U.S. patent application number 13/150601 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-06 for packaging assembly.
Invention is credited to David William Ingram, Filip Dominique Hubert Vangeel.
Application Number | 20120305579 13/150601 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47260894 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120305579 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ingram; David William ; et
al. |
December 6, 2012 |
PACKAGING ASSEMBLY
Abstract
The present invention relate to a packaging assembly comprising
a. a container having an orifice; and b. a cap, designed to cover
said orifice, comprising a top and bottom face and a side wall,
said top face comprising an part of an attachment system; and c. a
further and separable packaging component comprising an outer and
an inner face and a side wall, said inner face comprising the
second part of the attachment system, wherein said attachment
system comprises a cooperating protrusion and channel.
Inventors: |
Ingram; David William;
(Brussels, BE) ; Vangeel; Filip Dominique Hubert;
(Vilvoorde, BE) |
Family ID: |
47260894 |
Appl. No.: |
13/150601 |
Filed: |
June 1, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/694 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/245 20130101;
B65D 51/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/694 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/52 20060101
B65D025/52 |
Claims
1. A packaging assembly comprising a. a container (1) having an
orifice; and b. a cap (2), designed to cover the orifice,
comprising a top face (4) and bottom (5) face and a side wall (6),
the top face comprising a first part of an attachment system; and
c. a further and separable packaging component (3) comprising an
outer face (8) and an inner face (9) and a side wall (10), said
inner face comprising a second part of the attachment system (11),
wherein the first part and second part of the attachment system
each one either a protrusion or a channel. Structured such that the
attachment system comprises both a protrusion and a channel.
2. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 wherein the container
(1) is a box, bottle, tub, tube.
3. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cap (2) is
a flip top cap.
4. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 wherein the packaging
component (3) is selected from the group consisting of a dosing
container, a label, a bundling device or a handle device.
5. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 wherein the packaging
component (3) comprises side walls (10) and a contact edge (12)
wherein the contact edge is not employed in the connection of the
packaging component(3) to the cap (2).
6. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 wherein the packaging
component (3) is completely separable from the cap (2).
7. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cap (2)
and packaging component (3) are made by injection molding.
8. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cap (2)
and packaging component (3) are made using plastic materials
selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane,
thermoplastic elastomer and mixtures thereof.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to a universal attachment
system, wherein a packaging component can be attached to a package
without requiring the use of the components circumference.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of packaging,
particularly packaging for use in the detergent industry, however
one might conceive of many uses of the present packaging assembly
and hence the present invention should not be unnecessarily limited
to this field.
[0003] Packaging containers are often sold with a further device,
such as a dosing device. A dosing device is provided by the
detergent manufacturer as it is generally accepted that the
consumer perceives better cleaning when the detergent product is
added directly to the wash drum, rather than being dispensed
through the drawer. However, there is a generic problem in the
provision of dosing devices; they can become detached and separated
from the container. Thus when the consumer comes to buy the
package, they no longer have access to the dosing device. It has
been an aim of the present invention to provide an improved
attachment system of a packaging component, such as a dosing
device, to a container. In achieving this aim, however, the
Applicant has solved further problems. The attachment system can
also be used to attach other items to a container, such as for
example a label or a handle mechanism.
[0004] Generally dosing devices have been attached to the package
by the gripping of the orifice of the dosing device onto the side
wall of the bottle or cap. This arrangement has a serious
disadvantage in that the dosing device is easily removed. However,
in addition to this, the designer of dosing devices is also
constrained by the need to closely fit the orifice of the dosing
device to the diameter of the cap or bottle. Thus, the further
benefit of the present attachment system is that because of the
location of the attachment system there is no longer a design
constraint to mold the orifice of the dosing device so as to fit
onto and hold the container. The designer can therefore more freely
design the shape of the dosing device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a
packaging assembly comprising [0006] a. a container (1) having an
orifice; and [0007] b. a cap (2), designed to cover said orifice,
comprising a top (4) and bottom (5) face and a side wall (6), said
top face comprising an part of an attachment system (7); and [0008]
c. a further and separable packaging component (3) comprising an
outer (8) and an inner (9) face and a side wall (10), said inner
face comprising the second part of the attachment system (11),
wherein said attachment system comprises a cooperating protrusion
and channel.
DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0009] FIG. 1 provides a cross section view of the present
invention, comprising a container, cap and dosing device packaging
component.
[0010] FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the cap with
attachment part.
[0011] FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of a dosing container
packaging component.
[0012] FIG. 4 provides a bottom view of a dosing container
packaging component.
[0013] FIG. 5 provides a perspective view of the present invention
when used as a label device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention relates to a packaging assembly system
for attachment to a container (1). The container may be a box, tub,
tube, or other convenient receptacle, but is preferably a bottle.
The container has an orifice, through which product is dispensed,
and a releasable and at least partially removable cap (2) designed
to close said orifice. The cap (2) comprises a top (4) and bottom
(5) face and a side wall (6). The bottom face (5) of the cap (2)
faces the internal space of the container and the top face (4) is
directly opposed and thus faces away from the internal space of the
container. The packaging assembly comprising an attachment system.
The attachment system comprises two parts, channel (7) and a
protrusion (11). The top face (4) of the cap comprises a first part
of an attachment system (7). Hence the cap (2) may comprise either
the channel or the protrusion, more preferably the channel (7).
[0015] Preferably the cap (2) is a flip top cap, comprising a
container attachment portion and a hinged lid. In this embodiment
the attachment system is on the top face of the lid.
[0016] The packaging assembly of the present invention additionally
comprises a further and separable packaging component (3).
Preferably the packaging component (3) is entirely separable from
the cap. The additional packaging component (3) may be for example
a further container, a linking device, a label attachment or
combinations thereof. Preferably the additional packaging component
(3) is a dosing device container. The packaging component comprises
an outer (8) and an inner (9) face and a side wall (10). The inner
face (9) is that which is in contact with the cap (2) and the outer
face (8) is that which is directly opposed. The packaging component
has side walls (10) and preferably a contact edge (12). The contact
edge (12), here present, is the edge contacting the cap (2) or
bottle (1). The inner face (9) of the packaging component comprises
the second part of the attachment system (11). The attachment
system comprises a channel and a protrusion. Hence the packaging
component comprises either the channel or the protrusion, more
preferably the protrusion (11). The packaging component is
attachable to said cap by means of the cooperation of the
protrusion and channel.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment the cap (2) comprises a channel
(7) and the packaging component (3) comprises a protrusion (11).
This embodiment is preferred as it permits easier and more accurate
alignment of the components of the attachment system.
[0018] The packaging component (3) is preferably a dosing
container. The dosing container is generally configured as a cup
with sides sufficiently tall so as to hold a sufficient quantity of
product. The inner face of the packaging component is that which
faces the cap. The part of the attachment system on the packaging
component may be located on the bottom of the cup. Alternatively
the part of the attachment system on the packaging component may be
located on the inside of the cup. In this embodiment, the cup is
inverted for attachment to the cap. The contact edge (12) of the
packaging component is the free edge at the top of the container
side wall (10). In the embodiment where the dosing container (3) is
inverted and attached to the cap (2), the contact edge (12) may
make contact with the cap or bottle or with neither, depending on
the height of the dosing device wall. The benefits in this
construction are that firstly the dosing container can be made with
a wide mouth, which improves dosing accuracy and ease. Secondly it
provides additional design freedom of the dosing device, cap and
bottle, since the designer is no longer constrained by the need to
make the mouth of the dosing container fit tightly over the cap and
bottle neck.
[0019] The attachment system comprises a channel (7) and a
protrusion (11). The size and shape of both are to be coordinated
to achieve the best fit and connection. Preferably the channel and
protrusion are concentric. Preferably they have a circular or
ellipsoid shape in aerial view. In a particularly preferred
embodiment, the channel comprises a depth of from 0.5 mm to 10 mm,
more preferably from 1 mm to 7 mm, more preferably from 2 mm to 5
mm. The protrusion is obviously designed to cooperate with the
channel and so is from 0.5 mm to 10 mm tall, more preferably from 1
mm to 7 mm, more preferably from 2 mm to 5 mm tall. The channel
therefore comprises 2 concentric walls; an inner and an outer wall.
The attachment system can function merely on the existence of
friction between the channel walls and the protrusion. However,
preferably the attachment system is equipped with a locking system
to improve the contact attachment. More preferably said locking
system consists of a snap bead or hook arrangement.
[0020] A Snap bead locking system comprises a first surface with a
first bead and a second surface which is forced over the first
bead. The friction between the surfaces and the first bead provides
a locking system. The construction can also include a second bead
on the second surface, such that the beads grip one another in the
locked phase. In the present invention, the first surface is
provided by the channel and the second surface is provided by the
protrusion. Preferably the packaging component of the present
invention comprises a snap bead locking system comprising the first
and the second bead.
[0021] A hook locking system works in a similar way to that for the
snap bead, with the difference that the bead is then changed for a
hook.
[0022] The snap bead or hook locking system can be placed at any
suitable point along the depth of the channel. Where a bead or hook
exists on the protrusion it is preferably located at the distal end
thereof. It is preferred that the bead or hook is located at
approximately half the depth of the channel. The locking system can
be located on the inside or outside wall of the channel, but is
preferably located on the inside wall. The inside wall is that
which is closer to the center of the cap or packaging
component.
[0023] The force required to remove the packaging component from
the cap is herein defined as the removal force. The removal force
can be tailored to the needs of the manufacturer. Methods of
varying the removal force of a snap bead system include increasing
or decreasing the depth of the snap bead, raising or lowering the
location of the snap bead along the depth of the channel,
increasing or decreasing the depth of any bead on the protrusion
and varying the flexibility of the material used to make the
protrusion and/or the cap. Methods for varying the removal force of
a hook system include increasing or decreasing the angle of the
channel or protrusion. In a particularly preferred embodiment the
attachment system comprises a snap bead construction. Preferably
the snap bead in the channel exhibits a depth of between 0.05 mm to
0.25 mm, more preferably between 0.07 mm and 0.2 mm, more
preferably 0.1 mm to 0.15 mm. Alternatively, the removal force may
be varied in the snap bead construction system by incorporating a
second bead on the protrusion. The bead on the protrusion may also
have a depth of from 0.05 mm to 0.25 mm, preferably from 0.07 mm to
0.2 mm, more preferably 0.1 mm to 0.15 mm.
[0024] The removal force of the attachment system is preferably
within the range of from 3N to 150N. More preferably the removal
force for a dosing container is in the range of from 3N to 10N,
more preferably from 3.5N to 9N, more preferably from 5N to 9N.
This range is sufficient for the packaging assembly to withstand
transport, but is also an acceptable removal force to the
consumer.
[0025] More preferably the cap (2) and packaging component (3) are
made using any suitable plastic material. The cap and the packaging
component may be made from the same or different materials.
Preferred plastic materials are selected from the group consisting
of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, thermoplastic
elastomer (TPE) or mixtures thereof. Most preferably the cap and
packaging component are made from the same material. The cap and
packaging component may be made using any suitable technique,
however they are preferably made using the same technique, and more
preferably by injection molding. The benefit of injection molding
to make both cap and packaging component are the improved precision
of the molding process resulting in a improved fit of both and thus
the improved connection and attachment.
[0026] In an alternative embodiment, the packaging component may
another element which is desirable to attach to the container. The
Applicant has envisaged the use of the system to attach a label,
bundling or a handle device. A label device (13) (FIG. 5) would
consist of the necessary part of the attachment system and label
which provides the inner and outer faces and side walls. In this
embodiment, it is clear that the side walls could be thin; for
example the width of paper or card. The part of the attachment
system is attached onto the inner face of the label, such that it
is attachable to the cap (2). The label device can be made from any
suitable material including paper, card, plastic or mixtures
thereof. The labeling device may also comprise a promotional tool,
such as a free sample product or other attention attracting device.
The removal force of the labeling device is preferably higher than
for a dosing container and as such is preferably within the range
of from 3 to 40N, more preferably from 10 to 30N.
[0027] A bundling device is used to attach two or more containers
together, such that they can be sold together. In this embodiment
the packaging component comprises two or more attachment parts. The
attachment parts are then connected with coordinating parts on two
or more container caps, so as to keep the two packaging assemblies
together. The bundling device can be made of any appropriate
material that fits the needs. The bundling device is preferably
made using plastic, more preferably polypropylene, polyethylene,
polyurethane and mixtures thereof.
[0028] A handle device comprises on or more attachment part and a
handle portion. The device may comprise more than one attachment
part, such that two or more packages can be attached together. In
this embodiment, the locking system of the channel and protrusion
need to be more robust. This can be achieved by widening the bead
on a snap fit assembly or using a hook system. The removal force
for the bundling and handle devices are preferably from 30N to
150N, more preferably 30 to 120N. Clearly a higher removal force is
required for heavier containers.
[0029] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be
understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values
recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension
is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally
equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension
disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".
[0030] Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced
or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise
limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it
is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed
herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other
reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such
invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of
a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of
the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning
or definition assigned to that term in this document shall
govern.
[0031] While particular embodiments of the present invention have
been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those
skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can
be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims
all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of
this invention.
* * * * *