Pharmaceutical Container Having Non-Child-Resistant Closure

Abstract

A non-child-resistant closure and container system for a pharmaceuticals comprises a cap configured to cooperate with a2 container. The container has at least one bayonet structure that includes a leading taper, a recess, and a backstop. The cap has an outer shell that includes a skirt and at least one lug formed thereon. The lug is configured to cooperate with the bayonet structure such that one of an audible signal and a tactile sensation is produced upon closing the cap onto the container. The cap is closed onto the container by rotating the cap until a portion of the lug enters the recess. The lug is further configured to be released from the recess by reverse rotation of the cap causing the lug to move axially relative to the recess.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-child-resistant closure and container system for a pharmaceutical comprising:
 a container having at least one bayonet structure that includes a leading taper, a recess, and a backstop; and   a cap configured to cooperate with the container and having an outer shell that includes a skirt and at least one lug formed thereon, the lug configured to cooperate with the bayonet structure such that one of an audible signal and a tactile sensation is produced upon closing the cap onto the container and rotating the cap until a portion of the lug enters the recess, and the lug being further configured to be released from the recess by reverse rotation of the cap causing the lug to move axially relative to the recess.   
     
     
         2 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 1  wherein the cap includes a resilient portion having a spring rate and the resilient portion being configured to engage the portion of the lug into the recess when the cap is moved to a closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 1  wherein the rotation of the cap from a closed and latched position to an unlatched position causes the lug to move axially out of engagement with the recess in response to compression of a resilient inner seal that is disposed between the container and the outer shell. 
     
     
         4 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 3  wherein the resilient inner seal provides a fluid tight engagement with the container. 
     
     
         5 . A non-child-resistant closure and container system for a pharmaceutical comprising:
 a container having at least one bayonet structure that includes a leading taper, a recess, and a backstop; and   a cap having at least one lug configured to cooperate with the bayonet structure, the lug having a primary profile that engages the recess and a secondary profile that controls the amount of engagement of the lug into the recess.   
     
     
         6 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 5  wherein the primary and secondary lug profiles are primary and secondary lug upper surface profiles. 
     
     
         7 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 5  wherein the primary and secondary lug profiles cooperate with the bayonet structure to provide at least one of an audible signal and a tactile sensation when the cap engages the container in a closed and axially retained position. 
     
     
         8 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 5  wherein the primary profile is a step. 
     
     
         9 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 5  wherein the primary profile is one of a bump, a ramp, and a pin. 
     
     
         10 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 5  wherein the cap includes a separate resilient inner seal. 
     
     
         11 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 5  wherein the cap includes an integral inner seal. 
     
     
         12 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 5  wherein the primary profile is a pin and the pin contacts a portion of the backstop in the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 12  wherein the pin is positioned on the lug in a manner that will result in contact with the leading taper of the bayonet structure as the cap is moved to a closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 9  wherein the cap includes a resilient inner seal. 
     
     
         15 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 14  wherein the resilient inner seal is compressed between the outer shell and the container, the inner seal having a spring rate such that compression of the inner seal causes the primary profile to engage the recess and the secondary profile to engage another portion of the bayonet structure. 
     
     
         16 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 7  wherein the cap includes a resilient inner seal that is compressed as the lug engages the leading taper of the bayonet structure, the at least one of the audible signal and the tactile sensation being produced in response to the compression of the resilient inner seal. 
     
     
         17 . A non-child-resistant closure and container system for a pharmaceutical comprising:
 a container having at least one bayonet structure that includes a leading taper, a recess, and a backstop; and   a cap having an outer shell, a resilient inner seal having a spring force characteristic, and at least one lug formed onto a portion of the outer shell and further configured to cooperate with the bayonet structure, the lug having a profile that controls compression of the resilient inner seal such that the spring force characteristic permits the lug to be released from the recess by rotation of the cap causing the lug to move axially relative to the recess.   
     
     
         18 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 17  wherein the spring force characteristic is an inversely proportional function of a spring rate of the resilient inner seal and a depth of engagement between a primary profile of the lug and the recess. 
     
     
         19 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 18  wherein a secondary profile of the lug is configured to engage another portion of the bayonet structure and thus limit the depth of engagement of the primary profile. 
     
     
         20 . The non-child-resistant closure and container system of  claim 19  wherein the primary and secondary lug profiles cooperate with the bayonet structure to provide at least one of an audible signal and a tactile sensation when the cap engages the container in a closed and axially retained position.