Patent ID: 6196423
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: B05B

Abstract:
In a screw-on, manually operated sprayer and container, the sprayer having an inside threaded sprayer neck and the container having an outside threaded container neck upon which the inside threaded sprayer neck is attached, which includes a closure having:(a) a main closure base for attachment to a container, said base having a top portion having a circular horizontal track thereon for attachment with an outer ring;(b) an outer ring having a circular inside wall with a horizontal track thereon for attachment to the track of said base so as to connect said outer ring to said base so as to be horizontally and freely rotatable thereabout, said outer ring also having a top with an outwardly biased ledge for retaining an overcap, and having at least one cut-out on said ledge to permit an overcap to be inserted onto and removed from said outer ring;(c) a spray mechanism attached to the top of said base and extending therethrough for insertion into a container;(d) an overcap having a circular bottom adapted to be inserted into said outer ring and over said spray mechanism, said bottom having at least one protrusion thereon which has a geometry of adequate size to freely move through said at least one cut out of said ledge of said outer ring and when said overcap is so inserted and rotated, of adequate size and geometry to prevent removal of said overcap from said outer ring, except when said at least one protrusion and said at least one cut out are in alignment; and,further wherein said outer ring ledge has an underside and said at least one protrusion of said overcap has a top wherein the underside of said ledge and the top side of said at least one protrusion are in frictional contact with one another when said overcap is inserted into said outer ring such that when one of said outer ring and said overcap are rotated, the other of said outer ring and said overcap rotates therewith, and wherein said frictional contact may be overcome manually by holding one of said outer ring and said overcap and rotating the other of said outer ring and said overcap, the improvement of providing a child-resistant safety feature, which comprises:a non-flexible ring collar removably attached to the outside of said sprayer neck and adapted to freely rotate about said sprayer neck to inhibit undesired unthreading or threading of said sprayer neck from or to said container neck, said ring collar having a continuous sidewall, an open top, an open bottom, antiremoval means located on said ring collar to prevent removal of said ring collar from said sprayer neck, and at least one flexible engagement means located on said sidewall which is moveable inwardly to frictionally engage said sprayer neck for frictional engagement therewith to permit removal of said sprayer neck from said container neck while said ring collar drops down and remains in place, and to permit attachment of said sprayer neck and ring collar simultaneously to said container neck, by depressing said at least one flexible engagement means against said sprayer neck and rotating said ring collar while so depressing said at least one flexible engagement means.