U.S. patent number 3,812,989 [Application Number 05/186,519] was granted by the patent office on 1974-05-28 for safety cap.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Diamond International Corporation. Invention is credited to William Horvath.
United States Patent |
3,812,989 |
Horvath |
* May 28, 1974 |
SAFETY CAP
Abstract
A safety cap of resilient plastic material having a depending
skirt within which is formed an annular rib having an anchor
portion and a radially inwardly projecting locking lug
diametrically opposed to such anchor portion, the rib and the
locking portion being of substantial radial extent for positive
engagement beneath the locking rib around the container neck to
strongly resist removal of the cap. The remainder of the annular
rib within the cap skirt is of reduced radial width to function in
the manner of a snap rib on the lug side of the skirt. The skirt
rib has a continuous annular upwardly presented cam surface for
cooperation with the locking rib of the container neck to maintain
the end wall of the cap in sealing engagement with the end of the
neck. Rotation of the cap to bring the lug into registry with the
gap through the locking rib of the container neck permits upward
flexing of the lug side of the closure cap and free movement of the
lug through the gap, the portions of the skirt rib on either
circumferential side of the lug being of sufficiently reduced
radial dimension to snap upwardly past the locking lug of the
container and during continued removal of the cap to function as
pilots for leading the opposite ends of the anchor portion of the
container rib upwardly past the locking rib until the cap is
removed.
Inventors: |
Horvath; William (Chatham,
NJ) |
Assignee: |
Diamond International
Corporation (New York, NY)
|
[*] Notice: |
The portion of the term of this patent
subsequent to December 14, 1988 has been disclaimed. |
Family
ID: |
26761694 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/186,519 |
Filed: |
October 4, 1971 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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79192 |
Oct 8, 1970 |
3627160 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/223;
215/206 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
50/061 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
50/00 (20060101); B65D 50/06 (20060101); A61j
001/00 (); B65d 055/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;215/9,41,46R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hall; George T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Watson, Cole, Grindle &
Watson
Parent Case Text
This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 79,192 filed on Oct.
8, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,160.
Claims
Having thus described my invention, I claim:
1. A closure cap for a container comprising a circular end wall for
disposition over the neck of the container and a depending
cylindrical skirt for telescoping reception of the container neck,
a locking lug projecting radially inwardly from said skirt, and a
finger tab projecting radially outwardly from said skirt in
alignment with the locking lug, a radially inwardly projecting
annular rib integral with said skirt around the inner periphery
thereof in spaced relation to said end wall and in a common radial
plan of the skirt with said locking lug, said skirt and its rib
being elastically expansible for snap fitting of the rib downwardly
over a cooperating rib of the container neck, said skirt rib having
an upwardly presented upwardly diverging cam surface for
cooperation with the container neck rib to cam the end wall of the
cap downwardly into sealing engagement with the end of the
container neck, said skirt rib comprising interconnected arcuate
portions of varying radial width, including an anchor portion
having its mid-section diametrically opposed to said retainer lug,
and releasing portions extending between said retainer lug and the
ends of said anchor portion, said retainer lug and the anchor
portion being of substantially greater width in a radial plan of
the skirt than said releasing portions.
2. The combination of claim 1 in which said anchor portions and
said releasing portions are all integrally interconnected as a
continuous annular rib, said lug being integral with and projecting
radially inwardly from said releasing portion of the rib.
3. A closure cap as defined in claim 2, in which said skirt rib
defines a continuous upwardly directed and upwardly diverging cam
surface around the entire circumference.
4. A closure cap for a container comprising a circular end wall for
disposition over the neck of the container and a depending
cylindrical skirt for telescoping reception of the container neck,
a radially inwardly projecting annular rib, integral with said
skirt around the inner periphery thereof in spaced relation to said
end wall, said skirt and its rib being elastically expansible for
snap fitting of the rib downwardly over a cooperating rib of the
container neck, said skirt rib comprising inter-connected arcuate
portions of varying radial width, including an anchor portion of
approximately 180.degree. in circumferential extent, and releasing
portions extending from the ends of said anchor portion to
locations substantially equidistant from said ends, said anchor
portion being of substantially greater width in a radial plane of
the skirt than said releasing portions.
5. A closure cap as defined in claim 4, including a finger tab
projecting radially outwardly from said skirt at a location
opposite said anchor portion and equidistant from the opposite ends
thereof.
6. The combination of claim 5 in which said anchor portion and said
releasing portions are integrally interconnected as a continuous
annular rib.
7. A closure cap as defined in claim 6, in which said skirt rib
defines a continuous upwardly directed and upwardly diverging cam
surface around its entire circumference.
Description
This invention relates to a new and improved safety closure cap
which is particularly adapted for use on containers for pills and
other medicines in a manner such as to prevent removal of the cap
by children.
The present invention is an improvement over safety caps of the
type exemplified in the U.S. Pat. to Grimm No. 3,393,816 of July
23, 1968, in which the cap is of a generally resilient plastic
material, having locking means or projections extending inwardly
from its skirt for locking disposition beneath the cooperating rib
or bead around the neck of the container.
In such structures, it has been common to provide the cap skirt
with an inwardly projecting lug diametrically opposed to an
inwardly projecting arcuate rib segment, in such manner that when
the cap is operatively applied to the container, the lug and rib
segment are disposed just beneath and in positive abutting
engagement with the lower face of the locking rib around the
container neck to positively resist removal, though the cap is
rotatable on the container neck to bring the lug into registry with
a gap through the locking rib of the neck, whereby the side of the
cap bearing such lug may be flexed and tilted by thumb pressure to
move the lug upwardly through the gap and thus remove the cap.
Since neither of the cooperating ribs in such prior structures is
of complete circular configuration, they have been incapable of
cooperating in a manner to maintain the container cap in sealing
engagement with the upper end of the bottle neck as is desirable in
order to prevent entry of moisture into the container or the undue
escape of volatile components from the container. Further, the
containers employed with such prior closure caps included abutment
means engaging the lower end of the cap skirt to limit movement of
the cap unto the container neck and thereby to restrict any sealing
engagement of the cap with the end of the container neck.
With these considerations in mind, the primary objects of the
present invention are to provide a snap-on type safety closure cap
for the container which is urged and maintained in sealing
engagement with the end of the container neck at all times around
the full periphery thereof, regardless of the rotary or angular
orientation of the closure cap on the container.
Further objects are: To provide such a closure cap which may be
readily snap-fitted onto the container in any position of angular
orientation with respect to the container in the manner of a
conventional snap cap; to provide such a cap in which the snap fit
retention means interengage throughout the angular extent of the
locking rib around the container neck and in all positions of
angular orientation of the closure on the container neck; and to
provide such a safety closure cap which, when rotated to proper
position on the container neck, may readily be removed merely by
moderate finger pressure and thus is particularly adapted for use
by an arthritic or infirm person. Also, it is an object to provide
such a closure cap which may be properly angularly rotated or
oriented to removal position by a blind person merely through sense
of touch or feel.
The foregoing objects are achieved by so forming the closure cap
and its cooperating container as to permit the movement of the cap
axially on to the container neck to be unrestricted except by
contact between the end wall of the closure cap and the end of the
container neck. Suitable cam means cooperating between the interior
and exterior ribs of the cap skirt and the container neck cam the
end wall of the neck firmly and in sealing relation against the end
of the container neck incident to the elastic contraction of the
cap skirt after it has been expanded by movement of the skirt rib
past the rib of the neck. Further, the skirt rib extends for a full
360.degree. so that in all positions of rotation it is in camming
engagement with the locking rib of the container neck for the full
angular extent of the latter. The radial width of the inwardly
projecting skirt lug and of an arcuate portion of the skirt rib
diametrically opposed to such lug are sufficient to firmly engage
beneath the locking rib of the container neck to positively resist
removal of the cap. However, to permit removal when the plug is
positioned by rotation of the cap in registry with the gap through
the neck locking rib, the radial width of the neck bead on opposite
circumferential sides of the lug, is sufficiently reduced as to
afford merely a yielding holding engagement with the locking rib of
the neck to permit upward tilting and removal of the cap.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of
exemplification in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a closure cap in
accordance with the invention, together with the upper portion of a
container to which it is to be applied.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the closure cap.
FIG. 3 is a diametrical cross-section through the closure cap taken
on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2; and
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, respectively, are fragmentary cross-sections
through the container cap taken respectively on the lines 4--4,
5--5 and 6--6 of FIG. 2.
Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, the numeral
10 therein designates a container body which may be formed of a
conventional glass or plastic material having a neck 12 of circular
cross-section which defines an access opening 14 into the
container. Encircling the neck 12 in a radial plane thereof is an
annular locking rib 16 of constant radial dimension having an
upwardly presented and upwardly convergent cam surface 16' thereon
and an abruptly downwardly directed lower annular face 16" which in
the present embodiment is in substantially a radial plane for
positive holding engagement with the cooperating portion of the
closure cap as hereinafter described.
As is best seen in FIG. 1, the locking rib 16 is not completely
annular, but is formed with a small gap 18 therethrough.
The closure cap 20 of the invention when applied to the neck 12 is
rotatable thereon about the axis of the neck. The cap has a top or
end wall 22 extending over the end of the neck and a depending
cylindrical skirt 24 which encircles the neck. A locking lug 26
projects radially inwardly from one side of the skirt for locking
reception beneath the locking rib 16 of the container neck, though
rotation of the cap may so angularly orient it as to bring its lug
into registry with the gap 18 through the locking rib, the lug
being proportioned for free movement vertically through the gap 18
to permit removal of the cap.
For cooperation with the lug 16 in positively securing the cap on
the container, the cap skirt has a radially inwardly projecting
annular rib 28 integral therewith around its inner periphery in the
same radial plane as the lug 26 and in spaced relation from the end
wall 22, such that when the cap is operatively applied to the
container, the ribs 16 and 28 cooperate to press the end wall 22
into sealing engagement with the annular upper end of the container
neck. Projecting radially outwardly from the skirt, opposite the
lug 26, is a thumb tab 30, to facilitate removal of the cap.
The cap will be formed of a suitable plastic or other material
having sufficient elastic resiliency that its skirt 24 and internal
rib 28 are elastically expansible for snap-fitting of the rib
downwardly over the locking rib 16 of the container neck as the cap
is pressed downwardly over the container neck during application.
Thereafter, the expanded skirt and its rib 28 will resiliently
contract beneath the locking rib 16. For expanding the skirt and
its rib 28 during application of the container cap, the ribs 16 and
28 of the neck and closure cap have coacting cam means, exemplified
by the upwardly directed and upwardly converging cam surface 16' of
the neck locking rib 16, in conjunction with the inner periphery of
the cap rib 28.
For urging the end wall 22 of the cap into sealing engagement with
the end of the neck incident to resilient contraction of the skirt
beneath the rib 16, the cooperating ribs are provided with further
cam means exemplified here by the upwardly directed and upwardly
diverging cam surface 28' at the upper edge of the bead or rib 28,
the cam surface 28' being 360.degree. in extent in the preferred
embodiment so as to coact with the outer periphery of the locking
rib 16 throughout the entire angular extent of the latter, in any
rotational position of the closure cap. Thus, even when the closure
cap is angularly oriented into a removal position in which its lug
26 registers with the gap 18 through locking rib 16, the cam
surface 28' of the cap engages the locking rib 16 for the entire
angular extent of the latter, thereby greatly reducing the chances
of inadvertent removal by a child who may accidentally have
oriented the cap into removal position.
It will be noted by reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, 5 and 6, that the
radial width of the skirt rib 28 is not constant. Rather it is an
important feature of the invention that this rib varies in width at
different angular locations therearound.
Thus, the skirt rib 28 includes an anchor portion 28A having its
circumferential mid-section diametrically opposed to the retainer
or locking lug 16. The anchor portion 28A and the retainer lug are
of sufficient radial width, and thus in each instance project a
sufficient distance beneath the locking rib 16 of the container
neck to offer a strong positive resistance to upward displacement
of the closure cap by manual pressure at any point around the
circumference of the skirt. In fact, these parts may be and, in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, are of
sufficient radial width as to render impossible the removal of the
cap by the mere exertion of finger pressure either by a child or by
most adults.
Preferably, the variations in width of the rib 28 are arranged
symmetrically to a diametrical line passing through the lug 26 and
bisecting the arcuate anchor portion 28A, this being the line 3--3
of FIG. 1.
The anchor portion 28A extends for substantially half the
circumference of the cap and at its opposite ends merges smoothly
with the relatively reduced radial width releasing portions
28B--28B, the ends of which preferably are located about 90.degree.
apart and symmetrically to the lug 26. Extending between and
merging smoothly with these ends is a still further reduced radial
width releasing portion 28C which extends continuously from the end
of one portion 28D to the other. It will thus be seen that the
skirt rib portions jointly define a complete annular rib 28 having
an upwardly diverging camming and holding surface 28', the entire
circumference of which is adapted for operative engagement with the
downwardly directed face or surface 16" (except at the gap 18), for
firmly securing the cap on the container with the top wall 22 of
the cap urged into firm sealing engagement with the upper end of
the container neck around the entire periphery of the latter. The
arrangement is such as to permit this effect despite the
interruption in the holding effect caused by the gap 18, because
the gap is normally of insufficient angular extent to disrupt this
360.degree. sealing effect.
To facilitate the removal of the closure cap 20, the latter is
provided with a radially outwardly directed thumb tab 30 which
projects outwardly in radial alignment with the locking lug 26.
With this tab 30 there may be associated a vertical reenforcing and
stiffening web 32 serving as a pointer in cooperation with the apex
of the triangle 34 or other indicia on the container neck to
indicate when the lug 26 is accurately in registry with the gap 18
so that the cap is thus properly oriented for removal from the
container. However, it is to be understood that such indicia 32 and
34 and the use thereof are by no means essential to successful
operation of the invention, inasmuch as the arrangement of the
closure cap in conjunction with the container is such as to
facilitate the sensing of its arrival at removal position simply by
feel. That is, when the cap is rotated to bring its lug 26 into
registry with the gap 18, the fact of its disengagement from the
undersurface 16" of the locking rib can be detected by feel, thus
adapting the closure cap and container of the invention for use by
persons with impaired vision.
In the use of the invention which is believed to be apparent from
the foregoing description, the cap will normally be applied to the
container with the rib 28 thereof projecting beneath and
interengaged with the container rib 16, the cap 20 normally being
in a position of angular orientation on the container such that the
lug 26 is out of registry with the gap 18. In this position, the
lug 26 as well as the diametrically opposed anchor portion 28A of
the rib 28 will be in positive holding or locking abutment with the
locking rib 16 of the container so that manual removal of the cap
in such applied condition is very strongly resisted and for all
practical purposes is impossible of achievement by a child.
In order to remove the cap, it may be rotated to its removal
position indicated in FIG. 1, in which the lug 26 registers with
the gap 18. Such position may be determined either by sense of
touch or by means of the indicia 32 and 34. With the cap thus
oriented, it is then necessary to apply but a moderate amount of
upward finger pressure on the thumb tab 30, to urge the lug 26
upwardly through the gap 18.
Most of such upward movement of the lug 26 and its associated side
of the container cap 20 will be permitted as the result of
resilient flexing of the cap between the thumb tab 30 and the
diametrically opposed ends of the anchor portion 28A which firmly
resists upward displacement of its side of the cap. However, as the
cap is thus flexed or tilted upwardly, the rib portion 28C first is
disengaged in the manner of a snap rib by means of the surface 28'
which is cammed outwardly to ride upwardly over the major diameter
portion of the locking rib 16. As the tilting continues, the
portion 28C guides the symmetrically disposed rib portions 28B
upwardly past the locking rib 16. The portions 28B, which merge
smoothly with the anchor portion 28A, in turn guide and facilitate
the movement of the smoothly merging ends of the anchor rib 28A
upwardly over the locking rib 16. After the ends of the rib portion
28A have thus been spread apart and moved past the locking rib 16
and as the movement continues, they exert an increasing removal
force by virtue of the increasing area of engagement between the
downwardly directed face or surface of the rib 28 with the upwardly
diverging cam surface 16' of the locking rib. When the upwardly
directed forces exceed the holding forces tending to retain the cap
on the container, the cap suddenly snaps or pops off of the
container in an axial direction in much the manner of a
conventional snap applied cap.
In order to reapply the cap to the container, it may merely be
seated on the container in any angular position of orientation and
pressed axially downwardly, in which event the camming engagement
of the upper cam surface 16' of the container locking rib will
exert a spreading and expanding force causing the resilient skirt
and its associated rib 28 and lug 26 to spread outwardly and then
snap beneath the lug 16.
It is not essential that the releasing portions or segments 28B and
28C of the rib 28 be of constant width and in stepped relation, as
in the preferred embodiment, as they may for instance, be of
gradually diminishing or tapered width from the ends of the anchor
segment 28A to the lug 26.
In the foregoing drawings and specification, there is specifically
disclosed only the preferred embodiment of the invention, though it
will readily be realized that various modifications may be made
without departing from the invention as defined in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *