Child-resistant container having cap retainer features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850898-B2
Application number	US-201816230215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A container body has a neck defining an opening with an axis. The neck includes a projection that projects radially away from the axis. A cap includes a wall that defines at least part of an exterior of the cap. The wall includes an aperture extending therethrough. The cap is removably attached to the neck and supported for movement on the neck between a first position and a second position. The wall is resiliently flexible for radial movement between a retained position and an unretained position with respect to the neck. In the retained position the projection retains the cap in the first position. The wall, in the unretained position, allows movement of the cap from the first position toward the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A child-resistant container, comprising:
a container body having a neck that defines an opening to an inner cavity within the container body, the opening defining an axis extending therethrough, the neck including a projection that projects radially away from the axis;
a cap having a cover member as well as an inner skirt and an outer skirt that depend from the cover member, the inner skirt removably engaged to the neck, the outer skirt disposed outboard radially from the inner skirt with respect to the axis, the outer skirt including a first arcuate segment, a second arcuate segment, and a wall disposed circumferentially between the first and second arcuate segments with respect to the axis, the wall defining at least part of an exterior of the cap, the wall including an aperture extending therethrough, the inner skirt supported for movement on the neck for moving the cap between a first position and a second position;
the wall being resiliently flexible for radial movement between a retained position and an unretained position with respect to the neck;
the wall, in the retained position, disposed outboard radially from the first arcuate segment and the second arcuate segment;
the wall, in the retained position, disposed proximate the neck with the projection received in the aperture to retain the cap in the first position, the aperture visibly exposing the projection from the exterior of the cap to visually confirm the cap is in the retained position;
the wall, in the unretained position, spaced apart radially away from the projection with the projection outside the aperture to allow movement of the cap from the first position toward the second position.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the cap is supported by the neck for rotational movement about the axis as the cap moves between the first position and the second position; and
wherein the wall, in the retained position, is disposed with the projection received in the aperture to limit rotational movement of the cap about the axis in a first direction away from the first position and toward the second position.

3. The container of claim 2 , wherein the wall includes a first inner rim edge and a second inner rim edge that are spaced apart angularly with respect to the axis to define the aperture;
wherein the cap includes a lug that is attached to the wall proximate the first inner rim edge, the lug projecting radially inward from the first inner rim edge;
wherein the lug includes an abutment surface that is flush with the first inner rim edge, the abutment surface configured to abut the projection to retain the cap in the first position.

4. The container of claim 2 , wherein the inner skirt of the cap includes a cap thread that threadably engages a neck thread of the neck;
wherein the aperture extends across a sector of the cap with respect to the axis; and
wherein the cap thread is continuous across the sector of the cap.

5. The container of claim 2 , wherein the cap is supported for rotation about the axis in the first direction and in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;
further including a thread stop that limits rotation of the cap about the axis in the second rotational direction once the cap reaches the first position.

6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the wall has a lower edge; and
wherein the aperture is a notch in the lower edge of the wall.

7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the outer skirt of the cap includes a first pad and a second pad that are disposed on opposite ends of the wall, the first pad and the second pad configured to be squeezed in unison to resiliently flex the wall from the retained position toward the unretained position; and
wherein the wall is biased toward the retained position.

8. A child-resistant container, comprising:
a container body having a neck that defines an opening to an inner cavity within the container body, the opening defining an axis extending therethrough, the neck including a projection that projects radially away from the axis;
a cap having a cover member as well as an inner skirt and an outer skirt that depend from the cover member, the inner skirt removably engaged to the neck, the outer skirt disposed outboard radially from the inner skirt with respect to the axis, the outer skirt including a first arcuate segment, a second arcuate segment, and a wall disposed circumferentially between the first and second arcuate segments with respect to the axis, the outer skirt including a first pad that projects out radially from the axis to connect the first arcuate segment and the wall, the outer skirt including a second pad that projects out radially from the axis to connect the second arcuate segment and the wall, the wall defining at least part of an exterior of the cap, the wall including an aperture extending therethrough, the inner skirt supported for movement on the neck for moving the cap between a first position and a second position;
the wall being resiliently flexible for radial movement between a retained position and an unretained position with respect to the neck;
the wall, in the retained position, disposed outboard radially from the first arcuate segment and the second arcuate segment;
the wall, in the retained position, disposed proximate the neck with the projection received in the aperture to retain the cap in the first position, the aperture visibly exposing the projection from the exterior of the cap to visually confirm the cap is in the retained position;
the wall, in the unretained position, spaced apart radially away from the projection with the projection outside the aperture to allow movement of the cap from the first position toward the second position.

9. The container of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second pads has concave contour.

10. The container of claim 8 , wherein the outer skirt further includes a tamper-evident member configured to be selectively altered from a first arrangement to a second arrangement;
the tamper-evident member, in the first arrangement, configured to engage the container body to retain the cap in the first position; and
the cap supported for movement from the first position toward the second position with the tamper-evident member in the second arrangement.

11. The container of claim 10 , wherein the tamper-evident member, in the first arrangement, is spaced apart from the cover member to define a recess, the recess configured to receive another tamper-evident member of another child-resistant cap that is stacked thereon.

12. The container of claim 8 , further comprising an elongate opening disposed proximate a transition between the wall and the cover member;
wherein the cap includes a lug that is attached to the outer skirt proximate the first inner rim edge, the lug projecting radially inward from the first inner rim edge;
wherein the wall is resiliently flexible proximate the elongate opening for rotating the lug away from the projection when moving from the retained position toward the unretained position.

13. The container of claim 12 ,
wherein the elongate opening is configured to receive another lug of another child-resistant cap that is stacked thereon.

14. The container of claim 8 , wherein the projection includes an abutment surface that is configured to abut against a rim edge of the aperture to retain the cap in the first position; and
wherein the projection includes a tapered surface that is configured to cam the outer skirt outward radially as the cap rotates away from the second position toward the first position.

15. A child-resistant cap for a co

Assignees

• Henkel IP & Holding GmbH

Inventors

• Sterling Daniel Peter
• Colacioppo Keith

Classifications

• B65D50/046 Primary

  and such deformation causes the disengagement of locking means, e.g. the release of a pawl-like element from a tooth or abutment, to allow removal of the closure by simultaneous rotation · CPC title

• B65D41/0471

  with means for positioning the cap on the container, or for limiting the movement of the cap, or for preventing accidental loosening of the cap · CPC title

• B65D2543/00027

  Stackable lids or covers · CPC title

• B65D50/043 Primary

  the closure comprising a screw cap whose threads are shaped to accommodate blocking elements and the closure is removed after first applying axial force to unblock it and allow it to be unscrewed · CPC title