KR102626284B1 - Material dispenser/applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

An applicator 10 for a semi-solid substance 15 such as a lip balm with an elastomeric material base cap 12 is provided by means of a plunger 20 and its shaft associated with the lip balm by continuous pressing of the base cap. It has an inner tube 31 long enough to cooperate with other structures of the applicator to allow injection of 21). This allows for easy replacement of the lip balm when the original one is used up. The applicator also has a tubular housing 14 having an inner guide hub 39 with ribs 42 configured and positioned to disable rotation of the shaft of the plunger 20 that mounts the lip balm. A dispenser 50 for a flowable substance such as a lotion includes a bellows 52 mounted in a housing 51 with an elastomeric material base cap 54 at one end and an end cap 62 at the other end.

Description

Material dispenser/applicator

Cross-reference to related applications

This application is based on and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/285,570, filed November 2, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The disclosure of PCT/IB2015/053286 (now U.S. National Phase Serial No. 15/330,500 (filed September 28, 2016)) is incorporated herein by reference. This application describes a semi-solid material, such as a lip balm, comprising many novel features including, but not limited to, an elastomeric material base cap, and a plunger for retaining the semi-solid material. to an applicator, the plunger being reciprocated in and relative to the housing.

In accordance with the present invention, many additional features and/or enhanced functionality are provided for the substance dispenser/applicator and are based at least in part on the filing of the above PCT application. Additionally, a novel flowable mass dispenser is disclosed.

According to one aspect of the invention, an applicator for a semi-solid material such as lip balm is provided. The applicator includes a generally tubular housing having a first end and a second end. A plunger on which the semi-solid material is mounted extends outside the first end of the housing, and the plunger includes a shaft. An elastomeric material base cap is mounted on the second end of the housing and has an inner structure to which a shaft is connected. The structure is configured such that the elastomeric base cap can be moved by continued pressing into a position that causes separation between the surface markings on the shaft and the inner structure of the base cap, which provides for ejection of the plunger and shaft from the housing.

The elastomeric base cap inner structure to which the shaft is connected includes a tubular portion of the base cap. An end cap (preferably transparent or translucent) is releasably connected to the housing at a first end of the housing to cover the semi-solid material. In light of the desired functionality of the applicator of the present invention, the elastomeric base cap should have a durometer of about 45-55 on the Shore A scale (about 50 is ideal), rather than the broader range of 40-70 as in the PCT application. Must have.

The applicator preferably further comprises a contact portion perforated in the housing through which the plunger shaft reciprocates and which acts as a stop against the inner structure of the base cap during ejection of the plunger from the housing. The housing preferably has an inner guide hub (or perforated contact) with ribs configured and positioned to disable spin of the plunger shaft.

In one embodiment of the invention, the elastomeric material base cap is a bi-stable component, which, after removal of the end cap and manual actuation thereof, from a first stable arrangement in which the semi-solid material is predominantly within the housing, is semi-solid. - the solid mass is moved into a second stable arrangement substantially completely outside the housing, and upon further manual actuation of the base cap of the elastomeric material while in the second stable arrangement is moved to a third position so that the plunger shaft is moved into the elastomeric base cap. is ejected from contact with In other embodiments, the base cap is only moved from the normal position to the injection position and is not bistable.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an applicator for a semi-solid material comprising a generally tubular housing having a first end and a second end. A plunger comprising a shaft on which a semi-solid material is mounted, the plunger extending externally to a first end of the housing. and an inner guide hub having ribs configured and positioned to disable spin of the plunger shaft. Certain elastomeric material end caps as described above may also be used.

According to another aspect of the invention, a plunger with the original used semi-solid material is injected and it is semi-solidized by inserting the shaft of a replacement plunger into operative association with the inner structure/tube of the elastomeric material end cap. A method of using an applicator as described above to replace with another replacement plunger having an unused supply of material is provided.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispenser for a dispensable substance comprising a generally tubular housing having a first end and a second end. a dispensable material containing or support structure comprising a shaft having a first surface representation; An elastomeric material base cap at a second end of the housing having an approximately central structure having a second surface indicator releasably operatively cooperating with the first surface indicator. When the elastomeric material base cap is pressed, it is operatively moved into a position to move the shaft to provide access to the dispensable material from the support structure or contain the dispensable material at the first end of the housing. and stopping movement of the approximately central structure of the base cap such that upon continued compression of the base cap the first surface indicator and the second surface indicator are disconnected so that the dispensable material containing or support structure is removable from the housing and unused dispensable material. A stopping mechanism within the housing to enable replacement by a receiving or support structure.

The dispensable substance containing structure may include a bellows containing a flowable substance mounted within the housing and having a dispensing nozzle adjacent a first end of the housing. The dispenser preferably also comprises an end cap for releasably closing the first end of the housing, through which the flowable substance is dispensed by the dispensing nozzle. The end cap preferably includes a first part screwed onto the housing and a second part pivoted to cover or unlock the dispensing nozzle and connected to the first part by a living hinge.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an applicator or dispenser with easily replaceable material application or dispensing components. These and other objects of the invention will become clear from the appended claims and from the detailed description of the invention.

1 shows a so-called "ejection button" that allows the plunger shaft to be easily disengaged from the elastomeric material base cap, thereby allowing easy replacement of the cartridge of semi-solid material (as disclosed in the PCT application above). An exploded side cross-sectional view of a semi-solid material applicator (a material such as a lip balm or lipstick, shown in dotted lines) according to the invention with;
Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the applicator of Figure 1 assembled, except with the end cap unscrewed from the housing with the component in the first position with a large amount of semi-solid material within the housing;
Figure 3 is the same view as Figure 2, wherein the bistable base cap has been moved to a second position where the semi-solid material is substantially completely outside the housing;
FIG. 4 is the same view as FIG. 3 where the semi-solid material is shown as substantially consumed, and the ejection button on the base cap is further pressed from the second position to the third position such that the elastomeric material end cap is detached from the plunger shaft. A new plunger with an unused amount of semi-solid material may be inserted into operative association with the elastomeric material end cap;
Figure 5 shows a second configuration of an applicator according to the invention, like that of Figure 1, but with a shorter housing and wherein the elastomeric material base cap is not bistable;
Figure 6 is the same view as Figure 2 for a second configuration applicator;
Figure 7 is the same view as Figure 4 for a second configuration applicator;
Figure 8 is a bottom view of an exemplary housing for the applicator of Figures 1-4;
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the housing of Figures 1-4 and 8 rotated 90 degrees from the view of Figure 1;
Figure 10 is an exploded side cross-sectional view of a flowable material dispenser having an inner bellows with an associated shaft, using an elastomeric base cap and housing similar to those of the other figures and the PCT application above, but shown in side view, with the bellows -accommodates a flowable material instead of a plunger that seats a mass of solid material;
Figure 11 is a side cross-sectional view of the dispenser of Figure 10 assembled with the end cap open to allow disintegration of flowable material;
Figure 12 is a view similar to that of Figure 11 with the base cap slightly depressed to dispense flowable material from the bellows; and
13 is a similar view to that of FIG. 12 except that the end caps are completely removed, the bellows are used, and the base cap is moved into position so that the bellows shaft is detached from the base cap so that the bellows and shaft may be ejected and a replacement unused bellos and It can also be replaced by a shaft.

1 to 4 the applicator 10 according to the invention is very similar to the applicator of the above PCT application, comprising a screw-on end cap 11, an elastomeric material base cap 12, a tubular It includes a housing (14), and a reciprocating plunger (20) carrying a semi-solid material (e.g., lip balm (shown in dotted line at 15)) with a plunger shaft (21). The housing 14 has a first end 16 and an opposing second end 17. The components may be made of the same materials as in the PCT application.

1-4 In the applicator 10, a central tube 31 releasably connects the base cap 12 to the end 22 of the plunger shaft 21 on the opposite side of the semi-solid material 15. (Comparable to the central tubes 31, 131 in the PCT application above) are longer than those in the PCT application. In one practical embodiment the central tube 31 is about 2-3 mm longer (eg about 2.5 mm). This added length allows the applicator to function so that the plunger 20 and shaft 21 may be “ejected” from the housing 14, leaving a ready replacement cartridge ready when all of the semi-solid material 15 has been used up. Use is permitted.

The end 22 of the plunger shaft 21 has a first surface marking - shown at 24 in the figure as a circumferential recess in the end 22 of the shaft 21 - which is a second surface marking on the tube 31. Operationally cooperating with surface display 25, component 25 is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The second surface marking 25 fits with the recess 24 in the form of a circumferential projection and retains the components 21 , 31 during normal operation and until their separation is required. Indicators 24, 25 as shown are preferred, but any other surface indicia may be provided that performs the intended function of releasably attaching shaft 21 to base cap 12.

Additionally, in the applicator 10 according to the present invention, the elastomeric material of the base cap 12 is about 45-55 on the Shore A scale (about 50 is higher than 40-70 as in the PCT application). It was found that it should have a durometer of (recommended). A durometer of about 50 allows the base cap 12 to still be bistable, but effectively moved to a third, injection position, during which the surface indicators 24, 25 are detached.

Once the end cap 11 is removed (preferably by unscrewing it, as in FIGS. 1 to 4), the semi-solid material 15 associated with the plunger 20 is exposed, but typically much of it is exposed. The portion does not extend outside the first end 16 of the housing 14, as shown in FIG. 2 . The human user uses her/his fingers to press against the outer surface 19 of the base cap 12 and press it from the first stable position shown in Figure 2 to the second stable position shown in Figure 3, Substantially all of the material 15 in position is external to the first end of the housing 14 . That is, the cap 12 is bistable as in the PCT application above.

During the movement of the base cap 12 from the first position in FIG. 2 to the second position in FIG. 3, the plunger shaft 21 is guided by a centrally located guide hub 39, which has a perforated It can also be considered a close contact. At the position of the base cap 12 in FIG. 3, the central tube 31 is in close contact with the centrally located guide hub 39, which guides the reciprocating movement of the shaft 21 and stops the movement of the tube 31. .

If the pressing of the base cap 12 by the user's finger continues from the position in FIG. 3 to the position in FIG. 4, the plunger shaft 21 continues to move, but the base cap 12 is not stopped by the hub 39. Therefore, the end 22 of the plunger shaft 21 will be detached from the base cap 12 tube 31. Accordingly, the surface markings 24, 25 are detached from each other, resulting in a new plunger 20 and plunger shaft 21 with the unused semi-solid material 15 attached when the base cap 12 is in the FIG. 4 position. Shaft 21 and the plunger attached thereto, as shown in Figure 4, since a new cartridge containing 20 will be separated from the rest of the applicator 10. When the replacement plunger is inserted, the elastomeric tube 31 of the elastomeric material base cap 12 is deflected so that the surface markings 24 and 25 come into close contact with each other and the new shaft 21 is attached to the base cap 12. do.

During the injection process, moving from the second position in Figure 3 to the third, i.e. injection position in Figure 4, typically the first end 16 of the housing 14 is tilted downward (or completely opposed) to the base cap ( It is noted that gravity assists the detachment of the plunger 20 from 12).

During insertion of a new plunger with unused lip balm 15 or the like, the user preferably presses the end 22 of the shaft 21 into operative association with the central tube 31 of the base cap 12. (preferably, but not necessarily, with the end cap 11 over the material 15 but in contact with the upper circumferential circumference 23 of the plunger 20 and not in contact with the material 15). maintains the base cap 12 in the position shown in FIG. Once the shaft end 22 is seated, the user removes her/his fingers from the outside 19 of the base cap 12 and continues to move the end cap 11 toward the housing 14, and ultimately , screwing it into place so that the end cap 12 and plunger 20 are in the positions illustrated in FIG. 2 .

The applicator 110 of FIGS. 5-7 is similar to that of FIGS. 1-4, only the housing 114 and shaft 121 are shorter and the end cap 112 is not bistable. Components similar to those of the Figures 1-4 embodiment are depicted by the same reference numerals preceded only by “1”.

In Figure 6, base cap 112 is in its normal position (once end cap 111 is removed) with lip balm 115 extending outward from first end 116 of housing 114. Once the lip balm 115 is substantially consumed (as schematically shown in Figure 7), the user applies pressure to the outer surface 119 of the base cap 112 to move it into the injection position. 7 , the central tube 131 of the base cap 112 and the end 122 of the shaft 121, since the movement of the tube 131 is stopped by the perforated contact portion 139. Each of the surface display portions 124 and 125 is detached from each other. Replacement of new plunger 120 with unused material 115 is as described above for the Figures 1-4 embodiment.

As most clearly shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the housing 14 preferably has an inner rib associated with the guide hub/perforated contact portion 39 to prevent the plunger shaft 21 from rotating. 42), otherwise a seal between the semi-solid material 15 and the end cap 11, for example when the end cap 11 is unscrewed from the first end 16 of the housing 14. Rotation may occur when (if it exists) it is destroyed. The rib 42 engages a portion of the edge of the plunger (which may have the configuration of plunger 121 shown in Figure 7 of the PCT application above) and prevents it from spinning/rotating.

Housing 114 may also have ribs 42, as described above, and housing 114 is substantially the same as housing 14 except that it is shorter.

Figures 8 and 9 show four ribs 42 positioned symmetrically around the inner circumference of the circular opening of the guide hub 39, with the "upper" side (closest to the base cap) inclined downward in Figure 9. ) shows the face 43 (so that the ribs 42 have an approximately triangular cross-section). However, other numbers (e.g. 3 or 5) and/or configurations of cross-sections (e.g. square, polygonal or random) may be provided.

10-13 show a different type of material dispenser 50 than in the other figures, but using the same overall concept of a tubular housing, end caps and elastomeric material base cap. Different numbers will be used rather than associated with other figures.

Dispenser 50 is used to dispense flowable substances (e.g., liquids) such as lotions, eye drops or other medical or medicated liquids, flavoring agents to add flavor to ingestible liquids such as water, toothpastes and lubricants. provided for. The bellows 52, generally made of a conventional bellows elastomeric material, is located approximately inside the tubular housing 51 and is positioned at the second end 55 of the housing 51 at the central inner tube of the elastomeric base cap 56. It is operatively connected to its closed end via a shaft 53 which is connected (preferably integrally) to 57). The base cap 56 preferably has a central tube 57, like the tubes 31, 131 in other embodiments, a second surface marking 59 on the tube 57 and a first surface on the shaft 53. The surface display portion 58 is the same as the surface display portions 24, 124, 25, and 125 in other embodiments.

The interior of the housing 51 is an internal guide hub/perforated fitting 61 with an internal opening 62 defined by a collar that guides the reciprocation of the shaft 53.

The end of the bellows 52 opposite the shaft 53 has therein a conventional dispensing nozzle 64, which is dimensioned according to the particular flowable material to be dispensed and includes a conventional one-way valve.

One end 66 of the housing 51 opposite the elastomeric base cap 56 may be closed by an end cap 67 . 10-13, the end cap 67 is screwed onto a conventional complementary internal screw thread 70 (FIG. 10) on the first end 66 of the housing 51. It receives a hollow, generally tubular first portion 68 having an outer screw thread 69 (best seen in FIGS. 10 and 13). The end cap 67 also includes a solid longitudinal second portion 72 connected to the first portion 68 by a living hinge 73 (FIGS. 11 and 12). When dispenser 50 is in the non-dispensing position with components 68, 72 connected as in FIGS. 10 and 13, any suitable closure (e.g., clip, magnet, snap, etc.) Provision may also be made to retain portion 72 to first portion 68 .

Upon operation of the dispenser 50, the second portion 72 of the end cap 67 is detached from the first portion 68 and moved away via the living hinge 73 into the relative positions shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. It pivots. To dispense the flowable material within the bellows 52, the user depresses the elastomeric material base cap 56 to compress the bellows 52 and cause the flowable material therein to be dispensed through the nozzle 64. Figure 11 shows the dispenser 50 in a position just prior to depression of the elastomeric material base cap 56 and Figure 12 shows the bellows 52 partially compressed in response to depression of the base cap 56. .

Once bellows 52 is substantially empty, end cap 67 is unscrewed from housing 51 (FIG. 13). Next, pressing of the end cap 56 continues to the position shown in FIG. 13 and movement of the tube 57 is stopped by the contact portion 61. This causes detachment of the surface markings 58 and 59 so that the shaft 53 and bellows 52 are easily removed from the hijinks 51 as for the other embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 7 . A new bellows 52 can be inserted and its shaft 53 moved into operative engagement with the central inner tube 57 of the base cap 56 so that the surface indicators 58 and 59 are operatively engaged with the base cap 56. Cap 56 is operatively connected to new bellows 52

The entire dispenser 50 is preferably made of dishwasher safe and environmentally friendly plastic.

Accordingly, there is provided a dispensable material receiving or support structure (20, 52) comprising a shaft (21, 53) having first surface markings (24, 58); An elastomeric material base cap (12, 56) having an approximately central structure (31, 57) with a second surface indicator (25, 59) releasably operatively cooperating with said first surface indicator (24, 58). ); When the elastomeric material base cap (12, 56) is depressed, the first end (16, 70) of the housing (14, 51) receives the dispensable material or provides access to the dispensable material from the support structure (20, 52). operatively moved to a position that moves the shafts 21, 53; and stopping the movement of the approximately central structure 31, 57 of the base cap so that upon continued pressing of the base cap the first and second surface indicators 24, 25; 58, 59 are disconnected to receive the dispensable material. or a dispensable device having a stop mechanism 39 within the housing 14, 51 to allow the support structure 20, 52 to be removable from the housing 14, 51 and to receive unused dispensable material or be replaced by the support structure. It will be seen that there are comprehensive similarities between the various embodiments that generally include a dispenser for a substance (either a semi-solid such as a lip balm or a flowable substance such as a lotion).

The invention is to be accorded the broadest possible scope of the appended claims, encompassing all equivalent structures, devices and procedures as defined solely by the prior art.

Claims (15)

1. An applicator for a semi-solid material, comprising: a tubular housing having a first end and a second end; a plunger on which a semi-solid material extending externally of the first end of the housing is mounted, the plunger comprising a shaft having a first surface indicia; A base cap of an elastomeric material mounted on the second end of the housing and having an inner structure including a second surface indicator releasably engaged with the first surface indicator, wherein continued depression of the base cap causes the elastomeric material to wherein the base cap is movable into a position to disengage the first and second surface indicators, which disengagement then allows ejection of the plunger and its shaft from the housing. An applicator, including a base cap. The applicator of claim 1 , wherein the structure inside the elastomeric base cap to which the shaft connects comprises a tubular portion of the base cap. The applicator of claim 1 or 2, further comprising an end cap releasably connected to the housing at the first end of the housing to cover the semi-solid material. The applicator of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric base cap has a durometer of 45-55 on the Shore A scale. The method of claim 1, wherein the applicator further includes a contact portion perforated in the housing, through which the plunger shaft reciprocates, and the contact portion is positioned on the inside of the base cap during ejection of the plunger from the housing. Applicator, acting as a stop to the structure. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said elastomeric material base cap is a bistable component, said component being capable of removing said end cap from a first stable arrangement with said semi-solid material within said housing and manually actuating the same. Then, the semi-solid material is moved to a second stable configuration substantially completely outside the housing and, upon further manual actuation of the base cap of the elastomeric material while in the second stable configuration, to a third position. wherein the plunger shaft is ejected from contact with the elastomeric base cap. The applicator of claim 1 , wherein the housing has an inner guide hub with ribs configured and positioned to disable spin of the plunger shaft. The applicator of claim 3, wherein the semi-solid material is a lip balm and the end cap is translucent or translucent. delete 1. An applicator for a semi-solid material, comprising: a tubular housing having a first end and a second end; a plunger comprising a shaft and mounted with a semi-solid material extending outside the first end of the housing; and an inner guide hub having ribs configured and positioned to disable spin of the plunger shaft,
further comprising an elastomeric material base cap mounted on the second end of the housing and having an inner tube to which the shaft connects; By continuous pressing of the base cap, the elastomeric base cap inner tube becomes impossible to move by the inner guide hub, allowing injection of the plunger and its shaft from the housing, and a new plunger shaft is inserted into the inner tube. Applicator, which can be moved through the guide hub into operative association with the applicator. 11. The applicator of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric base cap has a durometer of 45-55 on the Shore A scale. Using the applicator of claim 1 to extrude a plunger with the original used semi-solid material and inserting the shaft of a replacement plunger into operative association with the inner structure of the elastomeric material end cap to provide unused supply. A method of replacing with another replacement plunger having a semi-solid material of. 1. A dispenser for a dispensable substance, comprising: a tubular housing having a first end and a second end; a dispensable material containing or support structure comprising a shaft having a first surface representation; an elastomeric material base cap at the second end of the housing having a central structure having a second surface indicator releasably operatively cooperating with the first surface indicator; When the elastomeric material base cap is depressed it is operatively moved into a position to move the shaft to provide access to the dispensable material from the support structure or to contain the dispensable material at the first end of the housing. possible; and stopping movement of the central structure of the base cap so that upon continued compression of the base cap, the first surface indicator and the second surface indicator are disconnected so that the dispensable material containing or support structure is removable from the housing. A dispenser comprising a stop mechanism in the housing for receiving unused dispensable material or allowing it to be replaced by a support structure. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the dispensable material containing structure comprises: bellows containing a flowable material mounted within the housing and having a dispensing nozzle adjacent the first end of the housing; and an end cap for releasably closing the first end of the housing, through which the flowable substance is dispensed by the dispensing nozzle. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the end cap comprises a first portion screwed onto the housing, and a second portion pivoted to cover or uncover the dispensing nozzle and connected to the first portion by a living hinge. Including, distributor.

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