GB2261428A

GB2261428A - Safety closure

Info

Publication number: GB2261428A
Application number: GB9223977A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Graham Rutherford; John Alexander Rutherford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-16
Filing date: 1992-11-16
Publication date: 1993-05-19
Also published as: GB9223977D0; GB9124391D0

Abstract

A closure arrangement for a container such as a medicine bottle comprises a cap 3 which is locatable on a bottle neck (1), the neck having ramped recess formations 13 in which lugs 11 on the cap 3 locate. The cap 3 is fitted on the neck by a first downward pressure causing lugs 11 to move over ramp 16 to first lower position 27, a resilient bias, which may be provided by a diaphragm 10, causing the lugs to move upwards over ramp 18 to a trapped position 20 when the pressure is released. The cap 3 is removed by applying a second downward pressure against the resilient bias which moves the lugs 11 out of their trapped position 20 over ramp 22 to a second lower position 23 and permits the cap to be subsequently removed from the neck 11 by an upwards pull. The resilient bias may alternatively be provided by an annular spring ring (29, Figure 4). The lugs may be provided on an inner cap member rotatable within an outer cap to allow the lugs to follow the path of the recess formation. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT This invention relates to closure arrangements for containers and more particularly but not exclusively to closure arrangements having a safety closure cap. The invention is therefore applicable to containers such as medicine bottles, jars and the like where improper access is hindered.

Most safety closure caps in use today are screw-caps which require a strong downward pressure while unscrewing them in order to release them. This procedure can be very inconvenient for infirm people and particularly people who have problems gripping items because they suffer from arthritis or similar debilitating diseases.

The object of the invention is to provide a closure arrangement which does not present the aforesaid problems.

According to the invention, a closure arrangement for a container comprises a cap member arranged to cooperate with a cap locating member of the container through lúgs on one of said members and recess formations on the other member, the cap member being locatable on the cap locating member by a first downward pressure on the cap member against a resilient bias to cause the lugs to move along the recessed formations to a first lower position, release of the downward pressure causing the lugs to move upwardly under the resilient bias to a trapped position, and the cap member being removable from the cap locating member by a second downward pressure against the resilient bias to move the lugs from the trapped position to a second lower position from which they are free to be removed from the recessed formations by an upward pull of the cap member.

Closure arrangements in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a bottle having a first closure arrangement in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is an exploded view of the closure arrangement with the cap itself shown in cross-section, and the bottle neck in elevation, Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the bottle neck, and Figure 4 shows a sectional view of a modified cap construction.

Referring now to the drawings, the closure arrangement is between the neck 1 of a bottle 2 and a cap 3.

The cap 3 has a cylindrical closure member 4 and a handle button 5 to facilitate fitting and removal of the cap from the bottle. The closure member 4 has an outer cylindrical casing 6 with one closed end 7 and an internally extending lip 8 at its other end. Within the casing 6 is contained a further cylindrical member 9 having one of its ends closed by a bowed flexible diaphragm 10. At its other end the member 9 has a series of lugs 11 around its periphery. The member 9 is a loose fit within the casing 6 so that it can rotate freely and move axially to a limited extent within the casing 6. The lip 8 retains the member 9 within the casing 6. Preferably both the members 6 and 9 are of suitable plastics material.

The bottle neck 1 has on its outside a series of recessed formations 13 formed by a moulding process and corresponding in number to or greater than the number of lugs 11. The formations 13 are spaced apart around the neck by the same distance as the lugs 11 are from each other. Each of the formations 13 comprises a series of recesses with bounding walls which constrain and guide the movement of the associated lug 11 along a continuous path as the cap 3 is pushed on to and pulled off the neck 1. Each of the areas of the neck shown in heavy line at 17, 21, 23 and 26 and with adjacent shading lines in Figure 3 indicates a ramp leading up to a bend in the path and over which the lug 11 can ride and then drop over the top of the ramp so that the lug cannot reverse along the path once it has dropped over the top of the ramp.Thus as the cap 3 is pushed down on to the neck 1 each of the lugs 11 will ride down a respective one of the walls 15 until it reaches ramp 16. It will then ride up the ramp, the resilience of the lugs 11 being sufficient to permit this and will then drop over the wall portion 17 into the recess 27. In this situation the member 9 is in a stressed condition with its diaphragm 10 pressed against the top of the bottle neck 1.

Hence when the downward pressure is released from the cap the lug 11 will ride up the ramp 18 to partially release the stress and drop over the wall 21 into the recess 19. This is the trapped position of the lug 11 and the closed position of the cap. In this position the neck 1 of the bottle 2 is still sealed by the diaphragm 10 and the lug 11 is pressed against the wall 20 due to the residual stress in the member 9 to trap it in position.

To release the cap, a downward pressure is again exerted on it which causes the lug 11 to move down the wall 21 and up the ramp 22 and drop over the wall 23. An upward pull on the cap 3 will then cause the cap to move along the recess .24 and over the ramp 25 to fully release the cap from the bottle. It will be appreciated that no screwing movement of the cap is required by a person in either fitting or removing the cap. The relative rotation between the member 9 and the neck of the bottle to cause the lug 11 to move circumferentially of the neck 1 into and out of its trapped position is brought about by the guiding action of the walls 15, 17, 21.

In an alternative arrangement, the lugs 11 can be provided on the bottle neck and the formations 13 on the internal surface of the member 9.

In a general application of the invention and not necessarily to a safety cap, the member 9 is omitted, the diaphragm 10 fitted as a seal in the top of the casing 6 and the lugs 11 replace the internal lip 8 at the lower end of the casing 6.

A further modification is shown in Figure 4, in which the diaphragm 10 in the cap has been replaced by a sealing face 28 to close off the top of the bottle neck and the resilient biasing function of the diaphragm 10 has been replaced by an annular spring 29.

Claims

1. A closure arrangement for a container comprising a cap member arranged to cooperate with a cap locating member of the container through lugs on one of said members and recess formations on the other member, the cap member being locatable on the cap locating member by a first downward pressure on the cap member against a resilient bias to cause the lugs to move along the recessed formations to a first lower position, release of the downward pressure causing the lugs to move upwardly under the resilient bias to a trapped pOsitiOn, and the cap member being removable from the cap locating member by a second downward pressure against the resilient bias to move the lugs from the trapped position to a second lower position from which they are free to be removed from the recessed formations by an upward pull of the cap member.

2. A closure arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein each of the recessed formations comprises a continuous path along a portion of which a respective lug is guided during the location of the cap member on the cap locating member up to the trapped position of the lug and along the remainder of which it travels when the cap member is being removed from the cap locating member.

3. A closure arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein the recessed formations have ramps in the approach to bends in said path and over the top of which the lugs ride to prevent reverse movement of the lugs along said paths.

4. A closure arrangement according to Claim 3, wherein a ramp is provided in the approach to each of said first and second lower positions and to said trapped position.

5. A closure arrangement according to any bne of the Claims 2 to 4, wherein the lugs are provided on an inner member which is rotatable within an outer cap to permit the lugs to follow said path.

6. A closure arrangement according to Claim 5, wherein said inner member is provided with a top in the form of a resilient diaphragm for sealing off the container and providing said resilient bias.

7. A closure arrangement according to Claim 5, wherein the resilient bias is provided by an annular spring ring within the inner cap.

8. A closure arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described. with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 to 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.