Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – Nonmetallic
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-24
2001-08-28
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
Nonmetallic
C222S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279780
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging for a product of pasty liquid consistency contained in a compressible receptacle allowing the emptying of almost all of the product which it contains.
2. Discussion of the Background
Thus, frequently, the user wishing to employ a product of more or less viscous consistency contained in a compressible receptacle of the bottle, bottle-tube or tube type, notes that at the end of use there is still some product in the receptacle. Such a residual product is impossible to get out simply by compressing the receptacle. Generally, the degree of retrieval of product packaged in such a receptacle depends on the rheology of the product, and is from around 85% to 90% of all of the product.
It has been noted that certain consumers seek to open the receptacle with the aid of a cutting tool, so as to access the product remaining inside, especially when dealing with a cosmetic product whose price is often high.
Various solutions have already been proposed for minimizing the degree of product remaining in the receptacle at the end of use.
Thus, WO-A-96/26120 discloses a flexible tube finished with a dispensing head consisting of a concave shoulder. A dispensing neck emerging from the centre of the concavity can be blocked off by a closure cap. This packaging has the drawback however that, in particular in the case of tubes, bottles or bottle-tubes made from a plastic and comprising an orifice of undeformable nature, a relatively considerable quantity of product remains inaccessible in the head of the reservoir. Furthermore, the configuration of the tube head proposed requires an excessively long neck, trapping further product and having a rather unaesthetic appearance. Such a configuration may hardly be suitable for a tube for packaging product, especially cosmetic product, and is totally inappropriate for the production of bottles or bottle-tubes.
Furthermore, EP-A-0 845 421 discloses a dispensing head mounted on a compressible receptacle, this head comprising a plurality of zones of reduced thickness allowing diametral squeezing of the dispensing head. Although this dispensing head makes it possible to compress the product-dispensing channel, it cannot solve the problem of using almost all of the product. Indeed, some residual product always remains trapped in the vicinity of the substantially rigid shoulder, formed between the head of the tube and its flexible side wall.
Moreover, GB-A-0830695 describes a bottle furnished with a dispensing spout which can be blocked off with the aid of a screw-on cap. The spout comprises two incisions parallel to a central axis of the spout, which are able to separate in response to the thrust of the product to be dispensed. This device does not make it possible to compress the product-dispensing channel, and cannot solve the problem of using almost all of the product.
Furthermore, NL-A-6 402 615 relates to a device making it possible to reduce an accidental internal overpressure of a bottle. For this purpose incisions of small depth, for example in the shape of a <<V>>, are made on the free edge of the bottle neck. An elastic washer is arranged at the bottom of a screw stopper in such a way as to block off the said bottle neck, in the closed position of the bottle. When an overpressure occurs, the overpressure prevailing inside the bottle separates the washer from the zone of the incisions, allowing the overpressure to escape. These incisions are entirely unable to solve the problem addressed by the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention aims to provide a novel packaging which makes it possible to access the product retained at the end of use, especially under the shoulders with which a compressible reservoir is provided, and which, in particular, cannot be dispensed by compressing the body of the reservoir.
Hence, the invention provides a packaging for product, for example a product of pasty liquid consistency, comprising:
a reservoir for the product, formed by a compressible body surmounted by a shoulder;
a rigid neck with a longitudinal axis, joined to the said shoulder and provided with a product-dspensing passage, a free edge of which neck delimits an aperture communicating with the interior of the reservoir; and
a cap, able to close the said aperture.
According to the invention, the said neck comprises at least two slits extending over substantially the entire height of the neck and opening out into the said aperture. Thus, when a radial compression is exerted on two diametral zones of the shoulder, the said slits separate in such a way as to bring the said compression zones together and to favour the expulsion of the residual product located in the vicinity of the shoulder.
Furthermore, the said slits are able to open up into a V-shape. This arrangement allows the user to access the residual product trapped for example in the neck and underneath the shoulder. In this way on the one hand the user can by compressing the reservoir expel a part of the product remaining inside the reservoir. On the other hand, it allows neck opening such that the user can access the interior of the reservoir and collect the remainder of the product, with the aid of an implement of the spatula or cotton-bud type, or with the aid of a finger. Trials carried out by the applicant have shown that, in this way, the degree of retrieval of the product can be increased. According to the trials, the degree of retrieval is between around 95% and around 97% of the total quantity of product, this being a very satisfactory result.
Moreover, this arrangement allows the user to verif visually the degree of emptying of the reservoir. This arrangement makes it possible, furthermore, to reduce the volume occupied by the reservoir at the end of use, and therefore to compact it and to minimize its bulk.
Advantageously, the present packaging is configured so that the said radial compression can be performed perpendicularly to the orientation of at least one of the slits. This arrangement thus makes it possible to be able to put the slits back into an adjoining position, and to favor the repositioning of the cap on the neck of the reservoir.
Preferably, the neck exhibits at least two diametrically opposed slits.
Among the products intended to be packaged in the device, according to the present invention, one may mention, in particular, beauty creams, foundations, gels, glues or mastics, artist's paints, food products such as mayonnaise, etc.
Preferably, the reservoir is shaped as a tube, as a bottle-tube or as a bottle. This reservoir can be made from one or more thermoplastic materials or, for example in the case of a tube, from a flexible metal, such as aluminum or tin.
The term “tube” designates a receptacle of generally cylindrical body, a first end of which forms a bottom following a line of closure, obtained in particular, through pinching followed by folding or by welding. The second end is integral with a dispensing head comprising a shoulder furnished with a neck and provided with a blockable dispensing orifice.
The term “bottle-tube” should be understood to mean a receptacle of non-cylindrical right cross section, the bottom of which is formed by a line of closure, obtained in particular from molding or through pinching followed by folding or by welding. The side away from the bottom forms a dispensing head, comprising a shoulder furnished with a neck and provided with a blockable dispensing orifice.
The term “bottle” designates a receptacle whose body includes an upper end comprising a shoulder surmounted by a neck provided with a blockable dispensing orifice. The opposite side consists of a flat bottom, allowing the bottle to stand upright on a support.
Advantageously, in particular for economic reasons, it is preferred to produce the reservoir from a thermoplastic such as high- and low-density polyethylenes, polypropylene, thermoplastic polyesters (polypropylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, etc.) or polyvinyl chloride.
According to a
Buechner Patrick
L'Oreal
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Shaver Kevin
LandOfFree
Packaging for pasty liquid product with improved degree of... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Packaging for pasty liquid product with improved degree of..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Packaging for pasty liquid product with improved degree of... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2446300