MXPA01002322A - Shoulder design for tube - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a tube (10) for containing and dispensing contents, comprising:(a) a body portion (12);(b) a shoulder portion sealingly attached to the body portion, the shoulder portion and the body portion bounding a shoulder area (5) in the interior of the tube, and the shoulder portion provided with at least one extension (18) extending into the interior of the tube from the shoulder portion in the direction of the body portion;and (c) a nozzle (16) sealingly attached to the shoulder portion and provided with an orifice through which the contents can be dispensed;wherein the contents contained in the shoulder area of the tube are substantially prevented from being dispensed when the tube is squeezed.

Description

DESIGN OF BACK FOR PIPE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a shoulder design for tubes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tube design for tubes wherein the quantity of the product contained in the shoulder area of the tube is minimized, and is particularly useful for tubes containing dentifrice compositions such as toothpastes. .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Packaging for consumer products has been previously provided in the form of tubes and has been used to contain various types of products, for example, food products, hair care products, cosmetic products, and tooth compositions such as toothpastes, gels, or combinations that contain part paste and part gel. Said tubes are generally formed with a shoulder area in which the tube body tapers down to a nozzle having a hole that can be resealable or plugged. When a user wants to get a certain amount of the product contained in the tube, simply remove the lid, press the tube until the desired amount of the product is dispensed through the hole in the nozzle, then replace the lid for storage purposes. In standard tubes, the product is generally supplied in a "plug flow" manner, that is, the product located immediately below the nozzle is first filled, with the rest of the product gradually mixed into the assortment stream as the product tube is depressed during later uses. To contain dentifrice products, tubes formed from laminar units comprising plastics such as polyethylenes have been previously provided, and sometimes they also contain a metallized thin film or an acetate layer. The toothpaste products contained therein typically include flavor additives to increase product acceptance by the consumer, in addition to the effective ingredients that promote oral health. However, the dentifrice contained in said laminated tubes may lose some of its flavor due to absorption and transmission losses in the packaging materials making up the tube. This effect of taste loss tends to be particularly noticeable for the portion of the dentifrice that is contained in the shoulder area of the tube, which is also the portion that is first filled by the user. This is due to the fact that the speed of migration of flavor of the product in the shoulder area of the tube tends to be slower than the speed of transmission through the shoulder material. Therefore, a loss or alteration of the original flavor characteristic can be perceived by many consumers, especially for product assortment during the first few times the tube is pressed. As a result, the consumer's perception of the product or the brand in general can be significantly and negatively influenced during the initial uses of the product, despite the fact that the original flavor characteristic of the rest of the product is not substantially affected. Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a tube in which the flow of the product contained in the shoulder area of the tube can be effectively minimized, especially in such a way that the perceptible differences in the taste of a toothpaste product content in the various areas of said tube are minimized. None of the existing technique provides all the advantages and benefits of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a tube for containing and dispensing a content, comprising: (a) a body portion; (b) a shoulder portion joined in a sealable manner to the body portion, the shoulder portion and the body portion defining a shoulder area within the tube, and the shoulder portion provided with at least one extension that is extends inside the tube from the shoulder portion in the direction of the body portion; and (c) a nozzle joined in a sealable manner to the shoulder portion and provided with a hole through which the contents can be dispensed; wherein substantially the content that is in the shoulder area of the tube is dispensed when the tube is orpimido. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the specification concludes with the claims that particularly state and claim the invention in a precise manner, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which numerals of Similar reference identifies identical elements and wherein: Figure 1 shows a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the tube of the present invention; Figures 2a-c is a qualitative comparison of the initial assortment of a toothpaste of a conventional tube and of a tube according to the present invention; Figures 3-7 show partial sectional views of further preferred embodiments of the tube of the present invention; and Figure 8 is a graphical representation of the percentage of flavor additive present per gram assortment of a dentifrice, showing conventional tube contours and a contour for a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Although the following detailed description is provided primarily in the context of a tube for containing a dentifrice product, it will be understood that the tube may be useful for containing and dispensing other products where it is desirable to prevent the portion of the product contained in the shoulder area from being assorted, for example, food products, hair care products, cosmetic products, and the like. In addition, it should be understood that the use of the term "dentifrice" herein includes, but is not limited to, oral care compositions such as toothpastes, gels, and combinations of such pastes and gels. The tube of the present invention is desirably provided with a cap to protect the contents from exposure to the atmosphere when the tube is not in use. Any type of lid or lid that fits in a resealable manner to the tube nozzle can be used with the tube of the present invention, for example, a screw-type lid. The lid can also be provided with an upper part that opens with a light stroke for a more convenient use by the consumer. For ease of illustration, the lid is not shown in the attached figures.

Referring to Figure 1, a partial cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the tube of the present invention is shown. The tube 10 generally comprises a tube body portion 12, a shoulder portion 14, and a nozzle 16. The nozzle 16 is provided with a hole 20 through which the product is dispensed when the tube body 12 is depressed by the user. The nozzle 16 may be provided with threads 22 to facilitate adjustment of a cap (not shown) to the nozzle 16. The tube body 12 may comprise any materials known to those skilled in the art that provide adequate storage of the dentifrice or other product contained in the tube. The materials constituting the body 12 must not react with the components constituting the content in such a way that the contents could become unsafe or otherwise not suitable for the consumer's use. They must, of course, be durable enough to withstand normal consumer use without leakage, ripping or breaking, etc. To contain a dentifrice product, non-limiting examples of suitable materials from which the tube body 12 can be compounded include polyethylenes, such as low density polyethylene ("LDPE"), linear low density polyethylene ("LLDPE") , and high density polyethylene ("HDPE"), ethylene acrylic acid ("EAA"), metallized thin films, such as aluminum metallized thin film, or any of the above materials in any combination, for example, formed as a laminated structure .

The shoulder portion 14 is attached to the tube body 12 in sealed or continuous contact in such a manner that the contents of the tube are prevented from leaking into this joint. The nozzle 16 and the shoulder 14 are preferably formed continuously from a piece of unitary material (eg, by injection molding) as shown in the figures; alternatively, they may be composed of separate pieces fused or otherwise securely joined to one another by any means known to those skilled in the art. In addition, the nozzle 16 and the shoulder 14 preferably have the same material composition, but alternatively they can be made of different material compositions. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials from which the shoulder portion 14 and the nozzle 16 can be formed include the polyethylenes described above. The shoulder portion 14 further comprises an inward extension 18. Preferably, the inward extension 18, the shoulder 14, and the nozzle 16 are formed from a piece of unitary material (e.g., by injection molding) as it is shown in the figures; alternatively, they may be constituted of separate pieces fused or otherwise securely joined to one another by any means known to those skilled in the art. In addition, they preferably have the same material composition, but alternatively they can be made of different material compositions. At least one extension 18 is located inside the tube 10, and extends from the shoulder portion 14 in the general direction of the body portion 12 (as opposed to extending in the general direction of the nozzle 16). This extension 18 can be provided in various configurations, as will be explained in more detail below. The extension 18 functions as a diverter or funnel that allows the portion of the content that is in the central region C of the tube 10 (i.e., generally under the nozzle 16) to be dispensed, while substantially preventing the content being found in the shoulder areas S (ie, the interior region of the tube that is generally bounded by the body portion and the shoulder portion) is stocked, when the tube 10 is depressed by the user. Without extension 18, the content found in the shoulder areas S is free to mix in the assortment flow. Accordingly, the extension 18 maintains a static layer of the content in the shoulder areas S. In the context of a tooth product contained in a conventional toothpaste tube, the overall flavor characteristic of the product tends to decrease as a result of absorption and flavor additive transmission in packaging materials such as the tube laminar unit, the shoulder, and the barrier insert. In addition, some flavor additives comprise several different components, and in such cases, there may be non-uniform migration rates between these various components to the tube packing materials. This causes a loss of the original flavor characteristic. In conventional tubes, in the shoulder areas S is the portion of the dentifrice where it is more likely to have a diminished general flavor and / or a loss of the original flavor characteristic. In conventional tubes, the amount of flavor that is lost to transmission in the shoulder areas S tends to be particularly noticeable within the first 5-10 uses of the toothpaste. Therefore, the first impression of the tooth product by the consumer as a whole may be negative. This is especially undesirable since the initial uses of the product form the "first impression" of a consumer, and a negative first impression tends to adversely affect the opinion of the total product and of the brand in general by the consumer. The lack of or alteration of the taste in the initial use is particularly noticeable in smaller tube sizes, for example, 10g, 20g, 40g, and can be intensified during the storage time before purchase and use. For the above reasons, it is very desirable to prevent the toothpaste contained in the shoulder area from being stocked. Design of the tube 10 of the present invention can substantially prevent the flow of the dentifrice contained in the shoulder area from being stocked out or mixed with the remainder of the product. The extension 18 creates a static layer of dentifrice in the shoulder area S that is not supplied when the tube 10 is depressed. The static layer is composed of the dentifrice that has experienced loss and / or alteration of the original flavor characteristic due to migration and transmission of the flavor additive. Thus, preventing that portion of the product from being stocked, the tubes 10 of the present invention provide a more faithful and more uniform flavor characteristic to the user throughout the cycle of use of the tube 10. The phenomena described above can be represented in a qualitative way. the next way. First, a conventional tube without an extension 18 is filled with colored gel G in the shoulder area, and with white paste W in the rest of the tube. The colored gel G represents that portion of the dentifrice which has a loss of taste or alteration of the remarkable flavor characteristic, which it is desired to keep inside the tube (ie not be stocked). The white paste W represents the portion of the dentifrice which has the full amount of the original flavor characteristic and which it is desired to supply. A tube filled in such a manner is shown in Figure 2a. During the initial assortment of a conventional tube 100, shown in FIG. 2b, almost all the assortment content of the tube 100 comprises the colored gel G. In addition, even after the initial assortment, the white paste, W which is then supplied is coated with colored gel G on its periphery. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that the colored gel G continues to coat the white paste W for at least the initial 10 grams of assortment. This indicates that the toothpaste having a reduced or altered flavor feature is being stocked for at least the first 5-10 uses of the product consumer. Depending on the amount of toothpaste that a particular consumer prefers to fill for use, the effect described above may continue for a longer period.

In contrast, as shown in Figure 2c, when the same procedure is carried out using the tube 10 of the present invention, colored gel G almost does not come out when pressing during the initial assortment. And, during the continuous assortment, there is no colored gel G coating the white paste W on its periphery. This indicates that the colored gel G, ie, the portion of the dentifrice in the shoulder area that loses or changes taste, is contained with good result in the shoulder area S when the tube 10 of the present invention is used. Many other preferred embodiments of the present invention are possible in which the tube 10 is provided with inward extension 18. The following non-limiting description illustrates further preferred embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment in which the extension 18 is of a tapered shape to provide a degree of flexibility. This form can provide those users who do not wish to fill all the product contained in the tube (that is, those who do not want the product contained in the shoulder area to remain in the tube when it is discarded) the option to press down the shoulder portion 14 for completely filling the product in the shoulder areas S. Preferably, the tapered shape is configured in such a way that the extensions 18 can easily collapse when pressure is exerted on the shoulder portion 14.

Figure 4 shows a preferred embodiment in which the extension 18 has dimensions defined by the general tube dimensions. Without being limited by theory, and depending on the size of the tube and the size of the nozzle opening, it is believed that the length c of the extension 18 may be desirable in a minimum of 3 mm, and up to a maximum length equal to diameter "d" of the body portion 12 of the tube. The diameter "e" of the extension 18 may desirably be equal to or greater than the diameter "f" of the orifice of the tube. Figures 5a-c show preferred embodiments in which the extension 18 is provided in the form of at least one ring 18. As shown in Figures 5a-c, multiple rings 18a-c may be provided, each ring having a radius corresponding Ra-c emanating outward from an imaginary central line 25 drawn longitudinally through the tube 10 from the center of the nozzle orifice. Although the rings 18a-c are shown as concentric and evenly spaced from one another, the location, configuration, and spacing of each ring 18a-c may vary. For example, the shape can be circular, triangular, oval, square, or any other shape, and can be symmetric or non-symmetric. The rings 18a-c may be non-continuous (see rings 18b and 18c as shown in figure 5b), or continuous (see rings 18a-c as shown in figure 5c), or a combination of continuous and non-continuous rings (as shown in figure 5b). In addition, although three rings 18a-c are shown in Figure 5, it should be understood that the preferred embodiments of the present invention are not limited to three and may contain a greater or lesser number of rings 18. In the preferred embodiments described above of The present invention, for example, as shown in Figure 5a, the extension 18 (or the multiple extensions 18) extends inside the tube in a direction of the tube that is parallel to the nozzle 16 (and also parallel to the imaginary centerline 25 drawn longitudinally through tube 10 from the center of the nozzle orifice). In the preferred embodiments shown in Figures 6a and 6b, the extensions 18 are not parallel to the nozzle 16. In contrast, the extensions 18 are provided at an angle α formed with respect to an imaginary line 27 drawn in the longitudinal direction of the tube. 10 from the inner wall 16a of the nozzle 16. Preferably, the angle a can be extended up to 60 degrees in any direction with respect to the imaginary line 27. For exampleFigure 6a shows the extension 18 folded at an angle towards the imaginary center line 25, while Figure 6b shows the extension 18 folded at an angle towards the body portion 12. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that 60 degrees is a approximate functional maximum which, if exceeded, can cause difficulties in freeing the tube from the injection molding equipment typically used in the manufacture of the tube. Figures 7a and 7b illustrate preferred embodiments in which the extension 18 is further provided with a tip 19. The tip 19 provides an angle β formed with respect to an imaginary line 29 drawn in the longitudinal direction of the tube from the extension 18. The angle ß is preferably up to about 45 degrees with respect to the line 29. The tip 19 can be oriented in any direction with respect to the imaginary line 29. For example, Figure 7 shows the tip 19 bent at an angle towards the body portion 12, while Figure 7b shows the extension 18 bent at an angle towards the imaginary center line 25. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that 45 degrees represents an approximate functional maximum which, if exceeded, can cause difficulties by releasing the tube from the injection molding equipment that is typically used in the manufacture of the tube. It should also be understood that the tip 19 can be provided with any of the preferred embodiments of the extension described herein and is not limited to the angled bent embodiments. In addition to preventing the toothpaste contained in the shoulder area of the tube from being stocked, the use of preferred embodiments of the present invention can also provide for reduced packing costs. Conventional toothpaste tubes generally contain a barrier insert in the shoulder area, which is designed to provide oxygen and taste barrier properties to the tube. This barrier insert is typically a pre-molded part that is placed in a tool for forming heads before the tube body portion as such is placed in position. Often the barrier insert is made of polybutylene terephthalate, which can withstand the injection and temperature pressures of the plastic to form heads, and does not crack in the head. The plastic head portion of the tube, which is generally made of HDPE, locks the barrier insert into position when it is attached to the remainder of the tube body portion. These barrier inserts tend to be expensive, and therefore, the total packing cost increases when they are used. In the tube of the present invention, this expensive barrier insert can be eliminated. The barrier insert is designed to help reduce the effects of taste inconsistencies by decreasing flavor transmission through the tube walls; however, the barrier insert as such still tends to absorb the taste. Therefore, it is not really effective to avoid inconsistency or taste alteration. It is believed that the preferred embodiments of the present invention serve better to avoid inconsistency or taste alteration, thus eliminating the need for the barrier insert.

EXAMPLES The following examples describe and demonstrate even more embodiments within the scope of the present invention. The examples are provided for illustration only and should not be construed as limitations of the present invention, since many variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The following example represents a tube of toothpaste of size 20 grams. The percentage of flavor additive present at a given number of grams added after the indicated period of storage time at the indicated temperature is measured for tubes of three constructions: (1) "With extension" refers to a tube constructed in accordance with the present invention; (2) "With insert" refers to a conventional tube provided with a barrier insert; and (3) "Without insert" refers to a conventional tube in which the barrier insert has been removed but which is not provided with an extension according to the present invention. The same toothpaste formulation is used in all tubes. In the present "% flavor" refers to the amount of flavor additive by weight of the total composition. The initial weight percentage of the flavor additive present in the dentifrice formulation at the start of storage is 1.0%. Hereby, "accelerated condition" refers to storage of a sample during a specified number of months to 40 ° C. It is believed that such a condition is representative of a certain period of time of conservation at environmental conditions. For example, it is believed that "accelerated condition during 1.5 months" is representative of a conservation time of one year; and it is believed that "accelerated condition for 4.5 months" is representative of a conservation time of 3 years.

EXAMPLE The previous example is represented graphically in figure 8, in which the tube provided with "extension" is represented by the data points in circular form, the conventional tube "with insert" is represented by the diamond-shaped data points , and the conventional tube "without insert" is represented by the triangular data points. From Figure 8, it can be seen that for at least about the first seven grams of toothpaste assorted from the tubes, the tube 10 of the present invention allows a greater retention of the flavor additive than any of the other two tube designs. conventional Although it is believed that small pack sizes such as 20 g tubes represent the most severe case of flavor transmission and loss or consequent flavor alteration, it is also believed that larger tube sizes, for example, 40 grams or 120 grams, they would have flavor profiles similar to those shown in Figure 8, that is, approximately the same amount of flavor loss would be expected. This can be explained as follows. The diameter of the tube is typically the same for a 20 g toothpaste tube and a 40 g toothpaste tube, and the diameter of a 120 g toothpaste tube is typically only slightly greater than that of a 20 g tube. Of course, the respective lengths of these tube sizes differ. However, it is believed that the diameter in the shoulder area is the most relevant dimension when determining the amount of toothpaste product that undergoes the loss or alteration of flavor. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that approximately the same amount of product would experience loss or alteration of flavor regardless of the volume of the tube, and that this amount would simply represent a larger total percentage of the product contained in the tube for tube sizes. More smalls. Accordingly, it is believed that the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide similar advantages for any tube size. The modalities represented by the previous examples have many advantages. For example, they can provide an improved product in which consumers can enjoy a pleasant flavor feature, uniform throughout the product use cycle, from start to finish. A reduced product cost is also possible, since there is no need to add more flavor to the toothpaste to compensate for the loss of flavor in the product near the shoulder area. Eliminating the need for the barrier insert can reduce total packaging costs and is also believed to not harm the environment. In addition, because some flavor additives escape very easily through tubes without insert, indicating that consumers can easily perceive a loss of the original flavor characteristic, some tooth formulations can not be placed in tubes without insert. However, all formulations can be provided in an equally favorable manner when using the tubes according to the present invention. As used herein, the term "understand" means that other steps and other ingredients may be added that do not affect the final result. This term includes "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of". It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for purposes of illustration only and that various modifications or changes will be suggested to the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (9)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A tube for containing and dispensing a content, comprising: (a) a body portion; (b) a shoulder portion sealingly joined to the body portion, the shoulder portion and the body portion defining a shoulder area within the tube, and the shoulder portion comprising at least one extension being formed of unitized with the shoulder portion and extending into the interior of the tube from the shoulder portion in the direction of the body portion; and (c) a nozzle formed unitarily with the shoulder portion and provided with a hole through which the contents can be dispensed; characterized in that substantially avoiding the content that is in the shoulder area of the tube is dispensed when the tube is depressed.

2. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the extension has a tapered shape.

3. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the body portion has a diameter and the extension has a length of between about 3 mm and about the diameter of the body portion.

4. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that each of the hole and the extension has a diameter, the diameter of the extension being approximately equal to or greater than the diameter of the hole.

5. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the extension comprises at least one ring that extends radially from an imaginary central line drawn longitudinally through the tube body from the center of the nozzle orifice.

6. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the extension extends into the interior of the tube in a direction parallel to an interior wall of the nozzle.

7. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the extension is formed at an angle of up to about 60 degrees formed with respect to an imaginary line drawn in the longitudinal direction of the tube from an interior wall of the nozzle.

8. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the extension has a tip, the tip being formed at an angle of up to about 45 degrees with respect to an imaginary line drawn in the longitudinal direction of the tube from the extension.

9. The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the content is a dentifrice.