Device for packaging and distributing products in a child-safe manner

Abstract

The present invention relates to a product packaging and dispensing device (10). The device (10) comprises: The device comprises a container (12) containing the product to be dispensed; a subassembly attached to the container (12), the subassembly including a grooved neck (14), a pump (16), and a push member (18) for actuating the pump (16) by manual pressure; and a closure cap (20). The closure cap (20) has a first ribbed cylindrical wall (200) that engages with the grooved neck (14), thereby forming a bayonet-type connection system. The subassembly has an annular surface (140) provided with at least one lug (142). The cover (20) has a second wall (300) provided with at least one axial rib (304), which abuts against the at least one lug (142) when the cover (20) is in the closed position. The second wall portion (300) has two diametrically opposed regions (306) that are deformable by manual pressure to release the at least one rib (304) from the at least one lug (142), thereby allowing the cover (20) to rotate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a product packaging and dispensing device that is safe for children.

[0002] The present invention belongs to the field of child-proof metering systems.

Background Art

[0003] Numerous solutions have been presented for attaching closure systems to flasks, bottles, and other containers to limit children's access to the contents of the container and yet ensure that adults can access the contents.

[0004] However, many of the existing solutions are complex and costly to manufacture, lack robustness, or do not comply with currently enforced regulatory standards and regulations.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To that end, the present invention proposes a product packaging and dispensing device, which device - a container for containing the product to be dispensed, having a bottom and an upper edge on the opposite side of the bottom, - a sub-assembly attached to the container, the sub-assembly having a neck, a pump for dispensing the product, and a push button slidable within the neck and operable to actuate the pump by manual pressure, - a closure cap having a first wall portion, and has the following points to be noted. That is, - Two slots are provided in the neck, each slot having a first flare portion starting from the upper edge of the neck and a second narrow portion extending over a finite length of the neck and forming a curved portion together with the first portion, the first wall portion having two first ribs, each of the ribs being inserted into a slot within the neck, such that the cap is rotatable from a closed position where the two first ribs are each locked to the base of the second narrow portion to an open position where the first rib reaches the first flare portion. - The subassembly has an annular surface that is placed on the upper edge of the container, at least one lug being provided on the annular surface, and the cap has a second cylindrical wall portion that has a diameter larger than that of the first wall portion and is concentric with the first wall portion, the second wall portion having an inner surface on which at least one second axial rib is provided, the second axial rib abutting against the at least one lug when the cap is in the closed position, and - The second wall portion has two diametrically opposed regions that are deformable by manual pressure to release the at least one second rib from the at least one lug and thereby rotate the cap.

[0007] In this way, the product packaging and dispensing device comprises a robust child-proof lock system, which has a very limited number of parts and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, because the packaging device combines a safety part (which requires a certain pressure to be applied in order to be able to rotate) by means of the cap, and an opening part (which functions well and is well controlled by the opening system of the cap and includes a bayonet-type system). It should be noted that the safety part with the second rib abutting against the lug is completely separated from the opening part including the bayonet system. In this way, neither of these components affects the other component, guaranteeing the proper operation of the product packaging and dispensing device according to the invention under any circumstances.

[0008] The cap is fixed to the sub-assembly using a bayonet type fixing system. When the cap is in the closed position, the second rib is locked within the base of the second narrow portion of the slot, and thus the narrow portion of the slot prevents any translational movement of the cap along the axis of rotation of the cap. When the cap is rotated from its closed position, the second rib moves towards the first flare portion of the slot. Once the second rib reaches the first portion, the rib no longer functions as a stopper and there is no longer anything to hold the cap on the sub-assembly. And the cap can be easily removed from the sub-assembly. The presence of two second ribs and two slots allows for the proper distribution of the forces that occur between the cap and the sub-assembly when the cap is being rotated around the sub-assembly. It should be noted that in the second narrow portion of the slot, each first rib slides along the longitudinal axis of the first rib, and in the first flare portion, each first rib slides along an axis that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of this first rib. Specifically, each first rib is considered to maintain the same spatial orientation at the second narrow portion of the slot and at the first flare portion of the slot.

[0009] In one particular embodiment, the above-mentioned annular surface is provided with two diametrically opposed lugs, and the above-mentioned inner surface is provided with two second axially ribs that are diametrically opposed, and each of these ribs abuts against the two lugs when the cap is in the closed position. This makes it possible to further enhance the safety of the lock of the device.

[0010] In one particular embodiment, the second wall portion has an outer surface with a predetermined excess thickness in the two deformable regions. This enables the user to easily identify the location where it is necessary to press and rotate the cap in order to unlock and open the cap.

[0011] According to one particular feature, this excess thickness may have a plurality of grooves. This improves the ability to firmly grip the cap while the cap is being pressed and rotated, thereby further improving the identification of the positions to be used for these operations by mere touch.

[0012] According to one particular embodiment, the cap has an indication for opening the device. This facilitates the proper use of the device and thereby avoids the need to provide a separate paper user manual, which is less practical, for the device.

[0013] According to one possible particular feature, these opening indications may be etched onto the cap. This omits the need to print the label with ink and paste this label onto the cap.

[0014] According to one possible particular feature of the present invention, the two slots in the neck are diametrically opposed such that the two first flare portions are aligned along the diameter of the neck.

[0015] According to one possible particular feature of the present invention, the two first ribs are diametrically opposed, and each of the two first ribs has a profile in the shape of an arc extending along a virtual circle that embodies the circumference of the neck. The presence of the two diametrically opposed second ribs and the two slots allows for the proper dispersion of force when an inadvertent opening operation is being performed.

[0016] According to one possible specific feature of the present invention, the width of the second narrow portion of each first rib is greater than the width of the first rib, and the width of the first flare portion of each first rib is greater than the length of the first rib. More specifically, since the width of the second narrow portion is slightly greater than the width of the first rib, the first rib can slide along the second narrow portion without generating any play. Similarly, since the width of the first flare portion of the slot is slightly greater than the length of the first rib, if the entire first rib reaches the first flare portion of the slot, the first rib can immediately slide into the first flare portion.

[0017] The present invention also relates to a method for using a product packaging and dispensing device according to the present invention.

[0018] According to the present invention, assuming that the cap closes the device, - applying manual pressure to the two deformable regions of the second wall portion of the cap to release the second rib from the two lugs; - rotating the cap, thereby sliding each first rib within each slot from the second narrow portion to the first flare portion; - removing the cap from the subassembly when each first rib is completely disposed within the first flare portion of each slot.

[0019] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent by reading the following detailed description of specific embodiments given by way of a completely non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, in one specific embodiment, the product packaging and dispensing device 10 according to the present invention has a preferably cylindrical container 12 that houses the product to be dispensed.

[0022] The product to be dispensed is, for example, a liquid, paste, or gas. By way of completely non-limiting examples, this can be pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, or food products.

[0023] The container 12 has a bottom 120 and an upper edge 122 at the end opposite the bottom 120.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, the device 10 also has a subassembly attached to the container 12. The subassembly has a neck 14, a pump 16 for dispensing the product, and a push button 18. The push button 18 can slide inside the neck 14 and actuates the pump 16 by manual pressure applied to the upper part of the push button 18.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the neck 14 is a hollow cylindrical wall portion having two slots 150, each of the two slots 150 having a first flare portion 151, the first flare portion 151 being continued by a second narrow portion 153. The first flare portion 151 starts from the upper edge 152 of the neck 14 and extends along an axis inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the neck 14 within the width of the neck 14. The first flare portion 151 is continued by a second narrow portion 153 (extending along a virtual circle embodying the circumference of the neck 14) before completely passing through the neck 14. This second narrow portion 153 has a profile in the shape of an arc of a circle defined by the curvature of the neck 14 and has a finite length within the neck 14. It should be specified that each slot 150 having the first flare portion 151 and the second narrow portion 153 is blind (dead end) and the two portions 151, 153 communicate with each other. This is because each slot 150 can be regarded as being like a profile recess (made within the neck 14 and not passing through the neck 14). The two slots 150 are arranged diametrically opposite on the neck 14, that is, the centers of the two first flare portions 151 seen along the upper edge 152 of the neck 14 are aligned along the diameter direction of the neck 14, and the two second narrow portions 153 extend from the same side with respect to the first flare portion 151.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the apparatus 10 further has a closure cap 20, which has a first cylindrical wall portion 200 having two first ribs 154. More specifically, this cylindrical wall portion 200 has an inner surface 201, from which the two first ribs 154 emerge. The two first ribs 154 extend along one and the same virtual circle that embodies the circumference of the first cylindrical wall portion 200 and are arranged diametrically opposite on the first wall portion 200. Accordingly, each first rib 154 has a profile in the shape of an arc of a circle defined by the curvature of the first wall portion 200 of the cap 20 and has a finite length. Accordingly, these first ribs 154 can be regarded as protruding and inwardly curved bayonets. The width of the second narrow portion 153 of the slot 150 is greater than the width of the first rib 154, and the width of the first flare portion 151 of the slot is greater than the length of the first rib 154. The cap 20 is arranged on the sub-assembly such that each first rib 154 is inserted into the slot 150 within the neck 14. This cap 20 is rotatably mounted on the sub-assembly such that the first rib 154 can be shifted from a closed position where the first rib 154 is locked to the base of the second narrow portion 153 of the two slots 150 to an open position where the first rib 154 reaches the first flare portion 151 of the slot 150. The first rib 154 slides within the second narrow portion 153 of the slot 150 without play. If the first rib 154 reaches the first flare portion 151 of the slot 150, the cap 20 can be removed from the sub-assembly along the direction in which each of the first wide portions 151 extends. Specifically, the cap 20 is removed from the sub-assembly while maintaining the spatial orientation of the first rib 154 (the same as the spatial orientation of the first rib 154 in the second narrow portion 153 of the slot 150). In this way, the cap 20 is attached to the sub-assembly using a bayonet-type system.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, the above-described sub-assembly has an annular surface 140 that is placed on the upper edge 122 of the container 12.

[0028] According to the present invention, at least one lug 142 is provided on the annular surface 140 on the surface opposite to the surface located inside the container 12.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the cap 20 also has a second cylindrical wall portion 300. The second cylindrical wall portion 300 has a larger diameter than the first wall portion 200 and is concentric with the first wall portion 200. The second wall portion 300 has an inner surface 302 (seen in FIGS. 1 and 3), and at least one second axial rib 304 (seen in FIGS. 1 and 3) is provided on the inner surface 302. In the closed position of the cap 20, this second rib 304 abuts against the lug 142, thereby rotationally locking the device 10.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, in the embodiment under consideration, two diametrically opposed lugs 142 are provided on the annular surface 140, and two diametrically opposed second axial ribs 304 (each abutting against the two lugs 142 of the cap 20) are provided on the inner surface 302. However, it would also be possible to provide a greater number of pairs of lugs / associated second ribs. In these figures, only one of the two lugs 142 can be seen, and the other lug 142 is hidden by an element of the device 10.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the second wall portion 300 further has two diametrically opposed regions 306, and these regions 306 are deformable by manual pressure. The arrangement of these two regions 306 is as follows. That is, any straight line passing through the axes of the cylinders of the wall portion 200 and the wall portion 300 is perpendicular to this axis, and any straight line passing through the second rib(s) 304 is perpendicular to any straight line passing through the axis of the same cylinder, and the two regions 306 are divided into two sectors having the same surface area. In other words, the two regions 306 are arranged perpendicular to the second rib 304.

[0032] The locking operation of the device 10 consists of applying manual pressure to these two regions 306 while still rotating the cap 20. Then, due to the deformation of the second wall portion 300, the second rib 304 is moved away from the axis of the above-mentioned cylinder, and when the applied pressure becomes sufficient, the second rib 304 moves far enough away to be able to be released from the lug 142.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in one particular embodiment, the second wall portion 300 may have an outer surface with a slight overthickness in the two deformable regions 306. This overthickness may have a plurality of grooves 308 that can be seen in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

[0034] As a variant, the two deformable regions 306 may have specific etching or screen printing or any other features. This enables the user to identify these features to apply pressure at the correct location on the cap 20 to remove the cap 20.

[0035] The second wall portion 300 can be made of any material having mechanical properties that conform to the elastic deformation required for the operation of the device 10.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, in one particular embodiment, the cap 20 may incorporate instructions for opening the device 10. As a completely non-limiting example, these instructions may be etched, printed, or otherwise appended onto the cap 20 (e.g., on top of the upper part of the cap 20) by any other technique, for example, in the following forms. That is, on the one hand, in the form of two arrows facing each other, arranged above the two deformable regions 306, indicating that pressure should be applied to these two regions 306. On the other hand, in the form of a rotation arrow indicating the rotation direction for the opening and unlocking operations.

[0037] In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 4, these figures are supplemented with the number "1" (located between two facing arrows) and the number "2" (located laterally to the rotating arrow). These numbers indicate the order of operations, specifically, pressing the cap 20 and then rotating it.

[0038] A method of using the product packaging and dispensing device 10 according to the present invention includes the following steps, assuming that the cap 20 closes the device 10. That is, - Applying manual pressure to two deformable regions 306 of the second wall portion 300 of the cap 20 to release the second rib 304 from the two lugs 142; - Rotating the cap 20 so that each first rib 154 slides within each slot 150 from the second narrow portion 153 to the first flare portion 151; - Removing the cap 20 from the subassembly when each first rib 154 is fully disposed within the first flare portion 151 of each slot 150.

Description of the Reference Numerals

[0039] 10 Product packaging and dispensing device 12 Container 14 Neck 16 Pump 18 Push button 20 Closure cap 140 Annular surface 142 Lug 151 First flare portion 153 Second narrow portion 154 First rib 304 Second rib 306 Grooved region

Claims

1. A product packaging and dispensing device (10), comprising: - a container (12) for containing the product to be dispensed, having a bottom (120) and an upper edge (122) opposite the bottom (120); - a sub-assembly attached to the container (12), having a neck (14), a pump (16) for dispensing the product, and a push button (18) slidable within the neck (14) and for actuating the pump (16) by manual pressure; - a closure cap (20) having a first cylindrical wall portion (200), in the device (10); - two slots (150) are provided in the neck (14), each slot having a first flare portion (151) starting from the upper edge (152) of the neck (14) and a second narrow portion (153) extending over a finite length of the neck (14) and forming a curved portion together with the first portion (151), the first wall portion (200) having two first ribs (154), each of the ribs being inserted into the slot (150) within the neck (14), such that the cap (20) is rotatable from a closed position where the two first ribs (154) are each locked to the base of the second narrow portion (153) to an open position where the first rib (154) reaches the first flare portion (151); - the sub-assembly has an annular surface (140) placed on the upper edge (122) of the container (12), and at least one lug (142) is provided on the annular surface; - the cap (20) has a second cylindrical wall portion (300), the second cylindrical wall portion (300) having a diameter larger than that of the first wall portion (200) and being concentric with the first wall portion (200), the second wall portion (300) having an inner surface (302), and at least one second axial rib (304) is provided on the inner surface (302), the second axial rib (304) abutting against the at least one lug (142) when the cap (20) is in the closed position, and - The second wall portion (300) has two regions (306) that face each other in the diametrical direction, and the two regions (306) are deformable so as to be able to rotate the cap (20) by manually applying pressure to release the at least one second rib (304) from the at least one lug (142). The device (10) is characterized by this.

2. Two lugs (142) that face each other in the diametrical direction are provided on the annular surface (140), and two second axial ribs (304) that face each other in the diametrical direction are provided on the inner surface (302). The device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the ribs (304) abut against the two lugs (142) when the cap (20) is in the closed position.

3. The device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second wall portion (300) has an outer surface with a predetermined excess thickness in the two deformable regions (306).

4. The device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the excess thickness has a plurality of grooves (308).

5. The device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cap (20) has an indication for opening the device (10).

6. The device (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the opening indication is etched on the cap (20).

7. The device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the two slots (150) in the neck (14) face each other in the diametrical direction so that the two first flare portions (151) are aligned along the diameter of the neck (14).

8. The two first ribs (154) face each other in the diametrical direction, and each of the two first ribs (154) has a profile in the shape of an arc that extends along a virtual circle that embodies the circumference of the neck (14). The device (10) according to claim 7 is characterized by this.

9. The width of the second thin portion (153) of each first rib (150) is greater than the width of the first rib (154), and the width of the first flare portion (151) of each first rib (150) is greater than the length of the first rib (154). The device (10) according to any one of claims 7 and 8 is characterized by this.

10. A method for using the product packaging and dispensing device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, assuming that the cap (20) closes the device (10), - applying manual pressure to the two deformable regions (306) of the second wall portion (300) of the cap (20) to release the second rib (304) from the two lugs (142); - rotating the cap (20), thereby sliding each first rib (154) within each slot (150) from the second narrow portion (153) to the first flare portion (151); - removing the cap (20) from the subassembly when each first rib (154) is fully disposed within the first flare portion (151) of each slot (150). A method characterized by comprising the steps.

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