NZ226388A

NZ226388A - Crimped container closure released by tilting stem

Info

Publication number: NZ226388A
Application number: NZ226388A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Anthony Ritsky
Original assignee: Astra Ab
Priority date: 1987-09-30
Filing date: 1988-09-29
Publication date: 1991-06-25
Also published as: AU2288488A; AU623866B2

Description

4 22 6 38 Date: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TOP HAT Vial Seal Ox I/We. AB ASTRA, a Swedish company, of Kvarnbergagatan 16, S-151 85 Sodertalje, SWEDEN hereby declare the invention for which I / we pray that a patent may be granted to me/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to containers and to an improved closure therefor.

Whilst the present invention is not so limited it is particularly suited for use with vials containing pharmaceuticals/ serums or injectables. It is common practice to seal such vials with a metal closure crimped over a rubber stopper or membrane fitted over, or in the opening of the vial. Such closures are normally made of aluminium or tin. In the past, it has been difficult to remove such closures as the closure design has required the metal at the edge of the closure to tear along a weakened plane prior to removal. Previous designs such as that described have proved to be dangerous as removal of the closure exposed sharp metal edges quite capable of injuring the person opening the vial.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved container and closure therefor which is simple, easy and safe to use.

It is primarily intended that the containers and closures of the present invention be designed for one off opening and use, although the invention is not limited to such applications.

According to the present invention there is provided a sealed container having a body portion, a neck portion and an opening communicating through said neck portion to said body portion said opening being sealed by a closure comprising (a) a cap member having a top with an opening therein and a depending peripheral skirt; and (b) a lever means adapted to be used to remove said cap merrber frcm wherein said stem extends through the opening in said cap member and said cap contact member is retained against the inside surface of the top of the cap member so to prevent the lever means from passing through the cap member and wherein the said closure is attached to the container by securing the peripheral skirt of the cap member to the neck portion of the container, the said closure being characterized by said cap contact member being adapted to move relative to the said cap^ member upon the application of a lateral force against the * ;stem portion of the said lever means. ;The container may be of one of a number of different types and designs known in the art and may be made of either metal, glass or a plastics material. Preferably the container is of glass. ;The container has a body portion and a neck portion; the neck portion being of smaller diameter than the body portion. The neck of the container is preferably provided with an annular rib about its circumference adapted to co-operate with the closure. ;The closure comprises a cap and a lever means. The cap comprises a top having an opening therein and a depending peripheral skirt. The skirt is shaped so that it is adapted to fit over the neck portion of the container. This can be a snap fit but preferably the peripheral skirt is adapted to slide over the neck portion of the container so that it is a close fit. ;The lever means comprises a stem portion and a cap contact member. The stem portion of the lever means is adapted to fit through the opening in the top of the cap. ;WC ;- 3 - ;22 6 3 8 8 ;The stem portion is preferably circular in cross section and of sufficient length so to enable a force to be applied thereto by a persons finger or thumb after it has been inserted through the opening in the top of the closure. The cap contact member is attached to and is preferably integral with the stem. It is most preferably of a circular disc shape of a diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of the top of the cap. ;The lever means is adapted to co-operate with the cap t ;member but for the purposes of the present invention it is important that the cap contact member not be fixed relative to the inside top surface of the cap but rather be able to move independently of the cap member. By not being so fixed a mechanical advantage is obtained - details of when are described below. ;Preferably a stopper is also provided. The stopper is adapted to fit within the opening of container so to seal the contents of the container. Desirably the stopper is made of a material which can be deformed by the cap contact member but which is substantially resilient. Rubber is a suitable material for the stopper. ;The closure made in accordance with this invention is sealingly engaged over the opening of the container as follows ;The closure is assembled by placing the stem portion of the lever means through the opening of the cap. The cap contact member prevents the lever means from being disconnected from the cap as it cannot be pulled through the opening therein (being of larger diameter). The lever means ;WC ;- 4 - ;22 6 38 8 ;is thus interconnected with the cap but is not fixedly-connected thereto. ;The closure is then placed over the top of the container and sealed thereto. Preferably the closure is sealed to the container by crimping the peripheral skirt around the neck of the container. ;In operation a non longitudinal force is applied to the stem portion of the lever means. In practice, this means that the lever means can be operated by applying a force by a finger or thumb to the stem portion in any direction away from the axis of the container and closure. ;As soon as such a force is applied to the stem portion it causes the cap contact member to be displaced from an orientation parallel to the top of the cap to an orientation which is angled away from the top of the cap. As the stem portion moves out of alignment with the axis of the container the side of the cap contact member in the direction of the force being applied moves downward and towards the container neck. At the same time the side of the cap contact member opposite the direction of the force being applied moves upward and into contact with the inside of the top of the cap. ;The force thus applied to the stem is translated to an abutment portion of the cap contact member on the opposite side of the stem to the direction of the force which in turn is translated to one side of the inside of the top of the cap. Further application of force to the stem causes the cap to lift off the neck of the container first on the side to which the cap contact member is applying a force and then completely. ;WC ;- 5 - ;226388 ;In a preferred embodiment of the invention the container is first sealed with a rubber or plastic stopper inserted within the container opening. The cap contact member is preferably made of a material which can deform this stopper. A rigid plastics material is suitable if the stopper is made of rubber. As a force is applied to the stem portion of the lever means in this embodiment/ the cap contact member on the side of the direction of the force moves downwardly towards the container neck and deforms the stopper thus providing further room for the cap contact member to move upon the application of a force before the cap is moved. This allows for better leverage. Preferably the cap contact member is also adapted to remove with the rest of the closure the stopper (if present) located in the opening of the container enabling one off opening and use. ;A preferred embodiment of the invention is described hereafter with reference to the following drawings in which: ;Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a closure made in accordance with the invention and a container and stopper; and ;Figure 2 is a perspective view of a closure made in accordance with the invention attached to a container. Figure 3 is a cut away view of the closure and container prior to the removal of the closure but after an initial force has been applied to the lever means. ;In Figure 1, there is shown a container 1/ a stopper 2 a cap 3 and a lever means 4. The container 1 has a body portion 5 and a neck portion 6. There is an annular rib 7 about the top circumference of neck portion 6 of container 1. ;WC ;- 6 - ;22 6 3 8 8 ;The cap 3 has a top 8 having an opening therein 9. The cap also has a depending peripheral skirt 10. The cap is adapted to fit over stopper 2 and the annular rib 7 and neck portion 6 of container 1. ;Lever means 4 comprises a cap contact member 11 and a stem portion 12. Stem portion 12 of lever means 4 is of a diameter less than or equal to the opening 9 in the top 8 of cap 3. However cap contact member 11 of lever means 4 is of a diameter larger than opening 9 in cap 3. The dimensions of ;9 ;the cap opening 9 and the lever means 4 allows the two elements to co-operate after the insertion of the stem portion 12 of the lever means 4 through opening 9 of cap 3. Cap contact member 11 is brought into contact with the inside top face of cap 3 and prevents the lever means 4 from being pulled all the way through opening 9. Preferably there is a small gap between stem portion 12 and opening 9 so to enable the stem portion to quite readily move out of alignment with the axis of the cap 3. Lever means 4 and cap 3 are not fixedly connected at opening 9 thus allowing cap contact member 11 to move out of alignment with the top 8 of cap 3. ;In figure 2 there is shown a container and closure combination after fixation of the closure. Stopper 2 is placed in the opening 13 of container 1. The lever means 4 is combined with the cap 3 by pushing stem portion 12 through opening 9 and the combination lever means and cap are placed over stopper 2 and neck 6 of container 1. The peripheral skirt 10 is crimped over annular rib 7 onto the container completing the sealing of the container. ;To remove the closure from container 1 it is necessary ;WC ;- 7 - ;22 6 38 8 ;to apply a force to lever means 4. Preferably the force is applied out of the axis of the container and lever means. As seen in figure 3 a force is applied to lever means 4 in the direction of the arrow marked A. When such a force is applied the cap contact member 11 on the side towards which the force is applied 14 moves downwardly towards container neck portion 6 and deforms the contact surface 15 of stopper 2. ;At the same time the other side of cap contact member 11 (shown at 16) applies a force to the top 8 of cap 3. As lever means 4 is capable of moving out of alignment with the top of cap 3 better leverage is obtained thus making it easier to remove cap 3 from container 1. ;By applying a sufficient force to lever means 4 the cap 3 is removed bringing with it the stopper from container 1 thus revealing the unstoppered container for easy access to the container's contents. ;Cap 3 is preferably made of aluminium and is quite easy to remove from container 1 on application of a modest force on stem portion 12. In a preferred form, lever means 4 is of a plastics material manufactured optionally in a variety of different colours so to assist in the identification of the contents of different containers. ;Finally it is to be understood that various alterations modifications and/or additions may be introduced into constructions and parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. ;WC ;- 8 - * A 9 9 £ i o o

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - U ^ ° Tho Claimo dofining thp invention oro as follows

1. A sealed container having a base, a body portion, a neck portion and an opening communicating through said neck portion to said body portion said opening being sealed by a ■*»w' closure comprising (a) a cap member having a top with an opening therein and a depending peripheral skirt; and C3 (b) a lever means adapted to be used to remove said cap member from i the container having a cap contact meirber and an integral stem, wherein said stem extends through the opening in said cap member and said cap contact member is retained against the inside surface of the top of the cap member so to prevent the lever means from passing through the cap member and wherein the said closure is attached to the container by securing the peripheral skirt of the cap member to the neck portion of the container, the said closure being characterized by said cap contact member being adapted to move relative to the said cap member upon the application of a lateral force against the stem portion of the said lever means.

2. A sealed container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure also comprises a stopper inserted into the opening of the container, said stopper being made of a material which is capable of being deformed by said cap contact member such that upon the application of a lateral force against the stem of the said lever means the cap contact member at one edge deforms the stopper and at an opposite edge applies an upward force against the top of the cap member.

3. A sealed container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said ^ --- ■ cap member is adapted to remove said stopper from /v WC - 9 - C o ?263P of the container as the rest of the closure is removed from the neck of the container.

4. A sealed container as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the said stopper is made of rubber and the lever means is made of a rigid plastics material.

5. A sealed container as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the neck portion of the said container is provided about its circumference with an annular rib and said peripheral skirt is crimped over said annular rib.

6. A sealed container as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the said cap contact member is a disc shaped member of approximately the same shape and surface area as the inside surface of the top of the said cap member.

7. A sealed container substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to any one of the drawings. • \ • OWED THB "3Crfh OKI OF A. J. PER AGEN