Dispensing – Resilient wall – Internally extending outlet pipe
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-18
2004-07-27
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Resilient wall
Internally extending outlet pipe
C222S525000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06766922
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a squeeze-spray device and to a method of application of a liquid cosmetic composition to the human body.
BACKGROUND
Many forms of device for applying liquid cosmetic compositions are known. For spray application, propellant-driven aerosol devices are widely used. Alternatively, squeeze spray devices may be employed. Unfortunately, squeeze spray dispensing of liquid compositions commonly leads to poor spray quality, which, in turn, leads to unfavourable sensory perception when the composition is applied to the human body.
Squeeze spray devices of the prior art are generally unsophisticated devices and have the disadvantage of being prone to accidental discharge when inadvertently put under pressure—for example, when being carried in a handbag or a jacket pocket. Such accidental discharge not only wastes the product, but may also lead to inconvenient damage or cleaning requirements for the accidentally sprayed substrate.
Numerous publications exist in the literature on squeeze spray devices, some addressing one or more of the aforementioned problems. GB 2,284,202 (1994, Gene Stull) discloses a closure cap for a squeeze bottle, which, when opened, enables multi-stream spraying of the enclosed product. U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,149 (1993, Perfect-Valois Ventil) also discloses a closure cap for a squeeze bottle, although the outlet valve of disclosed closure cap may be opened simply by squeezing the bottle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,367 (1980, Hayes) discloses a squeeze spray device with a rotatable cap and alignable orifices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,476 (Ciba-Geigy) discloses a squeeze bottle device with an air check valve on the cover. U.S. Pat. No. 4,02,0,979 (1977, Summit Packaging Systems) discloses a squeeze spray device offering improved spray atomisation.
INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned mentioned problems associated with many earlier squeeze spray devices. Other benefits may include ease of use, in particular one-handed use; robustness; and ease of manufacture.
When used to apply a liquid cosmetic composition to the human skin the devices described herein, in particular the preferred embodiments, lead to good sensory perception of the composition by the user.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a squeeze spray device comprising a deformable bottle for holding a liquid composition, a leave-in-place dispenser cap attached to the deformable bottle, and a dip-tube, one end of said dip-tube being received by the dispenser cap and the other end terminating inside the deformable bottle; said dispenser cap comprising:
a) a base section, comprising a means for attachment to the deformable bottle, a segment defining at least one aperture and a receiver for the dip-tube on the interior face of said segment, the at least one aperture providing fluid connection between the interior of the deformable bottle and exterior to the base section, both via the dip-tube and otherwise; and
b) a moveable member, retained exterior to the base section, comprising a cover for said segment of the base section, said cover defining a spray hole;
the moveable member functioning to change the device between an inoperable state in which the spray hole is blocked from within by a blocking means that forms a part of the base section and an operable state in which the cover defining the spray hole is at a distance from said blocking means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispenser cap suitable for use as part of a squeeze spray device according to the first aspect of the invention.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of topical application of a liquid cosmetic composition comprising the use of a squeeze spray device as described in the first aspect of the invention.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a consumer product comprising a squeeze spray device as described in the first aspect of the invention containing a liquid composition.
With regard to the third and fourth aspects of the invention, the squeeze spray device of the present invention may be used with a variety of liquid compositions. It is suitable for topical application of a liquid cosmetic composition to the human body, in particular deodorant, antiperspirant, hair spray, and perfume compositions. Cosmetic compositions that are especially suitable are deodorant and antiperspirant compositions; the consumer may gain efficacy and/or sensory benefits with such compositions. The composition may be in the form of a homogeneous solution, an emulsion, or a suspension of one or more components in a liquid carrier material. Homogeneous solutions are the most preferred option because of their comparative stability and lack of problems with dispenser blockage.
The sensory and/or efficacy benefits referred to above are particularly noticeable when the composition used with the device is a liquid cosmetic composition for application to the human body that comprises a C2 to C4 alcohol, for example ethanol, propylene glycol, propanol, or iso-propanol. Suitable compositions typically comprise C2 to C4 alcohol at a level of from 5% to 95%, in particular from 25% to 80%, and especially from 40% to 75% by weight of the composition. Liquid compositions comprising ethanol are particularly suitable.
The deformable bottle may be of any shape; for example, it may be a straight-sided jar or flask, or it might have a waisted design. Preferably, the bottle is of tubular shape, with a base upon which it can stand upright, without falling over. The base may be essentially flat. It is preferred that the base is raised towards the interior of the bottle in a central region. The cross-section of the bottle is preferably circular. Another preferable feature is the presence of a neck portion, onto which the dispenser cap may be attached. Typical dimensions, excluding any neck portion, are from 5 cm to 20 cm for the height and, independently, from 3 cm to 8 cm for the diameter of a container of circular cross-section or from 3 cm to 12 cm for the greatest cross-sectional dimension of a container of non-circular cross-section. The sidewalls of the tubular container have a thickness enabling them to be deformable under hand-pressure, a typical thickness being from 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm. The base preferably has a thickness of from 0.6 mm to 2.5 mm.
The bottle may be made from any suitable plastic material; for example, polyethylene. A mixture of high- and low-density polyethylene may advantageously be employed.
When the deformable bottle is being used as part of a squeeze spray device suitable for topical application of a liquid cosmetic composition, its internal volume is typically from 10 cm
3
to 300 cm
3
, particularly from 30 cm
3
to 200 cm
3
, and especially from 50 cm
3
to 150 cm
3
.
A dispenser cap is attached to the deformable bottle of the squeeze spray device. The dispenser cap is not removed during use of the squeeze spray device—this is what is meant by “leave-in-place”.
The dispenser cap comprises a base section attached to the deformable bottle by some form of attachment means. A suitable attachment means is a screw-threaded tube designed to mate with a screw-threaded tube on a neck portion of the deformable bottle. Alternatively, the attachment means may be a friction fit onto the deformable bottle and/or lugs that interact with lugs on an adjoining surface on the base section. When the attachment means comprises screw-threaded elements as described above, it is preferred that there is also present a means of preventing over-tightening of the screw-threaded elements.
Preferably the base section comprises an outer skirt that fits over an upper part of the sidewall of the deformable bottle. This feature can aid the retention of the base section onto the deformable bottle. In particularly preferred embodiments, the lower edge of the outer skirt is shaped to fit into a correspondingly shaped indentation in the sidewall of the deformable bottle. This fea
Derakshani Philippe
Stein Kevin J.
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