AU761115B2

AU761115B2 - A tamper evident, child resistant closure

Info

Publication number: AU761115B2
Application number: AU72508/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Andrew Michael Bush
Original assignee: Alto Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Alto Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 1999-12-23
Filing date: 2000-12-22
Publication date: 2003-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-22
Also published as: AU761115C; NZ502100A; AU7250800A

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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Name of Applicant/s: Actual Inventor/s: Address for Service: Invention Title: Alto Plastics Limited Andrew Michael Bush BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 'A TAMPER EVIDENT, CHILD RESISTANT CLOSURE' The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 30436AUP00 -la- A TAMPER EVIDENT, CHILD RESISTANT CLOSURE Field of the Invention The invention relates to a container closure and closure assembly particularly a closure of the type generally known as a squeeze lock closure which additionally incorporates a tamper evident feature.

Background to the Invention Squeeze lock closures have been produced for a number of years and they include the caps the subject of New Zealand Design Registration No. 23793 and Australian Design Registration No. 120129.

Caps of this general type are also the subject of a number of patent specifications S.o 15 too numerous to list individually. These caps are all designed to be difficult if not impossible to open by young children because considerable skill, strength and dexterity is required to unscrew the cap. The caps are initially screwed on and

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when they are released opposite sides of the cap must be forced inward to release S• a locking lug or lugs on the cap from a camlock or similar on the container or bottle.

•e 20 These types of cap are normally used on containers and bottles storing toxic or dangerous liquids or other materials so that they are resistant to opening by a child.

A disadvantage of this type of cap is that they do not include any tamper evident indicator. Tamper evident mechanisms and indicators have been incorporated in a number of closures to give a clear indication of when the closure has been -2tampered with or removed. Normally the indicator mechanisms are a satellite ring or band initially attached to the closure and which is released after the closure has been removed for a first time. A person inspecting the container/bottle gets a clear indication of whether or not the closure has ever been removed.

It is not straightforward to fit a tamper evident indicator to a squeezelock closure because the placement of cam locks and locking lugs which are needed for operation of the closure interfere with the satellite ring and spacing the ring further out means that problems arise in obtaining satisfactory operation. In addition the shape of the cap becomes complicated making it difficult to manufacture a suitable injection mould.

An object of this invention is therefore to provide on a squeeze lock type closure with a tamper evident indicator and a closure assembly incorporating this feature 15 which meets this object and offers a useful alternative choice.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.

20 Disclosure of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is provide a tamper evident squeeze lock closure with a tamper evident ring, the closure having an inner and outer skirt, the inner skirt being threaded for engagement with a container neck, the outer skirt having at least two locking lugs which each engage with complementary cam locks or the like on the container neck, and a tamper-evident -3ring connected by frangible connectors to the outer skirt, the tamper evident ring having sections, alongside the locking lugs and a space adjacent thereto into which the cam locks fit when the closure is located on the container neck, which are spaced radially relative to the remainder of the tamper evident ring.

The sections of the tamper evident ring can be stepped relative to the remainder of the ring to thereby form the space adjacent the locking lugs which are at a level with the remainder of the ring so that one of the cam locks fits in each space when the closure is located on the container neck.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a closure assembly incorporating a tamper evident squeeze lock closure engagable with a threaded container neck, the closure having a tamper evident ring connected by frangible connectors to an outer skirt of the closure, the closure having inner and outer skirts with the inner skirt being threaded for engagement with the container neck, the outer skirt having at least two locking lugs which engage with complementary cam locks or the like on the container neck, the tamper evident ring having sections alongside the locking lugs with a space adjacent thereto, the sections are spaced radially relative to the remainder of the tamper evident ring such that when the closure is located on the container neck one of the cam locks fits within each space adjacent the locking lugs.

Further aspects of the invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description which is given by example only.

-4- Brief Description of the Drawings An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: an isometric plan view of a squeeze lock closure according to the invention; Figure 2: is a plan view from underneath a squeeze lock closure shown in Figure 1; Figure 3: 1 7 is a plan view of the top of a squeeze lock closure shown in Figure 1; Figure 4: is an elevation (in direction A on Figure 3) view of a squeeze lock closure; Figure 5: is an elevation in (direction B on Figure 3) of a squeeze lock closure; Figure 6A: is a perspective view from one side on an enlarged scale of the squeeze lock closure shown in Figure 1 fitted to a container only part of which is shown; is a perspective view similar to that shown in Figure 6A but from a slightly different angle; Figure 6B: Figure 7: is a side view of the container shown in Figure 2; Figure 8: is a plan view of the neck of the container shown in Figure 3; and Figure 9: is an isometric view of the container neck shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Description of the Preferred Example An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the closure is generally indicated by arrow 1 and the container is indicated by the arrow 2.

The container 2 has a neck detail (Figures 3, 4 and 5) which includes a threaded 15 neck 3 and shoulder region 4. The shoulder region 4 has adjacent its connection with the threaded neck 3 and on opposite sides thereof at least one and as shown in Figure 2 two cam locks 5, 6. The shape and dimensions of the cam locks 5, 6 are chosen to facilitate fitment of the closure 1 on the container 2 after the container filling operations.

l• It is, of course, to be appreciated that the basic shape of the container 2 can be of any particular form to suit users, purchasers and advertisers requirements.

The closure 1 (Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) has an outer skirt 7 and inner skirt 8. The inner skirt 8 is threaded to form the screw threaded engagement with the threaded neck 3.

The closure 1 can have ribs 9 to assist in operation and can incorporate instructions as shown in Figure 3 in the upper surface The outer skirt 7 has at least two locking lugs 17 which cooperate with the cam locks 5, 6 to facilitate operation as described below of the tamper evident squeeze lock closure.

The locking lugs 17 may have a thickness relative to the wall of the outer skirt 7 slightly greater than that of the outer skirt to provide additional rigidity and improve operation.

The closure 1 additionally incorporates a satellite ring generally indicated by 11.

15 The satellite ring 11 is frangible by providing links 12 which are readily broken by oo rotational hand pressure when the closure 1 is removed for the first time.

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The satellite ring 11 has opposed sections 13 which are spaced radially from the remainder of the ring. These sections 13 are located adjacent the locking lugs 17 •20 and a space 14 which is located alongside each locking lug 17. As can be seen in o. Figures 6A and 6B the satellite ring 11 is stepped, in this case outward, in the region alongside the locking lugs 17. This forms the space 14 in which one of the cam locks 5, 6 is located when the closure 1 is located on the container neck 3.

In use the closure 1 is fitted generally to the container neck after filling.

When the closure 1 is first undone the cap must be squeezed on opposite sides at 9 as indicated by the legend instructions and rotation then allows the cam locks 6 to release from their abutment engagement with the adjacent locking lugs 17.

Further rotation causes the locking lugs 17 to break the frangible connections/links 12 to therefore release the tamper evident ring 11. The tamper evident ring 11 then drops to a position away from the closure and constitutes visual evidence that the closure has been removed.

Where in the foregoing description mechanical integers are mentioned it is to be appreciated that their substitutes can be incorporated as if they were individually set forth herein.

SThus by this invention there is provided a container closure and closure assembly 15 particularly of the type generally known as a squeeze lock closure with a tamper evident feature.

A particular example of the invention has been described and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications can take place without departing from the scope 2 •9 of the attached claims.

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Claims

1. A tamper evident squeeze lock closure with a tamper evident ring, the closure having an inner and outer skirt, the inner skirt being threaded for engagement with a container neck, the outer skirt having at least two locking lugs which each engage with complementary cam locks or the like on the container neck, and a tamper-evident ring connected by frangible connectors to the outer skirt, the tamper evident ring having sections, alongside the locking lugs and a space adjacent thereto into which the cam locks fit when the closure is located on the container neck, which are spaced radially relative to the remainder of the tamper evident ring.

2. A tamper evident squeeze lock closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sections of the tamper evident ring are stepped relative to the remainder of 15 the ring to thereby form the space adjacent the locking lugs which are at a level with the remainder of the ring so that one of the cam locks fits in each space when the closure is located on the container neck.

3. A tamper evident squeeze lock closure as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 S 20 wherein the inner skirt has an internal screw thread adapted for threaded ell•CO engagement with a screw thread on the exterior of the container neck.

4. A tamper evident squeeze lock closure as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

A closure assembly incorporating a tamper evident squeeze lock closure engageable with a threaded container neck, the closure having a tamper evident ring connected by frangible connectors to an outer skirt of the closure, the closure having inner and outer skirts with the inner skirt being threaded for engagement with the container neck, the outer skirt having at least two locking lugs which engage with complementary cam locks or the like on the container neck, the tamper evident ring having sections alongside the locking lugs with a space adjacent thereto, the sections are spaced radially relative to the remainder of the tamper evident ring such that when the closure is located on the container neck one of the cam locks fits within each space adjacent the locking lugs.

6. A closure assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the container neck incorporates a shoulder region which has on opposite sides thereof cam locks.

7. A closure assembly as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the sections of the tamper evident ring are stepped relative to the remainder of the ring to Sthereby form the space adjacent the locking lugs which are at a level with ,the remainder of the ring so that one of the cam locks fits in each space 20 when the closure is located on the container neck. S

8. A closure assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the locking lugs have a thickness relative to the wall of the outer skirt slightly greater than that of the outer skirt to provide additional rigidity.

9. A closure assembly as claimed in claim 5 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 to 9 of the accompanying drawings. DATED ths 22nd day of December 2000 ALTO PLASTICS LIMITED Attorney: RUSSELL J. DAVIES Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS .*o *5