Safety closure cap

Claim 2

A safety closure cap for a container of the type having a neck defining an open mouth, and a peripheral bead projecting outwardly around a portion of the neck below the mouth, said closure cap including: a rigid closure member comprising: a cap section adapted to overlie the mouth of the container; and a rigid skirt section depending from said cap section, said skirt section having an inwardly projecting lip adjacent the lower end adapted to seat under the bead; means for enabling said skirt section to expand radially in the area of said lip whereby said lip can pass over the bead; a locking ring member surrounding a portion of said skirt and movable relative thereto between first and second positions, said ring engaging said skirt in the area of said expansion means to restrict expansion thereof and hold said lip under the bead in said first position; and releasable means for locking said ring in said first position, said releasable means comprising at least one radial projection on one of said members and at least one cooperating groove in the other of said members, said projection and groove being selectively alignable and misalignable upon angular movement of said ring relative to said skirt to lock and unlock said ring in said first position.

Claim 3

A closure cap as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for enabling said skirt to expand comprise a plurality of slits through said skirt, and extending upwardly from the lower end of said skirt to a point above said lip and below said cap section.

Claim 4

A closure cap as defined in claim 2, wherein said skirt has internal threads extending downwardly from said cap section to a point above said lip.

Claim 5

A closure cap as defined in claim 1, wherein: said projection extends outwardly from said skirt opposite said lip; and said groove is in said ring and is adapted to receive said projection when said ring is engaged with said skirt thereby to securely lock said ring in engaGement with said skirt.

Claim 6

A closure cap as defined in claim 4, wherein said groove includes a first portion extending downwardly from the upper end of said ring, and a second portion extending laterally from said first portion and along the inner periphery of said ring whereby said projection enters said first portion when said ring is positioned in engagement around said skirt and said ring can then be rotated to move said projection into said second portion.

Claim 7

A closure cap as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for enabling said skirt to expand comprise a plurality of fingers formed on said skirt and extending upwardly from the lower end of said closure member to a point above said lip and below said cap section.

Claim 8

A safety closure cap as defined in claim 1, wherein: said projection is carried by said skirt and extends radially outwardly opposite said lip; and said groove is in the inner surface of said ring.

Claim 9

A closure cap as defined in claim 7 in which said groove in said ring is adapted to receive said projection when said projection and groove are aligned thereby to unlock said ring and allow expansion of said skirt.

Claim 10

A closure cap as defined in claim 8, wherein: said ring is rotatably mounted on said closure member; and a plurality of projections and grooves are provided, said ring being locked in said first position when at least one of said projections and grooves is misaligned.

Claim 11

A safety closure cap as defined in claim 7, wherein said groove includes an axial portion and a peripheral portion whereby said projection is positioned into said axial portion by aligning said projection with said axial portion and moving said ring into engagement with said skirt, and said ring is then rotated relative to said skirt to move said projection into said peripheral portion thereby locking said ring in engagement with said skirt.

Claim 12

A safety closure cap as defined in claim 10, wherein said ring has a generally flexible inwardly projecting circumferential flange having an internal diameter less than the external diameter of said bead.

Claim 13

A safety closure cap for closing a container of the type having a neck defining an open mouth, and a peripheral bead projecting outwardly around a portion of said neck below said mouth, said closure cap including: a rigid closure member to be positioned on said container, comprising: a cap section adapted to overlie said mouth; a generally cylindrical and rigid skirt section depending from said cap section; an inwardly projecting lip formed adjacent the lower end of said skirt and adapted to seat under said bead; and a plurality of slits extending through said skirt upwardly from the lower end of said closure member to a point above said lip and below said cap section whereby said skirt can expand radially outwardly in the area of said lip as said closure member is positioned on said container and said lip passes over said container bead; a locking ring movable relative to said skirt and dimensioned to surround and engage a portion of said skirt adjacent said lip whereby said ring can be engaged with said skirt to hold said lip in position under said bead when said closure member is in position on said container; and releasable locking means for locking said ring in engagement with said skirt whereby said closure member cannot be removed from said container without releasing said locking means and moving said ring out of engagement with said skirt, said locking means comprising: at least one radial projection carried by said closure member; and at least one cooperating groove carried by said ring, said projection and groove being selectively alignable and misalignable upon angular movement of said ring relative to said skirt to lock and unlock said ring in engagement with said skirt.

Claim 14

A safety closure cap for closing a container of the type having a neck defining an open mouth, and a peripheral bead projecting outwardly around a portion of said neck below said mouth, said closure cap including: a rigid closure member to be positioned on said container, comprising: a cap section adapted to overlie said mouth; a generally cylindrical and rigid skirt section depending from said cap section; an inwardly projecting lip formed adjacent the lower end of said skirt and adapted to seat under said bead; and a plurality of slits extending through said skirt upwardly from the lower end of said closure member to a point above said lip and below said cap section whereby said skirt can expand radially outwardly in the area of said lip as said closure member is positioned on said container and said lip passes over said container bead; a locking ring movable relative to said skirt and dimensioned to surround and engage a portion of said skirt adjacent said lip whereby said ring can be engaged with said skirt to hold said lip in position under said bead when said closure member is in position on said container; and releasable locking means for locking said ring in engagement with said skirt whereby said closure member cannot be removed from said container without releasing said locking means and moving said ring out of engagement with said skirt, said locking means comprising: at least one radial projection carried by said closure member; and at least one cooperating groove carried by said ring, said projection and groove being selectively alignable and misalignable upon angular movement of said ring relative to said skirt to lock and unlock said ring in engagement with said skirt.

Claim 15

A safety closure cap as defined in claim 12, wherein said container has external threads and said closure member has mating internal threads carried by said skirt and extending downwardly from said cap section to a point above said lip.

Claim 16

A safety closure cap as defined in claim 12, wherein said skirt has a circumferential groove above said lip, said circumferential grove being adapted to receive and engage around said bead to seat said lip under said bead.

Claim 17

A safety closure cap for closing a container of the type having a neck defining an open mouth, and a peripheral bead projecting outwardly around a portion of said neck below said mouth, said closure cap including: a rigid closure member to be positioned on said container, comprising: a cap section adapted to overlie said mouth; a generally cylindrical and rigid skirt section depending from said cap section; an inwardly projecting lip formed adjacent the lower end of said skirt and adapted to seat under said bead; and a plurality of slits extending through said skirt upwardly from the lower end of said closure member to a point above said lip and below said cap section whereby said skirt can expand radially outwardly in the area of said lip as said closure member is positioned on said container and said lip passes over said container bead; a locking ring rotatable relative to said skirt and dimensioned to surround and engage a portion of said skirt adjacent said lip whereby said ring can be engaged with said skirt to hold said lip in position under said bead when said closure member is in position on said container; and releasable locking means for locking said ring in engagement with said skirt whereby said closure member cannot be removed from said container without releasing said locking means, said locking means comprising: a plurality of radial projections carried by said closure member; and a plurality of cooperating grooves in said ring, said projections and grooves being selectively alignable and misalignable upon angular rotation of said ring relative to said skirt to lock and unlock said ring in engagement with said skirt.

Claim 18

A safety closure cap for closing a container of the type having a neck defining an open mouth, and a peripheral bead projecting outwardly around a portion of said neck below said mouth, said closure cap including: a rigid closure member to be positioned on said container, comprising: a cap section adapted to overlie said mouth; a generally cylindrical and rigid skirt section depending from said cap section; an inwardly projecting lip formed adjacent the lower end of said skirt and adapted to seat under said bead; and a plurality of slits extending through said skirt upwardly from the lower end of said closure member to a point above said lip and below said cap section whereby said skirt can expand radially outwardly in the area of said lip as said closure member is positioned on said container and said lip passes over said container bead; a locking ring rotatable relative to said skirt and dimensioned to surround and engage a portion of said skirt adjacent said lip whereby said ring can be engaged with said skirt to hold said lip in position under said bead when said closure member is in position on said container; and releasable locking means for locking said ring in engagement with said skirt whereby said closure member cannot be removed from said container without releasing said locking means, said locking means comprising: a plurality of radial projections carried by said closure member; and a plurality of cooperating grooves in said ring, said projections and grooves being selectively alignable and misalignable upon angular rotation of said ring relative to said skirt to lock and unlock said ring in engagement with said skirt.

Claim 19

A closure cap as defined in claim 15 in which said ring is locked in engagement with said skirt when at least one of said projections is misaligned with its cooperating groove.

Claim 20

A closure cap as defined in claim 16 in which said projections comprise lugs spaced around said skirt opposite said lip and said grooves comprise cut-out portions formed in the inner periphery of said ring.