SAFETY CLOSURE ASSEMBLY

• US 3,608,764 A
• Filed: 09/05/1969
• Issued: 09/28/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pactec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Peter Hedgewick
• Inventors: Hedgewick, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Norton, Donald F.
• Application Number:
  US04/855,503
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 215/9,40,44
• US Class Current: 215/222
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/06 with bayonet cams , i.e. removed by first pushing axially to disengage the cams and then rotating

Abstract

A safety closure assembly including a cap of the type which is applied to and removed from a container by a combined axial and rotative motion. A sealing member is carried by the cap and includes a base portion for overlying the opening of the mouth of a container, a portion for engaging the inner surface of the end wall of the cap, and a sealing portion for engaging the rim of a container. A resilient annular biasing member projects axially from the periphery of the base portion and extends between the cap-engaging portion and sealing portion to bias the cap-engaging portion and sealing portion to axially spaced positions such that when the cap is placed on a container, the cap is biased into locked engagement with the container and maintained in a fixed axial position relative to the container by the annular biasing member which simultaneously applies pressure to the sealing portion.

Claims

1. A safety closure assembly comprising:

a cap of the type adapted to be applied to and removed from a container by an axial motion followed successively by a rotative motion of the cap relative to such container, said cap including;

an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially from said end wall for receiving the mouth of a container, a plurality of cap locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt for engaging complementary container locking elements on a container in bayonet fashion and a sealing member received in said skirt, said sealing member including a base portion for overlying the opening of the mouth of a container, a cap-engaging portion for engaging the inner surface of the end wall of said cap, a container-rim-engaging sealing portion, and a resilient annular biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion for biasing said cap-engaging portion and container-rim-engaging sealing portion to axially spaced positions such that when the cap is placed on a container, the annular biasing member biases the cap to a fixed axial position relative to such container and simultaneously applies pressure to the sealing portion;

said annular biasing member comprising an annular looped portion molded integrally with said base portion at the periphery thereof, the outer free end of said annular looped portion constituting said cap-engaging portion.

2. A safety closuRe assembly comprising:

a cap of the type adapted to be applied to and removed from a container by an axial motion followed successively by a rotative motion of the cap relative to such container, said cap including;

an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially from said end wall for receiving the mouth of a container, a plurality of cap-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt for engaging complementary container-locking elements on a container in bayonet fashion and a sealing member received in said skirt, said sealing member including a base portion for overlying the opening of the mouth of a container, a cap-engaging portion for engaging the inner surface of the end wall of said cap, a container-rim-engaging sealing portion, and a resilient annular biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion for biasing said cap engaging portion and container-rim-engaging sealing portion to axially spaced positions such that when the cap is placed on a container, the annular biasing member biases the cap to a fixed axial position relative to such container and simultaneously applies pressure to the sealing portion;

a reversed looped portion being molded integrally with said base portion and including an inner annular side wall extending axially from the periphery of said base portion, an intermediate annular sidewall extending from the outer end of said inner sidewall to the opposite side of said base portion, and an outer annular side wall extending from the end of said intermediate sidewall located on said opposite side in a return direction toward said base portion, said inner and intermediate sidewalls defining said annular biasing member with the adjoining ends thereof defining said cap engaging portion, said outer sidewall defining a container wall engaging portion of said sealing portion for engaging the inner surface of a container wall adjacent the container rim.

3. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sealing portion further includes a radially outwardly extending rim-engaging sealing flange on the end of said outer sidewall opposite its juncture with said intermediate sidewall for overlying a container rim.

4. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 3 further including an annular bead formed on said rim-engaging sealing flange and projecting axially therefrom in a direction to engage a container rim.

5. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 4 further including interengageable attachment means centrally located on said base portion and end wall, respectively, for rotatably and detachably securing said base portion to said end wall.

6. A safety closure assembly comprising:

a cap of the type adapted to be applied to and removed from a container by an axial motion followed successively by a rotative motion of the cap relative to such container, said cap including;

an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially from said end wall receiving the mouth of a container, a plurality of cap-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt for engaging complementary container-locking elements on a container in bayonet fashion and a sealing member received in said skirt said sealing member including a base portion for overlying the opening of the mouth of a container, a cap-engaging portion for engaging the inner surface of the end wall of said cap, a container-rim-engaging sealing portion, and a resilient annular biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion for biasing said cap-engaging portion and container-rim-engaging sealing portion to axially spaced positions such that when the cap is placed on a container, the annular biasing member biases the cap to a fixed axial position relative to such container and simultaneously applies pressure to the sealing portion;

said sealing portion including a radially outwardly extending rim-engaging sealing flange for overlying a contAiner rim, and an axially extending container-wall-engaging portion for engaging the inner surface of a container wall adjacent the container rim;

said annular biasing member comprising a hollow resilient web of annular cross section having an inner annular end joined integrally to said base portion at the periphery thereof, said web extending axially from said base portion and terminating in an outer annular free end defining said cap-engaging portion.

7. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the diameter of said outer annular free end is larger than the diameter of said outer annular free end is larger than the diameter of said inner annular end.

8. A safety closure assembly comprising:

a cap of the type adapted to be applied to and removed from a container by an axial motion followed successively by a rotative motion of the cap relative to such container, said cap including;

an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially from said end wall for receiving the mouth of a container, a plurality of cap locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt for engaging complementary container locking elements on a container in bayonet fashion and a sealing member received in said skirt, said sealing member including a base portion for overlying the opening of the mouth of a container, a cap-engaging portion for engaging the inner surface of the end wall of said cap, a container-rim-engaging sealing portion, and a resilient annular biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion for biasing said cap engaging portion and container-rim-engaging sealing portion to axially spaced positions such that when the cap is placed on a container, the annular biasing member biases the cap to a fixed axial position relative to such container and simultaneously applies pressure to the sealing portion;

said annular biasing member comprising an annular resilient web having an inner annular end joined integrally to said base portion, said web extending axially from said base portion

9. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the diameter of said outer annular free end is larger than the diameter of said inner annular end, and said web is curved outwardly from said inner end to said outer end so that said outer end is movable solely axially toward said inner end upon flexure of said web without circumferentially and radially stretching said outer annular free end.

10. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 9 further including centrally located interengageable snap fastening attachment elements formed on said base portion and the end wall of said cap for rotatably and detachably connecting said base portion with said end wall.

11. A safety container and closure assembly for medicines and other potentially dangerous substances comprising:

a container having a mouth portion with an annular rim;

a cap having an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially therefrom for receiving said mouth portion;

a plurality of container-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the outer surface of said mouth portion;

a plurality of cap-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt;

said cap-locking elements being engageable with and disengageable from said container-locking elements by combined axial and rotative motion of the cap relative to the container;

said cap-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said end wall and said container-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said rim whereby said end wall has a fixed axial position relative to said rim when said locking elements are engaged;

a sealing member interposed between said cap and container and received in said skirt comprising a base portion for overlying the open end of the mouth of the container, a cap-engaging portion engaging the inner surface of said end wall, a sealing portion engaging the container rim, and a resilient annuLar biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion biasing said cap-engaging portion and sealing portion apart a distance corresponding to said fixed axial position to seal said container and maintain said locking elements engaged, the frictional resistance between said cap-contacting portion and end wall being less than the frictional resistance between said sealing portion and container rim such that the sealing member remains stationary with respect to the container when the cap is rotated relative to the container; and

a rib projecting radially inwardly on the inner surface of the container adjacent the rim.

12. A safety container closure assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said sealing portion includes a radially outwardly extending flange overlying said rim and an axially extending portion engaging said rib.

13. A safety container and closure assembly for medicines and other potentially dangerous substances comprising:

a container having a mouth portion with an annular rim;

a cap having an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially therefrom for receiving said mouth portion;

a plurality of container-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the outer surface of said mouth portion;

a plurality of cap-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt;

said cap-locking elements being engageable with and disengageable from said container-locking elements by combined axial and rotative motion of the cap relative to the container;

said cap-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said end wall and said container-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said rim whereby said end wall has a fixed axial position relative to said rim when said locking elements are engaged;

a sealing member interposed between said cap and container and received in said skirt comprising a base portion for overlying the open end of the mouth of the container, a cap-engaging portion engaging the inner surface of said end wall, a sealing portion engaging the container rim, and a resilient annular biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion biasing said cap-engaging portion and sealing portion apart a distance corresponding to said fixed axial position to seal said container and maintain said locking elements engaged, the frictional resistance between said cap-contacting portion and end wall being less than the frictional resistance between said sealing portion and container rim such that the sealing member remains stationary with respect to the container when the cap is rotated relative to the container;

a reversed looped portion being molded integrally with said base portion and including an inner annular sidewall extending axially from the periphery of said base portion, an intermediate annular sidewall extending from the outer end of said inner sidewall to the opposite side of said base portion, and an outer annular sidewall extending from the end of said intermediate sidewall located on said opposite side in a return direction toward said base portion, said inner and intermediate sidewalls defining said annular biasing member with the adjoining ends thereof defining said cap-engaging portion, said outer sidewall defining a container-wall-engaging portion of said sealing portion for engaging the inner surface of the container wall adjacent said container rim.

14. A safety container and closure assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said sealing portion further includes a radially outwardly extending flange on the end of said outer sidewall opposite its juncture with said intermediate sidewall, and an annular bead formed on said flange and extending axially therefrom, said flange overlying said rim, and said bead engaging said rim when the locking elements are engaged.

15. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 14 further including interengageable attachment means centrally located on said base portion and end wall, respeCtively, for rotatably and detachably securing said base portion to said end wall.

16. A safety container and closure assembly for medicines and other potentially dangerous substances comprising:

a container having a mouth portion with an annular rim;

a cap having an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially therefrom for receiving said mouth portion;

a plurality of container-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the outer surface of said mouth portion;

a plurality of cap-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt;

said cap-locking elements being engageable with and disengageable from said container-locking elements by combined axial and rotative motion of the cap relative to the container;

said cap-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said end wall and said container-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said rim whereby said end wall has a fixed axial position relative to said rim when said locking elements are engaged;

a sealing member interposed between said cap and container and received in said skirt comprising a base portion for overlying the open end of the mouth of the container, a cap-engaging portion engaging the inner surface of said end wall, a sealing portion engaging the container rim, and a resilient annular biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion biasing said cap-engaging portion and sealing portion apart a distance corresponding to said fixed axial position to seal said container and maintain said locking elements engaged, the frictional resistance between said cap-contacting portion and end wall being less than the frictional resistance between said sealing portion and container rim such that the sealing member remains stationary with respect to the container when the cap is rotated relative to the container;

said annular biasing member comprising an annular resilient web having an inner annular and joined integrally to said base portion, said web extending axially from said base portion and terminating in an outer annular free end, said free end defining said cap-engaging portion.

17. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the diameter of said outer annular free end is larger than the diameter of said inner annular end, and said web is curved outwardly from said inner end to said outer end so that said outer end is movable solely axially toward said inner end upon flexure of said web without circumferentially and radially stretching said outer annular free end.

18. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 17 further including centrally located interengageable snap fastening attachment elements formed on said base portion and the end wall of said cap for rotatably and detachably connecting said base portion with said end wall.

19. A safety container and closure assembly for medicines and other potentially dangerous substances comprising:

a container having a mouth portion with an annular rim;

a cap having an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially therefrom for receiving said mouth portion;

a plurality of container-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the outer surface of said mouth portion;

a plurality of cap-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt;

said cap-locking element being engageable with and disengageable from said container-locking elements by combined axial and rotative motion of the cap relative to the container;

said cap-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said end wall and said container-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said rim whereby said end wall has a fixed axial position relative to said rim when said locking elements are engaged, a sealing member interposed between said cap and container and received in said skirt comprising a base portion for overlying the open end of the mouth of the container, a cap-engaging portion engaging the inner surface of said end wall, a sealing portion engaging the container rim, and a resilient annular biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion biasing said cap-engaging portion and sealing portion apart a distance corresponding to said fixed axial position to seal said container and maintain said locking elements engaged, the frictional resistance between said cap-contacting portion and end wall being less than the frictional resistance between said sealing portion and container such that the sealing member remains stationary with respect to the container when the cap is rotated relative to the container;

said annular biasing member comprising a resilient elastomeric ring having an inner annular end molded integrally with said base portion, said ring projecting axially from said base portion and terminating in an outer annular free end, said free end defining said container-rim-engaging sealing portion, the diameter of said outer annular free end being greater than the diameter of said inner annular end such that said ring is of frustoconical configuration, the thickness of the wall of said ring decreasing from said inner annular end to said outer annular free end.

20. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 19 including at least one annular rib projecting from the surface of said base portion opposite said ring, said rib defining said cap-contacting portion.

21. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 20 further including interengageable snap fastening attachment elements on the end wall of said cap and the base portion of said sealing member for detachably securing said sealing member to said cap in such a manner that the sealing member is rotatably relative to the cap and is frictionally restrained against axial separation from the end wall of said cap.

22. Safety closure means including a one-piece plastic sealing member having substantially planar base portion, a reversed looped portion molded integrally with said base portion and extending generally axially from the periphery of said base portion, said reversed looped portion including an inner annular sidewall portion extending axially and radially outwardly from the periphery of said base portion, an intermediate annular sidewall portion extending axially and radially outwardly from the outer end of said inner sidewall in the opposite direction with respect to said base portion, and an outer annular sidewall extending axially and radially outwardly from the remote end of said intermediate sidewall with respect to the adjacent ends of the inner and intermediate sidewalls and in the opposite direction from said intermediate sidewall with respect to said base portion, and a radially outwardly projecting flange on the end of said outer annular sidewall remote from its juncture with the intermediate annular sidewall;

a cap having an end wall with a peripheral skirt extending axially from said end wall and receiving said sealing member, a plurality of locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt for engaging complementary locking elements on a container in bayonet fashion, and interengageable snap-fastening elements on said end wall and said base portion detachably and rotatably securing said base portion to said end wall.

23. Safety closure means including a one-piece molded plastic sealing member having a substantially planar base portion, an annular resilient web having an inner annular end molded integrally to said base portion and extending axially and radially therefrom and terminating in an outer annular free end, said web being curved outwardly from said inner annular end to said outer annular end such that the outer annular end is movable substantially solely axially toward said inner annular end, a container rim engaging sealing portion extending outwardly from the juncture of said inner annular end with the base portion;

a cap having an end wall with a peripheral skirt extending axially from Said end wall and receiving said sealing member, a plurality of locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt for engaging complementary locking elements on a container in bayonet fashion, and interengageable snap-fastening elements on said end wall and said base portion detachably and rotatably securing said base portion to said end wall.

24. A safety closure assembly comprising:

a cap of the type adapted to be applied to and removed from a container by an axial motion followed successively by a rotative motion of the cap relative to such container, said cap including;

an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially from said end wall for receiving the mouth of a container, a plurality of cap-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the inner surface of said skirt for engaging complementary container-locking elements on a container in bayonet fashion and a sealing member received in said skirt, said sealing member including a base portion for overlying the opening of the mouth of a container, a cap-engaging portion for engaging the inner surface of the end wall of said cap, a container-rim engaging sealing portion, and a resilient biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion for biasing said cap-engaging portion and container-rim-engaging sealing portion to axially spaced positions such that when the cap is placed on a container, the biasing member biases the cap to a fixed axial position relative to such container and simultaneously applies pressure to the sealing portion;

said biasing member having an annular end portion spaced axially from said base portion and a sidewall of annular cross secton extending between said end portion and said base portion.

25. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 24 further including interengageable snap-fastening attachment elements on the end wall of said cap and the base portion of said sealing member for detachably securing said sealing member to said cap in such a manner that the sealing member is rotatably relative to the cap and is frictionally restrained against axial separation from the end wall of said cap.

26. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 25 wherein the cap attachment element comprises a stud projecting from the inner surface of said end wall, said stud having an enlarged outer end;

and said sealing member attachment element includes a socket member formed integrally on said base portion for receiving said stud, said socket member having a flexible wall with an outer end smaller than the enlarged end of said stud so that the base portion can be snapped onto and off of said stud.

27. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 24 wherein said sealing portion includes a radially outwardly extending rim-engaging sealing flange 4 overlying a container rim, and an axially extending container-wall-engaging portion for engaging the inner surface of a container wall adjacent the container rim.

28. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said annular biasing member comprises a resilient elastomeric ring having an inner annular end molded integrally with said base portion, said ring projecting axially from said base portion and terminating in an outer annular free end, said free end defining said container-rim-engaging sealing portion.

29. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 28 wherein the diameter of said outer annular free end is greater than the diameter of said inner annular end such that said ring is of frustoconical configuration.

30. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 29 wherein the thickness of the wall of said ring decreases from said inner annular end to said outer annular free end.

31. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 30 including at least one annular rib projecting from the surface of said base portion opposite said ring, said rib defining said cap-contacting portion.

32. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 28 including at lEast one annular rib projecting from the surface of said base portion opposite said ring, said rib defining said cap-contacting portion.

33. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 32 further including interengageable snap fastening attachment elements on the end wall of said cap and the base portion of said sealing member for detachably securing said sealing member to said cap in such a manner that the sealing member is rotatably relative to the cap and is frictionally restrained against axial separation from the end wall of said cap.

34. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 33 wherein the cap attachment element comprises a stud projecting from the inner surface of said end wall, said stud having an enlarged outer end;

and said sealing member attachment element includes a socket member formed integrally on said base portion for receiving said stud, said socket member having a flexible wall with an outer end smaller than the enlarged end of said stud so that the base portion can be snapped onto and off of said stud.

35. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 28 further including interengageable snap-fastening attachment elements on the end wall of said cap and the base portion of said sealing member for detachably securing said sealing member to said cap in such a manner that the sealing member is rotatably relative to the cap and is frictionally restrained against axial separation from the end wall of said cap.

36. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 35 wherein the cap attachment element comprises a stud projecting from the inner surface of said end wall, said stud having an enlarged outer end;

and said sealing member attachment element includes a socket member formed integrally on said base portion for receiving said stud, said socket member having a flexible wall with an outer end smaller than the enlarged end of said stud so that the base portion can be snapped onto and off of said stud.

37. A safety container and closure assembly for medicines and other potentially dangerous substances comprising:

a container having a mouth portion with an annular rim;

a cap having an end wall with a peripheral skirt projecting axially therefrom for receiving said mouth portion;

a plurality of container-locking elements spaced peripherally from each other on the outer surface of said mouth portion;

a plurality of cap-locking elements being engageable with and disengageable from said container-locking elements by combined axial and rotative motion of the cap relative to the container;

said cap-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said end wall and said container-locking elements being located an equal axial distance from said rim whereby said end wall has a fixed axial position relative to said rim when said locking elements are engaged;

a sealing member interposed between said cap and container and received in said skirt comprising a base portion for overlying the open end of the mouth of the container, a cap-engaging portion engaging the inner surface of said end wall, a sealing portion engaging the container rim, and a resilient biasing member projecting axially from the periphery of said base portion biasing said cap-engaging portion and sealing portion apart a distance corresponding to said fixed axial position to seal said container and maintain said locking elements engaged;

said biasing member having an annular end portion spaced axially from said base portion and a sidewall of annular cross section extending between said end portion and said base portion, the frictional resistance between said cap-contacting portion and end wall being less than the frictional resistance between said sealing portion and container rim such that the sealing member remains stationary with respect to the container when the cap is rotated relative to the container.

38. A safety closure assembly as claimed in claim 74 wherein said biasing member comprises a resilient elastomeric ring projecting axially from said base portion and tErminating in said annular end portion, said annular end portion defining said container-rim-engaging sealing portion, said ring having an inner annular end molded integrally with said base portion, said ring being of frustoconical configuration such that the diameter thereof increases from said inner annular end.