Abstract:
A container including independent main container unit and liquid-ornament unit that are separably connected to each other. The main container unit is formed by blow molding and can therefore have diversified configurations. Retaining means, such as collar and protruded key, and an open space may be formed outside the main container unit at the time the latter is formed. The liquid-ornament container has a configuration corresponding to the open space and can therefore be easily assembled to the main container unit by fitting it into the open space and holding it in place with the collar and key.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a container having a main container unit and a separable liquid-ornament unit. The main container unit of the container is formed by blow molding and can therefore have diversified configurations. An open space and retaining means can be formed outside the main container unit, so that the liquid-ornament unit may be easily firmly fitted in the open space and thereby connected to the main container unit. 
     There is a container with a liquid ornament attached thereto being widely welcomed in the markets. Such container includes multiple injection-molded parts that are connected to one another to form a complete container through ultrasonic welding. One of the multiple parts is a chamber filled with oil and water before the chamber is sealed. Following are some disadvantages of such container in respect to its design and manufacturing process: 
     1. All the parts of the container are injection molded. Since there are many limitations in making the injection molds, such as the way of knocking out, these parts may have only limited types of shape. That is, the container could not be diversified designed to create changeful appearances. 
     2. Although it has been tried to give the container a shape as simple as possible to reduce ultrasonic welding, the ultrasonic welding are still required and the filling of dual-liquid ornament into one of the parts is time-consuming. All these factors adversely increase the manufacturing cost of the container and decrease the competition ability thereof in the markets. 
     It is therefore desirable to develop an improved liquid-ornament contained container to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a container includes independent main container unit and liquid-ornament unit that are separably connected to each other. The main container unit is formed by blow molding and can therefore have diversified configurations. Retaining means, such as collar and protruded key, and an open space may be formed outside the main container unit at the time the latter is formed. The liquid-ornament container has a configuration corresponding to the open space and can therefore be easily assembled to the main container unit by fitting it into the open space and holding it in place with the collar and key. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective of a container having separable liquid-ornament unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of the container of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the container of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective of a container having separable liquid-ornament unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective of a container having separable liquid-ornament unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective of a container having separable liquid-ornament unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  that are sequentially an assembled perspective, an exploded perspective, and a side sectional view of a container having separable liquid-ornament unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The container mainly includes a main container unit  10 , a liquid-ornament unit  20 , and an associated dispenser  30 . 
     The main container unit  10  is made of a plastic material. Unlike the conventional similar containers, such as that disclosed in the Taiwan Patent Application No. 87210180 entitled “A Container Structure”, that have both the main container unit and the ornamental unit formed by injection molding, the main container unit of the present invention is formed by blow molding. With this blow-molding manner, the main container unit  10  can be more easily formed while there are diversified shapes available for it. For example, the container of FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  has a main container unit  10  defining a considerably large chamber  11  for accommodating a planned type of product, such as a creamy liquid. The main container unit  10  has a centered and upward extended tubular neck  12 . An upper end of the tubular neck  12  has integrally formed external threads  13  and a collar  14  that serves as a retaining means. A space  15  surrounding a portion of the tubular neck  12  between the collar  14  and the chamber  11  provides a location for holding the liquid-ornament unit  20 . 
     The liquid-ornament unit  20  is a separately formed clear container for accommodating a desired liquid ornament  40  therein. The liquid ornament  40  shown in the container of FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  includes a dual-liquid (oil and water)  41  and three-dimensional floating ornaments  42 . In order to hold the dual-liquid  41  and the floating ornaments  42 , the liquid-ornament unit  20  is preferably formed by injection molding of general plastic material. The liquid-ornament unit  20  may have a configuration selected depending on the space  15 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , the liquid-ornament unit  20  is an annular container defining a central through hole  21 . The central through hole  21  has an inner diameter slightly larger than an outer diameter of the tubular neck  12  but slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the collar  14 . By taking advantage of inherent rigidity and elasticity of the molded plastic main container unit  10 , the liquid-ornament unit  20  is allowed to put around the tubular neck  12  from the threads  13  at the upper end of the tubular neck  12 , and eventually locate in the space  15  immediately above the main container unit  10 . By this manner, the main container unit  10  and the liquid-ornament unit  20  are combined to form a two-chamber container having a shape intended by a designer. With the tubular neck  12  extending through the central hole  21  and the collar  14  abutting against an upper opening of the central hole  21 , the liquid-ornament unit  20 , once it has been forced down from the upper end of the neck  12  to pass the collar  14 , would not be easily separated from the main container unit  10 . The associated dispenser  30 , such as a set of press-type suction head and pipe, can be then mounted onto the upper end of the tubular neck  12  by engaging with the threads  13  to complete the container of the present invention. 
     Before the liquid-ornament unit  20  is assembled to the main container unit  10  around the tubular neck  12 , it is easy to access the tubular neck  12 . Therefore, an outer surface of the tubular neck  12  can be freely printed or labeled with any desired design. Such design will be advantageously magnified by and clearly viewed through liquid in the liquid-ornament unit  20  mounted around the tubular neck  12 . The design on the tubular neck  12  also serves as a very good background for the floating ornaments  42  in the dual liquid  41 . 
     The main container unit  10  may have changeful shapes. And the tubular neck  12 , the threads  13  and the collar  14  may also be formed differently. Another three embodiments of the container of the present invention will now be described below. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a container  50  is structurally similar to the container in the first embodiment and consists of a main container unit  51 , a liquid-ornament unit  52 , and an associated dispenser  53 . However, the main container unit  51  and the liquid-ornament unit  52  are not limited to regular round bottles, and the main container unit  51  has a tubular neck eccentrically upward projected from a top thereof. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a container  60  also consists of a main container unit  61 , a liquid-ornament unit  62 , and an associated dispenser  63 . Wherein, the main container unit  61  provides an independent open space  611  generally located at a central portion of the main container unit  61  for holding the liquid-ornament unit  62  therein. A recess  612  extending along an inner peripheral wall of the space  611  forms a retaining means to hold the liquid-ornament unit  62  in place in the space  611 . Meanwhile, the liquid-ornament unit  62  is designed to have a configuration corresponding to the space  611  and the retaining means  612 , so that the liquid-ornament unit  62  can be set in the space  611  without the risk of easily separating from the space  611 . In this third embodiment, a press-type dispensing head is selected to serve as the associated dispenser  63 . To match with the dispensing head  63 , the main container unit  61  has a differently formed upper opening. The dispensing head  63  may be any suitable product available in the markets, so long as it matches with the upper opening of the main container unit  61  to provide the function of dispensing creamy liquid from the container  60 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention that is a container  70  consisting of a main container unit  71 , a liquid-ornament unit  72 , and an associated dispenser  73 . The main container unit  71  is in a shape of general plastic beverage container designed for sportsmen. The associated dispenser  73  is also a generally available product. In this fourth embodiment, the main container unit  71  has a tubular leg  711  downward extending from a bottom of the main container unit  71 . A collar  712  is provided around a lower end of the tubular leg  711  to serve as a retaining means. The liquid-ornament unit  72  defines a central through hole having a diameter suitable for the unit  72  to mount around the tubular leg  711  and be retained thereto below the main container unit  71  by the collar  712 . Thereby, the liquid-ornament unit  72  forms a decoration at a lower part of the container  71 . For the liquid-ornament unit  72  to be more stably located around the tubular leg  711 , a longitudinally extended key  713  may be additionally provided to protrude from an outer surface of the tubular leg  711  to engage with a recess correspondingly formed on an outer surface of the central through hole of the liquid-ornament unit  72 . Both the collar  712  and the key  713  could be integrally formed during blow molding of the main container unit  71 . Again, the tubular leg  711  may be printed or labeled on its outer surface with desired designs or advertisements. 
     In conclusion, the present invention provides a container having a main container unit and a separable liquid-ornament unit. The main container unit is formed by blow molding and can therefore have more choices in its configuration. That is, the liquid-ornament unit may be assembled to the main container unit at different positions and have different configurations depending on the shape of the main container unit and the position at which it is located on the main container unit. Moreover, the main container unit and the liquid-ornament unit can be easily combined to form a complete container having a desired shape. Therefore, the container of the present invention is superior to conventional containers both in its structure and the ornamental effect it can provide.