Twist and Lift Closure for Containers

Abstract

A child-resistant lift-top container is disclosed. The container includes a vessel, a lift-off inner cap and an outer locking cap. The outer locking cap engages the lift-off inner cap and is rotatable about the inner cap. The vessel includes a generally downwardly-facing abutment that engages an upwardly-facing abutment on the locking cap to lock the container and prevent the lift-off inner cap from opening. The container is opened by rotating the outer locking cap to disengage the abutments, permitting the lift-off inner cap to be lifted to open the container. The outer locking cap includes at least one spring that engages a spring-engaging surface on the vessel as the outer locking cap is rotated to assist in disengaging the abutments and to allow the outer locking cap to return to its closed and locked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vessel, cap, and lock assembly of an embodiment of the invention, when closed and locked.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the assembly with its cap unseated and opened.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, showing the hinge and associated elements.

FIG. 4 is a view of the vessel and cap assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the lock removed to show underlying structure.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the cap seated on the vessel.

FIG. 6 is an isolated perspective view of the lock of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown generally from the rear.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the lock rotated against its bias.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the cap unseated and lifted.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the lock rotated, deflecting a leaf spring outward against an abutment.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic series of views showing how the container can be unlocked and opened, focusing on the embodiment of FIGS. 8-10 but applicable in most respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 as well.

Claims

1. A lift-top container comprising: (a) a vessel comprising a mouth defined by a rim lying substantially in the plane of the mouth and defining an upper portion of the container when upright, the vessel further comprising a margin lying outside the rim, and a generally downward-facing abutment projecting laterally from the margin;(b) a lift-off cap having a seating member sized and configured to seat on the rim;(c) a lock engaging the cap, the lock being rotatable with respect to the cap about an axis generally perpendicular to the rim, the lock comprising an upward-facing abutment normally biased to engage the downward-facing abutment of the vessel, preventing the cap from being lifted off;

2. The lift-top container of claim 1, wherein the lift-off cap is joined to the vessel by a hinge.

3. The lift-top container of claim 1, wherein the seating member is a groove and the rim is seated within the groove.

4. The lift-top container of the claim 3, wherein the rim is beaded.

5. The lift-top container of claim 4, wherein the rim and the groove form a seal.

6. The lift-top container of claim 2, wherein the lock comprises at least one spring.

7. The lift-top container of claim 6, wherein the hinge is provided with an abutment that engages the spring when the lock is rotated, to disengage the downward-facing and upward-facing abutments.

8. The lift-top container of claim 6, wherein the spring is a leaf spring integral with the lock.

9. The lift-top container of claim 6, wherein the vessel comprises a shoulder portion, and the shoulder portion is provided with an upwardly projecting lug that deflects the spring radially outward when the lock is rotated.

10. The lift-top container of claim 7, wherein the lock comprises a first spring and a second spring and the hinge comprises a first abutment and a second abutment, with the first abutment positioned on one side of the hinge and the second abutment positioned on another side of the hinge, whereby the first abutment engages the first spring when the lock is rotated clockwise, and the second abutment engages the second spring when the lock is rotated counter-clockwise.

11. The lift-top container of claim 1, wherein the lift-off cap has a raised surface that defines a circumferential pivot flange, and the lock has a circumferential groove positioned on at least a portion of its interior surface, and wherein the pivot flange of the lift-off cap fits into the circumferential groove on the lock to engage the lock to the cap.

12. The lift-top container of claim 11, wherein the lift-off cap has a circumferential groove radially outward of the pivot flange, and the lock has a pivot flange extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the interior surface of the lock beneath the pivot groove in the lock, and wherein the pivot flange on the lock is received within the circumferential groove in the lift-off cap.

13. A child-resistant lift-top container comprising: (a) a vessel comprising a mouth defined by a rim lying substantially in the plane of the mouth and defining an upper portion of the container when upright, the vessel further comprising a margin lying outside the rim and a generally downward-facing abutment projecting laterally from the margin;(b) a lift-off cap having a seating member sized and configured to seat on the rim;(c) a locking cap having an interior sized to fit over and engage the lift-off cap, the locking cap being rotatable with respect to the lift-off cap about an axis generally perpendicular to the rim, the locking cap comprising a generally upward-facing abutment normally biased to engage the downward-facing abutment of the vessel, preventing the lift-off cap from being lifted off the rim;

14. The child-resistant lift-top container of claim 13, wherein the locking cap comprises at least one spring integral with the locking cap.

15. The child-resistant lift-top container of claim 14, wherein the vessel comprises at least one spring-engaging surface which engages the spring in the locking cap when the locking cap is rotated.

16. The child-resistant lift-top container of claim 15, wherein the lift-off cap is joined to the vessel by a hinge.

17. The child-resistant lift-top container of claim 16, wherein the spring-engaging surface is on the hinge.

18. The child-resistant lift-top container of claim 15 wherein the spring-engaging surface projects upwardly from the vessel.

19. The child-resistant lift-top container of claim 14, wherein the locking cap comprises a web portion and a skirt portion that extends downwardly from the web portion, and the at least one spring is integral with the skirt portion.

20. The child-resistant lift-top container of claim 13, wherein the lift-off cap has a raised portion that defines a pivot flange, and the interior of the locking cap has a groove extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the interior, and the pivot flange engages the groove.