A child-resistant package comprising a container and a snap-on closure. The container has a neck finish including a first upper annular retaining bead and a second lower annular retaining bead spaced axially beneath the first annular bead. The first retaining bead has a notch therein and the second annular bead is continuous. An annular protective flange extends radially outwardly and is axially spaced below the second bead. The closure has a base and a peripheral skirt with a lifting tab on the outer surface thereof, a first radially inwardly extending locking lug on the inner surface thereof adjacent the external lifting tab, and at least one second radially inwardly extending locking lug located diametrically opposite from the lifting tab and axially below the plane of the first locking lug. When the closure is assembled to the finish, the first locking lug is located below the first retaining bead and the second locking lug is located beneath the second retaining bead, and when the closure is rotated to bring first locking lug into registry with the notch, the closure can be removed by upward force on the lifting tab. A stabilizing bead is provided diametrically opposite the lower or second locking lug and cooperates with the lower retaining bead to stabilize the rotation of the closure and prevent any upward movement of the closure when the locking lug is oriented so that it is in register with the notch in the upper or first retaining bead.

This invention relates to child-resistant packages. 
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It has been recognized that child-resistant packages are necessary in the 
handling of pharmaceuticals and the like to deter children from opening 
the package. 
The present invention is directed to a package utilizing an orientable 
snap-on closure which will provide a low-cost package system that is 
child-resistant and will provide moisture vapor transmission resistance, 
in one form. 
In accordance with the invention, the child-resistant package comprises a 
container and a snap-on closure. The container has a neck finish including 
a first upper annular retaining bead and a second lower annular retaining 
bead spaced axially beneath the first annular bead. The first retaining 
bead has a notch therein and the second retaining bead is continuous. An 
annular protective flange extends radially outwardly and is axially spaced 
below the second bead. The closure has a base and a peripheral skirt, a 
lifting tab on the outer surface thereof, a first radially inwardly 
extending lug on the inner surface thereof adjacent the external lifting 
tab and at least one second radially inwardly extending locking lug 
located generally diametrically opposite from the lifting tab and axially 
below the plane of the first locking lug. When the closure is assembled to 
the finish, the first locking lug is located below the first retaining 
bead and the second locking lug is located beneath the second retaining 
bead, and when the closure is rotated to bring first locking lug into 
registry with the notch, the closure can be removed by upward force on the 
lifting tab. 
A stabilizing bead is provided diametrically opposite the lower or second 
locking lug and cooperates with the lower retaining bead to stabilize the 
rotation of the closure and prevent any upward movement of the closure 
when the locking lug is oriented so that it is in register with the notch 
in the upper or first retaining bead.

DESCRIPTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, the child-resistant package embodying the invention 
comprises a closure 20 and a container 21. The closure 20 is preferably 
made of organic plastic material such as high density polyethylene and the 
container 21 is preferably made of organic plastic material such as high 
density polyethylene but also may be made of glass. 
In accordance with the invention, the container 21 has a neck finish 22 
formed with a first or upper annular retaining bead 23 having a notch 24 
in its periphery and a second or lower continuous annular bead 25 (FIGS. 
2-4). The container is further formed with a protective flange 26 
extending radially outwardly from and axially spaced below the second 
retaining bead 25 and an indicia 21a on the neck aligned with notch 24. 
The outer diameter of the upper retaining bead 23 is less than the 
diameter of the lower retaining bead 25. Each bead 23, 25 has inclined 
upper surfaces 23a, 25a to facilitate snap action assembly. The upper bead 
23 has a lower generally horizontal or radial surface 23b to facilitate 
locking. 
Referring to FIGS. 5-7, the closure 20 includes a flat top or panel portion 
27 and a peripheral skirt portion 28. An external lifting tab 29 is 
provided on the outer surface of the skirt 28 and a first radially 
inwardly extending locking lug 30 having an arcuate extent substantially 
equal to or less than the arcuate extent of the notch 24 is provided on 
the inner surface of the skirt 28 adjacent the lifting tab 29. The first 
lug 30 is provided axially on the skirt in a position such that it extends 
beneath the first retaining bead 23 when the closure is in position on the 
container as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and preferably does not control bead 23. 
The skirt 28 is further formed with at least one radially inwardly 
extending locking lug 32 generally diametrically opposite to first locking 
lug 30. Lug 32 is axially positioned along the skirt near the lower edge 
so that it will engage below the second retaining bead 25 when the closure 
is on the finish as shown in FIGS. 10, 11. Preferably, a plurality of lugs 
32 are provided, shown as a pair of lugs, and each having a greater 
arcuate extent than lug 30. 
The skirt is further formed with at least one integral arcuate stabilizing 
head 34 opposite the longer lugs 32, and below the first locking lug which 
is adapted to engage beneath the second retaining bead 25 and stabilize 
the rotation of the closure so that it will rotate evenly. 
The diametral distance between the stabilizing bead 34 and the second 
locking lugs 32 is greater than the diameter of the upper or first 
retaining bead 23 on the finish of the container. The stabilizing bead 34 
maintains contact with the second retaining bead 25 even when the first 
locking lug 30 is oriented into register with the notch 24, thereby 
preventing upward movement of the closure 20. Thus, the stabilizing bead 
34 cooperating with the lower retaining bead 25 functions to prevent any 
axial motion that might suggest to a child that the closure is in a 
position for removal. 
As a result of the construction, there is a substantial clearance between 
the inner surface of the skirt 28 of the closure 20 and the upper 
retaining bead 23 and a snug circumferential contact between the inner 
surface of the skirt 28 and the lower retaining bead 25. 
In order to permit less stringent manufacturing tolerances, the closure 
includes a plurality of tangential flat-faced facets 35 in the skirt of 
the closure adapted to frictionally engage the lower retaining bead 25 and 
thereby provide maximum closure retention over the tolerances of the 
closure and finish (FIGS. 7, 11, 13, 15). The facets 35 thus prevent 
lateral or radial movement of the closure relative to the finish so that 
the engagement with the lower retaining bead 25 is maintained even through 
there are variations in the dimensions of the closure and finish in the 
manufacture thereof. 
In order to provide moisture vapor transmission resistance to the package, 
a liner 36 of expanded plastic material is preferably positioned in the 
top of the closure between the top wall 27 and the upper end of the 
finish. 
The closure 20 can be applied to the finish in any oriented position of the 
closure relative to the finish merely by snapping the closure onto the 
finish. By having the diameter of the upper retaining bead 23 smaller than 
the diameter of the lower retaining bead 25, and the diametral distance 
between the lower locking lugs 32 and the stabilizing segment 34 being 
greater than the diameter of the upper retaining bead 23, the lower 
retaining bead 25 and stabilizing segment 34 are prevented from engaging 
the upper bead 23 thereby preventing inadvertent unlocked attachment when 
the closure is partially applied. 
When it is desired to remove the closure, it is rotated bringing the 
external tab 29 into registry with indicia 35 on the exterior of the 
container and then an upward force is applied to the tab 29 permitting the 
lug 30 to be moved freely through the notch 24 and the closure to be 
removed by a tipping movement (FIG. 16). 
The use of upper and lower retaining beads 23, 25 on the finish with two 
lugs 30 and 32 on the closure at different axial or elevational positions 
within the closure combined with the stabilizing segment 34 causes the 
closure to rotate evenly without noticeable elevation of the closure when 
the closure is placed in the opening position as when the closure is 
brought into registry with the indicia inadvertently, for example by a 
child. This feature is especially effective when a liner is used since the 
liner tends to lift the closure firmly against the retaining beads. 
The use of two retaining beads on the finish, one of which has a notch, 
causes the closure to rotate smoothly even though the finish may be 
distorted due to tolerances. The use of the facets 35 within the closure 
insures that the closure is prevented from moving laterally with respect 
to the finish to thereby provide proper interference fit with the annular 
lower bead under most variations of tolerances of the closure of finish. 
When the closure is on the container, the protective flange 26 extends 
radially outwardly below the lower edge of skirt 28 of closure 20 and in 
close proximity thereto to prevent access to the lower edge of the skirt 
so that the skirt can not be pried away from the closure. 
In a modified form of the invention, shown in FIGS. 18, 19 the closure 
comprises a pair of locking lugs 30a at the upper level adapted to be 
registered with a pair of notches 24a on the container. A single locking 
lug 32a is provided for engagement with lower retaining bead 25. It can 
thus be seen that other arrangements of locking lugs can be provided at 
the upper level to produce the desired locking in combination with one or 
more opposed locking lugs at the lower level. In all other respects the 
closure and container are the same, corresponding reference numerals being 
used for clarity.