Patent Publication Number: US-2019177051-A1

Title: Lockable closure

Description:
TECHNOLOGY FIELD 
     Aspects of the present invention are directed to a child-resistant closure and, in particular, a child-resistant closure that is more easily manipulated by adults with manual dexterity issues. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Child-resistant closures designed to prevent children from ingesting potentially dangerous substances are a priority to companies selling products that may be dangerous to children if ingested without adult supervision. This is particularly true for pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare companies. Current statistics show that almost a third of reported pediatric exposures to toxic substances were due to inadvertent drug ingestion. Further, over seventy percent of resulting pediatric fatalities are due to unintended exposure to dangerous substances. 
     Thus, child-resistant packaging has been an area of significant research over the past several decades. Known child-resistant closures include apparatuses that require the user to: line up indicators on the cap with the bottle, push down the cap while turning, squeeze the sides of the cap, squeeze the tabs and then turn the cap, or push the tab while lifting the lid. These types of closures meet the standard of being child-resistive, and they are effective at reducing the risk of inadvertent pediatric drug exposure. However, child-resistant closures can be problematic for adults with manual dexterity issues. 
     Consumers with arthritis and people with disabilities have a higher per capita rate of consumption of both OTC and prescription drugs. Opening medicine bottles with child-resistant closures may cause painful strain on the intercarpal joints of users with arthritis and similar conditions. Difficulty opening child-resistant closures has been given as a reason for deviating from prescribed drug dosing regimens. Consequently, a child-resistant closure member that is easily manipulated by adults with manual dexterity issues would be highly desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the present invention are directed to a child-proof closure comprising: a lid and a lid base. The lid base may have an inner annular wall defining an opening, a base skirt extending around at least a portion of the inner annular wall, and a moveable locking member having a bottom portion affixed to the lid base and a top portion with a lip extending above the annular wall for securing the lid to the lid base. The lid is in a closed position when the lid and lid base are mated and the moveable locking member lip is engaged with and above at least a portion of the lid. The top portion of the moveable locking member is displaceable outwardly away from the lid to disengage the lip from the lid thereby allowing the lid to be opened. 
     The lid further may further comprise an inner lid wall and a lid skirt extending around at least a portion of the inner lid wall. The lid skirt may be mateable to the base skirt when the lid and lid base are in the closed position. In some embodiments, the lid and lid base are connected by a hinge. The inner lid wall may fit within the inner annular wall when the closure is in the closed position. In some embodiments, the inner annular wall and the inner lid wall form a seal. The seal may be a resealable seal. The seal may also me moisture-tight seal. 
     In certain embodiments, the lid base may be connected to a container. The lid base may be integrally connected to a container. In some embodiments, the cap of the present invention may further comprise a tamper-evident tab. 
     Additional aspects of the present invention may comprise a child-proof container system comprising lid and a container. The container may have a distal end and a proximal end having an inner annular wall defining an opening, a base skirt extending around at least a portion of the inner annular wall, and a moveable locking member having a bottom portion affixed to the base skirt and a top portion with a lip extending above the annular wall for securing the lid to the container. The lid may be in a closed position when the lid and container are mated and the moveable locking member lip is engaged with and above at least a portion of the lid. The top portion of the moveable locking member is displaceable outwardly away from the lid to disengage the lip from the lid thereby allowing the lid to be opened. The lid may further comprise an inner lid wall and a lid skirt extending around at least a portion of the inner lid wall. The lid skirt may be mateable to the base skirt when the lid and container are in the closed position. In certain embodiments, the lid and container are connected by a hinge. In some embodiments, the inner lid wall fits within the inner annular wall when the closure is in the closed position and may form a seal. The seal may be resealable. The seal may be moisture-tight. Systems of the present invention may further comprise a tamper evident tab. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in the opened position; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in the opened position; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in the opened position; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional front view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention in the opened position; 
         FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in the opened position; 
         FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 13  is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in the opened position; and 
         FIG. 14  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position; 
         FIG. 15  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in the opened position; and 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic of a method of using an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present invention are directed to a child-proof cap that is easier to open for adults than traditional child-resistant closures, yet remains resistant to opening by children. The child-proof cap may be opened in a pull-and-flip motion with a single hand. The cap may comprise a lid and a lid base. The lid base may have an inner annular wall defining an opening and a base skirt extending around at least a portion of the inner annular wall, and a flexible locking member. The flexible locking member may have a bottom portion affixed to the lid base and a top portion with a lip extending above the inner annular wall for securing the lid to the lid base. When the lid is in a closed position the lid and lid base may be mated and the flexible locking member lip is engaged with and above at least a portion of the lid. To open the lid, the top portion of the flexible locking member is displaced outwardly away from the lid to disengage the flexible locking member lip from the lid, thereby allowing the lid to be opened. 
     Caps of the present invention may be suitable for opening with a single hand in a “pull-and-flip” motion. A user can pull on the moveable locking member with their thumb to disengage the flexible locking member lip from the lid and then push up or flip the lid with their thumb in a single motion. 
     Child-proof caps of the present invention may be connected to a container either integrally or non-integrally. If the cap is integrally connected to the container, the cap and the container may be formed of a blow-molded material or injection molded using methods know to one skilled in the art. Those non-integrally connected may be connected, for example, by screw on with external or internal thread or snap fit with annular ring. Preferably, the cap is permanently fixed to the interior wall of the container body after or before the container is filled, thereby rendering the container body and cap into a connected system. The cap may be permanently fixed to the container body by any suitable manner known in the art. For example, the cap and the container body may be sized so as to provide a friction fit for the cap. Alternatively the cap may be permanently attached via a mechanical snap. Although it is preferable to permanently fix the cap to the container body after the container is filled with product, it will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that such permanent fixture may not be necessary. 
     Additionally, the lid base may be integrally formed with the container and the lid is attached non-integrally, such as, for example, with a strap or a removable hinge. In other embodiments, the lid not be attached to the container. 
     Caps of the present invention in combination with containers are suitable for storage of components that are dangerous to children if consumed without adult supervision. Exemplary contents include, for example, pharmaceutical medicines, consumer healthcare products, toxic material, caustic materials, among others. 
     Caps and containers of the present invention may typically be made of a polymer material that provides adequate protection for the product packaged in the container. The container and cap may be made from the same or different polymer material. Depending on the requirements of the pharmaceutical product, barrier materials such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene vinyl acetate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and poly vinylidene chloride may be used. In another embodiment, non-barrier materials may also be used. Non-barrier thermoplastic materials include polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyester terephthalate, polybutylene, metallocene catalyzed polyolefins and poly maleic anhydride. In a particular embodiment, the material may be high-density polypropylene. In another embodiment, the material may be polyethylenevinylacetate. 
     In one embodiment, the container is moisture-tight and is resealable to maintain the moisture tight properties. As used herein, the term “resealable” means that the container can be opened/reopened and closed or reclosed a numerous amount of times (e.g. more than 5 times) and still retain its moisture-tight properties. As used herein, the term “moisture tight” means the moisture ingress of the container is less than about 1500 micrograms of water/day, determined by the following test method: (a) place approximately one gram of molecular sieve in the container and record the weight; (b) close the resealable mechanism; (c) place the sealed container in an environmental chamber at conditions of 80% relative humidity and 72° F.; (d) after one day, weigh the container containing the molecular sieve; (e) after approximately two weeks, weigh the container; and (f) subtract the first day sample from the value obtained and divide by the number of days to calculate the moisture ingress of the container in units of micrograms of water/day. 
     In another embodiment, the container includes a desiccant. The desiccant may be entrained within the polymer material making up the container, or the desiccant may be coated along the interior surface of the container, or the desiccant may be included in a compartment either inside the container or on the interior portion of the cap. 
     Containers of the present invention may be of varied shapes and sizes. 
       FIGS. 1 to 9  show various views of a child-resistant cap of the present invention.  FIG. 1 . shows an exemplary child-resistant cap in closed position. Cap  10  includes lid  100  and lid base  200 . Lid  100  includes top  101 , top rim  102 , lid skirt  103 , and inner lid wall  104 . Top  100  is circular and is surrounded by top rim  102 . Lid skirt  103  extends downward from top rim  102 . Lid base  200  includes base skirt  201  and moveable locking member  202 . Moveable locking member  202  is seamlessly connected to base skirt  201 . Moveable locking member  202  extends upward to moveable member top  203 . Moveable locking member top  203  includes lip  204 . In the closed position, lid skirt  103  and base skirt  201  are mateable and lip  204  overlays a portion of top  101  to secure lid  100  to base  200 . 
       FIG. 2  shows closure  10  in opened position. Lid  100  includes inner lid wall  104 , attached to lid top  101  and is circular and interior to lid skirt  103 . Lid base  200  further includes inner annular wall  205  interior to lid base skirt  201  and defines opening  400 . Lid  100  and lid base  200  are connected by hinge  300 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a cross section view of the closure  10  in closed position. In the closed position, inner lid wall  104  is positioned interior to inner annular wall  205  of base  200 . In closed position, lid skirt  103  and base skirt  201  are mateable. 
       FIGS. 10-13  show various views of container systems of the present invention.  FIGS. 10 and 11  show container system  20  with cap  10  in combination with container  500 . In this embodiment, closure  10  and container  500  are non-intergrally connected. 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  show container system  30  with closure  10  in combination with container  600 . In this embodiment, cap  10  is integrally connected to container  600 . 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  shows an alternative enclosure embodiment having tamper evident tab  206  attached to base skirt  201 . To open top  101 , tamper evident tab  206  must be removed from base skirt  201 . After removal of tamper evident tab  206 , moveable locking member  202  can be displaced outwardly away from top  101  to disengage moveable locking member top  203  from top  101  and subsequently moving top  101  in an upward direction to open container. 
       FIG. 16A  to  FIG. 16E  shows a method of opening, dispensing from, and closing a cap of the present invention. Tamper evident tab  206  is removed from cap  10  ( FIG. 16A ), moveable locking member  202  is moved so that moveable locking member top  203  is moved away from the top  101  and so that lip  204  is disengaged from top  101  ( FIG. 16B ). Top  101  is then moved in an upward direction about hinge  300  to allow access to opening  400  ( FIG. 16C ). Material can then be dispensed from opening ( FIG. 16D ) and cap  10  can then be reclosed ( FIG. 16E ).