Child Resistant Packaging for Multi-Prescription Order

Abstract

A child-resistant container for dispensing pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical tablets is described. The child-resistant container includes a receptacle defining an opening, a neck that includes an outer surface and at least one thread formed on the outer surface of the neck. The child-resistant container further includes a rim adjacent to the neck having a push-tab locking device. The receptacle is configured to receive a plurality of pouches, wherein each pouch includes a plurality of tablets associated with a multiple prescription order that indicates when the tablets are to be consumed, and a label disposed on the receptacle and associated with the multiple prescription order. The child-resistant container is configured to hold a plurality of pouches, where each pouches contains at least one type of tablet. The child-resistant container includes a label with information about the contents of the pouches, patient information, and a bar code associating the medications with the patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A child-resistant container comprising:
 a receptacle;   an open neck projecting from the receptacle defining an opening, wherein the neck includes an outer surface and at least one thread formed on the outer surface of the neck, wherein the thread has a predetermined thickness along its length;   a cap configured to interface with the neck of the receptacle, the cap including,
 a top surface; 
 a skirt adjacent to the top surface and defining an opening received by the neck of the receptacle; 
 a second thread on an inner surface of the skirt for complementary engagement with the thread of the neck of the receptacle; 
 a sawtooth projection is on the inner surface of the skirt; 
   wherein the cap is configured to be rotatably screwed onto the neck of the receptacle; and   a plurality of preliminary packages that are received by the receptacle, wherein each preliminary package includes a plurality of tablets associated with a multiple prescription order that indicates when the tablets are to be consumed; and   a label is disposed on the receptacle and associated with the multiple prescription order.   
     
     
         2 . The child-resistant container of  claim 1  wherein the label includes a description of the plurality of tablets and a barcode associated with a particular patient consuming the plurality of tablets. 
     
     
         3 . The child-resistant container of  claim 1  wherein the preliminary packages include a plurality of pouches that form a strip of separably coupled pouches. 
     
     
         4 . The child-resistant container of  claim 3  wherein each pouch among the plurality of pouches includes a bar code for tracking medications within each pouch. 
     
     
         5 . The child-resistant container of  claim 3  wherein each pouch includes a pouch label with at least a name for each medication within the pouch and a dosage for each medication within the pouch. 
     
     
         6 . The child-resistant container of  claim 5  wherein the label includes a particular dosing interval for consuming the medications within the pouch. 
     
     
         7 . The child-resistant container of  claim 5  wherein the label includes information about the patient. 
     
     
         8 . A child-resistant container comprising:
 a receptacle;   an open neck projecting from the receptacle defining an opening, wherein the neck includes an outer surface and at least one thread formed on the outer surface of the neck, wherein the thread has a predetermined thickness along its length;   a cap configured to interface with the neck of the receptacle, the cap including,
 a top surface; 
 a skirt adjacent to the top surface and defining an opening received by the neck of the receptacle; 
 a second thread on an inner surface of the skirt for complementary engagement with the thread of the neck of the receptacle; 
 a sawtooth projection is on the inner surface of the skirt; 
   wherein when the cap is configured to be rotatably screwed onto the neck of the package;   a locking mechanism wherein the sawtooth projection of the cap holds the thread of the neck of the receptacle;   a plurality of preliminary packages that are received by the receptacle, wherein each preliminary package includes a plurality of tablets associated with a multiple prescription order that indicates when the tablets are to be consumed; and   a label is disposed on the receptacle and associated with the multiple prescription order.   
     
     
         9 . The child-resistant container of  claim 8  wherein the label includes a description of the plurality of tablets and a barcode associated with a particular patient consuming the plurality of tablets. 
     
     
         10 . The child-resistant container of  claim 8  wherein the preliminary packages include a plurality of pouches that form a strip of separably coupled pouches. 
     
     
         11 . The child-resistant container of  claim 10  wherein each pouch among the plurality of pouches includes a bar code for tracking medications within each pouch. 
     
     
         12 . The child-resistant container of  claim 10  wherein each pouch includes a pouch label with at least a name for each medication within the pouch and a dosage for each medication within the pouch. 
     
     
         13 . The child-resistant container of  claim 12  wherein the label includes a particular dosing interval for consuming the medications within the pouch. 
     
     
         14 . The child-resistant container of  claim 12  wherein the label includes information about the patient. 
     
     
         15 . A method for packaging a multiple prescription order, the method comprising:
 receiving at a server an order for tablets comprising an order for at least one type of prescription tablet and a selection of a child-resistant packaging;   generating with the server instructions for filling a plurality of pouches within the child-resistant packaging;   filling by automated means the plurality of pouches with the at least one type of prescription tablet;   printing by automated means a plurality of labels on the plurality of pouches, wherein each label includes information indicating the time at which the contents of each pouches among the plurality of pouches are to be consumed; and   packaging by automated means the plurality of pouches within the child-resistant packaging.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of labels include a description of the plurality of tablets and a barcode associated with a particular patient consuming the order of tablets. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each pouches among the plurality of pouches includes a bar code for tracking medications within each pouches. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of labels include at least a name of each medication within each pouches and a dosage of each medication within each pouches. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of labels include information about the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of pouches form a strip of separably coupled pouches, wherein the strip includes a prescription tablet pouches, a non-prescription tablet pouches, and a header label coupled to the prescription tablet pouches.