Child-resistant/senior-friendly container
OwnerScott L Sullivaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A child-resistant/senior-friendly container includes a cap assembly having a retainer that is adapted to thread onto the container, and an outer skirt loosely fitted around the retainer. The skirt includes at least one grasping member which is pivotal between a disengaged position wherein the skirt may freely rotate with respect to the retainer and an engaged position wherein the skirt engages the retainer. In the engaged position, both the skirt and the retainer may be rotated and removed from the container. The retainer cannot be rotated when the grasping member is located in the disengaged position. A handle may be attached to the skirt, between two opposing and pivotal grasping members so provide leverage in rotating the cap from the container when the grasping members are in the engaged position.
Claims16
A container comprising:
- a body having an opening;
- screw threads located on said body around said opening;
- a cap assembly, said cap assembly comprising:
- a retainer sized and shaped to be selectively secured to said body, said retainer having screw threads that are adapted to be selectively engaged with said screw threads of said body;
- a shell surrounding said retainer, said shell being rotatable with respect to said retainer;
- at least one grasping member located on said shell, said at least one grasping member being pivotal between a disengaged position, wherein said shell freely rotates with respect to said retainer, and an engaged position, wherein said shell engages with said retainer so that both said shell and said retainer rotate together with respect to said body, pivotal movement of said at least one grasping member from said disengaged position to said engaged position automatically forcing said shell into engagement with said retainer;
- and
- a spring bias to encourage said at least one grasping member to said disengaged position.
A closure for a threaded container comprising:
- a retainer sized and shaped to be selectively secured to said container, said retainer having screw threads that are adapted to be selectively engaged with said screw threads of said container;
- a shell surrounding said retainer, said shell being rotatable with respect to said retainer;
- at least one grasping member located on said shell, said at least one grasping member being pivotal between a disengaged position, wherein said shell freely rotates with respect to said retainer, and an engaged position, wherein said shell engages with said retainer so that both said shell and said retainer rotate together with respect to said body, pivotal movement of said at least one grasping member from said disengaged position to said engaged position automatically forcing said shell into engagement with said retainer;
- and
- a spring bias to encourage said at least one grasping member to said disengaged position.
A closure for use with a bottle, comprising:
- a retainer having screw threads for selective securement to said bottle, said screw threads being positioned about a first axis;
- an outer shell positioned around said retainer, said outer shell being sized and shaped to allow free rotational displacement of said shell about said retainer, said shell including an engagement portion which is displaceable with respect to said retainer along said first axis between an engaged position wherein said shell and said retainer are mechanically engaged to each other, and a disengaged position wherein said shell may freely rotate about said retainer;
- and
- means for translating a laterally applied force that is directed along a second axis to linearly displace said engagement portion of said shell along said first axis to said engaged position, said second axis being generally perpendicular to said first axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.