Senetics Corporation

Gage L Garby

Allan E Barker

Jeffery T Ballas

Jeffrey T Ballas

Homer J Brown

Allen Barker

A closure for a container, including means for counting and indicating the number of times the closure has undergone a cycle of closing and opening the container, and further including means for incorporating the closure into means for resisting the opening of the container by a child. In a preferred embodiment, the closure includes an outer cover having an indicator symbol window an indicator symbol carrier rotatably mounted in the outer cover with indicator symbols visible through the indicator window, tooth and pawl means for allowing one-way rotation of the outer cover relative to the indicator symbol carrier to allow the advancement of the window and an audible click as the pawl passes over a tooth to confirm proper advancement, lost motion means for positively assuring the advancement of the window by one and only one indicator symbol upon each cycle, and a closure mechanism requiring the application of an axial force urging the closure toward the container while applying a rotational force to disengage the closure from the container.

Indicator closure having removable indicia

Snap-on indicator cap

A device to indicate the application of a non-rotative force, having particular utility in recording the dispensing of a push-down activated aerosol medication dispenser. A non-rotative force on an outer cover is translated into a rotation of an indicator wheel relative to the outer cover by a set of flexible pawls engaged with a set of teeth. The pawls depress and thereby extend circumferentially when the applied force flexes them to effect a rotation of the teeth. Suitable means indicate the relative rotation of the teeth such as a window in the outer cover through which is visible indicia on the indicator wheel. The device may also include means to resist its operation by a child.

Indicator device responsive to axial force

A closure a container, including capability for counting and indicating the number of times the closure has undergone a cycle of closing and opening the container, and further for incorporating the closure into a device for for resisting the opening of the container by a child. In a preferred embodiment, the closure includes an outer cover having an indicator symbol window an indicator symbol carrier rotatably mounted in the outer cover with indicator symbols visible through the indicator window, a tooth and pawl for allowing one-way rotation of the outer cover relative to the indicator symbol carrier to allow the advancement of the window and an audible click as the pawl passes over a tooth to confirm proper advancement, lost motion mechanism for positively assuring the advancement of the window by one and only one indicator symbol upon each cycle, and a closure mechanism requiring the application of an axial force urging the closure toward the container while applying a rotational force to disengage the closure from the container.

Flush mounted indicator device

Indicator closure for closing a container

Indicator device responsive to axial force for use with inhaler

A closure for a container including an indicator mechanism to record the removal of the closure from the container and a child-resistant mechanism to resist the removal of the closure from the container by a child. A spring in the indicator mechanism urges the indicator mechanism toward the child-resistant mechanism to provide sufficient force to engage the child-resistant mechanism for the attachment of the closure to the container, but not sufficient force to engage the child-resistant mechanism for the removal of the closure from the container, so that an additional external force must be applied to engage the child-resistant mechanism for the removal of the closure from the cap. The additional, external force is also necessary to engage the indicator mechanism, so that the mechanism cannot be inadvertently advanced.

Child-resistant indicator cap

A device for removing a child resistant closure from a container, including a tab to receive the protrusion of a closure of the line-up-the-arrows type, a recess to receive the closure adjacent the tab, an inclined side of the recess to bear against the closure and maintain the tab in engagement with the protrusion, and an end of the device opposite the tab to receive a force. The recess is such that it can accept varying sizes of closures. Applying a force to the forcereceiving end in the downward direction levers the tab upward to pry the closure off the container. The tab is positioned on the device in such a way that the user can readily see the engagement of the tab with the closure protrusion.

Remover for child resistant closure

An apparatus for counting the number of times a container has been opened or some other event has occurred, with particular usefulness in medicine bottles and the like. An outer cover portion with a set of teeth holds an indicator wheel with an engaging pawl and another set of teeth and a ratchet wheel with a another pawl. The pawls and teeth in combination with a slot for engaging the ratchet wheel result in a lost motion drive in which the outer cover will turn relative to the indicator wheel each time the container is opened or closed or some other event occurs. Various embodiments of the invention include means for using the cap with child-resistent containers, means for attaching the cap to containers and means to facilitate the manufacture and assembly of the device.

Indicator cap

Indicator cap for use with threaded or bayonet lug container

An adaptor for use with an indicator device, comprising a ring-shaped element having an inner circumference for attaching to the indicator device and an outer circumference for grasping by the user in order to manipulate the indicator device. The inner circumference has an upper radial lip and lower radial lip that maintain the indicator device therebetween, and the outer circumference may have grasping-enhancing elements such as a set of circumferential knobs.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Gage L Garby