Safety Closure

Abstract

The invention contemplates selectively openable closure means that is tamper-proof, in the sense that a correct sequence of two deliberate and independent movements of two parts is necessary in order to achieve access to the contents of the bottle or the like container which is protected by the closure. The invention is particularly concerned with protection of containers for liquid, such as oil, lighter fluid, etc. and having a dispensing nozzle. The nature of the inventive closure is such as to close and seal the nozzle, and to protect against loss of or access to dripped liquid around the nozzle, as well as to achieve the tamper-proof or safety locking feature.

Description

This invention relates to selectively openable closure devices, as for closure of bottles containing liquid that might be injurious when in unauthorized hands.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved tamper-proof or safety-locking feature in containers for liquid materials.

A specific object is to provide such a feature for a liquid container having a liquid-dispensing nozzle.

Another specific object is to achieve the above objects with a sealed closure of the dispensing nozzle.

A further specific object is to achieve all sealing and locking functions with a single-piece closure member.

A still further object is to provide a container neck configuration which particularly lends itself to use with a single-piece closure member to achieve the above objects.

It is also an object to provide an improved container adapter or neck fitting, applicable to a container part and serving to make the thus-fitted container accept a closure member of the character indicated.

Another specific object is to achieve the foregoing objects using resilient deformable action of the parts to establish both a resiliently preloaded seal and resiliently preloaded lock retention.

A general object is to achieve the foregoing objects with a construction lending itself to mass-produced injection-molding of the parts, with relative economy.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective showing the neck region of a container above which removable closure means is poised for application;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in perspective of a neck fitting or adapter, forming part of the container assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in elevation, partly broken-away and in section, showing the removable closure means of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal half section, showing the closure parts of FIG. 1 in assembled relation;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 to illustrate a modified neck-fitting construction, with the removable closure means merely indicated by light phantom outline; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views similar to FIGS. 3 and 5, respectively, to show further modifications.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the invention is shown in application to a container or can 10 having a particular neck formation 11 with a projecting nozzle or spout 12 for dispensing liquid contents of the container. The container 10 may comprise a circular rim or chime 13 connecting a cylindrical body 14 to an end plate or panel member 15, the neck means 11 being formed with or secured to the panel member 15. Neck means 11 includes integral external locking formations 16-17 which coact with locking lugs 18 in the bore of a selectively removable closure cap 19. The neck formation 11 may be a single piece of injection-molded plastic having a base flange 20 seated on and sealingly secured to a central annular platform 21 forming part of the end panel 15, the manner of attachment being as described in detail in my copending application, Ser. No. 178,306, filed Sept. 7, 1971 (Attorney Docket No. 1168). The locking and unlocking fit of the closure and neck, at 16-17-18, is of the bayonet variety, involving axial telescoping overlap of the cylindrical bore 22 of cap 19 over the cylindrical body 23 of means 11 (with lugs 18 between formations 16-17), followed by a clockwise twist of the cap to complete the engagement.

As shown, the dispensing nozzle 12 and its widely flared supporting base or diaphragm 24 are integral with the relatively rigid body 23 of adapter 11. Nozzle 12 tapers inwardly to its rounded upper end, around a dispensing orifice 25, and the thickness at diaphragm 24 is selected to permit a degree of yielding axially downward compliant displacement of nozzle 12 in the course of establishing the locked and sealed condition of cap 19, as will be more fully explained. Also, the bore of the upwardly projecting end of body 23 is preferably counter-bored or chamfered at 26 with a gentle flare angle .alpha..

The cap 19 is shown as another single injection-molded part, comprising a relatively rigid skirt or annular body having the bore 22 and a continuous axially yieldable wall at its upper end. The wall comprises an inner circular panel or dish 27 and an outer annular panel 28, and an integral cylindrical sleeve 29 projects downwardly from the juncture of panels 27-28. The outer diameter of the sleeve 29 is selected to substantially match the maximum radius of chamfer 26, and the lower end of the outer surface of sleeve 29 is inwardly convergent, at 30, with an effective taper angle .beta. which exceeds the angle .alpha.. In this circumstance, engagement of sleeve 29 to neck body 23 will be characterized by line contact or by substantially line contact and will be essentially non-plugging in the bore of body 23. The outer panel 28 is preferably downwardly dished at an angle .gamma. from a plane normal to the cap axis; this dish formation provides for a degree of axial displacement of sleeve 29, upwardly with respect to the cap body, in the course of establishing and retaining a container-closed condition. The inner panel 27 is also preferably downwardly dished, at a lesser angle .delta., to provide similar axially compliant action for the nozzle-engaging center of panel 27. As shown, a circular ridge 31 and rounded central projection 32 characterize the nozzle-engaging surface of panel 27, being designed and formed for projection 32 to close orifice 25, and for ridge 31 to wipe the rounded upper edge of nozzle 12, as best seen in FIG. 4.

In operation, to establish a closure, cap 19 is first lightly applied to neck 11, with lugs 18 between formations 16-17, whereupon the cap is rotated clockwise. Preferably, the parts are so dimensioned that, at this instant, interference at sleeve 29 to body 23 and at 31-32 to nozzle 12 has just developed or is about to develop. The nature of the bayonet-locking engagement is for lugs 18 to initially ride ramps (as at 33 in FIG. 2), which cam or draw cap 19 downwardly against the resilient reaction of several compliant deformations, arising from these two interferences. In a first set of such deformations, diaphragm 24 and panel 27 yield axially to maintain nozzle-closing contact while the second set of deformations is proceeding. The second set of deformations comprises a local radially inwardly compressed deformation of the juncture between cylindrical and conical surfaces of sleeve 29, as sleeve 29 is driven further into the mouth of chamfer 26. The application of this driving force is via the relatively stiff axial compliance of panel 28, the stiffness being enhanced as the angle .gamma. is reduced, and being still further enhanced by any reduction in the angle .delta.. Once over the ramps 33, lugs 18 snap into retaining recesses as at 34, at which point residual axially resilient loading remains at all the locations of compliant deformation. This residual loading serves the multiple purposes of (a) retaining the locked condition of the parts, (b) axially compressionally loading the nozzle closure, (c) radially and axially loading a fattened line of seal contact between sleeve 29 and chamfer 26, and (d) avoiding any tendency to plug the chamfer. To release or open the closure, cap 19 must be axially depressed, against the indicated multiple compliant reactions, and then incrementally indexed counterclockwise until lugs 18 are again positioned between locking formations 16-17.

FIG. 5 shows a modification wherein the neck fitting 11', which integrally carries a dispensing nozzle 12', cap-locking formations (e.g., 17') and a seal-engaging chamfer 26', is permanently assembled to a container 40, which may be a blow-molded plastic bottle. The neck 41 of bottle 40 is shown with a chamfered mouth 42, having a flare angle .alpha.', which may approximate the angle .alpha.. The neck 41 is further characterized by a radially outward lip or retaining flange 43.

The neck fitting 11' is again a single injection-molded plastic part wherein locking formations 17' are integral with a relatively stiff cylindrical body 44, depending from a neck-ring portion 45 having the cap-sealing chamfer 26'. Also depending from ring portion 45 is a radially compliant sleeve portion 46, having an inwardly convergent connection 47 to the diaphragm 24' which carries nozzle 12'. In the unstressed condition (i.e., prior to assembly to bottle 40), the effective slope angle of connection 47 preferably exceeds the angle .alpha.', to the end that fattened-line contact characterizes the axially compressionally loaded interference at 42-47 when inward retaining lug or lip means 48 (of body 44) are engaged under lip 43. For ease of assembly, the upper-outer edge of neck 41, and the lower-inner edge of body 44, are preferably chamfered (as shown), to enable cammed transient deformation of these parts until their locking rims 43-48 can snap into the permanently retained relation shown.

The thus-assembled neck fitting 11' will be understood to be locked to bottle 40, with a permanent liquid seal at 42-47, the latter being assured by continuous resilient loading, resulting from the relatively stiffly compliant deformations of the interfering parts.

FIG. 6 shows an alternate form of closure cap 50 which resembles cap 19 (FIG. 3) in all respects except that the conical surface 30', of unstressed slope .beta., is continuously formed with the end wall of the cap. Thus, this end wall comprises a continuous relatively thin section, beginning with the outer-panel portion 28', followed in succession by a cylindrical axially downward wall 29', the conical surface 30', an axially upward cylindrical wall 51, and the inner panel 27'. It will be understood that caps 19 and 50 may be interchangeably used in the combination of FIG. 4, or in that of FIG. 5.

The plastic used in the closure parts should be selected for its good memory and good flexural properties, as well as for its low coefficient of friction and relative inertness to the chemicals involved in the ultimate use. Such materials include polypropylene and high-density polyethylene, for both the cap 19 (or 50) and the neck fitting 11 (or 11'). On the other hand, the material of the bottle or other container 40 may be other than plastic, as will be understood. For the situation in which the chamfer angle .alpha. is substantially 10 degrees, the cap taper angle .beta. is considerably larger, as in the range of 17 to 23 degrees, preferably substantially 20 degrees. The outer dish angle .gamma. is in the range of 12 to 18 degrees, preferably substantially 15 degrees; and the inner dish angle .delta. is preferably in the order of 5 degrees. Typically, for a cap closure bore 22 of about one-inch diameter, the relatively rigid cap body wall is at least 80 mils thick, the outer panel 28 is of thickness in the range of 18-22 mils, and the central panel 27 is about 40-50 mils thick, substantially matching the thickness of the nozzle diaphragm 24.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 to show another modification, wherein the liquid-sealing, dispensing and safety-locking functions are available for a plastic bottle 55 with an integral neck 56 having the locking formations 17 to be removably engaged by locking lugs 18 (18') of either of the closure caps of FIGS. 3 and 6. In FIG. 7, the bottle 55 may again be blow-molded but with a groove 57 in the neck bore, for reception of snap-in assembly of the dished skirt or diaphragm 58 of a separately formed nozzle part 59. The nozzle part 59 may be injection-molded of suitable plastic, complete with its dispensing projection 60 and orifice, the material being again selected for good memory and flexural properties. In its unstressed and unassembled condition, the skirt 58 is of diameter exceeding the bore diameter of neck 56 and makes a large acute flare angle with the nozzle axis. Preferably, this skirt diameter is substantially the maximum diameter of the chamfer 26 relied upon for cap seal action, and the depth of groove 57 may be less than the change in radius along chamfer 26. In this circumstance, chamfer 26 serves to radially inwardly cam and stress skirt 58 for passage in the neck bore, to the point of snap-in assembly to groove 57. If one or both of the engaging skirt (58) and groove (57) formations is shaped for wedging interference, then a highly effective permanent liquid seal is effected, at 57-58, upon assembly of part 59 to the bottle neck 56. Cap sealing and locking functions are then as already described for other embodiments.

The described invention is seen to accomplish all stated objects, using parts that lend themselves to mass-production and with the reproducible precision of plastic injection-molding techniques. In all cases, the nature of the closure is to provide an effective lock and multiple seals, protecting against loss of or access to dripped liquid around the nozzle, as well as rendering the lock relatively tamper-proof.

While the invention has been described in detail for the preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Selectively openable closure means, comprising a body including a relatively stiff annular neck having a relatively large bore substantially closed by a first diaphragm means, dispensing-nozzle means concentric with said neck and carried by the central region of said diaphragm means, said nozzle means having an axially forwardly projecting end and being in radial-clearance relation with said neck, and a cap for selectively opening and closing said nozzle means; said cap having open and closed ends and having a relatively stiff outer wall sized to fit over said neck, and said cap and neck having telescoping engagement parts for removably securing the same, the closed end of said cap comprising a second diaphragm means with a central nozzle-closure formation and with an annular neck-closure formation radially intermediate said outer wall and said nozzle-closure formation; the diaphragm means of said cap being axially compliant, and the axial location of engagement of said telescoping parts being selected in relation to the axial location of nozzle closure and of neck closure that axial deformation develops a compliant loading of both nozzle closure and neck closure when said cap and neck are secured.

2. The closure means of claim 1, in which said cap is of single-piece molded-plastic construction.

3. The closure means of claim 1, in which said neck is of single-piece injection-molded construction, integrally formed with the diaphragm and dispensing nozzle means thereof.

4. The closure means of claim 1, in which said first diaphragm means includes an axially compliant generally frusto-conical portion, converging in the nozzle-dispensing direction.

5. The closure means of claim 1, in which said second diaphragm means includes an axially compliant generally frusto-conical portion, converging in the direction of engagement with said nozzle means.

6. The closure means of claim 1, in which said body includes a radially outward flange base for securement to an otherwise open container to complete the assembled closure thereof.

7. The closure means of claim 1, in which the neck bore has a continuous relatively narrow radially inward groove, and in which said dispensing-nozzle means and said first diaphragm means are a single integral part having a peripheral edge assembled with interference to the neck bore and snap-engaged to the groove at said edge, said neck-closure formation coacting with said neck at a location axially outward of said first diaphragm means.

8. The closure means of claim 1, in which said neck includes a projecting annular portion axially beyond the location of juncture of the neck bore with said first diaphragm means, said annular neck-closure formation including an annular seal formation having sealing engagement with said projecting annular portion in the course of establishing nozzle closure.

9. The closure means of claim 8, in which said projecting annular portion has a flared counterbore at its forward end, said annular seal formation establishing the sealing engagement at the counterbore.

10. The closure means of claim 8, in which said second diaphragm means completely closes the end wall of said cap and said annular seal formation projects from said second diaphragm means and within the interior volume of said cap.

11. The closure means of claim 8, in which said annular seal formation is continuously formed with and is part of the closure of the end of said cap, said nozzle-closure formation being directly carried by the lower end of said seal formation.

12. The closure means of claim 8, in which both said diaphragm means are axially compliant and are axially deflected in the course of securing the cap.

13. The closure means of claim 8, in which said annular neck-closure formation depends from a region of said second diaphragm means intermediate the radial limits of said second diaphragm means, whereby a first axially compliant diaphragm portion connects said neck-closure formation to the outer wall of the cap and a second axially compliant diaphragm portion connects the neck-closure formation to the nozzle-closure formation.

14. The closure means of claim 8, in which said annular seal formation includes a frusto-conical surface converging in the axial direction of seal engagement and establishing the same at interference with the bore of said projecting annular portion.

15. The closure means of claim 14, in which the bore of said projecting annular portion has a flared counterbore at its forward end, the sealing engagement being established between a part of said frusto-conical surface and a part of said counterbore.

16. The closure means of claim 15, in which said annular seal formation is characterized by a cylindrical surface adjacent the large end of said frusto-conical surface, the taper of said frusto-conical surface being more steeply inclined to the cap axis than the flared inclination of the counterbore with respect to the neck axis, said seal formation being radially deformable and the juncture of said cylindrical and frusto-conical surfaces being in radially compressed engagement with the counterbore when the cap is secured to the neck.