DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND DISPENSING A PRODUCT HAVING AN INTEGRATED COLLECTING MEMBER

The present invention relates to the general field of testing devices used with a packaging and dispensing device for testing a product liquid or semi-liquid product such as, a cosmetic product such as a hair product, and more particularly to hair-care product such as hair serum, hair coloring, hair oil, cream hair, or to product used for washing such as body wash, or to skin care product such as body or face cream, cleansing product or to any product used for hair-care or skin-care or a mixture before applying the whole product, container having a plurality of comb teeth designed to apply a product on a surface.

The expression “cosmetic product” is understood to mean a product as defined in Article 2 of Regulation No. 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 Nov. 2009.

Generally, in view of testing a product or a mixture before applying the whole product, for instance in order to detect a potential allergy of a user to this product or mixture, it is known to use a cotton swab or to add a distinct sampling member.

Referenced can be made to document US 2007/0180895-A1 which describes a packaging system having one container and a test device having the shape of a cotton swab.

However, those solutions for sampling a part of a product to be tested are not efficient.

One advantageous application of the invention is the use of the container for packaging cosmetic products, such as cosmetic products for dyeing human keratin fibers. Other advantageous applications of the invention may be the use of the container to store care products, adhesive products, polymer coatings, flavored liquids, etc.

One aim of the present invention is to provide a device for packaging at least one product of simple structure, easy to manufacture and having an integrated sampling member.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for packaging at least one product and dispensing at least said product on a surface, for example hair. Said device comprises at least one container delimiting a product cavity containing said at least one product and a closure configured to close a first dispensing orifice of the container in flow communication with the product cavity.

Said closure is provided with a collecting portion configured to collect the product contained in the product cavity.

There is thus not need to add a distinct collecting member or to use a cotton swab to test the product before the first use. The product may be collected and tested directly with the closure of the device.

Advantageously, the closure has a closure member suitable for closing the dispensing orifice of the container.

Said closure member may be tubular or may have any other shape suitable for closing said dispensing orifice.

For example, the closure member comprises the collecting portion.

The collecting portion may be formed on said closure member.

For example, the collecting portion is made through the thickness of the closure member.

In an embodiment, the closure member comprises a fastening element designed to cooperate with a complementary fastening element provide on the inner surface of the dispensing orifice.

The fastening element may be a quarter turn.

Alternatively, any other fastening element may be used to temporarily secure the dispensing closure in the dispensing orifice, such as a screw thread, a clipping mechanism, a snap fitting system, etc . . .

The collecting portion is, for example, at least one hole provided on the closure member, at a vicinity of its free end.

The hole may be a through-hole made through the thickness of the closure member.

It is also possible to provide a plurality of holes or through holes made on the closure member.

The hole may have a rectangular shape, a circular shape, a triangular, or any other shape suitable for collecting a part of the product contained in the cavity.

The hole allows to collect a part of the product contained in the container. The user may then test said collected part before using the whole product.

In another embodiment, the collecting portion comprises at least one axial groove.

For example, the axial groove is made in the thickness of the closure member.

The axial groove may extend axially on at least one part of the closure member.

Alternatively, the axial groove may extend axially on the whole length of the closure member, from the free end of the closure member to the fastening element 64a.

The collecting portion may comprise a plurality of axial grooves.

Said plurality of axial grooves may be regularly spaced apart on the whole circumference of the closure member.

Alternatively, said plurality of axial grooves may be unregularly spaced apart on the whole circumference of the closure member.

The axial grooves may have the same axial length or different axial lengths.

The axial grooves allow to collect a part of the product contained in the container. The user may then test said collected part before using the whole product.

In an embodiment, the sampling portion comprises at least one annular groove.

For example, the annular groove is made in the thickness of the closure member.

The annular groove may extend over at least one part of the circumference of the closure member.

Alternatively, the annular groove may extend over the whole circumference of the closure member.

the collecting portion may comprise a plurality of annular grooves.

Said plurality of annular grooves may be axially regularly spaced apart of the closure member extending from a free end of said closure member to the fastening element 84a.

Alternatively, said plurality of annular grooves may be unregularly spaced apart on the whole axial length of the closure member.

The annular grooves may have the same axial width or different axial width.

In an embodiment not shown on the figures, it is possible to provide a groove having a plurality of annular portions separated by a solid portion.

The annular groove allows to collect a part of the product contained in the container. The user may then test said extracted part before using the whole product.

The closure may comprise a handling element having a gripper and a body extending from the gripper.

The body is, for example, tubular and is, for example, provided with a sealing annular flange at an end opposite to the gripper.

In an embodiment, the device comprises an application member mounted on the at least one container having at least two rows of elastically deformable application teeth arranged on both side of the dispensing closure and extending outwardly from said at least one container, said application teeth being each inclined towards the longitudinal axis of the first dispensing orifice, and at least a plurality of teeth of the said rows of teeth are deformed in a stressed position by the contact with the dispensing closure and configured to return elastically in a rest position when the dispensing closure is removed, in said rest position, the teeth are more inclined towards the longitudinal axis of the first dispensing orifice then in the stressed position.

At least a plurality of teeth of the two rows of teeth are deformed in a stressed position by the contact with the dispensing closure and are configured to return elastically in a second position which correspond to the rest position of the teeth when the dispensing closure is removed.

In the rest position, the teeth are more inclined towards the longitudinal axis of the first dispensing orifice than in the stressed position.

In other words, the teeth are thus capable, from the material used and/or their dimension, to be deformed under a slight solicitation, for example by the dispensing closure, or by the user during the application on an application surface such as the hair, and to return to their initial position when no solicitation is exerted on the teeth.

Elastically deformable inclined teeth allow good retention and restitution of the product to be dispensed. Indeed, the distribution of the product is easily controlled by the inclined teeth.

During transport and before the first use, when the dispensing closure is located between the teeth, the teeth are deformed in the stressed position in which the teeth in contact with the dispensing closure form a first angle with the longitudinal axis.

In the rest position, the teeth form a second angle with the longitudinal axis. The second angle is bigger than the first angle.

Advantageously, the application teeth extend transversally beyond the first dispensing orifice.

The teeth may have the shape of a straight rod.

For example, the free ends of the teeth are not in contact in the rest position.

Advantageously, the application member comprises a cover having an opening for the dispensing closure.

Each tooth may have a base section connected to the cover and a free end opposite to the base section and wherein each tooth is capable of flexing around the junction with its base section and the cover.

For example, the application member comprises four rows of teeth arranged two by two on each side of the dispensing closure.

The rows of teeth may be parallel to each other.

Advantageously, the teeth of two adjacent rows of teeth are in a staggered arrangement, in such a way that when the four rows are pushed towards the central axis of the device, their free ends only form two rows of teeth. In other words, when the rows of teeth are brought towards the central axis of the device, the free end of teeth of a first row fit between the free ends of teeth of the second row and the free ends of teeth of a third row fit between the free ends of teeth of the fourth row.

The staggered arrangement of the teeth allows a zig-zag distribution of the product to be dispensed.

Each tooth may have a triangular cross section, which may decrease continuously, on at least a part of its length, towards its free end.

The teeth may be made in a flexible deformable and capable of bouncing back material, such as a thermoplastic, for example a low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or any material capable of being elastically deformed.

The cover may be made in a thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Nylon or any material stiffer than the teeth.

In an embodiment, the device comprises a second container delimiting a second product cavity containing a second product and separated from the first product cavity, said containers being capable of rotating one relative to the other without moving axially.

Said device may further comprise a temporary closing member configured to close an opened end of the upper container before the first use, and comprising a cylindrical skirt surrounding said opened end and a plug connected to said cylindrical skirt, said cylindrical skirt being provided, on its inner cylindrical surface, with inner threads cooperating with outer threads provided on the upper container and on its outer cylindrical surface, with first anti-rotation means cooperating with second anti-rotation means provided on the lower container for preventing rotation between the closing member and the lower container, the closing member being deprived from any axially retaining members with both containers, such that when the upper container is rotated in a first rotation direction, the closing member translates downwardly until falling into the first product cavity.

The present invention will be better understood from studying the detailed description of an embodiment considered by way of a non-limiting example and illustrated by the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section view along line II-II of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross view along line III-III of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a device of FIG. 1, after removal of an end closure;

FIG. 5 is an upper view of the device of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 to 8 show details of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a cross view of a lower container of the device of FIG. 1, showing anti-rotation means;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a closing member of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 shows the device of FIG. 1 in an opened position of an upper container after rotation of the upper container in a first rotation direction;

FIG. 12 is a cross section view of a device according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 13 to 15 show different embodiments of the end closure of the device of FIG. 12.

FIGS. 1 to 11 show an example of a device for packaging two products separately and dispensing a mixture M of those two products on first use, denoted by the general reference number 10.

The device 10 may be used for packaging two cosmetic products A and B, for example two liquid or semi-liquid cosmetic products, or a liquid product and a powder. For example, the products may be hair products, such as, hair-care products, for example, hair dye, cream hair or the any product used for hair. However, it might be possible to provide the packaging and dispensing of other types of products. The device 10 is suited for one application products. By way of example, the first product A is an oxidative colorant and the second product is an oxidant agent B which when mixed together to make a mixture M forms a hair dye.

The device 10 may also be used for packaging other types of cosmetics products such as skin care products, or other types of products like food products, such as flavoured liquids, or any products that may be kept separated during transport and storage, such as adhesive products, polymer coatings, etc.

However, the device 10 may also be used for packaging and dispensing only one single product.

The device 10 extends along a longitudinal axis X-X′ assumed to be vertical on the Figures. The device 10 comprises a lower container 12 and an upper container 14 that are capable of turtling one relative to the other about said longitudinal axis X-X′.

When used to package and dispense only one product, the device may comprise only the upper container 14 and not the lower container 12, or the both containers, but the upper container act like a dispensing member.

The lower container 12 has the shape of a bottle having an elongated body along the longitudinal axis provided with a closed lower end 16 forming a bottom and an upper end 18 forming a neck provided with an opening 20, opposite the lower end 16, allowing access to the internal cavity 22 containing the first product A.

In the embodiment illustrated, the neck 18 has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the body of the lower container 12 and comprises, on its outer surface, two outer annular shoulders 18a delimiting an annular groove 18b. The body of the lower container 12 may be made, for example, of rigid plastic material.

The upper container 14 is in the form of a cap and comprises a central dispensing chimney or duct 24 containing the second product B having an upper portion shaped with a dispensing closure 26 and a lower end provided with an opening 28, opposite to the dispensing closure 26, and allowing access to an internal cavity 24a of the duct 24 containing the second product B.

The dispensing closure 26 is designed to be broken for first use in order to open a dispensing orifice 24b in flow communication with the internal cavity 24a.

In the embodiments shown on FIGS. 1 to 10, the dispensing closure 26 is frangible. Alternatively, the dispensing closure 26 may be unscrewed or teared off or pealed from the duct 24.

As illustrated, the end of the duct 24 is provided with notches 26a in order to easily separate the dispensing closure 26 from the duct 24. A plurality of notches 26a may be located circumferentially around the duct 24 and spaced apart from each other. Alternatively, a single notch 26a may be provided around the duct 24.

The dispensing closure 26 may be provided with a plug (not shown) opposite to the notches 26a designed to be inserted in the dispensing orifice 24b after the dispensing closure 26 is broke off from the duct 24. The dispensing closure 26 is thus repositionable and may close the dispensing orifice after use.

The dispensing duct 24 is surrounded by an assembly skirt 30 provided on its radially inner surface with an annular bead 30a cooperating with the annular groove 18b of the lower container 12 by snap-fit attachment, such that the upper container 14 is held axially relative to the lower container 12, while allowing a rotating movement one relative to the other.

The upper container 14 has an annular sealing lip 32 extending substantially along the longitudinal axis X-X′ down into an annular channel 14a formed between the dispensing chimney 24 and the assembly skirt 30. The sealing lip 32 is annular and bears closely against the radially inside surface of a portion 18c of the neck 18, which surface is annular, thereby providing sealing between the lower container 12 and the upper container 14.

Advantageously, the annular sealing lip 32 of the upper container 14 is configured to be elastically deformed in the radial direction against the sealing portion 18c of the neck 18 when inserting the dispensing duct 24 of the upper container 14 in the neck 18 of the lower container 12.

In particular, the sealing portion 18c of the neck 18 comprises a slope extending inwardly in the radial direction from an upper portion 18d of the neck, this slope assisting the elastic deformation of the annular sealing lip 32 of the upper container 14 when this latter is assembled on the lower container 12.

Advantageously, the upper portion 18d of the neck 18 of the lower container 12 has an inner diameter that is bigger than the outer diameter of the annular sealing lip 32 of the upper container 14. Therefore, the risk that the opened end of the neck 18 of the lower container 12 and the annular sealing lip 32 be damaged by mutual contact when the upper container 14 is assembled on the lower container 12 is lowered.

The sealing portion 18c is located axially away from the opened end of the neck 18 and is thus not subjected to degradation when the lower container is carried by its neck and/or when the upper container 14 is assembled on the lower container 12.

The sealing portion 18c has a c-shape in cross section, which allows said sealing portion 18c to be elastically deformed when inserting the dispensing chimney 24 of the upper container 14 in the neck 18 of the lower container 12. Such a particular shape increases radial interference between the sealing portion 18c and the sealing lip 32. The airtightness of the device 10 is thus increased.

The upper portion 18d of the neck 18 is configured to guide the upper container 14 until the assembly skirt 30 of the dispensing chimney 24 cooperates by snap-fit attachment with the lower container 12.

As illustrated, the upper container 14 further comprises an application member 40 mounted on the dispensing chimney 24 and comprising a cover 42 mounted on the upper end of the dispensing chimney 24 and a plurality of application teeth 44 extending outwardly from said cover 42.

The cover 42 comprises an opening 42a for the dispensing closure 26.

As a non-limiting example, the application member 40 comprises four rows 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d of application teeth 44 each inclined towards the flow path of the product to be dispensed.

Alternatively, the application member 40 may comprise only two rows of application teeth 44 or more than four.

All teeth 44 are inclined towards the central longitudinal axis X-X′ of the device 10.

Each tooth 44 has a base section connected to the cover 42 and a free end opposite to the base section.

Each tooth 44 is elastically deformable and capable of flexing around the junction with its base section and the cover 42.

In other words, the teeth are thus capable, from the material used and/or their dimension, to be deformed under a slight solicitation, for example by the dispensing closure 26, or by the user during the application on an application surface such as the hair and/or the scalp, and to return to their initial position when no solicitation is exerted on the teeth.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, during transport and before the first use, the dispensing orifice 24b of the upper container 14 is closed off by the dispensing closure 26, which is located between the application teeth 44. The rows of the plurality of teeth 44 are thus arranged two by two on each side of the dispensing closure 26. The rows 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d of the plurality of teeth 44 are parallel to each other.

As illustrated on FIG. 5, the teeth 44 of two adjacent rows of teeth 44a, 44b; 44c, 44d are in a staggered arrangement, in such a way that when the four rows are pushed towards the axis X-X′ of the dispensing orifice 24b, their free ends only form two rows of teeth 44. In other words, when the rows of teeth are brought towards the axis X-X′ of the dispensing orifice 24b, the free ends of teeth 44 of a first row 44a fit between the free ends of teeth 44 of the second row 44b and the free ends of teeth 44 of a third row 44c fit between the free ends of teeth 44 of the fourth row 44d.

During transport and before the first use, when the dispensing closure 26 is located between the teeth 44, the teeth 44 of the second and the fourth rows 44b, 44d of teeth are stressed mechanically in a first position in which the teeth 44 in contact with the dispensing closure 26 form a first angle al with the longitudinal axis.

When the dispensing closure 26 is removed, the teeth 42 of the second and the fourth rows 44b, 44d of teeth that were in contact with the dispensing closure 26 are flexed automatically in a second position which correspond to the rest position of the teeth. In this rest position, the teeth of the second and the fourth rows 44b, 44d of teeth form a second angle α2 with the longitudinal axis. The second angle is bigger than the first angle.

In this rest position, the free end of the teeth of the second and the fourth rows 44b, 44d of teeth are in the flow path of the product to be dispensed.

Elastically deformable inclined teeth 44 allow good retention and restitution of the product to be dispensed. Indeed, the distribution of the product is easily controlled by the inclined teeth 44.

Furthermore, the staggered arrangement of the teeth 44 allows a zig-zag distribution of the product to be dispensed.

Each tooth 44 has a triangular cross section. The cross section of each tooth may decrease continuously, on at least a part of its length, towards its free end.

As illustrated, the application teeth extend transversally beyond the first dispensing orifice, and the teeth have the shape of a straight rod.

The free ends of the teeth are not in contact in the rest position.

The teeth 44 are made in a flexible deformable and capable of bouncing back material, such as a thermoplastic, for example a low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or any material capable of being elastically deformed.

The cover 42 and/or the upper container 14 may be made in a thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Nylon or any material stiffer than the teeth 44.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, during transport and before the first use, a temporary closing member 50. In the example illustrated, the closing member 50 is a lid that is able to be screwed, in a sealed manner, onto an outer thread 28a provided on the outer surface of the lower end 28 of the dispensing chimney 24, between the dispensing chimney 24 and the inner surface of the neck 18.

The closing member 50 comprises a cylindrical skirt 52 and a plug 54 connected to said skirt 52. The cylindrical skirt 52 extends radially between the neck 18 of the lower container 12 and the lower end 28 of the dispensing chimney 24 of the upper container 14.

The cylindrical skirt 52 is provided on its inner cylindrical surface with inner threads 42a cooperating with the outer thread 28a of the dispensing chimney 24.

The cylindrical skirt 52 is further provided on its outer cylindrical surface with outer longitudinal ribs 52b regularly spaced apart on the whole circumference of the cylindrical skirt 52. Said outer longitudinal ribs 52b cooperate with inner longitudinal ribs 18e provided on the inner circumferential surface of the neck 18, such that the closing member 50 is prevented from rotating relative to the lower container 12.

As illustrated and in a non-limiting example, the outer longitudinal ribs 52b extend axially beyond the upper surface of the cylindrical skirt 52.

In the example shown, the outer diameter of the plug 54 is larger than the outer diameter of the opened end 28 of the dispensing chimney 24.

The cylindrical skirt 52 and the lower container 12 may be provided with anti-rotation means having a different shape than longitudinal ribs. Generally, the cylindrical skirt 52 and the lower container 12 are provided with anti-rotation means for preventing the closing member 50 from rotating relative to the lower container 12.

The upper surface of the plug 54 comprises a first annular sealing lip 54a axially extending towards the upper container 14 and having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower opened end 28 of the dispensing chimney 24 in order to be inserted into said dispensing chimney 24 and to close it in a sealed manner.

The upper surface of the plug 54 comprises a second annular sealing lip 54b extending axially in an annular groove 28b provided at the end of the lower opened end 28.

As illustrated, the second sealing lip 54b has an axial length smaller than the axial length of the first sealing lip 54a.

Adding a second sealing lip increase airtightness of the upper container 14.

The plug 54 is connected by a bridge of hinge-forming material 54c and by links or bonds of breakable material 54d to the cylindrical skirt 52. In the embodiment shown on the Figures, there are seven links of breakable material 54d regularly spaced apart on the circumference of the plug 54. It could be possible to provide a number of breakable links 54d different than seven. For example, the plug 54 is connected to the cylindrical skirt 52 by a bridge of hinge-forming material 54c and by at least one breakable link 54d.

As shown, the plug 54 comprises a plurality of axially projecting bars or blocks 54e provided on the lower surface of the plug 54, opposite to the upper surface of the plug 54 having the annular sealing lips 54a, 54b. The axially projecting blocks 54e are disposed circumferentially on the lower surface of the plug 54 and are regularly spaced apart from each other.

As illustrated on FIG. 9, there are four blocks 44e. However, the number of blocks 54e is not limited to four and may be for example equal to one, two or three, or higher than four.

The blocks 54e are disposed on a diameter of the plug 54 substantially equal to the diameter of the dispensing chimney 24, so that when the closing member 50 is dropped in the lower container 12, the blocks 54e avoid obstructing the opened lower end 28 of the dispensing chimney 24.

It is also possible to provide a closing member without axially projecting blocks 54e and/or without breakable links 54d and bridge 54c.

In a non-limited example, the first rotation direction may be a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

The device 10 is assembled as follows.

The upper container 14 is filled with the second product B and the closing member 50 is screwed onto the dispensing chimney 24 until the plug 54 bears axially against the opened end 28 of said dispensing chimney 24.

The upper container 14 is fitted in a simple translation movement along the longitudinal axis X-X′ on the lower container 12 which has been previously filled with the first product A, until the assembly skirt 30 of the upper container 14 snap-fasten onto the neck 18 of the lower container 12.

In order to put the inner volume 24a of the upper container 14 in flow communication with the inner volume 22 of the lower container 12 on first use of the device 10, the user turns the upper container 14 relative to the lower container 12 in a first rotation direction F1, as shown on FIG. 10, causing the closing member 50 to translate downwardly along the longitudinal axis X-X′ compared to the lower container 12 until falling into the inner volume 22 of said lower container 12.

As illustrated on FIG. 10, and in a non-limited example, the first rotation direction F1 is a counter-clockwise direction. The first rotation direction could also be a clockwise direction.

In this embodiment, once the closing member 50 is in the inner volume 22 of the lower container 12, said closing member acts as a stirring member for the mixture M comprising the first and second products A, B by twist and shaking movements of the device 10.

The user then breaks the frangible dispensing closure 26 for using the device 10 and dispensing the resulting mixture M contained in the lower container 12 through the dispensing chimney 24 and the dispensing orifice 24b.

The lower container 12 may be processed with injection blow molding process. The lower container 12 is made for example in polymer material, such as thermoplastic material. The lower container 12 is, for example, injection molded onto a preform core consisting of the container neck with a thick tube of polymer material attached. The preform core has longitudinal outer ribs which will form the anti-rotation longitudinal ribs 18e provided on the inner circumferential surface of the neck 18 when compressed air is filled into the preform for inflating the thick tube into the bottle shape of the lower container.

The longitudinal anti-rotation ribs 18e are thus manufactured directly during injection blow molding process of the lower container 12.

When the user rotates the upper container in a second rotation direction F2, as shown on FIG. 12, the closing member 50 translates upwardly until the breakable links 54c are broken by force causing the plug 54 to pivot around the bridge of hinge-forming material 54b and the second product B to flow towards the inner cavity 22 of the lower container 12.

As illustrated on FIG. 12, and in a non-limited example, the second rotation direction F2 is a clockwise direction. The second rotation direction F2 could also be a counter-clockwise direction as in FIG. 10.

The user further may rotate the upper container 14 in a rotation direction opposite to the second rotation direction F2, in order to translates the closing member 50 downwardly until falling into the inner cavity 22 of the lower container 12. (not shown on the Figures)

In this embodiment, the user may open the dispensing chimney 24 by rotating the upper container 14 in both rotation directions.

When using the device 10, in case the closing member 50 comes in front of the opened lower end 28 of the dispensing chimney 24, said closing member 50 will bear against said lower end 28 with its blocks 54e, thus allowing the mixture M contained in the lower container 12 to flow between the blocks 54e in the upper container 14 when turning said device 10 upside-down.

The embodiment as shown on FIG. 13, in which the same elements bear the same references, differ from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 12 only by the shape of the dispensing closure.

As illustrated on FIG. 13, the dispensing closure 60 is configured to close the dispensing orifice 24b.

The dispensing closure 60 comprises a handling element 62 having a gripper 62a and a body 62b extending from the gripper 62a. As illustrated, the body 62b is tubular and is provided with a sealing annular flange 62c at an end opposite to the gripper 62a.

The closure 60 further comprises a closure member 64 suitable for closing the dispensing orifice 24b of the upper container 14. Said closure member 64 is tubular. Alternatively, said closure member 64 may have any other shape as long as it is configured to close the dispensing orifice 24b.

As illustrated on FIG. 13, the closure member 64 comprises a fastening element 64a designed to cooperate with a complementary fastening element provided on the inner surface of the dispensing orifice 24b. Fastening element 64a is here a quarter turn. Alternatively, any other fastening element may be used to temporarily secure the dispensing closure 60 in the dispensing orifice 24b, such as a screw thread, a clipping mechanism, etc . . .

The closure member 64 further comprises a through-hole 66 at a vicinity of its free end, opposite to the handling element 62.

The through-hole 66 is made through the thickness of the closure member 64.

Alternatively, the through-hole 66 may be a hole not through the thickness of the closure member 64.

It is also possible to provide a plurality of through holes made through or not the thickness of the closure member 64.

As illustrated, the through-hole 66 has a rectangular shape. Alternatively, the through-hole 66 may have a circular shape, a triangular, or any other shape suitable for collecting a part of the product contained in the cavity.

The closure 60, and especially the through-hole 66 act as a collecting member for extracting a part of the product contained in the upper container 14, or the mixture M contained in the lower container 12. The user may then test said extracted part before using the whole product.

There is thus not need to add a distinct collecting member or to use a cotton swab to test the product before the first use.

The embodiment as shown on FIG. 14, in which the same elements bear the same references, differ from the embodiment of FIG. 13 only by the shape of the collecting member of the dispensing closure.

As illustrated on FIG. 14, the closure 70 is configured to close the dispensing orifice 24b.

The closure 70 comprises a handling element 72 having a gripper 72a and a body 72b extending from the gripper 72a. As illustrated, the body 72b is tubular and is provided with a sealing annular flange 72c at an end opposite to the gripper 72a.

The dispensing closure 70 further comprises a closure member 74 suitable for closing the dispensing orifice 24b of the upper container 14. Said closure member 74 is tubular. Alternatively, said closure member 74 may have any other shape as long as it is configured to close the dispensing orifice 24b.

As illustrated on FIG. 14, the closure member 74 comprises a fastening element 74a designed to cooperate with a complementary fastening element provided on the inner surface of the dispensing orifice 24b. Fastening element 74a is here a screw thread of a quarter turn. Alternatively, any other fastening element may be used to temporarily secure the dispensing closure 70 in the dispensing orifice 24b.

The closure member 74 further comprises at its free end, opposite the handling element 72, a collecting member 76 comprising a plurality of axial grooves 76a. Alternatively, the collecting member 76 may comprises only one axial groove.

For example, the axial grooves 76a are made through the thickness of the closure member 74.

As illustrated, the axial grooves 76a extend axially on whole length of the closure member 74, from the free end of said closure member 74 to the fastening element 74a. Alternately, the axial grooves 76a may extend axially on at least one part of the closure member 74.

As illustrated, said plurality of axial grooves 76a are regularly spaced apart on the whole circumference of the closure member 74.

However, alternatively, said plurality of axial grooves 76a may be unregularly spaced apart on the whole circumference of the closure member 74.

The axial grooves 76a may have the same axial length or different axial lengths.

The dispensing closure 70, and especially the grooves 76a act as for extracting a part of the product contained in the upper container 14, or the mixture M contained in the lower container 12. The user may then test said extracted part before using the whole product.

There is thus not need to add a distinct sampling member or to use a cotton swab to test the product before the first use.

The embodiment as shown on FIG. 15, in which the same elements bear the same references, differ from the embodiment of FIG. 14 only by the shape of the collecting member of the dispensing closure.

As illustrated on FIG. 15, the closure 80 is configured to close the dispensing orifice 24b. The closure 80 comprises a handling element 82 having a gripper 82a and a body 82b extending from the gripper 82a. As illustrated, the body 82b is tubular and is provided with a sealing annular flange 82c at an end opposite to the gripper 82a.

The closure 80 further comprises a closure member 84 suitable for closing the dispensing orifice 24b of the upper container 14. Said closure member 84 is tubular. Alternatively, said closure member 84 may have any other shape as long as it is configured to close the dispensing orifice 24b.

As illustrated on FIG. 15, the closure member 84 comprises a fastening element 84a designed to cooperate with a complementary fastening element provided on the inner surface of the dispensing orifice 24b. Fastening element 84a is here a screw thread of a quarter turn. Alternatively, any other fastening element may be used to temporarily secure the closure 80 in the dispensing orifice 24b.

The closure member 84 further comprises at its free end, opposite the handling element 82, a collecting member 86 comprising a plurality of annular grooves 86a. Alternately, the collecting member 86 may comprises only one annular groove 86a.

As illustrated, the annular grooves 86a are made through the thickness of the closure member 84.

The annular grooves 86a extend over the whole circumference of the closure member 84. Alternatively, the annular grooves 86a may extend at least one part of the circumference of the closure member 84.

Said plurality of annular grooves 86a are axially regularly spaced apart on the length closure member 84 and extend from a free end of said closure member 84 to the fastening element 84a.

Alternatively, said plurality of annular grooves 86a may be unregularly spaced apart on the whole axial length of the closure member 84.

The annular grooves 86a may have the same axial width or different axial width.

In an embodiment not shown on the figures, it is possible to provide a groove having a plurality of annular portions separated by a solid portion.

The closure 80, and especially the grooves 86a allows to collect/extract at least a part of the product contained in the upper container 14, or the mixture M contained in the lower container 12. The user may then test said extracted part before using the whole product.

There is thus not need to add a distinct collecting member or to use a cotton swab to test the product before the first use.

Thanks to the device according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a device for packaging one or two separate products of simple structure, easy to manufacture having an integrated collecting member.

DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND DISPENSING A PRODUCT HAVING AN INTEGRATED COLLECTING MEMBER

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