Special receptacle or package – For mixing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-14
2001-09-25
Fidei, David T. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For mixing
C206S221000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293395
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging allowing three components of a product, for example liquids, to be stored separately from each other, and allowing them to be mixed at the time of their use. This packaging can be used, for example, for the storage of a hair dye or of a hair-perming product, these products usually consisting of several components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Two-part packaging allowing two components to be stored and extemporaneously mixed just before the use of the mixture is described in EP-A-0,298,357. This packaging comprises a first bottle intended to contain a first component, this bottle being open at its base and fitted at its top with a dispensing nozzle; connecting part fixed to the base of the first bottle and comprising a central hollow shaft capable of receiving, at the top, a removable stopper allowing the first bottle to be closed; a second bottle intended to contain a second product, provided with a neck which can be engaged in the central hollow shaft, this neck being equipped with a closure plug for storage, connecting part, in particular of the screwing type, provided between the neck and the plug, the assembly being such that when the plug is removed from the second bottle, the neck of the second bottle can expel the stopper to allow the components to be mixed.
Moreover, DE GM 8700341 describes packaging for the separate storage of three components to be mixed at the time of use. This packaging comprises a cylindrical upper first container fitted with a dispensing nozzle and containing a first component; a cylindrical lower body provided with a bottom to which two concentric cylinders of the same height are connected, the lower cylinder constituting a second container which contains a second component, and a third container bounded by the volume defined between the two cylinders and the bottom, and containing a third component. A plug having two annular skirts is provided for simultaneously closing off the second and third compartments. The plug includes a plurality of radial fins intended to catch on an internal rim of the first container when the first container undergoes a relative translational movement with respect to the second container, for the purpose of disconnecting the plug from the second and the third containers and thus of mixing the three components.
It has been found that the plug frequently remains caught on the second and third containers and that the mixing of the three components could therefore not be carried out. Moreover, certain multi-component formulations such as those intended for use with the present invention require the mixing of the various components to be carried out according to a sequence of precise steps. This is because, for example, in the case of certain recently developed formulations, it is absolutely essential to proceed via a premixing of two or more base compositions before another active component is added.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide packaging of the abovementioned kind, which especially allows the mixing of a product consisting of three components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide packaging for a multi-component product the manufacture of which remains simple and as inexpensive as possible, and which allows storage under reliable sealing conditions. This packaging must be made as small as possible and allow simple and rapid assembly. By virtue of the invention, it is possible to completely safely package several components, for example of a corrosive nature, for a prolonged storage period, these components having to come into contact with each other only at the moment of use.
Such packaging can be used, in particular, for a hair dye, for example an oxidation-type dye, or else for a hair-perming product.
It is known that this kind of product generally consists of at least two base compositions. In general, such a product comprises an active component combined with a reducing agent or an oxidizing agent. The active component has to be stored separately from the reducing agent or the oxidizing agent in order to prevent premature inactivation of the active component. However, when it is desirable to add an additional component, for example a fragrance intended to mask the smell of one of the components, or a solubilizing agent, or even an emulsifier, in order to make it easier for the mixture to be homogenized, it is not possible to package the additional component with one or other of the base compositions. This is because the premature contacting of these components would cause the product to degrade before it is used.
Thus, the invention comprises a packaging for the extemporaneous mixing of two products, comprising a first bottle intended to contain a first product, this bottle being open at its base in the form of a skirt and being fitted with a dispensing nozzle; connecting part fixed to the base of the first bottle and comprising a central hollow shaft capable of receiving a first detachable stopper allowing the first bottle to be closed; a second bottle intended to contain a second product and provided with a neck which can be engaged in the central hollow shaft, the second bottle being equipped with a removable closure and bearing engagement means which, after the closure has been removed, interact with a complementary part provided in the central hollow shaft, to allow the first stopper to be expelled and allow the two products to be mixed.
According to the invention, in such a packaging the second bottle includes an intermediate member which can participate with the closure in order, on removing the closure, to carry out the mixing of at least two base compositions separately contained in the second bottle so as to form the second product.
In other words, by virtue of the packaging of the invention it is possible, in a first step, to pre-mix two base compositions in order to obtain the second product. In a second step, the first product can be added to the pre-mixture thus obtained, in order to obtain a mixture of the three components in a defined order, ready for use.
In a preferred embodiment, the intermediate member comprises a skirt which is inserted into the neck of the container of the second bottle and a free edge of which, placed inside the neck, is intended to come into engagement with a second stopper carried by the closure and isolating one of the base compositions from the other. By this arrangement, it is possible to superpose the two base compositions, one with respect to the other, thereby allowing them to be mixed under gravity after the second stopper has been expelled.
Advantageously, the skirt presents a portion emerging from the container of the second bottle and including a screw thread which can interact with a corresponding screw thread carried by the closure. Thus, by simply unscrewing the closure it is possible to cause the second stopper to be disengaged and the two base compositions to be premixed.
Moreover, unless otherwise indicated, the screwing systems used for joining the assembly together preferably have a “right-handed” screw thread.
When it is difficult to mix the first product contained in the first bottle with one of the two base compositions, for example for solubility reasons, the nature of the other of the base compositions may be chosen so as to obtain a co-solubilizing effect.
According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the closure is in the form of a stopper and carries a central tubular portion which (i) passes through the inside of the first skirt over its entire height and (ii) has a free end which is closed off by the second stopper, thus defining a compartment which can contain one of the base compositions.
In this case, the second stopper advantageously presents a projecting peripheral edge which can butt against the free edge of the first skirt so that, when the closure has been removed from the second bottle, the second stopper is expelled, allowing the base compositions to be mixed
Fidei David T.
L'Oreal
Oblon,Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.
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