Top-up container assembly comprising a dispensing cap, and a dishwashing product comprising the container assembly

Abstract

A top-up container assembly including a bottle having a bottom surface, and a top surface having an opening located away from the bottom surface; and a dispensing cap attached to the top surface of the bottle is disclosed. The dispensing cap includes a housing and a valve. At least a portion of the housing is transparent and/or translucent, and the valve is visually distinctive from the housing to enable a user of the top-up container assembly to see the valve through the housing. A method of using a dispensing cap for dispensing a dishwashing cleaning composition is also disclosed, as is a dishwashing cleaning product, and a method of cleaning dishware.

1 . A top-up container assembly comprising: 
 a container having a bottom surface, and a top surface located away from said bottom surface, said top surface having an opening; and    a dispensing cap attached to said top surface of said container, said dispensing cap comprising a housing and a valve,    wherein at least a portion of said housing is transparent and/or translucent, and said valve is visually distinctive from said housing, to enable a user of said top-up container assembly to see the valve through the housing.    
   
   
       2 . A top-up container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is selected from a bottle or a stand-up pouch.  
   
   
       3 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a body, and a closing lid, said closing lid being hinged along an axis to said body, wherein: 
 at least a portion of said closing lid is transparent and/or translucent, to enable a user of said top-up container assembly to see the valve through said closing lid when said closing lid is closing said dispensing cap; and/or    at least a portion of said body is transparent and/or translucent, to enable a user of said top-up container assembly to see the valve through said body.    
   
   
       4 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein 5% to 100% of the dispensing cap material is transparent and/or translucent.  
   
   
       5 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 5% to 100% of the closing lid material is transparent and/or translucent; and/or    5% to 100% of the body material is transparent and/or translucent.    
   
   
       6 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said valve is a slit valve.  
   
   
       7 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said valve and said housing are of a different color.  
   
   
       8 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said valve and said closing lid are of a different color.  
   
   
       9 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said valve and said body are of a different color.  
   
   
       10 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said dispensing cap further comprises a transparent and/or translucent ring wherein the valve is positioned.  
   
   
       11 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the dispensing cap further comprises a collar around said body, said collar being visually distinctive from said housing.  
   
   
       12 . The top-up container assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the collar and the valve are of the same color.  
   
   
       13 . A dishwashing cleaning product comprising: 
 a top-up container assembly according to  claim 1 , and    a dishwashing cleaning composition contained in said top-up container assembly.    
   
   
       14 . A dishwashing cleaning product according to  claim 13 , wherein said product further comprises instructions for use.  
   
   
       15 . A method of cleaning dishware with the dishwashing cleaning product of  claim 13 , said method comprising the steps of: 
 inverting the dishwashing cleaning product; and    squeezing the bottle to open the valve, and to dispense the dishwashing cleaning composition from the top-up container assembly.    
   
   
       16 . A method using a dispensing cap comprising a housing and a valve, at least a portion of said housing being transparent and/or translucent, and the valve being visually distinctive from said housing, to enable a user of said dispensing cap to see the valve through the housing, for dispensing a dishwashing cleaning composition.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said housing comprises a body, and a closing lid, said closing lid being hinged along an axis to said body, wherein 
 at least a portion of said closing lid is transparent and/or translucent, to enable a user of said top-up container assembly to see the valve through said closing lid when said closing lid is closing the dispensing cap; and/or    at least a portion of said body is transparent and/or translucent, to enable a user of said top-up container assembly to see the valve through said body.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein 5% to 100% of the housing material is transparent and/or translucent.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein 
 5% to 100% of the closing lid material is transparent and/or translucent; and/or    5% to 100% of the body material is transparent and/or translucent.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said valve is a slit valve.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said valve and said housing are of a different color.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said valve and said closing lid are of a different color.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said valve and said body are of a different color.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said dispensing cap further comprises a transparent and/or translucent ring wherein the valve is positioned.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the dispensing cap further comprises a collar around the body, said collar being visually distinctive from said housing.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the collar and the valve are of the same color.