This invention relates to a dispenser, in particular the application end of the dispenser, for applying a cream product from a squeeze tube.
This product is for the dispensation of a liquid, cream, or paste from a squeeze tube. Its best mode of use is as a nipple cream applicator. Nursing mothers often apply cream to their nipples to protect sensitive skin during breastfeeding. Conventionally, a mother applies nipple ointment with her fingers. If she does not wash her hands properly, this can cause an eruption or infection, which can be transferred to the nursing infant. Nipple cream ointment is sticky and water resistant, making it hard to clean from the fingers. Common makeshift applicators include paper towels and cotton swabs. There is no known product dedicated to nipple cream application.
Several patents disclose applicators for liquids, creams, or pastes from squeeze tubes. None of them are specifically designed for nipple cream application, which has certain design requirements.
Stanley Lowen (U.S. Pat. No. 2,197,052) discloses a combination squeeze tube and applicator pad, which is all integrated into one unit. The applicator pad has a slit, which is a narrow opening extending from the opening of the tube to the surface of the pad. When the tube is squeezed, material from the tube flows through the slit and onto the pad. Because the applicator is integrated with the squeeze tube, it is not reusable. After the tube is empty, the whole assembly must be discarded and replaced with a new one. Lowen does not use a cap, and in fact he argues against one: “A separate closure cap or element is not necessary.” (Column 2 lines 19-24).
Bengston (U.S. Pat. No. 2,474,969) provides an applicator member separable from and attachable to a squeeze tube. The applicator is fitted with internal threads, which engage with outer threads on the neck of the squeeze tube. The applicator is topped with a plastic or rubber flange. When the tube is squeezed, its contents are released through a slit (“outlet”) into a “concave face” on the exterior of the flange. Product is then applied from the concave face reservoir to the skin. A separate item disclosed in this patent is the closure means, which is placed over the applicator component when the product is not in use. A stem with enlargement protrudes through the outlet to keep the tube airtight. A first disadvantage of this product is the absence of a pad. A hard plastic or rubbery surface is not comfortable on nipples. A second disadvantage is that the closure means is not attached to the applicator member. Handling two separate components requires both hands, and the components are more susceptible to loss than if integrated.
An airtight-seal cap attached to the dispenser is disclosed in LoTurco (U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,906). This product includes a cap retaining ring for securing the device to a squeeze tube for dispensation, and a cap for sealing the tube when not in use. The cap is attached to the cap retaining ring with an “integral living hinge.” The invention as disclosed in LoTurco is envisioned as a dispenser for liquids such as contact lens cleaning solutions. It does not offer any kind of padding for sensitive tissue or for distributing cream product over skin.
Other patents, as disclosed in this patent application, combine features of the products above.
What is needed is an applicator that is not integrated with a squeeze tube but is adapted to attach to one, with a soft pad for dispensing cream to the skin, sealed by a cap that is attached to the applicator.
This invention provides an applicator for applying a cream product from a squeeze tube dispenser onto skin. In its best mode, it is envisioned as an applicator for nipple cream.
In alternative embodiments, the invention may include a squeeze tube or may constitute an applicator adapted to fit onto a squeeze tube. The applicator has attachment means for securing the applicator to a squeeze tube. The attachment means may take the form of screw threads or snap-and-lock tabs. The invention has a lower base, which assists in retaining the invention on a squeeze tube.
The cream product from the squeeze tube is directed through a dispensing neck and then through a slit in a soft pad. The pad is useful for spreading cream evenly onto skin cleanly and comfortably.
A cap forms a tight seal with the lower base to protect the pad and the contents of the tube. The cap may be attached to the lower base with a connector. Alternatively, the cap may be attached to a suction cup, holding it in place so that the squeeze tube and pad may be quickly inserted or removed from the cap.
This invention relates primarily to a dispenser 101 that is adapted for use with a squeeze tube 1 for dispensing products such as nipple cream.
A clear exterior view of the dispenser is afforded in
The pad is attached to, and supported by, a base 20 made of a rigid (ideally plastic) material. The base is revealed in
A cap 3 fits over the pad 2 to protect the pad and the cream contents of the tube. When the product is not being used to dispense cream, the cap is closed to help preserve the contents of the squeeze tube. The cap has a cap rim 7, which contacts the base rim 8 when the cap is closed (see
For ease of opening, the cap has a thumb flap 4. When the user is ready to use the product, she may push up on thumb flap 4 and then dispense the product with the same hand. At no time does she need to touch the nipple cream or use both hands to fumble with the cap.
For further protection, cleanliness, and efficiency, a seal 11 is mounted to the cap 3. The seal is positioned so that it seals the slit 5 when the cap is closed.
The base 20 has a hollow interior space 15, which accommodates the squeeze tube 1. The hollow interior space 15 is best seen in
The upper end of the hollow interior space 15 is a dispensing neck 17, best seen in cross-sectional
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2197502 | Lowen | Apr 1940 | A |
2474969 | Bengtson | Jul 1949 | A |
2557221 | Gazda | Jun 1951 | A |
2961679 | Claypool | Nov 1960 | A |
3075229 | Rufo | Jan 1963 | A |
3135007 | Howell | Jun 1964 | A |
4594015 | Pomares | Jun 1986 | A |
4739906 | LoTurco | Apr 1988 | A |
4940350 | Kim | Jul 1990 | A |
4998838 | Cancelosa | Mar 1991 | A |
6305864 | Nguyen | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6913407 | Greer | Jul 2005 | B2 |
7513707 | Eggleden | Apr 2009 | B2 |
20030077383 | Greer | Apr 2003 | A1 |
20080003052 | Lee | Jan 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20200071033 A1 | Mar 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62754162 | Nov 2018 | US |