DE2350973A1 - CHILDREN-PROTECTED LATCH FOR CONTAINER - Google Patents

Description

4347

PATENT LAWYERS

DR.-ING. R. DÖRING DIPL.-PHYS. DR. J. FRICKE

BRAUNSCHWEIG "MUNICH

Continental Can Company, Inc.
633, Third Avenue, New York 17, NY / USA

"Lock for containers protected against access by children"

The invention relates to a closure for containers with a container neck and protected against access by children
a radially outwardly projecting bead, in which a closure cap with a cap face _3, a circumferential skirt section and a radially inwardly directed, interlocking with the container bead cooperate from a plurality
formed by areas separated by axial slots locking portion in the form of a bead, a lip, a curl
Or the like. Is provided.

Such caps are generally known and as a rule made of resilient metal so that the peripheral portion is axially slotted to provide a plurality of locking areas or to form segments.

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Of the. Cap mirror biegt.sich in a state of the closure cap convex outwardly while at the same time the peripheral portion is in the generally cylindrical shape. These Position is the locking position of the closure cap when it is on an associated container, the blocking areas are below in locking engagement with the bead of the container neck. To remove the cap from the container, In these caps, an axial force can be applied to the convex cap surface, thereby progressively the same is transformed into a flattened or outwardly concave state. Simultaneously with this, the circumferential section bends or the locking areas radially outward, each locking area disengaged from below the bead of the The container arrives in a release position. In this state, the closure cap can be removed from the container neck. In the release position, the circumferential skirt portion can assume a generally frustoconical shape, wherein it turns into a Extended away in the direction of \ om the mirror of the cap. The closure cap retains this shape as a result of the outwardly concavely curved cap surface even after the axial force on the coping surface has been removed. To the container with the cap again To close, this is applied to the neck of the container and a pressure directed radially inward against the locking areas exercised so that the closure cap returns to its original locking position or locking shape.

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It is clear from this description that the two states of the closure cap are stable states and the states are only can be changed when an axial or a radial force is applied to the cap mirror and the locking portion, respectively will.

Such a cap is largely against access by children protected. This fact is based on the fact that a child generally does not have the physical strength to generate a sufficient one axial pressure for pressing down the cap mirror and thus for transferring the locking sections into the To bring up the award state. The only brief application of a laughing pressure can cause the restricted areas to bend temporarily lead radially outwards. However, in order to achieve the release position of the closure cap, the axial pressure must be sufficient be held for a long time to flatten the coping surface or to convert into the concave state. Most children lack the strength to do this, especially to be successful opening the cap also requires sufficient physical dexterity or coordination is what most children still lack.

Despite the protection against access by children, such closure caps still have two major disadvantages. Once it is for disabled adults, e.g. people suffering from arthritis

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suffer _s or for women or the like, difficult to bring the closure cap back into the closed position on the container after opening by applying radial forces. In particular, it is necessary to press the closure cap sufficiently firmly onto the container neck and at the same time to apply the relatively large radial force required to move the locking areas into the locking position. Another disadvantage is that such sealing caps easily pop open when the cover surface is moved into the flat or concave position by external impacts or the like.

There is a further disadvantage of these known closure caps in that these do not provide a reliable indication of whether the container has not already been illegally opened beforehand. Such undesired access can also be dangerous, especially when used in conjunction with disposable containers or disposable items. This is particularly true in the pharmaceutical and / or medical field.

It is the object of the present invention to develop a closure of the type described in more detail in such a way that the described Disadvantages are eliminated.

For this purpose, the invention provides that the closure cap is surrounded by an annular body telescopically, the one

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annular chamber for receiving the closure cap in the expanded state or in the release position and having a locking section, by means of which the locking section of the closure cap the release position can be transferred to the lock position and 'in this is lockable. This embodiment makes an essential Improved protection against access by children achieved, as the mirror surface of the Closure cap is not readily recognizable or is exposed, so that the operations necessary for opening for a child are still carried out become less manageable. In addition, the locking areas of the closure cap are through in the locking position of the cap the body positively secured, so. that even when a pressure is applied to the mirror of the cap, even with sufficient pressure axial force reliably prevents the closure cap from opening will.

Above all, however, the new cap offers an aid to make it easy and reliable, even for severely disabled adults Way to close the container by re-attaching the cap to the neck of the container and to enable and facilitate transfer of the restricted areas into the locked position. In particular, the user needs to do this not to ensure that on the one hand the closure cap properly and with the required pressure axially on the container neck pressed and at the same time the necessary radial pressure is exerted on the bolt areas, as with the new training

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only pressed on by axially pushing the closure cap on and is transferred into the locking position.

The new arrangement makes it possible to house it in a very simple way Way to additionally attach a counterfeit protection, which ensures that access to the contents of the container of is immediately recognizable on the outside. For this purpose, the invention provides that the annular body has an outer end wall, which is held on the body in a breakable manner above the cap surface. This also has the advantage of that accidental shocks or the like. Can not act on the cap mirror. Rather, such a force must first be applied which causes the end wall to break through before the user can get to the mirror of the cap. A breakthrough the front wall can be seen at first glance, so that it can be determined at any time whether the original lock the container is still intact. Another advantage is that through the annular body contact with the Rfegelabschnitt the closure cap, which is made of metal, is reliably prevented, so that damage to the edges of the closure cap is also reliably excluded will.

Another important advantage that is achieved with the new arrangement is that the closure cap on the one hand

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can be easily inserted into the ring body, but is held captive after insertion in this, so that the closure cap is always ready to hand in the annular body and in this in the release position it is held that the closure cap is merely pushed onto the container neck by sliding the annular body telescopically is properly applied and locked in the correct position on the neck of the container »

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings of an exemplary embodiment.

Show it:

Fig. 1 before perspective view from above of the upper region of a container with a closure according to the Invention, *

In a larger scale a side view of the closed container of Fig. I ₅ wherein the parts are partially cut axially Fig. 2,

Fig. 3 in further enlarged scale an axial section through the edge region of the closed container of Fig ₃ · I

FIG. K shows the closure with a closure cap in the release position and in the same representation as FIG. 3

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FIG. 5 shows the arrangement in a similar representation to FIG. 3 after lifting the opened closure from the neck of the container.

It is clear from FIGS. 1 and 2 that a container IO is provided with a container neck 11 which has an outwardly directed lip or bead 12. In the example shown, the container is shown in such a way that it consists of glass. It can of course also be made of a plastic material, e.g. B. polyethylene or similar polymers or copolymers or made of metal.

According to FIGS. 2 and 3, a closure cap 13 of a conventional embodiment is locked on the container neck 11. The closure cap 13 comprises a cap mirror 14 and a circumferential skirt portion 15 which has a plurality of axial slots 16 which lead to the formation of a plurality of axially extending locking segments 17. Each locking segment ends in a radially inwardly directed curl 18 according to FIG. The closure cap 13 consists of a flexible metal and is designed so that the convex shape is pressed in when there is axial pressure on the convex cover surface Ik according to FIG. In doing so, the peripheral skirt portion, which is normally generally cylindrical, as shown in FIG. 3, becomes generally frustoconical

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Shape transferred, wherein the diameter increases in the direction of the cap mirror 14 away. As soon as the cap mirror has been moved into the position according to FIG. 4, it maintains this position until radially inwardly directed compressive forces are exerted against the circumferential apron section 15 and in particular against its locking segments 17. This means that the closure cap in the two in Pig. 3 (locked state) and in Pig. 4 (release state) remains stable and is only transferred to the other state by applying force again.

The closure has a second element, denoted by 20 is. This consists of an annular body 21, which has a projection at 22 that enables this part to be grasped facilitated, namely during the application and removal of the closure cap, as will be described in more detail below. The ring body 21 comprises a truncated cone-shaped guide surface 23, a generally cylindrical surface, viewed from the bottom up 24, an annular upwardly facing Schuiterflache 25, a Peripheral surface 26, a generally annular nose or shoulder 27 and a curved surface 28.

The frustoconical guide surface 23 extends from below to obliquely upwards and inwards according to Pig '.. 2 and thus facilitates the introduction of the closure cap 13 into the ring body 21.

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by a relative telescopic movement between the two parts. During such a movement allows the portion of the smallest wall thickness of the annular body, which section is designated 26, a bending out such that the 'peripheral skirt portion' 15 slides over the surface 2 ^l \ when the cap is in the locked state. It should be noted that in this state the outer diameter of the circumferential skirt section 15 is slightly larger than the clear width of the circumferential surface 24 of the ring body 21. This relationship of diameters is best shown in FIG. This means that irrespective of whether the closure cap 13 is in the locked state or in the released state, it cannot be removed from the ring body 21 accidentally or unintentionally, since the shoulder 25 counteracts it with a corresponding movement.

The lower, not numbered surface, which forms the nose 27, the surface 26 and the shoulder 25 form a radially inwardly open circumferential chamber, which is not specified and in the ring body 21 forms a receptacle for the closure cap 13, if this is is in the release position, as FIG. 4 shows.

The annular nose 27 bilcö; a tool around the perimeter skirt portion 15 and in particular the locking segments 17

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the release order after Pig. 4 into the blocking position according to FIG. 3 to be transferred when the annular body 21 moves axially downward from the position according to FIG. 4 into the relative position according to FIG will.

Finally, the surface 28 forms a portion of the areas of the cap mirror Ik and the skirt portion 15 is adapted to lock the skirt portion 15 and in particular the locking segments 17 in the locking position, as shown in FIG.

The ultimate feature of the annular body 21 is that a central, generally circular end wall 30 is provided, which is formed in one piece with the body 21 and is connected to this via breakable webs 31, which from each other are separated by slots 32. The breaking through of each web 31 is a sign of the possibility of forgery to the effect that the closure cap 13 has been removed at least once and the contents of the container have been accessible.

It is initially assumed that the components described are in the position shown in FIG. Here, the closure cap 13 is completely placed on the container neck 11, the curling 18 of the locking segments 17 engaging under the bead 12 of the container neck and held there by the fact that the cap mirror lh and the apron section 15 are firmly attached to the

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correspondingly curved surface 28 rest.

In order to gain access to the contents of the container 10, the webs 31 are broken through, for example, by inserting a knife, a spoon or a similar tool into the slot 32 and by lever action. The breaking through of a web 31 or the complete removal of the end wall 30 is a clear indication that the container has been opened. If, however, the end wall 30 is removed in a permissible manner, an opening 0 according to FIG. 3 is exposed, into which the thumb T according to FIG flat section 22 of the ring body 21 under grip. While an upward force is applied to the ring body by the described fingers xvird to control the position of the ring body 21 relative to the container 10, the thumb T is pressed against the lid surface 14 of the cap 13 with the result illustrated in FIG. In this case, during a first step of the opening process, an axial force is applied to the cap mirror I ² I, with hardly any bending of the cover taking place. Instead, this pressure pulls the ring body 21 axially upwards relative to the closure cap, the surface 28 continuously moving away from the closure cap 13. In this case, the closure cap 13 can possibly come completely free of the area determined by the surface 28. With continued application of a

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axial force, like. them schematically in Pig. 1 and 4, the cap mirror 1 *} gradually bends out of the convex position according to FIG. 3 into a flat or generally cup-shaped shape according to FIG. Here, the locking segments 17 move progressively radially outward until they also have the position according to Pig. 4 reach. In this state, the construction of the closure cap prevents the locking segments from springing back again. Rather, the parts retain the position and shape shown in FIG. 4 until the ring body 21 with the closure cap has been removed from the container neck in the manner shown in FIG. Thereafter, the contents of the container 10 are free for use, whereupon the container can be closed again by reverse operations. The closure cap 13 and the ring body 21 are simply moved axially downwards in the relative position shown in FIG. 5 until the position according to FIG. 4 is reached. A continuation of the downward movement of the ring member results in the nose or shoulder acts 27 on the locking segments 17, until it drops below the bead .12 of the container 11, if necessary. Snap-like manner, wherein the cap mirror Ik again the convex shape of FIG. 3 assumes.

From the above description it becomes clear that the end wall 30 not only serves to indicate a forgery, but also to expose an opening O _s duroij the one I.

applied to the cap mirror 14 in the manner described can be. It is of course within the scope of the invention the closure cap can also be designed without such a protection against falsification, i.e. the end wall in the case of the annular body 21 30 to omit.

The opening of the shutter, simply by using the thumb] i ⁿ effected by two fingers, with manual dexterity or coordination skills are substantially irrelevant, since the force is relatively uniform over the cap 13 and the ring body 21 is distributed, because of the described Design features. The locking process is similar and also largely independent of skill and coordination, since the nose or shoulder 27 acts against all locking elements 17 essentially uniformly.

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Claims (9)

7350973 - 15 claims 1 ^ \ Closure, protected against access by children, for containers with a container neck and a radially outwardly projecting bead, in which a closure cap with a cap face j a circumferential skirt section and a radially inwardly directed, interlocking with the container bead, of a plurality of axially Slits separate locking areas of a locking section in the form of a bead, a lip or a curl or the like is provided ₉ in which the areas of the locking section can be moved from a radially pressed release position into a radially inner locking position _s characterized in that the closure cap (13 ) is surrounded telescopically by an annular body (21) which has an annular chamber for receiving the closure cap in the expanded state of the areas (17) of the locking section (18), an actuating section (27) for actuating the areas and a locking section (28), by means of the Riegelabs section of the cap is lockable in the locking position. 2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that that the closure cap (13) and the annular body (21) in the axial direction to a limited extent are displaceable relative to each other. 409817/0358 - 1β - 3. Closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that between the annular Chamber and the blocking section (28) the actuating section (27) for transferring the spread blocking areas (17) of the locking section (I8) is provided in the locking position. H. Closure according to claims 1-3, characterized in that the closure cap is made of an elastically bendable sheet metal so that the cap surface from a stable convex to a stable flattened or concave shape and vice versa by axial pressure on the cover surface or radial pressure on the locking portion is deformable under simultaneous pivoting of the latch portions from the stable locking position in a stable release position and vice versa, and that the annular body (21) has an outer Sti-rnwand (30) which above the cap mirror (lh) durchbrechbar on. Body is held. 5. Closure according to one or more of claims 1-4, characterized in that the locking portion (28) has an inner surface, the areas of the cap mirror (lh) and the skirt portion (13) of the closure cap is adapted in their locking position. 4098 1 7/0358 6. Closure according to claim 1-5 * thereby characterized in that the chamber is delimited at the bottom by an annular section (24) whose clear space Width is smaller than the maximum diameter of the closure cap in its locked position. 7. A closure according to claim 6, characterized in that on the ring portion (24) an inlet section which widens downwards and outwards (23) follows. 8. Closure according to claim 3 ~ 7 »thereby characterized in that the areas (17) of the Bolt section in the spread release position limit a truncated cone surface and the actuating section by an upwardly limiting the chamber and to the Locking section (28) adjoining shoulder (27) is formed is. 9. A closure according to claim 4-8, characterized in that the end wall (30) as Disc is formed, which is integral with the annular body (21) via several breakable radial webs (31) connected is. 409817/0358 Blank page