Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – With casing or support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-01
2001-04-03
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
With casing or support
C222S108000, C222S107000, C222S571000, C383S904000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209756
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a container for storing and dispensing fluid material, in particular liquid detergents or the like, comprising a flexible collapsible storage portion for storing the fluid material, and a dispensing portion in communication with the storage portion in order to dispense the fluid material from the storage portion in a controlled manner, the storage portion having a substantially rectangular rounded shape, one side thereof containing the dispensing portion; as well as to a combination package comprising such container and an outer cover having a rectangular shape and including walls fitting around the filled container and having a portion allowing the passage of the dispensing portion when in use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flexible packaging is often used as an alternative for rigid canisters due to the benefits of low waste, volume and weight. In most cases the flexible inner container is packed in a rigid outer cover. The flexible container acts as a liner and contains the fluid material, the cover, often made of cardboard, allowing the combination package to be stacked and protects the vulnerable container against damage.
The size and weight of the package, with a volume in the range of 1 up to 30 liter, generally do not allow manipulation of the package, therefore they are often used as a stationary “bulk” reservoir, placed on a rack, shelf or stand, with a device connected to the dispensing portion to allow the fluid material being poured or pumped out in a controlled manner.
In the prior art there are two types of combination packages: ready for use packs and closed packs. The ready for use packs have a neck or pouring opening which is accessible and which is fixed on the outer surface of the cover. These packages are ready for use, no additional handling other than removing the tamper evident closure of the pouring opening is required. The neck, cap or closure is in this case prefixed in the cardboard cover. To avoid the risk of damage during transport and enable stacking, these packages either have to be transported in an additional cardboard cover, or require an additional top, like the Safebox pack™, to fill up the empty space between the rigid neck/closure and the cardboard cover in order to create a cubical form. In both cases the space utilization is poor because “dead volume” is created in the additional transport cover. Although the convenience aspect of the ready for use packages can be seen as a benefit, the cost and complexity of production and, after use, separation of the plastic cover from the cardboard cover is a clear disadvantage.
The closed packages have as their dispensing portion a “hidden” neck and closure. These packages show a better space utilization than the ready for use packages as a minimum of empty top space is required. In order to initiate the use of these packages, the cardboard cover needs to be opened first and then the dispensing portion needs to be positioned and fixed in the cardboard cover. Therefore, these closed packs are less convenient for the user.
Apart from the details of the fixation of the dispensing portions, both types of packages have the problem of residue of the fluid material left behind after use when the package is placed horizontally.
The object of the present invention is to provide a container and a combination package including a container and a cover in which these problems are solved in an effective way.
It was surprisingly found that this object could be achieved with the container and combination package of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a container and a combination package which are characterized in that the dispensing portion is pivotally connected to the edge of said one side of the storage portion, which slopes away inwardly from the dispensing portion in order to accommodate the folded-in dispensing portion and/or in that the dispensing portion is pivotally connected to the edge of said one side of the storage portion, and the dispensing portion forming an extension of the side adjacent said edge.
Due to the placement of the dispensing portion with respect to the storage portion of the container, it is possible to fold-in the dispensing portion close to the side of the storage portion of the container so that the cover can have a volume which is only slightly larger than that of the container. The construction of the dispensing portion as an extension of an adjacent side of the container allows the use of the container in two positions, i.e. with said one side directed downwardly or with the adjacent side directed downwardly, without a residue being left behind. This is the result of the lack of a rim between the bottom of the container and the lower side of the dispensing portion. In a further development of the combination package there is created an opening means in the cover allowing the passage of the dispensing portion when in use, which is characterized in that the opening means is a tear-away part of the outer cover which is positioned and dimensioned such that removal of the tear-away part is sufficient to enfold the dispensing portion to the dispensing position.
This feature makes the package ready for use: only the tear-away portion needs to be removed or folded open to be able to use the container, no pre-fixation of the dispensing portion is required. As no end user action is required to prepare the opening of the package, a more reliable usage of the dispensing portion can be guaranteed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2950029 (1960-08-01), Winstead
patent: 3112047 (1963-11-01), Weinreich et al.
patent: 3199742 (1965-08-01), Hill
patent: 4946072 (1990-08-01), Albert et al.
patent: 35 29 659 (1987-02-01), None
patent: 778 223 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 1 232 539 (1960-10-01), None
Bonderer David A
Diversey Lever Inc.
Shaver Kevin
Squillante, Jr. Edward A.
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