GB2479583A

GB2479583A - Semi-liquid dispenser has a valve at the bottom of a side wall

Info

Publication number: GB2479583A
Application number: GB201006321A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Kalam Ali; Russell Peter Yates; Francis Edzard Yates
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-04-15
Filing date: 2010-04-15
Publication date: 2011-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2030-04-15
Also published as: GB2479583B; GB201006321D0

Abstract

A container includes an outlet 40 on a side wall 36. The container is designed to be held in the users hand while dispensing. The outlet ideally includes a pierced diaphragm type valve 42 which opens in response to an increase in pressure within the container. The container can be filled and/or vented through the outlet, with or without the valve in place, or by a separate inlet or vent. The outlet may include a spout. Pressure can be induced in the container via squeezing the resilient side walls 36 of the bottle or via a bellows type pump 62 on the top wall 50 of the container. The container can be used to dispense various liquids 64 such as soaps, condiments, etc. There may also be a cap 56 to cover the valve.

Description

A HAND-HELD CONTAINER FOR

A LIQUID PRODUCT

This invention relates to a container for a liquid product and, more especially, this invention relates to a container for a liquid product, which container is hand-held for dispensing the liquid product. The liquid product may be a wide variety of liquid products of different viscosities including, for example, shampoos, washing-up liquids, cleaning liquids, gels, salad creams, tomato sauces and honey.

There are four main types of known domestically-used containers for liquid products such for example as shampoos, washing-up liquids, cleaning liquids, gels, salad creams, tomato sauces and honey. These containers are usually squeezable containers which are made of a plastics material, and which are used in environments such for examples as kitchens, bathrooms, eating areas, sleeping areas, and sitting areas.

The first type of known container is a traditional upright container with an outlet, a neck and a body, all of which are on a longitudinal axis through the container. The container is sealed with a screw cap or a flip-down cap.

This first type of known container can only dispense liquid in a partially or fully inverted position by pouring from the container or squeezing the container.

This can be an inefficient and highly un-ergonomic process, especially for viscous liquid such for example as shampoos and thick sauces which can take a long time to flow to the outlet of the container. Also, the first type of known container can be such that it is very difficult to remove all the liquid product from the container, and this results in waste of the liquid product.

The second type of known container is essentially the same as the above mentioned first type of known container, except that it is designed for use upside down. This type of second known container is used for dispensing viscous fluid products such for example as salad cream and honey. A valve arrangement is required in a neck region of the container in order to prevent leakage of the liquid product when the container is stored in its required inverted position. The valve arrangement also allows for the dispensing of the liquid product, and venting of the container. This second type of known container requires a large cap made of a plastics material to form a base of the container. This large base cap can take up more shelf space that the above mentioned first type of known container. This can be disadvantageous in kitchens where space is often limited. It can also require the use of more plastics material in manufacture, adding to environmental and manufacturing costs. Still further, the second type of known container can only be used efficiently to provide liquid on demand, only prior to being stored upside down.

In this position, the opening and closing of the large base cap can be difficult.

Further, it can be difficult to dispense all of the liquid product in the container if the liquid product is viscous. Further, the design of the second type of known container is aesthetically limited and often it is not possible to create eye-catching container shapes by which the liquid products of different manufacturers can easily be identified in shops and stores, for example on supermarket shelves.

The third type of known container is like the above mentioned second type of known container which is used upside down, but which additionally has a hook for handing the container in the inverted condition. This type of container is widely used for dispensing liquid products such for example as shampoos. This third type of known container can only be used for dispensing in the inverted position. The hook increases the length of the container, and a place has to be found to hang the container, with the result that the container can look unsightly. There are limited possibilities for creating aesthetically-pleasing container shapes, and the third type of known container can have all of the above mentioned problems of the second type of known container.

The fourth type of known container is essentially the same as the above mentioned first type of known container, but with a pump in a neck region of the container. The pump enables the liquid product contents of the container to be drawn up and dispensed. The liquid product is usually a soap or a gel. The fourth type of known container can only be used in an upright position. The pump is complicated and costly to manufacture. A delivery spout is usually employed which can require a considerable amount of plastics material, thereby adding to environmental and manufacturing costs.

Still further, there are only limited possibilities of providing aesthetically pleasing designs.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a container for a liquid product, which container is hand-held for dispensing the liquid product, and which container comprises a side, wall, a bottom wall, and an outlet for the liquid product, the outlet being in the side wall.

The container may contain a wide variety of liquid products of any suitable viscosity. Low viscosity liquids may be those which run easily such for example as vinegar, some washing-up liquids, and some cleaning liquids.

Examples of higher viscosity liquid products are shampoo gels, and condiments such for example as mayonnaise and salad creams.

Preferably, the outlet is adjacent the bottom wall. The outlet may be higher with respect to the bottom wall if desired.

Preferably, the container is a tubular container, in which case the side wall is a circular side wall, and the outlet is offset from a longitudinal axis of the container. The container may be other than a tubular container and the container may be of any desired shape. Generally the container will have a longitudinal axis, and the outlet in the side wall and adjacent the bottom wall will be such that it is offset from the longitudinal axis.

The outlet may include a valve.

The valve may prevent dispensing of the liquid product through the outlet until the liquid product is subjected to a dispensing pressure. The valve may be an elastomeric valve. Other types of valve may be employed.

The outlet may be configured to allow filling of the container with the liquid product. The outlet may be formed in an outlet member which is a push fit into an aperture which serves as a filling aperture.

Alternatively, the container may include an inlet which is separate from the outlet and which is for use in filling the container with the liquid product.

The container may include vent means. The vent means may be formed as part of the outlet. Other types of vent means may be employed.

Thus, for example, the vent means may be separate from the outlet, for example in an inlet if an inlet is present, or in a separate part of the container such for example as a top wall of the container.

The outlet may include a spout portion. The use of a spout portion may give direction for the dispensed liquid product as it is being dispensed.

The container may have flexible side walls for being squeezed in order to dispense the liquid product. Alternatively, the container may have pump means for dispensing the liquid product. If the container has pump means for dispensing the liquid, then the container may have flexible side walls or rigid sidewalls.

The pump means may be in a top wall of the container. The pump means may be a depressable bellows formation. Alternatively, the pump means may be a depressable lever. Other types of pump means may be employed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first type of known container; Figure 2 shows a second type of known container; Figure 3 shows a third type of known container; Figure 4 shows a fourth type of known container; Figure 5 shows a first container of the present invention; Figure 6 shows a second container of the present invention; Figure 7 is an enlarged view from a different angle of an outlet employed in the container shown in Figures 5 and 6; Figure 8 shows a modified type of outlet to that shown in Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a cross section through a part of the outlet shown in Figure 7.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a first known container 2 for a liquid product. The container 2 is hand-held for dispensing the liquid product.

The container 2 comprises a side wall 4, a bottom wall 6, and an outlet 8 for the liquid product. The outlet 8 is in a top wall 10 of the container 2. The outlet 8 is formed in an outlet formation 12 having a cap 14 which moves about a hinge 16 between an open position as shown in Figure 1, to a closed position in which the cap 14 closes the outlet 8.

The container 2 is such that it has a longitudinal axis extending through its centre. The outlet 8 is in line with this longitudinal axis. The container 8 can only dispense liquid products when the container 8 is in a partially or fully inverted position with the dispensing being effected by pouring from the container 2 or squeezing the sides of the container 2 if the sides of the container 2 are flexible. This method of dispensing of the liquid product in the container 2 is an inefficient and highly un-ergonomic process, especially for more viscous liquids such for example as shampoos and thick sauces which can take a long time to flow to the outlet 8. Also, it can be very difficult to remove all of the liquid product in the container 2, and this results in waste of the liquid product in the container 2.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a container 18. Similar parts as in the container 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. From an operational aspect, the container 18 is the same as the container 2 except that the container 18 is inverted with respect to the container 2. The container 18 is designed to be used upside down and for dispensing viscous fluid products such for example as salad cream and honey. A valve arrangement (not shown but of rubber or a plastics material) is employed in a neck region 20 of the container 18 to prevent leakage of the fluid product due to the container 18 being stored in the upside down position. The valve arrangement also allows for dispensing of the fluid product, and for venting of the container 18.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the container 18 is such that the cap 14 has to be large in order to form a sufficiently large base cap for enabling the container 18 to stand stably in the position shown in Figure 2. This requires the cap 14 to be made of much more plastics material than the cap 14 shown in the container 2, and this adds the environmental and manufacturing costs.

Still further, the container 18 can only be used efficiently to provide liquid product on demand, only prior to being stored upside down. In this position, opening and closing of the cap 14 due to its large size and positioning can be difficult. It can also be difficult to dispense all of the liquid product from the container 18 if the liquid product is very viscous. Further, as can be appreciated from Figure 2, the upside down design makes it difficult to provide a range of eye-catching container shapes for identifying the products of different manufacturers in shops and stores, for example on supermarket shelves.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a container 22. The container 22 is similar to the container 18 and similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The container 22 has a hook 24 for enabling the container 22 to be hung in its upside down position. Such a container 22 is used for dispensing liquid products such for example as shampoos.

The container 22 can only be used for dispensing liquid products when the container 22 is in the inverted position. The hook 24 increases the overall length of the container 22. A place has to be found from which to hang the container 22, and the container 22 may thus look unsightly when it is hanging from the chosen position. The container 22 provides limited possibilities for aesthetically created container designs. The container 22 may have all of the above mentioned problems of the container 18.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a container 26. The container 26 is similar to the container 2 shown in Figure 1. Similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The container 26 has a pump 28 in the top wall 10. The pump 28 is depressed in order to dispense low viscous liquids such for example as soaps and some gels.

The container 26 can only be used in the upright position. The pump 28 is expensive and complicated to manufacture. The pump 28 has a delivery spout 30 which requires the use of an appreciable amount of plastics material to make, and this adds to environmental and manufacturing costs. The container 26 is of limited aesthetic design possibilities.

In all of the containers 2, 18, 22, 26, the containers have a cylindrical body and a longitudinal axis extending through the cylindrical body. The outlet 8 in the containers 2, 18 and 22 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is in line with the longitudinal axis. In the container 26 shown in Figure 4, the outlet 8 from the body portion of the container 26 is initially along the longitudinal axis of the container 26 in order to get the liquid product in the container 26 to the pump 28. The delivery spout 30 self-evidently has an outlet 32 which is offset from the longitudinal axis through the container 26.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a container 34 of the present invention. The container 34 is for a liquid product. The container 34 is hand-held for dispensing the liquid product. The container 34 comprises a side wall 36, a bottom wall 38, and an outlet 40 for the liquid product. The outlet 40 is in the side waIl 36. Also, the outlet 40 is adjacent the bottom wall 38.

The container 34 is a tubular container 34. The side wall 36 is a circular side wall 36. The outlet 40 is offset from a longitudinal axis of the container 34.

The outlet 40 includes a valve 42. The valve 42 prevents dispensing of the liquid product through the outlet 40 until the liquid product is subjected to a dispensing pressure. The valve 42 is an elastomeric valve 42.

As can be appreciated from Figure 7, the outlet 40 is configured to allow filling of the container 34 with the liquid product. More specifically, the outlet 40 is formed in an outlet member 44 which is push fit in an aperture 46 which serves as a filling aperture 46. In an alternative design, the container 34 could have an inlet 48 which is separate from the outlet 40 and which is for use in filling the container 34 with the liquid product. As shown by way of example in Figure 5, an alternative position of the inlet 48 is in a top wall 50 of the container 34.

The container 34 includes vent means for enabling air to enter the container 34 when the side wall 36 of the container 36 has been squeezed to dispense the liquid product. The vent means may form part of the valve 42.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the valve 42 comprises an etastomeric member 52 which is provided with cross slits 54. The cross slits 54 close to stop unwanted egress of liquid product through the valve 42, but at the same time during dispensing of the liquid product 42, the cross slits 54 allow air to enter the inside of the container 36 in order to prevent a vacuum being formed. In addition, the outlet 40 is closed by a cap 56. The cap 56 is hinged by a hinge 58 to the outlet member 44. The cap 56 and the elastometric member 52 together form closure means for the outlet 40.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a container 60 which is like the container 34. Similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The container 60 has pump means 62 for dispensing the liquid product. In Figure 6, the liquid product is shown as liquid product 64. The side wall 36 of the container 60 is transparent so that the liquid product 64 can be seen. The pump means 62 is in the top wall 50 of the container 60. The pump means 62 is in the form of a depressible bellows formation.

Figure 8 shows how the outlet 40 may be such that the outlet member 44 is provided with a spout 66. The spout 66 may be a tube which is a push fit into a bore in the outlet member 44. The bore is defined by a side wall 68 as shown in Figure 9. Thus the spout 66 has its inner end adjacent the elastomeric member 52. The other end of the spout 66 is inclined as shown in Figure 8 for facilitating pouring of the liquid product.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, depending upon the type of liquid product to be dispensed, the containers of the present invention may have flexible walls for squeezing, or they may have rigid walls. The containers may be of different shapes to those shown. The containers may be made of transparent or non-transparent materials. Any suitable and appropriate liquid products may be dispensed.

Different types of outlets to those shown may be employed. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A container for a liquid product, which container is hand-held for dispensing the liquid product, and which container comprises a side wall, a bottom wall, and an outlet for the liquid product, the outlet being in the side wall.
2. A container according to claim 1 in which the outlet is adjacent the bottom wall.
3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the container is a tubular container, and in which the side wall is a circular side wall, and the outlet is offset from a longitudinal axis the container.
4. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the outlet includes a valve.
5. A container according to claim 4 in which the valve prevents dispensing of the liquid product through the outlet until the liquid product is subjected to a dispensing pressure.
6. A container according to claim 5 in which the valve is an elastomeric valve.
7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the outlet is configured to allow filling of the container with the liquid product.
8. A container according to claim 7 in which the outlet is formed in an outlet member which is a push fit in an aperture which serves as a filling aperture.
9. A container according to any one of claims 1 -6 and including an inlet which is separate from the outlet and which is for use in filling the container with the liquid product.
10. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and including vent means.
II. A container according to claim 10 in which the vent means forms part of the outlet.
12. A container according to any one of claims 1 -10 in which the vent means is separate from the outlet.
13. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the outlet includes a spout portion.
14. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the container has flexible side walls for being squeezed in order to dispense the liquid.
15. A container according to any one of claims 1 -13 in which the container has pump means for dispensing the liquid product.
16. A container according to claim 15 in which the pump means is in a top wall of the container.
17. A container according to claim 15 or claim 16 in which the pump means is a depressible bellows formation.
18. A container for a liquid product, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 5 -9 of the accompanying drawings.