EP0519627B1 - A cap for a container and opening means therefor - Google Patents

A cap for a container and opening means therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0519627B1
EP0519627B1 EP92305166A EP92305166A EP0519627B1 EP 0519627 B1 EP0519627 B1 EP 0519627B1 EP 92305166 A EP92305166 A EP 92305166A EP 92305166 A EP92305166 A EP 92305166A EP 0519627 B1 EP0519627 B1 EP 0519627B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cap
piece
engaging
spanner
annular
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92305166A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0519627A3 (en
EP0519627A2 (en
Inventor
Brian Leslie Ogden
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Warner Lambert Co LLC
Original Assignee
Wellcome Foundation Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Wellcome Foundation Ltd filed Critical Wellcome Foundation Ltd
Publication of EP0519627A2 publication Critical patent/EP0519627A2/en
Publication of EP0519627A3 publication Critical patent/EP0519627A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0519627B1 publication Critical patent/EP0519627B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D50/00—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures
    • B65D50/02—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions
    • B65D50/04—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of simultaneous actions, e.g. depressing and turning, lifting and turning, maintaining a part and turning another one
    • B65D50/041—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of simultaneous actions, e.g. depressing and turning, lifting and turning, maintaining a part and turning another one the closure comprising nested inner and outer caps or an inner cap and an outer coaxial annular member, which can be brought into engagement to enable removal by rotation

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a cap for a container particularly for a medical container as e.g. disclosed in WO 89/02858, and means for opening the cap.
  • a problem particularly associated with medical containers is that the medicine gums up the screw thread of the container cap thus making it difficult to open, particularly for older arthritic people.
  • a perpendicular flange is provided on the top of the cap with a aperture through which a pen is received to twist open the cap.
  • Another similar proposal involved a cap having spaced peripheral castellations upstanding from the top of the cap so that a spoon or pen laid across the top and between the castellations could be used to lever open the cap. (Reference to this latter cap is found in the November 1990 edition of Packaging Magazine at pages 24 and 25). The pen or spoon however tends not to grip sufficiently to easily open the cap.
  • a two piece cap formed of an inner and an outer piece, the outer piece having a top and a depending skirt which receives the neck of a container at its lower end, characterised in that the skirt is provided at its outer and upper end portion with means for engaging an annular spanner when located around the cap, and a seating means at the base of the engaging means on which the annular spanner rests, when so located.
  • a medical implement having a multiple purpose comprising an annular spanner having an inner surface with a second engaging means for engaging with the cap of a medical container.
  • the grip around the circumference of the cap (rather than on the top surface of the cap) by the annular spanner allows easy opening of the container.
  • the annular spanner does not therefore need to be continuous, so long as it grips sufficiently around the cap.
  • the first and second cooperating engaging means may be screw threads, or if the cap was e.g. hexagonal shape, a hexagonal annular spanner could be used to engage round the circumference of the hexagonal cap.
  • the first and second engaging means are however one or more cooperating projections and/or recesses.
  • the annular spanner may form part of a medical implement, such as a spoon or tablet storage box.
  • cap and annular spanner may be sold separately, or as a kit which form the third aspect of the invention.
  • a kit comprising a two piece cap formed of an inner and an outer piece, the outer piece having a top and a depending skirt which receives the neck of a container at its lower end, the skirt being provided at its outer and upper end portion with means for engaging an annular spanner when located around the cap, and a seating means at the base of the engaging means on which the annular spanner rests, when so located; and an annular spanner having an inner surface with second engaging means for engaging with the cap.
  • the cap may be formed as a two piece child resistant cap of the type which is simultaneously depressed and twisted such as described in GB-A-2167050, and 2142612.
  • the cap of this latter patent has an aperture through the top of the outer piece of the cap which is closed by a tamper evident tab.
  • a tamper evident projection is provided on the top of the inner piece of cap and breaks the tamper evident tab when the cap is depressed for opening.
  • the tamper evident tab however catapults off with the force of the depression and can hit the user in the eye.
  • GB-A-2167050 describes a manually removable tamper evident tab.
  • a two piece child resistant type cap is opened by simultaneous depression and rotation and comprises an inner piece having a top with tamper evident projection and a depending annular skirt; an outer piece having a top with an aperture therethrough for receiving the tamper evident projection, a tamper evident tab normally closing the aperture and having connecting pieces, and a depending annular skirt; the top of the inner piece being urged away from the top of the outer piece by resilient means in the closed position; wherein said connecting pieces of the tamper evident tab comprise at least one hinge piece and a breakable piece which will break before the hinge piece when the tamper evident projection is forced against the tab in response to the outer piece being depressed to open the cap.
  • the tamper evident projection may be formed to interegage with the aperture in the top of the inner piece of the cap, to aid in opening the cap.
  • a hexagonal projection which interengages with a hexagonal aperture.
  • an outer piece of a two piece circular shaped cap 1 for a pharmaceutical container (not shown) is formed by injection moulding with a plastics suitably polypropylene, and comprises a top 2 and a depending annular skirt 3, which in this case is circular. As normal, the neck of the container is receivable at the lower end of the skirt 3.
  • a first engaging means 6, 7 is provided in the form of a plurality of co-axial, mutually spaced ribs 6 and flutes 7 around the outer and upper end portion of the skirt 3.
  • At the base of the ribs 6 and flutes 7 is formed on upper continuous shoulder 8 extending around the circumference of the skirt for an annular spanner to abut against.
  • a lower continuous shoulder 8a extends around the bottom outer edge of the skirt 3, and a finer ribbed pattern 9 allowing a twist grip is provided between the upper 8 and lower 8a shoulders.
  • a standard frangible tamper evident ring 10 depends from the bottom edge of the skirt 3.
  • a unitary double dosing injection moulded plastics spoon suitably made of polypropylene comprises an annular spanner 12 (defining an spanner aperture 12a), which in this instance is circular and continuous, and a 5ml and 2.5ml spoon 13 and 14 extending diametrically outwardly from the spanner 12.
  • Two spaced lugs 15 are provided adjacent each spoon extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the spanner, and define a niche 16 therebetween.
  • the lugs 15 and niches 16 (which are narrower than the ribs 6 and flutes 7 of the cap), form a second engaging means.
  • the annular spanner is pushed down over and around the top 2 of the cap 1 to abut the upper shoulder 8 thereof.
  • each lug 15 meshes in a corresponding flute 7 between two ribs 6, and substantially diametrically opposed ribs 6 are similarly engaged in the niches 16 between the corresponding pairs of lugs 15.
  • FIG. 10 to 12 A further medical implement embodying an annular spanner in accordance with the invention is shown in Figures 10 to 12.
  • a tablet storage box 17 is formed of an inner basin 18, 19 having an inner annular wall 18 and base 19, an outer annular wall 20 connected at its top edge by a web 21 to the upper portion of the inner wall 18, and having an outturned lip 22 for engaging a corresponding lip 23 depending from the lower surface of the two sliding leaves 24 (which form the lid of the storage box 17).
  • the leaves 24 are shown in their open position in Figure 11.
  • the lower portion of the outer annular wall 20 extends below the base 19 of the inner basin 18, 19 and form the annular spanner 25 of the dual purpose storage box.
  • lugs 26 extend radially inwardly from approximately the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions of the lower outer annular wall 20 to form the second engaging means for cooperably engaging between the adjacent ribs 6 on the cap 1.
  • annular As is illustrated by the ovular outer wall 20 of the storage box, reference herein to annular should not be narrowly construed, and may also include for example a hexagonal shape.
  • the ovular shape of the storage box provides sufficient twist grip for unjamming the cap 1, or optionally the leaves 24 could be opened (as shown in Figure 11) to provide an additional handle.
  • FIG. 3 to 5 there is shown a two piece cap embodying the first engaging means as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 which is one aspect of the invention, and also embodying a tamper evident hinged tab as another aspect of the invention.
  • This two piece cap is of the general child resistant type which requires to be simultaneously depressed and twisted for removal.
  • the cap comprises a hollow inner piece 26 receivable within an outer shell, piece 27.
  • the inner piece 26 comprises a planar circular top 28 with a depending skirt 29, inner screw thread 30, a tamper evident hexagonal boss 31 extending centrally from the top 20 of the inner piece 26 and a plurality of equally spaced studs 32 arranged therearound adjacent respective corners of the hexagonal boss 31.
  • a linear wad 33 is located against the inner surface of the top 28.
  • the outer piece 27 also comprises a planar circular top 34 with a depending circular skirt 35.
  • the top of the outer piece 34 is provided with a central cooperable hexagonal aperture 36, and six resiliant plastic tongues 37 depending at an angle from the inner surface of the top 34 of the outer piece and serially arranged adjacent each side of the hexagonal aperture 36.
  • a tooth 38 having a gently inclined rear slip surface 38a extends downwardly from the root of each resilient tongue 37.
  • a hexagonal tamper evident tab 39 is formed over the hexagonal aperture 36 and held by a hinge piece 40 and an opposed frangible (notched) connecting piece 41 (Figure 6), being notched to weaken it.
  • An upper and lower continuous shoulder 42 and 43 is provided as for the cap of Figures 1 and 2.
  • the tongues 37 urge the top of the inner piece 28 from the top of the outer piece 34 but engage with the studs 32 for clockwise closing of the cap. Anticlockwise rotation in this position results in the studs 32 riding over the tongues 37 in a 'clicking' fashion.
  • the annular spanner 12, 25 is pushed over and around the cap to engage the ribs 6 and flutes 7 and then urged against the upper continuous shoulder 42 to depress the outer cap piece 27 against the hexagonal boss 31 of the inner cap piece 26 and thus break the frangible connecting piece 41 to hinge open the tamper evident tab 39 against hinge piece 40 and reveal the hexagonal boss.
  • the hexagonal boss 31 (which is deeper than the boss shown in GB-A-2167050) acts not only as a tamper evident means but also locks with the hexagonal hole 36 to help in opening the cap.
  • the teeth 38 also engage behind the adjacent studs 32 on depression of the outer piece to form a further unlocking or drive mechanism. If however this mechanism becomes gummed up by the medicine, the spanner 12, 25 can still be used to open the cap. It will be appreciated that in the absence of the upper continuous shoulder, the lower shoulder can act as the seating means for the annular spanner.
  • FIGS 13 and 14 show another tablet storage box in accordance with the invention which is slightly different from that shown in Figures 10 to 12, but retains where possible the same reference numbers.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
  • Devices For Use In Laboratory Experiments (AREA)
  • Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
  • Devices For Opening Bottles Or Cans (AREA)
EP92305166A 1991-06-07 1992-06-05 A cap for a container and opening means therefor Expired - Lifetime EP0519627B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9112259 1991-06-07
GB919112259A GB9112259D0 (en) 1991-06-07 1991-06-07 Cap for a container and opening means therefor

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0519627A2 EP0519627A2 (en) 1992-12-23
EP0519627A3 EP0519627A3 (en) 1993-03-10
EP0519627B1 true EP0519627B1 (en) 1996-03-06

Family

ID=10696253

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92305166A Expired - Lifetime EP0519627B1 (en) 1991-06-07 1992-06-05 A cap for a container and opening means therefor

Country Status (18)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0519627B1 (es)
JP (1) JPH06500523A (es)
AT (1) ATE134964T1 (es)
AU (1) AU658897B2 (es)
BR (1) BR9205285A (es)
CA (1) CA2088999A1 (es)
DE (1) DE69208745T2 (es)
DK (1) DK0519627T3 (es)
ES (1) ES2084287T3 (es)
GB (1) GB9112259D0 (es)
GR (1) GR3020089T3 (es)
IE (1) IE73238B1 (es)
IN (1) IN180658B (es)
MX (1) MX9202688A (es)
MY (1) MY108728A (es)
SG (1) SG72634A1 (es)
WO (1) WO1992022468A2 (es)
ZA (1) ZA924129B (es)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999026854A1 (en) * 1997-11-25 1999-06-03 Byron Mediplastics Ltd. A closure device
GB2443155A (en) * 2006-10-26 2008-04-30 Helen Mary Bignell An implement for administrating medicine in poor light conditions
SI3260390T1 (sl) 2016-06-22 2020-07-31 Clariant Healthcare Packaging (France) Sas Zunanji pokrovček za zaporko, ki je varna za otroke, zaporka, ki je varna za otroke, vsebnik s tako zaporko in njegova uporaba
JP6315360B1 (ja) * 2017-10-10 2018-04-25 信裕 川崎 容器用キャップ

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR705912A (fr) * 1930-11-19 1931-06-16 Klip Spoon Dispositif de cuiller à virole pour flacons à potions et récipients analogues
FR1596726A (es) * 1968-11-29 1970-06-22
FR2048350A5 (es) * 1969-12-29 1971-03-19 Coiron Georges
US3730372A (en) * 1971-11-19 1973-05-01 Automatic Liquid Packaging Plastic container
GB8427911D0 (en) * 1984-11-05 1984-12-12 Evans T G Screw-topped containers
ES296675Y (es) * 1984-11-12 1988-06-01 Spencer King Precision Engineers Ltd. Un dispositivo de cierre para un recipiente con una abertura cilindrica
US4801028A (en) * 1986-10-03 1989-01-31 Spectra King Precision Engineers Limited Closure device for a container having a cylindrical opening
GB8702664D0 (en) * 1987-02-06 1987-03-11 Wellcome Found Dosing device
FR2612494B1 (fr) * 1987-03-19 1989-12-08 Sanofi Sa Bouchon a logette, notamment pour pilulier
GB2210360A (en) * 1987-10-02 1989-06-07 Vere Athol Williamson Safety caps
GB2236308B (en) * 1989-09-27 1993-06-16 Ronald Brian Mcallister Safety cap

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
MY108728A (en) 1996-11-30
EP0519627A3 (en) 1993-03-10
IN180658B (es) 1998-02-28
WO1992022468A2 (en) 1992-12-23
ATE134964T1 (de) 1996-03-15
AU658897B2 (en) 1995-05-04
GR3020089T3 (en) 1996-08-31
SG72634A1 (en) 2000-05-23
DE69208745T2 (de) 1996-10-02
IE921823A1 (en) 1992-12-16
CA2088999A1 (en) 1992-12-08
BR9205285A (pt) 1994-02-22
ZA924129B (en) 1993-12-06
EP0519627A2 (en) 1992-12-23
MX9202688A (es) 1993-09-01
DK0519627T3 (da) 1996-04-09
GB9112259D0 (en) 1991-07-24
ES2084287T3 (es) 1996-05-01
AU1912592A (en) 1993-01-12
WO1992022468A3 (en) 1993-02-18
IE73238B1 (en) 1997-05-21
DE69208745D1 (de) 1996-04-11
JPH06500523A (ja) 1994-01-20

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