GB2412367A

GB2412367A - Lockable container closure

Info

Publication number: GB2412367A
Application number: GB0406929A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Christian
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-27
Filing date: 2004-03-27
Publication date: 2005-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-27
Also published as: GB0406929D0; GB2412367B

Abstract

A lockable closure for a container of the type having an opening through which the contents of the container may be dispensed is engageable with the container to close the opening and comprises a key-operated valve mechanism 12 operable selectively to open and close the opening in the container. This arrangement may include a lock and key mechanism having a fixed part 1 and a part 16 selectively rotatable relative thereto, the rotatable part having an annular recess 20 having a plurality of apertures 21 in the base thereof, the fixed part containing an axially slidable ring 22 constrained against rotation relative to the fixed part and having a plurality of axially-extending locking detents 24 engageable in the apertures 21 to prevent rotation of the rotatable part, the ring being provided with means 23 biasing it into engagement with the rotatable part, and the key 25 is shaped to fit into the annular recess and is provided with a plurality of key detents 27 engageable in the apertures to displace the locking detents therefrom, thereby permitting rotation of the rotatable part by rotation of the key.

Description

24 1 2367

LOCKABLE CONTAINER CLOSURE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a container closure permitting a bottle or other container to be lockably sealed or re-sealed, and to a novel lock and key mechanism.

Background to the Invention

Beverages of all sorts are sold in bottles provided with removable closures such as crown corks which, once removed, cannot readily be refitted. It is common for the bev erage to be drunk direct from the bottle, and there have been instances of deliberate contamination of open bottles left temporarily unattended in bars and other public places. For example, the introduction of certain drugs can leave the person ingesting the drug in the drink unable to resist a sexual assault. It is therefore necessary for those drinking from bottles or the like to keep a careful watch on the bottle, and perhaps keep a thumb over the neck when not drinking from it. This can be inconvenient.

Other types of containers may contain substances to which access may need to be restricted to certain users, for example medicines and cleaning agents which might be harmful to children if accidentally swallowed or brought into contact with the skin. A great variety of "childproof" closures have been devised to prevent children from open ing such containers, many relying on a child's relative lack of strength compared to an adult. Unfortunately, this type of closure is often difficult for elderly people, or those suf ferns from arthritis or the like, to open, and there is therefore a risk that the closures will not be fully applied, with the result that the contents of the containers remain acces sible.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a lockable closure for a container of the type having an opening through which the contents of the container may be dis pensed, the closure being engageable with the container and comprising a key-operated mechanism operable selectively to open and close the opening in the container.

While the key-operated mechanism may be arranged to permit selective release and removal of a part of the closure, it preferably comprises a lockable valve or shutter.

Preferably, the closure is for use with a container of the type having an open neck through which the contents of the container may be dispensed and comprises a mounting - 2 portion to be received over the neck, the mounting portion carrying the valve mechanism which comprises a fixed portion having a passage therethrough communicating with the open neck and a rotatable portion which can be rotated relative to the fixed portion to open or close the passage, the rotatable portion being adapted to be rotatable only by application thereto of a separate key.

The mounting portion preferably comprises means co-operating with the neck to prevent removal therefrom when fitted thereon. The closure may be moulded on to the container neck, or may be provided with means for permanently engaging with a con- tainer opening. For example, it may be arranged to be a permanent snap- fit on to the neck, to be applied to the bottle after the original closure, such as a crown cork, has been removed. In one embodiment, the closure of the invention has a screw-threaded portion to engage with a screw-thread on the neck of the container, the screw-threaded portion being adapted to prevent removal from the neck after being screwed on to it.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fixed porbon and the rotatable portion are each provided with an opening therethrough, rotation of the rotatable portion rela- tve to the fixed portion serving to align the openings, whereby the passage can commu- nicate with the exterior of the container, or to move the openings out of alignment, thereby closing the passage.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a lock and key mechanism, wherein the lock comprises a fixed part and a part selectively rotatable rela- tive thereto, the rotatable part having an annular recess having a plurality of apertures in the base thereof, the fixed part containing an axially slidable ring constrained against rotation relative to the fixed part and having a plurality of axiallyextending locking detents engageable in the apertures to prevent rotation of the rotatable part, the ring being pro vided with means biasing it Into engagement with the rotatable part, and the key is shaped to fit into the annular recess and is provided with a plurality of key detents engageable in the apertures to displace the locking detents therefrom, thereby permitting rotation of the rotatable part by rotation of the key.

The lock and key mechanism of this aspect of the invention can be incorporated into the container closure to provide the locking function thereof, but it may have other applications in substitution for conventional locking mechanisms or for applications for which conventional mechanisms are unsuitable. The lock and key mechanism of this as- pect of the invention may be used, for example, in controlling valves and electrical switchgear, but its use is not limited to these examples.

The closure of the invention can be used to prevent unauthorsed access to the contents of a container, for example a beverage bottle or a medicine bottle or jar, only the person having the matching key being able to open the closure. The key may initially be secured to the closure device, for example by a tamper-evident tear- off strip. In addi- tion, the closure may be arranged to fit on to the container in such a manner that an attempt thereafter to remove the closure from the bottle will be apparent for example requiring visible damage to the closure to permit its removal, or some other tamper- evident arrangement. A further tear-strip or other tamper-evident arrangement may be provided to permit access for the first use of the closure.

For medicines and the like, the use of the key to open and close the container will be substantially easier than opening and closing currentlyavailable tamper-proof and child-proof lids, while effecting a higher degree of security. The user of the medicine merely needs to retain possession of the key to ensure that no-one else can gain access to the medicine, whether in liquid, tablet or capsule form.

The closure can have many different applications. For example, a bottle that con- tains a hazardous liquid such as bleach could be retailed with a closed valve fitted to the bottle, the lock having a common key profile. This could also include a tamper-evident facility. The key could be retailed to the user independently so that one key fits all the bleach bottles from that manufacturer. Once the user has the key, he or she is locked into that particular brand and is only required to own one key, which can be used re- peatedly. The closure devices and keys could be colour-coded. The same approach could be used for example to determine access to medicines. Basic grade nurses could have access to medicines in, say, red bottles with red keys, whilst more senior staff could have access to specific medicines in blue or green bottles via blue or green keys.

The locking system provides enhanced levels of safety and security of the contents of a container. It will enable manufacturers to continue using their existing containers, but use a new closure device to achieve greater levels of safety and security for the con- sumer. - 4

Means to indicate full closure of the opening on locking may be incorporated to prevent the container being left accidentally partially open. Alternatively, the key may be arranged to be retained by the locking mechanism in between the fully-open and fully closed positions.

Many elderly and infirm individuals struggle with tamper resistant caps. This problem could be overcome with the closure device of the invention, especially if larger versions of the key are made available, perhaps in the form of a handle or lever which will require less force or strength to open the container. A custom-made bracket could be supplied which could be wall-mounted and allow the bottle to be twisted around the 1 0 valve.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the closure device of the invention: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of the closure device; Figure 2 is a similar view of the key for use with the closure device of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a top plan view of the closure device.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

The lockable closure device comprises a body 1 having a first tubular part 2 adapted to fit over the neck of a bottle 3 and a second tubular part 4 projecting from the first part and communicating with it. The end 5 of the second part 4 remote from the first part is provided with an opening 6, shown partially occluded in Figure 3, through which the content of the bottle may be dispensed, in use. To enable a standard- shaped body to fit on to a variety of different bottles, a custom interface unit 7 is secured within the first tubular part, and is shaped so as to be capable of being pushed on to the open bottle, but to be difficult to remove from it without destruction of the closure device, for example being provided with an inwardly-facing profiled rib 8 engaging in the recess 9 around the neck of the bottle in which the original closure cap is engaged. The rib 8 has a gently sloping leading edge 8a permitting a ramming action to gradually distort the n terrace unit 7 as the bottle neck is pushed into it, allowing the rib 8 to displace to admit the bottle neck, and a square-edged trailing edge to hold the bottle In place. A fluid seal - 5 (not shown), for example a resilient O-ring, may be provided in a groove around the in- ner surface of the interface unit 7 to engage the neck of the bottle and prevent escape of liquid from within the bottle around the neck of the bottle. The fixing of the closure de- vice to the neck of the bottle is suitably such as to make rotation of the device relative to the bottle difficult.

A short extension 10 to the first portion of the body 1 extends therefrom to sur- round the lower part of the second portion, providing a shallow annular channel 11 around the second portion. A valve unit 12 fits over the second part 3 and the extension and consists of a tubular portion 13 which is a close fit over the portion 4 of the body and has an end part 14 which is provided with an offset opening 15 such that rotation of the valve unit 12 relative to the body 1 can move the openings 6 and 15 into and out of alignment, allowing or blocking the passage of the contents of the bottle through the valve to the exterior of the bottle. The tubular portion 13 extends from a valve body 16 which in turn is provided with a tubular skirt 17 fitting over the extension 10 and a part of the first tubular part 2 of the body 1. To hold the valve unit in place, while allowing it to rotate, the skirt is provided with an inwardly directed circumferential flange 18 which engages with an angular circumferential rib 19 on the body 1. The valve body 16 has an annular recess 20 surrounding the tubular portion 13 and extending almost through to the interior of the valve body. In the base of the recess 20 a number of apertures 21 are formed, the size and spacing of the apertures 21 differing from one lock to another so that a predetermined number of different configurations can be provided whereby the likelihood of two identical locks existing at a given location at the same time is very small.

A locking ring 22 is located within the channel 11. The ring 22 is formed of a resilient plastics material with a plurality of deformable legs 23 extending downwardly therefrom and detents 24 extending upwardly therefrom and corresponding in number, shape and position to the apertures 21 so that the detents 24 fit into the apertures 21, being urged into position by the deformable legs 23. The ring 22 is also arranged to be held against rotation relative to the body 1 by means of ribs (not shown) extending vertically on the internal wall of the extension 10 and corresponding cut-outs on the periphery of the ring, whereby the ring 22 can slide up and down in the extension 10. - 6

A key 25 is provided to open and close the valve. The key 25 consists of a tubu- lar body arranged to fit over the tubular portion 13 of the valve body and into the recess therein. It has two wings 26 to facilitate manual twisting of the key. Extending from the lower end of the tubular body are a number of detents 27 whose number, shape and position correspond to those of the apertures 21 in the base of the recess 20, and so in turn to the number, shape and positions of the detents 24 on the locking ring 22, so that, when the key is pushed fully home into the recess 20 and the detents 27 are correctly aligned with the apertures 21, the detents 24 are displaced downwardly out of the aper- tures as the ring 22 slides downwards against the resilient force of the legs 23. When the detents 24 are clear of the apertures 21, the valve body is free to rotate to its open position under the influence of the key 25, permitting the contents of the bottle to be accessed. Re-locking of the closure can be effected without the key, simply by rotation of the valve body until the detents 24 align with and enter the apertures 21 under the influ- ence of the deformable legs, so preventing the valve body from further rotation relative to the closure body 1.

It will be understood that, while the illustrated embodiment includes a particular form of lock mechanism, the invention is not limited to such a mechanism in the container closure of the Invention. Equally, the container closure is not limited to use only with beverage bottles, but is also applicable to containers for other materials for which access is to be controlled, for example medicines, especially in tablet or capsule form, preventing access by children but making access by the intended user easier. - 7

Claims

1. A lockable closure for a container of the type having an opening through which the contents of the container may be dispensed, the closure being engageable with the container and comprising a key-operated mechanism operable selectively to open and close the opening in the container.

2. A lockable closure according to Claim 1, wherein the key-operated mechanism comprises a lockable valve or shutter.

3. A lockable closure according to Claim 2, for use with a container of the type having an open neck through which the contents of the container may be dispensed, wherein the closure comprises a mounting portion to be received over the neck, the mounting portion carrying the valve mechanism which comprises a fixed portion having a passage therethrough communicating with the open neck and a rotatable portion which can be rotated relative to the fixed portion to open or close the passage, the rotatable portion being adapted to be rotatable only by application thereto of a separate key.

4. A lockable closure according to Claim 3, wherein the mounting portion comprises means co-operating with the neck to prevent removal therefrom when fitted thereon.

5. A lockable closure according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the fixed portion and the rotatable portion are each provided with an opening therethrough, rotation of the rotatable portion relative to the fixed portion serving to align the openings, whereby the passage can communicate with the exterior of the container, or to move the open- ings out of alignment, thereby closing the passage.

6. A lock and key mechanism, wherein the lock comprises a fixed part and a part selectively rotatable relative thereto, the rotatable part having an annular recess hav ing a plurality of apertures in the base thereof, the fixed part containing an axially slidable ring constrained against rotation relative to the fixed part and having a plurality of axiallyextending locking detents engageable in the apertures to prevent rotation of the ro- tatable part, the ring being provided with means biasing it into engagement with the ro- tatable part, and the key is shaped to fit into the annular recess and is provided with a plurality of key detents engageable in the apertures to displace the locking detents there- from, thereby permitting rotation of the rotatable part by rotation of the key. - 8

7. A lock and key mechanism according to Claim 6, wherein the means biasing the ring comprise resiliently-deformable legs projecting from the side of the ring op- posite to the locking detents.

8. A lock and key mechanism according to Claim 7, wherein the ring, the locking detents and the legs are integrally moulded in a resilient plastics material.

9. A lock and key mechanism, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.

10. A lockable closure according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the keyoperated valve mechanism comprises a lock and key mechanism according to any of Claims 6 to 9.

11. A lockable closure for a container of the type having an opening through which the contents of the container may be dispensed, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.