US3880314A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Container and safety cap
Assignee: CAPPERS ASSOCIATES Ltd A/K/A CAPPERS ASSOCIATES
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Filing: 1973-04-16
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Granted: 1975-04-29
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Expires: 1993-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A container has a neck defined by a cylindrical wall having a planar lip and a frusto-conical interior surface, with the neck opening reducing in diameter toward the interior of the container. The safety cap is cup-shaped having a planar top wall and cylindrical side wall, and having an inner dependent cylindrical skirt concentric with the side wall, the skirt being resilient and disposed to engage the container conical wall in assembled relation. Coacting ratchet lugs extend from the external surface of the container wall and the internal surface of the cap side wall, and are normally urged into engagement to prevent relative rotation of the container and cap by the spring action of the cap skirt and container conical wall. The ratchet lugs have coacting inclined cam surfaces which, in response to rotation of the cap in one direction, force axial inward movement of the cap to move its top wall contiguous to the container lip; and the container wall and cap have interfering latch means which inhibit reverse rotation from this contiguous position.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward G Akers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:10
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D41/00; B65D41/02; B65D41/04; B65D41/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A container and safety cap therefore; said container having a top opening defined by a generally cylindrical wall having a planar outer lip; said cap having a generally planar top wall and a dependent generally cylindrical side wall; and coacting ratchet means on the external surface of said container wall and on the internal surface of said cap side wall respectively, being normally engaged when said cap is positioned on said container and rotated in one direction so as to prevent relative rotation in the other direction; said ratchet means being normally maintained in engagement by spring means associated with said cap coacting with said container; wherein the improvement comprises: said coacting ratchet means including coacting cam surfaces inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of relative rotation; said cam surfaces, responsive to further rotation of the cap in said one direction, effecting movement of said cap axially to position said cap top wall contiguous to said container lip; and coacting interfering latch means disposed on a cap wall interior surface and said container wall exterior surface respectively to inhibit reverse rotation of said cap from said contiguous position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A container and safety cap therefore; said container having a top opening defined by a generally cylindrical wall having a planar outer lip; said cap having a generally planar top wall and a dependent generally cylindrical side wall; and coacting ratchet means on the external surface of said container wall and on the internal surface of said cap side wall respectively, being normally engaged when said cap is positioned on said container and rotated in one direction so as to prevent relative rotation in the other direction; said ratchet means being normally maintained in engagement by spring means associated with said cap coacting with said container; wherein the improvement comprises: said coacting ratchet means including coacting cam surfaces inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of relative rotation; said cam surfaces, responsive to further rotation of the cap in said one direction, effecting movement of said cap axially to position said cap top wall contiguous to said container lip; and coacting interfering latch means disposed on a cap wall interior surface and said container wall exterior surface respectively to inhibit reverse rotation of said cap from said contiguous position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 1 said coacting latch means comprising radially interfering members disposed on said cap side wall interior surface and said container wall exterior surface respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 1 said cap being a unitary member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 1 said cap being a unitary member fabricated from a relatively rigid, resilient plastic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 1 said coacting ratchet means comprising a plurality of peripherally spaced radially projecting lugs disposed on the external surface of the container cylindrical wall adjacent to the lip thereof, and a corresponding plurality of peripherally spaced radially projecting locking lugs disposed on the internal surface of said cap side wall and axially spaced from the top wall thereof; said cap lugs each forming a recess facing the top wall thereof, said recess being defined by said inclined cam surface and a pawl tip; and the respective container lugs being urged into said cap lug recesses to inhibit relative rotation of the cap and container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 5 said coacting latch means comprising radially interfering members consisting of an axial rib associated with each cap lug and extending between said lug and the cap top wall, and a boss projecting radially from each container lug in interfering relation with a respective cap rib.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 5 said cap lug cam surfaces and said top wall defining recesses limiting movement of the container lugs in said one direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 1 said wall having an internal frusto-conical surface adjacent said outer lip and defining an opening which reduces in diameter from said lip toward the interior of said container; means defining a dependent generally cylindrical resilient inner skirt concentric with the cap side wall; said skirt means being engageable with said frusto-conical surface and being deflected inwardly thereby to define said spring means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A container and safety cap as set forth in claim 8 said inner skirt means being defined by A resilient thin imperforate cylindrical wall; and said skirt means defining a continuous peripheral seal between said container opening and said cap.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3510021A
Cited
US3667636A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-28 | 1978-10-28 | 1979-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-28 | 1982-10-28 | 1983-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-28 | 1986-10-28 | 1987-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |