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US3770168A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Childproof actuator cap for aerosol and like dispensing devices

Assignee: SPECIALTY ACQUISITION Corp A CORP OF DELAWARE
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Filing: 1972-04-10
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Granted: 1973-11-06
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Expires: 1992-04-10
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Abstract

Abstract This invention provides a childproof actuator cap for small hand-held dispensers of the type wherein a cap body in the form of an inverted shell has a central bore which slidably carries an actuator button connected with the valve stem or plunger of the dispenser. The cap body has in its rear wall a deep, fingerreceivable notch which locates the user''s finger in the proper position for depressing the actuator button. A guard piece or cover member is carried by the cap body and overlies the actuator button, thereby to normally shield the same and prevent its actuation. The guard piece is hingedly connected to the front wall of the cap, and is further connected separably to the back wall of the cap by a clasp means which normally is so arranged that an infant or small child cannot readily comprehend the movements necessary to undue the clasp. The entire actuator cap presents generally a closed appearance, such that a person who would operate the dispenser requires knownledge or judgement gained from experience, indicating to him beforehand that the guard piece must be shifted to uncover the actuator button. This knowledge is needed, in addition to any dexterity normally required to separate the clasp. For a person who is properly informed, the operation of the dispenser is relatively simple. Such person merely lifts the back end of the guard piece to unclasp it, whereupon the piece can be swung upward to provide access to the actuator button. The informed user then merely holds the dispenser in the usual manner with the index finger under the raised, hinged guard piece and on the button, and thereafter depresses the latter to discharge the contents. While such operation is seemingly simple, it cannot be readily effected by a small child or infant who lacks the knowledge that first the guard piece must be raised to uncover the actuator button, and second that raising of the guard piece requires an unlatching or opening of a clasp by which the guard piece is secured in place.

Inventors

  • 👤 P Sagarin

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 16:04
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D83/00; B65D83/14; B65D83/16; B65D83/22; B65D83/20; B65D83/204; B65D2215/00; B65D2215/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 310 words
A childproof actuator cap for hand-held dispensers, comprising in combination: a. a cap body adapted to be carried at the top of a dispenser container, said body comprising an inverted shell provided with frontward facing and rearward facing walls, the upper portion of the rearward facing wall having a finger receivable notch and the frontward facing wall having a discharge opening therein, b. an actuator button mounted for movement in the cap body and having means engageable with the discharge plunger of the dispenser to actuate the same, c. said button having a discharge orifice adapted to direct product through the discharge opening of the frontward facing wall and being accessible for actuation by a finger inserted in said notch, d. a guard piece carried by the cap body, overlying said actuator button and obstructing said finger-receivable notch, thereby to normally prevent access to the button, e. flexible hinge means connecting said guard piece to the frontward facing wall of tHe cap to enable repeated pivotal movement of the guard piece with respect to the cap without destruction of the hinge means, f. said flexible hinge means normally locating the guard piece in a position overlying the depress button when the guard piece is free to move, and g. clasp means separably connecting the guard piece to the rearward facing cap wall whereby the guard piece can be disconnected from said rearward facing wall and swung upward away from the button to enable the latter to be actuated, h. said flexible hinge means enabling an inserted finger to raise the guard piece away from the depress button without said piece occupying a position interfering with depressing movement of the user''s finger whereby the button can be actuated by said finger, i. said hinge means biasing the guard piece to its position overlying the depress button when the finger is removed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 310 words
A childproof actuator cap for hand-held dispensers, comprising in combination: a. a cap body adapted to be carried at the top of a dispenser container, said body comprising an inverted shell provided with frontward facing and rearward facing walls, the upper portion of the rearward facing wall having a finger receivable notch and the frontward facing wall having a discharge opening therein, b. an actuator button mounted for movement in the cap body and having means engageable with the discharge plunger of the dispenser to actuate the same, c. said button having a discharge orifice adapted to direct product through the discharge opening of the frontward facing wall and being accessible for actuation by a finger inserted in said notch, d. a guard piece carried by the cap body, overlying said actuator button and obstructing said finger-receivable notch, thereby to normally prevent access to the button, e. flexible hinge means connecting said guard piece to the frontward facing wall of tHe cap to enable repeated pivotal movement of the guard piece with respect to the cap without destruction of the hinge means, f. said flexible hinge means normally locating the guard piece in a position overlying the depress button when the guard piece is free to move, and g. clasp means separably connecting the guard piece to the rearward facing cap wall whereby the guard piece can be disconnected from said rearward facing wall and swung upward away from the button to enable the latter to be actuated, h. said flexible hinge means enabling an inserted finger to raise the guard piece away from the depress button without said piece occupying a position interfering with depressing movement of the user''s finger whereby the button can be actuated by said finger, i. said hinge means biasing the guard piece to its position overlying the depress button when the finger is removed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. said guard piece and cap body are constituted of molded plastic and are integral with each other, b. said hinge means comprising a thin, flexible web connecting the guard piece to the body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. said clasp means comprises a projection on the guard, b. the rear wall of the cap body having a resilient socket with a constricted mouth, adapted to receive and hold said projection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
An actuator cap as in claim 3, wherein: a. said projection extends rearward of the rearwardly facing wall of the cap body and constitutes a finger piece upon which force can be exerted to dislodge the projection from the socket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 62 words
An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. the clasp means comprises a detent nib on the guard piece, b. said rearwardly facing wall of the cap body having an undercut portion engageable by the detent nib, c. said guard piece being resilient whereby the nib thereof can be dislodged from the wall undercut portion upon distortion of the guard piece.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 46 words
An actuator cap as in claim 5 and further including: a. a finger-engageable projection on the guard piece, disposed above the nib thereof and engageable with the rearwardly facing wall of the cap body to constitute a stop for limiting downward movement of the finger piece.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 51 words
An actuator cap as in claim 6, wherein: a. the finger-engageable projection has an undershoulder to enable a lifting force to be applied to it by the user''s fingernail for the purpose of forcing the detent nib away from the rearwardly facing wall undercut so as to raise the finger piece.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 31 words
An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. the means hingedly connecting the guard piece comprises a pair of thin, flexible spaced-apart webs connecting the guard piece to the body.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2735590A Cited
US3263868A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-11-05 1977-05-07 1977-11-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-11-05 1981-05-07 1981-11-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-11-05 1985-05-07 1985-11-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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