A CHILDPROOF CLOSURE CAPSULE FOR A CONTAINER

Technical field

The present invention relates to a child proof closure capsule for closing a container.

State of the art

Child proof safety capsules are known comprising a closure cap for closing a container and a lid that surmounts said cap.

In order to allow the opening of the capsule a thrust must be exerted on the lid along an axial direction (so as to make said lid and said cap engage through suitable teeth) at the same time as a rotation of the lid in a first direction (in fact, it has been proven that the coordinated combination of these two movements is particularly difficult under the age of 6). This prevents a child being able to accidentally access the contents of the container. Similar applications are typically used in containers designed to contain pharmaceutical products. In safety capsules, the lid performs the function of preventing an external user being able to directly access the cap.

However, in this context it is important for the capsule to be correctly closed again after use. In fact, if the capsule is not closed again with sufficient locking force the safety system against accidental opening by a child could be ineffective.

To allow the capsule to be screwed back onto the container the lid comprises a protrusion which projects inwards and which can interact with a protuberance which from the cap projects outwards. The protrusion is shaped like a tab whereas a section of such protuberance, in an orthogonal plane to a cylindrical axis of symmetry of the container, is shaped like a right triangle.

When the lid turns in a closing direction of the cap, the tab intercepts a cathetus of the triangle of the protuberance allowing the transmission of the movement from the lid to the cap and therefore the closing onto the container. When the lid turns in an opposite direction (corresponding to the opening direction of the container) the tab intercepts the hypotenuse of the triangle of the protuberance which therefore, thanks to its own inclination, constitutes a ramp for the empty sliding of the lid with respect to the cap (as previously described, to allow the opening, as well as the rotation of the lid, an axial thrust of the lid towards the cap is also necessary in order to allow the cap-lid engagement).

In this context, the technical task underlying the present invention is to propose a safety capsule which obviates the drawbacks in the known art as described above.

Object of the invention

In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a capsule that allows the safety to be improved with respect to undesired openings.

The stated technical task and specified objects are substantially achieved by a child proof capsule comprising the technical features disclosed in one or more of the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following indicative, and hence non- limiting, description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a capsule as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

- figure 1 is a front view of a child proof capsule according to the present invention;

- figure 2 is a sectional view taken along plane A-A of the capsule of figure 1 ;

- figure 2a and 2b show a detail of figure 2;

- figure 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the capsule of figure 1 .

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In the appended figures reference number 1 indicates a child proof closure capsule for closing a container (also known in the technical sector as a safety capsule). It is mainly used, but not necessarily, to allow the opening and closing of containers of pharmaceutical products.

Such capsule 1 comprises a cap 2 that can be associated with a container. The cap 2 is applicable to a mouth of the container.

The capsule 1 further comprises a cover 3 of the cap 2 designed to be turned by a user for closure of the cap 2. The cover 3 protects the cap 2 preventing a user being able to open it by-passing the cover 3.

Appropriately the cover 3 comprises a base 30 and a lateral wall 32 which extends from said base 30. Appropriately the cover 3 is a single body. The base 30 and the lateral wall 32 are superimposed on the cap 2. The base 30 is at the opposite end with respect to a zone 80 of the cap designed to be coupled to the container. Appropriately the capsule 1 comprises an intactness band 8 (such intactness band 8 makes the capsule 1 tamper evident).

The intactness band 8 is connected to the remaining parts of the cap 2 by means of flexible bridges. Before breaking, the flexible bridges connect the band 8 to remaining parts of the cap 2.

Preferably the cap 2 is made of plastic, e.g. polypropylene or HDPE. Preferably the cover 3 is made of plastic, e.g. polypropylene or HDPE. In order to allow the closure of the cap 2, the cover 3 must be turned in a first direction of rotation. When the capsule 1 is connected to the container, should the cover 3 be turned according to a first direction of rotation there is further tightening. Alternatively, should the cover 3 be simply turned with a second direction of rotation it would turn idly with respect to the cap 2. In order to allow the opening of the cap 2 as well as performing a rotation along the second direction of rotation, it is, in fact, necessary also to apply pressure on the lid to push it towards the container.

The capsule 1 comprises a press-fit engagement means 5 that sets said cap 2 and said cover 3 into operative communication, enabling the transmission of movement from the cover 3 to the cap 2 for the purpose of making it possible to unscrew said cap 2. If the press-fit engagement means 5 is not activated and a user attempts to unscrew the capsule 1 from the container the cover 3 turns empty and without engaging with the cap 2. The press-fit engagement means 5 is at least partly integrated in said cap 2 and in said cover 3. In particular, the press-fit engagement means 5 may comprise teeth afforded in a single piece with the remaining parts of the cover 3 which are engaged in relevant seats afforded in the cap 2. In particular the teeth are afforded in the base 30 of the lid and advantageously they are arranged radially.

The capsule 1 comprises transmission means 4 for transmitting a closure torque from the cover 3 to the cap 2 for closing the cap 2. The transmission means 4 is preferably partly integrated in the cover 3 and partly in the cap 2.

The transmission means 4 is disengaged when the closure torque transmitted is greater than a pre-established threshold.

Such pre-established threshold is calibrated to a value sufficient to ensure the correct tightening of the cap 2. Consequently, when the user perceives that the transmission means 4 is disengaged, he/she understands that the cap 2 has been sufficiently tightened (and therefore the capsule will be able to fully exercise its safety function aimed at preventing opening by children). Normally the user perceives the disengagement of the transmission means 4 either due to a characteristic noise or because he/she notices the lack of resistance offered by the capsule 1 during tightening.

The transmission means 4 comprises:

- at least one flexible tab 41 ;

- at least one abutment 42 designed to interact with the tab 41 for transmission of the closure torque. The tab 41 and abutment 42 interact during the closure of the cap. During the opening of the cap they slide on one another according to the specific geometry.

The tab 41 and the abutment 42 are afforded one on the cover 3 and one on the cap 2. The abutment 42 comprises a first surface 421 inclined with respect to a radial direction and designed to interact with a projecting tip of the flexible tab 41 ; the projecting tip defines a tip of the tab 41 .

When the pre-established threshold (of the tightening torque) is exceeded the tab 41 bends, enabling the tip 410 to slide along the first inclined surface 421 . Appropriately the first inclined surface 421 forms, with the surface of the cover 3 or of the cap 2 from which it extends, an angle 6 comprised between 100 ° and 150 °.

The tab 41 surmounts a first part 310 of a lateral surface 31 of the cap 2 or of the cover 3 from which it projects. When the transmission means 4 is disengaged, the tab 41 closes towards such first part 310 of the lateral surface 31 .

A concavity 41 1 is wedged between the tab 41 and said first part 310. The concavity 41 1 is a recess that, thanks to the empty space created, gives flexibility to the tab 41 .

The tab 41 forms, with the surface of the cover 3 or of the cap 2 from which it extends, an angle 60 less than 30 °. Appropriately the thickness of the tab 41 is less than 1 .5 millimetres. Preferably, the tab 41 is tapered and its thickness reduces as it approaches the projecting tip.

The pre-established threshold of the tightening torque beyond which the transmission means 4 are disengaged may be a function of the inclination of the tab 41 and of the first abutment surface 421 . Beyond such pre- established threshold, the tab 41 bends generating a relative rotation between the cap 2 and cover 3.

The abutment 42 comprises a second inclined surface 422 which, in combination at least with the first inclined surface 421 , shapes said abutment 42 like a convex relief.

The first and the second surface 421 , 422 or their extensions converge. The first surface 421 is steeper than the second surface 422.

A closure and an opening of the cap 2 are associated with a first and a second direction of rotation of the cover 3, respectively. The first and the second direction of rotation are opposite. The second direction of rotation of the cover 3 brings about the sliding of an upper part 412 of the tab along a second surface 422 of the abutment 42. The second direction of rotation then brings about the sliding of the tab 41 along a second surface 422 of the abutment 42. The upper part of the tab 41 is the side of the tab opposite the one that delimits the concavity 41 1 . In the solution exemplified in the appended figures, the tab 41 is integrated in the cover 3 and the abutment 42 is integrated in the cap 2.

The tab 41 projects towards a lateral surface of a cap 2 starting from a lateral surface of the cover 3 (the lateral surface of the cap 2 and the lateral surface of the cover 3 to which reference was previously made are mutually opposite each other).

Appropriately a plurality of tabs 41 are associated with the cover 3, which project towards the cap 2.

Such tabs 41 are advantageously all the same. One or more characteristics described with reference to a tab 34 may be repeated for a plurality of tabs. The tabs 41 extend perimetrally along the lateral surface of the cover 3. Advantageously the tabs 41 are equidistant. Appropriately there is a number of them comprised between 6 and 18, preferably 12. The tabs 41 extend for over half the height of the cap 2.

Likewise a plurality of abutments 42 are associated with the cap 2 which project towards the cover 3.

The abutments 42 extend perimetrally along the lateral surface of the cover 3. Advantageously the abutments 42 are equidistant. Appropriately there are at least 2, preferably 3, of them. The abutments 42 extend for over half the height of the cover 3. One or more characteristics described with reference to an abutment 42 may be repeated for a plurality of abutments 42.

Advantageously a plurality of abutments 42 interacts with corresponding tabs 41 . Advantageously the disengagement of the abutments 42 from the corresponding tabs 34 is substantially simultaneous. Subject matter of the present invention is also a method for closing a child proof capsule for a container. The capsule 1 appropriately comprises one or more of the characteristics described above.

The capsule 1 comprises a cap 2 which can be associated with the container and a cover 3 of the cap 2.

The method comprises the step of turning the cover 3 of the closure cap 2 in a first direction of rotation, which brings about the tightening of the cap 2; the step of turning the cover 3 of the cap 2 in said first direction of rotation brings about interaction of a tab 41 and an abutment 42, which transmit the rotation movement of the cover 3 to the cap 2. The interaction of the tab 41 and of the abutment 42 causes contact between a projecting tip 410 of the tab 41 and a first inclined surface 421 of the abutment 42.

The tab 41 and the abutment 42 are associated one with the cap 2 and one with the abutment 42. When a pre-established threshold is exceeded, said tab 41 bends such as to bring about the disengagement of the abutment 42.

The disengagement of the abutment is perceived by a user due to the reduction in resistance torque as the retaining action exerted by the tab 41 is absent.

In addition or alternatively, the disengagement of the abutment 42 brings about a predefined noise which lets the user know that he/she has tightened the capsule 1 sufficiently.

The present invention provides important advantages.

Above all, it allows the safety of a capsule designed to prevent children from accessing the contents of a container to be improved (a typical case is bottles containing pharmaceutical products).

In fact, the user will perceive having reached a sufficient tightening torque (in the absence of a similar tightening torque it has been verified that the child proof system may not offer the required guarantees).

The invention as it is conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept characterising it. Further, all the details can be replaced with other technically-equivalent elements. In practice, all the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to requirements.