AU554351B2 - Topical product dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Description

TOPICAL PRODUCT DISPENSER

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application. Serial No. 382,072, filed May 26, 1982, entitled "Deodorant Applicator", which in turn is a continuation-in-part of copending appli¬ cation, Serial No. 417,986 , filed September 14, 1982, which is also entitled "Deodorant Applicator".

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an im¬ proved dispenser for applying solid products to surfaces and, more particularly, to a cylindrical dispenser for applying topical, solid, personal care products, such as deodorants and/or antiperspirants to the axillae of users.

Background Art

Dispensers for applying solid, topical pro¬ ducts are provided in several different forms and configurations, such as narrow tubes for dispensing lip care products or larger cylinders for dispensing underarm products, such as deodorants or antiper¬ spirants.

These dispensers require a friction or screw feed to advance and retract the product. If the product is not retracted sufficiently, the exposed surface will be deformed when the cap is replaced on the dispenser. The application surface is normally flat which does not conform to the shape of an arm- pit and makes application relatively difficult.

OMPI Screw feed is expensive to fabricate and does not function smoothly. The available solid applicators require manufacture of a relatively large number of parts which further adds to the cost of the product.

Statement of the Invention

The dispenser of the invention includes a contoured, solid element that is more compatible in shape with the human axilla. The arcuate con- vex wavy surface readily fits the axilla and ap¬ plication of the solid product by stroking is both easy and comfortable, and more complete and effec¬ tive coverage is accomplished in fewer strokes. The novel dispenser of the invention is formed of few and easily moldable parts. The solid element can be formed by casting inside the dispenser. Both of these factors are responsible for lower manufacturing cost.

The element is readily covered without con- tact with the exposed surface and fresh element is moved into place by rotation rather than by linear movement of the element. The dispenser is of a disc¬ shape which is easy and comfortable to hold and mani¬ pulate and is more compact: for storage in drawers or in travel containers.

Though the principal intended use is for dispensing underarm deodorants and/or antiperspirants, the dispenser of the invention can be utilized to apply any solid to a surface by rubbing.the contoured element on the surface. The element comprises mainly inert carrier, such as a waxy solid containing a minor amount of active ingredient. The inert car¬ rier can be a wax or a gel. The element is prefer- ably formed of a material that can be set from a liquid to a more rigid state. The inert carrier can be a thermoplastic material, such as a meltable wax or a thermosetting material that gels or sets by chemical curing agent, and/or heat or radiation. The element can be a household care product, such as an insecticide or furniture wax, etc., or a personal care product containing a dispersion or solution in the solid carrier of an active ingredient, such as an insect repellant, fungicide, sunscreen agent, analgesic or various dyes, emollients, and the like, for a lip blush, facial blush, or eye shadow. The active ingredient can be absorbable into the erido- der is, such as Vitamin K or heparin. The element can be small in diameter, and or thin, such as for lip or eye product application, or wide and/or large in diameter, such as for applying a body liniment.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, a hollow shallow circular first cylinder is employed. The first cylinder has first and second parallel flat end surfaces which are inter¬ connected by a peripheral outer wall. The first cylinder consists of a relatively large main body section incorporating major portions of said surfaces and said wall and a relatively small minor section which incorporates minor portions of the surfaces and wall. The minor section is detachably engageable with the main section and constitutes a removable cap. The contours of the engaging edges of the major and minor sections are irregular in shape but conform to each other.

OMPI

> - r The first surface has a circular opening centrally disposed therein which is located in the main section and which communicates with the interior thereof. A circular member accessible from the ex- terior of said first surface is disposed in and manually rotatable in the opening. The member has an axis of rotation which extends through the center of the opening at right angles to the end surfaces. The member has an integral, rigid extension extending from the member toward the second surface. The ex¬ tension has an axis of symmetry coincident with the axis of rotation.

"A second slightly smaller solid cylinder elemen which contains an active ingredient, such as a deoderant, has the sane shape as the first cylinder and is disposed rotatably therein. The second cylin¬ der is rotatable about the axis of rotation. The extension penetrates the second cylinder and is non- rotat bly secured thereto. in use, the cap is removed, exposing a por¬ tion of the second cylinder. The element can then be applied by rubbing to a surface in a conventional manner being particularly easy to apply to arm pits because of the conforming shapes of the element and armpits.

As the exposed portion of the element is used up, the member can be rotated to expose an ad¬ jacent unused portion thereof. The relative sizes of the second cylinder and the main section are so chosen that essentially the entire second cylinder can be used up before the dispenser is unusable.

These and many more features and attendant

OMPI advantages of the invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a front view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a view taken along line '2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with the minor section removed.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail cut away side view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a cut away view taken through the center of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the parts used in the structure of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 shows a modification of the structure of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the portion of the structure of Fig. 3 enclosed in a circle in Fig. 3.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment

Referring now to Figs. 1-8 and 10, a hollow shallow circular plastic first cylinder has first and second parallel flat end surfaces 10 and 12 interconnected by a peripheral outer wall 14. The first cylinder consists of a relatively large main body section which incorporates major por¬ tions of the end surfaces and outer wall and which is identified by the underlined number 16, and a rela- tively small minor section which incorporates minor portions of the end surfaces and outer wall and which is identified by the underlined number 18. Section 18 detachably engages section 16 and consti¬ tutes a removable cap. Section 16 has a top opening with a peri¬ pheral lip 100 having a groove 102 which is engaged removably by a mating groove in the bottom opening of section 18 which mates therewith. These top and bottom mating openings have mating edges of irregular shape but conform to each other. These mating edges are chosen in such manner as to enable each section to be molded in a single plastic piece which can be easily removed from the mold. All parts of the invention disclosed other than the dis- pensible element itself can be formed out of any tough solid, such as metal or resin, but are pre¬ ferably formed from a suitable casting or molding grade systhetic, organic resin.

End surface 10 has a circular opening 20 centrally disposed therein located in section 16 and communicating with the interior thereof.

A circular member 22 with an integral ex¬ tension is disposed manually rotatably in the opening. Member 22 has a peripheral lip 24 which enables it to be snap fitted into the opening with the extension extending in the interior of the main section between the member and end surface 12. The

OMPI_. member and extension have an axis of rotation 26 which extends through the center of opening 20 at right angles to the end surfaces. This axis constitutes an axis of symmetry for the extension. The extension can be provided in various shapes, such as a single flat vane or an open or closed triangle, or other polygonal shape. The extension can be of low profile in certain uses, as long as it locks the solid element to the circular member 22.

The extension shown consists of three like flat plates 28 which extend at right angles to the end surfaces, are confluent at the axis of symmetry, and extend radially outward at 0 degrees, 120 degrees and 240 degrees therefrom. The edge of each plate adjacent end surface 12 has a small prong 30.

End surface 12 has six small holes 32 dis¬ posed equidistantly along a circular path. The mem¬ ber and extension are slightly movable back and forth along the axis of rotation to enable the prongs to detachably engage selected holes 32. There are six holes and three prongs.

A second slightl smaller solid cylinder 34 of the same shape as the first cylinder is a solid element and is disposed rotatably about the_. axis of rotation within the first cylinder.

The blades' of the extension penetrate the second cylinder to key the extension and the member to the second cylinder whereby the cylinder 34 can be rotated by rotating the member. The prongs and holes enable the cylinder to be selectively locked in any desired position or rotation.

KORE

OMPI V;Ϊ?O The cylinder 34 can be a waxy solid which can be poured as a liquid into the first cylinder before the member with extension is inserted into position. • The liquid and cylinder are then at a temperature some tens of degrees or higher above normal ambient temperatures. As the liquid cools to room tempera¬ ture it solidifies, shrinks and hardens whereby the resultant solid second cylinder is keyed permanently to the extension and is rotatable as previously des- cribed. he minor body section can have an integral small extension 36 which functions as a stand when the structure shown in Fig. 1 is inverted as shown in Fig. 9. The circular member 22 can have two holes joined by a bridge for receiving fingers of the riser. It is to be realized that only preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and that numerous substitutions, modifications and alter¬ ations are permissible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (14)

1. An applicator comprising: a hollow, shallow, circular first cylin¬ der having first and second flat parallel end surfaces interconnected by a peripheral outer wall, said first cylinder being constituted by a relatively large main body section incorporating major portions of said end surfaces and said wall and a relatively small minor section which incorporates minor portions of said end surfaces and said wall, said minor section detachably engagable with said main section, and defining a re¬ movable cap for said main section, the contours of the engaging edges of the two sections being irregu¬ lar in shape but conforming to each other, said first surface having a centrally disposed circular opening located in the main section and communicating with the interior of the main section; and a circular member accessible from the exterior of said first surface and disposed in a manually rotatable manner within said opening, said member having an axis of rotation extending through the center of said opening at right angles to said surfaces, said member having an integral extension which extends from said member and toward said ^• second surface and which has an axis of symmetry coin¬ cident with said axis of rotation.

2. An applicator according to Claim 1, further including a second slightly smaller solid cylinder and disposed rotatably in said first cylin- der, said second cylinder element being rotatable about said axis of rotation, said extension pene-

OMPI trating the second cylinder element and being non- rotatably secured thereto,

3. An applicator according to Claim 2, in which the second cylinder element comprises a solid wax or gel containing a dispersion of active ingredient.

4. An applicator according to Claim 3, in which the element is selected from personal care products, household care products or pharmaceuticals.

5. " An applicator according to Claim 3, in which the ingredient is selected from a deodorant and/or an antiperspirant.

6. An applicator according to Claim 1, in . which the integral extension extends between the circular member and the second surface.

7. An applicator of Claim 1, wherein said extension, as viewed in a plane parallel to said surfaces and disposed at right angles to said axis of symmetry, defines a plurality of equidistantly spaced legs which extend radially outward from the axis of symmetry and which are concurrent at said axis.

8. An applicator of Claim 6, wherein said second surface has a first plurality of holes spaced along a circular path and said extension has a second plurality of prongs selectively engagable with some of said holes.

OMPI

9. An applicator of Claim 8, wherein said member can be moved slightly back and forth along the axis of symmetry to enable said prongs to disengage from and become engaged with selected holes.

10. An applicator according to Claim 1, in which the peripheral wall is curved.

11. A method of filling the applicator of Claim 1 comprising the steps of: filling the hollow, shallow cylinder through the opening in the first surface with a liquid; placing the extensions into the liquid and inserting the circular member into said opening; congealing said liquid to form an element firmly engaging said extensions.

12. A method according to Claim 11, in which the liquid is a waxy material containing a disper¬ sion of active ingredient.

13. A method according to Claim 12, in which the active ingredient is selected from personal care products, household products or pharmaceuticals.

14. A method according to Claim 13, in which the active ingredient is a deodorant and/or antiperspirant.

OMPI