One piece reversible closure and container system

• US 8,662,331 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altium Healthcare Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tri State Distribution Incorporated (Loews Corporation)
• Inventors: Miceli, David A., Miceli, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US13/664,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20130313254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 215/44, 215/43, 215/230, 215/228, 215/206, 215/201, 215/329, 215/200, 220/212, 220/254.8, 220/254.1, 220/296, 220/293, 220/288
• US Class Current: 215/230
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2215/04 requiring the combination of different actions in succession
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/04 Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 50/043 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 Class Codes: B65D 50/06 requiring the combination of different actions in succession
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/245 provided with decoration, information or contents indicating devices, labels B65D81/366 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/026 initial opening or unauthorised access being indicated by a visual change using indicators other than tearable means, e.g. change of colour, pattern or opacity B65D55/066 takes precedence

Abstract

A closure having a child resistant mode and a non-child resistant mode includes a circumferential side wall having an interior surface, a first section, a second section, and a solid divider. The solid divider is disposed between the first section and the second section for closing an opening of the container when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the child resistant mode. In certain embodiments, a first liner is disposed in the first section such that the first liner is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode. A second liner is disposed in the second section such that the second liner is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode.

Claims

1. A closure for use with a container having a neck including a container engaging structure and a container locking mechanism, the closure having a child resistant mode when applied to the container in a child resistant configuration and a non-child resistant mode when applied to the container in a non-child resistant configuration, the closure comprising:

a circumferential side wall having an interior surface;

a first section including a first closure engaging structure disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to contact and interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is in the non-child resistant configuration;

a second section including a second closure engaging structure disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to contact and interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is in the child resistant configuration and a closure locking mechanism configured to engage the container locking mechanism for restricting axial movement of the closure with respect to the container when the closure is in the child resistant mode; and

a solid divider disposed between the first section and the second section for closing an opening of the container when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the child resistant mode,

wherein the circumferential side wall, first section, second section, and divider are formed as a unitary one-piece closure.

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the first closure engaging structure is a continuous thread and the second closure engaging structure is a segmented thread.

3. The closure of claim 1, wherein the first closure engaging structure and the second closure engaging structure are segmented threads.

4. The closure of claim 1, wherein no part of the closure extends into the opening of the container when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode and the non-child resistant mode.

5. The closure of claim 4, further comprising a tamper resistant liner configured to be inserted adjacent the divider in one of the first section and the second section for sealing the opening of the container in an induction sealing process.

6. The closure of claim 1, wherein warning indicia is molded into the divider such that the warning information is visible when the closure is in the non-child resistant mode.

7. The closure of claim 1, further comprising a first liner and a second liner, the first liner configured to be inserted into the first section such that the first liner is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode and the second liner configured to be inserted into the second section such that the second liner is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode.

8. The closure of claim 7, wherein the second liner includes warning indicia indicating that the closure is in the non-child resistant mode.

9. The closure of claim 1, wherein the divider is at least partially see-through.

10. The closure of claim 9, further comprising a liner including a first side and a second side, the liner configured to be inserted in one of the first section and the second section such that the first side is viewable when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the second side is viewable when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode.

11. The closure of claim 10, wherein the first side of the liner includes warning indicia indicating that the closure is in the non-child resistant mode.

12. A reversible child resistant closure system having a child resistant mode and a non-child resistant mode, the reversible child resistant closure system comprising:

a container having a neck including a container engaging structure disposed on an outer surface of the neck and a container locking mechanism;

a unitary one piece closure including;

a circumferential side wall having an interior surface;

a first section having a first closure engaging structure disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to contact and interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is installed on the container in a non-child resistant configuration;

a second section including a second closure engaging structure disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to contact and interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is installed on the container in a child resistant configuration and a closure locking mechanism configured to engage the container locking mechanism for restricting axial movement of the closure with respect to the container when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode; and

a solid divider disposed between the first section and the second section for closing an opening of the container when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the child resistant mode.

13. The closure system of claim 12, wherein the container is injection molded.

14. The closure system of claim 12, wherein the container is blow molded.

15. The closure system of claim 12, wherein the first closure engaging structure is a continuous thread and the second closure engaging structure is a segmented thread.

16. The closure system of claim 12, wherein the first closure engaging structure and the second closure engaging structure are segmented threads.

17. The closure system of claim 12, wherein no part of the closure extends into the opening of the container when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode and the non-child resistant mode.

18. The closure system of claim 17, further comprising a tamper resistant liner configured to be inserted adjacent the divider in one of the first section and the second section for sealing the opening of the container in an induction sealing process.

19. The closure system of claim 12, wherein warning indicia is molded into the divider such that the warning information is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode.

20. The closure system of claim 12, further comprising a first liner and a second liner, the first liner configured to be inserted into the first section such that the first liner is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode and the second liner configured to be inserted into the second section such that the second liner is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode.

21. The closure system of claim 20, wherein the second liner includes warning indicia indicating that the closure is in the non-child resistant mode.

22. The closure system of claim 12, wherein the divider is at least partially see-through.

23. The closure system of claim 22, further comprising a liner including a first side and a second side, the liner configured to be inserted in one of the first section and the second section such that the first side is viewable when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the second side is viewable when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode.

24. The closure system of claim 23, wherein the first side of the liner includes warning indicia indicating that the closure is in the non-child resistant mode.

25. A closure for use with a container having a neck including a container engaging structure and a container locking mechanism, the closure having a child resistant mode when applied to the container in a child resistant configuration and a non-child resistant mode when applied to the container in a non-child resistant configuration, the closure comprising:

a circumferential side wall having an interior surface;

a first section including a first engaging thread disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant configuration;

a second section including a second engaging thread disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant configuration and a closure locking mechanism configured to engage the container locking mechanism for restricting axial movement of the closure with respect to the container when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode;

a solid divider disposed between the first section and the second section for closing an opening of the container when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the child resistant mode;

a first liner disposed in the first section having first liner indicia printed thereon such that the first liner indicia is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode; and

a second liner disposed in the second section having second liner indicia printed thereon such that the second liner indicia is visible when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode.

26. The closure of claim 25, wherein the circumferential side wall, first section, second section, and divider are formed as a unitary one-piece closure.

27. The closure of claim 25, wherein the first engaging thread is a continuous thread and the second engaging thread is a segmented thread.

28. The closure of claim 25, wherein the first engaging thread is a segmented thread and the second engaging thread is a segmented thread.

29. The closure of claim 25, further comprising a tamper resistant liner configured to be inserted adjacent the divider in one of the first section and the second section for sealing the opening of the container in an induction sealing process.

30. The closure of claim 25, wherein the second liner indicia includes warning indicia indicating that the closure is in the non-child resistant mode.

31. The closure of claim 30, wherein the first liner indicia includes promotional information.

32. A closure for use with a container having a neck including a container engaging structure and a container locking mechanism, the closure having a child resistant mode when applied to the container in a child resistant configuration and a non-child resistant mode when applied to the container in a non-child resistant configuration, the closure comprising:

a circumferential side wall having an interior surface, the circumferential side wall being substantially opaque;

a first section including a first closure engaging structure disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to contact and interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is in the non-child resistant configuration;

a second section including a second closure engaging structure disposed on the interior surface of the circumferential side wall configured to contact and interact with the container engaging structure when the closure is in the child resistant configuration and a closure locking mechanism configured to engage the container locking mechanism for restricting axial movement of the closure with respect to the container when the closure is in the child resistant mode; and

a solid divider disposed between the first section and the second section for closing an opening of the container when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the child resistant mode, the solid divider being at least partially transparent.

33. The closure of claim 32, wherein the circumferential side wall, first section, second section, and divider are formed as a unitary one-piece closure.

34. The closure of claim 32, wherein the first engaging thread is a continuous thread and the second engaging thread is a segmented thread.

35. The closure of claim 32, wherein the first engaging thread is a segmented thread and the second engaging thread is a segmented thread.

36. The closure system of claim 32, further comprising a liner including a first side and a second side, the liner configured to be inserted in one of the first section and the second section such that the first side is viewable when the closure is installed on the container in the non-child resistant mode and the second side is viewable when the closure is installed on the container in the child resistant mode.