CHILD PROOF CLOSURE

FERMETURE A L'EPREUVE DES MANIPULATIONS PAR UN ENFANT

English Abstract

CHILD PROOF CLOSURE
Abstract of the Disclosure
A child proof closure for containers having a
threaded neck. A screw type cap has a first set of teeth
mounted on its side the teeth being set at an angle to the
axis of the cap. A drive member is loosely mounted on the
cap for limited axial motion. A second set of teeth is
mounted on said drive member, the teeth being angled in the
same direction as the first set of teeth. When said drive
member is turned in the direction to remove the cap, the
interaction of said teeth lifts the drive member relative
to the cap and the first and second sets of teeth dis-
engage so that the cap cannot be removed solely by turning.

Claims

The embodiment of the invention in which an ex-
clusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as
follows:
1. A child proof closure for containers having
a threaded neck comprising:
a screw type cap, having a lower outwardly ex-
tending lip,
a first set of teeth on the side of said cap,
said teeth being set at an angle to the axis of said cap,
a drive member loosely mounted on said cap for
limited axial motion, said drive member having an interior
slot around its lower periphery said slot engaging said
lip so as to permit axial movement of said drive member
on said cap,
a second set of teeth in said drive member, said
teeth being angled in the same direction as said first set
of teeth,
whereby when said drive member is turned in the
direction to remove the cap, the interaction of said teeth
lifts the drive member relative to the cap and the first
and second sets of teeth disengage so that the cap cannot
be removed solely by turning.
2. Apparatus as in Claim 1, wherein said first
and second sets of teeth are set at an angle to the axis
of said cap so that the leading lower edges of the teeth
are in the direction of turning said cap to apply the cap
to the container.

Description

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This application is an iMprovement of my prior appli-
cation, Ser. No. 235,o78, filed September 9~ 1975, for Child
Proof Closure, now Canadian Patent 1,027,57~, granted May ~,1978
This invention relates to child proo~ closures for
containers containing medicines,poi~ris and corrosive sub-
stances or liquids.
This inventi~n provides a cap means which must be
pressed down and turnedin order to remove the cap. This in-
vention is preferably made from plastic.
.
In my prior application, the drive member fit over
the top portion of the cap. In this invention, the drive
member fits over the entire cap. This provides a longer side
wall with great flexibility and is more suitable for plastlc
construction.
Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is
to provide new and improved means for child proof closures for -
containers.
Another object of the invention is to provide new
and improved means for child proof closures for containers
of the type having a threaded neck.
Another obJect of the invention is to provide new
and improved screw type closures for containers such as
bottles which require simultaneous pressing and turning in
order to unscrew the cap
Another object of the invention is to provide a new
and improved screw type cap having a drive member loosely
mounted on the cap wherein both the cap and the drive member
have teeth which must be engaged by ~irmly pressing the
drive member onto the cap and simultaneously turning in order
3~ to unscrew the cap~ ~
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Another object of the invention is to provide new
and improved child proof closure ~eans for containers having
a threaded neck comprising, a screw type cap having a lower
outwardly extending lip, a first set of teeth ~n the side of
said cap, said teeth being set at an angle to the axis of
said cap, a drive member loosely mounted on said cap for
limited axial motion, said drive member having an interior
- slot around its lower periphery said slot engaging said lip
so as to permit axial movement ~f said drive member on said
cap, a second set of teeth on said drive member, said teeth
being angled ln the same direction as said first set of
tee~h, whereby when said drive member is turned in the di-
rect~on to remove the cap, the interaction of said tee~h
lift~ the drive membar relative to the cap and the first
and second sets of teeth disengage so th~t the cap cannot
be removed solely by turning.
These and other objects of the invention will be
apparent from the following specification and drawings o
which:
Figure 1 ~5' a side view of an embodiment of the
invention partially in section, in free position.
Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment of
Figure 1, partially in section, inengaged position.
Figure 3 is a side view of the drive member of
Figure 1.
Referring to the Figures, the cap 1 is a screw
type cap which is adapted to be screwed onto a container
such as medicine bottles, of the type which have a threaded
neck. The cap is conventional except for two features.
First the cap has a plurality ~f teeth 2 "~:hich are ~o~m ted

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on the upper side of the cap, and secondly, t'n~ cap h~s an
annular lip 4~ on the lower periphery, one ~urpose of which
is to loosely retain the drive r.1ember 5~ on cap 1. The
tee~h 2, ~ave an angle t~ the axis of the cap in the neigh-
borhood of 45 to ~0.
. The drive member 5, has an interior lower slot o,
which is adaptad- to fit onto the lip 4, so as to hold the
drive member on the cap, but free to moYe axiably and ro-
tatably. The drive member has a circle ~f teeth 7~ on the
interior of its upper surface which are adapted to mate
with the teeth 2, of the cap 1, wnen the drive member is .
pressed on the capO
The teeth 7, have an angle to the axis equal to
that of the angle o~ the teeth 2. Tne direction o:~ the an~le
is chosen 50 that the lower edges o~ the teeth le~d ln the
. direction that the cap is turned to apply it. When the
drive member is turned clock~ise to apply the cap, then the
first and second sets of teeth, 2 and 7, lock together.
- on the other hand, when the drive member is turned
counterclockwise, in the direction to remove the cap with-
out pressing, the interaction of the teeth causes the drive
member to lift away from the cap so that the teeth are not
engaged but the drive member teeth slip over the cap teeth~
There is su~ficient play in the mounting of the drive member
between lip and slot o, .to accommodate this axial. motion of . .
the drive member.
When it is desirad ~o ramove the cap, the drive
member is pressed down ~irmly onto the cap and rotated
counter-clockwise~ The pressing will cause the first and
second sets o~ teeth 2 and 7, to remain in contact so that
by simultaneously pressing and turning counterclockwise the

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- cap can be removed. The teeth are not formed with square
cross-sections but are of a curved cross-section so that
a first pressing is required to keep tha teeth in contact
for the purpose of removing the cap.
The drive member is mounted on the cap and the
dimensions are such that ths drive member is retained
loosely on the cap so that it can be easily ~urned without
turning.the cap as shown in Figure 1.
Therefore, a child merely turning the drive mem-
bsr will not unscrew the cap. The teeth are pointed or
beveled with rounded edges so that a ~irm pressure is re- .
quired to hold them into engagement when unscrewing the
cap.
It is unlikely that a small child would be able
to appreciate that it is necessary to press and turn simulta-
neoulsy to unscrew the cap Furthermore, since the teeth
are.not square, a small child would not have sufficient
strength to hold the teeth ~n engagement while unscrewing
the cap. - :
The cap and drive member are preferably made of
molded plastic. The drive mamber has sufficient flexibility
,
to that it may be snapped into position on the cap and
thereafter cannot be removed~
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