Patent Application
20240391662
The present invention relates to a safety cap assembly for threaded mouth containers, which is designed to prevent young children from accidentally ingesting harmful substances, such as medicine, household chemicals, and other hazardous materials. Additionally, the safety cap assembly is designed to prevent suffocation incidents by providing air passages in the cap should the cap be swallowed.
Suffocation can be a significant hazard associated with bottle caps, particularly for young children and infants. Children can accidentally place the cap in their mouths, blocking their airways and causing suffocation. Therefore, there is a need for a safety cap, which does not pass the choking tube test and that prevents suffocation incidents should the cap be swallowed. A choking tube test involves the use of a cylindrical having an interior diameter of 1.25 inches and a slanted bottom with a depth of 2.25 inches. That's about the size of a 3-year-old's throat. If an object fits entirely within the tube, then it's a choking hazard.
Additionally, the ingestion of harmful substances is a serious problem that poses a significant risk to young children's health and safety. Every year, thousands of children are hospitalized due to accidental poisoning, and some cases result in fatalities.
These incidents occur when children can easily gain access to containers of medicine, cleaning supplies, and other hazardous materials by simply unscrewing the cap from the container containing such hazardous materials. While child-resistant packaging has been developed to address this issue, they have not taken into consideration the possibility of the cap being swallowed once removed.
Therefore, there is a need for a child safety cap assembly that is easy to use for adults but difficult for young children to open and, once the cap is removed, does not present issues with suffocation if accidentally swallowed.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a safety cap assembly for a threaded container which prevent suffocating if swallowed and requires depressing and turning in order to be removed from the threaded container. The safety cap assembly having an over cap including an upper wall with an upper and lower surface with a plurality of spaced air passages passing from the upper surface to the lower surface of the upper wall and at least one downward lug extending downward from the lower surface, and a side wall extending downward from the upper wall with an internal circumferential recess and a screw cap including a top wall with a top and bottom surface with at least one upward lug extending from the top surface of the top wall which correspond with the downward lugs in the over cap, and a side wall having internal threads, an external circumferential projection and an air passageway which extends through the side wall and does not interfere with the internal threads. The external circumferential projection of the screw cap is secure within the internal circumferential recess of the over cap such that the screw cap and the over cap can rotate relative to one another. The air passageway in the screw cap is in fluid communication with the plurality of air passages in the over cap such that should the safety cap assembly be swallowed suffocation is prevented. Further, when the over cap is sufficient depressed and turned the at least one downward lug will engage the at least one upward lug and the safety cap assembly can be removed from the thread container and if the over cap is not sufficient depressed the at least one downward lug will slide over the at least one upward lug and the safety cap assembly cannot be removed.
It is another object to provide a safety cap assembly having a first channel located between the sidewall of the over cap and sidewall of the screw cap and a second channel located between the lower surface of the upper wall of the over cap and the top surface of the top wall of the screw cap that provide fluid communication between the plurality of air passages in the over cap and the air passageway in the screw cap.
It is another object to provide air passages in the over cap in the shape of arrows to indicate the direction the safety cap assembly needs to be turned for removal.
It is another object to provide a safety cap assembly wherein the at least one downward lug and the at least one upward lug include angled surfaces that frictional cooperate with each other for removal of the safety cap from the threaded container. It is another object to provide a safety cap assembly wherein the at least one downward lug includes a flat surface which lies in a plane perpendicular to the lower surface of the over cap and opposed to the angled surface and the at least one upward lug includes a flat surface which lies in a plane perpendicular to the top surface of the screw cap and opposed to angled surface.
It is another object to provide an over cap with a plurality of spaced downward lugs and a screw cap with a plurality of spaced upward lugs.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention.
The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention.
A safety cap assembly 10 in accordance with the present invention is shown in
As will be discussed below in greater detail, the safety cap assembly 10 is structured to prevent suffocation if swallowed and requires depressing and turning in order to be removed from the threaded container. The safety cap assembly 10 is formed from two pieces, an over cap 20 and a screw cap 30. The over cap 20 includes a plurality of spaced air passages 26 and a plurality of spaced downward lugs 23. The screw cap 30 includes a plurality of spaced upward lugs 33 which correspond with the downward lugs 23 in the over cap 20 and an air passageway 38. A first channel 40 and second channel 42 exist between the over cap 20 and screw cap 30. The first channel 40 and second channel 42 provide fluid communication between the plurality of air passages 26 in the over cap 20 and the air passageway 38 in the screw cap 30 such that should the safety cap assembly be swallowed suffocation is prevented.
The over cap 20 includes a circular upper wall 22 having an upper surface 22U and a lower surface 22L. Extending circumferentially downward from the upper wall 22 is a side wall 24 having an external surface 24e, an internal surface 24i, and a bottom 24b. The internal surface 24i includes a circumferential recess 25 defined by a sloped upper wall 25u and a circumferential curved projection 24c located adjacent the bottom 24b. The external surface 24e includes ribs 28 about the circumference permitting the over cap 20 to be securely gripped.
The upper wall 22 of the over cap 20 includes a plurality of air passages 26 in the shape of arrows. The air passages 26 are in the form of openings which extend from the upper surface 22U to the lower surface 22L. The air passages 26 are shaped as arrows as they also serve as indicators, to indicate the direction the safety cap assembly 10 needs to be turned in order for the safety cap assembly 10 to be removed from the threaded container 100. The upper surface 22U also includes curved projections 27 between the air passages 26. The curved projections 27 follow the path of the arrow shaped air passages 26 to further highlight the direction of the arrows and function to prevent divots from forming between the arrow shaped air passages 26 during the molding and cooling process of the over cap 20.
The lower surface 22L of the over cap 20 includes at least one downward lug 23 extending towards a top surface 32t of top wall 32 of the screw cap 30 (discussed below in detail). In the present exemplary embodiment, the over cap 20 has six downward lugs 23 oriented in a circle along the lower surface 22L of the over cap 20. Each of the downward lugs 23 includes a forward on drive surface 23f and a rearward selective drive surface 23r which is opposite the forward on drive surface 23f. The forward on drive surface 23f is flat and lies in a plane perpendicular to the lower surface 22L of the over cap 20. The rearward selective drive surface 23r is angled and lies in a plane oblique to the lower surface 22L of the over cap 20 (preferably oriented at an angle between 45 to 60 degrees relative to the lower surface 22L of the over cap 20. The operation of the drive surfaces 23f and 23r will be discussed below in more detail below.
The screw cap 30 includes a circular top wall 32 having a top surface 32t and a bottom surface 32b. Extending circumferentially downward from the top wall 32 is a side wall 34 having an external surface 34e, an internal surface 34i, and a bottom 34b. The external surface 34e includes a circumferential projection 35 adjacent to the bottom 34b. The circumferential projection 35 includes a sloped upper wall 35u. The internal surface 34i includes internal threads 37 which cooperate with the external threads 104 on the mouth 102 of container 100. The side wall 34 further includes an air passageway 38 in the shape of a circle. The diameter of the air passageway 38 is no less than 3.5 mm. The air passage 38 in the screw cap 30 is located in the side wall 34 such that it does not interfere with the internal threads 37. The air passageway 38 is in the form of an opening which extend from the internal surface 34i to the external surface 34e. The screw cap 30 further includes a valve cover 31 which extends into and covers the dispensing valve 106 when the safety cap assembly 10 is fastened to the threaded container 100.
The top surface 32t of the screw cap 30 is suitably configured with at least one upward lug 33 extending towards the lower surface 22L of the over cap 20. In the present exemplary embodiment, the screw cap 30 has six upward lugs 33, oriented in a circle, which cooperate with the downward lugs 23 formed in the over cap 20. Each of the upward lugs 33 include a rearward on drive surface 33r and a forward selective drive surface 33f which is opposite the rearward on drive surface 33r. The rearward on drive surface 33r is flat and lies in a plane perpendicular to the top surface 32t of the screw cap 30. The forward selective drive surface 33f is angled and lies in a plane oblique to the top surface 32t of the screw cap 30. The operation of the drive surfaces 33f and 33r will be discussed below in more detail below.
Preferably, the over cap 20 is configured with the same number of downward lugs 23 as the screw cap 30 has upward lugs 33, though any number or configuration of the downward lugs 23 and the upward lugs 33 may be suitable. The downward lugs 23 are suitably located to correspond and engage with the upward lugs 33. The upward lugs 33 are located annularly at evenly spaced intervals, in proximity to outer edge of top surface 32t of the screw cap 30. Accordingly, the downward lugs 23 should similarly be located as such to correspond to the upward lugs 33, that is, annularly at evenly spaced intervals, in proximity to an outer edge of lower surface 22L of upper wall 22 of the over cap 20.
The over cap 20 and the screw cap 30 are connected to one another and work together to require a combination of simultaneous actions, i.e., depressing and turning, in order for the safety cap assembly 10 to be removed from the threaded container 100. Both pieces of the safety cap assembly 10 are made from plastic. The over cap 20 is attached to the screw cap 30 by inserting screw cap 30 within the over cap 20 and forcing the over cap 20 down over screw cap 30 until the external projection 35 on the screw cap 30 resides in the recess 25 in the over cap 20. Due to the shape of the curved projection 24c it will slide over the upper surface 35u of the projection 35 as the over cap 20 is forced over the screw cap 30 resulting in the projection 35 on the screw cap 30 residing in the recess 25 in the over cap 20.
Once the external projection 35 is positioned with the recess 25, the screw cap 30 cannot be separated from the over cap 20 without damaging the screw cap 30. Thus, what is considered to be a permanent connection is formed between the over cap 20 and the screw cap 30 to form the safety cap assembly 10. The external circumferential projection 35 of the screw cap 30 is free to move up and down within the internal circumferential recess 25 of the over cap 20.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and as discussed above, the over cap 20 is suitably configured with at least one downward lug 23 extending downward from the lower surface 22L of upper wall 22 of the over cap 20 and the screw cap 30 is suitably configured with at least one upward lug 33 extending upward from the top surface 32t of the top wall 32 of the screw cap 30. The lugs 23 and 33 are suitably shaped to cooperate with one another during removal and securing of the safety cap assembly 10 to the container 100. The lugs 23, 33 are approximately 3 mm in length and 1 mm in height and include an angled selective drive surface and oppositely disposed flat on drive surface along their length. Preferably, the over cap 20 is configured with the same number of downward lugs 23 as the screw cap 30 has upward lugs 33 though any number or configuration of downward lugs 23 and upward lugs 33 may be suitable. In the present exemplary embodiment, the screw cap 30 has six upward lugs 33 and the over cap 20 is suitably configured with six downward lugs 23. The six downward lugs 23 are suitably located to correspond and engage with the six upward lugs 33. The six upward lugs 33 are located annularly at evenly spaced intervals, in proximity to outer edge of top surface 32t of the screw cap 30. Accordingly, the six downward lugs 23 are similarly located to correspond to the upward lugs 33, that is, annularly at evenly spaced intervals, in proximity to an outer edge of lower surface 22L of upper wall 22 of the over cap 20.
As briefly discussed above, each of the downward lugs 23 is configured with the selective drive surface 23r which is angled and an opposed on drive surface 23f which is flat and lies in a plane perpendicular to the lower surface 22L. In the present exemplary embodiment, the slope of the selective drive surface 23r of the downward lugs 23 suitably correspond to the slope of the selective drive surface 33f of the upward lugs 33 such that the downward lugs 23 and corresponding the upward lugs 33 engage by surface-to-surface contact when the over cap 20 is pressed downward. That is, throughout the relative rotation of the over cap 20 and the screw cap 30, the downward lugs 23 remain in contact with the upward lugs 33, not by merely point contact, but by radial contact across the corresponding slopes. Similarly, the flat on drive surface 33r of each of the upward lugs 33 corresponds to flat on drive surface 23f of each of the downward lugs 23.
With reference to
When the over cap 20 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction or unfastening direction, the over cap 20 rotates freely. When over cap 20 is merely rotated without downward pressure in the unfastening direction, due to the corresponding angled surfaces, the selective drive surfaces 23r of the downward lugs 23 slide over the respective drive surfaces 33f of the upward lugs 33. The screw cap 30 and the over cap 20 thus do not turn in tandem, and the safety cap assembly 10 remains fastened to the threaded container 100, thereby making the safety cap assembly 10 child resistant.
In order to remove the safety cap assembly 10, downward force is applied to the over cap 20 in order to counteract the sliding tendency of the downward lugs 23 over the upward lugs 33. That is, the selective drive surfaces 23r and 33f are forced into frictional contact and rotation of the over cap 20 causes the screw cap 30 to rotate in tandem with the over cap 20, thus unthreading the internal threads 37 of the screw cap 30 from the external threads 104 of the container 100 to remove the safety cap assembly 10 from the container 100. The angle of the selective drive surfaces of the downward lugs 23 and the upward lugs 33 can be adjusted to require more or less torque and/or downward force to remove the safety cap assembly 10 from the threaded container 100. The safety cap assembly 10 thus has the benefit that the safety cap assembly 10 can remain child resistant, yet is substantially more senior-friendly.
It should be noted, however, that many alternative embodiments of the safety cap assembly 10 which suitably provide for substantially radial contact between the over cap 20 and the screw cap 30 of the safety cap assembly 10 and suitably remain child resistant while remaining senior-friendly, may be apparent to one skilled in the art. All of such embodiments fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.
As shown in
While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
