Patent US3853236A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3853236A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safety closure unit
Assignee: Precise TMP Inc
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Filing: 1973-12-06
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Granted: 1974-12-10
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Expires: 1993-12-06
Abstract
Abstract A safety closure unit for containers such as bottles and the like whereby unauthorized removal of the closure from the container is prevented. More particularly, the invention relates to a closure unit comprising an inner or closure cap which is used to close the open end of a container, cooperatively connected with an outer or actuator cap superimposed over the inner cap and connected together at the top wall of each of said caps, the top wall of the outer cap being sufficiently flexible and serving to provide in effect a two-way spring action, and interlocking means between the inner and outer caps to permit the two caps to be rotated in unison to lock the inner cap as a closure for the container, and when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction or counterclockwise the interengaging means of the outer cap will override the interengaging means of the inner cap so that no rotation is imparted to the inner cap, and only when a manual downward pressure is applied against the outer cap flexing the top wall of the outer cap axially will the teeth of the outer cap interengage with the teeth of the inner cap to effect an unscrewing of the inner closure cap with respect to the container.
Inventors
- 👤 E Ostrowsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:38
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D50/00; B65D50/02; B65D50/04; B65D50/041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
A safety closure unit including, an inner or closure cap for application to a container, an outer or actuator cap superimposed on said inner cap, means on the top wall of each of said caps securing said caps against unauthorized axial separation, said outer and inner caps having complementary engaging surfaces on the underside of the top wall of the outer cap adjacent the skirt of said outer cap and on the upper portion of said inner cap adjacent the top wall of the inner cap to cause interengagement therebetween so that in the normal position of the outer cap, rotation of the outer cap will simultaneously rotate the inner cap to secure the inner cap on the container, the top wall of one of said caps being sufficiently yieldable to permit axial deflection relative to the top wall of the outer cap in one direction to permit the outer cap to be rotated in the opposite direction with respect to the inner cap without effecting an unsecurement of said inner cap from the container, said yieldable top wall also being axially deflectable when a downward manual pressure is applied against the outer cap causing interengagement of said engaging surfaces and locking said outer cap with respect to said inner cap to rotate said caps simultaneously to cause unsecurement of said inner cap relative to the container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
A safety closure unit including, an inner or closure cap for application to a container, an outer or actuator cap superimposed on said inner cap, means on the top wall of each of said caps securing said caps against unauthorized axial separation, said outer and inner caps having complementary engaging surfaces on the underside of the top wall of the outer cap adjacent the skirt of said outer cap and on the upper portion of said inner cap adjacent the top wall of the inner cap to cause interengagement therebetween so that in the normal position of the outer cap, rotation of the outer cap will simultaneously rotate the inner cap to secure the inner cap on the container, the top wall of one of said caps being sufficiently yieldable to permit axial deflection relative to the top wall of the outer cap in one direction to permit the outer cap to be rotated in the opposite direction with respect to the inner cap without effecting an unsecurement of said inner cap from the container, said yieldable top wall also being axially deflectable when a downward manual pressure is applied against the outer cap causing interengagement of said engaging surfaces and locking said outer cap with respect to said inner cap to rotate said caps simultaneously to cause unsecurement of said inner cap relative to the container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 1 in which the complementary engaging surfaces comprise downwardly extending spaced teeth on the outer cap and upwardly extending spaced teeth on the inner cap.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
220 words
A safety closure unit including an inner or closure cap for application to a container, an outer or actuator cap superimposed on said inner cap, means on the top wall of each of said caps securing said caps against unauthorized axial separation, said outer and inner caps having complementary engaging surfaces on the underside of the top wall of the outer cap adjacent the skirt of said outer cap and on the upper portion of said inner cap adjacent the top wall of the inner cap to cause interengagement therebetween so that in the normal position of the outer cap, rotation of the outer cap will simultaneously rotate the inner cap to secure said inner cap on the container, the top wall of said outer cap being sufficiently yieldable to permit axial deflection thereof in one direction to permit the outer cap to be rotated in the oppoSite direction with respect to the inner cap without effecting an unsecurement of said inner cap from the container, said top wall being axially deflectable in an opposite direction when a downward manual pressure is applied against the outer cap causing interengagement between said engaging surfaces and locking said outer cap with respect to said inner cap to rotate said caps simultaneously to cause unsecurement of said inner cap relative to the container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
220 words
A safety closure unit including an inner or closure cap for application to a container, an outer or actuator cap superimposed on said inner cap, means on the top wall of each of said caps securing said caps against unauthorized axial separation, said outer and inner caps having complementary engaging surfaces on the underside of the top wall of the outer cap adjacent the skirt of said outer cap and on the upper portion of said inner cap adjacent the top wall of the inner cap to cause interengagement therebetween so that in the normal position of the outer cap, rotation of the outer cap will simultaneously rotate the inner cap to secure said inner cap on the container, the top wall of said outer cap being sufficiently yieldable to permit axial deflection thereof in one direction to permit the outer cap to be rotated in the oppoSite direction with respect to the inner cap without effecting an unsecurement of said inner cap from the container, said top wall being axially deflectable in an opposite direction when a downward manual pressure is applied against the outer cap causing interengagement between said engaging surfaces and locking said outer cap with respect to said inner cap to rotate said caps simultaneously to cause unsecurement of said inner cap relative to the container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 3 in which the complementary engaging surfaces comprise downwardly extending spaced teeth on the outer cap and upwardly extending spaced teeth on the inner cap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
178 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 4 in which when the outer cap is in its normal position and is rotated clockwise the teeth of both caps will be in positive engagement to simultaneously rotate said inner cap to closure position on the container and when the outer cap is rotated counterclockwise the teeth in the outer cap will override the teeth on the inner cap to permit relative rotation between said caps without imparting a corresponding rotation to the inner cap and the top wall of said outer cap will flex upwardly away from the top wall of the inner cap, and when said outer cap is moved downward manually relative to the inner cap said top wall of said outer cap will flex downwardly as long as the manual pressure is applied to said outer cap to cause the teeth in said outer cap to engage the teeth on the inner cap to simultaneously rotate said inner cap with said outer cap to cause unsecurement of said inner cap relative to the container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 5 in which the outer cap has a lip adjacent the bottom of the skirt of the outer cap adapted to engage the bottom of the skirt of the inner cap to prevent a manual separation of said caps by any unusual manual pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 5 in which the top wall of the outer cap provides a two-way spring action to permit a downward axial deflection of said top wall when a downward manual pressure is applied against the outer cap and said outer cap is rotated counterclockwise to effect an unscrewing of the inner cap, and an upward axial deflection of said top wall when said outer cap is rotated counterclockwise so that the teeth of the outer cap override the teeth of the inner cap.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 4 in which the spaced teeth in the outer cap are inclined at an angle of between 45* to 85*.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 4 in which the angle of the teeth on the inner cap is approximately between 45* to 85*.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 4 in which the teeth on the inner cap are formed to provide a lower section which is inclined at an angle of approximately 80* with an upper inclined section inclined at an angle of approximately 35*, with the top of the tooth being generally horizontal and planar.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 5 in which the inner and outer caps are formed of a plastic material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 11 in which the outer cap is formed of a plastic material having a greater flexibility than the inner cap.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
143 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 4 in which the front or lead edge of the tooth in the outer cap is inclined at an angle of approximately 80* and engages the rear or tail edge of the tooth on the inner cap when rotated in one direction, which tooth in said inner cap is inclined at approximately 80*, and when the outer cap is manually pressed inwardly relative to the inner cap and is rotated in the opposite direction the teeth in the outer cap will be moved inwardly into the spaced recesses between the teeth on the inner cap and will engage each other adjacent the bottom of their respective teeth so that the teeth are interlocked and the two caps wiLl rotate simultaneously when rotated in the opposite direction to unfasten the inner cap from the container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
117 words
A safety closure unit as set forth in claim 13 in which when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction without the application of manual pressure thereto the top wall of the outer cap will flex so as to permit the teeth of the outer cap to override the teeth on the inner cap without imparting a rotation of the inner cap and when downward manual pressure is applied to said outer cap said top wall of the outer cap will flex to permit a positive interengagement of the teeth to cause said outer and inner caps to rotate simultaneously in the opposite direction to effect an unscrewing of the inner cap from the container.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3685676A
Cited
US3797688A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-09 | 1978-06-10 | 1978-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-09 | 1982-06-10 | 1982-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-09 | 1986-06-10 | 1986-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |