WO2000032491A1 - Dispositif de fermeture et recipient a l'epreuve des enfants - Google Patents

Dispositif de fermeture et recipient a l'epreuve des enfants Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000032491A1
WO2000032491A1 PCT/US1999/028262 US9928262W WO0032491A1 WO 2000032491 A1 WO2000032491 A1 WO 2000032491A1 US 9928262 W US9928262 W US 9928262W WO 0032491 A1 WO0032491 A1 WO 0032491A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
lug
neck
container
retention formation
hinge
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1999/028262
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Nicholas Charles Farside
Original Assignee
Kerr Group, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kerr Group, Inc. filed Critical Kerr Group, Inc.
Priority to AU17477/00A priority Critical patent/AU1747700A/en
Publication of WO2000032491A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000032491A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D50/00—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures
    • B65D50/02—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions
    • B65D50/06—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of different actions in succession
    • B65D50/061—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of different actions in succession being disengageable from container only after rotational alignment of closure, or other means inhibiting removal of closure, with container, e.g. tortuous path type

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to child resistant closures and containers, and in particular to closures and containers having a child resistant mode and a non- child resistant mode.
  • Container closures often include some sort of child resistant mechanism to minimize the chance of access by children.
  • the child resistant mechanism requires manipulation of the closure by the user in a certain way before the closure can be rotated off the container. This manipulation may include, for example, axial depression of the closure or squeezing of the closure before or during rotation of the closure.
  • Child resistant closures or containers are often difficult to open, especially for elderly persons or those suffering from debilitating conditions such as arthritis. For these individuals, child resistant closures that are simple to open or require relatively small forces are particularly beneficial. In addition, it is often unnecessary for child resistant features to be present in certain households, and closures or containers in which the child resistant mechanisms are permanently present and active create an unnecessary barrier to the user.
  • a container according to the present invention includes a neck having an external thread and a lug.
  • the lug may be connected to the neck via a hinge, with the hinge biasing the lug away from the neck.
  • a retention formation may be disposed on the neck, the retention formation engaging the lug to retain the lug in a substantially vertical position remote from the neck.
  • Figure 1 is a side partial cross -sectional view of an exemplary child resistant closure and container according to the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the child resistant container of Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is a side view of an exemplary child resistant container according to the present invention in an exemplary molded configuration.
  • Figure 4 is a top view of the container of Figure 3 taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.
  • Figure 5 is a side view of another exemplary child resistant container according to the present invention.
  • Figure 6 is a side view of another exemplary child resistant container according to the present invention.
  • Figure 7 is a side view of an exemplary lug according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary closure and container according to the present invention.
  • a closure 10 includes at least one abutment 19 on the inner surface of skirt 13. Abutment 19 cooperates with lug 31 on container 20 to restrict rotation of closure 10 to thereby retain closure 10 on container 20.
  • lug 31 is retained in a locking position, in which lug 31 engages abutment 19, by at least one vertical member 41a.
  • Lug 31 may be biased to the locking position by hinge 37, but may be depressed by the user to a releasing position, in which abutment 19 clears lug 31.
  • closure 10 may be freely rotated off container 20.
  • closure 10 preferably includes a top wall 11 and skirt 13.
  • Top wall 11 may be circular in shape, and skirt 13 may be annular in shape, depending from the outer edge of top wall 11.
  • top wall 11 may be formed in any suitable shape, and skirt 13 may depend from any suitable portion of top wall 1 1, as desired.
  • An internal thread 15 may be provided on an inner surface of skirt 13, and if desired multiple threads (not shown) may be provided.
  • the inner surface of skirt 13 also includes at least on abutment 19, which is preferably disposed at a bottom edge 17 of skirt 13.
  • closure 1 1 includes a series of abutments 19, arranged in a band around bottom edge 17 of skirt 13.
  • each abutment 19 is in the form of a sawtooth disposed on the inner surface of skirt 13, either projecting from skirt 13 or formed as a depression in skirt 13 (or a combination thereof).
  • a plurality of abutments 19 formed as sawtooth projections extend, for example, around the inner surface of bottom edge 17.
  • Container 20 includes a neck 21 surrounding an opening 23 (shown in Figure 2).
  • neck 21 is annular and includes an external thread 25 that cooperates with internal thread 15 of closure 10 to retain closure 10 on container 20
  • Lug 31 is connected to container 20 at a point below external thread
  • lug 31 includes a lug body 33 and a lug tooth 35.
  • Lug body 33 may be substantially L-shaped, extending upwardly and inwardly (when in the orientation illustrated in Figure 1). Lug tooth 35 may then extend upward from the upward and inward tip of lug body 33.
  • This exemplary configuration of lug 31 allows easy depression by the user (described further below), but any suitable configuration of lug 31 may be employed.
  • Lug tooth 35 may be formed to include a camming surface 36, if desired. This camming surface 36 allows application of closure 10 to container 20 without manual depression of lug 31 by the user, as described below.
  • Lug 31 is connected to neck 21 via a hinge 37.
  • Any suitable hinge may be employed, but preferably hinge 31 should bias lug 31 to a position away from neck 21, meaning hinge 31 biases lug 31 counter-clockwise in Figure 1, for example towards the position shown in dashed lines in Figure 1.
  • hinge 37 may include a hinge base 38, which may maintain the lower end of lug 31 at a small distance from neck 21, and hinge detent surface 40, which may cooperate with a lug detent surface 40 to bias lug 31 away from neck 21.
  • hinge 37 may include a frangible line 39, which may connect hinge 37 to lug 31.
  • Frangible line 39 may be any suitable type of frangible connection formed in any suitable manner, for example small bridges integrally formed with hinge 37 or a thin line of material formed by scoring.
  • frangible line 39 is a thin line of material integrally formed with hinge 37.
  • Lug 31 is separable from hinge 37 along frangible line 39. It should be understood that the action of the lug, in cooperation with other elements of a container 20 and closure 10 of the present invention, provides the child resistant features. In some households, the child resistant feature may be unnecessary or even detrimental to use. In this case, lug 31 may be separated entirely from hinge 37 by tearing or separating along frangible line 39, permanently eliminating the child resistant feature if desired.
  • neck 21 may include a notch 51 below lug 31, as shown in Figure 5.
  • Lug 31 may then be rotated to a "downward position," in which lug 31 is facing substantially downward, and secured in notch 51.
  • at least one lower locking member 53 may be provided in the vicinity of lug 31, for example connected to at least one of vertical members 41a, 41b. Lower locking member 53 is shaped to engage lug 31 and retain lug 31 in the downward position, out of the way of the user.
  • a retention formation may be provided on neck 21.
  • at least one vertical member 41a may be provided on neck 21 in the vicinity of lug 31.
  • two vertical members 41a, 41b are provided on opposite sides of lug 31.
  • the exemplary vertical members 41a, 41b are formed integrally with hinge 37, but any suitable number of vertical members and any suitable positioning of those members may be employed.
  • Vertical members 41a, 41b preferably include vertically-extending side walls 43a, 43b, respectively, which may protect lug 31 and provide lateral stability to lug 31.
  • Vertical members 41a, 41b also may include flanges 45a, 45b connected to side walls 43a, 43b. Flanges 45a, 45b may retain lug 31 in the substantially vertical position illustrated in solid lines in Figures 1 and 2.
  • flexible tabs 47a, 47b may be provided on lug 31 to engage flanges 45a, 45b.
  • Flexible tabs 47a, 47b are preferably ramped on an inner face, allowing easy rotation of lug 31 into a position within vertical members 41a, 41b (as described below).
  • An inner face 46a, 46b of each flange 45a, 45b may likewise be constructed at an angle to facilitate rotation of lug 31 into its substantially vertical position within vertical members 41a, 41b.
  • These ramped surfaces 46a, 46b, 47a, 47b are best illustrated in Figure 2.
  • lug 31 and hinge 37 are formed integrally with neck 25 and the remainder of container 20.
  • Any suitable molding process may be used, for example injection molding or injection blow molding.
  • Preferred materials for container 20 include polypropylene, polyethylene, and poly-terephthalate, but any suitable material may be used.
  • any suitable materials and molding process may be employed for closure 10, but preferably closure 10 is formed from high-density polypropylene using an injection molding process.
  • lug 31 may be rotated (against the biasing force of hinge 37) into the substantially vertical position within vertical members 41a, 41b, as illustrated in Figure 4 and in solid lines in Figure 1.
  • This position may also be referred to as the "locking position.”
  • lug 31 When in the locking position, lug 31 should also be remote from neck 21, so that lug 31 may be depressed inwardly by a user (to the right in Figure 1).
  • the biasing force provided by hinge 37 maintains lug 31 in the locking position, and returns lug 31 to the locking position when it has been depressed and then released by a user.
  • Vertical members 41a, 41b prevent lug 31 from rotation too far away from neck 21.
  • lug 31 when lug 31 is in the locking position, it engages one of the abutments 19 (or the single abutment 19) on the inner surface of skirt 13 Because abutments 19 need not form a continuous series of projections or depressions on the inner surface of skirt 13, lug 31 may not actually contact an abutment 19 when in the locking position, and so the phrase "engaging an abutment” includes a position in which lug 31 is in the line of travel of abutment 19 and would contact an abutment 19 if closure 10 were rotated
  • closure 10 With lug 31 in the locking position, closure 10 may be applied to container 20 If lug 31 is provided with camming surface 36, then any abutments 19 will force lug 31 inwardly against the bias of hinge 37 as closure 10 is applied, allowing application of the closure without manual depression of lug 31 by the user When closure 10 is rotated in the opposite direction for removal, however, lug 31 will contact a stop surface 18 on abutment 19 to retain closure 10 on container 20 Only when lug 31 is depressed by a user to a "releasing position," in which any abutments 19 may clear lug 31, may closure 10 be freely rotated to remove closure 10 from container 20
  • FIG. 7 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of lug 31 , which includes a resilient arm 36
  • Resilient arm 36 is preferably shaped and sized to contact the outer surface of neck 21 when lug 31 is in the locking position The resulting deformation of resilient arm 36 creates a biasing force urging lug 31 away from neck 21
  • resilient arm 36 is preferably molded integrally with the remainder of lug 31
  • lug 31 may be permanently separated from hinge 37 or neck 21. This separation may take place in any manner, but is particularly assisted by frangible line 39, if present. With tab 31 entirely removed, closure 10 may be freely applied and removed from container 20.
  • lug 31 may be withdrawn by the user from vertical members 41a, 41b to, for example, the position shown in dashed lines in Figure 1 or to the position shown in Figure 5. Hinge 37 will then bias lug 31 away from neck 21 so that lug 31 is outside skirt 13 when closure 10 is applied. As noted above, notch 51 or lower locking member 53 (or both) may be provided to stabilize lug 31 in the downward position, if desired. Closure 10 may then be applied and removed without any further manipulation of the lug 31. If child resistant features are again desired, the user may rotate lug 31 back to a position within vertical members 41a, 41b as shown in Figure 3 and in solid lines in Figure 1.
  • closure 10 could include an annular sealing ring on the inner surface of top wall 11, or a liner could be added to seal opening 23 in container 20.
  • a container 20 according to the present invention may include multiple lugs 31 and corresponding retention formations, for example a pair of lugs disposed radially opposite one another on container 20. It is understood that these and other modifications are within the teaching of the present invention, which is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Abstract

Un dispositif de fermeture et un récipient à l'épreuve des enfants comportent une fermeture (10) ayant au moins une butée (19) sur la face interne de l'arête (13) de la fermeture. Le récipient (20) comporte un tenon (31) relié au col du récipient par une charnière (37), qui écarte le tenon (31) du col. Le tenon (31) est maintenu en position verrouillée par au moins un élément vertical (41a, 41b), ladite position mettant en prise la butée (19) lorsque la fermeture (10) est appliquée au récipient (20). Une fois la fermeture (10) appliquée, l'utilisateur doit enfoncer le tenon pour ôter la fermeture (10). Il peut également retirer, provisoirement ou de manière permanente, le tenon (31) de la position verrouillée pour suspendre ou supprimer les caractéristiques à l'épreuve des enfants.
PCT/US1999/028262 1998-12-01 1999-12-01 Dispositif de fermeture et recipient a l'epreuve des enfants WO2000032491A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU17477/00A AU1747700A (en) 1998-12-01 1999-12-01 Child resistant closure and container

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US20366798A 1998-12-01 1998-12-01
US09/203,667 1998-12-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000032491A1 true WO2000032491A1 (fr) 2000-06-08

Family

ID=22754849

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1999/028262 WO2000032491A1 (fr) 1998-12-01 1999-12-01 Dispositif de fermeture et recipient a l'epreuve des enfants

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU1747700A (fr)
WO (1) WO2000032491A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4036385A (en) * 1976-05-28 1977-07-19 Morris Glenn H Safety closure for containers
US4948002A (en) * 1988-12-29 1990-08-14 The Procter & Gamble Company Package exhibiting improved child resistance without significantly impeding access by adults
US5413233A (en) * 1994-08-30 1995-05-09 The Procter & Gamble Company Child resistant bottle closure

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4036385A (en) * 1976-05-28 1977-07-19 Morris Glenn H Safety closure for containers
US4948002A (en) * 1988-12-29 1990-08-14 The Procter & Gamble Company Package exhibiting improved child resistance without significantly impeding access by adults
US5413233A (en) * 1994-08-30 1995-05-09 The Procter & Gamble Company Child resistant bottle closure

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU1747700A (en) 2000-06-19

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