Child-resistant closure and container package
View Patent ↗A child-resistant closure and container package includes a container having a finish with an external thread and pockets in the thread. A closure has a base wall, a peripheral skirt with an internal thread and lugs on the internal thread for receipt in the pockets, and a spring element on the base wall for engagement with the container finish to bias the closure away from the container finish and resiliently urge the lugs into the pockets. A liner is urged by the spring element into engagement with the container finish. The liner may include a base with metal and plastic layers for induction-welded sealing engagement with the finish such that, upon removal of the closure, the metal and plastic layers remain secured to the finish and the liner base is removed with the closure. The metal and plastic layers may be removed by a user for access to the contents of the container, and the liner base continues to serve as a package seal during use of the package.
1. A child-resistant closure and container package that includes:
a container having as finish with at least one external thread and angularly spaced pockets in said at least one external thread, and
a closure having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with at least one internal thread, angularly spaced lugs on said at least one internal thread for receipt in said pockets, a spring element for engagement with said finish to bias said closure away from said finish end urge said lugs into said pockets, and a liner disk separate from said spring element and urged by said spring element into engagement with said finish,
one of said internal thread and said external thread having a circumferentially facing stop extending axially from an end of said one thread, and the other of said internal thread and said external thread having an abutment face at an end of said other thread for abutment with said stop to prevent over-tightening of said closure on said finish and over-compression of said spring element,
said at least one internal thread and said at least one external thread both being continuous threads, and said lugs on said at least one internal thread being equal in number to said pockets in said at least one external thread,
said pockets in said at least one external thread not extending axially through said thread such that an upper surface of said at least one external thread is continuous,
said liner disk being loosely captured by said at least one internal thread within said closure adjacent to said base wall, and including a base with metal and plastic layers adapted for induction sealing securement to said finish such that, upon removal of said closure, said metal and plastic layers remain secured to said finish and said liner base is removed with said closure.
2. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said axially extending stop extends from a lower end of said external thread, and said internal and external threads are single threads that extend for at least 450°.
3. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said axially extending stop extends from an upper end of said internal thread, and said internal and external threads are dual threads, with each thread extending for at least 180°.
4. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said abutment face is flat.
5. The package set forth in claim 4 wherein said flat abutment face is disposed in a plane diametrically of said closure.
6. The package set forth in claim 5 wherein said stop extends from a lower end of said at least one external thread and projects radially outwardly from said finish, and said abutment face is disposed at a lower end of said at least one internal thread.
7. The package set forth in claim 5 wherein said stop extends from an upper end of said at least one internal thread adjacent to said base wall and projects radially inwardly from said skirt, and said abutment face is disposed at an upper end of said at least one external thread.
8. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said pockets and said lugs have opposed angulated surfaces to cam said lugs over said pockets during application of said closure to said finish, and opposed abutment surfaces to resist removal of said closure absent pressure on said spring element.
9. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said closure, including said spring element, is of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction.
10. The package set forth in claim 9 wherein said spring element comprises a circumferentially continuous conical lip that extends radially and axially inwardly from said base wall adjacent to said skirt, said lip tapering in thickness from said base wall to a free end of said lip.
11. The package set forth in claim 10 wherein said lip has a rounded free edge for engagement with said container finish.
12. A child-resistant closure and container package that includes;
a container having a finish with at least one continuous external thread and angularly spaced pockets on an undersurface of said at least one external thread that do not extend axially through said thread such that an upper surface of said external thread is continuous throughout said external thread, and
a closure having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with at least one continuous internal thread and angularly spaced lugs on said at least one internal thread for receipt in said pockets, a spring element for engagement with said finish to bias said closure away from said finish and urge said lugs into said pockets, and a liner disk urged by said spring element into engagement with said finish,
said lugs on said at least one continuous internal thread being equal in number to said pockets in said at least one external thread,
said liner disk including a base with metal and plastic layers adapted for induction sealing securement to said finish such that, upon removal of said closure, said metal and plastic layers remain secured to said finish and said liner base is removed with said closure.
13. The package as set forth in claim 12 wherein said pockets and said lugs have opposed angulated surfaces to cam said lugs over said pockets during application of said closure to said finish, and opposed abutment surfaces to resist removal of said closure absent pressure on said spring element.
14. The package set forth in claim 12 wherein one of said internal thread and said external thread having a circumferentially facing stop extending axially from an end of said one thread, and the other of said internal thread and said external thread having an abutment face at an end of said other thread for abutment with said stop to prevent over-tightening of said closure on said finish and over-compression of said spring element.
15. The package set forth in claim 14 wherein said stop extends from a lower end of said at least one external thread and projects radially outwardly from said finish, and said abutment face is disposed at a lower end of said at least one internal thread.
16. The package set forth in claim 14 wherein said stop extends from an upper end of said at least one internal thread adjacent to said base wall and projects radially inwardly from said skirt, and said abutment face is disposed at an upper end of said at least one external thread.
17. The package set forth in claim 14 wherein internal and external threads are continuous single threads and extend for at least 450°.
18. The package set forth in claim 14 wherein said internal and external threads are dual threads, with each thread extending for at least 180°.
19. The package set forth in claim 12 wherein said closure, including said spring element, is of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction.
20. The package set forth in claim 19 wherein said spring element comprises a circumferentially continuous conical lip that extends radially and axially inwardly from said base wall adjacent to said skirt, said lip tapering in thickness from said base wall to a free end of said lip.
21. The package set forth in claim 20 wherein said lip has a rounded free edge for engagement with said container finish.
22. The package set forth in claim 19 wherein said liner disk is loosely captured by said at least one internal thread within said closure adjacent to said base wall.
23. A closure that includes an integrally molded one-piece plastic body having: (a) a base wall, (b) a peripheral skirt with at least one continuous internal thread and plural lugs on an upper surface of said thread, each said lugs having an angulated surface sloping toward an end of said thread remote from said base wall and a circumferentially facing radially extending abutment surface on an end of said lugs facing an opposing end of said thread, (c) a spring element for engagement with a container finish to bias said lugs into opposing pockets on the container finish, and (d) a liner captured between said thread and said spring element, said liner including sequential layers of cellulose, wax, metal and plastic, with said wax layer evaporating and said plastic layer melting upon application of induction current to said metal layer.
24. The closure set forth in claim 23 wherein said spring element comprises a circumferentially continuous conical lip that extends radially and axially inwardly from said base wall adjacent to said skirt, said lip tapering in thickness from said base wall to a free end of said lip for differential flexing upon engagement with a container finish.
25. The closure set forth in claim 24 wherein said at least one internal thread is a single thread that extends continuously for at least 450°.
26. The closure set forth in claim 24 wherein said at least one internal thread is a double thread, with each thread extending at least 180°.
27. The closure set forth in claim 23 wherein said at least one internal thread has an end remote from said base wall with a flat circumferentially facing radially extending end face.
28. The closure set forth in claim 23 wherein said at least one internal thread has a circumferentially facing axially extending stop projecting radially inwardly from said skirt and extending axially from an end of said thread adjacent to said base wall.
29. A child-resistant closure and container package that includes:
a container having a finish with at least one continuous external thread and pockets on an undersurface of said external thread that do not extend axially through said thread such that an upper surface of said external thread is continuous throughout said external thread,
a closure of one-piece molded plastic construction having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with at least one continuous internal thread and lugs on said internal thread for receipt in said pockets, and a spring element for engagement with said finish to bias said closure away from said finish and urge said lugs into said pockets, and
a liner disk loosely captured by said at least one internal thread within said closure adjacent to said base wall and adapted to be urged by said spring element into engagement with said finish, said liner disk including a base with metal and plastic layers adapted for induction sealing securement to said finish such that, upon removal of said closure, said metal and plastic layers remain secured to said finish and said liner base is removed with said closure.
30. The package set forth in claim 29 wherein said spring element comprises a circumferentially continuous conical lip that extends radially and axially inwardly from said base wall adjacent to said skirt, said lip tapering in thickness from said base wall to a free end of said lip.
31. The package set forth in claim 30 wherein said lip has a rounded free edge for engagement with said liner disk.