Convertible child-resistant cap

Abstract

A cap for sealing a vial is convertible between a child-resistant side and a non-child-resistant side. The cap has an external housing having a top and a side wall. There is at least one channel running around a periphery of the top and a plurality of detents disposed around the interior surface the side wall. There is an insert held within the housing by the detents. The cap is lockable on a vial having external locking lugs, in a child-resistant position by placing the cap on the vial and turning the cap so that the detents engage the locking lugs. The cap can close the vial in a non-child-resistant position by placing the cap on the vial with the top surface of the top facing the vial and pressing the cap onto the vial so that a top edge of the vial inserts into the channel.

1 . A cap for sealing a vial, the cap being convertible between a child-resistant side and a non-child-resistant side, comprising: 
 an external housing having a top and a side wall extending circumferentially around said top and extending from said side wall, said top having an exterior surface and an interior surface and said side wall having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a bottom edge;    at least one channel running around a periphery of the top surface of said top;    a plurality of detents disposed around the interior surface said side wall adjacent said bottom edge; and    an insert disposed in said housing and held within the housing by said detents, said insert having a circumferential ridge disposed a set distance from said detents,    wherein said cap is lockable on a vial having external locking lugs, in a child-resistant position by placing said cap on said vial with said bottom edge facing the vial and turning the cap so that the detents engage the locking lugs, and the cap is also adapted for closing the vial in a non-child-resistant position by placing the cap on the vial with the top surface of the top facing the vial and pressing the cap onto the vial so that a top edge of the vial inserts into said at least one channel.    
     
     
         2 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the insert is flexible, so that the cap can be unlocked by pressing the cap toward the vial, which forces the upper edge of the vial to press the insert toward the top of the cap and releases the detents from the locking lugs upon rotation of the cap.  
     
     
         3 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the insert has a spacer that abuts the interior surface of the top of the cap, to keep the insert mounted a fixed distance from the top of the cap.  
     
     
         4 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the exterior face of the side wall is ribbed.  
     
     
         5 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein there are two channels in the top surface of the top, said channels running concentrically and immediately adjacent to each other, and separated by a flexible circumferential wall.  
     
     
         6 . The cap according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lifting tab disposed along the bottom edge of the side wall and extending outward from said side wall, such that pressing upward on the lifting tab lifts the cap off of the vial in the non-child-proof arrangement.  
     
     
         7 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein there are eight detents.  
     
     
         8 . A vial and cap comprising: 
 a vial having a bottom, a side wall, a top edge and a plurality of locking lugs mounted around the side wall adjacent said top edge; and    a cap for locking on the vial, comprising: 
 an external housing having a top and a side wall extending circumferentially around said top and extending from said top, said top having an exterior surface and an interior surface and said side wall of the cap having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a bottom edge;  
 at least one channel running around a periphery of the top surface of said top;  
 a plurality of detents disposed around the interior surface said side wall of said cap adjacent said bottom edge; and  
 an insert disposed in said housing and held within the housing by said detents, said insert having a circumferential ridge disposed a set distance from said detents,  
   wherein said cap is lockable on the vial, in a child-resistant position by placing said cap on said vial with said bottom edge facing the vial and turning the cap so that the detents engage the locking lugs, and the cap is also adapted for closing the vial in a non-child-resistant position by placing the cap on the vial with the top surface of the top facing the vial and pressing the cap onto the vial so that a top edge of the vial inserts into said at least one channel.    
     
     
         9 . The vial and cap according to  claim 8 , wherein the vial has a rib running circumferentially around an interior surface of said side wall, and wherein the cap snaps over the rib when the cap is placed on the vial in the non-child-resistant position, so that the rib retains the cap on the vial and prevents inadvertent sliding of the cap off of the vial.  
     
     
         10 . The vial and cap according to  claim 8 , wherein the insert is flexible, so that the cap can be unlocked by pressing the cap toward the vial, which forces the upper edge of the vial to press the insert toward the top of the cap and releases the detents from the locking lugs upon rotation of the cap.  
     
     
         11 . The vial and cap according to  claim 8 , wherein the insert has a spacer that abuts the interior surface of the top of the cap, to keep the insert mounted a fixed distance from the top of the cap.  
     
     
         12 . The vial and cap according to  claim 8 , wherein the exterior face of the side wall of the cap is ribbed.  
     
     
         13 . The vial and cap according to  claim 8 , wherein there are two channels in the top surface of the top, said channels running concentrically and immediately adjacent to each other, and separated by a flexible circumferential wall.  
     
     
         14 . The vial and cap according to  claim 8 , further comprising a lifting tab disposed along the bottom edge of the side wall of the cap and extending outward from said side wall of the cap, such that pressing upward on the lifting tab lifts the cap off of the vial in the non-child-proof arrangement.  
     
     
         15 . The cap according to  claim 8 , wherein there are eight detents.