Safety Closure

Abstract

A safety closure including three components having interacting means which require a combination of linear and rotary movements to open and close the closure. The closure components must be aligned in specified positions prior to changing from a linear or rotary movement.

Description

The present invention relates to container closures and more particularly to a safety closure requiring a plurality of different motions so that a child is unable to gain access to the container contents.

The safety closure of the present invention is intended to be incorporated on rigid containers such as cans, bottles, jars and the like in which the product contained therein is inherently dangerous and may cause injury if not used with care or in accordance with prescribed directions. Medicines, drugs, cleaning fluid and compounds, and the like all fall within the category of inherently dangerous products. Heretofore, such products when packaged in rigid containers have a closure which is either applied by a force fit or screwed on the opening such that little effort or manipulation is required for a child to open the closure. These prior closures are undesirable for the reason that the child is likely to consume or otherwise mishandle the products with disabling effects. In addition, some products may be explosive when not opened or used in accordance with the direction contained on the exterior of the container. For example, cleaning fluid, lye, or the like must be handled with care and become dangerous when a child has access thereto.

Considerably research has been done in an effort to develop a closure which cannot be manipulated by a child. It has been found through psychological testing that the most effective closure is constructed to require a combination of linear and rotatable movements to open.

By the present invention, it is proposed to provide a closure which is constructed and arranged to require a combination of linear and rotary movement to open the same and thereby to render the closure child proof.

It is still a further object taken in conjunction with the foregoing object to provide a child proof closure which is constructed and arranged to include a plurality of components which must be aligned in a specified position before the motion can be changed from a linear or rotary to open the closure.

It is a further object to provide a child proof closure which is of relatively simple construction and economical to manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention which will be readily apparent from a reading of the following specification and appended drawings are accomplished generally by a closure member including a tubular neck having a plug snuggly seated in the bore thereof. The plug includes an axially reciprocal operating or actuating member having means which are seatable within notches provided in the upper end of the neck to lock the actuating member of the plug against rotary movement. The plug is provided with pin means which is received in a groove in the bore wall which communicate with the notches in the neck. The pins serve to retain the plug in the neck against vertical displacement therefrom. Upon lifting the actuating member, the plug is released for turning movement so that the pin means is aligned with the notches. Thereafter, the plug is free to be lifted vertically from the bore and removed from the neck.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a container showing the safety closure of the present invention attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 and showing the closure in the open position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded elevational cross-sectional view of the closure with the components in the opened position; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the closure neck taken generally along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing, the safety closure 10 of the present invention is shown applied to a container 11. The container 11 comprises generally a tubular body 12 to which there is attached at one end an end closure 13 having an axial opening 14. The end closure 12 is attached to the body 12 by means of a double seam in the conventional manner. As shown, the opening 14 is bounded by a curled rim 15 which serves to attach the closure to the container as more fully to be explained hereinafter. While the safety closure 10 of the present invention is shown as a separate assembly attached to a container, it is to be understood that the closure may be made integral or directly formed on a container as for example, a jar, bottle or the like.

The safety closure 10 includes a tubular housing or neck 16 which terminates at its lower end in an outwardly projecting horizontal flange 17. As shown, the curled rim 15 bounding the opening 14 is suitably wedged or otherwise permanently fastened to the neck flange 17 thereby to retain the neck fixed to the end 13.

The neck 16 includes a bore 18 having a small or reduced bore section 19 which merges with an inverted frustoconical section 21 providing a plug seat, and a large bore section 22 extending upwardly from the plug seat 21. Formed in the large bore section 22 intermediate the length thereof is a continuous annular groove 23. The groove 23 may be horizontal, as shown, or may be slightly inclined so as to force a closure plug 24 into firm seating engagement with the plug seat 21 as more fully to be explained hereinafter. Formed in the upper edge portion of the sleeve 16 are a pair of diametrically opposed opened end notches 26 which intercept and communicate with the groove 23.

The closure plug 24 is shaped complementary to the bore sections 22 and 21 and is snuggly and tightly received therein. The closure plug 24 is formed as a cup having an interior hollow chamber. Disposed within the chamber 27 are a plurality of chordal extending ribs 28 of which the inner ends are spaced to provide a vertical guide surface 29 for guiding a post 30 of a closure operating or actuating button 31. Extending diametrically between the inner ends of the ribs 28 and seated within the wall of the plug 24 is 32 having outwardly projecting ends 33. The outwardly projecting ends 33 extend into the groove 23 and serve to retain the plug seated within the bore 18 and preclude vertical movement of the plug outwardly from the bore 18. When the plug 24 is turned to that the projecting pin ends 33 align with the diametrically opposed notches 26, the plug may be lifted vertically and removed from the neck 16.

The actuating member of button 30 is in the form of a cover or a disc 34 having diametrically opposed outwardly extending ears 35 from the underside of which there project a pair of lugs 36 which are adapted to seat within the notches 26. The opposed lugs 36 when seated in the neck notches 26 to prevent turning movement of the actuating button relative to the neck 16. The post 29 depending from the underside of the cover 34 may be formed integral therewith and includes an elongate vertical slot 37 through which the pin 32 extends. The cover member is thus restricted for vertical movement between a lowered position in which the lugs 34 are seatable within the neck notches 26 and an elevated position spaced from the upper end of the neck 16 and the plug 24.

In the closed position, the closure member components are arranged so that the plug 24 seats within the bore 18 in snug engagement with the frustoconical section seat or plug 21. In this connection, it is to be noted that the groove 23 may be inclined away from the vertical so that the pin end 32 when turned therein is operative to force the plug 24 downwardly into firm engagement with the valve seat 21. In this position, the projecting ends 32 of the pin are received within the groove 23 so that the plug may not be removed by vertical lifting movement. Also, the actuating member 31 is in the depressed position with the lugs 36 seated within the notches 26 so that the plug 24 is restrained against turning movement. Note, that the notches and lugs 36 seated in the notches 26 and the pins 33 seated in the groove 23 are displaced about 90.degree. relative to each other.

To open the closure 10, the actuating member or button 31 is lifted upwardly as shown in FIG. 3 so that the lugs 34 are clear of the notches 26. The actuating button 37 is then turned and thereby the plug 24 which is secure for turning movement therewith by means of the pin 32 extending through the slot 37. Turning movements is continued until the projecting pin ends 33 are aligned with the notches 26 communicating with the groove 23. The plug 24 is then removed by applying a lifting force on the actuating button 31 to pull the pin ends 33 through the notches 26.

To reclose the closure 10 the plug 27 is initially inserted into the bore 18 and rotated until the projecting pin ends 33 align with the notches 26. The plug 34 is then depressed downwardly so that the pin ends 33 are received within the groove 23 and turned until the lugs 36 on the underside of the actuating member 31 are in alignment with the notches 26. Thereafter, the closure 10 is completely closed by depressing the actuating member 31 downwardly to seat the lugs 36 in the notches 26.

Claims

I claim:

1. A closure member comprising a tubular neck having a bore, a circumferential groove formed on the walls of said bore intermediate the length thereof, diametrically opposed notches in the upper end of said neck and communicating with said groove, a closure plug turnable in said neck bore and having diametrically opposed projecting pin means receivable within said groove to prevent upward lifting of said plug from said bore, actuating means for turning and lifting said plug mounted for reciprocation in said plug for linear movement between a depressed position and a raised position, and diametrically lug means on said actuating member angularly displaced from said projecting pin means and being seatable within said notches in said depressed position of said actuating member to prevent turning of said plug and being clear of said notches for turning said plug to align said pin means with said notches whereby said plug may be removed from said bore.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said projecting pin means comprises a pin extending diametrically through said bore.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuating means include a post extending into said plug, said post having an elongate slot, and wherein said pin extends through said elongate slot.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said plug is substantially cap shaped, and ribs project into the chamber of said cup and provide vertical guide surfaces for guiding said post.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said plug and said bore are formed with complementary frustoconical seating surfaces for said sealing bore.