Child-resistant container and closure

Abstract

A child-resistant container and closure, wherein the container includes a base and an upstanding wall defining an inner volume of the container. The container has an open top for gaining access to the inner volume of the container. A cylindrical neck extends upwards from a periphery of the open top of the container. An outer surface of the neck has elongated L-shaped grooves each of which has a bump. A skirt of the closure has protrusions to engage with the elongated grooves for securing the closure to the container. The protrusions are slidably received within the elongated grooves, and the bump offers predetermined resistance to the respective protrusions. Such resistance is overcome by applying predetermined amount of torque to the closure, wherein a child does not have such strength to apply the predetermined amount of torque but an adult has.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A childproof combination of container and closure comprising:
 a container comprising:
 a base and a wall defining an inner volume of the container, 
 the container has an open-top, 
 a neck extends from a periphery of the wall, two or more elongated grooves in an outer surface of the neck, 
   a closure comprising:
 a central section and a skirt that extends downwards from a periphery of the central section, 
 the skirt has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the skirt has two or more protrusions, each of the two or more protrusions is configured to engage and disengage with the respective elongated groove for closing and opening the closure, wherein each protrusion is configured to be slidably received within the respective elongated groove, 
 wherein each elongated groove has a bump, the bump configured to offer predetermined amount of resistance to respective protrusion, and wherein predetermined amount of torque must be applied to the closure for the two or more protrusions to pass over the respective bumps. 
   
     
     
         2 . The childproof combination of container and closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the childproof combination of container and closure further comprises:
 at least one upper pointer on the outer surface of the skirt, wherein the at least one upper pointer points downwards; and   at least one lower pointer on an outer surface of the wall, wherein the at least one lower pointer points upwards,   wherein the at least one upper pointer and the at least one lower pointer are positioned such that when the at least one upper pointer is aligned with the at least one lower pointer, the two or more protrusions are aligned with the two or more elongated grooves.   
     
     
         3 . The childproof combination of container and closure according to  claim 1 , wherein a number of the at least one lower pointer or a number of the at least one upper pointer are equal to a number of the two or more protrusions. 
     
     
         4 . The childproof combination of container and closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the two or more protrusions comprise three protrusions and the two or more elongated grooves comprises three elongated grooves. 
     
     
         5 . The childproof combination of container and closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the two or more protrusions are disposed along a rim of the skirt. 
     
     
         6 . A method for restricting access to a container for a child, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a childproof combination of container and closure comprising:
 a container comprising:
 a base and a wall defining an inner volume of the container, 
 the container has an open-top, 
 a neck extends from a periphery of the wall, two or more elongated grooves in an outer surface of the neck, and 
 
 a closure comprising:
 a central section and a skirt that extends downwards from a periphery of the central section, 
 the skirt has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the skirt has two or more protrusions, each of the two or more protrusions is configured to engage and disengage with the respective elongated groove for closing and opening the closure, wherein each protrusion is configured to be slidably received within the respective elongated groove, 
 
 wherein each elongated groove has a bump, the bump configured to offer predetermined amount of resistance to respective protrusion, and wherein predetermined amount of torque must be applied to the closure for the two or more protrusions to pass over the respective bumps; 
   depressing the closure over the neck of the container such that the two or more protrusions are slidably received within the two or more elongated grooves; and   upon depressing, turning the closure, under the predetermined amount of torque to prevent separation of the closure from the container by a child.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the childproof combination of container and closure further comprises:
 at least one upper pointer on the outer surface of the skirt, wherein the at least one upper pointer points downwards; and   at least one lower pointer on an outer surface of the wall, wherein the at least one lower pointer points upwards,   wherein the at least one upper pointer and the at least one lower pointer are positioned such that when the at least one upper pointer is aligned with the at least one lower pointer, the two or more protrusions are aligned with the respective two or more elongated grooves.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a number of the at least one lower pointer or a number of the at least one upper pointer are equal to a number of the two or more protrusions. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the two or more protrusions comprise three protrusions and the two or more elongated grooves comprises three elongated grooves. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the two or more protrusions are disposed along a rim of the skirt.