Abstract:
A deodorant package with an expanding platform is provided. The deodorant package has a threaded shaft connected to a rotatable dial. An elevator with an platform engages the threaded shaft. The platform has a first section joined to a second section by at least one flexible hinge such that the first section and the second section are biased to expand to contact an inner wall of the body of the package. An advantage that may be realized in the practice of some disclosed embodiments of the deodorant package is that a significant draft angle may be used that aids manufacturing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from, and is a non-provisional of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/918,872 (filed Dec. 20, 2013) the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject matter disclosed herein relates to deodorant packages and to injection molded deodorant packages in particular. 
     Draft angles are desirable when forming parts by injection molding, as they promote release of the molded product without distortion or damage. Unfortunately, the inclusion of draft angles in certain commercial products can be problematic. The package designer must choose to (1) minimize the draft angle which is not desirable, (2) increase the thickness of the sidewalls toward the top of the package which increases the cost of the package, or (3) maintain a constant side wall thickness and permit the internal diameter of the package to widen toward the top of the package. This widening of the internal diameter of the package can be problematic. In deodorant packages, for example, an elevator with a platform is used to push deodorant to a top of the package. If the package becomes wider at the top of the package, the platform will not contact the package along the widened sidewalls and the package will fail to properly dispense the deodorant. 
     The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A deodorant package with an expanding platform is provided. The deodorant package has a threaded shaft connected to a rotatable dial. An elevator with an platform engages the threaded shaft. The platform has a first section joined to a second section by at least one flexible hinge such that the first section and the second section are biased to expand to contact an inner wall of the body of the package. An advantage that may be realized in the practice of some disclosed embodiments of the deodorant package is that a significant draft angle may be used that aids manufacturing. 
     In a first embodiment, a deodorant package with an expanding platform is provided. The deodorant package comprises a body defining a cavity for receiving deodorant; a threaded shaft connected to a rotatable dial, the threaded shaft being connected to the rotatable dial such that rotation of the rotatable dial causes the threaded shaft to rotate; and a platform comprising a threaded region that engages the threaded shaft such that rotation of the threaded shaft causes the platform to traverse along the threaded shaft, the platform comprising a first section joined to a second section by at least one flexible hinge such that the first section and the second section are biased to expand to contact an inner wall of the body. 
     In a second embodiment, a deodorant package with an expanding platform is provided. The deodorant package comprises a body defining a cavity for receiving deodorant; a threaded shaft connected to a rotatable dial, the threaded shaft being connected to the rotatable dial such that rotation of the rotatable dial causes the threaded shaft to rotate; and a platform comprising a threaded region that engages the threaded shaft such that rotation of the threaded shaft causes the platform to traverse along the threaded shaft, the platform comprising a first section joined to a second section by a plurality of flexible hinges such that the first section and the second section are biased to expand to contact an inner wall of the body. 
     This brief description of the invention is intended only to provide a brief overview of subject matter disclosed herein according to one or more illustrative embodiments, and does not serve as a guide to interpreting the claims or to define or limit the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the appended claims. This brief description is provided to introduce an illustrative selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This brief description is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the features of the invention can be understood, a detailed description of the invention may be had by reference to certain embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only certain embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the scope of the invention encompasses other equally effective embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis generally being placed upon illustrating the features of certain embodiments of the invention. In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various views. Thus, for further understanding of the invention, reference can be made to the following detailed description, read in connection with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a plan view of an exemplary deodorant package; 
         FIG. 1B  is a cross section view of the exemplary deodorant package; 
         FIG. 2  is another cross section view of the exemplary deodorant package; 
         FIG. 3  is a depiction of an expanding platform for use with the exemplary deodorant package; 
         FIG. 4  is an expanded view of a cross section of a dial of the exemplary deodorant package showing the dial in a pre-use condition; 
         FIG. 5  is an expanded view of a cross section of the dial of the exemplary deodorant package showing the dial in a post-use condition; 
         FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  are schematic depictions of a platform retention feature for use with the exemplary deodorant package. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1A  depicts a side view of an exemplary deodorant package  100 . The deodorant package  100  has sidewalls that provide a draft angle. The draft angle is formed by the sidewalls providing an internal diameter near a top portion  102  of deodorant package  100  that is wider than near a bottom portion  104 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1B , the bottom portion  104  has a first radius  106  while the top portion  102  has a second radius  108 , wherein the second radius  108  is greater than the first radius  106 . This difference provides a draft angle at point  110  between an inner wall  112  of the bottom portion and an inner wall  114  of the top portion. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1B , the draft angle is about 3.09°. To accommodate for such a draft angle, an elevator with a platform  200  (see  FIG. 2 ) is provided. The components of deodorant package  100  may be formed by, for example, injection molding techniques. When such a technique is used, the platform  200  expands during operation of the deodorant package  100  and permits a package designer to provide a significant draft angle. Such a draft angle is advantageous when using injection molding techniques. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross section view of the deodorant package  100  showing the platform  200 . The deodorant package  100  comprises a body  202  that has an internal diameter that varies over at least a portion of length  204  due to a draft angle. The body  202  has a mouth  206  proximate the top portion  102  and a hole  208  proximate the bottom portion  104 . A rotatable dial  210  is inserted into the hole  208  and locks in place with a lock  212 . The rotatable dial  210  comprises a threaded shaft  214  which extends toward the top portion  102  along a vertical axis  215 . The threaded shaft  214  engages a corresponding threaded region  302  (see  FIG. 3 ) on the platform  200 . The threaded shaft  214  terminates with a platform retention feature  216  that ensure the platform  200  will remain on the threaded shaft  214 . As the rotatable dial  210  is actuated, the threaded shaft  214  rotates and causes the platform  200  to traverse along the length  204 . A removable plug  400  is provided that fits into an opening in the rotatable dial  210 . The opening is used to add deodorant into the body. The removable plug  400  is then used to close the opening prior sale. A more detailed view of the platform  200  is provided in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary platform  200 . The platform  200  may be formed from a polymeric material, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE). The platform  200  comprises ribs  300   a / 300   b  arranged about the threaded region  302 . The platform  200  provides a generally planar surface and has an elliptical shape that extends in a longitudinal direction  304  and a traverse direction  306 , which is perpendicular the longitudinal direction  304 . The platform  200  is bisected along a center longitudinal axis into a first section  308   a  and a second section  308   b.  The first section  308   a  comprises ribs  300   a  that extend along the traverse direction  206  and a first edge wall  310   a.  Each of the ribs  300   a  terminates at the first edge wall  310   a.  The second section  308   b  comprises ribs  300   b  and a second edge wall  310   b.  Each of the ribs  300   b  terminates at the second edge wall  310   b.  The ribs provide at least one hole  314  that is useful during manufacturing: warm deodorant can flow through the hole  314 . The first section  308   a  and second section  308   b  are connected by flexible hinges  312 . The flexible hinges  312  provide an outward force that expands the first section  308   a  and the second section  308   b  along the traverse direction  306 . Such a configuration permits flexible hinges  312  to provide a biased tension against the sidewalls of the body  202 . Accordingly, as the platform  200  travels from the bottom portion  104  (where the internal diameter is relatively small) toward the top portion  102  (where the internal diameter is relatively large), the bias provided by the flexible hinges  312  causes the first and second common edge walls  310   a / 310   b  to remain in contact with the sidewalls of the body  202 . 
     Many deodorants contain liquids to provide moisture and/or volatile fragrances that may escape the package before the package is purchased by a consumer. 
     In one embodiment, a mechanism for sealing a deodorant package while it is being stored for sale is provided. In use deodorant packages, such as deodorant package  100 , are filled by disposing the platform  200  near the bottom portion  104 . The deodorant package  100  is inverted and liquid deodorant is added through an opening in the rotatable dial  210 . Openings between the ribs  300   a / 300   b  permit the liquid deodorant to flow through the platform  200  and contact a lid (not shown) of the deodorant package  100 . The liquid deodorant is permitted to solidify by, for example, cooling. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the hole  208  is defined by a wall  402 . The rotatable dial  210  disposed within the hole  208  such that a lock  212  engages the wall  402  to retain the rotatable dial  210  within the hole  208 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the lock  212  is a protrusion on the rotatable dial  210  that has a diameter larger than a diameter of the hole  208 . The wall  402  is semi-flexible and has an inward slant such that the lock  212  can be inserted into the hole  208  to cause the wall  402  to flex outward, and thereafter snap back to the hole&#39;s original diameter to retain the lock  212 . 
     After deodorant has been added, the plug  400  is inserted into the rotatable dial  210  to seal the package. As the plug  400  is pressed in the direction of arrow  404 , the rotatable dial  210  likewise moves in the direction of arrow  404 . This motion causes a protrusion  406  to engage the wall  402 . In the embodiment depicted, the protrusion  406  is coplanar with the plug  400  to promote this engagement. In one embodiment, the protrusion  406  is configured to embed into the wall  402  to provide a seal. This seal promotes the retention of moisture and/or fragrances within the deodorant package  100  until such time as the consumer uses the product. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the consumer&#39;s first use of the deodorant package  100  turns the rotatable dial  210  an initial attempt to move the platform  200 . This turning applies a force in the direction of arrow  504  as the platform&#39;s first attempt to move upward causes a counter-force to be generated. When sufficient downward force has been applied, the protrusion  406  is dislodged from wall  402  and the rotatable dial  210  moves until the lock  212  engages the top of wall  402 . Once the lock  212  is so engaged, further turning of the rotatable dial  210  causes the platform  200  to move such that deodorant is dispensed from the deodorant package  100 . 
       FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  are more detailed views of the platform retention feature  216 . The platform retention feature  216  comprises a wide portion  600  that has a width  602  that is wider than a width of the threaded region  302  (see  FIG. 3 ) on the platform  200 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B , the wide portion  600  is ball-shaped. The wide portion  600  comprises a slot  604  with a hinge point  608 . During assembly, the platform retention feature  216  is pressed against the threaded region  302  which causes the slot  604  to be compressed to permit the wide portion  600  to pass through the threaded region  302 . The threaded region  302  passes over an unthreaded portion  606  before engaging the threaded shaft  214 . As the platform  200  reaches the top, the platform eventually contacts the unthreaded portion  606 . Since there are no threads, further turning of the rotatable dial  210  will not cause the platform  200  to fall off. Additionally, due to the presence of the platform retention feature  216 , the platform  200  is retained within the deodorant package  100 , even if the deodorant package  100  were, for example, inverted. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.