IE60043B1 - Packaging vessel for liquid products - Google Patents

Abstract

Packaging vessel for liquid products, comprising a removable dispensing unit covering the said vessel, the said dispensing unit being characterized by the combination of three components: a) a first component (2), known per se, surrounding the mouth of the vessel (1) and permanently attached to the latter, the said first component comprising means for pouring the liquid, especially in the form of a spout or a beak (3); b) a second component (4) removably attached to the first component (2) in order to close the mouth in the closed position and to free the pouring means in the open position, then enabling the liquid to be evacuated and; c) a dispensing and/or distributing third component (5) removably attached to the second component. u

Description

Tbe present invent ion belongs io tbe field of packaging liquid detergent products for machine washing of linen.

Xt will first of all be pointed out that tbe Applicant Company is already tbe bolder or tbe assign®» of a number ef patent applications which nay be mentioned by way of reference in order to illustrate the state of the . art,.

Thus, the subject of FR-A-2 563 250 is especialiy a device which can, in general, be refilled, which is first of all filled with the liquid detergent and then placed in the drum of the machine with the linen to be washed. The detergent contained in the devise spreads gradually in tbe washing medium and into tbe linen which is present in tbe machine. In one eabodiment, tbe devise comprises a filler neck and vents for releasing tbe liquid to tbe linen during washing.

Tbe subject of - FR-A-2 570 720 is a device of the above kind which is sore particularly charasterized in that it is in an essentially spherical form. Sn one embediment, the device comprises a body and an attached unit equipped with a central filler neck which may be present in tbe form of a col aan sinking into the body. A nuober of openings enable the liquid ta be filled or dispensed and/or distributed.

The subject ©f FR-A-2 579 956 is a vessel comprising « removable dispensing unit cooper®! ing with fcne stopping device with which the vessel is equipped in the usual manner. Advantageously so serves as the distribtor according to the the fcw© patent applications mentioned above» this dispensing devise a Icachings ©f Λ number of aients are desert order to iUustrite the re· movable attachaent of the dispensing and distributing devise to the vessel containing the liquid product. Thus, although the vessel has the general appearance ©f a bottle with a neck, the upper part of which carries a stopper , the dispensing and distributing device may be brought by various means to cooperate with the neck and/or the Stopper. The subject of EP-A--216 415 is an improve15 eent of the dispensing and distributing device mentioned above, the filler neck of which eosprises a colusn sinking int© the body ©f the said device. According to this •amproveoent, u £ i n a the Ii the column used for dispensing and distrib· so serves as the support, preventing o this end, th® solumrn ©f the body opposite any crushing of the device, extends substantially to the wal t© its opening.

As relevant prior document, there may also be mentioned EP-A-0 10S 704 which describes a packaging vessel for liquid products, the mouth of which comprises means for pouring, especially in the form of a beak or a spout closed with a stopper. Such a device is very useful, for the packaging of viscous liquid products, which are increasingly used at present in the field of machine washing of linen.

In order net to overload the present description, the teachings of the patent applications mentioned above are not repeated in full in th® present specification, but they are, of course, incorporated therein, by way ©f reference. For.; the requirements of the description, they are mentioned only in an abbreviated form.

EP-A-0 248 341 describes a dispensing device which Is to be clipped on a one or two compartment liquid container, provided with a single or double pouring neck The dispensing device is attached to a collar which, in turn, is attached to the bottle.

DE-A-2 759 098 discloses a bottle/beaker arrangement whereby a bottle is closed by a conventional cap showing vertical ribs, a beaker equipped with internal ridges, being slid over the cap, o said ridges engaging said ribs, so that, when the beaker remains in position, unscrewing of the beaker means at the same time unscrewing of the bottle cap. Use of the beaker while the bottle remains closed, necessitates the vertical pulling off of the beaker. t.

U-hile pursuing its investigations in the field of packaging vessels, especially for concent rated lit detergent, the Applicant Company has observed that there was a practical need for the development of a vessel comprising both pouring means and a dispensing and distributing device capable of being incorporated into the vessel® Th® object of the present invention is there10 fore to provide such a vessel by means of an adaptation and an original combination of means.

The subject of the invention is therefor® a packaging vessel for liquid products, comprising a removable dispensing unit cowering the said vessel, the said dispensing unit being characterised by the combination of three components: a) a first component, known per se, surrounding the mouth of the vessel and permanently attached to the latter, the said first component comprising means for pouring the liquid, especially in the form of a spout or a beak; b) a second component removably attached to the first component in order to close the mouth in th® closed position and to free the pouring means in the open position, thereby enabling the liquid to fee evacu30 c) a third dispensing and/or distributing compo men t, removably attached to the second component® ϊη the combination according to the present invention, the first component is known. For example, it may be of the typ® described in Within present the iscription, EP-A-0 109 704. meaning; . of the irst component which is pern:h is anently attached to' the vessel?and comprises means for 35 pouring the‘I ipu id may be produced /in one or more parts, practical convenience of manufacture, e, the embodiment described in comprises according to Sy way of exam EP-A-0 109 704 two parts, one serving lor the actual attachment to the neck of the vessel and the other comprising the spout or the beak for pouring. These two parts are designed to be «sad© fully integral with each other. Thus, for the production of the first component mentioned above, the present invention fakes advantage of the prior art.

The second component constitutes an essential means of the combination forming the subject of the present invention, in fact, it plays a dual role in the combination, namely, that of a stopper on the one hand, and that of an adaptor enabling the attachment of the third component, on the other The first role of the second component is conventional: it should be shaped to serve as the removable stopper. The attachment to the first component may be carried out in any manner: screwing, snap-fastening or other connecting procedure. In practice, it is preferred that the second component is screwed to the first, which offers the maximum safety for transport.

In addition to this function as stopper, the second component plays the role of an adaptor, enabling the third dispensing component to be removably attached.

For this purpose, the second component may be shaped and/ or have additional means complementary to those of the third component, so as to ensure a removable assembly of the second and th® third component.

As regards the third component, which acts as the dispenser and/or distributor, it advantageously has any one of the structures described in the patent applications mentioned at the beginning of the present specification. Thus, the third component way be an essentially spherical shaped device, comprising a body and attached means, serving for di-spens.img and distributing- According to the present invention, this third component or device is shaped and/or comprises-'z»eans which enable it to be removably attached to the second component. This attachment may therefore be carried out by means of the body of the device or, preferably, th© dispensing and G I distributing Means are arranged so that they can cooperate with the second component. The attachment may then be carried osn in any manner:; screwing, snap-fastening and other connecting procedure» This third component comprises a funnel plunging inside, and the outlets are distributed on the periphery of the funnel.

The materials constituting the various components of the packaging vessels of the invention are chosen fro® materials which have suitable characteristics of mechanical strength and resistance to chemicals® Plastics such as polyethylene or polypropylene ar® preferably used® These materials are easy to process, for example, by inject ion moulding. Each of the components of the combination according to the invention, with their shapes or means which enable the® to cooperate mutually, may thus be obtained in a single operation. for example, the «embers for screwing or for snap-fastening nay be obtained directly during the manufacture, at the appropriate places, of each component in order to enable the® to cooperate mutually. Such practical data are within the reach of th® person skilled in the art and do not require to be explained in greater detail.

The invention finds its application in the field of machine washing with a li25 quid detergent, especially of the type currently in use, namely, a viscous concentrated product. Xn the closed position ©f the vessel, the three components are integral with one another, and the arrangement obtained is especially compact. This is, of course, the situation with regard to transport and storage. For using, the second eopponent and the third component are first disconnected froa each other, the latter forming she dispensing and distributing device. The second component is then removed to free the «outh of the vessel® Because ©f the fast that th© dispensing and distributing devise is available independently, the desired quantity of liquid detergent is introduced thereto, using the pouring means provided at the mouth ef the vessel. Once the dispensed quantity has been introduced, the vessel may be reclosed by at taching thereto the second component which I plays the role of a stopper- The dispensing and distributing device, which is then filled with the detergent liquid, nay then be placed in the drum of the machine with the linen to be washed- The advantages already pointed out in the patent applications mentioned above are thus achieved, by virtue of the fact that the detergent contained in the device gradually spreads in the washing medium and into the linen present in the machine 10 Thus, the invention makes it possible to combine the advantages of vessels with pouring means, for example, of the spout type, and vessels fitted with dispensing and distributing devices. The combination according to the invention is particularly well suited for packages ing concentrated liquid detergents.

The invention will be further illustrated, without in any way being Limited, by the description which follows, made with reference to eh® drawings attached, on which: Figure Ί shows, in exploded elevation, the three components of the dispensing unit covering the vessel; Figure 2 is an axial section of the upper part of the vessel, showing the dispensing unit in the closed pos i tion; Figure 3 is an elevation of the upper part of the vessel in the closed position corresponding to that of Figure 2.

Figures 1 to 3 represent only the upper part of a packaging vessel according to the invention. The last30 ter is denoted by the general label 1- A first component 2, comprising a spout 3 is permanently attached to the vessel 1. A second component 4 aay be screwed to the first component 2. A third component 5, or the dispensing and distributing device, is removably attached to the second component 4- The closed position of th® packaging vessel is illustrated in Figure 5. Figure 1 is an exploded view showing the three components of the combination according to the invention and illustrating ft’ their mutual relationships.

Figure 2 is an axial section illustrating in greater detail the structure of the packaging vessel in the closed position. The attachment of the component £ on the neck 1 of the vessel may be carried out in any known manner, for example, according to the teaching of the European patent application EP-A-0 109 704 mentioned above. The component 2 comprises pouring means in the form of a spout 3. The latter is advantageously formed from a wall 6 which is arranged obliquely if it is considered that the vessel is in a -vertical pos it ion, .be ing placed on a horisontal surface. With a view to pouring, the liquid contained in the vessel 1 passes through the opening 7. The preferential arrangements of European patent application ΕΡ-&-0 109 704 comprising drain means is adopted. Moreover, the component 2 is supplied with an internal thread 8, intended to cooperate with a complementary thread of the component 4, as described below.

Th® component 4 is the second component of the combination according to the invention. At its lower part, it comprises an outer thread 9 intended to cooperate with the inner thread 8 mentioned above of the component 2. At its upper part, the component 4 is shaped and has means for fulfilling its dual function as stopper and adaptor. For this purpose, firstly it has a concave surface 10 starting from its outer periphery and ending in a vertical cylindrical wall 11, which ends with an upper horizontal wall 12. On the cylindrical wall 11, an outer rim 13 which serves as the snapfastening Means as described below, is provided. In th® closed position of the vessel, shown in Figure 2, the component 4 serves as stopper and also serves as adaptor to receive the third component 5.

Th® component 5 is a dispensing and distributing device comprising an essentially spherical body 14 and an attached part 15, of a type similar to the devices described and illustrated in the French patent applications mentioned at the beginning of the present specification. This device especially coaprises an in ner cylinder 16 comprising a groove 17 which,# in the closed position,# as shown in Figure 2 the r ia 13 of the component 4. cooperates witl »e of device 15 enables surface 10 of the Ment,. as shown in Figure 2 Also#, the shape of the it to become embedded in the concave component 4. A very compact arrangeis thereby obtained® 2m order to use,# it suffices to withdraw the component 5 by exerting a pull#, which enables the rim 13 :o be disconnected from the groove 17 The component is thereby .separated. The component 4 may then be unscrewed in order to gain access to the liquid in the vessel. This latter is inclined to enable the liquid to be poured through the spout 3. The liquid is received in the dispensing and distributing component 5 which then rests flat on its flat part 18# as described in the previous French patent applications aentioned above. The component 5 can be refilled. After being filled with the liquid, specially with the concentrat· tergent, it is placed in the drum of th® machine with the linen to be washed. When the washing operation is complete# the component 5 is recovered and it can once again be attached to the component 4 which# in the eseantime# served for closing the vessel 1.

St is axiomatic that the above description was given only by way of a non-limiting illustration. ϊη fact# the manner in which components 2# 4 and 5 are fastened may vary without thereby departing from the scope of the invention. Thus# the component 4 may simply be snap-fastened to the component 2 and the component 5 may comprise additional means for screwing to the component

Claims (5)

1. Packaging vessel for liquid detergent products, comprising a removable dispensing tundt. covering the said vessel, the said dispensing unit comprising three components; 5 a) a first component (2), surrounding the mouth of the vessel (l) and permanently attached to th® latter, the said first component comprising an outwardly projecting pouring spout (3), a circumscribing wall (6) , 10 a second component (4) removably attached to the first component (2) in order to close the month in the closed position* and to free the pouring spout in the open position, then enabling it to evacuate the liquid, c) a third dispensing and/or distributing component 15 (5) designed to foe placed in a washing machine with the laundry ©nd to contain a liquid detergent and to diffuse it in the machine, and having to this end at least one filling orifice and outlets for the gradual release of the liquid within the laundry during washing, 20 characterized in that th© said filling orifice or orifices are provided in a funnel plunging inside the foody of the device, and in that the outlets ere distributed on the periphery of the funnel, and in that the second component serves both the function of a 25 closing element and of an adapter for receiving the third component, the third component (5) being removably attached to the second component, and by drain means for conveying spilled liquid back to said mouth. ί

2. Vessel according io Claim 1, characterized in that the second component (4) is shaped and attached to the first component ¢2) to serve as the removable stopper, it being possible for the attachment 5 to be carried out in any manner: screwing <8, ??> snapfastening or other connecting procedure.

3. Vessel according to any one of Claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the second component ¢4) is shaped CIO, 11) and/or has means <13) complementary to those 10 (17) of the third component CS), thereby ensuring a removable assembly.

4. Vessel according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the third component ¢5) is shaped (16) and/or has means (17) enabling it to be removably -j 5 attached to the second component (4), it being possible for the attachment to be carried out in any manner: screwing, snap-fastening (13, 17) or other connecting procedure.

5. A packaging vessel for liquid detergent products as clawed in 20 any preceding claim substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings