Bottles and jars – Multilayer barrier structure
Reexamination Certificate
1996-06-13
2001-05-29
Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)
Bottles and jars
Multilayer barrier structure
C206S457000, C222S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237787
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to packaging systems for storing and dispensing products. More specifically, it relates to a packaging system that comprises an inner container which holds the product, surrounded by a flexible outer shell removably attached to the inner container. The flexible outer shell can be molded in a three-dimensional form to resemble an animal, cartoon character, youngster's toy or the like. Once the product is completely used, the inner container is removed from the outer shell and replaced with a new, full inner container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various containers for storing and/or dispensing liquid or powder products, which have been modified to display a decorative external appearance, are known in the art. Many of these containers have further been provided with three-dimensional components to provide a shape to the container that resembles an object, such as an animal or a cartoon character. Such modifications are designed to enhance the container's aesthetic appearance, making the container more suitable for display in one's home, such as on the bathroom sink or on the kitchen counter. Also, if the container, such as a bottle of shampoo for example, is made to resemble a cartoon character or the like, it may decrease a child's fear or displeasure of having his or her head shampooed.
The earliest decorative containers of this type included bottles which were formed by blow molding. Thereafter, a pressure sensitive label or shrink label was applied as decoration to these bottles, which typically contained bath soaps, shampoos and bubble baths. These bottles were provided with cartoon character heads, or “toppers” as they are known in the art. The topper was placed over the bottle's closure and secured thereto such as by friction fitting or the like. Many of these toppers were provided with an opening therein, to allow for dispensing of the product through the topper. Other toppers merely housed the dispensing device, and had to be removed to gain access to the dispensing device.
Although these designs provided the package with a decorative appearance, the actual character depicted was merely a one dimensional label applied to the bottle itself. Any features with three-dimensional detail were limited to the decorative toppers.
One such early decorative container known in the prior art is hollow, generally cylindrical in configuration and comprises a peripheral side wall. The container is closed at its bottom end and terminates at its upper end in a neck portion. The container further comprises a two-piece closure, known in the art as a “push-pull” closure, for sealing the contents, such as a liquid or powder, within the container. The two piece closure comprises an inner cap and an outer fitment. The inner cap has a hollow, reduced diameter spout which is closed at its top and has a circumferential sealing bead located below the top. The spout further includes at least one opening therein which is located between its closed top and the circumferential sealing bead. The outer fitment is hollow and has an upwardly extending, reduced diameter portion whose top is open. The fitment also has a peripheral sealing bead on the internal surface of its reduced diameter portion. To seal the container and it contents, the inner cap is secured, generally with the use of threads, over the neck portion of the container. The fitment is then pushed into place over top of the inner cap so that the internally located sealing ring of the outer fitment is located below the externally located sealing bead of the inner cap, and the external surface of the uppermost portion of the spout of the inner cap comes into sealing engagement with the inner surface of the upwardly extending, reduced diameter portion of the external fitment. A hollow decorative piece, i.e., the “topper,” may be secured to the fitment where it can be held in place by, e.g., friction fit. When a topper is used, it will have an opening therein for receiving the reduced diameter spout of the fitment. To dispense the contents of the container, the fitment (and its overlying topper, if one is used) is pulled upwardly. This removes the spout of the inner cap from its sealing engagement with the inner surface of the reduced diameter portion of the fitment. The contents may then flow from the interior of the container, through the interior of the reduced diameter spout of the inner cap, through said at least one opening in the spout, and finally through the open upper end of the fitment. The side wall of the container is either a rigid material, in which case the contents would be poured out of the container, or the side wall is flexible, in which case the contents may be dispensed by squeezing the wall.
The above-described prior art container provides three-dimensional characteristics only in the topper area, and is thus not as aesthetically pleasing as a container having three-dimensional detail over the entire body of the container. The main portion of the bottle is simply cylindrical, with a two-dimensional label or picture showing the lower body of the figure or character attached to the outer surface of the container. Further, this container does not allow for the replacement of the bottle. Once the product is completely used, the container either has to be disposed of, and a new container purchased, or a refill of the product has to be purchased and then placed into the container, such as by pouring, etc.
Another container, known in the prior art and somewhat similar in design to the above-described container, is again generally cylindrical in configuration and comprises a peripheral side wall and a bottom. The neck portion of this container is elongated, and a closure such as a standard pump dispenser or spray fitting is attached to the neck portion, generally with the use of threads, to seal the contents of the container. The sidewall of the container is formed from a flexible material, and is provided with a two-dimensional label as decoration.
A decorative topper is fitted over the pump or spray dispensing closure and then moved firmly into place about the elongated neck portion. The topper is held in place by means of cooperating sealing beads on the outer surface of the elongated neck portion and inner surface of the topper. The topper is provided with an opening or aperture in both its top and its bottom, to allow for the slidable placement of the topper over the dispensing closure and onto the neck portion. Thus, unlike the previously mentioned container, this container does not provide for dispensing of the product through the topper itself—rather, the dispensing portion, i.e., the closure, extends through the opening in the top of the topper. However, this container still suffers from the same shortcomings, namely, any three-dimensional detail is limited to the topper provided on the upper portion of the container, and the container is therefore not as aesthetically pleasing. Also, the container is not replaceable, requiring the purchase of an entire new container or a refill. Refilling tends to be a cumbersome procedure, requiring the disassembly of the existing container, followed by pouring the refill product into the container, and then reassembly of the container. Often times the topper is fixably secured to the bottle, such that it is virtually impossible to remove the topper for refilling without damaging or destroying the container.
Another container known in the prior art is similar in design to the first-mentioned prior art container, in that in consists of a flexible container having a push-pull type closure and a decorative three-dimensional topper affixed to the closure, through which the contents of the container are dispensed. However, the lower portion of the container, rather than being simply cylindrical, is instead molded to provide minimal three-dimensional characteristics, e.g., the outer shape of a cartoon character or the like. A printed label or the like portraying the appearance of the cartoon character is
Chan Ivan
Gallo Anthony B.
Mohary Stephen John
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products, Inc.
Mangini Michele G.
Weaver Sue A.
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