GB2307674A

GB2307674A - Multi-container dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2307674A
Application number: GB9524473A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Emil Shehadeh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-11-30
Filing date: 1995-11-30
Publication date: 1997-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 2015-11-30
Also published as: GB9524473D0; GB2307674B

Abstract

A multi-component dispenser comprises a plurality of containers 1,2,3 arranged side-by-side, each container having an outlet 6 and a deformable side wall, and a valve 10 overlying the outlets, the valve having a dispensing outlet 16 and being manually operable, eg by rotation, so as to place each container outlet in turn in communication with the dispensing outlet and thus allow the contents of each container to be individually dispensable. Preferably the containers are accommodated within an outer casing 4 onto which the valve is fitted, the casing having an apertured wall allowing access to the deformable side walls. A component applicator (Fig 6) incorporating a toothbrush may be attached to the valve dispensing outlet. The applicator may be stored within a compartment of the dispenser (7A, Fig 3). Container 1 may be filled with toothpaste, container 2 with water and container 3 may be empty such that toothpaste and water may be supplied to head (22, Fig 6) and fluid may be sucked from a user's mouth into container 3.

Description

"Multi-Component Dispensers" This invention relates to multi-component dispensers, and is concerned more particularly, but not exclusively, with such dispensers for use in the cleaning of teeth.

It is known for small, disposable teeth-cleaning kits to be supplied to aircraft passengers and other travellers as a convenient means of teeth cleaning while travelling. Such kits are commonly in the form of small containers containing a twopart brush and a small tube of toothpaste. However, to enable such kits to be used, the passenger must have access to a bathroom or at least a water tap. Such an amenity may not be easily accessible when travelling by car, bus, train or aircraft.

It is an object of the invention to provide a multi-component dispenser which may be used to provide a particularly convenient teeth-cleaning kit, or which may alternatively be used in other applications, such as for dispensing of different types of food product, such as different treacles and sauces, or for dispensing of different coloured paints or inks.

When used for a teeth-cleaning kit, the dispenser may serve to directly apply toothpaste from one container to a brush for brushing the user's teeth, and to subsequently dispense water from another container to the brush for rinsing of the user's mouth. Furthermore, if required, a still further container may be used to suck the waste fluid out of the user's mouth for storage within the container prior to disposal.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, an embodiment in accordance with the invention in the form of a tooth cleaning kit will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser with the valve cap removed; Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the containers removed from the dispenser; Figure 3 is a cross-section through the dispenser; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of fixed and rotary parts of the valve cap separated from one another; and Figure 6 shows a detachable toothbrush head.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 the tooth-cleaning kit comprises three wedge-shaped soft plastic containers 1, 2 and 3 held together within a cylindrical outer casing 4 made of plastic or metal and having three thumb holes 5 through its outer wall capable of accommodating a thumb for squeezing each of the containers 1, 2 and 3. Each of the containers 1, 2 and 3 is formed at its top with an outlet 6 in the form of a frustoconical spout, and, as may be appreciated from the view of the container 1 withdrawn from the casing 4 shown in Figure 2, each container 1, 2 or 3 is formed with a cut-away 7 which, together with the other cut-aways 7, defines a storage compartment 7A (see Figure 3) within the casing 4. Furthermore the casing 4 is provided with a removable end cap 8 at its lower end.

A two-part valve cap is fitted to the upper end of the casing 4 and comprises a fixed part 9 shown in Figure 4, and a rotary part 10 shown in Figure 5.

The fixed part 9 has an end wall 11 having frustoconical apertures 12 extending therethrough, and a depending cylindrical wall 13 which overlaps the upper part of the casing 4 when the part 9 is fitted to the casing so that the container outlets 6 extend into the apertures 12. The rotary part 5 of the valve cap comprises an end wall 14 and a depending cylindrical wall 15 which extends over the upper portion of the cylindrical wall 13 of the part 9, the part 10 being held on the part 9, for example by an annular rib on the part 9 engaging within an annular groove on the part 10, so as to permit the part 10 to be rotated in relation to the part 9.

Furthermore the end wall 14 of the part 10 has a dispensing opening 16 extending therethrough which is provided at its lower end with a ball and spring valve arrangement (not shown) which is closed when the part 10 has an angular orientation such that the opening 16 is at the position indicated at 17, and which is open so as to establish communication between the opening 16 and the outlet 6 of a respective one of the containers 1, 2 and 3 when the part 10 is at angular orientations corresponding to positions of the opening 16 indicated at 18, 19 and 20. Furthermore the part 10 is provided with a threaded bushing 21 with which the opening 16 communicates.

Figure 6 shows a detachable applicator in the form of a toothbrush head 22 through which a dispensing duct 23 extends so as to terminate at an opening 24 within a bristle brush 25. The head 22 has an internally threaded recess 26 at its end by means of which the head 22 may be connected to the bushing 21 on the part 10 so as to establish communication between the dispensing opening 16 and the dispensing duct 23. When not attached to the bushing 21 the head 22 may be stored within the storage compartment 7A within the casing 4.

In use the container 1 is prefilled with toothpaste, the container 2 is filled with clean water and the container 3 is empty. When the user wishes to use the kit for teeth cleaning, the brush head 22 is removed from its storage compartment 7A after removal of the end cap 8 and fitted to the bushing 21. The rotary part 10 of the valve member is then rotated to move it from the closed position 17 to the position 18 in which the dispensing opening 16 communicates with the outlet 6 of the container 1, and the container 1 is then gently squeezed through the corresponding thumb hole 5 in order to force a quantity of toothpaste through the outlet 6 and along the dispensing duct 23 in the head 22 by way of the dispensing opening 21 in the valve member, so that toothpaste is applied to the brush 25 through the opening 24.

The user then further rotates the rotary part 10 of the valve member in order to bring the dispensing opening 16 to the position 19 in which it communicates with the outlet 6 of the container 2 containing clean water, and gently squeezes the container 2 through the associated thumb hole 5 in order to force a quantity of clean water out of the outlet 6 and along the dispensing duct 23 in the head 22 to the brush 25. The user may then manipulate the brush 25 while holding the casing 4 in order to brush the teeth in the general manner of a conventional toothbrush.

When the initial tooth brushing operation has been completed, further water may be injected into the user's mouth by squeezing the container 2 so as to force water along the dispensing duct 23 into the user's mouth by way of the opening 24 for rinsing of the user's mouth. This water injection operation may be repeated as many times as is necessary for rinsing of the user's mouth (and as is permitted by the capacity of the container 2), and, at the end of each rinse, the rotary part 10 may be rotated to move the dispensing opening 16 into the position 20 in which it communicates with the outlet 6 of the empty container 3.The container 3 may then be squeezed by way of the associated thumb hole 5 in order to empty the container of air and so that, when the pressure applied to the container is released, suction is applied to the dispensing duct 23 in the head 22 so that, provided that the brush 25 is kept in the user's mouth, the waste fluid is sucked out of the user's mouth and drawn along the dispensing duct 23 into the container 3 by way of the dispensing opening 21 and the outlet 6. This suction operation can be carried out for as many rinses as required, the rotary part 10 of the valve member being moved between the positions 19 and 20 between each operation.

When the user's mouth has been adequately rinsed, the rotary part 10 of the valve member is turned back to the closed position 17, and the head 22 is detached from the bushing 21 and returned to the storage compartment 7A. If required, each of the containers 1, 2 or 3 can be withdrawn from the casing 4 after removal of the end cap 8 and recharged or emptied as appropriate or alternatively replaced by a new container. Furthermore the toothbrush head 22 may be replaced if required.

Claims

1. A multi-component dispenser comprising a plurality of containers separately containing two or more components to be dispensed, each container having an outlet and a side wall which is deformable to force a quantity of the component within the container out of the outlet, and the containers being arranged side-by-side with their outlets located in an end region of the dispenser, and a manually operable valve member located in the end region so as to overlie the outlets and having a dispensing opening, the valve member being operable to place each outlet in turn in communication with the dispensing opening so as to permit each component to be dispensed separately through the dispensing opening.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the valve member is operable by being rotated about a central axis in order to move the dispensing opening between different angular positions relative to the central axis in which the dispensing opening is placed in communication with different outlets.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the containers are accommodated within an outer casing onto which the valve member is fitted.

4. A dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the outer casing has an apertured wall through which manual pressure may be applied to deform the side wall of each container to force a quantity of the component within the container out of the outlet.

5. A dispenser according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the outer casing is provided with a removable cap enabling at least one of the containers to be removed from the outer casing.

6. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the containers is refillable.

7. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein a component applicator is connectible to the valve member so that the dispensing opening communicates with a dispensing duct within the component applicator.

8. A dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the component applicator incorporates a brush.

9. A dispenser according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the component applicator is detachable from the valve member and storable within a storage compartment within the dispenser.

10. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein one of the containers contains toothpaste, and another of the containers contains rinsate.

11. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein a further container having an outlet and 2 deformable side wall is arranged side-by-side with the firstmentioned containers so that its outlet is capable of being placed in communication with the dispensing opening in one operational position of the valve member to permit fluid to be drawn into the further container by way of the dispensing opening on deformation of the side wall of the further container.

12. A multi-component dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.