GB2400593A

GB2400593A - Aroma sampling device

Info

Publication number: GB2400593A
Application number: GB0306780A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Goodwin; Simon Harrop
Original assignee: GOODWIN PRODUCT DESIGN Ltd
Current assignee: GOODWIN PRODUCT DESIGN Ltd
Priority date: 2003-03-24
Filing date: 2003-03-24
Publication date: 2004-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-24
Also published as: GB2400593B; GB0306780D0

Abstract

An aroma sampling device for a consumer product comprises a back plate (12), a body (13), a cap (14), an aroma store within the cap and a pocket (16). The body (13) is in the form of a replica of at least a part of a real pack in which a product is sold, and the cap is a replica of the cap on the real product pack. The cap (14) includes a series of holes from which aroma can escape for sampling by a consumer. The pocket (16) may include a clear plastic sheet (32) behind which product information may be located and the device may be attached eg to a supermarket shelf adjacent the real packs. The aroma store (15) may comprise a cellulose plug impregnated with an aroma material having a scent similar to that of the product.

Description

Aroma Sampling Device The present invention relates to an aroma sampling

device that permits consumers to sample the aroma of a product before purchase. Typical products would be liquids and might include perfumes, soaps, shampoos, cleaners and so on.

Currently, consumers often open product packs to test the smell. This can be messy, lead to spillage, potential contamination and health and safety issues.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that allows a consumer to sample the aroma of a product without these difficulties.

According to the invention, there is provided an aroma sampling device for a consumer product, comprising a body, a cap and an aroma store, in which: the body is in the form of a replica of at least a part of a real pack in which the product is sold; the cap is a replica of the cap on the real product pack; the cap has a cavity and is attached to the body; the aroma store is located in the cavity and stores a source of aroma similar to the aroma of the product; and the cap includes at least one opening via which the aroma can escape for sampling by a consumer.

A device according to the invention enables consumers to sample the aroma of a product before purchase and without needing to open a pack. The shape, colour and graphics of a pack are important features which identify the product and brand. The device is shaped to be a facsimile of the product/brand which is being promoted and can be attached to a merchandising fitting, such as a supermarket shelf etc., so that it can be adjacent to a real product.

Preferably, the cap depicts an open cap on the real product pack, such as a flip- top lid on a bottle. This may trigger a response in the consumer who recognises it as an open pack and can therefore offer the opportunity to sample the smell.

The device preferably includes a back plate to which the body is connected and to which the cap is connected, thereby attaching the cap to the body. The back plate may be attached to a shelf edge ticket strip or to some other feature ea. by means of either a clip which is attached to the back plate or by an integral feature on the back plate which can slot into a merchandising fixture. The back plate can be die cut from a sheet plastics material, for example polypropylene.

It is preferably shaped to have a centre section which is weakened by means of a neck so that it is flexible if it is knocked by a consumer, particularly when they are reaching for and taking a real product pack from the shelf.

As the device can be mounted in front of the ticket strip on the shelf and would therefore conceal the pricing information, the back plate preferably has an area to take the ticket/price information. This can either be achieved by attaching a separate clear window to the back plate or the back plate can be designed to have an area which can be folded back and fixed to create a pocket or window.

The back plate may be a clear sheet and may be printed with graphics and information except in the area of the window/pocket.

The body is preferably located at the front of the back plate. It can be a moulded component, for example in the case of a replica shampoo bottle, a vacuum formed half bottle (front half) and can be attached by welding etc., to the front of the back plate. Graphics can be applied to the front of the body by means of printing or a label. If the body is clear, graphics can also be applied to the back plate. For example, the back plate could be printed in a colour which represents the contents of a real bottle. If the body was in the form of a bottle or half bottle arranged at an angle, the printing on the back plate would show the liquid to be horizontal.

The cap is preferably attached to the back plate by means of clips which locate around a narrow portion of the back plate. The top of the back plate, which may carry consumer information, is wider than the narrow portion for the cap and therefore prevents the cap from being removed.

The cap preferably defines the cavity between itself, the back plate and the body. Thus, the aroma store may sit on a base at the top of the body and be enclosed by the back plate at the rear and by the cap in front, above and to the sides.

The aroma store may be a cellulose material. The top of the cap preferably has an array of holes to enable a degree of air circulation so that the aroma can enter the surrounding environment. The back of the back plate, in the area of the cap, may also have an array of holes for extra air circulation. The cap may be sealed against the back plate and may simply sit on top of the body so that squeezing the body would not pass air through the cap. However, this active version can easily be achieved by incorporating a hole in the top of the body.

It is also possible to add holes in the bottom of the body so that the air can circulate through the body and then through the cap. Whilst this achieves a higher concentration of aroma in the surrounding environment, the lifespan is reduced. However, the devices may be intended for shortterm marketing promotions only.

The holes can be sealed by a removable tape to prevent the aroma from evaporating during storage and transport.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways and the embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is perspective view of an aroma sampling device according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the device of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a horizontal section generally on the line A-A in Figure 1.

The device 11 comprises a back plate 12, a body 13, a cap 14, an aroma store and a pocket 16.

The back plate 12 is a sheet of plastics material and includes a rounded top 17, a narrow position 18 connected to the top 17 and formed with holes 19, a wide portion 20 connected to the narrow portion 18, and an information area 21 connected to the wide portion 20 at an oblique angle by means of a neck 22.

The body 13 is moulded from a plastics material and replicates the top part of a product bottle. It is formed with flat base 23 at the top in the centre, and surrounding the base 23, there is a curved rim 24.

The cap 14 has a curved front wall 25, a flat upper surface 26 with holes 27 and extending upwards from the upper surface 26 at the rear a flap 28 replicating an open flip-top. The front wall 25 and the upper surface 26 together define a cavity 29. The edges of the front wall 25 terminate in inwardly facing shoulders 30.

The aroma store 15 is a cellulose plug 31 impregnated with an aroma material having a scent similar to the scent of the product. The pocket 16 is a clear plastics sheet 32 held in a frame 33.

When the device 11 is assembled, the body 13 is welded to wide portion 20 of the back plate 12. The aroma store 15 sits on the base 23. The cap 14 sits on the body 13 with the front wall 25 located on the curved rim 24. In addition, the shoulders 30 clip behind the narrow position 18 of the back plate 12, thus capturing the aroma store 15 in the cavity 29, and the flap 28 abuts the rounded tap 17.

The pocket 16 is attached to the information area 21 by means of the frame 33 allowing pricing information etc., to be located behind the clear sheet 32. The information area 21/pocket 16 sub-assembly is arranged to be horizontal in use; as a result, the angled neck 22 causes the device as a whole to depict an open bottle tilted at an angle.

The device 11 would be attached to a supermarket shelf by fittings (not shown) on the rear of the back plate 12.

Claims

Claims 1. An aroma sampling advice for a consumer product, comprising a

body, a cap and an aroma store, in which: the body is in the form of a replica of at least a part of a real pack in which the product is sold; the cap is a replica of the cap on the real product pack; the cap has a cavity and is attached to the body; the aroma store is located in the cavity and stores a source of aroma similar to the aroma of the product; and the cap includes at least one opening via which the aroma can escape for sampling by a consumer.
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the cap depicts an open cap on a real product pack.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, including a back plate to which the body is connected and to which the cap is connected, thereby attaching the cap to the body.
4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, in which the back plate is die cut from a sheet plastics material.
5. A device as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the back plate is shaped to have a centre section which is weakened by means of a neck.
6. A device as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5, in which the back plate has an area to take ticket and/or price information.
7. A device as claimed in Claim 6, in which the area is defined by a clear window to the back plate.
8. A device as claimed in Claim 6, in which the area is defined by a section which can be folded back and fixed to create a pocket or window.
9. A device as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 8, in which the back plate is a clear sheet.
10. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the body is located at the front of the back plate.
11. A device as claimed in Claim 10 in which the body is a moulded component.
12. A device as claimed in Claim 10 or 11 in which the body is welded to the front of the back plate.
13. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the cap is attached to the back plate by means of clips which locate around a narrow portion of the back plate.
14. A device as claimed in Claim 12, in which the top of the back plate is wider than the narrow portion for the cap, thereby preventing the cap from being removed.
15. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the cap defines the cavity between itself, the back plate and the body.
16. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the aroma store is a cellulose material.
17. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the top of the cap has an array of holes, to enable a degree of air circulation.
18. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the back of the back plate, in the area of the cap, has an array of holes.
19. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the cap is sealed against the back plate and sits on top of the body.
20. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, including holes in the bottom of the body.
21. A device as claimed in any of Claims 17 to 20, in which the holes are sealed by a removable tape.
22. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, attached to a shelf edge strip.
23. A device as claimed in Claim 22, in which the attachment is achieved by means of a clip which is itself attached to the back plate.
24. A device as claimed in Claim 22, in which the attachment is achieved by means of an integral feature on the back plate which is arranged to slot into a merchandising fixture.
25. An aroma sampling device, constructed and arranged substantially as herein specifically described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.