PL169520B1 - Container closure making its content inaccessible for children - Google Patents

Abstract

A child-resistant closure comprises an inner closure part (50) which is rotatable and axially movable in an outer closure part (10). Leaf springs (24), ratchet ramps (64) and engagable castellations (22, 60) on the closure parts allow the closure to be screwed down easily, but require the outer part to be depressed axially to enable the closure to be unscrewed. The leaf springs also bias the outer closure part rotationally away from each angular position in which it can be depressed. At no time can the closure be left in a condition which would allow the outer closure part to be depressed immediately. The leaf springs have cross-sections tapering towards their free ends, and are radiused at the acute angle with the outer closure part. There are sixteen castellations on each closure part so that the closure does not have to be rotated through more than 22.5 DEG before it can be depressed. The closure and the container neck have four-start, fully engaging square-section threads. Once depressed, the closure can be unscrewed by rotation through about 90 DEG or less. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly for closing a container that is difficult for children to reach.

The invention also relates to various aspects of the container as well as various aspects of the neck of the container and aspects of the neck closure.

In this description, the child-resistant container closure assembly comprises an inner closure portion adapted to engage the neck of the container by rotation in one direction and to be disengaged from it by rotation in the other direction, an outer closure portion adapted to move relative to the inner closure between a predetermined rest position and a displaced position, means for rotating the inner closure together with the outer closure when rotating the latter in said one direction when the outer closure is in each rest and displaced position, and means for rotating the inner closure together with the outer closure when rotating the latter in the said second direction when the outer closure is the said second direction when the outer closure is in the displaced position, but when the outer closure is in the rest position only when any torque against rotation of the inner closure is below a predetermined threshold, with the outer closure

169 520 can assume its displaced position only when the angular displacement with respect to the inner closure is within any of a number of predetermined discrete angular ranges. It should be noted that the term discontinuous angular ranges covers the case where these ranges are zero and the outer closure can assume its displaced position only at discontinuous angles with respect to the inner closure.

The prior art of a child-resistant container closure assembly is described in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,894,647, 4,213,534, 3,770,153, 3,944,101, 3,831,797, 43,776,497, 39,944 103 and in the PCT application No. WO 90/04546.

The prior art of tamper evident container closure assemblies is described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,147,268, 4,157,144, 4,746,026, 3,944,102, 3,737,064, 4,493,427.

Additional prior art relating to container closure assemblies is described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,662,530,4,669,624, 4,289,248, 3,347,403, EP-A-0117948 and French Nos. 2,572. 369, 2 558 443, 2 036 272.

Many known child resistant closures include a plurality of equidistant slopes on the outer surface of the convex portion of the inner closure engaging a plurality of equidistant, resilient, oblique blades extending internally from the convex portion of the outer closure. When viewed from the center of the respective parts of the closure, the slopes are of a right triangle cross section having a horizontal base, a vertical left side and a hypotenuse and the blades extend diagonally downward from the left towards the lower right free end.

When the outer closure is rotated clockwise, i.e. to the right, the free ends of the vanes abut the vertical faces of the slopes, thereby taking the inner closure together with the outer closure.

When the outer closure is rotated in the second direction to the left, i.e. counterclockwise, the paddles simply slide over the inclines in a ratchet fashion and the inner closure is secured to the container by a closure moment.

Typically, there are splines on both the inner and outer closure portions which engage when the outer closure is pressed. The inner closure is then rotated with the outer closure. Upon release of the outer closure, the vanes act as leaf springs returning them to a rest position where the splines are disengaged.

Child resistant closure systems normally use the ability of the closure to spring back whenever pressure is applied, generally at right angles to the thread plane. Even in rare cases, if the two parts of the closure do not spring apart and disengage, the closure is no longer child resistant. It is therefore essential that the paddles acting as leaf springs constantly maintain sufficient resilience to exert sufficient biasing pressure on both closure parts to be disjointed each time except where direct and sufficient pressure is applied to engage the closure system. The main obstacle to the correct operation of the existing systems each time is the weakness of the leaf springs, which in the past were usually of equal thickness, with an acute angle on the inside edge where the leaf spring meets the flat surface of the underside of the upper part of the closure. This design is potentially unsatisfactory as the leaf springs can weaken at the connection point of the flat surface of the underside of the closure top and the plates themselves tend to stiffen so that they do not flex along the length of the leaf spring.

To overcome this problem, to provide greater flexibility and to ensure the resilience of the leaf springs and thus the ability to separate the two parts of the closure apart, and to ensure that when the plane and the lower part are closed,

169 520 the closures remain parallel, the present solution includes a child-resistant closure assembly.

A further problem arises when the closure is intended primarily for use by the elderly and therefore has to be easy to open, but has to be child resistant for safety reasons. Known closures of this type usually use two, three or four splines, but this requires a rotation of the closure up to 180 ° before the splines are connected. It is desirable to engage with much less rotation, and according to a further aspect of the present solution a container neck and closure are provided, the closure shifting from the fully closed to fully open position by relative rotation of less than 360 °, preferably about 90 ° or less, and the closure is child resistant and the number of such predetermined discontinuous angular ranges is such that the angular displacement of the outer closure with respect to the inner closure between adjacent positions in which the outer closure can slide into a displaced position is not more than 45 ° and preferably not greater than 25 °.

The preferred angular displacement is 22 ° in which case, from its normal rest position, the outer closure will be moved to a position where it can be moved in displaced position by 12.25 ° rotation relative to the inner closure. This preferred arrangement is obtained by employing a closure having sixteen splines in which the maximum rotation required for connection is only one sixteenth, i.e. 22.5 °. This is an important feature used in conjunction with the container and closure according to our international patent application No. PCT / GB91 / 00850, where in the recommended solution the closure can be removed only by a quarter of a turn, and the introduction of the child resistant feature does not reduce the possibility of opening the closure by approximately quarter turn. This aspect particularly supports and facilitates the opening of the closure by the elderly and the weak by simply twisting the wrist without having to mix the closure on the container, even if it is resistant to the child's action.

The number of slopes in known closures varies but is usually three, four or six. For stability reasons, the number of blades should be greater than two and should be a multiplier of the number of slopes.

In the past, discontinuous angular ranges of angular displacement of closure portions have been used whereby the splines may overlap were such that the free ends of the blades on the outer closure lie between the slopes on the inner closure.

The result was the possibility of leaving the container on which the closure was installed such a closure portions so that the splines could be joined by simply pressing the outer closure directly. This situation could occur when the closure was applied with the outer closure portion depressed, or when the adult pressed the outer closure but did not intentionally remove the closure.

The present solution aims to overcome the above problem and comprises, in a further aspect, a child-resistant closure solution.

The present invention relates to an assembly for closing a container that is difficult for children to reach. The assembly has a container neck and a container closure, the container neck is cut with a first thread and a first stop unit, and the container closure includes an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a second thread cut for threaded engagement with a first thread on the container neck, furthermore. having cooperating abutments on the inner and outer portions to retain the inner portion to the outer portion and to restrict axial movement of the inner portion to the outer portion, a first set of splines on the inner portion; a second set of splines on the outer part arranged to engage the first set of splines on the inner part while the outer part is axially displaced in

169 520 towards the inner part to allow full torque to be applied to the inner part, a set of cantilevered leaf springs extending from the first inner and outer parts to the second inner and outer parts. Each cantilever leaf spring having a cross-section tapers towards its free end, and the profile at the sharp angle between each cantilever leaf spring and the closure portion from which it departs is radial.

Cantilever leaf springs are supported against the second inner and outer portions to accelerate the outer portion axially extending away from the inner portion such that the first and second sets of splines are normally held in mutual engagement. Each of the cantilever leaf springs has a distal end and at the distal end a support surface, while the other of the inner and outer portions includes a set of adjacent ratchet projections each including a shoulder surface and an inclined surface, the abutment surface being substantially radial and constructed. and arranged to engage the support surface of one of the cantilever leaf springs as the outer part is rotated in the first direction until closure is achieved with the neck hence allowing the full torque to be applied to the inner part in the first direction of rotation. Each inclined surface is constructed and positioned to allow the cantilevered leaf springs to slide over the ratchet projection when the outer closure portion is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction without the first and second sets of splines engaged in mutual engagement. The cantilever leaf springs transmitting only a limited torque to the ratchet lugs due to frictional engagement of the cantilever leaf springs sliding over the sloping surface of said ratchet lugs further has a second stop device on the inner portion for engaging the first stop device on the neck of the container while screwing the closure into a closed position on the neck to keep this closure in the closed position. First and second stop devices constructed and positioned to resist the loosening of the closure from a closed position up to a predetermined release torque applied to the inner portion in a second direction, where the predetermined release torque is greater than the limited friction torque of the cantilever leaf springs and ratchet lugs upon rotation of the outer portion in the second direction without the first and second sets of splines engaged with each other.

It is preferred that the container closure is movable between a fully closed position and a position at which the closure is fully disengaged from the neck by rotation of about 90 ° or less.

It is also preferable that the assembly includes a tamper-evident ring that fits over the child-resistant closure.

It is preferred that the first and second threads comprise fully engaging thread profiles to prevent play between the container and the closure and to secure axial movement of the closure on the container and that the first and second threads have a square or rectangular cross section.

It is further preferred that the first stop device includes retention members on one of the neck portions and the closure, and the second abutment assembly includes one or more ribs or projections on the second closure and neck for engagement with the retention members.

It is preferred that the assembly includes a straight diametral grip extending from the outer portion of the closure.

It is also preferred that the first and second sets of splines each include sixteen or more splines.

It is further preferred that the slope ratchet surfaces and cantilever leaf springs are positioned with respect to the first and second sets of splines such that when the splines are aligned with each other so that they can be mutually engaged,

Then the abutment surfaces of the cantilever leaf springs resiliently hold the ratchet protrusions against the sloping surfaces to generate a rotational force between the inner and outer parts to remove pressure from the outer part originating from the lined up orientation, the outer portion not being left free in said lined up orientation. wherein the splines may be mutually engaged.

Finally, it is preferable that the first and second threads have four thread starts.

The subject matter of the invention has been shown in the drawing, in which fig. 1 shows an external longitudinal section of a closure forming part of a child-resistant closure, fig. 2 - bottom view of the outer closure of fig. 1, fig. 3 top view of a corresponding inner closure, fig. 4 - bottom view of the inner closure of fig. 3, fig. 5 - longitudinal section of the inner closure of fig. 3 and 4, fig. 6 - side view of the inner closure of fig. 3-5, fig. 7 - longitudinal section an assembled closure fixed on the neck of the container, and Fig. 8 is a side view showing the outline of a blade in the form of a leaf spring.

As shown in Fig. 1, the outer closure 310 made of molded plastic (other suitable materials may be used) consists of a top 312 and a shell 314. Top 312 has a diameter handle 316 on its outer surface. A particular embodiment of the handle shown includes a middle handle. opening 318. An internally projecting bead extends toward the lower free end of shell 314 to retain an outer closure on the inner closure as will be described below.

Figures 1 and 2 show that the inner surface of the top portion 312 is provided with sixteen parallel splines 322 of substantially rectangular shape and four equidistant oblique spring blades 324. The spring blades 324 extend circumferentially from the upper left end 326 as seen from the center of the closure to the bottom. right free end 328.

As shown in FIGS. 3-6, an inner closure 350 made of molded plastic (other suitable materials may be used) includes a head portion 352 and a skirt portion 354. The interior surface of skirt portion 354 is provided with a long pitch thread 356 of square shape. section 356 and vertical ribs 358, the function and purpose of which are described in our international patent application No. PCT / GB91 / 00850. The top of skirt portion 354 is provided with a chamfered sealing surface

A securing ring 370 extends from the lower end of the inner closure shell 354 to be described below.

Head portion 352 is provided around its periphery with sixteen vertical substantially rectangular splines. The tongues 360 engage with complementary tongues 322 on the outer closure 310 (see FIG. 2). The outer periphery of skirt 354 includes a projecting rib below which a bead 320 is held on the outer closure 310 when the inner closure 350 and the outer closure 310 are assembled. The extent of axial movement of the outer closure 310 with respect to the inner closure allows the engagement and disengagement of two sets of splines 360, 322.

FIG. 5 partially and fully FIG. 3 show sixteen parallel slopes 364 disposed on the top surface of the inner closure with a rim portion 352. Viewed from the center of the closure, each ramp 364 has a substantially cross-section of a right triangle with a horizontal base and vertical left side 366. and hypotenuse ending in the right side 368.

When the outer closure 310 is placed over the inner closure 350 and after the outer closure 310 is rotated clockwise, the free ends 328 of the resilient blades 324 abut the vertical side 366 of their respective slopes, thereby rotating the inner closure 350 together with the outer closure 310.

169 520

However, assuming that the inner closure 350 is particularly firmly seated in place, e.g., by a closure torque, counterclockwise rotation of the outer closure 310 will only cause the spring blades 324 to slide over the slopes 364 as in a ratchet.

To rotate the inner closure 350 counterclockwise, it is necessary that the outer closure 310 is pressed against the action of the resilient blades 324 to allow the engagement of complementary splines 322, 360.

The handle 316 allows the elderly or infirm more easily to apply the force needed to push down and connect the two housing parts, while the handle 316 facilitates twisting the closure for opening. The same principles and benefits apply when closing. Thus, the handle 316 makes the closure easier to actuate, despite having a child resistant feature, as compared to standard child resistant closures which many non-child people find difficult to open.

Alternatively, the handle 316 could be replaced by four side flanges on the outer closure 310 to again allow for easier opening and closing, or a standard cap with ribbed outer edges.

The relative angular displacements at which the complementary splines 322,360 may be joined correspond to the positions at which the free ends 328 of the spring blades 324 have already traveled some distance along and up the corresponding slopes 354. They therefore correspond to positions of increased potential energy. The resilience of the paddles 324 is such that, when externally closed in such displacement, the free ends 328 of the paddles have a tendency to return down the sloping surfaces of the slopes 364 to the right side 368. As soon as this occurs, the complementary splines are no longer oriented to be directly connected. one with the other. Thus, all of the rotationally stable connections of the outer closure 310 to the inner closure 350 correspond to the orientation of the splines 322, 360 in which they cannot be directly engaged by pressing the outer closure 310 only.

4-6 is a detailed depiction of a tamper-evident ring 370 positioned on the inner closure 350. Up to and integrally with the top of the ring are eight connecting members 372 that tap upward from the relatively thick bottom region to the relatively thin breakable area. a bridge connected to the inner closure shell 354. On the interior of the retaining ring 370, there are eight triangular ring locating connections 376 between the connecting members 376 adapted to engage with a circumferential projection on the outer surface of the container neck.

The assembled closure is shown in Figure 7, and specific details of the threads 356 and vertical rib 358 and the seal between closure and container 390 can be found in our two patents cited herein. As shown in Figure 7, the thread has a substantially square cross-section, creating a positive and axial alignment of the two closure portions. The container 390 includes a projecting peripheral shoulder 392 that connects to the connections 376 for retaining the ring. Unscrewing the closure will stretch and break the frangible bridges 374.

Fig. 8 shows a preferred vane profile in the form of a leaf spring 324:

As can be seen, leaf spring 324 'is thicker at the base and becomes progressively thinner towards its free end 394. The connection of leaf spring 324' to the rest of outer closure 310 is rounded for extra strength. This contour gives leaf spring 324 'sufficient resilience and strength to ensure that the outer closure 310 and inner closure 350 always remain separate unless axial pressure is applied to counteract the bias of the springs 324'.

An important advantage of this solution is that, in combination with the features of the container and closure described in PCT / GB91 / 00850, it is the only child resistant closure that opens after half a turn, i.e. 180 °, and generally about a quarter turn. i.e.

169 520

90 ° or less, and also in combination with the neck of the container. It is the only child resistant closure system that can be combined with both the tamper-evident ring and the sealing foil, making the closure air and fluid tight when the foil is removed or torn.

The closure of the container is difficult for children to access. It is advantageously easy to open, for example by elderly or handicapped people, but has the property of being child-resistant.

The closure is a genuine child resistant closure and the container neck and closure include means to keep the closure closed on the neck of the container, retaining means to hold the closure closed sufficiently strongly that the outer closure portion is pivotable in the other direction relative to the inner closure when the inner closure is closed. is in the rest position.

The retainers may include one or more inwardly facing projections on the inner closure to cooperate with one or more outwardly facing projections on the container neck.

At least one of the projections may have a circumferential slope over which the second projection can move relatively easily as the closure approaches the closed position and a relatively steep or radial abutting surface against which the other projection abuts when the closure is unscrewed from the closed position.

The container closure assembly is a child resistant closure and includes a plurality of cantilever leaf springs extending obliquely from one closure portion towards the other closure portion, each cantilever leaf spring having a cross section tapering toward its free end.

The contour at the sharp end between each cantilever leaf spring and the portion of the closure from which the spring departs is radial.

Additionally or alternatively, said second closure portion may have a plurality of angularly spaced ratchet rises against which the leaf springs abut to limit rotation of the outer closure portion relative to the inner portion in said one direction but to allow such rotation in the other direction. The number of ratchet slopes can be as high as sixteen.

The closure moves from the fully closed to the fully open position by relative rotation of less than 360 °, preferably about 90 ° or less, the closure being a child resistant closure and the number of such predetermined discontinuous angular ranges is such that the angular displacement of the outer the closure with respect to the inner closure between adjacent positions in which the outer closure can move to the displaced position is not more than 45 ° and preferably not more than 25 °.

The closure may include means for pivoting the outer closure relative to the inner closure from any angular position from which the outer closure can slide into its displaced position.

The angular displacement may be about 22.5 [deg.] In which case, from a normal rest position, the outer closure may move to a position where it can be moved in that displaced position by turning 12.25 [deg.] With respect to the inner closure. The arrangement is realized by a closure having sixteen splines in which the maximum rotation required for engagement is only one sixteenth, i.e. 22.5 [deg.]. In one embodiment, the angular displacement can be about 22.5 °, then the closure can be moved from the fully closed to the fully open position by relative rotation of about 90 ° or less.

The assembly for the closure of the child resistant container is a child resistant closure and includes means for pivoting the outer closure relative to the inner closure beyond any angular displacement in which the outer closure can assume its displaced position to the appropriate position.

169 520 angular displacement whereby the outer closure cannot assume its displaced position.

The rotatable biasing member may apply a moment whose absolute value is greater than any frictional moment resisting the relative rotation of the closure portion.

In a preferred case, it is impossible to leave the closure according to the invention in a state in which direct movement of the inner closure from the rest position to the displaced position is possible. The outer closure must first be turned against a slight retraction force before such displacement can be caused.

The means for rotating the inner closure together with the outer closure may include a ratchet mechanism that restricts rotation of the outer closure relative to the inner closure in said one direction, but allows such rotation in said other direction.

The rotary deflection element may be a ratchet mechanism.

The number of discontinuous angular ranges may be equal to the number of stable ratchet positions.

The number of such discontinuous angular ranges may be at least eight, preferably sixteen. This will allow the closure to be removed with relatively little rotation.

The container closure assembly is a child resistant closure and the container and the closure have fully threaded contours to avoid movement between the container and the closure and to provide axial movement of the closure on the container, the closure being movable from fully open to fully closed position by internal rotation. closures of about 90 ° or less, and the container and closure further include retaining means for maintaining the closure in the closed position.

The retainer may include one or more protrusions on the container neck to engage one or more protrusions on the container neck to engage one or more protrusions on the closure. The protrusions may snap behind each other when the closure is pivoted into or out of the fully closed position.

The container closure unit is a child resistant closure. The angular positions at which the outer closure can slide into the displaced position are defined by splines on the inner part and the outer part of the closure, with at least eight and preferably sixteen equiangularly spaced splines on at least one of the parts, the splines engaging each other when pressed the outer closure and the closure further comprises resiliently biased ratchet members for deflecting the inner and outer closure from each other and for limiting rotation of the outer closure relative to the inner closure in said one direction, but allowing such rotation in the other direction when the splines are not engaged. the ratchet biases the outer closure in a rotational direction beyond an angular position in which the outer closure can slide into its displaced position. The closure is movable from fully open to fully closed position by relative rotation of about 90 ° or less, and the container neck and closure further include retaining means for holding the closure in the closed position tight enough for the outer closure to be pivotable in a second direction with respect to the inner closure. when the inner closure is in the rest position.

The retainers can be one or more projections on the neck of the container for engagement with one or more projections on the closure. The protrusions may snap behind each other when the closure is rotated into or out of the fully closed position.

The container closure assembly is a resistant closure in combination with a tamper-evident ring. The securing ring may be attached to the inner closure. The closure may be removable by relative rotation of 360 ° or less, preferably 180 ° or less, and more preferably 90 ° or less.

169 520

The closure includes a tamper-evident ring, the tamper-evident ring initially being substantially covered by the closure when it is attached to the neck of the container, the arrangement being such that when the closure is first removed from the neck of the container, the locking ring remains substantially visible on the neck of the container. when the closure is reapplied to the neck.

The tamper-evident ring may be integrally formed with the closure, or at least a substantial portion thereof. The ring may be adapted to be retained on the neck of the container.

The tamper evident ring may be movably held on the neck of the container, and the assembly may further include a removable retaining member for initially retaining the retaining ring in a first position in which it is substantially covered by the closure, the retainer releasing the retaining ring when after the first time the closure is removed from the container to allow the ring to be moved to a second position where it will not be substantially covered by the closure when it is reapplied to the neck of the container.

The retention element may include separable connections between the securing ring and the closure, which connections are completely detached upon the first removal of the closure from the neck of the container. The detachable connections can be integrally molded with the circlip and the closure.

The security ring may be tinted with a color that contrasts with the container so that it will be clearly visible and easily discernible at a glance just after the closure is first removed. Incidentally, the locking ring may be colored red as a warning color.

The part of the neck of the container on which the securing ring is seated in its visible second position may be colored in a color contrasting both with the rest of the container and with the securing ring. When the lock ring is in its first hidden position, this part of the neck will be visible and may be tinted a calm color such as blue or green to indicate that the lock ring is intact.

The securing ring can be slidably held over a portion of the neck and is supported thereon. This prevents the person who maliciously tampered with the container from dropping the securing ring.

In the second position, the securing ring may be separated from the bottom of the closure by a distance at least equal to the axial width of the ring. In such an arrangement, the user may at a glance see that the securing ring is disconnected from the closure.

The closure may include a recess or lumen in which the securing ring is held in its covered first position. The detachable connections are preferably formed between the inner wall or walls of the recess and the edge of the securing ring. The recess may be formed by a closure skirt which covers the securing ring.

The closure includes a safety ring formed as a whole with at least a substantial portion of the closure, the lock ring being connected by detachable connections each of which is a relatively wide or thick portion adjacent to the closure, tapering into a thin demarcated zone at the point where that connection meets the closure. lock ring, so that when used, the lock ring will have a relatively smooth surface when detached.

This will avoid undesirable projecting burrs which remain on the surface of some conventional circlips after breaking the disconnected joints.

Detachable connections may be formed between the top surface of the securing ring and the bottom or top surface of the closure.

The arrangement is particularly advantageous when the closure substantially covers the securing ring when the closure has not yet been removed from the container neck for the second time.

169 520 first. With such an arrangement, the thick or wide portions of the separated joints remain fully attached to the inner surface.

After that, maneuvering the closure or container to which the closure is attached, such as putting it down, dropping it, tossing it, or putting it in a handy first aid kit, will in most cases be sufficient to slightly move the outer closure relative to the inner closure. The outer closure will then abut closer if it does not actually occupy the appropriate angular displacement. It is therefore extremely difficult to leave the closure in its original state during normal use.

Preferably, the means for rotating the inner closure together with the outer closure includes a ratchet mechanism that restricts rotation of the outer closure relative to the inner closure in one direction but allows such rotation in the other direction. Preferably, the rotary biasing means comprises a ratchet mechanism. Preferably the number of such discontinuous angular ranges equals the number of stable ratchet positions. When the features of this solution are combined with the solution disclosed in our international patent application No. PCT / GB91 / 00850, it is preferable that the number of such discontinuous angular ranges is at least eight and preferably sixteen. This ensures that the closure can be removed with a relatively small amount of rotation.

According to a further aspect of the solution there is provided a container and a closure as claimed in PCT / GB91 / 00850 or a child resistant closure, wherein the neck of the container and the container closure are completely threaded to avoid movement between the container and the closure and to ensure axial sliding of the closure on the container. The threads should have a square cross-section rather than the conventional V-cross section for maximum stability after first thread engagement and subsequent build-up, so when combined with four threads as described in our patent application No. PCT / GB91 / 00850, the square cross-section thread ensures that closure it is pushed into a closed position in a parallel plane facilitating its connection to the child resistant closure by one simple twist of the wrist. The same applies to opening. There is still another useful aspect of combining the features of the above solution with closure systems of PCT / GB91 / 00850. On the one hand, this combination allows a container and a closure to be provided, comprising means for retaining the closure in a closed position on the neck of the container, the closure being a child-resistant closure and retaining means, in use, holding the closure in the closed position sufficiently tight that the outer part of the closure. the closure is rotatable in said second direction with respect to the inner part of the closure when the inner part is in the rest position. The closure system preferably includes means to ensure that the closure is closed in the same position each time. The closure system provides for the functioning of a child-resistant closure in which, when closed, the resistance to opening is great enough to overcome the child-resistant feature, but weak enough to be overcome by a child-resistant system properly connected by an adult.

The actual child resistant closure is preferably as claimed in PCT / GB91 / 00850. The advantage of this feature is that, once the closure system is connected, it is retained on the container such that the child-resistant closure mechanism works effectively, but that the closure can be released as soon as the outer part of the closure is moved to the displaced position using a predetermined application. moment. Conventional child resistant closures are threaded onto the neck threads with resilient blades for a rotation greater than 360 ° for the closure. It is essential for all conventional child resistant systems with resilient blades that they screw in very tight when closed, otherwise the child resistant system will not work at all and the main purpose of such a system is not fulfilled. Conventional child-resistant systems are therefore clearly flawed, as the weak, the elderly and those suffering from arthritis cannot

Close such containers, or close them properly or even if they have been tightly closed, possibly by someone else, reopen them. This solution overcomes the problem with conventional child resistant closures that the closure is properly tightened since the closure does not need to be tightly closed to actuate the child resistant system and is therefore particularly suitable for arthritic, weak and elderly people as it is a combination of new systems. the closures allow for the easy opening and closing of containers, bottles and closures with approximately a quarter turn, together with an effective child resistant system.

FIG 4

169 520

FIG. 6

169 520

FIG. 7

FIG. S.

390

169 520

Publishing Department of the UP RP. Circulation of 90 copies Price PLN 4.00

Claims (10)

Patent claims A container closure assembly with a difficult access for children, characterized in that it has a container neck (3100) t a container closure, the container neck (3100) having a first thread cut and the first stop device, and the container closure includes an inner portion (350). ) and an outer part (310), the inner part (350) having a cut second thread (356) for threading engagement with the first thread on the neck of the container, further having mating abutments on the inner and outer parts to retain the inner part to the outer part and to allow the axial movement of the inner part to be limited in the outer part, a first set of splines (322) on the inner part (350); a second set of splines on the outer portion (310) arranged to engage the first set of splines (322) on the inner portion (350) while the outer portion (310) is axially displaced towards the inner portion (350) to allow full torque to be applied to the portion inner (350), a set of cantilever leaf springs (324) extending from the first inner and outer portions to the second inner and outer portions, each cantilever leaf spring having a cross section taper towards its free end (328) and the profile at a sharp point. the angle between each cantilever leaf spring (324) and the closure portion from which it departs is radial, said cantilever leaf springs (324) being supported against the second inner and outer portions to accelerate the outer portion axially extending away from the inner portion so that the first and second sets of splines are n ormally held in mutual engagement, each of the cantilever leaf springs (324) having a distal end and at the distal end a support surface, while the other inner and outer portions include a set of adjacent ratchet projections each including a shoulder surface and a support surface. an inclined where the abutment surface is substantially radial and has been constructed and arranged to engage the abutment surface of one of the cantilever leaf springs (324) during rotation of the outer part in a first direction to achieve neck closure thereby allowing full torque to be applied to the inner part in the first direction of rotation each inclined surface (364) being constructed and arranged to allow the cantilever leaf springs (324) to slide over the ratchet projection when the outer closure portion is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction. without the first and second sets of splines (322,360) engaging each other, the cantilever leaf springs (324) transmitting only limited torque to the ratchet projections due to frictional engagement of the cantilever leaf springs (324) sliding over the slope surface (364) of said projections ratchets further has a second stop device on the inner portion for engaging the first stop device on the neck of the container while screwing the closure into a closed position on the neck to hold the closure in a closed position, the first and second stop devices constructed and positioned to resist loosening the closure from a closed position. position up to a predetermined release torque applied to the inner portion in the second direction, wherein the predetermined release torque is greater than the limited friction torque of the cantilever leaf springs (324) and the ratchet lugs upon rotation of the outer portion in the second direction without the first and second sets of splines engaged with each other. 169 520 Container closure assembly according to claim 1. The closure of claim 1, wherein the closure is movable between a fully closed position and a position at which the closure is fully disengaged from the neck by rotation of about 90 ° or less. 3. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The anti-tampering ring (370) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, which fits into the child-resistant closure. 4. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the first and second threads comprise fully engaging thread profiles to prevent play between the container and the closure and to secure axial movement of the closure on the container. 5. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second threads have a square or rectangular cross section. 6. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 1, wherein the first stop device includes retention members on one of the neck portions (3100) and the closure and the second stop device includes one or more ribs (358) or projections on the second closure and neck for engagement with the retention members. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 1, wherein the straight diagonal handle (316) extends from an outer portion of the closure (310). 8. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of splines (322, 360) each include sixteen or more splines. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratchet ramp surfaces (364) and cantilever leaf springs are disposed with respect to the first and second sets of splines such that when the splines are aligned with each other so as to be mutually engageable, the abutment surfaces of the cantilever leaf springs (324) resiliently retain the ratchet lugs against the sloping surfaces to create a rotational force between the inner and outer portions to remove pressure from the outer portion from the aligned orientation, the outer portion not being left free in said aligned orientation, wherein the splines may be mutually coupled. 10. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second threads have four thread starts.