Abstract:
A locking container cap is provided that includes a closure positionable over the top of a container, and a locking ring engaged with the container below the closure and releasably engageable with the closure. The locking member includes a number of lugs that can be engaged within notches formed in the lower end of the closure to securely hold the closure on the container and prevent the removal of the closure by a child. To disengage the closure, the lugs must be disengaged from the notches in the closure prior to rotating either the closure or locking ring with regard to the container.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/753,548, filed Dec. 23, 2005, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to containers, and more specifically to a locking cap for a container, such as a container for holding medication.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In order to prevent children from accessing the interior of a number of containers, such as medication or pill containers, a wide variety of child-proof or safety caps for containers of this type have been developed. The majority of the safety caps include members that are rotatably engaged with the container through the use of a thread disposed on the container that is engageable with the cap. A suitable locking member is disposed on the cap or on the container to securely engage the cap to the container until such time as it is desired to remove the cap from the container. The locking members have various forms, but each is designed to prevent a child from easily disengaging the locking member and separating the cap from the container.  
         [0004]     A number of child-proof caps also include a locking ring formed separately from the cap and positioned on the container. These rings have various functions with regard to the cap, but in virtually every circumstance form a portion of the locking mechanism designed to hold the cap on the container until such time as an adult disengages the locking mechanism.  
         [0005]     However, a significant number of child-proof and safety caps of this type are designed with locking mechanisms that are easily defeated by children of an insufficient age to safely access the contents of containers of this type. Additionally, these various child-proof and safety caps often provide significant difficulties to older individuals who wish to gain access to the contents of the container. As a result, often the individual cannot remove the cap, or because of the difficulty in removing the cap, does not adequately replace the cap to avoid having to remove it again, thereby defeating the purpose of the cap.  
         [0006]     Therefore, it is desirable to develop a locking container cap that can be positioned on a suitable container and that easily confounds a child attempting to remove the cap from the container. However, the locking container cap should also be easily removable by an adult, including adults that are elderly or handicapped.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     According to a primary aspect of the present invention, a locking cap for a container includes a locking ring threadedly engaged with the container and a closure engaged with the locking ring and the container. The locking ring is formed of a deformable, thermoplastic material and is adapted to be threadedly engaged with a wide variety of containers. The locking ring includes a number of lugs that are engageable within notches formed within the closure that can be conventionally formed and is also threadedly engaged with the container. The lugs are positioned within the closure in a manner that prevents the rotation of the closure with regard to the container until the lugs are displaced from the notches in the closure, allowing the closure to be rotated with respect to the threads on the container. The closure can be formed as a conventional push and turn locking closure, with the locking ring having a configuration adapted to conform to the closure for utilization therewith.  
         [0008]     According to still another aspect of the present invention, the locking ring can be utilized as an add-on feature to existing closures, such as push-to-turn closures, in order to enhance the ability of the closure to prevent children from removing the closure from the container.  
         [0009]     Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated as practicing the present invention.  
         [0011]     In the drawings:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a locking container cap constructed according to the present invention secured to a container;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the locking container cap of  FIG. 1  secured to another type of container;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of a second embodiment of the locking container cap of  FIG. 1  secured to a container;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the locking ring of the locking container cap of  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the locking ring and closure of the locking container cap of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a container for holding various types of items, such as medication or pills (not shown), is indicated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The container  10 , such as a standard container in  FIG. 1  or an aerosol container in  FIG. 2 , includes a neck  12  having an open, upper end  13  and a lower end  14  at which is formed a retainer ring  15  that is integrally molded with or fixedly secured to the container  10 . The neck  12  also includes an exterior thread  16  extending from the upper end  13  downwardly to the retainer ring  15 .  
         [0018]     Attached to the neck  12  is a locking container cap  18  that includes a locking ring  20  and a closure  22 . The locking ring  20  is formed of a suitably compressible or deformable material, such as a plastic or rubber material. The ring  20  is generally cylindrical in shape, and defines central aperture  21  that is dimension to be complementary to the diameter of the neck  12 , and preferably slightly less than the diameter of the neck  12 , such that the ring  20  can be adequately secured to the neck  12 . The ring  20  includes an interior thread  24  extending around the interior surface of the aperture  21  and mateable with the exterior thread  16  disposed on the neck  12  of the container  10 . The ring  20  includes an outwardly curving upper end  25  that forms a grippable rim  26  from which extend a number of spaced lugs  28 . The lugs  28  can have and suitable shape and size, such as the small rectangular shape shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and extend upwardly from the rim  26  and are located between vertical slots  30  that are cut, or otherwise formed directly in the rim  26 . The slots  30  are present such that when a downward force is exerted by an individual on the rim  26  between the slots  30 , the section of the rim  26  located between the slots and supporting the lug  28 , and consequently the lug  28 , is moved downwardly and outwardly with regard to the remainder of the rim  26 .  
         [0019]     The number of lugs  28  located on the ring  20  is preferably selected to be more than one, with at least three lugs  28  being especially preferred, though a ring  20  including only one lug  28  can be utilized in the construction for the cap  18 . Further, in the preferred embodiment, the lugs  28  are spaced from one another around the periphery of the ring  20 , most preferably at intervals of ninety (90) degrees with respect to one another. By placing the lugs  28  around the ring  20  in this configuration, the ring  20  requires that pressure be applied to multiple and separate discrete areas of the ring  20  in order to displace all of the lugs  28  simultaneously. Also, by forming the lugs  28  integrally with the ring  20  of the soft material, if necessary, one or more of the lugs  28  can be severed from the ring  20  in order to reduce the number of positions at which the ring  20  must be depressed to displace the lugs  28 .  
         [0020]     To assist in displacing the lugs  28  with regard to the remainder of the ring  20 , the ring  20  also includes a number of gripping members  27  disposed on the ring  20  opposite the thread  24 . The gripping members  27  are preferably integrally formed with the ring  20  and provide locations here an individual utilizing the cap  18  can easily grip the ring  20  to disengage the cap  18  from the container  10  in a manner to be described.  
         [0021]     The closure  22  is formed with an open lower end  31  and a closed upper end  32  and is employed to enclose the open end  14  of the neck  12 . The closure  22  also includes an interior thread (not shown) that is engageable with the thread  16  disposed on the exterior of the neck  12  to securely engage the closure  22  with the neck  12 . The closure  22  also includes a retaining structure (not shown) normally located within the closure  22  adjacent the lower end  31  that engages a locking structure (not shown) disposed on the neck  12 . The retaining and locking structures on the closure  22  and the neck  12  can be any well known mechanism for holding a cap or closure on a container, such as a mechanism that is operable in a conventional press and turn manner such that the retaining structure on the closure  22  can be disengaged from the locking structure on the neck  12  by pressing the closure  22  downwardly onto the neck  12 , and subsequently rotating the closure  22  in a specified direction to release the closure  22  from the neck  12 .  
         [0022]     The closure  22  also includes a peripheral flange  34  located adjacent the lower end  31  and extending outwardly or inwardly from the lower end  31 . Within the flange  34  are disposed a number of notches  36  that extend upwardly into the flange  34  from a lower end thereof. The notches  36  are formed to have a size and shape complementary to the size and shape of the lugs  28  on the locking ring  20 , such that the notches  36  are engageable with the lugs  28  located on the locking ring  20 . When the lugs  28  are engaged within the notches  36 , the lugs  28  prevent the rotation or other movement of the closure  22  with regard to the neck  12  and/or locking ring  20 . The notches  36  are present around the entire flange  34 , and preferably are spaced equidistant from one another, with between twenty-five ( 25 ) and four ( 4 ) notches  36  being present on the flange  34  in preferred embodiments.  
         [0023]     To secure the closure  22  on the container  10  with the locking ring  20 , initially the locking ring  20  is threadedly engaged with the exterior thread  16  on the container neck  12 , such that the locking ring  20  abuts the retainer ring  14 . The closure  22  is then engaged with the neck  12  above the locking ring  20  in a threaded and/or press and turn manner. The locking ring  20  can then be rotated around the neck  12  along the thread  16  in order to engage the lugs  28  and locking ring  20  with a number of the notches  36  on the flange  34  of closure  22 . Due to the ring  20  and lugs  28  being formed of a deformable material, the lugs  28  can be compressed by the engagement of the ring  20  with the closure  22  until the lugs  28  are completely aligned with the notches  36 , such that the lugs  28  expand back into their original configuration within each of the respective notches  36 . In addition the positioning of the slot  30  on opposite sides of each lug  28  enables the ring  20  to deform more easily when the lugs  28  are positioned against the flange  34 , but prior to the lugs  28  being positioned within the notches  36 .  
         [0024]     When the lugs  28  are engaged within the notches  36 , the locking ring  20  is prevented from being rotated away from the closure  22 , such that the safety cap  18  securely closes the container  10 . Additionally, the closure  22  cannot be rotated or pushed downwardly onto the neck  12  to disengage the retaining member on the closure  22  from the locking member on the neck  12  due to the engagement of the closure  22  with the locking ring  20 .  
         [0025]     To disengage the locking ring  20  from the closure  22 , pressure is simultaneously applied to the rim  26  between each of the pairs of slots  30  which moves the lugs  28  disposed above the slots  30 , thereby disengaging the lugs  28  from within the notches  36 . The locking ring  20  can then be rotated away from the closure  22 , such that the closure  22  can subsequently be disengaged from the container  10 .  
         [0026]     Referring now to  FIGS. 3-5 , in a second embodiment of the cap  18  of the present invention, the cap  18  includes a locking ring  20 ′ and a closure  22 . The closure  22  is formed similarly to the previous embodiment, but the locking ring  20 ′ is formed with a relatively thin, plate-like body  100  that defines an aperture  102  therein. The aperture  102  is dimensioned to have an inner diameter slightly smaller than the exterior diameter of the container neck  12 , such that the aperture  102  tightly engages the neck  12  when the body  100  is positioned around the neck  12 . To assist in maintaining the position of the body  100  on the neck  12 , the body  100  also includes a number of braces  104  disposed on a lower surface  106  of the body  100  immediately adjacent the aperture  102 , and preferably extending slightly into the aperture  102 . The braces  104  contact the neck  12  when the body  100  is positioned thereon, and, due to the high coefficient of friction of the material used to form the body  100  and braces  104 , securely holds the body  100  in position on the neck  12 .  
         [0027]     On an upper surface  108  of the body  100  are located a number of lugs  28  formed generally similarly to the lugs  28  on the prior embodiment of the locking ring  20 , with the exception of an optional sloping surface  120  disposed along one side of the lug  28 . Additionally, instead of slots disposed in the body  100  on each side of the lugs  28 , the body  100  includes a tab  110  extending radially outwardly from the body adjacent each lug  28 . The tabs  110  can be grasped and pulled downwardly to deflect the body  100  and lugs  28 , consequently disengaging the lugs  28  from within the associated notches  36  on the closure  22  when the closure  22  is secured to the ring  20 ′.  
         [0028]     To attach the ring  20 ′ to the neck  12  of the container  10 , the ring  20 ′ is positioned with the aperture  102  around the upper end of the neck  12  and pulled downwardly along the neck  12  until the body  100  is located below the thread  16  on the neck  12 , so the ring  20 ′ does not interfere with the engagement of the closure  22  with the neck  12 , such as in the press-to-turn manner, or the like.  
         [0029]     Once the ring  20 ′ positioned around the neck  12  below the thread  16 , the closure  22  can be engaged with the neck  12  and the lugs  28  on the ring  20 ′ in a manner similar to that for the previous embodiments. When the closure  22  is to be removed from the container  10 , each of the tabs  110  is deflected downwardly with respect to the closure  22  to disengage the lugs  28  from within the associated notches  36 , and allow rotation of the closure  22  with regard to the neck  12  and ring  20 ′.  
         [0030]     Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.