Container for dispensing a combination product

A container assembly comprising first and second compartments. The first compartment includes a base web having a formed portion and a flat portion, a lidding material joined to the flat portion and a frangible seal positioned between the base web and the lidding material. The second compartment includes first and second barriers that are sealed to one another at peripheral edges. The first barrier has an aperture through which the formed portion of the base web extends. An upper surface of the flat portion of the base web is joined to an interior surface of the first barrier, thereby encapsulating the frangible seal within the second compartment. When the frangible seal is broken, a passageway is provided for transferring material from the first compartment into the second compartment for mixing with a second material. The second compartment may then be opened to dispense the mixture.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a container assembly for dispensing a combination product including at least two separately stored materials.

BACKGROUND

Containers for dispensing materials separately stored materials are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,075, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a device comprising two films that are sealed to one another and that define two serially-positioned chambers each containing one of two substances to be mixed together. Upon compressing one of the two chambers, a first substance can be flowed thorough a transition zone into the second chamber which is deformably expandable to accommodate both substances. The second chamber can then be compressed to dispensed a mixture of the two substances via a dispensing zone.

While the device disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,075 and other prior art dispensers provide advantageous features, they also have limitations. For example, the device disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,075 is limited to providing two chambers which are necessarily of identical material construction and quite similar geometries. These limitations are particularly disadvantageous for application requiring the mixing and/or dispensing of combination products formed from two very different materials. In this case, for example, it may be necessary to provide a device with chambers or compartments that have quite different geometries according to the relative quantities of materials provided and according to overall packaging and display requirements. In addition, the chemical properties of the different materials to be dispensed may require different compatible materials to be used to form each of the chambers.

SUMMARY

Briefly, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a container assembly for dispensing a combination product including at least two separately stored materials. The materials are isolated from one another in first and second compartments until the point of usage, at which time a compression of the first compartment causes a first material in the first compartment to be transferred and mixed with a second material in the second compartment before the mixture is dispensed.

A first aspect of the present disclosure includes a container assembly comprising the first and second compartments. The first compartment includes: a base web having a formed portion and a flat portion, a lidding material sealably joined to a bottom surface of the flat portion and a frangible seal positioned between the base web and the lidding material. The second compartment includes least a first barrier and a second barrier that are sealed to one another at peripheral edges of opposing interior surfaces. The first barrier also has an aperture through which the formed portion of the base web is outwardly positioned. An upper surface of the flat portion of the base web is sealably joined to the interior surface of the first barrier, thereby encapsulating the frangible seal within the second compartment. When the frangible seal is broken, a passageway is provided for transferring material from the first compartment to the second compartment for mixing with a second material. The second compartment may then be opened to dispense the mixture.

In a second aspect of the present disclosure, each of the base web, the lidding material and/or the first and second barriers is preferably formed as a laminate comprising one or more materials for example selected from but not limited to the group consisting of: 1) polyester including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET), recycled PET (RPET), and. PET glycol-modified (PETG); 2) polypropylene (PP)); 3) high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)); 4) ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)); 5) polyvinyl chloride (PVC),); 6) polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC); 7) aluminum and 8) nylon. In particular, materials at laminate surfaces that are sealably joined are preferably selected to comprise compatible polymers among this group, and more preferably, identical polymers from this group.

A third aspect of this disclosure includes a method of making a container device for mixing and dispensing two materials. A first one of the two materials is provided in a formed portion of a base web. A lidding material is sealed to a flat portion of the base web to form a first compartment of the container. A portion of the seal between the lidding material and the base web is formed to provide a frangible seal. A second compartment is provided to include at least a first barrier and a second barrier each having opposing interior surfaces. The formed portion of the base web is positioned outwardly through an aperture in the first barrier, and an upper surface of the flat portion of the base web is joined to the interior surface of the first barrier. A second one of the two materials is provided in a cavity between the first and second barriers of the second compartment, and the cavity is sealed. The frangible seal is formed to be broken when the first compartment is deformed, and to then provide a passageway for transferring the first material from the first compartment to be mixed with the second material in the second compartment.

This SUMMARY is provided to briefly identify some aspects of the present disclosure that are further described below in the DESCRIPTION. This SUMMARY is not intended to identify key or essential features of the present disclosure nor is it intended to limit the scope of any claims.

The term “aspects” is to be read as “at least one aspect”. The aspects described above and other aspects of the present disclosure described herein are illustrated by way of example(s) and not limited in the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION

Unless otherwise explicitly specified herein, the drawings are not drawn to scale.

We now provide some non-limiting, illustrative examples that illustrate several operational aspects of various arrangements and alternative embodiments of the present disclosure.

Aspects of the present disclosure describe a container assembly for dispensing a combination product including at least two separately stored materials. With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, an illustrative container assembly100includes a first compartment10for holding a first of the at least two separately stored materials and a second compartment20for holding a second of the at least two separately stored materials. The first compartment includes a base web11having a formed portion13defining a cavity and a flat portion14. A lidding material12is joined to a bottom surface of the flat portion14.

Each of the base web11and the lidding material14may preferably be formed as laminates including one or more materials for example selected from but not limited to the group consisting of: 1) polyester including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET), recycled PET (RPET), and. PET glycol-modified (PETG); 2) polypropylene (PP)); 3) high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)); 4) ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)); 5) polyvinyl chloride (PVC),); 6) polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC); 7) aluminum and 8) nylon. The base web11may alternatively include from a single homogeneous material, and may be preferably produced as a thermoform on conventional form and seal equipment used, for example, in the production of so-called “blister pack” packaging.

The lidding material12is preferably formed as a laminate film suitable to be heat sealed on the bottom surface of the flat portion14of the base web11. The laminate film also preferably includes a foil layer (for example, aluminum foil) as a barrier layer, so that the seal on the bottom surface of the flat portion14of the base web11functions as a hermetic seal. A portion of the hermetic seals defines a frangible seal25, which can be ruptured by compressing the formed portion13to open a passageway to allow the first material for flow outside of the first compartment10. The frangible seal may be most easily formed, for example, by forming the lidding material12from a conventional peelable seal material, and diminishing the time, temperature and/or pressure applied to form the portion of the seal that defines the frangible seal25, in order that this portion will be weakened and fail more readily under pressure as the formed portion13is compressed.

The second compartment20is formed from a first barrier21and a second barrier22. An aperture23is provided in the first barrier21, through which the formed portion13of the base web11is inserted outwardly away from an interior surface28of the first barrier21. Each of the first barrier21and the second bather22are preferably formed as a laminate film, and from materials for example selected from but not limited to the group consisting of: 1) polyester including phthalate (PET), amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET), recycled PET (RPET), and. PET glycol-modified (PETG); 2) polypropylene (PP)); 3) high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)); 4) ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)); 5) polyvinyl chloride (PVC),); 6) polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC); 7) aluminum and 8) nylon.

After the formed portion13of the base web11is inserted through the aperture23in the first barrier21, an upper surface of the flat portion14of the base web11is heat sealed to the interior surface28of the first barrier21. In order to ensure that this heat seal is hermetically sealed, the materials selected for the upper surface of the flat portion14and the interior surface28of the first barrier21, and may preferably comprise identical polymers. Because other material properties may be of importance (for example, including the elasticity of the formed portion13in compression, the base web11, first barrier21and second barrier22may be formed as laminates incorporating several distinct material layers. This may also be advantageous, for example, under conditions where chemical properties of the first and second materials place specific and distinct material requirements on the interior surfaces of the first and second compartments10,20.

After the base web11has been sealed to the first barrier21, the first barrier21and second barrier22may preferably be welded along peripheral seams26to form a sealed interior cavity within the second compartment20. Prior to welding at least a final peripheral seam26or providing some alternate means for sealing this seam26(for example, alternatively by adhesive sealing), the second material second material may be provided within the interior cavity of the second compartment20.

The second compartment20may also preferably be provided with one or more opening features to enable the first and second materials to be dispensed from the second compartment. As illustrated inFIG. 4A, for example, the opening features may include slits27to facilitate the tearing of a peripheral seam26away from the second compartment20in order to obtain access to the interior cavity of the second compartment20. Alternatively, the opening features may include diamond notches, peelable-type openings (which, for example, may permit the flexible barriers21,22to be peeled apart over portions of one or more peripheral seams26to obtain access to the interior cavity of the second compartment20), and micro perforations, or be provided as a reclosable fitment. As illustrated for example inFIG. 4B, the opening may be provided as redo sable fitment29including a spout29aor other conventional means for directing the dispensed materials. InFIG. 4B, the reclosable feature comprises a cap29bapplied over the spout29a.

FIGS. 3 and 4Aillustrate how the container assembly100ofFIGS. 1,2may be used. In a first operational state illustrated inFIG. 3, the first material30is stored within the first compartment10and the second material40is stored within the second compartment20. As the two compartments10,20are hermetically sealed with respect to one another, the first and second materials30,40are separately contained without contacting one another.

FIG. 4illustrates a second operational state for the container assembly100, in which the formed portion13of the first compartment10has been compressed, thereby rupturing the frangible seal25and causing the outflow of the material30from the first compartment10into the second compartment20to interact with the material40to form the mixture45. Mixing can be enhanced, for example, by a user that shakes the container assembly100and/or manipulates the flexible barriers21,22to promote mixing. For some second materials40that are absorbent, active mixing may be unnecessary. Once mixing and/or absorption has been completed, a peripheral seam26may then be removed by tearing the second compartment20along one or more of slits20in order to dispense the mixture45.

InFIGS. 1-4B, the second compartment20is illustrated as rectangular and pillow-shaped. One of skill in the art at the time of this disclosure will readily recognize that a great number of other geometries may be selected for the second compartment20without departing from the principles of the present disclosure, in accordance for example with considerations including the nature of the materials to be dispensed and physical positioning of the container assembly100in a product or sales environment. For example, a portion of the second compartment20may be expanded via gusseting or other means in order to enable the container assembly100to be conveniently stored in a vertical position. In addition or alternatively, the geometry (for example, shape and/or size) of the compartment20may be altered relative to the geometry of the compartment100according to the characteristics of the materials30,40. For example, if the second material40is a non-liquid material such as a towlette, the shape and thickness of the compartment20may be significantly altered from the examples depicted inFIGS. 1-3.

Consistent with principles of the present disclosure, it is anticipated that first materials contained within the first compartment10of the container assembly100may include materials selected from the group consisting of lotions, creams, gels, waxes, oils, paints, foams, glues, solvents, water-based solutions and powders, and that materials contained within the second compartment20of the container assembly100may include materials selected from the group consisting of lotions, creams, gels, waxes, oils, paints, foams, glues, solvents, water-based solutions and powders or the group consisting of pills, pads, towlettes, patches, gauze and paper. Product applications consistent with principles of the present disclosure may, for example, include cosmetic applications including two or more part cosmetic formulations in liquid and/or powder form, and including pads and/or other absorbent materials to be dispensed after absorbing one or more formulations within the container assembly100. In addition, product applications may for example include pharmaceutical combinations providing a bandage with a disinfectant, active pharmaceutical ingredients to be mixed at a time of use, and/or pills in combination with a fluid carrier for environments where water quality is suspect. Multi-part chemical application including, for example, epoxy glues are also contemplated within the present disclosure, as are food applications including for example, vitamins provided in combination with liquids and multi-part protein shakes.

FIG. 5provides a flow diagram illustrating an manufacturing process500for making a container assembly in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. At step51of the process500, a first material30is provided within the cavity of the formed portion13of the base web11. The lidding material12is then heat sealed to a bottom surface of the flat portion14of the base web11at step52. The frangible seal25is provided in a portion of the heat seal at step53by diminishing the time, temperature and/or pressure applied to form this portion of the seal.

At step54, the formed portion13of the base web11is inserted outwardly through an aperture23in a first barrier21, and then an upper surface of the flat portion14is heat sealed to an inner surface of the first barrier21near a periphery to the aperture23at step55. At step56, inner surfaces at peripheral edges of the first barrier21and the second barrier22are welded to form a welded peripheral seams26, and a second material40is provided to an interior cavity of the second compartment20via a remaining non-welded peripheral seam26. The remaining non-welded seam26is sealed (for, example, by welding or adhesive means), and an opening feature is provide to the second compartment20at step58to facilitate dispensing of the mixture45.

At this point, while we have presented this disclosure using some specific examples, those skilled in the art will recognize that our teachings are not so limited. Accordingly, this disclosure should be only limited by the scope of the claims attached hereto.