USRE38328EExpiredUtility

Packaging and dispensing device

Assignee: OREALPriority: Aug 10, 1995Filed: Nov 13, 2000Granted: Nov 25, 2003

Est. expiryAug 10, 2015(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority

Inventors:Jean-Louis Gueret

B05B 11/007B05B 11/1084B05B 11/0029B65D 47/263B65D 81/3288B05B 11/0072B65D 1/04

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Claims

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for packaging and dispensing substances in the form of a liquid, a gel, or a paste form, the device comprising a receptacle having a plurality of compartments for separately storing at least two substances, each compartment having an outlet for the substance, the device further comprising fixing means for fixing a rotary dispensing head on the receptacle to enable the substance contained in a selected compartment corresponding to a predetermined angular position of the head to be dispensed. Said dispensing head has a single dispensing channel provided at its outlet end with a non-return valve suitable for opening under the effect of thrust from upstream substance, and it is shaped to establish selective communication between the outlet of said selected compartment and said dispensing channel and/or to exert selective action on means for extracting substance and associated with said selected compartment.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified

I claim:

1. A device for packaging and dispensing substances in liquid, gel, or paste form, the device comprising a receptacle having a plurality of compartments for separately storing at least two substances, each compartment having an outlet for the substance, the device further comprising fixing means for fixing a rotary dispensing head on the receptacle to enable only the substance contained in a selected compartment corresponding to a predetermined angular position of the head to be dispensed, wherein said dispensing head includes a single dispensing channel provided at its outlet end with a non-return valve suitable for opening under the effect of thrust from upstream substance, and wherein said dispensing head is shaped to establish selective communication between the outlet of said selected compartment and said dispensing channel.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said non-return valve is of the type that allows ingress of air.

3. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said non-return valve is situated substantially flush with the outside surface of the dispensing head.

4. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said non-return valve is made by overmolding an elastomer.

5. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said dispensing head is suitable for taking up a closure angular position in which the dispensing channel is isolated from said outlets.

6. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said fixing means comprise a cover having an outlet tubular skirt for snapping onto the receptacle, and a neck for rotatably receiving the dispensing head, the cover having orifices passing therethrough and communicating respectively in sealed manner with said outlets and opening out to the inside of the neck at locations that are angularly spaced apart.

7. A device according to claim 6 , wherein said orifices are constituted by recesses formed in the inside face of the neck at its base.

8. A device according to claim 6 , wherein the cover includes annular sealing lips that engage in said openings respectively when the cover is in position on the receptacle.

9. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the receptacle has at least a portion of its wall that is flexible so as to enable the user to expel substance by pressing on said wall.

10. A device according to claim 9 , wherein said portion of the wall which is flexible is a portion that is elastically deformable.

11. A method for packaging and dispensing substances comprising filling a device according to claim 1 with a first and second lotions having different sun protection factors, said first and second lotions being filled in different compartments in said device.

12. A device for packaging and dispensing substances in liquid, gel, or paste form the device comprising a receptacle having a plurality of compartments for separately storing at least two substances, each compartment having an outlet for the substance, the device further comprising fixing means for fixing a rotary dispensing head on the receptacle to enable only the substance contained in a selected compartment corresponding to a predetermined angular position of the head to be dispensed, wherein said dispensing head includes a single dispensing channel provided at its outlet end with a non-return valve suitable for opening under the effect of thrust from upstream substance, and wherein said dispensing head is shaped for exerting selective action on means for extracting substance and associated with said selected compartment.

13. A device for packaging and dispensing substances in liquid, gel, or paste form, the device comprising a receptacle having a plurality of compartments for separately storing at least two substances, each compartment having an outlet for the substance, the device further comprising fixing means for fixing a rotary dispensing head on the receptacle to enable only the substance contained in a selected compartment corresponding to a predetermined angular position of the head to be dispensed, wherein said dispensing head includes a single dispensing channel provided at its outlet end with a non-return valve suitable for opening under the effect of thrust from upstream substance, wherein said dispensing head is shaped to establish selective communication between the outlet of said selected compartment and said dispensing channel, and wherein said dispensing head is shaped for exerting selective action on means for extracting substance and associated with said selected compartment.

14. A device for packaging and dispensing substances in liquid, gel, or paste form, the device comprising a receptacle having a plurality of compartments for separately storing at least two substances, each compartment having an outlet for the substance, the device further comprising fixing means for fixing a rotary dispensing head on the receptacle to enable only the substance contained in a selected compartment corresponding to a predetermined angular position of the head to be dispensed, wherein said dispensing head includes a single dispensing channel provided at its outlet end with a non-return valve suitable for opening under the effect of thrust from upstream substance, wherein said dispensing head is shaped for exerting selective action on means for extracting substance and associated with said selected compartment, wherein said fixing means for fixing the rotary dispensing head on the receptacle enable the head to move axially along its axis of rotation, and wherein said outlets for substance are situated on hollow control rods which, by being depressed, act on extraction means suitable for causing substance to be expelled.

15. A device according to claim 1 14 , wherein said control rods are associated with respective pumps suitable for dispensing a measured quantity of substance on each depression of the control rod.

16. A device for dispensing substances in liquid, gel, or paste form, the device comprising:

a receptacle including at least

a first compartment configured to contain a first substance and including a first outlet for the first substance, and

a second compartment configured to contain a second substance separately from the first substance and including a second outlet for the second substance; and

a dispensing head including

a dispensing channel,

an outlet, and

a valve configured to open in response to substance flow from the first and second compartments;

wherein the dispensing head is configured to be movable between a first compartment dispensing position and a second compartment dispensing position, the dispensing head being configured to dispense, via the dispensing channel, only the first substance from the first compartment when in the first compartment dispensing position and only the second substance from the second compartment when in the second compartment dispensing position, and

wherein the dispensing head is configured to prevent simultaneous dispensing from the first and second compartments.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the dispensing head is rotatably movable between the first and second compartment dispensing positions.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the dispensing head is configured so that the dispensing channel is placed in flow communication with the first outlet when the dispensing head is in the first compartment dispensing position and in flow communication with the second outlet when the dispensing head is in the second compartment dispensing position.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the dispensing head is also movable to a closure position wherein the dispensing channel lacks flow communication with the first and second compartments.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the receptacle includes a flexible portion configured to be pressed to expel substance from one of the first and second compartments.

21. The device of claim 16 , further comprising fixing means for fixing the dispensing head on the receptacle.

22. The device of claim 16 , wherein the dispensing head outlet is provided at an end of the dispensing channel, and wherein the valve is provided at the dispensing head outlet.

23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the valve is configured to prevent passage of contaminants into the device via the dispensing head outlet.

24. The device of claim 22 , wherein the valve is configured to allow ingress of air.

25. The device of claim 16 , further comprising a first pump associated with the first compartment and a second pump associated with the second compartment, wherein the device is configured to actuate only the first pump when the dispensing head is in the first compartment dispensing position and only the second pump when the dispensing head is in the second compartment dispensing position.

26. The device of claim 25 , wherein the first pump includes a first hollow control rod including the first outlet and the second pump includes a second hollow control rod including the second outlet, each of the first and second pumps being configured to be actuated by moving their respective hollow control rod.

27. The device of claim 26 , wherein the dispensing head is rotably movable between the first and second compartment dispensing positions, and wherein the dispensing head is axially movable to cause actuation of one of the first and second pumps.

28. The device of claim 16 , wherein the first substance is contained in the first compartment and the second substance is contained in the second compartment.

29. The device of claim 28 , wherein the first and second substances are cosmetic products.

30. The device of claim 29 , wherein the first and second substances are sun protection products having differing sun protection factors.

31. The device of claim 29 , wherein the first substance is a sun protection product and the second substance is an after-sun product.

32. The device of claim 16 , further comprising a mount configured to mount the dispensing head on the receptacle.

33. The device of claim 32 , wherein the mount is a cover including a skirt provided on the receptacle and a neck movably receiving the dispensing head.

34. The device of claim 33 , wherein the dispensing head is rotatably received on the neck.

35. The device of claim 34 , wherein the dispensing head and the neck are coupled via a cooperating bead and groove.

36. The device of claim 33 , wherein the neck includes a first orifice in flow communication with the first outlet and a second orifice in flow communication with the second outlet, and wherein the dispensing head includes an opening providing substance flow to the dispensing channel, the opening being in flow communication with the first orifice when the dispensing head is in the first compartment dispensing position and being in flow communication with the second orifice when the dispensing head is in the second compartment dispensing position.

37. The device of claim 36 , wherein the dispensing head is rotatably received on the neck.

38. The device of claim 33 , wherein the skirt is coupled to the receptacle.

39. The device of claim 33 , wherein the skirt and the receptacle are coupled via a cooperating bead and groove.

40. A method of selectively dispensing a substance, comprising:

providing the device according to
claim 16
, wherein a first substance is contained in the first compartment and a second substance is contained in the second compartment;

selecting a compartment from which to dispense a substance;

moving the dispensing head to one of the first and second compartment dispensing positions corresponding to the selected compartment; and

dispensing the substance from the selected compartment.

41. The method of claim 40 , wherein the moving of the dispensing head includes rotating the dispensing head.

42. The method of claim 40 , further comprising axially displacing the dispensing head.

43. The method of claim 40 , wherein the first and second substances are cosmetic products.

44. The method of claim 43 , wherein the first and second substances are sun protection products having differing sun protection factors.

45. The method of claim 43 , the first substance is a sun protection product and the second substance is an after-sun product.

46. A device for dispensing substances in liquid, gel, or paste form, the device comprising:

a receptacle including at least

a first compartment configured to contain a first substance and including

a first pump, and

a first outlet for the first substance, and

a second compartment configured to contain a second substance separately from the first substance and including

a second pump, and

a second outlet for the second substance; and

a dispensing head configured to be movable between a first compartment dispensing position and a second compartment dispensing position, the dispensing head being configured to actuate the first pump and dispense only the first substance from the first compartment when in the first compartment dispensing position and to actuate the second pump and dispense only the second substance from the second compartment when in the second compartment dispensing position, and

wherein the dispensing head is configured to prevent simultaneous dispensing from the first and second compartments.

47. The device of claim 46 , wherein the first pump includes a first hollow control rod including the first outlet and the second pump includes a second hollow control rod including the second outlet, each of the first and second pumps being configured to be actuated by moving their respective hollow control rod.

48. The device of claim 46 , wherein the dispensing head is rotatbly movable between the first and second compartment dispensing positions.

49. The device of claim 46 , wherein the dispensing head is axially movable to cause actuation of one of the first and second pumps.

50. The device of claim 46 , wherein the dispensing head includes an element for contacting one of the first and second pumps to cause pump actuation when in one of the first and second compartment dispensing positions.

51. The device of claim 46 , further comprising fixing means for fixing the dispensing head on the receptacle.

52. The device of claim 46 , wherein the dispensing head includes a dispensing channel configured to be placed in flow communication with the first pump when the dispensing head is in the first compartment dispensing position and in flow communication with the second pump when the dispensing head is in the second compartment dispensing position.

53. The device of claim 52 , wherein the dispensing head includes an outlet in fluid communication with the channel and a valve at the outlet, the valve being configured to open in response to substance flow in the channel.

54. The device of claim 53 , wherein the valve is configured to prevent passage of contaminants into the device via the dispensing head outlet.

55. The device of claim 53 , wherein the valve is configured to allow ingress of air.

56. A method of selectively dispensing a substance, comprising:

providing the device according to
claim 46
, wherein a first substance is contained in the first compartment and a second substance is contained in the second compartment;

selecting a compartment from which to dispense a substance;

moving the dispensing head to one of the first and second compartment dispensing positions corresponding to the selected compartment; and

dispensing the substance from the selected compartment.

57. The method of claim 56 , wherein the moving of the dispensing head includes rotating the dispensing head.

58. The method of claim 56 , further comprising axially displacing the dispensing head.

59. The method of claim 56 , wherein the first and second substances are cosmetic products.

60. The method of claim 59 , wherein the first and second substances are sun protection products having differing sun protection factors.

61. The method of claim 59 , the first substance is a sun protection product and the second substance is an after-sun product.

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