Abstract:
A single-dose container for storing and dispensing products, the container comprises a flexible body defining an interior cavity and having an end sealable by joining a first inner side of the inner surface of the body to an opposite inner side of the inner surface of the body, a second end of the body having a shoulder and a protuberance with the protuberance defining a dispensing orifice and having a sealing edge, a seal membrane shaped to overlie the sealing edge and to cover the dispensing orifice, a tab portion extending from the seal membrane, and wherein the seal membrane is removable affixed to the sealing edge.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the general field of containers, in particular to single-use or single-dose containers that are designed to store and dispense the product within. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Single-dose containers are common in everyday life, such as in the food and beverage, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and other industries. 
         [0003]    Examples of single-dose containers include sachets, tetra-packs, pouches, PET/plastic cups or glass vial bottles, which have their limitations. Sachets do not have dispensing orifices, making them difficult to use. In addition, sachets often need to be torn open, which can cause an additional challenge when dispensing a product. Tetra-packs are used in the beverage industry and can hold liquids, but require a straw to consume. They are not appropriate for other types of products, such as creams, pastes, ointments and other viscous products that need to be easily dispensed from the container. Pouches are similar to sachets in that they must be torn open and lack clean and convenient dispensing orifices, which can lead to a mess. PET/plastic cups often require an additional tool or apparatus to obtain the product contained in the plastic cup. Glass vial bottles are breakable and heavier in weight, and cannot be used effectively for viscous or pasty products as such products cannot be dispensed easily by gravity or squeezing. 
         [0004]    The majority of known single-dose containers have a cap closure or lid placed over an open end of the container or some type of seal to cover the open end. Many of these known containers have upwardly extending threaded necks to receive a cap, and may also have a sealing edge at the end of the neck to hold a seal to cover the open end. Those containers with a seal often require an apparatus to puncture the seal, such as a pointed end on the inside of the cap. Tear off seals have also been used, but such seals can be difficult to use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The embodiments of the present invention relate to a single-dose container for storing and dispensing products. 
         [0006]    One embodiment of the single-dose container relates to a container that is lightweight and easy to open. The container comprises a flexible body defining an interior cavity, with the flexible body being collapsible such that the product contained within the body can be dispensed from the container. The flexible body has one end that is sealable by joining the inner sides of the inner surface of the body. The second end of the flexible body is defined by a shoulder and a protuberance. The protuberance defines a dispensing orifice and has a sealing edge. The dispensing orifice is closed off by a seal membrane that overlies the sealing edge of the protuberance. A tab portion extends from the sealing edge and is bent and folded back over the seal membrane such that the tab portion extends substantially parallel to the plane of the seal membrane. The seal membrane is affixed to the sealing edge, and can easily be peeled away from the sealing edge by a user by pulling on the tab portion. 
         [0007]    According to one aspect, the single-dose container is disposable. 
         [0008]    According to one aspect, the product contained in the single-dose container is fluid, that is, powdery or liquid to pasty. 
         [0009]    According to one aspect, the product contained in the single-dose container is a liquid. Alternatively, the product is a concentrated drink, a paste, a cream, an ointment, a powder or a granular product. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect, the single-dose container entirely dispenses the product contained in the container. 
         [0011]    According to one aspect, the tab portion of the single-dose container is integral with the seal membrane. 
         [0012]    According to one aspect, the seal membrane is peelable from the sealing edge of the single-dose container. 
         [0013]    According to one aspect, the flexible body is made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal alloys, such as aluminum, laminate, plastic barrier laminated materials or ethylene vinyl alcohol. 
         [0014]    According to another aspect, the shoulder and protuberance are made of a polymer compound, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. 
         [0015]    According to another aspect, the seal membrane is made of a thin material, such as aluminum foil. 
         [0016]    According to another aspect, the dispensing orifice is between about 20% and 35% of the surface of the shoulder. Alternatively, the dispensing orifice is between about 5% and 65% of the surface of the shoulder. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like parts: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is front view of the disposable container; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the disposable container; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the disposable container wherein the tab portion is removed, illustrating the shoulder, protuberance and dispensing orifice of the disposable container; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the disposable container, illustrating the seal membrane and tab portion of the disposable container; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the disposable container. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    The embodiments of the present invention relate to a single-dose container for storing and dispensing products. The products contained in the single-dose container are fluid; i.e. powdery or liquid to pasty, such as liquids, pastes, creams, ointments, powder or granular products as well as various other substances. Examples of such products include concentrated drinks, sunscreen, polysporin ointment, toothpaste, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, drink crystals, sugar and salt. The containers are versatile and can be used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, neutraceutical, homeopathy, natural health, food and beverage industries. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a disposable container according to an embodiment of the present invention is indicated by reference numeral  10 . Flexible body  20  of container  10  is made of a collapsible material such that the product contained within flexible body  20  can be entirely dispensed. 
         [0025]    The material for flexible body  20  can be any type of flexible, collapsible material of varying thickness, such as aluminum. Other materials that can be used include other formable metal alloys, various laminate materials, ethylene vinyl alcohol (“EVOH”) or plastic barrier laminated (“PBL”) materials. The material for flexible body  20  can be sterilized for use with products that need to be sterile. Since various materials can be used to manufacture container  10 , container  10  can be hot-filled, cold-filled, dry-filled and/or sterilized for aseptic filling. 
         [0026]    Disposable container  10  has first end  30  that is sealed by joining the inner sides of the inner surfaces of flexible body  20  using techniques known in the art, such as hot air, hot jaws, high frequency welding or ultrasonic sealing. Sealing first end  30  in this way shapes container  10  into the form of a flexible skirt, which under the pressure exerted by the fingers of the hand, can be squeezed so the product contained inside said skirt can be pushed out. 
         [0027]    Second end  40  has protuberance  44  with sealing edge  46  that is generally flat (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) upon which container  10  can rest in a standing position. 
         [0028]    First end  30  and second end  40  are on opposite ends of container  10  along longitudinal axis  50 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , second end  40  has shoulder  42  and protuberance  44 . Second end  40  contains no neck that extends from shoulder  42 . Shoulder  42  and protuberance  44  are contiguous with each other. Protuberance  44  defines dispensing orifice  48  and has sealing edge  46 . Dispensing orifice  48  is positioned in approximately the centre of protuberance  44  and sealing edge  46  defines the outer ring of dispensing orifice  48  contained in approximately the centre of protuberance  44 . Dispensing orifice  48  is represented as a circle, but may also be a slit, square, diamond, rectangle or other shaped opening. 
         [0030]    Shoulder  42  connects second end  40  to flexible body  20  of container  10 . For esthetic and practical reasons, side wall  60  of flexible body  20  may be flush with shoulder  42  of second end  40 . In other words, side wall  60  is a continuation of the outer surface of shoulder  42 . Second end  40  can be secured to flexible body  20  using methods known in the art, such as compression moulding or high frequency welding. Lip  62  indicates the point of attachment between side wall  60  and shoulder  42 , with side wall  60  overlapping shoulder  42 , which results in lip  62  being a rounded edge where flexible body  20  meets second end  40 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , axis  50  is an axis of symmetry (rotational symmetry), such that protuberance  44  and sealing edge  46  encircle axis  50  and axis  50  passes approximately through the centre of dispensing orifice  48 . 
         [0032]    Second end  40  is one continuous piece of the same material and is semi-rigid. The material can be polyethylene, polypropylene or other polymer compound in clear or coloured form. Second end  40  can be formed into shoulder  42  and protuberance  44  using methods known in the art, such as compression moulding or injection moulding. 
         [0033]    Shoulder  42  and protuberance  44  of container  10  can be made in various sizes and shapes depending on the product to be contained in container  10 . Dispensing orifice  48  in the centre of protuberance  44  may also be of different sizes depending on the product. 
         [0034]    Flexible body  20  typically has a greater dimension along axis  50  compared to the width of flexible body  20 . Flexible body  20  is symmetrical in relation to a plane passing through axis  50 . Second end  40  has a height between lip  62  and sealing edge  40  that is no greater than 0.5 cm and represents approximately 0.03% to approximately 1.0% of the length of container  10  along axis  50 . 
         [0035]    Shoulder  42  of the opposing end is set at approximately a 60° angle in relation to a line parallel to axis  50  and extending straight from side wall  60  of flexible body  20 . Alternatively, shoulder  42  can be set at any angle between about 20% and about 70% in relation to a line parallel to axis  50  and extending straight from side wall  60  of flexible body  20 . The height of protuberance  44  is generally between about 0.05 cm and about 0.25 cm. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  is a top view of container  10 , without a seal membrane covering dispensing orifice  48 . Dispensing orifice  48  is represented as a circle approximately in the centre of shoulder  42 . Sealing edge  46  is represented as an inner ring enclosing dispensing orifice  48 . Shoulder  42  is represented as an outer circle surrounding sealing edge  46 .  FIG. 3  is representative of the diameter of dispensing orifice  48  in relation to shoulder  42  and flexible body  20 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the diameter of dispensing orifice  48  is about 25% of the surface of shoulder  42 , but is more commonly between 20% and 35% and can be between 5% and 65% of the surface of shoulder  42 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of second end  40 , with seal membrane  80  overlaying sealing edge  46 . Seal membrane  80  can be made of any thin material sealable to sealing edge  46 , such as aluminum foil. Tab portion  82  extends from seal membrane  80 . Tab portion  82  can be made in various lengths. Tab portion  82  is bent back and over against the top of seal membrane  80  so that it extends substantially parallel to the plane of seal membrane  82 . 
         [0038]    Seal membrane  80  is removably affixed to sealing edge  46 , which prevents the product contained in container  10  from leaking before the user dispenses the product from container  10 . Seal membrane  80  is removably affixed using methods known in the art, such as using heat or an adhesion compound. Seal membrane  80  can be removed by peeling seal membrane  80  away from sealing edge  46 . The user can easily remove the seal membrane  80  from container  10  by pulling tab portion  82  away from seal membrane  80  and across the plane of seal membrane  80 . 
         [0039]    In an alternative embodiment, the tab portion can extend radially downward away from protuberance  44  and along shoulder  42  toward side wall  60  of flexible body  20 . 
         [0040]    The present invention is easy to use, quick and easy to open and dispenses the product contained in it quickly due to the flexible and collapsible wall of the flexible body. By eliminating the need for a threaded neck and cap closure, the disposable container described herein uses a minimum amount of raw materials, resulting in less environmental waste, a reduced weight for the disposable container and reduced costs in shipping the container and in manufacturing the container. The present invention is a versatile type of container that covers a wide range of application fields and a wide range of products. 
         [0041]    The above-described embodiments have been provided as examples, for clarity in understanding the invention. A person of skill in the art will recognize that alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the embodiments described above while remaining within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.