WO1997049615A1

WO1997049615A1 - Childproof cap for holders

Info

Publication number: WO1997049615A1
Application number: PCT/NL1997/000363
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniël Johannes VAN EIJK; Erik Van Kuijk
Original assignee: De Wit Plastic B.V.
Priority date: 1996-06-26
Filing date: 1997-06-26
Publication date: 1997-12-31
Also published as: EP0912414A1; ATE218474T1; NL1003424C2; EP0912414B1; DE69713097D1

Abstract

A childproof cap (1) is described for holders, i.e. plastic holders in particular. The cap comprises a hollow body (2) open on one side, for the purpose of allowing an open end of the holder. The body (2) comprises a closing device (4) at a side turned away from the top which covers the cavity of the body (2). In addition, the closing device (4) and the body (2) are provided with first and second interlocking means, each of which can function together, that is in a closed state, to interlock the closing device (4) onto the body (2). With this, at least the first interlocking means (6, 8) are connected to disconnecting means (9), which are capable of disconnecting the connection between the first interlocking means (6, 8) by applying a radial pressure onto the disconnecting means (9), while the combination of the second interlocking means (5, 10, 11) can be undone by applying an at least basically axial force to at least a part of the second interlocking means. A combination of the above-mentioned cap with a holder is also described.

Description

Childproof Cap for Holders

The present invention concerns a childproof cap for holders, plastic holders in particular, comprising a hollow body open on one side, for the purpose of taking an open end of the holder.

For several years, the above-mentioned childproof caps have become a commonly used object, especially for closing bottles containing chemicals for domestic use. These types of childproof caps commonly comprise screw caps which are based on the principle that requires two steps to be carried out simultaneously in order to open the cap To this end, the childproof screw cap consists of a two-part snap-in construction, i e. an outside and an inside cap The outside cap can be turned around separately from the inside cap, while the inside cap ensures that the bottle is closed The inside cap only turns simultaneously with the outside cap, if during turning a vertical pressure is applied onto the cap For this purpose, both steps need to be carried out simultaneously, i e pressing and keeping the pressure onto the cap and turning it open in order to remove the screw cap of the bottle Closing the cap is performed similarly to the way in which a common screw cap is closed

Although these types of caps cannot or can hardly be opened by children, they are characterised by the disadvantage that a relatively intensive force is required in order to remove this type of childproof caps. It also appears that the simultaneously performed activities, i.e. pressing and turning might raise insurmountable problems. These disadvantages particularly apply for elderly people and physically less abled people for whom these types of childproof caps are thus not very user-friendly In addition, the cap needs to be closed completely in order to close it properly

Another disadvantage, which is especially relevant for manufacturers, is the fact that the cap comprises two elements, instead of being made of one piece.

The present invention aims at preventing the above-mentioned disadvantages and thus aims at providing a so-called childproof cap for holders referred to at the beginning, which is user-friendly at the same time In addition to this, the above-mentioned childproof cap is to meet the - stringent - standards set for this purpose.

To this end, the childproof cap is characterised by the fact that the body comprises a closing device at a side turned away from the top which covers the cavity of the body, by the fact that the closing device and the body are provided with first and second interlocking means, each of which can function together, that is in a closed state, in order to interlock the closing device onto the body and by the fact that at least the first interlocking means are connected to disconnecting means which are capable of undoing the combination of the first interlocking means by applying a radial pressure onto the disconnecting means, and that the combination of the second interlocking means can be undone by applying at least a basically axial force to at least a part of the second interlocking means.

The principle of the cap according to the present invention is based on the fact that the childproof characteristic of the cap is integrated in the cap body. Its childproof feature lies in the fact that the closing device is interlocked in the body by means of interlocking means, thus preventing the contents of the holder from being accessible. The same closing principle holds if the cap is detached from the holder, whereas with existing caps, the childproof feature of the cap is not an integrated part of the cap itself, since this is not relevant until the screw cap is actually screwed-in onto the bottleneck. The screw cap as such cannot be opened or closed.

Starting from a closed state of the cap, disconnecting the connection between the first interlocking means is to be realised first by applying radial pressure onto the disconnecting means. However, since the closing device is also interlocked with the body by means of the second interlocking means, this interlocking is to be disconnected first, before the closing device can actually be detached from the body and reach the state in which it is opened. The detaching process can be carried out rather simply by applying a pressure which is at least basically axially directed. In this way, this cap provides "double safety"; i.e. safety as a result of the first interlocking means and safety as a result of the second interlocking means. Consequently, opening the cap requires the use of both hands; one for pressing the disconnection means and one for disconnecting the second interlocking.

Thus it is guaranteed that the cap cannot or is very difficult to open for children, whereas parents and elderly people are able to open the cap rather easily. Since the force required to this end is much less, the latter group of people appears to have less difficulty in opening the cap compared to the commonly known cap. In order to close the cap again, the closing device can be connected to the body by means of the snap connection, which again involves interlocking the closing device and the body. The advantage arising from this is that closing the cap involves simply one activity, contrary to the childproof cap according to the state of the art, which involves a longer turning movement in order for the cap to close, while running the risk of having a cap that appears to be closed when it is actually not, if the movement is not carried out properly.

Finally, the cap according to the present invention can be made of one piece which in turn provides product-technical advantages.

The American patent document US-A-4,838,441 concerns a childproof cap which is similar to the cap according to the present invention due to the fact that the cap is provided with interlocking means that are connected with disconnecting means, which undo the connection between the cap body and the closing device by applying radial pressure to the disconnecting means. These types of caps merely have "single safety" and appear to be inadequate in practice as a childproof cap, since they can be opened too easily by children.

Opening the cap according to the present invention does not require simultaneous pressing and turning activities, though pressure is to be applied onto the disconnecting means in order to realise a disconnection of the combination between the first interlocking means and a basically axial pressure is to be applied in order to disconnect the second interlocking means. Since the force that is to be applied with these activities is considerably less, this cap is much more user-friendly particularly for the elderly and the less abled people, whereas the cap cannot be opened or is very difficult to open for children.

In particular the first interlocking means comprise one or more first interlocking devices which extend diagonally downward from the top of the closing device, as well as one or more second interlocking devices in the cavity of the body, the second interlocking devices are connected to the disconnecting means which are placed in the side wall of the body. This embodiment involves a radial pressure applied onto the disconnecting means located in the side wall of the body in order to realise a disconnection of the first interlocking means.

The second interlocking means preferably comprise a tongue-shaped element which extends diagonally downward from the top of the closing device and which is provided with one or more closing elements which are to be combined with one or more counterelements appropriately placed on the outside wall of the body in order to realise in between the counterelements a manually detachable interlocking.

The, one or more, closing elements can be found at the inside or at the outside of the tongue-shaped element, while the one or more counterelements at the corresponding side of the tongue-shaped element combine with the one or more closing elements.

The closing device is preferably hinged to the body. This offers the advantage that the closing device is not being detached from the holder when opening it and, as a result, the closing device cannot get mislaid.

Advantageously, the disconnecting means comprise devices which can be moved in a radial direction which are attached to the side wall of the body with at least one side, and which in a resting state are basically at the height of the side wall of the body and which are moved at least partially in the cavity of the body when applying a radial pressure, while it takes the resting position when releasing the pressure. For this reason, the disconnecting means have a springy design; by pressing it they are moved in a radial direction towards the body axis, while releasing the pressure results in springing back to their original position. By pressing and releasing the disconnecting means, a disconnection and an interlocking of the first and the second interlocking devices may respectively be realised.

By providing the cap with two disconnecting means that are placed diametrically towards each other, these can be pressed by simply using thumb and forefinger in order to realise disconnection.

In an advantageous embodiment the second interlocking devices comprise coupling devices which extend basically diagonally from the side with the disconnecting means, while they extend basically outward. Advantageously, the first interlocking devices comprise incorporating devices that are provided with an opening which is appropriate for incorporating the second interlocking devices.

In this embodiment the extending coupling devices, in the closed state of the closing device, are applied in the openings of the incorporating devices. If the disconnecting means are pressed they move, together with the coupling devices extending outward. towards the middle of the hollow body, subsequently moving the coupling devices from the openings, thus ending the combination between the first and the second interlocking devices.

In a preferred embodiment one or more counterelements are combined with the closing means at the outside of the tongue-shaped element in the interlocked state.

Such embodiment is preferred since the application of interlocking means at the outside of the tongue-shaped element prevents the closing element from being forced and opened by simply applying radial tensile force to the tongue-shaped element. The tongue-shaped element preferably extends from a distance which is basically equal to half the height of the body, while the closing elements are attached to or attached close to the top of the tongue-shaped element corresponding with one or more counterelements attached to or attached close to the top of the body.

Finally, the present invention concerns a combination of a childproof cap according to the invention and a holder, a plastic holder in particular. It is preferred that the holder concerned comprises a bottle.

The combination of the childproof cap according to the present invention and the holder can be realised in various ways, which are familiar to the expert or which seem logical. The cap may become an inseparable part of the holder by, for example, welding it to the holder. Another option is to connect the cap according to the present invention to the holder by means of a snap connection.

The invention is explained in more detail below by means of the drawing annexed in which: figure 1 shows a schematic view of the first embodiment of a childproof cap according to the present invention in a closed state; figure 2 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of a childproof cap according to the present invention in an open state; figures 3A and 3B show schematic top views of the cap in accordance with figure 1 in a closed, respectively open state; figures 4A and 4B show schematic rear views of the cap, respectively a partial cross- section of it; and figures 5A and 5B show a schematic side view of the cap, respectively a cross- section of it.

The drawings are purely schematic and not drawn to scale. Particularly for purposes of clarity, some dimensions have been represented in a greatly exaggerated manner.

Whenever possible, parts in the figures are indicated with the same reference number. Figure 1 shows a childproof cap 1 according to the present invention This cap comprises a hollow body 2 which is open at the bottom and is closed at the top by closing device 4 The embodiment shown in figure 1 shows closing device 4 provided with a tongue-shaped element 5 extending diagonally from closing device 4 across approximately halfway body 2 In a closed state, closing device 4 closes the cap top, while tongue-shaped element 5 is located behind a counterelement 10 In the embodiment shown, this counterelement 10 concerns a circular continuing part of the outside wall at the top of body 2. Due to the fact that the wall of body 2 behind this continuing top "indents", which is clearly shown in figure 3B, tongue-shaped element 5 can be positioned between wall 2 and counterelement 10 in a closed state

In the embodiment shown, tongue-shaped element 5 is piovided with closing elements 1 1 in the form of protruding devices at the outside of tongue-shaped element 5 If the cap is closed, closing elements 1 1 are pressed against the inside of counterelement 10, so that disconnecting the combining forces between closing elements 1 1 and countei element 10 can only be realised by applying a basically axial pressure Cap 1 is also provided with disconnecting means 9 which can be moved by applying radial pressure in the hollow space and thus may realise a disconnection of the mtei locking devices 6 and 8, which is to be discussed below

Childproof cap 1 and its functioning is explained in moie detail by means of figure 2, in which another embodiment shows the cap in an open position This embodiment only differs from the embodiment referred to previously in that the tongue-shaped element 5 extends basically across the entire height of the body and in the fact that element 5 is provided with closing means 1 1 at the inside in the shape of a groove which is to function together with a protruding counterelement 10 attached to the outside of body 2 which can be incorporated in the groove Disconnecting the second interlocking means may take place by applying a radial tensile foice combined with axial force Another option is, of course, that the cap is provided with a tongue-shaped element 5 which extends across the entne height of body 2 and which function together with counterelement 10, as shown in figuie 1 As is also shown in this figure, closing device 4 is provided with first interlocking devices 6 which extend diagonally from closing device 4. In the embodiment shown, these interlocking devices are designed as incorporating devices which are provided with an opening. It also shows second interlocking devices 8 which may function together with the first interlocking devices 6. The second interlocking devices in this case comprise application devices 8 which, in this case, extend diagonally on the side of the disconnecting means 9. In the closed state of closing device 4, these application devices 8 fall into the openings of incorporating devices 6 in order to realise interlocking of closing device 4 onto body 2.

Application devices 8 protrude from the openings or incorporating devices 6 and, as a consequence of which, the latter cannot be moved in upward direction. In order to disconnect the first and second interlocking devices 6 and 8, as shown in figure 2, a radial pressure onto disconnecting means 9 has to be applied in order for them to move in radial direction in the hollow space. Since the second interlocking devices 8 -the application devices- are connected to disconnecting means 9, the latter too will move in radial direction in the hollow space of the body and subsequently will be released from the openings of the incorporating devices 6 so that disconnection may take place. The movement of disconnecting means 9 is preferably springy, in this way if the pressure of these means is released a backward movement to the original or rest position is realised.

Starting from the closed cap, while having the first and second interlocking devices 6 and 8 functioning together and while interlocking element 1 1 and counterelement 10 combine, the following steps need to be carried out in order to open the cap. Firstly, radial pressure has to be applied onto the disconnection means 9 in order to remove the application devices 8 from the openings of the incorporation devices 6 thus realising a disconnection of the interlocking of these two devices. This may, for example, take place by pressing disconnection means 9, using the thumb and forefinger. Subsequently, the interlocking between interlocking element 1 1 and counterelement 10 is to be disconnected while continuously keeping pressure onto disconnection means. This may. for example, take place by applying radial tensile pressure as well as axial pressure onto the lower side of the tongue-shaped element 5. The cap embodiment shown in figure 1 only requires applying axial force. By moving closing device 4 upward, the cap is brought in an opened state.

In order to close the cap again, the closing device can be pressed onto body 2 again With this, the first interlocking devices 6 will take up the position between the second interlocking devices 8 and the inside wall of body 2

By applying a tensile pressure onto the top of closing device 4, the disconnection means

9 together with the second interlocking devices 8 are pushed into a radial direction toward the axis and the first interlocking devices 6 will 'snap' along, thus creating the closed state of closing device 4. In this state disconnecting means 9 together with the second interlocking devices 8 are able to take their original position again and the first and second interlocking devices 6 and 8 as well as the, one or more, closing elements and one or more counterelements function together.

In the shown embodiment of cap 1 , the inside of the upper side of closing device 4 is provided with a sealing device 14 which in the closed state of cap 1 is incorporated in a coπesponding sealing opening 15 in an upper side 16 of body 2 Other embodiments, for example in which body 2 is not provided with an uppei side 16 with sealing opening 15, yet is basically completely open, is also one of the options

Figures 3A and 3B show top views of the cap in accordance with figure 1 in an open and a closed state Figure 3B clearly shows that the disconnecting means 9 are moved in radial direction in the cavity of the body, while the second interlocking devices 8 and the fust interlocking devices 6 have been disconnected

Figures 4A and 4B show views of the rear sides of a cap according to the present invention m a closed state Figure 4B shows a partial cioss-section, which clearly shows that the disconnecting device 9 is located partially behind the first interlocking devices 6. Although this is not shown in the figure, the second interlocking devices 8 protrude from the openings of the first interlocking devices in order to realise an interlocking.

Finally, figures 5A and 5B show a side view of the cap in accordance with figure 2 and a cross-section of the cap. It clearly shows the way in which the interlocking between the tongue-shaped element 5 and the outside of the body is realised by applying interlocking element 1 1 and counterelement 10.

Although the embodiments shown all have two disconnecting means 9, only one or more than two interlocking means 9 are optional. Other embodiments for the first and second interlocking devices 6 and 8 are also optional, for example the reversed situation in which the first interlocking means 6 comprise application devices, whereas the second interlocking means 8 comprise incorporating devices. However, other embodiments characterised by combining interlocking devices more logical for the expert are also possible.

Furthermore, different designs for interlocking element 1 1 and counterelement 10 characterised by combining the two elements by using snap-in, snap-over connections, or in any other way logical for the expert are also optional.

Claims

Claims:

1. Childproof cap (1 ) for holders, plastic holders in particular, comprising a hollow body (2) open on one side, for the purpose of incorporating an open end of the holder, characterised by the fact that body (2) comprises a closing device (4) at a side turned away from the top which covers the cavity of the body (2), that the closing device (4) and the body (2) are provided with first and second interlocking means, each of which can function together, that is in a closed state, in order to interlock the closing device (4) onto the body (2), and by the fact that at least the first locking means (6, 8) are connected to disconnecting means (9) which are capable of disconnecting the connection between the first interlocking means (6, 8) by applying a radial pressure onto the disconnecting means and that the combination of the second interlocking means (5, 10, 1 1 ) can be undone by applying at least a basically axial force to at least a part of the second interlocking means.

2. Childproof cap (1) in accordance with claim 1, characterised by the fact that the first interlocking means comprise one or more first interlocking devices (6), which extend diagonally downward from the top of the closing device (4), as well as one or more second interlocking devices (8) which are positioned in the cavity of the body, with the second interlocking devices (8) connected to the disconnecting means (9) which are placed in the side wall (3) of the body (2).

3. Childproof cap (1 ) in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterised by the fact that the second interlocking means comprise a tongue-shaped element (5) which extends diagonally downward from the top of closing device (4) and which is provided with one or more closing elements (1 1 ) in order to function together with one or more counterelements ( 10) appropriately placed at the outside wall body (2) in order to realise an interlocking in-between counterelements (10), which may be disconnected manually.

4. A childproof cap ( 1 ) in accordance with one or more claims 1 -3, characterised by the fact that the closing device (4) is hinged to body (2).

5. Childproof cap ( 1 ) in accordance with one or more of the above-mentioned claims, characterised by the fact that the disconnecting means (9) comprise one or more disconnecting devices which can be moved in radial direction, which are attached to the side wall (3) of the body (2) at least at one side and which in a resting state are basically at the height of the side wall (3) of the body (2) and which are at least partially moved in the cavity of the body if radial pressure is applied, while the resting position is taken again when releasing the pressure.

6. Childproof cap ( 1 ) in accordance with claim 5, characterised by the fact that this cap is provided with two disconnecting devices (9) which are placed diametrically towards each other.

7. Childproof cap ( 1 ) in accordance with one or more of the above-mentioned claims, characterised by the fact that the second interlocking devices (8) comprise application devices which are basically diagonally to the side with disconnecting means (9).

8. Childproof cap (1 ) in accordance with claim 7, characterised by the fact that the application devices basically extend outward in a radial direction.

9. Childproof cap ( 1 ) in accordance with claim 7 or 8, characterised by the fact that the first interlocking devices (6) comprise incorporating devices that are provided with one opening appropriate for incorporating the second interlocking devices (8).

10. Childproof cap (1) in accordance with one or more of the above-mentioned claims, characterised by the fact that the one or more counterelements (10) function together with the closing means ( 1 1 ) at the outside of the tongue-shaped element (5) in the interlocked state.

1 1. Childproof cap ( 1 ) in accordance with one or more of the above-mentioned claims, characterised by the fact that the tongue-shaped element (5) extends across a distance which is basically equal to the half of the height of the body (2), while closing elements (1 1) are attached to or attached close to the top of the tongue-shaped element (5), while the one or more counterelements (10) correspond to the closing elements (1 1 ) to or close to the top of the body (2).

12. Combination of a childproof cap ( 1) in accordance with one or more of the above-mentioned claims 1-1 1 and a holder, a plastic holder in particular.

13. Combination in accordance with claim 9, characterised by the fact that the holder comprises a bottle.