Abstract:
A child-resistant package includes a container having a neck finish with an open mouth, an angularly spaced array of external projections with notches on undersides of the projections, and a conical internal surface around the mouth. A closure has a base wall, a first annular wall with angularly spaced internal lugs received within the notches, and a second annular wall disposed radially inwardly from the first annular wall and in resilient sealing engagement with the internal surface on the container neck finish.

Description:
The present disclosure relates to child-resistant closure and container packages, such as medication packages for example, and to closures and containers for such packages. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to push-and-turn child-resistant packages of the type in which internal lugs on a closure skirt are received in pockets on the undersides of external projections on the container neck finish, and in which the closure is biased by one or more spring elements to retain the lugs in the pockets. Axial pressure on the closure against the force of the spring element(s) and simultaneous turning of the closure with respect to the container permits removal of the closure from the container neck finish. Packages of this type conventionally are employed for prescriptions, vitamins and other medications, and for a number of other applications such as laundry products. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,057,159, 4,059,198 and 4,485,932. The present disclosure relates to improvements in such packages, and to closures and containers for such packages, that facilitate automated application of the closure to the container neck finish. 
     The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other. 
     A child-resistant package in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure includes a container having a neck finish with an open mouth, an angularly spaced array of external projections with notches on undersides of the projections, and a conical internal surface around the mouth. A closure has a base wall, a first annular wall with angularly spaced internal lugs received within the notches, and a second annular wall disposed radially inwardly from the first annular wall and in resilient sealing engagement with the internal surface on the container neck finish. The second annular wall has a substantially cylindrical portion adjacent to the base wall and a conical portion extending from the cylindrical portion at an angle inwardly from the first annular wall and away from the base wall. The conical portion of the second annular wall has an edge remote from the base wall that is spaced from the internal surface of the container neck finish. This angulated free edge of the second annular wall helps prevent interference between the second annular wall and the container mouth during automated application of the closure to the container neck finish. 
     A child-resistant closure in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure includes a one-piece molded plastic shell having a base wall, a first annular wall with angularly spaced internal lugs and a second annular wall disposed radially inwardly from the first annular wall. The second annular wall as molded has a cylindrical portion adjacent to the base wall, and a conical portion extending from the cylindrical portion and at an angle inwardly from the first annular wall and away from the base wall. The internal lugs on the first annular wall preferably have convex radially inwardly facing surfaces. Each of these surfaces has a clockwise edge and a counterclockwise edge as viewed from the base wall of the closure. The clockwise edge of the surface preferably is closer than the counterclockwise edge to an inside surface of the first annular wall. The radially inwardly facing surface of each lug preferably has a first portion with a uniform radius of curvature from the clockwise edge to a position adjacent to but spaced from the counterclockwise edge, and a second portion that is flat from said first portion to said counterclockwise edge. This lug surface configuration facilitates automated application of the closure to a container neck finish. 
     A molded plastic container in accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure includes a neck finish having an open mouth, an angularly spaced array of external projections with notches on undersides of the projections, and a conical internal surface around the mouth. The conical internal surface has a first portion adjacent to the mouth and a second portion extending from the first portion. The second portion is at an angle greater than the first portion with respect to an axis of the container neck finish. This surface configuration is adapted to cooperate with a spring/seal wall on the closure to bias the closure away from the container neck finish when the closure is over-applied to a container neck finish. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will best be understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmentary sectional view of a closure and container package in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the portion of  FIG. 1  within the area  2 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevational view of the container in the package of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the container in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the closure in the package of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the closure in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of the portion of  FIG. 6  within the area  8 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1-2  illustrate a closure and container package  20  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Package  20  includes a container  22  having a neck finish  24  with a closure  26  secured thereto. Container  22  and closure  26  preferably are each of one-piece molded plastic construction. 
     Container  22  is illustrated in greater detail in  FIGS. 3-5 . Neck finish  24  has an open mouth and a plurality of angularly spaced external projections  28 . Each external projection  28  has an underside with a notch  30 . The upper edge of each projection  28  includes a first portion  32  at a slight helical angle with respect to the axis of the neck finish, and a second portion  34  partially underlying the adjacent projection  28  and at a greater helical angle to the axis of the neck finish. A wall  36  extends axially adjacent to each notch  30  to function as a stop against over-application of the closure to the neck finish. Neck finish  24  also has an internal conical surface  38  adjacent to the container mouth. Internal surface  38  is a compound surface that includes a first conical portion  40  at the open end of the container mouth and a second conical portion  42  that extends from first portion  40 . As best seen in  FIG. 5 , second portion  42  is at a greater angle to the axis of the container neck finish than is the first portion  40 . Surface portions  40 , 42  are connected to each other by a concave surface portion  44 . By way of example only, first conical surface portion  40  may be at an angle of about 12° to the axis of the neck finish and second conical surface portion  42  at an angle of about 20°. This greater angle at surface portion  42  helps closure  26  to “spring back” away from the neck finish and facilitates automated application of the closure to the neck finish. 
     Closure  26  is illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 6-9 . Closure  26  is of one piece molded plastic construction and includes a base wall  46 , an outer first annular wall or skirt  48  and an inner second annular wall  50 , both integrally extending from base wall  46 . Annular walls  48 ,  50  preferably are coaxial. First annular  48  has a plurality of angularly spaced internal lugs  52  that correspond in number and angular spacing with external projections  28  on container neck finish  24 , specifically four internal lugs  52  at ninety degree spacing corresponding to four external projections  28  in the exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Referring in particular to  FIG. 9 , each internal lug  52  has a concave radially inner surface with a clockwise edge  56  and a counterclockwise edge  58  as viewed from closure base wall  46  ( FIGS. 6 and 8 ). Clockwise edge  56  is closer to the inside surface  60  of first annular wall or skirt  48  than is counterclockwise edge  58 , as clearly shown in  FIG. 9 . The radially inner surface of each lug  52  preferably includes a curving first portion  62  of uniform radius of curvature extending from clockwise edge  56  to a position adjacent to but spaced from counterclockwise edge  58 , and a flat second portion  64  extending from first portion  62  to counterclockwise edge  58 . Edges  56 ,  58  preferably are rounded. The radially inner convex surface geometry of lugs  52 , particularly surface portions  62 , helps prevent jamming of the lugs on projections  28  of the container neck finish during automated application of the closure to the container neck finish. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , second annular wall  50  of closure  26  functions as a spring/seal wall in package  20 —i.e., functions both to seal the package and to bias the closure away from the container neck finish. Referring to  FIG. 8 , second annular wall  50  in the closure as molded preferably includes a cylindrical first portion  66  adjacent to and contiguous with closure base wall  46 , and a second portion  68  extending from the free end of first portion  66 . Second portion  68  preferably is conical in the closure as molded, extending axially away from base wall  46  and radially inwardly from first annular wall or skirt  48 . In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, second portion  68  is at an angle of about 32° with respect to the axis of the closure. Conical end portion  68  of wall  50  helps prevent interference between wall  50  and container neck finish  24  during automated application of the closure to the container neck finish. Base wall  46  includes a circular first portion  70  within annular wall  50  and an annular second portion  72  between wall  50  and wall  48 . First portion  70  preferably is thicker than second portion  72 . 
     During application of the closure to the container neck finish, spring/seal second annular wall  50  is brought into contact with internal surface  38  of container neck finish  24  and closure internal lugs  52  are brought into contact with surfaces  32  of container external projections  28 . The spiral geometry of surfaces  32  facilitates application of the closure by clockwise rotation of the closure with respect to the container neck finish (or counterclockwise rotation of the container with respect to the closure). During such application of the closure to the container neck finish, second annular wall  50  slides along internal surface  38 , particularly along first portion  40  and onto second portion  42  of internal surface  38 . When lugs  52  hit walls  36  of neck finish  24 , the lugs are aligned with notches  30  and the closure can be released by the automated equipment. The spring force generated by second annular wall  50  against surface  38  of neck finish  28  urges the lugs into notches  30  to complete the capping operation. At this point, the free edge of wall portion  68  is spaced from surface  38 , as best seen in  FIG. 2 . Inward pressure on spring/seal annular wall  50  from neck finish surface  38  may cause wall portion  66  resiliently to assume a slightly conical geometry, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Thus, wall portion  66  in assembly with the container is described as being “substantially cylindrical.” To remove the closure, the closure is pressed downwardly over neck finish  24  against the spring/seal force of annular wall  50  against surface  38  until lugs  52  clear notches  30 . The greater angle of wall portion  42  with respect to the axis of the neck finish applies a greater spring force to the closure to facilitate removal. The closure is then twisted in a counterclockwise direction with respect to the neck finish to remove the closure from the container neck finish. 
     There thus have been disclosed a child-resistant closure and container package, and a closure and a container for such a package, that fully satisfy all of the objects and aims previously set forth. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with an exemplary presently preferred embodiment, and a number of modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing description. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.