US3776407A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Closure
Assignee: Kerr Group Inc
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Filing: 1972-02-04
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1992-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A safety closure for a container comprises inner and outer caps with ratchet teeth formed on the skirts of the caps for abutting and turning the inner cap on the container when a torque is applied to the outer cap in the application direction. When the outer cap is turned in the removal direction, the ratchet teeth slide by each other without turning the inner cap. With exertion of a downward axial force on the outer cap, a segmented ring forming a flexible dome on a central portion of one of the caps is flexed by a facing rigid central portion on the other cap thereby allowing radially extending teeth on the inner surface of the top end wall of the outer cap to move axially toward and into engagement with radially extending teeth on the upper surface of the top end wall of the inner cap. Thus, removal of the closure can be accomplished only with a downward axial force interengaging the radially extending teeth on the inner and outer caps and with a simultaneous applied torque in the removal direction.
Inventors
- 👤 D Cistone
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 01:59
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D50/00; B65D50/02; B65D50/04; B65D50/041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
500 words
A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap having a top end wall and skirt depending from an outer edge of said top end wall, an inner cap having a top end wall and a depending skirt joined to the outer edge of said end wall, said outer cap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, container fastening means on the skirt of the inner cap for releasably fastening on a portion of a container, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the upper surface of the top end wall of the inner cap extending in a first substantially horizontal plane, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the inner surface of the top end wall of the outer cap extending in a second substantially horizontal plane, vertically extending ratchet teeth on the inner wall of said outer cap skirt, vertically extending ratchet teeth in the outer wall of said inner cap skirt, said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said respective caps abutting when the outer cap is turned in an application direction to rotate the two caps together and to cause said container fastening means to fasten said inner cap onto said container, said ratchet teeth of said outer cap sliding over said vertically extending ratchet teeth of said inner cap if the outer cap is turned in removal direction, a rigid central portion on said end wall of a first one of said caps facing the end wall of the other one of said caps, a thin walled segmented ring forming a flexible dome on the central portion of the other one of said caps, said segmented ring being discrete from and located inwardly of inner ends of said horizontally and radially extending teeth of the other one of said caps, said segmented ring facing and engaging said central portion on said first cap at spaced locations, said segmented ring spacing in a vertical direction said horizontally and radially extending teeth on said caps from each other, said ring segments flexing with sufficient downward axial force on said outer cap to allow said center portion of said top end wall of said outer cap to lower and with further downward force to shift the horizontally and radially extending teeth on the outer cap axially toward and into engagement with the teeth on the inner cap at locations radially outward of said central portion so that a simultaneously applied torque on the outer cap in the removal direction will act through said radially and horizontally extending teeth to turn said inner cap to release the same from the container, said ring segments being resilient and urging said center portion of said top end wall of said outer cap upwardly to assist in lifting its radially and horizontally extending teeth from engagement with the radially and horizontally extending teeth on said inner cap whereby removal of the closure can be accomplished only with a downward axial force interengaging said teeth and a simultaneously applied torque in the removal direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
500 words
A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap having a top end wall and skirt depending from an outer edge of said top end wall, an inner cap having a top end wall and a depending skirt joined to the outer edge of said end wall, said outer cap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, container fastening means on the skirt of the inner cap for releasably fastening on a portion of a container, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the upper surface of the top end wall of the inner cap extending in a first substantially horizontal plane, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the inner surface of the top end wall of the outer cap extending in a second substantially horizontal plane, vertically extending ratchet teeth on the inner wall of said outer cap skirt, vertically extending ratchet teeth in the outer wall of said inner cap skirt, said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said respective caps abutting when the outer cap is turned in an application direction to rotate the two caps together and to cause said container fastening means to fasten said inner cap onto said container, said ratchet teeth of said outer cap sliding over said vertically extending ratchet teeth of said inner cap if the outer cap is turned in removal direction, a rigid central portion on said end wall of a first one of said caps facing the end wall of the other one of said caps, a thin walled segmented ring forming a flexible dome on the central portion of the other one of said caps, said segmented ring being discrete from and located inwardly of inner ends of said horizontally and radially extending teeth of the other one of said caps, said segmented ring facing and engaging said central portion on said first cap at spaced locations, said segmented ring spacing in a vertical direction said horizontally and radially extending teeth on said caps from each other, said ring segments flexing with sufficient downward axial force on said outer cap to allow said center portion of said top end wall of said outer cap to lower and with further downward force to shift the horizontally and radially extending teeth on the outer cap axially toward and into engagement with the teeth on the inner cap at locations radially outward of said central portion so that a simultaneously applied torque on the outer cap in the removal direction will act through said radially and horizontally extending teeth to turn said inner cap to release the same from the container, said ring segments being resilient and urging said center portion of said top end wall of said outer cap upwardly to assist in lifting its radially and horizontally extending teeth from engagement with the radially and horizontally extending teeth on said inner cap whereby removal of the closure can be accomplished only with a downward axial force interengaging said teeth and a simultaneously applied torque in the removal direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
475 words
A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap having a top end wall and skirt depending from an outer edge of said top end wall, an inner cap having a top end wall and a depending skirt joined to the outer edGe of said end wall, said outer cap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, container fastening means on the skirt of the inner cap for releasably fastening onto a portion of a container, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the upper surface of the top end wall of the inner cap extending in a first substantially horizontal plane, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the inner surface of the top end wall of the outer cap extending in a second substantially horizontal plane, vertically extending ratchet teeth on the inner wall of said outer cap skirt, vertically extending ratchet teeth in the outer wall of said inner cap skirt, said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said respective caps abutting when the outer cap is turned in an application direction to rotate the two caps together and to cause said container fastening means to fasten said inner cap onto said container, said ratchet teeth of said outer cap sliding over said vertically extending ratchet teeth of said inner cap if the outer cap is turned in removal direction, said top end wall of said inner cap having a rigid central portion, a thin-walled segmented ring having a plurality of ring segments extending downwardly from a central portion of the inner side of said top end wall for said outer cap and engaging said central portion of said inner cap at spaced locations, said segmented ring being discrete from and spaced inwardly of inner ends of said horizontally extending teeth and holding said radially and horizontally extending teeth on said outer cap at a position spaced above said radially and horizontally extending teeth on said inner cap, said ring segments being located at said center portion of said outer cap, said ring segments flexing outwardly within response to exertion of a downward axial force on said outer cap and said central portion of said top end wall deflecting downwardly to shift the radially extending teeth on the outer cap located radially outwardly of said center portion axially toward and into engagement with the teeth on the inner cap so that a simultaneously applied torque on the outer cap in the removal direction will turn said inner cap to release the same from the container, said ring segments being resilient and urging said deflected center portion of said top end wall upwardly to assist in lifting its teeth from engagement with the teeth on said inner cap whereby removal of the closure can be accomplished only with a downward axial force interengaging said teeth and a simultaneously applied torque in the removal direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
475 words
A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap having a top end wall and skirt depending from an outer edge of said top end wall, an inner cap having a top end wall and a depending skirt joined to the outer edGe of said end wall, said outer cap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, container fastening means on the skirt of the inner cap for releasably fastening onto a portion of a container, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the upper surface of the top end wall of the inner cap extending in a first substantially horizontal plane, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the inner surface of the top end wall of the outer cap extending in a second substantially horizontal plane, vertically extending ratchet teeth on the inner wall of said outer cap skirt, vertically extending ratchet teeth in the outer wall of said inner cap skirt, said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said respective caps abutting when the outer cap is turned in an application direction to rotate the two caps together and to cause said container fastening means to fasten said inner cap onto said container, said ratchet teeth of said outer cap sliding over said vertically extending ratchet teeth of said inner cap if the outer cap is turned in removal direction, said top end wall of said inner cap having a rigid central portion, a thin-walled segmented ring having a plurality of ring segments extending downwardly from a central portion of the inner side of said top end wall for said outer cap and engaging said central portion of said inner cap at spaced locations, said segmented ring being discrete from and spaced inwardly of inner ends of said horizontally extending teeth and holding said radially and horizontally extending teeth on said outer cap at a position spaced above said radially and horizontally extending teeth on said inner cap, said ring segments being located at said center portion of said outer cap, said ring segments flexing outwardly within response to exertion of a downward axial force on said outer cap and said central portion of said top end wall deflecting downwardly to shift the radially extending teeth on the outer cap located radially outwardly of said center portion axially toward and into engagement with the teeth on the inner cap so that a simultaneously applied torque on the outer cap in the removal direction will turn said inner cap to release the same from the container, said ring segments being resilient and urging said deflected center portion of said top end wall upwardly to assist in lifting its teeth from engagement with the teeth on said inner cap whereby removal of the closure can be accomplished only with a downward axial force interengaging said teeth and a simultaneously applied torque in the removal direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A closure in accordance with claim 2 in which said ring segments flare outwardly and downwardly to free ends and define a concave surface, said central portion of said inner cap defining an upwardly projecting dome in alignment with said concave surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A closure in accordance with claim 1 in which the center portion of said top end wall of said top cap is planar and substantially horizontally disposed above said segmented ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
454 words
A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap having a top end wall and skirt depending from an outer edge of said top end wall, an inner cap having a top end wall and a depending skirt joined to the outer edge of said end wall, said outer cap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, container fastening means on the skirt of the inner cap for releasably fastening on a portion of a container, interengageable and radially and horizontally extending teeth on the upper surface of the top end wall of the inner cap extending in a first substantially horizontal plane, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the inner surface of the top end wall of the outer cap extending in a second substantially horizontal plane, vertically extending ratchet teeth on the inner wall of said outer cap skirt, vertically extending ratchet teeth in the outer wall of said inner cap skirt, said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said respective caps abutting when the outer cap is turNed in an application direction to rotate the two caps together and to cause said container fastening means to fasten said inner cap onto said container, said ratchet teeth of said outer cap sliding over said vertically extending ratchet teeth of said inner cap if the outer cap is turned in removal direction, a rigid central portion on said end wall of a first one of said caps facing the end wall of the other one of said caps, a thin-walled ring means forming a dome on said central portion of the other one of said caps, said ring means being discrete from and located inwardly of inner ends of said horizontally and radially extending teeth of the other one of said caps, said ring means facing and engaging said central portion of said first cap at spaced locations, said ring means spacing in a vertical direction said horizontally and radially extending teeth on said caps from each other, a downward force on said outer cap engaging said radially and horizontally extending teeth on said inner and outer caps so that a simultaneously applied torque on the outer cap in the removal direction will act through said radially and horizontally extending teeth to turn said inner cap to release the same from the container, said skirt of said outer cap having reduced cross sectional thickness portions adjacent the ratchet teeth on the cap for hinging and flexing outwardly to reduce the friction and torque being applied between said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said outer cap and said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said inner cap so that said outer cap will ratchet past said inner cap while said inner cap remains stationary.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
454 words
A closure for fastening to containers comprising: an outer cap having a top end wall and skirt depending from an outer edge of said top end wall, an inner cap having a top end wall and a depending skirt joined to the outer edge of said end wall, said outer cap overlying said inner cap and being coaxial therewith, container fastening means on the skirt of the inner cap for releasably fastening on a portion of a container, interengageable and radially and horizontally extending teeth on the upper surface of the top end wall of the inner cap extending in a first substantially horizontal plane, radially and horizontally extending teeth on the inner surface of the top end wall of the outer cap extending in a second substantially horizontal plane, vertically extending ratchet teeth on the inner wall of said outer cap skirt, vertically extending ratchet teeth in the outer wall of said inner cap skirt, said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said respective caps abutting when the outer cap is turNed in an application direction to rotate the two caps together and to cause said container fastening means to fasten said inner cap onto said container, said ratchet teeth of said outer cap sliding over said vertically extending ratchet teeth of said inner cap if the outer cap is turned in removal direction, a rigid central portion on said end wall of a first one of said caps facing the end wall of the other one of said caps, a thin-walled ring means forming a dome on said central portion of the other one of said caps, said ring means being discrete from and located inwardly of inner ends of said horizontally and radially extending teeth of the other one of said caps, said ring means facing and engaging said central portion of said first cap at spaced locations, said ring means spacing in a vertical direction said horizontally and radially extending teeth on said caps from each other, a downward force on said outer cap engaging said radially and horizontally extending teeth on said inner and outer caps so that a simultaneously applied torque on the outer cap in the removal direction will act through said radially and horizontally extending teeth to turn said inner cap to release the same from the container, said skirt of said outer cap having reduced cross sectional thickness portions adjacent the ratchet teeth on the cap for hinging and flexing outwardly to reduce the friction and torque being applied between said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said outer cap and said vertically extending ratchet teeth on said inner cap so that said outer cap will ratchet past said inner cap while said inner cap remains stationary.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |