EP1180951A1 - Applicator capsule with roller spreader for fluid products - Google Patents

Applicator capsule with roller spreader for fluid products

Info

Publication number
EP1180951A1
EP1180951A1 EP99956325A EP99956325A EP1180951A1 EP 1180951 A1 EP1180951 A1 EP 1180951A1 EP 99956325 A EP99956325 A EP 99956325A EP 99956325 A EP99956325 A EP 99956325A EP 1180951 A1 EP1180951 A1 EP 1180951A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
capsule
container
annular part
cap
roller
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99956325A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Emilio Morini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Bormioli Rocco SpA
Original Assignee
Bormioli Rocco and Figlio SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bormioli Rocco and Figlio SpA filed Critical Bormioli Rocco and Figlio SpA
Publication of EP1180951A1 publication Critical patent/EP1180951A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
    • A45D34/00—Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes
    • A45D34/04—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
    • A45D34/041—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball using a roller, a disc or a ball

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an applicator capsule for containers of fluid products.
  • Containers of fluid products for example deodorants, perfumes etc.
  • Roller or ball spreader applicators known as roll-on applicators, have been present for some time; the roller distributes the contents of the container on an external surface, for example the skin of the user.
  • These applicators comprise a first annular part, which is press-fitted on an edge of a container mouth, which mouth has an internal seating housing the roller.
  • the roller is held in its seating, which seats it at its largest section, but can roll about its own centre and projects both inwardly and outwardly of its seating in the container mouth.
  • the internally projecting part of the roller is in contact with the product contained in the container, and transports the product (which is deposited on the external surface of the roller) towards the outside and on to the surface the product is to be applied on.
  • the roller is also the container stopper and is usually coated with the product, a cap or lid is always provided to cover the roll-on applicator capsule.
  • This cap is usually screwed down on to a thread made on the mouth of the container or is sometimes friction-fitted on to the mouth of the container itself.
  • Figures 1 and 2 show, by way of example, one of these known containers which use the above-described roller applicator. Anybody intending to market this product is forced to design the container and capsule with the applicator's shape firmly in mind, i.e. taking into account a precise dimensional and technological restriction when designing the mouth of the container.
  • the capsule On final assembly, the capsule is press-fitted on the full container, and the cap fitted on the capsule, usually by screw-fit (sometimes the cap is simply force- fitted on to the mouth, but this solution is not generally preferred because of the instability of the connection and the consequent difficulty in guaranteeing a perfect seal).
  • the assembly line is quite complex, then: first there is a filling station, followed by a capsule-fitting station, and finally a cap-fitting station.
  • the last of these phases is the most complicated, since the cap has to be screwed down firmly in order to guarantee a seal but not so firmly as to make unscrewing difficult for the eventual user.
  • the aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-described drawbacks by providing a roller capsule applicator which makes product assembly rapid, easy and therefore economical.
  • An advantage of the invention is that standardised container mouth sizes can be used.
  • a further advantage is that ugly-looking final containers are avoided, especially where product gets on to the cap and can be clearly seen.
  • figure 1 is a partly-sectioned vertical elevation of a roller applicator capsule, of known type, assembled on a container and closed with a lid
  • figure 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of the section of figure 1
  • figure 3 is a partly-sectioned vertical elevation of a roller applicator capsule of the invention, assembled on a container and closed with a lid
  • figure 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of the section of figure 3.
  • the capsule of the invention comprises a first annular part 1, which is provided with an annular gullet 3 afforded in the lower part of the capsule and delimited by two cylindrical walls which develop in a downwards direction with respect to the annular part 1.
  • the gullet 3 is press-fitted during the assembly phase on an edge 4 of a mouth of a container 5 (destined to contain the product), thus fixing the capsule on to the container 5.
  • the first annular part 1 is further provided with an internal seating, delimited by portions of spherical surface.
  • the internal seating is open externalwards and internalwards of the container 5.
  • a sphere-type roller 2 is housed in this internal seating and held stably in the seating 2 by the portions of spherical surface in the first annular part 1 , which parts embrace the sphere at its broadest section.
  • the roller 2 can rotate about its own centre, dragging against the internal walls of the spherical surface, and projects from the first annular part 1 both inwardly and outwardly of the container 5.
  • the first annular part 1 is further provided on its external surface with a first connecting device, namely a thread la. More will be explained about this herein below.
  • the capsule comprises a cap 6 which contains the other parts of the capsule, and which is provided with a second connecting device consisting in a thread 6a fashioned internally of the cap 6.
  • the first and second threads are conformed such that they couple one to the other and thus realise a stable coupling between the first annular part and the cap of the capsule.
  • the means for connecting might not be threads; for example they could be small undercuts afforded both on the first part and on the cap, which are jointed together.
  • This solution, however, and others too, are not used as the coupling is not secure between the various parts, which, as will be explained herein below, is an important factor in the efficient functioning of the capsule.
  • the thread la is made at a zone of the first annular part 1 which, when the capsule is fitted on the container, is arranged superiorly to the mouth of the container itself. Usually, for reasons which will better emerge from illustrations offered herein below, this thread la is made on the external wall delimiting the internal seating of the first annular part 1.
  • the capsule 1 further comprises a first striker element 7, generally an annular projection, which is made on the external wall of the first annular part 1 below the thread la.
  • a first striker element 7 generally an annular projection, which is made on the external wall of the first annular part 1 below the thread la.
  • this striker element interacts with a second striker element 8, also generally an annular projection, which is made internally of the cap 6.
  • striker elements 7 and 8 The function of these striker elements 7 and 8 is to define a prefixed position for connection between the first annular part 1 and the cap 6, which position will optimize the seal at point A through the axial position of the cap on the roller.
  • the capsule of the invention is in effect a body of revolution generated by the rotation of the illustrated section about the axis of the capsule itself. All the elements constituting the capsule are usually made in plastic materials suited to injection molding techniques.
  • the capsule of the invention embodies a different and novel constructional conception.
  • Prior art capsules are all constituted solely by the first annular part containing the sphere and are press- fitted into the already-filled container, the cap then being screwed on to the container to guarantee closure.
  • the capsule of the invention is represented by a single block constituted by three parts (first annular part, roller and cap) which is supplied to the industrial user already assembled; thus the whole block can be inserted directly on the container, the mouth of which can be standardised.
  • the insertion operation can be achieved very rapidly by press-fitting, given the flexibility of the walls delimiting the annular gullet 3.
  • the container is much more quickly made ready for use in comparison to the prior art applicators.
  • mounting the block constituted by the capsule is considerably facilitated.
  • All the various parts can be made by injection-moulding, techniques performed by capsule makers, who are almost always in possession of the right machinery, in contrast to manufacturers of containers or caps, who very rarely have such machines. This means that much smaller tolerances can be achieved, and the block can be mounted simply by forcing the cap on to the remaining part of the capsule, with no need for screwing, as is the case with known-type capsules.
  • the presence of the striker elements 7 and 8 means that when the assembly is done the capsule has a perfectly-defined geometry which considerably eases the subsequent assembly phase of the capsule on to the container.
  • the capsule is more attractive than existing ones; making the cap internal thread at a zone which is not close to the mouth of the container (the closest zone being the thinnest) means that there is no effect of transparency which, when certain materials are used in the prior art, exposes the sight of the thread to the user, resulting in a fairly unattractive effect.

Abstract

The applicator capsule with roller spreader for fluid products is constituted by three plastic parts which are press-fittable together, as follows: a first annular part (1) provided with an annular gullet (3) which is press-inserted onto the container (5), and with an internal seating; a roller sphere (2) housed rotatably in the internal seating made in the first annular part (1); and a cap (6) for containing all other parts of the capsule. A first and a second connecting device (1a and 6a) are provided, the first made in the first annular part, the second internally of the cap (6), which couple together in order that the various elements of the capsule can be assembled.

Description

Descrip ion
Applicator Capsule with Roller Spreader for Fluid Products
Technical Field
The invention relates to an applicator capsule for containers of fluid products.
Background Art
Containers of fluid products, for example deodorants, perfumes etc., have been in use for a considerable time, especially in the cosmetic field. Roller or ball spreader applicators, known as roll-on applicators, have been present for some time; the roller distributes the contents of the container on an external surface, for example the skin of the user.
These applicators comprise a first annular part, which is press-fitted on an edge of a container mouth, which mouth has an internal seating housing the roller. The roller is held in its seating, which seats it at its largest section, but can roll about its own centre and projects both inwardly and outwardly of its seating in the container mouth.
The internally projecting part of the roller is in contact with the product contained in the container, and transports the product (which is deposited on the external surface of the roller) towards the outside and on to the surface the product is to be applied on. As the roller is also the container stopper and is usually coated with the product, a cap or lid is always provided to cover the roll-on applicator capsule.
This cap is usually screwed down on to a thread made on the mouth of the container or is sometimes friction-fitted on to the mouth of the container itself.
Its function is to protect the applicator capsule, and when it is removed the roller can be used for its purpose. When the cap is applied on the container, apart from fulfilling its purpose it is also an ornamental element giving a sense of completeness to the container.
Figures 1 and 2 show, by way of example, one of these known containers which use the above-described roller applicator. Anybody intending to market this product is forced to design the container and capsule with the applicator's shape firmly in mind, i.e. taking into account a precise dimensional and technological restriction when designing the mouth of the container.
On final assembly, the capsule is press-fitted on the full container, and the cap fitted on the capsule, usually by screw-fit (sometimes the cap is simply force- fitted on to the mouth, but this solution is not generally preferred because of the instability of the connection and the consequent difficulty in guaranteeing a perfect seal).
The assembly line is quite complex, then: first there is a filling station, followed by a capsule-fitting station, and finally a cap-fitting station. The last of these phases is the most complicated, since the cap has to be screwed down firmly in order to guarantee a seal but not so firmly as to make unscrewing difficult for the eventual user.
Disclosure of Invention The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-described drawbacks by providing a roller capsule applicator which makes product assembly rapid, easy and therefore economical.
An advantage of the invention is that standardised container mouth sizes can be used. A further advantage is that ugly-looking final containers are avoided, especially where product gets on to the cap and can be clearly seen.
These aims and advantages and others besides are all achieved by the present invention, as it is characterised in the appended claims.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated purely by way of example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which: figure 1 is a partly-sectioned vertical elevation of a roller applicator capsule, of known type, assembled on a container and closed with a lid; figure 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of the section of figure 1; figure 3 is a partly-sectioned vertical elevation of a roller applicator capsule of the invention, assembled on a container and closed with a lid; figure 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of the section of figure 3. The capsule of the invention comprises a first annular part 1, which is provided with an annular gullet 3 afforded in the lower part of the capsule and delimited by two cylindrical walls which develop in a downwards direction with respect to the annular part 1. The gullet 3 is press-fitted during the assembly phase on an edge 4 of a mouth of a container 5 (destined to contain the product), thus fixing the capsule on to the container 5.
The first annular part 1 is further provided with an internal seating, delimited by portions of spherical surface. The internal seating is open externalwards and internalwards of the container 5. A sphere-type roller 2 is housed in this internal seating and held stably in the seating 2 by the portions of spherical surface in the first annular part 1 , which parts embrace the sphere at its broadest section. The roller 2 can rotate about its own centre, dragging against the internal walls of the spherical surface, and projects from the first annular part 1 both inwardly and outwardly of the container 5.
The first annular part 1 is further provided on its external surface with a first connecting device, namely a thread la. More will be explained about this herein below.
The capsule comprises a cap 6 which contains the other parts of the capsule, and which is provided with a second connecting device consisting in a thread 6a fashioned internally of the cap 6. The first and second threads are conformed such that they couple one to the other and thus realise a stable coupling between the first annular part and the cap of the capsule.
Theoretically the means for connecting might not be threads; for example they could be small undercuts afforded both on the first part and on the cap, which are jointed together. This solution, however, and others too, are not used as the coupling is not secure between the various parts, which, as will be explained herein below, is an important factor in the efficient functioning of the capsule.
The thread la is made at a zone of the first annular part 1 which, when the capsule is fitted on the container, is arranged superiorly to the mouth of the container itself. Usually, for reasons which will better emerge from illustrations offered herein below, this thread la is made on the external wall delimiting the internal seating of the first annular part 1.
The capsule 1 further comprises a first striker element 7, generally an annular projection, which is made on the external wall of the first annular part 1 below the thread la. When the cap is assembled on the remaining part of the capsule, this striker element interacts with a second striker element 8, also generally an annular projection, which is made internally of the cap 6.
The function of these striker elements 7 and 8 is to define a prefixed position for connection between the first annular part 1 and the cap 6, which position will optimize the seal at point A through the axial position of the cap on the roller.
The capsule of the invention is in effect a body of revolution generated by the rotation of the illustrated section about the axis of the capsule itself. All the elements constituting the capsule are usually made in plastic materials suited to injection molding techniques.
In comparison with existing roller-type applicators, the capsule of the invention embodies a different and novel constructional conception. Prior art capsules are all constituted solely by the first annular part containing the sphere and are press- fitted into the already-filled container, the cap then being screwed on to the container to guarantee closure.
The capsule of the invention, however, is represented by a single block constituted by three parts (first annular part, roller and cap) which is supplied to the industrial user already assembled; thus the whole block can be inserted directly on the container, the mouth of which can be standardised. The insertion operation can be achieved very rapidly by press-fitting, given the flexibility of the walls delimiting the annular gullet 3. The container is much more quickly made ready for use in comparison to the prior art applicators. By arranging the coupling threads at a zone which (when the capsule is fitted on the container) is superior to the mouth of the container (i.e. above the annular gullet 3), sufficient dilation is allowed for the capsule to be press-fitted on the container. Also, mounting the block constituted by the capsule is considerably facilitated. All the various parts can be made by injection-moulding, techniques performed by capsule makers, who are almost always in possession of the right machinery, in contrast to manufacturers of containers or caps, who very rarely have such machines. This means that much smaller tolerances can be achieved, and the block can be mounted simply by forcing the cap on to the remaining part of the capsule, with no need for screwing, as is the case with known-type capsules. The presence of the striker elements 7 and 8 means that when the assembly is done the capsule has a perfectly-defined geometry which considerably eases the subsequent assembly phase of the capsule on to the container. From the aesthetic point of view, too, the capsule is more attractive than existing ones; making the cap internal thread at a zone which is not close to the mouth of the container (the closest zone being the thinnest) means that there is no effect of transparency which, when certain materials are used in the prior art, exposes the sight of the thread to the user, resulting in a fairly unattractive effect.

Claims

Claims.
1) An applicator capsule for containers of fluid products, comprising : a first annular part (1) exhibiting an annular gullet (3) press-fitted on an edge (4) of a mouth of a container (5) to fix the capsule to the container (5); the first annular part (1) further exhibiting an internal seating delimited by portions of spherical surface and being open extemalwards and internalwards of the container (5); a spherical roller (2) housed in the internal seating, the spherical roller (2) being able to rotate about a centre thereof in directions both internalwards and extemalwards of the container (5), characterised in that: the first annular part (1) is provided, at an external surface thereof, with a first connecting device (la), and in that it comprises a cap (6) for containing all other parts of the capsule, the cap (6) being provided with a second connecting device (6a), made internally of the cap (6) and being couplable with the first connecting device (la) made on the first annular part (1).
2) The capsule of claim 1, characterised in that: the first connecting device (la) consists of a thread; the second connecting device (6a) also consists of a thread.
3) The capsule of claim 2, characterised in that the thread (la) is made in a zone of the first annular part (1) which, when the capsule is fitted on the container (5), is arranged superiorly of the mouth of the container (5).
4) The capsule of claim 2, characterised in that the thread (la) is made on an external wall delimiting the internal seating of the first annular part (1).
5) The capsule of claim 1, comprising a first striker element (7), made on the external wall of the first annular part (1), and destined to interact with a second striker element (8) made internally on the cap (6), in order to define a predetermined connecting position between the annular part (1) and the cap (6).
EP99956325A 1999-05-19 1999-11-12 Applicator capsule with roller spreader for fluid products Withdrawn EP1180951A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT1999MO000109A IT1310917B1 (en) 1999-05-19 1999-05-19 CAPSULE WITH BALL SPREADER FOR FLUID PRODUCTS.
ITMO990109 1999-05-19
PCT/IT1999/000366 WO2000070995A1 (en) 1999-05-19 1999-11-12 Applicator capsule with roller spreader for fluid products

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1180951A1 true EP1180951A1 (en) 2002-02-27

Family

ID=11386977

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99956325A Withdrawn EP1180951A1 (en) 1999-05-19 1999-11-12 Applicator capsule with roller spreader for fluid products

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1180951A1 (en)
AU (1) AU1295400A (en)
IT (1) IT1310917B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2000070995A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8939669B2 (en) 2011-09-13 2015-01-27 Young Living Essential Oils, Lc Roller-ball applicator assembly for topical oils application
US8956066B2 (en) 2011-09-13 2015-02-17 Young Living Essential Oils, Lc Roller-ball applicator assembly with retainer for topical oils application
FR3107439B1 (en) * 2020-02-20 2023-12-22 Defi Int Rechargeable ball applicator.

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2749566A (en) * 1952-09-04 1956-06-12 Bristol Myers Co Dispenser

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO0070995A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2000070995A1 (en) 2000-11-30
ITMO990109A1 (en) 2000-11-19
IT1310917B1 (en) 2002-02-27
AU1295400A (en) 2000-12-12
ITMO990109A0 (en) 1999-05-19

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