Locking arrangement for a container with a cap

Abstract

The present invention relates to a locking arrangement for detachably locking a cap having a skirt on a container having an enclosure opening into an opening. The cap includes a number of keys spaced along the inside of the skirt of the cap and a number of projections spaced along the outside of the enclosure of the container in an area having a mainly circular cross section and defining an axis. The locking arrangement also includes a slot made in each projection and having a base at the opening of the container and the opposite inlet for insertion of a key. Cooperative contact faces are made on the skirt and enclosure respectively and seen in cross section, they form an angle with each other. The contact faces of the cap are made on the inside of the skirt and/or the free ends of the keys and the contact faces of the container are made on the projections and/or the enclosure at a greater distance from the axis than the contact faces of the cap. Thereby a locking arrangement is obtained that is easy to operate and continuously maintains the required child proofing and tightness.

1 . A locking arrangement for detachably locking a cap onto a container opening, which comprises: 
 a container that includes an enclosure associated with an opening and a number of projections spaced along the enclosure exterior in an area having a substantially circular cross section, with each projection having a slot and base, defining an axis, and having an opposite inlet for insertion of a key; and    a cap for closing the enclosure and container opening and having a skirt that includes a number of keys spaced along its interior for engaging the enclosure projections;    wherein the cap and enclosure projections have cooperative contact faces that form an angle with each other when viewed in axial cross section, and the contact faces of the container are spaced at a greater distance from the axis than the contact faces of the cap.    
   
   
       2 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the contact faces of the cap are located on the inside of the skirt.  
   
   
       3 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the keys have free ends and the contact faces of the cap are located on the free ends of the keys.  
   
   
       4 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the contact faces of the container are located on the projections.  
   
   
       5 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the contact faces of the container are located on the enclosure.  
   
   
       6 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the distance from the axis to the contact faces of the container decreases in a direction towards the base of the slot to a distance that corresponds to or is shorter than the distance from the axis to the contact faces of the cap in the demounted state of the cap.  
   
   
       7 . The locking arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the skirt of the cap is defined by an edge extending past the areas on the projections where the distance between the contact faces of the container and the axis is the shortest in the locked state of the locking arrangement.  
   
   
       8 . The locking arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the skirt of the cap is defined by an edge extending to or near the areas of the projections where the distance between the contact faces of the container and the axis is the shortest in the locked state of the locking arrangement.  
   
   
       9 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the contact faces on the cap and enclosure respectively do not form a self-locking angle with each other.  
   
   
       10 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the contact faces of the cap have mainly the same configuration as the opposite contact faces of the container in the locked state of the locking arrangement.  
   
   
       11 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the contact faces of the container are made on the projections, and have a radius of curvature in cross section that corresponds to or is smaller than that of the opposite contact faces of the cap in the locked state of the locking arrangement.  
   
   
       12 . The locking arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the slot in each projection is defined by a first rib extending along the base of the slot, and second and third ribs extending along the sides of the slot, with the second rib extending a distance past the inlet of the slot, and the third rib having a lateral edge extending obliquely outwards from the opening of the slot in direction towards the opening of the container.  
   
   
       13 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a sealing ring is fitted on a base of the cap, with the ring abutting closely on the inside of the enclosure of the container in the locked state of the locking arrangement.  
   
   
       14 . The locking arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the skirt of the cap is wave-shaped with a wave crest at each key and a wave hollow in the gap between each of two adjacent keys.