Coating implements with material supply – Including ball – roller or endless-belt tool – Ball
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-29
2003-10-28
Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Including ball, roller or endless-belt tool
Ball
Reexamination Certificate
active
06637966
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to toiletry dispensers and more specifically to a hand sealable toiletry dispenser that incorporates a flexible seal to prevent leakage of the contents in the event the pressure outside the container exceeds the internal pressure in the container.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
None
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The concept of toiletry dispensers is well known in the art with toiletry dispensers available in multiple types and forms. Typically, toiletry dispensers, which are throw away items, are injection molded from plastic. During there use toiletry dispensers are carried with the user as the user travels from one place to another. One of the difficulties with transporting toiletry dispensers in aircraft is that the toiletry dispenser sealing mechanisms are generally ineffective to prevent the toiletry from oozing from the container when the atmospheric pressure drops.
The present invention addresses the problem associated with the differential pressure between the inside of the container and the outside the container. Typically, the pressure inside the container is one atmosphere at sea level and the pressure on the outside of the container at sea level is also one atmosphere and therefore if the container is opened and closed at sea level, the differential pressure is zero. By placing a sealed container in a luggage compartment on an airplane the toiletry dispenser is subject to external air pressures associated with altitudes of 30,000 feet or more. For example, at an altitude of 30,000 feet the air pressure is approximately 1/4 atmosphere. If the container is in a closed condition this creates a substantial differential pressure between the outside of the container and the inside of the container.
With existing toiletry dispensers the differential pressure between the inside of the container and the outside container approaches equilibrium as the air within the container seeps out. The air seepage is generally not a problem if the container is right side up or even lying on its side. However, if the container is not in an upright condition the higher pressure air from the inside of the bottle is sucked out together with the toiletry causing leakage of the toiletry over articles that may be proximate the toiletry dispenser.
The Lathrop, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,057 mentions the problems that are associated with dispensing of liquid roll-on anti perspirants and deodorants. Lathrop points out the use of a capillary device
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to relieve pressure differential conditions to prevent liquid from running down the side of the container. In his abstract he points out he has a “Device for applying liquid materials to the skin, said device having a liquid container, a poromeric plastic applicator head, and a diaphragm spring holding the applicator in said device. The diaphragm spring provides a liquid tight seal between the poromeric applicator head and the liquid container and also allows movement of the poromeric applicator head in a vertical direction to create a pressure within the liquid container and provide force to aid in moving the liquid through the poromeric applicator head to its outer surface. The poromeric applicator head is also provided with a capillary pressure compensating value To maintain substantially equal pressure within and without the dispensing container”. Thus Lathrop seeks to solve the problem of liquid running out of the container by using a capillary valve to equalize the pressure inside and outside the container.
Other referenced patents such as Thomas U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,749,566 address the problem of leakage in a different manner. Thomas discloses an internal seal that extends around his ball dispenser with the sealing arrangement forming a horizontal compression of his seal against the spherical surface of his ball.
A similar type of internal sealing arrangement is shown in Gentile U.S. Pat. No. 2,923,957 where he provides a seal between his ball and a lateral sealing surface. Gentile discloses a sealing member and skirt which are brought into the gap between the ball and the housing to seal the ball.
Other prior art internal sealing mechanisms are known, for example Berhhaahn U.S Pat. No. 4,050,826 shows a sealing flange
13
and a neck
7
, where the flange is an integral part of the molded plastic body. Berhhaahn points out that he has a “sealing surface
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that is designed to form a tight seal” when his screw cap abuts against the upper surface of his flange. However, he does not state that his device produces a hermetic seal or a fluid tight seal. In fact, because of the manner of manufacture of toiletry dispensers the formation of a fluid tight seal between the inside of the container and the outside of the container is both difficulty and costly to achieve.
In general, a conventional roll-on applicator for toiletry articles includes a body, a cap and a roll-on ball. The body of these containers usually contains a male thread on the body and the cap that contains a female mating thread. The prior art devices for sealing conventional toiletry articles having containers and caps generally uses the engaging relationship between the male and female threads to provide a seal. Unfortunately, the threads used in toiletry caps and containers are molded and as a result lack the necessary tolerances to form leakproof seals therebetween. Thus the tolerances resulting from the molding process are inadequate to create a hermetic or fluid-tight seal between the cap and the container that would prevent the container from leaking if taken to high altitude conditions.
In addition to tolerance problems, the containers and caps, which are made of plastics, have shrink rates associated with the plastic. Those skilled in the art of injection molding understand that plastics shrink as the mold cools and can often deform from the intended shape. Consequently, when a injection molded plastic body and an injection molded plastic cap are tightened, the mating threads can contain deformities and therefore it is difficult to create a hermetic or fluid-tight seal therebetween. Also, because of the injection molding process even if a rigid cap and rigid container abut against each other, the abutting rigid surfaces can contain flashings or other molding irregularities so that one cannot create a surface to surface seal between the rigid cap and a rigid flange of the container.
Lathropi, et al, mentions the importance of maintaining equal pressure within and without the dispensing container. In contrast, the present invention maintains the air pressure within the container by providing an ectoseal that forms a fluid tight seal between a sealing surface on the cap and a sealing shoulder or the container. The sealing surface on the cap and the sealing shoulder on the container are drawn onto opposite sides of a sealing ring that extends around the periphery of the container.
The fact that because one cannot form a hermetic or fluid tight seal at sea level does not necessarily present a problem unless the container is positioned in a non upright condition. However, it is beneficial to the chemicals in the toiletries, in particular, aluminum chloride hexahydrate, and the like if one can keep the atmospheric moisture from reacting with the aluminum chloride hexahydrate, as water can alter the pH of the aluminum chloride hexahydrate into an undesirable acid level and, therefore, cause skin irritation. Therefore sealing out the moisture from the inside of the container can be beneficial to the toiletry.
In general, the prior art toiletry dispensers with a threaded cap secured to the body of a container fail to address differential pressures between the interior of the container and the exterior of the container that occur at high altitudes, particularly at altitudes of 30,000 feet or more. The present invention provides an effective, efficient dispenser that obviates the problem of leakage at high altitudes.
The present invention also provides benefit at sea lev
Jacobson & Johnson
Nguyen Tuan N.
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