AU2008293131A1 - Container assemblies shaped as a toy - Google Patents

Description

WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006 -1 Container assemblies shaped as a toy TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to novelty container assemblies. 5 A number of different types of drinking container can have enhanced interest to users, and particularly chidren, if the container is also seen to be something of a toy or it offers any viability of appearance. BACKGROUND ART 10 The present invention envisages an advantage from a marketing point of view, and enhanced interest in children towards using such containers, where the container, even in its filled form, can be perceived as a toy or a novelty container. As used herein therefore the term "novelty container" or "novelty container assembly" visualises a container (whether prefilled or to be filled by a user or the parent of a user, or 15 otherwise), which serves a function as a toy, can be varied in appearance, and/or at least simulates to some extent a human being or character (human, animal or otherwise). The present invention recognises an advantage for such a container assembly where the container proper can be moulded by an appropriate moulding process (injection or blow moulding) so as to define a base region but not necessarily that base region on which a container is to be 20 stood. Such a container preferably at its top has a head or neck with an open mouth to which can be engaged an appropriate capping arrangement. *The present invention envisages the container proper being moulded to define some of the profile of a human being including at least the upper leg region of each leg or, collectively, both legs. 25 The present invention visualises a screw or bayonet type engagement of a cap or capping assembly. Such a capping assembly preferably is to allow ease of dispensing of the liquid, powdered and/or granulated content of any such container via a nozzle or other passageway including device when in a dispensing mode as distinct from a closing mode. The present invention is also directed to a base moulding that defines at least part or all of 30 a pair of shoes or feet and which is engageable to the base region of the container proper. Preferably such clip fit arrangement is one that requires the base moulding to be orientated in a particular disposition with respect to the container so that the proper part of the shoes or feet are displayed to the fore, etc. It is visualised however that such a clip fit engagement preferably does not prevent removal of that base member.

WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006 -2 By providing the base moulding in a form that defines both shoes of a pair or both feet of a pair of feet it is possible for the base moulding member to be of an appropriate size so as not to present a choking risk for small children. The removability of such a base moulding is to allow different matching to be made 5 between the moulded container proper and such base mouldings. For example a parent can vary each day the base moulding for a child going off to kindergarten or school with a drink bottle. Similarly it is envisaged that the capping assembly likewise can be interengagably attached to similar such moulded containers proper so as to allow different colour matching whether with the body, the head, head wear, the base moulding, or the like, or not. 10 DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION In an aspect the invention is a novelty container assembly, from which, when in use, a liquid, powder, granular or other pourable dispensable material is to be discharged, the container assembly comprising or including 15 a moulded container that has a shape, or shape and ornamentation, that simulates a human being, whether male or female and whether adult or non-adult, the container having a base region and a top region, the top region being mouthed and adapted to engage an appropriate closure, and a base moulding defining at least part or all of a pair of shoes or feet, or one of each, said 20 base moulding being engageable to said base region of said moulded container; wherein the container assembly can stand on the base moulding. In an aspect the invention is a novelty container assembly, is involved from which, when in use, a liquid, powder, granular or other pourable dispensable material can be discharged, the container assembly comprising or including 25 a moulded container that has a shape, or shape and ornamentation, that simulates a human being or a character (animal, human or otherwise), whether male or female and whether adult or non-adult, the container having a base region and a top region, the top region being mouthed and adapted to engage an appropriate closure, a base moulding defining at least part or all of a pair of shoes or feet, said base moulding 30 being engageable to said base region of said moulded container, and a closure engaged to said moulded container. Preferably said closure is screw or bayonet fit engaged to said moulded container. Preferably said closure is an assembly rather than a mere one piece cap (whether with or without a seal.

WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006 -3- Preferably said capping assembly is a capping assembly with a nozzle which in one condition provides closure and in another condition allows discharge of material. Preferably the closure as a capping assembly has a screw engagement to the moulded container but nevertheless has a twist feature which allows movement of a said nozzle between said 5 conditions without removal of the capping assembly from said container. Preferably said base moulding is in the form of an injection moulded form able to be moulded by a two part mould assembly, the shoes when viewed from below being recessed and the shoes when viewed from above being linked by at least an upstand with clip fit features and/or indexing features to clip fit engage and/or be received by complementary features of the moulded 10 container base region when the base region at least in part has been received within the confines of said upstand. Preferably the base member has any one or more of the features hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. Preferably the complementary features of the base region of said moulded container are 15 substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. Preferably the closure is a capping assembly as typified by our registered designs referred to herein. Preferably said base moulding is or includes at least one colour that is not a colour of or is at least not a predominant colour of said moulded container. Likewise a similar disparity in the 20 colour between said closure and said moulded container and/or said base moulding. In an aspect the invention is a container assembly or components thereof comprising or including a moulded mouthed container, a base moulding engaged to, or engageable to, a base region of said moulded container 25 providing or to provide a stand therefor, and a closure (ie, a cap or capping assembly) engaged to, or engageable to, moulded container so as to close the mouth or close over the mouth. Preferably said container assembly simulates a human being notional or otherwise. Preferably said base moulding is removably engageable to said moulded container. 30 Preferably said base moulding defines a pair of shoes or feet, or one shoe or one foot, for the overall assembly which simulates a human being. Preferably said closure is a capping assembly preferably screw engaged to said moulded mouth container. Preferably said capping assembly has a dispensing nozzle and that nozzle can be moved 35 by twisting or pulling etc. between a dispensing condition and a container closing condition.

WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006 -4 Preferably said base moulding and/or the base region of said moulded container substantially as herein described with or without reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. In a further aspect the present invention consists in, in combination or in assembly or 5 sub assembly, a moulded container, a base moulding, and a closure. In a further aspect the present invention consists in a set or plurality of container 10 assemblies, each being as previously defined, wherein a base moulding previously engaged to the base region of one moulded container can be disengaged and then be engaged.to a different said moulded container, and vice versa. Preferably likewise a closure assembly or closure can be disengaged from one said moulded container and re-engaged with another said'moulded container. 15 A preferred closure assembly- is preferably one with a nozzle but which can, when the nozzle is not in its discharging condition, provide an appropriate seal so that no material(s) from the closure closed novelty container can egress. Examples of such closure assembly abound. A most preferred form of closure assembly is that of our New Zealand Registered Design No. 405944, the full content of which is here included by way of reference. Another similar 20 closure assembly, but one that works in a different manner, but still moves the nozzle between its dispensing and non-dispensing (and thus closed condition) is that of our New Zealand Registered Design No. 405943. Other forms, whether assemblies or not, can be used as the closure. Preferably the engagement with the mouthed container proper is a screw engagement but preferably unscrewing 25 is not required in order to move the closure between a dispensing and non-dispensing condition. In less preferred forms of the present invention the closure as a whole (with a unitary member or an assembly) can be removed from the container proper to allow dispensing. As used herein the term "and/or".means "and" or "or", or both. As used herein the term "(s)" following a noun includes, as might be appropriate, the 30 singular or plural forms of that noun. To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. 35 WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006 -5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings in which Figure 1 is an isometric view of a novelty container assembly in accordance with the 5 present invention, the closure being substantially as disclosed in our aforementioned New Zealand registered design number 405944, the assembly being able to stand on the. base moulding which simulates shoes of a little man, woman, child or the like human being or character, simulated by the overall assembly, Figure 2 is a view of the assembly of Figure 1 from below showing the hollow recessed 10 form of the bottom of the shoes, the simulated shoes being linked together by an upstand which engages the base region of the moulded mouth container, Figure 3 is an isometric view from below of a moulded mouth container in accordance with the present invention showing the features which in an indexed and click fit manner are to be received within the upstand of the base moulding, [5 Figure 4 is an isometric view from above of the container moulding of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a front elevation of the container moulding of Figures 3 and 4, Figure 6 is a bottom view of a container of Figures 3 to 5, Figure 7 is a rear elevation of the container moulding of Figures 3 to 6, Figure 8 is a side elevation of the container moulding of Figures 3 to 7, zO Figure 9 is an isometric view from above of a base moulding of the present invention which simulates two shoes and which defines an upstand adapted to receive within its bounds the base region of a container moulding as shown in any one of Figures 3 to 8, Figure 10 is another isometric view from above of the base moulding of Figure 9, Figure 11 is a plan view of the base moulding of Figures 9 and 10, and Z5 Figure 12 is an isometric view from below of the base moulding of Figures 9 to 11. Any suitable plastics material could be used for the moulding. Likewise any suitable mixture of plastics materials can be used for the closure. Any single material can be used for the mouthed container. Any suitable material can be used for the base moulding. For example: 50 Bottle LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) Shoes/Feet PP (Polypropylene) Cap Base HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) Twist Section PP Nipple HPDE WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006 -6 The overall assembly as shown in Figure 1 is able to stand on the base moulding 3 which simulates shoes of the human being simulated by the overall assembly. Not shown are features of ornamentation, eg; faces, etc. that can better enhance the simulation of a human being or a character. 5 In the preferred form of the present invention the closure 1 screw engages the container moulding 2 about its neck or head so as to be able, in the condition as shown in Figures 1, to effect closure thereof As can be seen the container 2 is threaded at 4 and includes a male general base region 5 with a clip fit flange 6 and indexing grooves 8 that are to be received by the upstand (or upstands) 9 10 of the base member 3 defining a receiving socket. The base moulding simulates two shoes 10. The upstand 9 includes indexing members 11 each to be received by a said groove 8 of the base region of the container 2 (or vice versa) whilst the clip fit members 12 that abound in the base moulding 3 releasably clip fit engage the peripheral flange or profile 6 of the base region 5 (or vice versa). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate how a mother of various children each day can 15 make a feature of play the matching or mismatching of different base mouldings 3 and different closure assemblies 1 with any particular container moulding 2. Thus the children can have some input as to the "mix and match" each day as a feature of play and as an encouragement to take a worthwhile drink to kindergarten or school. In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external 20 documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. 'Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art. 25

Claims (23)

1. A novelty container assembly, from which, when in use, a liquid, powder, granular or other pourable dispensable material is to be discharged, the container assembly comprising or including 5 a moulded container that has a shape, or shape and ornamentation, that at least substantially simulates a human being or a character (animal, human or otherwise), whether male or female and whether adult or non-adult, the container having a base region and a top region, the top region being mouthed and adapted to engage an appropriate closure, and at least one base moulding defining at least part or all of a pair of shoes or feet, said base .0 moulding(s) being engaged to or engageable to said base region of said moulded container; wherein the container assembly can stand on the base mouldings.

2. An assembly of claim I wherein there is a single base moulding that defines part or all of a pair of shoes or feet.

3. An assembly of claim 1 or 2 wherein there is a closure engaged or engageable to said .5 moulded container.

4. An assembly of claim 3 wherein said closure is screw or bayonet fit engaged or engageable to said moulded container.

5. An assembly of claim 3 or 4 wherein said closure is an assembly rather than a mere one piece cap (whether with or without a seal. 0

6. An assembly of claim 5 wherein said closure is a capping assembly with a nozzle which in one condition provides closure and in another condition allows discharge of material.

7. An assembly of any one of claims 3 to 6 wherein the closure, as a capping assembly, has, or can provide, a screw engagement to the moulded container but nevertheless has a twist feature which allows movement of a said nozzle between said conditions without removal of the capping 5 assembly from said container.

8. An assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein said base moulding is in the form of an injection moulded form able to be moulded by a two part mould assembly, the shoes when viewed from below being recessed and the shoes when viewed from above being linked by at least an upstand with clip fit features and/or indexing features to clip fit engage and/or be received by )0 complementary features of the moulded container base region when the base region at least in part has been received within the confines of said upstand.

9. An assembly of claim 8 the base moulding has any one or more of the features herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006

10. An assembly of claim 8 or 9 wherein the complementary features of the base region of said moulded container are substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

11. An assembly of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said base moulding is or includes at 5 least one colour that is not a colour of or is at least not a predominant colour of said moulded container.

12. An assembly of claim 3 wherein at least one said closure and said moulded container has a colour not in the other.

13. A container assembly or components thereof comprising or including 10 a moulded mouthed container, a base moulding engaged to, or engageable to, a base region of said moulded container providing or to provide a stand therefor, and a closure (ie, a cap or capping assembly) engaged to, or engageable to, moulded container so as to close the mouth or close over the mouth. 15

14. A container assembly or components thereof of claim 13 wherein said container assembly simulates a human being notional or otherwise.

15. A container assembly or components thereof of claim 13 or 14 wherein said base moulding is removably engageable to said moulded container.

16. A container assembly or components thereof of claim 13, 14 or 15 said base moulding 20 defines a pair of shoes or feet, or one shoe or one foot, for the overall assembly which simulates a human being.

17. A container assembly or components thereof of any one of claims 13 to 16 said closure is a capping assembly screw engaged to said moulded mouth container.

18. A container assembly or components thereof of any one of claims 13 to 17 said capping 25 assembly has a dispensing nozzle and that nozzle can be moved by twisting or pulling between a dispensing condition and a container closing condition.

19. A container assembly or components thereof of any one of claims 13 to 18 said base moulding and/or the base region of said moulded container are/is substantially as herein described with or without reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. 30

20. In combination or in assembly or sub assembly, a moulded container, a base moulding engaged or engageable to the moulded container, and a closure of or for the moulded container.

21. A set or plurality of container assemblies, each being as defined in any one of the 35 preceding claims, wherein a base moulding previously engaged to the base region of one moulded WO 2009/028961 PCT/NZ2008/000006 -9 container can be disengaged and then be engaged to a different said rnoulded container, and vice versa.

22. A set or plurality of container assemblies as claimed in claim 21 wherein a closure assembly or closure can be disengaged from one said moulded container and re-engaged with 5 another said moulded container.

23. A set of claim 22 wherein the closure assembly is one with a nozzle but which can, when the nozzle is not in its discharging condition, provide an appropriate seal so that no material(s) from the closure closed container can egress.