Condition Indicating Child-Resistant Closure

A condition indicating child-resistant closure is disclosed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,632, wherein an inner cap is adapted to be threadably mounted on a container and an outer cap is freely rotatable on the inner cap and normally spring biased upwardly in spaced relationship to the inner cap, but axially movable downwardly and rotatable relative to the inner cap, whereby the inner and outer caps can be interconnected for removal of the closure from the container. An indicating post is mounted on the top wall of the inner cap and is adapted to extend through an aperture in the top wall of the outer cap when the inner and outer caps are interconnected for removal from the closure, to thereby indicate the non-child-resistant mode of the cap assembly. When the outer cap is biased upwardly, the indicated post is positioned in the space between the inner and outer caps and therefore not visible, to thereby indicate the child-resistant mode of the closure.

The condition indicating child-resistant closure of the present invention is of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned patent and is an improvement thereon by eliminating the intricately molded plastic parts, such as the ramps and ramp lips, and constructing and arranging the components of the closure with more simply molded parts, and to render it more user-friendly for adults.

The condition indicating child-resistant closure of the present invention comprises, essentially, a three component assembly including an inner cap having a recessed top wall and a vertically extending indicating post integral therewith and adapted to extend through an aperture in the top wall of an outer cap freely rotatable on the inner cap. A bridge member is positioned in the recess of the inner cap top wall and freely rotatable on the indicating post between a first position prohibiting the inner and outer caps from being interconnected for removal from the container, and a second position permitting the manipulation of the outer cap relative to the inner cap for interconnecting the inner and outer caps for removal of the closure from the container. Depending flexible fingers are integral with the inner surface of the top wall of the outer cap and are adapted to engage the bridge member for moving the bridge member alternately between the two positions. Diametrically disposed stop members are integral with the top wall of the inner cap and extend upwardly therefrom and are engageable with the bridge member to limit its rotary movement between the two positions. A coil spring is mounted in coaxial relationship with the indicating post and is positioned between the bridge member and the inner surface of the top wall of the outer cap, whereby the outer cap is biased outwardly relative to the inner cap, and the indicating post is contained in the space between the inner and outer caps.

The inner and outer caps are interconnected for removing the closure from the container by a pair of circumferentially spaced, radially inwardly extending lugs integral with the inner surface of the skirt portion of the outer cap cooperating with circumferentially spaced axially extending slots communicating with respective circumferentially extending slots formed in the skirt portion of the inner cap.

Depending leg members are integral with the inner surface of the top wall of the outer cap and engage the bridge member when it has been rotated to the first position to prevent axial movement of the outer cap relative to the inner cap for engagement of the lugs with the slots. The depending leg members being free of the bridge member when the bridge member has been rotated to the second position, thereby allowing the lugs to enter the slots for the connection of the inner cap with the outer cap.

FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view, partly in top plan, taken substantially along line 1--1 of FIG. 2, showing the outer cap partly in cross-section, the locking lugs and the closure being in the child-resistant position, and the outer cap positioned to turn clockwise to move the bridge member clockwise away from one of the stop members;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the child-resistant closure of the invention, showing the inner cap in side elevation and the outer cap in cross-section, the view being taken substantially along arcuate line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1, showing the bridge member pivoted clockwise into its other stop member and the locking lugs being positioned for manipulating the closure to the non-child-resistant position, the view being taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a side view similar to FIG. 2, taken substantially along arcuate line 4--4 of FIG. 3, with the elements in position for manipulating the closure to the non-child-resistant position;

FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIG. 4 showing the closure being manipulated to the non-child-resistant position, as indicated by the phantom line showing of the locking lug with the warning indicator protruding from the top of the outer cap;

FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 6--6 of FIG. 4, showing the inner and outer cap stop elements in alignment;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the condition indicating child-resistant closure showing the feet which depend from the inner top wall of the outer cap in dotted lines;

FIG. 8 is a transverse cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the bridge member in phantom lines being rotated counter-clockwise into its stops as shown in full lines, by counter-clockwise rotation of the outer cap positioning the bridge member to block the closure from being manipulated to the non-child-resistant position when the locking lugs are in position for manipulation to the non-child-resistant position, the view taken substantially along line 8--8 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 9 is a side view similar to FIG. 4, taken substantially along arcuate line 9--9 of FIG. 8, and showing the feet on the outer cap and the bridge member in registration to prevent manipulation of the outer cap to the non-child-resistant position; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the closure showing the elements thereof in the positions shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the condition indicating child-resistant closure of the present invention comprises an inner cap 1, adapted to be threadably mounted on the neck 2 of a medicine bottle, and an outer cap 3 having a top wall 3a and a depending side wall forming a skirt 3b having, at its lower end, an inwardly extending annular bead 3c engageable with a similarly configured shoulder 1a provided on the outer wall surface of the inner cap 1, whereby the inner and outer caps 1 and 3 are interconnected and freely rotatable relative to each other.

The outer cap 3 is provided with a pair of radially inwardly extending, diametrically opposed lugs 3d, 3e formed on the inner wall surface of the skirt 3b of the outer cap 3 and engageable with a peripheral edge portion 1b provided on the top of the inner cap 1, whereby the outer cap 3 is held upwardly in spaced relationship to the inner cap 1, and the closure is in a child-resistant mode, wherein the outer cap 3 is freely rotatable on the inner cap 1.

The side wall of the inner cap 1 is provided with a pair of circumferentially extending slots 1c and 1d, each of which communicate at one end thereof with an upwardly inclined axially extending slot 1e, and 1f, respectively.

A vertically extending indicating post 4 is fixedly mounted on the inner top cap wall 1g which is positioned below the peripheral edge portion 1b, to thereby provide a recess 1h in the top of the inner cap 1. The post 4 is in alignment with an opening 3f provided in the top wall of the outer cap 3, whereby when the closure is in the child-resistant mode, the post 4 is positioned within the space 5 between the top wall 1g of the inner cap 1 and the top wall 3a of the outer cap 3 and below the top of opening 3f, and, therefore, not visible outside of the closure, to thereby indicate the child-resistant mode of the closure, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 9. The post 4 is adapted to extend through the opening 3f in the outer cap 3 and above the top wall 3a thereof, when the outer cap 3 has been moved inwardly to an interlocked position with the inner cap 1, to be described more fully hereinafter, and therefore visible outside the closure, to thereby indicate the non-child-resistant mode of the closure, as shown in FIG. 5.

A bridge member 6 is supported on the top wall 1g of the inner cap 1 and is freely rotatable on the indicating post 4, and a coil spring 7 is positioned in coaxial relationship with the indicating post 4 and mounted between the bridge member 6 and the top wall 3a of the outer cap 3 to provide an upwardly biasing force to the outer cap lugs 3d and 3e within their respective circumferential slots 1c and 1d, as shown in FIG. 5. The bridge member 6 comprises a rotor having oppositely extending vane portions 6a, 6b having integral upwardly extending radially spaced posts 6c, 6d. A pair of flexible fingers 3g and 3h are integral with and depend from the top wall 3a of the outer cap 3 and are adapted to engage the posts 6d for rotating the bridge member 6 alternately between stop members 1h and 1i integral with, and extending upwardly from, the top wall 1g of the inner cap 1. A pair of depending leg members 3i and 3j are also integral with the top wall 3a of the outer cap 3 and are adapted to become axially aligned with the posts 6c when the outer cap 3 has been rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and the lugs 3d and 3e in the outer cap 3 are aligned with the axial extending slots 1e and 1f on the inner cap. The posts 6c and depending leg members 3i and 3j are located on the same radius from indicating post 4, and posts 6d and flexible fingers 3g and 3h are located on the same spaced radius from indicating post 4. The terminal ends of the depending leg members 3i and 3j are spaced slightly above the upper terminal ends of posts 6c so that they pass each other during normal rotation of outer cap 3 on inner cap 1. The counter-clockwise movement of the outer cap 3 also results in a counter-clockwise movement of the bridge member 6 by flexible finger 3g engaging post 6d, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 8, so that the vanes 6a and 6b abut the stop members 1h and 1i on opposite sides thereof, as shown in full lines in FIG. 8. When bridge member 6 is first moved to the full line position of FIG. 8, lugs 3d and 3e on the outer cap are still in a position supported on the upper peripheral edge 1b of the inner cap 1 so that the outer cap 3 cannot be pushed downwardly. With further counter-clockwise rotation of outer cap 3 the flexible fingers 3g and 3h flex and snap over the tops of posts 6d until lugs 3d and 3e are aligned with the axial extending slots 1e and 1f on the inner cap, as shown in full lines in FIGS. 8 and 9. If an attempt is made to push the outer cap 3 downwardly at this point, the lower terminal ends of the depending leg members 3i and 3j will abut the upper terminal ends of the posts 6c to thus create a bridge to prevent outer cap lugs 3d and 3e from entering axial slots 1f and 1e and prevent the downward movement of the outer cap 3 so that the closure remains in the child-resistant mode. The upper peripheral edge portion 1b on inner cap 1 engaging lugs 3d and 3e prevents outer cap 3 from moving downwardly during its counter-clockwise rotation except for the area of the openings in edge portion 1b formed by the axial extending slots 1e and 1f. In these open slot areas in edge portion 1b, during counter-clockwise rotation of outer cap 3 relative to inner cap 1, the bridge member 6 is positioned to take over the blocking function of upper peripheral edge portion 1b, by registering the tops of posts 6c with the lower ends of leg members 3i and 3j thus blocking downward movement of the lugs 3d and 3e on the outer cap 3 into axial slots 1e and 1f on the inner cap 1. During the remaining portion of the counter-clockwise rotation of the outer cap 3 the lugs 3d and 3e after passing over slots 1e and if are supported on the upper peripheral edge 1b of the inner cap 1 so that the outer cap 3 cannot be pushed downwardly, and the flexible fingers 3g and 3h flex and snap over posts 6d since bridge member 6 is in abutment with stops 1h and 1i.

Therefore, during counter-clockwise rotation of the outer cap 3 relative to the inner cap 1 the closure cannot be manipulated to the child-resistant mode since such a manipulation is blocked by bridge member 6.

To remove the closure from the bottle, the outer cap 3 is rotated in a clockwise direction. During this clockwise movement of the outer cap 3 the flexible finger 3g engages the upper end of post 6d of the vane portion 6a, as shown in FIG. 1, or, depending upon the position of the elements, flexible finger 3h engages the upper end of post 6d of the vane portion 6b (not shown), and the bridge member 6 is rotated in a clockwise direction until the leading edges of the vane portions 6a and 6b abut the stop members 1i and 1h, respectively, as shown in FIG. 3. During this rotation of the outer cap 3 and bridge member 6, the posts 6c on the bridge member 6 are positioned out of registration and axial alignment with the leg members 3i and 3j when the lugs 3d and 3e become aligned with the axially extending slots 1e and 1f in the inner cap 1, so that the outer cap 3 can be pushed downwardly, as shown in FIG. 5, and then turned in a counter-clockwise direction to move the lugs 3d and 3e into abutment with the ends of their respective circumferential slots 1c and 1d, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5, whereby the inner and outer caps 1 and 3 become interconnected so that the closure can be unscrewed and removed from the neck 2 of the bottle by further counter-clockwise rotation of the outer cap 3.

In order to provide an indication to the user that the clockwise movement of the outer cap 3 relative to the inner cap 1 has reached the position where the depending leg members 3i and 3j are free of the posts 6c, and the lugs 3d and 3e are aligned with the respective slots 1e and 1f, the lower end of the skirt portion 3b of the outer cap 3 is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed inwardly extending protuberances 3k adapted to engage a pair of diametrically disposed outwardly extending protuberances 1k integral with the lower skirt portion of the inner cap 1. When protuberances 3k and 1k engage, a resistance to further rotation of outer cap 3 on inner cap 1 is felt by the user, but the protuberances are of such a size that with slight increased rotative pressure protuberances 3k can pass over protuberances 1k for continued rotation of outer cap 3 on inner cap 1, thus contributing to the child-resistant aspect of the closure. The protuberances 3k and 1k can pass over each other during both clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation of outer cap 3.

When replacing the closure on the bottle, the inner cap 1 is threaded onto the neck 2 of the bottle by turning the closure in a clockwise direction. Continued turning of the closure in the clockwise direction to tighten the closure on the bottle will result in the outer cap 3 being rotated relative to the inner cap 1 by lugs 3d and 3e sliding clockwise in the pair of circumferentially extending slots 1c and 1d until the lugs 3d and 3e abut the end walls of the axially extending slots 1e and 1f to tighten inner cap 1 on the bottle, whereupon the spring 7 biases the outer cap 3 upwardly from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 4, so that the closure is once again in the child-resistant mode.

From the above description it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the condition indicating child-resistant closure of the present invention having the inner cap, outer cap and rotating bridge member requires fewer molded plastic parts, and is more user-friendly for adults than heretofore.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.