Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/0055—Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/02—Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons
  • B05B11/026—Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1081—Arrangements for pumping several liquids or other fluent materials from several containers, e.g. for mixing them at the moment of pumping
  • B05B11/1084—Arrangements for pumping several liquids or other fluent materials from several containers, e.g. for mixing them at the moment of pumping each liquid or other fluent material being pumped by a separate pump

Definitions

• the present invention aims to provide a dispensing system to make viscous products, such as viscous personal care products, available at even lower cost, and at the same time may provide an environmental benefit by virtue of causing less discarded packaging. It is known to provide dispensing containers which have an internal, flexible container containing a viscous composition which is dispensed by means of a metering pump. Examples of this are to be found for example in EP-A- 1078861, JP-A-11236084 and JP-A-06191556. Readily portable systems for dispensing pressurised fluids are known for example from EP-A-276, 903, US-A-4, 523, 298 and US-A- 5,913,456.
• a dispensing system for viscous fluid products comprising an outer container containing one or more sub-containers, at least one of the sub-containers containing a viscous fluid, a sub-container containing the viscous fluid having attached thereto a metering pump for dispensing the viscous fluid.
• the sub-containers may be flexible sacs, though in some embodiments they may also be relatively rigid.
• the sub-containers may be re-usable, and preferably may be capable of fitting a variety of outer containers .
• a method of dispensing a viscous fluid from a refillable dispensing system comprising:
• a viscous fluid to be dispensed providing an outer container; providing therein one or more refillable sub-containers containing a viscous fluid to be dispensed, a (and preferably each) sub-container being provided with a metering pump to provide a metered dose of viscous fluid on activation of the metering pump; and optionally providing a paper or plastics container, preferably in the form of a cup or cone, for a user to dispense the viscous fluid into.
• the user subsequently pays for the dispensed composition, and/or uses it at least 10 minutes after dispensing, preferably at least 30 minutes after dispensing, once the composition has been removed from the point of retail.
• the outer container is portable, and has associated therewith carrying means such as carrying handles, or one or more shoulder straps.
• the outer container may contain only one sub- container.
• each sub-container may contain a viscous fluid, and may have an associated metering pump for dispensing the viscous fluid contained therein.
• the dispensing system according to the invention has at least two envisaged modes of use, the common aim of each being to provide cheap metered dosage of viscous fluids at a point of retail in which either the user refills a container they may have, or in which the viscous fluid is dosed at the point of sale into a cheap container such as a paper or plastics vessel (e.g. a cup, tub or cone). Either way, the recipient container costs of the product being dispensed are kept to a minimum.
• a paper or plastics vessel e.g. a cup, tub or cone
• the volume of viscous fluid which may be contained in the dispensing system will be at least one litre, preferably at least 1.5 litres, and preferably at least two litres, and may conveniently be more than this, e.g. at least four or five litres.
• the minimum volume of the system may be made up of the collective volumes of the one or more sub-containers in the dispensing system.
• the maximum capacity of the dispensing system will be less than about fifty litres; in embodiments where the dispensing system is intended to be portable, preferably it will have a capacity of less than about 20 litres.
• Metering pumps which may be used according to the invention are generally any which are available and suitable. They will typically have a dip tube which extends into the sub- container.
• each sub- container is a flexible walled sac; preferably the metering pump can be releasably attached to the flexible sac with an airtight connection.
• Such a system not only facilitates reusability of all aspects of the dispensing system, but also facilitates the dispensing of substantially all of the contents of the flexible sac. This is because the sac collapses under atmospheric pressure as the contents are dispensed, which collapse may serve to congregate the remaining contents of the flexible sac near the dip tube of the metering pump, and hence facilitate its dispensing.
• Suitable metering pumps are commercially available from Englass, such as their Essential dispenser, with a 38R6 closure and dip tube.
• the dosage of the metering pump may be more than 1 ml per dosage; preferably it will be less than 50ml per dosage.
• Accurate dosing of the viscous liquid is particularly important in the intended modes of operation of the system, since in dispensing the viscous fluid it is important to be able to measure dosage simply by counting the number of actuations of the metering pump, and not to have to re-check the volume dispensed afterwards, by e.g. collecting it in a graduated container.
• each actuation of the metering pump may deliver a volume of between 4 and 6ml.
• the viscous liquids dispensed according to the invention may typically have a viscosity of 2,000 to 25,000 centistokes when measured on a Brookfield Viscometer (Ta spindle) at 20 rpm at 37 °C.
• the metering pump may require some modification.
• the metering pump may be configured such that the dispensing nozzle and actuating level of the metering pump (which may conveniently be integral) extend from the top of the back pack over a shoulder of the wearer, and operate by a lever mechanism in the metering pump to dispense the viscous fluid.
• the wearer may dispense the viscous fluid simply by pulling a combined actuating lever/dispensing nozzle in a given direction (e.g. down). Release of the actuating lever/dispensing nozzle then allows it to return to its original position, and simultaneously recharge with viscous fluid.
• the outlet for the viscous fluid from the dispensing system may be a flexible tube which may be joined at one end to the dispensing system
• a metering device which, upon activation by the user, dispenses a metered dose from the apparatus via the dispensing nozzle, and on release recharges with viscous fluid from the dispensing system via the flexible hose.
• a standard metering pump on the end of a flexible tube.
• the outer container may preferably be substantially rigid but may be somewhat flexible, provided it provides sufficient structurally integrity for the dispensing system to function properly.
• Both the outer container and the one or more sub- containers are preferably manufactured from plastics materials, have the required levels of rigidity, and are preferably lightweight.
• the outer container is reusable. When made of plastics materials, the outer container can be vacuum formed, or made by blow moulding or injection moulding techniques.
• sub-containers are flexible sacs
• these may typically have a volume of one or two litres up to ten or more litres, and may be readily made by conventional vertical form fill seal techniques.
• each sub-container in the dispensing system is conveniently provided with its own dispenser.
• Each sub-container prior to use may be provided with a closure system comprising a neck integrated with the sub- container and a closure cap; conveniently the cap may initially be sealed to the neck by a tamper evident closure.
• the metering pump and the outer reusable in some circumstances the sub-containers may also be refillable, though is certain preferred embodiments they are not reusable.
• the sub-containers will have features such as necks with screw threads for facilitating easy attachment of a metering pump and dip tube assembly; in such instances the metering pump will typically have associated with it a co- operating screw threaded collar for releasable attachment to the neck.
• the sub-containers will have associated with the tamper evident features such as a membrane across the neck of the sub-container, which needs to be e.g. peeled off or pierced by e.g. a dip tube to prevent contamination of the sub-container contents prior to use.
• tamper evident features such as a membrane across the neck of the sub-container, which needs to be e.g. peeled off or pierced by e.g. a dip tube to prevent contamination of the sub-container contents prior to use.
• each sub-container will have associated with it a rigid neck portion, which releasably cooperates with a closure to facilitate both the attachment of the metering pump/dip tube arrangement to the sub-container, and the securing of the assembled sub- container/metering pump/dip tube to the outer container.
• the releasable closure will be a collar, which is releasably attached to the rigid neck portion of the sub- container by virtue of e.g. co-operating screw threads or a bayonet fitting.
• the dispensing system according to the invention has particular utility in the provision and dispensing of personal care viscous fluids, including but not limited to shower gels, shampoos, hair conditioners, toothpastes hand wash liquids and skin creams.
• the dispensing system of the invention has particular utility both where it is desired to recycle packaging, but particularly in environments where it is desired to provide viscous fluid products, and especially viscous fluid personal care products for topical application at minimal cost, particularly with associated packaging costs being kept to a minimum.
• the dispensing system may even provide to consumers viscous fluids in usable fashion at costs below that of what is normally the cheapest form of packaging, namely laminate sachets.
• Figures la, lb and lc show a schematic cross section of an outer container, sub-container and metering pump showing progressive assembly of the dispensing system;
• Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a assembled dispensing system according to the invention
• Figure 3 shows a non-mobile system similar to that of
• FIG. 2 in situ; - Figure 4 shows some portable dispensing systems according to the invention
• Figure 5 shows a portable embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 6 shows a schematic side view of a further dispensing system according to the invention
• Figure 7 shows a schematic view of the dispensing system of Figure 6 in situ in a suitable harness demonstrating a portable embodiment of the invention
• Figure 8 shows a rear view of the harness of Figure 7;
• Figure 9 shows a rear view of a further portable system according to the invention.
• Figure 10 shows a front view of a portable system according to the invention.
• the user subsequently pays for the dispensed composition, and/or uses it at least 10 minutes after dispensing, preferably at least 30 minutes after dispensing, once the composition has been removed from the point of sale.
• a 4-litre sub container in the form of a flexible sac 11 is provided containing a viscous liquid such as a shampoo.
• the flexible sac 11 is located inside a rigid outer container 12 by hinging back part of the outer container 12, and dropping the full flexible sac 11 in.
• the flexible sac 11 has a neck portion 13, which may be located through a co-operating hole in the top of the outer container 12. When initially provided, the neck portion 13 has a sealing cap which is attached thereto by a closure cap.
• Figure lc shows the dispensing system assembled.
• the apparatus is assembled by securing to neck portion 13, which is relatively rigid, a collar 19 which is rotatably attached to the metering pump/dip tube arrangement.
• the attachment of collar 19 to neck portion 13 acts to secure the assembled sac 11/metering pump 15/dip tube 14 which respect to outer container 11, thereby facilitating operation of the metering pump and collapsing of the sac 11 as the contents are dispensed.
• FIG. 2 shows a dispensing system of the invention.
• Outer container 12 is manufactured from e.g. plastics or metal materials, and has sufficient structural integrity to provide repeated reusability.
• a cup dispenser 16 provided on the side of the outer container 12.
• Cup dispenser 16 is in the form of an open end tube, into the top of which frustroconical paper cups 17 are inserted, and loosely retained therein by friction fit until they are pulled out of the bottom.
• cup dispenser 16 need not actually be located on the side of the outer container; it is nevertheless preferable that a source of such cheap containers be provided for use close by.
• Figure 3 shows two dispensing systems according to the invention in situ, each containing two sub-containers.
• Each sub-container has a metering pump.
• Figure 4 schematically shows portable systems according to the invention; in particular in Figure 4 at the right hand side is shown a configuration in which the viscous fluid is dispensable by the wearer of the system over her shoulder, without removing the system from her back.
• Figure 5 shows a portable version of the dispensing system, the outer container 12 having attached thereto shoulder straps 18, and containing two flexible sacs, each having an associated metering pump.
• Figure 6 shows a further schematic embodiment of the invention.
• the outer container 30 (shown transparent) , which is rigid holds a flexible sub-container 31, which in turn has a neck 32.
• Neck 32 has attached thereto by co-operating screw threads (not shown) a collar 33.
• Collar 33 has an axial located hole therein through which passes dip tube 34, which extends to the bottom of flexible sub-container 31, and terminate at it's other end in a metering pump (not shown) .
• the attachment of the collar to a relatively rigid neck portion of the sub-container 31 acts both to ensure the metering pump/dip tube arrangement to the sub-container, and also the assembled arrangement to the outer container 30.
• a hook 35 Attached to the side of outer container 30 is a hook 35.
• Figure 8 shows a harness which is suitable for holding the system shown in Figure 6, rending it easily portable.
• Harness 33 is designed to fit over one shoulder and around the waist of a user. It has a releasable tab 37 which is an extension of waist portion 38. Shoulder portion 39 is designed to rest on the shoulder of a user.
• Releasable tab 37 is conveniently releasably secured to down portion 40, for example by the use of Velcro (trademark) material on their co-operating surfaces.
• Harness 36 has a pouch 41 in which an outer container 30 may sit; it is further releasably secured to the harness 36 by passing hook 35 through slot 42.
• FIG 9 shows a further embodiment of a portable dispensing system.
• the system utilizes a harness generally similar to that shown in Figure 8, except that outer container 30 is made from a fabric material in which a sub-container is contained; outer container 31 is integral with effectively harness 36. Outer container 31 is releasably closed by virtue of zip 43. Dip tube 34 is retained in place by strap 44.
• Figure 10 shows the front view of a user using the harness of Figure 9.
• Figure 10 shows the dip tube terminating in a manually operable metering pump 45.
• Metering pump 45 has a knurled grip portion 46, and a dispensing head 47 which is conveniently thumb operated.
• Attached to down portion 40 is a cup dispenser 48, which is essentially an open ended tube. Retained by friction in cup dispenser 48 are a plurality of cups 49, which in use can readily be individually pulled from the open end of cup dispenser 48, in preparation for the metered dispensing of viscous fluids.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Feeding, Discharge, Calcimining, Fusing, And Gas-Generation Devices (AREA)
• Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=28685990

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (4)

Citations (8)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2003
  • 2003-03-25 AU AU2003216895A patent/AU2003216895A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-03-25 BR BR0308956-8A patent/BR0308956A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2003-03-25 WO PCT/EP2003/003230 patent/WO2003084842A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-04-04 AR ARP030101181A patent/AR039254A1/es unknown

Patent Citations (8)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

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