Container for a package

Abstract

A container is formed to include an interior product storage region and is configured to engage selectively with a closure to block access to the interior product storage region. The container includes a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall. The container further includes a child-resistant closure retainer coupled to the inner sidewall and configured to retain the closure to the container.

1 . A container formed to include an interior product storage region and configured to engage selectively with a closure to block access to the interior product storage region, the container comprising:
 a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall,   a child-resistant closure retainer coupled to the inner sidewall and configured to retain the closure to the container, the child-resistant closure retainer including a sidewall mount coupled to an outer surface of the inner sidewall and extending radially outward away from the inner sidewall, a sidewall band coupled to a radially-outer end of the sidewall mount and spaced radially from the inner sidewall to provide a clearance gap radially between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band, and a closure-lock tab coupled to the sidewall band and moveable relative to the sidewall band between a closure-retention position spaced a first distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall and engaged with the closure to block removal of the closure from the container, and a closure-release position spaced a second distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall, less than the first distance, to allow removal of the closure from the container, and   a gap filler coupled to the sidewall band for movement relative to the sidewall band from a molded configuration extending downwardly away from the sidewall band and spaced radially outward from the inner sidewall, to a folded configuration after pivoting relative to the sidewall band toward the inner sidewall to cover the clearance gap between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band and block movement of at least a portion of the sidewall band radially inward as the closure-lock tab moves from the closure-retention position to the closure-release position so that the clearance gap is maintained between the sidewall band and the inner sidewall as the closure is removed from the container.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the gap filler includes a plurality of tabs spaced circumferentially around the central axis and extending away from the sidewall band. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein each tab included in the plurality of tabs is configured to bend relative to the sidewall band from the molded configuration to the folded configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein each tab is configured to engage with the inner side wall in the folded configuration to block movement of at least a portion of the sidewall band radially inward toward the inner sidewall as the closure-lock tab is moved from the closure-retention position to the closure-release position. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein each tab includes a base end coupled to a lower end of the sidewall band, a first circumferential end coupled to a first end of the base wall, a second circumferential end coupled to a second end of the base wall and spaced circumferentially from the first circumferential end, and a distal end coupled to the first and second circumferential ends and spaced apart from the base end and configured to engage with the inner sidewall in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second circumferential ends are angled to extend toward one another as each tab extends from the base end to the distal end. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the distal end has a radius of curvature with a center coinciding with the central axis of the container in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the distal end is formed to include a first notched ledge and the product-storage basin is formed to include a second notched ledge, and the first notched ledge is configured to interlock with the second notched ledge in the folded configuration to retain each tab in the folded configuration and block movement of each tab away from the folded configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein each tab is formed to include a recess in the distal end. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein each tab extends inwardly toward the central axis at an angle of no more than 10 degrees in the molded configuration to pre-orient each tab for movement to the folded configuration. 
     
     
         11 . A container formed to include an interior product storage region and configured to engage selectively with a closure to block access to the interior product storage region, the container comprising:
 a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall,   a sidewall band spaced radially outward from the inner sidewall to provide a clearance gap radially between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band, and   a gap filler coupled to the sidewall band for movement relative to the sidewall band from a molded configuration integral with the sidewall band and extending downwardly away from the sidewall band, to a folded configuration after pivoting relative to the sidewall band toward the inner sidewall to cover the clearance gap between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band.   
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the gap filler includes a plurality of tabs spaced circumferentially around the central axis and extending away from the sidewall band, and wherein each tab included in the plurality of tabs is configured to bend relative to the sidewall band from the molded configuration to the folded configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein each tab includes a base end coupled to a lower end of the sidewall band, a first circumferential end coupled to a first end of the base wall, a second circumferential end coupled to a second end of the base wall and spaced circumferentially from the first circumferential end, and a distal end coupled to the first and second circumferential ends and spaced apart from the base end and configured to engage with the inner sidewall in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second circumferential ends are angled to extend toward one another as each tab extends from the base end to the distal end. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the distal end has a radius of curvature with a center coinciding with the central axis of the container in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the distal end is formed to include a first notched ledge and the product-storage basin is formed to include a second notched ledge, and the first notched ledge is configured to interlock with the second notched ledge in the folded configuration to retain each tab in the folded configuration and block movement of each tab away from the folded configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein each tab is formed to include a recess in the distal end. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein each tab extends inwardly toward the central axis at an angle of no more than 10 degrees in the molded configuration to pre-orient each tab for movement to the folded configuration. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a container comprising:
 injection molding the container, wherein the container includes:   a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall,   a child-resistant closure retainer coupled to the inner sidewall and configured to retain the closure to the container, the child-resistant closure retainer including a sidewall mount coupled to an outer surface of the inner sidewall and extending radially outward away from the inner sidewall, a sidewall band coupled to a radially-outer end of the sidewall mount and spaced radially from the inner sidewall to provide a clearance gap radially between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band of the sidewall band, and a closure-lock tab coupled to the sidewall band and moveable relative to the sidewall band between a closure-retention position spaced a first distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall, and a closure-release position spaced a second distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall less than the first distance, and   a gap-filler formed integrally with a lower end of the sidewall band in a molded configuration, and   bending the gap filler relative to the sidewall band to a folded configuration to cover the clearance gap between the sidewall band and the inner sidewall.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the gap filler includes a plurality of tabs coupled to the lower end of the sidewall band and at least partially spaced circumferentially from one another around the central axis of the container, each tab includes a base end coupled to a lower end of the sidewall band, a first circumferential end coupled to a first end of the base wall, a second circumferential end coupled to a second end of the base wall and spaced circumferentially from the first circumferential end, and a distal end coupled to the first and second circumferential ends and spaced apart from the base end and configured to engage with the inner sidewall in the folded configuration, the first and second circumferential ends are angled to extend toward one another as each tab extends from the base end to the distal end, and the distal end has a radius of curvature with a center coinciding with the central axis of the container in the folded configuration, and wherein the tabs are bent to the folded configuration at the same time.