Packaging including holder attachment for tubular applicators and the like

An attachment and a method for making an attachment for a product in a container, comprising the steps of: providing a back sheet having a front surface and a back surface, the back surface having adhesive for securing to the container; providing a front sheet having a front surface and a back surface; positioning an applicator adhesive for the product between the front surface of the back sheet and the back surface of the front sheet; and securing the front sheet to the back sheet so as to provide the attachment including the applicator adhesive enclosed between the front sheet and the back sheet whereby the attachment can be attached to the container with the adhesive.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT 
This application is related to Disclosure Document Number 378812 filed Jun. 
16, 1995. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to an improved package for products which use 
applicators and other devices. More specifically, the invention relates to 
an improved package for canned fluid products such as WD40.RTM., which is 
a canned lubricant under pressure which is applied through a spray nozzle. 
For specific applications of lubricant, a tubular applicator is provided 
for insertion into the nozzle so as to provide a more concentrated stream 
of product as desired. Conventionally, the applicator is provided along 
with the product and is held to the side of the product by a piece of 
adhesive tape. For the first use of the applicator, the tape must be 
removed and is generally not useful for reattaching the applicator to the 
can after use. Further, such products are generally provided with a cap 
for covering the spray nozzle, which cannot be replaced unless the 
applicator is removed. Due to the lack of an effective mechanism for 
re-securing the applicator to the can, the applicator frequently becomes 
lost well prior to the depletion of the contents of the can. 
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an 
improved package for such a product wherein provision is made for 
receiving and holding the applicator when needed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for 
making an attachment for holding an applicator for a product in a 
container. 
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinbelow. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects and advantages are 
readily attained. 
According to the invention, an attachment member for a product in a 
container is disclosed, which attachment member comprises: applicator 
means for application of said product; a back sheet having a front surface 
and a back surface, and means for securing to said container positioned on 
said back surface; a front sheet having a front surface and a back 
surface, said front sheet being secured to said back sheet with said 
applicator means releasably enclosed therebetween. 
In further accordance with the invention, a method for making an attachment 
according to the invention is provided, which method comprises the steps 
of: providing a back sheet having a front surface and a back surface, said 
back surface having means for securing to said container; providing a 
front sheet having a front surface and a back surface; positioning an 
applicator means for said product between said front surface of said back 
sheet and said back surface of said front sheet; and securing said front 
sheet to said back sheet so as to provide said attachment including said 
applicator means enclosed between said front sheet and said back sheet 
whereby said attachment can be attached to said container with said means 
for securing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The invention relates to an attachment, referred to generally in the 
drawings by reference numeral 10, for use in holding an applicator for a 
product in a container, whereby the applicator is readily removed for use 
and returned to the attachment after use so as to prevent the loss of the 
applicator prior to depletion of the product in the container. 
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates attachment 10 in accordance 
with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, attachment 10 according to 
the invention preferably includes a front sheet 12 and a back sheet 14 
which are preferably secured together according to the invention so as to 
define a pouch area 16 for holding an applicator tube 18 or other device 
for use in connection with a product in a container. Referring also to 
FIG. 5 which shows an attachment 10 positioned on a container 20 in 
accordance with the invention, front sheet 12 and back sheet 14 preferably 
each have top edge portions 22, side edge portions 24 and a bottom edge 
portion 26. In accordance with the invention, front sheet 12 and back 
sheet 14 are preferably secured to each other, at least at side edge 
portions 24, and preferably also at bottom edge portion 26, so as to 
define pouch area 16 therebetween having a substantially open top edge 
portion 22 whereby applicator tube 18 can be readily removed from and 
returned to pouch area 16 as desired. Attachment 10 in accordance with the 
invention thereby provides a readily accessible and convenient area for 
storage of applicator tube 18 so as to prevent the premature loss of 
applicator tube 18 due to lack of an effective and convenient area for 
storage of same. 
Returning to FIG. 1, front sheet 12 preferably has a front surface 28 and a 
back surface 30, and back sheet 14 preferably has a front surface 32 and a 
back surface 34. According to the invention, front sheet 12 and back sheet 
14 are preferably secured to each other at back surface 30 of front sheet 
12 and front surface 32 of back sheet 14. 
In further accordance with the invention, back surface 34 of back sheet 14 
preferably includes an adhesive layer 36 for securing attachment 10 to a 
container or can 20 in accordance with the invention. Adhesive layer 36 is 
preferably any suitable adhesive which should be selected based upon the 
material of which container 20 is made and any concerns with respect to 
the product to be contained in container 20. 
Also as shown in FIG. 1, back sheet 14 preferably further includes a 
peelable backing member 38 peelably exposed over adhesive layer 36 so as 
to cover adhesive layer 36 until attachment 10 is to be applied to a 
container 20. In accordance with the invention, peeling of peelable 
backing member 38 serves to expose adhesive layer 36 for ease in securing 
attachment 10 to container 20 as desired. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, a method for making attachment 10 in accordance 
with the invention is schematically illustrated. As shown, back sheet 14 
may suitably be provided in roll form so that attachments 10 are prepared 
in a continuous manner. Back sheet 14 in accordance with the invention is 
preferably fed to a first station 40 wherein applicator tubes 18 are 
positioned on back sheet 14 as desired. 
Front sheet 12 is also preferably provided in roll form, and is fed to a 
second station 42 for positioning over applicator tube 18 and 
substantially adjacent to back sheet 14. At second station 42, front sheet 
12 and back sheet 14 are preferably secured together as described above so 
as to provide attachment 10 in accordance with the invention. 
Referring to FIG. 3, a method for providing back sheet 14 in accordance 
with the invention is also illustrated. As shown, back sheet 14 may be 
provided in roll form to an adhesive application station 44, and then fed 
to a backing station 46 wherein peelable backing member 38 is applied to 
back surface 32 of back sheet 14 over adhesive layer 36. Of course, the 
adhesive layer and backing portions of back sheet 14 may also be provided 
in numerous other manners which may be readily apparent to one of ordinary 
skill in the art. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, attachments 10 in accordance with the invention 
may preferably be provided in a continuous strip as illustrated and may 
further be provided with perforations 48 or other means for facilitating 
the separation of a strip of attachments into individual units. Also as 
shown in FIG. 4, applicator tube 18 preferably extends beyond top edge 
portion 22 of front sheet 12 so as to provide an exposed portion 50 of 
applicator tube 18 so as to facilitate removal of applicator tube 18 from 
attachment 10 as desired. This may be provided, for example, by removing a 
section of front sheet 12 after front sheet 12 and back sheet 14 are 
secured together. 
Still referring to FIG. 4, a securing member 52 such as conventional 
adhesive tape and the like may preferably be provided over exposed portion 
50 of applicator tube 18 so as to secure applicator tube 18 in position 
within attachment 10 until applicator tube 18 is to be used. Advantageous, 
securing member 52 serves to hold applicator tube 18 in position within 
attachment 10 during shipping, handling and fixation of attachment member 
10 to container 20 so that container 20 with attachment 10 can be provided 
to consumers with applicator tube 18 firmly held in place. 
In this regard, it should be noted that it is anticipated that attachment 
10 may be provided to consumers already attached to container 20, or, 
alternatively, attachment 10 still including peelable backing member 38 
may be provided in a package including container 20 for application to 
container 20 by the consumer. 
Returning to FIG. 5, container 20 is illustrated as having a cap 54 for 
covering a nozzle 56 into which applicator tube 18 is positioned for use. 
As clearly illustrated in FIG. 5, applicator tube 18 must be removed prior 
to replacement of cap 54 over nozzle 56. Conventionally, no provision was 
made for holding applicator tube 18 after removal from nozzle 56, and 
applicator tube 18 is frequently lost or misplaced. FIG. 5 clearly 
illustrates the advantages of the present invention whereby applicator 
tube 18 is readily returned to pouch area 16 defined by attachment 10 for 
convenient and reliable storage until the next use. 
Referring now to FIG. 6, attachment 10 in accordance with a preferred 
embodiment of the invention is further illustrated. As shown, attachment 
10 is secured to container 20 at back surface 34 of back sheet 14, with 
applicator tube 18 contained in pouch area 16 defined between front sheet 
12 and back sheet 14. 
Referring now to FIG. 7, an alternate embodiment of the invention is 
further illustrated. In this simple embodiment of the invention, pouch 
area 16a is defined between front sheet 12 and container 20 itself. In 
this embodiment, front sheet 12 is attached to container 20 through 
adhesive or other securing method preferably applied at least to side edge 
portions 24 and, preferably, bottom edge portion 26 as well. FIG. 7 
schematically illustrates adhesive 58 positioned at side edge portions 24 
as desired. It should be noted that the embodiment of FIG. 7 is most 
preferable for applications where attachment 10 is to be applied directly 
to container 20 during the preparation of container 20. In this regard, if 
attachment 10 is to be applied during a continuous process of preparation 
of container 20, no back sheet 14 with peelable backing member 38 is 
required. However, it should also be readily apparent that attachment 10 
in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 7 could of course be provided 
with a peelable backing member (not shown) positioned over adhesive 58 if 
desired. 
Referring now to FIG. 8, a further alternative embodiment of the invention 
is illustrated. As shown, front sheet 12 and back sheet 14 may suitably be 
formed from a single piece of material, for example joined along a side 
edge portion 24a. In this embodiment, attachment 10 may suitably be 
manufactured by positioning applicator tube 18 on back sheet 14, and 
folding front sheet 12 along joined side edge portion 24a so as to enclose 
applicator tube 18. Front sheet 12 and back sheet 14 are then preferably 
secured at side edge portion 24b so as to define pouch area 16 containing 
applicator tube 18 as desired. 
Returning now to FIG. 5, and in accordance with a further alternative 
embodiment of the invention, indicia 60 may be positioned on one or more 
of front sheet 12 or back sheet 14 so as to be visible at front surface 28 
of front sheet 12. Indicia 60 may be art work or other depiction designed 
to enhance the appearance of attachment 10, for example in cooperation 
with applicator tube 18 if desired, and may serve to greatly enhance the 
consumer appeal of a product bearing attachment 10. 
In accordance with the foregoing, it should be readily apparent that a 
method and apparatus have been described in accordance with the present 
invention which provide a simple, efficient and cost effective attachment 
for use in storing an applicator tube for a product in a container, 
thereby preventing loss of the applicator tube prior to depletion of the 
contents of the container. 
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the 
illustrations described and shown herein, which are deemed to be merely 
illustrative of the best modes of carrying out the invention, and which 
are susceptible of modification of form, size, arrangement of parts and 
details of operation. The invention rather is intended to encompass all 
such modifications which are within its spirit and scope as defined by the 
claims.