Reversible vial closure

Abstract

A cap is for a container having both a child-resistant and a non-child-resistant closing position. In the child-resistant position, tabs or latches projecting from the container are wedged between a resilient lip and tabs or latches projecting from an inner surface of the cap. In the non-child-resistant position, the tabs or latches projecting from the inner surface of the cap are wedged between a holding unit, such as a bowl-shaped cap cover, and tabs or latches projecting from the inner surface of the cap.

1 . A container system, comprising: 
 a container having a top end and a plurality of container projections;    a cap configured to mate with the container in a child-resistant position and a non-child-resistant position, the cap including a circumferential skirt and a resilient lip disposed within the cap and at least partially spaced apart from the circumferential skirt;    a plurality of first cap projections spaced along a first plane and projecting radially inwardly from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt; and    a plurality of second cap projections spaced along a second plane and projecting radially inwardly from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt, the second plane spaced from the first plane, the resilient lip between the first and second cap projections;    wherein in the child-resistant position, each of the container projections are wedged between the resilient lip and one of the first cap projections, said container projections, resilient lip, and first cap projections configured such that removal of the cap from the container requires that the cap and container be forced towards each other during rotation of the cap and container relative to each other;    wherein in the non-child-resistant position, each of the container projections are wedged between one of the second cap projections and a holding unit connected to the circumferential skirt, said second cap projections, container projections and holding unit configured such that a predetermined threshold rotation force is necessary to remove the cap from the container, said holding unit lying between the second cap projections and the resilient lip.    
     
     
         2 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient lip is configured to engage one of an outer surface, an inner surface and a top of the container in the child-resistant position.  
     
     
         3 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the holding unit includes a cover disposed within the circumferential skirt and arranged to cover an opening of the container in both the child-resistant and non-child-resistant positions.  
     
     
         4 . The container system of  claim 3 , wherein the cover is bowl-shaped, the resilient lip forming a lip of the bowl-shaped cover, the cover connected to the circumferential skirt adjacent the resilient lip.  
     
     
         5 . The container system of  claim 3 , wherein the resilient lip projects from the cover.  
     
     
         6 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first cap projections includes a first cap projection tab, each of the second cap projections includes a second cap projection tab, and each of the container projections includes a latch.  
     
     
         7 . The container system of  claim 6 , wherein the first cap projection tabs and the second cap projection tabs have different widths.  
     
     
         8 . The container system of  claim 6 , wherein the latch includes a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, in the child-resistant position, each first cap projection tab arranged between the stop portion and sloped catch portion of one of the latches.  
     
     
         9 . The container system of  claim 7 , wherein the latch includes a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, in the non-child-resistant position, a longer one of the first cap projection tabs and the second cap projection tabs each contacting the sloped catch portion of one latch and being too long to fit between the stop portion and the sloped catch portion of said latch.  
     
     
         10 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second projections includes a latch and each of the container projections includes a tab.  
     
     
         11 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first projections includes a latch, each of the second projections includes a modified latch, and each of the container projections includes a tab, each latch including a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, in the child-resistant position, each tab located between the stop portion and sloped catch portion of one of the latches, each modified latch including a stop portion, a ramp portion, and a central portion between the stop portion and the ramp portion, said ramp portion including a sloped portion, the stop portion higher than the central portion and the ramp portion, in the non-child-resistant position, each tab contacting the central portion.  
     
     
         12 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first projections includes a latch, each of the second projections includes a modified latch, and each of the container projections includes a tab, each latch and modified latch including a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, for both the latch and modified latch a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, the central portion of the modified latch having a shorter length than that of the central portion of the latch, in the child-resistant position, each tab located between the stop portion and sloped catch portion of one latch, in the non-child-resistant position, each tab contacting the sloped catch portion of one modified latch and being too long to fit between the stop portion and the sloped catch portion of said modified latch.  
     
     
         13 . The container system of  claim 3 , wherein in the non-child-resistant position, the top end of the container is disposed in a circumferential channel at least partially defined by at least a portion of the circumferential skirt and at least a portion of the cover.  
     
     
         14 . The container system of  claim 3 , further comprising a second resilient lip projecting from the cover in an opposite direction to the resilient lip.  
     
     
         15 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the cap is integrally formed.  
     
     
         16 . A cap configured to mate with a container in child-resistant and non-child-resistant positions comprising: 
 a circumferential skirt and a resilient lip disposed within the cap and at least partially spaced apart from the circumferential skirt;    a plurality of first cap projections spaced along a first plane and projecting radially inwardly from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt;    a plurality of second cap projections spaced along a second plane and projecting radially inwardly from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt, the second plane spaced from the first plane, the resilient lip located between the first and second cap projections;    a holding unit connected to the inner surface of the circumferential skirt and arranged between the second cap projections and the resilient lip; and    a plurality of channels, each channel defined by at least a portion of the holding unit, one of the second cap projections, and at least a portion of the circumferential skirt.    
     
     
         17 . The cap of  claim 16 , wherein the holding unit includes a cover disposed within the circumferential skirt and configured to cover an opening in a container in both the child-resistant and non-child-resistant positions.  
     
     
         18 . The cap of  claim 17 , wherein the cover is bowl-shaped, the resilient lip forming a lip of the bowl-shaped cover, the cover connected to the circumferential skirt adjacent the resilient lip.  
     
     
         19 . The cap of  claim 17 , wherein the resilient lip projects from the cover.  
     
     
         20 . The cap of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first cap projections includes a first cap projection tab, each of the second cap projections includes a second cap projection tab, and each of the container projections includes a latch.  
     
     
         21 . The cap of  claim 20 , wherein the first cap projection tabs and the second cap projection tabs have different widths.  
     
     
         22 . The cap of  claim 20 , wherein the latch includes a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, in the child-resistant position, each first cap projection tab located between the stop portion and sloped catch portion of one latch.  
     
     
         23 . The cap of  claim 20 , wherein the latch includes a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, in the non-child-resistant position, a longer one of the first cap projection tabs and the second cap projection tabs each contacting the sloped catch portion of one latch and being too long to fit between the stop portion and the sloped catch portion of said latch.  
     
     
         24 . The cap of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first and second projections includes a latch and each of the container projections includes a tab.  
     
     
         25 . The cap of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first projections includes a latch, each of the second projections includes a modified latch, and each of the container projections includes a tab, each latch including a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, in the child-resistant position, each tab located between the stop portion and sloped catch portion of one latch, each modified latch including a stop portion, a ramp portion, and a central portion between the ramp portion and the stop portion, the ramp portion including a sloped portion, the stop portion higher than the central portion and the ramp portion, in the non-child-resistant position, each tab contacting the central portion of one modified latch.  
     
     
         26 . The cap of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first projections includes a latch, each of the second projections includes a modified latch, and each of the container projections includes a tab, each latch and modified latch including a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the sloped catch portion and the stop portion, a height of the stop portion and the sloped catch portion larger than that of the central portion, the central portion of the modified latch having a shorter length than that of the central portion of the latch, in the child-resistant position, each tab located between the stop portion and sloped catch portion of one latch, in the non-child-resistant position, each tab contacting the sloped catch portion and being too long to fit between the stop portion and the sloped catch portion of the modified latch.  
     
     
         27 . The cap of  claim 17 , further comprising a second resilient lip projecting from the cover in an opposite direction to the resilient lip.  
     
     
         28 . The cap of  claim 16 , wherein the cap is integrally formed.  
     
     
         29 . A container system, comprising: 
 a container having a top end and a plurality of cap retaining means;    a cap configured to mate with the container in a child-resistant position and a non-child-resistant position, the cap including a circumferential skirt and a resilient lip disposed within the cap and at least partially spaced apart from the circumferential skirt;    a plurality of first container retaining means spaced along a first plane and projecting from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt; and    a plurality of second container retaining means spaced along a second plane and projecting from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt, the second plane being spaced from the first plane, the resilient lip being between the first and second cap projections;    wherein in the child-resistant position, each of the cap retaining means is wedged between the resilient lip and one of the first container retaining means, said cap retaining means and first container retaining means being configured such that removal of the cap from the container requires that the cap and container be forced towards each other while rotating the cap and container relative to each other;    wherein in the non-child-resistant position, each of the cap retaining means is wedged between one of the second container retaining means and a holding unit connected to the circumferential skirt, said second container retaining means, cap retaining means and holding unit being configured such that a predetermined threshold rotation force is necessary to free the cap retaining means from its wedged position, said holding unit lying between the second container retaining means and the resilient lip.    
     
     
         30 . A method for closing a container with a cap having child-resistant and non-child-resistant positions, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) disposing a top end of the container having a plurality of container projections within a circumferential skirt of the cap by passing each of the container projections between adjacent second cap projections projecting radially inwardly from the circumferential skirt, the cap including a resilient lip, disposed within the cap and at least partially spaced apart from the circumferential skirt, and a plurality of first cap projections spaced along a first plane and projecting from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt, the second cap projections spaced along a second plane and projecting from an inner surface of the circumferential skirt, the second plane being spaced from the first plane, the resilient lip lying between the first and second cap projections; and    (b) rotating the cap and container relative to each other so as to wedge each of the container projections between a holding unit and one of the second cap projections, said holding unit projecting inwardly from the circumferential skirt and lying between the resilient lip and the second cap projections.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the second cap projections include one of tabs, modified latches, and latches, the modified latches each include a sloped portion, stop portion and a central portion between the sloped portion and the stop portion, the latches each include a sloped catch portion, a stop portion, and a central portion between the stop portion and the sloped catch portion, the container projections include one of tabs, modified latches, and latches.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the holding unit includes a cover disposed within the circumferential skirt and covering an opening in the container in both the child-resistant and non-child-resistant positions.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the cover is bowl-shaped, the resilient lip forming a lip of the bowl-shaped cover, the cover connected to the circumferential skirt adjacent the resilient lip.