Child safety closing device with first opening indicator screw and ring

Abstract

The invention relates to a child safety closing device (1) associated with a container (2), operating according to a design of two plugs (3, 4) embedded into each other, and allowing a vertical translation movement of the outer plug (4) relative to the inner screw-threaded plug (3) providing an unscrewing possibility and fitted with a first-opening indicator ring (5) connected by breakage bridges (8) to the outer plug (4) capable of vertical translation movement, characterized in that: a) said ring (5) has on its inner surface notches (9) for preventing its rotation when unscrewing the device by interaction with corresponding notches (10) formed on the neck of the associated container inside a peripheral groove (11) outside said collar, in order to induce the braking of the bridges by shearing; b) the upper wall of the groove (11) defines a guiding shoulder (12) for said ring (5) during the vertical translation movement of the ring (5) when connected to the outer plug; c) the notches (10) inside the groove (5) have a height such that they interact with the notches (9) inside the inner face of said ring (5) whatever the position of said ring (5) during the vertical translation movement thereof when connected to the outer plug (4).

Claims

1. Child-safety closing device and container, wherein the child-safety closing devices comprises an external and threaded internal stopper fitting one in the other, wherein a vertical translation movement of the external stopper with respect to the threaded internal stopper, is allowed and gives rise to a possibility of unscrewing, and wherein the external stopper further comprises a first-opening indicating ring secured by breakable bridges to the external stopper, which move in vertical translation with respect to the threaded internal stopper before the breakable bridges are fractured upon first opening, wherein a) the first-opening indicating ring has, on its internal face, serrations, the function of which is to prevent rotation thereof when the device is unscrewed by engaging with corresponding serrations disposed on a neck of the container and inside a peripheral groove external to the neck, with a view to causing breakage of the bridges by shearing, and wherein b) a top wall of the peripheral groove external to the neck constitutes a guide shoulder for the first-opening indicating ring in the vertical translation movement of the first-opening indicating ring when the first-opening indicating ring is secured to the external stopper, and wherein c) the serrations disposed on the neck of the container and placed inside the peripheral groove external to the neck are of a height that does not exceed the height of the peripheral groove and that is sufficiently greater than the height of the serrations present on an internal face of first-opening indicating ring to thereby maintain freedom of vertical translation movement of the first-opening indicating ring when secured to the external stopper facilitating unscrewing and such that they engage with the serrations present on the internal face of the first-opening indicating ring, whatever the position of this first-opening indicating ring in its vertical translation movement when secured to the external stopper; d) and wherein the first-opening indicating ring, which is secured by the breakable bridges to the external stopper, is movable in vertical translation with the external stopper independent of and without resulting in rotational movement of the threaded internal stopper and e) wherein each of the internal and external stoppers further comprises on their superstructure a driving mechanism, wherein one driving mechanism is located on the internal surface of the external stopper and a second driving mechanism is located on the external surface of the threaded internal stopper, such that the external stopper, when it is subjected to an axial pressure and then a rotation, engages the threaded internal stopper and drives it, by means of interaction of the respective driving mechanisms, as required for an opening movement, and f) characterised in that the external stopper further comprises on the internal surface of the top end wall in contact with the external surface of the top end wall of the threaded internal stopper deformable spacing elements with shape memory capable of deforming when a vertical downward pressure is exerted on the external stopper allowing engagement of these driving means, characterised in that the deformable spacing elements with shape memory comprise segments of tongues positioned in a circle, forming a splayed mini-skirt secured to the internal face of the external stopper, each of the segments having the ability to fold elastically around its connection line with the internal surface of the top end wall of the external stopper when pressure is exerted on these segments, and g) wherein the deformable spacing elements separate teeth on the internal surface of the external stopper from interaction with teeth of the external surface of the threaded internal stopper unless both axial pressure and rotational pressure are applied to the external stopper.

2. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the serrations disposed on the neck of container and placed inside the peripheral groove have a height no more than that of the peripheral groove.

3. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the serrations on the internal face of the first-opening indicating ring and the serrations inside the peripheral groove are identical or different in number.

4. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the serrations on both the internal face of the first-opening indicating ring and inside the peripheral groove are preferentially three in number and distributed in a regular fashion.

5. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the profile of the serrations present on both the internal face of the first-opening indicating ring and inside the peripheral groove on the neck of the container have a gentle slope in the screwing direction and an abrupt slope of radial orientation in the unscrewing direction.

6. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the driving mechanism on the superstructure on the internal surface of the top end wall of the external stopper and on the external surface of the top end wall of the threaded internal stopper comprise teeth placed in an annulus of the respective surfaces.

7. Child-safety closing device according to claim 6, characterised in that the teeth forming an annulus are spaced apart from one another.

8. Child-safety closing device according to claim 6, characterised in that the teeth are in the shape of a parallelepiped terminating at their mechanical engagement end in two symmetrical oblique planes, separated from each other by a horizontal plane.

9. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the external stopper comprises at the bottom end of the internal surface of its skirt an internal cylindrical bulge that acts as a non-return element with regard to the threaded internal stopper.

10. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, further comprising a means of guiding the external stopper with regard to the threaded internal stopper, in order to provide excellent coaxiality, the means being present on one and/or the other of the stoppers, on the external surface of the threaded internal stopper and/or on the internal surface of the external stopper.

11. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that, in order to establish the seal between the internal part of the neck of the container and the threaded internal stopper with internal thread, the threaded internal stopper is provided with a coaxial cylindrical element, positioned inside the stopper, adjusting by means of an end bevel in the neck of the container.

12. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the threaded internal stopper of the device further comprises a desiccant means of the respective type, the means comprising a suitable housing, situated on the bottom of the threaded internal stopper, in which a desiccant is placed, the said housing being closed by a closure means not impervious to ambient moisture, for example a membrane made from porous cardboard, to ensure rapid desiccation of the products sensitive to moisture and packaged in the container.

13. Child-safety closing device according to claim 12, characterised in that the desiccant is chosen from the group consisting of silica gels, molecular sieves, diatomaceous earths, in the form of a powder or deposited on a powdery medium and in the form of a capsule produced from a desiccant polymer material containing desiccant fillers.

14. Child-safety closing device according to claim 1, characterised in that it is formulated from thermoplastic polymers chosen from the group consisting of polyethylenes, polypropylenes, ethylene/propylene copolymers used alone or in a mixture, formulated or not, polyamides (PA), polystyrenes (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN), polymethyl methacrylates (PMMA), polybutyleneterephthalates (PET, polybutyleneterephthalates (PBT), polyacetals (POM), polyvinyl chlorides (PVC) and polycarbonates (PC).

15. Child-safety closing device according to claim 14, characterised in that the compositions formulated from thermoplastic polymers comprise thermoplastic elastomers.

16. Child-safety closing device and container, wherein the child-safety device comprises an external and threaded internal stopper fitting one in the other, wherein a vertical translation movement of the external stopper with respect to the threaded internal stopper, is allowed and gives rise to a possibility of unscrewing, and wherein the external stopper further comprises a first-opening indicating ring secured by breakable bridges to the external stopper, which move in vertical translation with respect to the threaded internal stopper before the breakable bridges are fractured upon first opening, wherein a) the first-opening indicating ring has, on its internal face, serrations, the function of which is to prevent rotation thereof when the device is unscrewed by engaging with corresponding serrations disposed on a neck of the container and inside a peripheral groove external to the neck, with a view to causing breakage of the bridges by shearing, and wherein b) a top wall of the peripheral groove external to the neck constitutes a guide shoulder for the first-opening indicating ring in the vertical translation movement of the first-opening indicating ring when the first-opening indicating ring is secured to the external stopper, and wherein c) the serrations disposed on the neck of the container and placed inside the peripheral groove external to the neck are of a height that does not exceed the height of the peripheral groove and that is sufficiently greater than the height of the serrations present on an internal face of first-opening indicating ring to thereby maintain freedom of vertical translation movement of the first-opening indicating ring when secured to the external stopper facilitating unscrewing and such that they engage with the serrations present on the internal face of the first-opening indicating ring, whatever the position of the first-opening indicating ring in its vertical translation movement when secured to the external stopper; d) and wherein the first-opening indicating ring, which is secured by the breakable bridges to the external stopper, is movable in vertical translation with the external stopper independent of and without resulting in rotational movement of the threaded internal stopper and e) wherein each of the internal and external stoppers further comprise on their superstructure a driving mechanism, wherein one driving mechanism is located on the internal surface of the external stopper and a second driving mechanism is located on the external surface of the threaded internal stopper, such that the external stopper, when it is subjected to an axial pressure and then a rotation, engages the threaded internal stopper and drives it, by means of interaction of the respective driving mechanisms, as required for an opening movement, f) wherein the driving mechanism on the superstructure on the internal surface of the external stopper and on the external surface of the threaded internal stopper comprise teeth placed in an annulus of the respective surfaces, and g) wherein each of the teeth on the external surface of the threaded internal stopper comprises an oblique face on one side thereof which interacts with the teeth on the internal surface of the external stopper only when both axial pressure and rotational movement are applied to the external stopper to remove the closing means from the container.

17. Child-safety closing device of claim 16, h) characterised in that the external stopper further comprises on the internal surface of the top end wall in contact with the external surface of the top end wall of the threaded internal stopper a deformable spacing elements with shape memory capable of deforming when a vertical downward pressure is exerted on the external stopper allowing engagement of these driving means, characterised in that the deformable spacing elements with shape memory comprise segments of tongues positioned in a circle, forming a splayed mini-skirt secured to the internal face of the external stopper, each of the segments having the ability to fold elastically around its connection line with the internal surface of the top end wall of the external stopper when pressure is exerted on these segments.

Description

(1) The invention will be better understood by means of the numbered description of the figures mentioned below, these figures having only an illustrative non-limitative character.

(2) FIG. 1 is a transverse section of the desiccant closure device, with child safety and first-opening indicating ring, mounted by screwing on the corresponding container according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a transverse section solely of the closing device according to the invention comprising the external stopper equipped with its first-opening indicating ring and the internal stopper, captive in the external ring.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container on which the child-safety closing device with first-opening indicating ring is screwed.

(5) FIG. 4 is a transverse section of the external stopper of the device according to the invention.

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the internal stopper, showing in particular the serrated annulus.

(7) FIG. 6 is a section along a plane at the join between the top part of the first-opening indicating ring and the bottom part of the external stopper of the closure device showing the three serrations and the eight breakable links or bridges connecting the top circumference of the first-opening indicating ring to the bottom circumference of the skirt of the external stopper.

(8) FIG. 1 is a transverse section of the desiccant closing device (1), with child safety and first-opening indicating ring (5) mounted by screwing on the corresponding container (2) according to the invention.

(9) The closing device (1) of the threaded container (2) according to the invention is composed of two stoppers, one internal (3), the other external (4), fitted one in the other, and partly movable in translation one with respect to the other, the internal stopper (3) comprising a screw thread enabling it to be screwed onto the neck (6) of the said container (2), and also comprising a housing (7) for storing a desiccant composition or a desiccant element, the external stopper (4) in addition comprising a first-opening indicating ring (5), connected to the said external stopper (4) by breakable bridges (8), the said ring (5) being equipped with serrations (9) cooperating with corresponding serrations (10) positioned on the base of the neck (6) of the container (2), at a groove (11) formed by respectively, downwards, the bulging of the body of the container and, upwards, by the bottom part of a shoulder (12).

(10) FIG. 2 is a transverse section solely of the closing device (1) according to the invention comprising the external stopper (4) equipped with its first-opening indicating ring (5) and the internal stopper (3), captive in the external stopper (5) but able to move in translation one with respect to the other. The two stoppers, fitted one in the other, are each provided on their superstructure with means such that the external stopper, when it is subjected to an axial pressure, and then a rotation, moves vertically by a descending movement, engages in the internal stopper and drives it in an opening (or closing) movement as required.

(11) The external stopper (4) also comprises, on its internal face in contact with the external face of the internal stopper (3), a deformable spacing means (15) with shape memory, capable of deforming when a downward vertical pressure is exerted on the external stopper (4), thus allowing the engagement of the teeth (17) of the annuli. When the pressure is removed, the deformable spacing means with shape memory once again acts and spaces, by virtue of its ability to regain its initial shape, the internal face in contact with the external face of the internal stopper disengaging the teeth of the annuli.

(12) The deformable spacing means with shape memory (15) is formed by a plurality of tongue segments positioned in a circle, forming a kind of splayed mini-skirt secured to the internal face of the external stopper (4), each of the segments having the ability to fold elastically around its connection line with the internal face of the external stopper when pressure is exerted on these segments. The splayed mini-skirt regains its initial shape when the pressure ceases.

(13) In order to facilitate this crushing of the tongue segments position in a circle forming a kind of splayed mini-skirt, these are positioned in line with a corresponding slightly conical and protuberant surface (16) positioned on the top surface of the internal stopper (3).

(14) The internal stopper (3) and the external stopper (4) cannot, once assembled, be separated from each other because of an internal cylindrical bulge (19) at the bottom part of the skirt of the external stopper (4), which can deform when the external stopper is mounted on the internal topper, but which acts as a non-return element making such removal impossible.

(15) According to the invention, the seal between the internal part of the neck (6) of the container (2) and the stopper with internal thread (3) is provided by means of a cylindrical element (20) of a certain height concentric with the internal stopper (3) and positioned inside the internal stopper (3) and being adjusted by means of an end bevel in the neck (6) of the container (2).

(16) The external stopper (4) of the closure device (1) according to the invention comprises a first-opening indicating tamper-evident ring (5). The closure device with screw thread is intended for a container of the blow-moulded bottle type for example, comprising a neck (6) preferentially with three threads and a steep pitch, a shoulder collar (12) and groove (11) for retaining the tamper-evident ring (5), and regularly distributed serrations (10) for implementing the tamper evidence by virtue of the tearing away caused by the said ring (5), which thus remains locked with respect to rotation, by virtue of the corresponding serrations (9) identical in number to the serrations (10) present on the neck of the container, positioned on the inside of the ring (5), the breakage of the breakable bridges (8) connecting the top circumference of the ring (5) to the bottom circumference of the external stopper (4) consequently taking place by shearing.

(17) The serrations (9, 10) are preferentially three in number distributed at 120 degrees.

(18) The profile of the serrations (9, 10) present on the internal circumferential part of the external stopper and on the outside of the neck of the associated container is such that it enables the internal stopper (3) to be screwed, due to a profile with a gentle slope (21), causing a deformation of the first-opening indicating tamper-evident ring but not enabling it to be unscrewed because of an abrupt profile (22), breakable bridges (8) connecting the first-opening indicating ring (5) to the bottom part of the external stopper (4), the said abrupt profile (22) preventing any rotation of the said ring (5) when the closure device (1) is unscrewed.

(19) The serrations (10) disposed on the neck (6) of the container (2) are situated below a shoulder (12) that forms an integral part of the neck (6) of the container (2) and also guides the ring when the closure device is screwed on the threaded neck (6) of the container, that is to say when the external stopper (4) first moves downwards.

(20) The serrations (10) are in addition contained in a groove (11) formed by the shoulder (12) and by a bulge on the body of the container.

(21) Any attempt to rotate the first-opening indicating ring (5) secured to the external stopper (4), when the internal stopper (3) is unscrewed, causes the breakage of the breakable bridges (8) connecting the top periphery of the ring (5) to the bottom periphery of the external stopper (4), since this ring (5) is locked with respect to the rotation by the serrations (9) disposed inside the said ring, cooperating with the serrations (10) disposed on the neck (6) of the container (2), at the groove (11), while the internal stopper (3) driven by the external stopper (4) can make this rotation.

(22) The ring (5) keeps its freedom of vertical movement to allow the vertical translation of the external stopper (4) and therefore to allow the engagement of the internal annulus elements of the external stopper (4) and the external ring elements of the internal stopper (3) with a view to allowing the unscrewing of the stopper in the context of the deployment of this child safety.

(23) The regularly spaced serrations (9), disposed on the inside of the first-opening indicating ring (5), have a height less than the serrations (10) disposed on the external surface of the neck (6) of the container, housed just below the shoulder (12) present on the said neck, so that the serrations (9) disposed on the inside of the ring are positioned on this side of the said shoulder (12) when the external stopper (4) is in the high position, that is to say not acted on. In addition, the said serrations (9) also have a bevel allowing passage thereof facilitated by extension of the ring (5) beyond the said shoulder (12), itself bevelled in form in order to facilitate the passage of the ring (5) when the closing device (1) is first screwed.

(24) The first-opening indicating ring (5), once disconnected by breakage of the breakable bridges (8) from the bottom circumferential part of the external stopper (4), can either remain present on the container by virtue of the fact that the diameter of the top container is at the diameter of the ring, or be removed during the opening of the closing means (1).

(25) The internal stopper (3) of the device (1) according to the invention also comprises a desiccant means of the attached type, the desiccant being placed in a suitable housing (7), situated on the bottom of the internal stopper (3), the said housing (7) being closed by a closure means not impervious to ambient moisture, for example a membrane (23) made from porous cardboard, to ensure the rapid desiccation of the products sensitive to moisture and packaged in the container.

(26) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container (2) on which the child-safety closing device (1) with a first-opening indicating ring (5) according to the invention is screwed. The neck (6) of the container (2) comprises a triple screw thread (24), a shoulder (12) forming, with the bulge on the body of the container (2), a groove (11) in which there are positioned three serrations (10) the height of which corresponds to the width of the groove (11).

(27) These serrations (9) have a surface in a gentle slope (21) and a surface in an abrupt slope (22). This serration profile (9, 10) in a gentle slope (21) consequently makes it possible to make the corresponding serrations (9) positioned inside the circumferential surface of the ring (5) pass over the serrations (10) at the time of the operation of initial closure of the container (2) by the closing device (1), but does not allow unscrewing thereof without breakage by shearing of the breakable bridges, by virtue of the fact that the ring (5) can no longer turn, the abrupt faces (22) of the serrations (10) coming to oppose the abrupt faces of the serrations (9) positioned inside the circumferential surface of the ring (5). The first-opening indicating ring (5) is consequently released.

(28) FIG. 4 is a transverse section of the external stopper (4) of the device (1) according to the invention equipped with its first-opening indicating ring (5) connected by a plurality of breakable bridges (8) to the bottom periphery of the external stopper (4). The shoulder (19) makes it possible to make the internal stopper (3) captive of the external stopper (4) while allowing them mobility in translation. The low serrations (9) appear on the internal peripheral surface of the first-opening indicating ring (5). The external stopper (4) comprises, on its internal flat face, teeth (13) and a deformable spacing means (15) with shape memory in the form of skirt segments.

(29) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the internal stopper showing in particular the snapping-on means (14) placed on the external surface of the top end wall of the internal stopper of the serrated annulus type.

(30) The teeth (17), eight in number forming the annulus, are spaced apart from one another so that the teeth on the annulus of the external stopper can fit between the teeth on the annulus of the internal stopper when the external stopper is subjected to an axial pressure and then to the start of a rotation.

(31) Each tooth (17) has a vertical plane (18) that corresponds to a plane of a radial section of the internal stopper, and an opposite oblique plane (19). The vertical plane (18) enables snapping in with the corresponding vertical plane of the tooth on the serrated annulus situated on the inside of the external stopper, at the time of unscrewing, while the oblique plane on the other hand lifts the corresponding plane of the tooth that is opposite to it during the screwing operation.

(32) This particular form of the teeth is designed so that the external stopper, when it is not subjected to an axial pressure but subjected only to a rotation movement, can turn without driving the internal stopper, the teeth on the annulus of the external stopper being able to slide over the teeth on the annulus of the internal stopper, if they are in contact with them, without engaging in one another.

(33) FIG. 6 is a section along a plane at the join between the top part of the first-opening indicating ring and the bottom part of the external stopper of the closing device showing the three serrations (9) and the eight breakable links or bridges (8) connecting the top circumference of the first-opening indicating ring to the bottom circumference of the skirt of the external stopper.

(34) Such a safety closure device for a container, the mouth of which is provided with an external screw thread, a child-proof device, comprising in addition a first a first-opening indication and a desiccant, is used for closing a container, making it possible to store products sensitive to moisture such as for example pharmaceutical or other products, to be consumed over time, and for which it is important to protect use thereof by the end consumer, who must be totally reassured, that is to say assured of the physical integrity of the package before first opening on the one hand and on the other hand assured that such products cannot be consumed by children, and this since such child safety is sufficiently effective.