Abstract:
A dispenser provides improved access to the interior contents of a container. A re-sealable floor may be hinged or threaded allowing repeated opening and closing of the floor to access, for example, contents that remain within the container that are otherwise not dispensed from an opening opposite the floor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to containers, and more particularly, to dispensers with a re-sealable floor. 
         [0002]    Many products such as creams, moisturizers, lotions, or other similar mediums tend to stick to their container surfaces, making it difficult for a user to retrieve and use all the container&#39;s contents. For example, dispensers may use pumps to retrieve a container&#39;s contents. The stem of the pump may not extend to the floor of the container thus, leaving a substantial layer of product remaining on the dispenser floor. Additionally, for viscous products, a layer of the product may adhere to inner side walls of the container. 
         [0003]    In some cases, the use of one&#39;s finger&#39;s to reach the interior of the container is inadequate to retrieve the remaining contents. Typically, some users may attempt to forcefully shake remaining product out a dispenser&#39;s conventional open dispensing end. Other users may resort to cutting the container to gain access to the remaining product in the container. 
         [0004]    As can be seen, there is a need for dispenser that allows access to manual access to its interior for retrieval of contents. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present invention, dispenser comprises a container including a side wall; an opening on a first end of the container adapted to dispense a fluid from the opening; a male threaded boss on a second end of the container; and a re-sealable floor including a female threaded boss configured to couple to the male threaded boss. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the present invention, a dispenser comprises a container including a side wall; a first end of the container adapted to dispense a fluid from an opening in the container; a hinge on the side wall, the hinge being positioned at a second end opposite the first end; and a floor coupled to the hinge, wherein an edge of the floor is adapted pivot from the hinge, and the floor is adapted to seal and reseal the second end. 
         [0007]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as oriented during conventional use; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective bottom view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1  sans pump; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of a dispenser according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of the dispenser of  FIG. 3  as oriented upside down during use for retrieval of remaining contents. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claim. 
         [0013]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a dispenser with a re-sealable floor. The dispenser may be used, for example, in dispensing viscous fluids. In an exemplary use, the dispenser  10  may be filled with cosmetic mediums of lotions, creams, or gels. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a dispenser  10  is shown in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The dispenser  10  may include a container  24  and a re-sealable floor  26 . 
         [0015]    The container  24  may be, for example, a bottle adapted to hold cosmetic mediums within. The container  24  may include a dispensing end  17 , a bottom end  19 , and one or more side walls  21 . The side wall may  21 , in some exemplary embodiments, be rigid. In some exemplary embodiments, the side wall  21  may be resilient so that manual squeezing of the container  24  may force contents out the dispensing end  17  while allowing the side wall  21  to return to its original form. 
         [0016]    The dispensing end  17  may include an opening (not shown) for allowing fluid contents (not shown) to pass there through. The dispensing end  17  may include in some exemplary embodiments, a pump  16  ( FIG. 1 ). The pump  16  may be coupled to a cap  14  attached to the container  24 . A stem (not shown) of the pump  16  may extend through the opening (not shown) into the container  24  interior. The cap  14  may be threaded onto a threaded boss  15  or press fit onto the dispensing end  17 . The attachment means for the cap  14  is omitted from view for sake of illustration. Similarly, the opening on the dispensing end  17  and features of the pump  16  within the dispenser  10  are omitted from view for sake of illustration. 
         [0017]    In one aspect, the floor  26  may be configured to provide repeated access to the container  24  interior and re-use of the dispenser  10  for dispensing of fluids. The re-sealable floor  26  may be attached to the bottom end  19 . The container  24  may include a male threaded boss  28  (as seen in the cutaway portion of the floor  26  in  FIG. 1 ) that may be screwed onto a female threaded boss  35  (as seen from the underside of the floor  26  in  FIG. 2 ) allowing repeated access to the container  24  interior. The floor  26  may include a lip  30  that is positioned above the male threaded boss  26  when the floor  26  is screwed into place. The lip  30  may provide a seal against fluid contents escaping the container  10 . 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a dispenser  50  is shown in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Dispenser  50  is similar to dispenser  10  except that dispenser  50  includes a container  12  with a floor  18  attached to the side wall  21  by a hinge  20  proximate the bottom end  19 . An edge of the floor  18  may be attached to the hinge  20  so that the floor  18  pivots partially about the hinge  20  allowing access to the container  50  interior through the bottom end  19 . The floor  18  may include a gasket  15 . The gasket  15  may be positioned to provide a press-fit seal against an interior wall  11  of the container  50 . 
         [0019]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claim.