US3923180A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safety closure
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-02-26
•
Granted: 1975-12-02
•
Expires: 1995-02-26
Abstract
Abstract An irregularly shaped container is provided with a safety closure that is laterally slidable for release. The container is substantially child-proof in that a child''s thumb or finger is not large enough to span the distance between a pair of abutments so that most children will not be able to laterally slide the closure toward an unlatching position against a resilient retaining force. An adult thumb or finger spans the purchase areas and is able to slide the closure as far as possible whereupon an upward force on a remote portion of the closure will unlatch the closure from the container whereupon access to the contents of the container is made possible. In a modification, after the closure is slid laterally as far as possible, it will unlatch from the container thereby providing access to the contents of the container.
Inventors
- 👤 Mack Robert Fields
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:04
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D50/00; B65D50/02; B65D50/04; B65D50/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A safety closure for a container having an open top, said closure having a body portion and a depending skirt portion around three sides thereof which sides overlap the edge of said container surrounding said top portion, a pawl-like projection on said skirt portion projecting parallel to said body portion, a mating pawl-like element on said container projected outwardly therefrom and into alignment with said pawl-like projection on said closure, connecting means on the fourth side of said closure and on said container for connecting said closure to said container at least in the closed position of said closure, and resilient means on said closure acting on said connecting means for urging said pawl-like projection on said closure into latching engagement with said pawl-like element on said container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
A safety closure for a container having an open top, said closure having a body portion and a depending skirt portion around three sides thereof which sides overlap the edge of said container surrounding said top portion, a pawl-like projection on said skirt portion projecting parallel to said body portion, a mating pawl-like element on said container projected outwardly therefrom and into alignment with said pawl-like projection on said closure, connecting means on the fourth side of said closure and on said container for connecting said closure to said container at least in the closed position of said closure, and resilient means on said closure acting on said connecting means for urging said pawl-like projection on said closure into latching engagement with said pawl-like element on said container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connecting means is an interfitting pawl-like member and pawl-like element which are disconnected after the pawl-like projection and pawl-like element are disconnected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connecting means is a hinge between said closure and said container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a band of material bridging the fourth side of said closure and carrying said pawl-like member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connecting means and said resilient means are a pair of inwardly directed arms carried by said closure and engaging beneath a second overhanging pawl-like element on said container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pawl-like projection has a longer planar overhanging portion than there is lateral movement of said closure so that said pawl-like projection must be forced past said pawl-like element after said closure is moved as far as possible toward an unlatching posItion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a pair of inwardly projecting portions of said skirt portion, rod means connected to said projecting portions and said connecting means is a hinge means mounted on said container engaging with said rod means for hingingly connecting said closure to said container.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a pair of inwardly projecting portions of said skirt portion with lug members formed on the facing ends thereof, and said connecting means is an abutment on said container with apertures formed in the opposite sides thereof, said lugs on said projecting portions seat in said apertures in said abutment for hingingly connecting said closure to said container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 4 wherein the top central portion of said closure extending from the edge along said fourth side is tapered from a thin edge into said top surface of said closure so as to present no square surface for urging said closure in a transverse direction against the resilience of said band of material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
76 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 5 wherein a pair of abutments are formed on said closure near the corners of said fourth side, said abutments being spaced apart an amount sufficient to permit a child''s thumb to pass therebetween and sufficient to permit an adult''s thumb to bridge therebetween whereby simultaneous pressure against both abutments moves said closure transverse to the container to facilitate disengagement of said pawl-like projection from said pawl-like element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
In a safety closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein a rib is formed around the walls of said container, said rib having a tapered lower surface and a flat top surface, said flat top surface aligning with and protecting a bottom edge of said depending skirt portion to prevent force from being applied against said bottom edge.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
126 words
A vessel having a container with an open top and a closure covering said open top, said closure having a body portion and a depending skirt portion on at least two opposite sides thereof which sides overlap the edge of said container surrounding said open top portion, a pawl-like projection on said closure having a portion projecting parallel to said body portion, a mating pawl-like element on said container in alignment with said pawl-like projection on said closure, means on said closure and on said container for connecting said closure with said container at least in the closed position of said closure, and resilient means on said closure for urging said pawl-like projection on said closure into latching engagement with said pawl-like element on said container.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
126 words
A vessel having a container with an open top and a closure covering said open top, said closure having a body portion and a depending skirt portion on at least two opposite sides thereof which sides overlap the edge of said container surrounding said open top portion, a pawl-like projection on said closure having a portion projecting parallel to said body portion, a mating pawl-like element on said container in alignment with said pawl-like projection on said closure, means on said closure and on said container for connecting said closure with said container at least in the closed position of said closure, and resilient means on said closure for urging said pawl-like projection on said closure into latching engagement with said pawl-like element on said container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
126 words
A safety closure for a container having an open top, said closure having a top surface and a pawl-like projection depending therefrom, said projection having a portion extending parallel to said body portion, a mating pawl-like element on said container aligned with, and removably connected to, said pawl-like projection on said closure, means on said closure and on said container for connecting said closure with said container in the closed position of said closure, and resilient means on said closure bearing against said container to restrain transverse movement of said closure relative to said container to hold said pawl-like projection and said pawl-like element latched together whereby transverse movement of the closure relative to the container serves to facilitate disengagement of the cover from the container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
126 words
A safety closure for a container having an open top, said closure having a top surface and a pawl-like projection depending therefrom, said projection having a portion extending parallel to said body portion, a mating pawl-like element on said container aligned with, and removably connected to, said pawl-like projection on said closure, means on said closure and on said container for connecting said closure with said container in the closed position of said closure, and resilient means on said closure bearing against said container to restrain transverse movement of said closure relative to said container to hold said pawl-like projection and said pawl-like element latched together whereby transverse movement of the closure relative to the container serves to facilitate disengagement of the cover from the container.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
73 words
A safety closure for a container as claimed in claim 13 wherein the central part of the rear edge portion of said closure has a tapered section and wherein a pair of abutments are located on the closure on opposite sides of said tapered section, whereby pressure on the tapered portion will not create transverse movement of said closure and whereby simultaneous pressure on the abutments will create transverse movement of said closure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A safety closure for a container as claimed in claim 13 wherein said means is a pawl-like member on said resilient means which engages with a second pawl-like element on said container.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
A safety closure for a container as claimed in claim 15 wherein a skirt depends from the outer edges of said closure and wherein said resilient means is a portion of said skirt that is disconnected from the body portion of the closure and is connected at each end to the balance of said depending skirt.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A safety closure for a container as claimed in claim 16 wherein rib means are provided on said container for shielding the lower edge of said skirt to prevent upward pressure on said skirt.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
A safety closure for a container as claimed in claim 13 wherein said means is a living hinge connecting said closure to said container and wherein said resilient means is a pair of spring-urged fingers on said closure bearing against said container on opposite sides of said hinge.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
A safety closure for a container as claimed in claim 13 wherein said container is irregularly shaped so that the container can be oriented by feel prior to applying the transverse movement to the closure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3860133A
Cited
US3858740A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-01 | 1979-06-02 | 1979-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-01 | 1983-06-02 | 1983-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-01 | 1987-06-02 | 1987-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |