Safety closure

Claim 2

A safety closure for containers, comprising an outer cap as a first closure element and an inner cap as a second closure element, for sealing the opening of a container neck, said outer cap being arranged to substantially concentrically encompass the inner cap and further being capable of relative rotary and axial movement with respect to the inner cap, the inner part of the inner cap and the outer part of the container neck being provided with means for mounting the inner cap onto the container neck by relative rotation therebetween in a first direction and for dismounting by relative rotation therebetween in the opposite direction, one of said closure elements having at least one flexible cantilever arm integral therewith and having a free end contacting the other closure member, the outer and inner caps being provided with first coupling means being engageable by an axial approach of both closure elements against the biasing effect of said at least one flexible arm, and unidirectional second coupling means on the outer and inner caps adapted for positively coupling the outer cap to the inner cap when being rotated in said first direction for sealing the container neck and permitting continuous relative rotation of the outer cap with respect to the inner cap when being rotated in the opposite direction, said second coupling means comprising at least two interengaging stop means for coupling the inner cap to the outer cap when the latter is rotated in said first direction, one of said stop means being provided at the free end of said at least one flexible arm, said flexible arm, said flexible arm also including inclined ramp means slidingly engageable with said stop means for preventing coupling when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction.

Claim 3

A safety closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second coupling means are arranged at least nearby the circumference of the closure elements.

Claim 4

A safety closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible arm also provides said spring element.

Claim 5

A safeby closure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the outer and inner caps has a top wall portion, and for providing said unidirectional second coupling means, upon the surfaces of the top wall portions facing each other, at least one flexible cantilever arm extending substantially in the direction of the circumference of the caps is formed integral with one of the top wall portions, whereas at least one of said stop means is a projection engaging the free end of the arm and is integral with the other top wall portion.

Claim 6

A safety closure as claimed in claim 4, wherein for dismounting the inner cap wall portion carrying the flexible arm is provided with at least one further projection for engaging the projection of the other top wall portion.

Claim 7

A safety closure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said projections have the form of cams.

Claim 8

A safety closure for containers, comprising an outer cap as a first closure element and an inner cap as a second closure element, for sealing the opening of a container neck, said outer cap being arranged to substantially concentrically encompass the inner cap and further being capable of relative rotary and axial movement with respect to the inner cap, the inner part of the inner cap and the outer part of the container neck being provided with means for mounting the inner cap onto the container neck by relative rotation therebetween in a first direction and for dismounting by relative rotation therebetween in the opposite direction, one of said closure elements having at least one flexible cantilever arm integral therewith and having an edge contacting the other closure member, the outer and inner caps being provided with first coupling means being engageable by an axial approach of both closure elements agAinst the biasing effect of said at least one flexible arm, and undirectional second coupling means on the outer and inner caps adapted for positively coupling the outer cap to the inner cap when being rotated in said first direction for sealing the container neck and permitting continuous relative rotation of the outer cap with respect to the inner cap when being rotated in the opposite direction, said second coupling means comprising at least two interengaging stop means for coupling the inner cap to the outer cap when the latter is rotated in said first direction, one of said stop means being provided by said edge of said at least one flexible arm, said flexible arm also including inclined ramp means slidingly engageable with said stop means for preventing coupling when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction.

Claim 9

A safety closure for containers, comprising an outer cap as a first closure element and an inner cap as a second closure element, for sealing the opening of a container neck, said outer cap being arranged to substantially concentrically encompass the inner cap and further being capable of relative rotary and axial movement with respect to the inner cap, the inner part of the inner cap and the outer part of the container neck being provided with means for mounting the inner cap onto the container neck by relative rotation therebetween in a first direction and for dismounting by relative rotation therebetween in the opposite direction, one of said closure elements having at least one flexible cantilever arm integral therewith and having an edge contacting the other closure member, the outer and inner caps being provided with first coupling means being engageable by an axial approach of both closure elements agAinst the biasing effect of said at least one flexible arm, and undirectional second coupling means on the outer and inner caps adapted for positively coupling the outer cap to the inner cap when being rotated in said first direction for sealing the container neck and permitting continuous relative rotation of the outer cap with respect to the inner cap when being rotated in the opposite direction, said second coupling means comprising at least two interengaging stop means for coupling the inner cap to the outer cap when the latter is rotated in said first direction, one of said stop means being provided by said edge of said at least one flexible arm, said flexible arm also including inclined ramp means slidingly engageable with said stop means for preventing coupling when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction.

Claim 10

A safety closure for containers, comprising an outer cap as a first closure element and an inner cap as a second closure element, for sealing the opening of a container neck, both said caps being provided with skirts with the skirt of the outer cap encompassing the skirt of the inner cap, said outer cap being arranged to substantially concentrically encompass the inner cap and further being capable of relative rotary and axial movement with respect to the inner cap, the inner part of the inner cap and the outer part of the container neck being provided with means for mounting the inner cap onto the container neck by relative rotation therebetween in a first direction and for dismounting by relative rotation therebetween in the opposite direction, one of said closure elements having at least one flexible centilever arm in the form of a flexible reed integral therwith and projecting therefrom and having a free end contacting the other closure element and extending into a recess in the skirt of said other closure element, the outer and inner caps being provided with first coupling means being arranged at least nearby the circumference of the closure elements and engageable by an axial approach of both closure elements against the biasing effect of said at least one flexible arm, and unidirectional second coupling means on the outer and inner caps being arranged at least nearby the circumference of the closure elements and adapted for positively coupling the outer cap to the inner cap when being rotated in said first direction for sealing the container neck and permitting continuous relative rotation of the outer cap with respect to the inner cap when being rotated in the opposite direction, said second coupling means comprising at least two inter-engaging stop means for coupling the inner cap to the outer cap when the latter is rotated in said first direction, one of said stop means being provided at the free end of said at least one flexible arm, said flexible arm also including inclined ramp means slidingly engageable with said stop means for preventing coupling when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction.

Claim 11

A safety closure for containers, comprising an outer cap as a first closure element and an inner cap as a second closure element, for sealing the opening of a container neck, both said caps being provided with skirts with the skirt of the outer cap encompassing the skirt of the inner cap, said outer cap being arranged to substantially concentrically encompass the inner cap and further being capable of relative rotary and axial movement with respect to the inner cap, the inner part of the inner cap and the outer part of the container neck being provided with means for mounting the inner cap onto the container neck by relative rotation therebetween in a first direction and for dismounting by relative rotation therebetween in the opposite direction, one of said closure elements having at least one flexible centilever arm in the form of a flexible reed integral therwith and projecting therefrom and having a free end contacting the other closure element and extending into a recess in the skirt of said other closure element, the outer and inner caps being provided with first coupling means being arranged at least nearby the circumference of the closure elements and engageable by an axial approach of both closure elements against the biasing effect of said at least one flexible arm, and unidirectional second coupling means on the outer and inner caps being arranged at least nearby the circumference of the closure elements and adapted for positively coupling the outer cap to the inner cap when being rotated in said first direction for sealing the container neck and permitting continuous relative rotation of the outer cap with respect to the inner cap when being rotated in the opposite direction, said second coupling means comprising at least two inter-engaging stop means for coupling the inner cap to the outer cap when the latter is rotated in said first direction, one of said stop means being provided at the free end of said at least one flexible arm, said flexible arm also including inclined ramp means slidingly engageable with said stop means for preventing coupling when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction.

Claim 12

A safety closure for containers, comprising an outer cap as a first closure element and an inner cap as a second closure element, for sealing the opening of a container neck, the container neck having a shoulder and the inner cap having a frangible circumferential ring projecting under the shoulder on the container neck, said outer cap being arranged to substantially concentrically encompass the inner cap and further being capable of relative rotary and axial movement with respect to the inner cap, the inner part of the inner cap and the outer part of the container neck being provided with means for mounting the inner cap onto the container neck by relatve rotation therebetween in a first direction and for dismounting by relative rotation therebetween in the opposite direction, one of said closure elements having at least one flexible cantilever arm integral therewith and having a free end contacting the other closure member, the outer and inner caps being provided with first coupling means being engageable by an axial approach of both closure elements against the biasing effect of said at least one flexible arm, and unidirectional second coupling means on the outer and inner caps adapted to positively coupling the outer cap to the inner cap when being rotated in said first direction for sealing the container neck and permitting continuous relative rotation of the outer cap with respect to the inner cap when being rotated in the opposite direction, said second coupling means comprising at least two interengaging stop means for coupling the inner cap to the outer cap when the latter is rotated in said first direction, one of said stop means being provided at the free end of said at least one flexible arm, said flexible arm also including inclined ramp means slidingly engageable with said stop means for preventing coupling when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction.

Claim 13

A safety closure for containers, comprising an outer cap as a first closure element and an inner cap as a second closure element, for sealing the opening of a container neck, the container neck having a shoulder and the inner cap having a frangible circumferential ring projecting under the shoulder on the container neck, said outer cap being arranged to substantially concentrically encompass the inner cap and further being capable of relative rotary and axial movement with respect to the inner cap, the inner part of the inner cap and the outer part of the container neck being provided with means for mounting the inner cap onto the container neck by relatve rotation therebetween in a first direction and for dismounting by relative rotation therebetween in the opposite direction, one of said closure elements having at least one flexible cantilever arm integral therewith and having a free end contacting the other closure member, the outer and inner caps being provided with first coupling means being engageable by an axial approach of both closure elements against the biasing effect of said at least one flexible arm, and unidirectional second coupling means on the outer and inner caps adapted to positively coupling the outer cap to the inner cap when being rotated in said first direction for sealing the container neck and permitting continuous relative rotation of the outer cap with respect to the inner cap when being rotated in the opposite direction, said second coupling means comprising at least two interengaging stop means for coupling the inner cap to the outer cap when the latter is rotated in said first direction, one of said stop means being provided at the free end of said at least one flexible arm, said flexible arm also including inclined ramp means slidingly engageable with said stop means for preventing coupling when the outer cap is rotated in the opposite direction.