Container and closure

Details Container and closure Container and closure

1998-07-28

2001-05-01

Kaufman, Joseph A. (Department: 3754)

Dispensing

Collapsible wall-type container

Plural container and/or compartment

C222S485000, C222S556000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06223942

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is often desirable in consumer and other products to keep separate two or more components of the composition until actual use. Examples of compositions wherein this may be desirable include personal washing compositions wherein cleansing and moisturizing compositions are kept separate prior to application on the skin by the consumer. Other examples include laundry products wherein it is desirable to keep separate enzyme and bleach, and dental products wherein it may be necessary to isolate peroxide from bicarbonate prior to use of the product. A patent disclosing such a personal washing composition is Chambers et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,307. Another application for such containers is to house shampoo in one compartment and conditioner in another.
Numerous patents disclosing dual containers of one sort or another and/or closures have been published. These include Usen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,429, Hatakeyama et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,803, Blette, U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,928, Iaia et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,203, Douglas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,159, O'Meara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,441, O'Meara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,120, Reil et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,209, De Laforcade, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,432, Stokes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,178, Ratcliff, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,590, Pearson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,756, Gentile U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,947, Mueller U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,539, Gentile U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,312, Gentile U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,949, Gentile U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,950, Abfier et al. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 353,326, Wickham U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,046, Walravens U.S. Pat. No. Des. 329,984 and Meurer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,389.
Despite the various dual containers disclosed in the literature, a dual container, especially for consumer products, which is simple and acceptable to consumers has been elusive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a simple, economical, efficient container for dispensing two products kept separate prior to application, for example, surfactant and skin benefit agent. In one aspect, the invention relates to a container comprising two chambers, each having a proximal wall and a distal wall. The chambers are adhered to each other at the proximal wall.
Although the chambers are essentially identical when viewed from their respective distal walls, they are adhered to each other at an offset so that from any view, both chambers can be seen. This is advantageous in that it permits the consumers to recognize that two separate chambers, and therefore, components, are used notwithstanding the fact that a unitary container is presented. Preferably, the chambers include in their proximal walls complementary raised and recessed portions, eg. protuberances and depressions, which assist the alignment of the chambers in an offset. Likewise, the chambers may be provided with generally longitudinally extending ridges or wedges, which facilitate joining of the chambers in an offset orientation.
Advantageously, the chambers of the present container are made of a material which permits the distal walls to be relatively flexible so as to permit a consumer to dispense the product merely by exerting pressure with one hand. A particularly preferred material is medium density polyethylene. In fact, preferably both chambers are made of medium density polyethylene, although softer materials may also be used. In one preferred embodiment, the ridge disposed on the proximal wall extends in a generally vertical orientation. Preferably aspects of the proximal walls medial to the ridge will be relatively flat, except for raised and recessed portions desirable to align the chambers, in order to permit the chambers to fit readily together. The chambers are preferably adhered together with a chemical adhesive.
An especially preferred alignment scheme comprises a generally vertically extending secondary ridge and a complementary generally vertically extending trough on each of the proximal walls.
Each chamber preferably includes a product exit opening. The product exit openings preferably lead to a closure, which constitutes a further aspect of the invention.
The closure preferably comprises a peripheral flange and a wall extending transversely of the flange and including at least two product egress openings. Product egress channels on the underside of the transverse wall may lead to the product egress openings. Preferably the product egress channels are in communication with and are snugly received within the product exit apertures of the chambers so that exiting product is directed from the chambers through the product egress channels to the respective product egress opening.
Preferably attached to the closure base, for example by a hinge, is a closure cover. The closure cover may include one or more plugs to assure that product does not escape through the product egress openings when the closure cover is closed.
In accordance with a particularly advantageous aspect of the invention, both the closure base transverse wall and the closure cover include one or more drainage openings. The drainage openings are not in communication with the product exit openings of the chambers, but instead serve to permit drainage of any liquid which may otherwise be present in the closure, given that the closure will receive the exteriors of the chambers, but not in a liquid tight arrangement. For instance, shower water can travel between the chambers and into the closure exterior to the product egress channels and the product exit apertures.
The cover of the closure preferably provides a relatively large surface area so that, if so desired, the container can be conveniently left to stand on the closure. This is particularly advantageous in the event that the components in the different chambers are consumed at different rates. By resting the container on its closure, the fluids in the various chambers will be caused by gravity to flow toward the closure and will then be positioned for use immediately upon opening of the container.
Medium density polyethylene is particularly preferred as the material from which the chambers are fabricated in that it is believed that it promotes even distribution of the product from the two chambers.
To promote stability when the container rests on its closure, the ratio of the area of the top surface of the closure to the cross sectional area of the container measured at its widest point is preferably high, especially 0.4 or above. Preferably the range is from 0.4 to 0.9, especially from 0.5 to 0.7. Providing a broad cap surface generally helps give the bottle better support.
For even dispensing, it is preferred that the viscosities of the liquids in each chamber be as close as possible to the other.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: D. 313347 (1991-01-01), Fiore
patent: D. 329984 (1992-10-01), Walravens
patent: D. 353326 (1994-12-01), Abfier et al.
patent: 3269389 (1966-08-01), Meurer et al.
patent: 3761418 (1973-09-01), Parran, Jr.
patent: 4974756 (1990-12-01), Pearson et al.
patent: 5052590 (1991-10-01), Ratcliff
patent: 5137178 (1992-08-01), Stokes et al.
patent: 5152432 (1992-10-01), De Laforcade
patent: 5158209 (1992-10-01), Reil et al.
patent: 5244120 (1993-09-01), O'Meara
patent: 5252312 (1993-10-01), Gentile et al.
patent: 5269441 (1993-12-01), O'Meara
patent: 5289949 (1994-03-01), Gentile
patent: 5289950 (1994-03-01), Gentile
patent: 5312934 (1994-05-01), Letton
patent: 5316159 (1994-05-01), Douglas et al.
patent: 5318203 (1994-06-01), Iaia et al.
patent: 5386928 (1995-02-01), Blette
patent: 5389279 (1995-02-01), Au et al.
patent: 5392947 (1995-02-01), Gentile
patent: 5489046 (1996-02-01), Wickham
patent: 5612307 (1997-03-01), Chambers et al.
patent: 5615803 (1997-04-01), Hatakeyama et al.
patent: 5626262 (1997-05-01), Fitten et al.
patent: 5628429 (1997-05-01), Usen et al.
patent: 5702033 (1997-

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