GB2256638A

GB2256638A - Child resistant closure

Info

Publication number: GB2256638A
Application number: GB9211786A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Dominic Noel Cooke
Original assignee: Chemence Ltd
Current assignee: Chemence Ltd
Priority date: 1991-06-10
Filing date: 1992-06-04
Publication date: 1992-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-04
Also published as: GB2256638B; GB9211786D0

Abstract

A child resistant closure of the "squeeze-and-turn" type comprises an inner threaded skirt 1 to secure the closure to a container neck and a resilient outer skirt 2 spaced around the threaded skirt 1 and bearing downwardly projecting lugs 3 which co-operate with projections 5 on the container to form a child-resistant lock. The closure may be used with an adhesive bottle 4 of 10ml total capacity, and may have a downwardly extending pin to seal the bottle. Preferably the separation 5 between the base of the outer skirt and the base of the thread is less than 3mm, max preferably less than 1.5mm, the radial separation between the skirts is preferably less than 2mm, and the lugs do not project more than 4mm below the bottom of the outer skirt. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTAINER The present invention relates to a child resistant closure, and especially to a child resistant closure for small bottles, such as bottles of cyanoacrylate adhesive, for example.

Many types of child resistant closure are available and many more have been proposed. One type is the 'squeeze-and-turn' closure. The squeeze-and-turn closure has a resilient skirt bearing a lug or a pair of diametrically opposed lugs which engage with a projection or pair of projections on the container to resist unscrewing of the closure. The lugs and projections may be disengaged by squeezing the skirt at points at approximately 90" to the lugs whereby the diameter of the skirt is increased at the lugs, which thus disengage from the projections so that the closure may be unscrewed.

The lugs may be located on the internal circumferential surface of the threaded skirt beneath the thread. In a modified, double-skirted squeeze-and-turn closure, the lugs are positioned on an outer skirt disposed around the threaded skirt and extending beyond the bottom of the threaded skirt.

Squeeze-and-turn closures can be found on containers of household cleaners or of white spirit, for example, with a volume of perhaps 250ml or more.

Squeeze-and-turn caps have more recently met with criticism. GB 2004527 describes that the manufacture and use of such caps present problems. A first problem described is that a fine balance has to be found between the necessary rigidity of the walls of the cap and the flexibility required to enable the cap to be deformed. Secondly, there is a risk that the lugs on the cap can become worn and lose effectiveness. GB 2004527 solves these problems by providing the lugs not on a wall of the cap but on an annular band attached to the cap by spaced bridges.

The flexibility of the deformable annular band is not influenced by the rigidity of the cap.

W091/01924 expressly addresses the shortcomings of both single skirted and double skirted squeeze-and-turn closures. Single skirted caps are described as having the disadvantage that the threaded part of the skirt must be non-deformable whereas the part bearing the lugs must be deformable. Double-walled closures are criticised because the outer skirt, necessarily separated from the inner one, gives the closure a clumsy appearance, i.e. the external diameter of the cap is disproportionately wide.

It is a requirement of double skirt caps that the outer skirt must be adequately deformable, to enable the lugs to disengage from the projections on the container.

The relatively large double skirt caps available on the market enable sufficient deformability: the flexibility of the outer skirt increases with an increasing skirt circumference and a substantial clearance can be provided between the skirts (whereby the outer skirt may be deformed to a substantial degree) with caps of large diameter. Moreover, the flexibility of the outer skirt is enhanced by increasing its length to be significantly greater than the axial length occupied by the threaded inner skirt.

For smaller containers, the "push-and-turn" cap is used. Push-and-turn caps have an inner threaded part for screwing onto a bottle and an outer part to be depressed to engage with the inner part when the cap is unscrewed.

The mechanism of such "push-and-turn" caps comprises resilient ratchet members on the internal surface of the cross wall of the outer cap part. The resilient ratchet members urge the two parts of the cap apart and engage stops on the inner part of the cap when the outer cap is turned to screw it on a bottle. When the outer part is turned to unscrew the cap the ratchet members are cammed over the stops and are ineffective to turn the inner part of the cap. The cap can be unscrewed only by depressing the outer cap part against the action of the resilient ratchet members to cause lugs on the outer cap part to engage slots in the inner cap part.

Liquid cyanoacrylate adhesive ("super glue") for household use is normally packed in a volume of 5ml in a plastics bottle. Such bottles may conveniently be referred to as 5ml bottles, although their total volume is usually about 10ml, the balance of the bottle volume being occupied by air. The purpose of only half filling the bottles is to help control flow of the glue. The bottles normally have an integral threaded neck into the mouth of which is press fitted an elongate neck extension for applying glue. The glue is filled into the bottle through the open threaded neck before insertion of the extension.

It would be desirable to provide small glue bottles with a child resistant closure (irrespective of the nature of the glue or the precise size of the bottle). However, small bottles present unusual requirements which have been perceived to make them incompatible with the child resistant closures now on the market. The requirements include: 1. The locking mechanism of the closure/bottle combination must remain tolerably free of glue, so that the locking mechanism is not interfered with.

2. The threaded neck in practice needs to be of limited length, otherwise the bottle will lose stability (i.e. become top heavy and tend to fall over), become aesthetically displeasing and consume unnecessary material, space and packaging.

3. The outer diameter of the closure must not be too great, otherwise the bottle will tend to be unstable and packaging problems may arise. An overly wide closure would also be aesthetically unacceptable to the customer.

4. The diameter of the threaded neck is desirably as wide as possible to facilitate the filling of the bottle.

The present invention provides an adhesive package, comprising: a plastics bottle with a volume not exceeding 20ml and containing adhesive, the bottle having an externally threaded neck having an opening defined therein for discharge of the adhesive, and a plastics closure comprising a threaded skirt screwed onto the container neck and, disposed around and spaced outwardly from the threaded skirt, a resilient outer skirt, the bottom of the outer skirt being no more than 3mm below the bottom of the closure thread and the closure being provided with a pin which enters and closes the neck opening, the outer skirt having depending downwardly from its base a lug or a pair of diametrically opposed lugs and the container having disposed beneath the neck a projection or a pair of diametrically opposed projections to engage with the lug or lugs and cause unscrewing of the closure to be resisted unless inward pressure is applied to the outer skirt at positions generally at 90" to the lug(s) such that the outer skirt is deformed outwardly in the region of the lug(s) and the lug(s) substantially disengage from the projection(s).

The invention includes a double-skirted child resistant closure with one or two downward locking lugs at the base of the outer skirt and characterised by one or any combination of the following features: (a) a separation between the two skirts not exceeding 2mm and preferably not exceeding 1.7mm; (b) a separation between the base of the thread and the bottom of the outer skirt of no more than 3mm, preferably of not more than 2mm and more preferably of no more than lmm; (c) projection of the lug or lugs below the bottom of the outer skirt by no more than 4mm and preferably by no more than 3mm.

These dimensions are not arbitrarily chosen, but rather represent dimensions which would normally be required to be met by a closure for a small bottle with a tcapacity in the order of 10 to 15 or 20m1, e.g. 9 or 12ml, and which the present invention enables a child resistant closure to meet. Generally, a closure for such a small bottle should combine all three of (a) - (c) above, but a less preferred closure could contain only one or two of the features.

Feature (a) contributes to minimising the ratio of the external diameter of the closure to the diameter of the threaded neck.

Feature (b) contributes to minimising the length of the threaded neck, i.e. to making the neck as compact as possible in the axial direction.

Feature (c) reflects the undesirability of long lugs which can catch other objects and become deformed. In combination, features (b) and (c) are very important because they limit the spacing between the bottle neck thread and the projections on the neck.

Normally, an adhesive bottle has an applicator for the glue in the form of an elongate neck extension press fitted into the threaded neck and the closure of the invention is accordingly preferably configured to accommodate such an extension by having an elongate extension extending upwardly from the threaded skirt. In the case of a closure for a cyanoacrylate adhesive bottle, a pin is usually provided at the top end of the extension to enter and seal the bottle nozzle. Especially when a pin is provided, additional sealing means (e.g. radial seals) are unnecessary and the container and closure of the invention are preferably free of radial sealing means, for example.

Desirably, the external diameter of a closure for a small bottle does not exceed 25 mum, and more usually does not exceed 22mm. In the case of a closure of the type having an elongate extension, its length from the free tip of the extension to the base of the outer skirt does not generally exceed 52mm, and more preferably does not exceed 45mm.

Preferably the outer and inner skirts are axially substantially co-extensive. In less preferred embodiments the outer skirt may extend slightly below the inner skirt, e.g. by up to 2mm.

The present invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross section through a closure of the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of a closure according to the invention seated on a bottle; Figure 3 is a cross section along line A-A of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an elevation of the bottle of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an elevation of the bottle of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a closure comprising a threaded skirt 1 to secure the closure to the threaded neck of a container. Disposed around the threaded skirt is a resilient outer skirt 2 from the base of which depends a pair of opposed, downwardly disposed lugs 3. A side view of a lug 3 is shown in Figure 2. Instead of a pair of approximately diametrically opposed lugs 3, the closure could be provided with a single lug 3 but this is less preferred. The outer skirt 2 does not extend below the threaded skirt l.

Figure 2 shows the closure firmly screwed on to a bottle or other container 4. The bottle 4 has an externally threaded neck onto which the closure is screwed and beneath the neck thread 8 (Figure 4) there are disposed a pair of diametrically opposed external projections 5; of course if the closure is provided with only a single lug, then likewise the bottle may have only one projection 5. The projections 5 are adapted to act as stops for the lugs 3 when torque is applied to the closure to unscrew it, whereby the closure resists being unscrewed. To this end, the projections 5 in the illustrated embodiment are provided with a generally radially extending face 7 to abut the lugs 3. As an alternative to a radial face, the projections could be provided with a concave face, for example.

In order to release the lugs 3 and projections 5 from interengagement, it is necessary to squeeze the outer skirt 2 at positions approximately at 90" to the lugs 3, so that the outer skirt 2 is deformed outwardly in the regions of the lugs 3. In this manner the lugs 3 are substantially disengaged from the projections 5 and the closure can be unscrewed. In order to assist the lugs 3 to ride over the projections 5 when the closure is screwed on to the bottle 4, the projections are provided with a rounded or sloping surface to meet the lugs 3 when the closure is screwed onto the bottle 4. Ramp-like sloping surfaces 6 are illustrated in Figure 3.

The closure of the invention is preferably used with small bottles of cyanoacrylate adhesive. Liquid cyanoacrylate adhesive is customarily sold to individual consumers in quantities of 5ml and in bottles having a capacity of around 10ml.

Bottles of this size, and especially bottles containing cyanoacrylate or other adhesive, present particular problems in relation to child resistant closures.

As already stated, such small adhesive bottles have an integral threaded neck 9 through which the bottle is filled with adhesive, before an elongate neck extension 10 for applying the adhesive is press fitted into the threaded neck. The threaded neck is desirably as wide as possible in order to facilitate the filling of the bottle.

However, in practice the closure must have a limited external diameter, since a closure which is substantially wider than the bottle makes the bottle unstable, is aesthetically unacceptable to the consumer and creates difficulties in packaging.

It is also undesirable from an economic and environmental point of view for a package to occupy an unnecessarily large volume during transportation and storage.

For similar reasons, it is desirable for the threaded neck of the bottle to be relatively compact in the axial direction, and any closure which required locking projections spaced a considerable distance beneath the neck thread would be unacceptable.

The closure of the invention meets all these requirements or desiderata of small, e.g. 10ml capacity, adhesive bottles. The drawings illustrate a closure for a bottle with a capacity of about l0ml and intended to contain Sml of liquid cyanoacrylate.

In the case of closures for such bottles, the external diameter of the closure typically does not exceed 25mm, and more usually does not exceed 22mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the maximum external diameter of the closure is 20mm.

The radial separation between the threaded skirt and the outer skirt of the closure normally does not exceed 2mm and more usually is no more than 1.7mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the separation between the two skirts does not exceed 1.5mum.

The vertical separation s (Fig 1) between bottom of the outer skirt and the base of the closure thread at its lower tail is no more than 3mm. More preferably, the bottom of the outer skirt is no more than 1.5mm below the base of the thread, e.g.

lmm as in the illustrated embodiment. The inner and outer skirts are preferably substantially co-extensive, as shown in the illustrated embodiment in which the top of the annulus defined between the two skirts is 0.4mum below the top of the inner sidewall of the inner skirt.

The lug or lugs typically project no more than 4mm below the bottom of the outer skirt and more usually do not project more than 3mm below the bottom of the outer skirt. For example in the illustrated embodiment the lugs project 2.5 mum below the bottom of the skirt.

A closure for a cyanoacrylate adhesive bottle or the like has an elongate extension extending upwardly from the threaded skirt in order to accommodate the neck extension of the bottle. The elongate closure extension is, of course, closed except at its juncture with the threaded skirt. Normally, the elongate closure extension has at its top an axially disposed pin for entering and sealing the nozzle of the bottle. The pin may have a diameter of approximately lmm.

Normally, the overall length of the closure from its free tip to the base of the outer skirt does not exceed around 52mm and more usually does not exceed 45mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the length is 41mm.

The bottle neck preferably has an external diameter of approximately 13mm but smaller diameters, e.g. 11 or l2mm are contemplated. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment the internal diameter of the threaded skirt of the closure is approximately 13mm measured from the base of the thread and approximately 11.5mm measured from the top of the thread. Of course, even for bottles with a capacity of 10ml, some variation from these dimensions is possible. For example a variation in the order of 2 or 3mm either way is contemplated.

The distance d (Fig 4) between the lowermost part of the neck thread and the upper surface of the projection or projections normally does not exceed 5mm and is more usually no more than 4mm. Most preferably the distance is no more than 3mm.

The cyanoacrylate adhesive package of the invention is not restricted to a plastics bottle with a volume of 10 or 12ml and bottles with a volume not exceeding 20ml, and more preferably not exceeding 12ml are contemplated.

Claims

1. An adhesive package, comprising: a plastics bottle with a volume not exceeding 20ml and containing adhesive, the bottle having an externally threaded neck having an opening defined therein for discharge of the adhesive, and a plastics closure comprising a threaded skirt screwed onto the container neck and disposed around and spaced outwardly from the threaded skirt, a resilient outer skirt, the bottom of the outer skirt being no more than 3mm below the bottom of the closure thread and the closure being provided with a pin which enters and closes the neck opening, the outer skirt having depending downwardly from its base a lug or a pair of diametrically opposed lugs and the container having disposed beneath the neck a projection or a pair of diametrically opposed projections to engage with the lug or lugs and cause unscrewing of the closure to be resisted unless inward pressure is applied to the outer skirt at positions generally at 90C to the lug(s) such that the outer skirt is deformed outwardly in the region of the lug(s) and the lug(s) substantially disengage from the projections.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom of the outer skirt is no more than 2mm below the bottom of the closure thread.

3. A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom of the outer skirt is no more than lmm below the bottom of the closure thread.

4. A package as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer skirt does not extend substantially below the threaded skirt.

5. A package as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the external diameter of the closure does not exceed 25 mum.

6. A package as claimed in claim 5, wherein the external diameter of the closure does not exceed 22mm.

7. A package as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the radial separation between the two skirts does not exceed 2mm.

8. A package as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottle has a volume not exceeding 12ml.

9. A package as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bottle has a volume of 10ml or less.

10. An adhesive package substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A closure for a package as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13. A bottle for a package as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.

14. A child resistant closure, comprising: a threaded skirt to secure the closure to a container, disposed around the threaded skirt and spaced outwardly therefrom a resilient outer skirt bearing a lug or a pair of diametrically opposed lugs extending downwardly from the base of the skirt for engagement of the lug(s) with projection(s) on a container to form a child resistant interlocking of the closure and the container, wherein the radial separation between the two skirts does not exceed 2mm, the bottom of the outer skirt is no more than 3mm below the base of the thread, and the lugs do not project more than 4mm below the bottom of the outer skirt.

15. A closure as claimed in claim 14 and further comprising an elongate extension extending upwardly from the threaded skirt and closed except at its juncture with the threaded skirt, the elongate extension being provided at its top with an axially disposed pin for sealingly entering the nozzle of a container, and wherein the separation between the two skirts does not exceed 1.7mm, the bottom of the outer skirt is no more than 1.Smm below the base of the thread, and lugs do not project more than 3mm below the bottom of the outer skirt.

16. A closure as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15 and which is a 10ml volume cyanoacrylate adhesive bottle closure.

17. A combination of a closure as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16 and a container with an externally threaded neck, wherein the container is provided beneath the thread with a projection to interengage with the or each lug of the closure when seated on the container such that unscrewing of the closure is resisted unless its diameter is increased in the region of the or each lug by application of inward pressure to the outer skirt at opposed areas at approximately 90" to the lug or lugs.