Child-resistant closure having a non-child-resistant mode of operation

Abstract

A closure includes an outer plastic shell having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with a central axis, a circumferential array of lugs on an underside of the base wall, and a pair of axially spaced internal beads on the skirt spaced from the base wall. An inner plastic shell has a base wall, a peripheral skirt with a central axis, at least one internal thread on the skirt of the inner shell, a circumferential array of lugs on an outer surface of the base wall, and a circumferential bead on an outer surface of the skirt remote from the base wall. The inner shell is positionable within the outer shell in a non-child-resistant first position with the bead on the skirt of the inner shell captured between the beads on the skirt of the outer shell, such that the outer shell is rotatably coupled to the inner shell and the at least one internal thread on the skirt of the inner shell can be threaded onto and off of a container by simple rotation of the outer shell. The inner shell is positionable within the outer shell in a child-resistant second position with the bead on the inner shell skirt spaced from the beads on the outer skirt, such that rotation of the outer shell is imparted to the inner shell by forced engagement of the lugs on the base wall.

1 . A closure having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation, which includes: 
 a plastic outer shell having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with a central axis, a circumferential array of lugs on an undersurface of said base wall, and a pair of axially spaced internal beads on the skirt spaced from said base wall, the internal bead further from said base wall being circumferentially continuous and having an internal diameter that is less than the internal bead nearer to said base wall, and    a plastic inner shell having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with a central axis, a circumferential array of lugs on an outer surface of said base wall, at least one internal thread on said skirt, and an external bead on said skirt remote from said base wall,    said external bead on said inner shell skirt having at least a portion that is circumferentially continuous and being sized for receipt by snap fit between said internal beads on said outer shell skirt in a non-child-resistant mode of operation in which rotation of said outer shell is imparted through said beads to said inner shell, said internal diameter of said internal bead further from said outer shell base wall being such with respect to said circumferentially continuous portion of said external bead on said inner shell skirt to retard removal of said inner shell from within said outer shell,    said external bead on said inner shell skirt being disposed between said internal bead of lesser diameter and said base wall of said outer shell in a child-resistant mode of operation such that rotation of said outer shell is imparted to said inner shell by engagement of said lugs on said base walls.    
   
   
       2 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said base wall of said outer shell has a central opening, and said base wall of said inner shell has a projection that extends into said opening in said child-resistant mode of operation.  
   
   
       3 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said outer shell includes ribs extending between said internal beads, and said inner shell includes ribs on said external bead for engagement with said ribs on said outer shell in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
   
   
       4 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said internal bead on said outer shell nearer to said base wall is circumferentially segmented, and said outer bead on said inner shell has legs that extend axially into gaps in said segmented bead in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
   
   
       5 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lugs on said base wall of said inner shell are C-shaped as viewed from an axial direction, having clockwise facing legs with angulated cam surfaces and counterclockwise facing legs with circumferentially facing abutment surfaces.  
   
   
       6 . A closure that includes: 
 an outer plastic shell having an annular base wall, a skirt with a central axis extending from an outer peripheral edge of said base wall, a circumferential array of lugs on an underside of said base wall, a pair of axially spaced internal beads on said skirt spaced from said base wall, and an opening defined by an inner peripheral edge of said base wall,    an inner plastic shell having an annular base wall, a skirt with a central axis extending from an outer peripheral edge of said base wall, at least one internal thread on said skirt of said inner shell, a circumferential array of lugs on an outer surface of said base wall, a circumferential bead on an outer surface of said skirt adjacent to an edge of said skirt remote from said base wall, and a dome extending from an inner peripheral edge of said base wall coaxially and oppositely from said skirt,    said inner shell being positionable within said outer shell in a non-child-resistant first position with said bead on said skirt of said inner shell captured between said beads on said skirt of said outer shell and said outer shell rotatably coupled to said inner shell so that said at least one internal thread on said skirt of said inner shell can be threaded onto and off of a container by rotation of said outer skirt,    said inner shell being positionable within said outer shell in a child-resistant second position with said dome extending into said opening, and with said bead on said inner shell skirt spaced from said beads on said outer shell skirt such that rotation of said outer shell is imparted to said inner shell by engagement of said lugs on said base walls.    
   
   
       7 . The closure set forth in  claim 6  wherein said outer shell includes ribs extending between said internal beads, and said inner shell includes ribs on said external bead for engagement with said ribs on said outer shell in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
   
   
       8 . The closure set forth in  claim 6  wherein said internal bead on said outer shell nearer to said base wall is circumferentially segmented, and said outer bead on said inner shell has teeth that extend axially into gaps in said segmented bead in said non-child-resistant mode of operation.  
   
   
       9 . The closure set forth in  claim 6  wherein said lugs on said base wall of said inner shell are C-shaped as viewed from an axial direction, having clockwise facing legs with angulated cam surfaces and counterclockwise facing legs with circumferentially facing abutment surfaces.  
   
   
       10 . The closure set forth in  claim 6  wherein the internal bead further from said base wall of said outer shell has a lesser internal diameter than the internal bead closer to said base wall of said outer shell to retard removal of said inner shell from within said outer shell.