RECEPTACLE STOPPER, ESPECIALLY FOR LIQUID PRODUCTS, DESIGNED AS A DISPENSING AND DIFFUSING DEVICE AND PROCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MACHINE-WASHING OF LAUNDRY, UTILIZING THE SAID STOPPER

Abstract: A receptacle stopper comprising in combination: a) means (4,14,24,34,44) known per se for the removable fastening of the said stopper on the receptacle; b) means (5,15,25,35,45) provided inside the body of the stopper and making it possible, when the latter is removed from the receptacle, to introduce a set dose of the product contained in the receptacle into the said body and to diffuse the latter progressively during use, in the course of which the said set dose is used up and the stop­ per separated in order to be recovered. The preferred use of the stopper is in the washing of laundry by machine with a liquid detergent. In this case, the stopper filled with a set dose of detergent is placed in the drum of the machine together with the laun­ dry to be washed.

Description: The present invention relates to the packaging sector, particularly for liquid products used in set doses. According to one of its preferred features, the invention is also concerned with the washing of laundry by machine. It may be stated, first of all, that the applicant is already the proprietor of a certain number of patent applications which can be mentioned as references to illustrate the state of the art. The particular subject of European Publication 0 151549, published August 14, 1985 for "Process for the machine-washing of laundry with a liquid detergent and device for its use" is a device, usually rechargeable, which is first filled with liquid detergent and is then placed in the drum of the machine together with the laundry to be washed. The detergent contained in the device progressively diffuses into the washing medium and into the laundry located in the machine. In one embodiment, the device has a filling orifice and vents for the progressive release of the liquid within the laundry during washing. The subject of European Publication 152359 filed April 2, 1985 for "Device for machine-washing with a liquid detergent and process utilizing the said device" is a device of the abovementioned type which is more particularly characterized in that it has an essentially spherical shape. In one embodiment, the device comprises a body and an attached assembly provided with a central filling orifice which can take the form of a shaft penetrating inside the body. A certain number of orifices makes it possible to fill or dispense and/or diffuse the liquid. The subject of European Patent Publication 201376 filed April 2, 1986 for "Packaging receptacle with a built-in dispenser, especially for liquid products" is a receptacle having a removable dispenser interacting with the closing device, with which the receptacle is equipped in the usual way. Advantageously, this dispensing device likewise functions as a diffuser according to the teaching of the two patent applications mentioned above. A certain number of embodiments are described to illustrate the removable fastening of the dispersing and diffusing device on the receptacle containing the liquid product. Thus, if the receptacle has the general shape of a bottle provided with a neck, the upper part of which carries a stopper, the dispensing and diffusing device can be made to interact with the neck and/or stopper by various means. Additionally, mention may also be made of European Patent Publication 216415 filed September 2, 1986 for "Dispensing and diffusing device which can be incorporated in a receptacle, especially for liquid products". The improvement achieved by means of this last application involves ensuring that the shaft serving for the dispensing and diffusion of the liquid likewise functions as a support, preventing the device from being crushed. For this purpose, the shaft extends substantially up to the wall of the body which is opposite the filling orifice. The applicant, continuing his work in the field of dispensing and diffusing devices and receptacles associated with them, has now developed a receptacle stopper, the arrangement of which also allows it to function as a dispensing and diffusing device. The subject of the present invention is, therefore, an advantageous simplification of the removable dispensers which, in particular, are the subject of the abovementioned European Patent Publication 201376 . A particularly expedient use of the invention is in the washing of laundry by machine with a liquid detergent. The invention therefore relates to a receptacle stopper according to claim 1. The stopper according to the invention performs a primary function which is the conventional stopping of receptacles, especially for liquid products. For this purpose, the stopper has means known per se, which make it possible to fasten it removably to the receptacle. Any fastening means can be used. It is sufficient for the means equipping the stopper to interact with those equipping the receptacle or the neck of the latter. Consequently, these can be screwing or clipping means or a combination of these means. As is known, the means of fastening the stopper on the receptacle can be provided on the actual body of the stopper or on parts of the latter. The stopper likewise has gripping means known to a person skilled in the art, which are intended to make it easier to manipulate. However, because the stopper also functions as a dispensing and diffusing device, certain means of fastening the stopper on the receptacle are preferred. In fact, it is important to stress that, according to the essential inventive idea of the invention, the stopper, after receiving a set dose of the product contained in the receptacle, is used in an operation during which this set dose will be used up, whilst the stopper itself can be separated and recovered. The most interesting practical example is that of the washing of laundry by machine. In this case, the stopper filled with an especially liquid detergent is placed in the drum of the machine together with the laundry to be washed. It is therefore expedient to make a suitable choice of the means composing the stopper, and this must be done whilst at the same time taking into account the requirements of final use. A first condition is that it is preferable to fill and reduce as much as possible the sharp edges and ridges on the stopper. In this respect, in a preferred embodiment, the means of fastening the stopper to the neck of the receptacle consist of an external thread of part of the stopper, which interacts with a corresponding internal thread on the neck of the receptacle. Because this type of article is made of plastic, the threads are most often produced without any sharp edges. The outer shape of the stopper must likewise be adapted to the conditions of use. Rounded forms and edges are preferred. If the stopper has a general rounded shape, it is advantageous for practical manipulation if it has a flattened portion which makes it possible to stand it with a firm support during the filling and dispensing operation. Devices of this type are described, in particular, in the EP-A-0 152 359, mentioned above. Another condition relates to the material constituting the stopper. In fact, a material meeting the requirements arising during use must be selected. For example, for washing laundry by machine, it is appropriate that the material of the stopper should withstand the highest temperatures used during this washing. As a safety measure, it is therefore preferable that the material selected should withstand temperatures of the order of 100°C. Moreover, because the stopper is intended to be placed in the drum of a washing machine, it will be necessary as far as possible to avoid choosing a material of such a hardness that the impacts of the stopper inside the drum generate noise. A person skilled in the art will therefore have to adopt a compromise between a material sufficiently rigid for the stopper to have sufficient mechanical strength and a material which does not cause any noise in the drum during use. There are many plastics which can satisfy such conditions. Mention may be made, as non-limiting examples, of polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylvinylacetate, polyesters and other polymers which are known to be suitable for use in the production of plastic articles. In combination with the arrangements given above, the stopper according to the invention has means making it possible for it to serve as a dispensing and diffusing device. In the prior art, it is well known to use a stopper as a dispenser. Many household products are used in this way. Nevertheless, to the applicant's knowledge, it has never been proposed to equip the dispensing stopper with means making it possible both to fill the stopper with a product contained in the receptacle and to diffuse the product progressively during final use. Thus, the stopper, which performs its conventional function of stopping the receptacle, also functions not only as a dispenser, but also as a diffuser and as a means in a subsequent use, particularly for the machine-washing of laundry with an especially liquid detergent. The dispensing and diffusing means equipping the stopper according to the invention can have very varied designs. An example of removable fitting is the screwing or clipping of a piece having orifices onto the stopper opening. Referring again to its use in the washing of laundry by machine, the user need only separate the stopper from the receptacle, fill the stopper with the set dose of detergent product and fasten, by clipping or the like, the removable piece which will serve as a diffuser. The stopper filled and equipped with this piece is then introduced into the drum of the washing machine together with the laundry. Alternatively, the stopper can additionally incorporate means allowing it to interact with the dispensing and diffusing means, for example by clipping or screwing, by means of its end opposite that where its opening is located. This embodiment is advantageous for transport purposes. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process which utilizes the receptacle stopper according to the invention and in which the stopper is filled with the set dose of the product contained in the receptacle, the said process being characterized in that the stopper filled in this way is used as such, the product then diffusing progressively until the said set dose has been used up, and in that the stopper is recovered. As stated previously, such a process is especially advantageous in the technique of washing laundry by machine, particularly with a liquid detergent product. Normally, the recovered stopper serves once again for stopping the receptacle. However, to prevent any handling error, especially when the stopper is being used, it is advantageous to provide an accessory member which makes it possible to cover the receptacle at least temporarily. This ensures, at least while the stopper is being used, that the content of the receptacle does not pour out inadvertently. The invention, without being limited in any way, will also be illustrated by means of the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axial section through a stopper. Figure 2 is an axial section through another alternative form of a stopper. Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, showing an additional alternative form of the embodiment of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, showing an additional alternative form of the embodiment of Figure 2. Figure 1 shows an embodiment, in which the dispensing and diffusing device is fitted removably on the body of the stopper which is designated by the general reference (31). In the example of Figure 1, the body (32) has, in its lower part, an external thread (34) which normally interacts with the receptacle covered by the stopper (31). A collar (34a) is intended to ensure a sealed closure. The piece (35) is then separated from the body (32). During use, the stopper (31) is unscrewed and the body (32) is filled with the desired quantity of detergent liquid, after which the piece (35) having a corresponding internal thread (40) is screwed onto the thread (34). Vents (39) are distributed over the piece (35), to allow the liquid to diffuse progressively into the laundry during washing. In the example illustrated in Figure 1, there is functional interaction between the stopper (31) and the piece (35), thus making it possible to ensure the stopping function and the dispensing and diffusing function. Figure 2 shows another alternative embodiment of a stopper designated by the general reference (41). In this example, the stopper body (42) has a collar (43) equipped with an internal thread (44) intended to interact with a corresponding external thread of the neck of the receptacle (not shown). An internal means (44a) makes it possible to ensure a sealed closure. In this example, the dispensing and diffusing means in the form of the piece (45) are fitted semi-fixedly on the body (42). The piece (45) having vents (49) is in fact fitted on the body (42) in the form of a hinge-type arrangement which is often found in capping devices. The edge (60) of the piece (45) catches on the periphery of the body (42) when the piece (45) has to be connected to the stopper (41). In this example, the stopper (41) is normally fastened to the neck of the receptacle by means of the collar (43) and its thread (44). For the purpose of use, the stopper (41) is unscrewed, the piece (45) is pivoted about the hinge (50) so as to expose the opening in the stopper body (42), the desired quantity of liquid detergent product is introduced into it, and then the piece (45) is fitted on the periphery of the opening in the body (42). The stopper (41) containing the liquid detergent is introduced as a whole inside the drum of the washing machine. The liquid detergent progressively diffuses through the vents (49) into the laundry during washing. In the embodiment illustrated by way of example in Figure 3, the stopper, which is of a general type similar to that of Figure 1, has an external thread (34) intended to interact with the neck of the receptacle. At the opposite end, it has another external thread (40a) which has a pitch identical to that of the preceding thread and which can receive the corresponding thread (40) of the cap (35). During transport, the cap (35) can thus be screwed on the body of the stopper (32). For the purpose of use, the cap (35) is removed from the thread (40a), and the assembly as a whole can then be used in the way described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 4 illustrates an alternative form similar to that of Figure 2. The cap (45) is no longer movable about a hinge, but can simply be force-fitted onto the body of the stopper (41). In the transport position, the part (50) of the cap interacts with the part (50a) of the stopper. The tongue (60) makes it possible to remove the cap easily during use. After the stopper (41) has been filled with the desired quantity of product (for example, liquid detergent), the cap (45) is placed over the opening in the stopper by forcing it onto the body. The assembly as a whole is used in the same way as in Figure 2. The dispensing and diffusing stoppers illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 are made of a plastic which withstands the conditions of a washing operation, particularly temperatures up to 100°C and alkaline conditions. The exemplary embodiments of Figures 1 to 4 have been given merely as an illustration. Many alternative forms are also possible and within the scope of a person skilled in the art. In particular, it is possible to make use of the teaching of the Patent Applications of which the applicant is proprietor and which were mentioned in the introduction to this specification. These applications are incorporated as references for the requirements of the present description. It is also appropriate to note that the description relates essentially to a process for utilizing the stopper according to the invention in the washing of laundry by machine, which represents a preferred embodiment. However, the inventive design of the stopper according to the present invention can be used in all other types of process in which a treatment product contained in a stopper can diffuse through the latter. Consequently, the invention is not limited to the field of washing with a liquid detergent. A stopper according to the invention can be used in the same way to diffuse various products, such as scenting or softening compositions, progressively into articles to be treated.

Claims: Stopper for a receptacle containing a liquid detergent to be used in laundry washing machines, characterized in that a cap (35) is removably fixed (40,40a) at the far end of the stopper (32) which is opposite to and interacts with the neck of a receptacle, said cap (35) comprising vents (39) and that for the use in a washing machine, the stopper is removed from the receptacle and said cap (35) is removably fixed at the other end (34) of the stopper (32), the assembly cap (35)-stopper (32) being placed in the drum of the washing machine for allowing diffusion of a dosed quantity of liquid detergent contained in the stopper (32) through the vents (39). Stopper according to claim 1 characterized in that after the washing, the cap (35) is again fixed (40,40a) on the stopper (32). Stopper according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an accessory member is used, which makes it possible to cover the receptacle at least during the use of the dispensing and diffusing device in the washing machine. Stopper according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stopper has rounded edges and a rounded shape. Stopper according to anyone of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the body (2) has a flattened portion (23) making it possible to stand the stopper in a stable position during the filling and dispensing operation. Stopper according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the material constituting the stopper is selected so as to withstand temperatures up to 100°C. Stopper according to anyone of claim 1 to 6, characterized in that the material constituting the stopper is selected so as to have a sufficient mechanical strength, without causing noise during use. Stopper according to anyone of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the material constituting it is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylvinylacetate, polyesters and other polymers which are known to be suitable for use in the production of plastic articles.

Inventors: ARNAU-MUNOZ, JOSE, MURRAY, CHARLES DOUGLAS, Arnau-Munoz, José
Applicants: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
Application year: 1986
Main classification: D06F39
IPC codes: B65D41, D06F39