Plastic lid safety closure assembly for containers

A closure assembly for a container, of the type comprising a lid carrier which is receivable on the upper portion of the container to be substantially fixed thereon and wherein there is a hole through which contents of the container can be discharged, and a lid having a hinged connection with the lid carrier to be swingable to and from a closed position substantially overlying said lid carrier and blocking said hole, said closure assembly being characterized by:

• A. said lid having thereon a substantially hook-shaped locking member, said locking member
• (1) projecting downwardly from the lid relative to said closed position thereof,
• (2) being near the periphery of the lid at a location substantially opposite said hinge connection, and
• (3) having thereon a shoulder which projects away from the hinge connection and defines a surface that is spaced below the lid and faces toward the same;
• B. said lid carrier having thereon, at a location which is near its periphery and substantially opposite said hinge connection, a radially inwardly projecting ledge under which said shoulder is releasably engageable to confine the lid in its closed position;
• C. cooperating means on said lid and the lid carrier by which said locking member is normally maintained in a position in which said shoulder is engaged under said ledge but providing for resiliently yielding displacement of at least the lower portion of said locking member in the direction towards the hinge connection to enable disengagement of said shoulder from said ledge for opening of the lid;
• and
• D. said lid having a peripheral portion which
• (1) is opposite said hinge connection and
• (2) overlies the peripheral portion of the lid carrier
• to be engageable by a thumb for swinging the lid away from its closed position at the same time that said thumb is applying force in a direction towards said hinge connection to effect disengagement of said shoulder from said ledge.