LID-LESS, squeeze-to-open, self-closing, pill-box

Abstract

An improved hand held thermoplastic multi-purpose lid-less airtight container, that can be squeezed open by the same hand for dispensing when up-ended, and automatically self-closes upon release of the manual squeeze effort, thus restricting exposure to contaminants, bugs, germs etc. and removal of contents by others; depending upon its ultimate usage, said container may be provided with a suitable tamper evident closure as follows: 1/ for pharmacies when filling prescription pills a child resistant tamper evident protection closure is made simply by overlapping the elongated curved slotted outlet of said lid-less container with the self-adhesive prescription paper label presently used by pharmacies for tear-off by the customer 2/ for other than prescription filling, a simple tack-weld at the closure outlet lips for separation by the customer's initial squeeze to open operation 3/ for purchase by the customer for temporary storage of vitamins, drugs, aspirin, usually kept in pockets or purses for quick withdrawal, of the likes of Bayer aspirin towards possibly warding off heart attacks.

1 . A small low density polyethylene (LDPE) thermoplastic lid-less airtight squeeze-to-open, self-closing container molded to form a small hand held manually squeeze-able container for dispensing solids or liquids which self-closes upon release of the squeeze effort; when the walled portion of said cylindrical container is formed until it outwardly tapers to an adjoining, widened, flattened, smooth curved quadrant slot; said discharge slot having opposed nested walls substantially in face to face contact when self-closing by cooling and compression prior to release from the mold used for thermoforming, said opposing walls of the curved quadrant discharge slot have a thickness to insure self-closing snap-back stress upon application of digital force at the exterior of the broadened outwardly tapering sides adjoining the widened, flattened curved discharge slot portion of the self-closing container.  
   
   
       2 . A small, hand held, lid-less, thermoplastic container, as in  claim 1 , used for filling prescription drugs by pharmacists, for sale to consumers who can dispense said pills, by manually squeezing open the container's lid-less elongated quadrant curved slotted outlet, which upon release of the squeeze effort, automatically self-closes, thereby eliminating the time consuming, costly and sometime difficult closure capping operation, which oftentimes is neglected by the consumer, thereby exposing the contents of said container to moisture, contamination, spillage and possible withdrawal of pills by others, particularly children.  
   
   
       3  The container of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated quadrant curved slotted outlet, is provided with a tamper evident seal closure, by overlapping, wrapping and fastening both sides of the outer portions of said elongated quadrant curved slotted outlet and the outwardly tapered portion of the container, with the likes of a typical pharmaceutical bar coded, self-adhesive paper prescription label presently used, which when partially removed or torn off for dispensing product, other than by the consumer, indicates tampering.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein self-adhesive paper prescription label is made thick enough to provide a grooved tear-away joint which can easily be creased by the pharmacist for folding and alignment of said creased joint atop and adjacent to the slotted portion of the container's elongated quadrant curved slotted outlet.  
   
   
       5  The container of  claim 1 , wherein paper prescription label is made part of a typical mailing envelope with self-adhesive lap for sealing said envelope after insertion of the filled container.  
   
   
       6  The container of  claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic is Low Density Polyethylene or equal, provided with standard natural finish, which gives the necessary opaqueness required for Ultra-Violet light resistance, and surface adherence for application of typical pharmaceutical self-adhesive prescription labels, or equal.  
   
   
       7  Stiffer plastics, the likes of Polypropylene may be used, for making a flexible container per  claim 1 , by forming thinner outlet lips and container walls in accordance with specified melting and softening temperatures.  
   
   
       8  Softer Plastics the likes of Poly-Vinyl-Chloride may be used, for making a flexible container per  claim 1 , by forming thicker outlet lips and walls in accordance with specified melting and softening temperatures.  
   
   
       9  The container of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated quadrant curved slotted outlet is post-formed by clamping and heating said generally cylindrical walled outlet of the container, at the softening temperature of the thermoplastic LDPE, or equal material used, then cooling prior to release from the clamping tool to establish or set its permanent molded shape.  
   
   
       10 . A small, hand held, multi-purpose lid-less, flexible thermoplastic container, as in  claim 1 , having a flexible elongated quadrant curved slotted outlet that can be squeezed open for dispensing; which self-closes automatically upon release of the squeeze effort; normally purchased empty by the consumer for temporary storage of various products, such as; a/ hardware; brads, tacks, nuts and bolts etc., b/ jewelry, pairing of ear-rings c/ Ofishing; hooks, lures, weights, bait, acts as a bobbin when afloat d/ candy; jelly beans, mints etc. e/ sewing; beads, pins, needles f/ use as temporary storage in pockets or purses for drugs, vitamins, aspirin etc. while away from home g/ covering the wet end of a tooth brush while away from home, and other applications too numerous to mention.  
   
   
       11  The container of  claim 1 , wherein said container is filled with product by a packaging company for consumption by others, thereby requiring tamper evident protection for the consumer, by overlapping, wrapping and fastening both sides of the outer portions of said elongated quadrant curved slotted outlet and outwardly tapered portions of the container, with a company bar coded product description self-adhesive paper label, which when partially removed or torn off, other than by the consumer, indicates tampering  
   
   
       12  An alternate to  claim 1 , wherein said container is filled with product by a packaging company for consumption by others, thereby requiring a tamper evident seal closure for the elongated curved quadrant outlet, by joining and sealing the outer lip portions of said outlet by heat forming a tack-weld melted indent which when cooled at ambient temperature sets, for joining said lips which upon application of the initial squeeze-to-open operation, said tack-weld breaks and separates by the squeeze-to-open effort.  
   
   
       13  The flexible elongated quadrant curved slotted dispenser outlet closure lips, can be made tighter by providing a rigid reinforced plastic elongated housing to slip over and compress said dispenser outlet closure lips.  
   
   
       14  During the blow molding process for forming the LDPE container per  claim 1 , blow low pressure steam to cool down the thennoplastic to its softening point (212F for LDPE) and condense said steam within the dispenser chamber walls via the blow molding water cooling system, to permit ambient 15 psi atmospheric air to provide the compressive force required to mate the male and female elongated curved dispenser outlet lips into a nested squeeze-to-open self-closing closure.  
   
   
       15  For making the elongated curved closure lips airtight, employ a metal for the blow mold housing that will shrink fit during the cooling down period of 350F to ambient, thereby compressing said lips for closure.  
   
   
       16  Provide, any container having an elongated slotted outlet for dispensing product, with a tamper evident sealed closure made from any pliable material having self-adhesive glue for covering and sealing the lips of said elongated slotted outlet.  
   
   
       17  Provide, any container attachment such as threaded or snap-on caps having elongated slotted outlet, with tamper evident protection as outlined in  claim 16.