Closure and container package with child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation

Abstract

A closure and container package includes a container having an open end surrounded by a cylindrical wall with an inside surface, at least one first lock element extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the wall adjacent to the open end, and a circumferential bead extending radially inwardly from the inner surface around the mouth. The closure includes a base wall, a cylindrical skirt extending from a peripheral edge of the base wall, and at least one second lock element on the skirt. An annular wall extends axially from the base wall in a direction opposite from the skirt. The annular wall is spaced radially inwardly from the peripheral edge of the base wall, and a circumferential bead extends radially outwardly from the annular wall at a position spaced from the base wall. The closure is secured to the container in a child-resistant mode of operation with the lock element on the container releasably engaged with the lock element on the closure skirt. The closure is secured to the container in a non-child-resistant mode of operation with the annular wall received within the container mouth and the external bead on the annular wall received by snap fit over the internal bead on the cylindrical wall.

1 . A closure and container package having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation, which includes: 
 a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a wall with a central axis, at least one lock element extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of said wall adjacent to said end, and a circumferential bead extending radially inwardly from an inside surface of said wall, and    a closure that includes an annular base wall having concentric inner and outer peripheral edges, a cylindrical skirt extending from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, at least one second lock element on said skirt, a projection extending axially from said inner peripheral edge of said base wall in a direction opposite from said skirt, said projection having a cylindrical sidewall spaced radially inwardly from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, and a circumferential bead extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical sidewall at a position spaced from said base wall,    said closure being secured to said container in a child-resistant mode of operation with said second lock element on said skirt releasably engaged with said first lock element on said container,    said closure being secured to said container in a non-child-resistant mode of operation with said cylindrical sidewall received within said mouth and said bead on said cylindrical sidewall received by snap fit over said bead on said cylindrical wall.    
     
     
         2 . The package set forth in  claim 1  wherein said beads on said container and closure are circumferentially continuous.  
     
     
         3 . The package set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bead on at least one of said closure and said container is circumferentially segmented.  
     
     
         4 . The package set forth in  claim 1  wherein said inside surface of said cylindrical wall lies on a cylinder of revolution, and said bead on said container projects radially inwardly from said cylinder of revolution.  
     
     
         5 . The package set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a second circumferential bead on said inside surface of said container, said second bead being circumferentially continuous and making radial sealing engagement with a radially outer surface of said cylindrical sidewall in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         6 . The package set forth in  claim 5  further comprising a second circumferential bead on said outer surface of said cylindrical sidewall for sealing engagement with said second bead on said container in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         7 . The package set forth in  claim 1  wherein said at least one first lock element comprises a plurality of projections and notches on undersides of said projections, and wherein said at least one second lock element comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs extending radially inwardly from said skirt for receipt in said notches on said child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         8 . The package set forth in  claim 1  wherein said at least one first lock element comprises a deflectable release element on said outer surface of said container, and wherein said at least one second lock element comprises at least one axial locking lug on said skirt for releasable engagement with said deflectable release element in said child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         9 . A closure and container package having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation, which includes: 
 a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a cylindrical wall having an inside surface of revolution, a plurality of projections extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of said wall adjacent to said end, notches on undersides of said projections, and at least one internal circumferential bead extending radially inwardly from said surface of revolution around said mouth, and    a closure that includes an annular base wall with inner and outer peripheral edges, a cylindrical skirt extending from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs extending radially inwardly from said skirt, a projection extending axially from said inner peripheral edge of said base wall in a direction opposite from said skirt, said projection having an exterior cylindrical sidewall spaced radially inwardly from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, an external circumferential bead extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical sidewall at a position spaced from said base wall, and a spring element carried by said closure within said skirt for engaging an edge of said container surrounding said mouth,    said closure being adapted to be secured to said container in a child-resistant mode of operation with said spring element engaging said edge of said container and said lugs captured in said notches,    said closure being adapted to be secured to said container in a non-child-resistant mode of operation with said cylindrical sidewall of said projection being received within said mouth and said external bead on said cylindrical sidewall being received by snap fit over said internal bead on said cylindrical wall.    
     
     
         10 . The package set forth in  claim 9  wherein said external bead on said closure lies in a plane parallel to said base wall.  
     
     
         11 . The package set forth in  claim 9  wherein said beads are round in profile.  
     
     
         12 . The package set forth in  claim 9  wherein spacing between said external bead and said base wall of said closure, and between said internal bead and said end of said container, are such that snap-fit of said external bead on said closure over said internal bead on said container brings said base wall into abutting engagement with said end of said container.  
     
     
         13 . The package set forth in  claim 9  wherein said container has first and second radially inwardly extending internal circumferential beads adjacent to said mouth, with a first of said beads being spaced from said end and engaging said external bead on said closure in said non-child-resistant mode of operation, and a second of said beads being adjacent to said end and engaging said cylindrical sidewall to seal said package in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         14 . A closure and container package having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation, which includes: 
 a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a cylindrical wall having an inside surface of revolution, a deflectable release element extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of said wall adjacent to said end, and at least one internal circumferential bead extending radially inwardly from said surface of revolution around said mouth, and    a closure that includes an annular base wall with inner and outer peripheral edges, a cylindrical skirt extending from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, at least one axial locking lug on said skirt, a projection extending axially from said inner peripheral edge of said base wall in a direction opposite from said skirt, said projection having a cylindrical sidewall spaced radially inwardly from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, and a circumferential bead extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical sidewall at a position spaced from said base wall,    said closure being adapted to be secured to said container in a child-resistant mode of operation with said lug on said skirt releasably engaged by said deflectable locking element on said container,    said closure being adapted to be secured to said container in a non-child-resistant mode of operation with said cylindrical sidewall of said projection received within said mouth and said bead on said cylindrical sidewall received by snap fit over said bead on said cylindrical wall.    
     
     
         15 . The package set forth in  claim 14  wherein said external bead on said closure lies in a plane parallel to said base wall.  
     
     
         16 . The package set forth in  claim 14  wherein said beads are round in profile.  
     
     
         17 . The package set forth in  claim 14  wherein spacing between said external bead and said base wall of said closure, and between said internal bead and said end of said container, are such that snap-fit of said external bead on said closure over said internal bead on said container brings said base wall into abutting engagement with said end of said container.  
     
     
         18 . The package set forth in  claim 14  wherein, said container has first and second radially inwardly extending internal circumferential beads around said mouth, with a first of said beads being spaced from said end and engaging said external bead on said closure in said non-child-resistant mode of operation, and a second of said beads being adjacent to said end and engaging said cylindrical sidewall to seal said package in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         19 . A closure for receipt on a container in child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation, said closure including: 
 an annular base wall having concentric inner and outer peripheral edges, a cylindrical skirt extending from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, at least one lock element on said skirt, a projection extending axially from said inner peripheral edge of said base wall coaxially with said skirt in a direction opposite from said skirt, said projection having a cylindrical sidewall spaced radially inwardly from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, and a circumferential bead extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical sidewall in a plane parallel to and spaced from said base wall.    
     
     
         20 . The closure set forth in  claim 19  wherein said at least one locking lug comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced locking lugs extending radially inwardly from said skirt.  
     
     
         21 . The closure set forth in  claim 19  wherein said at least locking lug comprises at least one axial locking lug on an axial edge of said skirt.  
     
     
         22 . The closure set forth in  claim 21  further comprising an internal thread on said skirt.  
     
     
         23 . A container for receiving a closure in child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation, said container including: 
 an end with an open mouth surrounded by a cylindrical wall, at least one lock element extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of said cylindrical wall, and at least one internal circumferential bead extending radially inwardly from an inside surface of said wall adjacent to said mouth.    
     
     
         24 . The container set forth in  claim 23  wherein said inside surface of said cylindrical wall lies on a cylinder of revolution, and said bead on said container projects radially inwardly from said cylinder of revolution.  
     
     
         25 . The container set forth in  claim 24  further comprising a circumferentially continuous second bead extending radially inwardly from said inside surface of said second end.  
     
     
         26 . The container set forth in  claim 25  wherein said at least one lock element comprises a plurality of projections on said outer surface of said container and notches on undersides of said projections.  
     
     
         27 . The container set forth in  claim 25  wherein said at least one lock element comprises a deflectable release element on said outer surface of said container.  
     
     
         28 . A method of making a closure and container package having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation, including the steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having an end with an open mouth surrounded by a cylindrical wall having an inside surface, at least one lock element extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of said wall, and at least one circumferential bead extending radially inwardly from said cylinder of revolution adjacent to said mouth, and    (b) providing a closure that includes an annular base wall with inner and outer concentric peripheral edges, a cylindrical skirt extending from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, at least one second lock element on said skirt, a projection extending axially from said inner peripheral edge of said base wall in a direction opposite from said skirt, said projection having a cylindrical sidewall spaced radially inwardly from said outer peripheral edge of said base wall, and a circumferential bead extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical sidewall at a position spaced from said base wall,    said closure being adapted to be secured to said container in a child-resistant mode of operation with said at least one lock element on said container engaged with said at least one lock element on said skirt,    said closure being adapted to be secured to said container in a non-child-resistant mode of operation with said cylindrical sidewall being received within said mouth and said bead on said cylindrical sidewall being received by snap fit over said bead on said cylindrical wall.    
     
     
         29 . The method set forth in  claim 28  further comprising a second circumferential bead on said inside surface of said end, said second bead being circumferentially continuous and making radial sealing engagement with a radially outer surface of said cylindrical sidewall in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         30 . The method set forth in  claim 29  further comprising a sealing surface of revolution on said outer surface of said annular sidewall for sealing engagement with said second bead on said container in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         31 . The method set forth in  claim 28  wherein said at least one first lock element comprises a plurality of projections and notches on undersides of said projections, and wherein said at least one second lock element comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs extending radially inwardly from said skirt for receipt in said notches on said child-resistant mode of operation.  
     
     
         32 . The method set forth in  claim 28  wherein said at least one first lock element comprises a deflectable release element on said outer surface of said container, and wherein said at least one second lock element comprises at least one axial locking lug on said skirt for releasable engagement with said deflectable release element in said child-resistant mode of operation.