초록 ▼

The present invention includes a lockable safety container that incorporates a pop-up lid to enable person having disabilities to open the safety container, while the safety container retains childproofing features. The childproofing features include a locking pin, a locking tab, and a slide detent.

The present invention includes a lockable safety container that incorporates a pop-up lid to enable person having disabilities to open the safety container, while the safety container retains childproofing features. The childproofing features include a locking pin, a locking tab, and a slide detent. The locking pin is internally biased by a spring that urges the pin to slide in a slideway in the lid of the container. The locking pin may be locked into a closed position by positioning the locking tab into a lock-out position. In the lock-out position, the locking tab cannot slide within a mating slot in the lid and thus the locking pin cannot slide in the slideway in the lid. The childproofing features of the safety container may require the user to engage in at two least distinct hand motions in order to open the container.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A safety container, comprising: a. a container body having a locking slot in an upper rim of said body;b. a container lid having a convex structure, wherein said container lid must be compressed and deformed into said upper rim of said container body in order to conform to said upper rim;c. a loc

1. A safety container, comprising: a. a container body having a locking slot in an upper rim of said body;b. a container lid having a convex structure, wherein said container lid must be compressed and deformed into said upper rim of said container body in order to conform to said upper rim;c. a locking pin slidably mounted within a pin channel in said container lid and adapted to move between: (i) a closed position lockingly engaging the locking slot; and (ii) an opening position in which the locking pin is disengaged from the locking slot;d. a locking tab slot within the container lid; ande. a locking tab rotatably mounted in the container lid moveable to rotate between: (i) an unlocked position in which the locking tab may penetrate the locking tab slot and allow relative movement between the container lid and the locking pin, and (ii) a lock-out position in which the locking tab may not penetrate the locking tab slot thereby preventing relative movement between the container lid and locking pin. 2. The safety container of claim 1, wherein the locking pin includes an actuation pad that can be pushed to advance the locking pin in the pin channel. 3. The safety container of claim 2, wherein said container lid has an abutment for blocking the actuation pad from advancement past said abutment, and wherein the locking tab slot penetrates the pin abutment. 4. The safety container of claim 2, wherein the locking pin is made of a resilient material and has a spring integrally formed in the locking pin, the spring having a proximal section adapted to engage at one end with an engagement point on said container lid such that the spring can be stretched from the engagement point as the locking pin advances in the pin channel, wherein the spring and the engagement point cooperatively bias the locking pin to slide into the closing position. 5. The safety container of claim 2, wherein said actuation pad protrudes from said container lid to provide a tactile reference point allowing a user to find said actuation pad by touch without the need to visually inspect the safety container. 6. The safety container of claim 2, wherein said actuation pad is recessed from an outer edge of said container lid thereby to limit access to said actuation pad. 7. The safety container of claim 1, wherein the container lid comprises a central portion, a first lateral portion, and a second lateral portion, wherein said central portion, said first lateral portion, and said second lateral portion are integrally formed, and said first portion is attached to said central portion at a first oblique angle, and said second portion is attached to said central portion at a second oblique angle, wherein said first oblique angle and said second oblique angle result in said convex structure of said container lid. 8. The safety container of claim 7, wherein the convex structure of said container lid requires that the container lid be compressed and substantially flattened to close and seal the lid over the container body. 9. The safety container of claim 8, wherein said central portion, said first lateral portion, and said second lateral portion are substantially coplanar and said container lid is positioned flush against said upper rim of said container when said container lid is closed. 10. The safety container of claim 8, wherein said container lid stores potential energy when closed and positioned flush against said upper rim of said container, said container lid pops open when said locking pin is moved into said opening position as said potential energy causes said deformed container lid to resile to its convex structure. 11. The safety container of claim 1, further comprising an interior ridge that is parallel to said upper rim of said container body, and positioned to abut a sealing lip on a bottom side of said container lid when said container lid is closed against said upper rim of said body. 12. The safety container of claim 11, wherein said contact between said interior ridge and said sealing lip creates an airtight seal. 13. The safety container of claim 1, wherein the container lid is rotatably mounted on the container body on an attached side of the container lid opposite a locking side of the container lid, wherein the locking pin is lockingly engages the locking slot at the locking side of the container lid. 14. The safety container of claim 1, wherein the locking pin is made of a resilient material and includes a spring integrally formed in the locking pin and having a proximal end engaging the container lid, whereby the locking pin is biased to slide into the locked position. 15. The safety container of claim 2, further comprising a detent in said pin channel for catching a peg on said locking pin when said locking pin is advanced through said pin channel. 16. The safety container of claim 15, wherein said actuation pad must be pressed down as it is advanced through said pin channel in order to avoid said peg from catching on said detent. 17. A safety container, comprising: a. a container body and an upper rim portion surrounding a passage in the body, said upper rim having a locking slot formed therein;b. a container lid having a convex structure and a sealing lip on a bottom side thereof, wherein said container lid must be compressed and deformed into said upper rim of said container body in order to conform to said upper rim and to close said safety container; andc. a locking pin slidably mounted within a pin channel in said container lid and adapted to lockingly engage said locking slot in said upper rim when said container lid is compressed into said upper rim. 18. The safety container of claim 17, further comprising an interior ridge in said container body at an upper end of said passage, said interior ridge positioned to abut said sealing lip when said container lid compressed into said upper rim and said safety container is closed. 19. The safety container of claim 18, wherein said contact between said interior ridge and said sealing lip creates an airtight seal. 20. The safety container of claim 17, wherein said locking pin is adapted to move between: (i) a closing position in which said locking pin lockingly engages said locking slot; and (ii) an opening position in which said locking pin is disengaged from the locking slot. 21. The safety container of claim 20, wherein the locking pin includes an actuation pad that can be pushed to advance the locking pin in the pin channel. 22. The safety container of claim 21, wherein said container lid has an abutment for blocking the actuation pad from advancement past said abutment. 23. The safety container of claim 22, wherein the locking pin is made of a resilient material and has a spring integrally formed in the locking pin, the spring having a proximal section adapted to engage at one end with an engagement structure of said container lid such that the spring can be stretched from said engagement structure as the locking pin advances in the pin channel, wherein the spring and said engagement structure cooperatively bias the locking pin to slide into the closing position. 24. The safety container of claim 21, wherein said actuation pad protrudes from said container lid to provide a tactile reference point allowing a user to find said actuation pad by touch without the need to visually inspect the safety container. 25. The safety container of claim 21, wherein said actuation pad is recessed from an outer edge of said container lid thereby to limit access to said actuation pad. 26. The safety container of claim 20, further comprising a locking tab in the container lid for preventing said locking pin from being advanced through said pin channel and preventing said safety container from being opened. 27. The safety container of claim 26 wherein said locking tab is moveable between: (i) an unlocked position allowing relative movement between the locking pin and the container lid; and (ii) a lock-out position in which the locking tab is engaged with a locking notch in said container lid, thereby preventing relative movement between the locking pin and the container lid. 28. The safety container of claim 17, wherein the container lid comprises a central portion, a first lateral portion, and a second lateral portion, wherein said central portion, said first lateral portion, and said second lateral portion are integrally formed, and said first portion is attached to said central portion at a first oblique angle, and said second portion is attached to said central portion at a second oblique angle, wherein said first oblique angle and said second oblique angle result in said convex structure of said container lid. 29. The safety container of claim 28, wherein the convex structure of said container lid requires that the container lid be compressed and substantially flattened such that said central portion, said first lateral portion, and said second lateral portion are substantially coplanar and said container lid is positioned flush against said upper rim of said container. 30. The safety container of claim 29, wherein said container lid stores potential energy when positioned flush against said upper rim of said container, said container lid pops open when said locking pin is disengaged from said locking slot as said potential energy causes said deformed container lid to resile to its convex structure. 31. The safety container of claim 20, wherein said container lid pops open when said locking pin is moved into said opening position. 32. The safety container of claim 21, further comprising a detent in said pin channel for catching a peg on said locking pin when said locking pin is advanced through said pin channel. 33. The safety container of claim 32, wherein said actuation pad must be pressed down as it is advanced through said pin channel in order to avoid said peg from catching on said detent. 34. A safety container, comprising: a. a container body and an upper rim surrounding a passage in the body;b. a container lid having at least two portions attached to each other at an oblique angle, wherein said oblique angle results in said container lid having a convex structure; andc. a locking pin mounted in said container lid and adapted to move between:(i) a closing position lockingly engaging a locking slot in said upper rim; and (ii) an opening position disengaging said locking pin from locking engagement with said locking slot, wherein said container lid is operable to be compressed and deformed such that said at least two portions are substantially coplanar and said container lid rests substantially flush against said upper rim. 35. The safety container of claim 34, wherein said locking pin is positioned to engage said locking slot when said container lid is positioned flush against said upper rim of said container, and said container lid pops open when said locking pin is moved from said closing position to said opening position allowing said deformed container lid to resile to its convex structure. 36. The safety container of claim 34, further comprising an interior ridge in said container body at an upper end of said passage, said interior ridge positioned to abut a sealing lip on an bottom side of said container lid when said container lid is compressed into said upper rim and said safety container is closed. 37. The safety container of claim 36, wherein said contact between said interior ridge and said sealing lip creates an airtight seal. 38. The safety container of claim 34, wherein the locking pin includes an actuation pad that can be pushed to advance the locking pin in a pin channel in said container lid. 39. The safety container of claim 38, wherein said container lid has an abutment for blocking the actuation pad from advancement past said abutment. 40. The safety container of claim 38, wherein the locking pin is made of a resilient material and has a spring integrally formed in the locking pin, the spring having a proximal section adapted to engage at one end with an engagement structure of said container lid such that the spring can be stretched from said engagement structure as the locking pin advances in the pin channel, whereby the spring and said engagement structure cooperatively bias the locking pin to slide into the closing position. 41. The safety container of claim 38, wherein said actuation pad protrudes from said container lid to provide a tactile reference point allowing a user to find said actuation pad by touch without the need to visually inspect the safety container. 42. The safety container of claim 38, wherein said actuation pad is recessed from an outer edge of said container lid to thereby limit access to said actuation pad. 43. The safety container of claim 34, wherein said container lid pops open when said locking pin is moved into said opening position. 44. The safety container of claim 38, further comprising a detent in a pin channel in said container lid, said detent being operable to catch a peg on said locking pin when said locking pin is advanced through said pin channel. 45. The safety container of claim 44, wherein said actuation pad must be pressed down as it is advanced through said pin channel in order to avoid said peg from catching on said detent.