CN112078958A

CN112078958A - Package assembly

Info

Publication number: CN112078958A
Application number: CN202010856338.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: T·C·F·达格内列; 维尔德 V·H·M·得; 登瓦沃尔 C·范; F·M·D·T·D·诺桂尔拉; R·E·奥尔森; 席洁; 张梦迪
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 2014-04-18
Filing date: 2015-02-25
Publication date: 2020-12-15
Also published as: EP3131827A1; WO2015157992A1; WO2015158183A1; EP3131827B1; AR100130A1; JP6334806B2; MX2016013628A; CA2943805A1; ZA201606672B; US20150298875A1; JP2017515765A; CN106458383A

Abstract

A liquid detergent product comprising a package assembly (10) and a liquid detergent composition, the package assembly (10) comprising a container (100) and a transition piece (200) comprising a spout (201) with a peripherally complete opening (204) and a vent (209) located adjacent a base end (202) of the spout (201). The nozzle (201) and the vent (209) have a specific ratio of cross-sectional areas. The package assembly (10) provides controlled dispensing of liquid detergent compositions, particularly viscous liquid detergent compositions.

Description

Package assembly

The application is a divisional application of an invention named as packaging assembly with the international application date of PCT of 2015, 2 months and 25 days, the international application numbers of PCT/CN2015/073262 and the national application number of 201580019047.5.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a packaging assembly. The present invention also relates to a liquid detergent product comprising a packaging assembly and a liquid detergent composition contained within the packaging assembly.

Background

Liquid detergents have become increasingly preferred by users over solid detergents, primarily due to their improved water solubility during the wash cycle. In addition, viscous liquid detergents (e.g., liquid detergent compositions having a viscosity of 500 centipoise ("cps") when poured out of the container) are desirable because they tend to mean an optimal product. However, such viscous liquid detergents present packaging challenges because as the viscosity increases, it becomes more difficult to remove them from the package. For example, the flow rate of the liquid detergent may become too slow to be acceptable to the user, or the liquid detergent may form a cake that subsequently blocks the opening of the package.

Traditionally, the dispensing problems associated with viscous liquid detergents have been solved by providing a container with a spout with a longitudinal slot or groove along the length of the spout, i.e. the spout itself is not peripherally complete. It is recognized that such slot openings avoid unacceptably slow flow rates or formation of lumps. However, liquid detergent may flow out of such slotted spray pipes too quickly, causing undesirable turbulence. Furthermore, the rapid flow of liquid detergent causes insufficient aeration, i.e. when the liquid detergent is discharged out of the container, at the same time not enough air can enter the container. Thus, due to the significant drop in air pressure in the container, an undesired termination of flow, or at least a discontinuity in flow, may occur during dispensing of the liquid. In addition, the prior art discloses combinations of vents with such nozzles. But the size and location of the vent holes in the art are not well aligned with the spout so that the venting function of the vent holes is not always reliable, i.e. liquid detergent may also flow out of the vent holes during dispensing.

Accordingly, there is a need for a packaging assembly that provides controlled dispensing of liquid detergent compositions, particularly viscous liquid detergent compositions, from the packaging assembly, i.e., a desired flow of the liquid detergent composition such as a suitable flow rate, a continuous flow, adequate aeration, or no turbulence.

It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a transition piece and packaging assembly incorporating the transition piece that accommodates a wide variety of containers, which allows for a wide variety of container and cap combinations while maintaining a low variation in cap opening torque.

Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a package assembly that allows the residual liquid composition to completely and efficiently flow back into the container from its opening after dispensing, thereby preventing it from accumulating and drying.

Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a package assembly having multiple components that, alone or in combination with one another, serve as visual cues to the user that the liquid detergent composition contained in the package assembly is dispensed in the most efficient manner.

Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a package assembly including a transition piece and a dispensing cap that allows for precise dosing of liquid compositions, particularly concentrated liquid compositions.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a packaging assembly comprising:

a) a container comprising an aperture and a bottom surface opposite the aperture, the bottom surface defining a longitudinal axis perpendicular thereto, wherein the longitudinal axis passes through the aperture; and

b) a transition piece joined to an aperture, comprising:

i) a spout having a base end adjacent the orifice and a pouring end opposite the base end having a circumferentially full opening; and

ii) a vent located near an end of the base,

wherein the spout and the vent are in fluid communication with the orifice, and the vent has a cross-sectional area of about 1/20 to about 1/3 of the cross-sectional area of the spout opening.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a liquid detergent product comprising a package assembly and a liquid detergent composition contained within the package assembly, wherein the liquid detergent composition has a viscosity value of from about 200cps to about 3,000cps, preferably from about 300cps to about 2,000cps, more preferably from about 500cps to about 1,000cps at a shear rate of 20/sec and a temperature of 21 ℃.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a front view of a package assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of a transition piece according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a top view of the transition piece of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is a bottom view of the transition piece of FIG. 2A.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a transition piece including a dual sealing system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a transition piece and top cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the transition piece and the cap of FIG. 4, with the cap sealingly engaged to the transition piece.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a package assembly according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a top view from left to right (in order) of a transition piece according to comparative examples 2A and 2B and examples 1B and 1A of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The package assembly of the present invention provides controlled dispensing of the liquid detergent composition therefrom. It has been surprisingly found that by providing a spout having a peripherally complete opening and a vent hole of a particular size located at a particular position relative to the opening (i.e. no longitudinal slot along part or all of the length of the spout as compared to slotted spouts of the art), the package assembly herein solves the problems associated with venting to achieve the desired stable flow of the liquid detergent composition. Furthermore, by locating the vent near the base end of the spout, i.e., separate from the spout opening, the liquid composition pathway (i.e., spout opening) does not compete with the gas pathway (i.e., vent), thereby reducing turbulence when dispensing.

Definition of

As used herein, the term "liquid detergent composition" refers to a composition which is compatible with cleaning or treatment: liquid compositions related to fabrics, hard or soft surfaces, hair or any other surface in the field of fabric care, home care, and hair care. Examples of detergent compositions include, but are not limited to: laundry detergents, laundry detergent additives, fabric softeners, carpet cleaners, floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, lavatory cleaners, sink cleaners, dish detergents, air conditioners, automotive conditioners, shaving creams, shampoos, hair conditioners, and the like. Preferably, the liquid detergent composition is a liquid laundry detergent composition, a liquid fabric softener composition, a liquid dishwashing detergent composition, or a liquid hard surface cleaning composition, more preferably a liquid laundry detergent composition or a liquid fabric softener composition, even more preferably a liquid laundry detergent composition. The liquid detergent composition may be aqueous or non-aqueous, and may be anisotropic, isotropic, or a combination thereof.

As used herein, the term "container" refers to a package suitable for containing a composition, particularly a liquid composition. Non-limiting examples of containers include bottles, tottles, jars, cups, and the like.

As used herein, when a composition is "substantially free of a particular ingredient, it means that the composition comprises less than a trace amount, alternatively less than 0.1%, alternatively less than 0.01%, alternatively less than 0.001%, by weight of the composition, of the particular ingredient.

As used herein, the articles "a" and "an" when used in a claim are understood to mean one or more of what is claimed or claimed.

As used herein, the terms "comprising," "including," "containing," "having," and "containing" are intended to be non-limiting, i.e., other steps and other ingredients can be added that do not affect the results. The above terms encompass the terms "consisting of … …" and "consisting essentially of … …".

Package assembly

Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the package assembly 10 of the present invention. The package assembly 10 includes a container 100 having an aperture 101 in fluid communication with the interior volume of the container 100 through which a contained liquid composition can flow, and a bottom surface 102 opposite the aperture 101. The container 100 includes a peripheral wall 104 extending from the bottom surface 102 peripheral wall to the aperture 101. Bottom surface 102 defines a longitudinal axis (the "L-axis" as shown in fig. 1) perpendicular thereto, and which passes through aperture 101, preferably intersecting a center point of aperture 101. In some cases (e.g., Extrusion Blow Molding (EBM)), the container 100 has a centerline (not shown in the figures) in its bottom surface 102. Preferably, the longitudinal axis is perpendicular to a centerline of the bottom surface 102, and the longitudinal axis and the centerline together define a longitudinal portion (not shown in the figures). Preferably, the container 100 is bilaterally symmetrical along the longitudinal portion.

The container 100 herein may be any suitable size known in the art. In one embodiment, the container is configured to have an internal volume of 250mL to 8,000mL, or 500mL to 3,000mL, or 800mL to 2,000 mL.

The package assembly 10 includes a transition piece 200 that is engageable to the aperture 101 of the container 100, as shown in fig. 1. The transition piece 200 may be transparent or translucent or opaque, but is preferably opaque and has the same color as the container 100, indicating to the user that it should not be removed from the container 100 under the intended use. The transition piece 200 includes: a spout 201 having a base end 202 adjacent to orifice 101 and an opposite pouring end 203 having a peripheral full opening 204; and a vent 209 adjacent the base end 202. The spout 201 and vent 209 are in fluid communication with the orifice 101. Spout 201 is configured to dispense a liquid composition that has flowed from container 100 via orifice 101, and spout 201 includes an inner surface 205 that contacts the liquid composition and an outer surface 206 opposite the inner surface. Preferably, nozzle inner surface 205 has one or more ribs 223 (shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C) that extend along the entire length of nozzle 201, thereby increasing the strength of nozzle 201. The vent 209 is configured to allow air to enter the container 100 during dispensing and may also function as a drain to allow residual liquid detergent composition remaining in the transition piece 200 to flow back into the container 100 after dispensing.

Preferably, the spout opening 204 herein is relatively small. In one embodiment, spout opening 204 has a 20mm diameter²To 400mm²More preferably 50mm²To 300mm²Even more preferably 100mm²To 200mm²Cross-sectional area of (a). This relatively small spout opening 204 allows the liquid composition to flow stably from the container 100. In contrast, the prior art container spouts having relatively large openings typically cause severe turbulence during dispensing.

The spout opening 204 has a particular cross-sectional area ratio relative to the vent 209. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of the vent 209 is 1/20 to 1/3, preferably 1/15 to 1/4, more preferably 1/10 to 1/5 of the cross-sectional area of the spout opening 204. The minimum size of the vent 209 is generally equal to or includesThe liquid composition within the container 100 is correlated, in particular, to the viscosity of the composition. The vent 209 is preferably not so small that it is not easily clogged by the liquid composition when the liquid composition is dispensed. In one embodiment, the vent 209 has 2mm²To 50mm²Preferably 10mm²To 40mm²More preferably 20mm²To 30mm²Cross-sectional area of (a). The spout 201 may include a plurality of vents 209. In the case of multiple vents, the multiple vents 209 should have a total cross-sectional area that meets the ratio requirements relative to the spout opening 204. These plurality of vents 209 may be arranged individually or in parallel, but are preferably arranged in parallel adjacent the base end 202 of the spout 201.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, a preferred embodiment of the transition piece 200 of the present invention is shown. The spout 201 and the vent 209 are bilaterally symmetrical along the longitudinal portion. Preferably, spout opening 204 is positioned offset from the longitudinal axis within the longitudinal portion, and vent hole 209 is oppositely (relative to spout opening 204) offset from the longitudinal axis within the longitudinal portion in the same manner. Thus, by separating the location of the spout opening 204 and the vent 209 as much as possible, the package assembly 10 avoids competition between the liquid composition pathway and the gas pathway, thereby reducing turbulence during dispensing.

The nozzle opening 204 may be oblique or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, but is preferably oblique. As shown in FIG. 2A, nozzle opening 204 is sloped, including a first apex 207 and a first nadir 208 circumferentially opposite nozzle opening 204. In the case of tilting, the spout opening 204 may be at any acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, preferably 15 ° to 85 °, more preferably 45 ° to 80 °. Nozzle 201 may be parallel or oblique to the longitudinal axis, but is preferably inclined toward first apex 207. Such a sloped spout opening 204 enables the packaging assembly 10 to provide a clear visual cue to the user that the liquid composition contained in the packaging assembly 10 is being dispensed in the most efficient manner, i.e., the packaging assembly 10 is sloped toward the first apex 207 of the sloped spout opening 204. Further, by tilting spout opening 204 and correspondingly tilting spout 201 (i.e., tilting toward first vertex 207 of tilted spout opening 204), the packaging assembly 10 of the present invention reduces the angle at which the container must tilt to dispense the liquid composition, thereby facilitating the dosing experience. In addition, such angled spout openings 204 allow for larger cross-sectional dimensions.

In one embodiment, spout opening 204, and in particular at or adjacent first apex 207, is sharp such that the flow of liquid composition poured from container 100 can be abruptly halted in a manner that avoids or reduces composition residue that rests on outer surface 206 or flows back into container 100 through vent 209, thereby keeping packaging assembly 10 clean during use. The sharpness of nozzle opening 204 is preferably characterized by a beveled edge (not shown in the figures) of nozzle opening 204. Such beveled edges are preferably at an angle of 30 ° to 90 ° relative to the longitudinal axis.

The vent 209 and spout opening 204 are preferably generally aligned with the longitudinal axis. As shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the vent 209 and spout opening 204 are aligned such that: vent hole 209 and first nadir 208 are within an angle of 0.25 pi radians, preferably 0.1 pi radians, of each other about the longitudinal axis. The vent 209 and spout opening 204 are preferably also aligned such that: the vent 209 and the first apex 207 are within an angle of 0.75 pi to 1 pi radians, preferably within an angle of 0.9 pi to 1 pi radians, of each other about the longitudinal axis. Because the vent 209 has a cross-sectional area (i.e., is not a single point, but includes multiple points), by definition, a vent has a defined angle with the first nadir 208 or the first apex 207 if any point on the vent 209 meets the angular requirements with respect to the first nadir 208 or the first apex 207. By aligning the vent 209 with the angled spout opening 204, the package assembly 10 ensures an immediate and consistent flow of the liquid composition from the container 100 once the user desires to dispense the composition in accordance with the visual cue provided by the angled spout opening 204.

The spout 201 may be any suitable length measured along the longitudinal axis from the base end 202 to the spout opening 204, depending on factors such as the viscosity of the liquid detergent composition contained in the container 100, the spout opening 204, and the size of the vent 209. In one embodiment, the spout has a length measured along the longitudinal axis from the base end 202 to the spout opening 204 of 20mm to 80mm, or 20mm to 60mm, or 20mm to 40mm, or 40mm to 60 mm. Further, the cross-sectional area of spout 201 along the longitudinal axis may be the same or different than the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, but preferably tapers (i.e., the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis becomes progressively narrower) toward spout opening 204, as shown in fig. 2A. Such a tapered nozzle also reduces distribution turbulence.

The spout opening 204 and the vent 209 may be of any suitable geometry, symmetrical or asymmetrical. In one embodiment, the spout opening 204 has a shape selected from oval, circular, semi-circular, triangular, rectangular, trapezoidal, pentagonal, or hexagonal. Preferably, spout opening 204 has an oval shape, as shown in FIG. 2B. Likewise, the vent 209 has a shape selected from the group consisting of a ring, a ring sector, an oval, a circle, a semicircle, a triangle, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a pentagon, or a hexagon. In the case where the vent 209 is located in a passage 210 to be shown below, the vent 209 has the same shape as the passage, preferably a ring sector shape, as shown in fig. 2B and 2C.

2A, 2B, and 2C, transition piece 200 also includes a passage 210, preferably an annular passage 210, that surrounds base end 202 of nozzle 201; and a radially projecting shroud 213 surrounding the channel 210. Vent 209 is located in channel 210. The cover 213 includes an outer surface 215, an inner surface 214 opposite the outer surface, and a shoulder 217 therebetween. Shroud inner surface 214 faces spout outer surface 206, thereby forming a void 219 between shroud 213 and spout 201. The channel 210 defines the bottom boundary of the void 219. Preferably, the channel 210 and the shroud 213 are annular about the longitudinal axis.

Similar to nozzle opening 204, passage 210 may be oblique or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, but is preferably oblique. As shown in fig. 2A, channel 210 is sloped and includes a second apex 211 and a second nadir 212 circumferentially opposite along channel 210. In the case of an inclination, the channel 210 may be at any acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, preferably from 5 ° to 85 °, more preferably from 20 ° to 70 °. A vent 209 is located at the second lowest point 212 of the channel 210 to allow gravity backflow of the liquid composition into the container 100 when the container is in an upright position. The vent 209 and the channel 210 are further aligned such that: the vent 209 and the second apex 211 are within an angle of 0.75 pi to 1 pi radians, preferably within an angle of 0.9 pi to 1 pi radians, of each other about the longitudinal axis. Because the vent 209 has a cross-sectional area (i.e., is not a single point, but includes multiple points), the vent and the second apex 211 are at a defined angle by definition if any point on the vent 209 meets the angular requirements relative to the second apex 211. In the case of a plurality of vents, preferably at least one of the plurality of vents 209 is located in the channel 210, more preferably one of the plurality of vents 209 is located at the second lowest point 212 of the channel 210. Even more preferably, the plurality of vent holes 210 are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement in the channel 210, wherein one vent hole of the plurality of vent holes 209 is located at the second lowest point 212 of the channel 210. By tilting the channel 210 (preferably at a suitable angle) and positioning the vent 209 in a particular location, the package assembly 10 of the present invention allows the residual liquid detergent composition to flow completely and efficiently back into the container from its opening after dispensing, thereby preventing residue build-up and drying.

In one embodiment, transition piece 200 includes a dual sealing system: a first sealing member 220 configured to seal transition piece 200 with container 100; and a second sealing member 221 configured to seal transition piece 200 with top cap 300. First and

second seal members

220, 221 may be located at any suitable location of transition piece 200. Thus, the container 100 includes a corresponding container sealing member 103 disposed on the container peripheral wall 104 adjacent the aperture 101, as shown in fig. 1, and the overcap 300 includes a corresponding overcap sealing member 304 disposed on the overcap peripheral wall 305 adjacent the overcap opening 301, as shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of transition piece 200 having such a dual sealing system, which is sealed with container sealing member 103 and cap sealing member 304. The cover 213 also includes a fastener surface 218 on the underside of the cover outer surface 215, and a first sealing member 220 is disposed on the cover fastener surface 218. When the transition piece 200 is sealed with the container 100, a portion of the container peripheral wall 104 adjacent the aperture 101 is interposed between the cover inner surface 214 and the cover outer surface 215, and the container sealing member 103 mates with the first sealing member 220. The second seal member 221 is disposed on the cover inner surface 214. Preferably, the top cap sealing member 304 is aligned with the void 219 of the transition piece 200 such that it is inserted into the void 219 and sealed with the second sealing member 221. In one embodiment, the cap further includes a shoulder 303 that abuts the cap seal member 304, and the cap shoulder 303 is preferably aligned with the cap shoulder 217 such that they are connected or parallel to each other, thereby enhancing the connection between the transition piece 200 and the cap 300.

Each pair of sealing members (i.e., the first sealing member 220 and its corresponding container sealing member 103, and the second sealing member 221 and its corresponding cap sealing member 304) may be any suitable sealing technique known in the art, such as interlocking corresponding threads, or a combination of lugs and grooves. Preferably, each pair of sealing members comprises a lock-corresponding thread helically disposed on the closure fastener surface 218 and the container 100, or on the closure inner surface 214 and the top cap 300, as shown in FIG. 3.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover 213 further comprises an auxiliary sealing member and a first sealing member 220 and a second sealing member 221. The secondary sealing member is preferably configured to enhance the connection of the transition piece 200 to the container 100 or the cap 300. The secondary sealing member may be provided at any suitable location on the cover 213, but is preferably on the first sealing member 220. The secondary sealing member may be any suitable technique in the art, such as any curved surface. The curved surface may be a curved ring that is connected to the opposing surface in a continuous manner, exerting minimal pressure over its entire length, or a seal that aligns the two opposing component surfaces to be sealed in a parallel manner. An example of a curved ring is known as a sealing plug 222 (i.e. a plug protruding from the cover 213 which bends when sealed with a corresponding sealing member), as shown in fig. 3. An example of a seal formed between two alignment surfaces is known as a flat wall seal (i.e., a flat wall that constitutes an integral part of the surface of the cover 213 that deforms when sealed with a corresponding sealing member. Preferably, the secondary sealing member is a sealing plug 222 disposed on the underside of the cap shoulder 217 above the first sealing member 220, as shown in fig. 3. When sealed with the container 100, the sealing plug 222 flexes, but its deformation does not extend to any other portion of the transition piece 200, i.e., does not deform the transition piece 200 other than the sealing plug 222. This is due to the nature of the sealing plug 222, where the connection area between the plug and its corresponding component (in this case the transition piece 200) is thin compared to a flat-walled seal where the contact surfaces form a seal, and thus can bend through the entire transition piece 200. Thus, the sealing plug 222 allows the transition piece 200 to accommodate multiple sizes of container necks. This improved adaptability of the transition piece 200 to a wide variety of containers 100 significantly reduces the industrial process variability present in large scale production, for example, dimensional variations when bottles are produced from a variety of plastic resins, which have large dimensional variations due to the nature of the plastic resin. Furthermore, the non-deformable transition piece 200 ensures a relatively low variation of the connection opening torque of the top cap 300, since the second sealing member 221 configured to seal with the top cap 300 is not negatively affected by any deformation. Thus, by employing the sealing plug 222 as a secondary sealing component, the package assembly 10 of the present invention allows for the combination of a wide variety of containers and caps while maintaining a low variation in cap opening torque. In contrast, the art does not utilize such a separate transition piece, and thus the direct interaction of the container and overcap requires a perfect match between the container and overcap, and thus causes an undesirably high variation in opening torque when combining different containers and overcap.

In one embodiment, the cover outer surface 215 has a set of linear indentations 216, which can be seen in fig. 4 and 5. The set of linear indentations 216 may be present circumferentially around the casing outer surface 215 or may be present at a portion of the casing outer surface 215, but is preferably present circumferentially around the casing outer surface 215. Providing the set of linear indentations can increase friction, which may be desirable when a user holds the packaging assembly 10 by grasping the transition piece 200, or when he removes the cap 300 by twisting the cap 300 and transition piece 200 in opposite directions (e.g., unscrewing the cap 300).

Referring now to fig. 4 and 5, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the package assembly 10 of the present invention further including a top cap 300 removably sealingly engaged to the transition piece 200. Fig. 4 shows the cap 300 disengaged from the transition piece 200, and fig. 5 shows the cap sealingly engaged to the transition piece 200. By sealingly engaged, it is meant that the top cap 300 does not leak a certain amount of the liquid detergent composition from the container 100 or transition piece 200 under the typical stresses to the top cap 300 or container 100 or transition piece 200 that occur during manufacture, packaging, shipping, handling, storage, and use of the packaging assembly 10 and the liquid detergent composition contained therein. Typical stresses are quantified, for example, drop tests on the sides or bottom of a fully sealed container, which fall from a height of 1.5m or less, preferably 0.8m or less, or a pressure build-up inside the sealed container below that which must overcome the specific seal pressure of 5000 kPa. The cap 300 is configured to enclose the spout 201, and the cap 300 is in fluid communication with the spout 201 when sealingly engaged with the transition piece 200.

In one embodiment, the cap 300 is a dispensing cap, i.e., the user first dispenses the liquid detergent composition from the container 100 to the dispensing cap and then dispenses the composition from the dispensing cap to the washing machine or laundry tub. The cap 300 preferably has an internal volume of 10mL to 250mL, preferably 30mL to 150mL, more preferably 50mL to 100 mL. The internal volume of the cap 300 can depend on a variety of factors, such as the internal volume of the container 100 and/or the concentration of the liquid detergent composition contained within the container 100. For example, when the liquid detergent composition contained within the container 100 is highly concentrated and only a small amount of dosing is required during the wash cycle, the internal volume of the top cover 300 may be small, e.g., 40 mL. In the present invention, it has been surprisingly found that the combination of the dispensing cap 300 and the spout 201 having a peripherally complete opening 204 enables accurate and rapid dosing of liquid detergent compositions, especially concentrated liquid detergent compositions. At least a portion of the cap 300, and preferably the entire cap 300, may be transparent or translucent or opaque, but is preferably transparent, thereby allowing the user to accurately dose. Preferably, the cap 300 is marked with one or more volume scales, such as scales of 15mL, 50mL, and 65 mL.

As can be seen in fig. 4, the cap 300 includes an opening 301, a base 302, and a peripheral wall 305 extending from the base 302 to the opening 301. The top cover peripheral wall 305 can include an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. Preferably, the cap outer surface is generally rough, more preferably having a plurality of points (not shown in the figures) to roughen the surface to achieve the desired friction when a user attempts to sealingly engage the cap 300 to the transition piece 200 or remove the cap 300 from the transition piece.

The top cover 300 may be any suitable height. Preferably, the cap 300 has a height related to the length of the spout 201, in particular a height longer than the length of the spout 201. In one embodiment, the cap 300 has a height, measured along the longitudinal axis, of 20mm to 100mm, preferably 30mm to 80mm, more preferably 40mm to 70mm, when self-standing, i.e., when the cap 300 is standing on its base 302. Preferably, spout 201 has a length, measured along the longitudinal axis, of 20mm to 80mm from base end 202 to spout opening 204, and the height of top cap 300 is longer, preferably slightly longer, than the length of spout 201.

The top cover opening 301 may be of any geometric shape, but is preferably the same shape as the void 219 of the transition piece 200, and is more preferably a circular shape. The top cap opening 301 preferably has a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of the spout opening 204 to ensure that the spout 201 is inserted into the top cap 300 and enclosed when the top cap 300 sealingly engages the transition piece 200. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of spout opening 204 is less than 50%, preferably less than 40%, more preferably less than 30% of the cross-sectional area of cap opening 301, thereby enabling the desired flow of liquid composition from transition piece 200 to cap 100.

The lid opening 301 can have a weir (not shown in the figures) configured to more accurately deliver the liquid detergent composition by restricting the flow of the composition out of the lid 300. The weir can be any common shape suitable for use as a weir, including a V-shape, a semi-circular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a multi-stage weir having a discontinuous function describing a hydraulic radius, or any other such shape that restricts the flow of a liquid detergent composition.

When the cap 300 is filled with the liquid composition, i.e., the cap 300 is inverted from the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the cap base 302 serves as a standing surface. The cap base 302 is preferably substantially flat. More preferably, as shown in fig. 5, the top cover base 302 is slightly recessed toward the center thereof, so that the top cover 300 can be stably supported.

The cap 300 may be any suitable shape, such as an inverted cone, a cylinder, a sphere, a cube, a cuboid. When sealingly engaging the transition piece 200 (i.e., when the cap seal member 304 is hidden from view), the cap 300 preferably has an inverted conical shape or a cylindrical shape, more preferably an inverted conical shape as shown in fig. 5. This inverted conical shape facilitates disengagement of the cap 300 from the transition piece 200 and also promotes stable erection, particularly when the cap 300 is filled with a liquid composition.

The package assembly 10 of the present invention may also include a handle 400. The handle 400 may be a through handle (i.e., one fully open space through which fingers and/or thumb may be inserted) or a non-through handle (i.e., portions of the container are recessed to form a grip, without a fully open space). Such non-through handles are described in U.S. patent application 2013/0270280a 1. Preferably, the shank 400 is a through shank, as shown in fig. 6. In one embodiment, the through handle 400 has a 5cm length²To 50cm²Preferably 10cm²To 35cm²More preferably 15cm²To 30cm²Cross-sectional area of (a).

The handle 400 may be located at any suitable location on the container 100, for example, at the top of the container 100, at the bottom of the container 100, at the side of the container 100. Preferably, the handle 400 is located on the side of the container 100, but is bilaterally symmetrical along the longitudinal portion. In one embodiment, the handle 400 and the vent 209 are generally aligned relative to the longitudinal axis, preferably aligned such that: the handle 400 and vent 209 are within an angle of 0.25 pi radians, preferably 0.1 pi radians, about the longitudinal axis of each other. Likewise, with angled spout opening 204, shank 400 and spout opening 204 are aligned such that: the tang 400 and the first apex 207 are within an angle of 0.75 pi to 1 pi radians, preferably 0.9 pi to 1 pi radians, about the longitudinal axis of each other. Because the handle 400 and the vent 209 have cross-sectional areas (i.e., are not a single point, but include multiple points), the associated components (the handle 400, the vent 209, and the first apex 207) are, by definition, at defined angles if any point on the handle 400 or the vent 209 meets the above angular requirements. Such a laterally located handle 400 enables the package assembly 10 to provide a clear visual cue to the user that the liquid composition contained in the package assembly 10 is being dispensed in the most efficient manner, i.e., by tilting the package assembly 10 by lifting the side of the container 100 having the handle 400. Further, by aligning the handle 400 with the vent hole 209 and the angled spout opening 204, the package assembly 10 ensures an immediate and consistent flow of the liquid composition from the container 100 once the user desires to dispense the composition in accordance with the visual cues provided by the angled spout opening 204.

Each component of the packaging assembly 10 of the present invention may be made of any suitable material, such as glass, metal, polymer, etc., but is preferably made of a polymer. Specifically, the container 100, the transition piece 200, and the top cap 300 may be made of the same or different materials. Preferably, they are each independently made of a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polystyrene (PS), and combinations thereof.

Each of the components of the packaging assembly 10 of the present invention may be made by any suitable method known in the art, depending on factors such as the component material or the desired performance criteria for the component. Non-limiting examples of methods include: extrusion Blow Molding (EBM), Injection Molding (IM), Injection Blow Molding (IBM), and Injection Stretch Blow Molding (ISBM), thermoforming, compression molding, extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding (I & B). In one embodiment, the container 100 is prepared by EBM, the transition piece 200 is prepared by IM, and the top cap 300 is prepared by ISBM.

Preferably, the portions of transition piece 200 (e.g., spout inner surface 205, vent 209, channel 210) that are desired to contact the liquid composition are relatively smooth and, more preferably, are produced industrially in a smooth manner. In one embodiment, the mold from which the transition piece 200 is made has a suitable mold finish, preferably a VDI 3400 finish standard of 12 to 35, preferably 20 to 28, more preferably 22 to 26. The term "mold polish" herein refers to the surface texture and/or smoothness of the interior surface of the mold. The VDI 3400 polishing standard is a polishing standard widely accepted in the industry for defining aspects of mold polishing. The VDI 3400 polishing standard includes a mold polishing scale of 0 to 45, and an increase in value indicates that the mold surface is rougher. The preferred mold finish provides the transition piece 200 with reduced friction with the liquid composition and, therefore, less turbulence during dispensing and less residue after dispensing. Likewise, the portions of the cap 300 and container 100 that are intended to contact the liquid composition (e.g., their inner surfaces) are preferably smooth and are produced with a relatively smooth mold finish.

Liquid detergent composition

The packaging assembly of the present invention can comprise any conventional liquid detergent composition and is suitable for use in the viscosity of a wide variety of compositions. In a preferred embodiment, the liquid detergent composition has a viscosity to be suitably dispensed from the packaging assembly. Preferably, the liquid detergent composition has a viscosity value of from 200cps to 3,000cps, more preferably from 300cps to 2,000cps, even more preferably from 500cps to 1,000cps at a shear rate of 20/sec and a temperature of 21 ℃. The viscosity at a shear rate of 20/sec is also referred to as "pour viscosity" because the shear rate at which the liquid composition is dispensed from the container is about 20/sec. Furthermore, it is noted that liquid compositions having a pour viscosity above 200cps are commonly referred to as "viscous liquid compositions".

Unlike pour viscosity, "resting viscosity" characterizes the viscosity of a liquid composition at rest, i.e., the viscosity at a shear rate of about 1/sec. The static viscosity value of the liquid composition may be the same as or different from the pour viscosity of the composition, depending on the ingredients that make up the composition. In one embodiment, the liquid detergent compositions herein have a viscosity value of from 500cps to 6,000cps, preferably from 800cps to 3,000cps, more preferably from 1,500cps to 2,500cps at a shear rate of 1/sec and a temperature of 21 ℃.

The liquid detergent compositions herein may comprise one or more ingredients. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to: anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, fatty acids, builders, rheology modifiers, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibiting agents, dispersants, enzymes, and enzyme stabilizers, catalytic materials, bleach activators, hydrogen peroxide, sources of hydrogen peroxide, preformed peracids, polymeric dispersing agents, clay soil removal/anti-redeposition agents, brighteners, suds suppressors, dyes, photobleaches, structure elasticizing agents, fabric softeners, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids, solvents, toners, antimicrobials, perfume oils, perfume microcapsules, and/or pigments. In addition to the above disclosure, other suitable examples of such adjuvants and amounts can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,576,282, 6,306,812, and 6,326,348. The precise nature of these ingredients and their levels in the liquid detergent composition will depend on factors such as the particular type of composition and the nature of the cleaning operation in which it will be used.

In one embodiment, the liquid detergent composition comprises an anionic surfactant. Non-limiting examples of anionic surfactants include: linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS), preferably C₁₀-C₁₆ LAS；C₁₀-C₂₀Primary, branched-chain and random Alkyl Sulfates (AS); c₁₀-C₁₈Secondary (2,3) alkyl sulfates; sulfated fatty Alcohol Ethoxylate (AES), preferably C₁₀-C₁₈Alkyl alkoxy sulfates (AE)_xS), wherein x is preferably 1 to 30, more preferably x is 1 to 3; c₁₀-C₁₈Alkyl alkoxy carboxylates, preferably containing 1 to 5 ethoxy units; mid-chain branched alkyl sulfates as discussed in US 6,020,303 and US 6,060,443; mid-chain branched alkyl alkoxy sulfates as discussed in US 6,008,181 and US 6,020,303; modified alkylbenzenesulfonates (MLAS)) as discussed in WO 99/05243, WO 99/05242 and WO 99/05244;methyl Ester Sulfonates (MES) and alpha-olefin sulfonates (AOS). Preferably, the composition comprises an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of: LAS, AES, AS, and combinations thereof, more preferably selected from LAS, AES, and combinations thereof. The total level of anionic surfactant(s) may be from 5% to 95%, or from 8% to 70%, or from 10% to 50%, or from 12% to 40%, or from 15% to 30%, by weight of the liquid detergent composition.

In a preferred embodiment, the liquid detergent compositions of the present invention comprise a rheology modifier (also referred to as "structurant" in some cases) which functions to adjust the viscosity of the composition and thereby make it more suitable for use in packaging components. The rheology modifiers herein can be any known ingredient capable of adjusting the rheology of liquid compositions, such as those disclosed in U.S. patent applications 2006/0205631a1, 2005/0203213a1, and U.S. patent 7294611, 6855680. Preferably, the rheology modifier is selected from the group consisting of crystalline hydroxyl-containing materials, polyacrylates, polysaccharides, polycarboxylates, amine oxides, alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts, ammonium salts, alkanolammonium salts, C₁₂-C₂₀Fatty alcohols, dibenzylidene polyol acetal Derivatives (DBPA), diamido galaton (gallant), cationic polymers comprising a first structural unit derived from methacrylamide and a second structural unit derived from diallyldimethylammonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

Preferably, the rheology modifier is a hydroxyl-containing crystalline material generally characterized as crystalline, hydroxyl-containing fatty acids, fatty acid esters, and fatty waxes, such as castor oil and castor oil derivatives. More preferably, the rheology modifier is Hydrogenated Castor Oil (HCO).

The rheology modifier can be present in the liquid detergent composition at any suitable level. Preferably, the rheology modifier may be present in the composition from 0.05% to 5%, preferably from 0.08% to 3%, more preferably from 0.1% to 1% by weight of the composition.

Liquid detergent product

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a liquid detergent product comprising a package assembly as described above and a liquid detergent composition. Preferably, the liquid detergent composition is capable of flowing out of the packaging component at a desired flow rate, preferably at a flow rate of from 10mL/s to 40mL/s, alternatively from 15mL/s to 38mL/s, alternatively from 20mL/s to about 35 mL/s.

Preferably, the package assembly herein is designed for dispensing a liquid detergent composition having a certain viscosity value (pour viscosity) from the package assembly at the most desired flow rate. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that generally the lower the viscosity of the liquid detergent composition, the faster the flow rate, the longer the spout, and the larger the vent. In contrast, the higher the viscosity of the liquid detergent composition, the slower the flow rate, the shorter the spout, and the smaller the vent hole. In other words, the liquid detergent product of the present invention is configured to match a liquid detergent composition having a certain viscosity value with a suitably designed packaging assembly.

In one embodiment, the liquid detergent composition has a viscosity value (i.e., a relatively low pour viscosity) of 300cps to 800cps at a shear rate of 20/sec and a temperature of 21 ℃, the spout has a length, measured along the longitudinal axis from the base end to the spout opening, of 40mm to 60mm, and the vent has a 25mm diameter²To 50mm²Wherein the liquid detergent composition is capable of flowing out of the package assembly at a flow rate of from 30mL/s to 40 mL/s.

Alternatively, the liquid detergent composition has 800 to 3,000cps (i.e. relatively low pour viscosity) at a shear rate of 20/sec and a temperature of 21 ℃, the spout has a length, measured along the longitudinal axis from the base end to the spout opening, of 30mm to 40mm, and the vent has 15mm²To 25mm²Wherein the liquid detergent composition is capable of flowing out of the package assembly at a flow rate of from 15mL/s to 30 mL/s.

Method for determining viscosity of liquid composition

Unless otherwise indicated, viscosity was measured using an AR G2 rheometer (TA Instrument Ltd.) with a frustoconical rotor having an angle of 1 ° 59' 24 "and a gap of 49 microns. Shear rate from 1s^-1Increased to 500s^-1And the measurement is achieved at each shear rate<The rheology was read at 5% difference. All measurements were carried out at 21 ℃.

Examples

The examples herein are intended to illustrate the invention, but are not intended to limit or define the scope of the invention. Examples 1A-1B are packaging assemblies according to the present invention, examples 3A-3D are liquid laundry detergent composition examples according to the present invention, and examples 2A-2B are comparative examples of certain packaging assemblies in the art. Fig. 7 shows the transition pieces of comparative examples 2A and 2B and examples 1B and 1A in order (left to right).

Examples 1A-1B: packaging assembly of the present invention

Example 1A is a package assembly as shown in fig. 6. Specifically, the container of example 1A had an internal volume of 2000mL, and the cap of example 1A had an internal volume of 80 mL. The transition piece used in example 1A is identical to the transition piece shown in fig. 2A, 2B, and 2C. The nozzle opening of the transition piece has about 177mm²And the vent hole has a cross-sectional area of about 30mm²Cross-sectional area of (a). The spout has a length measured along the longitudinal axis from the base end to the spout opening of about 55 mm.

The package assembly of example 1B includes the same container and top cap as example 1A, but with a slightly different transition piece. As shown in fig. 7 at 3^rdThe transition piece (left) is the one used in example 1B. This transition piece has a circumferentially complete nozzle opening and 5 tiny vent holes arranged side by side. Wherein the nozzle opening has a diameter of about 154mm²And 5 ventilation holes have a cross-sectional area of about 12mm²Total cross-sectional area of (a). The spout has a length of about 45mm measured along the longitudinal axis from the base end to the spout opening.

In example 1, the vessel was made of EBM, the transition piece was made of IM, and the top cap was made of ISBM.

Comparative examples 2A-2B packaging Assembly of the art

Comparative examples 2A to 2BThe package assembly comprised the same container and top lid as in example 1, but with a different transition piece, as shown in figure 7. Specifically, the transition piece of example 2A had a relatively large nozzle opening (having about 320 mm)²And wherein the open spout has a longitudinal slot along the entire length of the spout, i.e., the spout itself is not peripherally complete. Similar to example 2A, the transition piece of example 2B had a longitudinal slot along the entire length of the nozzle, but had a relatively small nozzle opening (having about 110 mm)²Cross-sectional area of). Each transition piece of examples 2A and 2B has vent holes adjacent to the spout slots therein, as shown in fig. 7, as compared to vent holes separate from the spout of examples 1A and 1B. The transition piece nozzles of examples 2A-2B had lengths of about 45mm and 50mm, respectively, measured along the longitudinal axis from their base ends to the nozzle openings. The two transition pieces of examples 2A-2B were made from IM.

Example 3: formulation of liquid laundry detergent composition

The following liquid laundry detergent compositions are prepared as shown in table 1, which contains the listed ingredients in the listed proportions (wt%).

TABLE 1：

a

25-7 is C ethoxylated with an average of 7 moles of ethylene oxide₁₂-C₁₅Alcohols as nonionic surfactants, available from Shell

b Diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid pentasodium salt as chelating agent

Preparation of liquid laundry detergent compositions of examples 3A-3D

The liquid detergent compositions of examples 3A-3D were prepared by the following steps:

a) mixing a combination of NaOH and water in a batch vessel by applying shear at 200 rpm;

b) mixing citric acid (if any), boric acid (if any), and C₁₁-C₁₃LAS, and NaOH were added to the batch vessel, and mixing was maintained by applying shear at 200 rpm;

c) cooling the temperature of the combination obtained in step b) to 25 ℃;

d) addition of C_12-14AE_1-3S、Na-DTPA、

25-7、C₁₂-C₁₈Fatty acid, 1,2 propanediol (if any), monoethanolamine, C₆-C₁₅Dimethylamine oxide (if any), and calcium chloride (if any), sodium cumene sulfonate (if any), silicone emulsion (if any), sodium polyacrylate (if any) into a batch vessel, mixing by applying shear at 250rpm until the combination is well mixed, and adjusting the pH to 8;

e) adding whitener (if any), protease (if any), amylase (if any), dye (if any), and perfume oil (if any) to a batch container, mixing by applying shear at 250 rpm; and is

f) Adding hydrogenated castor oil, if any, to the batch container, thereby forming a liquid laundry detergent composition,

wherein each ingredient in the composition is present in an amount as specified in table 1 for examples 3A-3C.

Comparative data for dispense flow rates for examples 1-2

Comparative experiments evaluating the liquid laundry detergent compositions of examples 3A-3C were conducted by dispensing from the package assemblies of examples 1A-1B and examples 2A-2B, respectively. In particular, the container is filled with a liquid laundry detergent composition. The liquid laundry detergent composition is dispensed from the container, in particular from each transition piece, to the top lid. During dispensing, the container is tilted at an angle of about 30 ° relative to the longitudinal axis.

The dispense flow rates and composition viscosities are shown in table 2. The viscosity was measured at a shear rate of 20/sec and a temperature of 21 ℃ according to the method for determining the viscosity of the liquid composition as described above.

TABLE 2：

As shown in table 2, a, the package assemblies according to the present invention (examples 1A and 1B) exhibited the desired flow rates (e.g., flow rates of 10mL/s to 40 mL/s) for all tested liquid laundry detergent compositions. In contrast, the package assembly of comparative example 2A provided a too fast dispensing flow rate, causing undesirable turbulence during dispensing. And the package assembly of comparative example 2B showed an unacceptably slow flow rate.

All percentages, ratios and proportions are by weight of the total composition, unless otherwise specified. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius (. degree. C.) unless otherwise indicated. All component or composition levels are in reference to the active level of that component or composition and are exclusive of impurities, such as residual solvents or by-products, which may be present in commercially available sources.

It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.

It should be understood that the dimensions and values disclosed herein are not intended to be strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Rather, 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".

Each document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or patent application, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or 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 combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses such an 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.

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.

Claims

1. A liquid detergent product comprising a packaging assembly (10) and a liquid detergent composition contained within the packaging assembly,

wherein the liquid detergent composition has a viscosity value of 200 to 3,000 centipoise ("cps") at a shear rate of 20/sec and a temperature of 21 ℃, and the liquid detergent composition is capable of flowing out of the package assembly at a flow rate of 10mL/s to 40mL/s, and

wherein the package assembly (10) comprises:

a) a container (100), the container (100) comprising an aperture (101) and a bottom surface (102) opposite the aperture, the bottom surface (102) defining a longitudinal axis perpendicular thereto, wherein the longitudinal axis passes through the aperture (101); and

b) a transition piece (200), the transition piece (200) joined to the aperture (101) and comprising:

i) a spout (201) having a base end (202) adjacent to the orifice (101) and a pouring end (203) opposite the base end having a peripherally full spout opening (204); and

ii) a vent (209), the vent (209) being located near the base end (202),

wherein the spout (201) and the vent (209) are in fluid communication with the orifice (101) and the vent (209) has a cross-sectional area that is 1/20 to 1/3 of the cross-sectional area of the spout opening (204);

wherein the container (100) is bilaterally symmetric along a longitudinal portion including the longitudinal axis, wherein both the spout (201) and the vent (209) are bilaterally symmetric along the longitudinal portion and oppositely offset from the longitudinal axis within the longitudinal portion;

the nozzle opening (204) is inclined, comprising a first apex (207) and a first nadir (208) circumferentially opposite along the nozzle opening (204), wherein the nozzle opening (204) is at an angle of 15 ° to 85 ° relative to the longitudinal axis, and the nozzle (201) is tapered toward the nozzle opening (204) and inclined toward the first apex (207); and is

The vent (209) and the spout opening (204) are aligned such that: the vent hole (209) and the first nadir (208) are within an angle of about 0.25 pi radians of each other about the longitudinal axis, and the vent hole (209) and the first apex (207) are within an angle of 0.75 pi to 1 pi radians of each other about the longitudinal axis.

2. A liquid detergent product according to claim 1 wherein the spout opening (204) has 20mm²To 400mm²Cross-sectional area of (a).

3. A liquid detergent product according to any preceding claim wherein the transition piece (200) further comprises an annular channel (210) surrounding the base end (202) and a radially projecting hood (213) surrounding the channel (210), wherein the vent (209) is located in the channel (210).

4. A liquid detergent product according to any preceding claim wherein the channel (210) is inclined comprising a second apex (211) and a second nadir (212) circumferentially opposed along the channel (210), wherein the vent (209) is located at the second nadir (212), wherein the channel (210) is at an angle of from 5 ° to 85 ° relative to the longitudinal axis.

5. A liquid detergent product according to any preceding claim wherein the cover (213) comprises an outer surface (215), an inner surface (214) opposite the outer surface (215), a shoulder (217) between the outer and inner surfaces, and a fastener surface (218) on the underside of the outer surface (215), wherein the cover outer surface (215) has a set of linear indentations (216), the cover fastener surface (218) has a first sealing member (220) configured to seal the transition piece (200) with the container (100), and the cover inner surface (214) has a second sealing member (221) configured to seal the transition piece (200) with the cap.

6. A liquid detergent product according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover (213) further comprises a sealing plug (222) disposed on the underside of the cover shoulder (217).

7. A liquid detergent product according to any preceding claim wherein the spout opening (204) has a shape selected from oval, circular, semi-circular, triangular, rectangular, trapezoidal, pentagonal, or hexagonal.

8. The liquid detergent product according to any preceding claim, wherein the package assembly further comprises: c) a cap (300) removably sealingly engaged to the transition piece (200), the cap configured to enclose the spout (201), wherein the cap (300) is in fluid communication with the spout (201) when sealingly engaged to the transition piece (200);

preferably, wherein the cap (300) is characterized by one or more of the following, more preferably wherein the cap (300) is characterized by two or more of the following, still more preferably wherein the cap (300) is characterized by three or more of the following, even more preferably wherein the cap (300) is characterized by all four of the following:

a) wherein the cap (300) is a dispensing cap and has an internal volume of 10mL to 250mL, and the cap (300) is at least partially transparent and marked with one or more volume graduations;

b) wherein the top cover (300) has a height, when free-standing, of 20mm to 100mm measured along the longitudinal axis, the spout (201) has a length, measured along the longitudinal axis, of 20mm to 80mm measured from the base end (202) to the spout opening (204), and the height of the top cover (300) is longer than the length of the spout (201);

c) wherein the canopy (300) comprises a canopy opening (301), wherein the cross-sectional area of the spout opening (204) is less than 50% of the cross-sectional area of the canopy opening (301); and

d) wherein the cap (300) has an inverted conical shape when sealingly engaged to the transition piece (200).

9. The liquid detergent product according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the package assembly further comprises a handle (400), wherein the handle (400) is aligned with the vent (209) such that the handle (400) and the vent (209) are within an angle of about 0.25 pi radians about the longitudinal axis to each other.

10. A liquid detergent product according to any preceding claim wherein the package assembly (10) comprises a plurality of vents (209) located side-by-side adjacent the base end (202) and the total cross-sectional area of the plurality of vents (209) is from 1/20 to 1/3 of the cross-sectional area of the spout opening (204).

11. The liquid detergent product according to any preceding claims, wherein the liquid detergent composition comprises a surfactantA rheology modifier selected from: crystalline materials containing hydroxyl groups, polyacrylates, polysaccharides, polycarboxylates, amine oxides, alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts, ammonium salts, alkanolammonium salts, C₁₂-C₂₀Fatty alcohols, dibenzylidene polyol acetal derivatives, diamido galbant (gallant), cationic polymers comprising a first structural unit derived from methacrylamide and a second structural unit derived from diallyldimethylammonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

12. Use of a liquid detergent product according to any of claims 1-11 for cleaning fabrics.