Child resistant dispensing closure

Claim 2

A child resistant dispensing closure comprising a cap base member and a cap lid member, said cap base member being defined by a top surface, an exterior skirt and an interior skirt, a slot formed in said top surface, a dispensing opening formed in said top surface, said interior skirt being provided with a skirt interruption at the location of said slot, a cap locking bead provided on said interior skirt, said cap locking bead being adapted to engage a container locking bead provided on the neck of a container, said container locking bead being provided with an interruption, said cap base member being adapted for rotation with respect to said neck, a depending locking prong provided on said cap lid member, said cap lid member being adapted for movement with respect to said cap base member from an open position wherein said dispensing opening is unobstructed to a closed and locked position wherein said cap lid member closes off said dispensing opening by a user manually moving said cap lid member toward said cap base member so as to cause said locking prong to enter said slot and engage said container locking bead, said cap lid member being adapted for movement from said closed and locked position to said open position by a user manually rotating said dispensing closure with respect to said neck so as to align said slot with said interruption in said container locking bead so as to disengage said locking prong from said container locking bead, and then manually moving said cap lid member away from said cap base member.

Claim 3

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 1 further comprising first indicia means on said cap base member corresponding to the location of said slot and second indicia means on said neck corresponding to the location of said interruption in said container locking bead, said first and second indicia means being adapted to be aligned by a user manually rotating said dispensing closure with respect to said neck, said alignment of said first and second indicia corresponding to said alignment of said slot and said interruption in said container locking bead.

Claim 4

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 1 wherein said locking prong is provided with a hook-like end member, said end member being adapted to be engaged beneath said container locking bead in said closed and locked position.

Claim 5

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 1 wherein said slot has a first end and a second end, said interior skirt extending from proximate said first end to proximate said second end of said slot.

Claim 6

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 1 wherein said cap base member is provided with a second cap locking bead and said neck is provided with a second container locking bead, said second cap locking bead being adapted to engage said second container locking bead, said second cap locking bead and said second container locking beads being generally continuous.

Claim 7

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 1 wherein said cap lid member is connected to said cap base member by means of an integral hinge, said cap lid member, said hinge and said cap base member being integrally formed of a polymer material.

Claim 8

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 1 wherein said cap lid member is connected to said cap base member by means of a spring member, said cap lid member and said spring member being integrally formed of a polymer material.

Claim 9

A child resistant dispensing closure comprising a cap base member and a cap lid member, said cap base member being defined by a top surface, an exterior skirt and an interior skirt, a peripheral recessed shoulder provided on said top surface, a dispensing opening formed in said top surface, a slot formed in said top surface, said slot extending from a first end to a second end, said interior skirt being provided with a skirt interruption at the location of said slot, said interior skirt extending from proximate said first end of said slot to proximate said second end of said slot, a cap locking bead provided on said interior skirt, said cap locking bead being adapted to frictionally engage a container locking bead provided on the neck of a container, said container locking bead being provided with an interruption, said interruption in said container locking bead having a length generally equal to the length of said slot as measured by the distance between said first end and said second end of said slot, said cap base member being adapted for rotation with respect to said neck, first indicia means provided on said cap base member corresponding to the location of said slot, second indicia means provided on said neck corresponding to the location of said interruption in said container locking bead, said cap lid member being defined by a cap top and a cap skirt, said cap skirt having a peripheral edge, a projecting lip provided on said cap skirt, a depending locking prong provided on said cap top, said locking prong having a hook-like end member, said locking prong having a width generally equal to said length of said slot, said cap lid member being connected to said cap base member for movement with respect to said cap base member from an open position wherein said dispensing opening is unobstructed to a closed and locked position wherein said cap lid member closes off said dispensing opening, said peripheral edge of said cap skirt abuts said recessed shoulder, said locking prong is received within said slot and said end member is engaged beneath said container locking bead, said cap lid member being adapted to be moved from said open position to said closed and locked position by a user manually moving said cap lid member toward said cap base member so as to cause said locking prong to enter said slot and said end member to be engaged beneath said container locking bead, said cap lid member being adapted to be moved from said closed and locked position to said open position by a user manually rotating said cap base member with respect to said neck so as to align said first indicia with said second indicia, and then manually engaging said lip so as to move said cap lid member away from said cap base member, said alignment of said first and second indicia corresponding to the alignment of said slot with said interruption in said container locking bead whereby said end member is disengaged from beneath said container locking bead.

Claim 10

A child resistant dispensing closure comprising a cap base member and a cap lid member, said cap base member being defined by a top surface, an exterior skirt and an interior skirt, a peripheral recessed shoulder provided on said top surface, a dispensing opening formed in said top surface, a slot formed in said top surface, said slot extending from a first end to a second end, said interior skirt being provided with a skirt interruption at the location of said slot, said interior skirt extending from proximate said first end of said slot to proximate said second end of said slot, a cap locking bead provided on said interior skirt, said cap locking bead being adapted to frictionally engage a container locking bead provided on the neck of a container, said container locking bead being provided with an interruption, said interruption in said container locking bead having a length generally equal to the length of said slot as measured by the distance between said first end and said second end of said slot, said cap base member being adapted for rotation with respect to said neck, first indicia means provided on said cap base member corresponding to the location of said slot, second indicia means provided on said neck corresponding to the location of said interruption in said container locking bead, said cap lid member being defined by a cap top and a cap skirt, said cap skirt having a peripheral edge, a projecting lip provided on said cap skirt, a depending locking prong provided on said cap top, said locking prong having a hook-like end member, said locking prong having a width generally equal to said length of said slot, said cap lid member being connected to said cap base member for movement with respect to said cap base member from an open position wherein said dispensing opening is unobstructed to a closed and locked position wherein said cap lid member closes off said dispensing opening, said peripheral edge of said cap skirt abuts said recessed shoulder, said locking prong is received within said slot and said end member is engaged beneath said container locking bead, said cap lid member being adapted to be moved from said open position to said closed and locked position by a user manually moving said cap lid member toward said cap base member so as to cause said locking prong to enter said slot and said end member to be engaged beneath said container locking bead, said cap lid member being adapted to be moved from said closed and locked position to said open position by a user manually rotating said cap base member with respect to said neck so as to align said first indicia with said second indicia, and then manually engaging said lip so as to move said cap lid member away from said cap base member, said alignment of said first and second indicia corresponding to the alignment of said slot with said interruption in said container locking bead whereby said end member is disengaged from beneath said container locking bead.

Claim 11

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 8 wherein said cap base member is provided with a second cap locking bead and said neck is provided with a second container locking bead, said second cap locking bead being adapted to engage said second container locking bead, said second cap locking bead and said second container locking beads being generally continuous.

Claim 12

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 8 wherein said cap lid member is connected to said cap base member by means of an integral hinge, said cap lid member, said hinge and said cap base member being integrally formed of a polymer material.

Claim 13

The child resistant dispensing closure recited in claim 8 wherein said cap lid member is connected to said cap base member by means of a spring member, said cap lid member and said spring member being integrally formed of a polymer material.

Claim 16

The method recited in claim 12 further comprising the step of (c) manually moving said cap lid member from said open position downwardly and toward said cap base member to a closed position wherein said locking prong is received within said slot and in engagement with said container locking bead and wherein said cap lid member closes off said dispensing opening.

Claim 17

The method recited in claim 12 wherein said cap base member is provided with first indicia means corresponding to the location of said slot and said neck is provided with second indicia means corresponding to the location of said interruption in said container locking bead, and wherein said manually rotating step involves aligning said first indicia means with said second indicia means.