Closure for receptacle

• US 4,544,063 A
• Filed: 10/05/1984
• Issued: 10/01/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lance M. Neward
• Original Assignee: Lance M. Neward
• Inventors: Neward, Lance M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollard, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US06/658,151
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 206/528, 206/540, 220/253, 222/513, 222/516, 222/519
• US Class Current: 206/540
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/263 between tubular parts

Abstract

A receptacle which may be locked in either a closed or an open position having a cap attached by at least one locking tab to a container, the cap being biased away from the container, said receptacle being capable of varying degrees of restraint toward movement between the open and the closed positions.

Claims

1. A receptacle, comprising:

a cylindrical container, comprising a base, a cylindrical sidewall connected to the base and a first opening in the cylindrical sidewall;

a cap connected to the container, comprising an outer top, an outer sidewall connected to the outer top and a second opening in the outer sidewall;

a cap retention means connecting the container and the cap, said retention means preventing removal of the cap from the container;

biasing means applying a force on the cap to urge the cap away from the container;

means for allowing rotation of the cap about the cylindrical sidewall;

means for allowing the cap to be vertically displaced relative to the base;

a first stop means which maintains the cap and the container in a closed position in which the first opening and the second opening are totally non-aligned to prevent access to the interior of the container, said first stop means preventing substantial movement of the cap absent an external force applied to the receptacle to overcome the force applied by the biasing means and the resistance provided by the rotation lock means; and

rotation lock means, said lock means providing resistance to rotation of the cap about the cylindrical sidewall from a first position wherein the first and second openings are totally non-aligned to a second position wherein the first and second openings are at least partially aligned.

2. A receptacle as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second stop means which maintains the cap and the container in a second open position which at least partially aligns the first opening and the second opening to provide an acccess to the interior of the container, said second stop means preventing substantial movement of the cap absent an external force applied to the receptacle to overcome the force applied by the biasing means.

3. A receptacle as recited in claim 1, wherein the cap retention means comprises the rotation lock means.

4. A receptacle as recited in claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises an integral spring, said spring being integral with the cap.

5. A receptacle as recited in claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises an integral spring, said spring being integral with the container.

6. A receptacle as recited in claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises a first spring portion integral with the cap and a second spring portion integral with the container.

7. A receptacle as recited in claim 1, wherein the external force that must be applied to the receptacle to move the cap from the open position to the closed position is greater than the external force that must be applied to move the cap from the closed position to the open position.

8. A receptacle as recited in claim 1, wherein the external force that must be applied to the receptacle to move the cap from the closed position to the open position is greater than the external force that must be applied to move the cap from the open position to the closed position.

10. A receptacle as recited in claim 8, wherein the biasing means comprises an integral spring, said spring being integral with the cap.

11. A receptacle as recited in claim 8, wherein the beiasing means comprises an integral spring, said spring being integral with the container.

12. A receptacle as recited in claim 8, wherein the biasing means comprises a first spring portion integral with the cap and a second spring portion integral with the container.

13. A receptacle as recited in claim 8, wherein the cylindrical main body further comprises an inner lid connected to the cylindrical sidewall whereby the inner side opening provides the only access to the interior of the main body when the locking tab is in the open position.

14. A receptacle as recited in claim 8, wherein the tab movement zone is embedded in the cylindrical sidewall but does not allow access to the interior of the main body.

9. A receptacle, comprising:

a cylindrical main body comprising a base, a cylindrical sidewall and an inner side opening formed in the sidewall;

a tab movement zone in the sidewall, said zone comprising an area defining an open position, an area defining a transition position contiguous with the open position and an area defining a closed position contiguous with the transition position, the area defining the open position being separated from the area defining the closed position by the area defining the transition position;

a cap connected to the main body comprising a lid, a cylindrical wall portion and an outer side opening formed in the cylindrical wall portion;

a locking tab connected to the cylindrical wall portion, the locking tab being confined within the tab movement zone, movement of the cap being limited by movement of the tab within the tab movement zone, the inner side opening and the outer side opening being at least partially aligned so as to provide a dispensing opening in the receptacle providing access to the inside of the main body when the tab is in the area defining an open position, the inner side opening and the outer side opening being non-aligned so as to prevent access to the inside of the main body when the tab is not in the area defining the open position;

a transition restraint integral with the main body, said transition restraint providing resistance to movement of the tab in the area defining a transition position; and

a spring biasing the cap to urge the cap away from the main body.

15. A receptacle, comprising:

a container comprising a base and a cylindrical side body in which an inner opening, an area defining an open slot, an area defining a closed slot and an area defining a transition zone separating the area defining an open slot and the area defining a closed slot are formed in the cylindrical side body, the area defining an open slot and the area defining a closed slot being of unequal vertical distances relative to the base;

a cap for the container comprising a lid, a sidewall, a locking tab contiguous with the sidewall and an outer opening formed in the sidewall, the outer opening and the inner opening being at least partially aligned when the locking tab is engaged in the area defining an open slot, the outer opening and the inner opening being completely non-aligned when the locking tab is engaged in the area defining a closed slot, the locking tab preventing separation of the container from the top;

a horizontal movement stop formed in the side body contiguous with the area defining a transition zone, the vertical height of the area defining a transition zone between the sidewall and the horizontal movement stop being less than the vertical height of the locking tab relative to the base, said stop being located so as to provide resistance to movement of the locking tab between the area defining an open slot and the area defining a closed slot; and

a biasing means between the container and the top, said biasing means providing resistance to movement of the locking tab toward the base.