COMBINATION OF A PACKAGE HAVING A POROUS APPLICATOR AND A FLUID PRODUCT

Abstract: The present invention relates to a package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination, comprising (a) a shear-thinning fluid product, and (b) a package including a container for housing the shear-thinning product, (i) the container having a dispensing orifice, (ii) the package further including a porous applicator (24) attached adjacent the dispensing orifice (18) and having a plurality of small passages, the dispensing orifice (18) and the small passages forming a dispensive passage, the small passages having an average pore diameter, so that when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container, said shear-thinning product will have substantially no leakage, and so that when a compressive force is manually applied to the container, said shear-thinning product will have a flow rate sufficient to deliver the desired product quantity.

Description: COMBINATION OF A PACKAGE HAVING A POROUS APPLICATOR AND A FLUID PRODUCT Field of the invention The present invention relates to a package having a porous applicator in combination with a fluid product combination. More specifically, it relates to a combination of a container having a porous applicator, and a fluid product which has shear-thinning property. Background of the invention A package having applicators for coating an object, for example, such as a fabric or a human body, with any variety of fluid products, are known to those skilled in the art. These packages known to those skilled in the art include (i) roll-on types (e.g., a package having a rolling ball as an applicator) in which a rolling ball is used with a liquid, (ii) sponge types (e.g., a package having a soft porous material as an applicator) in which a sponge is soaked with a liquid, (iii) hard porous types (e.g., a container having a hard porous material as an applicator) in which a hard porous material is soaked with a liquid, and (iv) brush types (e.g., a package having an opening with brush as an applicator) which a brush is used with a liquid. One disadvantage commonly attributed to many examples of the above containers is that a leakage or spillage of the contained liquid from the applicator during the periods of non-use can occur. Especially, when the container is in the condition of laying down when its cap is open. Leakage or spillage of the contained liquid from an applicator is a serious problem for consumers. We found that a combination of a package having a porous applicator and a fluid product which is shear-thinning product improved the above problem while maintaining free flow and dispersing of the product from the container. Namely, when substantially no compressive force is applied to a shear-thinning product, the product shows very low flow rate, so that the container has substantially no leakage or spillage of the contained product from a porous applicator during the periods of non-use, even though the package is in the condition of laying down. And when a compressive force is applied to the package, the product flows readily from the porous applicator. Summary of the Invention In one aspect of the present invention provides a package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination, comprising (a) a shear- thinning fluid product, and (b) a package including a container for housing the shear- thinning product, (i) the container having a dispensing orifice, (ii) the package further including a porous applicator attached adjacent the dispensing orifice and having a plurality of small passages, the dispensing orifice and the small passages forming a dispensive passage, the small passages having an average pore diameter, so that when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container, said shear- thinning product will have substantially no leakage, and so that when a compressive force is manually applied to the container, said shear-thinning product will have a flow rate sufficient to deliver the desired product quantity. Preferably, the average pore diameter of the dispensing orifice in the present invention is from about 0.001 to about 2 mm, and when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container, said shear-thinning fluid product will have a flow rate less than 0.1g/min., and when a compressive force about 0.5 to about 5 kg/cm^ is manually applied to the container, said shear-thinning fluid product will have a flow rate at least about 5 g/min. In another respect of the present invention provides a package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination, comprising (a) a shear- thinning fluid product, and (b) a package including a container for housing the shear thinning product, (i) the container having a dispensing orifice, (ii) the package further including a porous applicator attached adjacent the dispensing orifice and having a plurality of small passages, the dispensing orifice and the small passages forming a dispensive passage, the small passages having an average pore diameter, so that when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container, said shear-thinning product will have substantially no leakage, and so that when a compressive force is manually applied to the container, said shear-thinning product will have a flow rate sufficient to deliver the desired product quantity, wherein the shear-thinning fluid product has the following rheology when measured using the following equation of Herschel-Buckley. Equation of Herschel-Buckley : [Stress] = A + B X [Shear rate] c Rheology: A (calculated yield) is > 0; B (viscosity coefficient of the fluid product of the present invention) is a coefficient to meet the following equation of Herchel-Burkley ; and C ( rate index) is in the range 0<C<1. Brief description of the figures While the specification concludes with claims which particularly point out and distinctly claim the invention, it is believed the present invention will be better understood from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify identical elements and wherein; Figure 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a package having a porous applicator for use in the present invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 1 , taken along line 2 - 2 of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2 of a second preferred embodiment of a package for use in the present invention additionally including venting capability; Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2 of a third preferred embodiment of a package for use in the present invention additionally including a drain means and splash guard; and Figure 5 is a top plan view of the drain means and splash guard of the embodiment of Figure 4. Detailed description of the invention As indicated above, the present invention is directed to the combination of a container having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning product. A discussion of the shear-thinning product is provided first herein, followed by a discussion of the container. A fluid product exhibits a shear-thinning flow behavior is used in the present invention. As used herein, a "shear-thinning" fluid product is a product which presents a high viscosity when the shear rate is low, and vice versa its viscosity is low when the shear rate is high, and which shows "non-Newtonian behavior". Among many fluid products which are known to those skilled in the art as the property of non-Newtonian behavior, a shear-thinning fluid product having a property of "plastic fluids" is a preferable example for the present invention. As used herein, plastic fluids are pseudiplastic liquids which exhibit a yield value (reference: Edited by D. Laba, "Rheological Properties of Cosmetics and Toiletries", Cosmetic Science and Technology Series (Vol. 13), Marcel Dekker, Inc., pp. 12-15 (1993)). Accordingly, they behave like a solid due to their interparticle association. The external force has to overcome these internal forces and disrupt the structure of the material. The critical shear stress needed to do so is defined as the yield value. Beyond the yield point, the material changes its behavior from solid to liquid, and its viscosity may change as a function of increased shear rate. The viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid products for the present invention is not limited to as long as it exhibits shear-thinning flow behavior as defined above. According to the present invention, when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container, said shear-thinning fluid product will have substantially no leakage, and when a compressive force is manually applied to the container, said shear-thinning fluid product will have a flow rate sufficient to deliver the desired product quantity. Preferably, no compressive force is applied to the container for the present invention, shear-thinning fluid product for the invention have a flow rate less than 0.1 g/min., more preferably less than 0.07 g/min., most preferably less than 0.05 g/min. Generally, in order to meet consumer needs for consumer products such as cleaning products or health care products, a preferable flow rate can be at least about 5 g/min., under compressive force from about 0.5 to 5kg/cm 2 . This compressive force is manually applied to the container by squeezing the container by a consumer's hand, when the container is used. One way of indexing a shear-thinning property is following the 'constitutive' equation of Herschel-Buckley (reference: Edited by D. Laba, "Rheological Properties of Cosmetics and Toiletries", Cosmetic Science and Technology Series (Vol. 13), Marcel Dekker, Inc.pp. 19-20 (1993)). Equation of Herschel-Buckley : [Stress] = A + B x [Shear rate] c Rheology: A (calculated yield); B (viscosity coefficient of the fluid product of the present invention) ; C ( rate index) The preferable flow rate of the shear-thinning fluid product can be decided based on the consumer needs for the amount product. The flow rate can be adjusted based on the above rheology of the product and specification of the porous applicator. For a non-limited example, the following rheology can meet the requirement for the shear-thinning fluid product for the present invention. Equation of Herschel-Buckley : [Stress] = A + B x [Shear rate] 0 Rheology: A (calculated yield) is > 0; B (viscosity coefficient of the fluid product of the present invention) is a coefficient to meet the following equation of Herschel-Buckley ; and C ( rate index) is in the range 0<C<1. Non-limited examples of shear-thinning fluid products for the present invention can be cleaning products in hand washing an/or in washing machine such as laundry / shoes products (such as pre-treatment products), dish / produce washing products. These cleaning products typically includes one or more surfactants such as anioninc, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants, and one or more other ingredients such as bleaches, bleach activators, solvents/hydrotropes, enzymes, builders, polymers, chelants, perfumes, suds suppressers, dyes, brighteners, soil suspenders, dye transfer agents, radical scavengers, preservatives and stabilizers. Other non-limited examples of shear-thinning fluid products for the present invention can be deodorant products and health care products. Referring to Figure 1, an exemplary embodiment of a package 10 for use in the present invention is provided. The package 10 generally includes a container 12 and an overcap 14. The container 12 is designed to house the shear-thinning fluid product. The container 12 may be of virtually any shape, although the container 12 preferably includes an angled neck portion as seen in the present embodiment. Referring to Figure 2, the angled neck portion terminates in a dual threaded finish 16 surrounding a dispensing opening 18 through with the shear-thinning fluid product may be dispensed. The walls 20 (seen in Figure 1) of the container 12 of this embodiment are resilient to allow for dispensing of the product through the dispensing opening 18 by applying a manually compressive force to the container walls. In other embodiments, the walls 20 may be merely flexible (as opposed to resilient); e.g., as when pouches made of thin plastic material is utilized. In addition to the container 12 and overcap 14, this package 10 includes a retaining ring 22 and a porous applicator 24. As illustrated, the porous applicator 24 covers the dispensing opening 18 and is sealed against the top of the finish 16 of the container 12 via the retaining ring 22. Although cooperating threads 25 and 26 on the finish 16 of the container 12 and on the retaining ring 22, respectively, are utilized in this embodiment, any method known to one skilled in the art may be utilized. For example, a snap-fit arrangement, a friction-fit arrangement and/or an adhesive may be utilized. Similarly, the overcap 14 of this embodiment is attached to the container 12 via set of cooperating threads 27 and 28 located on the overcap 14 and the neck 16 of the container 12, respectively. This overcap 14 includes an annular wall 30 depending downwardly from the top wall 32 of the overcap 14 to seal against the retainer ring 22. As previously indicated, the porous applicator 24 covers the dispensing opening 18 and is sealed against the top of the finish 16 of the container 20 so that any liquid passing through the dispensing opening 18 must also pass through the porous applicator 24 in order to be dispensed from the package 10. The porous applicator 24 has a plurality of small passages (not seen) therein. These small passages, in combination and together with the dispensing opening 18 of the container 12, form a dispensing passage through which product may be dispensed from the package 10. Thus, the plurality of small passages within the porous applicator 24 form a portion of the dispensing passage. Such a porous applicator 24 can be of various types known to those skilled in the art. Exemplary soft porous applicators 24 include those made of open celled synthetic or natural sponge materials. Other exemplary porous applicators 24 can be made, for example, of fibers fused together to create liquid flow channels. Similarly, a hard porous applicator 24 may be obtained by heating and sintering micromolecular granules (i.e., synthetic resin powders ) of a specific particle size in a mold to form a hard, open-celled applicator 24. Such a hard, open-celled applicator 24 is utilized in the present embodiment. Preferably, a hard porous applicator 24 have uniformed thickness such as 2.0-10.0mm in average. In particular, the small passages of the open celled applicator 24 have diameters which are small enough to restrict the flow of the shear-thinning fluid product therethrough when no compressive force is applied to the walls 20 of the container 12 so that substantially no leakage from the package 10 occurs, even when the package 10 is laid on its side. In contrast, the diameters of the passage are large enough that when a typical manually compressive force is applied to the walls 20 of the container 12 by a user, the shear-thinning product will flow through the passages at a flow rate sufficient to readily deliver the desired product quantity. In other words, the product quantity equivalent to an effective dosage is delivered within the time typically considered acceptable by a user. The situation where there is substantially no leakage when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container walls 20 includes a flow rate through the porous applicator 24 which is preferably less than 0.1 g/min; more preferably, less than 0.07g/min; and most preferably, less than 0.05g/min. In addition, substantially no leakage may also occur when some small amount of fluid passes through the porous applicator 24 at higher flow rates, but then, due to the thickening that occurs after the product moves through the passages, this small amount of product remains on the exterior of the applicator 24 without running off to create a sticky mess inside the overcap 14. A flow rate sufficient to readily deliver the desired product quantity for many shear-thinning products includes flow rates which are preferably at least about 5 g/min; more preferably from about 5.5 g/min. to about 30 g/min.; and most preferably, from about 6.0 g/min. to about 25 g/min. The manually compressive force which is preferably utilized to obtain the dispensing flow rate is preferably from about 0.5 kg/cm 2 to about 5 kg/cm 2 ÷ and more preferably from about 1 kg/cm 2 to about 2 kg/cm 2 . Preferable passage diameters that in most cases result in a balancing of the competing objectives (i. e., substantially no leakage and ready dispensing) for many shear-thinning liquid products are satisfied when the average diameters of the passages are from about 0.001 mm to about 2 mm; more preferably, 0.005 mm to about 1.5 mm; and most preferably, from about 0.01 mm to about 1.0 mm. Referring to Figure 3, an alternative embodiment of a package 110 for use in the present invention is provided. This embodiment is quite similar to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. However, this embodiment is particularly well suited for instances where the shear-thinning liquid product produces gas during shipping and storage. Since the container 112 is flexible, it may deform in response to pressure differences arising between the inside of the container 112 and the ambient pressure. To avoid the walls 120 of the container 112 from bulging when a gas producing shear-thinning fluid product is utilized in the present invention, the package 110 preferably includes a venting means. One example of a gas producing shear-thinning product is the laundry composition of .Example 1 below. This composition includes hydrogen peroxide which generates oxygen gas during shipping and storage. Thus the venting means enables the pressure within the package 110 to be maintained identical to the external atmosphere or at a pressure at least below the pressure at which meaningful container 112 deformation occurs. The venting means is preferably associated with the overcap 114 of the package. In the present embodiment, the venting means is provided by two vent channels 134 oppositely disposed through the annular downwardly depending wall 130 of the overcap 114. These vent channels 134 allow gas to escape past the top surface of the retaining ring 122 and out to the atmosphere through the space (not seen) between the overcap 114 and the retaining ring 122 and container neck 116 (e.g., along the threads 127 and 128). As indicated above, any small quantity of product which escapes through the passages of the porous member 124 when substantially no compressive force is applied to the package preferably becomes thick enough after passing therethrough that it does not continue to flow to the edge of the overcap 122 and out through these channels 134. When the vent means is located in the overcap 114, it is preferred that the gas escape from within the container 112 through the porous applicator 124 as discussed in the previous embodiments. In some instances, the thickness of the porous applicator 224 may be designed so well that as pressure builds within the container 212, any fluid in the passages of the applicator 224 will thin sufficiently to be expelled from at least a portion of the passages at a pressure below which the container 212 will bulge. Once expelled, the fluid will thicken and simply remain on the outer surface of the applicator 224 until the next use without causing a sticky mess as indicated above. Similarly, when a resilient container is utilized, as the walls of the container rebound at the end of a dispensing operation, ambient air will be sucked into the container through the small passages of the applicator, thereby voiding at least a portion of the passages. Thus, gas will be able to freely pass between the cap area and the interior of the package. To aid performance of the venting means, the package 110 may additionally include one or more means for aiding the removal of product from at least some of the passages of the porous applicator 124. These removal means can involve either active or passive removal of the product. Examples of passive removal means are discussed below with respect to Figure 4. One example of an active removal means is seen in this embodiment. The porous applicator 124 includes two diametrically opposed bores 136 partially through the applicator 124; thereby making the applicator 124 is particularly thin in these two regions. The thin nature of the applicator 124 means that the passages are shorter in these two regions than in the remainder of the applicator 124. Consequently, when the container 112 rebounds at the end of a dispensing operation, ambient air is preferentially sucked through these shorter passages; thereby preferentially clearing these shorter passages. This helps ensure that there are at least some clear passages through which gases can freely pass between dispensing. Turning to Figure 4, an alternative venting means is provided by locating a membrane 238 over an orifice 234 located in the overcap 214. The size of the orifice 234 should be large enough to permit the appropriate passage of gases. Preferably, the orifice 234 is circular and has a diameter of at least 0.5 mm; and more preferably, from about 1 mm to about 3 mm. The number of orifices 234 can be chosen by one skilled in the art to allow the flow of gases at a rate sufficient to meet the needs of the particular case involved. The membrane 238 is preferably a thin film material which is impermeable to fluids, but permeable to gases. Therefore, the membrane 238 is able to provide a liquid impermeable barrier, while allowing gas venting. Preferably, said membrane 238 may be fluid (liquid) impermeable up to pressure differences of 1 bar between the inside and the outside of the package 210; preferably up to pressure differences of 500 mbar. In addition, the membrane 238 preferably allows gas flow with pressure differences as low as 50 mbar; more preferably, as low as 5 mbar. In addition, the membrane 238 is preferably a thin film material. Although the thickness of the membrane 238 is a matter of choice, it is preferably in the region of from about 0.2 mm to about 2 mm. The membrane 238 may comprise a network of microchannels which is permeable to gas, but not to fluids as described, e. g., in EP-A- 593,840. Preferred materials for said membrane 238 include microporous plastic films. The size of the micropores of the membrane 238 are preferably in the range from about 0.1 μ to about 5 μm; more preferably, between about 0.2 μm and about 1 μm. Preferred microporous plastic films for this application include non woven plastic films, especially the non-woven spun bonded polyethylene film material sold under the trade name TYVEK by DuPont company, of which TYVEK, Style 10, is particularly advantageous since it is flourocarbon treated to achieve high fluid impermeability. Another preferred microporous plastic film is an acrylic copolymer cast on a non-woven support (nylon or PET) with a flouro-monomer post-treatment hydrophobicity, sold under the trade name, VERSAPOR, by Gelman Sciences Company, 600 South Wagner Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106, US. As indicated previously, means for aiding the removal of fluid product from at least a portion of the passages of the porous applicator may also be provided. An example of an active removal means was discussed above with respect to the bores 136. An example of a passive removal means (i.e., does not depend upon the dispensing operation) may be provided by fluorocarbon treating the hard, porous applicator 224. This involves the fixation of a fluorocarbon material, on a micro scale, to the surfaces of the applicator 224. This reduces the surface energy of the porous applicator 224. One possible fluorocarbon material for use in fluorocarbon treatment is sold under the trade name SCOTCHBAN, by 3M Company. Another example of a passive removal means is specifically seen in the embodiment of this package 210. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, this passive removal means involves the placement of inclined surfaces 240 against the bottom of the porous applicator 224. The inclined surfaces 224 are biased against the bottom of the porous applicator 224 by two arcuate spring legs 242. These spring legs 242 are in turn connected to an flat annular plate 244 which is held between the top of the container finish 216 and the porous applicator 224. Preferably, the material of the inclined surfaces 240 may have a surface energy which is greater than that of the product and/or the porous applicator 224 so that the product will preferentially move from the adjacent passages of the porous applicator 224 toward the inclined surfaces 240 and back down into the container 212; thereby clearing the adjacent passages to allow the free passage of gases into the area of the overcap 214 and subsequently out of the package 210 through membrane 238 and orifice 234. In this embodiment, a splash guard 246 it also included. The splash guard 246 is integral with the inclined surfaces 240 of the drain means. The splash guard 246 helps to keep product from splashing up onto the bottom surface of the porous applicator 224 to block the passages; particularly during shipping. Thus, the splash guard 224 helps maintain the passages clear during shipping and handling to permit the ready passage of gases therethrough. Following compound is an example of the fluid product for the present invention, used for the treatment of laundry in hand washing and/or in washing machine. In the following, "minors" are optional ingredients of the compositions or products such as bleaches, bleach activators, solvents, enzymes, builders, polymers, chelants, perfumes, suds suppressers, dyes, brighteners, soil suspenders, dye transfer agents, radical scavengers, preservatives and stabilizers. Examples EXAMPLE 1 Evaluation of the flowability of the shear-thinning cleaning product shown as below (1) during use-period and (2) non-use period was conducted by under the following conditions. (a) Shear-thinning cleaning product INGREDIENTS WEIGHT PERCENT Hydrogen peroxide 4.00 Acetyl Triethyl Citrate 3.50 C12-C 13 alcohol 8.6 ethoxylate, 3 EO C14-C15 alcohol 6.40 ethoxylate, 7 EO Sodium Alkyl 2.00 Sulphonate water + minors balance Rheology of the shear-thinning product according to the equation of Harschel-Buckley: Rheology: A (calculated yield) is 5.63 Pa ; B (viscosity coefficient of the fluid product of the present invention) is 1.13 , 0 (rate index) is 0.66. (b) Package having a porous applicator(See Figures 1 and 2) *Material of the porous body: Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) 'Average pore diameter of the porous body : 30- 50 μm • Average thickness of the porous body: 9.6 mm (almost uniformed) • Diameter of the surface of the porous body: 17.0 mm The above mentioned package is packed with the above shear-thinning cleaning product. (1) Usage period: The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figure 2) was held at an inclination of 90 degrees against horizontal plane and compressive force (1.5 kg/cm 2 and 1.0 kg/cm 2 ) is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator was measured for 5 seconds. As the result, when the force is 1.5 kg/cm 2 , the average flow rate of the product is 18.1 g/min., and when the force is 1.0 kg/cm 2 , the average flow rate of the product is 6.4 g/min. These flow rates under 1.5 kg/cm 2 and 1.0 kg/cm meet the consumer needs for pre-treating cleaning product. (2) Non-usage period: Same as (1), The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figure 2) is held at an inclination of 45 degrees against horizontal plane and no compressive force is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator is measured for 1.5 minutes. As the result, the average flow rate of the product is 0.06 g/min. EXAMPLE 2 Evaluation of the flowability of the shear-thinning cleaning product shown as below (1) during use-period and (2) non-use period is conducted by under the following conditions. (a) Shear-thinning cleaning product INGREDIENTS WEIGHT PERCENT Hydrogen peroxide 6.0 Acetyl Triethyl Citrate 3.5 C12-C13 alcohol 8.1 ethoxylate, 3 EO C14-C15 alcohol 6.9 ethoxylate, 7 EO Sodium Alkyl 2.0 Sulphonate H2SO4 up to pH 4 water + minors balance (b) Package having a porous applicator(See Figures 1 and 2) • Material of the porous body: Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) • Average pore diameter of the porous body : 30- 50 μm • Average thickness of the porous body: 9.2 mm (almost uniformed) 'Diameter of the surface of the porous body: 17.0 mm The above mentioned package is packed with the above shear-thinning cleaning product. (1) Usage period: The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figures 1 , 2) is held at an inclination of 90 degrees against horizontal plane and compressive force (1.5 kg/cm 2 ) is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator is measured for 5 seconds. As the result, the average flow rate of the product meets the consumer needs for pre-treating cleaning product. (2) Non-usage period: Same as (1), The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figures 1 and 2) is held at an inclination of 45 degrees against horizontal plane and no compressive force is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator is measured for 1.5 minutes. As the result, the average flow rate of the product is less than 0.1 g/min. EXAMPLE 3 Evaluation of the flowability of the shear-thinning cleaning product shown as below (1) during use-period and (2) non-use period is conducted by under the following conditions. (a) Shear-thinning cleaning product INGREDIENTS WEIGHT PERCENT Stearic Acid 4.5 Palmitic Acid 3.7 Myristic Acid 5.2 Laurie Acid 2.1 Triclosan 0.2 KOH (87%) 2.3 Glycerine 9.0 Mayoquest (45%) 0.3 (HEDP/DPTA 50/50 mixture) Sodium Lauroyl 8.0 Sarcosinate (30%) JR-400 0.3 water + minors balance (b) Package having a porous applicator(See Figures 1 and 2) • Material of the porous body: Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) • Average pore diameter of the porous body : 1-2mm • Average thickness of the porous body: 0.1 mm (almost uniformed) "Diameter of the surface of the porous body: 20.0 mm The above mentioned package is packed with the above shear-thinning cleaning product. (1) Usage period: The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figures 1 , 2) is held at an inclination of 90 degrees against horizontal plane and compressive force (1.5 kg/cm 2 ) is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator is measured for 5 seconds. As the result, the average flow rate of the product meets the consumer needs for a liquid soap cleaning product. (2) Non-usage period: Same as (1), The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figures 1 and 2) is held at an inclination of 45 degrees against horizontal plane and no compressive force is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator is measured for 1.5 minutes. As the result, the average flow rate of the product is less than 0.1 g/min. EXAMPLE 4 Evaluation of the flowability of the shear-thinning cleaning product shown as below (1) during use-period and (2) non-use period is conducted by under the following conditions. (a) Shear-thinnino cleaning product INGREDIENTS WEIGHT PERCENT Anionic surfactant mixture (Ammonium Lauryl 18 Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Etoxylated Sulfate) Coconut Monoethanolamido 1.3 Fatty Alcohol (C16 and C18) 0.70 Ethylene Glycol Distearate 2.0 Water + minors balance (b) Package having a porous applicator(See Figures 1 and 2) • Material of the porous body: Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) • Average pore diameter of the porous body : 30- 50 μm • Average thickness of the porous body: 2.6 mm (almost uniformed) 'Diameter of the surface of the porous body: 17.0 mm The above mentioned package is packed with the above shear-thinning cleaning product. (1) Usage period: The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figures 1 , 2) is held at an inclination of 90 degrees against horizontal plane and compressive force (2.0 kg/cm 2 ) is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator is measured for 5 seconds. As the result, the average flow rate of the product (24 g/min.) meets the consumer needs for a cleaning product. (2) Non-usage period: Same as (1), The container having a porous body appicator on the top of the bottle (Figures 1 and 2) is held at an inclination of 45 degrees against horizontal plane and no compressive force is applied to the container at room temperature (about 20 °C). The amount of the dropped product from the applicator is measured for 1.5 minutes. As the result, the average flow rate of the product is less than 0.05 g/min.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination, comprising: (a) a shear-thinning fluid product; and (b) a package including a container for housing the shear-thinning product, (i) the container having a dispensing orifice, (ii) the package further including a porous applicator attached adjacent the dispensing orifice and having a plurality of small passages; the dispensing orifice and the small passages forming a dispensive passage, the small passages having an average pore diameter, so that when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container, said shear-thinning product will have substantially no leakage, and so that when a compressive force is manually applied to the container, said shear-thinning product will have a flow rate sufficient to deliver the desired product quantity. 2. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 1 wherein the shear-thinning fluid product has a property of plastic fluids. 3. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 1 wherein an average pore diameter of the dispensing orifice is from about 0.001 to about 2 mm, so that when substantially no compressive force is applied to the container, said shear-thinning fluid product will have a flow rate less than 0.1 g/min., and so that when a compressive force about 0.5 to about 5 kg/cm 2 is manually applied to the container, said shear-thinning fluid product will have a flow rate at least about 5 g/min. 4. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 1 wherein the shear-thinning fluid product has the following rheology when measured using the following equation of Herschel- Buckley. Equation of Herschel-Buckley : [Stress] = A + B X [Shear rate] 0 Rheology: A (calculated yield) is > 0; B (viscosity coefficient of the fluid product of the present invention) is a coefficient to meet the following equation of Herchel-Burkley ; and C ( rate index) is in the range 0<C<1. 5. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 1 wherein the shear-thinning fluid product is a cleaning product. 6. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 5 wherein the cleaning product is selected from the group consisting of laundry products, shoes products, dish washing products, produce washing products, and household cleaning products. 7. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 1 wherein a material of the porous applicator is composed of a hard porous material obtained by heating and sintering synthetic resin powders. 8. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 6 wherein the porous applicator has uniformed thickness. 9. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 6 wherein an average thickness of the porous applicator is from about 2.0 mm to about 10.0 mm. 10. A package having a porous applicator and a shear-thinning fluid product combination according to claim 3 wherein the cleaning product comprises (i) one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants, (ii) and one or more other ingredients selected from the group consisting of bleaches, bleach activators, solvents, enzymes, builders, polymers, chelants, perfumes, suds suppressers, dyes, brighteners, soil suspenders, dye transfer agents, radical scavengers and preservatives.

Inventors: NAKAMURA KIICHIRO, NAKAMURA YUKO, YAMANE SATOSHI, NAKAMURA, KIICHIRO, NAKAMURA, YUKO, YAMANE, SATOSHI
Applicants: NAKAMURA KIICHIRO, NAKAMURA YUKO, PROCTER & GAMBLE, YAMANE SATOSHI, NAKAMURA, KIICHIRO, NAKAMURA, YUKO, THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY, YAMANE, SATOSHI
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D47
IPC codes: B65D47