Child-resistant overcap for a pressurized container

• US 4,333,589 A
• Filed: 06/30/1980
• Issued: 06/08/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sunbeam Plastics Corporation (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sunbeam Plastics Corporation (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bush, Randall G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Application Number:
  US06/163,939
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 222/153, 222/182, 222/402.11, 222/402.13
• US Class Current: 222/402.11
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2215/02 requiring the combination of simultaneous actions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/206 comprising a cantilevered actuator element, e.g. a lever pivoting about a living hinge

Abstract

A child-resistant overcap for a pressurized container, such as an aerosol can, having a valve with an axially protruding discharge nozzle which must be depressed to actuate the valve for discharging the contents of the container. The overcap includes a valve guard moveable between an outer position in which a portion of the guard overlies the nozzle for preventing actuation thereof and an inner position in which the nozzle can be depressed. The overcap includes a resilient portion of the guard which biases the guard toward outer position and which must be overcome in order to move the guard to inner position and which returns the guard to outer position when the guard is released.

Claims

1. A child-resistant overcap for a pressurized container which includes a dispensing valve at the center top thereof, said container also having an annular assembly seam surrounding said valve and a tubular nozzle axially moveable to actuate said valve, said overcap comprising, in combination,

(a) a generally cup-shaped body having (1) a depending skirt with a lip at its lower margin that is adapted to engage said seam for retaining said overcap on said container, (2) an axial opening that is adapted to receive said axially moveable nozzle and (3) a top having a finger depression extending across said top and intersecting said axial opening,

(b) a valve guard unitary with said body and mountable in the finger depression for movement between a valve-guarding position and a valve-actuating position said valve guard including a valve actuator movable relative to said valve guard in all of its positions and being movable into actuating engagement with said nozzle only when said valve guard is in said valve actuating position,

(c) co-operating means on said guard and said body for guiding said guard between such positions, and

(d) resilient means formed integrally with said body and guard and biasing said guard toward such guarding position.

2. A child-resistant overcap according to claim 1 in which the valve guard is movable radially relative to said nozzle.

3. A child-resistant overcap according to claim 2 in which the valve guard is movable between an outer valve-guarding position and an inner valve-actuating position.

4. A child-resistant overcap according to claim 3 and an element on that end of the guard which is innermost when said guard is in outer valve-guarding position, said element being engageable by the finger of a user for moving said guard inwardly to valve-actuating position.

5. A child resistant overcap according to claim 3 wherein said valve actuator is a flexible portion in the guard which overlies the top of the nozzle when said guard is in its inner valve-actuating position.

6. A child-resistant overcap according to claim 1 in which the guide means for the guard consists of ways in the walls of the body which walls define the sides of the finger depression and tabs on the sides of said guard which are engaged in said ways.

7. In a child-resistant overcap for a pressurized container having an axially extending valve and valve nozzle, said overcap having an inverted generally cup-shaped body which has spaced, inner walls defining therebetween a diametrically extending finger depression and which has a central bore through which said nozzle protrudes into said finger depression when said overcap is in position on said container, the improvement comprising:

(a) a valve guard movable horizontally in said finger depression between an outer valve-guarding position and an inner valve-actuating position,

(b) recessed, horizontal guideways for said guard in the walls of said body which define said finger depression,

(c) laterally extending tabs on said guard which are adapted to fit into said guideways, and

(d) a resilient web that is integrally connected to the outer end of said guard and to the outer side of said body at a point below the level of said finger depression and which biases said guard toward outer position, said guard having an innermost portion which overlies and prevents depression of said nozzle when said guard is in outer position, a depressable portion intermediate its inner and outer ends which overlies said nozzle when said guard is in its inner position, and an element at the inner side of said depressable portion which is engageable by the finger of a user for moving said guard to its inner position, whereby when said guard is released in its inner position said resilient web returns said guard to its outer valve-guarding position.