U.S. patent number 3,826,394 [Application Number 05/316,480] was granted by the patent office on 1974-07-30 for safety cap.
Invention is credited to Morton Stull.
United States Patent |
3,826,394 |
Stull |
July 30, 1974 |
SAFETY CAP
Abstract
A safety cap construction comprising a pouring-spout type
fitment and a closure cap attachable to and removable from the
fitment. The cap has a protruding finger piece by which a user can
pry it off, using the fingers. The fitment has spaced-apart guard
members disposed in a forward location, which straddle the finger
piece of the cap when the latter is in place. The finger piece and
the two guard members define a hypothetical arc which, due to the
closeness and the positioning of the members, has a radius that is
shorter than the radius of the arc defined generally by the front
teeth of a human being, to the end that a person such as a small
child cannot employ his teeth against the finger piece to force the
cap off of the fitment. However, the spacing between the guard
members is still great enough to admit a user's finger for access
to the finger piece for the purpose of removing the cap from the
fitment by finger pressure. The cap and fitment are permanently
connected to each other by a thin flexible web which insures that
the finger piece will always be urged to a central location between
the guard members when the cap is being replaced on the fitment
after use.
Inventors: |
Stull; Morton (Garfield,
NJ) |
Family
ID: |
23229237 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/316,480 |
Filed: |
December 19, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/224; 215/211;
222/546 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
50/045 (20130101); B65D 47/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
47/14 (20060101); B65D 47/12 (20060101); B65D
50/00 (20060101); B65D 50/04 (20060101); A61j
001/00 (); B65d 055/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;215/9,46R,41
;222/546,153 ;220/60 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hall; George T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lehmann; H. Gibner Lehmann; K.
Gibner
Claims
I claim:
1. A safety dispensing cap construction comprising, in
combination:
a. a pouring-spout fitment part having means for securing it to a
container,
b. a closure cap part attachable to and removable from the fitment
part, said parts having cooperable means for frictionally
releasably retaining the cap part on the fitment part,
c. said cap part having a protruding finger piece to enable a user
to pry it from the fitment part by use of a finger,
d. said fitment part having spaced-apart guard members straddling
said finger piece and disposed forwardly thereof,
e. said finger piece and guard members defining a hypothetical arc
having a radius which is shorter than the radius of the arc defined
by the front teeth of a human whereby said teeth are prevented by
the guard members from reaching the finger piece to apply force
thereto,
f. the spacing between said guard members being great enough to
admit a finger for access to the finger piece.
2. A cap construction as in claim 1, and further including:
a. a flexible hinge web connecting the fitment and cap parts,
controlling movement of the cap part to insure proper replacement
of the finger piece thereof between the guard members as the cap
part is applied to the fitment part.
3. A cap construction as in claim 2, wherein:
a. the guard members are disposed on opposite sides of a plane
passing through said finger piece and flexible hinge web.
4. A cap construction as in claim 1, wherein:
a. the guard members comprise upright posts extending both above
and below the horizontal plane containing the finger piece.
5. A cap construction as in claim 1, and further including:
a. a protective tab carried by the fitment part at a location
between the guard members,
b. said tab covering the free edge of the finger piece.
6. A cap construction as in claim 5, and further including:
a. a pair of upstanding curved flanges on the fitment part,
covering the joint between the latter and the cap part at both
sides of the protective tab, thereby to prevent access to said
joint.
7. A cap construction as in claim 6, wherein:
a. ends of said flanges adjacent and on opposite sides of the
finger piece are reversely curved and extend away from the finger
piece, said ends constituting the said guard members.
8. A cap construction as in claim 7, and further including:
a. a flexible hinge web connecting the fitment and cap parts,
controlling movement of the cap part to insure proper replacement
of the finger piece thereof between the guard members as the cap
part is applied to the fitment part,
b. the remaining ends of said flanges extending closely adjacent
said hinge web and constituting a guide therefor so as to aid in
the proper orientation of the cap part during its replacement on
the fitment part.
9. A cap construction as in claim 5, wherein:
a. the protective tab is resilient and adapted to be flexed away
from the finger piece to provide access to the latter.
10. A cap construction as in claim 9, wherein:
a. the guard members comprise upright posts to which the protective
tab is attached.
11. A cap construction as in claim 1, and further including:
a. flange means on said fitment part, extending upward therefrom
and covering the joint between the cap and fitment parts, thereby
to prevent access to said joint.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
Co-pending application of Morton B. Stull, U.S. Ser. No. 284,430
filed Aug. 28, 1972 and entitled "Safety Cap," now U.S. Pat. No.
3,765,578.
BACKGROUND
This invention relates generally to safety closures for small
dispensers, and more particularly to devices of this type which
involve a pouring-spout type fitment part, and a closure cap part
adapted to be frictionally held on the fitment part and to be
removable therefrom in response to finger pressure.
In the past a number of different types of safety closures have
been proposed and constructed. In some instances a closure cap was
provided, having an internal tab which was cooperable with a
discontinuous bead disposed on a bottle neck or cap body. To effect
removal of the cap it had to be rotated to a particular position
with respect to the body, whereby the tab was aligned with a notch
or discontinuous area of the bead. Other types of prior closures
involved a cap having an external lifting tab which, in its sealing
or closed position, was in such close proximity to an external
annular bead of the cap body that it could not be conveniently used
to raise or remove the cap. There were no other protrusions on the
cap, which were available for lifting the same. Thus the cap could
not be removed until it was rotated with respect to the cap body so
as to bring the lifting tab into registration with a cut or notched
portion of the annular body bead. After this was done the tab could
be readily engaged by a user's finger, so as to forcibly lift the
cap off. In some cases marker arrows were disposed on the cap and
cap body, to provide a user with an indication of the proper rotary
position to which the cap had to be turned when it was desired to
remove the same. While all of these prior constructions in general
functioned satisfactorily, they had a number of distinct
disadvantages. In some cases, the reassembly of the cap to the
container was complicated, since the cap had to be oriented to a
particular position in order to snap it on. After such operation
the cap then had to be turned so as to bring it to the locking
position or condition. If this last step was not carried out the
cap would undesirably remain in an unlocked position whereby a
child who inadvertently handled the container could readily snap it
off (without having to resort to the initial unlocking movement).
Thus the safety feature could be lost merely by careless reassembly
of the cap. Further, many prior closure caps which were not of the
captive type inevitably became lost or misplaced, which had the
effect of completely defeating any safety aspects. In most prior
closure caps the various measures that were utilized to prevent
unauthorized removal were not sufficiently effective or adequate
when the closure construction was subjected to a biting action,
utilizing the teeth. Thus, a child if thwarted in his efforts to
remove the cap by other or conventional means, would usually effect
the removal by prying off the cap with his teeth. Since it is a
perfectly natural thing for a child to use its teeth on objects,
this constituted a serious drawback for caps which were otherwise
adequately safeguarded with respect to removal by the use of the
fingers.
SUMMARY
The above disadvantages and drawbacks of prior safety, closure cap
constructions are obviated by the present invention which has for
its main object the provision of a novel and improved safety cap
which, while being extremely simple in its construction, reliable
in operation and low in cost, is to the maximum extent foolproof
against unauthorized removal by the use of the teeth. A feature of
the invention involves a safety cap as above characterized, wherein
a closure or cap part which depends for its safety on proper
orientation with respect to the spout or fitment part, is reliably
guided during its reapplication thereby to attain its proper, safe
position without special pains being taken on the part of the user.
A related object of the invention is to provide an improved safety
cap construction in accordance with the foregoing, which can be
readily, conveniently opened by any authorized person, using only
the fingers and without the necessity for previous instructions or
special knowledge.
These objects are accomplished by a novel closure construction
comprising a cap body or pouring-spout type fitment which is
intended to be secured to a container, and a closure cap part which
is attachable to and removable from the fitment, there being
cooperable means for frictionally and releasably retaining the cap
part in its closing position. The cap part has a protruding finger
piece which enables a user to pry it off by use of the fingers, and
the fitment has spaced-apart guard members which straddle the
finger piece and are disposed generally forwardly thereof. The
spacing and disposition of the guard members are such that they, in
conjunction with the finger piece, define a hypothetical arc which
has a radius shorter than the radius of the arc defined by the
front teeth of a human being, whereby it is not possible for the
teeth to be applied to or reach the finger piece due to the
obstruction presented by the guard members. All accessible portions
of the cap and fitment are made to be closely fitting, without
intervening spaces, openings or projections and to present instead
a generally smooth or flush exterior whereby it is not possible to
obtain a grip on the cap by use of the teeth. However, the spacing
between the guard members is great enough to admit a user's finger
for access to the finger piece whereby the cap can be removed
without difficulty and in the accustomed well-known manner, merely
by applying sufficient force. The fitment and cap are permanently
attached to each other by a flexible web which constitutes a hinge,
enabling the cap to be swung away from the fitment for purposes of
discharging the contents of the container. However, the web is so
arranged that, upon reapplication of the cap to the fitment, the
finger piece will always be properly centrally located with respect
to the guard members. Thus the safety feature which prevents
unauthorized removal of the cap will not be impaired, as by
careless or thoughtless reclosing of the container.
The fitment, cap and hinge web are so arranged that they can be
readily molded in a single operation, in simple mold cavities
whereby the cost of producing the safety cap construction is held
to an attractive, low figure .
Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.
In the drawings illustrating several embodiment of the
invention:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a dispensing cap construction made in
accordance with the invention, the cap being located in its sealing
or closing position on the fitment part.
FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view taken on the line of 2--2 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the cap construction of FIGS.
1 and 2, illustrating the cap part in the raised position whereby
the dispensing of the contents of the container can be
effected.
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of another safety dispensing cap
construction made in accordance with the invention, constituting
another embodiment thereof.
FIG. 5 is a transverse or axial section, taken on the line 5--5 of
FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the use of a
finger in prying up the cap part of the closure construction of
FIGS. 4 and 5.
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of another safety dispensing cap
construction, constituting yet another embodiment of the invention.
The cap part is in the sealing or closing position.
FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the cap construction of FIG.
7, and
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the cap construction of FIGS.
7 and 8, with the cap part in the closed or sealing position.
Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, the present improved cap construction
is shown as being carried by the upper portion of a container 10,
said construction including a pouring- spout type fitment part
generally designated by the numeral 12, and a closure cap part
which is generally designated by the numeral 14. The fitment part
12 and cap part 14 are permanently joined to each other by a
flexible tie or hinge web 16 which is made sufficiently short and
relatively stiff so as to control and guide the cap part 14 when it
is being applied, whereby such part always occupies essentially one
definite rotative position, being oriented generally as illustrated
in FIG. 1.
The cap part 14 is attachable to and removable from the fitment
part 12 by virtue of a friction fit, said parts having cooperable
means comprising a tubular lip portion 18 of the fitment part which
is received in an annular depending wall 20 of the cap part. The
tubular lip 18 preferably has an exterior retainer bead 22 which is
received in an annular groove 24 provided in the inside of the wall
20.
The fitment and cap parts together with the web 16 are molded of
plastic material such as polyetholene or the like, whereby these
parts are resilient and flexible, being yieldable to enable a
relatively effective detent action to be had by virtue of the bead
22 and groove 24, while at the same time permitting a user to
remove the cap part 14 when this is desired. For such purpose the
cap part 14 has a finger-engageable piece or tab 26 protruding from
the wall 20 at a location opposite to that of the hinge web 16. A
strengthening rib 28 on the finger piece 26 provides reinforcement
and enables the latter to function as an effective lifting tab when
finger pressure is applied to its underside. The fitment 12 can
include an annular sealing bead 30, and the cap part 14 can have an
annular depending flange 32 cooperable with the bead 30 whereby the
mating surfaces provide an effective seal when the cap part is in
the closed position illustrated in FIG. 2.
In accordance with the present invention the fitment part 12 is
provided with a pair of spaced-apart guard members 34 and 36, said
members including integral upstanding posts 38, 40 which straddle
the finger piece 26 and are disposed forwardly thereof. The guard
posts 38, 40 are so located and spaced from each other that, with
the finger piece 26 they define a hypothetical arc which has a
radius that is shorter than the radius of the arc defined by the
front teeth of a human being. In FIG. 1 the arc defined by the
guard members and finger piece is shown by a broken line, being
designated 41. The arc represented by the front teeth of a human
being is designated by the broken line 42, such arc having a long
radius 44 whereas the arc 41 has a much shorter radius 46.
It will be readily apparent from an inspection of FIG. 1, that the
front teeth of a person, as represented by the arc 42, will be
prevented by the guard members 38 and 40 from reaching the finger
piece 26. Thus, the teeth of a child, for example, would not be
able to engage the finger piece 26 so as to force the cap part 14
off of the fitment part 12. Further, as provided by the invention,
the guard members 38, 40 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to
enable the finger of a user, designated 48 in FIG. 1, to be
inserted between them and to engage the lifting tab or finger piece
26 so as to force or pry upward the cap part 14 and remove it from
the fitment part 12 as illustrated in FIG. 3.
As previously mentioned, the hinge web 16 is so constituted that,
upon reapplying the cap part 14 to the fitment part 12, the finger
piece 26 will always be disposed generally centrally between the
upright posts 38 and 40 comprising the guard members, as
illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2 it will be seen that the
bottom edge or surface 50 of the cap part 14 tightly engages an
annular, upwardly facing shoulder 52 of the fitment part, with no
space between these parts. The exterior surfaces of the cap and
fitment parts, except at the hinge web 16 and finger piece 26, are
flush with each other, and accordingly it is not possible for a
child to effectively grip the cap part 14 with the teeth and to
remove the cap part in this manner.
Another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5
and 6. In these figures a pouring-spout fitment part 56 carries a
closure cap part 58, these parts being joined by a flexible hinge
web 60. The cap part 58 has a finger piece 62 which is relatively
wide as compared with the finger piece 26 of FIGS. 1-3, and is
disposed between a pair of guard members 64, 66 including
upstanding post portions 68, 70. The guard members 64, 66 are
carried by the fitment part 56. Extending between the guard members
64, 66 is a cover piece or tab 72 in the form of a thin, upright
slab the upper portion of which engages the free edge of the finger
piece 62, said tab thereby preventing access to the front edge and
underside of the finger piece.
As with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the guard members 68, 70 are
so spaced from each other, and the finger piece 62 is so disposed a
sufficient distance at the rear of the guard members so that, even
in the absence of the cover tab 72 it would not be possible for
teeth to be applied to the finger piece to lift the cap part 58
from the fitment part 56. However, the protection afforded by the
tab 72 provides additional assurance that a child's teeth will not
be able to reach the tab 62 if it attempts to remove the cap.
For the purpose of lifting the cap part 58 from the fitment part
56, the user (an authorized person) merely shifts forwardly the
protective tab 72 and thereafter inserts a finger nail under the
lifting tab 62, all as illustrated in FIG. 6. Due to the yielding
nature of the polyethylene plastic, the protective tab 72 can be
sprung away in this manner without resulting in its being torn from
its anchorages comprising the guard members 64, 66. The embodiment
of FIGS. 4-6 thus provides an added safeguard against unauthorized
removal of the cap part, by the provision of the additional
protective tab 72 which normally prevents all access to the
underside of the finger piece 62 unless it is twisted out of
position in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6.
With the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3 and FIGS. 4-6 the application of
the teeth to side portions of the cap part will result in the
latter becoming more securely attached to the fitment part for the
reason that the side walls of the cap part will be forced inward as
the cap construction yields slightly under the force of the teeth.
This will result in the detent bead and detent groove of the spout
fitment and cap part becoming more tightly engaged with each other,
whereby they more stoutly resist separation of the cap part from
the fitment part.
Yet another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS.
7-9, wherein a pouring-spout type fitment part 76 frictionally
carries a cap part 78, these parts being connected by a flexible
hinge web 80. The cap part 78 has a finger piece 82, and the
fitment part 76 has a guard tab 84, functioning in general similar
to the parts 62, 72 of FIGS. 4-6. Additionally, the fitment part 76
has a pair of upstanding, curved semi-circular flanges 86, 88 which
extend from the vicinity of the hinge web 80 forwardly to locations
closely adjacent the finger piece 82 and protective tab 84. At
these forward locations the flanges 86, 88 have turned-out portions
or extremities 90, 92 which constitute guard members in the manner
explained above in connection with FIGS. 1-6. Also, the side
flanges 86, 88 prevent access from being had to side portions of
the cap and spout parts where these meet each other and where a
tight-fitting crack exists. The flanges 86, 88 thus prevent
application of the teeth to the lower portions of the cap part 78,
thus positively precluding any likelihood of the cap part being
forced off of the fitment part in an unauthorized manner, using the
teeth.
It will now be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a novel
and improved safety dispensing cap construction wherein there is
defeated any possibility of removal of the cap part from the
fitment part in an unauthorized manner, as by the use of the teeth.
At the same time, the cap part can be easily and quickly removed in
the usual or conventional manner by the application of a finger at
the proper location, by an authorized user. The cap construction is
especially simple in its structure, and the entire construction can
be easily, quickly and economically molded in a single operation,
in simple mold cavities whereby the fabrication cost is held to a
minimum while at the same time there is had a desirable safety
factor.
Variations and modifications are possible without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
* * * * *