U.S. patent number 3,622,041 [Application Number 04/818,025] was granted by the patent office on 1971-11-23 for container closure.
Invention is credited to Adolph W. Borsum, William K. Borsum.
United States Patent |
3,622,041 |
Borsum , et al. |
November 23, 1971 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
CONTAINER CLOSURE
Abstract
A container closure comprising a cap portion including a
resilient diaphragm carried by the access opening in the container
and terminating in an orifice of predetermined configuration and
size in the relaxed state to retain articles in the container, a
cover member having a dispensing member engageable through said
orifice in the diaphragm in the closed position, said dispensing
member having a pocket to receive at least one article in the
container and being actuatable relative to said cap member to
withdraw said one article, and means providing a continuous sealing
relationship between said diaphragm and cap portion in the closed
position.
Inventors: |
Borsum; William K. (Solana
Beach, CA), Borsum; Adolph W. (Solana Beach, CA) |
Family
ID: |
25224452 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/818,025 |
Filed: |
April 21, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
221/202; 221/220;
141/321; 221/288 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
51/24 (20130101); B65D 83/049 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
51/24 (20060101); B65D 83/04 (20060101); B65h
003/60 (); B65d 005/72 () |
Field of
Search: |
;221/202,245,267,288
;222/490 ;141/381,18,321 ;206/42 ;215/37,81 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schwartz; Raphael H.
Claims
We claim:
1. A container closure for closing the access opening of the
container comprising,
a resilient diaphragm, having a circular centered orifice, for
being positioned in said access opening,
a cover-dispensing portion having pocket means for projecting
through said orifice and receiving at least one article in the
container which pocket means comprises a projecting portion having
downwardly and outwardly flared sidewalls,
said circular centered orifice has a diameter in the relaxed state
of said diaphragm that is less than the diameter of said flared
sides of said pocket,
said diaphragm includes a frustoconical, inward and downwardly
projecting, continuous integral band forming said orifice and
defining a flexible diaphragm that overlies and depends into said
access opening with said band being contractable against the
outwardly diverging sidewall of said pocket projecting portion
thereby holding said pocket portion in position,
said cover-dispensing portion has formed in it a circumferentially
extending recess,
and said diaphragm band forming said orifice fits in said recess
whereby said sidewalls of said pocket means apply a transverse
force to move said diaphragm band from its contracted condition to
its expanded condition.
2. A container closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the diaphragm
is generally of a U-shaped cross section.
3. A container closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
cover-dispensing portion is in the form of a tubular plug that
sealably locks in the open end of the container,
and the plug having a said circumferentially extending recess for
carrying said diaphragm.
4. A container closure for closing the access opening of the
container comprising,
a resilient diaphragm having a circular centered orifice for being
positioned in said opening,
a cover-dispensing portion having pocket means for projecting
through said orifice and receiving at least one article in the
container which pocket means comprises a projecting portion having
downwardly and outwardly flared sidewall,
said circular centered orifice has a diameter in the relaxed state
of said diaphragm that is less than the diameter of said flared
sides of said pocket,
said diaphragm includes a frustoconical, inward and downwardly
projecting, continuous integral band forming said orifice and
defining a flexible diaphragm that overlies and depends into said
access opening with said band being contractable against the
outwardly diverging sidewall of said projecting portion of said
pocket means thereby holding said pocket means in position,
and the diaphragm is generally of U-shape cross section.
5. A container closure as claimed in claim 4 including, retaining
means for holding said diaphragm in said access opening.
6. A container closure as claimed in claim 4 including,
circumferential recess means for holding said diaphragm in said
access opening.
7. A container closure for closing the access opening of the
container comprising,
a resilient diaphragm having a circular centered orifice for being
positioned in said opening,
a cover-dispensing portion having pocket means for projecting
through said orifice and receiving at least one article in the
container which pocket means comprises a projection portion having
downwardly and outwardly flared sidewall,
said circular centered orifice has a diameter in the relaxed state
of said diaphragm that is less than the diameter of said flared
sidewall of said projection portion,
said diaphragm includes a frustoconical, inward and downwardly
projecting, continuous integral band forming said orifice and
defining a flexible diaphragm that overlies and depends into said
access opening with said band being contractable against the
outwardly diverging sidewall of said projecting portion of said
pocket means thereby holding said pocket means in position,
said diaphragm includes a generally cylindrical skirt that is
integral with said band and that projects in substantially a
downwardly direction,
retaining means for holding said diaphragm band in said access
opening,
and said diaphragm band fits in said access opening whereby said
sidewall of said pocket means applies a transverse force to move
said diaphragm band from its contracted condition to its expanded
condition.
8. A container closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the sidewall
of said pocket means is resilient so that it is slightly deflected
by the orifices of said diaphragm band to grip said article during
movement of said sidewall of said pocket means through said
orifice.
9. A container closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein, said
cylindrical skirt is positioned in said access opening, and means
for holding said diaphragm in said access opening.
10. A container closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein,
said cylindrical skirt is positioned outside said access opening
around and over the outer surface of the access opening of the
container.
11. A container closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cover
dispensing portion is connected to said diaphragm by means of a
strap.
Description
The present invention relates to improvements in container closures
and more particularly to closures of the type referred to herein as
"kiddyproof" closures.
The closure of the present invention is particularly adapted for
use with containers for medicaments in pill or tablet form. These
containers are usually sealed by means of a conventional snap cap
or screw cap. A serious problem is connection with medicaments and
the conventional closures is the fact that these can be opened
readily by children, and if the children gain access and take an
overdose, the overdose in some instances can be fatal.
There have been some attempts to solve this problem, but they have
not been entirely satisfactory in terms of fulfilling all of the
desired characteristics in a closure of this type. For example,
some of these closures have been effective in preventing removal of
the contents by children. However, the closures have not been
suitable in terms of providing a hermetic seal which is necessary
in some instances to prevent the contents of the container from
environmental contamination or loss of potency.
Additionally, it has been found that these prior so-called
kiddyproof closures are not completely effective over an extended
period of use and that they are relatively complicated, thereby
making the manufacture thereof comparatively expensive.
The kiddyproof closure of the present invention broadly comprises a
cap member adapted to be mounted on the container over the opening
therein, the cap member having a diaphragm terminating in a central
opening of a size which normally prevents dispensing of tablets or
pills therethrough and a cover member having a dispensing member of
cuplike form adapted to engage in the opening in the diaphragm to
provide an effective lock and an effective seal therewith in the
closed position and which is actuatable to withdraw a single tablet
or pill from the container when withdrawn from the cap.
Although the text presents and figures show the preferred
configurations as closures adaptable to containers, by modification
the closures may be made integral to the container; and, therefore,
the claims are written accordingly.
With the foregoing in mind, an object of the present invention is
to provide a simple and effective kiddyproof closure for containers
housing solid articles, for example, medicaments in pill or tablet
form which is of comparatively simplified construction and is fully
effective for the purposes intended.
Another object of the present invention is to prove a kiddyproof
closure characterized by novel features of construction and
arrangement whereby the desired number of tablets or pills may be
removed by a comparatively simple one-hand operation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a kiddyproof
closure comprising a cap portion to secure to the container and a
removable tablet dispensing member which in the closed position
provides a hermetic seal precluding contamination of the contents
when the items are being stored.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a
kiddyproof closure wherein the tablet dispensing member cooperates
with the diaphragm to securely grip the tablet when it is being
withdrawn.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a
kiddyproof closure which as a practical matter is difficult for
children of comparatively young age to manipulate in a manner to
remove the contents of the container and, hence, limits the danger
of access to medicaments which would be harmful if taken.
These and other objects of the present invention and the various
details of the construction, function and use thereof are
hereinafter more fully set forth with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein;
FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of a container and "kiddyproof"
closure in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the closure;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view partly in section of the closure;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse-sectional view of the closure
applied to a bottle in the closed position;
FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are transverse-sectional views showing the closure
and top portion of the bottle in a closed, partially withdrawn and
fully withdrawn positions;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse-sectional view of a modified form
of the first embodiment of closure in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 9 is an inverted side-elevational view partly in section
showing a second embodiment of closure in accordance with the
present invention applied to a container;
FIG. 10 is a view showing the cover element of the closure in a
fully withdrawn position;
FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on lines 11--11 of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing a third embodiment of
closure applied to a container;
FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 10 with the cover element of the
closure removed;
FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views of a
fourth embodiment of closure in the closed, partially withdrawn and
fully withdrawn positions, respectively;
FIG. 17 is a transverse-sectional view showing the entire closure
partially removed from the container;
FIG. 18 is a view of a modified form of the closure of FIGS. 14--17
inclusive;
FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken on lines 19--19 of FIG. 18;
FIG. 20 is a view showing a modified form of the closure shown in
FIGS. 18 and 19;
FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken on lines 21--21 of FIG. 20;
FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 20 showing still another modified
form of closure;
FIG. 23 is a sectional view taken on lines 23--23 of FIG. 22;
FIG. 24 is an inverted sectional view of a fifth embodiment of
kiddyproof closure in accordance with the present invention;
FIGS. 25 and 26 are sectional views showing the closure partially
open and fully open; and
FIG. 27 is a sectional view taken on lines 27--27 of FIG. 26.
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-7, there
is illustrated a closure generally designated by numeral 10 and
referred to herein as a "kiddyproof closure" in accordance with the
present invention applied to a container 12, in the present
instance in the form of a bottle for medicaments in the form of
pills or tablets, for example, aspirin. The bottle as illustrated
is of the conventional type commonly used in the pharmaceutical
industry for tablets or other type of medicaments and has a reduced
neck portion 14 with a spiral screw thread 16 on the exterior
portion thereof for a conventional screw-type cap.
The closure 10 of the present invention comprises a cap member 18
having a generally cylindrical skirt 20 provided with a series of
radially inwardly directed circumferentially spaced teatlike
protrusions 22 adjacent the lower edge of the skirt 20 which
cooperate with the screw thread 16 to seat the cap on the neck of
the container. The cap member 18 further includes a frustoconical,
inwardly and downwardly diverging top wall 24 defining a flexible
diaphragm which overlies and depends slightly into the opening in
the neck of the container as illustrated. The diaphragm 24 has a
central circular opening 25 of a predetermined diameter of a size
in the relaxed state less than the diameter of the tablets or pills
in the container so that they will normally be retained inside the
container as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 6.
The closure 10 further includes a disclike cover member 26 which in
the present instance is connected by means of a hinge strap 28 to
the cap member 18 so that it may be pivoted between a closed
position (see FIG. 4) and a withdrawn or open position (see FIG.
6). The cover member 26 as illustrated is of a size to overlie the
diaphragm 24 of the cap member and includes a depending dispensing
member 30, cuplike in form. More specifically, the dispensing
member 30 has an outwardly flared sidewall 32 defining a pocket 34
preferably of a size slightly larger than the tablet or pill being
dispensed, the pocket 34 being radiused at its lower portion 36 as
shown. The cap and cover members are preferably made of a flexible,
resilient material such as plastic.
Considering now the use of the "kiddyproof" closure constructed in
accordance with the present invention, the bottle 12 illustrated is
typically the type used for tablets or pills such as aspirin. These
bottles are usually sealed by a conventional metal screw cap. In
the present instance the user simply removes the conventional cap
and applies the "kiddyproof" closure of the present invention. Of
course, the manufacturer may apply the kiddyproof closure prior to
distribution to the public. If is noted that when the closure is in
a fully closed position (FIG. 4) the diaphragm 24 snugly seats and
seals against the dispensing member and the cover member 26 bears
tightly against the peripheral edge of the outer cap member 18 to
provide good retaining or locking and sealing characteristics. Now
even if an infant removes the cover member 26 to the position shown
in FIG. 6, note that frustoconical diaphragm snaps back to a
position where the central opening 25 is smaller than the diameter
of a tablet; hence it is not possible for anyone to remove the
contents through the opening 25 other than one at a time by using
the dispensing member 30. If an adult wishes to dispense one of the
tablets, the container or bottle 12 is simply inverted whereby the
tablets fill up the top of the container in the manner shown in
FIG. 5. Note that the clearance in the area A between the diaphragm
24 and the neck of the container is small enough so that the
tablets do not jam in this area to prevent normal operation of the
closure. Now with a single tablet seated in the pocket 34 of the
dispensing member 26, the user simply pivots the cover member 26
relative to the outer cap member in the manner illustrated in FIG.
7, the edge of the cover member projecting beyond the outer cap to
provide a gripping edge for actuating the cover member. It is noted
that as the cover member 26 is pivoted and with the sidewall 32
made thin enough so as to allow it to be deformed in consonance
with the aperture of the diaphragm by reason of the constricting
forces of the diaphragm, maximum ease of ingress and egress of the
sidewall 32 is effected and in addition, the tablet is snugly
embraced during the removal from the container. The user then
simply pivots the cover member to its fully withdrawn position
(FIG. 6) to release a single tablet.
In view of the above, it is clear that the present invention
provides a kiddyproof closure of comparatively simplified form
which is simple and easy for adults to manipulate to withdraw
contents of a container, and yet is effective in precluding young
children of, for example 5 years of age or under, to manipulate
effectively because of the intelligence, dexterity and/or strength
required. Additionally, even though a child may accidentally remove
the cover member, unless the bottle has been inverted it would not
be effective to remove a pill or tablet, and with the cover member
removed it is clear that tablets or pills cannot be withdrawn
through the diaphragm. Additionally, the above described embodiment
as well as the other embodiments shown and to be described are
designed to provide an effective lock and a seal when the cover
member is in place to preserve the potency of the contents and also
to preclude contamination thereof. Moreover, by reason of the
simplified design the kiddyproof closure is extremely economical to
manufacture.
There is shown in FIG. 8 a modified form of the kiddyproof closure
described above. This closure generally designated 38 also includes
an outer cap member 40 having a skirt 42 and an annular top 44
having an offset portion defining a circumferentially extending
groove 48 which cooperates with the threads 50 on the neck of the
container so that it may be assembled thereto. The closure further
includes a generally disclike cover member 54 connected in the
present instance to the outer cap by means of a flexible hinge 56.
The cover member has a centrally depending tablet dispensing member
60 of generally cuplike form which normally engages through the
opening 46. In the present instance the top wall 44 defining the
diaphragm is radial and snugly engages the dispensing member at its
throat 63. Further, in this form the diaphragm is distorted only
during dispensing, which prevents widening of the opening 46, the
configuration of the dispensing member 60 and the radial diaphragm
providing for a "snap" action providing a tight seal in the closed
position.
This closure functions in the same manner as that described above.
In other words, in the closed position illustrated, the dispensing
member 60 snugly engages the peripheral edge defining the opening
46 in the diaphragm to provide an effective lock and seal. Now when
it is desired to dispense one tablet at a time, the container is
simply inverted whereby a single tablet engages in the pocket 61
and upon pivoting of the cover 54 the annular top presses inwardly
the sidewall of the cuplike dispensing member 60 to snugly embrace
the tablet as it is being withdrawn. It is noted that the opening
46 is of a smaller diameter than the tablets so that only one
tablet at a time may be dispensed.
FIGS. 9-11 inclusive show a second embodiment of kiddyproof closure
in accordance with the present invention generally designated by
the numeral 70. This closure is particularly adapted for use on a
container 71 of the type illustrated which does not have a reduced
neck and wherein the cap is normally snapped over an exterior bead
73 at the open end of the container 71. Thus, the closure 70
comprises a cap member 72 having an annular radial top 74 and an
outer depending skirt portion 76 which is formed to have a
circumferentially extending recess 78 to snap over the bead 73 on
the container, thereby to retain the cap member in place. The cap
further includes an inwardly and downwardly converging
frustoconical flexible lip 82 defining a diaphragm and a series of
radially spaced circumferentially extending concentric ribs 79
which prevent the tablets from accumulating in the area between the
diaphragm 82 and the sidewall of the container. In the form
illustrated, there are two ribs 79a and 79b which are of graduated
height to provide for funneling of the tablets toward the
dispensing member when the container is inverted. As illustrated,
the outer cap is cut away as at 88 so that the top 85 of the cover
member extends beyond the cap to provide a means for engaging the
cover member by the finger of the user to actuate it relative to
the cap member.
In the present instance the cover element 83 is a separate member
and has a depending centrally located dispensing member 84 which is
also cup-shaped and has a resilient outwardly flared sidewall 86.
The opening in the diaphragm at its inner end is in the relaxed
state of a smaller diameter than the tablets to retain them in the
container (see FIG. 10). There is illustrated in FIG. 9a a modified
form of the cap member of the closure shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This
cap member generally designated by the numeral 72a is identical in
all respects to the FIG. 9 arrangement except that the diaphragm
82a terminates in a short axially extending terminal section 83a
which snugly embraces the outer wall of the cuplike dispensing
member to provide snap-sealing action in the closed position.
This closure assembly also effectively seals the contents of the
container when in a closed position (see FIG. 9) by reason of the
snug engagement of diaphragm 82 and the sidewall of the dispensing
member 84. Further, when it is desired to remove a single tablet,
the diaphragm 82 presses the sidewall 86 of the cuplike dispensing
member to snugly seat the tablet in the receptacle when it is being
withdrawn.
The closure 90 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is designed for a container
92 generally of the same type as that shown in FIG. 9 but not
limited to such, except that the outer portion does not have a bead
for retaining the cap. Thus, the closure 90 includes a cap member
generally designated by the numeral 94 which in the present
instance is generally in the form of a short tubular plug 96 which
sealably locks in the interior of the open end of the container 92
and which may have a circumferentially extending radially outwardly
projecting lip 98 which abuts the outer edge 100 of the container.
The plug 96 has an internal recess 102 within which is mounted a
diaphragm 104 which in its preferred form is of U-shaped cross
section, one leg of which seats in the recess 102 and the other leg
108 being inwardly and downwardly converging defining an opening
which in the contracted position is smaller than the diameter of a
tablet so that when the cover member is not in place the tablets
are retained in the container (see FIG. 13). It is to be noted that
cross-sectional forms (not shown) other than the U-form may be used
to effectively retain tablets in the contracted conditions and to
seal and lock the container in the expanded condition. The cover
member 110 has a generally disclike top 122 and a depending
centrally disposed tablet dispensing member 114 of cuplike form
including, in its preferred form but not so limited, an outwardly
diverging sidewall 116 which constrictively engages the diaphragm
108 in the closed position (see FIG. 12) to constrictively lock and
seal the contents. In this position, as illustrated, a single
tablet can nest in the pocket 116a and by simply actuating the
cover member relative to the outer cap, may be withdrawn from the
container.
In a second preferred embodiment the cap portion is integral to the
container having formed therein a circumferentially extending
recess, a transversely expandable flexible element carried by said
recess for retaining articles in the container when said element is
in a contracted condition and for passing articles when in an
expanded condition with dispensing member being formed to apply a
transverse force to move said flexible element from its contracted
condition to its expanded condition.
There is shown in FIGS. 14--17 inclusive another embodiment of
kiddyproof closure in accordance with the present invention. This
closure is generally designated by numeral 120 and is designed for
use on a container or bottle 122 having a neck and top
configuration of the type shown. The neck 123 of the bottle
includes a frustoconical section 124, a short axial neck portion
126 and a radially outwardly directed circumferentially extending
top flange 128.
The closure 120 comprises a cap member 130 having an annular top
132 defining a diaphragm and a depending skirt 134 with a return
lip 136 so that it may be snapped in place over the flange 128 in
the manner shown in FIG. 17. The top 132 has a central opening 140
of a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of a pill or
tablet so that when the cover member 142 is removed as illustrated
in FIG. 16, the contents cannot be withdrawn through the opening.
The cover member 142 as illustrated is of generally disclike form
and has a serrated side edge 146 to facilitate gripping and removal
of the cover by the user. The cover member 142 has a centrally
located depending tablet or pill dispensing member 150 of generally
cup like form defining a pocket 152 for, in the present instance,
ball-like pill or tablet. Note that the sidewall 153 forming the
pocket 152 is outwardly divergent and that in the closed position
the throat of the pill dispensing member is snugly engaged by the
bead 154 defining the opening in the cap member to provide a tight
sealing relationship. Further, as the cover member 142 is withdrawn
to remove a single pill in the manner shown in FIG. 15, the
outwardly divergent wall 153 is compressed slightly on passing
through the opening 140 whereby the pill or tablet is firmly
retained in the pocket during removal of the cover.
There is illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19 another kiddyproof closure
in accordance with the present invention designated by the numeral
160. This closure is adapted for use on a container generally
similar to that shown in FIGS. 20--22 and to this end the outer cap
member 162 is provided with a depending skirt 164 having a return
lip 166 so that it snaps over the bead 170. The cap member 162 also
has an annular top 172 terminating in a circumferentially extending
bead 174 defining a central opening 176 of a diameter slightly less
than the pills or tablets so that when the cover member is removed
the pills or tablets cannot be withdrawn through the opening
176.
In the present instance the cap member 162 also has two rows of
fingers 180 arranged in radially spaced circular arrows, the length
of the fingers 180 in the inner row being shorter than the length
of the fingers in the outer row to funnel the pills or tablets to
the center of the fingers through which projects the tablet
dispensing member 182 of the cover member 184. The sidewall of the
tablet dispensing member 182 which defines the pocket 186 outwardly
divergent to firmly grip the tablet or pill when the cover member
is withdrawn in the manner described in connection with the
previous embodiments. The cover member, which is of disclike form,
has a serrated outer edge to facilitate gripping.
FIGS. 20 and 21 show another form of kiddyproof closure in
accordance with the present invention generally designated by the
numeral 200. The closure comprises a cap member 202 designed to
snap in place over the exterior bead 204 of the container 206. The
outer cap member 202 has a series of concentric ribs 208 and 210
which are of graduated height to define a funnellike arrangement to
guide the contents of the container into the dispensing member 212
of the cover member 214. As in connection with previously described
embodiments, the wall of the cup-shaped dispensing member 212 is
outwardly divergent to snugly grip the pill when the cover member
is actuated relative to the outer cap member to withdraw the
contents. The outer cover member is cut away as at 220 so that the
edge 224 of the cover projects beyond it to provide a gripping edge
for the user.
FIGS. 22 and 23 show a kiddyproof closure generally designated by
the numeral 230 similar in all respects to the closure 200 except
in lieu of the concentric walls, there are provided a plurality of
circumferentially spaced fingers 232 depending from the inner wall
of the annular top of the cap member. The outer terminal ends of
these fingers are tapered inwardly to again provide a funnel effect
for directing the contents of the container to the cuplike
dispensing member 240 of the cover 242.
There is shown in FIGS. 24-27 inclusive another embodiment of
kiddyproof closure in accordance with the present invention
generally designated by the numeral 250. This closure is adapted
for use on a container having a reduced neck 252 with screw threads
254 formed on the exterior thereof. Thus the closure comprises an
outer cap member 256 having an annular top 258 and a depending
skirt 260 having a plurality of radially inwardly projecting
circumferentially spaced protrusions 262 which cooperate with the
threads 254 to permit the closure to be threaded onto the container
over its open end. The cap member further includes, in the present
instance, a downwardly converging resilient lip portion 264
projecting from the inner edge of the annular top 258 and defining
in cooperation therewith a flexible diaphragm. As illustrated, the
diaphragm has a short axial wall 266 with a circumferentially
extending recess 268 in its inner face and an inwardly converging
wall section 270 which has a plurality of axial slits 272 which are
circumferentially spaced to add to the resiliency of the
diaphragm.
In the present instance, the cover 280 is of generally disklike
form and is connected to the outer cap member 256 by means of a
strap 282. The cover has a depending centrally located dispensing
member 284 having a pocket 286 formed therein for receiving a
single tablet or pill. The dispensing member, in the present
instance, has a circumferentially extending bead 290 at its one end
adjacent to the cover member which is adapted to seat in the recess
258 in the closed position to provide a snap "seal" hermetically
sealing and locking in the contents of the container. Also note
that in the closed position the pocket portion of the dispensing
member is spaced below the inner peripheral edge of the diaphragm.
In this configuration it is to be noted in contrast to FIGS. 1 to 7
no dependence is placed upon the inwardly converging wall section
270 to either lock the cover to the cap or seal the cover to the
cap and that walls 270 are at rest when the cover is in the closed
position. The peripheral edge of walls 270 serve as means to form a
restrictive aperture to retain the tablet within the container when
the dispensing member 284 is removed.
The kiddyproof closure operates in much the same manner as that
described in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.
1-7 inclusive. For example, if the user desires to withdraw a
single tablet or pill from the container, the container is simply
inverted whereby the pills or tablets accumulate in the area
adjacent the dispensing member. Note that because the container has
a reduced neck the tablets or pills cannot accumulate in the area
between the dispensing member and sidewall of the neck. Now with
one pill seated in the pocket and the container supported in one
hand of the user, the user simply engages the extended peripheral
edge of the cover member as at 296 to pivot the cover relative to
the cap member to the position shown in FIG. 25. Note that in this
position the bead 290 disengages from the recess 268 and the
diaphragm gently presses the sidewall of the pocket to retain the
tablet or pill therein. Continued pivotal or tilting movement of
the cover member to the full open position releases a single tablet
from the container which the user can then use directly, or
dispense into a cup for use by another. Note that after the single
tablet has been removed, the diaphragm prevents egress of any
tablets past the opening, being so sized in relation to the tablets
to accomplish this purpose.
* * * * *