Abstract:
A closure construction of the present invention includes a container with male threading on the neck thereof with a pair of locking notches. The cap includes a pair of split arcuate walls with partial threading thereon, which provides, in cooperation with each other, a threaded connection between the cap and the male threading disposed thereby releasably securing the cap to the container. A pair of protrusions are connected to and emanate inwardly from the inner surface of the outer wall. The pair of protrusions are releasably respectively seated in the pair of locking notches when the cap is threaded past a predetermined point onto the neck of the container. When the cap is squeezed in a direction generally perpendicular to a line running through the protrusions, the protrusions lift out of their respective locking notches to permit the cap to be unthreaded from the container.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is related to and claims priority from earlier filed provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/033,879, filed Mar. 5, 2008, the entire contents thereof is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates generally to closures and more specifically, to closures for bottles and other vessels. 
         [0003]    It is well known in the art to provide a closure for a vessel, such as a bottle container. For example, a bottle includes an open top end, such as in the form of an open mouth. Objects, such as pills, are typically loaded into the bottle container via the open mouth end for storage therein. 
         [0004]    There is a desire to provide a closure for the container to protect the contents therein from water, heat and other elements and to maintain the contents in a single organized location. There is also a desire to use a closure to prevent unwanted access to the contents of the container by certain individuals. For example, there is a need to provide a pill container that includes a child-resistant cap to enclose the contents and to keep children from gaining access to those contents. 
         [0005]    Closures for such containers are available in many different types and configurations. For example, a cap can be provided that simply snaps onto the mouth of the container to close it off. However, these caps are frequently difficult to use, particularly by elderly users, and are not child-resistant in nature. There have been many attempts in the prior art to provide a cap that is easy to open by adults but is difficult to open by children. 
         [0006]    Prior art closures address the foregoing problems by providing some type of locking arrangement between the cap closure and the body of the bottle container. In many prior art locking closures, the cap is attached to a portion of the bottle by threading, such as to the neck where the cap is rotated relative to the bottle so that the aforesaid locking arrangement can engage for locking and disengage for unlocking. It should be understood that the term “threading” may be construed to be any type of securing structure that locks the cap to the bottle. Such a structure may be threading the form of helical threads or protrusions that engage with seats to form the desired locking. 
         [0007]    To carry out these prior art constructions, the cap commonly includes female threading to threadably receive the male threading about the mouth of the bottle container. The female threading is typically provided 360 degrees about the inside of a wall or on a downwardly depending skirt to engage with the male threads on the bottle closure. For the 360 degree threaded member on the cap to receive the male threaded bottle mouth requires that the overall dimensions of the cap be large enough to carry the 360 degree female threading. In that connection, since there is also a need for a fairly large mouth opening, such as 1.0 inch or 1.25 inches, for example, to accommodate automated filling machine, the overall dimension of the cap must be very large, such as about 50 mm in diameter. Therefore, employing known locking constructions, the size of the cap must be fairly large thereby making the overall container quite large. However, large cap closures are more bulky to carry and are also aesthetically unattractive. 
         [0008]    Therefore, there is a need to provide a locking arrangement for a bottle and cap closure device that enables the cap to be smaller than prior art devices yet be able to secure the same size opening in the bottle container. 
         [0009]    There is also a need for a bottle and cap closure device that includes a structure for securing the cap to the bottle. 
         [0010]    There is a further need to provide a bottle and cap closure device that is relatively easy to open by an adult but includes child-resistance to deter access to the contents of the bottle by children. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art bottle containers and cap closures and devices therefor. In addition, it provides new advantages not found in currently available bottles and cap closures and devices overcomes many disadvantages of such currently available caps and containers. 
         [0012]    The closure device construction of the present invention includes a container with male threading on the neck thereof with a pair of locking notches. The cap includes a pair of split arcuate walls with partial threading thereon, which provides, in cooperation with each other, a threaded connection between the cap and the male threading disposed thereby releasably securing the cap to the container. 
         [0013]    A pair of protrusions, such as ribs, are connected to and emanate inwardly from the inner surface of the outer wall. The pair of protrusions are releasably respectively seated in the pair of locking notches when the cap is threaded past a predetermined point onto the neck of the container. The protrusions and the notches are preferably complementarily ramped in configuration so that the protrusions cam into the notches when the cap is being threaded onto the container. A stop is preferably provided that prevents the cap from threading past a predetermined position. Once the protrusions reside in their respective notches on the container, the cap cannot be unthreaded to separate it from the container unless first unlocked. 
         [0014]    When the cap is squeezed in a direction generally perpendicular to a line running through the protrusions, the protrusions lift out of their respective locking notches and clear therefrom to permit the cap to be unthreaded from the container. 
         [0015]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device with a container that has a cap that can releasably lock to a container to control access to the contents therein. 
         [0016]    Another object of the invention is to provide a device with a locking arrangement for a bottle and cap closure that enables the cap to be smaller than prior art devices yet be able to secure the same size opening in the bottle container. 
         [0017]    Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle and cap closure device that includes a structure for securing the cap to the bottle. 
         [0018]    A further object of the invention is to provide a lockable bottle and cap device construction that is more aesthetically pleasing than prior art bottles and caps. 
         [0019]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle and cap closure device that is relatively easy to open by an adult but includes child-resistance to deter access to the contents of the bottle by children. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The novel features which are characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention&#39;s preferred embodiments, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the cap and container of the present invention shown in assembled form; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the cap and container of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the cap shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the cap shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of the cap shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view through the line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view through the line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 1  with the cap at rest; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  is a cross-section view through the line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 1  with the cap squeezed for unthreading thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0033]    As seen in the attached drawing figures, details of the preferred embodiment of the device  10  of the present invention are shown. Referring first to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a perspective view of the closure and cap device  10  of the present invention is shown. A main container or bottle  12  with a top open mouth end  14  with a cap  16  that twists thereon for connection thereto. As seen specifically in  FIG. 2 , threads  18  are provided about the neck  20  of the container  12  to threadably receive the cap  16 . While these threads  18  are shown as a continuous single thread more than 360 degrees about the neck  20  of the container  12 , the threads  18  may be interrupted or partial in configuration, such as to facilitate molding, and less than 360 degrees about the neck of the container. Details of such molding techniques are so well known in the art, they need not be discussed herein. 
         [0034]    Also, the threads  18  are preferably located on the neck  20  of the container  12  of the device  10 . However, depending on the desired configuration of the device  10 , the threads  18  may be located on the container  12  itself or on a neck  20  that has a different configuration. All of the these variations are considered within the scope of the present invention. Thus, as will be described in further detail below, the cap  16  is capable of being rotatably secured to the top of the container  12  to close off the top open end  14  thereof from access. 
         [0035]    Further, the cap  16  can also be locked to the top of the container  12  to provide child resistance for added safety to protect the contents therein, such as medication  22 . 
         [0036]    As can be seen generally in  FIG. 2 , a pair of lock seats  24   a  and  24   b,  with only one ( 24   a ) of the pair of locking seats  24   a  and  24   b  being viewable in  FIG. 2 , are provided to respectively receive locking ribs  26   a  and  26   b,  as best seen in and described in connection with  FIGS. 7-11  below. Still further, threading stops  28  are also provided to control the rotationally movement of the cap  16  relative to the container  12  when it is being threaded thereon. Details of such stop action will be discussed below in connection with  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
         [0037]    Further details of the device  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 3-6 . A front elevational view of the container  12  is shown in  FIG. 3  while a side elevational view of the container  12  is shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 5  shows a top view while  FIG. 6  shows a bottom view. In  FIG. 3 , the notch  24   a  is preferably defined by a number of circumferential flanges, such as two referenced by  30   a  and  30   b,  about the neck of the container  12 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the flanges  30   a  and  30   b,  in cooperation with each other, provide the desired notches  24   a  and  24   b  on opposing sides of the device  10 . It is also possible that the notches  24   a  and  24   b  are formed in a unitary member (not shown) rather than the pair of circumferential flanges  30   a  and  30   b.  The trailing edges  32   a  and  32   b  of the flanges  30   a  and  30   b  respectively about the notches  24   a  and  24   b  are preferably ramped to permit clockwise only threading, as best seen in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0038]    The flanges  30   a  and  30   b  also form a collar that can be utilized for automated handling and filling of devices  10  with containers  12  and caps  16  of the present invention. For example, automated bottling equipment, that is known in the art (not shown), can reside in the channel  34  defined by the two flanges  30   a  and  30   b,  as seen in  FIG. 5 , to facilitate such automated handling. A recess  36  in the bottom of the container  12 , as seen in  FIG. 6 , also can be used to assist in the handling of the container  12  during handling and bottling operations for the device  10 . 
         [0039]    For rotational control of the cap  16  relative to the container  12 , each notch  24   a  and  24   b,  as best seen in  FIG. 5 , is bordered by a leading edge  36   a  and  36   b  and a trailing edge  32   a  and  32   b  of the flanges  24   a  and  24   b.  As will be as shown and described in connection with  FIGS. 7-11 , the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  cam into their respective notches  24   a  and  24   b  as the cap  16  is threaded downwardly onto the neck  20  of the container  12 . 
         [0040]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show elevational views of the container  12  of the device  10  of the present invention. The flaring shoulders  38  of the container  12  improve the aesthetics of the overall look of the device  10 . Although this is a preferred aesthetic configuration for the device  10  of the present invention, the container  12  may be shaped in any way and still include the functional featured described and claimed herein. 
         [0041]    Turning now to  FIGS. 7-9 , construction of the cap portion  16  of the device  10  of the present invention is shown in detail. The cap  16  includes an outer flexible shell  40  and downwardly depending walls  42   a  and  42   b,  preferably arcuate in shape, that carry partial threading  44   a  and  44   b,  or similar securing structures, thereon. The threading  44   a  and  44   b  resides respectively on the inner surfaces  46   a  and  46   b  of the partial or split walls  42   a  and  42   b  where the threads  44   a  and  44   b  on each of the walls  42   a  and  42   b,  in cooperation with each other, simulate the necessary female helical threading of the appropriate pitch to threadably engage or otherwise engage with the male threading  18  about the neck  20  of the bottle, as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , for example. 
         [0042]    In accordance with the present invention, the female threading  44   a  and  44   b  is not a full 360 degrees about the male threaded neck  20  on the container  12 . Sufficient threaded engagement of the cap  16  to the neck  20  can be achieved with only the engagement of the partial threads  4   a  and  44   b  on the split walls  42   a  and  42   b  with the threading  18  on the neck  20  of the container  12 .  FIG. 10  shows the cap  16  fully threaded on the male threaded neck  20  of the container  12  using only the partial walls  42   a  and  42   b  and threading  44   a  and  44   b  thereon to provide the needed threaded engagement. 
         [0043]    Since the split walls  42   a  and  42   b  are present under the outer shell  40  of the cap  16 , the transverse dimension “X” of the cap, as shown in  FIG. 7 , must be large enough to embrace the split walls  42   a  and  42   b.  However, since the split walls  42   a  and  42   b  are not present in certain locations about the periphery of the cap  16 , the flexible outer shell  40  of the cap  16  can be reduced substantially in width, such as the dimension shown as “Y”, also shown in  FIG. 7 . Thus, the dimension of the cap  16  in the Y direction can be substantially less than it is in the X direction. 
         [0044]    If the walls  42   a  and  42   b  were not of the partial or split construction of the present invention, an inner threaded wall would be a unitary 360 degree wall, as in the prior art. As a result, an outer shell would have to extend out and be large enough to accommodate and embrace the threaded wall in all direction thereby making the overall cap much larger in size. As a result, a prior art cap would have a Y dimension of the same length as in the X dimension making for a much larger and less aesthetically pleasing cap and overall device configuration compared to the device  10  of the present invention. 
         [0045]    Therefore, in the device  10  of the present invention, when walls are split into partial threaded walls  42   a  and  42   b,  the space that is normally taken up with a threaded 360 degree wall can now be occupied by a portion of the flexible outer shell  40  of the cap  16 . As a result, the overall dimension of the cap  16  is significantly reduced in one transverse direction to reduce the overall size of the cap  16  while still accommodating the same size bottle container opening  14 . For example, to accommodate a 1.25 inch diameter opening  14 , the cap  16  may have a width of, for example, about 41.99 mm across and a length of, for example, about 49.51 mm. In contrast, a prior art cap  16  must be large enough in all directions to accommodate the same opening  14 . Therefore, a prior art cap would, in this example, have a length or diameter if the cap is round, of at least about 50 mm in all directions thereby making it an overall larger cap than applicant&#39;s inventive closure device  10 . 
         [0046]    The device  10  of the present invention also provides child resistance to the interconnection of the cap  16  to the container  12 . The preferred child resistance configuration is shown in  FIGS. 7-9  and  11 . Vertical ribs or locking lugs  26   a  and  26   b  are protrusions provided on the inner surface  48  of the flexible outer shell  40  of the cap  16  that releasably engage with respective notches or lock seats  24   a  and  24   b  on a locking collar formed by flanges  30   a  and  30   b  on the neck  20  of the container.  FIGS. 2 and 5  show such notches  24   a  and  24   b  while  FIG. 11  shows the interconnection of the locking ribs  26   a  and  26   b  respectively with the lock seats  24   a  and  24   b.    
         [0047]    In operation, when the cap  16  is screwed on in a clockwise direction, with the threads  44   a  and  44   b  on the partial walls in threaded engagement with the threads  18  on the neck  20  of the container  12 , the ribs  26   a  and  26   b  ride or cam over the locking collar flanges  30   a  and  30   b  while slightly flexing the outer shell  40  of the cap  16  outwardly. When the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  are located over their respective lock seat  24   a  and  24   b,  the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  are urged downwardly by the inward spring-biasing of the flexible outer shell  40  of the cap  16 . As a result, the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  seat into their respective lock seats  24   a  and  24   b.  Since the leading edges  50   b  of the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  and trailing edge  32   b  of flanges  30   a  and  30   b  next to the notches  24   a  and  24   b  are complementarily ramped, the cap  16  may only be threaded in a clockwise direction toward further screwing the cap  16  onto the container  12 . In the preferred embodiment, two locking protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  and two notches  24   a  and  24   b  respectively engage either although less or more than two sets of locking may be provided. 
         [0048]    When the cap  16  is rotated in a direction to be removed, such as in a counterclockwise direction, it cannot be threadably removed (unscrewed) because the trailing edge  50   b  of the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  are engaging with the trailing edges  32   b  of the flanges  30   a  and  30   b  to the rear of the notches  24   a  and  24   b,  as seen in  FIG. 11 . The protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  must be lifted out of their respective notches  24   a  and  24   b  to permit unscrewing of the cap  16  from the threaded neck  20  of the container  12 . 
         [0049]    For removal, as seen in  FIG. 11 , opposed sides of the cap  16  are squeezed, namely, pressed in the direction of arrows “A”, to thereby lift the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  out of their respective notches  24   a  and  24   b  in the direction indicated by the arrows “B”. Once the protrusions  26   a  and  26   b  clear from their notches  24   a  and  24   b,  as seen in  FIG. 12 , the cap  16  can be freely unscrewed in a counterclockwise direction from the neck  20  of the container  20  and then separated from the container  12  to gain access to the contents  22  therein. 
         [0050]    The present invention can be carried out in many different ways employing the unique split downwardly depending securing walls  42   a  and  42   b  of the present invention. For example, the threads  44   a  and  44   b  on the split inner walls  42   a  and  42   b  for retention of the cap  16  and the locking protrusions  26   a  and  25   b  can be modified if desired and still be within the scope of the present invention. For example, the threads  44   a  and  44   b  can be any type of construction that complementarily secures the split walls  42   a  and  42   b  to the neck  20  of the container  12 . 
         [0051]    In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides a device  10  with a container  12  and cap  16  construction that reduces the size of the cap  16  because the interior threaded walls  42   a  and  42   b  are only partial/split to allow the outer flexible shell  40  of the cap  16  to reside in the voids between the partial walls  42   a  and  42   b.  Thus, a large bottle mouth  14  can be accommodated with a smaller profile cap  16  by not requiring a full circular threaded inner skirt securing member as found in the prior art. 
         [0052]    The present invention may be formed of any type of material that is suitable for the application at hand. For example, injection molded plastic is preferred for its ease of manufacture, cost and durability. 
         [0053]    It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be covered by the appended claims.