Safety closure

Claim 2

A closure device for selectively opening and closing a container, said device comprising in combination, a body portion having a circular seal depending therefrom, a skirt flared outwardly and depending downwardly from said body portion, means for supporting a relatively long portion of said skirt relative to said seal, two segments of said skirt being unsupported by said supporting means, a shorter portion of said skirt separating adjacent ends of said segments, and means for supporting said shorter portion of skirt relative to said seal, whereby pressure on said two segments distorts said portion of skirt outward.

Claim 3

A closure device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for supporting said skirt are radial ribs which are spaced apart approximately 20°.

Claim 4

A closure device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said unsupported segment is from 50° to 85° in length.

Claim 5

A closure device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shorter portion of skirt between the unsupported segments is from 10° to 80° in length.

Claim 6

In a closure for a container having a neck and a flange extending radially outward from said neck, said closure having a body portion with a seal depending therefrom, a downwardly depending and flared skirt carried by said body portion and encircling said seal, means for supporting at least half of said skirt relative to said seal, two segments of said skirt being unsupported relative to said seal, a second supported portion of said skirt extending between adjacent ends of said unsupported segments of said skirt whereby said closure seated on said container with said skirt aligned with said flange can be removed by depressing said unsupported segments and strip said closure from said container.

Claim 7

In a closure for a container having a neck and a flange extending radially outward from said neck, said closure having a body portion with a seal depending therefrom, a downwardly depending and flared skirt carried by said body portion and encircling said seal, means for supporting at least half of said skirt relative to said seal, two segments of said skirt being unsupported relative to said seal, a second supported portion of said skirt extending between adjacent ends of said unsupported segments of said skirt whereby said closure seated on said container with said skirt aligned with said flange can be removed by depressing said unsupported segments and strip said closure from said container.

Claim 8

In a closure as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for supporting said skirt comprises a plurality of spaced apart ribs carried by the inner surface of said skirt.

Claim 9

In a closure as claimed in claim 5 wherein feeler means are positioned on said unsupported segments so as to indicate where pressure should be applied for removing the closure from the container.

Claim 10

In a closure as claimed in claim 5 wherein depressing said unsupported segments will distort said second supported portion of the skirt outward beyond the flange whereupon axial pressure on said distorted portion will strip the closure from the container.

Claim 11

In a closure as claimed in claim 5 wherein said unsupported segments of the skirt are radially thinner than the remaining segments of the skirt so as to provide less resistance to being depressed.

Claim 12

A closure device for selectively opening and closing a container having a neck portion and a flange portion, said device comprising, in combination, a body portion having a circular seal depending therefrom, a skirt carried by said body portion and flared downwardly to present a continuous lower edge, said lower edge aligning with and being within the confines of the outer edge of said flange, a plurality of spaced apart radial ribs extending from said skirt toward said seal, a continuous recess formed between part of each rib and said seal to permit the neck on the container to seat therein, two segments of said skirt being unsupported by ribs with adjacent ends of said segments being spaced from each other by a short portion of said skirt, ribs extending from said short portion of skirt toward said seal for providing support for said short portion of skirt, feeler means on each unsupported segment of said flange whereby pressure on said feeler means collapses said unsupported segments and distorts said short portion of skirt outward beyond the outer edge of said flange on said container whereby upward pressure on said short portion will strip the device from said container.

Claim 13

A closure device for selectively opening and closing a container having a neck portion and a flange portion, said device comprising, in combination, a body portion having a circular seal depending therefrom, a skirt carried by said body portion and flared downwardly to present a continuous lower edge, said lower edge aligning with and being within the confines of the outer edge of said flange, a plurality of spaced apart radial ribs extending from said skirt toward said seal, a continuous recess formed between part of each rib and said seal to permit the neck on the container to seat therein, two segments of said skirt being unsupported by ribs with adjacent ends of said segments being spaced from each other by a short portion of said skirt, ribs extending from said short portion of skirt toward said seal for providing support for said short portion of skirt, feeler means on each unsupported segment of said flange whereby pressure on said feeler means collapses said unsupported segments and distorts said short portion of skirt outward beyond the outer edge of said flange on said container whereby upward pressure on said short portion will strip the device from said container.

Claim 14

A closure device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said seal is a ring-shaped member sealingly engaging the inner surface of said container neck to effect a seal therewith.

Claim 15

A closure device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said seal is a cylindrical sleeve having a tapered lower edge for guiding said seal into the neck of the container and reinforcing means on said sleeve for resisting collapsing of said sleeve under pressure.

Claim 16

A closure device for selectively opening and closing a container having a neck and a radial flange, said device comprising a body portion having a seal depending therefrom, a shoulder extending radially outward from an upper edge of said seal, a skirt flared downwardly and outwardly from said shoulder to present a continuous lower edge which is positioned inward from the outer edge of said flange, a plurality of spaced apart ribs extending inwardly from a major portion of said skirt to support said skirt relative to said seal, two segments of said skirt being unsupported by said ribs with adjacent ends of said segments being spaced from each other by a short portion of said skirt, ribs extending from said short portion of skirt toward said seal for providing support for said short portion of skirt, feeler means carried by each unsupported segment, each feeler means being located offcenter toward said short portion of skirt whereby pressure on said feeler means collapses said unsupported segments and distorts said short portion of skirt outward beyond said edge of said flange on said container whereby axial pressure on said distorted short portion of skirt will strip the device from said container.

Claim 17

A closure device for selectively opening and closing a container having a neck and a radial flange, said device comprising a body portion having a seal depending therefrom, a shoulder extending radially outward from an upper edge of said seal, a skirt flared downwardly and outwardly from said shoulder to present a continuous lower edge which is positioned inward from the outer edge of said flange, a plurality of spaced apart ribs extending inwardly from a major portion of said skirt to support said skirt relative to said seal, two segments of said skirt being unsupported by said ribs with adjacent ends of said segments being spaced from each other by a short portion of said skirt, ribs extending from said short portion of skirt toward said seal for providing support for said short portion of skirt, feeler means carried by each unsupported segment, each feeler means being located offcenter toward said short portion of skirt whereby pressure on said feeler means collapses said unsupported segments and distorts said short portion of skirt outward beyond said edge of said flange on said container whereby axial pressure on said distorted short portion of skirt will strip the device from said container.

Claim 18

A closure device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said ribs are spaced apart 20°.

Claim 19

A closure device as claimed in claim 13 wherein each said unsupported segment is 82° in length.

Claim 20

A closure device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said short portion of skirt is 16° in length.

Claim 21

A closure device as claimed in claim 13 wherein a lug is formed on said short portion of skirt which lug projects substantially even with said edge of said flange.

Claim 22

A closure for a container having an outwardly projecting flange spaced from the opening in the container, said closure having a body portion with means for closing the opening in the container, a skirt flared outwardly and depending downwardly from said body portion and terminating within the confines of said flange, means for supporting a portion of said skirt relative to said container, at least one segment of said skirt being unsupported by said supporting means, and means for depressing said unsupported segment of said skirt toward said container, whereby said depressing of said segment distorts a portion of said skirt outward beyond the projecting flange to facilitate stripping the closure from the container.

Claim 23

A closure for a container having an outwardly projecting flange spaced from the opening in the container, said closure having a body portion with means for closing the opening in the container, a skirt flared outwardly and depending downwardly from said body portion and terminating within the confines of said flange, means for supporting a portion of said skirt relative to said container, at least one segment of said skirt being unsupported by said supporting means, and means for depressing said unsupported segment of said skirt toward said container, whereby said depressing of said segment distorts a portion of said skirt outward beyond the projecting flange to facilitate stripping the closure from the container.