The present invention is directed to hinged-lid dispensing closures, packages and

methods of manufacture, and more particularly to provision of a child-resistance feature on such

a closure or package.

Background and Summary of the Invention

Fluid dispensing closures typically have a one-piece integrally molded plastic shell

that includes a base and a lid integrally connected to the base by one or more hinge elements.

The base includes a dispensing opening through which product can be dispensed in the open

position of the lid, and through which dispensing is blocked in the closed position of the lid.

U.S. Patents 4,638,916, 5,489,035 and 5,913,435 illustrate dispensing closures of this general

type. Child-resistance features on dispensing closures of this type tend to be undesirably

complex and/or undesirably costly in terms of the mass of plastic and the consequent cost of manufacture. A general object of the present invention is to provide a hinged-lid-type child-

resistant dispensing closure, package and method of manufacture in which child-resistance

features are simply and economically implemented.

A child-resistant dispensing closure in accordance with one aspect of the present

invention includes a base having a deck, a dispensing opening in the deck and a peripheral skirt

extending from the deck. A lid is integrally hinged to the base for movement between a closed

position overlying the deck and an open position spaced from the deck. The base has an opening

in the deck adjacent to the peripheral skirt and opposite from the hinge, and a tab extends from

the skirt adjacent to the opening. The lid has a lug for snap-coupling over an exterior of the tab

in the closed position of the lid. The peripheral skirt on the base is resiliently flexibly moveable

into the opening to move the tab out of engagement with the lug on the lid skirt and thereby

permit movement of the lid to the open position. In the preferred embodiment, and in accordance

with another aspect of the invention, the lid has a skirt with the lug being interiorly disposed on

the lid skirt. The base has a ledge for engagement by the lid skirt in the closed position of the

lid. The ledge has an outside peripheral dimension that is greater than the corresponding outside

peripheral dimension of the lid skirt so that the lid cannot readily be pushed or urged away from

the base in the absence of resilient flexure of the base skirt to provide an area for engagement

with the lid. A child-resistant dispensing closure in accordance with a further aspect of the

invention includes a base having a deck, a dispensing opening in the deck, a peripheral skirt

extending from the deck, an inner skirt extending from the deck within and spaced from the

peripheral skirt, and a ledge recessed from the deck around the peripheral skirt. A lid is integrally

hinged to the base for movement between a closed position overlying the deck and an open position spaced from the deck. The lid has a skirt for engagement with the ledge around the base

in the closed position of the lid. The lid skirt has a peripheral dimension that is less than the

corresponding peripheral dimension of the ledge, such that the lid skirt is recessed inwardly on

the deck ledge in the closed position of the lid. The base has an arcuate opening in the deck

between the inner skirt and the peripheral skirt, such that the peripheral skirt is resiliently flexibly

moveable into the arcuate opening so that the lid skirt can be engaged to open the lid. The

peripheral skirt has at least one interior channel adjacent to the arcuate opening to localize

flexible movement of the peripheral skirt. In the preferred embodiment in accordance with this

aspect of the invention, the base has a tab extending from the peripheral skirt adjacent to the

arcuate opening, and the lid includes a lug for snap-coupling over the exterior of the tab. The

peripheral skirt preferably has a pair of parallel interior channels positioned on opposite sides of

the tab for localizing flexure of the peripheral skirt to the area of the tab.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects

thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the

accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a package in accordance with one

presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the package in FIG. 1 with the lid of the

dispensing closure in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view that is similar to that of FIG. 2 but shows

the closure lid in the open position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the portion of FIG. 3 within the area 4;

FIG 5 is a perspective view of the dispensing closure in FIGS . 1-4 with the lid in

the open position;

HG. 6 is a top plan view of the dispensing closure in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 in

FIG. 6.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

FIGS . 1 -4 illustrate a child-resistant package 10 in accordance with one presently

preferred embodiment of the invention as including a container 12 having a neck 14 with an

axially extending radially inwardly recessed finish 16. Finish 16 has one or more external

threads or thread segments 18 for securement of a child-resistant dispensing closure 20. As best

seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, dispensing closure 20 includes a shell of one-piece construction,

preferably integrally molded plastic construction. Closure 20 includes a base 22 to which a lid

24 is attached by a pivot hinge 26. Hinge 26 preferably is of the type illustrated in U.S. Patent

6,041,477. Hinge 26 alternatively, but less preferably, may be of the type illustrated in U.S. Patent 4,638,916 or 5,489,035, or any other suitable hinge construction.

Closure base 22 includes a deck 28 having a dispensing opening 30 surrounded

by an outwardly extending wall 32. An outer peripheral skirt 34 extends from the underside of

deck 28, and an inner skirt 36 extends from the underside of deck 28 at a position spaced radially inwardly from peripheral skirt 34. Inner skirt 36 is cylindrical, and has one or more internal

threads or thread segments 38 for engagement with external threads or thread segments 18 on

container neck finish 16. Other closure/container attachment means, such as interlocking beads,

can be employed; however, interlocking threads are currently preferred. A.n annular wall 40

extends from the underside of deck 28 within skirt 36 for plug-sealing engagement within the

open end or mouth of container neck finish 16. Peripheral skirt 34 is illustrated as being

cylindrical in the preferred embodiment of the invention, and deck 28 is illustrated as circular.

However, the periphery of deck 28 and outer peripheral skirt 34 may be of other geometries, such

as oval, to blend with the underlying adjacent contour of container 12.

A shoulder or ledge 42 is axially recessed beneath the level of deck 28 around

peripheral skirt 34, and has an axially upwardly facing surface that preferably lies in a plane

perpendicularto the axis of inner skirt 36. (Directional words such as "upper" and "under" are

employed by way of description and not limitation with respect to the upright orientation of the

closure and container illustrated in FIGS.2 and 3. Directional words such as "radial" and "axial'

are employed by way of description and not limitation with respect to the central axis of

container neck finish 16 or closure inner skirt 36 as appropriate.) Lid 24 includes a base wall 44

and a peripheral skirt 46 having a geometry that matches the peripheral geometry of ^" base 22.

Concentric annular walls 48,50 extend from deck base wall 44 for receipt within and around the

outside of wall 32 on base 22 in the closed position of the lid illustrated in FIG. 2.

An arcuate opening 52 extends through deck 28 at a position diametrically

opposite from hinge 26. Arcuate opening 52 extends radially inwardly from peripheral skirt 34,

preferably but not necessarily to inner skirt 36 between inner skirt 36 and outer skirt 34, as best

seen in FIGS. 2-3 and 5-6. Arcuate opening 52 extends angularly from the centra.1 line of

symmetry of closure 20, over a distance of about 60 ° on each side of the line of symmetry in FIG.

6 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention. Outer peripheral skirt 34 is thickened, at a point

diametrically opposite from hinge 26, to form an external pressure pad 54 to facilitate opening

of the closure lid. A tab 56 extends axially from pad 54 on peripheral skirt 34, and has an

outwardly extending lug or bead 58 at the end of the tab 56. As best seen in FIGS. 5-7, a pair of

parallel axial channels 60,62 extend along the interior surface of peripheral skirt 34 on respective

opposed sides of tab 56. A lug or bead 64 is interiorly positioned on lid skirt 46 at a position

diametrically opposite from hinge 26.

In the closed position of closure lid 24 illustrated in FIG. 2, interior lug 64 on lid skirt 46 is received by snap-fit beneath lug 58 on tab 56. To open lid 24, manual pressure is

applied to pad 54 so as to flex outer peripheral skirt 34 radially inwardly into arcuate opening 52.

Channels 60, 62 on opposed sides of tab 56 act as hinges to help localize this inward flexure to

the area of the tab. Inward flexure of peripheral skirt 34 moves tab 56 radially inwardly so that

lug 58 on tab 56 clears lug 64 on lid skirt 46. The undersurface of lid skirt 46 at lug 64 can then

be engaged by the user's thumb or finger to move lid 24 to the open position. In this connection,

it will be noted in FIGS. 1 and 2 that the outer peripheral dimension of lid skirt 46 - i.e., the

outer diameter of the lid skirt in the case of a circular lid - is less than the outer peripheral

dimension of deck ledge 42. Thus, the user's thumb or other finger cannot readily engage the

underside of the lid skirt until base peripheral skirt 34 is resiliency flexed radially inwardly. It

is envisioned that this lid skirt/ledge geometry, in combination with a snap-hinge arrangement

that resiliently biases the lid against the base ledge, provides a child-resistance feature even

without tab 56 and lid lug 64. However, provision of tab 56 and lug 64 is currently preferred.

Closure 20, including base 22, lid 24 and hinge 26 preferably is of integrally

molded plastic construction such as polypropylene. The illustrated geometries of dispensing

opening 30 and walls 32, 48, 50 are merely exemplary. Likewise, the circular peripheral

geometry of the dispensing closure is exemplary, as noted above. It is also envisioned that a

dispensing valve can be mounted within dispensing opening 30, as illustrated for example inU.S.

Patent 6,672,487 or U.S. application Serial No. (Docket 18258).

There have thus been disclosed a child-resistant dispensing closure, package and

method of manufacture that fully achieve all of the objects and aims set forth above. The

invention has been disclosed in conjunction with one presently preferred embodiment tbiereof,

and a number of modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and

variations will readily suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the

foregoing description. The invention is intended to embrace all such modifications and

variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.