Child resistant closure and spout combination

Abstract

A screw-top closure cap having a collapsible spout nesting within a cap and with a portion of the spout seated coaxially within the container neck itself is disclosed. Both the spout and the cap incorporate child-resistant features to prevent unwanted removal of the closure and/or use of the spout.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A screw top closure attachable to a container neck having cooperating screw-on features, the closure comprising:
 an closure body having an radial flange, defining a central aperture, and an annular skirt extending axially downward along an outer periphery of the radial flange;   a collapsible spout having a first invertible cone section with a peripheral container plug seal sealingly engaging the radial flange, a second cone section defining a dispensing aperture along an inner facing, and at least two diametrically opposing overcap engagement protrusions positioned on an outer facing of the first and/or second cone section(s) and wherein the first and second cone sections are contiguous so that, when the spout is collapsed, the second cone section nests within the first cone section so as to be at least partially coaxially nested within the annular skirt and, when the spout is extended, the second cone section extends axially above the first cone section; and   an overcap attachable to the second cone section, the overcap having a top panel with an integral pull ring, a deformable skirt extending axially downward along an outer periphery of the top panel, and at least two diametrically opposing child resistant tabs provided on a terminal edge of the deformable skirt and wherein the diametrically opposing child resistant tabs engage the overcap engagement protrusion to selectively prevent removal of the overcap from the spout except when the deformable skirt is squeezed with sufficient force to disengage the child resistant and overcap protrusions.   
     
     
         2 . The screw top closure of  claim 1  wherein anti-back off lugs are formed along an inner facing of the annular skirt. 
     
     
         3 . The screw top closure of  claim 2  wherein the anti-back off lugs engage cooperating lugs on an outer circumference of a container neck. 
     
     
         4 . The screw top closure of  claim 1  wherein anti-back off teeth are formed on a top facing of the radial flange. 
     
     
         5 . The screw top closure of  claim 1  wherein a removable panel initially seals the dispensing aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The screw top closure of  claim 1  wherein a plug seal is formed on an underside of the top panel so as to seal the dispensing aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The screw top closure of  claim 1  further comprising a container having one or more lugs proximate to a neck which engage an inner facing of the annular skirt to prevent removal of the screw top closure after said screw top closure has been threadingly coupled to the neck.