GB2464964A

GB2464964A - Interconnecting portable dispensers

Info

Publication number: GB2464964A
Application number: GB0819993A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Helen Jane Seward
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-31
Filing date: 2008-10-31
Publication date: 2010-05-05
Also published as: GB0819993D0; WO2010049666A1

Abstract

Portable dispenser apparatus 10 for liquid toiletries, comprises a plurality of liquid refillable containers 12 adapted for transportation in a toiletries bag, each container 12 having a manual pump dispenser device 44 for dispensing liquid from the respective container 12, a female connector element 24 formed in a wall 28 of the container 12, and a male connector element 26 formed in a wall 28 of the container 12 and releasably engagable in the female connector element 24 to interconnect adjacent like-containers 12.

Description

Portable Dispenser Apparatus The present invention relates to a compact portable dispenser apparatus for a plurality of liquids, in particular but not necessarily exclusively for liquid toiletries.

Small containers are known for storing a small volume of liquid toiletries, such as shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. These are suitable for carrying in an overnight bag or toilet bag instead of having to take an entire manufacture's bottle which is often bulky and messy.

A problem with these small containers is that dispensing becomes problematic, since this can only occur under gravity by inverting the container.

Furthermore, the opening of the containers is often extremely narrow, making refilling particularly difficult and messy, thus resulting in wastage.

An additional problem also becomes apparent in that the containers cannot be interengaged, thus allowing them to all move freely within the overnight bag or toilet bag. When moving freely, spillage can occur either through leakage from the container itself and/or leakage of excess contents leftover at a neck or within the cap of the container.

Furthermore, the known containers cannot be conveniently marked in order to identify the contents. It is also sometimes difficult to handle the containers when they are in use and typically wet.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.

According to the present invention, there is provided portable dispenser apparatus for liquid toiletries, the apparatus comprising a plurality of liquid-refillable containers adapted for transportation in a toiletries bag, each container having a manual pump dispenser device for dispensing liquid from the respective container, a female connector element fomed in a wall of the container, and a male connector element formed in a wall of the container and releasably engagable in the female connector element to interconnect adjacent like-containers.

Preferable and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 25, inclusive.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of portable dispenser apparatus, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of one container of the portable dispenser apparatus; Figure 3 shows a view from above of two containers being interconnected; Figure 4 shows a cap head and nozzle being extracted; and Figure 5 shows the cap head and nozzle being rotated to an open condition for use.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown portable dispenser apparatus 10 which comprises a plurality of refillable containers 12. Each container 12 is small in size and thus compact, allowing a number, for example of approximately four, to be easily carried together in an overnight bag or toiletries bag. Each container 12 has a container body 14 which is, by way of example, blow moulded plastics, and each container body 14 may be of a different colour to signify different contents.

Each container body 14, in this embodiment, has four sides 16, a base 18 from which the sides 16 extend, and a top surface 20 defining a, preferably circular, aperture 22 to the interior and which extends across substantially the whole, or at least a major portion, of the top surface 20.

Like-containers 12 are releasably interengagable to fomi a straight or substantially straight line. In this way, the portable dispenser apparatus 10 is modular, allowing any number of like-containers 12 to be interconnected for storage, transportation and/or use.

Each container body 14 is integrally provided with a female connector element 24 and a male connector element 26, formed as one-piece with respective opposing walls 28 of the container body 14. The female connector element 24 is a keyway 30 formed as a channel having overhanging opposing longitudinal edges. The keyway 30 defines a key inlet opening 32 in the base 18 of the container body 14, and the keyway 30 extends to at least midway between the base 18 and the top surface 20.

The male connector element 26 is a key 34 which projects from the wall 28 of the container body 14. The key 34 is an elongate rail or strip which extends from the base 18 of the container body 14 to at least midway between the base 18 and the top surface 20. The key 34 has a T-shaped or substantially T-shaped lateral cross-section for engaging with the keyway 30. To interconnect two adjacent containers 12, as shown in Figure 3, one container 12 is raised relative to the other, the key 34 of the lower container 12 is inserted into the key 34 inlet opening 32 of the raised container 12, and the raised container 12 is lowered so that the key 34 is slidably received in the keyway 30.

Means for snap-fittably retaining the interconnected containers 12 may also be provided.

For example, a double ridge or ridge and recess arrangement may be provided in the key 34 and keyway 30, so that as the key 34 slides along the keyway 30, a ridge on one of the key 34 and keyway 30 rides over another ridge on the other of the key 34 and keyway 30, or a ridge locates in a recess, so that both containers 12 are positively retained together.

One of the walls 28 of the container body 14 has a convex lateral extent, and the opposite wall 28 has a concave lateral extent defining a complementarily shaped recess 36 for receiving the convex wall 38. In this embodiment, the key 34 is provided on the convex wall 38 and the keyway 30 is provided on the concave wall 40, but this is optional and may be reversed. The convex and concave walls 38, 40 also promote gripping, especially when the bottles are wet, for example when being used in a shower or bath area. The other or remaining walls may be planar or curved for ease of use.

To further promote grip and ease of use, each container body 14 is preferably formed of rubberized plastics or other material with improved frictional characteristics especially when wet. Drainage of water from the exterior of the container body 14 may be enhanced by the incorporation of one or more drainage channels which extend down the exterior surface 42 or surfaces of the container body 14 to the base 18.

To improve dispensing of liquid toiletries held within the container body 14, the container 12 also includes a manual pump dispenser device 44. The pump dispenser device 44 includes a flexible elongate conduit 45 which extends to or substantially to a base 18 of the container body 14, a threaded valve body 46 for releasable screw-threaded engagement with a mating thread 48 formed around the aperture 22 in the top surface 20 of the container body 14, a collar 50 which is abuttable with the top surface of the container body 14, an in turned flange cover 52 which extends inwardly at right angles from an upper edge of the collar 50, a nozzle 54, and cap head 56. The flange cover 52 is discontinuous, providing an opening 58 between two ends for the nozzle 54. The nozzle 54 is spaced from the underside of the cap head 56 by a distance corresponding to a thickness of the flange cover 52, and is provided beneath the cap head 56, either fully or so as to only slightly project.

During storage and transportation, the nozzle 54 is held beneath the flange cover 52, so that an outlet 60 of the nozzle 54 is substantially occluded, blocked or sealed by an interior surface of the collar 50, thereby preventing undesirable discharge of any liquid remaining in the nozzle 54 from previous use. An upper surface 62 of the nozzle 54 abuts a lower surface of the flange cover 52, preventing accidental operation of the pump dispenser device 44. The cap head 56 abuts and preferably seals against the flange cover to close the opening 58.

To use the pump dispenser device 44, the cap head 56 is swivelled or rotated until the nozzle 54 aligns with the opening 58 (anow A in Figure 4) between the ends of the flange cover 52. A valve stem 64 of the pump dispenser device 44 is spring loaded, such that, once the nozzle 54 is aligned with the opening 58, the valve stem 64, including the nozzle 54 and cap head 56, rises. The valve is then opened by rotating the valve stem 64 with nozzle 54 and cap head 56 (arrow B in Figure 5) about the pumping axis by a further angular amount. Pumped discharge of the contents of the container body 14 can thus start. To close the pump dispenser device 44 for storage and/or transportation, the above described operation is repeated in reverse.

To fill or refill each container 12, the respective pump dispenser device 44 is simply removed by unscrewing, thereby presenting the large or over-sized opening 58 in the top surface 20 of the container body 14.

Preferably, the container body 14 is transparent or translucent so that a user can view the contents.

Furthermore, the container body 14 preferably includes an identification area portion 66 for identifying contents of the container 12. This may be a planar blank area on one or more walls 28 of the container body 14 to accommodate writing and/or an adhesive label 68.

The apparatus may also include a sealable and re-sealable holder, such as a bag, for liquid-tightly holding the plurality of containers, for example, for use when the containers are already wet from recent usage.

Although the containers are interconnected to form a straight line, other shapes, such as square or rectangular, may be formed.

The key may be shorter than described above, and may not need to extend to the base.

More than one key may also be provided, and any further key may be on the same or a different wall. More than one keyway may also be provided, and these keyways may also be on the same or different walls.

Although a key and keyway is suggested above, the male and female connector may be of any form which is integrally formed as one-piece with the container body.

Although preferably of different colours, the container bodies may all be of the same colour.

It is thus possible to provide portable dispenser apparatus which is modular, allowing any number of containers to be interconnected. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent or limit the undesirable discharge of liquid remaining in the pump dispenser device following use externally of the container. The portable dispenser apparatus is sized for convenience and transportation, enabling a number of containers to be selected dependent on requirements. Each container can be filled and refilled with an appropriate liquid toiletry as necessity dictates, dispensing with the need of taking an entire manufacturer's bottle. Filling of each container is simplified by the provision of the removable pump dispenser device and over-sized opening to the container body. Each container can be used separately and independently of the other containers, but advantageously can be used whilst interconnected with one, more or all of the other containers.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. Portable dispenser apparatus for liquid toiletries, the apparatus comprising a plurality of liquid-refillable containers adapted for transportation in a toiletries bag, each container having a manual pump dispenser device for dispensing liquid from the respective container, a female connector element formed in a wall of the container, and a male connector element formed in a wall of the container and releasably engagable in the female connector element to interconnect adjacent like-containers.
2. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male connector element is slidably receivable in the female connector element.
3. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the female connector element is a keyway, and the male connector element is a key which is slidably receivable in the keyway.
4. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the keyway has a key inlet opening in a base of the respective container.
5. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the keyway defines a channel in the wall which extends from a base of the container to at least midway between the base and the upper edge of the container.
6. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the key is an elongate strip member which extends a base of the container to at least midway between the base and the upper edge of the container.
7. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the female connector element and the male connector element are integrally formed as one-piece with the wall or walls of the container.
8. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall having one of the female connector element and the male connector element is concave, and the wall having the other of the female connector element and the male connector element is convex.
9. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the male connector element is snap-fittably engagable in the female connector element.
10. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each container includes a recess and a projecting portion complementarily shaped to match the recess of an adjacent like-container.
11. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump dispenser device is removable to open the container for refilling.
12. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump dispenser device is closable to prevent the discharge of liquid.
13. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump dispenser device includes a liquid outlet nozzle which is closeable to prevent or limit residual liquid discharge from the nozzle.
14. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pump dispenser device includes a collar having an inwardly extending cover, the nozzle being receivable beneath the cover to close the pump dispenser device.
15. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the pump dispenser device includes a cap head below which the nozzle is provided, the cap head abutting the cover when the nozzle is received beneath the cover.
16. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the nozzle is spaced from the cap head.
17. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an exterior surface of the container includes a plurality of drainage channels extending to a lowermost outer edge of the container.
18. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an exterior surface of the container is rubberised.
19. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an exterior surface of the container is texturised.
20. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a wall of the container includes an identification area portion for identifying contents of the container.
21. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a wall or walls of the container is/are light-transmissible.
22. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of containers is selectively modular allowing interconnection of any number of containers.
23. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the containers are interconnectable to form a straight or substantially straight line.
24. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said container has a different colour to distinguish between contents.
25. Portable dispenser apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a sealable holder for liquid-tightly holding the plurality of containers.
26. Portable dispenser apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.