EP2192050A1

EP2192050A1 - Improved safety cap

Info

Publication number: EP2192050A1
Application number: EP09014613A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vicente Blasco Feo
Original assignee: Zyxtudio Diseno e Innovacion SL
Current assignee: Zyxtudio Diseno e Innovacion SL
Priority date: 2008-11-27
Filing date: 2009-11-24
Publication date: 2010-06-02
Also published as: ES1069229Y; ES1069229U

Abstract

A safety cap of the type comprising at least two independent bodies (1,2), an inner body (2) that screws onto the packaging and an outer body (1) that rotates freely and that due to a series of notches (3) and tabs that both bodies have, they lock and are thus able to rotate together when applying a certain amount of vertical pressure, this cap being of the kind containing on its surface protruding elements (4) such as a plastic pump, and essentially characterised in that it has on the outer horizontal surface (5) at least two vertical tabs (6) placed on the planar circular crown surrounding said protruding elements (4).

Description

This invention, as indicated in the title, relates to a safety cap of the type having a structure that is mainly made up of two bodies, an inner body that screws onto the bottle itself and a superimposed outer body that rotates independently, which two bodies rotate together once they are locked together when applying enough pressure, to which a series of tabs and grooves has been added in order to facilitate its handling, especially in caps that do not have a flat top but which integrate protruding elements such as drip dispensers, paintbrush handles for the application of certain products or special cavities for housing protruding elements such as a wick or valve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is abundant patent literature and use in the market of safety caps essentially made up of two bodies, an inner body that screws onto the packaging to be closed and another body covering the former body with certain play that rotates freely, but which bodies lock together when exerting enough pressure on the outer body thanks to a series of inner tabs and recesses that make both bodies turn together.
Of the different types of caps in existence there are those requiring the pressure to be exerted vertically at the same time as applying a rotational, with utility patents U9503294 , U9201802 , or patent ES112969 as examples.
These describe several ways of achieving the locking and/or unlocking of the two bodies in order to facilitate opening and closing operations while maintaining safety in order to prevent an unwanted opening.
All these safety caps require considerable vertical pressure in order to lock the outer body with the inner body to achieve the rotation, precisely in order to prevent unwanted handling.
In order to carry out both movements simultaneously and optimise the force to be applied, in general a sufficient action surface is required that will facilitate pressure and holding for the rotation, the manoeuvre recommended in some product instructions being that of holding the bottle with one hand, applying pressure on the cap with the palm of the other hand and rotating with the wrist.
The difficult opening of this type of caps has led to the marketing of devices with easier opening, such as that of patent US6205888 , which describes a base in which to fix the bottle, allowing the user to press the cap with the palm of his or her hand and rotate it.
However, this problem is not solved in the case of caps that do not have a flat surface, such as, amongst others, medicines or other substances incorporating a drip dispenser, nail varnish or adhesives that incorporate brushes or the caps of wick vaporisers with shapes that are suited to house the protruding part of the wick.
In the cases shown as examples the special shape of the cap, with projections or elements protruding from the horizontal plane of the cap, prevent the use of the double-structure safety cap system since the simultaneous pressure and rotation manoeuvre is rendered very difficult due to the action surface being reduced to a circular crown surrounding the protruding element of the cap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the problems proposed we suggest a safety cap that is structurally made up of at least one inner body that screws onto the bottle and a superimposed outer body with a certain play that rotates freely, both bodies locking together when rotating when a certain vertical pressure is applied, being of the kind where the upper plane of the cap has protruding elements incorporating at least two radially-oriented tabs in the planar circular crown surrounding said elements.
The tabs include a series of arrow-shaped grooves that carry out the double function of facilitating the grip and providing intuitive information to the user.
In order to allow performing said grooves, facilitating demoulding and reducing the cost of the mould for the part, the tabs are thicker at the lower part than at the top and the triangular arrow-shaped grooves have the deepest part at the apex and gradually loose depth until they reach the surface level, therefore generating a triangular arrow with only two visible sides, pointing intuitively in the direction of the action to be performed.
Additionally, in the case of the caps incorporating a drip dispenser, the cap can incorporate a neck of a certain height in order to prevent the pump element, normally made out of rubber or other flexible material that could break, from being pressed and/or twisted when opening and closing the bottle.
The horizontal surface of the cap shows a series of additional grooves, preferably lentil-shaped, that make the grip surface more ergonomic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the safety cap where the outer body is shown in section and therefore the two bodies (1) and (2) comprising the safety cap itself are clearly visible, as are the projections existing in the inner body (3) that allow the locking of the two bodies when applying a vertical pressure, and also shown is how the surface of the cap is not planar but has a projection (4) surrounded by an annular surface (5) or crown on which to exert the vertical pressure, on which vertical tabs (6) have been incorporated.
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the outside of the safety cap, showing the projection (4), the tabs (6) and some grooves (7) in order to favour the grip on the annular crown (5) that must receive the vertical pressure and the rotation force, and also showing the arrow-shaped grooves (9).
Figure 3 shows an elevation view of the cap showing the elements mentioned above such as the projection (4), and especially showing the profile of the tabs (6), which is wider on the lower portion (8) and a detail of the lines defining the depth of the arrow-shaped grooves (9).

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In this document we propose an embodiment of the invention that is not limiting thereof since it extends to any other embodiments essentially based on the technical solution provided, even when different in number, size, arrangement, shape, material or any other feature of the tabs, grooves, or the cap itself.
The invention object of the present invention consists in a safety cap of the type made up of at least two superimposed bodies, one that screws onto the packaging to be closed and another body superimposed on the former with a certain play and which rotates freely, but which lock and rotate together when applying a certain amount of vertical pressure, and which being of the kind incorporating protruding elements on the surface of the cap has been added means to facilitate the operation of applying pressure and rotation.

These means comprise:

Two vertical radially-oriented tabs placed on the circular crown that surrounds the protruding element of the cap.
Arrow-shaped grooves on the surface of the tabs and on the surface of the cap.
Lentil-shaped grooves on the surface of the aforementioned crown of the cap.
The tabs are thicker at the base than at the upper portion and their dimensions could vary according to the force they must bear, although the width will preferably be essentially the same as the width of the horizontal surface of the crown surrounding the protruding element.
The arrow-shaped grooves are located both on the surface of the tabs and on that of the cap.
The depth of such arrow-shaped grooves reaches its maximum point at the apex of said arrow, gradually decreasing until being equal to the surface the grooves have been etched into at the base.
The embodiment described herein also contains a series of lentil-shaped grooves.
In another embodiment of the invention, for example when the protruding element of the cap is the pumping element of a drip dispenser, usually made in an elastic material, the cap can incorporate a central neck of an essentially similar height as that of the tabs so that said element is not forced or twisted when rotating the cap with the hand.
In the event that the surface of the circular crown is small or even non-existent if the protruding element of the cap is in the shape of a reversed truncated cone occupying the entire surface of the cap, the tabs could rest on the walls of said truncated cone shape.

Claims

A safety cap of the type containing protruding elements on its surface and comprising at least two independent bodies, an inner body that screws onto the packaging and an outer body that rotates freely and that due to a series of notches and tabs that both bodies have, they lock and are thus able to rotate together when applying a certain amount of vertical pressure, essentially characterised in that they have on the outer horizontal surface at least two vertical tabs located on the planar circular crown that surrounds said protruding elements.
A safety cap of the type where the upper surface is essentially made up by a protruding element and comprises at least two independent bodies, an inner body that screws onto the packaging and an outer body that rotates freely and that due to a series of notches and tabs that both bodies have, they lock and are thus able to rotate together when applying a certain amount of vertical pressure, essentially characterised in that they have on the outer horizontal surface at least two vertical tabs that rest upon the outer surface of this protruding element.
A safety cap according to claims 1 or 2, essentially characterised in that the tabs are oriented radially.
A safety cap according to claims 1 or 2, essentially characterised in that at least one of the sides of said tabs is oriented radially.
A safety cap according to claims 1 or 2, essentially characterised in that the tabs are thicker at the base than at the upper portion.
A safety cap according to any of the previous claims, essentially characterised in that it comprises arrow-shaped grooves where the maximum depth of said grooves is at their apex, decreasing gradually until at their base they are equal to the surface they are etched into.
A safety cap according to Claim 5, essentially characterised in that the apex of the arrow-shaped grooves point in the direction of the action to be performed.
A safety cap according to any of the previous claims, essentially characterised in that lentil-shaped grooves have been etched on the outer surface of the cap at the places where the user's fingers are presumed to be placed.
A safety cap according to any of the previous claims where the protruding element of the cap being in a material of a lower strength that that of the cap material such as the pump of a drip dispenser it is characterised in that it incorporates a protective neck around said protruding element.