Dispensing – With lock or fastening seal – Inhibiting operation of flow controller or closure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-11
2001-02-13
Kaufman, Joseph A. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With lock or fastening seal
Inhibiting operation of flow controller or closure
C222S383100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186366
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser with a child-resistant nozzle assembly, and more particularly to a fluid dispenser having a dispenser body which rotatably supports a nozzle cap rotatable relative to the body into various ON positions such as a spray position, a stream position and an OFF position. The child-resistant nozzle assembly is designed to prevent children from using the dispenser in an unintended manner.
Such dispensers present certain problems when children have access thereto. One such problem arises when children attempt to turn the nozzle cap from the OFF position to one of the other operative ON positions of the nozzle cap. It is therefore desirable to provide an arrangement wherein the nozzle cap can be locked against rotation relative to the dispenser body when in the OFF position, and further wherein the locking action will occur automatically when the nozzle cap is turned to such position. Additionally, unlocking of the nozzle cap should be easy for an adult to accomplish, yet very difficult if not virtually impossible for a child.
In order to prevent children from rotating such nozzle caps, various prior art constructions have been designed which require that two different manual functions must be carried out simultaneously in order to release the rotatable nozzle cap so that it can be moved into one of its ON operative modes. For example, various locking arrangements have been developed wherein a locking member supported by the dispenser body engages a cooperating locking member on the nozzle cap. With this type of device, it is necessary to move the locking member with one hand while rotating the nozzle with the other hand, which is a very difficult operation for a child to carry out.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,695 discloses a construction wherein a locking member automatically moves into locking position when the nozzle cap is rotated into an OFF position. A flex arm member extends downwardly beneath the lower or underside of the nozzle cap and nozzle end of the dispenser body. The flex arm is adapted to be pulled rearwardly of the device by the trigger finger of a user to move the locking member into a release position when the device is held in its normal position within the user's hand. The nozzle cap can then be rotated into the desired position. The disadvantage of such structure is that the flex arm cannot be readily seen by the user, and access to the flex arm is not convenient. Therefore, this prior art device is difficult even for an adult to use. Furthermore, the flex arm can be easily moved rearwardly by the tip of a finger from a point in front of the nozzle cap so that accidental release of the locking mechanism is possible.
A further problem encountered with nozzle caps of the type discussed above is that children have a tendency to suck on the outer end of the nozzle. This may result in some of the fluid in the dispenser entering into the child's mouth. This can be a dangerous situation since many of the fluids contained in such dispensers could if ingested make a child ill. It is noted that even if the nozzle is in OFF position and the dispenser has been previously used, there may be some residual dispenser fluid in the dispenser downstream of its shut-off valve. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means for preventing children from sucking any significant amount of dispenser fluid from the discharge opening of the nozzle cap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved dispenser wherein at least one locking member is movably supported by the dispenser body and extends laterally from one side portion of the body so as to be in full view when the dispenser is held in the hand of a user. The locking member engages a flat surface or recess in the nozzle cap to positively lock the nozzle cap against rotation relative to the dispenser body. The locking member is integral with the body to form a flexible connector hinge which permits rocking movement of the locking member relative to the body and further ensures that the locking member will automatically move into its locking position when the nozzle is rotated to its OFF position.
The “dispenser body” as described and claimed refers to the pump body with or without an outer shroud connected thereto. And the locking member(s) may be integrally connected with the pump body or with the shroud, in accordance with the invention. In one embodiment the locking member is integrally connected with the pump body. When a shroud is employed as illustrated, the shroud is provided with slot means therein adjacent the nozzle end of the body for receiving a portion of the locking member and allowing it to rock back and forth between its locking and unlocked positions. Otherwise, when a shroud is employed, the locking member may be integrally connected with the shroud in accordance with another embodiment.
The dispenser may also have a pair of locking members mounted at opposite sides of the dispenser to provide a more positive locking action. These opposing locking members may be simultaneously moved into release or unlocking position by squeezing the two locking members between two fingers of the user's hand.
In order to prevent sucking of dispenser fluid from the nozzle cap, the nozzle cap may be provided with passage means in addition to the discharge passage means formed therein. This additional passage means may take the form of a plurality of passages or may be a single passage, as so desired. The additional passage means, which provides communication between a portion of the nozzle cap near the discharge opening thereof and ambient air, may be located within the confines of the outer periphery of the nozzle cap or may be located externally so as to lie on an outer wall of the cap. With such a construction, when a child sucks on the nozzle cap, ambient air is drawn into the child's mouth in such quantity that there is not sufficient suction applied to the discharge opening of the nozzle cap to draw any significant amount of fluid through the discharge opening. Thus, a child is prevented from aspirating undesirable fluid from the dispenser into the mouth in a simple yet highly effective manner.
The locking member arrangement for preventing the nozzle cap from rotating from its OFF position and the additional passage means provided in the nozzle cap for preventing undesired sucking of fluid from the dispenser form two different features which can be employed individually in nozzle caps, or the two features may be employed in the same nozzle cap to provide both forms of child resistance.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4204614 (1980-05-01), Reeve
patent: 4516695 (1985-05-01), Garneau
patent: 4706888 (1987-11-01), Dobbs
patent: 5050779 (1991-09-01), Knickerbocker
patent: 5088628 (1992-02-01), Knickerbocker
patent: 5222637 (1993-06-01), Giuffredi
patent: 5535952 (1996-07-01), Tada
patent: 5662246 (1997-09-01), Contaxis, III
patent: 5687880 (1997-11-01), Maas et al.
patent: 5848733 (1998-12-01), Foster et al.
DiMaggio Phillip J.
Good Robert J.
Calmar Inc.
Cartagena Melvin A.
Dykema Gossett PLLC
Kaufman Joseph A.
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