EP0674948A1

EP0674948A1 - Refillable spray container

Info

Publication number: EP0674948A1
Application number: EP94870054A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marcel Vandebroek; André Marie Gustav Jacobs; Robert Corneel De Caluwe
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 1994-03-28
Filing date: 1994-03-28
Publication date: 1995-10-04

Abstract

The present invention relates to a package comprising a container (10) and a spray trigger head (20) on top of said container (10). Said container (10) has at least one other orifice (15) communicating with the interior of said container (10). This orifice (15) gives the possibility of several complete spillage-free operations, like refilling, diluting and pouring out of the contained liquid substance.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a refillable container with a spray trigger mechanism.

Background of the invention

Containers having a spray trigger mechanism are well known in the prior art. These are very useful in obtaining a uniform distribution of the contained liquid substance on any surface, which has to be treated with said substance. The present invention relates to a liquid spraying mechanism of the type which produces spray mist, and which requires no container pressuring gas or other foreign propellant.
Most of the spray triggers operate via a simple lever actuated piston with a compression chamber. The compression chamber is fed by suction on the return stroke of the trigger level. At the front of the head, in connection with the compression chamber, is an atomizing nozzle. At the bottom of the head, in connection with the compression chamber, is a diptube which conveys the liquid to the compression chamber on the return stroke of the trigger level.
The refilling can be accomplished through the same opening, which holds the spray mechanism, disengaging the whole spray mechanism from the container, i.e. the diptube included. One example of such a refillable spraying device is described in the U.S. Patent No. 3 799 448.
In EP-A-0 336 415 the refilling is achieved by replacing a bag containing the substance to be dispersed in a specific holder comprising a complete spray mechanism with relative diptube. Nevertheless, the principal disadvantage for both devices described above resides in the fact that it is not possible to avoid product spillage. Said product spillage is mainly caused by the diptube, which normally is wet on the outer surface of said diptube and also contains at least several drops of the product inside it.
The spray containers are, in general, very useful for cleaning and/or disinfecting certain surfaces, like glass, carpet, curtains or floor and tiles of the bathroom and kitchen. Various household products are possible, like liquid detergents and/or bleaches. Therefore any product spillage creates messiness. It is an object of the present invention to get the possibility to refill the container with the desired substance without detaching the whole spray mechanism.
A possible solution to this problem is given in the French Patent Application FR-A-2 522 283. The contained substance is refillable through an opening closed with a reversibly detachable cap at the bottom of this container. In order to fulfill the refilling operation, said container has to be turned upside down before the opening of said cap at the bottom.
This is still not a complete spillage free operation, since said cap at the bottom has been in direct contact with the contained liquid right before turning the container upside down. It is an object of the present invention to avoid completely any messy product spillage during the refilling operation of the container.
Substances, which are usable for various purposes and different treating surfaces, referred from now on as multi-purpose substances, have to be possibly diluted to achieve the best performance for the different purposes or surfaces. The performance depends from the concentration of the multi-purpose substance. Several household products are such multi-purpose substances and the dilution with water or other solutions if necessary, should be allowed to be accomplished in an easy manner before their specific use.
In another possible use of the products mentioned above, the contained substance has to be allowed to be poured directly upon the treating surface without any need of a uniform dispersion, i.e. there is no need to use the spray trigger mechanism. It is therefore another object of the present invention to allow an easy way of diluting and pouring out the contained substance, always avoiding a messy product spillage during these operations.
It has now been found that these objects are met by a container having at least one opening adjacent to the spray trigger head, which communicates with the interior of said container.

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top view of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is a package for liquid substances comprising a container and a spray trigger head. Said container has at least one other closable orifice communicating with the interior of the container above the level of the contained substance, when the container is filled.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention relates to a liquid spraying mechanism of the type which produces spray mist or stream, and which requires no container pressuring gas or other foreign propellant. Figure 1 illustrates the top end of the package in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, suitable for holding liquid substances. The container (10) has a spray trigger head (20). Said spray head (20) can be detachable from the neck (12) of the container (10) in a liquid tight manner. Any person skilled in the art can select the preferred liquid tight attachement system between the container (10) and the spray mechanism (20).
The container (10) of the present invention comprises another orifice (15). Said orifice (15) is preferably on a separate neck (14). Said orifice may be also part of the neck (12) holding the head (20). For the scope of the present invention the position of said orifice is only limited by the fact that said orifice has to be above the level of the liquid substance when the container is filled. Preferably the orifice is adjacent, i.e. close, to the spray trigger head and on the top part, which holds also the spray head (20).
As can be seen in more detail in Figure 2, inserted into or onto said orifice (15) is the part (16). Said part (16) has a top opening (17) with a closure system, in Figure 2 generally represented by a reversibly attachable cap (18). Said cap (18) can be fixed to part (16) or to the spray trigger head through the connection (19). The connection (19) assures that the cap (18) is not lost during the opening of part (16). Any other closure system known in the art is applicable to the the top opening (17).
The part (16) can be formed as a funnel, as shown in Figure 2 in a side view and in Figure 3 in a top view. This funnel shape allows an easy convey of the liquids inwards (e.g. for refilling or diluting) or outwards (e.g. for pouring the contained liquid directly onto the surface to be treated) the container. Also the raised neck can be formed as a funnel, in alternative or in addition to the part (16). Said part (16) can also be an integral part of the spray trigger head (20).
In all these embodiments described the refilling can be performed through the top opening (17). The refilling is simplified by this fairly large opening (17) at the top of the container. Therefore, the spray head does not need to be disengaged or the package to be reversed upside down, avoiding messiness at the refilling operation. Furthermore, as explained before, said top opening (17) can be also used to pour out the contained substance directly onto the surface, which has to be treated.
Multi-purpose substances have to be possibly diluted to achieve always the best performance for different purposes or surfaces. The addition of water or other solutions can be accomplished in the container itself through the same top opening (17), in order to disperse the diluted substance with the spray trigger (20). Said substance can be also poured out through the same top opening (17) and dispersed in other containers or directly on surfaces which has to be treated.

Claims

A package for liquid substances comprising a container and a spray trigger head characterized in that said container has at least one other closable orifice communicating with the interior of said container above the level of said substances when said container is filled.
A package according to Claim 1 characterized in that said orifice of said container is connected with the interior through a funnel.
A package according to Claim 1 characterized in that on or in said orifice a funnel-like part is attached, wherein said funnel-like part has a closable opening.
A package according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said orifice is on the top part of said container as said spray trigger head.
A package according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said orifice is adjacent to said spray trigger head.
A package according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the spray trigger head is detachable.