Dispensing – With discharge assistant – Container with follower
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-07
2001-12-25
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
Container with follower
C222S542000, C222S402100, C277S644000, C220S062210, C220S614000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332563
ABSTRACT:
Under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §119, this application claims priority of French Application No. 0001489, filed on Feb. 7, 2000, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a device for containing and dispensing a product. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device suitable for containing and dispensing cosmetic products, such as hair products, personal hygiene products, make-up products, and care products. The device may include, for example, an aerosol container.
Aerosol-type devices are useful for containing liquid and/or pasty substances and dispensing them under pressure. Such devices generally include a rigid outer container and a flexible inner container having an upper edge fixed to the outer container. The inner container may be formed of a flexible material, such as aluminum or plastic. The outer container may include an aerosol can. These devices may also have a dispensing valve mounted on a cup. The base of the outer container generally has a sealable opening for introducing a propellant (e.g., gas) into a volume formed between the outer container and the inner container.
The above-mentioned genre of devices may also be referred to as twin-chamber aerosol containers, or simply “bag aerosols.” The flexible inner container or “bag” usually contains the product to be consumed, and an annular chamber between the bag and the outer container contains a propellant, for example, a pressurized gas. The product may be dispensed through a dispensing head by opening the dispensing valve, for example, by pressing in or inverting the dispensing head. The dispensing head may include a press button or other suitable mechanism. Pressure exerted by the propellant on the bag acts to expel the product out of the bag through the dispensing valve when the dispensing valve is opened.
The aerosol container (i.e., outer container) may have a base and a cylindrical body. The cylindrical body may include an arched part or “dome” at an end of the aerosol container opposite from the base. The dome may include a free edge configured in the form of a rolled edge that defines an opening. A metal disc-shaped part referred to as a “cup” may be mounted on the rolled edge of the outer container. The dispensing valve may be fastened generally on the center of the cup on an axis of the device. The cup may have a peripheral collar or folded annular edge by which the cup may be fastened on the rolled edge of the outer container by crimping and/or rolling. Alternatively, the fastening of the cup on the dome of the outer container may be accomplished by tube expansion (i.e., deforming the cup from the inside so as to press it out against the inside surface of the dome of the outer container). The resulting deformation from the tube expansion may clamp the collar of the cup to the rolled edge of the outer container. A seal between the collar of the cup and the rolled edge of the outer container may be provided by an elastic gasket or seal.
In bag aerosols, the bag may be fixed to a body of the outer container adjacent to a location where the cup is crimped to the rolled edge of the outer container. The bag may be suspended by its neck in an axis of the device. The neck of the bag may terminate at the top in a lip sized so that the lip may be inserted into the collar of the cup and rested on the rolled edge of the dome. During the crimping or tube expansion of the cup, the lip of the bag may be gripped between the collar of the cup and the rolled edge of the outer container. A high level of precision in assembly may be necessary to ensure an adequate seal between the cup, the bag, and the rolled edge of the outer container. The seal between the bag and the outer container may be the most difficult to achieve because of the fugacity of the propellant gas, and because of the nature of the bag material, which may be a relatively inelastic plastic, such as polypropylene or polyethylene.
In practice, the presence of the lip of the bag between the rolled edge of the container and the collar of the cup may create an additional thickness that prevents uniform deformation of the elastic gasket and proper sealing of the device. Typically, the elastic gasket may have the form of a flat annular element of constant thickness. When an inner annular portion of the gasket is placed between the collar of the cup and the lip of the bag, the gasket may be compressed satisfactorily on the inner annular portion, but much less in an outer annular portion extending beyond the lip of the container. As a result, the portion of the gasket directly between the collar of the cup and the rolled edge of the outer container may not seal satisfactorily (i.e., the seal between the propellant gas and the external environment may be poorer than desired). An exemplary device suffering from this drawback is disclosed in International Application No. WO99/16684 (see, e.g.,
FIGS. 19
a
and
19
b
).
Similarly, as shown in French document no. FR-A-2 310 287, when an inner annular portion of the gasket is placed between the rolled edge of the outer container and the lip of the bag, the gasket may be compressed satisfactorily in the inner annular portion, but much less in the outer annular portion. Once again, as a result, the seal between the product and the external environment may be poorer than desired. The above-mentioned French document suggests the possibility of providing a second gasket in the bottom of the collar of the cover member; however, use of a second gasket may undesirably increase the overall cost and complexity of the device.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need in art for an improved device for containing and dispensing a product.
One aspect of the invention may include providing a device that addresses sealing problems in conventional devices.
Another aspect of the invention may include providing an aerosol device having improved sealing that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
It should be understood that the invention could still be practiced without performing one or more of the aspects and/or advantages set forth above. Still other aspects will become apparent after reading the following description of the invention.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a device for containing and dispensing a product. The device may include a housing including an opening, and a container for containing a product. The container may be within the housing and may have an end portion defining an opening of the container. The device may also include a region in the housing for receiving a gas to pressurize the container. The region may be defined at least partially by an interior of the housing and an exterior of the container. The device may further include a cover member covering at least a substantial part of the opening of the housing. The end portion of the housing may be between a portion of the cover member and a portion of the housing. Additionally, the device may include a valve on the cover member configured to dispense product from the container and a seal compressed between the portion of the housing and the portion of the cover member. The device may also include a step-shaped region provided by at least one of a part of the seal, the portion of the housing, and the portion of the cover member. The step-shaped region may be adapted to enable substantially uniform compression of at least parts of the seal on opposing sides of the step-shaped region.
In another aspect, the device may include a product within the container.
In yet another aspect, the device may include a gas within the region in the housing.
In a further aspect, a portion of the seal may be compressed between the end portion of the container and the portion of the housing. For example, the portion of the seal compressed between the end portion of the container and the portion of the housing may include an inner annular portion of the seal.
In another aspect, a
Derakshani Philippe
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
L'Oreal (S.A.)
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