NZ200770A - Container with screw cap: cap latching collar with deflectable lugs hinging about radial axes fixed to container neck to lock cap - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number £00770 Z00710 & NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 / No.: 200770 i Date: 27 May 1982 \ COMPLETE SPECIFICATION \ Improvements in or relating to Closure Systems / i / 7 V We, AH-I--OPERATIONS LIMI.T-EB-, a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 640 Great South Road, Manukau City, Auckland, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: CHANGE OF NAME OF APPLICANT iAJL?ustRI£) 200770 This invention relates to closure systems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a closure system for a container and/or a method of providing a closure system and/or a container including a closure system which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly the invention consists in a closure system comprising a closure provided with a female thread arranged for engagement with a male thread about the neck of a container said closure having a plurality of spaced apart notches on the lower edge thereof; a collar constructed and arranged for non-rotatable mounting on said neck; and interengaging means between said closure and said collar capable of being manipulated manually to release the closure from the collar to allow disengagement of said closure from said neck, said interengaging means being formed integrally with said collar, said interengaging means comprising a plurality of flexibly resilient lugs projecting from said collar, said lugs being arranged so as to be deflected downwardly each hinging on a radial line towards the plane of said collar and to ratchet over said notches when, in use, said closure is screwed onto said neck and wherein said lugs intermesh with said notches when said closure is rotated in the opposite direction preventing further rotation of the closure in said opposite direction. 2.0O77o To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings accompanying the provisional specification in which: Figure 1 is a scrap view partly in section of a closure system according to the invention mounted on a container; Figure 2 is an elevation partly in section of a cap forming part of a closure system according to the invention; Figure 3 is an underneath view of the cap shown in figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view of an interlinking system; Figure 5 is a cross section of the construction shown in figure 4; Figure 6 is a scrap view showing interengagement of the interlinking means with the cap; Figure 7 is a plan view of a container having protrusions around the neck thereof; Figure 8 is an elevation of the construction shown in figure 200770 Figure 9 is a further scrap view showing the engagement of details shown in figures 4 and 7; Figures 10 and 11 show the manner in which interengagement occurs; Figure 12 is a cross section of an alternative construction; Figure 13 is an elevation of the construction of figure 12; Figure 14 is an elevation of a container to receive the cap of figure 13; and Figure 15 is a plan view of closure shown in figure 12.

According to the invention a closure system is provided for a neck container. In further aspects the invention provides a method of providing a closure for a necked container and/or a container complete with closure system.

Referring now to the drawings a closure 1 preferably in the form of a screw cap having an internal female thread is provided for fitment to the neck 2 of a container in order to effect sealing of the container in the conventional manner.

In accordance with the invention a collar or locking ring 3 is provided which is preferably moulded from a thermoplastics material such as polypropylene or polyethylene. In use the collar is fixed about the container neck 2 spaced from the orifice of the container as can be seen in figure 1. While the collar 3 may be constructed and arranged to frictionally engage the neck 2, the collar is preferably provided with radially inwardly aligned projections 5 (figures 4 and 9) which engage with radially outwardly aligned projections 4 (figures 7, 8 and 9) extending about the periphery of the neck 2 to prevent rotation of the collar 3 with respect to the neck 2. 2.00770 The interengaging means is preferably formed and provided integrally with the collar 3 and as shown comprises a plurality of flexible lugs 6 extending upwardly from the base surface of the locking ring 3 and arranged to be deflected down toward the plane of the base of collar 3 when the cap 1 is screwed onto the neck 2. It will be seen from figures 2 and 3 that the lower edge of the cap 1 is provided with spaced peripheral notches 7 and it will be appreciated from figure 10 that when the closure 1 is screwed onto the neck the lugs 6 on the collar will be deflected down each lug hinging on a radial line towards the base of the collar 3 and ratcheting over the notches 7 but, as shown in figure 11, when an attempt is made to unscrew the cap, the lugs 6 will engage in and intermesh with the notches 7 and prevent further rotation of the closure 1 in a direction which would disengage the closure from the container.

A peripheral web 8 on the closure 1 prevents radial spreading of the lugs so that the lugs 6 at all times remain in engagement with notches 7 and upwardly aligned peripheral rim 9 provided on the collar 3 surrounds the lower edge 10 of the closure when the closure is fully engaged with the container neck 2 so that the lugs 6 may not be manually disengaged from notches 7 without visible damage to the ring 3 or closure 1.

The collar 3 also includes two or more frangible links 11 provided on the peripheral rim 9 thereof so that when sufficient torque is applied to closure 1 in a direction so as to unscrew the closure 1, the frangible links 11 fracture thus allowing the collar 3 to be disengaged from the closure and the closure unscrewed. The container may then be opened and closed normally ') n ~7 r\ cub / / (j or resealed with a replacement collar 3. This arrangement protects against pilfering until the links 11 are broken.

Referring now to figures 12 to 15, a further variation of the system provides a child resistant closure. In this embodiment a screw closure 12 is moulded from a suitable plastic material such as polypropylene or polyethylene and includes a plurality of flexible webs 15 joining the lower skirt of the closure 12 to a ring 13. A plurality of teeth 14 project from the lower surface of the ring 13 and these teeth 14 may be of rectangular profile or may, as shown, be "ramped" on one face 18 to facilitate engagement of the closure with a container.

Referring now to figure 14, the container neck 17 is surrounded at its base by a collar having teeth or protrusions 16 arranged to engage with the teeth 14 projecting from the lower edge of the closure 12. The teeth 16 may be moulded integrally with the container or may be provided as part of a separate collar which is fixed about the base of container neck 17. However provided, the teeth 16 are preferably ramped on one face 19 so that when closure 12 is being screwed onto neck 17, teeth 14 will engage with teeth 16 by contacting ramped faces 18 on ramped faces 19. As the faces 18 and 19 contact one another, faces 18 will slide up faces 19, lifting ring 13 against the material resilience of the flexible lugs 15. Further rotation of closure 12 will allow teeth 14 to drop behind teeth 16 where upon the engagement of the teeth resist attempts to unscrew closure 12. 200 770 Removal of the closure may be readily effected by lifting ring 13 against the resilience of lugs 15 to clear teeth 14 from teeth 16 and thereafter rotating the closure and ring together.

Over the years there have been many closures and closure systems developed to provide both protection against pilfering or tampering and protection against opening by children. Many of these have been and are effective in economical use, but all have advantages and disadvantages.

The closure herein described at least in the preferred form offers advantages in efficiency, low cost and versatility in use. The sytem was originally developed to add tamperproofing facilities to a range of industrial containers, but it has become obvious that it will also provide a simple and effective child resistant option. 200770

Claims (5)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A closure system comprising a closure provided with a female thread arranged for engagement with a male thread about the neck of a container said closure having a plurality of spaced apart notches on the lower edge thereof; a collar constructed and arranged for non-rotatable mounting on said neck; and interengaging means between said closure and said collar capable of being manipulated manually to release the closure from the collar to allow disengagement of said closure from said neck, said interengaging means being formed integrally with said collar, said interengaging means comprising a plurality of flexibly resilient lugs projecting from said collar, said lugs being arranged so as to be deflected downwardly each hinging on a radial line towards the plane of said collar and to ratchet over said notches when, in use, said closure is screwed onto said neck and wherein said lugs intermesh with said notches when said closure is rotated in the opposite direction preventing further rotation of the closure in said opposite direction.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said collar includes means on the inner surface thereof to engage corresponding means on said neck to prevent relative rotation between said collar and said neck.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said collar includes inwardly directed projections to engage corresponding outwardly directed projections on said container.

4. A closure system when constructed arranged and operable substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to 3 200770 figures 1 to 11 of the drawings accompanying the provisional specification.

5. A necked container having a male threaded section about the neck adjacent the aperture in said container and a closure system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims associated therewith. DATED THIS (g DAY OF A. J. PARK Q' SOU PER AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANT