Integrated squeezable dispensing container

An elongated tubular housing adapted to receive an adjustable external compression device introduced on one end of the tubular housing distal from the opening releasing the contents, and retained in position by a member engaging a grooved strip that is integrated with and/or retained on the housing surface material with a strip surface of like material, providing a reliable, economic and functional outer compression member retention apparatus and method. Further embodiments according to the present invention include a dispenser having regions provided for ease and comfort of gripping, grooved strip end-stop to retain compression device, and grooved strip dimensional and placement details to provide functional, manufacturable and economic material dispenser.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The preset invention relates fluid or semi-fluid material containers formed to provide selective material dispensing, in particular, to deformable fluid containers including structure that maintain deformation after selective dispensing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Deformable material dispensing containers, typically tubular or other shaped housings having an openable restriction (e.g. Cap, such as a flat style, a fez style or a pedestal style) at one end and being sealed at the other end, include material therein that can be displaced through the openable restriction when the material dispenser (e.g. the ‘tube’) is deformed, such as by squeezing, which temporarily diminishes the volume of the housings to urge the contained included material out through the openable restriction. However, owing to the housing material and/or geometrical configuration, the housing tends to return to the original configuration or volume, delaying or interfering with subsequent dispensing of the included material.

External dispenser compression devices applied to the housing distal from the openable restriction to maintain prior housing deformations require specific modification or construction of the housing to connect to and operate which may undesirably raise the costs, complexity and/or formation of the housing to receive external devices or use housings (e.g. tubes) currently commercially available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides embodiments which provide and adjustable external compression device introduced on the housing distal from the opening releasing the content, and retained in position by engaging a grooved strip integrated with and/or retained on the housing surface material with a strip surface of like material, providing a reliable, economic and functional outer compression member retention apparatus and method.

Embodiments according to the present invention include a dispenser having regions provided for ease and comfort of gripping, grooved strip end-stop to retain compression device, and grooved strip dimensional and placement details to provide functional, practically manufacturable and economic material dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary deformable (squeezable) material dispensing container20is shown inFIG. 1, wherein a tubular housing container22having a length and a prepared region26disposed therealong to receive and be bonded to an elongated grooved or otherwise varied surface strip24which extends along the length of the housing container22toward an end28having an opening, e.g. an extension and mating removable cap30, thereon through which material contained within the housing container is dispensed when the housing22is compressed. The elongated grooved strip24is shown as bonded to the tubular container22inFIG. 7.

A side view of an exemplary strip24is shown inFIG. 2, which strip24provides an engagement surface32with which a compression member70(FIG. 7) engages, wherein the engagement surface is varied, such as the periodically spaced grooves36shown in profile inFIG. 3. Other engagement surfaces are envisioned as may engage and retain the compression member70. The strip24includes a terminal stop40having a greater thickness (i.e. vertical inFIGS. 2 and 3) dimension to engage and impede further motion of the compression member70along the strip24. Typically the material46engaging the compression member70is selected for suitable strength and the material42A is selected to be compatible with the selected form of bonding to the prepared region26.

The elongated strip24typically comprises a material42, shown in cross-section inFIG. 4, compatible with bonding (e.g. ultrasonic welding, glue or fabricated by co-extrusion) to the housing container prepared region26, of a single type, or alternately, a multi-layered structure24A shown inFIG. 5, which includes a material42A , e.g. polyethylene, compatible with bonding (e.g. ultrasonic welding) one surface to the housing container prepared region26, and another surface material46with which the compression member70engages, of another material, e.g. nylon, either directly or with an interposed bonding material44, e.g. an adhesive resin such as ethylene copolymers produced by DuPont Corporation, where the stop40, if provided, would be would be included in or formed on the surface material46. Typically the material46engaging the compression member70is selected for suitable strength and the material42A is selected to be compatible with the selected form of bonding to the prepared region26.

A cross-section of an exemplary bonded assembly20A is shown inFIG. 6, comprising a shown portion22A of an exemplary housing container22(FIG. 1), and an exemplary multi-layered strip24A, bonded together52, e.g. by ultrasonic welding or other manner of permanently bonding the outer material layer54and the strip24A lower layer42A. In one embodiment, the housing container20A comprises a multi-layered structure having layers54,55,56bonded together directly or with an intervening adhesive44A,44B, such as an aluminum-plastic laminated tube including polyethylene/adhesive resin/aluminum foil/adhesive resin/polyethylene (inner-to-outer layers). Such laminate tubes can be manufactured (e.g. by providing as a flat sheet then welding into a tubular shape) by using the laminate feed stock that is simply a poly-foil-poly structure that has polyethylene on either side (54,56) of a thin gauge of foil (55). Alternately, single material54housing containers, e.g. plastic tube containers (not shown), most commonly PE (polyethylene) fabricated by extrusion can also be used wherein a bond52is provided between the facing surfaces42A of the strip24A (or42of a single type strip24) and54of the housing container of compatible or identical materials. The bond52is provided within the prepared region26of the housing container22,22A wherein an outer coating53such as ink including decorations, graphics and/or text thereon, is formed with an aperture to reveal the underlying outer layer54permitting the bonding to the strip24or layer42A. Other combinations of strip24layer42A and housing container22A outer layer54, such as nylon/adhesive resin/polyethlene are included. The ink outer coating53may inhibit reliable bonding (e.g. ultrasonic welding) of the strip24to the outer layer54, and is therefore absent (shown as aperture revealed region26) permitting reliable joining without an interposed ink layer.

Alternate embodiments include housing containers22formed with the graphics as part of the laminate feedstock material with either letterpress or rotogravure printing. Rotogravure printing is used extensively to provide a high quality print buried within the outer layer of laminate structure (e.g. shown inFIG. 6). Letterpress printing is used to decorate the surface of the laminate feedstock just prior to forming the tubular housing container22. In formation, after laminated tube sheet stock (nor shown) is rolled to the desired size. Heat generated by a high frequency source fuses the sides of the material together to form a solid cylindrical tube. After the tube has been formed into the desired cylindrical shape and length, the tube is transferred to the heading (a transitional area for the end of the tube28to receive a cap) operation. As with plastic tubes, several heading methodologies are available. After the complete tube has been formed, it goes to the capping station where a cap30is applied. After tube completely formed with a printed outer layer or a painted layer53added, it goes to filling station where material80added to the tube thru the open end29(end without cap) and after this this end welded by using ultrasound welding machine to form the sealed end region62.

If plastic tubes22are used, the manufacturing process is typically composed of four steps: extrusion, heading, decorating, and finally capping. The first phase of the manufacturing process is extrusion. A mixture of resin and color concentrate is placed into an extruder hopper. The extruder is temperature controlled as the resin is fed through to ensure proper melt of the resin. The material is extruded through a set of sizing dies that are encapsulated within a right angle cross section attached to the extruder. Thereafter, the prepared tubular housing members22are decorated such as by rotogravure printing.

Further assembly of an exemplary embodiment60of the present invention is shown inFIG. 7-9, wherein the housing container end29distal from the cap30, is externally compressed and joined (e.g. by ultrasonic welding) to form an elongated and flattened terminal strip62having a width 63 less than a distance 64 between the end of grooved strip24(opposite from the end having stop40) and the outer end of the strip62. Grooved strip24is attached to the housing container22before the contained material (80) is filled into the housing container. The typical average width of the tube end63weld is from 0.25″ to 0.50″ and formed after contained material is filled into the housing container22. The start location64of the strip24location on the housing container (relative to the filled end29) is preferably greater than the dimension of the weld53by 50% to avoid any welding heat to undesirably affect the joining of the strip24to the body of the housing container22.

A substantially continuous compression member70having an elongated opening sufficient dimension to receive the joined region62and housing container sides22A and22B therein, and a further expanded opening sufficient to receive the elongated strip24thickness dimension (extending away from the housing container sides22A) in addition to the housing container sides22A and228, as shown inFIGS. 8-11, discussed below. The elongated strip is placed on the housing container22having spacing between the stop and the cap30end28of the housing container of distance66, preferably 0.5″ to 1.0″, to accommodate the majority of finger sizes to allow a comfortable squeezing action on the housing container providing enhanced user control of the present apparatus to fully expel the contents80.

A fluid or semi-fluid substance or material80is contained within the container22having sides22A and22B, and between the cap30opening and sealed opposite end29, and is advanced through the cap30(when opened) by incremental advancement of the compression member70from the strip62end29along the length of the housing container22toward the end28by user manipulation, until the compression member70abuts the stop40. Further compression may be applied across the housing container22diameter by the user in the region66between the stop40and cap30end28.

Cross-sectional views of the compression member70as applied on the housing container at an end of the elongated strip24proximal the joined strip62and the stop40are shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, respectively, wherein the compression member applies a force against the two opposing sides22A,22B of the housing container22as the compression member is advanced, resulting in a flattened area over which the compression member70may continue to be advanced toward the stop40. In one embodiment, the compression member includes a flange72to receive a user-applied force to urge the compression member toward the stop40, and to further reinforce the dimensional shape and opening spacings of the compression member70as it receives resistance from evacuation of the contained material80. To prevent reversal in direction along the elongated strip, a unidirectional (along the strip24) gripping member, e.g. a downward-angled protrusion74, biased to engage the grooves34(or other profile) on the surface in a direction opposing compression member70motion away from the stop by engagement of the grooves34, permit motion toward the stop40by sliding over the walls of the grooves (or other elongated strip protrusions). In the exemplary embodiment, the compression member70ultimately comes to rest on the stop40, and the remaining housing container22surfaces may be further compressed by the user as desired without encumbrance from the elongated strip24. In an embodiment, the movement of compression member70protrusion along the elongated strip24grooves34produces a discernable (e.g. tactile) ‘click’ to the user.

These and further modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present invention, which is not limited except by the claims that follow.