Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
113;~50S
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TITLE: CHILD-~ESISTA~T DISPENSER AND CLOSURE P~CKAGE
B~CKGROUNI) OF Tllr~, INV~.NTION ..
- ~ield of the Invellti.o
This invention relates to child-resistant packaging
5 of a dispenser and closure and a container or bottle, and
more particularly to a comhined child-resistant dispenser ~:
and closure assembly adapted to be installed on a container
- to produce child safe packaging capable of complying with
the standards for special packaging under the "Poison
10 Prevention Packaging Art of 1970", Title 15 United States
Code Sections 1~71-1475 and the regulations appertaining
thereto under Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
1700.1 through and including the protocol for testing ._.
"Special P,ackaging" as set forth in the above code ùnder '~
15 Part 1700.20 thereof entitled "Testing Procedure for Special _~
Packaging".
Description of the Prior Art
Product dispensers and sprayers combined with closing
fitments and other closure means such as closure caps and
20 like apparatus for attachment to a container and installing ,~
the same by closeably securing the apparatus thereon have ~
long been known. A particularly representative device of
th-is type is disclosed in U. S. Patent 3,061,202, issued on ~;.
~ October 30, 1962, which is a manually operated, trigger ~
25 actuated pump sprayer or dispenser having a swivably attach- ~
ed screw-on cap for mounting the assembled device on the ~,
neck of a container. ~owever, until the present invention,
it has been relatively easy for a child to gain access to
the liquid.contents of the container by the simple act of
30 unscrewing the cap and removing the entire apparatus or
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assembly. In part Eor this reason, when devices of this ' ~k
kind are shipped to market for sale to c~stomers, they are ' ~
shipped uninstalled on the container. Thus, an extra and ~_
needless e~pense is incurred since a separate and additional
5 closure cap or like device Eor the container must be supplied
and installed to prevent spillage or unwanted leakage`of its
contents.
Other patents are known which propose solutions to this
problem to permit shipping of a dispcnser appara~us while
10 installed on a filled or loaded container. For e~ample,
U. S. Patent 3,650,473, issued on March 21, 1972, whicll is
for a combined trigger sprayer and closure apparatus with a ,~
cap which screws down onto a container, discloses a solution
- which consists of a snippable cover or nozzle which sealingly
15 covers the outlet of the sprayer or dispenser pump. Two types
of covers are disclosed, the first of which has a dome shaped
member over the outlet which is held in place by a screwed-on
nozzle. A seal is effected at the outlet by action of the
screwed-on nozzle against an annular flange of the clome
20 shaped mem~er which is clamped between the nozzle a~cl an ~
end'surface or nose of the sprayer. The sprayer is.rendere~ _
operative by snipping the dome portion of the cover with a
knife or other cutting instrument after which pumping of the
contents from the container on which the assembly is in- ` p
25 stalled can be effected.
In the second type of cover, a permanent nozzle cap is
provided for the end of the dispenser over the outlet and a
removable member, which is press-fitted on the nozzle cap has
a=sealing''nub which blocks the outlet hole. The cover is
30 attached to the permanent nozzle cap by an integrally molded ~-^
flange or hinge with a weakened portion which can be easily
snipped or broken off to allow the cover to be hinged away
from the outlet. After use the cover can be reinstalled if ~-~
desired. Thus the sprayer is shippable while installed on a
35 container since the nozzle outlet is sealed by the cover and
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initially, is not easily removed by a child. Once the weake
ed portion is broken off, however, the cover is easily re- ~
moved and is no longer child-resistant. In addition, nothin~ L-
is provided to prevent a child from gaining access to the
5 contents of the container by simply unscrewing the entire
assembly.
In another patent, U. S. 3,973,700, issued August 10, ~L~!
1976, a dispensing pump or sprayer is disclosed whicll is
combined with a closure cap Ior attacl~ y the a':';Clllb~
10 device to the neck of a container. The sprayer has a spray
outlet and a cover thereor wl-ich is part of an opcratin~
trigger being combined therewith. The cover-trigger device
is pivoted so that it can be swung away from a pOsitiOIl
- covering the outlet to a trigger operating position and is
15 intended to be in the outlet covered position when not in use
as in shipping or storage. A projection on the outer end of
the trigger covers the pump outlet when the tricJger is in an
up position. ~ break off disc is provided to make it im-
possible to move a tab also present, whereby a nozzle con- ~-
20 taining the outlet can be adjusted. I-lowever, the trigger
can still be rotated downwardly a slight amount eno~lcJh to
uncover the outlet without brea~ing off the disc and spraying
is possible by operating the trigger with the fingers, whicl
action is relatively easily accomplishable even by small ~
25 children. This sprayer is therefore not child-resistant ~:
since access to the container contents can be gained rela-
tively easily simply by unscrewing the closure cap from the
container. !`~
= In another patent, U. S. 3,957,181, issued May 18, 1976,
30 a child-resistant dispensing closure is disclosed in WiliCh a
conventional pressed on cap is combined with a pouring fit-
ment characterized by a spout having a through passage,
which spout is rotatably mounted on the top of the closure F
in a recess therein in such a way that it can rotate through
35 an arc fro~ a transverse, or horizontal position relative to
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an outlet in the cap wi-th its internal, transverse passage
not in alignment with the outlet thereby being in a closed
position, to a vertical position in which the through pass-
age in the spout is aligned with the outlet in the closure
5 and fluid is permitted to flow through the aligned passage
and outlet to empty the contents of the container on which
it is used~ A locking tab is provided at the outer end of
the spout wilich can be deflected with a finger, pencil or
other pointed object and the like whcll the la(:ter is il~ it;
10 transverse, or closed position before the spout can be lifted r
and rotated to the open, or vertical position. Thus in this
patent, a child-resi.stant dispensing closure is disclosed in
which a pouring spout resists opening owing to the presencc
- of the locking tab which must first be moved, as by a ~inger ~"
15 or other object, a sufficient distance so that the elld of
the spout can be rotated by application of a downward force
on the base of the fitment. Ilo~ever, a disadvantage of this
device is that although the pouring spout is child-resistant,
the package containing it with a conventional container (not
20 shown) is not since with relatively little effort, a chil~ ~
may gain access to the contents of the container by simply ~r
removing the cap which contains the pouring spout. If, on ~,-
the other hand, the cap is made to fit so that it cannot be
removed at all, then the container cannot be opened and re- -
25 filled. Hence, a non-reusable package is obtained.
Various other U. S. patents have issued which disclose
combined trigger sprayers and caps including screw on and
pressed on types for attac~lent to the necks of contaillers.
For example, U. S. Patent 3,927,834, issued December 23, ,,
~ 30 1975, discloses a locking men~ber for locking an actuator or
trigger in a non-operating position when the sprayer is out
of use, in which position a valve is closed by a piston
connected to the trigger to prevent leakage from a con-tainer F
on which the device is used. I~owever, this device, as with
35 previously mentioned-devices, has ~he disadvantage o~ not
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being child-resistant in that no means is provided to pre- j~r~
vent a ehild from gaining access to the eontents of the con- ~
tainer by unscrewing the eap and removing the entire assembly. ~ .
~s will become more clearly apparent from what follows
5 the present invention resolves these aforementioned problems
and overcomes the disadvantages arising therefrom by the pro-
vision of an assembled combined closure means and pump or ~E
spraying means Eor a eontainer whiell when paclcaged therc~ith
is truly and .~ully ehild-resis~all~, yet call be ~eol-cl)e~
10 refilling.
In the deseription which fol].ows certain terms are
employed to assist in understanding and appreeiatinc~ the ~.
importanee of the invention. One of these, "dispensinc
- elosure" is applied to a relatively well-known type of .4
15 device which is fitted to a container to provide a closure
or cover therefor to seal the contents of the container, or
to contain them without leakage in normal usage, combined
with other devices by which the contents of the container
may be emptied. Under this designation, a two-part deviee
20 employing a eap and one or more spouts or pouring fltments ~j,`
eombined therewith will be found and described, as in pre- _~
viously mentioned U. S. 3,957,1~ ot to be included with-
in the above definition, however, are so-calle~, two-part
deviees exemplified in U. S. Patent 3,061j202, previously ~--
25 referred to, which are characterized by having sprayer pumps
or spray-heads and like deviees with serew on elosure caps and ~,
the like attached thereto for installing the combination on !~
the mouth or neek of a container. These devices are more ~,
~ commonly better known as "trigger sprayers", hence, this
- 30 designation will be used herein. All of these devices gen- ~
erally employ a dip tube, or other inlet conduit means to ~
conduct the material contents from the container to the pump ~-
for spraying by ejecting the same through an outlet in the -~
exit nozzle earried by the pump. In addition, these devices
35 commonly feature inlet and outlet check valves contained in
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a housing of the pump or spray head to control ~he flow o~
the material contents from the container:
The terms "child-resistant" and '!child-resistan~
effectiveness" are also increasingly being used botll in the
5 field of the present invention and in the field of closures
and dispen~sers, in general, to designate devices and pack-
ages that ~re constructed to be significantly difficult for
young children, particularly pre-school children under 5 ycars
of age to open within a reasonable time and a~ tlle samc tinlc
10 not difficult for average and normal adults to use properly.
Such devices when used on containers of to~ic, harmful and
other hazardous materials also constitute "Special Packaging"
as that term is defined in the previously mentioned Code o~
- Federal Regulations, Title 16 under Part 1700.1 (4). Inasmuch ~4
15 as the regulations referred to contain information pertinent
to and will promote understanding of the present invention,
they are,-by reference, incorporated herein.
Other terms, unless otherwise stated, will take their
meaning from the appertaining, incorporated by reference,
20 regulations referred to including any and all stand~rds ~;
established for protecting children from serious illness or ~,~
personal injury from handling, ingesting or using substances
contained in these packages and found in the average home or
household. ~11 testing procedures to which constructions
25 according to the present invention, are described as being
subjected will refer to the protocol for testing "Special
Packaging" in the Regulations, specifically under Section '
1700.20 of Title 16 C.F.R., paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) Q~
, thereof, also, by reference, incorporated herein. ~;
- 3 0 SUMMARY OF TI~E INVENTION t'
~._
Among the objects of the present invention is to pro-
vide a safety package of a cornbined dispenser and closure
assembly and a container, the material content of which is
to be expeIled, as by a pump or spraying device and the like.
Another object is to provide a removable child-resistant
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package of an assembly of a combined dispenser section or ~r
portion and a closure section or portion'and a container on
which the assembly is installed or packaged. '
Stil~ another object of the invention is to provide a
5 separable package of a dispenser-closure assembly and a con-
tainer of `the character xeferred to in which the closure
section or~portion includes a deformable cap having members
which coact with and engage other members on tl~e container
to prevent separation of thc asselllbly from tlle col~ incl-
10 until a pr,edetermined deforming force is exerted against the '~
cap in a predetermined direction while simultaneously un-
screwing the cap.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device
of the character described in which the pumping section or
15 portion is a manually operated pump having an outlet through
which the container's contents are e~pelled and which is
provided with a child-resistant cover or overcap for the
outlet.
A still further object of the present invention is to
20 provide a ~device of the type referred to wherein thè parts .''
and'components are all, or nearly all comprised of low cost ~r
readily available synthetic and natural thermoplastic
materials.
- An additional object is to provide a device of the pre-
25 ceding type in which the pump section or portion is a trigc3er
pump or sprayer and the coacting cap and~container members ~,
are wedge-like rib elements and lugs respectively, ~hich
interengage when the closure section or portion is installed
on the neck or mouth of the container. i~
A stil'ladditional object is to provide a device of the ,~,
preceding type which may be molded of the thermoplastic ~-~
materials referred to in an economical way and in whicll the ~'
interengaginy members ,of the cap and the container arc molded r
t
as integral parts of the cap and container respectively.
In accomplishing these and other objects thclo is pro-
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1~132S~35
vided accordillc3 to tlle present invention, an improvcmellt in
packa~Jing of child-rcsi.stant dispenscl^-closurc ~levices an(l
assemblies, particularly those assemblies or deuices com-
prising a dispenser, pump or sprayer combined with, or
5 otherwise attached to a closure adapted to be installed,
mounted on or otherwise packaged by attachment thereof to a
container ~or expelling material products therefrom, which E
is characterized by its pOSSeSSiOII O~ safety fe~tul-es witll ~
respect to prevellting Ul-Wallte~, i.lladVCr~C'Il~ C)l- .IC'C'.i.dent:al ~_
10 gaining of.access to the contents of the container by small
children. The iMprovements involve, in special packagincJ,
the use and addition of child-resistan-t closing elements to .i
the closures and like members whicll, when combined with a
dispensing pump or spraying device, result in a combined
15 dispenser and closure assem]~ly of at least 85~ child-rc-
sistant effectiveness for a container of hazardous materials,
by which is meant that certain prerequisite procedures be
followed and adhered to to remove or unpacka~e the device
from and open the container, which procedures are effective
20 to prevent at least 85% of normal children under 5 ~ears of
age from gaining access to the contents of the container. r
In addition, the procedures are also effective to permit at
least 90% of normal adults of the ages of 18 to 45 to oE)en
the packages.
In a further and preferred improvement, a child-re-
sistant cover or overcap is provided for the outlet of the
dispenser, pump or sprayer through which material is ejected
in normal use which is fitted to, on, or over the outlet in
such a manner that it cannot be removed, or otherwise have
30 its position altered unless certain prerequisite procedures
are strictly followed to uncover the outlet and permit pass-
age of the material contents from the container. i~
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In accordance with the present teachings, an
improvement is provided in a~evice which includes a sprayer and
a closure connected to the sprayer for use with a container with
the sprayer including pump means for emptying the contents of
the container and the container having a threaded opening and
the closure includes screw-cap means for releasably attaching
the device to the container on the threaded opening. The
improvement comprises child-resistance safety means on one of
the closure and container and coacting safety means on the
other of the closure and container with the safety means and
coacting safety means being adapted to inter-engage and lock
the device to the container on the opening when the device is
attached to the container by the cap means. Release of the
device for removal thereof is effected by the simultaneously
applied actions of a compressive force of predetermined strength
directed against the closure and an unscrewing of the means
from the threaded opening, the compressive force deforming a
portion of the closure and causing a lateral displacement of at
least one of the safety and coacting safety means with respect
to the other of the safety means and coacting safety means to
unlock the closure from the container and enable the screw cap
of the closure to be rotatably released for removing the device
from the container.
In accordance with the further aspect, a dispenser
and child-resistant closure combined into an assembly is pro-
vided for use on a container which has an open, threaded filler
neck, with a dispenser including a pump for expelling material
from the container. The closure is connected to the dispenser
to form the assembly and includes a rotatable threaded cap and
at least one locking member, with the cap being adapted to
threadably engage the filler neck in assembly retaining
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relation on the opening to close the container. The lockingmeans on the filler neck is adapted to engage the locking member
and to prevent releasing rotation of the closure and thereby
lock the container in child-resistant relation with respect to
the assembly when the cap is threadably engaged on the opening
in the filler neck and to disengage from the locking member only
when the closure is deformed by the action of a compressive
stress of sufficient strength applied against a portion of the
closure to cause a radial displacement of the locking member
disengagement of the member from the locking means and permitting
releasing rotation of the cap to remove the assembly from the
container.
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~ricf Description of the Drawings ~:
~,
Figure 1 is an elevati.on, partially sectione~, of a
child-resistant package of a combined dis-
penser and closure assembly in basic form
` 5 illustrating the interior working parts of
both the dispenser, which is in the form o
a spray pump or sprayer section, and the
closure section which is a threaded cap
within a resilient outer skirt, and a COIl-
tainer;
Figure 2 is a partial elevation of the outlet end of
a preferred form of the invention showing a
preferred,linearly movable overcap or cover
for the outlet in the exit or nozzle end o:E
the pump or spray head thereof;
Figure 3 is a fra~mentary, elevational section of thc
outlet end of -the dispenser, pump or sprayer
head por-tion of the invention taken along line
3-3 of Figure 2, illustrating the overcap in
. its outlet closed and child-safe position; '~
Figure 4 is a fragmentary, elevational section corre- .
sponding to Fic3ure 3 except that the overcap
is shown in an outlet open, sprayer operating
position;
Figure 5 is an inside perspective front elevation of
the overcap or cover in Figures 2, 3 and 4,
viewed from the sprayer outlet or nozzle end; 5
Figure 6 is a perspective front end elevation of a
- nozzle or nose bushing used with the overcap
of Figures 3, 4 and 5, in the sprayer head or
pump section of the invention as viewed from
said overcap or cover; ~.
Figure 7 is a transverse section taken along line F
7-7 of Figure l;
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Figure & i5 an elevation, viewed frorn ~he l.ef~ and ior
corresponding to Figure 2 of allo~ller embodi-
ment of the invention showing a ro~atably
movable overcap or cover for the outlet in ~ ;
the exit or nozzle end of the pump or spray
head thereof;
Figure 9 is a fraymentary,elevational section of the ~E
. outlet end of the dispenser, pump or sprayer r,~
head section o~ the inventi.ol-, ta~en al.ollc
10 ~ line 9-9 of Figure 8, illustrating the cover t
or overcap in its outlet coveriny or closed
position;
Figure 10 is a fragmentary, elevational section, as in
Figure 9, except that the overcap or cover is
in an outlet open, sprayer operating position; ~. .
Figure 11 is an inside perspective front elevati.on c~f.
the overcap or cover of Figures 8, 9 or 10,
- viewed from the sprayer outlet or nozzle end;
Figure 12 is a perspective front end elevation of a
modified nozzle or nose bushing used with the .
overcap of Figures 8, 9 and 10, in the sprayer
head or pump section of the invention as view-
. ed from said overcap or cover; and
Figure 13 is an elevation, partially sectioned, generally L
corresponding to Figure 1, of still another
embodiment of the combined child-resistant ls
dispenser and closure assembly, the container ~-
of the package omitted, illustrating some of
~ the interior working parts, as in Figure 1, ~.-
and an integrally molded closure cap and
dispenser connecting means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
~ basic, generalized form of the invention will be de-
scribed with reference to Figure 1 wherein a package of a
35 combined child-resistant dispenser pump, or sprayer and
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closure assembly 10 and a conkainer 11 is depicked compris-
ing a trig~er actuated pump heacl or sprayer section 12, thc
particular one illustrated being selected from the line of
popularly known trigger sprayers manufactured and supplied by
5 The AFA Corporation of Miami Lakes, Florida, U.S.A., and a
closure section or portion 14 swivably attached thereto.
Assembly 10 is preferably a molded article made entirely, ~L
or very nearly entirely, of plastic matcrials so as to plO-
vide a low cost, ecollomical itelll of malluC;Ict~ e. ~aL~
10 good examples of such materials are any of the synthetic
plastics and thermoplastics such as polyolefins, among WhiC}l
a particularly preferred one is polypropylene, although others
of this class or group including polyethylene and polyiso-
butylene can also be used. Other synthetic and natural
15 materials are also usable, for example, moldab]e th~rmoplastic
polyester, polyurethane, nylon, polyvinylchloride, polyacetate,
polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and s~n-
thetic and natural rubber and mixtures of these materials.
These materials possess elasticity, have the necessary re-
20 siliency and in addition, are economical, in relatively
available and plentiful-supply, are readily and easily formed ~-
by any of the well-known and widely used molding and casting
manufacturing processes, and are inert to almost all of the
commonly used materials and fluids which are packaged in con- r~
25 tainers with these devices. ~:
As mentioned previously, assembly 10 forms a package of ,.
material when attached and installed on bottle or container
11 and basically comprises pumping section, spray head or
sprayer portion 12, and closure section or portion 14. L
30 Closure section 14 is coupled to spray head section 12 by an
intermediate intake stem or coupling member lG and compri,cs
an inner closure cap or cylinder 18 having an internal thL-ead-
ed surface, a resilient outer skirt or cylinder 20 concen-
trically spaced from cap 18, and a top wall 22 from which
35 these last named parts depend. Top wall 22 has a
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central perforation 24 througil which the up~er, cylindrical
end 26 of-coupling member 16 easily passes with some clear- - ~-
ance to extend into the lower end of the body or housing 28 L
of dispenser or sprayer section 12 being pressed fitted into
5 an outer annular recess or cavity 30 contained therein.
Cylindrical end 26 projects upwardly from the top surface of
a laterally extending, disc-like support collar or base 32,
the latter being a radial e~tensioll of a ccnt~-al col~dl!it 3l, ~;
which it su~ports, o~ inseL-t mc,lllbe-- lG. CO11aL o~ b.lSe 3 `
10 is larger`in diameter than pcrfora-tion 24 and supportably ~'
engages cap or skirt 18 on the underside or surface of -top
wall 22 of closure 14. The upper end of conduit 34 termin-
ates in a conical valve seat 36 opening into central cavity ù-
38 in housing 28 of sprayer section 12 and defines therewith
15 a valve chamber 40 in which an intake valve 42 is housed.
Conduit 34 is press fitted into cavity 38 being engaged
therein in fluid tight relation on its peripheral outer
surface.
A fluid supply conduit or dip tube 44 which depends
20 from the Iower end of conduit 34 passes centrally ~lrou~,n ~.
the threaded filler nec]c 46 of container or bottle 11 and
terminates below the surface of the material contents (not
shown) thcrein.
Assembly 10 is packaged toge-ther with bottle or COIl- ,
25 tainer 11 by engagement of threaded cap or skirt 18 on f
filler neck 46 when closure section 14 is screwed down there-
on. When threaded cap 18 and filler neck 46 are fully en-
gaged closure 14 assumes a closed position on bot-tle or con-
tainer 11 in which base or support collar 32 is clamped
30 tightly between the upper, annular surface 48 of container
11 and the under, annular surface 50 of top wall 22. The
respective clamping surfaces 48 and 50 normally being smooth r
enough to provide an effective seal for container 11, partic-
ularly when the material contents are fluid. In some in-
35 stances a gasket or other seal enhancing device (not shown)
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may be advantageously used.
~ paiL^ of wedge-shaped locking lugs 52 radially out-
wardly project from the lower peripheral surface, as best
seen in Figure 7, of filler neck 46 on opposite sides there-
5 of and engage in locking, child-resistant relation, the co-
operating vertically extending members or ribs 5~ which
radially inwardly project from the inside surface of outer
closure skirt or cylinder 20. It will be appreciated, par-
ticularly in the liqllt of the hereillafter ~ollowin~ de-
10 scription of the operation of the invention, that the act of
closing container 11 by screwing cap 18 of closure section
14 down on container 11 of neck 46 will result in coaction
between lugs 52 and ribs 54 which imparts child-resistant
capability to these parts forming a special package signif-
15 ic~ntly difficult for children under 5 years of age to open
within a reasonable time.
It should be understood from the foregoing ~hat the
device typified by previously described sprayer head or dis-
pensing section 12 is per se not the invention herein. In
20 fact, any bf the well-known trigger operated, manual pumps ~.
and sprayers, now in plentiful supply, can be used to cJood
advantage and, when suitably modified and combined with a r4
closing device typified by closure portion 14 in accordance
with the principles herein, will result in a new and useful
25 advance in the art of child-resistant special packaging.
Turning again to Figure 1, dispenser section or sprayer L.
head 12 comprises a spring loaded piston 56 mounted for re-
ciprocation in a bore 58 in housing 28 as hy an actuator, a '~
typical one being the finger operated trigger 60. TrigcJer
30 60 is pivotably mounted on spray head 12 on housing 28 below
the forward or nozzle end thereof. Also housed in body 28 ~.
is an entrance or intake passage 62 in the wall on portion
63 thereof.leading into a pump chamber 64 from intake valve
chamber 40 therebelow. An exit conduit or discharge passage
35 66 connects chamber 64 with the outside through a discharge
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113Z~V5
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,,. nozzle or nose bushing 68 contained in the discharge chamber ~-
- 69 at the end of conduit 66. ' . ' ' ' ~,
An outlet or discharge valve 70 is slidably positioned
in an internal cavity in nozzle or nose bushing 68 to con-
5 trol the flow of the material, usually fluid contents in
container 11 pumped from chamber 64 for ejection through the '
ejection o~ifice or outlet 72 in the end wall of nozzle bush-
ing 68.
To insure container 11 is pro~-erly vellted an(l the
10 pressure therein equalized during pumping of the material
contents therefrom vent passages 74 and 76 are respectively
formed in base or support collar 32 of coupling member 16
and in wall or partition 63 of bore 58, the latter being
molded in wall 63 at a point immediately under piston 56. ,~
15 As shown in Figure 1, piston 56 is in its normal, non-pump-
ing, at rest position and vent passage 76 is closed and
sealed against ambient air by the seal rings 77 on piston
56 which are arranged on either side of passage-76. During
a pump stroke of piston 56, however, vent passage 76 is un-
20 covered an,d ambient air enters container 11 via open passage
76,'through annular recess 30 and passage 74 in base 32. ~r-
Turning now to Figure 13, an additional embodimen't or
the invention is illustrated which utilizes identical sprayer
head or section 12, as in the Figure 1 previously described
25 embodiment. In this instance,sprayer 12 attached to a modif-
ied closure section 78, forming a new assembly 80 which in
- , Figure 13,' is shown unpackaged from container 11. Closure
section 78 and spray head or pumping section 12 are connected
together by any known method, for e~ample, spin weldin~,
30 adhesive bonding or the like after assembly of the respec~i.ve
parts by press fitting of the integrally molded intake stem
82 of closure section 78 into annular cavity or recess 30 in
housing 28. It will b.e appreciated that integrally molding r
stem 82 with closure section 78 involves a simplification by
35 eliminating at least one discrete manufactured part, namely
intermediate intake stem 16. In this instance, central con-
'
..... . .
,~. ,
.' ' . ' '
.
1~325~5
-15-
duit 34 is molded and supported directly on the top wall 84
of closure section 78 through integral base or support
collar 86 thereof, replacing base 32. Insert stem 82 extends
upwardly from top wall 84 into outer, annular cavity or re-
cess 30 in housing 28 and the upper end of conduit 34 extendsinto central cavity 38 being press fitted therein as in the
Figure 1 embodiment. Closure section 78 is otherwise struc-
turally identical to closure section 14 including an inner
cap clasure or cylinder 88 with an internal threaded surface
(corresponding to skirt 18) and a resilient outer skirt 90
(corresponding to skirt 20), both of which depend in integral,
concentrically spaced apart relation, from top wall 84. In
addition, the inner surface of outer resilient skirt 90
carries a pair of identically formed, vertically extending,
radially projecting ribs 92 which coact with and engage co-
operating lock members or lugs 52 on filler neck 46 of con-
tainer 11 when the latter is closed by screwing cap 88 of
closure section 78 down thereon, thereby forming a child-re-
sistant package with assembly 80, as in the previously
described Figure 1 embodiment.
In installing assembly 80 on container 11 to close the
same, it should be noted that, owing to the unitary integral
structure of closure 78 and its press fitted attachment to
sprayer 12, entire assembly 80 will turn as a unit when cap
88 is screwed down onto filler neck 46. In contrast, in the
Figure 1 embodiment, owing to the swivel connection of
closure section 14 to dispenser section 12, when cap 18 is
screwed down on filler neck 46 by turning closure section 14
to close container 11, only closure section 14 will rotate.
Referring now to Figures 2 through 6, the invention
will be described with respect to a particularly preferred
embodiment there depicted.
1132505
-16-
Figures 2through 6 of the present application depict
the most preferred embodiment of the present invention with
sprayer head or section 12 of assembly 10 in Figure 1 (or
assembly 80 in Figure 13) with a planar child-resistant
safety cover or overcap 94. Overcap 94 is attached to the
end of sprayer head 12 on a modified nozzle or nose bushing
96 which is press fitted in discharge chamber 69 in housing
28 of sprayer 12, replacing bushing 68, and is coupled there-
to by means of the edge guides or flanges 98 engaged in over-
lapping sliding relation with cooperating guide rails 100formed in overcap 94. Flanges 98 are parallel to each other
and to cooperating rails 100 and extend in a vertical direction
with respect to sprayer 12 when the latter is in its normal
upright position as shown in Figure 1. Overcap 94 on bushing
96 is permitted up and down linear movement thereon, within
limits, on guide rails 100 sliding on guides or flanges
98. Nose bushing 96 has an outlet or exit orifice 102 formed
in the end wall thereof and an opening or port 104, larger
than exit orifice or outlet 102, is formed in overcap 94
which, when the latter is in its lowest position, as shown
in Figure 3, is unaligned, or out of register with outlet 102
and overcap 94 is in its "outlet closed" position. On the
other hand, when overcap 94 is moved upwardly to its highest
position, as shown in Figure 4, opening 104 is aligned, or
in register with outlet 102 and overcap 94 is in its "outlet
open" position. As indicated previously, overcap 94 is per-
mitted up and down movement on bushing 96 within limits. In
Figure 3, the lowest position of overcap 94 is reached and
its outlet closed position obtained, when a limit-stop pro-
1~L3ZS~S
-]7-
vided by the horizontally inwardly extending shoulder 106 ~.,,
on the upper end of overcap 94, which extellds toward bushing ' '
96 in overlapping relation therewith and in abutting rela- '~
tion with'the end of housing 28 of sprayer section 12,
5 contacts the upper surface of bushing 96, thereby limiting
further downward movement of overcap 94.
Overcap 94 is made of resilient material and has a
resiliellt first deElective de.tent mclllbel. I08 .in~e~ all~
CO~ CtC~ tl~ tc) ~ v~ U~ y ~.~L~
10 seen in Fi~ures 3, 4 and 5, from a pair of narrow torsi.on
bands or spring pivots 110 on the lower end of overcaE~ 94
on which it may be ro~atably deflected into the gellerally
rectangular opening or through slot 112 in overcap 94.
The upper end of deflective member 108, as best seen in
15 Figure 5, has a detent lip 114 formed thereon which abuts a
shoulder 116, as best seen in Figure 6, on the lower end of
nose bushing 96. Shoulder 116 prevents upward movcment of
overcap 94 and, as shown in Figure 3, locks said overcap 94
in its outlet closed position. t~
' 20 Deflective member 108 extends downwardly from ,~,orsion l~ -
bands 110 and has an actuating tab or depressor 118 on the
lower end thereof which when depressed or forced to the
right in ~igure 3, as by the application of thumb pressure
by an operator, will pivot or rotate on torsion springs 110 ,~
25 about a lateral axis therethrough sufficiently for detent lip ~-~
114 to clear shoulder 116 of bushing 96. With tab or de- ,;
pressor 113 in its depressed position, overcap 94 may be
shoved upwardly and moved to the outlet open position of "~
Figure 4 with guide ra,ils 100 sliding on flanges 98 of bush- '~'
30 ing 96. A recess 120 in'nose bushing 96 immediately abovc
shoulder 116, receives detent lip 114 when the latter re- l~o~
turns to its normal, unrotated and undeflected state uncler !~
urging of ~orsi,on springs 110. The preceding will occ-lr
when the depressing force on tab or depressor 118 is re-
35 leased and overcap 94 is in its Figure 4 or outlet opcn
. ~
~ , ,. jl, . .
~' ', , .
1~3;2505
-:Lc3-
position, in which pos.ition opening or port 109 will ~e ~c-
aligned or in register Wit}l outlet orifice 102 and tlle ~.
material cbntents delivered ~y spray head 12 fl-om con~ainc
11 can be ejected or expelled.
A ramp or chamfered surface 122 on the upper side of
shoulder 116 of nose bushing 96 facilitates closing of out- :,
let 102 when the rounded front edge of detent lip 104 moves
downwardly thereon. As overcap 94 moves into its outlet
closed position, detent lip 114 is di.spl.aced 1e~ ;lL(I1~ as
10 its rounded edge moves easi]y on ramp 122 and snaps bac~ ~.
into its normally c].osed, loc]ced position undex limit stop ,;
116. To effect this action it is only necessary to apply a
gentle, bu-t firm downward push against the top end of overcap
- 94 to slide overcap 94 into its closed position on bushing 96.
~ further and important feature of the inven-tion lies
in the provision for sealing against leakage between the
interior surface of overcap 94 and the outer surfaces of
nose bushing 96. As best seen in Figures 5 and 6, outlet
102 in bushing 96 terminates in the outer !surface of a
20 raised sealing boss 124 which projects from the bottom of a ~^
recess 125. When overcap 94 is installed on bushin~ 96 and
takes up its outlet closed position, boss 124 .orcibly abuts,
- in sealing relation with respect to outlet 102, a vertically
extending raised surface or spline 126 projecting from the
25 inside surface of overcap 94. It will be apprecia-ted that
the portion of overcap 94 containing raised surface or spline
126 is deflective and flexible by virtue of the vertical
through slots 128 adjacent spline or surface 126 in the front
face of ov.ercap 94 which permits the portion in ~uestion to ~,
- 30 flex outwardly, as shown in Figure 3 by the contoured ou~er
surface thereof, when overcap 94 is moved down~ardly to the --
outlet cl.osed position. That is to say, as will be appreci~
ated from Figures 5 and 6, when overcap 94 is moved from its
outlet open'position in Figure 4 to its outlet closed posi-
35 tion in Figure 3, raised surface or spline 126 slides in re-
p~
. _ _ . . . . .. ...... ...
-- " ''--' "' ' '= ' ' ................... . . , ~ ! ,. . ~ . . . .
~ ' ' .
113ZS~35
~19--
cess 125 and is forcibly wedged up onto boss 124 by thechamfered top surface 130 of boss 124 and cooperating,
similarly chamfered surface 132 of spline 126. The pre-
ceding wedging action causes a deflection or flexing of the
5 portion of overcap 94 between the slots 128 which forcibly
urges spline 126 and its top surface against opposed top
surface of boss 124, thereby providing a forced seal for
outlet 102.
Turning now to Figures 8 through 12, an additional
10 embodiment of the invention will be described. In this
embodiment, rotatable, or rotary planar safety cover or
overcap 134 is positioned on a different, also modified nose
or nozzle bushing 136. Overcap 134 and nose bushing 136 can
be used as was previously described overcap 94 and bushing
15 96 with either of the also previously described combined
child-resistant dispenser and closure assemblies, including
assembly 10 and 80, to provide a special packagir;~ of high
child-resistant effectiveness sufficient to meet or exceed
the standards established for such special packaging under
20 previously mentioned Part 1700.20, of Title 16 of the Code
of Federal Regulations.
To meet or exceed said standards combined child-re-
sistant dispenser and closure assembly 10, as shown in
Figure 1, or assembly 80, of Figure 13, is equipped with
25 modified nose bushing 136 by inserting the same in discharge
chamber 69 in housing 28 of sprayer head or section 12 re-
placing old bushing 68, as shown in Figure 9, and thereafter
installing overcap 134 on the exit end thereof. Alternatively,
these parts can be preassembled together and then installed
30 on sprayer head 12 with overcap 134 held in place on nose
bushing 136 by a set of upper annular lip sectors 138 and a
bottom lip sector 139 after snapping it into place to couple
said upper and lower sectors over annular ridge or rim 140
of nose bushing 136. Overcap 134 is relatively permanently
i13255)5
--~o--
retained on buslling 136 and not easily removed as by the
fingers or even by means of some implement without damage; ~.
however, i~ is freely rotatable thereon, within limits,
between an outlet closed and an outlet open position, as
5 will be explained.
Bushing 136 is provided with an exit orifice or outlet
142 in the end wall thereof, which is centrally vertically
offset with respect to annular rim or ridge 140, as is shown ,~
in Figure 12, and terminates in the top surface o:E a surroullcl-
10 ing raised boss or projec-tion 144. ~`he top surface of boss
144 is flat and sealingly abuts a correspondi~g flat surface
of a centrally offset boss 146 projecting from the generally '~
round, inner central surface 147 of overcap 134. An opposite, ~.
centrally offset opening or through port 14~ extends through
15 overcap 134 in surface 147 which is larc3er -than outlet 142 to
insure ful.l passage of material dispensed from container 11
therethrough when opening 148 and outlet 142 are in register
and is at a lower elevation, as best seen in Figure 11, than
the top s~rface of boss 14G. ~.ramp 150 having an arcuate
20 top surface extends between the top surface of boss 146 and
surface 147 and terminates at through port 148. Ramp 150
slidably engages the top surface of outlet boss 144 of bush-
ing 136 and moves thereover in a wedging action when overcap
134 is rotated between its outlet open and outlet closed
25 positions to provide a forced seal for ou-tle-t 142. It will
be appreciated that, owing to the aforementioned wedging
action of ramp 150 against boss 144 and the resiliency of
the material of which overcap 134 is made, sufficient force
can be generated thereby to provide a ~luid tic3ht seal or ~
30 outlet 142 to prevent leakage between the contactinq surfaces '.
of the two bosses 144 and 146. _.
As indicated previously, overcap 134 i.s freely rotatable ~;~
on bushing 136 within limits, one of which limits is pro-
vided by a-limit stop 152, as best seen in Figure 11, on
35 the inner surface of.overcap 134. Limit stop ].52 extends
""
.,,
~i3Z5S~5
-2]-
radially between the lower-outer edge of central raised L~
surface 147 and the edge of a through slot in the lower ~,;
periphery of cap 134 and enyages in int.erfering rela-tion
with a lower bushing stop 154 on the end of buslling 136 ~-
5 when ove-rcap 134 is rotated cloc]cwise, or in the directioll
of the CI,OS~ arrow in Figure 8,to its "outlet closed" posi-
tion, ther~by preventing further rotation in this direction. L~
Conversely, 180~ opposite, or counter cloc]cwise rot.ltion i.n
the direction of the oPr.~ arrow in Fic~u.re 8 of ovel-c.l~ 131
10 will move overcap 134 to its "outlet open" position. ~t ~-
this position, Eurther rotation in this d.ir~ction is prc-
vented by engagement of limit stop 152 with the upper bush-
ing stop 156 and opening or port 148 will be aligned or in ~,~
register with outlet 142, as in Figure 10. ~,.
To facilita-te rotating overcap 134 on busl~ g 136, .~n
integral actuating tab 158 is molded on overcap 134 WhiCil
extends therebelow in flush, parallel and adjacent relation
to the front end of housing 28 of sprayer section 12, clS
seen in Figure 9. Actuating tab 158 is a generally flat ,~.
20 construction and carries on its extreme lower end ,an.inwardly
projecting wedge shaped safety detent or latch 160 ~hich i5
received and lockably engaged in a notch or slotted opening
162 in the upper front end of trigger 60 when the latter is
in its normal, non-pumping position on ho.using 28 of sprayer
25 12. As will be appreciated from Figure 9, rotation of over-
cap 134 will not be possible until detent latch 160 is dis-
engaged from notch or opening 162 which clisengagement can
only be effected by partially operating trigger 60 to pivot
i~ away from detent 160. Detent latch 160 and notch or slot
~ 30 162 are dimensionally sized to permit relatively free pass- ;;
age of detent 160 into slot lG2 to i.nsure engagement thereof. ~-
Detent latch 160 also projects rearwardly a sufficient dis- ~.
tance to insure that tab 158 is locked to prevent premature
rotation of overcap 134.
~n important feature of the invention just descl-ibecl,
, , ., , ~ -- ._ ~. - .
\
1~325U5
-2~.-
is its eapability of providi.ng a foreible scal over outlet ~
142 in boss 14~ of bushing 136. When overcap 134 is rota-ted ~ .
from its outlet open position of Figure 10 to its outlct ~`
elosed position of Figure 9, it slides on the top surfaces of
5 raised boss l44 on ramp ].50 along the areuate top surface
thereof. A slight deformation of overeap 134 in i-ts eentral
region oecurs owing to the wedging aetion which takes plaee E~
~35 ramp 150 moves over boss 14~i on its top surEacc ancl
reaches a pOsi.tioll COVC`ri.l-C~ outlet 1.42. lt w.i.~ c .~ppla~
10 ated therefore that this wedging aetion whicll e~uses a sli.cJIlt
deformation of resilient overeap 134, also causes a pressure
to be generated which aets on the surfaces o:E ramp 150 ancl
boss 194 ensuring a fluid tight seal therebetween.
OP~R~TION OF T}IE INV~NTION
l~ith respeet to the hereinafter descrption of the
operation of the present invention reference will bc haci
to pac]iaginq and/or speeial paekaginc3 as tllese tcrms are
used and defined in Title 16 of the Code of recleral r;c(Julat-i
Part 1700.1 through 1700.20, Subchapter ~-POISON PRLV~:IlION _~
Z0 PACKAGING ~CT OF 170-REGULATIONS. . t~r
As indieated previously, in its basie and simp~est
aspeets, the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 13. To
give a elear understanding of the operation of these basic
forms, as well as the hereinafter deseribed more preferrc(l
25 embodiments, referenee should be had also to ~i.yure 7, sincc
most of the parts there illustrated are eommon to botll Cll~Odi-
ments.
Container 11, as deseribed hereinbefore receives i.n
threaded engagement on filler neck 4~ thereof assembl~ 10
- 30 (or assem~ly 80) through the medium of closure cap 18 (or
88~ thereof, which eloses eontainer 11 in a ehild-resis-tant --
or safe eondition when elosure seetion 14 (or 78) i.s turned ;~
down thereon suffieiently to ensure ribs 54 (or 92) on skirt _~
20 (or 90) engage loel;ing lugs 52, as showll in .~igUIC 7. It
35 will be appreeiated that in this position any attc~ )t to
., -.
..
,~ .
. . . .
113;~5~S
-23-
remove assembly 10 (or assembl~ ~0) by unscl^ewing closure
cap 18 (or 88) froM filler neck 46 will resul-t in Eai.lure
since engaged ribs 54 (or 92) and lugs 52 ~Jill resist such
action and some alternative means must be found to gain
5 access to the contents of container 11. It has beell found
by test that while most small children under the age of 5
years cannot perform the acts necessary to open contailler 1
most normal adults over 18 yeal-s of a~le \~:ill h;l~e~.li.t~.lc
no difficulty.
It is, of course, highly desirable to be able to opcn
container lI for refilling when its contents havc becl-l dis-
pensed and expelled by dispenscr pump or sprayin~ scctioli ~'
12. 'rO accomplish this obj~ctive, it is necessar~ to COIII-
press skirt 20 (or 90), as indicated by the arrows in Fic~ure ~
15 7, by squee~ing the grooved side portions thereof thcreby _.
deforming skirt 20 (or 90), as indicated by the dash lines
in Figure 7, which in turn, causes ribs or lockin(3 members
54 (or 92) to be displaced outwardly a short distance
sufficient to clear lugs 52On filler neck 46 of cont.lillcr 11. L~- -
20 Assembly 10 (or 80) can then be turned or rotated a.short ;~
way until members 54 (or 92) and 52 are fully disengac3ed ancl
assembly 10 (or 80) removed. It will be appreciated from
the foregoing that two discrete and simultaneously perforrled
operations.are required before container 11 can be opened by
25 removal therefrom of assembly 10 (or 80); namely, (1) a de- ~ :
forming compressive stress, as by squeezinq, must be applied
to skirt 20 (or 90) sufficient to cause a radial displacemellt
of locking members 54 (or 92) to disengage them from lugs ~2 ~,
and, (2) skirt 20 (or 90) must be maintained in its defol^r.lcd ,.~-
30 state while simultaneously,closure section 14 (or 78) ancl
cap 18 (or 88) is unscrewed a short distance or unti.l ribs
54 (or 92) disengage from lugs 52 after which assembly 10 ~
(or 80) can be unscrewed the rest of the way and renlovc(l. F~r-
While the invention illustrated in Fic3ures 1 and 13,
35 and operated in accordance with the proceclure described Wit'
_ . . .. . . .. , _ ~ .
r
. ...
. . . .. ..
,; . . . r . . . .. . . . .. ..
.
...
113Z5~5
-24-
~.
referenee to Figure 7 is, broadly speaking, representive f ~r
a ehild-resistant package, partieularly with respect to in- ~`
ereasing the diffieulty for small children -to gain direc~
aeeess to the material eontents of eontainer 11, without some
5 means to prevent indireet aeeess, as by operation of sprayer
seetion. 12, its ehild resistant effeetiveness may be lessen- _
ed somewh.at. Aeeordingly, more preferred fomls of the i.n- ~.
vention have been devised, tlle opera~ion o~ onc of ~ icll ~.i.l.l `'`
be deseribed with respeet to these figures of the clrawincJs
10 and further Wit]l respeet to Fi.gures 2 through 6.
As is well-known, triyger sprayer-elosure devices for
dispensing material from bottles on other contaillers are
operated by alternately squeezing and unsqueezincJ an actuator
such as triyger 60 of sprayer head 12 to reciprocate ~istOll
15 56, thereby drawing some of the material eontents of contaillcr
11 up into pump ehamber 64 throuc~h suetion supl>ly t~ c ~l
into eonduit 34 under a sue-tion head whicll opens i.nlct val.ve
42 in chamber 40 to permit the material to enter chambcr G~
through intake passage 62 in pump chamber wall 63. Continucd ~
20 reeiproeation of piston 56 by squeezing trigger 6n ~auses an ~i
inerease in pressure in ehamber 64, forees check valve 42 to ~.,.
close against valve seat 36 and material in chamber 64 to
move under pressure into exit eonduit 66 whieh eauses clis-
eharge valve 70 to shuttle or shift leftwardly and open .
25 whereupon.the material will move therearound and be dis- '`
eharged and e~eeted through outlet orifiee 72 of nozzle ~;
bushing 68 in diseharge chamber 69. r~
As previously mentioned, it is eeonomically desirable
- to ship these devices already installed on their fi].led COIl- "~
30 tainers as paekages. It is also desirable to insure that __.
when so shipped, the paekages are leak proof ancl child-re-
sistant. Until the present inventioll, however, really e~
effeetive ehild-resistant sPrayer-eontainer paekac3cs capal)lc
of meeting the standards preseribed in the afoL-esaicl Ieclcr.ll
35 P~egulations for Speeial Paekaginc3 have not been made availablc.
~!
r~
,'-` ~' . , . -`_
., _ ., , - ., _
;
.,~ ".
11325~5
-~5-
In the present instance, combined child-resistant dispenser ~e
and closure assembly 10 and/or assembly 80, packaged with
filled container 11 of Figures 1 and 13 and equipped with ,~
child-resistant overcap 94 of Figures 3, 4 and 5 on nozzle
5 bushing 36 of Figure 6 in place of nozzle bushing 68 of
Figures 1 ~and 13 constitutes a first preferred embodiment
meeting these s-tandards. In addition, said assembly 10
and/or 80 W]len equipped with child-resistant. overcap 13~l
Figures 9, 10 and 11, on bushin(l 136 of ~ UL-e l' const:.itll'c~
10 a second preferred embodimen-t also capable of mceting these
standards.
In operation of said preferred embodiment a special
packaging of the character desired is created when assembly ~.
- 10 mounted on container 11 to close the same, as previously
15 described, is equipped with overcap 94 which is in its out-
let closed position on the end of nose bushing 95 as shown
in Figure 3. In this position the raised surfac:e of snlille
126 presses against boss 124 in sealing relation wi~h outlet
102 and can be opened or unsealed only by the simultaneous
20 performance of at least two discrete actions or acts WlliC}l ,
children under 5 years of age will find difficult if not
impossible to perform, yet which normal adults will perfonn
with relatively little difficulty.
To open or uncover outlet 102 and permit dispensiny of
25 material from container 11 by alternately squeeziny and U31- t
squeezing trigger 60 to actuate pumping section 12, overcap
94 must be moved to its outlet open position as shown in
Figure 4. To effect the shift to that position actuating
, tab or depressor 118 is first depressed inwardly toward
- 30 trigger 60 to deflect first deflec-tive member 10~ to the
- left as it rotates on torsion springs 110. Detent lip 11
is thereby displaced a sufficient distance leftwar~ly to '~-~
clear shoulder 116 on bushing 96. Simultaneously, an up- ~F
wardly directed pushing force is applied to overcap 94 and
35 it moves upwardly, guide rails 100 slidiny on flanges 98 of
J " "- ~ .
.,
.'',
. ' '
113Z5~5
-26-
bushing 9G until it reaches the position sllowll i.n Iigure 4. ~.
In this pOsitiOIl port or opening 104 is aligned and.in -
register with outlet 102 an~ the pumped material can be ex-
pelled or.ejected.
To reshift overcap 134 to its closed pOsitioll of Fic~ure
3, overcap~ 94 is pushed downwardly as lip 114 ri.des up on
ramp 122 on its rounded end surface and thereafter owing to
its resiliency, snaps back into position under stop 116. ~t
the same time a forcible seal is obtained betweell t.l~e tc~p
10 surface of boss 124 and spline 126 when the latter sl.ides in
recess 125 of bushing 96 and is wedged onto boss ...~l ai(lecl
by chamfered surface 132 thereof. Such wedging action causes
a deflection of the central region of overcap 94 bct~een
slots 128 and owing to its resiliency the stressed material ~
15 urges spline 126 under constant pressure against boss 124 to _ .
provide a positive seal over outle-t 102.
In operation of second preferred embodimen~ of the
invention, overcap 134 of Figure 11 is assembled on bushing
136 as hereinbefore described and inserted in discharge ~_~.
20 chamber 69 in housing 28 of sprayer 12 replacing bùshing ,~vr~`
68. In Figure 9, overcap 134 is in its outlet closed posi- ,
tion with latch or detent 160 of rotary actuator tab 158
safely engaged in locking relation with notch or slot 162 of
trigger 60 To shift overcap 134 to its outlet open posi-
25 tion on bushing 136 as shown in Figure 10 trigger. 60 is de~
pressed by squeezing, thereby disengaging detent 160 from
notch 162. Rotary tab 158 is thereafter rotated 180 counter .
clockwi.se in the direction of the OPEN arrow in Figure 8 ~.
until radial stop 152 abuts upper bushing stop 158 on bush-
~ 30 ing 136, thereby bringing opening 148 into register with !1~
outlet 142 in outlet boss 144. To return overcap 134 to its ~~-
outlet closed position rotary tab 158 is turned clockwise in
the direction of the CIOSE arrow in Figure 8 until radial F~
stop 152 abuts lower bushing stop 154 and overcap 134 stops.
35 When overcap 134 is fully rotated to the stopped position
~,
.
,
1~3Z5~5
-~7-
inside boss`146 i.s u.rged against ~oss l.44 by rc~sil:icllt E
pressure of overcap 134, which is induced by the wec3gillg ~!
action of arcuate ramp 150 against boss 144.as overcap 134 ~.
rotates to.the closed position and forcibly seals outlet
5 orifice 142. In addition in this position deten-t 160 en-
gages slot or notch 162 of trigger 60 and locks overcap 13-1
in said ou~let closed position. ~æ
` To det~rmine whether the present illVe31~:i.C)Il Inl~ ;aCled t~.
with a polyetl~ylelle ~o~t:Le wou~.cl sa~.isl.y ~l)e (`0l1!~UIII~`r I'l 0
lO Sa~ety Coml!lission standards .Eor ]~oi.son ]?.revell~io~ aclcac~ 5
according to the protocol ancl standarcls set Eorth in aiore-
mentioned Ti.-tle 16, Code of ~ederal Regulations ~arts 1700 ~.
through 1700.20, special packagincls of assemblies lO and ~-
container ll were prepared in sufficient number to test in ~``
15 accordance with Part 1700.20 of said l~egulatiolls, "Testillg
Procedure for Special Packaging" sub-secti.on (a) throuc~l~
(c) thereof. The tested devices were made in accordallce
with the aforementioned first preferred embodirnent of asselllbly
lO, as illustrated in Figure 1, comprising combined closure ~-
20 section 14~and trigger actuated sprayer head or pumr~ section ~f;
1.2 equipped with overcap 94 and nozzle bushinq 96 of Figures
2 through 6. -
The above described package was tested and evaluated
for its child-resistant effectiveness ancl.its adult use
25 effectiveness by panels consisting of 200 childrell and 100
adults obtained from nursery schools, day care centers and
civic groups.
The two hundred children employed as panelists for the
te~sts were between the ages of 42 and 51 months and sub-
30 stantially evenly distributed by age and sex as follows:
(l) Twenty children (plus or minus 10 per cent) whose
nearest age was 42 months 20 children whose n~arest age was b`'
43 months, 20 at 44 months etc., up to and includialcJ 20 at ~
51 months of age; and
(2) The children were divided into groups of two
.. . ~
.~, .
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each and givell five minutes to open the containers an(l/or
uncover sprayer outlet 102 by moving overcap 94 into its
outlet open position. For each test the paired children ~-
received the same special package simultaneously with no
5 demonstration or instructions and were asked to open t}-e
packages i.n the time allotted. Results of these tests are
given in Table I. E~
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NO DE:MONSTI~TIOM
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Ages of Panelists L_-
Panelists Tested Successful Openinc3s
5 Months Assembly 10 ~verca~) 9l
~aie Female Total Male ~ ~emale ~lalc & ~cmale
42 .9 11 20 0 0
43 11 ~ 20 0 ' 0
44 10 10 20 0 (
1045 ~0 10 20 0 0
46 10 10 20 0 0
47 10 10 2 0 0 0 jr ,.
48 10 10 20 0 0
4~ 1~ 10 20 0 0 '~;
1550 10 10 20 0 0
51 10 10 20 û_ û
Totals 100 100 200 0 0
Per Cent Unsuccessful 100~; lû0
From Table I none of the panelists were successful ir- ,~
20 either act~ivating the spray, which requires being able to '~
slide overcap 94 to its outlet open position, or reMovinc] ~w
assembly lû ~rom container 11, which requires applyincl a ~ie-
forming force against skirt 20 suf icient in maqllitude allcl
direction to disengage ribs 54 from lu~s 52 to unlock closurc
25 section 14. ~~
The tests were repeated with the same panelists e~cept
- in this ins-tance a demonstration of the corrcct way to ope~
container ll and move overcap 94 to its open pOsitioll was ~'
given. ~`
The results for these tests 9iVCIl thc samc pallc]ixtC '~
are presented in Table II.
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-30-
T~BLF II
WIT~I D]~MONSTl~TION ~O
- ~,.
~ges of Paneli.sts
Panelists' Tested Successful Openings
i
5 Months~~ssem~ly 10 Overcap 94
Ma]e Female ~rOtal Mal.e l~ema].e Malc ]~cmale Tot.ll
- ~,
42 9 11 20 0 0 0 ' 0
43 11 9 20 0 0 0 0
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44 10 10 2() 0 0 0 () () ,~'
1045 10 10 20 0 0 ` 0 0 ()
46 10 10 20 0 0 0 0 n
47 10 10 20 0 0 0 0 0
4~ 10 10 20 0 0 0 0 0
49 10 10 20 0 0 0 0 0 "
1550 10 10 20 0 0 1 0 ].
51 ].0 .10 20 n o _o_ _o _n
Totals100 100 200 0 0 ]. 0
Percent Unsuccessful 100% 98~ 99.5
Based upon the standards of child-resistant effective
20 ness of not less than 85% without demons-tration ancl not less
than 80nO after demonstration of the proper means of opening
a special packaging as established in the Protocol for testing
such special packaging, the present combinecl child-resistallt .-
dispenser and closure assembly 10, equipped with chi.ld-re-
25 sistant overcap 94 and packaged with container 11 easily
fulfills the requirements for Poison Prevention Packaging ,~
, pLescribed in Part 1700 of ~itle 16 of the Code of Fed~ra.l. ~.
- Regulations. The effectiveness as measured by the percenl~
of unsuccessful openings Without Demollstratio~ rable I) an~
30 With Demonstration (Table II) is as follows: ~;
WITI-IOUT DEMONSTR~TION ~.,~
100~ with respect to both opening and gailling access to
the package contents by removing assembly 10 or shi~tillg
overcap 94 to its outlet open position.
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WITII Dl:~lONS'I'R~TION
100~b with respect to assembly 10, 99O with res]-ec~ to ~`
overcap 94 and 99.5% with respect to entire unit.
P
The same tests of the same special packaging as in
Tables I and II were given to a group of panelists composed .
of 100 adults ranging in age from 18 to 45, 70 of whom were
women, and 30 of whom were men. No demonstration ~as made, '~
however, directions and ins~ructions WeI-C ~JiVC'Il lS t.ollo\~
10 CLOSURE C~P ~ i
;
I'o Open
PRESS OPPOSITE SIDES OF C~P ~T BOTTOM OF GROOVED
PORTION WITII THUMB ~ND FOl~FINGER ~ND T~IST BOT'lL~ ~;
CLOCKWISE.
15 OVERCAP SPR~Y T~B
To Open
:
1. OVERC~P MUST BE FLUSI-I WITII TOP OF SBI~YEl~.
2. WITH Tl-lU~IB OR FI~GER, PR~SS IN ~ND UP ON 'l'~B.
Instructions To The Testing Persons
,~
The interviewers, or testing personnel were d,i.rec.ted to '.
conduct the evaluation of the devices in strict accordallce
with the cited protocol. To make certain these persons ad-
hered to the above, they were periodically observed throu~h-
out the testing program.
Results for the adult group are given in Table III.
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1132505
-32-
'l`~Bl,l; III
. Successful Baneli.sts l~itllou~ l)elllorlstr.ltio
Panelists Tested Overcap 94 Closure Sec-tion 1~l
(Number)
5 Female 70 63 63
Male 30 30 30
Total 100 98 93 ~
Percent Successful 98.0 93.0 ~'
~I'I'II Dl.~lON~S'l'l~'l`I()N
The ~wo panelists who were unable to opera~e ancl shift
overcap 9~1 to its outlet open position were able to activa~c
it after a demonstration of the correct way to do so.
Four of the seven panelists unable to open the screw cap
of the closure to remove assembly 10 were still unable to ol~c
15 it after ,1 demonstration.
Based upon the standard of adult-use effectivcncss of
not less tharl 90 percent, the present invention, as descr:i.l,ccl
- herein, fulfills the requirements for Poison Prevention
Packaging based upon the protocol and standards set forth ~-~
20 for same ïn Part 1700 of Title 16 of the Code of Feclcral
Regulations. . ,,~.
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