Container for storing at least two products, mixing these products, and dispensing the mixture thus obtained

• US 5,692,644 A
• Filed: 07/25/1995
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Gueret, Jean-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US08/506,699
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 222/129, 222/80, 215/DIG. 8, 206/219, 206/22, 604/87
• US Class Current: 222/80
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0083 one of the components being in powder form
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3211 coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

A container for separately storing at least two products, mixing those products and for dispensing the mixture includes a first reservoir for liquid and a second cylindrical reservoir for powder. The second reservoir has a mouth that is contiguous with the first reservoir. A movable wall blocks the mouth of the second reservoir. A cylindrical part is movable from a position outside the second reservoir through the second reservoir and into the first reservoir after penetrating the mouth of the first reservoir by displacing the movable wall to thereby displace the powder into the first reservoir.

Claims

1. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a cylindrical second product reservoir having a mouth fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir;

a movable wall positioned in said mouth for separating the first and second reservoirs during separate storage of the products;

a movable bottom for said second reservoir, said bottom having an external cross section substantially equal to the internal cross section of the mouth; and

actuating means for displacing said movable bottom towards said movable wall up to a position close to said mouth defining an end of the maximum stroke of the movable bottom, said displacement of said movable bottom causing said movable wall to be displaced and the contents of said second reservoir to be driven into said first product reservoir, wherein the mouth is fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir during the dispensing of the mixture of the stored products.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said actuating means is a first reservoir overpressure device and the dispenser further comprises a return element, whereby a predetermined dose of the mixture can be dispensed by movement of the actuating means in a direction against the return element.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said bottom has a planar surface surrounded by an edge having an upper end located in a plane inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of said actuating means.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said second reservoir has a circular inside cross section and said bottom is arranged to receive a ball.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising means for immobilizing the actuating means in said position where said movable bottom is close to said mouth.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a base having in a central portion thereof a cylindrical shaft, wherein the shaft forms a side wall of said second reservoir.

7. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the base is joined to the dispenser by a snap-fit connector.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the first reservoir holds a liquid and the second reservoir holds a powder.

9. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products, and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a second product reservoir having a bottom and a mouth;

a movable wall positioned at the mouth of the second reservoir; and

a movable part movable between a first position located outside the first reservoir and a second position located in the first reservoir, said movable part being in selective engagement with the movable wall, said movable part including a transverse partition that forms the bottom of the second reservoir, said transverse partition being located, when the movable part is in the first position, at a distance from the mouth of the second reservoir that is substantially the same as or less than the distance between said first and second positions of said movable part, said dispenser further comprising a base having in a central portion thereof a cylindrical shaft, wherein the shaft forms a side wall of said second reservoir and wherein said dispenser further comprises a return element arranged around the shaft of the base.

10. The dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the return element consists of a helical spring.

11. A dispenser for storing a powder and a liquid mixing the stored products and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice and holding said liquid;

a second product reservoir having a mouth fixed relative to and contiguous to said first reservoir, said second product reservoir holding said powder;

a movable wall positioned in said mouth for separating said first and second reservoirs during separate storage of the products;

a movable bottom for said second reservoir; and

actuating means for displacing said movable bottom towards said movable wall up to a position close to said mouth defining an end of a maximum stroke of the movable bottom, said displacement of said movable bottom causing said movable wall to be displaced and the contents of said second reservoir to be driven into said first reservoir, wherein the mouth is fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir during the dispensing of the mixture of the stored products.

12. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a cylindrical second product reservoir having a mouth fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir;

a movable wall positioned in said mouth for separating the first and second reservoirs during separate storage of the products;

a movable bottom for said second reservoir, said bottom having an outside cross section similar to the cross section of said mouth;

actuating means for displacing said movable bottom towards said movable wall up to a position close to said mouth defining an end of the maximum stroke of the movable bottom, said displacement of said movable bottom causing said movable wall to be displaced and the contents of said second reservoir to be driven into said first product reservoir, wherein said actuating means is a first reservoir overpressure device; and

a return element, wherein a predetermined dose of the mixture can be dispensed by movement of the actuating means in a direction against the return element.

13. A dispenser for storing at least two products mixing the stored products and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a cylindrical second product reservoir having a mouth fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir;

a movable wall positioned in said mouth for separating the first and second reservoirs during separate storage of the products;

a movable bottom for said second reservoir, said bottom having an outside cross section similar to the cross section of said mouth; and

actuating means for displacing said movable bottom towards said movable wall up to a position close to said mouth defining an end of the maximum stroke of the movable bottom, said displacement of said movable bottom causing said movable wall to be displaced and the contents of said second reservoir to be driven into said first product reservoir, wherein said bottom has a planar surface surrounded by an edge having an upper end located in a plane inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of said actuating means.

14. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a cylindrical second product reservoir having a mouth fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir, wherein said second reservoir has a circular inside cross section;

a movable wall positioned in said mouth for separating the first and second reservoirs during separate storage of the products;

a movable bottom for said second reservoir, said bottom having an outside cross section of similar to the cross section of said mouth, wherein said bottom is arranged to receive a ball; and

actuating means for displacing said movable bottom towards said movable wall up to a position close to said mouth defining an end of the maximum stroke of the movable bottom, said displacement of said movable bottom causing said movable wall to be displaced and the contents of said second reservoir to be driven into said first product reservoir.

15. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products, and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a second product reservoir having a bottom and a mouth;

a movable wall positioned at the mouth of the second reservoir; and

a movable part movable between a first position located outside the first reservoir and a second position located in the first reservoir, said movable part being in selective engagement with the movable wall, said movable part including a transverse partition that forms the bottom of the second reservoir, said transverse partition being located, when the movable part is in the first position, at a distance from the mouth of the second reservoir that is substantially the same as or less than the distance between said first and second positions of said movable part, said dispenser further comprising a base having in a central portion thereof a cylindrical shaft, wherein the shaft forms a side wall of said second reservoir and wherein a wall surrounds the movable part so as to form an annular space having inner and outer diameters substantially the same as inner and outer diameters, respectively, of the shaft.

16. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products, and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a second product reservoir having a bottom and a mouth;

a movable wall positioned at the mouth of the second reservoir; and

a movable part movable between a first position located outside the first reservoir and a second position located in the first reservoir, said movable part being in selective engagement with the movable walls, said movable part including a transverse partition that forms the bottom of the second reservoir, said transverse partition being located, when the movable part is in the first position, at a distance from the mouth of the second reservoir that is substantially the same as or less than the distance between said first and second positions of said movable part, said dispenser further comprising a base having in a central portion thereof a cylindrical shaft wherein the shaft forms a side wall of said second reservoir and wherein the base includes at least one rib, the movable part being joined to a pusher, said pusher having an inside annular swelling on a side wall thereof, said pusher being held onto said dispenser by engagement of said annular swelling with said at least one rib.

17. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a cylindrical second product reservoir having a mouth fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir;

a movable wall positioned in said mouth for separating the first and second reservoirs during separate storage of the products;

a movable bottom for said second reservoir, said bottom having an outside cross section similar to the cross section of said mouth;

actuating means for displacing said movable bottom toward said movable wall up to a position close to said mouth defining an end of the maximum stroke of the movable bottom, said displacement of said movable bottom causing said movable wall to be displaced and the contents of said second reservoir to be driven into said first product reservoir; and

means for immobilizing the actuating means in said position where said movable bottom is close to said mouth.

18. A dispenser for storing at least two products, mixing the stored products and dispensing the mixture of the stored products, comprising:

a first product reservoir provided with a dispensing orifice;

a cylindrical second product reservoir having a mouth fixed relative to and contiguous to said first product reservoir;

a movable wall positioned in said mouth for separating the first and second reservoirs during separate storage of the products;

a movable bottom for said second reservoir, said bottom having an outside cross section similar to the cross section of said mouth;

actuating means for displacing said movable bottom toward said movable wall up to a position close to said mouth defining an end of the maximum stroke of the movable bottom, said displacement of said movable bottom causing said movable wall to be displaced and the contents of said second reservoir to be driven into said first product reservoir; and

a base having in a central portion thereof a cylindrical shaft, wherein the shaft forms a side wall of said second reservoir.

19. A dispenser according to claim 18, wherein the base is joined to the dispenser by a snap-fit connector.