Child resistant bottle cap

Abstract

A bottle cap for a medicine bottle in accordance with the present invention includes an outer cap including a first top and a first sidewall extending downward from the first top, an inner cap including a second top and a second sidewall extending downward from the second top, wherein the inner cap is mounted in the outer cap and an engagement device positioned in the outer cap such that the engagement device is movable from a first position wherein the outer cap is engaged with the inner cap in a senior friendly mode, and a second position wherein the outer cap is freely rotatable in a desired direction with respect to the inner cap in a child safety mode.

1 . A bottle cap comprising: 
 an outer cap including a first top and a first sidewall extending downward from the first top;    an inner cap including a second top and a second sidewall extending downward from the second top, wherein the inner cap is mounted in the outer cap; and    an engagement device positioned in the outer cap such that the engagement device is movable from a first position wherein the outer cap is engaged with the inner cap in a senior friendly mode, and a second position wherein the outer cap is freely rotatable in a desired direction with respect to the inner cap in a child safety mode.    
   
   
       2 . The bottle cap of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement device comprises a flap formed in the top of the outer cap and including an opening, wherein the flap is rotatable in a substantially vertical direction between the first position and second position.  
   
   
       3 . The bottle cap of  claim 2 , wherein the inner cap further comprises a protrusion extending upward from the second top, wherein the protrusion extends through the opening in the flange when the flange is in the first position such that the outer cap is engaged with the inner cap.  
   
   
       4 . The bottle cap of  claim 3 , wherein the protrusion is free of the flange when the flange is in the second position, such that the outer cap is freely rotatable in the desired direction with respect to the inner cap.  
   
   
       5 . The bottle cap of  claim 4 , wherein the inner cap further comprises a plurality of sloped protrusions, each of which extending from a high point to a low point and positioned on a top surface of the second top.  
   
   
       6 . The bottle cap of  claim 5 , wherein the outer cap includes a plurality of flanges that extend downward from a bottom surface of the first top such that a bottom of each flange of the plurality the flanges extends to just above a height of the low point of the sloped protrusions such that the flanges engage the high side of the sloped protrusion when the outer cap is turned in a first direction and the flanges merely slide over the sloped protrusions when the outer cap is turned in the desired direction.  
   
   
       7 . The bottle cap of  claim 6 , wherein the flanges engage the low side of the slope protrusions when the outer cap is pressed downward such that the outer cap engages the inner cap to turn the inner cap and allow for removal of the bottle cap from a bottle.  
   
   
       8 . A bottle cap comprising: 
 an outer cap including a first top with an opening formed therein and a first sidewall extending downward from the first top;    an inner cap including a second top with a resilient protrusion extending upward therefrom and a second sidewall extending downward from the second top, wherein the inner cap is mounted in the outer cap;    a seal mounted in the inner cap and pushing the resilient protrusion upward into the opening of the outer cap such that the outer cap engages the inner cap in a senior friendly mode; and    a key removably mounted on a top surface of the first top, wherein the key pushes the resilient protrusion down out of the opening such that the outer cap does not engage the inner cap when the key is attached to the outer cap in a child safety mode.    
   
   
       9 . The bottle cap of  claim 8 , wherein the protrusion remains in the opening of the outer cap when the key is removed from the outer cap such that the outer cap rotates with the inner cap.  
   
   
       10 . The bottle cap of  claim 9 , wherein the inner cap further comprises a pin extending from a bottom of the resilient protrusion such that the seal urges the resilient protrusion upward via the pin.  
   
   
       11 . The bottle cap of  claim 10 , wherein the opening includes a securing notch that accommodates a securing nub of the resilient protrusion operable to keep the resilient protrusion in the opening.  
   
   
       12 . The bottle cap of  claim 11 , wherein the inner cap further comprises a plurality of sloped protrusions extending from a high point to a low point and positioned on a top surface of the second top.  
   
   
       13 . The bottle cap of  claim 12 , wherein the outer cap includes a plurality of flanges that extend downward from a bottom surface of the first top such that a bottom of teach of the flanges extends to just above a height of the low point of the sloped protrusions, such that the flanges engage the high side of the sloped protrusion when the outer cap is turned in a first direction and the flanges merely slide over the sloped protrusions when the outer cap is turned in the desired direction.  
   
   
       14 . The bottle cap of  claim 13 , wherein the flanges engage the low side of the sloped protrusions when the outer cap is pressed downward such that the outer cap engages the inner cap to turn the inner cap in the desired direction and allow for removal of the bottle cap from a bottle.  
   
   
       15 . A bottle cap comprising: 
 an outer cap including a first top and a first sidewall extending downward from the first top;    an inner cap including a second top and a second sidewall extending downward from the second top, wherein the inner cap is mounted in the outer cap; and    a lock device having a substantially U-shape and operable to engage the inner cap and outer cap such that the outer cap rotates with the inner cap in a senior friendly mode.    
   
   
       16 . The bottle cap of  claim 15 , wherein the lock device is made of a substantially resilient material and includes respective locking flanges extending laterally from a first and second end of the U-shape.  
   
   
       17 . The bottle cap of  claim 16 , wherein the outer cap includes an elongated slot formed through the first top, such that the U-shaped lock device passes through the elongated slot.  
   
   
       18 . The bottle cap of  claim 17 , wherein the inner cap further comprises two arcuate slots formed opposite each other through the second top, where the slots are sized to accommodate the locking flanges of the locking device to secure the locking device to the inner cap.  
   
   
       19 . The bottle cap of  claim 18 , wherein the lock device passes through the elongated slot in the outer cap such that the lock device is engaged with both the outer cap and the inner cap such that the inner cap rotates with the inner cap in a senior friendly mode.  
   
   
       20 . The bottle cap of  claim 19 , wherein the lock device bends inward when pressure is applied to the first and second legs of the U-shape of the lock device such that the lock device is released from the arcuate slots in the inner cap and is removable from the elongated slot of the outer cap to allow for free rotation of the outer cap relative to the inner cap in the desired direction.  
   
   
       21 . The bottle cap of  claim 20 , wherein the inner cap further comprises a plurality of sloped protrusions extending from a high point to a low point and positioned on a top surface of the second top.  
   
   
       22 . The bottle cap of  claim 21 , wherein the outer cap includes a plurality of flanges that extend downward from a bottom surface of the first top such that the a bottom of each of the flanges extends to just above a height of the low point of the sloped protrusions such that the flanges engage the high side of the sloped protrusion when the outer cap is turned in a first direction and the flanges merely slide over the sloped protrusions when the outer cap is turned in the desired direction in a child safety mode.  
   
   
       23 . The bottle cap of  claim 22 , wherein the flanges engage the low side of the slope protrusions when the outer cap is pressed downward such that the outer cap engages the inner cap in the desired direction to turn the inner cap in the desired direction and allow for removal of the bottle cap from a bottle.