Patent Application
20240341446
The present invention is related to a closure and a container comprising the closure. Such container is suitable for holding personal care product. Particularly, the closure comprising a detachable applicator which may be mounted and demounted conveniently.
Some cosmetic products are contained in jar or similar containers. When users apply the cosmetic products, they usually use their fingers to take the cosmetic product out from the containers. Thus, the cosmetic product inside of the container may be contaminated by their fingers and cause hygiene problem to the cosmetic product.
The present inventors have recognized there is a need and therefore developed a closure comprising a detachable applicator. Such detachable applicator may be used to take the cosmetic product out from the container. The detachable applicator is designed to enable it may be mounted from multi-sides and demounted easily. Thus, the consumer may randomly and conveniently mount the detachable applicator into the attachment mechanism. Meanwhile the detachable applicator would not be undesirably detached from the attachment mechanism and falls down to the product inside of the container, for example when the cap is closed, or the container is transported. Furthermore, even if the cap has certain transparency, the detachable applicator is less visible to the consumers when the cap is closed as the detachable applicator is perpendicular to the cap.
In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a closure for a container, the closure comprising a cap (1) and a detachable applicator (3), wherein: (a) the cap (1) comprises a roof (11) and an attachment mechanism (2) arranged on the roof (11); (b) the detachable applicator (3) is vertically attached to the roof (11) by the attachment mechanism (2); (c) the detachable applicator (3) comprises a proximal side (32a) close to the roof and a distal side (32b) opposite to the proximal side (32a); and (d) both the proximal and distal sides (32a, 32b) have a substantially same contour as the portion of the roof (11) where the proximal side (32a) sits.
In a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a container comprising the closure of the present invention.
These and other aspects of the present invention will more readily become apparent upon considering the detailed description and examples which follow.
Except in the examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material or conditions of reaction, physical properties of materials and/or use may optionally be understood as modified by the word “about”.
It should be noted that in specifying any range of values, any particular upper value can be associated with any particular lower value.
For the avoidance of doubt, the word “comprising” is intended to mean “including” but not necessarily “consisting of” or “composed of”. In other words, the listed steps or options need not be exhaustive.
The disclosure of the invention as found herein is to be considered to cover all embodiments as found in the claims as being multiply dependent upon each other irrespective of the fact that claims may be found without multiple dependency or redundancy.
Where a feature is disclosed with respect to a particular aspect of the invention (for example a product of the invention), such disclosure is also to be considered to apply to any other aspect of the invention (for example a process of the invention) mutatis mutandis.
“Substantially” as used herein typically refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of a characteristic, property, state, structure, or result. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context but generally speaking the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained.
According to the present invention, both the proximal and distal sides of the detachable applicator have substantially the same contour as the portion of the roof where the proximal side sits, (i.e the portion of the roof where the detachable applicator is vertically attached to the roof by the attachment mechanism). In such way, the detachable applicator may be attached to the attachment mechanism from both proximal and distal sides, so that the detachable applicator can sit on the roof in a stable position from both proximal and distal sides.
The consumer may randomly and conveniently mount the detachable applicator into the attachment mechanism. “Substantially the same contour” generally means not only exactly the same contour but also includes a difference of contours which is within 20 percent, preferably 10 percent, and more preferably 5 percent in terms of the average radius of curvature of the contours. The difference may be expressed by (r1-r2)/r1, wherein r1 refers to the average radi of curvature of the contour of the proximal side (or the distal side), and r2 refers to the the average radius of curvature of the contour of the portion of the roof where the proximal side sits.
Preferably, the cap comprises a peripheral skirt, a roof extending inwardly from the top of peripheral skirt, and an attachment mechanism arranged on the roof. Preferably, the cap additionally comprises an inner skirt substantially parallel to and within the peripheral skirt. Preferably the height of the inner skirt is less than that of the peripheral skirt. For sake of clarity, the attachment mechanism is arranged inside of the cap. Preferably, the projection of the roof has a substantially circular or elliptical shape. “Substantially parallel” generally refers not only to being exactly parallel, but also to having an absolute angular difference within 10 degrees (preferably within 5 degrees), and the same applies to the other parts of the present description.
Preferably the detachable applicator is attached to the roof by shape-locking. Preferably, the attachment mechanism comprises a snap peg to snap-fit the detachable applicator. Preferably, the snap peg is designed to snap-fit the detachable applicator and ensure the detachable applicator may be installed and uninstalled easily. Preferably, the attachment mechanism comprises at least one support element to support the detachable applicator. Thus, the detachable applicator is sufficiently fastened to ensure the detachable applicator would not undesirably fall off from the roof, for example when the cap is opened or closed, or the container comprising the closure is transported.
Preferably, the support element comprises at least two support pairs. Preferably, the snap peg is arranged substantially centrally between the first support pair and second support pair. Preferably snap peg and two support pairs located substantially along a straight line.
Preferably the snap peg comprises snap beam sitting perpendicular to the roof, a protruding member at the top and front of the snap beam to snap-fit with the detachable applicator. Preferably the snap peg comprises support member to support the snap beam.
Preferably, the detachable applicator has an elongate shape, and more preferably the detachable applicator is an elongate plate. Preferably the ratio of the length to the width of the detachable applicator is 1.5:1 to 10:1, more preferably 2:1 to 8:1, and even more preferably 3:1 to 6:1. Preferably, the ratio of the width to the thickness of the of the detachable applicator is 4:1 to 50:1, more preferably 8:1 to 25:1.
To enable the detachable applicator may be mounted conveniently, the detachable applicator preferably has substantially plane symmetry. More preferably the detachable applicator has substantially plane symmetry with respect to the horizontal plane. More preferably, the detachable applicator has substantially plane symmetry with respect to the vertical plane. Even more preferably the detachable applicator has substantially plane symmetry with respect to both horizontal plane and the vertical plane. Still even more preferably the detachable applicator has substantially threefold plane symmetry. The term “substantially plane symmetry” typically refers not only to being exactly plane symmetry, but also includes the situation that the object can be divided into two halves by a plane and at least 90% (preferably at least 95%, more preferably 99%) of the first half be a reflection of the other across the plane.
The detachable applicator has proximal side and distal side relatively to the roof. The proximal side and distal side of detachable applicator has substantially same contours as the portion of the roof where the proximal side sits. In such a way, the detachable applicator sits on the roof in a stable position from both sides. Therefore, the proximal side and distal side is convertible.
Preferably, the detachable applicator comprises at least two, more preferably at least four symmetric snap connectors wherein each of the snap connector is capable of snap-fitting the attachment mechanism. Preferably, the snap connectors are symmetrical with regards to the horizontal plane and/or the vertical plane. More preferably, the snap connectors are symmetrical with regards to the horizontal plane and the vertical plane. Such that the detachable applicator may be mounted from either direction or either side.
Preferably, the snap connectors are protrusions or depressions configured to snap-fit the attachment mechanism, particularly the snap peg of the attachment mechanism.
Preferably, the length of the detachable applicator is substantially same as that of the roof. The length of roof as used herein refers to the distance between the closest skirt along the direction along which the detachable applicator is sitting. Such that the detachable application may be attached in a relatively fixed position. Preferably, the thickness of the detachable applicator is substantially same as the distance between each support pairs. Such that the detachable applicator may be demounted very easily but would not falls down when the cap is in a closed position.
Preferably, the closure of the present invention comprises the cap and a fitment wherein the cap is pivotably connected to the fitment, preferably by a hinge.
Preferably the container of the present invention comprising a closure of the present invention and a container body. Preferably the open mouth of the container body is releasably secured by the closure. Preferably, the fitment is coupled with the open mouth of the container body.
Preferably the container is made of material polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, or mixtures thereof.
The container may be used to store any suitable viscous consumer product, for example personal care products including creams, moisturizers, conditioners, shampoos, facial cleansers, deodorants; home care products and food products. Preferably, the container used to store skin care and/or hair care products, more preferably leave-on products. The term “leave-on” as used with reference to products herein means a product that is applied to or rubbed on the skin and/or hair, and left thereon.
The following example is provided in
As illustrated in
The cap 1 comprises a peripheral skirt 12, a roof 11 extending inwardly from the top of peripheral skirt 12, an inner shirt 13 extending downwardly from the roof 11, and an attachment mechanism 2 arranged on the roof 11. Crescent shaped indentation 14, 15 faced each other are embossed into the top and bottom sides of roof 11. The detachable applicator 3 is attached to and perpendicular to the roof 11 by the attachment mechanism 2.
As shown in
As illustrated in
As shown in
When use, the user may open the cap and take the detachable applicator 3 easily. The detachable applicator 3 is employed to take the content, cosmetic, out from the container body 6. After application, the user may insert the detachable applicator 3 into the attachment mechanism 2 easily and conveniently, from either direction or either side.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2021/112379 | Aug 2021 | WO | international |
| 21196446.5 | Sep 2021 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/071650 | 8/2/2022 | WO |
