US3836034A

US3836034A - Safety closure, fitment and finish

Info

Publication number: US3836034A
Application number: US00260105A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Lecinski
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1972-06-06
Filing date: 1972-06-06
Publication date: 1974-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-17
Also published as: AU470250B2; DE2249009A1; FR2187628A1; FR2187628B1; JPS545334Y2; AU5281473A; ZA726643B; CA1018102A; ZA73772B; JPS4957354U

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a novel safety closure combination in which a generally annular fitment is secured to a container finish by an interlocked bead and groove defining a slip fit, and a closure secured to the fitment by cooperative threads and lugs with means resistive to rotation of the closure relative to the fitment in an opening direction whereby upon the application of opening force to the closure tending to rotate the same the closure and fitment will rotate in unison thereby precluding inadvertent access to the container contents. The closure and fitment are preassembled prior to being interlocked upon the container finish, and the fitment includes an interior tapered lead surface which permits the fitment to flex radially outwardly whereby the bead thereof can pass inwardly of the closure beyond the lugs and into the fitment groove.

Description

United States Patent 1 Lecinski, Jr.

[ Sept. 17, 1974 SAFETY CLOSURE, FITMENT AND FINISH Frank H. Lecinski, Jr., l-larwood Heights, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,

New York, NY.

221 Filed: June 6,1972

211 App]. No.: 260,105

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 215/9 [51] Int. Cl 865d 55/02 [58] Field of Search 2l5/9, 83, 95

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,603,472 9/l97l Lecinski 215/95 X 3,677,43l 7/1972 Westfall 2l5/9 X Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Diller, Brown, Ramik & Wright O l-lOLD PLFYSTlC [57] ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to a novel safety closure combination in which a generally annular fitment is secured to a container finish by an interlocked bead and groove defining a slip fit, and a closure secured to the fitment by cooperative threads and lugs with means resistive to rotation of the closure relative to the fitment in an opening direction whereby upon the application of opening force to the closure tending to rotate the same the closure and fitment will rotate in unison thereby precluding inadvertent access to the container contents.

The closure and fitment are preassembled prior to being interlocked upon the container finish, and the fitment includes an interior tapered lead surface which permits the fitment to flex radially outwardly whereby the bead thereof can pass inwardly of the closure beyond the lugs and into the fitment groove.

25 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures SAFETY CLOSURE, FITMENT AND FINISH Safety closures have recently come into prominence because of the desirability of federal, state and local agencies to preclude or substantially reduce accidental illness and/or death resulting from the consumption of packaged products. A most notable example is that of infants or younger children opening aspirin bottles and consuming the contents thinking it to be candy.

It is because of such typical overdosages that many conventional so-called childproof closures or simply safety closures have been developed. Unfortunately, such conventional safety closures generally include a variety of disadvantages, the most common of which is the relatively high manufacturing cost involved due to intricate container and/or closure design. This is particularly true in the production of small lots wherein the cost of the dies themselves, in the case of injection and- /or compression molding techniques, is prohibitive from a cost standpoint.

Another disadvantage is the difficutly in intentionally opening many typical safety closures, the most common of which is various varities of palm and twist types. This has been found to be true when such closures are attempted to be opened by older or uneducated persons, particularly if they are handicapped or, for example, suffering from arthristis. It is for these and other reasons that the Food and Drug Administration lists among its requirements for safety closures not only criteria for precluding the accidental removal of a closure from an associate container, but criteria for the relatively easy removal of safety closrues when such removal is intentionally desired. For example, under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) the Food and Drug Administration published as its protocol a minimum level of effectiveness at 85 percent for children receiving no opening instructions and 80 percent after instructions. Indication are that all products subject to the PPPA will have to conform to the same standard, coupled with a requirement that 90 percent of the adults tested must also be able to open and reclose childproof or child-resistant packages.

Another disadvantage of conventional safety closures is the ability thereof to close but not hermetically seal associated containers. This is not. overly disadvantageous when solid products are packaged, such as aspirin, solid preparations harmful to health but not hygroscopic, etc. However, under the PPPA such liquid products as furniture polish, oil of Wintergreen, sulfuric acid, harmful hygroscopic solid substances, etc., will necessarly have to be packaged in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

In view of the foregoing disadvantages of conventional safety or child resistant closures, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a safety closure which not only precludes inadvertent and/or accidental operation thereof, but permits ease of removal when intentionally desired, and can be used with liquid or solid products.

with the latter including means for cooperatively connecting the closure to the fitment coupling means, and means resistive to the rotation of the closure relative to the fitment in an opening direction whereby upon the application of opening force to the closure tending to rotate the same the closure and fitment will rotate in unison due to the slip securement thereby precluding the accidental and/or inadvertent removal of the safety closure from an associated container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel closure of the type immediately heretofore sct forth wherein sealing means is disposed between the closure and fitment for not only providing a seal but also for augmenting the frictional purchase therebetween to assure unified rotation of the closure and fitment except during intentional removal which necessitates relative relation between the closure and fitment.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel clousre of the type set forth wherein the closure is secured to threads of the fitment by lugs of the peripheral skirt, and the resistive means are walls aligned for abutmnet by the lugs upon rotation of the clousre in an opening direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel safety closure of the type heretofore defined in combination with a novel container finish having means between the finish and inner peripheral fitment surface for spacing a major portion of the latter away from the finish thereby allowing a simple press-on of the cap and fitment assembly to the associate container and to provide reduced frictional purchase to permit rotation of the fitment and closure in unison.

In further keeping with this invention it is an object to provide a novel dimensional relationship between an inner tapered lead surface of the fitment, the finish bead and the location thereof relative to the closure lugs and finish threads when interlocked, the over-all effect thereof permitting the bead to pass into the closure at or slightly beyond the interlocked threads and lugs with minor resistance, and thereafter increased resistance is offset by outward flexing of the fitment until such time as the finish bead and fitment groove interlock.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view with portions broken away and shown in section for clarity, and illustrates a closure, a fitment and a container finish constructed in accordance with this invention prior to the pre-assembly of the closure and fitment and the subsequent assembly thereof upon the container finish.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the fitment of FIG. 3 with a portion broken away and shown in section for clarity, and illustrates pairs of cooperative stops for releasably retaining lugs of the closure in interlocked relationship with threads of the fitment.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the fitment of FIG. 2, again with a portion thereof broken away for clarity, and illustrates details of the finish threads and stops.

FIG. 4 is a developed view of a 120 portion of the fitment, and more clearly illustrates constructural details thereof.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4, and illustrates the cross-sectional configuration of one pair of the stops and a portion of the thread spanning the same.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the now assembled closure and fitment with a portion thereof broken away for clarity, and illustrates the elements preassembled prior to being applied to the container finish.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectial view taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6, and illustrates in the interlocked condition the manner in which a lug of the closure lies beneath an associated thread and between a pair of the associated stops.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the preassembled closure and fitment of FIGS. 6 and 7, and particularly illustrates a dimensional relationship between a tapered inner lead surface of the fitment, the finish bead, and lugs of the clousre at a position of partial assembly with the container finish.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the preassembled closure and fitment assembled to the container finish.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 1010 of FIG. 9, and more clearly illustrates the assembled relationship of the components and particularly the interlocked relationship between the finish bead and the fitment groove.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 11-1l of FIG. 10 and illustrates the manner in which relative rotation between the closure and fitment is utilized for opening and closing purposes.

FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of another fitment constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates projections on an end face thereof.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 10, but illustrates the fitment of FIG. 12 and the manner in which the projections interlock with sealing compound of the closure.

A novel safety closure constructed in accordance with this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10, and includes a closure or cap 11 and a fitment 12 therefor. When united or pre-assembled in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter the safety closure 10 is assembled upon a container 13.

The closure 10 is of a conventional construction and includes an end panel 14, a depending peripheral skirt l5, and an inwardly upwardly and downwardly directed curl or bead 16 which is interrrupted to define three locking lugs 17 of which only one is illustrated in the drawings. The locking lugs 17 are disposed equally about the periphery of the cap 11. The cap 11 is preferably constructed from metallic material and sealing compound 18 (FIG. 8) may be applied to the interior in -a conventional manner if the contents of the container 13 are liquid. Otherwise the sealing compound 18 may be eliminated, if found necessary or desirable, or substituted for with paper liner material.

The fitment 12 is preferably constructed from resilient polymeric or copolymeric material, such as polyethelene, and includes a generally annular body 20 having axially opposite

open ends

21, 22 between which are respective inner and outer

peripheral surfaces

23, 24, respectively, the former being a generally frusto-conical lead surface which cooperates with the container 13 during assembly in a manner to be de scribed hereinafter.

An annular inwardly opening groove 25 of the inner peripheral surface 23 functions to secure the fitment 12 to the container 13, as will be described more fully hereinafter. The fitment 12 additionally includes three equally spaced threads 26 which each cooperates with one of the lugs 17 for securing the closure 11 upon the fitment 12 upon the preassembly thereof prior to being capped upon the container 13. Each lug 17 rides beneath its associated thread 26 and is retained therebeneath between a wall or stop 27 and a radially outwardly directed rib or stop 28. Due to the resilient nature of the material of the fitment 12 heretofore noted, the ribs 28 deflect inwardly temporarily as they are traversed by the lugs 17 when the closure 11 is rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1, and thereafter the ribs 28 rebound outwardly to their normal condition after being passed by each lug 17, with each lug 17 thereby being housed between a rib 28 and the most adjacent wall 27 (FIG. 4).

The body 20 of the fitment l2 terminates adjacent the end 22 in a radial wall 30 and a depending peripheral skirt 31 whose outer peripheral surface includes vertical ribs 32 and whose bottom includes a plurality of projections 33 which function to facilitate the assembly of the closure 11 upon the fitment 12, as will be described more fully hereinafter. An opening 29 is formed beneath each thread 26 in a conventional manner during the injection molding of the fitment 12.

The container or bottle 13 includes a lower bead 34 which merges with a frusto-conical wall 35 (FIG. 6) of a container neck or finish 36. Above the frusto-conical wall 35 is another annular bead 37 corresponding in shape to that of the groove 25. The finish 36 terminates in an upper annular face or surface 38 which is slightly above a like annular face or surface 39 of the fitment 12 when the latter two elements are in assemblded relationship, as indicated best in FIG. 10.

Though briefly described hereinafter, the closure 11 and fitmnet 12 are assembled by first moving the same axially relative to each other, as indicated by the arrows 40 in FIGS. 1 and 8 such that each lug 17 becomes positioned adjacent its associated stop or rib 28, with the bead or curl l6 resting atop the uppermost surface (unnumbered) of the radial wall 30. Thereafter, the closure 11 and the fitment 12 are rotated relative to each other, as indicated by the headed arrows 41 in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8 at which time the lugs 17 ride over the stop ribs 28 until each lug 17 is positioned between the pairs of

stops

27, 28, as indicated by the solid lug 17 in FIG. 11. During this relative rotation the rib 28 is deflected radially inwardly and/or the lug 17 is deflected radially outwardly, but upon reaching the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 11 the

elements

28, 17 rebound to their normal positions and thus each lug 17 is confined between its associated pair of stop means 27, 28.

When assembled automatically the ribs 32 and teeth or projections 33 serve as gripping surfaces for a chuck or similar holder to prevent the fitment from rotating upon the rotation of the closure 11.

Reference is particularly made to FIG. 10 which illustrates the closure 11 assembled to the fitment l2, and therefrom it will be noted that the end surface or face 39 is deflected to an inclined position, as compared to the non-deformed condition of FIG. 3. The end 21 in FIGS. 7 and 8 and particularly the surface 39 thereof is inclined slightly inwardly and downwardly because of its being forced against the sealing compound 18 and embedded therein during the assembly operation heretofore described. This deflection of the end 21 closes the groove 25 of the fitment l2 slightlybeyond its normal molded unassembled condition, thus insuring the ability of the fitment 12 to take up the minimum vertical tolerance of the bead 37 of the container 13 when assembled thereon. The maximum tolerance is absorbed by additional compression of the sealing compound 18 during the application of the safety closure to the container finish 36, as will be described immediately hereinafter.

Once the container 13 has been filled with a desired product, be it solid or liquid, the packager simply telescopes the pre-assembled closure 11 and fitment 12 downwardly upon the finish until the bead 37 seats in the groove 25 of the fitment 12, in the manner best illustrated in FIG. 10. However, in order to do this a definite relationship has been established between what has been heretofore termed the frusto-conical lead surface 23 of the fitment 12, the external diameter of the finish bead 37, and the relative position of the lugs 17 relative to the bead 37 during the assembly operation. Referring specifically to FIG. 8 a line L1 designates a development of the maximum diameter of the groove 25 which is generally equal to the maximum diameter of the finish bead 37. The line L2 which is normal to the line L1 is shown intersecting the latter at a point P1 at which the inner diameter of the surface 23 corresponds to the maximum diameters of the bead 37 and the groove 25. It will be noted that the line L2 is also above each lug 17. Thus, as the fitment is initially positioned with its pre-assembled closure 11 upon the finish 36 of the conatiner 13 there is little or no resistance since the diameter of the leading surface 23 below the line L2 is larger than the diameter of the bead 37 thus movement of the pre-assembled closure 11 and fitment 12 to the position shown in FIG. 8 is virtually accomplished in the absence of resistance by the fitment 12 or the closure 11. Moreover, at this point the bead 37 is adjacent the most rigid area of the pre-assembled unit since the area immediately below the line L2 is reinforced against outward deflection by the thicker material of the fitment 12 in the area of the threads 26, and the reinforcement offered by the lug l7 and the associated curl. This area is, however, virtually passed with little resistance as the bead 37 approaches point P1 and passes the same. During this passage resistance is lessened since lesser reinforcement of the fitment 12 occurs above the line L2 than below the same. Accordingly, the upper portion of the body above the line L2 will deflect radially outwardly as the finish is guided toward the groove by the leading surface 23. Once the bead 37 reaches the groove 25 it rebounds therein, in the manner best illustrated in FIG. 10. Thus, the relationship of the components permit as in no other known assembly of this type the unified assembly of the pre-assembly 11, 12 upon the container finish 36.

As was heretofore noted, the closure of this invention is designed specifically to achieve a seal when the package contents are liquids or hygroscopic solid substances harmful to human beings. As effective seal is achieved upon assembling the filled container 13 and the clousre 11 and fitment 12, in the manner best illustrated in FIG. 10 to which attention is again directed. A primary sealing area PSA is indicated by dashed lines between the container 13 and the compound 18 while outboard thereof is a secondary sealing area SSA between the end face 39 of the fitment 12 with an unnumbered transition sealing area between the sealing areas PSA and SSA. The secondary sealing area SSA is actually achieved initally during the pre-assembly of the fitment and closure, in the manner shown in FIG. 7. However, upon application of the fitment 12 to the container 13 a slightly greater compressive force is achieved as a result of which the end face 39 is deflected from the more inclined position of FIG. 8 to that of FIG. 10. However, due to the two seals or sealing areas PSA and'SSA the product within the container 13 is first prevented from leaking or seeping outwardly by the primary sealing area PSA, thereafter by the transition sealing area (unnumbered) and finally by the secondary sealing area SSA. Thus, under most any adverse conditions of packaging, storing, shipment, etc., seepage and/or slippage is precluded until such time as intentional opening of the closure 10 takes place.

The diameter of the bead 37 will temporarily cause the fitment l2 and particularly the body 20 thereof to flex above the line L2 during assembly as was heretofore described but upon the bead 37 reaching the seating in the groove 25 the fitment 12 will assume its nonstressed condition at which design tolerances permit the fitment 12 to rotate relatively free with respect to the container 13 (FIG. 10). When thus closed it will be noted that both end faces 38, 39 are completely embedded in the sealing compound 18, as are minor portions of the peripheral surfaces (unnumbered) of the container and fitment immediately beneath the faces 38, 39 (FIG. 10). Moreover, a gap G is formed between the exterior surface of the finish 36 of the container 13 and the inner lead surface 23 of the fitment 12 due to the manner in which the inmost edge (unnumbered) of the wall 30 bears on the frusto-conical wall 35 (FIG. 10). The wall 35 prevents the body 20 from moving inwardly and thus reduces frictional purchase between the fitment and the finish to create a looseness for additionally permitting utilized rotation of the cap 11 and fitment 12. The wall 35 also continually urges the fitment 12 upwardly and maintains the seal at the face 39.

Should the filled and capped container 13 come into the hands of a youngster, the most natural inclination is to either pull the safety closure 10 axially, rotate the closure 11 and/or the fitment 12, or both. A straight pull exerted on the cap 11 and/or the fitment l2 precludes pulling off the assembly because of the interlock between the groove 25 of the fitment 12 and the bead of the container 13. Rotation in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 9 causes simultaneous or unified rotation of the entire safety cap 10 since each lug 17 is engaged with the wall 27 and thus rotation imparted to the closure 11 is transferred to the fitment 12 and vice versa. Similarly, rotation in the opposite direction (counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 9) results in the lugs 17 each bearing against the stops or ribs 28 and again unified rotation of the closure 11 and fitment 12 is effected. Thus a youngster or one uninitiated would find it virtually impossible to remove the safety closure 10 from the container 13. However, in order to accomplish the latter the exposed peripheral skirt 31 of the fitment 12 is grasped in one hand whereas the closure 11 is rotated counterclockwise, again as viewed in FIG.

9, which temporarily deflects each lug 17 outwardly and/or each rib 28 inwardly as each lug 17 rides over and beyond its associated stop or rib 28, and upon being rotated clear of the threads 26 the closure 11 is thereafter merely lifted vertically upwardly for complete removal to gain access to the contents packaged within container 13. In the open condition of the container l3 and fitment 12 the sealing compound 18 is removed with the closure II. In this same open condition, as can be best visualized in FIG. 10, the end face 38 of the container 13 is positioned above the end face 39 of the fitment 12 to assure that the fitment does not interfere with the sealing, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 10, as would might otherwise happen if the end face 39 thereof projected beyond the end face 39 of the container 13.

Another container, fitment and closure is illustrated in FIG. 12 and like primed reference numerals have been applied thereto. The only difference between this fitment and that of FIGS. 1 through 7 is the inclusion on the annular end face 39' of a plurality of projections 45 having gradually inclined camming surfaces 46 rising axially outwardly in a clockwise circumferential direction with each surface 46 terminating in an abrupt axial wall 47. When the fitment 12 is assembled to the closure 11 the projections 45 embed in the sealing compound 18. Since the surfaces 46 slope in the direction described, clockwise rotation of the closure 11', as viewed in FIG. 9, is impossible due to each of the lugs (not shown) corresponding to the lugs 17 being urged into abutment with an associated wall 27' of the fitment 12. However, counterclockwise rotation is resisted by the axial walls or surfaces 47 abutting against a like opposing contiguous wall of the material of the sealing compound'l8 formed upon the embedding of the projections 45 thereinto. Thus, any effort at rotating the closure 11' counterclockwise or in its direction of opening is resisted by the four walls 47 of the projections 45, thereby additionally insuring the unified rotation of the closure 11 and the fitment 12.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

I claim:,

1. A safety closure comprising a generally annular fitment having inner and outer peripheral surfaces and axially opposite open ends, said inner peripheral surface includes means for slip securing said fitment to a container finish, said outer peripheral surface includes means for 'rotatably coupling a closure thereto, a closure seated upon said fitment and having an end panel and a peripheral skirt with the latter including means for cooperatively connecting said closure to said fitment coupling means, said closure being rotatable in a first direction relative to said fitment for coupling engagement therewith, and abutment means between said closure and fitment resistive to rotation of said closure relative to said fitment in a second direction opposite to said first direction whereby upon the application of opening force to said closure tending to rotate the same in said second direction said closure and fitment will rotate in unison due to the slip securement of said fitment to an associated container finish.

2. The safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner peripheral surface is generally of a frustoconical configuration enlarging in a direction away from one of said open ends adapted to be disposed most adjacent the mouth of an associated container finish.

3. The safety closure as defined: in claim 2 wherein said fitment outer peripheral surface includes means for facilitating the gripping thereof beyond that afforded by said closure thereby increasing the probability of the application of opening force to said fitment instead of said closure.

4. The safety closure as defined in claim 3 wherein said closure connecting means are a plurality of lugs, and said resistive means are walls aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said closure in said second direction.

5. The safety closure as defined in claim 2 including sealing compound means between said closure and fitment for augmenting the frictional purchase therebetween.

6. The safety closure as defined in claim 2 wherein an open end of said fitment adapted to be disposed least adjacent the mouth of an associated container finish includes a radially outwardly directed wall terminating in a depending skirt.

7. The safety closure as defined in claim 2 wherein adjacent said one open end said inner peripheral surface includes groove means for gripping the container finish.

8. The safety closure as defined in claim 7 wherein said closure connecting means are a plurality of lugs, and-said resistive means are walls aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said clousre in said second direction.

9. The safety closure as defined in claim 2 wherein said closure connecting means are a plurality of lugs, and said resistive means are walls aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said closure in said second direction.

10. The safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said fitment outer peripheral surface includes means for facilitating the gripping thereof beyond that afforded by said closure thereby increasing the probability of the application of opening force to said fitment instead of said closure.

11. The safety closure as defined in claim 1 including sealing compound means between said closure and fitment for augmenting the frictional purchase therebetween.

12. The safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein an open end of said fitment adapted to be disposed least adjacent the mouth of an associated container finish includes a radially outwardly directed wall terminating in a depending peripheral skirt.

13. The safety closure as defined in claim I wherein said closure connecting means are a plurality of lugs, and said resistive means are walls aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said closure in said second direction.

14. The safety closure as defined in claim 1 including sealing compound means between said closure and fitment for augmenting the frictional purchase therebetween, and said fitment further includes an end face having projections embedded in the sealing compound means for interlocking the fitment and closure to each other.

15. A combined container and safety closure comprising a container body having a finish, a generally annular fitment having inner and outer peripheral surfaces and axially opposite open ends, said fitment being in exterior telescopic relationship with said finish, a closure having an end panel and a peripheral skirt, cooperative means between said peripheral skirt and said fitment releasably securing said closure to said fitment, means coupling said fitment to said finish, and means between said finish and fitment for spacing a major portion of said inner peripheral surface away from said finish whereby frictional purchase therebetween is reduced to permit rotation of said fitment in unison with said closure upon the application of rotational force to either in a predetermined direction.

16. The combination as defined in claim including abutment, means, between said closure and fitment resistive to rotation of said closure relative to said rotational force whereby upon the application of opening force to said closure the latter and said fitment will rotate in unison.

17. The combination as defined in claim 16 wherein said cooperative means are lugs and threads of said peripheral skirt and fitment respectively, and said resistive means are walls of said fitment aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said closure in an opening direction.

18. The combination as defined in claim 15 wherein said coupling means is a bead of said finish received in a groove of said fitment inner peripheral surface.

19. The combination as defined in claim 17 wherein said cooperative means are lugs and threads of said peripheral skirt and fitment respectively, and said resistive means are walls of said fitment aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said closure in an opening direction.

20. The combination as defined in claim 15 wherein said cooperative means are lugs and threads of said peripheral skirt and fitment respectively.

21. A combined container and closure comprising a container body having a finish, said closure being of a two part preassembly including an interor flexible fitment in exterior telescopic rotational relationship to said finish and an exterior closure having an end panel and a peripheral skirt in exterior telescopic relationship to said fitment, said closure peripheral skirt having means reforcing said fitment against radial outward deflection at a first end of said fitment remote from said end panel, means of said fitment cooperative with said reinforcing means for coupling said peripheral skirt to said fitment first end, said fitment having an interior leading surface of a generally frusto-conical configuration progressively reducing in diameter toward said end panel of said closure and the other end of said fitment adjacent thereto, said finish having bead means for rotationally securing said finish to groove means of said fitment, and said securing means project radially outwardly from said finish a distance which is substantially that of the particular diameter of said leading surface in the area of said reinforcing means and said coupling means whereby said securing means will be lead by said leading surface toward said particular diameter with little resistance to relative telesopic movement between said fitment and closure, and thereafter increased resistance beyond said particular diameter is offset by radial outward deflection of said fitment between said reinforcing means and said fitment other end.

22. The combination as defined in claim 21 wherein said interior leading surface terminates adjacent said end panel in means for matingly receiving said finish securing means, and a reinforcing means are lug means of said peripheral skirt for releasably securing said closure to said fitment and forming a portion of said coupling means 23. A closure comprising a fitment and a cap for assembly together and telescopic press application onto a container finish, said cap having means reinforcing a part of said fitment against outward deflection, said fitment having an interior surface reducing in diameter from a leading surface portion thereof toward the opposite end thereof, said leading surface portion in the area of said reinforcing means having a diameter suffcient to permit telescopic assembly of the cap and fitment on an associated container finish with little initial resistance to the relative telescopic movement and the diminishing diameter of said fitment above said surface portion thereafter increasing the resistance of telescopic assembly to a point of interference which is offset by radial outward deflection of said fitment above said surface portion, said cap having an end panel, and said interior leading surface terminates adjacent said end panel in means for securing said fitment to a container finish, said securing means being a groove, and said groove and a mating bead portion of said finish are in rotatable relationship.

24. A closure comprising a fitment and a cap for assembly together and telescopic press application onto a container finish, said cap having means reinforcing a part of said fitment against outward deflection, said fitment having an interior surface reducing in diameter from a leading surface portion thereof toward the opposite end thereof, said leading surface portion in the area of said reinforcing means having a diameter sufficient to permit telescopic assembly of the cap and fitment on an associated container finish with little initial resistance to the relative telescopic movement and the diminishing diameter of said fitment above said surface portion thereafter increasing the resistance of telescopic assembly to a point of interference which is offset by radial outward deflection of said fitment above said surface portion, said cap having an end panel, said interior leading surface terminating adjacent said end panel in means for rotatably securing said fitment to a container finish, and said reinforcing means additionally defining lug means for releasably securing said closure to said fitment.

25. A combined container, fitment, and closure comprising a container body having a neck finish terminating in an open mouth, said neck finish having an exterior surface of a first diameter, and means adjacent said open mouth projecting radially outwardly of said first diameter for coupling said container to said closure through said fitment, said fitment being in external telescopic relationship to said neck finish, said fitment having axial opposite ends and inner and outer peripheral surfaces, said inner peripheral fitment surface having means for couplingly engaging said finish projecting means, said finish and fitment coupling means define a relatively rotatable connection therebetween, said fitment being constructed from resilient material, said closure having an end panel and a peripheral skirt, said peripheral skirt being in external telescopic relationship to said fitment, said closure peripheral skirt having means for reinforcing said fitment against radial outward deflection of a first end of said fitment remote from said end panel during the simultaneous applicasaid fitment coupling means whereby said projecting means will be lead by said frusto-conical surface toward said area with little resistance to relative telescopic movement between said fitment and closure, and thereafter increased resistance as said frustoconical surface narrows beyond said area is offset by radial outward deflection of said fitment axially above said area.

Claims

1. A safety closure comprising a generally annular fitment having inner and outer peripheral surfaces and axially opposite open ends, said inner peripheral surface includes means for slip securing said fitment to a container finish, said outer peripheral surface includes means for rotatably coupling a closure thereto, a closure seated upon said fitment and having an end panel and a peripheral skirt with the latter including means for cooperatively connecting said closure to said fitment coupling means, said closure being rotatable in a first direction relative to said fitment for coupling engagement therewith, and abutment means between said closure and fitment resistive to rotation of said closure relative to said fitment in a second direction opposite to said first direction whereby upon the application of opening force to said closure tending to rotate the same in said second direction said closure and fitment will rotate in unison due to the slip securement of said fitment to an associated container finish.

2. The safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner peripheral surface is generally of a frusto-conical configuration enlarging in a direction away from one of said open ends adapted to be disposed most adjacent the mouth of an associated container finish.

3. The safety closure as defined in claim 2 wherein said fitment outer peripheral surface includes means for facilitating the gripping thereof beyond that afforded by said closure thereby increasing the probability of the application of opening force to said fitment instead of said closure.

8. The safety closure as defined in claim 7 wherein said closure connecting means are a plurality of lugs, and said resistive means are walls aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said clousre in said second direction.

13. The safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure connecting means are a plurality of lugs, and said resistive means are walls aligned for abutment by said lugs upon rotation of said closure in said second direction.

16. The combination as defined in claim 15 including abutment, means, between said closure and fitment resistive to rotation of said closure relative to said rotational force whereby upon the application of opening force to said closure the latter and said fitment will rotate in unison.

22. The combination as defined in claim 21 wherein said interior leading surface terminates adjacent said end panel in means for matingly receiving said finish securing means, and a reinforcing means are lug means of said peripheral skirt for releasably securing said closure to said fitment and forming a portion of said coupling means

23. A closure comprising a fitment and a cap for assembly together and telescopic press application onto a container finish, said cap having means reinforcing a part of said fitment against outward deflection, said fitment having an interior surface reducing in diameter from a leading surface portion thereof toward the opposite end thereof, said leading surface portion in the area of said reinforcing means having a diameter sufficient to permit telescopic assembly of the cap and fitment on an associated container finish with little initial resistance to the relative telescopic movement and the diminishing diameter of said fitment above said surface portion thereafter increasing the resistance of telescopic assembly to a point of interference which is offset by radial outward deflection of said fitment above said surface portion, said cap having an end panel, and said interior leading surface terminates adjacent said end panel in means for securing said fitment to a container finish, said securing means being a groove, and said groove and a mating bead portion of said finish are in rotatable relationship.

25. A combined container, fitment, and closure comprising a container body having a neck finish terminating in an open mouth, said neck finish having an exterior surface of a first diameter, and means adjacent said open mouth projecting radially outwardly of said first diameter for coupling said container to said closure through said fitment, said fitment being in external telescopic relationship to said neck finish, said fitment having axial opposite ends and inner and outer peripheral surfaces, said inner peripheral fitment surface having means for couplingly engaging said finish projecting means, said finish and fitment coupling means define a relatively rotatable connection therebetween, said fitment being constructed from resilient material, said closure having an end panel and a peripheral skirt, said peripheral skirt being in external telescopic relationship to said fitment, said closure peripheral skirt having means for reinforcing said fitment against radial outward deflection of a first end of said fitment remote from said end panel during the simultaneous application of said closure and fitment upon said neck finish, said outer peripheral fitment surface having meAns for rotatably couplingly engaging said peripheral skirt reinforcing means of said closure, said inner peripheral fitment surface being of a generally frusto-conical configuration progressively reducing in diameter toward said end panel, and said first diameter is substantially the same as the diameter of said frusto-conical surface at the area of said peripheral skirt reinforcing means and said fitment coupling means whereby said projecting means will be lead by said frusto-conical surface toward said area with little resistance to relative telescopic movement between said fitment and closure, and thereafter increased resistance as said frusto-conical surface narrows beyond said area is offset by radial outward deflection of said fitment axially above said area.