Safety closure for containers

Claim 2

In combination, a dispensing container and an end closure wherein said end closure comprises a stationary cap secured on one end of said container and a disc rotatably disposed on said cap, said cap including a laterally extending end portion and a recess means in said end portion, said disc being carried on said end portion and extending over said recess means, said disc including a disc opening providing the sole means in said disc for dispensing the contents of said container and a tab movable between an open position for opening said disc openinG and a closed position for closing said disc opening, said tab being axially aligned with said recess means only when said disc is rotated to a predetermined position on said cap, said tab being deflectable in said closed position from a normal flat configuration to an inwardly curved configuration into said recess means when said tab is axially aligned with said recess means to open said tab, said cap end portion supporting said tab and preventing said inward deflection whenever said disc is rotated away from said predetermined position, and said recess means providing the sole means in said cap for receiving said inwardly curved tab and said tab being openable only when said disc is rotated to said predetermined position in which said tab is axially aligned with said recess means.

Claim 3

The combination defined by claim 1 wherein said tab includes a fixed end and a free end, and said blind recess is of smaller lateral extent than said tab whereby only a portion of said tab spaced from said free end is deflected into said blind recess and said free end is deflected in an outward direction to disengage said free end from its adjacent portion of said disc.

Claim 4

The combination defined in claim 1 including a cap opening in said end portion of said cap providing the sole means in said cap for dispensing the contents of said container, said recess is a blind recess, said cap opening is arcuately spaced from said blind recess, and said disc is rotatable from said predetermined position in which said tab is axially aligned with said recess means to a position in which said disc opening is axially aligned with said cap opening.

Claim 5

A container end closure comprising a stationary cap and a disc rotatably disposed on said cap, said cap including a laterally extending end portion, said cap end portion including a cap opening for providing the sole means in said cap for dispensing the contents of said container and a blind recess for extending axially into said container, said cap opening and said blind recess being arcuately spaced apart on said cap end portion, said disc being disposed on the outer surface of said cap end portion, said disc being generally flat and extending over said blind recess and over said cap opening, said disc including a disc opening providing the sole means in said disc for dispensing the contents of said container, said disc including a tab movable between an open position for opening said disc opening and a closed position for closing said disc opening, said disc being rotatable between a first position in which said tab is axially aligned with said blind recess and a second position in which said disc opening is axially aligned with said cap opening, said tab being normally flat and being openable only by deflection of said tab from said flat configuration to an inwardly curved configuration into said blind recess when said disc is in said first position, and said disc being rotatable from said first position to said second position after said tab is opened whereby the contents of said container is dispensed from said axially aligned cap opening and disc opening.

Claim 6

A container end closure comprising a stationary cap and a disc rotatably disposed on said cap, said cap including a laterally extending end portion, said cap end portion including a cap opening for providing the sole means in said cap for dispensing the contents of said container and a blind recess for extending axially into said container, said cap opening and said blind recess being arcuately spaced apart on said cap end portion, said disc being disposed on the outer surface of said cap end portion, said disc being generally flat and extending over said blind recess and over said cap opening, said disc including a disc opening providing the sole means in said disc for dispensing the contents of said container, said disc including a tab movable between an open position for opening said disc opening and a closed position for closing said disc opening, said disc being rotatable between a first position in which said tab is axially aligned with said blind recess and a second position in which said disc opening is axially aligned with said cap opening, said tab being normally flat and being openable only by deflection of said tab from said flat configuration to an inwardly curved configuration into said blind recess when said disc is in said first position, and said disc being rotatable from said first position to said second position after said tab is opened whereby the contents of said container is dispensed from said axially aligned cap opening and disc opening.

Claim 7

A container end closure as defined in claim 4 wherein said cap and said disc are each of single piece construction and are each of plastic.

Claim 8

A container end closure as defined in claim 5 wherein said blind recess is arcuately spaced 180* from said cap opening on said end portion of said cap.

Claim 9

A container end closure as defined in claim 5 wherein said tab includes a fixed end and a free end, and said blind recess is of smaller lateral extent than said tab whereby only a portion of said tab spaced from said free end is deflected into said blind recess and said free end is deflected in an outward direction to disengage said free end from its adjacent portion of said disc.

Claim 10

A container end closure as defined in claim 7 including means for securing the outer periphery of said disc to said cap whereby said outer periphery of said disc is held in place on said end portIon of said cap.