Improvements in or relating to closures

Abstract

A child-resistant package comprises a segmented bottle finish and a mating feature in a closure thread that locks into the bottle finish. A spring fitment is provided and causes the closure to be lifted into a locked position that must be deliberately reversed to allow unscrewing.

Description

[0001] IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CLOSURES

[0002] The present invention relates generally to closures for containers and particularly, although not exclusively, to child-resistant closures that are intended to be challenging for children to open and help prevent children from accidentally accessing containers with potentially harmful substances.

[0003] Examples of known child-resistant closures are shown by WO 2025 / 062771 Al and US 3,857,505.

[0004] The present invention seeks to provide improvements in or relating to closures.

[0005] An aspect of the present invention provides a child-resistant closure and container finish combination, the closure and finish comprising cooperating screw thread formations, the thread formation on the closure or the finish comprising a gap and the other thread formation comprising a lug, in which when the closure is screwed onto the finish the lug enters the gap and prevents unscrewing of the closure, in which the combination comprises biasing means for biasing the closure axially away from the finish to retain the lug in the gap, and in which the biasing means can be overcome to release the lug from the gap to allow the closure to be unscrewed.

[0006] The closure may, for example comprise a top plate and a sidewall depending from the periphery thereof. The screw thread formation on the closure and / or the finish may be a single or a multi start thread.

[0007] The closure may, for example, be formed from a plastics material such as polypropylene or polyethylene.

[0008] The finish may, for example, be a bottle neck finish.

[0009] The container may, for example be formed from a plastics material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0010] Plastics materials may be comprised at least partly of recycled material.

[0011] A stop may be provided adjacent the gap.

[0012] The lug may be positioned at (or towards) the end of the thread formation.

[0013] In some embodiments the gap is provided in the closure thread formation and the lug is provided on (or by) the finish thread.

[0014] The biasing means may, for example, be a spring.

[0015] The biasing means may be provided on or by the closure and / or on or by the finish. In some embodiments the biasing means is provided by a separate fitment that fits between the closure and the finish.

[0016] The fitment may provide a constant “upward” force against the closure (e.g. pushing / moving the closure away from the finish).

[0017] The fitment may be generally dome-shaped, for example being convex towards the closure.

[0018] In some embodiments, in addition to providing a spring mechanism, the fitment seals against the container finish.

[0019] In some embodiments the fitment is retained by the closure i.e. the fitment is lifted off the finish by the closure.

[0020] At the core of some embodiments is an interrupted thread child-resistant mechanism.

[0021] Some embodiments are based on a segmented bottle finish and a mating feature in a closure thread that locks into the bottle finish. A spring fitment is provided and causes the closure to be lifted into a locked position that must be deliberately reversed to allow unscrewing.

[0022] Some embodiments allow for alignment between a closure and a bottle for non-round applications.

[0023] Embodiments may be configured for a "push and twist" action. The present invention also provides a closure for a combination as described herein.

[0024] The present invention also provides a container having a finish for a combination as described herein.

[0025] The present invention also provides a custom bottle and closure finish providing a push-and- tum bayonet style child-resistant function.

[0026] Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used separately or together.

[0027] Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combination other than those explicitly set out in the claims. Each aspect can be carried out independently of the other aspects or in combination with one or more of the other aspects.

[0028] The present invention is more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternative forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein. Accordingly, while embodiments can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate.

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealised or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0031] Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown a package 1 comprising a closure 10, a bottle 20 and a package fitment 30.

[0032] The package provides a custom bottle and closure finish that creates push-and-tum “bayonet” style child-resistant function with a more robust threaded finish. The threads give a traditional twist-on cap feel.

[0033] The closure 10 comprises a top plate 11 and a depending sidewall 12.

[0034] The interior of the sidewall is provided with a screw thread formation 13.

[0035] The bottle 20 comprises a bottle finish 21 and includes an exterior screw thread formation 22. As described in more detail below, the package comprises a threaded bayonet child-resistant mechanism with a gap in a thread for trapping a child-resistant lug.

[0036] The bottle finish is shown in more detail in Figure 2.

[0037] In this embodiment the thread 22 is a double lead thread, with a first portion 25 and a second portion 26. The closure lug runs across the bottom 25a of the thread portion 25. The top side 26a of the other thread portion 26 is used as downward stop.

[0038] A positive stop 23 (which extends from the end of the thread 22) forces the closure to rest in a desired alignment. In this embodiment the stop extends between the thread portions 25, 26.

[0039] A gap 24 in thread contains the closure lug when assembled.

[0040] The closure finish is shown in more detail in Figure 3.

[0041] The closure thread 13 is a helical finish, with extended leg to increase engagement.

[0042] A child-resistant lug 14 is provided that engages the gap 24 in bottle thread when assembled.

[0043] The fitment 30 is shown in Figure 4.

[0044] In this embodiment the fitment 30 is generally dome-shape part which is convex relative to the bottle finish. The fitment is formed from an elastomeric material, giving it a spring-like quality. The periphery 31 of the dome is dimensioned to seal against the bottle finish when the closure is screwed on in use.

[0045] Figure 5 shows the child-resistant lug action, with the closure “at rest” and the lug engaged in the gap. The closure geometry (red) locks into bottle geometry, preventing removal.

[0046] Figure 6 shows the child-resistant lug action, with the closure pushed down.

[0047] The closure geometry is freed from the bottle geometry when a downward force on the closure overcomes the spring force. The closure can then be removed from bottle.

[0048] This creates a more robust, more user-friendly bayonet style push and turn child-resistant mechanism.

[0049] Figures 7 to 11 illustrate threaded bayonet child-resistant functionality of a package 101 formed according to a further embodiment.

[0050] Figure 7: The closure 110 starts mating process by aligning the child-resistant lug 114 directly above the bottle thread start 127.

[0051] Figure 8: As the closure 110 follows the bottle threads down the helix angle, the closure is actually resting on the bottle thread relief angle. Concurrently, the package fitment 130 is compressing due to the distance between the bottle top land and the closure deck underside becoming smaller. Figure 9: When the child-resistant lug 114 had reached the bottle positive stop 123 it can enter the bottle thread gap 124. Figure 10: Upon entering the bottle thread gap 124 the built-up fitment compression is released, causing the closure 110 to slide up into the bottle thread gap. This enables the package into the child-resistant position.

[0052] Figure 11: The package can be opened via the classic “Push & Turn” action, where the downward force A of the closure overcomes the spring force B of the fitment component, allowing for a typical screw-off removal.

[0053] Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A child-resistant closure and container finish combination, the closure and finish comprising cooperating screw thread formations, the thread formation on the closure or the finish comprising a gap and the other thread formation comprising a lug, in which when the closure is screwed onto the finish the lug enters the gap and prevents unscrewing of the closure, in which the combination comprises biasing means for biasing the closure axially away from the finish to retain the lug in the gap, and in which the biasing means can be overcome to release the lug from the gap to allow the closure to be unscrewed.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, comprising a stop adjacent the gap.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the lug is positioned at the end of the thread formation.

4. A combination as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the gap is provided in the closure thread formation and the lug is provided on the finish thread.

5. A combination as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the biasing means is a spring.

6. A combination as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the biasing means is provided on or by the closure7. A combination as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which the biasing means is provided on or by the finish.

8. A combination as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which the biasing means is provided by a separate fitment that fits between the closure and the finish.

9. A combination as claimed in claim 8, in which the fitment provides a constant upward force against the closure.

10. A combination as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, in which the fitment generally domeshaped, being convex towards the closure.

11. A combination as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10, in which the fitment seals against the container finish.12 A combination as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11, in which the fitment is retained by the closure.

13. A closure for a combination according to any preceding claim.

14. A container having a finish for a combination according to any of claims 1 to 12.

15. A custom bottle and closure finish providing a push-and-tum bayonet style childresistant function.

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