초록 ▼

A child-resistant package includes a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a container wall having a central axis. An external ledge extends around the container wall at a position spaced from the open mouth. The ledge has an axially facing surface that adjoins a radially outwardl

A child-resistant package includes a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a container wall having a central axis. An external ledge extends around the container wall at a position spaced from the open mouth. The ledge has an axially facing surface that adjoins a radially outwardly facing surface of the container wall, and closure securement structure on the ledge including at least one pocket. A closure includes a base wall, a peripheral skirt coupled to the base wall, at least one internal lug on the skirt for receipt in the at least one pocket on the container, and an annular wall that extends from the base wall for plug-sealing receipt within the container mouth when the skirt is received over the end of the container. At least one spring element extends from the base wall of the closure adjacent to the skirt radially inwardly and axially within the skirt. The spring element is adapted to engage the axially facing surface of the ledge and to slide radially inwardly along the ledge surface as the closure lug is moved into the pocket on the container to bias the lug into the pocket. The radially outwardly facing surface of the container wall adjacent to the ledge axially facing surface functions as a stop to prevent over-compression of the spring element, and to prevent engagement of the spring element with the annular wall on the closure and thereby affect the plug seal function of the annular wall.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A child-resistant package that includes: a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a container wall having a central axis, an external ledge extending around said container wall and spaced from said open mouth, said ledge having an axially facing surfac

The invention claimed is: 1. A child-resistant package that includes: a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a container wall having a central axis, an external ledge extending around said container wall and spaced from said open mouth, said ledge having an axially facing surface that adjoins a radially outwardly facing surface of said container wall, and means on said ledge including at least one pocket for securing a closure to said container, and a closure that includes a base wall, a peripheral skirt coupled to said base wall, at least one internal lug on said skirt for receipt in said at least one pocket, an annular wall that extends from said base wall for plug-sealing receipt within said mouth when said skirt is received over said end of said container, and at least one spring element that extends from said base wall adjacent to said skirt radially inwardly and axially within said skirt, said spring element being adapted to engage said axially facing surface of said ledge and to slide radially inwardly along said surface as said at least one lug is moved into said pocket and said spring element is compressed to bias said lug into said pocket, said radially outwardly facing surface of said container wall adjacent to said ledge axially facing surface functioning as a stop to prevent over-compression of said spring element and to prevent engagement of said spring element with said annular wall on said closure. 2. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one spring element is arcuate in radial cross section. 3. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one spring element comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced spring elements. 4. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said base wall has an axial thickness that increases from a first thickness adjacent to said annular wall to a second thickness greater than said first thickness adjacent to said spring element. 5. The package set forth in claim 4 wherein said at least one internal lug on said skirt comprises a plurality of angularly spaced lugs, and wherein said at least one spring element comprises a plurality of angularly spaced spring elements, with each said spring element being angularly positioned between adjacent lugs. 6. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said means include a plurality of radial projections on said ledge, each said projection having a said pocket on an underside of said projection and a cam surface on one side of said pocket, and wherein said at least one lug on said skirt includes a plurality of lugs adapted to ride over said cam surfaces and be received in said pockets. 7. The package set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam surfaces are convex. 8. The package set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam surfaces are part-helical. 9. The package set forth in claim 8 wherein said lugs have part-helical upper surface portions for riding over said part-helical cam surfaces of said projections. 10. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said means include at least one external thread on said ledge, said thread having said at least one pocket on an underside of said thread for receiving said at least one lug. 11. The package set forth in claim 10 wherein said at least one external thread includes a plurality of thread segments, each having a said pocket, and wherein said at least one lug includes a plurality of said lugs for riding along undersides of said thread segments and receipt in said pockets. 12. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said closure includes an annular wall extending from said base wall in a direction opposite from said skirt and at a position spaced radially inwardly from said skirt, said annular wall being adapted to be received within said container mouth for securing said closure to said container in a non-child-resistant mode of operation. 13. A package that includes: a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a container wall having a central axis, an external ledge on said container wall spaced from said open mouth, and means on a radially outwardly facing surface of said ledge for securing a closure to said container, said means including a plurality of angularly spaced pockets opening away from said container end, and a closure that includes an annular base wall with inner and outer circular concentric peripheries, a skirt extending from said outer periphery and having a plurality of angularly spaced internal lugs, a first annular wall that extends from said base wall within said skirt, a projection having a second annular wall that extends from said inner periphery of said base wall in a direction opposite from said skirt, and a plurality of spring elements that extend from said base wall adjacent to said skirt radially inwardly and axially within said skirt, said spring elements engaging an axially facing surface of said ledge when said skirt is received over said container end, said spring elements are compressed and said first annular wall is in plug-sealing engagement with said container mouth in a child-resistant mode of operation to bias said lugs into said pockets, a radially outwardly facing surface of said container wall adjacent to said axially facing surface functioning as a stop against over-compression of said spring elements and to prevent abutment of said spring elements against said first annular wall, said projection being received in said container mouth in a non-child-resistant mode of operation with said second annular wall in plug sealing engagement within said container mouth. 14. The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said spring elements are arcuate in radial cross section. 15. The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said base wall has an axial thickness that increases from a first thickness adjacent to said second annular wall to a second thickness greater than said first thickness adjacent to said spring elements. 16. The package set forth in claim 15 wherein each said spring element is angularly positioned between adjacent lugs. 17. The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said means include a plurality of radial projections on said ledge, each said radial projection having a said pocket on an underside of said projection and a cam surface on one side of said pocket, and wherein said at least one lug on said skirt includes a plurality of lugs adapted to ride over said cam surfaces and be received in said pockets. 18. The package set forth in claim 17 wherein said cam surfaces are convex. 19. The package set forth in claim 17 wherein said cam surfaces are part-helical. 20. The package set forth in claim 19 wherein said lugs have part-helical upper surface portions for riding over said part-helical cam surfaces of said projections. 21. The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said means include a plurality of external thread segments, each having a said pocket. 22. A method of making a closure and container package that includes the steps of: (a) providing a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a container wall having a central axis, an external ledge extending around said container wall and spaced from said open mouth, said ledge having an axially facing surface that adjoins a radially outwardly facing surface of said container wall, and means on said ledge including at least one pocket for securing a closure to said container, and (b) providing a closure a closure that includes a base wall, a peripheral skirt coupled to said base wall, at least one internal lug on said skirt for receipt in said at least one pocket, an annular wall that extends from said base wall for plug-sealing receipt within said mouth when said skirt is received over said end of said container, and at least one spring element that extends from said base wall adjacent to said skirt radially inwardly and axially within said skirt, said spring element being adapted to engage said axially facing surface of said ledge and to slide radially inwardly along said surface as said at least one lug is moved into said pocket to bias said lug into said pocket, said radially outwardly facing surface of said container wall adjacent to said ledge axially facing surface functioning as a stop to prevent over-compression of said spring element and to prevent engagement of said spring element with said annular wall on said closure.