Device for packaging and applying substance, and method of manufacturing device

• US 7,325,993 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Gueret, Jean-Louis H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak; David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/956,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 401/123, 401/126, 401/205, 401/206, 401/202, 401/207, 401/270, 401/277, 401/190, 401/183, 401/184, 401/23
• US Class Current: 401/202
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1018 comprising a pad, i.e. a cushion-like mass of soft material, with or without gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/042 using a brush or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/42 with pads or like contents-applying means contents-applying means associated to aerosol container nozzles B65D83/285; brushes combined or associated with containers A46B11/00; swabs for applying media to the human body from an integral supply A61F13/40

Abstract

A device for packaging and applying a substance may include a receptacle including a body defining a first space and an opening. The first space may be configured to receive a supply of the substance. The receptacle may include a second space and a partition. The partition may have at least one orifice formed therein configured to provide flow communication between the first space and the second space. The device may include a first closure member configured to close the opening of the body, the first closure member being mounted on the body, an applicator at least partially disposed in the second space, and a second closure member configured to be removably mounted on the receptacle such that the second space is closed except for the orifice in the partition.

Claims

1. A device for packaging and applying a substance, the device comprising:

a receptacle comprising

a substantially rigid body defining a first space and an opening, the first space being configured to receive a supply of a substance,

a second space, and

a partition defining at least one orifice configured to provide flow communication between the first space and the second space;

a first substantially rigid closure member configured to close the opening of the body, the first rigid closure member being mounted to the body;

an applicator at least partially disposed in the second space; and

a second closure member configured to be removably fastened to the receptacle such that the second space is substantially closed except for the orifice in the partition,

wherein the first closure member and the receptacle body are configured such that mounting the first closure member to the body while the second closure member is fastened to the body, the first space contains substance, and the receptacle is oriented in an inverted position such that the first space is located above the second space, causes a pressure increase in the first space such that at least a portion of the substance is moved into the second space so as to at least partially load the applicator with substance, and

wherein the first closure member is not a piston.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a tubular skirt at least partially defining the second space.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the tubular skirt comprises at least one portion, the at least one portion and the second closure member being configured such that the second closure member can be fastened to the at least one portion.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first rigid closure member comprises a sealing member bearing against an inside surface of the receptacle body.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the sealing member comprises an annular sealing lip.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the annular sealing lip has a height of at least about 3 millimeters.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the annular sealing lip has a height of at least about 5 millimeters.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the annular sealing lip contacts the receptacle body in a substantially leaktight manner along a portion of a length of the receptacle body extending from about 3 millimeters to about 14 millimeters.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein, during mounting of the first rigid closure member to tile receptacle body, the sealing member and the receptacle body are configured such that the sealing member bears in a substantially leaktight manner against an inside surface of the receptacle body before the first rigid closure member reaches its mounted position.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first rigid closure member is mounted in a non-removable manner to the receptacle body and is not moveable relative to the receptacle body when in the mounted position.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the first closure member is snap-fastened to the receptacle body.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the first closure member is mounted to the receptacle body via adhesive.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the first closure member is mounted to the receptacle body via heat-sealing.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the first closure member is mounted to the receptacle body via ultrasound.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first closure member is removably mounted to the receptacle body.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first closure member is threaded onto the receptacle body.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first closure member comprises a housing configured to receive a separate element.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the first closure member comprises a skirt at least partially covering an exterior portion of the receptacle body.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first closure member and the end piece are configured such that the first closure member can be removably fastened to the end piece.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the skirt covers substantially the entire receptacle body.

21. The device of claim 1, further comprising an end piece fitted in the opening of the receptacle body and defining a housing, the housing being configured to receive a second applicator.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the first closure member is in direct contact with the receptacle body.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the first closure member is mounted to the receptacle body such that the first closure member is able to contact the substance.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle body defines a length and a cross-section, and the cross-section increases along a major portion of the receptacle body length in the direction of the opening.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle body defines a cross-section and a length, and the cross-section remains substantially constant along a major portion of the receptacle body length.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle comprises a bottom wall, and first closure member forms a bottom of the receptacle.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein the first closure member is circularly symmetrical.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the applicator is secured to the second closure member.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the receptacle comprises a tubular skirt at least partially defining the second space and an inside chimney having an end fastened to the applicator, and wherein the second closure member comprises an outer skirt configured to be fastened to the tubular skirt of the receptacle.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the partition is configured to support the applicator.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein the applicator is secured to the receptacle body.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the receptacle body is integrally formed with a chimney opening out to the applicator.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the chimney is integrally formed with the partition.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressure increase ranges from about 10 millibar to about 400 millibar.

35. A method of manufacturing the device of claim 1

the method comprising:

placing the receptacle in a filler station such that the second space is oriented below the first space;

passing substance through the opening so as to at least partially fill the first space; and

mounting a first closure member to the receptacle body such that pressure within the receptacle is increased so as to move at least a portion of the substance toward the applicator.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the receptacle body is integrally formed with a partition separating the first space from the second space, wherein the partition comprises at least one orifice configured to place the first space in fluid communication with the second space.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein mounting the first closure member includes at least one of snap-fastening, threading, gluing, and welding the first closure member to the receptacle body.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein mounting the first closure member includes moving the first closure member in a substantially leaktight manner relative to the receptacle body along a distance of at least about 3 millimeters to generate the pressure increase.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein mounting the first closure member includes moving the first closure member in a substantially leaktight manner relative to the receptacle body along a distance of at least about 5 millimeters to generate the pressure increase.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the pressure increase ranges from about 10 millibar to and about 400 millibar.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the first space and the second space are in permanent flow communication with one another.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the first closure member does not act as a piston in the mounted position.

47. The device of claim 1, wherein the partition is integrally formed with the body via molding of a material.

43. A device for packaging and applying a substance, the device comprising:

a receptacle comprising

a substantially rigid body defining a first space and an opening, the first space being configured to receive a supply of substance,

a second space, and

a partition defining at least one orifice configured to provide flow communication between the first space and the second space;

a first substantially rigid closure member configured to close the opening of the body, the first closure member being mounted to the body;

an applicator at least partially disposed in the second space; and

a second closure member configured to be removably fastened to the receptacle such that the second space is substantially closed except for the orifice in the partition,

wherein the first closure member and the receptacle body are configured such that mounting the first closure member to the body while the second closure member is fastened to the body, the first space contains substance, and the receptacle is oriented in an inverted position such that the first space is located above the second space, causes a pressure increase in the first space such that at least a portion of the substance is moved into the second space so as to at least partially load the applicator with substance, and

wherein an axial position of the first closure member relative to the receptacle does not depend on the amount of substance contained in the first space.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the partition is integrally formed with the body via molding of a material.

45. A device for applying a substance, the device comprising:

a receptacle comprising

a body defining a first space and an opening, the first space being configured to receive a supply of substance,

a second space, and

a partition separating the first space from the second space, the partition defining at least one orifice providing flow communication between the first space and the second space;

a first closure member configured to be mounted to the body proximate the opening;

an applicator disposed at least partially in the second space; and

a second closure member configured to be removably fastened to the receptacle so as to close the second space except for the orifice in the partition,

wherein the first closure member and the receptacle body are configured such that mounting the first closure member on the body while the second closure member is fastened to the body, the first space contains substance, and the receptacle is oriented in an inverted position such that the first space is located above the second space, causes a pressure increase in the first space such that at least a portion of the substance is moved into the second space so as to at least partially load the applicator with substance, and

wherein the first closure member is nonactuatable to further cause substance to move into the second space once mounted to the receptacle body.

46. A device for applying a substance, the device comprising:

a receptacle comprising

a body defining a first space configured to receive a supply of substance,

a second space, and

a partition separating the first space from the second space, the partition defining at least one orifice providing flow communication between the first space and the second space;

a first closure member configured to be mounted to a first end of the body closer to the first space than to the second space;

an applicator disposed at least partially in the second space; and

a second closure member configured to be removably fastened to the receptacle so as to close the second space except for the orifice in the partition,

wherein the first closure member and the receptacle body are configured such that mounting the first closure member on the body while the second closure member is fastened to the receptacle, the first space contains substance and the receptacle is oriented in an inverted position such that the first space is located above the second space, causes a pressure increase in the first space such that at least a portion of the substance is moved into the second space so as to at least partially load the applicator with substance, and

wherein, once mounted to the body, the first closure member is not moveable in an axial direction along the body toward the applicator.