EP0433150B1 - Packaging article for fusible substances, package obtained with such an article and process for manufacturing this article - Google Patents

Abstract

Single-use article, particularly for taking samples, which can be produced in a single piece, comprising a tubular rod (1), one end of which terminates in a perforated dome (3) supporting a thin layer of substance (14), and carrying a removable cap (5). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to the packaging industry, more particularly to fusible substances, normally semi-rigid at usual ambient temperatures, such as lipsticks and other cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals, or household cleaning products. It more specifically aims at packaging such substances in small quantities, in particular at the end of sampling, for single use.

It has already been proposed to sample lipsticks in the form of sticks, one end of which is coated with paste by dipping, in the manner of matches, as described in document FR-A-1 270 008. However, this restricted presentation of red does not lend itself to a test under normal conditions of the stick marketed normally, because it does not have the surface or the shape and does not allow to fully appreciate its color and appearance.

Document EP-A-0 315 937, which served to delimit the preamble of appended claim 1, also discloses an article obtained by soaking and solidification, under conditions which do not allow effective control of the thickness of substance filed.

Document GB-A-0 888 612 discloses tubes of small red samplers fitting into each other. The block of red is arranged in a conventional manner in the tube.

It has also been proposed to mold fluidized solid substances hot, such as products against perspiration in a bowl-shaped mold, then to immerse superficially in the still liquid mass a perforated bowl which is fixed, after cooling and solidification of the mass, at the end of a handle which will facilitate the manipulation of the solid block for bodily applications, as described in the document US -A-4 235 557, but this type of packaging requires the use of quantities of substances that are too large for sampling.

The object of the invention is to package small quantities of hot-melt substances for single use, in particular sampling, in simple, inexpensive packaging, easy to produce in large series, using only a very small quantity of substance. , and yet offering the appearance and shape of the end of the stick of normally marketed substance.

The subject of the invention is a single-use article for the individual packaging of a small quantity of fusible substance to be used by manual friction on a surface, characterized as indicated in claim 1.

The cap can advantageously be molded in one piece with the rod to which it is connected by a foldable articulation tongue for the insertion of the cap on the base of the perforated surface and its subsequent release for the use of the 'article.

In order to avoid possible alteration to the air during storage, such an article may be supplemented by a sealing cap for the open end of the rod. This cover can be molded in one piece with the rod to which it can be connected by a foldable hinge tab or it can constitute a separate part, possibly inserted inside and at the bottom of the rod.
by a sealing cap of the open end of the rod. This cover can be molded in one piece with the rod to which it can be connected by a foldable hinge tab or it can constitute a separate part, possibly inserted inside and at the bottom of the rod.

The cover may be constituted by an external decorative case covering the rod, associated with a complementary decorative cap covering the cap of which it is integral.

An article according to the invention can be associated with a display, the base of which offers a plurality of supports for as many articles.

For an identical presentation of the commercial product, the cavity of the cap will have the same shape as the molded end of the corresponding cosmetic stick, in particular lipstick.

It is generally advantageous, especially for the packaging of colored substances, in particular cosmetic products, that at least the cap is made of a transparent material allowing its coloration to be appreciated without spacing the cap.

The subject of the invention is also a method of manufacturing the above packaging article, characterized in that the substance to be conditioned is fluidized, in that it is poured into the article, cap inserted on said perforated surface, until the space between the cap and the dome is filled, leaving the rest of the rod substantially empty, and in that allows the substance to solidify on cooling in the article.

The invention will be more easily understood by examining and detailed description of the appended drawings which represent some embodiments of the invention, chosen simply by way of example from the numerous embodiments, adaptations and variants of the invention. invention accessible to a knowledgeable technician.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique, en élévation et en coupe diamétrale, d'un article suivant l'invention, sorti de moulage avec sa coiffe latérale;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 1 du même article, coiffe insérée sur le dôme;
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique, par dessous suivant la flèche III de la figure 2;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique en élévation et en coupe diamétrale montrant le conditionnement d'une substance fluide dans l'article des figures 1 à 3;
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique en élévation et en coupe diamétrale du conditionnement de la figure 4, coiffe rabattue latéralement pour l'utilisation;
• la figure 6 est une vue schématique en élévation, et en coupe diamétrale, du conditionnement des figures 4 et 5 équipé d'un opercule;
• la figure 7 est une vue schématique en élévation et en coupe diamétrale, d'un conditionnement analogue à celui des figures 5 et 6, inséré dans un ensemble étui-chapeau décoratifs; et,
• la figure 8 est une vue schématique en élévation et en coupe diamétrale, d'un article suivant les figures 1 à 5 monté sur un support présentoir multiple.

In these drawings,

• Figure 1 is a schematic view, in elevation and in diametral section, of an article according to the invention, out of molding with its side cover;
• Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 of the same article, cap inserted on the dome;
• Figure 3 is a schematic view from below along arrow III of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a schematic elevational view in diametral section showing the packaging of a fluid substance in the article of Figures 1 to 3;
• Figure 5 is a schematic elevational view in diametrical section of the packaging of Figure 4, cap folded laterally for use;
• Figure 6 is a schematic elevational view, in diametral section, of the packaging of Figures 4 and 5 equipped with a cover;
• Figure 7 is a schematic view in elevation and in diametral section, of a packaging similar to that of Figures 5 and 6, inserted in a decorative case-hat assembly; and,
• Figure 8 is a schematic elevational view in diametral section, of an article according to Figures 1 to 5 mounted on a multiple display support.

In these figures, the corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, possibly affected by an index. The dimensions and the respective proportions of these elements may not be respected in order to make the drawings more legible.

The article according to the invention shown in the figures essentially comprises, molded in one piece, for example made of preferably transparent polyethylene or polypropylene, a tubular rod 1 open at one end 2, and terminated at the other end by a conical dome 3, pierced with four lateral openings 6 a , 6 b , 6 c , 6 d , the cylindrical base 4 of which serves as a watertight seat for the fitting of the corresponding base of a cap 5, connected and articulated to the rod 1 by a folding tongue 7, molded in one piece, as shown in FIG. 1, with the rod 1 and its dome 3. A slight relief 8 inside the cap 5, opposite the tongue 7, cooperates with a corresponding recess 9 in the base 4 of the dome 3 to keep the cover 5 folded over the dome 3 as shown in FIG. 2. A radial lug 10 coming from the base of the cover 5 makes it easier to grip for the cap folding maneuvers (figure 2) then its subsequent spacing during use (Figure 5) as indicated by arrows in these figures. Between the dome 3 and the folded cap 5 there remains an empty gap 11 of a small, substantially constant spacing.

After molding the assembly (FIG. 1) the cap 5 is folded over the dome 3 (FIG. 3), then the substance to be packaged is poured, previously fluidized by heating, using a nozzle 12 at the end. open 2 of the rod 1 until filling of the gap 11 between the dome 3 and the cap 5 as well as the interior 13 of the dome (Figure 4) which ensures, after solidification of the substance a good anchoring of its useful layer 14 outside the dome 3 at its base 15 inside the dome 3 at through the openings 6 of the dome. The internal ogival cavity 16 of the cap 3 serves as a mold for the external part of the layer 14 of substance. It has, preferably in the case of cosmetics, the same classic ogival shape of revolution, or cutaway, or dihedral, or other, as the useful end of the marketed stick of the same substance. Thus after spacing of the cap 5 (Figure 5) the user of the packaging thus produced has the same conformation of the substance for a test as with the commercial stick that he can acquire.

Optionally, the tongue 7 can be made frangible by a zone 17 of less resistance which facilitates the folding of the tongue and makes it possible to separate the cap from the rest of the article for more free access to the layer of substance 14 during the use.

The packaging (FIG. 5) produced by pouring a substance (FIG. 4) into an article (FIGS. 1 to 3) can be completed by a cover 18 (FIG. 6) introduced into the open end 2 of the rod 1. A such a cover 18 advantageously has a rim 19 of the same external diameter as the rod 1. It gives the rod greater rigidity and a better appearance when packaged, while protecting the base 15 of substance from possible deterioration by the atmosphere .

The cover 18 may consist of a separate part, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 6, one comes from molding with the rest of the article if it is attached to the rod 1 by a foldable tab 20, similar to the tongue 7 of the cap 3, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 6.

The packaging shown in Figure 7 is similar to that of Figures 5 and 6 but the rod 1 is covered with a decorative case 21 whose base blind fit into the open end 2 of the rod to form an inner seal 18 a. A decorative cap 22 removably fits onto the open end of the case 21 which it completes, and has an internal rib 23 of frustoconical section snapped into a groove complementary to the base of the cap 5 a to which the hat is thus secured. In this embodiment, the cap 5 a is independent of the rod 1 and of the dome 3.

8 shows a packaging similar to that of Figures 5 and 6, the open end 2 of the rod 1 is inserted removably on a tubular stud 24 from one side of a plate 25 forming a display for a plurality similar packaging. The nipples can be opened 24 or closed 24 a . They can advantageously have an external annular rim 26 at their end inserted into the stem of a package in order to ensure better support there despite an easy insertion and extraction. Additional protection to the atmosphere of the substance base 15 can optionally be provided by a cover 18 b , indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 8, inserted at the bottom of the rod 1.

Claims (10)

1. A single-use article for the individual packaging of a small quantity of fusible substance to be applied on a surface by manual friction, comprising a stem (1) terminating at one end in a support dome (3) for supporting the substance in a thin layer (14), which dome has its base provided externally with means (4) for supporting a removable cover (5) whose internal cavity (16) is located in spaced relation to the external surface of said dome (3) at a short distance which determines the thickness of the layer (14) of substance, characterized in that said stem (1) is tubular and is open at its other end, in that said dome (3) is perforated, in that said means for supporting the cover (5) are fluid-tight when the cover (5) is in the closing position, whereby the thin layer (14) can be directly cast from the inside of the stem (1) between said perforated dome (3) and the cover (5) in closing position, and in that at least a part of the inside of the dome is filled with this substance in order to ensure a good anchorage of the substance.
2. An article according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (5) is molded in one piece with the stem (1) and joined thereto by means of an articulation tongue (7) which is capable of folding and unfolding so as to permit engagement of the cover (5) on the base (4) of the dome (3) and subsequent disengagement of said cover in order to use the article.
3. An article according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said article comprises a plug (18) for sealing the open end (2) of the stem (1).
4. An article according to claim 3, characterized in that the seal plug (18) is molded in one piece with the tubular stem and joined thereto by means of a folding articulation strip (20).
5. An article according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the seal plug (18b) is inserted within and at the inner end of the tubular stem (1).
6. An article according to claim 3, characterized in that the seal plug (18a) is constituted by an external decorative case (21) which covers the tubular stem (1), associated with a complementary decorative cap (22) which is placed over the cover (5a) and fixed thereon.
7. An article according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is associated with a display base (25) which offers a plurality of supports (24) for a corresponding number of articles.
8. An article according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cavity (16) of the cover (5) has the same shape as the molded end of a cosmetic stick and especially a lipstick.
9. An article according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least the cover is of transparent material.
10. A method of fabrication of the package according to anyone of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the substance to be packaged is fluidified, in that said substance is casted into the article with the cover (5) engaged on the dome (3), until the space (11) between the cover and the dome is filled so as to leave the remainder of the tubular stem (1) empty, and in that the substance is allowed to solidify by cooling within the article.

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