US3831804A

US3831804A - Aerosol safety cap

Info

Publication number: US3831804A
Application number: US00249608A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Focht
Original assignee: Precision Valve Corp
Current assignee: Precision Valve Corp
Priority date: 1972-05-02
Filing date: 1972-05-02
Publication date: 1974-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-27

Abstract

An aerosol safety cap for an aerosol container including inner and outer telescoping members. The outer member includes dependent resilient locking means which snap under the interior of the annular bead of the mounting cup of the aerosol container to affix the outer member to the container. When the inner member is telescoped into the outer member, it prevents the resilient locking means from being inwardly deflected thereby preventing removal of the cap assembly from the container. Withdrawal of the inner telescopic member permits deflection of the depending locking means to permit removal of the cap from the container. The inner member cannot be withdrawn without the aid of a prying instrument such as a coin. The cap can be doubly locked by rotating the inner member with respect to the outer member with an instrument such as a coin into a position in which it cannot be pried upwardly.

Description

United States Patent [191 F ocht AEROSOL SAFETY CAP John Richard Focht, Yonkers, NY.

Precision Valve Corporation, Yonkers, N.Y.

Filed: May 2, 1972 App]. No.: 249,608

Inventor:

Assignee:

Primary Examiner-Wi1liam 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Steven M. Pollard Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Davis, Hoxie, Faithful] & Hapgood Aug. 27, 1974 ABSTRACT An aerosol safety cap for an aerosol container including inner and outer telescoping members. The outer member includes dependent resilient locking means which snap under the interior of the annular bead of the mounting cup of the aerosol container to affix the outer member to the container. When the inner member is telescoped into the outer member, it prevents the resilient locking means from being inwardly deflected thereby preventing removal of the cap assembly from the container. Withdrawal of the inner telescopic member permits deflection of the depending locking means to permit removal of the cap from the container. The inner member cannot be withdrawn without the aid of a prying instrument such as a coin.

The cap can be doubly locked by rotating the inner member with respect to the outer member with an instrument such as a coin into a position in which it cannot be pried upwardly.

16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures AEROSOL SAFETY CAP The present invention relates to an aerosol safety cap and more specifically to an aerosol safety cap which can be securely locked to the annular bead of a conventional aerosol container mounting cup to prevent removal of the cap until it is unlocked. This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants copending application Ser. No. 244,670,f1led Apr. 17, 1972.

Various aerosol safety caps are known in the art. One such prior art safety cap is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,262,601 issued to I. O. Formo. Formo discloses an outer cap with an inwardly directed annular lip which is resiliently contracted for locking. Downward force on a slidable inner shell radially expands the annular lip to clear the container bead to unlock the cap.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lockable aerosol safety cap which may be readily locked to an aerosol container to prevent actuation of the container, and which may be readily relocked after use of the container.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lockable aerosol safety cap which is substantially immune to removal by a child, but easily removable by an adult.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a lockable aerosol safety cap which may not be readily removed by hand without the use of an instrument.

Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent when the detailed description is considered in conjunction with the drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol safety cap according to the present invention in a locked condition on an aerosol container;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the safety cap of FIG. 1 in an unlocked condition;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view partly in section of the inner cylindrical member of the safety cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the safety cap of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the inner cylindrical member taken along the plane V-V of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the aerosol safety cap of the present invention is shown mounted in a locked condition on a conventional aerosol container 11. The top end 19 of container 11 is closed by a closure member in the form of a mounting cup 18 which carries the dispensing valve 12 and the actuator button 14. The mounting cup is affixed to the mouth of the container by an outward crimp indicated at 15 under the annular rolled head 16 of the container mouth. The mounting cup 18 includes an annular bead 17 which sealingly conforms to the container annular head 16 to complete a pressure tight joinder and seal of the mounting cup to the container mouth.

The safety cap of the present invention comprises two pieces, a double walled generally cylindrical outer member 20 and a generally cylindrical inner member 22. The outer cylindrical member 20 includes inner and outer

concentric skirts

24 and 26 integral with a bridging annular top wall 28. The inner and

outer skirts

24 and 26 are radially spaced at the lower end relative to one another a distance approximating the radial width of the exterior of the bead 17 of the mounting cup 18 and are positioned on either side thereof.

The inner member 22 is telescopically received within the inner concentric skirt 24 and is capable of telescopic sliding motion with respect to the outer member within a range determined by limiting means to be described later. The lower portion of the inner skirt 24 is castellated by a plurality of longitudinal slots to form a plurality of spaced locking means 30, best seen in FIG. 2. The locking means 30 are deflectable tabs integral with the inner skirt 24. The locking means 30 include detents or toe portions 32 which project radially of the inner skirt 24 into the space between the inner and outer skirts.

Detents 32 are formed with sloping

surfaces

34 and 37. When the safety cap has been snapped into place onto the annular head 17, the projecting detents 32 underlie the annular bead 17. The upper surface 37 generally conforms to the curve of the interior of the annular bead 17 and a portion of the crimp 15. The lower surface 34 serves as a chamfer or ramp to assist in guiding the safety cap into engagement with the mounting cup bead 17. The lower margin of the outer wall 26 comes to rest bearing against the end wall 19 of the pressurized container to prevent movement of the safety cap with respect to the container when the safety cap is in place. The radial distance between the outermost reach of the projection 32 and the inner surface of the outer cylindrical skirt 26 is less than the radial width of the mounting cup bead 17. Thus, placement or removal of the safety cap requires that the locking means 30 be deflected radially inwardly as the projecting detents 32 pass over the annular mounting cup head 17.

The safety cap of the present invention is locked to the container by preventing inward deflection of the locking means 30. Inward deflection of the locking means 30 is prevented by the contiguous disposition of the inner cylindrical member 22 when that member is fully telescopically received within the outer member 20. The inner cylindrical member 22 is illustrated in FIG. 3 and its relationship with the outer member is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The inner cylindrical member 22 comprises a cylindrical wall 36 which de pends from a generally circular top wall 35. Top wall 35 extends radially outwardly of the cylindrical wall 36 to form a radial flange 42. Top wall 35 is also provided with a slot with a curved bottom for receiving a coin, key or other implement to assist in turning the inner member 22 with respect to the outer member 20. Cylindrical wall 36 is interrupted by a broad region of reduced diameter which forms a wide shallow groove 44. Near the lower edge of wide shallow groove 44 is an annular bead 46. The lower margin of the inner cylindrical member 22 is provided with an annular lip 48 which projects radially beyond the diameter of the main cylindrical wall 36. The cylindrical wall. 36 is also provided with a plurality of small projections 47.

Before placement of the safety cap upon a container, the inner cylindrical member 22 is initially assembled with the outer member 20 in telescopic fashion. The inner cylindrical member is telescopically inserted into the bore defined by the inner wall 24 of the outer member 20. The inner member 22 is forced into the outer member until annular bead 46 of the inner member 22 abuts the upper side of annular bead 29 which protrudes inwardly of the inner wall 24 of the outer member 20. Bead 46 and projections 47 of the inner member result in a slight interference fit for the inner and outer members to retain these members in an assembled but extended condition during bulk shipment and handling so that the caps are in the proper attitude for application to the containers.

The caps are applied to the container in the above described extended condition. Projections 47 on the cylindrical wall 36 of the inner member 22 tend to keep the inner member in an extended condition as an aid to manipulating the unlocked cap. ln this extended condition, the locking means 30 are free to be resiliently deflected. The cap assembly is then placed upon the aerosol container with the mounting cup annular bead l7 interposed between the inner and

outer walls

26 and 24 of the outer member. The resilience of the locking means permits the projecting detents 32 of the locking means to deflect and to snap into position below the mounting cup annular bead 17 when downward force is applied to the outer member. In this extended condition the cap can be easily removed and replaced by virtue of the snap-fit to the container bead.

To lock the cap, the inner member 22 is depressed to further telescope the inner member into the outer member to position the lower portion of the inner member adjacent the locking means 30. The contracted condition is shown in HO. 1. The safety cap cannot be removed from the aerosol container because the locking means are prevented from the inward deflection necessary to allow the projecting detents 32 of the locking means 30 to pass the mounting cup annular bead 17. When the inner member 22 is fully contracted into the outer member to accomplish locking, radial flange 42 of the top wall 35 of the inner member comes to rest within a flange receiving groove 31 in the annular top wall 28 of the outer member. Since flange 42 is received in groove 31 it cannot be grasped or otherwise withdrawn without use of a prying implement. When locked, the annular rim 48 at the lower margin of the inner member protrudes below the lower margins of the locking means 30 of the outer member to frictionally retain the inner member in the fully contracted or locked position.

The initial depression of the inner member 22 into the outer member 20 causes bead 46 of the inner member to snap below the bead 29 of the bore of the outer member. This condition is shown in FIG. 2. Bead 29 of the outer member rides within the broad groove 44 of the inner member to permit the inner member to telescopically slide freely with respect to the outer member within longitudinal limits determined by the width of the groove 44 between annular bead 46 and the full diameter wall 36. Thus, the inner member can be extended and retracted with respect to the outer member, but cannot be easily separated from the outer member. This assures that the caps can be repeatedly operated without fear of separation.

To unlock the safety cap of the present invention, it is necessary that the user obtain an implement such as a coin to pry the inner member upwardly. The coin is inserted into access depressions 38 on either side of the outer member and is fitted below the overhanging radial flange 42 of the inner member. Twisting the coin pries the inner member upwardly with respect to the outer member by overcoming the frictional resistance exerted by the projections 47 and by the annular bead 48 which acts against the bottom edge of locking members 30. The inner member can then be further extracted by pulling with the fingers until the locking means 30 have been cleared for free deflection. The safety cap can then be removed by snapping it off the container.

The safety cap of the present invention can be relocked after use of the container by snapping it into place and locking it by forcing the inner member downwardly again. The safety cap can also be used without further resort to the locking feature by simply not depressing the inner member.

As a double lock to further insure against unwanted removal of the safety cap, the radial flange 42 of the inner member is cut away at diametrically opposed locations 43 as shown in FIG. 4. The cut-out regions 43 correspond to the shape of the access areas 38 of the outer member. When the inner member is rotated with respect to the outer member to bring the cut-out portions 43 of the inner member flange 42 into correspondence with the access areas 38, the cap cannot be unlocked because there is no overhanging flange to engage with a coin. Rotation of the inner member is facilitated by the slot 33 provided in the top wall 35 of the inner member. A coin or other implement can be inserted in the slot 33 and the inner member rotated toward or away from the double locked position in which the cut-out portions 43 are in alignment with the access areas 38. The inner member is difficult to turn with respect to the outer container without use of a tool such as a coin because the inner member presents no gripping surface when contracted into the outer member.

The safety cap of the present invention provides a simple and economical solution to the problem of rendering containers child resistant not only prior to their initial use but also throughout the useful life of the container. The subject cap is virtually impossible to remove by hand alone and will resist a surprising amount of twisting and banging. Yet, the cap is easily removed by an adult knowing its manner of operation and who has a coin, key or other prying implement. The double locking feature makes the unwanted removal of the cap even more difficult by requiring the use of a coin or other implement to rotate the inner member prior to using the implement to pry the inner member up for unlocking.

The safety cap of the present invention can be adapted to be used on other than aerosol containers or can be adapted to fit an annular container bead other than the mounting cup bead of an aerosol container. Many containers employ annular beads with reentrant cross-sections similar to that shown for mounting cup beads. It is apparent that the cap of the present invention can be sized to fit such beads to prevent access to the contents of the container. For example, the cap of the present invention can be adapted for use on prescription drugs or hazardous substances by using bottles with an inwardly projecting lip or rim to which the resilient locking meansof the cap can be locked.

What is claimed is:

l. A safety cap for a container having a radially inwardly projecting bead surrounding the container contents access means comprising; an outer member having resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means, said locking means being in the form of a plurality of tabs dependent from a lower portion of the outer member, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of the container bead, and an inner member telescopically slidable with respect to said outer member into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to prevent inward deflection of said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of the inner member contiguous with said locking means.

2. A safety cap for a pressurized dispenser having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the dispensing valve comprising; an outer member having inner and outer concentric cylindrical skirt portions integral with an annular top portion and having resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means, said locking means being in the form of a plurality of tabsdependent from a lower portion of the inner skirt, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of the annular bead, and an inner member telescopically slidable with respect to said outer member into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to prevent inward deflection of said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of the inner skirt contiguous with said locking means.

3. The safety cap of claim 2 wherein the outwardly projecting portions of the tabs and the outer skirt are radially spaced apart a distance less than the radial width of the annular bead to provide a snap action fit of the cap to the annular bead.

4. A safety cap for a pressurized dispenser having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the dispensing valve comprising; an outer member having inner and outer concentric cylindrical skirt portions integral with an annular top portion and having resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means, said locking means being in the form of a plurality of tabs dependent from a lower portion of the inner skirt, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of the annular bead, and an inner member telescopically slidable with respect to said outer member into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to prevent inward deflection of said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of the inner skirt contiguous with said locking means, and wherein the upper portion of said inner member includes a radial flange and the top portion of the outer member includes depressions to permit access to the underside of said flange by an implement for prying the inner member upwardly.

5. The safety cap of claim 4 wherein the outer member includes a groove in the top portion for receiving the flange of the inner member to limit access to the flange to the region of said depressions.

6. The safety cap of claim 5 wherein the inner and outer members are relatively rotatable and said flange is interrupted in the regions overlying said depressions in at least one attitude of relative rotational positioning of the inner and outer members.

7. The safety cap of claim 6 wherein the inner member includes means for receiving an implement to aid in relative rotation of the inner and outer members.

8. A safety cap for a pressurized dispenser having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the dispensing valve comprising; an outer member having inner and outer concentric cylindrical skirt portions integral with an annular top portion and having resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means, said locking means being in the form of a plurality of tabs dependent from a lower portion of the inner skirt, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of the annular bead, and an inner member telescopically slidable with respect to said outer member into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to prevent inward deflection of said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of the inner skirt contiguous with said locking means, and wherein the inner surface of the inner skirt portion and the outer surface of the inner member are provided with a cooperating ridge and groove to limit the extent of relative telescopic motion.

9. A safety cap for a pressurized dispenser having an inwardly extending annular bead surrounding the dispensing valve comprising; an outer member having inner and outer concentric cylindrical skirt portions integral with an annular top portion and having resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means, said locking means being in the form of a plurality of tabs dependent from a lower portion of the inner skirt, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the annular bead, and an inner member telescopically slidable with respect to said outer member into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to prevent inward deflection of said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of the inner member contiguous with said locking means, and wherein the lower margin of the inner member includes an annular bead adapted to snap below the lower portion of the locking means of the outer member when the members are telescoped together to retain the members telescoped.

10. A relockable safety cap for enclosing the contents access means of a container, the exterior of said container having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the container contents access means, said safety cap comprising:

an outer member including a cylindrical skirt and resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means in the form of a plurality of tabs depending from said skirt, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of said annular bead when the outer member is positioned on the container; and an inner member enclosing the container contents access means, said inner member inlcuding a top wall and a depending cylindrical sidewall telescopically slidable within said cylindrical skirt into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to maintain the outer surface portions of said locking means in engagement with said annular bead when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said cylindrical skirt to lock the safety cap to the container and telescoped upwardly to release the locking means and unlock the safety cap from the container when said inner member is withdrawn from contiguous relationship with said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of said cylindrical skirt contiguous with said locking means and said inner member sidewall being substantially enclosed by said outer member when telescoped downwardly within said inner skirt.

11. The safety cap of claim 10 wherein the upper portion of said outer member includes a top surface portion; the upper portion of said inner member includes a radially outwardly extending flange; and the top surface portion of the outer member includes depressions to permit access to the underside of said flange by an implement for prying the inner member upwardly.

12. The safety cap of claim 11 wherein the outer member includes a groove in the top surface portion for receiving the flange of the inner member to limit access to the flange to the region of said depressions.

13. The safety cap of claim 12 wherein the inner and outer members are relatively rotatable and said flange is interrupted in the regions overlying said depressions in at least one attitude of relative rotational positioning of the inner and outer members.

14. The safety cap of claim 13 wherein the inner member includes means for receiving the implement to aid in relative rotation of the inner and outer members.

15. The safety cap of claim 10 wherein the inner surface of the cylindrical skirt and the outer surface of the inner member sidewall are provided with a cooperating ridge and groove to limit the extent of relative telescopic motion.

16. The safety cap of claim 10 wherein the lower margin of the inner member sidewall includes an annular bead adapted to snap below the lower portion of the locking means of the outer member when the members are telescoped together to retain the members tele-

Claims

1. A safety cap for a container having a radially inwardly projecting bead surrounding the container contents access means comprising; an outer member having resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means, said locking means being in the form of a plurality of tabs dependent from a lower portion of the outer member, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of the container bead, and an inner member telescopically slidable with respect to said outer member into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to prevent inward deflection of said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of the inner member contiguous with said locking means.

2. A safety cap for a pressurized dispenser having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the dispensing valve comprising; an outer member having inner and outer concentric cylindrical skirt portions integral with an annular top portion and having resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means, said locking means being in the form of a plurality of tabs dependent from a lower portion of the inner skirt, said locking mEans including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of the annular bead, and an inner member telescopically slidable with respect to said outer member into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to prevent inward deflection of said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of the inner skirt contiguous with said locking means.

10. A relockable safety cap for enclosing the contents access means of a container, the exterior of said container having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the container contents access means, said safety cap comprising: an outer member including a cylindrical skirt and resiliently inwardly deflectable locking means in the form of a plurality of tabs depending from said skirt, said locking means including outwardly projecting portions which are configured to engage below the inward projection of said annular bead when the outer member is positioned on the container; and an inner member enclosing the container contents access means, said inner member inlcuding a top wall and a depending cylindrical sidewall telescopically slidable within said cylindrical skirt into contiguous relationship with an inner surface of said locking means to maintain the outer surface portions of said locking means in engagement with said annular bead when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said cylindrical skirt to lock the safety cap to the container and telescoped upwardly to release the locking means and unlock the safety cap from the container when said inner member is withdrawn from contiguous relationship with said locking means, the interior dimension defined by the inner surface of said locking means being no smaller than the corresponding exterior dimension of the portion of said cylindrical skirt contiguous with said locking means and said inner member sidewall being substantially enclosed by said outer member when telescoped downwardly within said inner skirt.

16. The safety cap of claim 10 wherein the lower margin of the inner member sidewall includes an annular bead adapted to snap below the lower portion of the locking means of the outer member when the members are telescoped together to retain the members telescoped.