Coupling system, process of making the same, child-proof container and child-proof package

Abstract

A coupling system ( 1 ) including a first ( 93 ) and a second ( 94 ) wall, relatively movable with respect to each other between a close condition and a distanced condition. The coupling system also includes a first coupling portion ( 12 ) carried by the first wall, a second coupling portion ( 13 ) carried by the second wall, and a selector ( 90 ) movable between a first and a second operative position in which, in the close and distanced conditions. The selector allows and prevents the engagement between the first and second coupling portions. The coupling system may be employed in a container, or a package.

1 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A child-proof container comprising:
 a storage defining a compartment configured to house a product, the storage having a predetermined number of lateral walls defining an delimited by a free edge and configured to place the compartment of the storage in communication with an external environment,   a closure system engaged with the storage, said closure system and said storage being relatively movable with respect to each other between: (i) a closed condition in which the closure system prevents the communication between the compartment of the storage and the external environment, and (ii) an open condition in which the closure system allows the communication between the compartment and the external environment,   wherein the closure system comprises: (i) a top wall configured to obstruct the opening of the storage in said closed condition, and (ii) a lateral wall emerging from the top wall and configured to be arranged within the storage in said closed condition, and   at least one coupling system comprising:
 a first wall made of a sheet material, 
 a second wall made of the sheet material, 
 a first coupling portion carried by the first wall, 
 a second coupling portion carried by the second wall and configured to cooperate with said first coupling portion, 
   wherein the first wall and the second wall are relatively movable with respect to each other between: (i) a close condition in which the first wall and the second wall are at least partly facing each other, and (ii) a distanced condition in which the first wall and the second wall are separated from each other,   wherein the coupling system further comprises a selector carried by at least one of the first wall and the second wall, said selector, at least in the close condition, is movable with respect to at least one of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion between:
 (i) a first operative position in which said selector allows the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to be stably engaged with each other to define a locking condition in which said first coupling portion and said second coupling portion prevent the first wall and the second wall from switching from the close condition to the distanced condition, and 
 (ii) a second operative position in which the selector prevents the first and the second coupling portions, at least in said close condition, from being engaged with each other in a manner such that the first and second walls can switch from the close condition to the distanced condition, 
   wherein the first wall defines at least one part of a lateral wall of the storage while the second wall of the coupling system defines at least one part of a lateral wall of the closure system, wherein:
 (i) the first coupling portion is carried by the storage, and 
 (ii) the second coupling portion is carried by the closure system, 
   wherein the first and second coupling portions are configured to stably engaged each other in the closed condition of the storage and the closure system to define a locking condition of the latter in which said first and second coupling portions prevent the closure system and the storage from switching from the closed condition to the open condition,   wherein the selector of the coupling system is carried by at least one of the closure system and the storage, said selector, at least in the closed condition of the closure system and the storage, being relatively movable with respect to at least one of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion between:
 (i) the first operative position in which said selector allows the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to be stably engaged with each other to define said locking condition, and 
 (ii) the second operative position in which the selector prevents the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion from engaging to allow the closure system and the storage to switch from the closed condition to the open condition. 
   
     
     
         25 . The child proof container according to  claim 24 , wherein the coupling system comprises at least one pusher carried by at least one of the closure system and the storage, said pusher, at least during the switch between the open condition and the closed condition of the closure system and the storage, is configured to move the selector from the second operative position to the first operative position. 
     
     
         26 . The child proof container system according to  claim 25 , wherein the selector comprises a thrust portion directly abutted against the pusher, at least in the close condition of the first wall and the second wall, and
 said pusher is configured to act thrustingly, at least during the switch from the distanced condition to the close condition of the first and second walls, on the thrust portion of the selector by moving the latter from the second to the first operative position.   
     
     
         27 . The child proof container according to  claim 24 , wherein the selector comprises a maneuvering portion configured to allow a user, at least during the close condition of the first wall and the second wall, to act on said maneuvering portion and to move the selector between the first operative position and the second operative position to allow the disengagement of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion. 
     
     
         28 . The child proof container according to  claim 25 , wherein the first wall comprises an outer panel and one inner panel,
 wherein the outer panel has a through opening configured to allow, in the close condition of the first wall and the second wall, intervention on the maneuvering portion of the selector in order to allow the movement thereof from the first to the second operative position,   wherein the inner panel has at least one through opening configured for allowing the pusher, at least during the switch from the distanced condition to the close condition of the first wall and the second wall, to act thrustingly on the thrust portion of the selector.   
     
     
         29 . The child proof container according to  claim 28 , wherein the outer panel lies on a plane, the selector lying on a plane parallel to the plane of the outer panel, and
 wherein the selector is movable, between the first operative position and the second operative position, along a movement trajectory parallel to the plane of the outer panel.   
     
     
         30 . The child proof container according to  claim 28 , comprising an intermediate panel interposed between the outer panel and the inner panel, wherein the intermediate panel on one side faces the outer panel and on an opposite side faces the inner panel,
 wherein the intermediate panel comprises a groove configured to receive the selector, and   wherein the groove of the intermediate panel, together with the inner panel and with the outer panel, delimit a housing seat within which the selector is movable.   
     
     
         31 . The child proof container according to  claim 30 , wherein the groove is delimited by a closed perimeter edge, wherein the selector is at least partly counter-shaped with respect to the perimeter edge of said groove, and
 wherein the perimeter edge of the groove defines a guide at least partly parallel to the movement trajectory of the selector, wherein the guide is configured for defining the movement of the selector between the first operative position to the second operative position along said movement trajectory.   
     
     
         32 . The child proof container according to  claim 24 , wherein the selector, in the second operative position, is:
 at least partly interposed between the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to prevent the engagement thereof, and/or   configured to act thrustingly on at least one of the first coupling and the second coupling portion to move away and keep separated said first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to prevent the engagement thereof.   
     
     
         33 . A child proof package comprising:
 a container defining a compartment to house a product, said container having at least one lateral wall defining an opening delimited by a free edge, said opening configured to allow insertion and removal of the product from the container,   a case having at least one lateral wall defining an access delimit by a free edge configured to allow passage of the container, said at least one lateral wall of the case delimiting an inner volume configured to receive at least part of the container, wherein the case and the container are relatively movable with respect to each other between: (i) a closed condition in which the case obstructs the opening of the container, wherein the container, in said closed condition, is arranged at least partly in the inner volume, and (ii) an open condition in which the case allows communication between the compartment and an external environment,   at least one coupling system comprising:
 a first wall made of sheet material, 
 a second wall made of the sheet material, 
 a first coupling portion carried by the first wall, 
 a second coupling portion carried by the second wall and configured to cooperate with said first coupling portion, 
 wherein the first wall and the second wall are relatively movable with respect to each other between: (i) a close condition in which the first wall and the second wall are at least partly facing each other, and (ii) a distanced condition in which the first wall and the second wall are separated from each other, 
   wherein the coupling system further comprises a selector carried by at least one of the first wall and the second wall, said selector, at least in the close condition, movable with respect to at least one of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion between: (i) a first operative position in which said selector allows the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to be stably engaged with each other to define a locking condition in which said first coupling portion and the second coupling portion prevent the first wall and the second wall from switching from the close condition to the distanced condition, and (ii) a second operative position in which the selector prevents the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion, at least in said close condition, from engaging with each other in a manner to allow the first wall and the second wall to switch from the close condition to the distanced condition,   wherein the first wall of the coupling system defines at least one part of the at least one lateral wall of the case while the second wall of the coupling system defines at least part of the at least one lateral wall of the container, wherein:
 the first coupling portion is carried by the case and arranged at least partly in the inner volume, 
 the second coupling portion is carried by the container and arranged outside the compartment, 
   wherein the selector of the coupling system is carried by at least one of the container and the case, said selector, at least in the closed condition of the container and the case, being relatively movable with respect at least one of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion between: (i) the first operative position in which said selector allows the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to be stably engaged with each other to define said locking condition in which said first coupling portion and the second coupling portion prevent the case and the container from switching from the closed condition to the open condition, and (ii) the second operative position in which the selector prevents the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion from being engaged with each other to allow the case and the container to switch from the closed condition to the open condition.   
     
     
         34 . The child proof package according to  claim 33 , wherein the coupling system comprises a pusher carried by at least one of the container and the case, said pusher, during switching between the open condition and the closed condition of the container and the case, is configured to move the selector from the second operative position to the first operative position. 
     
     
         35 . The child proof package according to  claim 34 , wherein the pusher is carried by the container and arranged outside the compartment, the pusher being placed on the side of the second coupling portion, wherein the selector is carried by the case. 
     
     
         36 . The child proof package according to  claim 33 , wherein the selector comprises a maneuvering portion configured to allow a user, at least during the close condition of the first wall and the second wall, to act on said maneuvering portion and move the selector between the first operative position and the second operative position to allow the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to disengage. 
     
     
         37 . The child proof package according to  claim 36 , wherein the first wall comprises an outer panel and an inner panel,
 wherein the outer panel has at least one through opening configured to allow, in the close condition of the first wall and the second wall, intervention on the maneuvering portion of the selector to allow the movement thereof from the first to the second operative position, and   wherein the inner panel has at least one through opening configured to allow the pusher, during the switch from the distanced condition to the close condition of the first wall and the second wall, to act thrustingly on the thrust portion of the selector.   
     
     
         38 . The child proof package according to  claim 37 , wherein the outer panel lies on a plane, the selector lying on a plane parallel to the lying plane of the outer panel,
 wherein the selector is movable, between the first and second operative positions and vice versa, along a movement trajectory parallel to the main development plane of the outer panel of the first wall.   
     
     
         39 . The child proof package according to  claim 37 , further comprising at least one intermediate panel interposed between the outer panel and the inner panel, wherein the intermediate panel on one side faces the outer panel and on an opposite side faces the inner panel,
 wherein the intermediate panel comprises a groove suitable to receive the selector, and   wherein the groove of the intermediate panel, together with the inner panel and with the outer panel, delimit a housing seat within which the selector is movable.   
     
     
         40 . The child proof package according to  claim 39 , wherein the groove is delimited by a closed perimeter edge, wherein the selector is at least partly counter-shaped with respect to the perimeter edge of said groove,
 wherein the perimeter edge of the groove defines a guide at least partly parallel to the movement trajectory of the selector, wherein the guide is configured to define the movement of the selector between the first operative position to the second operative position along said movement trajectory.   
     
     
         41 . The child proof package according to  claim 33 , wherein the selector, in the second operative position, is:
 at least partly interposed between the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to prevent the engagement thereof, and/or   configured to acting thrustingly on at least one of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to move away and keep separated said first coupling portion and said second coupling portion to prevent the engagement thereof.   
     
     
         42 . The child proof package according to  claim 37 , wherein the selector comprises a thrust portion which directly abuts the pusher, at least in the close condition of the first wall and the second wall,
 said pusher being configured to act thrustingly, at least during the switch from the distanced condition to the close condition, on the thrust portion of the selector by moving the selector from the second operative position to the first operative position,   wherein the outer panel defines at least one outer part of a wall of the case while the inner panel delimits at least part of the inner volume of the case,   wherein the first through opening defined on the outer panel is configured to allow a user to contact the maneuvering portion of the selector to allow the movement of the selector from the first operative position to the second operative position, and   wherein the second through opening defined on the inner panel is configured to allow the pusher to contact the thrust portion of the selector to allow the movement of the selection from the second operative position to the first operative position, during switching of the case and the container from the open condition to the closed condition.   
     
     
         43 . The child proof package according to  claim 33 , wherein the selector, during the movement between the first operating position and the second operative position, is configured to push the second coupling portion close to the compartment of the container to allow the disengagement of said second coupling portion from said first coupling portion and movement of the case and the container from the closed condition to the open condition.