Package making – Methods – With contents treating
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-05
2001-05-01
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
With contents treating
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223503
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hot pour product sampler that incorporates the genuine lipstick or other hot pour product and a method of making the sampler by application of the lipstick or other hot pour product to a substrate such as paper or film through the use of bulk thin film application techniques.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Traditionally, hot pour products such as lipsticks have been packaged in containers such as bottles, jars, flasks, boxes, compacts and tubes. Additionally, hot pour products have been molded into various shapes such as a cylindrical shape or a pomade and enclosed in a container which may be of a corresponding different shape than the hot pour product. More recently, hot pour products such as lipsticks and other cosmetics have been placed in sampling devices for use in magazine inserts, postcards, department store catalogs and billing cycles and other sales promotion vehicles, and have been used as store handouts. The sampling devices contain a small quantity of hot pour product or a substance simulating a hot pour product that can be removed and applied to the lips or skin by a consumer.
Hot pour product sampling devices such as for lipsticks are also produced using silk-screen printing such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,112. The silk-screen printing method is relatively economically unfeasible and it requires multiple manufacturing steps to produce a finished product.
A method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,831 provides a transfer layer of a colored heavy, waxy oily material, removable by fingertip and spreadable by skin, in forming an advertising sampler.
However, this sampler is made from a composition which is intended to only mimic the color of the genuine cosmetic product advertised. The sampler does not contain the actual hot pour product advertised.
One method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,496 provides printing a cosmetic onto a substrate using standard printing techniques. This method requires that non-dry cosmetics, i.e., lipstick, first be modified to a dry micro-particulate form. Col. 3, lines 53-55. Second, a carrier is added to the cosmetic to form a slurry of cosmetic. Col. 4, lines 33-35. Finally, this slurry is applied to a substrate.
Another method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,386 teaches application of cosmetics to a treated substrate using screen printing. This sampler does not utilize bulk thin film application, i.e., non-printing technology. A need exists to produce hot pour product samplers using non-printing technology.
A need exists for inexpensive mass producing hot pour product samplers such as lipstick. A need also exists to provide a hot pour product sampler encompassing the actual hot pour product advertised, not another product that mimics the genuine product. Hot pour products typically have a very defined appearance and feel. A need exists to form a hot pour product sampler without having to form a slurry or solid before application of the product. Finally, a need exists to effectively utilize bulk thin film application techniques to produce an economical hot pour product sampler.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a hot pour product sampler such as a lipstick sampler is formed using wide-web offset or gravure printing machinery with in-line finishing capability. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the application of the hot pour product to be sampled is applied by bulk thin film techniques. Print stations are used for printing conventional information and not for application of the hot pour product. For example, indicia, visible to a user of the sampler prior to opening it, which may be printed or otherwise, may be provided on the sampler identifying the specific type and brand, including by trademark or otherwise, of the actual hot pour product or lipstick contained in the sampler. Hot pour products are applied using a bulk thin film technique, i.e., nonprinting technology, in the in-line finishing line such as by pulsed, metered on-demand spraying or pulsed, metered on-demand extrusion, or continuous spraying, or continuous extrusion, for example.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, hot pour products are first liquefied, or at least partially melted, from a wax- or oil-based state, applied to a substrate, and then cooled and set in an appropriate thickness and position. This is different from the system used in the application of conventional cosmetic products, which requires heat or dwell time to drive off volatile solvents such as isopropyl alcohol.
In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention, a hot pour product sampler is formed using narrow-web roll-to-roll machinery, for example, machinery traditionally used to produce labels. Hot pour products are applied using a bulk thin film technique, i.e., nonprinting technology such as by pulsed, metered on demand spraying or extrusion, or continuous extrusion, or continuous spraying, for example as the web substrates are being conveyed. This method enables economical mass production of hot pour product samplers of various configurations, including delivery of a sampler on a carrier liner for inexpensive, fast dispensing and affixing.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a hot pour product sampler can be mass produced utilizing the genuine hot pour product and not an ersatz hot pour product that imitates the color of the genuine hot pour product. Consumers most likely would prefer to view and sample the actual hot pour product to enable them to accurately match color, look and feel. Any attempt to apply the hot pour product to a substrate generally requires that the hot pour product not bleed or leak or stain in the substrate, nor can the hot pour product itself be altered in its own final color, feel or appearance or separate into different fractions.
In the present invention, at the time of application of the hot pour product, the product is in a liquid or semi-liquid state. Re-melting of the product after application to a substrate to obtain the proper consistency is not required. Application of the hot pour product occurs as the web substrate is being conveyed.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, pulsed, metered spraying or pulsed, metered extrusion, or continuous spraying, or continuous extrusion application is utilized for efficient bulk thin film application of the hot pour product. Pulsing or intermittent application provides hot pour product application in discrete spaced apart areas on a substrate web. By using less hot pour product during the process, the overall cost of actual hot pour product is reduced. Continuous spraying or continuous extrusion provides an even unbroken laydown of the hot pour products that is easy to produce, and easy to monitor for quality control purposes.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, continuous spraying or continuous extrusion application is utilized for a uniform bulk thin film application of the hot pour product. In the context of certain design configurations, continuous spraying or continuous extrusion allows faster press speeds, less down time for press stops, and better quality control. These advantages may outweigh the cost of spraying or extruding excess hot pour product which is not present in the final product, and the overall unit cost of hot pour product samplers may be less using continuous spraying or continuous extrusion.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, continuous extrusion or spraying of the hot pour product allows construction of a relatively inexpensive system. Both the spray and extrusion systems can, with simple adjustments, provide varying widths and thicknesses of laydown and create a solid, unbroken line of applied materials that are easy to monitor in quality control.
By “genuine hot pour product” it is meant that the hot pour product that is applied as a thin film which is incorporated into the sampler includes the genuine, actual hot pour product, and is not an imitation or ersatz hot pour product comp
Berman Michael J.
Deierlein William
Retail Communications Corp.
Ryndak & Suri
Sipos John
LandOfFree
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