CA1132505A - Child-resistant dispenser and closure package - Google Patents

Abstract

TITLE: CHILD-RESISTANT DISPENSER AND CLOSURE PACKAGE

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE: A combined child-resistant dispenser and closure assembly for a container is disclosed which has a pumping or spraying section and a closure which can be removed for refilling the container. The closure section includes a closure cap which is threaded for re-leasably attaching the assembly to the threaded neck of the container. The container neck has a pair of radial pro-jections or locking lugs which engage cooperating projections on the cap when the latter is screwed down onto the container neck. Thus engaged the assembly forms a child-resistant package which can be opened only after the closure section is compressively stressed to disengage the projections and thereafter simultaneously unscrewing the cap from the con-tainer neck.

In a preferred embodiment, in which the pumping or sprayer section is a sprayer head or pump, such as a manu-ally operated trigger sprayer having an outlet through which material pumped from the container is ejected, the sprayer section is equipped with a child-resistant outlet cover or overcap. The overcap, when in a closed position provides a seal against unwanted leakage during periods of non-use and prevents accidental and premature spraying of the container contents by small children. Two types of child-resistant covers or overcaps are disclosed, both of which are movable from closed to open positions only by the performance of at least two discrete and simultaneous actions, which actions are difficult if not impossible for small children.

Description

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TITLE: CHILD-~ESISTA~T DISPENSER AND CLOSURE P~CKAGE
B~CKGROUNI) OF Tllr~, INV~.NTION ..
- ~ield of the Invellti.o This invention relates to child-resistant packaging 5 of a dispenser and closure and a container or bottle, and more particularly to a comhined child-resistant dispenser ~:
and closure assembly adapted to be installed on a container - to produce child safe packaging capable of complying with the standards for special packaging under the "Poison 10 Prevention Packaging Art of 1970", Title 15 United States Code Sections 1~71-1475 and the regulations appertaining thereto under Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 1700.1 through and including the protocol for testing ._.
"Special P,ackaging" as set forth in the above code ùnder '~
15 Part 1700.20 thereof entitled "Testing Procedure for Special _~
Packaging".
Description of the Prior Art Product dispensers and sprayers combined with closing fitments and other closure means such as closure caps and 20 like apparatus for attachment to a container and installing ,~
the same by closeably securing the apparatus thereon have ~
long been known. A particularly representative device of th-is type is disclosed in U. S. Patent 3,061,202, issued on ~;.
~ October 30, 1962, which is a manually operated, trigger ~
25 actuated pump sprayer or dispenser having a swivably attach- ~
ed screw-on cap for mounting the assembled device on the ~, neck of a container. ~owever, until the present invention, it has been relatively easy for a child to gain access to the liquid.contents of the container by the simple act of 30 unscrewing the cap and removing the entire apparatus or . r~.

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assembly. In part Eor this reason, when devices of this ' ~k kind are shipped to market for sale to c~stomers, they are ' ~
shipped uninstalled on the container. Thus, an extra and ~_ needless e~pense is incurred since a separate and additional 5 closure cap or like device Eor the container must be supplied and installed to prevent spillage or unwanted leakage`of its contents.
Other patents are known which propose solutions to this problem to permit shipping of a dispcnser appara~us while 10 installed on a filled or loaded container. For e~ample, U. S. Patent 3,650,473, issued on March 21, 1972, whicll is for a combined trigger sprayer and closure apparatus with a ,~
cap which screws down onto a container, discloses a solution - which consists of a snippable cover or nozzle which sealingly 15 covers the outlet of the sprayer or dispenser pump. Two types of covers are disclosed, the first of which has a dome shaped member over the outlet which is held in place by a screwed-on nozzle. A seal is effected at the outlet by action of the screwed-on nozzle against an annular flange of the clome 20 shaped mem~er which is clamped between the nozzle a~cl an ~
end'surface or nose of the sprayer. The sprayer is.rendere~ _ operative by snipping the dome portion of the cover with a knife or other cutting instrument after which pumping of the contents from the container on which the assembly is in- ` p 25 stalled can be effected.
In the second type of cover, a permanent nozzle cap is provided for the end of the dispenser over the outlet and a removable member, which is press-fitted on the nozzle cap has a=sealing''nub which blocks the outlet hole. The cover is 30 attached to the permanent nozzle cap by an integrally molded ~-^
flange or hinge with a weakened portion which can be easily snipped or broken off to allow the cover to be hinged away from the outlet. After use the cover can be reinstalled if ~-~
desired. Thus the sprayer is shippable while installed on a 35 container since the nozzle outlet is sealed by the cover and _ ,, r~
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~13Z505 ~3--initially, is not easily removed by a child. Once the weake ed portion is broken off, however, the cover is easily re- ~
moved and is no longer child-resistant. In addition, nothin~ L-is provided to prevent a child from gaining access to the 5 contents of the container by simply unscrewing the entire assembly.
In another patent, U. S. 3,973,700, issued August 10, ~L~!
1976, a dispensing pump or sprayer is disclosed whicll is combined with a closure cap Ior attacl~ y the a':';Clllb~
10 device to the neck of a container. The sprayer has a spray outlet and a cover thereor wl-ich is part of an opcratin~
trigger being combined therewith. The cover-trigger device is pivoted so that it can be swung away from a pOsitiOIl - covering the outlet to a trigger operating position and is 15 intended to be in the outlet covered position when not in use as in shipping or storage. A projection on the outer end of the trigger covers the pump outlet when the tricJger is in an up position. ~ break off disc is provided to make it im-possible to move a tab also present, whereby a nozzle con- ~-20 taining the outlet can be adjusted. I-lowever, the trigger can still be rotated downwardly a slight amount eno~lcJh to uncover the outlet without brea~ing off the disc and spraying is possible by operating the trigger with the fingers, whicl action is relatively easily accomplishable even by small ~
25 children. This sprayer is therefore not child-resistant ~:
since access to the container contents can be gained rela-tively easily simply by unscrewing the closure cap from the container. !`~
= In another patent, U. S. 3,957,181, issued May 18, 1976, 30 a child-resistant dispensing closure is disclosed in WiliCh a conventional pressed on cap is combined with a pouring fit-ment characterized by a spout having a through passage, which spout is rotatably mounted on the top of the closure F
in a recess therein in such a way that it can rotate through 35 an arc fro~ a transverse, or horizontal position relative to - r--. . ..... _ _ ., ... ,...... __ ~ f ---.. - ................... . . ~ , . ', ~ ,. ..

` 113;25~)5 an outlet in the cap wi-th its internal, transverse passage not in alignment with the outlet thereby being in a closed position, to a vertical position in which the through pass-age in the spout is aligned with the outlet in the closure 5 and fluid is permitted to flow through the aligned passage and outlet to empty the contents of the container on which it is used~ A locking tab is provided at the outer end of the spout wilich can be deflected with a finger, pencil or other pointed object and the like whcll the la(:ter is il~ it;
10 transverse, or closed position before the spout can be lifted r and rotated to the open, or vertical position. Thus in this patent, a child-resi.stant dispensing closure is disclosed in which a pouring spout resists opening owing to the presencc - of the locking tab which must first be moved, as by a ~inger ~"
15 or other object, a sufficient distance so that the elld of the spout can be rotated by application of a downward force on the base of the fitment. Ilo~ever, a disadvantage of this device is that although the pouring spout is child-resistant, the package containing it with a conventional container (not 20 shown) is not since with relatively little effort, a chil~ ~
may gain access to the contents of the container by simply ~r removing the cap which contains the pouring spout. If, on ~,-the other hand, the cap is made to fit so that it cannot be removed at all, then the container cannot be opened and re- -25 filled. Hence, a non-reusable package is obtained.
Various other U. S. patents have issued which disclose combined trigger sprayers and caps including screw on and pressed on types for attac~lent to the necks of contaillers.
For example, U. S. Patent 3,927,834, issued December 23, ,, ~ 30 1975, discloses a locking men~ber for locking an actuator or trigger in a non-operating position when the sprayer is out of use, in which position a valve is closed by a piston connected to the trigger to prevent leakage from a con-tainer F
on which the device is used. I~owever, this device, as with 35 previously mentioned-devices, has ~he disadvantage o~ not F~
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113;2Sl~5 being child-resistant in that no means is provided to pre- j~r~
vent a ehild from gaining access to the eontents of the con- ~
tainer by unscrewing the eap and removing the entire assembly. ~ .
~s will become more clearly apparent from what follows 5 the present invention resolves these aforementioned problems and overcomes the disadvantages arising therefrom by the pro-vision of an assembled combined closure means and pump or ~E
spraying means Eor a eontainer whiell when paclcaged therc~ith is truly and .~ully ehild-resis~all~, yet call be ~eol-cl)e~
10 refilling.
In the deseription which fol].ows certain terms are employed to assist in understanding and appreeiatinc~ the ~.
importanee of the invention. One of these, "dispensinc - elosure" is applied to a relatively well-known type of .4 15 device which is fitted to a container to provide a closure or cover therefor to seal the contents of the container, or to contain them without leakage in normal usage, combined with other devices by which the contents of the container may be emptied. Under this designation, a two-part deviee 20 employing a eap and one or more spouts or pouring fltments ~j,`
eombined therewith will be found and described, as in pre- _~
viously mentioned U. S. 3,957,1~ ot to be included with-in the above definition, however, are so-calle~, two-part deviees exemplified in U. S. Patent 3,061j202, previously ~--25 referred to, which are characterized by having sprayer pumps or spray-heads and like deviees with serew on elosure caps and ~, the like attached thereto for installing the combination on !~
the mouth or neek of a container. These devices are more ~, ~ commonly better known as "trigger sprayers", hence, this - 30 designation will be used herein. All of these devices gen- ~
erally employ a dip tube, or other inlet conduit means to ~
conduct the material contents from the container to the pump ~-for spraying by ejecting the same through an outlet in the -~
exit nozzle earried by the pump. In addition, these devices 35 commonly feature inlet and outlet check valves contained in ~, h:~

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a housing of the pump or spray head to control ~he flow o~
the material contents from the container:
The terms "child-resistant" and '!child-resistan~
effectiveness" are also increasingly being used botll in the 5 field of the present invention and in the field of closures and dispen~sers, in general, to designate devices and pack-ages that ~re constructed to be significantly difficult for young children, particularly pre-school children under 5 ycars of age to open within a reasonable time and a~ tlle samc tinlc 10 not difficult for average and normal adults to use properly.
Such devices when used on containers of to~ic, harmful and other hazardous materials also constitute "Special Packaging"
as that term is defined in the previously mentioned Code o~
- Federal Regulations, Title 16 under Part 1700.1 (4). Inasmuch ~4 15 as the regulations referred to contain information pertinent to and will promote understanding of the present invention, they are,-by reference, incorporated herein.
Other terms, unless otherwise stated, will take their meaning from the appertaining, incorporated by reference, 20 regulations referred to including any and all stand~rds ~;
established for protecting children from serious illness or ~,~
personal injury from handling, ingesting or using substances contained in these packages and found in the average home or household. ~11 testing procedures to which constructions 25 according to the present invention, are described as being subjected will refer to the protocol for testing "Special Packaging" in the Regulations, specifically under Section ' 1700.20 of Title 16 C.F.R., paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) Q~
, thereof, also, by reference, incorporated herein. ~;
- 3 0 SUMMARY OF TI~E INVENTION t' ~._ Among the objects of the present invention is to pro-vide a safety package of a cornbined dispenser and closure assembly and a container, the material content of which is to be expeIled, as by a pump or spraying device and the like.
Another object is to provide a removable child-resistant ~;
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'-' ' ' ' ` 11~,2S(~5 package of an assembly of a combined dispenser section or ~r portion and a closure section or portion'and a container on which the assembly is installed or packaged. ' Stil~ another object of the invention is to provide a 5 separable package of a dispenser-closure assembly and a con-tainer of `the character xeferred to in which the closure section or~portion includes a deformable cap having members which coact with and engage other members on tl~e container to prevent separation of thc asselllbly from tlle col~ incl-10 until a pr,edetermined deforming force is exerted against the '~
cap in a predetermined direction while simultaneously un-screwing the cap.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the pumping section or 15 portion is a manually operated pump having an outlet through which the container's contents are e~pelled and which is provided with a child-resistant cover or overcap for the outlet.
A still further object of the present invention is to 20 provide a ~device of the type referred to wherein thè parts .'' and'components are all, or nearly all comprised of low cost ~r readily available synthetic and natural thermoplastic materials.
- An additional object is to provide a device of the pre-25 ceding type in which the pump section or portion is a trigc3er pump or sprayer and the coacting cap and~container members ~, are wedge-like rib elements and lugs respectively, ~hich interengage when the closure section or portion is installed on the neck or mouth of the container. i~
A stil'ladditional object is to provide a device of the ,~, preceding type which may be molded of the thermoplastic ~-~
materials referred to in an economical way and in whicll the ~' interengaginy members ,of the cap and the container arc molded r t as integral parts of the cap and container respectively.
In accomplishing these and other objects thclo is pro-~_ .

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.' 1~132S~35 vided accordillc3 to tlle present invention, an improvcmellt in packa~Jing of child-rcsi.stant dispenscl^-closurc ~levices an(l assemblies, particularly those assemblies or deuices com-prising a dispenser, pump or sprayer combined with, or 5 otherwise attached to a closure adapted to be installed, mounted on or otherwise packaged by attachment thereof to a container ~or expelling material products therefrom, which E
is characterized by its pOSSeSSiOII O~ safety fe~tul-es witll ~
respect to prevellting Ul-Wallte~, i.lladVCr~C'Il~ C)l- .IC'C'.i.dent:al ~_ 10 gaining of.access to the contents of the container by small children. The iMprovements involve, in special packagincJ, the use and addition of child-resistan-t closing elements to .i the closures and like members whicll, when combined with a dispensing pump or spraying device, result in a combined 15 dispenser and closure assem]~ly of at least 85~ child-rc-sistant effectiveness for a container of hazardous materials, by which is meant that certain prerequisite procedures be followed and adhered to to remove or unpacka~e the device from and open the container, which procedures are effective 20 to prevent at least 85% of normal children under 5 ~ears of age from gaining access to the contents of the container. r In addition, the procedures are also effective to permit at least 90% of normal adults of the ages of 18 to 45 to oE)en the packages.
In a further and preferred improvement, a child-re-sistant cover or overcap is provided for the outlet of the dispenser, pump or sprayer through which material is ejected in normal use which is fitted to, on, or over the outlet in such a manner that it cannot be removed, or otherwise have 30 its position altered unless certain prerequisite procedures are strictly followed to uncover the outlet and permit pass-age of the material contents from the container. i~

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In accordance with the present teachings, an improvement is provided in a~evice which includes a sprayer and a closure connected to the sprayer for use with a container with the sprayer including pump means for emptying the contents of the container and the container having a threaded opening and the closure includes screw-cap means for releasably attaching the device to the container on the threaded opening. The improvement comprises child-resistance safety means on one of the closure and container and coacting safety means on the other of the closure and container with the safety means and coacting safety means being adapted to inter-engage and lock the device to the container on the opening when the device is attached to the container by the cap means. Release of the device for removal thereof is effected by the simultaneously applied actions of a compressive force of predetermined strength directed against the closure and an unscrewing of the means from the threaded opening, the compressive force deforming a portion of the closure and causing a lateral displacement of at least one of the safety and coacting safety means with respect to the other of the safety means and coacting safety means to unlock the closure from the container and enable the screw cap of the closure to be rotatably released for removing the device from the container.
In accordance with the further aspect, a dispenser and child-resistant closure combined into an assembly is pro-vided for use on a container which has an open, threaded filler neck, with a dispenser including a pump for expelling material from the container. The closure is connected to the dispenser to form the assembly and includes a rotatable threaded cap and at least one locking member, with the cap being adapted to threadably engage the filler neck in assembly retaining -8a-113;~55)5 relation on the opening to close the container. The lockingmeans on the filler neck is adapted to engage the locking member and to prevent releasing rotation of the closure and thereby lock the container in child-resistant relation with respect to the assembly when the cap is threadably engaged on the opening in the filler neck and to disengage from the locking member only when the closure is deformed by the action of a compressive stress of sufficient strength applied against a portion of the closure to cause a radial displacement of the locking member disengagement of the member from the locking means and permitting releasing rotation of the cap to remove the assembly from the container.

-8b-~ricf Description of the Drawings ~:
~, Figure 1 is an elevati.on, partially sectione~, of a child-resistant package of a combined dis-penser and closure assembly in basic form ` 5 illustrating the interior working parts of both the dispenser, which is in the form o a spray pump or sprayer section, and the closure section which is a threaded cap within a resilient outer skirt, and a COIl-tainer;
Figure 2 is a partial elevation of the outlet end of a preferred form of the invention showing a preferred,linearly movable overcap or cover for the outlet in the exit or nozzle end o:E
the pump or spray head thereof;
Figure 3 is a fra~mentary, elevational section of thc outlet end of -the dispenser, pump or sprayer head por-tion of the invention taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, illustrating the overcap in . its outlet closed and child-safe position; '~
Figure 4 is a fragmentary, elevational section corre- .
sponding to Fic3ure 3 except that the overcap is shown in an outlet open, sprayer operating position;
Figure 5 is an inside perspective front elevation of the overcap or cover in Figures 2, 3 and 4, viewed from the sprayer outlet or nozzle end; 5 Figure 6 is a perspective front end elevation of a - nozzle or nose bushing used with the overcap of Figures 3, 4 and 5, in the sprayer head or pump section of the invention as viewed from said overcap or cover; ~.
Figure 7 is a transverse section taken along line F
7-7 of Figure l;

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-:1.0 Figure & i5 an elevation, viewed frorn ~he l.ef~ and ior corresponding to Figure 2 of allo~ller embodi-ment of the invention showing a ro~atably movable overcap or cover for the outlet in ~ ;
the exit or nozzle end of the pump or spray head thereof;
Figure 9 is a fraymentary,elevational section of the ~E
. outlet end of the dispenser, pump or sprayer r,~
head section o~ the inventi.ol-, ta~en al.ollc 10 ~ line 9-9 of Figure 8, illustrating the cover t or overcap in its outlet coveriny or closed position;
Figure 10 is a fragmentary, elevational section, as in Figure 9, except that the overcap or cover is in an outlet open, sprayer operating position; ~. .
Figure 11 is an inside perspective front elevati.on c~f.
the overcap or cover of Figures 8, 9 or 10, - viewed from the sprayer outlet or nozzle end;
Figure 12 is a perspective front end elevation of a modified nozzle or nose bushing used with the .
overcap of Figures 8, 9 and 10, in the sprayer head or pump section of the invention as view-. ed from said overcap or cover; and Figure 13 is an elevation, partially sectioned, generally L
corresponding to Figure 1, of still another embodiment of the combined child-resistant ls dispenser and closure assembly, the container ~-of the package omitted, illustrating some of ~ the interior working parts, as in Figure 1, ~.-and an integrally molded closure cap and dispenser connecting means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
~ basic, generalized form of the invention will be de-scribed with reference to Figure 1 wherein a package of a 35 combined child-resistant dispenser pump, or sprayer and F

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,` , 113ZS~5 L-- , closure assembly 10 and a conkainer 11 is depicked compris-ing a trig~er actuated pump heacl or sprayer section 12, thc particular one illustrated being selected from the line of popularly known trigger sprayers manufactured and supplied by 5 The AFA Corporation of Miami Lakes, Florida, U.S.A., and a closure section or portion 14 swivably attached thereto.
Assembly 10 is preferably a molded article made entirely, ~L
or very nearly entirely, of plastic matcrials so as to plO-vide a low cost, ecollomical itelll of malluC;Ict~ e. ~aL~
10 good examples of such materials are any of the synthetic plastics and thermoplastics such as polyolefins, among WhiC}l a particularly preferred one is polypropylene, although others of this class or group including polyethylene and polyiso-butylene can also be used. Other synthetic and natural 15 materials are also usable, for example, moldab]e th~rmoplastic polyester, polyurethane, nylon, polyvinylchloride, polyacetate, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and s~n-thetic and natural rubber and mixtures of these materials.
These materials possess elasticity, have the necessary re-20 siliency and in addition, are economical, in relatively available and plentiful-supply, are readily and easily formed ~-by any of the well-known and widely used molding and casting manufacturing processes, and are inert to almost all of the commonly used materials and fluids which are packaged in con- r~
25 tainers with these devices. ~:
As mentioned previously, assembly 10 forms a package of ,.
material when attached and installed on bottle or container 11 and basically comprises pumping section, spray head or sprayer portion 12, and closure section or portion 14. L
30 Closure section 14 is coupled to spray head section 12 by an intermediate intake stem or coupling member lG and compri,cs an inner closure cap or cylinder 18 having an internal thL-ead-ed surface, a resilient outer skirt or cylinder 20 concen-trically spaced from cap 18, and a top wall 22 from which 35 these last named parts depend. Top wall 22 has a ,~
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~13;~5~)5 central perforation 24 througil which the up~er, cylindrical end 26 of-coupling member 16 easily passes with some clear- - ~-ance to extend into the lower end of the body or housing 28 L
of dispenser or sprayer section 12 being pressed fitted into 5 an outer annular recess or cavity 30 contained therein.
Cylindrical end 26 projects upwardly from the top surface of a laterally extending, disc-like support collar or base 32, the latter being a radial e~tensioll of a ccnt~-al col~dl!it 3l, ~;
which it su~ports, o~ inseL-t mc,lllbe-- lG. CO11aL o~ b.lSe 3 `
10 is larger`in diameter than pcrfora-tion 24 and supportably ~' engages cap or skirt 18 on the underside or surface of -top wall 22 of closure 14. The upper end of conduit 34 termin-ates in a conical valve seat 36 opening into central cavity ù-38 in housing 28 of sprayer section 12 and defines therewith 15 a valve chamber 40 in which an intake valve 42 is housed.
Conduit 34 is press fitted into cavity 38 being engaged therein in fluid tight relation on its peripheral outer surface.
A fluid supply conduit or dip tube 44 which depends 20 from the Iower end of conduit 34 passes centrally ~lrou~,n ~.
the threaded filler nec]c 46 of container or bottle 11 and terminates below the surface of the material contents (not shown) thcrein.
Assembly 10 is packaged toge-ther with bottle or COIl- , 25 tainer 11 by engagement of threaded cap or skirt 18 on f filler neck 46 when closure section 14 is screwed down there-on. When threaded cap 18 and filler neck 46 are fully en-gaged closure 14 assumes a closed position on bot-tle or con-tainer 11 in which base or support collar 32 is clamped 30 tightly between the upper, annular surface 48 of container 11 and the under, annular surface 50 of top wall 22. The respective clamping surfaces 48 and 50 normally being smooth r enough to provide an effective seal for container 11, partic-ularly when the material contents are fluid. In some in-35 stances a gasket or other seal enhancing device (not shown) rP
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1~3Z5V5 may be advantageously used.
~ paiL^ of wedge-shaped locking lugs 52 radially out-wardly project from the lower peripheral surface, as best seen in Figure 7, of filler neck 46 on opposite sides there-5 of and engage in locking, child-resistant relation, the co-operating vertically extending members or ribs 5~ which radially inwardly project from the inside surface of outer closure skirt or cylinder 20. It will be appreciated, par-ticularly in the liqllt of the hereillafter ~ollowin~ de-10 scription of the operation of the invention, that the act of closing container 11 by screwing cap 18 of closure section 14 down on container 11 of neck 46 will result in coaction between lugs 52 and ribs 54 which imparts child-resistant capability to these parts forming a special package signif-15 ic~ntly difficult for children under 5 years of age to open within a reasonable time.
It should be understood from the foregoing ~hat the device typified by previously described sprayer head or dis-pensing section 12 is per se not the invention herein. In 20 fact, any bf the well-known trigger operated, manual pumps ~.
and sprayers, now in plentiful supply, can be used to cJood advantage and, when suitably modified and combined with a r4 closing device typified by closure portion 14 in accordance with the principles herein, will result in a new and useful 25 advance in the art of child-resistant special packaging.
Turning again to Figure 1, dispenser section or sprayer L.
head 12 comprises a spring loaded piston 56 mounted for re-ciprocation in a bore 58 in housing 28 as hy an actuator, a '~
typical one being the finger operated trigger 60. TrigcJer 30 60 is pivotably mounted on spray head 12 on housing 28 below the forward or nozzle end thereof. Also housed in body 28 ~.
is an entrance or intake passage 62 in the wall on portion 63 thereof.leading into a pump chamber 64 from intake valve chamber 40 therebelow. An exit conduit or discharge passage 35 66 connects chamber 64 with the outside through a discharge r ~
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113Z~V5 ,,. nozzle or nose bushing 68 contained in the discharge chamber ~-- 69 at the end of conduit 66. ' . ' ' ' ~, An outlet or discharge valve 70 is slidably positioned in an internal cavity in nozzle or nose bushing 68 to con-5 trol the flow of the material, usually fluid contents in container 11 pumped from chamber 64 for ejection through the ' ejection o~ifice or outlet 72 in the end wall of nozzle bush-ing 68.
To insure container 11 is pro~-erly vellted an(l the 10 pressure therein equalized during pumping of the material contents therefrom vent passages 74 and 76 are respectively formed in base or support collar 32 of coupling member 16 and in wall or partition 63 of bore 58, the latter being molded in wall 63 at a point immediately under piston 56. ,~
15 As shown in Figure 1, piston 56 is in its normal, non-pump-ing, at rest position and vent passage 76 is closed and sealed against ambient air by the seal rings 77 on piston 56 which are arranged on either side of passage-76. During a pump stroke of piston 56, however, vent passage 76 is un-20 covered an,d ambient air enters container 11 via open passage 76,'through annular recess 30 and passage 74 in base 32. ~r-Turning now to Figure 13, an additional embodimen't or the invention is illustrated which utilizes identical sprayer head or section 12, as in the Figure 1 previously described 25 embodiment. In this instance,sprayer 12 attached to a modif-ied closure section 78, forming a new assembly 80 which in - , Figure 13,' is shown unpackaged from container 11. Closure section 78 and spray head or pumping section 12 are connected together by any known method, for e~ample, spin weldin~, 30 adhesive bonding or the like after assembly of the respec~i.ve parts by press fitting of the integrally molded intake stem 82 of closure section 78 into annular cavity or recess 30 in housing 28. It will b.e appreciated that integrally molding r stem 82 with closure section 78 involves a simplification by 35 eliminating at least one discrete manufactured part, namely intermediate intake stem 16. In this instance, central con-' ..... . .

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1~325~5 duit 34 is molded and supported directly on the top wall 84 of closure section 78 through integral base or support collar 86 thereof, replacing base 32. Insert stem 82 extends upwardly from top wall 84 into outer, annular cavity or re-cess 30 in housing 28 and the upper end of conduit 34 extendsinto central cavity 38 being press fitted therein as in the Figure 1 embodiment. Closure section 78 is otherwise struc-turally identical to closure section 14 including an inner cap clasure or cylinder 88 with an internal threaded surface (corresponding to skirt 18) and a resilient outer skirt 90 (corresponding to skirt 20), both of which depend in integral, concentrically spaced apart relation, from top wall 84. In addition, the inner surface of outer resilient skirt 90 carries a pair of identically formed, vertically extending, radially projecting ribs 92 which coact with and engage co-operating lock members or lugs 52 on filler neck 46 of con-tainer 11 when the latter is closed by screwing cap 88 of closure section 78 down thereon, thereby forming a child-re-sistant package with assembly 80, as in the previously described Figure 1 embodiment.
In installing assembly 80 on container 11 to close the same, it should be noted that, owing to the unitary integral structure of closure 78 and its press fitted attachment to sprayer 12, entire assembly 80 will turn as a unit when cap 88 is screwed down onto filler neck 46. In contrast, in the Figure 1 embodiment, owing to the swivel connection of closure section 14 to dispenser section 12, when cap 18 is screwed down on filler neck 46 by turning closure section 14 to close container 11, only closure section 14 will rotate.
Referring now to Figures 2 through 6, the invention will be described with respect to a particularly preferred embodiment there depicted.

Figures 2through 6 of the present application depict the most preferred embodiment of the present invention with sprayer head or section 12 of assembly 10 in Figure 1 (or assembly 80 in Figure 13) with a planar child-resistant safety cover or overcap 94. Overcap 94 is attached to the end of sprayer head 12 on a modified nozzle or nose bushing 96 which is press fitted in discharge chamber 69 in housing 28 of sprayer 12, replacing bushing 68, and is coupled there-to by means of the edge guides or flanges 98 engaged in over-lapping sliding relation with cooperating guide rails 100formed in overcap 94. Flanges 98 are parallel to each other and to cooperating rails 100 and extend in a vertical direction with respect to sprayer 12 when the latter is in its normal upright position as shown in Figure 1. Overcap 94 on bushing 96 is permitted up and down linear movement thereon, within limits, on guide rails 100 sliding on guides or flanges 98. Nose bushing 96 has an outlet or exit orifice 102 formed in the end wall thereof and an opening or port 104, larger than exit orifice or outlet 102, is formed in overcap 94 which, when the latter is in its lowest position, as shown in Figure 3, is unaligned, or out of register with outlet 102 and overcap 94 is in its "outlet closed" position. On the other hand, when overcap 94 is moved upwardly to its highest position, as shown in Figure 4, opening 104 is aligned, or in register with outlet 102 and overcap 94 is in its "outlet open" position. As indicated previously, overcap 94 is per-mitted up and down movement on bushing 96 within limits. In Figure 3, the lowest position of overcap 94 is reached and its outlet closed position obtained, when a limit-stop pro-1~L3ZS~S

-]7-vided by the horizontally inwardly extending shoulder 106 ~.,, on the upper end of overcap 94, which extellds toward bushing ' ' 96 in overlapping relation therewith and in abutting rela- '~
tion with'the end of housing 28 of sprayer section 12, 5 contacts the upper surface of bushing 96, thereby limiting further downward movement of overcap 94.
Overcap 94 is made of resilient material and has a resiliellt first deElective de.tent mclllbel. I08 .in~e~ all~
CO~ CtC~ tl~ tc) ~ v~ U~ y ~.~L~
10 seen in Fi~ures 3, 4 and 5, from a pair of narrow torsi.on bands or spring pivots 110 on the lower end of overcaE~ 94 on which it may be ro~atably deflected into the gellerally rectangular opening or through slot 112 in overcap 94.
The upper end of deflective member 108, as best seen in 15 Figure 5, has a detent lip 114 formed thereon which abuts a shoulder 116, as best seen in Figure 6, on the lower end of nose bushing 96. Shoulder 116 prevents upward movcment of overcap 94 and, as shown in Figure 3, locks said overcap 94 in its outlet closed position. t~
' 20 Deflective member 108 extends downwardly from ,~,orsion l~ -bands 110 and has an actuating tab or depressor 118 on the lower end thereof which when depressed or forced to the right in ~igure 3, as by the application of thumb pressure by an operator, will pivot or rotate on torsion springs 110 ,~
25 about a lateral axis therethrough sufficiently for detent lip ~-~
114 to clear shoulder 116 of bushing 96. With tab or de- ,;
pressor 113 in its depressed position, overcap 94 may be shoved upwardly and moved to the outlet open position of "~
Figure 4 with guide ra,ils 100 sliding on flanges 98 of bush- '~' 30 ing 96. A recess 120 in'nose bushing 96 immediately abovc shoulder 116, receives detent lip 114 when the latter re- l~o~
turns to its normal, unrotated and undeflected state uncler !~
urging of ~orsi,on springs 110. The preceding will occ-lr when the depressing force on tab or depressor 118 is re-35 leased and overcap 94 is in its Figure 4 or outlet opcn . ~
~ , ,. jl, . .

~' ', , .

1~3;2505 -:Lc3-position, in which pos.ition opening or port 109 will ~e ~c-aligned or in register Wit}l outlet orifice 102 and tlle ~.
material cbntents delivered ~y spray head 12 fl-om con~ainc 11 can be ejected or expelled.
A ramp or chamfered surface 122 on the upper side of shoulder 116 of nose bushing 96 facilitates closing of out- :, let 102 when the rounded front edge of detent lip 104 moves downwardly thereon. As overcap 94 moves into its outlet closed position, detent lip 114 is di.spl.aced 1e~ ;lL(I1~ as 10 its rounded edge moves easi]y on ramp 122 and snaps bac~ ~.
into its normally c].osed, loc]ced position undex limit stop ,;
116. To effect this action it is only necessary to apply a gentle, bu-t firm downward push against the top end of overcap - 94 to slide overcap 94 into its closed position on bushing 96.
~ further and important feature of the inven-tion lies in the provision for sealing against leakage between the interior surface of overcap 94 and the outer surfaces of nose bushing 96. As best seen in Figures 5 and 6, outlet 102 in bushing 96 terminates in the outer !surface of a 20 raised sealing boss 124 which projects from the bottom of a ~^
recess 125. When overcap 94 is installed on bushin~ 96 and takes up its outlet closed position, boss 124 .orcibly abuts, - in sealing relation with respect to outlet 102, a vertically extending raised surface or spline 126 projecting from the 25 inside surface of overcap 94. It will be apprecia-ted that the portion of overcap 94 containing raised surface or spline 126 is deflective and flexible by virtue of the vertical through slots 128 adjacent spline or surface 126 in the front face of ov.ercap 94 which permits the portion in ~uestion to ~, - 30 flex outwardly, as shown in Figure 3 by the contoured ou~er surface thereof, when overcap 94 is moved down~ardly to the --outlet cl.osed position. That is to say, as will be appreci~
ated from Figures 5 and 6, when overcap 94 is moved from its outlet open'position in Figure 4 to its outlet closed posi-35 tion in Figure 3, raised surface or spline 126 slides in re-p~
. _ _ . . . . .. ...... ...

-- " ''--' "' ' '= ' ' ................... . . , ~ ! ,. . ~ . . . .

~ ' ' .

113ZS~35 ~19--cess 125 and is forcibly wedged up onto boss 124 by thechamfered top surface 130 of boss 124 and cooperating, similarly chamfered surface 132 of spline 126. The pre-ceding wedging action causes a deflection or flexing of the 5 portion of overcap 94 between the slots 128 which forcibly urges spline 126 and its top surface against opposed top surface of boss 124, thereby providing a forced seal for outlet 102.
Turning now to Figures 8 through 12, an additional 10 embodiment of the invention will be described. In this embodiment, rotatable, or rotary planar safety cover or overcap 134 is positioned on a different, also modified nose or nozzle bushing 136. Overcap 134 and nose bushing 136 can be used as was previously described overcap 94 and bushing 15 96 with either of the also previously described combined child-resistant dispenser and closure assemblies, including assembly 10 and 80, to provide a special packagir;~ of high child-resistant effectiveness sufficient to meet or exceed the standards established for such special packaging under 20 previously mentioned Part 1700.20, of Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
To meet or exceed said standards combined child-re-sistant dispenser and closure assembly 10, as shown in Figure 1, or assembly 80, of Figure 13, is equipped with 25 modified nose bushing 136 by inserting the same in discharge chamber 69 in housing 28 of sprayer head or section 12 re-placing old bushing 68, as shown in Figure 9, and thereafter installing overcap 134 on the exit end thereof. Alternatively, these parts can be preassembled together and then installed 30 on sprayer head 12 with overcap 134 held in place on nose bushing 136 by a set of upper annular lip sectors 138 and a bottom lip sector 139 after snapping it into place to couple said upper and lower sectors over annular ridge or rim 140 of nose bushing 136. Overcap 134 is relatively permanently i13255)5 --~o--retained on buslling 136 and not easily removed as by the fingers or even by means of some implement without damage; ~.
however, i~ is freely rotatable thereon, within limits, between an outlet closed and an outlet open position, as 5 will be explained.
Bushing 136 is provided with an exit orifice or outlet 142 in the end wall thereof, which is centrally vertically offset with respect to annular rim or ridge 140, as is shown ,~
in Figure 12, and terminates in the top surface o:E a surroullcl-10 ing raised boss or projec-tion 144. ~`he top surface of boss 144 is flat and sealingly abuts a correspondi~g flat surface of a centrally offset boss 146 projecting from the generally '~
round, inner central surface 147 of overcap 134. An opposite, ~.
centrally offset opening or through port 14~ extends through 15 overcap 134 in surface 147 which is larc3er -than outlet 142 to insure ful.l passage of material dispensed from container 11 therethrough when opening 148 and outlet 142 are in register and is at a lower elevation, as best seen in Figure 11, than the top s~rface of boss 14G. ~.ramp 150 having an arcuate 20 top surface extends between the top surface of boss 146 and surface 147 and terminates at through port 148. Ramp 150 slidably engages the top surface of outlet boss 144 of bush-ing 136 and moves thereover in a wedging action when overcap 134 is rotated between its outlet open and outlet closed 25 positions to provide a forced seal for ou-tle-t 142. It will be appreciated that, owing to the aforementioned wedging action of ramp 150 against boss 144 and the resiliency of the material of which overcap 134 is made, sufficient force can be generated thereby to provide a ~luid tic3ht seal or ~
30 outlet 142 to prevent leakage between the contactinq surfaces '.
of the two bosses 144 and 146. _.
As indicated previously, overcap 134 i.s freely rotatable ~;~
on bushing 136 within limits, one of which limits is pro-vided by a-limit stop 152, as best seen in Figure 11, on 35 the inner surface of.overcap 134. Limit stop ].52 extends ""

.,, ~i3Z5S~5

-2]-radially between the lower-outer edge of central raised L~
surface 147 and the edge of a through slot in the lower ~,;
periphery of cap 134 and enyages in int.erfering rela-tion with a lower bushing stop 154 on the end of buslling 136 ~-5 when ove-rcap 134 is rotated cloc]cwise, or in the directioll of the CI,OS~ arrow in Figure 8,to its "outlet closed" posi-tion, ther~by preventing further rotation in this direction. L~
Conversely, 180~ opposite, or counter cloc]cwise rot.ltion i.n the direction of the oPr.~ arrow in Fic~u.re 8 of ovel-c.l~ 131 10 will move overcap 134 to its "outlet open" position. ~t ~-this position, Eurther rotation in this d.ir~ction is prc-vented by engagement of limit stop 152 with the upper bush-ing stop 156 and opening or port 148 will be aligned or in ~,~
register with outlet 142, as in Figure 10. ~,.
To facilita-te rotating overcap 134 on busl~ g 136, .~n integral actuating tab 158 is molded on overcap 134 WhiCil extends therebelow in flush, parallel and adjacent relation to the front end of housing 28 of sprayer section 12, clS
seen in Figure 9. Actuating tab 158 is a generally flat ,~.
20 construction and carries on its extreme lower end ,an.inwardly projecting wedge shaped safety detent or latch 160 ~hich i5 received and lockably engaged in a notch or slotted opening 162 in the upper front end of trigger 60 when the latter is in its normal, non-pumping position on ho.using 28 of sprayer 25 12. As will be appreciated from Figure 9, rotation of over-cap 134 will not be possible until detent latch 160 is dis-engaged from notch or opening 162 which clisengagement can only be effected by partially operating trigger 60 to pivot i~ away from detent 160. Detent latch 160 and notch or slot ~ 30 162 are dimensionally sized to permit relatively free pass- ;;
age of detent 160 into slot lG2 to i.nsure engagement thereof. ~-Detent latch 160 also projects rearwardly a sufficient dis- ~.
tance to insure that tab 158 is locked to prevent premature rotation of overcap 134.
~n important feature of the invention just descl-ibecl, , , ., , ~ -- ._ ~. - .

\
1~325U5 -2~.-is its eapability of providi.ng a foreible scal over outlet ~
142 in boss 14~ of bushing 136. When overcap 134 is rota-ted ~ .
from its outlet open position of Figure 10 to its outlct ~`
elosed position of Figure 9, it slides on the top surfaces of 5 raised boss l44 on ramp ].50 along the areuate top surface thereof. A slight deformation of overeap 134 in i-ts eentral region oecurs owing to the wedging aetion which takes plaee E~
~35 ramp 150 moves over boss 14~i on its top surEacc ancl reaches a pOsi.tioll COVC`ri.l-C~ outlet 1.42. lt w.i.~ c .~ppla~
10 ated therefore that this wedging aetion whicll e~uses a sli.cJIlt deformation of resilient overeap 134, also causes a pressure to be generated which aets on the surfaces o:E ramp 150 ancl boss 194 ensuring a fluid tight seal therebetween.
OP~R~TION OF T}IE INV~NTION
l~ith respeet to the hereinafter descrption of the operation of the present invention reference will bc haci to pac]iaginq and/or speeial paekaginc3 as tllese tcrms are used and defined in Title 16 of the Code of recleral r;c(Julat-i Part 1700.1 through 1700.20, Subchapter ~-POISON PRLV~:IlION _~
Z0 PACKAGING ~CT OF 170-REGULATIONS. . t~r As indieated previously, in its basie and simp~est aspeets, the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 13. To give a elear understanding of the operation of these basic forms, as well as the hereinafter deseribed more preferrc(l 25 embodiments, referenee should be had also to ~i.yure 7, sincc most of the parts there illustrated are eommon to botll Cll~Odi-ments.
Container 11, as deseribed hereinbefore receives i.n threaded engagement on filler neck 4~ thereof assembl~ 10 - 30 (or assem~ly 80) through the medium of closure cap 18 (or 88~ thereof, which eloses eontainer 11 in a ehild-resis-tant --or safe eondition when elosure seetion 14 (or 78) i.s turned ;~
down thereon suffieiently to ensure ribs 54 (or 92) on skirt _~
20 (or 90) engage loel;ing lugs 52, as showll in .~igUIC 7. It 35 will be appreeiated that in this position any attc~ )t to ., -.

..
,~ .
. . . .

113;~5~S

remove assembly 10 (or assembl~ ~0) by unscl^ewing closure cap 18 (or 88) froM filler neck 46 will resul-t in Eai.lure since engaged ribs 54 (or 92) and lugs 52 ~Jill resist such action and some alternative means must be found to gain 5 access to the contents of container 11. It has beell found by test that while most small children under the age of 5 years cannot perform the acts necessary to open contailler 1 most normal adults over 18 yeal-s of a~le \~:ill h;l~e~.li.t~.lc no difficulty.
It is, of course, highly desirable to be able to opcn container lI for refilling when its contents havc becl-l dis-pensed and expelled by dispenscr pump or sprayin~ scctioli ~' 12. 'rO accomplish this obj~ctive, it is necessar~ to COIII-press skirt 20 (or 90), as indicated by the arrows in Fic~ure ~
15 7, by squee~ing the grooved side portions thereof thcreby _.
deforming skirt 20 (or 90), as indicated by the dash lines in Figure 7, which in turn, causes ribs or lockin(3 members 54 (or 92) to be displaced outwardly a short distance sufficient to clear lugs 52On filler neck 46 of cont.lillcr 11. L~- -20 Assembly 10 (or 80) can then be turned or rotated a.short ;~
way until members 54 (or 92) and 52 are fully disengac3ed ancl assembly 10 (or 80) removed. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that two discrete and simultaneously perforrled operations.are required before container 11 can be opened by 25 removal therefrom of assembly 10 (or 80); namely, (1) a de- ~ :
forming compressive stress, as by squeezinq, must be applied to skirt 20 (or 90) sufficient to cause a radial displacemellt of locking members 54 (or 92) to disengage them from lugs ~2 ~, and, (2) skirt 20 (or 90) must be maintained in its defol^r.lcd ,.~-30 state while simultaneously,closure section 14 (or 78) ancl cap 18 (or 88) is unscrewed a short distance or unti.l ribs 54 (or 92) disengage from lugs 52 after which assembly 10 ~
(or 80) can be unscrewed the rest of the way and renlovc(l. F~r-While the invention illustrated in Fic3ures 1 and 13, 35 and operated in accordance with the proceclure described Wit' _ . . .. . . .. , _ ~ .
r . ...
. . . .. ..
,; . . . r . . . .. . . . .. ..
.
...

113Z5~5 ~.
referenee to Figure 7 is, broadly speaking, representive f ~r a ehild-resistant package, partieularly with respect to in- ~`
ereasing the diffieulty for small children -to gain direc~
aeeess to the material eontents of eontainer 11, without some 5 means to prevent indireet aeeess, as by operation of sprayer seetion. 12, its ehild resistant effeetiveness may be lessen- _ ed somewh.at. Aeeordingly, more preferred fomls of the i.n- ~.
vention have been devised, tlle opera~ion o~ onc of ~ icll ~.i.l.l `'`
be deseribed with respeet to these figures of the clrawincJs 10 and further Wit]l respeet to Fi.gures 2 through 6.
As is well-known, triyger sprayer-elosure devices for dispensing material from bottles on other contaillers are operated by alternately squeezing and unsqueezincJ an actuator such as triyger 60 of sprayer head 12 to reciprocate ~istOll 15 56, thereby drawing some of the material eontents of contaillcr 11 up into pump ehamber 64 throuc~h suetion supl>ly t~ c ~l into eonduit 34 under a sue-tion head whicll opens i.nlct val.ve 42 in chamber 40 to permit the material to enter chambcr G~
through intake passage 62 in pump chamber wall 63. Continucd ~
20 reeiproeation of piston 56 by squeezing trigger 6n ~auses an ~i inerease in pressure in ehamber 64, forees check valve 42 to ~.,.
close against valve seat 36 and material in chamber 64 to move under pressure into exit eonduit 66 whieh eauses clis-eharge valve 70 to shuttle or shift leftwardly and open .
25 whereupon.the material will move therearound and be dis- '`
eharged and e~eeted through outlet orifiee 72 of nozzle ~;
bushing 68 in diseharge chamber 69. r~
As previously mentioned, it is eeonomically desirable - to ship these devices already installed on their fi].led COIl- "~
30 tainers as paekages. It is also desirable to insure that __.
when so shipped, the paekages are leak proof ancl child-re-sistant. Until the present inventioll, however, really e~
effeetive ehild-resistant sPrayer-eontainer paekac3cs capal)lc of meeting the standards preseribed in the afoL-esaicl Ieclcr.ll 35 P~egulations for Speeial Paekaginc3 have not been made availablc.

~!
r~

,'-` ~' . , . -`_ ., _ ., , - ., _ ;
.,~ ".

11325~5 -~5-In the present instance, combined child-resistant dispenser ~e and closure assembly 10 and/or assembly 80, packaged with filled container 11 of Figures 1 and 13 and equipped with ,~
child-resistant overcap 94 of Figures 3, 4 and 5 on nozzle 5 bushing 36 of Figure 6 in place of nozzle bushing 68 of Figures 1 ~and 13 constitutes a first preferred embodiment meeting these s-tandards. In addition, said assembly 10 and/or 80 W]len equipped with child-resistant. overcap 13~l Figures 9, 10 and 11, on bushin(l 136 of ~ UL-e l' const:.itll'c~
10 a second preferred embodimen-t also capable of mceting these standards.
In operation of said preferred embodiment a special packaging of the character desired is created when assembly ~.
- 10 mounted on container 11 to close the same, as previously 15 described, is equipped with overcap 94 which is in its out-let closed position on the end of nose bushing 95 as shown in Figure 3. In this position the raised surfac:e of snlille 126 presses against boss 124 in sealing relation wi~h outlet 102 and can be opened or unsealed only by the simultaneous 20 performance of at least two discrete actions or acts WlliC}l , children under 5 years of age will find difficult if not impossible to perform, yet which normal adults will perfonn with relatively little difficulty.
To open or uncover outlet 102 and permit dispensiny of 25 material from container 11 by alternately squeeziny and U31- t squeezing trigger 60 to actuate pumping section 12, overcap 94 must be moved to its outlet open position as shown in Figure 4. To effect the shift to that position actuating , tab or depressor 118 is first depressed inwardly toward - 30 trigger 60 to deflect first deflec-tive member 10~ to the - left as it rotates on torsion springs 110. Detent lip 11 is thereby displaced a sufficient distance leftwar~ly to '~-~
clear shoulder 116 on bushing 96. Simultaneously, an up- ~F
wardly directed pushing force is applied to overcap 94 and 35 it moves upwardly, guide rails 100 slidiny on flanges 98 of J " "- ~ .

., .'', . ' ' 113Z5~5 bushing 9G until it reaches the position sllowll i.n Iigure 4. ~.
In this pOsitiOIl port or opening 104 is aligned and.in -register with outlet 102 an~ the pumped material can be ex-pelled or.ejected.
To reshift overcap 134 to its closed pOsitioll of Fic~ure

3, overcap~ 94 is pushed downwardly as lip 114 ri.des up on ramp 122 on its rounded end surface and thereafter owing to its resiliency, snaps back into position under stop 116. ~t the same time a forcible seal is obtained betweell t.l~e tc~p 10 surface of boss 124 and spline 126 when the latter sl.ides in recess 125 of bushing 96 and is wedged onto boss ...~l ai(lecl by chamfered surface 132 thereof. Such wedging action causes a deflection of the central region of overcap 94 bct~een slots 128 and owing to its resiliency the stressed material ~
15 urges spline 126 under constant pressure against boss 124 to _ .
provide a positive seal over outle-t 102.
In operation of second preferred embodimen~ of the invention, overcap 134 of Figure 11 is assembled on bushing 136 as hereinbefore described and inserted in discharge ~_~.
20 chamber 69 in housing 28 of sprayer 12 replacing bùshing ,~vr~`
68. In Figure 9, overcap 134 is in its outlet closed posi- , tion with latch or detent 160 of rotary actuator tab 158 safely engaged in locking relation with notch or slot 162 of trigger 60 To shift overcap 134 to its outlet open posi-25 tion on bushing 136 as shown in Figure 10 trigger. 60 is de~
pressed by squeezing, thereby disengaging detent 160 from notch 162. Rotary tab 158 is thereafter rotated 180 counter .
clockwi.se in the direction of the OPEN arrow in Figure 8 ~.
until radial stop 152 abuts upper bushing stop 158 on bush-~ 30 ing 136, thereby bringing opening 148 into register with !1~
outlet 142 in outlet boss 144. To return overcap 134 to its ~~-outlet closed position rotary tab 158 is turned clockwise in the direction of the CIOSE arrow in Figure 8 until radial F~
stop 152 abuts lower bushing stop 154 and overcap 134 stops.
35 When overcap 134 is fully rotated to the stopped position ~, .
, 1~3Z5~5 -~7-inside boss`146 i.s u.rged against ~oss l.44 by rc~sil:icllt E
pressure of overcap 134, which is induced by the wec3gillg ~!
action of arcuate ramp 150 against boss 144.as overcap 134 ~.
rotates to.the closed position and forcibly seals outlet 5 orifice 142. In addition in this position deten-t 160 en-gages slot or notch 162 of trigger 60 and locks overcap 13-1 in said ou~let closed position. ~æ
` To det~rmine whether the present illVe31~:i.C)Il Inl~ ;aCled t~.
with a polyetl~ylelle ~o~t:Le wou~.cl sa~.isl.y ~l)e (`0l1!~UIII~`r I'l 0 lO Sa~ety Coml!lission standards .Eor ]~oi.son ]?.revell~io~ aclcac~ 5 according to the protocol ancl standarcls set Eorth in aiore-mentioned Ti.-tle 16, Code of ~ederal Regulations ~arts 1700 ~.
through 1700.20, special packagincls of assemblies lO and ~-container ll were prepared in sufficient number to test in ~``
15 accordance with Part 1700.20 of said l~egulatiolls, "Testillg Procedure for Special Packaging" sub-secti.on (a) throuc~l~
(c) thereof. The tested devices were made in accordallce with the aforementioned first preferred embodirnent of asselllbly lO, as illustrated in Figure 1, comprising combined closure ~-20 section 14~and trigger actuated sprayer head or pumr~ section ~f;
1.2 equipped with overcap 94 and nozzle bushinq 96 of Figures 2 through 6. -The above described package was tested and evaluated for its child-resistant effectiveness ancl.its adult use 25 effectiveness by panels consisting of 200 childrell and 100 adults obtained from nursery schools, day care centers and civic groups.
The two hundred children employed as panelists for the te~sts were between the ages of 42 and 51 months and sub-30 stantially evenly distributed by age and sex as follows:
(l) Twenty children (plus or minus 10 per cent) whose nearest age was 42 months 20 children whose n~arest age was b`' 43 months, 20 at 44 months etc., up to and includialcJ 20 at ~
51 months of age; and (2) The children were divided into groups of two .. . ~
.~, .
,~ . . .~ . ~. .
.. _ . . . , . -- -- ~ , _ ~ , . , .
.
. ,' `, 5S~5 each and givell five minutes to open the containers an(l/or uncover sprayer outlet 102 by moving overcap 94 into its outlet open position. For each test the paired children ~-received the same special package simultaneously with no 5 demonstration or instructions and were asked to open t}-e packages i.n the time allotted. Results of these tests are given in Table I. E~

, , ?

,,~

. .
~.
.. ,~.

.
'=- ~,, _.

~.....

rj. !i " .".,. __.., __... . .
.- ..
~,.~

~ ' ' ' , .
.

1~3Z5~5 ' (1 '-,r,l, :1 NO DE:MONSTI~TIOM
.~
Ages of Panelists L_-Panelists Tested Successful Openinc3s 5 Months Assembly 10 ~verca~) 9l ~aie Female Total Male ~ ~emale ~lalc & ~cmale 42 .9 11 20 0 0 43 11 ~ 20 0 ' 0 44 10 10 20 0 ( 1045 ~0 10 20 0 0 47 10 10 2 0 0 0 jr ,.

4~ 1~ 10 20 0 0 '~;

51 10 10 20 û_ û
Totals 100 100 200 0 0 Per Cent Unsuccessful 100~; lû0 From Table I none of the panelists were successful ir- ,~
20 either act~ivating the spray, which requires being able to '~
slide overcap 94 to its outlet open position, or reMovinc] ~w assembly lû ~rom container 11, which requires applyincl a ~ie-forming force against skirt 20 suf icient in maqllitude allcl direction to disengage ribs 54 from lu~s 52 to unlock closurc 25 section 14. ~~
The tests were repeated with the same panelists e~cept - in this ins-tance a demonstration of the corrcct way to ope~
container ll and move overcap 94 to its open pOsitioll was ~' given. ~`
The results for these tests 9iVCIl thc samc pallc]ixtC '~
are presented in Table II.
i~

_~

~.~
~,.

" . ~,,~ ~ .

.'.' ., ._ : , ~

T~BLF II
WIT~I D]~MONSTl~TION ~O
- ~,.

~ges of Paneli.sts Panelists' Tested Successful Openings i

5 Months~~ssem~ly 10 Overcap 94 Ma]e Female ~rOtal Mal.e l~ema].e Malc ]~cmale Tot.ll - ~, 42 9 11 20 0 0 0 ' 0 L~
44 10 10 2() 0 0 0 () () ,~' 1045 10 10 20 0 0 ` 0 0 () 46 10 10 20 0 0 0 0 n 4~ 10 10 20 0 0 0 0 0 49 10 10 20 0 0 0 0 0 "
1550 10 10 20 0 0 1 0 ].
51 ].0 .10 20 n o _o_ _o _n Totals100 100 200 0 0 ]. 0 Percent Unsuccessful 100% 98~ 99.5 Based upon the standards of child-resistant effective 20 ness of not less than 85% without demons-tration ancl not less than 80nO after demonstration of the proper means of opening a special packaging as established in the Protocol for testing such special packaging, the present combinecl child-resistallt .-dispenser and closure assembly 10, equipped with chi.ld-re-25 sistant overcap 94 and packaged with container 11 easily fulfills the requirements for Poison Prevention Packaging ,~
, pLescribed in Part 1700 of ~itle 16 of the Code of Fed~ra.l. ~.
- Regulations. The effectiveness as measured by the percenl~
of unsuccessful openings Without Demollstratio~ rable I) an~
30 With Demonstration (Table II) is as follows: ~;
WITI-IOUT DEMONSTR~TION ~.,~
100~ with respect to both opening and gailling access to the package contents by removing assembly 10 or shi~tillg overcap 94 to its outlet open position.

~,.

. ~_ .' ~. ~ .,"

~ ,' ' ,' ,, ' ' ' . ' .

1'1 3;~5~

WITII Dl:~lONS'I'R~TION
100~b with respect to assembly 10, 99O with res]-ec~ to ~`
overcap 94 and 99.5% with respect to entire unit.
P
The same tests of the same special packaging as in Tables I and II were given to a group of panelists composed .
of 100 adults ranging in age from 18 to 45, 70 of whom were women, and 30 of whom were men. No demonstration ~as made, '~
however, directions and ins~ructions WeI-C ~JiVC'Il lS t.ollo\~
10 CLOSURE C~P ~ i ;
I'o Open PRESS OPPOSITE SIDES OF C~P ~T BOTTOM OF GROOVED
PORTION WITII THUMB ~ND FOl~FINGER ~ND T~IST BOT'lL~ ~;
CLOCKWISE.
15 OVERCAP SPR~Y T~B
To Open :
1. OVERC~P MUST BE FLUSI-I WITII TOP OF SBI~YEl~.
2. WITH Tl-lU~IB OR FI~GER, PR~SS IN ~ND UP ON 'l'~B.
Instructions To The Testing Persons ,~
The interviewers, or testing personnel were d,i.rec.ted to '.
conduct the evaluation of the devices in strict accordallce with the cited protocol. To make certain these persons ad-hered to the above, they were periodically observed throu~h-out the testing program.
Results for the adult group are given in Table III.

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'l`~Bl,l; III
. Successful Baneli.sts l~itllou~ l)elllorlstr.ltio Panelists Tested Overcap 94 Closure Sec-tion 1~l (Number) 5 Female 70 63 63 Male 30 30 30 Total 100 98 93 ~
Percent Successful 98.0 93.0 ~' ~I'I'II Dl.~lON~S'l'l~'l`I()N
The ~wo panelists who were unable to opera~e ancl shift overcap 9~1 to its outlet open position were able to activa~c it after a demonstration of the correct way to do so.
Four of the seven panelists unable to open the screw cap of the closure to remove assembly 10 were still unable to ol~c 15 it after ,1 demonstration.
Based upon the standard of adult-use effectivcncss of not less tharl 90 percent, the present invention, as descr:i.l,ccl - herein, fulfills the requirements for Poison Prevention Packaging based upon the protocol and standards set forth ~-~
20 for same ïn Part 1700 of Title 16 of the Code of Feclcral Regulations. . ,,~.
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1. .

Claims (16)

CLAIMS:

1. In a device including a sprayer and a closure connected to the sprayer for use with a container, said sprayer including pump means for emptying the contents of the container, said container having a threaded opening and said closure in-cluding screw cap means for releasably attaching the device to the container on said threaded opening, the improvement compris-ing, child-resistant safety means on one of the closure and container and coacting safety means on the other of said closure and container, said safety means and coacting safety means adapted to inter-engage and lock said device to said container on said opening when said device is attached to said container by said cap means, release of said device for removal thereof being effected by the simultaneously applied actions of a com-pressive force of predetermined strength directed against said closure and an unscrewing of said means from said threaded opening, said compressive force deforming a portion of said closure and causing a lateral displacement of at least one of said safety and coacting safety means with respect to the other of said safety means and coacting safety means to unlock said closure from said container and enable said screw cap of said closure to be rotatably released for removing said device from said container.

2. The device as specified in Claim 1 in which said closure and sprayer are separably coupled together by an insert stem coupling member.

3. The device as specified in Claim 1 in which said closure and sprayer are inseparably connected together in a unitary integrated structure.

4. The device as specified in claim 2 in which said insert stem coupling member is an integral part of said closure.

5. The device as specified in claim 1 in which the safety means is associated with the closure and said coacting safety means is associated with the container.

6. The device as specified in claim 1 in which the safety means is associated with the container and the co-acting safety means is associated with said closure.

7. The device as specified in claim 1 in which the safety means comprises at least one radially inwardly projecting rib extending from an inside surface of said closure.

8. The device as specified in claim 1 in which the coacting safety means comprises at least one wedge shaped locking lug laterally outwardly extending from said container.

9. The device as specified in claim 1 in which the container includes a filler neck, the threaded opening of the con-tainer is located in the filler neck and the cap means en-gages said container on said filler neck.

10. The device as specified in claim 7 in which the closure further includes a resilient outer skirt having an inside surface and the safety means projects inwardly from said surface.

11. The device as specified in claim 9 in which the coacting safety means laterally outwardly projects from said filler neck and is engaged by said safety means when said cap engages said filler neck and closes said opening.

12. The device as specified in claim 1 in which the safety means is associated with said closure and com-prises at least one rib having a vertical, substantially flat surface and said coacting safety means comprises at least one wedge shaped locking lug having a substantially flat surface arranged on said container in juxtaposed, con-tacting relation with said vertical rib surface when said device is connected to said container.

13. A dispenser and child-resistant closure combined into an assembly for use on a container having an open, threaded filler neck, said dispenser including a pump for expelling material from the container, said closure connected to said dispenser to form said assembly and including a rotatable threaded cap and at least one locking member, said cap adapted to threadably engage said filler neck in assembly retaining relation on the said opening to close said container;
locking means on said filler neck adapted to engage said locking member and prevent releasing rotation of said closure and thereby lock said container in child-resistant relation with respect to said assembly when said cap is threadably engaged on said opening in said filler neck and to disengage from said locking member only when said closure is deformed by the action of a compressive stress of sufficient strength applied against a portion of said closure to cause a radial displacement of said locking member disengagement of said member from said locking means and permitting releasing rotation of said cap to remove said assembly from said container.

14. The assembly as specified in claim 13 wherein said closure includes a resilient, circumferentially extending skirt having an inside surface and one of said locking member is carried on said surface.

15. The assembly as specified in claim 14 wherein said locking member is a vertically extending rib radially inwardly projecting from said inside surface of said skirt.

16. The assembly as specified in claim 13 wherein said locking means is a wedge shaped locking lug radially outwardly extending from a surface of said container filler neck.