Many types of containers and closure devices therefor have been developed in an effort to prevent poisoning of and injuries to young children by the ingestion of hazardous contents of such containers or contact therewith. This has been particularly true with regard to prescription and over the counter drugs. The same principles are also desirable for containers of household chemicals such as detergents and other cleaners, solvents, paints, fuels and automotive types of fluids, lawn and garden chemicals, and the like. In general, the approach is to make a container difficult to open intuitively, but to provide printed instructions for opening the container which can be followed by someone mature enough to read and understand the opening instructions, as well as any warnings provided on the label.
Another goal of the container and packaging industries is to provide containers which will readily show evidence of prior tampering to a purchaser of products contained therein. The principal concern is safety, to prevent the contamination of ingestible products with harmful foreign materials. Another concern involved with tamper evident packaging is to inhibit in-store pilferage of packaged materials and to maintain customer good will by providing the full quantity of a product as listed on the package or container.
Most aerosol products involve some sort of hazard. The propellants for a considerable percentage of aerosol products are flammable, and most can be asphixiating in high concentrations in closed areas. Many products in aerosol form can be injurious, such as paints, cleaners of various types, insecticides, etc., by contact with the skin or eyes or if inhaled. To avoid these hazards and others, it is generally recommended that small children be prevented from handling and using aerosol containers. Child resistant caps to cover spray actuators of aerosol containers have been developed to inhibit operation of aerosol spray actuators. In one such type of child resistant aerosol cap, designated sides of the cap must be squeezed to distort an inner wall having a partial bead engaging a neck of the aerosol can to release the bead so that the cap can be twisted loose. In another type, a tool such as a screwdriver must be inserted through an aperture through an outer wall of the cap to release it.
One problem with most types of child resistant caps for aerosol containers is that once the cap is removed, it may be easily lost or discarded since it is not attached to the container. Once the cap is lost, the container is no longer child resistant and may thereafter be abused by a curious child, not aware of the possible dangers involved. Another problem with many conventional types of aerosol containers is that in a store, the product may be released by an irresponsible person, recapped, and replaced on the shelf and thereafter purchased by a customer not suspecting that the full quantity of product is not present.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds