1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for holding cosmetics. More particularly, the invention relates to a cosmetic dispenser package having a pouch-like container portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Packaging arrangements for cosmetics, such as, for example, mascara, are often limited by design constraints that determine the shape of the product container and/or the material from which it is made. For example, in order for mascara product to be efficiently transferred onto an applicator inserted in the container, it is generally accepted that the dimensions and cross-sectional shape of the storage chamber should approximate those of the relatively long, cylindrical applicator typically found in mascara packages. For this reason, mascara containers generally have a relatively long cylindrical storage chamber. To avoid the use of excess packaging material, the external shape of the container generally closely approximates the shape and dimensions of the storage chamber. Also, the material from which a cosmetic container is made must generally be selected from one of a limited number of materials that are compatible with cosmetic products, e.g., glass, PE, PP, HDPE, POM, etc. The material should form a barrier that is impervious to escape of the product as well as impervious to contamination from external sources. However, packages having dimensions and made from materials most suitable from a functional and technical standpoint may not be as attractive or as appealing as packages having dimensions and made from materials that are functionally and technically less suitable.
This is particularly true in the cosmetics field, where the appearance and appeal of a package is often as important as the contents of the package. For example, in order to generate renewed consumer interest in a product, it is often desirable to change the appearance of the package by for example changing the shape or other esthetic qualities of the package, e.g., the material from which it is made. As a more specific example, it would be desirable to make a mascara package that has a unique shape, e.g., a pear shape. This is presently less practical because, if the shape of the product storage chamber approximates the external shape of the package, a significant quantity of product in the pear-shaped package would be inaccessible to the applicator brush because it would be too distant from the brush structure. Alternatively, if the shape of the storage chamber differs significantly from the external shape of the package, e.g., a cylindrical storage chamber in a pear-shaped package, substantial additional material would be required in the manufacture of the package to establish or to fill the void between the two shapes. While mascara packages are set forth herein as examples, the principles can be applied to the packages for other cosmetic products, including those that have design constraints less demanding than mascara packages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,946 to Morel discloses an applicator device for cosmetics including an envelope that may have a non-circular cross-section which houses a container with a circular cross-section. The threaded neck and wiper of the device are formed as part of the envelope structure. Thus the envelope must be formed from materials suitable for making a threaded neck and a wiper, e.g., plastic or rubber. Accordingly, the materials from which the envelope can be made are substantially limited. Furthermore, the relatively complex structure of the combined envelope and container would likely add significantly to the cost of manufacturing, assembling and filling the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,818 to Marinelli discloses a disposable multi-sampler and fitment. The sampler comprises a paquette made of a multi-layer film with the fitment sealing an open end of the paquette. An applicator is provided in the fitment by way of a very thin breakable seal. The fitment has a collar with two wings extending from either side of the collar. An opening in the paquette is secured about the collar such that film of the paquette encloses and is bonded to the collar and the wings. The wings are quite thin, approaching the thickness of the film. This arrangement is said to assist in sealing the collar to the container as the two pieces will behave similarly and provide a good seal as the sampler goes through heat and dwell during the preferred method of manufacturing. It is less clear from the description how thicker portions of the collar will behave as the sampler goes through heat and dwell during manufacture. Accordingly, during manufacture of this arrangement, thicker portions of the collar may present sealing characteristics different from the wings. Furthermore, a relatively acute inside corner is formed at the intersection of the thicker portion of the collar and the base of the thin wings. The acute inside corner at the intersection of the collar and the wings may also present sealing problems during manufacture. In addition, it appears that the very thin breakable seal would not be suitable for repeated re-sealing cycles associated with a durable package used over a longer period of time.
A container with applicator for liquid cosmetics is disclosed in Japanese patent publication 9117322. The Japanese publication discloses a cylindrical container body having a bag within the container body. A coupling with a neck part supports the bag in an opening in the container body. A cap and applicator combination is supported on the neck part such that the applicator extends into the bag. A pressure board is provided in a window in the container body. Make-up material in the bag is said to be made to adhere to the applicator by pushing on the bag with the pressure board. The coupling with the neck part appears to be cylindrical, so the opening in the bag would need to be precision fit, or the manufacturing process would need to be carefully monitored, in order to ensure a secure and impervious seal.
A container and applicator for a cosmetic product, e.g., mascara, is disclosed in French Patent No. 2733673. The container has a rigid tubular body open at one end, an applicator in an inner space, and a neck formed by an insert with a collar and a wiper. Product is held inside the container in a pouch with a flexible wall that is subject to atmospheric pressure when the applicator is in use. In most of the embodiments depicted in the figures, the pouch appears to be attached directly to the rigid tubular body of the container, or sandwiched between the rigid tubular body and the neck insert. As with the previously described art, the attachment of the flexible pouch to the tubular body would need to be precision fit, or the manufacturing process would need to be carefully monitored, in order to ensure a secure and impervious seal.
Due to their shortcomings, it may not be possible to make the foregoing structures in a cost effective, reliable, high-speed manufacturing process.
Accordingly, there is a need for a durable pouch-like cosmetic package that can be made simply, cost effectively, reliably and at high manufacturing speeds.
Disclosed is a cosmetic package comprising a pouch container defining a product storage chamber, a neck member with a passage to the storage chamber, a cap on the neck member to close the passage and an applicator wand extending from the cap through the passage into the storage chamber. The pouch container is securely and impermeably attached to the neck member by way of at least one pair of radially extending wedges. The wedges define opposite, outwardly directed semi-elliptical bonding surfaces on the neck member. A perimeter of an opening in the pouch container is fixedly attached to and forms an impervious seal with the bonding surfaces. A second end of the neck member opposite the first end has threads or other engaging means for receiving the cap. The passage from the first end to the second end of the neck member provides access through the neck member to product stored in the storage chamber.
The cap is cooperatively threaded or otherwise adapted to be received on the second end of the neck member such that the passage can be selectively opened and closed. An applicator wand has a proximal end connected to the cap and a distal end extending from the cap. The wand is dimensioned to be received in the passage and has a sufficient length to position the distal end of the wand within the storage chamber when the cap approaches the second end of the neck.
In addition, the package may be provided with means for creating a vacuum in the storage chamber. The means for creating a vacuum may, for example, take the form of an elastic annular ring, preferably in the form of an upwardly directed skirt, fixedly mounted about the wand and positioned at a location along a length of the wand corresponding to a point between first end and the second end of the neck when the cap is engaged on the second end. The ring has an outer dimension that is the same as or slightly larger than an inner dimension of the passage, and has a cross-sectional shape corresponding to that of the passage. The ring is configured and biased with respect to the passage such that compression in the chamber is released as the ring is pushed in the passage toward the chamber and a vacuum is generated in the chamber as the ring is withdrawn in the passage away from the chamber. This vacuum causes the pouch container to collapse a predetermined amount each time the wand is withdrawn from the passage. Other vacuum means are discussed in greater detail below.
The present invention is directed to a cosmetic package comprising a pouch container, a neck member, a cap and an applicator wand.
Referring now to
The container portion 24 includes a pouch container 30 and a neck member 28. The pouch container 30 defines a product storage chamber 34 (see
The pouch container 30 is essentially made by forming the sheet material 31 into a pouch or bag-like structure with the opening 32 at one end. The pouch container 30 may be made, for example, from two sheets of the material, each sheet either a single layer or multi-layer material. The two sheets are sealed on at least three edges, leaving an opening at one end 32. Alternatively, one sheet of material may be folded along one edge and sealed on at least two other edges to form a pouch with one open end. As another alternative, the pouch or bag structure may be formed from a tubular sheet stock, e.g., made by extrusion. The tubular stock is cut into sections and one end is sealed to form a pouch with one open end. Each of the foregoing methods lends itself well to high speed, highly automated formation processes, as well as processes such as a “form/fill/seal” processes wherein the pouch container 30 is formed, bonded or welded to the neck member 28, filled with product, and sealed with an applicator 10, wand 8 and cap 4 in one cooperative production process.
The preferred multi-layer laminate for forming the container pouch is a thin outer layer 37 of aluminum (about 12 microns) and a thin inner layer 39 of PE (polyethylene)(see
Ideally, the pouch container 30 is made on automated process machinery, and assembled with the other components of the package 2 on the same machinery. The neck member 28, cap 4, wand 8 and applicator 10 may be separately formed, and fed into the automated process machinery for assembly with the pouch container 30. During or after assembly, the package 2 may be filled with product and sealed in the same process machinery, e.g., “form/fill/seal” process machinery.
Preferably, the neck member 28 is made from a HDPE (high density polyethylene) although other moldable plastic materials may also be suitable, e.g., PP (polypropylene), POM (acetal), etc. The neck member 28 is preferably made by injection molding. As best shown in
To facilitate the secure attachment of the pouch container 30 on the neck member 28, the first end 36 of the neck member is provided with at least one pair of horizontal wedges 27, 29 each extending radially from an opposite side of the first end 36 (see
In the preferred embodiment, the neck member has three pairs of opposite wedges, 27, 29, 57, 59, and 67, 69, respectively, (as best illustrated in
The opening 32 of the pouch container 30 is fixedly attached to and forms an impervious seal with at least one of the pairs of semi-elliptical bonding surfaces 33 and 35, 83 and 85, or 93 and 95, and preferably with all three pairs of bonding surfaces. In addition to attaching to the bonding surfaces, portions of the opening of the pouch container may also attach to corresponding portions of the first end 36 adjacent to the bonding surfaces, or with structure that bridges the space between adjacent wedges, e.g., portions of the edges 41, 43 that connect adjacent wedges. Because the bonding surfaces 33, 35, 83, 85, 93 and 95 are semi-elliptical, and because they intersect at an acute angle at edges 41 and 43 respectively, the sheet material 31 forming the opening of the pouch container 30 may be bonded about the first end with no need to conform to acute angles, etc. In other words, the sheet material 31 of the pouch is able to transition smoothly about both sides of the first end 36 of the neck member and meet beyond the acute edges 41, 43 of the wedges (see
Because the sheet material 31 of the pouch transitions smoothly about the neck member on the semi-elliptical bonding surfaces, the size of the opening 32 of the pouch is less important than in prior art assemblies, and the location of the neck member in the opening is also less important. Essentially, the semi-elliptical bonding surfaces will form an impervious seal when placed anywhere between two layers of the sheet material. Thus, the opening in the pouch need not closely approximate the shape of the neck member as is the case with the prior art arrangements in order to attain an impervious adhesion. Any excess material bonds together beyond edges 41, 43 of the wedges. With the present arrangement, the smooth transition of the sheet material about the neck member on the semi-elliptical bonding surfaces allows for greater manufacturing tolerances before the pouch is secured to the neck member, yet consistently yields a reliable impervious bond, even at high manufacturing speeds. With the present arrangement, because any excess sheet material bonds together beyond the edges 41, 43 of the neck member, there is little chance that excess material will form a fold or overlap on the bonding surfaces of the neck member, thus yielding a leak. Furthermore, since the present arrangement does not present an acute inside corner on the bonding surfaces (as in the prior art construction), there is even less likelihood that a leak will form during manufacture. Accordingly, the structure of the present invention can be manufactured significantly more quickly, and with significantly less error or waste than previous cosmetic pouch packages. The added speed of manufacture and reduced waste translates directly into cost savings.
A passage 44 from the first end 36 to the second end 38 of the neck member 28 provides access through the neck member 28 to the product storage chamber 34. The second end 38 of the neck member 28 is provided with engaging means, e.g., threads 40, for receiving a closure member, i.e., the cap 4. The threads may be the same as those typically found on known mascara containers, e.g., 10 mm or 13 mm., or another suitable size. The cap 4 is provided with corresponding cooperative threads 42 on the inside (see
To assure that a pre-determined amount of cosmetic remains on the applicator 10 when it is withdrawn from the container 30, a wiper 45 (see
To facilitate the transfer of cosmetic product from the product storage chamber 34 onto the applicator 10, the package 2 is provided with vacuum means configured to draw air from the product storage chamber 34 to collapse the pouch container a predetermined amount each time the wand 8 is withdrawn from the passage 44. In its simplest form, the vacuum means may consist of the wiper 45 (see
Alternatively, the vacuum means may consist, for example, of an elastic annular ring 60 (see
In alternative embodiments shown in
In
The package is simple in design, cost effective to manufacture and assemble, may be pre-loaded with product, and is adaptable for a variety of different cosmetic package applications.
While the invention has been described and illustrated as embodied in preferred forms of construction, it will be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention recited in the following claims.
This is a continuation-in-part of commonly assigned application Ser. No. 09/910,296, filed Jul. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,548 which was allowed on Sep. 27, 2002, and which is incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
0 677 456 | Oct 1995 | EP |
2 733 673 | Nov 1996 | FR |
56-108806 | Aug 1981 | JP |
04-80881 | Jul 1992 | JP |
9117322 | May 1997 | JP |
2000253926 | Sep 2000 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20030172950 A1 | Sep 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 09910296 | Jul 2001 | US |
Child | 10361384 | US |