DE20306649U1 - Plastic container unit, useful for holding medicaments e.g. tablets and lozenges, comprises a container section with an additional compartment accessible from below via a bottom lid also attached to the container section - Google Patents

Abstract

The plastic container unit comprises a container section (1) with an additional compartment which is accessible from below via a bottom lid (6) also attached to the container section by means of a hinge.

Description

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LEMCKE ■ BRDMMER & PARTNER

PATENT ATTORNEYS

BISMARCKSTR. 16 ■ D-7G1 33 KARLSRUHE

28 April 2003 19 866 (KA/kw)

Rotho Kunststoff AG
Industriestrasse Althau 11
5303 Würenlingen
SWITZERLAND

Plastic containers

LEMCKE · BROMMER S ₁ PARTNER

PATENT ATTORNEYS

BISMARCKSTR. 1 B · D-761 33 KARLSRUHE

28 April 2003 19 866 (KA/kw)

Description

The invention relates to a plastic container according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a plastic container essentially consists of a container part with a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls as well as a lid part that is attached to the container part. The contents of the container part, which are accessible from above, are divided into several compartments, while the lid part is divided into several compartment lids assigned to the compartments of the container part. The compartment lids can each be opened and closed separately using compartment lid hinges.

Such plastic containers have become particularly popular as pill transport containers for people who rely on taking medication regularly and can carry the daily requirement of pills in such a container. To help prevent incorrect dosing of the medication, the container is divided into compartments with individual compartment lids so that the dose of pills to be taken in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening, for example, can be sorted into the individual compartments.

However, there are now medications that should remain in their packaging, especially in blister packs, until shortly before consumption. It is also conceivable that medications that are administered via ampoule or syringe must also be carried along in addition to tablets. In such cases, the person dependent on medication previously had to carry another container in addition to the generic plastic container.

Based on this prior art, the present invention is based on the object of improving a plastic container of the type mentioned at the beginning with regard to its universal applicability.

This object is achieved by a plastic container having the features of the appended claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the plastic container according to the invention are set out in claims 2 to 10.

In addition to the features mentioned at the beginning, a plastic container according to the invention is characterized in that the container part also has an additional compartment accessible from below, to which a bottom cover is assigned, wherein the bottom cover is also attached to the container part and can be opened and closed by means of a bottom cover hinge. The additional compartment is preferably larger than the individual compartments on the top of the container part, for example it extends over the entire cross-sectional area of the container part, delimited by the two side walls, the front wall and the rear wall.

In addition to the tablets accommodated in the individual compartments on the top of the container part and sorted according to the prescribed times of administration, a larger packaged medication, such as one or more ampoules or syringes, or even a blister pack with a medication to be dosed as needed, can also be carried in one and the same plastic container, namely in its additional compartment according to the invention.

Particular advantages, particularly with regard to cost-effective manufacture of the plastic container, arise when the lid part is manufactured in one piece and essentially consists of the compartment lids on the one hand and the bottom lid on the other, with these two lid elements being connected by a connecting part between the compartment lid hinges and the bottom lid hinge. The lid part constructed in one piece in this way is expediently attached to the container part via the connecting part.

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The compartment lids and the base lid can then be pivoted about the respective hinges firmly attached to the connecting part in order to open and close the compartments of the container part.

A particularly cost-effective production of the plastic container according to the invention is possible if the connection part is attached to the container part by means of snap-in plug elements. In this case, only the container part and the lid part have to be manufactured separately as injection-molded parts, after which the individual lids and the container part are brought together by simply plugging the connection part onto the container part. The preferably present snap-in plug elements, which can in particular be designed as locking hooks that engage in corresponding recesses in the other part, ensure that the lid part sits firmly on the container part.

The hinges are preferably all film hinges, which makes the production of the cover part advantageously simple and cost-effective.

If the compartment lids and the bottom lid are provided with locking hooks on their edges opposite the hinges, and the container part has recesses, one of which is assigned to each such locking hook, the compartment lids and the bottom lid can be locked into place on the container part when closed, so that the contents cannot fall out during transport.

A further safeguarding of the contents of the plastic container according to the invention during transport is achieved by the compartment lids and the bottom lid preferably being provided with internal, edge-side guide bars that engage in the compartments or the additional compartment. Even if the individual lids should deform slightly during transport due to unintentional force, the respective compartments are closed by these edge-side guide bars so that the contents of the compartment cannot accidentally fall out. In addition, these edge-side guide bars also provide additional stability for the individual lids, as they

are guided accordingly and the guide bars take on a bracing function, which significantly increases the inherent stability of the individual covers.

The plastic container according to the invention is preferably kept flat, while the compartment lids and the bottom lid are provided with slightly convex surfaces. The plastic container thus takes on the shape of a small cigar box, which, in addition to an attractive appearance and a pleasant feel to the human hand, also ensures easy transport, particularly in jacket pockets, shirt pockets or handbags.

To further improve the haptics, finger recesses are preferably provided on the compartment lids and on the underside lid, the surface texture of which can be different from the surrounding surface, in particular structured or roughened.

Finally, Braille printing can also be provided on the individual compartment lids in order to clearly identify the compartment lids and the daily doses stored therein.

An embodiment of the present invention is described and explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plastic container according to the invention;

Figure 2 the same perspective view, but only of the container part;

Figure 3 the same perspective view, but only of the cover part;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container part of Figure 2, but inverted;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the plastic container;

Figure 6 is a section along B-B of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a section along A-A of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a section along C-C of Figure 6;

Figure 9 shows detail D from Figure 8;

Figure 10 shows detail E from Figure 8.

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Since all figures show only a single embodiment of the invention, identical reference numerals are used throughout for identical parts.

The plastic container in accordance with the invention shown in a perspective view in Figure 1 consists of a container part 1, of which the front wall 2 and a side wall 3 can be seen, and a lid part 4, which is divided on the top of the plastic container into four compartment lids 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d that can be opened separately and a bottom lid 6 located on the underside. The lid part 4 also has a connecting part 7 between the compartment lids 5 and the bottom lid 6, which spans the rear wall of the container part 1 (not visible here) and connects the compartment lids 5 to the bottom lid 6, while it is attached to the container part 1 and thus also fixes the compartment lids 5 and the bottom lid 6 to the container part 1. There are recesses 8 on the front wall 2 into which locking hooks 9 can snap into, which in turn are part of the bottom lid 6 or the individual compartment lids 5. When closed, these lids 5, 6 snap into place on the container part 1 so that the contents of the plastic container are protected from accidentally falling out.

The plastic container shown in Figure 1 is used to carry a daily ration of medication, the compartment lids 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d being provided with numbers 1 to 4 in visible writing and in Braille to symbolize the time of day when the medication is taken (morning, noon, evening and night). The bottom lid 6 covers a compartment which extends over the entire cross-section of the container part 1 and is used to carry ampoules, syringes, blister packs and the like.

As Figure 1 clearly shows, the plastic container shown here has approximately the shape and dimensions of a cigar box, which makes it easy to handle and easy to store in a shirt or jacket pocket, or even in a handbag. To further improve the feel of the plastic container, finger recesses 21 are also provided, the surfaces of which are separated from the otherwise smooth surface.

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the compartment cover 5 and the container part 1 are set off by a roughened structure.

Figure 2 shows the container part 1 of the plastic container without the lid part in the same perspective view as Figure 1. Here it is clear that the container part 1 consists of the front wall 2, two side walls 3 and a rear wall 10, while the contents of the container part 1 accessible from above are divided into four individual compartments 12 (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) by three partition walls. Not only the front wall 2 has recesses 8, but the rear wall 10 is also provided with recesses 13 in order to enable the connecting part 7 of the lid part 4 to be attached to the container part 1.

In Figure 3, the lid part 4 of the plastic container is shown without the container part 1, again in the perspective view from Figures 1 and 2. In addition to the compartment lids 5, the bottom lid 6 and the connecting part 7 already visible in Figure 1, it is clear here that the bottom lid 6 is pivotally attached to the connecting part 7 via a bottom lid hinge 14, which is designed as a film hinge. In a corresponding manner, the compartment lids 5 are also pivotally attached to the connecting part 7 by means of compartment lid hinges 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, which are also designed as film hinges, which results in the individual compartment lids 5 being able to be opened separately. The connecting part 7 has a number of locking hooks 16 which are designed to engage behind the recesses 13 of the container part 1 and which securely fix the connecting part 7 to the container part 1 by means of a plug connection which is easy to produce. Both the underside cover 6 and the individual compartment covers 5 are each provided with guide webs 17 on the edge, which increase the stability of the cover part 4 and at the same time serve to guide the individual covers when closing. In addition, the guide webs 17 provide additional protection against the medication in the compartments 12 accidentally falling out, even if the compartment covers 5 are elastically deformed, in particular bulged, due to external forces.

Finally, Figure 4 shows the container part 1 from Figure 2 again in a similar perspective view, but rotated so that the top and the

Bottom of the container part 1 are swapped. Here, one looks at the bottom of the container part 1 and accordingly recognizes an additional compartment 18 according to the invention on the bottom, which extends over the entire space between the front wall 2, the side walls 3 and the rear wall 10. From this illustration, it can be seen that the bottom of the rear wall 10 is also provided with recesses 13 for the locking hooks 16 of the lid part 4. Since the orientation of these recesses 13 and the corresponding locking hooks 16 on the top and bottom of the rear wall 10 is opposite, the result is a firm fit of the plugged-on connecting part 7 on the rear wall 10 of the container part 1, which also prevents the lid part 4 from accidentally coming loose from the container part 1.

Figure 5 shows a top view of the plastic container of the previous figures. This top view serves more or less only to clarify the cutting lines of the following figures.

Accordingly, Figure 6 is a section along the line B-B from Figure 5. The division of the container part 1 into the upper compartments 12 and the lower additional compartment 18 is particularly clear here. The rear anchoring of the connecting part 7 to the container part 1 by means of the locking hooks 16 is also clearly visible.

In contrast, Figure 7 shows a section along the line A-A from Figure 5. Here, the one-piece shape of the lid part 4 is particularly clear, which is particularly advantageous in terms of production technology and is made from a single piece and yet at the same time closes the top of the plastic container with a compartment lid 5 and the bottom of the plastic container with a bottom lid 6. The division of the lid part 4 into the bottom lid 6, the compartment lids 5 and the connecting part 7 located between them, whereby these parts are connected via the bottom lid hinge 14 and the compartment lid hinges 15, can be seen particularly well here.

Finally, Figure 8 shows a section along the line C-C from Figure 6, so that a similar picture is obtained as in Figure 7. However, here the fastening of the lid part 4 to the container part 1 via the connecting part 7 is more clearly visible.

Particularly in Figure 9, which shows detail D from Figure 8 on an enlarged scale, it is clearly visible how the locking hooks 16 of the connecting part 7 of the lid part 4 engage in the corresponding recesses 13 of the rear wall 10 of the container part 1 and lock into place there. To increase the stability of this plug connection, the rear wall 10 is also provided with cams 19 which engage in corresponding recesses 20 provided in the connecting part 7 and thereby significantly increase the stability of the connection.

Figure 10 shows the detail E from Figure 8 on an enlarged scale in order to illustrate the snap-in closing of the compartment lids 5 by means of their snap-in hooks 9 on the front wall 2 of the container part 1.

LEMCKE · BROMMER S. PARTNER

PATENT ATTORNEYS BISMABCKSTR. 1 6 · D-"761 33 KARLSRUHE

28 April 2003 19 866 (KA/kw)

List of reference symbols

1 container part

2 Front wall (of 1)

3 side walls (of 1)

4 Lid part

5 compartment lids

6 Bottom cover

7 Connecting part

8 recesses (in 2)

9 locking hooks

10 Back panel (of 1)

11 partition walls

12 compartments

13 recesses (in 10)

14 Bottom cover hinge 15 Compartment cover hinge

16 locking hooks

17 guide rails

18 Additional subject

19 cams

20 recesses (in 7)

21 finger grooves

Claims (11)

1. Plastic container, comprising - a container part ( 1 ) with a front wall ( 2 ), a rear wall ( 10 ) and two side walls ( 3 ), wherein the contents of the container part ( 1 ) accessible from above are divided into several compartments ( 12 ), - and a cover part ( 4 ) which is attached to the container part ( 1 ) and is divided into several compartment covers ( 5 ) assigned to the compartments ( 12 ) of the container part ( 1 ), wherein the compartment covers ( 5 ) can be opened and closed separately by means of compartment cover hinges ( 15 ), characterized in that - that the container part ( 1 ) also has an additional compartment ( 18 ) accessible from below, to which a bottom cover ( 6 ) is assigned, wherein the bottom cover ( 6 ) is also fastened to the container part ( 1 ) and can be opened and closed by means of a bottom cover hinge ( 14 ). 2. Plastic container according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional compartment ( 18 ) extends substantially over the entire cross-sectional area of the container part ( 1 ) delimited by the two side walls ( 3 ), the front wall ( 2 ) and the rear wall ( 10 ). 3. Plastic container according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover part ( 4 ) is manufactured in one piece and consists essentially of the compartment covers ( 5 ), the underside cover ( 6 ) and a connecting part ( 7 ) between the compartment cover hinges ( 15 ) and the underside cover hinge ( 14 ). 4. Plastic container according to claim 3, characterized in that the lid part ( 4 ) is fastened to the container part ( 1 ) by means of the connecting part ( 7 ). 5. Plastic container according to claim 4, characterized in that snap-in plug elements are provided for fastening the connecting part ( 7 ) to the container part ( 1 ). 6. Plastic container according to claim 5, characterized in that the plug-in elements comprise locking hooks ( 16 ) on the lid part ( 4 ) which engage in corresponding recesses ( 13 ) of the container part ( 1 ) or vice versa. 7. Plastic container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the compartment lid hinges ( 15 ) and the underside lid hinge ( 14 ) are designed as film hinges. 8. Plastic container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the compartment lids ( 5 ) and the underside lid ( 6 ) are provided on their sides opposite the hinges ( 14 , 15 ) with locking hooks ( 9 ) which can be locked into respectively associated recesses ( 8 ) in the front wall ( 2 ) of the container part ( 1 ). 9. Plastic container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the compartment lids ( 5 ) and the underside lid ( 6 ) are each provided with inner, edge-side guide webs ( 17 ) which engage in the compartments ( 12 ) or the additional compartment ( 18 ). 10. Plastic container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is kept flat and the compartment lids ( 5 ) and the bottom lid ( 6 ) are provided with slightly convex-shaped surfaces. 11. Plastic container according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that finger recesses ( 21 ) are provided at least on the outside of the compartment lids ( 5 ).