Reclosable fitment for connecting a reservoir to a dispensing appliance

• US 6,971,589 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Crozet, Yvon, Incardona, Silvia Deborah, Lawson, John Russell, Vuijk, Jelle Dankert
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMANA, ANURADHA
• Application Number:
  US10/148,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20020179635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 239/272, 239/309, 239/315, 141/19, 141/98, 141/215, 141/220, 141/329, 141/330, 141/364, 141/383, 141/385, 222/80, 222/81, 222/85, 222/86, 222/88, 222/83.5, 222/325, 222/541.2, 222/153.03
• US Class Current: 239/272
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/26 combined with spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/02 for transferring liquids other than fuel or lubricants

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a device for the delivery of products, preferably cleaning products which comprise an active ingredient and more preferably cleaning products which comprise a surfactant. The device includes at least one liquid reservoir for containing at least one product and a dispensing appliance for delivering the product. The dispensing appliance comprises at least one piercing means or at least one pierceable means, and the reservoir respectively comprises at least one corresponding pierceable means or at least one piercing means, such that the pierceable means recloses when the reservoir is removed from the dispensing appliance. Preferably, the piercing means is achieved by at least one needle.

Claims

1. A device for delivery of a cleaning product from at least one liquid reservoir to at least one nozzle, the device comprising:

a dispensing appliance for delivering a cleaning product, said dispensing appliance comprising a holder for at least one liquid reservoir, said at least one liquid reservoir being removable from said dispensing appliance, said dispensing appliance comprising a first and a second needle wherein said first needle is in fluid communication with at least a nozzle and wherein said second needle is in fluid communication with a venting valve;

at least one liquid reservoir for containing said cleaning product wherein said at least one liquid reservoir respectively comprises at least one corresponding membrane having a needle-pierceable region, such that said at least one pierceable membrane region recloses when said at least one liquid reservoir is removed from said dispensing appliance and such that a leak-tight fluid communication between said dispensing appliance and said at least one reservoir is established when said first and second needles pierce said pierceable membrane region and wherein said membrane comprises an outer layer of silicone and an inner layer of polylethylene terephthalate, said membrane having a thickness less than 6 mm.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said cleaning product comprises a surfactant.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said membrane has a circular shape having a diameter comprised between 5 mm and 50 mm.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said diameter is comprised between 7 and 20 mm.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said needles have an outer diameter comprised between 0.5 mm to 7 mm.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said needles are metal needles and have an outer diameter comprised between 1.5 mm to 2 mm.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said metal needles are non-coring needles.