FR2515520A1 - FINGER APPLICATOR - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO AN APPLICATOR FINGER WITH TWO OVERLAPPING POCKETS. THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE INNER POCKET 12 CARRIES A TREATMENT MATERIAL M AND IS SURROUNDED BY AN EXTERNAL POCKET CONSISTING OF TWO LAMINATE PANELS 30 WHICH CAN BE DETACHED FROM ONE OF THE OTHER AND REMOVE FROM THE INTERNAL POCKET TO DISCOVER THE MATERIAL M. FIELD OF APPLICATION: APPLICATION OF VARIOUS PRODUCTS SUCH AS MEDICINES, TOOTHPASTE, WAXES, ETC.

Description

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  The invention generally relates to an applicator device, and more particularly to a device in the form of a treated fingerstall, receiving a portion of the hand and having a protective envelope that can be removed to expose

  the treated part of the fingerstall during use.

  Applicator devices of the general type under consideration are used for the application of medicaments to various parts of the body and may be used, for example for the application of toothpaste to the user's teeth or ointment to injured parts

  of the user's body They can also be used

  for the manual application of other treatment substances such shoe-shoe polish, when it is desired that these substances do not come into contact

with the skin of the user.

  Applicators of this type are designed to

  to ensure that the treatment substance is not released

  green when the applicator is ready to be used -20 and this is the reason for which a combined package is provided whose inner part carries the treating substance on its outer face and is protected by an outer part which can be removed so that the inner part can receive part of the user's hand and the

to be discovered.

  In particular, the applicator fingercloth according to the invention is an improvement over the devices described in US Pat. Nos. 3,608,566, 3,608,708 and 3,675,264. The first of these patents describes a fingerstall applicator having an inner pocket and an outer envelope that is opened by means of a tear tab to expose the inner pocket; the second patent describes an applicator fingerstall

  continuous inner and outer bands; and the third

  The second patent describes an applicator fingerstall designed for

  protect other parts of the hand during use.

  In the applicator fingerstalls of the type described above, the pieces constituted by the inner element

  and the outer shell are sealed by therno-compression,

  However, the particular structural arrangement of the parts of these devices does not facilitate this type of mass production. In particular, blocking or sealing

  the entrance to the inner pocket posed problems.

  The applicator fingerstall of the invention solves these problems as well as other problems, of a

unpublished way.

  -The applicator fingerstand according to the invention is a disposable packaging, comprising

  an improved shutter system that can be manufactured

  by the combination of filling techniques, in

big series.

  The applicator fingerstall according to the invention comprises an inner pocket comprising two panels having opposite lateral edges and extreme edges.

  opposite; means interconnecting the lateral edges

  and the extreme edges at one end of the panels; and means interposed between the panels, at the other end thereof, to form edge portions that can be separated and defining an inlet and outlet opening of a portion of the hand within the pocket The fingerstall includes

  also an outer pocket covering the inner pocket

  and having two panels having opposite side edges and opposite extreme edges; and means for sealing side edges with one another

  and the extreme edges to protect almost hermetically

  the outer face of the inner bag of the ambient air when the outer bag is in place, the fixing means also comprising means

  connecting in a more or less permanent way the

  close together with the opening of the inner pocket so that the inner and outer pockets remain connected when the outer pocket

  is removed to expose the inner pocket.

  According to a feature of the invention, elements lining the inner bag comprise opposing layers of release-resistant silicone, while according to another feature of the invention, the coating elements comprise opposed layers.

  of fabrics that can not be sealed to one another.

  According to another characteristic of the invention

  the side edges of the outer pocket and one of the extreme edges are connected by seals which can be

peeled off.

  According to another characteristic of the invention

  the panels of the outer pocket end up feeling

  at the same level as the panels of the inner pocket at the end adjacent to the extreme opening of the inner pocket, and the extreme edges of the panels

  of the outer pocket are connected to each other at the

  opposite to that having the opening of the inner end, by peelable joints, and the outer pocket panel and the adjacent inner pocket panel, on each of the two sides of the inner pocket, are interconnected by

welded joints.

  In another embodiment of the invention,

  the outer pocket panels extend beyond

  beyond the inner pocket panels at both ends

  and the outermost edges of the outer pocket panels, at both ends, are connected by peelable seals, and the outer pocket panel and the adjacent inner pocket panel, on at least one side of the outer pocket. inner pocket,

are connected by a welded joint.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the panels of the outer pocket extend beyond the panels of the inner pocket at both ends, the extreme edges of the panels of the outer pocket are interconnected at both ends by peelable joints, and the panel of the

  outer pocket and the adjacent panel of the inner pocket

  on one side of the inner pocket are

connected by a welded joint.

  According to another characteristic of the invention

  The inner pocket panels consist of an inner layer of heat-sealable plastic film and the pocket panels.

  outer layer comprise an inner layer of a film

  heat-sealable plastic material.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the panels of the inner pocket comprise a layer

  porous material receiving the treated substance

  aunt. According to another characteristic of the invention, the panels of the outer pocket comprise a

  outer layer of material capable of receiving

  tion. The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of non-limiting examples and in which: FIG. 1 is a front view of the applicator fingerstall, the outer pocket of which is shown partially broken away so as to reveal the pocket inner which it encloses; Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

  FIG. 3A is a partial section, analogous

  that to that of Figure 3, showing a variant of the entrance of the inner pocket; FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section,

  on a smaller scale than that of Figure 3,

  the use of the fingerstall, the surface of the inner pocket, carrying a drug, is exposed; Figures 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views showing a sequence of operations of removing the outer shell to expose the inner pocket.

  FIG. 8 is a front view, with broken

  partially, a variant applicator fingertip according to the invention; Figure 9 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional scale reduced to that of Figure 9, showing the use of the fingerstall; Figure 11 is a front view, partially broken away, of another variant of the applicator fingerstall according to the invention; Fig. 11A is a partial view, similar to that of Fig. 11, showing a modified embodiment of the fastening of the top panel; Figure 12 is a longitudinal section along the line 12-12 of Figure 11; and FIG. 13 is a longitudinal section on a smaller scale than that of FIG. 11,

showing the use of the fingerstall.

  Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly, in the first place, to FIGS.

  at 4, it can be seen that the applicator fingerstall according to the invention

  2 tion, indicated overall in 10, includes an integrated pocket

  12 and an outer pocket 14 which constitutes a

  removable casing for the inner pocket 12.

  The inner pocket 12 comprises two laminate panels 16 which, in the preferred embodiment, comprise outer and inner layers 18 and 20. The outer layer 18 is made of an absorbent material such as fabric or non-woven fabric, paper The inner layer 20 is formed of polyethylene or any other similar moisture-proof film or coating, which can be sealed and permanently applied to the outer layer 18. The upper end edges 22 of the panels 16 are interconnected, in the preferred embodiment, by the use of a single piece and folded to form the two panels Alternatively, separate panels can be used and connected for example by a welded joint which permanently fixes the inner layers 18 The lateral edges 24 are connected, for example by sealing the inner layers 20 The lower end edges 26 are not connected due to the interposition between them of a single ribbon or two opposing ribbons 28 of each other in zones 25 forming welded or sealed joints.

coating.

  As shown in Fig. 3, the coating tapes 28 may be made of a layer of release material such as silicone or the like which does not attach or seal itself under conditions temperature, pressure and residence times encountered in flexible and modern packaging methods used to form, fill and seal packages of the type described. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3A, on which a single ribbon of As shown in FIG. 1, the coating tape may be formed of a single web 29 of material having an inner layer 29a and an outer layer 29b The inner layer 29a is made of a film of moisture-proof material , for example a layer of polyethylene

  which can be sealed to the inner layer

  the outer layer 29b is formed of a material such as a nonwoven fabric, a polyester film or the like which does not attach or

  hardly seals itself in conditions

  normal temperature, residence time and

  as described above. It seems easy to

  that, if desired, two of these strategic ribbons

29 can be used.

  The upper part of the outer face of the panels 16 of the inner bag, as indicated in m, is coated with a drug such as a toothpaste or healing ointment, or any other treating substance such as waxing. shoes,

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  solvent for nail polish and others.

  The outer pocket 14 constitutes an envelope for the inner pocket 12 and can be removed

  to expose the drug m The outer pouch

  14 is composed of two laminated panels 30 which, in the preferred embodiment, comprise

  outer and inner layers 32 and 34, respectively

  which at the lower end terminate at the same level as the panels 16 of the inner pocket The outer layer 32 essentially consists of a protective material which is used in sufficient quantity

  to give the outer layer sufficient stability

  to enable treatment in machines of

  this outer layer is usually made of paper, a thin film, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene or other

  outer layer of this outer layer usually receives

  by printing information about the whole

  of the packaging 10 of the applicator fingerstall and this impres-

  The inner layer 34 is formed of polyethylene or a similar film or sealable layer, which

  be permanently applied to the outer layer

  32 The material of the inner layer 34 is also

  it is designed so that it can be welded or sealed to itself and to the outer layer 18 of the panel 16 of the inner pocket in a manner permitting its removal.

by peeling.

  Sealing for peel removal is a method of attaching two or more layers of sealable material so that layers can be separated from each other by applying relatively light traction, little greater than The term "welded joint" also refers to a method of attaching two or more layers of a sealable material so that these layers can be connected with one another. substantially permanent way and that they can not be easily detached from each other, but

  that they tend to tear around the welded joint when

  that we try to separate them The type of joint realized

  depends on the particular combination of pressure, temperature

  erage, residence time, adherence, coating and configu-

  applied with the selected laminate or film material, as is well

known to those skilled in the art.

  In the embodiment shown on the

  FIGS. 1 to 4, the upper edges 36 and the lateral edges

  The outer wall panels 30 are connected, for example, by sealing the material of the layers.

  34 to produce zones 42 and 44, respectively.

  easily, forming joints that can be detached by

  The lower edges 40 are connected to their ends.

  and intermediate portions thereof, for example by sealing the inner layers 34 to one another in areas 46 forming peelable joints, and sealing the inner layers 34 to the relatively thick outer layers 18 of the inner pocket, in zones 50 forming welded joints The welding of the inner layers is facilitated by the nature of the type of material in contact This global mode of fixing results in approximately protecting

  hermetically ambient air the treating material m.

  As shown particularly in FIG. 3, the area 42 of the peelable seal is sufficiently spaced from the top end of the panels 30 to form two lips 48 which can be gripped between the index finger and the user's thumb. to allow the panels 30 of the outer bag to be pulled away from each other and partly peeled from each other, by peeling downwards, as shown in Figure 5 At this point, as shown in Figure 6, the index finger of a hand can be introduced into the opening of the inner pocket defined by the edges

  detachable lower extremities 26 and the outer panels

  30 can be pulled down completely, as shown in FIG. 7, until they reach the point of permanent attachment to the inner pocket 12, consisting of the zone 50 of the welded joint at this time,

  the drug m covering the outer surface of the extremity

  the top of the inner pocket 12 is set to

  green and the front panel 30 can be caught between the thumb and the palm of the user's hand to form a "handle" that allows the inner pocket 12 to be restrained

  hermetically on the index finger and held firmly in

  In the case where the drug m is a toothpaste, this arrangement of the parts makes it possible to obtain a handle similar to that

  a toothbrush; can be easily used.

  The applicator fingerstall 10 is particularly suitable

  for use with dry curing substances such as toothpaste, which do not require a reliable seal or moisture barrier on

  the case where a complete seal is necessary for this type of

  in areas of risk of flight, at places where

  with layers of various thicknesses

  lower corners of the package, additional sealing

  may be necessary, this sealing being

  be obtained by double sealed areas 46.

  If we now refer to the fingerstall applied

  As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10 and indicated overall by reference numeral 110, it will be seen that the inner pocket 112 is substantially identical to the inner pocket 12 of the applicator stub 10 described above.

  many points, to the outer pocket 14 of the fingerstall.

  applicator 10, but it differs in the presence

  certain important characteristics described below.

  The outer pocket 114 of the fingerstall applica-

  110 comprises two opposite panels 130 having the same laminated embodiment as that described above for the applicator stub 10 The panels 130 comprise upper edges 136, side edges 138 and lower edges 140 The upper edges 136 are connected according to a zone 142 forming a peelable seal and the side edges 138 are likewise connected in a zone 144 forming a peelable seal. Unlike the panels of the outer pocket of the applicator fingertip 10, the lower edges 140 panels 130 are connected in a region 146 forming a peelable seal which is beyond the lower edges 126 of the inner pocket 112. The inner and outer pockets 112 and 114 are approximately permanently connected to the inner pocket 112. In the embodiment shown, the panels 116 and 130 of the inner and outer pockets The zone 146 of the peelable seal is sufficiently spaced from the bottom end of the outer panels to form two lips 152, similar to the two sides of the inner pocket 112, and are connected in a region 150 forming a welded joint. lips

  148 formed at the upper end.

  The applicator fingerstall 110 is conditioned to be used in substantially the same manner as the applicator fingerstall 10 by the fact that the lips 148 allow the front panels 130 of the outer pocket to be pulled apart one of the and further down, by peeling On the other hand, the lips 152 make it possible to

  pull the panels 130 away from each other to the ex-

  lower end to form an entrance in the opening formed by the separable edges 126 As it is readily apparent, once the index has been partially introduced into the inner pocket, the panels 130 of the outer pocket can be pulled to the down until the attachment point formed by the zone 150 of the welded joint is reached, as clearly shown on the

figure 10.

  The pouch 114 of the applicator fingerstall 110 provides a complete two-layer moisture seal over 3600 around the inner pocket 112 and is less prone to leakage problems than the embodiments in which seals are made.

  through areas with layers of various thicknesses

  such as the lower corners of the fingerstall applied

  Other sealing means, such as the peelable seal area 147, can be provided between the welded joint area 150 and the zones.

  144 joints to peel off, in order to prevent human

  miquidity to flee from the outer surface bearing the

  treatment substance into the inside of the pocket

  112 if a moist treating substance

is used.

  If we now consider the fingerstall applied

  cateur indicated overall in 210 in FIGS. 11 to 13,

  it can be seen that the inner pocket 212 is substantially identical

  same as above, the outer pocket 214, although similar to the outer pocket 14 of the finger applicator applicator

  differs in some important characteristics

  aunts that will now be described.

  The outer pocket 214 comprises two opposite panels 230 and 231 having the same laminated embodiment

  than that described above for the applicator fingerstall 10.

  The panels 230 and 231 have upper edges

  236, side edges 238 and bottom edges 240.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the upper edges 236 of the panels 230 and 231 are connected by a zone 242 forming a peel-off seal. The side edges 238 of the panels 230 are connected by zones 244 forming peel-off joints. edges

  240 are connected by a zone 246 forming

  a peel-off seal located at a

  some distance beyond the lower edges 226 of the

inside pocket 212.

  In the embodiment shown, on one side of the applicator finger, the panels 216 and

  230 of the inner and outer pockets are connected

  by a zone 250 of welded joint Cependanti on the other side of the applicator finger, the panels 216 and 231 of the inner and outer pockets are connected by a zone 251 forming a peel release joint or, alternatively, the panels 216 and 231 inner and outer pockets may not be connected: between

  on the other side of the fingerstall 210 The inferior zone

  246 of peel-off seal is sufficiently spaced from the lower end of the outer panels

230 to form two lips 252.

  As is clear from the previous description,

  the applicator stub 210 is similar to the applicator stub 110 by the fact that the outer pocket 214 forms a completely hermetic two-layer envelope,

around the inner pocket 212.

  The applicator finger 210 is packaged in such a way that, for its use, the user takes the lips 252 between the index finger and the thumb and spreads the panels apart from each other by pulling them inside and outside the pockets 212 and 214 remain connected on the side with the welded joint 250, but they stand out one

  the other by peeling on the other side, because of the pre-

  sence of the peelable seal 251 up to the position

  at this stage, the use of

  may place his index finger in the inner pocket 212 In the case where a relatively

  dryer m is used on the inner pocket 212, for example

  of the powdered dentifrice, the outer panel 231 may be separated from the outer panel 230 at the peeled off area 242 by the application of additional traction to the inner panel: 231 and the outer panel may be discarded and peeling of the panel 230 can be continued until

  the panel 230 arrives alone at the zone 250 of the welded joint.

  At this stage, the panel 230 can be caught between the thumb and the palm of the user and is ready to be used as a "handle", in much the same way as

  the one described above for the applicator fingerstall 10.

  In the case where the inner bag 212 is coated with a relatively moist treating substance m, the user can take the upper edges 236 and pull the panels down until they are placed face to face, the panels 230 and 231 terminating, as shown in Figure 13, so as to cooperate to envelop the treating substance which adhered to the inner face of these panels It appears that this arrangement protects the user, at least to a certain extent,

  any contact with the treating substance.

  FIG. 11A shows a variant of the applicator stub 210 in which the upper edges 236 are connected by a welded joint zone 242a. This particular connection has the advantage of allowing the panels 230 and 231 to remain more easily attached.

  to each other during the removal of the envelope.

  It goes without saying that many modifications can be made to the described applicator fingerstall and

  shown without departing from the scope of the invention.

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Claims (11)

  1 applicator finger, characterized in that it comprises an inner pocket (12) comprising two panels (16) having opposite lateral edges (24) and opposite extreme edges (22, 26), and forming an outer face and a face means (25) connecting the lateral edges and the extreme edges to one another   first end of the panels, and means (28)   placed between the panels, at their other end, and connected to at least one panel, but which can be operably connected to the other panel, substantially without attaching thereto to form edges which can be separated and which define an opening input into which part of the user's hand can   to be introduced into the pocket, the fingerstall also containing   an outer pocket (14) covering the inner pocket and comprising two panels (30) having opposite side edges (38) and opposite end edges (36, 40), and means (44, 42) which connect to one another sealing the side edges and the extreme edges to substantially seal the outer face of the inner pocket when the outer pocket is in place, the connecting means also comprising elements (46, 50) which connect substantially permanently between them, the adjacent inner and outer panels, near the opening of the inner pocket so that the inner and outer pockets remain connected to each other when the outer pocket is removed to substantially expose the outer surface of the inner pocket; inner pocket.   2 applicator finger according to claim 1, characterized in that the means covering the inner pocket comprise opposite layers of a silicone (28) anti-adhesive.   3 applicator finger according to claim 1, characterized in that the means covering the pocket   interior comprise opposite layers of fabric.   4 applicator finger according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral edges of the outer pocket are connected by peelable joints (44), the panels of the outer pocket terminating substantially at the same level as the panels.   inside pocket, at the end adjacent to the opening   extreme shape of the inner pocket, and the outer edges of the outer pocket panels being interconnected by peelable joints, at the opposite end to that having the innermost opening, the outer pocket panel; and the adjacent panel of the inner pocket being interconnected by welded seals (150) on both sides of the inner pocket.   5 applicator finger according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral edges (138) of the panels (130) of the outer pocket (114) are connected by joints (144) which can be peeled off, in that the the outer pocket extend beyond the inner pocket panels (112) at both ends, and the outer pocket panel end edges are joined at both ends by releasable joints (142, 146). by peeling, and in that the panel (130) of the outer podhe and the adjacent panel (116) of the inner pocket are connected by a welded joint (150) on at least one side of the inner pocket.   6 applicator finger according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral edges (238) of the panels (230, 231) of the outer pocket (214) are connected by joints (244) which can be peeled off, in that the panels of the outer pocket extend beyond the panels of the inner pocket (212) at both ends, the outer edges of the outer pocket panels being connected at both ends by seals (242, 246) be peeled off; and in that the panel of the outer pocket and the adjacent panel (216) of the inner pocket are interconnected by a welded joint (250) on one side only. the inner pocket.   7 applicator finger according to claim   1, characterized in that the panels of the integrated pocket   comprise an inner layer (20) of heat-sealable plastic film,   and in that the panels of the outer pocket comprise   an inner layer (34) of film   heat-sealable plastic material.   8 applicator finger according to claim 7, characterized in that the panel of the inner pocket comprises an outer layer (18) of porous material receiving a medication.   9 applicator finger according to claim 7, characterized in that the panel of the outer pocket comprises an outer layer (32) made of a material receive a decoration.   Applicator finger according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral edges of the panels   of the outer pocket are connected by seals (44) for to be detached by peeling.   Applicator finger according to claim   , characterized in that the panels of the outer pocket   beyond the panels of the inner pocket.   at both ends, the extreme edges of the outer pocket panels being interconnected by a welded seam at the opposite end to that of the inner end aperture, and in that the outer pocket panel and the adjacent panel of the inner pocket are interconnected by a welded joint (250) on a   only side of the inner pocket.   An applicator finger according to claim 1, characterized in that sealing means (147) are provided between the welded joint and the side edge joints to prevent moisture leakage from the outer face of the inner pocket to the interior of this inner pocket.