U.S. patent application number 09/812103 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-11 for container, cover, and insert for a consumer product.
Invention is credited to McGee, Thomas, Short, John.
Application Number | 20010027958 09/812103 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8168152 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010027958 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Short, John ; et
al. |
October 11, 2001 |
Container, cover, and insert for a consumer product
Abstract
A container made up of a container and the corresponding cover
for keeping a liquid or solid consumer product, such as a cosmetic
product, a personal care product, a medical product, a household
product or the like, tightly sealed, while simultaneously making
the fragrance of this product available to the outside. The
container or the cover has a chamber suitable to receive a
fragranced insert, and the chamber has at least one perforation
through which the fragranced insert is at least partially exposed
to the outside and the chamber has a seal separating the fragranced
insert from the inside of the container.
Inventors: |
Short, John; (L'lsle Adam,
FR) ; McGee, Thomas; (Nanuet, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Mark E. Waddell, Esq.
Bryan Cave, LLP
245 Park Avenue
New York
NY
10167-0034
US
|
Family ID: |
8168152 |
Appl. No.: |
09/812103 |
Filed: |
March 19, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/365 ;
206/216; 206/581; 215/228; 215/6; 220/505; 220/521 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2203/12 20130101;
B65D 51/28 20130101; A45D 40/00 20130101; A45D 34/00 20130101; A45D
33/00 20130101; B65D 23/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/365 ;
206/581; 206/216; 215/6; 215/228; 220/521; 220/505 |
International
Class: |
B65D 023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 20, 2000 |
EP |
00105850.2 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Container with a cover which allow to keep a consumer product, a
liquid or a solid, such as a cosmetic product, a personal care
product, a medical product, a household product or the like,
tightly sealed, characterized in that the container (20w) or the
cover (10, 10y, 10z) comprises a chamber (12; 24) suitable to
receive a fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) said chamber (12; 24)
comprising at least one opening (11; 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d; 26)
through which the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) is at least
partially exposed to the ambience and with a seal (13; 13x; 13y;
13z) used for separating the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) from
the product (21) contained in the container (20; 20y; 20z;
20w).
2. Container and cover according to claim 1, characterized in that
the container (20; 20y; 20z; 20w) or the cover (10, 10y, 10z)
comprises double walls suitable to receive the fragranced insert
(1; 1x; 1y; 1w) in between.
3. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the seal
(13; 13x; 13y; 13z) mounted in the cover (10, 10y, 10z) is closing
the chamber (12; 24) and/or, when the cover (10, 10y, 10z) is in
closed position, the opening (23; 23z) of the container (20; 20y;
20z; 20w), through which the product (21) can be taken out.
4. Container according to claim 3, characterized in that the seal
(13x; 13y) is connected to the fragranced insert (1x; 1y).
5. Container according to claim 3, characterized in that a cam-like
seal (13z) is connected to the cover (10z) which is tightly fitting
into the opening (23z) of the container (20z) when the cover (10z)
is in closed position and that the fragranced insert (1z) is
designed in such a way that the cam-like seal (13z) passing through
or besides the fragranced insert (1z) into the opening (23z) of the
container (20z).
6. Container according to one of the claims 1-5, characterized in
that the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) fits into and preferably
extending out of the at least one opening (11; 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d;
26).
7. Container according to one of the claims 1-6, characterized in
that the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) is made from a solid
material, preferably a material, such as plastic polymer,
cellulose, wax, plaster, cement, wood or composite materials
containing any of these, said solid material being suitable for
absorbing a fragrance oil or a fragranced solution.
8. Container according to claim 7, characterized in that the
fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) contains a fragrance oil or a
fragrance solvent at a level of 1% to 50%, preferably 20% to 50%,
by weight.
9. Container according to one of the claims 1-8, characterized in
that the total surface area of the perforations is in the range
from 0,25 cm2 to 5,0 cm2 with a preferred surface area of 0,4 cm2
to 1,0 cm2 and/or that the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) has a
surface area in the range from 3 cm2 to 12,5 cm2 with an average
thickness between 1 and 5 mm.
10. Cover for a container (20; 20y; 20z) according to one of the
claims 1-9, characterized in that the cover (10, 10y, 10z)
comprises a chamber (12) suitable to receive a fragranced insert
(1; 1x; 1y) said chamber (12) comprising at least one opening (11;
11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) through which the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y)
is at least partially exposed to the ambience and with a seal (13;
13x; 13y) used for separating the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w)
from the product (21) contained in the container (20; 20y;
20z).
11. Cover according to claim 10, characterized in that the cover
(10, 10y, 10z) comprises double walls suitable to receive the
fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y) in between.
12. Cover according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the
seal (13; 13x; 13y; 13z) mounted in the cover (10, 10y, 10z) is
closing the chamber (12; 24) and/or, when the cover (10, 10y, 10z)
is in closed position, the opening (23; 23z) of the container (20;
20y; 20z).
13. Cover according to claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that
the cover (10y, 10z) is connected to the container (20y; 20z) by a
joint.
14. Cover according to claim 13, characterized in that a cam-like
seal (13z) is connected to the cover (10z) which is tightly fitting
into the opening (23z) of the container (20z) when the cover (10z)
is in closed position and that the fragranced insert (1z) is
designed in such a way that the cam-like seal (13z) passing through
or besides the fragranced insert (1z) into the opening (23z) of the
container (20z).
15. Insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) for a cover (10, 10y, 10z) and/or a
container (20w) according to one of the claims 1-14, made from a
solid material, preferably a material, such as plastic polymer,
cellulose, wax, plaster, cement, wood or composite materials
containing any of these, said solid material being suitable for
absorbing a fragrance oil or a fragrance solution.
16. Insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) according to claim 15, characterized in
that the insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) contains a fragrance oil or a
fragrance solution at a level of 1% to 50%, preferably 20% to 50%,
by weight.
17. Insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) according to claim 15 or 16,
characterized in that the insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) is designed to fit
into a perforated chamber (12; 24) provided in the cover (10, 10y,
10z) or in the container (20w) and preferably into and/or extending
through and out of the at least one opening (11; 11a, 11b, 11c,
11d; 26) of the perforation towards the outside.
18. Insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) according to claim 15, 16 or 17,
characterized in that the insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) has a surface area
in the range from 3 cm2 to 12,5 cm2 with an average thickness
between 1 and 5 mm.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a container for holding a
liquid or solid consumer product, such as a cosmetic product, a
personal care product, a medical product, a household product or
the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A cover of a container is usually designed to tightly seal
an opening through which, during use, a product such as a liquid
can be taken out of the container. The cover prevents the liquid
(or the moisture of a solid product) from evaporating or becoming
contaminated.
[0003] As a result, a liquid poured into a container will not
deliver a fragrance to the outside as long as the cover is mounted.
An unused product on a shelf of a store will therefore not give
away an aroma or a fragrance which would help a consumer to select
the product from several brands or variants. However for a large
variety of products the fragrance is an important or even the
determinant factor concerning the choice of the product.
[0004] In order to give a potential consumer an impression of the
product, such as a perfume or a deodorant, the packaging of the
product often includes a visual and written description of the
product and the related fragrance.
[0005] Especially in larger stores, customers are usually offered
samples for testing purposes. For each product line a product may
be unpacked and made available to the customers. Frequently a
consumer will actually open the packaging of an unused product on
his own in order to smell the product before making a choice. In
case the fragrance does not find the consumer's approval, the
product is normally put back on the shelf. In both cases, opened
and used products can no longer be sold. This practice is also not
desirable in view of product security and hygiene.
[0006] As an alternative, fragrance samplers can be made available
at the sales points of a store. Fragrance samplers include
fragrance absorbed into a substrate, which may be covered by a
plastic film which can be peeled off. Fragranced material may also
be contained in an encapsulation which is susceptible to breaking
under physical pressure. The described fragrance samplers can
therefore be activated by scratching or rubbing the surface of the
substrate or by breaking the shell of the encapsulation and thereby
releasing the fragrance.
[0007] However, the disadvantages of fragrance samplers are that,
due to evaporation, quality (distortion of the fragrance character)
and quantity of the fragrance contained in the sampler rapidly
decrease after activation. The process of touching also
contaminates the skin of the consumer and results in
cross-contamination of other samplers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is therefore based on the object of
specifying a container for holding a consumer product such as a
perfume or a deodorant and a cover for a container which keeps the
product, liquid or solid, such as a perfume or a deodorant, tightly
sealed in the container while making the fragrance of the product
available to the outside. It is a further object to specify an
element required for the cover which is suitable to provide a
fragrance.
[0009] Container with a cover which allow to keep a consumer
product, a liquid or a solid, such as a cosmetic product, a
personal care product, a medical product, a household product or
the like, tightly sealed, characterized in that the container (20w)
or the cover (10, 10y, 10z) comprises a chamber (12; 24) suitable
to receive a fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) said chamber (12;
24) comprising at least one opening (11; 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d; 26)
through which the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) is at least
partially exposed to the ambience and with a seal (13; 13x; 13y;
13z) used for separating the fragranced insert (1; 1x; 1y; 1w) from
the product (21) contained in the container (20; 20y; 20z;
20w).
[0010] The above and other objects of the present invention will
become apparent from the present disclosure and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Some of the objects and advantages of the present invention
have been stated, others will appear when the following description
is considered together with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a fragranced insert integrated into a cover of
a container; FIG. 1ashows the assembly of the cover of FIG. 1; FIG.
1b shows a fragranced insert combined with a seal; FIG. 2 shows an
inventive container and cover;
[0013] FIG. 2a shows a fragranced insert suitable for incorporation
into the first flip-top cover;
[0014] FIG. 3 shows an inventive container with a second flip-top
cover;
[0015] FIG. 3a shows a fragranced insert suitable for incorporation
into the second flip-top cover and
[0016] FIG. 4 shows an inventive container with a fragranced insert
held in a chamber of a container wall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Thus the present invention is directed toward packaging for
all personal care and household consumer products in which
fragrance type or quality might play a role in the consumer choice
of buying. It permits the consumer to test the fragrance without
tampering with the packaging. Examples of the type of product (i.e.
consumer product)for which this invention is suitable include
(among others): shampoos, hair conditioners, shower gels, liquid
soaps, intimate hygiene products, personal deodorants and
antiperspirants, skin creams, skin lotions, sun protection
products, liquid laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids, automatic
dishwashing powders and liquids, all-purpose and specialized
surface cleansers, air fresheners.
[0018] The inventive container is suitable to store cosmetic
products, personal care products, medical products, household
products or the like. The container or the cover of the container,
which can be produced at low cost, has a chamber suitable to
receive a fragranced insert which delivers a fragrance to the
outside over a long period of time in high quality. The fragranced
insert is separated from a liquid or a solid stored in the
container by a wall of the chamber or by a seal which preferably is
part of the fragranced insert. The chamber has a wall perforated
with one or several holes to allow the diffusion of the fragrance
from the fragranced insert to the outside.
[0019] The chamber is preferably in the cover respective the cap of
the container.
[0020] The fragranced insert is made from a solid material,
preferably a material that is suitable for absorbing fragrance oil
or a fragranced solution such as a plastic polymer, a cellulose
support, e.g. paper or card, wood or a composite material
containing cellulose.
[0021] Fragrance can also be added to plaster or cement supports
before or after molding and setting. The advantages of such a
support are ease of preparation, low cost and high fragrance dose
which will give a long lasting effect.
[0022] An especially efficient fragrance absorbing material will
provide a long lasting effect with maintained quality since the
fragranced insert acts as a reservoir keeping the fragrance
material shielded against the air thus preventing oxidation of
major parts of the fragrance material. Only a small part of the
fragrance, after transport through the insert material, will be
exposed to the air.
[0023] Fragrances are compatible with solid waxes and can be mixed
into melted wax with ease. The melted wax can be molded or
integrated into a cellulose support forming the fragranced
insert.
[0024] The fragranced insert is preferably made from a solid
material in which the fragrance oil has been absorbed at a level in
the range of about 1% to about 50% by weight and more preferably
between about 10% and about 50% by weight.
[0025] The total surface area of the chamber wall comprising the
perforations may be chosen within a broad range, e.g. between 0.25
cm.sup.2 and 5.0 cm.sup.2, with a preferred surface area of 0.4
cm.sup.2 to 1.0 cm.sup.2. The fragranced insert, which may have an
average thickness between 1 and 3 mm is chosen accordingly.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a container 20 with a
fitting 22 for a cover respective a cap 10, also shown in sectional
view, and an opening 23 through which a liquid 21 has been poured
into the container 20.
[0027] The cover 10 has a chamber 12 with an opening 11 which are
designed to receive and hold a fragranced insert 1 which consists
of a material support that contains a high concentration of
fragrance. The release of fragrance is controlled by the nature of
the carrier material used for the fragranced insert 1, the
concentration of fragrance and the total surface area of the
opening 11 in the cover 10 through which the fragranced insert is
exposed to the outside and fragrance is released. A consumer can
therefore smell the fragrance without opening the packaging or the
container 20.
[0028] In order to prevent the liquid 21 from entering through the
opening 23 of the container 20 into the chamber 12, a seal 13 has
been placed adjacent to the fragranced insert 1. The seal 13 is
designed in such a way that it closes the chamber 12 within the
cover 10 and/or the opening 23 of the container 20 when the cover
10 is set to closed position. In a preferred embodiment, the cover
10, the fragranced insert 1, and the seal 13 are further designed
in such a way that the fragranced insert 1 is tightly held within
the chamber 12 and the seal 13 can be snapped respective fastened
in a position within the cover 10.
[0029] After the assembly of the arrangement, the fragrance will
exit from the insert 1 through the opening 11 of the cover 10 to
the outside, provided that the opening 11 of the cover 10 is not
sealed. Sealing the opening 11 of the cover 10, for example with a
tape, may be desired until the container 20 respective the
assembled product is offered to the consumers.
[0030] FIG. 1a shows the assembly of the cover 10, the seal 13 and
the fragranced insert 1 which is composed of two cylindrical parts
2 and 3 of different diameter; the smaller part 2 designed to fill
the opening 11 of the cover 10 and the larger part 3 designed to
fill the chamber 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the smaller part 2 may
extend out of the opening 11 of the cover 10 (see FIG. 1, 2') in
order to enable a consumer to apply the fragrance onto the skin, in
this way activating the capillary effect.
[0031] In FIG. 1a the seal 13 is apart from the fragranced insert
1. In FIG. 1b the seal 13x is connected to the fragranced insert 1x
thus facilitating the assembly of the arrangement.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows a different container 20y with a so called
flip-top cover 10y which is perforated with four holes 11a, 11b,
11c and 11d which are designed to receive cylindrical parts 2a, 2b,
2c and 2d of a fragranced insert 1y as shown in FIG. 2a. Below the
flip-top cover 10y a chamber is provided which is designed to
receive the main body of the fragranced insert 1y which is
connected to a seal 13y used for closing and sealing the opening
(see FIG. 3) of the container 20y.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows an inventive container 20z with a second
flip-top cover 10z in opened position, which comprises a seal 13z
having the form of a cam which fits into the opening 23z of the
container 20z.
[0034] The fragranced insert 1z shown in FIG. 3a which is suitable
for incorporation into the second flip-top cover 10z or between the
container 20z and the flip-top cover 10z comprises a hole 4z
through which the cam-like seal 13z can be passed through towards
the opening 23z of the container 20z. The opening 23z is therefore
closed when the flip-top cover 10z is put down. Fragrance from the
fragranced insert 1z can however emanate through the holes of the
flip-top cover 10z to the outside.
[0035] Hence, the fragrance of the product can be tested by
consumers in a store without opening the containers 20y or 20z.
[0036] A fragranced insert 1 is preferably incorporated into the
cover 10 of a container 20. However, as an alternative, a
fragranced insert 1 may also advantageously be combined with a
container 20w as shown in FIG. 4.
[0037] The container 20w shown in FIG. 4 comprises a holder 25
attached to a wall of the container 20w. The holder 25, which is
perforated with two holes 26, is embracing a chamber 24 into which
a fragranced insert 1w is placed. Fragrance can therefore emanate
from the fragranced insert 1w through the holes 26 in the holder 25
to the outside.
[0038] The holder 25 and accordingly the fragranced insert 1w can
be arranged in a form adapted to the design of the product. The
holder 25 may surround or be arranged top down along the container
which may also comprise double walls with at least one chamber 24
in between. Attractive shapes and patterns of the perforations may
optionally be combined with color tones of the insert to optimize
the aesthetic appeal of the package.
[0039] The holes 26 in the holder 25 should cover a large enough
area to allow sufficient fragrance to emanate to the exterior.
Suitable sizes for the holes are 0.5 mm to 25 mm in diameter;
preferred diameters are between 2 mm and 10 mm. A suitable number
of holes would be 1-100; preferred numbers are 1-10.
[0040] For a superior performance of the device the surface area of
the holes and also that of the exposed fragranced insert 1, 1x, 1y,
1z, 1w are between 0.25 cm.sup.2 and 5.0 cm.sup.2 while a preferred
surface area is between 0.4 cm.sup.2 and 1.0 cm.sup.2. In case that
multiple perforations are used they preferably are arranged in
close proximity to each other.
[0041] The preferred dimensions of the fragranced insert 1, 1x, 1y,
1z, 1w are 3 c2-12.5 cm.sup.2 of surface area and 1 mm-5 mm of
thickness. Optimum thickness is about 2 mm.
[0042] The material used for the fragranced insert 1, 1x, 1y, 1z,
1w contains from about 1% and about 50% fragrance by weight.
Preferred levels are from about 20% to about 50%.
[0043] Fragrances, that may be incorporated into the inserts of the
present invention, are generally composed of mixtures of natural
and/or synthetic essential oils such as orange oil, pine oil,
eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, rose oil, etc. and various synthetic
oils usually selected from groups consisting of alcohols, phenols,
ketones, aldehydes, esters, polycyclic compounds, macrocyclic
compounds, etc. The term fragrance also encompasses any mixtures of
perfume oil as mentioned above that are primarily intended to
provide a pleasant odor. The fragrance might also include solvents
such as, among others, glycols (propylene glycol, dipropylene
glycol, hexylene glycol), paraffins and fatty esters such as
isopropyl myristate.
[0044] The fragranced insert for example, is made from plastic
polymers, plaster, cement, cellulose and composites of the above
mentioned materials. The preferred materials are plastic polymers
that can be made and molded with levels of more than 10% of
fragrance oil incorporated into the polymer. The most suitable
plastic materials for the fragranced insert or fragranced part of a
composite insert are polymers of the following types:
polyvinylalcohol and copolymers of vinyl alcohol with vinyl esters,
(meth)acrylic acid, (meth)acrylic acid esters and ethylene, vinyl
esters, polyamides, polyesters and mixtures of these or mixtures of
these with other polymers. Preferred plastics are polyvinyl esters,
modified polyamides and mixtures thereof.
[0045] Examples of suitable plastic polymers are
[0046] Poly(ethylene-co-vinylalcohol)copolymers,
[0047] Poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate)copolymers and
[0048] Polyester/polyamide block copolymer.
[0049] The most preferred plastic polymers are polyether/polyamide
alternate block copolymers. An example of commercially available
polymers of this type is the PEBAX range (polyether block amide)
from Elf Atochem (today Atofino). Most preferred is PEBAX 2533SN01.
Tests of fragrance diffusion from this material show that fragrance
continues to diffuse for more than 60 days whereas it lasts for
less than 30 from a cellulose support.
[0050] Other preferred polymers are poly
(ethylene-co-vinylacetate)copolym- ers. An example of a
commercially available polymer of this type is ELVAX from Dupont de
Nemours. These above mentioned polymers have the advantage of being
able to absorb up to 20% and 50% by weight of fragrance oil and can
be worked using a variety of different techniques such as injection
and molding, extrusion of films, tubes and sheets, co-extrusion
with other plastics, such as polyethylene, polypropylene and
polycarbonate, thermoforming, over molding and coating.
[0051] All of the above described materials and procedures can be
used for manufacturing suitable inserts for the described
invention.
[0052] The following examples are provided to further illustrate
the various aspects of the present invention. These examples are
illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the
invention in any way.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
PEPAX Insert Containing 30% of Fragrance by Weight
[0053] Insert size with surface area preferably between 3 cm.sup.2
and 12.5 cm.
[0054] Formed either round or rectangular with a thickness of
preferably 1 mm-5 mm.
[0055] Total surface area of the perforations preferably between
0.5 cm.sup.2 and 0.9 cm.sup.2.
Example 2
EVA Insert Containing 20% of Fragrance by Weight
[0056] Insert size respective surface area preferably between 3
cm.sup.2 and 12.5 cm.sup.2.
[0057] Formed either round or rectangular with a thickness of
preferably 1 mm-5 mm.
[0058] Total surface area of the perforations preferably between
0.5 cm.sup.2 and 0.9 cm.sup.2.
[0059] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention
and all such modifications are intended to be included within the
scope of the following claims.
* * * * *