US3710970A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safety closure
Assignee: Res & Safety Devices Corp
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Filing: 1971-07-28
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Granted: 1973-01-16
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Expires: 1991-07-28
Abstract
Abstract A safety closure is disclosed for closing the opening in a container such as a bottle having a threaded neck. The closure includes a pair of inner and outer, cup-shaped caps which are assembled by shifting the inner cap axially into the outer cap. The caps are retained in assembled relation by interlocking shoulders which are respectively carried on the side walls of the caps and which are arranged to interlock after a predetermined amount of telescoping movement of the caps. After assembly, the caps are capable of relative rotational movement except when a key which is formed with and releasably carried by the end wall of the outer cap, is engaged with a recess in the end wall of the inner cap and a complementally-shaped opening in the end wall of the outer cap. Assembly of the caps is facilitated by a taper on the cylindrical side wall of the inner cap, such taper also reducing the area of contact available for the transmission of torque to the inner cap from the outer cap if the outer cap is compressed in an effort to remove the closure. A clearance is provided between the interlocking shoulders so that the caps may be assembled without regard to the orientation of the key and the recess. An abutment portion may be provided on the container adjacent its neck, and the cylindrical side wall of the outer cap may be made sufficiently long to overlap and engage the abutment portion if an attempt is made to remove the closure by compressing the side wall of the outer cap.
Inventors
- 👤 R Elfline
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 17:11
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03B; H03B5/00; H03B5/30; B; B65; B65D; B65D50/00; B65D50/02; B65D50/06; B65D50/067; B65D50/068
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
272 words
A safety closure adapted to be mounted on and close the open end of a container, comprising a first closure member having an end wall adapted to close the opening in said container and a cylindrical side wall adapted to be threaded onto or off of said container, a second closure member movable into telescoped relation with said first closure member and having an end wall overlying the end wall of said first closure member and a cylindrical side wall surrounding the cylindrical side wall of said first closure member when said closure members are assembled, self-actuating retaining means carried by said closure members and operable to retain said members in assembled relatively rotatable relation after a predetermined amount of telescoping movement thereof, locking means for selectively preventing or permitting relative rotation between said closure members and consequently removal of said closure from or retention thereof on said container, said locking means including a recess on the outer surface of the end wall of said first closure member and a key releasably carried in the end wall of said second closure member and having a portion engageable with said end wall and movable into said recess prior to release of said key from said end wall, and means accommodating telescoping movement of said closure members and actuation of said retaining means regardless of the rotated position of said closure members and the orientatIon of said recess and said portion of said key prior to release of the latter, whereby said closure members may be rapidly assembled without regard to their relative rotated positions merely by effecting said predetermined amount of telescoping movement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
272 words
A safety closure adapted to be mounted on and close the open end of a container, comprising a first closure member having an end wall adapted to close the opening in said container and a cylindrical side wall adapted to be threaded onto or off of said container, a second closure member movable into telescoped relation with said first closure member and having an end wall overlying the end wall of said first closure member and a cylindrical side wall surrounding the cylindrical side wall of said first closure member when said closure members are assembled, self-actuating retaining means carried by said closure members and operable to retain said members in assembled relatively rotatable relation after a predetermined amount of telescoping movement thereof, locking means for selectively preventing or permitting relative rotation between said closure members and consequently removal of said closure from or retention thereof on said container, said locking means including a recess on the outer surface of the end wall of said first closure member and a key releasably carried in the end wall of said second closure member and having a portion engageable with said end wall and movable into said recess prior to release of said key from said end wall, and means accommodating telescoping movement of said closure members and actuation of said retaining means regardless of the rotated position of said closure members and the orientatIon of said recess and said portion of said key prior to release of the latter, whereby said closure members may be rapidly assembled without regard to their relative rotated positions merely by effecting said predetermined amount of telescoping movement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The safety closure of claim 1, further characterized in that said retaining means includes a pair of interlocking members respectively carried by the cylindrical side walls of said first and second closure members, and said accommodating means comprises a clearance space between said interlocking members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
The safety closure of claim 2, further characterized in that one of said interlocking members comprises a shoulder provided on a radially extending flange on the cylindrical side wall of one of said closure members and the other of said interlocking members comprises a shoulder provided by a reduced diameter portion of the cylindrical side wall of the other of said closure members, said flange being movable into axial alignment with said reduced diameter portion after said predetermined amount of telescoping movement of said closure members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The safety closure of claim 3, further characterized in that said reduced diameter portion is provided on the cylindrical side wall of said first closure member and said flange is provided on the cylindrical side wall of said second closure member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
The safety closure of claim 2, further characterized in that said cylindrical side walls have opposed surfaces, and one of said opposed surfaces is axially inwardly tapered, said taper facilitating movement of said closure members into telescoped relation and also minimizing the area of contact available for transmitting torque to said first closure member upon the application of compressive force to the side wall of said second closure member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The safety closure of claim 5, further characterized in that said interlocking members are carried substantially at the ends of said cylindrical side walls remote from the end walls thereof, and said taper extends between said end wall and one of said interlocking members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The safety closure of claim 6, further characterized in that said taper is provided on the outer surface of the cylindrical side wall of said first closure member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
213 words
In combination with a container having a threaded neck, an abutment portion adjacent to said neck, and an opening in said neck at the outer end thereof, a safety closure for closing the opening in said container, said closure comprising a first closure member having an end wall engageable with the outer end of said neck for closing said opening and a cylindrical side wall threadable onto and off of said neck, a second closure member enclosing said first closure member and having an end wall overlying the end wall of said first closure member and a cylindrical side wall surrounding the cylindrical side wall of said first closure member, said cylindrical side wall of said second closure member having a length such that at least a portion thereof overlaps the abutment portion of said container when said closure is fully engaged therewith, and means retaining said closure members in telescoped, relatively rotatable relation, whereby application of a compressive force to the cylindrical side wall of said second closure in an effort to apply torque to said first closure member and removal of said closure from said container only results in engagement of the overlapping portion of said cylindrical side wall of said second closure member with said abutment portion of said container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
213 words
In combination with a container having a threaded neck, an abutment portion adjacent to said neck, and an opening in said neck at the outer end thereof, a safety closure for closing the opening in said container, said closure comprising a first closure member having an end wall engageable with the outer end of said neck for closing said opening and a cylindrical side wall threadable onto and off of said neck, a second closure member enclosing said first closure member and having an end wall overlying the end wall of said first closure member and a cylindrical side wall surrounding the cylindrical side wall of said first closure member, said cylindrical side wall of said second closure member having a length such that at least a portion thereof overlaps the abutment portion of said container when said closure is fully engaged therewith, and means retaining said closure members in telescoped, relatively rotatable relation, whereby application of a compressive force to the cylindrical side wall of said second closure in an effort to apply torque to said first closure member and removal of said closure from said container only results in engagement of the overlapping portion of said cylindrical side wall of said second closure member with said abutment portion of said container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The safety container closure of claim 8, further characterized in that said abutment portion of said container is cylindrical and is closely spaced from said cylindrical side wall of said second closure member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The safety container closure of claim 9, further characterized in that said abutment portion is provided with an annular, axially extending groove, and a portion of the cylindrical side wall of said first closure member extends into Said groove when said closure is fully threaded onto said neck.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3338444A
Cited
US3625387A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-16 | 1976-07-17 | 1977-01-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-16 | 1980-07-17 | 1981-01-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-16 | 1984-07-17 | 1985-01-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |