Child-resistant closure and container package

Abstract

A child-resistant closure and container package includes a container having a finish with an external thread and pockets in the thread. A closure has a base wall, a peripheral skirt with an internal thread and lugs on the internal thread for receipt in the pockets, and a spring element on the base wall for engagement with the container finish to bias the closure away from the container finish and resiliently urge the lugs into the pockets. A liner is urged by the spring element into engagement with the container finish. The liner may include a base with metal and plastic layers for induction-welded sealing engagement with the finish such that, upon removal of the closure, the metal and plastic layers remain secured to the finish and the liner base is removed with the closure. The metal and plastic layers may be removed by a user for access to the contents of the container, and the liner base continues to serve as a package seal during use of the package.

1 . A method of making a child-resistant closure and container package that includes the steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having a finish with at least one external thread and pockets in an undersurface of said thread,    (b) providing a closure of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with at least one internal thread and lugs on an upper surface of said internal thread, and a spring element extending axially and radially inwardly from said base wall adjacent to said skirt,    (c) positioning within said closure adjacent to said base wall a liner having a base with sequential metal and plastic layers,    (d) securing said closure to said container finish such that said lugs are disposed in said pockets and said spring element urges said liner into sealing engagement with an axial end of said container finish, and then    (e) securing said liner to said axial end of said container finish by inducing a current in said metal layer and melting said plastic layer onto said container finish.    
   
   
       2 . A method of making a child-resistant closure and container package that includes: 
 (a) providing a container having as finish with at least one external thread and angularly spaced pockets in said at least one external thread,    (b) providing a closure having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with at least one internal thread, angularly spaced lugs on said at least one internal thread for receipt in said pockets, and a spring element for engagement with said finish to bias said closure away from said finish and urge said lugs into said pockets,    one of said internal thread and said external thread having a circumferentially facing stop extending axially from an end of said one thread, and the other of said internal thread and said external thread having an abutment face at an end of said other thread for abutment with said stop to prevent over-tightening of said closure on said finish and over-compression of said spring element,    said at least one internal thread and said at least one external thread both being continuous threads, and said lugs on said at least one internal thread being equal in number to said pockets in said at least one external thread,    said pockets in said at least one external thread not extending axially through said thread such that an upper surface of said at least one external thread is continuous, and    (c) providing a liner disk separate from said spring element for being urged by said spring element into engagement with said finish, said liner disk being loosely captured by said at least one internal thread within said closure adjacent to said base wall, and including a base with metal and plastic layers adapted for induction sealing securement to said finish such that, upon removal of said closure, said metal and plastic layers remain secured to said finish and said liner base is removed with said closure.    
   
   
       3 . A method of making a child-resistant closure and container package that includes: 
 (a) providing a container having a finish with at least one continuous external thread and angularly spaced pockets on an undersurface of said at least one external thread that do not extend axially through said thread such that an upper surface of said external thread is continuous throughout said external thread,    (b) providing a closure having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with at least one continuous internal thread and angularly spaced lugs on said at least one internal thread for receipt in said pockets, and a spring element for engagement with said finish to bias said closure away from said finish and urge said lugs into said pockets, said lugs on said at least one continuous internal thread being equal in number to said pockets in said at least one external thread, and    (c) providing a liner disk for being urged by said spring element into engagement with said finish, said liner disk including a base with metal and plastic layers adapted for induction sealing securement to said finish such that, upon removal of said closure, said metal and plastic layers remain secured to said finish and said liner base is removed with said closure.    
   
   
       4 . A method of making a closure that includes: 
 integrally molding a one-piece plastic body having: (a) a base wall, (b) a peripheral skirt with at least one continuous internal thread and plural lugs on an upper surface of said thread, each said lugs having an angulated surface sloping toward an end of said thread remote from said base wall and a circumferentially facing radially extending abutment surface on an end of said lugs facing an opposing end of said thread, and (c) a spring element for engagement with a container finish to bias said lugs into opposing pockets on the container finish, and    capturing a liner between said thread and said spring element, said liner including sequential layers of cellulose, wax, metal and plastic, with said wax layer evaporating and said plastic layer melting upon application of induction current to said metal layer.