US3860135A

US3860135A - Container and container-cap combination

Info

Publication number: US3860135A
Application number: US435675A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael A Yung; Bob Mar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-08-22
Filing date: 1974-01-23
Publication date: 1975-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-14

Abstract

A safety container and container cap combination, wherein the container may, for example, be a vial or a bottle, wherein a safety cap or stopper is permanently hinged to the top of one edge of the container. In one embodiment a slide channel extends diametrically through the cap or stopper, and a pair of recesses are positioned within the lip of the container on diametrically opposite sides thereof and in alignment with the slide channel to receive a pin member which may be retracted to disengage the recesses or, when the stopper is closed, extends through the slide channel into at least one of the said recesses firmly holding the stopper or cap in sealing engagement with the top of the container.

Description

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,860,135 Yung et al. Jan. 14, 1975 [5 CONTAINER AND CONTAINER-CAP 3,703,975 11/1972 Wittemer 215/213 COMBINATION Inventors: Michael A. Yung, 4461 Cotton Ct.,

No. 4, Stockton, Calif. 95207; Bob Mar, 850 N. Baker St., Stockton, Calif. 95203 Filed: Jan. 23, 1974 Appl. No.: 435,675

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 390,546, Aug. 22, 1973.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Turner 215/213 Primary ExaminerGeorge T. Hall Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ernest L. Brown [57] ABSTRACT A safety container and container cap combination, wherein the container may, for example, be a vial or a bottle, wherein a safety cap or stopper is permanently hinged to the top of one edge of the container. In one embodiment a slide channel extends diametrically through the cap or stopper, and a pair of recesses are positioned within the lip of the container on diametrically opposite sides thereof and in alignment with the slide channel to receive a pin member which may be retracted to disengage the recesses or, when the stopper is closed, extends through the slide channel into at least one of the said recesses firmly holding the stopper or cap in sealing engagement with the top of the container.

27 Claims, 20 Drawing Figures FATENTED JAN sum 10F 5 FIG. 3

PATENTED JAN 1 1915 FIG. l0

PATEHTED 1 H975 3,860,135

46 FIG. I?)

CONTAINER AND CONTAINER-CAP COMBINATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 390,546, filed Aug. 22, 1973 by Michael A. Yung and Bob Mar for a Container and Container-Cap Combination.

This invention pertains to an improvement over the invention described and claimed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 358,008, filed May 7, 1963 by John B. Lemons for a Container Cap.

Various states and foreign governments require or will require that medicine bottles and bottles containing poisons and other damaging fluids must have safety caps which may not be opened by immature children. The caps are typically tested by placing them in the hands of children below the age of 5 years to determine how many of such children can open the cap within a half-hour, an hour, 2 hours, etc.

The cap must, however, be readily openable by an adult, and it is expected as the child matures he will also be able toopen the cap. It is for'this reason that one might characterize the cap laws as child resistant cap laws rather than child-proof cap laws.

Very few other bottle caps can meet the government requirements. The cap contemplated by this invention,

however, has been thoroughly tested and is incapable of being opened by the required number of immature children.

The container cap of the above-referenced patent application by John B. Lemons is a three part cap comprising a stopper seat which may be permanently attached to the container or bottle, a stopper which may be hinged to the stopper seat, for example, by a flexible hinge, and a pin member which is positioned and adapted to slide in the stopper from one recess on one side of the stopper seat, through a slide channel in the stopper, into a recess on the other diametrically opposed side of the stopper seat.

The pin and recesses, typically, have stops to prevent the pin from falling out of the stopper seat and to prevent the pin from being pushed in too far, whereby it could not conveniently be withdrawn. Typically a tang is provided on the protruding end of the pin whereby one may grasp the tang with the finger nail to withdraw the pin from engagement with the slide channel in the stopper, thereby allowing the stopper to be removed from the stopper seat.

Other embodiments of the above-mentioned patent application utilize two or more slide channels, positioned along chords of the stopper. The channels need not be precisely positioned; they need not be parallel; they need not be on the same plane; they need not be equi-distant from the center of the stopper.

It was also within the contemplation of the abovementioned patent application that two recesses be aligned within the stopper seat for each slide channel in the stopper to receive a pin from that slide channel. It was also contemplated that one of the recesses in each pair penetrate the side of the stopper seat for withdrawal of the pin from its respective slide channel. It was also contemplated that stops should be provided for each pin and that each pin should have a finger-nail tang to enable its withdrawal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The improvement of this invention is that the pin always engages the slide channel on the stopper. The stopper is provided with a slide channel for the pin, and the slide channel has a shoulder-stop therein for engaging the corresponding shoulder on the pin to prevent full withdrawal of the pin from the stopper.

A second improvement is that the cap and bottle or other container are preferably made in one piece. No stopper seat is required, and the stopper fits into the opening of the container. In a preferred embodiment the conforming bottle opening and stopper form a tapered seal. The stopper and container may be loosely attached to the bottle, or the stopper and container may be hinged tightly by a shorter strap so that when the container is closed, one side of the stopper is held tightly in place by the strap while the other side, or pouring side, of the stopper is held in place by the safety pin-member.

The lip of the container, in a preferred embodiment of this invention, has an inverted T opening for the sliding pin. When the pin is fully engaged, a pair of ears extend in a circumferential direction to fit into the circumferentially directed slots of the opening, preventing the pin and the stopper from being lifted. When the pin is withdrawn a predetermined distance, the narrower portion of the pin may be freely lifted through the notch forming the upper portion of the inverted T.

A tang for engagement of the pin by the fingernail is provided, and in a preferred embodiment the pin is slightly tapered from the tang end inwardly of the stopper.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a safety cap for containers.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a combined container and safety cap for that container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of this invention with the stopper closed.

FIGS. 2a and 2b are sectional views taken at 2-2 in FIG. 1, showing the two extreme positions of the safety pin-member of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken at 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4a and 4b are side views of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in the closed and open positions.

FIG. 5 is a view taken from the left in FIG. 4a.

FIG. 6 is a view, partly in section, taken from the top in FIG. 4a.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an oblique view of one embodiment of the safety pin-member of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention with the cap closed and locked.

FIG. 11 is a view, partly in section and partly in profile of thethird embodiment with the cap open.

FIG. 12 is a bottom oblique view of the locking pin shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the invention with the cap closed but unlocked.

FIG. 14 is a top oblique view of the pin of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a top view, partly in section, of a fifth embodiment of the invention with the lock pin in its open unlocked position.

FIG. 16 is a top oblique view of the pin of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a side view, partly in section, of the fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 18 is a top view, partly in section, of the fifth embodiment of the invention with the locking pin in its open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With increasing safety consciousness on the part of the public, various state legislatures and the legislatures of foreign countries have passed laws requiring that the top of medicine bottles and bottles containing other harmful materials must be resistant to the immature child. The measure of the adequacy of the resistance is how long it takes a child to open the bottle. The bottle top contemplated by this invention is extremely resistant to opening by an immature child.

Referring to the drawings, this invention pertains to a container 10 having a

stopper

12, 12a, 12c, 12d attached, preferably, by a flexible hinge member 14 to the container 10 or to a stopper seat 110. The

stopper

12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d fits into the mouth of the container 10 or seat 110 to form a

seal

16 or 16a.

Typically the

stopper

12, 12b, 12c, 12d has a

flange

18 or 18a which extends over the lip 20 of the container 10 or seat 110. The lip 20 of the container 10 or seat 110 of the figures is overhung by the

flange

18 or 18a, the main difference between 18 and 180 being the amount of overhang. Flange 18 completely covers the

lip

20 or 20a when the

stopper

12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d is closed to hide the safety pin-

member

22, 22a, 22b, 22c of this invention. The central portion 24 of the

stopper

12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d is typically depressed, as shown in the figures. Across one diagonal, not necessarily the diagonal in line with the hinge 14, or the

stopper

12, 12b, 12c, 12d is formed a

slide channel

26, 26a, 26b, 260. The

slide channel

26, 26a, 26b, 26 c is typically positioned immediately below the central portion 24 of the top of the

stopper

12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d. Note that the sealing portion, as at 16a in FIG. 3, may be conical rather than cylindrical as shown at 16.

The

22, 22a, 22b, 22c fits into the

slide channel

26, 26a, 26b, 26c, respectively. The

22, 22a, 22b, 22c is preferably tapered from its outer end 28 to its narrower inner end, although the taper would probably be slight. The narrower inner end 30 may be short as shown in FIG. 9, or it may be longer to engage a recess 32 within the lip 20 of the container 10 or seat 110. Alternatively, the recess 32 may be a groove (not shown) within the inside of the lip 20 of the container 10 or seat 110. When the end 30 is short as shown in FIG. 9, it does not extend into a detent in the lip 20, and it is preferable that the hinge 14 be tightly adjusted to hold down that edge of the

stopper

12, 12a, 12b, 120 at all times.

In one embodiment (not shown), the recess 32 comprises an opening or window in the wall of the lip 20.

The pin 22 has a raised portion thereon with a shoulder stop 34 to engage a shoulder 36 within the slide channel 26. The side 38 of the raised portion 33 is beveled to avoid injuring the edge of the channel 26a.

The pin 22a also has a raised portion 33a thereon with a shoulder stop 34a to engage a shoulder 36a within the slide channel 26a. The side 38a of the raised portion 33a is beveled to avoid injuring the edges of the slide channel 26a when pin 22a is being inserted into the channel. In the embodiment of the pin 22a, the underside of the pin is under formed to a length beneath and extended beyond both sides of the raised portion 33a, shoulder 34a and beveled side 38a to deflection of the pin when it is inserted into the channel 150. A slot 152 is formed in the underside of most of the rest of the pin to minimize the shrinkage or warpage of the pin 22a during molding.

The

slide channel

26 and 26a have a height sufficient to accomodate the raised

portion

33, 33a in the region to the rightof the

shoulder

36, 36a in FIGS. 2a, 2b, 10 and 11. In the region to the left of the

shoulder

36, 36a the height of the slide channel is only that needed for a loose fit (sliding fit) of the pin in the channel. Option ally the outside of the pin 22 may be roughened as shown at 40 to enhance the friction between the side of the

slide channel

26, 26a and the

22, 22a.

The pin 22b has a body which is substantially the same as the pin 22a. The pin 22b has a lowered portion 33b thereon with a shoulder stop 34b to engage a shoulder 36b on the bottom of the slide channel 26b. The side 38b of the lowered portion 33b is beveled to avoid injury to the channel 26a. In the embodiment of the pin 22b, the upper side of the pin is formed down along a length overlying the lowered portion 33b, side 38b and shoulder 34b to allow deflection of the pin when it is inserted. A slot 152a is formed in the top side of most of the rest of the pin to minimize the shrinkage or warpage of the pin 22b during molding.

The pin 22c of FIGS. 15-17 has a pair of outwardly extending portions 160, 162 positioned thereon with shoulder stops 164, 166 to engage corresponding shoulders 168, 170 on the sides of the slide channel 260. The sides 172, 174 are beveled to avoid injury to the channel 26c. A slot is formed into the center part of the pin 220, the slot extending from the top to bottom of the pin 220 for approximately one-half of its length, as at 182. The slot 180 is formed only a portion of the way through the thickness of the pin 22c, either on the top of the pin or the bottom of the pin as shown at 184.

The outer end 28 of the

22, 22a, 22b, 22c has a pair of sidewardly extending

portions

42, 44 and an upwardly extending tang which may be engaged by the finger nail of the user. The tang 46 and the extending

portions

42, 44 fit into a matching window 50, as shown more particularly in FIG. 5, in the lip 20 of the container 10. The lip 20, as shown at 52 in FIG. 6, has an opening therein which is wide enough to allow the main portion 54 to be lifted therethrough, but the opening 53 is not wide enough to allow the

wings

42, 44 to be lifted therethrough.

In operation, the opened cap or stopper is shown in the position of FIG. 4b. The

22, 22a, 22b, 22c is in its extended position. To close the cap, the cap is lowered into the mouth of the bottle 10 or stopper seat 110, seating upon the

seal

16 or 16a, the main portion 54 of the pin 22 passing through the slot 53. The

22, 22a. 22b. 22c is then pushed inward until the two

wings

42, 44 fit into the window 50. Preferably the

22, 22a, 22b, 22c is pushed inward until the end is flush with the surface of the container 10. The end 30 of the

22, 22a, 22b, 22c engages the detent 32 (if that design is used). The cap is now locked. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, the tang 46 is at least partly hid by the overhanging flange 18. The spacing may vary from design to design, and the spacing may, if desired, be so small that a tool would be needed to grasp the tang 46 for opening.

To open the cap or

stopper

12 or 12a, the tang 46 is grasped by the finger nail or by a tool, pulling the pin 22 outward until the laterally extending

portions

42, 44 no longer engage the window 50 and the end 30 no longer engages the recess or detent 32. Typically the shoulder 34 is against the shoulder 36, the shoulder 34a or 36b is against the shoulder 36a or 36b, or the shoulders 164, 166 are against the shoulders 168, 170 to prevent the pin 22 from being withdrawn from the

stopper

12 or 12a. The

stopper

12 or 12a is then lifted, the portion 54 of the pin 22 sliding upward with the stopper through the slot 53.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, multiple pins such as 22, 22a, 22b, 22d may be used in a plurality of slides such as 26, 26a, 26b, 26c. The

slides

26, 26a, 26b, 26c are typically upon chords of the stopper with corresponding detents or recesses such as 32 within the lip and openings such as window 50 and slot 53 for each pin.

The

22, 22a, 22b, 22c and

slide channel

26, 26a, 26b, 26c is shown aligned with the hinge 14. Actually, it would frequently be preferable to have the pin 22 and slide channel 26 at some angle to the hinge 14. For example, the pin 22 and slide channel 26 could be at right angles from its present position.

It may also be desirable to configure the window 50 as a pouring spout (not shown). The

wings

42, 44 would then fit with the spout.

The embodiments of FIGS. 10, ll, l3, l5 utilize a stopper seat 110 which is adapted to be attached to the top of a container.

In the embodiments of FIGS. l-9, l7, 18 the cap or stopper seats directly into the mouth of container 10.

Initial alignment of the channel 26c with the detent 32 is facilitated by the

spacers

200, 202, 204 which are preferably downstanding from the

flange

12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d of stopper, or they may be upstanding from the lip 20. The collar 18 sits on the

spacers

200, 202, 204 are shown circumferentially positioned 120 apart, but other spacing and numbers of spacers is within the contemplation of this invention. For example, the spacer could be a continuous collar (not shown).

The apparatus of this invention is a significant improvement in the field of safety caps for medicine bottles and vials. As such, it is believed to have significant commercial appeal.

The safety cap or stopper of this invention is simple to open by a mature person but very difficult and almost impossible for an immature child to open. The parts are relatively simple to manufacture and assemble.

Although the invention has been described in detail above, it is not intended that the invention should be limited by that description, but only in accordance with the spirit and scope of that specification together with the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination:

a container having an opening with a lip for filling and emptying said container;

a stopper, sized to fit into and substantially conform to said opening and said lip, including at least one slide channel formed in and directed across said stopper;

at least one pin, equal in number to and positioned in said slide channels;

at least one window and slot, equal in number to the 'number of said slide channels, in the lip of said opening, and each aligned with one end of a different one of said slide channels;

said slots being sufficiently large that said pin can be lifted through said slot;

each said pin having an enlarged portion on one end thereof sufficiently small to fit within said windows and sufficiently large that said enlarged portion cannot be lifted through said slot.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which each said pin has at least one slot formed at least a part of the length of said pins to facilitate insertion of said pins into said slide channels.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which each said pin has a portion of its length reduced in thickness.

4. The combination of claim 1 and further comprismg:

at least one recess, equal in number to said slide channels, positioned and aligned with said channels on the end thereof, within said lip, opposite said windows and slots.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said recesses comprise windows in said lip.

6. The combination of claim 1 and further comprismg:

at least one recess positioned and aligned with a different one of said slide channels on the end thereof, within said lip, opposite said windows and slots.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which said recesses comprise windows in said lip.

8. The combination of claim 1 in which said window and slot are contoured to have the circumferential dimension of said window greater than the width of said slot, said slot extending from said window through said lip of said opening; said enlarged portions of said pins being contoured to have a wider dimension than the main body of said pins but no greater than the dimension of said window; said slots being contoured to have a width greater than the width of said main body of said pins.

9. The combination of claim 8 and further comprising finger nail tangs upstanding from said enlarged portrons.

10. The combination of claim 1 in which said slide channel and said pin are positioned substantially upon a diameter of said stopper.

11. The combination of claim 9 in which said pin is tapered from a wider dimension from the end of said pin adjacent said enlarged portion to a smaller dimension on the distal end of said pin.

12. The combination of claim 11 in which each said pin has at least one slot formed at least a part of the length of said pins to facilitate insertion of said pins into said slide channels.

13. The combination of claim 11 in which each said pin has a portion of its length reduced in thickness.

l4. The combination of claim 11 in which said enlarged portion of said pin conforms substantially to said window with the edges thereof substantial radially directed relative to said container and the end of said enlarged portion being contoured substantially to conform to the outer surface of said container when said pin is substantially fully engaged.

15. The combination of claim 14 and further comprising:

at least one pin stop on said pin and at least one channel stop in said channel to engage said pin stop to limit disengaging travel of said pin.

16. The combination of claim 15 in which said pin stop is a shoulder on top of said pin and .said channel stop is a shoulder on the top of said channel and facing said pin stop.

17. The combination of claim 15 in which said pin stop is a shoulder on the bottom of said pin and said channel stop is a shoulder on the bottom of said channel facing said pin stop.

18. The combination of claim 15 in which said pin stop comprises at least one shoulder on the side of said pin and said channel stop comprises at least one shoulder on the corresponding side of said channel facing said pin stop.

19. The combination of claim 18 in which said pin has pin stops on both sides thereof and said channel has channel stops on both sides thereof facing said pin stops.

20. The combination of claim 1 and further comprisat least one upstanding spacers positioned upon said lip, and a flange upon said stopper, said flange being sized and positioned to rest upon said spacers when said container is closed by said stopper.

21. The combination of claim 1 and further comprisa flange upon said stopper, and at least one spacer depending from said lip, said spacers being sized and positioned to rest upon said lip when said container is closed by said stopper.

22. The combination of claim 1 in which said enlarged portion of said pin conforms substantially to said window with the edges thereof substantial radially directed relative to said container and the end of said enlarged portion being contoured substantially to conform to the outer surface of said container when said pin is substantially fully engaged.

23. The combination of claim 1 and further comprisat least one pin stop on said pin and at least one channel stop in said channel to engage said pin stop to limit disengaging travel of said pin.

24. The combination of claim 23 in which said pin stop is a shoulder on top of said pin and said channel stop is a shoulder on the top of said channel and facing said pin stop.

25. The combination of claim 23 in which said pin stop is a shoulder on the bottom of said pin and said channel stop is a shoulder on the bottom of said channel facing said pin stop.

26. The combination of claim 23 in which said pin stop comprises at least one shoulder on the side of said pin and said channel stop comprises at least one shoulder on the corresponding side of said channel facing said pin stop.

27. The combination of claim 26 in which said pin has pin stops on both sides thereof and said channel has channel stops on both sides thereof facing said pin stops.

Claims

1. In combination: a container having an opening with a lip for filling and emptying said container; a stopper, sized to fit into and substantially conform to said opening and said lip, including at least one slide channel formed in and directed across said stopper; at least one pin, equal in number to and positioned in said slide channels; at least one window and slot, equal in number to the number of said slide channels, in the lip of said opening, and each aligned with one end of a different one of said slide channels; said slots being sufficiently large that said pin can be lifted through said slot; each said pin having an enlarged portion on one end thereof sufficiently small to fit within said windows and sufficiently large that said enlarged portion cannot be lifted through said slot.

4. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: at least one recess, equal in number to said slide channels, positioned and aligned with said channels on the end thereof, within said lip, opposite said windows and slots.

6. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: at least one recess positioned and aligned with a different one of said slide channels on the end thereof, within said lip, opposite said windows and slots.

9. The combination of claim 8 and further comprising finger nail tangs upstanding from said enlarged portions.

14. The combination of claim 11 in which said enlarged portion of said pin conforms substantially to said window with the edges thereof substantial radially directed relative to said container and the end of said enlarged portion being contoured substantially to conform to the outer surface of said container when said pin is substantially fully engaged.

15. The combination of claim 14 and further comprising: at least one pin stop on said pin and at least one channel stop in said channel to engage said pin stop to limit disengaging travel of said pin.

16. The combination of claim 15 in which said pin stop is a shoulder on top of said pin and said channel stop is a shoulder on the top of said channel and facing said pin stop.

20. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: at least one upstanding spacers positioned upon said lip, and a flange upon said stopper, said flange being sized and positioned to rest upon said spacers when said container is closed by said stopper.

21. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: a flange upon said stopper, and at least one spacer depending from said lip, said spacers being sized and positioned to rest upon said lip when said container is closed by said stopper.

23. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: at least one pin stop on said pin and at least one channel stop in said channel to engage said pin stop to limit disengaging travel of said pin.