Child resistant closures with lever opening

Abstract

A dispensing closure having a cap which is adapted to be secured to a container and which has an opening extending therethrough and also having a spout rotatably mounted on the cap so as to be capable of being rotated between opened and closed positions can be formed so as to be of a child resistant character by constructing the cap so that in the closed position the spout is located so as to be normally incapable of being engaged and so as to include within the closure a lever which when, manually engaged, engages the spout so as to move the spout from a closed position or causes the spout to move from a closed position to a sufficient extent so that the spout may be further engaged by hand to be rotated to an open position. The lever means used may be mounted either on the spout or on the cap. A fulcrum is provided on whichever part the lever means is located.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:

This application is related to the co-pending U.S. patent application by Donald H. LaVange et al entitled, "Child Resistant Closure with Cam Mechanism" filed Nov. 16, 1973, Ser. No. 416,512 (Attorney's Docket No. 3385). The entire disclosure of this co-pending application is incorporated herein by reference.

REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS:

The subject matter of this specification is considered to be primarily related to the Hazard U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,618 issued Nov. 11, 1969, entitled, "Dispensing Closure"; the Wilson, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,238, issued Feb. 27, 1973, entitled, "Safety Dispensing Closures"; the Hazard U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,099 issued Apr. 11, 1972, entitled "Rotatable Spout Closures with Latch Structures"; and the Hazard U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,103 issued Apr. 11, 1972, entitled, "Safety Dispensing Closures." The entire disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

The so-called "dispensing closure" industry has developed as present-day polymer materials of a resilient character have become increasingly available. This industry supplies to various consumers so-called dispensing closures which are constructed so as to include a cap adapted to be mounted on a container and a structure such as a spout movably mounted on the cap. Normally these parts are formed so that they can be "snapped" or "popped" together.

These dispensing closures are normally constructed so that a dispensing structure such as a spout used within such a closure may be moved between a closed position in which the structure seals off an opening position through the cap and an open position in which the contents of a container may be dispensed through such an opening. Dispensing closures as indicated herein may be constructed in a number of different manners so as to include a variety of different structural features. It is considered that the basic structure of a particularly desirable dispensing closure is indicated in the Wilson, et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,793,795 issued May 28, 1957 entitled "Dispensing Closures." The entire disclosure of this Wilson, et al patent is incorporated herein by reference.

Since the widespread adoption and utilization of dispensing closures there has been a recognition that such closures should be of a child resistant character if they are to be used in packaging material which is apt to cause damage or which is apt to create a health hazard. This expression "child resistant" is used herein in lieu of an earlier, related designation of closures as "safety closures." Such closures are intended to be difficult for children to open. To be acceptable commercially a child resistant closure must also be sufficiently easy to open so that it can be used by comparatively infirm individuals.

The need for child resistant safety closures has resulted in a number of different dispensing closure structures which can be considered to be child resistant in character. No effort is made in this specification to specifically delineate these prior structures and the points pro and con relative to them. A detailed consideration of these prior devices is considered unimportant to an understanding of the present invention.

It is considered that such prior child resistant safety closures have not fulfilled the requirements for such closures although many of them are of an exceedingly desirable and utilitarian character. Perhaps the requirements for new and improved dispensing closures of a child resistant category are to a large extent necessitated by different users wanting different closures than are used by competitive firms. Also frequently one dispensing closure user will consider a specific structure more desirable for a specific application than another. Also one manufacturer may find a utilitarian child resistant dispensing closure more desirable than another because of particular manufacturing and assembly capabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

This discussion is considered to indicate that there is still a need for new and improved child resistant dispensing closures. A broad objective of this invention is to provide closures to fulfill this need. Further objectives of the invention are to provide closures as indicated which may be manufactured and assembled without significant difficulty at a comparatively nominal cost, which are capable of giving long, reliable performance and which are of a satisfactory child resistant character in that they are neither too easy nor too difficult to open.

In accordance with this invention these and various related objectives of the invention are achieved by providing a dispensing closure having a cap which is adapted to be secured to a container and which has an opening extending through the cap and also having a spout rotatably mounted on the cap so as to be capable of being rotated between a closed position in which the spout seals off the opening and an open position in which the spout is in alignment with the opening with the improvement which comprises: the spout being located on the cap so as to be normally incapable of being engaged so as to be rotated from the closed position to the open position, a first order lever means located on the cap for rotating the spout from the closed position, a portion of the lever means being exposed to the exterior of the cap when said spout is in said closed position.

In a closure as described the lever or lever means used is always employed with a fulcrum so that a familiar first order lever type action can be achieved in connection with the opening of the spout on the closure. The lever and the fulcrum used may be located on the cap proper. With such a structure rotation of the lever can be used to cause the spout to rotate to a sufficient extent so that it can be manually engaged to be opened. The lever and the fulcrum may also be located on the spout in such a manner that the lever itself may be rotated and used to rotate the spout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The nature of the invention herein indicated is best more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a presently preferred embodiment or form of a child resistant dispensing closure in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 illustrating an action achieved in the closure illustrated in the preceding figures;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a first modified closure in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 5 which indicates an action achieved with this closure;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a second modified closure in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 7 which indicates an action achieved with this closure;

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a third modified closure in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 9 which indicates an action achieved with this closure.

The various illustrated closures all utilize certain intangible features or concepts as are verbally set forth and defined in the appended claims. It will be realized that these concepts can be utilized within a variety of somewhat differently appearing and differently constructed closures through the use or exercise of routine design skill in the dispensing closure field.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

In FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings there is shown a dispensing closure 10 which includes a cap 12 and a spout 14. These parts are preferably formed of a resilient material capable of temporary deformation such as polyethylene so that it may be conveniently assembled in a known manner by being "popped" or "snapped" together. The spout 14 is a comparatively elongated structure having a centrally located passage 16 which extends between a comparatively flat end 18 and an enlarged cylindrical end 20. Axially aligned trunions 22 extend from the cylindrical end 20 into bearing openings 24 located beneath a flat top 26 on the cap 12.

Restricted entrances 28 are provided from the top 26 into the bearing openings 24 so that the spout 14 may be popped into place within an elongated groove 30 located beneath the top 26 in such a manner that the end 20 resiliently bears against a sealing ring 32 extending around an opening 34 leading from the bottom 36 of the groove 30 into the interior of the cap 12. This opening 34 is located generally within an annular plug 38 extending beneath the top 26. A concentric skirt 40 also depends on the top 26 around the plug 38. The bottom of this skirt 40 carries an internally directed sealing bead or flange 42. The structure of the plug 28 and the skirt 40 is of a conventional type. These two elements 38 and 40 are used in mounting the closure 10 upon a container neck in sealed relationship with such a neck. Various other equivalent mounting means may be used on the cap 12 in accordance with conventional practice.

In the closure 10 the groove 30 has ends 44 and 46 which are spaced from the periphery of the cap 12. The end 46 is connected to the periphery of the skirt 40 by a small notch 48 extending below the top 26. With the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 an upwardly directed, inverted, "V" shaped, elongated projection 50 is formed so as to extend across the bottom of the notch 48. This projection 50 is designed to serve as a fulcrum for a lever 52. This lever 52 is attached to the cap 12 adjacent to the skirt 40 by a small flexible web 54 serving to support the lever 52 in such a manner that it can be rotated between the two positions indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings. When the spout 14 is in a closed position as indicated in FIG. 2 an actuating surface 56 on the lever 52 is exposed to the exterior of the closure 10 within the notch 48 beneath the top 26 and within the skirt 40 in a position where this surface 56 may be manually engaged.

When it is so manually engaged by a force applied as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4, the web 54 will flex, allowing the lever 52 to pivot about the projection 50 bringing an end 58 of this lever 52 which is remote from the surface 56 in the sense that it is on the opposite side of the projection 50 upwardly into contact with an extension 60 on the end 18 of the spout 14. This will tend to partially rotate this spout 14 from a closed position as indicated in which its upper surface 62 is flush with the top 26 so that it cannot be manually engaged to a position in which the extension 60 may be manually engaged so as to rotate this spout 14 so that the passage 16 is aligned with the opening 34 in an open position.

It is preferred to utilize with the structure described, small, detent like bumps 64 on the lever 52 which fit or "pop" into corresponding shaped depressions 66 in the sides 68 of the groove 30. This structure allows the lever 52 to be snapped into an operative position as shown in such a manner that it is retained in this position in such a manner that it can be rotated. When the lever 52 is mounted as shown and the spout 14 is returned from an opened position to a closed position the end 58 of the lever 52 will be engaged by the extension 60 as the spout 14 is pressed downwardly to a closed position so that the lever 52 will be reset in a position to be actuated again.

With the described structure the chances of the lever 52 being accidentally actuated are minimized because of the fact that the actuator surface 56 is recessed as described. Undesired accidental movement can also be minimized by including on the spout 14 another set of detent bumps 70 which are adapted to pop into mating depressions 72 in the sides 68 of the groove 30. This structure makes it comparatively difficult to initially rotate the spout 14.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings there is shown a modified closure 100 which is extremely similar to the closure 10. For this reason various parts of these two closures which are identical or closely related are not separately described herein and are referred to in the drawings and where necessary for explanatory purposes in the remainder of this specification by the numerals previously used to designate such parts preceded by the numeral 1.

In the closure 100 the notch 148 does not extend to the periphery of the skirt 140 but is merely recessed within the top 126. As a consequence of this the lever 152 is reasonably concealed from normal view; such concealment is furthered by making this lever 152 so that the actuator surface 156 extends completely flat across the lever 152 and appears as an extension of the top 126 by lying flush with this top.

The use of the closure 100 is substantially identical to the use of the closure 10 previously described. As it is used the portion of the actuator surface 156 to the right of the projection 150 is pushed downwardly. This causes rotation of the lever 152 in the manner previously described so as to slightly rotate the spout 114 so that it can be manually engaged to be rotated to an open position. The weight of the lever 152 will normally return it to a position as shown in FIG. 5 after the spout 114 has been opened.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings there is shown a second modified closure 200 which is also closely related to the closure 10. Because of this those parts of these two closures which are identical or closely related are not separately described herein and are referred to in the drawings and where necessary for explanatory purposes in the remainder of this specification by the numerals previously used to designate such parts preceded by the numeral 2.

The closure 200 differs from the closure 10 in that it does not have any notch directly corresponding to the notch 48. It does, however, have a recess 274 located in the upper surface 262 of the spout 214. With this structure a lever 252 is attached to the extension 260 by a web 254 so that the lever 252 extends completely across and along the length of the recess 274. In so doing this lever 252 rests upon a projection 250 corresponding to the projection 50 formed on the spout 214. When so positioned the actuating surface 256 of the lever 252 lies flush with the top 226 and a small beveled end 276 on the lever 252 replacing the end 58 in the closure 10 fits within a small end groove 278 located within the recess 274.

The use of the closure 200 is in some respects similar yet somewhat different than the use of the closure 10. To open the closure 200 force is manually applied as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8. This "pops" the lever 252 so that the end 276 is released from the groove 278 and is displaced upwardly to a sufficient extent so that it can be manually engaged. The spout 214 may then be rotated to an opened position by pulling on the lever 252. When the spout 214 is returned to a closed position from such an opened position normally the manual pressure of pushing the spout 214 within the groove 230 will cause the lever 252 to pop back into position as indicated in FIG. 7. It will be seen that the end 276 and the groove 278 with this structure serves substantially the same function as the bumps 70 and depressions 72 in the closure 10.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 of the drawings there is shown a third modified closure 300 of the invention which is also closely related to the closure 10 and which also closely relates to the closures 100 and 200 previously described. Because of this relationship those parts of the closure 300 which are identical to or closely correspond to various parts of the closure 10 are not separately described herein and are referred to in the drawing and where necessary for explanatory purposes in the remainder of this specification by the numerals previously used to designate such parts preceded by the numeral 3.

The closure 300 is in some respects like the closure 100 in that the notch 348 is spaced from the skirt 340 so as to appear essentially as a recess in the top 326. In the closure 300 the web 354 is attached to the end 318 of the spout 314 so that the lever 352 extends completely across this notch 348 to such an extent that a beveled end 380 on it fits within a correspondingly shaped groove 382 in a wall 384, closing off the notch 348 from the skirt 340. With the closure 300 the surface 356 also lies flush with the top 326.

The use of the closure 300 is almost identical with the use of the closure 200 in that when the spout 314 is to be opened pressure is applied manually as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10 so as to pivot the lever 352 about the projection 350, raising the end 380 to a point where it can be manually engaged. This end 380 may then be so grasped and used to pull the spout 314 to a vertically extending opened position. When the spout 314 is rotated back to a closed position as indicated in FIG. 9 the lever 352 will normally tend to fall into place and the normal hand pressure applied to the spout 314 will tend to pop this lever 352 back into a position as indicated in FIG. 9.

All of the closures illustrated and described are considered to be of a child resistant character in that to open them pressure must be manually applied to one member or area in a proper manner so as to cause a partial movement of the spouts indicated from a closed position and because after this is accomplished further manual manipulation is required.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a dispensing closure having a cap which is adapted to be secured to a container and which has an opening extending therethrough and also having a spout rotatably mounted on said cap so as to be capable of being rotated between a closed position in which the spout seals off the opening and an open position in which the spout is in alignment with the opening the improvement which comprises:

said spout being located on said cap so as to be normally incapable of being engaged so as to be rotated from said closed position to said open position,

a first order lever means located on said cap for rotating said spout from said closed position,

said spout and said lever means being separate elements, neither of which performs the function of the other,

fulcrum means located on said closure serving as a fulcrum for said lever means,

a portion of said lever means being exposed to the exterior of said cap when said spout is in said closed position.

2. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 including:

flexible web means connecting said lever means with said cap, said web means being capable of being deformed so as to permit said lever means to be rotated about said fulcrum means,

said lever means engaging said spout when said spout is in said closed position as said lever means is rotated so as to partially rotate said spout to a position in which it can be manually engaged so as to be further rotated to said open position.

3. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said cap has a groove therein extending towards the interior of said cap from the top of said cap,

said spout is entirely within said groove when in said closed position,

said spout has an extension on the end thereof which is extended from said cap when said spout is in said open position,

said cap having a recess means formed therein which is in communication with the end of said groove where said extension of said spout is located when said spout is in said closed position,

said recess including a projection serving as said fulcrum means located in the bottom thereof,

said lever means extends in said recess means on both sides of said projection, and includes an end located underneath said extension when said spout is in said closed position,

said lever means being capable of being rotated by pressure applied to said lever means so that said end of said lever means will rotate said extension to a position where it can be manually engaged so that said spout may be further rotated to said opened position.

4. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 3 including:

flexible web means connecting said lever means with said cap, said web means being capable of being deformed so as to permit said lever means to be rotated,

detent means on said spout and said cap for holding said spout against undesired rotation when said spout is in said closed position.

5. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 including:

flexible web means connecting said lever means with said spout, said web means being capable of being deformed so as to permit said lever means to be rotated about said fulcrum means,

said lever means being normally in a position in which it is incapable of being engaged so as to be used in opening said spout when said spout is in said closed position,

said lever means being capable of being rotated by the application of a force to a position in which it can be manually engaged so as to be used to rotate said spout to said open position.

6. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said cap has a groove therein extending towards the interior of said cap from the top of said cap,

said spout is entirely within said groove when in said closed position,

said spout has a recess formed in the upper surface thereof and includes a projection serving as said fulcrum means located within said recess so as to extend upwardly therein when said spout is in said closed position,

said lever means is carried by and attached to said spout so as to normally be within said recess and said groove in a position extending across said projection when said spout is in said closed position,

said lever means being capable of being pivoted about said projection by the application of force to said lever means so as to extend from said recess to a sufficient extent so as to be capable of being manually engaged and so as to be capable of being manipulated so as to rotate said spout from said closed to said open position.

7. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 6 including:

flexible web means connecting said lever means with said cap, said web means being capable of being deformed so as to permit said lever means to be rotated,

detent means on said spout and said cap for holding said spout against undesired rotation when said spout is in said closed position.

8. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said cap has a groove therein extending towards the interior of said cap from the top of said cap,

said spout is entirely within said groove when in said closed position,

said cap has a recess formed in the upper surface thereof and includes a projection serving as said fulcrum means located within said recess so as to extend upwardly therein,

said lever means is carried by and attached to said spout so as to normally be within said recess and said groove in a position extending across said projection when said spout is in said closed position,

said lever means being capable of being pivoted about said projection by the application of force to said lever means so as to extend from said recess to a sufficient extent so as to be capable of being manually engaged and so as to be capable of being manipulated so as to rotate said spout from said closed to said open position.

9. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 8 including:

flexible web means connecting said lever means with said cap, said web means being capable of being deformed so as to permit said lever means to be rotated,

detent means on said spout and said cap for holding said spout against undesired rotation when said spout is in said closed position.