Patent Application
20060159511
The invention relates to personal care. More particularly, the invention relates to applicators for underarm antiperspirant and/or deodorant.
A well-developed art exists regarding dispenser/applicators for personal care products. One particular area involves applicators for solid or gel antiperspirant and/or deodorant compositions. Applicators for solid and gel compositions are typically thoroughly similar to each other, with a piston (platform) upwardly movable within a cylinder (barrel) to progressively drive the composition out the barrel upper end. Due to the relative lack of stiffness of many gels, dispensers for such gels commonly include foraminate screen-like applicator elements across the upper end of the barrel. Exemplary applicators are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,007,755, 6,435,748, and D331,534. U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,369 discloses incorporation of a usage indicator into the composition to provide warning that the applicator is nearly empty.
Accordingly, one aspect of the invention involves a personal care apparatus having a non-liquid composition of at least one of an underarm antiperspirant and an underarm deodorant. A barrel at least partially contains the composition. The apparatus includes means for progressively raising the composition through an outlet of the barrel. The means further includes means for indicating a remaining amount of the composition.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
A tubular shaft 36 depends from the underside of the platform and may be unitarily formed therewith (e.g., of a molded plastic material). As is discussed in further detail below, a cover 38 or an equivalent plug may close the open lower end 40 of the shaft 36. The shaft 36 passes through an aperture 42 in the barrel 22. A distal portion of the shaft 36 thus protrudes beyond the aperture. In the exemplary embodiment of
Along its exterior sidewall surface, the shaft 36 bears indicia including exemplary registration lines 60 and associated numbers 62. Exemplary indicia 62 and 60 are molded-in-place and/or applied via painting or as a label/decal. Exemplary lines and numbers identify a percentage of the usable composition remaining in the applicator 20. In operation, with the seal 32 removed, the user may press upward on the shaft 36 to progressively raise the platform toward the barrel upper end/rim 30 so as to discharge the composition 25. As the barrel is raised, various of the registration lines may come into alignment with a corresponding registration feature on the barrel. One example of a corresponding registration feature is the aperture 42. Another is a registration line 64 (e.g., molded-in-place and/or applied as a paint or applied as a label/decal). As more and more of the composition 25 is consumed, the shaft distal end and cap 38 will progressively move upward along the recess 50. In the exemplary embodiment, the back/rear face 70 of the barrel is essentially continuous, lacking such a recess. However, a similar or different recess could be provided on that side.
To assemble and fill the applicator, the platform is inserted downward through the barrel upper end to an essentially bottomed position with the shaft 36 passing through the aperture 42. The seal 32 is then installed. In an inverted orientation, liquid composition material may be introduced through the shaft distal end 40. The material is permitted to harden (e.g., via cooling from a previously-elevated temperature). During this process, the underside of the seal 32 forms a mold, shaping the top surface of the ultimate composition body. After solidification, the shaft end cap 38 may be installed. The cap 38 provides a smooth surface for contact by the user's finger. The cover 24 may then be installed. If not already applied, a label, decal, or paint may be applied to the barrel and/or cover 24 containing appropriate information including trademarks, instructions, an identification of antiperspirant and/or deodorant status, legal information, and the like.
The exemplary barrel 102 includes an aperture 120 extending along the front face 122 and bottom end 108. Along the front face, the aperture 120 is vertically elongate extending downward from a rounded upper end 124. The exemplary aperture 120 extends to a second end 126 (
One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the principles may be applied in a redesigning/engineering of any of a variety of existing applicators or in the design/engineering of yet new applicators. The illustrated or similar combinations of registration features may be reversed (e.g., an array of linear indicia and percentages along the barrel, with a single registration feature formed on or as a portion of the platform, shaft, or associated movable component or part). Other forms of recesses may be provided. Barrels lacking the recesses and/or including transparent windows for viewing the indicia may be provided. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
