutical tablets.

1 . A container which comprises a container body comprising first and second parts which may be brought together to close the container and separated to open the container, and a retaining device comprising a retaining member and a release member, wherein the retaining member is securable in a retaining position in which it retains the first and second parts of the container body together and thereby retains the container closed, the retaining member being manually disengageable from its retaining position by movement of the release member with respect to the retaining member.  
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , in which said movement of the release member disengages the retaining member from its retaining position.  
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1 , in which said movement of the release member enables the retaining member to be disengaged from its retaining position.  
     
     
         4 . A container according to any preceding claim in which the container is arranged such that after said movement of the release member, movement of the retaining member with respect to at least one of the parts of the container body opens the container.  
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 4 , in which said movement of the retaining member comprises movement of one of the parts of the container body with respect to the other part of the container body, causing the container to be opened.  
     
     
         6 . A container according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , in which the container is arranged such that after said movement of the release member, movement of the retaining member with respect to at least one of the parts of the container body allows the container to be opened.  
     
     
         7 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the retaining device and one of the first or second parts of the container body have been formed as a single integral part.  
     
     
         8 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the retaining member of the retaining device comprises a member of one of the parts of the container body that is resiliently biased to press against the other part of the container body when the container is closed.  
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 8 , in which the retaining member is resiliently biased to press outwardly against an interior surface of the other part of the container body.  
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 8  or  claim 9 , in which the retaining member is a member of the second part of the container body.  
     
     
         11 . A container according to any one of  claims 8  to  10 , in which the retaining member interlocks with a recess, aperture or protrusion of the other part of the container body when the retaining member is in its retaining position.  
     
     
         12 . A container according to any one of  claims 8  to  11 , in which the movement of the release member acts against the resilient bias of the retaining member to disengage the retaining member from its retaining position.  
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 12  when dependent upon  claim 9 , in which the movement of the release member causes a retraction of the retaining member away from the interior surface of the other part.  
     
     
         14 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the release member and the retaining member have chamfered surfaces which cooperate to disengage the retaining member from its retaining position upon said movement of the release member.  
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 8  or any other claim dependent thereon, in which the release member is a member of the same part of the container body as that of the retaining member.  
     
     
         16 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the release member is directly or indirectly accessible from the exterior of the container.  
     
     
         17 . A container according to  claim 16 , in which the release member is only indirectly accessible from the exterior of the container when the container is closed, for example by means of a button, membrane or flap.  
     
     
         18 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the release member is arranged to disengage the retaining member from its retaining position by being manually depressed from the exterior of the container.  
     
     
         19 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the release member is engageable, by manually releasable interlocking, with the container body or a component thereof, such that when so engaged it secures the retaining member in its retaining position.  
     
     
         20 . A container which comprises a container body comprising first and second parts which may be brought together to close the container and separated to open the container, and a retaining device comprising a retaining member and a release member, the release member being engageable, by manually releasable interlocking, with the container body or a component thereof such that when so engaged it secures the retaining member in a retaining position in which the first and second parts of the container body are retained together and when disengaged it enables the retaining member to be moved from its retaining position to release the first and second parts of the container body.  
     
     
         21 . A container according to  claim 20 , in which the release member comprises a projection arranged to interlock with a corresponding aperture in or on the container body.  
     
     
         22 . A container according to  claim 20  or  claim 21 , in which the release member comprises an aperture arranged releasably to receive a projection of the container body therein.  
     
     
         23 . A container according to any one of  claims 20  to  22 , in which the release member is engageable with only one of either the first part or the second part of the container body.  
     
     
         24 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the first part of the container comprises a lid or sleeve of the container and the second part of the container comprises a base or tray of the container, the tray being receivable in the sleeve to close the container.  
     
     
         25 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the first and second parts of the container body are connected by means of one or more hinges by which they may be rotated with respect to each other in order to open or close the container.  
     
     
         26 . A container according to any preceding claim, in which the release member and the retaining member are spaced apart from each other but are physically interconnected.  
     
     
         27 . A container according to  claim 26 , in which the retaining device further comprises a member to which both the release member and the retaining member are joined.  
     
     
         28 . A container according to any preceding claim, which is suitable for holding one or more generally flat packs of pharmaceutical tablets, the interior of the container including means for holding the, or each, pack of tablets.  
     
     
         29 . A container according to  claim 28 , in which the holding means comprises one or more retaining clips arranged to engage the, or each, pack of tablets.