U.S. patent number 3,695,475 [Application Number 05/153,236] was granted by the patent office on 1972-10-03 for child-proof closure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Continental Can Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Herbert S. Ruekberg.
United States Patent |
3,695,475 |
Ruekberg |
October 3, 1972 |
CHILD-PROOF CLOSURE
Abstract
A child-proof snap-on closure for a container, the container
pouring lip and the closure skirt including upper opposed beads
retaining the closure on the container. The container neck and the
closure skirt including lower spaced opposed threads for removal of
the snap-on closure. The threaded lower skirt portion being
flexible around its entire periphery and deflectable inwardly at
generally diametrically opposed points to engage the threaded neck
portion where upon relative rotation, the threaded skirt is driven
upwardly on the threaded neck, thus forcing the skirt bead upwardly
over the pouring lip bead to remove the closure.
Inventors: |
Ruekberg; Herbert S. (Highland
Park, IL) |
Assignee: |
Continental Can Company, Inc.
(New York, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22546337 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/153,236 |
Filed: |
June 15, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/217; 215/222;
215/224 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
50/048 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
50/04 (20060101); B65D 50/00 (20060101); A61j
001/00 (); B65d 055/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;215/9,41,43,40 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hall; George T.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A snap-on closure for a container having a threaded neck portion
and an upper pouring lip, said pouring lip and said threaded neck
portion being separated by a circumferential annular groove, which
comprises:
a top panel having a skirt extending downwardly therefrom;
said skirt including an upper portion having an internal annular
bead for engagement with said groove when said bead is snapped on
over said pouring lip;
said skirt including a lower portion having at least one
circumferential internal thereon, said thread being radially spaced
from said threaded neck portion and engageable therewith for prying
off said closure; and
said lower skirt portion being circumferentially flexible whereby
being flexed radially inwardly at generally diametrically opposed
points into engagement with said threaded neck portion and relative
rotation of said closure and said container said skirt is driven
upwardly on said threaded neck portion to pry off said closure from
said container.
2. The snap-on closure as recited in claim 1 wherein said internal
thread comprises a pair of diametrically opposite thread
segments.
3. A snap-on closure for a container having a pouring lip with a
radially extending annular bead thereon and a screw threaded neck
below said pouring lip, which comprises:
a top panel having a downwardly extending skirt;
said skirt including an internally annularly beaded upper portion
engageable with said pouring lip bead for snap-on attachment to
said container and an internally threaded lower portion having at
least one complete thread thereon for pry-off removal therefrom,
said closure from said container.
4. The snap-on closure as recited in claim 3 wherein said thread
comprises a pair of diametrically opposite thread segments.
5. The combination which comprises:
a container and a closure therefor;
said container having a neck with external threads thereon and a
pouring lip at its outer and upper end;
said external threads and said pouring lip being separated by a
circumferential annular groove;
said closure having a top panel for abutting and engagement with
said pouring lip and a downwardly extending skirt with an
internally annularly beaded upper portion for engagement with said
groove when said bead is snapped on over said pouring lip and an
internally threaded lower portion having at least one
circumferential thread thereon and being radially spaced from said
threaded neck portion and engageable therewith for prying off said
closure;
said lower skirt portion being circumferentially flexible whereby
upon being flexed radially inwardly at generally diametrically
opposed points into engagement with said threaded neck portion and
relative rotation of said closure and said container said skirt is
driven upwardly on said threaded neck portion to pry off said
closure from said container.
6. The combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said thread
comprises a pair of diametrically opposite thread segments.
7. The combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said container
comprises a body having an upper annular shoulder and said neck
extending outwardly therefrom and wherein said snapped-on skirt
includes a bottom annular surface closely opposing said
shoulder.
8. The combination as recited in claim 7 wherein said thread
comprises a pair of diametrically opposite thread segments.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to container closures and in particular to an
improved closure which is difficult for a child to open.
2. Description of Prior Art
Recently, much attention is being focused on the packaging industry
to provide a more effective container closure for pills, poisons
and household products which are harmful if ingested. Children in
particular are often injured seriously by eating products which are
harmful to the body if consumed.
Many child-proof closures have been invented and patented for the
above purpose. U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,808 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,391,813
are typical of child-proof closures found in the art. While the
prior art child-proof closures have afforded protection against
serious accidents to children, the art is always trying to produce
a more effective and economical child-proof closure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By the present invention, it is proposed to provide a new and
improved child-proof closure so as to reduce or eliminate the
accidents as encountered heretofore.
This is accomplished generally by the provision of a snap-on
closure for a container having a pouring lip with a bead thereon
and a screw thread on the neck of the container. The closure
consists of a panel portion and a downwardly extending skirt. The
skirt includes an internally inwardly beaded upper portion whereby
the closure can be snapped on the container in sealing engagement
thereto and an internally inwardly threaded lower portion for
pry-off removal therefrom. To remove the tightly engaged snap-on
closure, the threaded lower skirt portion is deflected inwardly at
generally diametrically opposed points to ovalize the skirt in
order to engage the threaded neck. Upon subsequent relative
rotation of the closure and the container, the lower skirt portion
is driven upwardly on the threaded neck thus applying force to the
upper beaded skirt portion to lift the skirt bead over the pouring
lip bead for closure removal.
In view of the foregoing, the primary object of this invention is
to provide a novel child-proof closure of the snap-on type wherein
the lower skirt portion is flexible around its entire circumference
and is provided internally with at least one complete thread.
Another object of this invention is to provide a novel child-proof
closure of the snap-on type wherein the lower skirt portion is
flexible around its entire circumference and is provided internally
with a diametrically opposite thread formation.
With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter
appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood
by reference to the following detailed description, the appended
claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a vertical view partially in section of a child-proof
snap-on closure positioned on a container.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the combination snap-on closure and
container of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2--2.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view of the
closure and container of FIG. 1 and illustrating the lower skirt
portion deflected inwardly for engagement with the threaded neck at
one of diametrically opposite side points as indicated by the
arrows in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of an alternative embodiment of
a child-proof snap-on closure on a bottle top utilizing a standard
bottle thread between the bottle neck and the closure.
FIG. 5 is a bottom sectional view taken in the direction of the
arrows in FIG. 4 of an alternative embodiment of a snap-on closure
on the bottle top of FIG. 4 illustrating the invention utilizing a
discontinuous thread on the closure and a continuous thread on the
bottle. The closure being shown oval in broken lines to indicate
the closure shape when finger pressure is applied in the direction
of the arrows.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a container 20 and a closure 10 of
the child-proof snap-on type in snapped-on engagement. The closure
10 is preferably made of plastic material or the like. The closure
10 comprises a panel portion 11 and a downwardly extending skirt 12
having a circular cross-section. The skirt 12 includes an upper
portion 13 having an internally radially inwardly projecting bead
14 for snap-on attachment of the closure 10 to the container 20 and
a circumferentially flexible lower portion 15 having a plurality of
internal radially projecting threads 16 for removal of the closure
10.
In the preferred embodiment, the container 20 is a bottle or the
like and includes a body 21 with an upper annular shoulder 22 and a
pouring lip 25 at the upper and outer end. Integral with body 21
and extending outwardly therefrom and below said pouring lip 25 is
a neck 23 having a plurality of external threads 24. The pouring
lip 25 and the external neck threads 24 are separated by a
circumferential annular groove 26. As shown in FIG. 1, pouring lip
25 may be viewed as a narrow annular ledge 27 surrounded by an
external radially outwardly projecting bead 28.
To attach the closure 10 to the container 20 to form the container
seal, the closure 10 is placed over the pouring lip 25 so that the
skirt 12 coaxially surrounds and is spaced from the neck 23; the
bead 14 being above and abutting the pouring lip 25. By a quick
relative axial movement of the closure 10 and container 20, the
bead 14 may be snapped on snugly under pouring lip 25 to create a
tension in upper skirt portion 13 which causes sealing panel 11 to
sealing abut and engage pouring lip 25 at the annular ledge 27. The
engagement tolerances of the beads 14,28 are such that the closure
10 is difficult to pull off. More than moderate hand force is
required. Normally, a child is not capable of applying this much
hand force to pull off the closure 10. Regarding engagement
tolerances, annular bead 14 does not completely fill groove 26;
however, this feature should not be viewed as a limitation on the
invention. By a proper choice of bead configuration and material,
groove 26 may be entirely filled.
As is best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the snapped-on,
condition, the skirt 12 coaxially surrounds the neck 23. In
addition, the minor diameter 40 of internal threads 16 is larger
than the major diameter 39 of external threads 24. This results in
skirt 12 being radially outwardly spaced from neck 23 to provide an
annular gap 29 between the neck 23 and the skirt 12. Thus, removal
by a child is difficult since a simple rotation of the closure will
not cause removal thereof. Nor is simple wedging action possible to
remove the closure 10 since in the snapped-on condition, the bottom
annular surface 30 of skirt 12 closely opposes annular shoulder 22.
At most, only a minimum opening or gap 31 is provided.
Consequently, a child is prevented from inserting his finger or
teeth into said opening to obtain a wedging action to remove the
closure 10.
In FIG. 3, there is shown the closure 10 in the first stage of
removal. The lower portion 15 of skirt 12 having been squeezed
radially inwardly at one of diametrically opposite side points as
shown by the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1. Since the lower
portion 15 of skirt 12 is flexible around its entire periphery, the
skirt 12 may be grapsed and squeezed at two diametrically opposite
points.
In order to open container 20, a combination inward squeezing
action plus a twisting action or rotation is required. In
operation, the lower skirt portion 15 of closure 10 is deflected or
flexed radially inwardly so that threads 16 contact or mesh with
threads 24. Next, a simultaneous twist or rotation is applied to
closure 10 to drive the closure 10 upwardly on the threaded neck
23, thus forcing the skirt bead 14 upwardly over the pouring lip
bead 28 to pry off the closure. Alternatively, container 20 may be
rotated while holding closure 10 stationary. A child is not
normally capable of doing this whereas an adult can readily perform
these simultaneous operations.
In FIG. 4, there is shown an alternative form of the invention
including a similar snap-on closure 40 and a standard bottle or
container 50. Closure 40 and bottle 50 are each provided with a
standard bottle thread 35,36 for removal of the closure 40 as
heretofore described. The lower portion 38 of the skirt 37 is
flexible around its entire periphery. In operation, the lower
portion 38 is squeezed radially inwardly so that thread 36 rides on
thread 35. The application of a simultaneous twist to closure 40
will drive the closure 40 upwardly thus prying internal closure
bead 34 up and over pouring lip bead 39 to open the container.
In FIG. 5, there is shown another alternative form of the invention
including a similar snap-on closure 60 on a container or bottle 70.
This form of the invention utilizes a pair of circumferential
diametrically opposite internal thread segments 61,61 in the
closure 60 and a continuous external thread 72 on the container
neck 71 for removal of the closure 60. The closure 60 is shown
ovalized in broken lines 63 to indicate that finger pressure should
be applied to the flexible lower skirt portion adjacent the thread
seqments 61,61.
This form of the invention utilizing the thread segments 61,61
provides an additional margin of child safety in that closure
removal can only be accomplished by grasping and deflecting the
closure skirt at two discrete points along its periphery.
* * * * *