Safety closure assembly for an aerosol container

Abstract

A safety closure assembly is disclosed comprising an overcap rotatably mounted on and substantially enclosing the valve end of an aerosol container, having a valve actuating tab with a spray orifice through which the container contents are discharged when the tab is depressed. A keying element associated with the tab functions to prevent its depression under certain conditions. A collar member is provided for association with the overcap, the collar member being non-rotatably mountable on the valved end of the container and having a shelf forming a blocking position, a lock-out spring which is resiliently flexible in a direction parallel to the container axis, and an upstanding catch formed on the lock-out spring. The valve actuating tab is normally disabled from operating the valve by interference of its keying element with the free end of a C-shaped ring. The ring is supported by the collar and its free end is normally urged between the keying element and the blocking portion of the collar. The ring is resiliently distortable in a plane perpendicular to the container axis and has a leg projecting in that plane which is engaged by an internal abutment in the overcap upon rotation of the latter to bend the free end of the ring outwardly away from the container axis, whereby to remove it from interfering relation with the tab keying element.