Abstract: A package that has both child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation. A container has an end with an open mouth surrounded by a container wall with a central axis and at least one first lock element extending radially outwardly from the wall. A closure includes an annular base wall having inner and outer peripheral edges. A cylindrical skirt extends from the outer peripheral edge of the base wall, and at least one second lock element is disposed on the skirt. A projection extends axially from the inner peripheral edge of the base wall in a direction opposite from the skirt. The projection has an annular sidewall spaced radially inwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the skirt.

Abstract: A closure includes a skirt and internal lugs on the skirt. The skirt has an undulating circumferential contour that includes alternate outwardly convex and outwardly concave portions, with the internal lugs being disposed within the outwardly concave portions of the skirt. The skirt preferably is sufficiently flexible to allow the outwardly concave portions of the skirt to assume an outwardly convex geometry as a result of outward pressure on the internal lugs during demolding of the closure. The closure thus may be simply axially stripped from the mold core during the demolding operation without requiring movement of portions of the mold core to clear a path for travel of the lugs. The lugs preferably are shaped as an inverted U that opens toward a free edge of the skirt, further to facilitate demolding of the closure.

Abstract: A child-resistant package includes a container having an open mouth, a conical external surface around the open mouth that widens away from the mouth and a wall extending from the conical external surface. A closure has a base wall, and a peripheral skirt having a first portion adjacent to the base wall and a second portion removably connected to the first portion. An annular first wall extends from the base wall at a position radially inward from the skirt for spring/sealing engagement with the conical external surface of the container. A second wall extends from the base wall at a position radially inward from the first wall and, preferably, at an outward conical angle to the base wall. The second portion of the skirt and the wall on the container have interlocking elements that resist removal of the closure from the container in a child-resistant mode of operation absent a force against the first wall to disengage the interlocking elements.

Abstract: A package having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation includes a plastic container having a cylindrical finish and at least one external thread on the finish spaced from the open end of the finish. An external circumferentially extending first engagement element is provided on the finish between the external thread and the open end of the finish, and has an outside diameter that is less than that of the external thread. A manually deflectable release element is externally cantilevered from the finish on a side of the thread remote from the open end. A plastic closure has a base wall and a peripheral skirt with at least one internal thread for engagement with the at least one external thread on the finish in a child-resistant mode of operation. There is at least one locking lug on the skirt for releasable engagement with the release element on the container in the child-resistant mode of operation. An annular wall extends from the base wall in a direction opposite from the skirt.

Abstract: A package having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation includes a container having a neck finish with an open end, an external surface surrounding the open end and at least one external first engagement element spaced from the open end. A closure has a base portion, a skirt extending from the base portion, and at least one internal second engagement element on the skirt for engagement with the external first engagement element on the container neck finish in a child-resistant mode of operation. The skirt containing the second engagement element is severable from the base portion of the closure to convert the closure from a child-resistant mode of operation to a non-child-resistant mode of operation. A first annular element within the skirt is disposed for engagement with the external surface on the container neck finish to seal the package in the child-resistant mode of operation.

Abstract: A child-resistant closure includes a one-piece plastic shell having a base wall with a peripheral edge, an annular skirt, and a bistable snap-action toggle connection between the peripheral edge of the base wall and the skirt such that the skirt is adapted to be moved between two stable positions with respect to the base wall. At least one lug is disposed on the skirt or the base wall for engagement with cooperating structure in a child-resistant mode of operation in a first position of the skirt with respect to the base wall. The skirt is movable with respect to the base wall between the first position and a second positions for selecting between the child-resistant and the non-child-resistant modes of operation of the closure.

Abstract: A tamper-indicating child-resistant package includes a container having a cylindrical finish with at least one external thread segment, a manually deflectable release element externally cantilevered from the finish, and a tear band frangibly connected to the finish and having an upstanding locking lug. A closure has a skirt with at least one internal thread segment for mating engagement with the external thread segment on the container finish, a first lock element on the skirt for engagement with the manually deflectable release element and second lock element on the skirt for engagement with the locking lug on the tear band. Engagement between the second lock element on the closure skirt and the locking lug on the tear band prevents unthreading of the closure from the container finish until the tear band is frangibly removed from the finish, whereupon deflection of the manually deflectable release element releases the closure for unthreading from the finish.

Abstract: A child-resistant package includes a container having an open mouth surrounded by a wall and a closure engagement element extending circumferentially part-way but not completely around the wall. The portion of the wall into which the engagement element does not extend is resiliently inwardly flexible. A closure has a base portion that engages an end of the container wall around the mouth and an engagement portion that engages the engagement element on the container wall. The portion of the container wall that is inwardly flexible permits manual engagement with the base portion of the closure to remove the closure from the container.

Abstract: A container includes a container base and a lid interconnected by a hinge and being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction. The container base is of generally rectangular outline having a back wall to which the hinge is connected, a front wall, opposite sidewalls and an open end. The front wall is connected to the back wall opposite the open end by a continuously curving end wall so that the front wall, the back wall and the continuously curving end wall form a continuous surface for application of a label to the front wall, the back wall and the continuously curving end wall. The sidewalls have flat coplanar edges opposite the open end to permit the container to be stood on end with the open end facing upwardly. The container preferably includes a child-resistant latch having a first latch element on the lid opposite the hinge and a second latch element on the front wall of the container ban adjacent to the open end and opposite the hinge.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing and certifying operation of a system for producing plastic containers using equipment having at least one controllable action that affects quality of containers produced by the equipment includes inspecting raw materials for parameters that affect manufacturability and acceptability of containers produced from such materials, monitoring operation of the equipment including the at least one controllable action, inspecting containers produced by the equipment for variations that affect acceptability of the containers, automatically controlling operation of the equipment to eliminate variations in response to information obtained during the inspecting and monitoring steps, and certifying acceptability of containers produced by the equipment.

Abstract: A closure includes a one-piece integrally molded plastic shell having a shell portion that is engageable with a container such that said closure is adapted to function in cooperation with the container in a first predetermined mode of operation, such as a child-resistant mode of operation. The shell portion is selectively removable by a user such that the closure is then adapted to function in cooperation with the container in a second predetermined mode of operation different from said first mode of operation, such as a non-child-resistant mode of operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for injection molding an article including a radially extending child resistant feature. Finish block halves are provided that include a pocket and that are closable together to form a neck-finish mold cavity. Mold body halves are provided that include a core portion and that are closable together to form a body mold cavity. The core portion is advanceable toward the pocket to cooperate therewith to define a cavity for forming the child resistant feature. The core portion may be integrally formed into one or more of the mold body halves, or may be separately mounted and relatively movable with respect thereto.

Abstract: A tamper-indicating child-resistant package includes a container having a finish with an open mouth and an external circumferential bead spaced from the mouth. A closure has a skirt for externally encircling the container finish, a tamper band frangibly connected to the skirt for positioning beneath the external circumferential bead on the container finish, and a spring element for engaging the finish and biasing the closure away from the finish. The finish and the skirt have interlocking elements that resist removal of the closure from the finish absent force against the spring element to disengage the interlocking elements. Engagement of the tamper band with the external circumferential bead ruptures the frangible connection of the band to the skirt upon first removal of the closure from the container finish to indicate potential tampering with the package.

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.

Abstract: A closure having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation includes a plastic inner shell having a skirt with at least one internal thread, an external bead on the skirt and a circumferential array of teeth on the bead. A plastic outer shell has a skirt externally encircling the skirt of the inner shell. The outer shell has an internal bead on its skirt, a circumferential array of first teeth on one side of the internal bead, a circumferential array of second teeth on the other side of the internal bead, and at least one third engagement element adjacent to an edge of the skirt. The inner shell is positionable within the outer shell in child-resistant and non-child-resistant positions, in which the teeth on the inner skirt engage the first or second teeth on the outer shell.

Abstract: A package includes a closure for attachment to a container. The closure has a skirt with a plurality of internal lugs and an internal surface. The container has a sidewall terminating in an open end and having a plurality of external projections. The plurality of external projections include sets of child-resistant and non-child-resistant projections. The child-resistant projections have undersides with notches for receiving the plurality of internal lugs of the closure, and the non-child-resistant projections have substantially flat undersides for locating against the plurality of internal lugs of the closure. The sidewall also has an external surface located axially between the plurality of external projections and the open end for engagement with the internal surface of the closure for sealing the package and for resiliently biasing the closure away from the container.