Convertible child-resistant closure assembly
OwnerArchie G. Drummond, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A convertible child-resistant closure assembly is described herein. It includes a closure and shell. The shell mounts a latching key and the closure provides a complementary latch. An alignment structure provides for aligning the latch and key for movement of the latching key from a mode in which the key is inactive to a mode in which it engages the latch to inactive the child-resistant function of the closure. In that position the shell and closure are corotatable in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Spring fingers may be provided to elevate the shell relative to the closure to provide an additional child-resistant function. The latching key may be hingedly or slideably secured to the shell.
Claims18
A convertible child-resistant closure assembly comprising
- a threaded closure and an overlying outer shell mounting said closure therewithin;
- a latching key mounted on said shell for movement between an inactive child-resistant position and a converted, active non-child-resistant position;
- complementary latching means on said closure for releasably engaging said latching key in said active position in which said shell and closure are corotatable in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and wherein when said latching key is in said inactive position, said shell and said closure are not corotatable in said counterclockwise direction;
- and
- wherein said closure and shell define complementary interengaging aligning means for aligning said latching key and complementary latching means in said active position, said aligning means comprising respective stops on the upper surface of said closure and a confronting surface of said shell, said stops having confronting inclined surfaces to prevent relative vertical movement of said stops when said latching key and latching means are in said active position.
A convertible child-resistant closure assembly comprising
- a threaded closure and an overlying outer shell mounting said closure therewithin;
- a latching key mounted on said shell for movement between an inactive child-resistant position and a converted, active non-child-resistant position;
- complementary latching means on said closure for releasably engaging said latching key in said active position in which said shell and closure are corotatable in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and wherein when said latching key is in said inactive position, said shell and said closure are not corotatable in said counterclockwise direction;
- and
- wherein said closure and shell define complementary interengaging aligning means for aligning said latching key and complementary latching means in said active position, said aligning means comprising respective stops on the upper surface of said closure and a confronting surface of said shell, said stops having confronting interdigitated fingers to prevent movement of said stops when said latching key and latching means are in said active position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.