At a glance
| Patent number | CN107117365B (application CN201710398851) |
| Type | China invention patent (发明专利) - examined; protects the technical solution |
| Original title | Three-point-opening medicine box with child protection (具备儿童防护功能的三点开启式药品包装盒) |
| Patent owner | Suzhou Vocational University |
| Inventors | Yang Guang |
| Filing date | 2017-05-31 |
| Grant date | 2022-11-29 |
| Status (China) | Lapsed - terminated for non-payment of annual fees (recorded 2024-06-21) |
| Patent family | Chinese filings only - no US, European, Japanese, PCT or other filings listed |
| Cited by | 4 later documents |
| Source | Google Patents (search for CN107117365B) |
What the claims cover, in plain language
Claim 1 - a medicine box with a lid box and a base box. The lid has unlocking mechanisms on its left, front and back sides; the base has spring locks on its left, front and back sides that engage them when the lid covers the base. Each spring lock sits in a double-wall structure of the base and is made of four panels - the front and rear halves of an outer and an inner side panel - each a pentagon with four right-angled sides and one bevelled edge, joined to each other and to the wall by specified inner and outer fold lines.
Claims 2-4 - further details described in the patent: the folds and dimensions of the U-shaped flaps forming the unlocking mechanisms, how they meet the spring locks, and the folding of the lid and base blanks.
This is a simplified reading for orientation only. The legal scope is defined by the exact claim wording in the official Chinese document.
What this means for US production
This patent was filed only in China and has lapsed, so it no longer restricts anyone in China either. It has no US or other foreign counterpart.
Before production, keep in mind:
- Other patents may exist. Child-resistant cartons and paperboard locking systems are an active US patent area, held by packaging companies and large consumer-goods brands; later US design patents cite this one. Have a freedom-to-operate (FTO) search done by a US patent attorney before volume production.
- Child resistance must be proven by testing. The patent’s design intent does not certify the box; it has to pass the federal test protocol in its final board and size.
Customization and manufacturing
What can be customized
| Area | Options |
|---|---|
| Size | Box dimensions for blister cards, bottles, pouches or pods - to be confirmed in design |
| Board | SBS, CUK or recycled board; caliper chosen for spring force |
| Coatings | Aqueous or barrier coatings for humidity; no plastic lamination |
| Press points | Position, printed finger guides and senior-friendly icons |
| Inserts | Paper trays or dividers for the product |
| Printing | Full-color print, regulatory panels, foil, embossing |
Things to plan for (US market)
- Poison Prevention Packaging Act - products covered by 16 CFR 1700.14 (many OTC drugs, iron supplements, some household chemicals) need special packaging.
- 16 CFR 1700.20 testing - a child panel (ages 42-51 months) and a senior-adult panel (ages 50-70) must both pass on the final production box; ASTM D3475 classifies the type.
- FDA - for drugs, packaging is part of the drug listing; labeling panels must follow OTC drug facts rules.
- State cannabis rules - many states require child-resistant, resealable packaging certified to 16 CFR 1700.20.
- Recyclability claims - follow the FTC Green Guides if the box is marketed as plastic-free or recyclable.
How a project runs
- Inquiry - product, box size, board, print and quantity.
- Structural design - blanks drawn and spring force tuned for the board.
- Samples - plotter-cut and then die-cut samples for function and senior-use checks.
- Testing - child and senior panel testing at an accredited lab on the final box.
- Production - printing, die cutting, folding-gluing and shipping flat.
Quantities & timeline
Production needs a steel-rule cutting die for each blank and, for volume, folder-gluer set-up; printing plates depend on the print method. The protocol test is part of the schedule. Send us your product, box size, board and print needs, quantity and target price and we will reply with options.
Patent drawings
Drawings reproduced from the public patent document for reference.
