Patent Publication Number: US-8967897-B2

Title: Cosmetic dispensers with a translucent wall and an opaque housing

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Devices exist for storing cosmetic or medicinal products. Such devices usually consist of a housing and/or a reservoir, a delivery mechanism for displacement of the cosmetic or medicinal products, and an applicator tip. For example, in the medical industry, dispensers are employed for applying medicinal products, such as ointments, to portions of the body. In the cosmetics and personal care industries, dispensers are used to apply lipstick, lip balm, skin creams, lotions, and other cosmetic products to portions of the body. 
     SUMMARY 
     This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts of cosmetic dispensers with a translucent wall and an opaque housing, which are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     This disclosure is directed to dispensers with a translucent wall opposite an opaque solid wall. The translucent wall may be a wall of a single unitary flexible reservoir. The opaque solid wall may be a wall of a single unitary inflexible housing having a shelled wall opposite the opaque solid wall. 
     In one implementation, the single unitary flexible reservoir may be sandwiched in-between the shelled wall and the opaque solid wall of the inflexible housing. The shelled wall may provide exposure to a portion of the flexible reservoir defining a flexible wall configured to displace a portion of a product stored in the flexible reservoir. 
     In some implementations, a collar may be fixed distal to the inflexible housing. The collar may be ultrasonically welded to the inflexible housing and may contain the flexible reservoir in the inflexible housing. 
     In some implementations, the dispensers may be manufactured by sandwiching the flexible reservoir in-between the shelled wall and the solid wall of the inflexible housing. The manufacturing of the dispensers may include fixing the collar distal to the inflexible housing. The reservoir may comprise a plastic, or any other soft malleable suitable material. Likewise the housing may comprise a plastic, a metal, a glass or any other suitable hard nonmalleable material. As used herein, translucent materials are those that allow passage of light, and may include materials that are transparent, clear, colorless, or tinted, as long as they allow passage of a substantial amount of light so that a product is visible through the material of the reservoir. 
     In some implementations, an application tip may be securely disposed to the collar. The application tip may include a product delivery duct. The product delivery duct may interconnect the reservoir contained in the inflexible housing to the application tip for dispensing product stored in the reservoir. 
     In some implementations, the dispensers may comprise an opaque flexible wall opposite an opaque solid wall. The opaque flexible wall may be a wall of a single unitary opaque flexible reservoir. The opaque solid wall may be a wall of a single unitary inflexible housing having a shelled wall opposite the opaque solid wall. 
     In some implementations, the dispensers may comprise a multi-chambered flexible reservoir arranged in the single unitary inflexible housing having a shelled wall opposite the opaque solid wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a cosmetic dispenser comprising a translucent flexible wall and an opaque housing. 
         FIGS. 2A-2D  illustrate a construction of the cosmetic dispenser of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the cosmetic dispenser shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-section of the dispenser taken along line A-A illustrated in  FIG. 3  and illustrates details of interconnection of the flexible reservoir and the application tip. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a cosmetic dispenser comprising a living hinge coupling a collar and a housing. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example process for manufacturing a cosmetic dispenser comprising a translucent flexible wall and an opaque housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Overview 
     This disclosure is directed to dispensers with a translucent wall and an opaque housing. The translucent wall is flexible and the opaque housing is inflexible. The flexible translucent wall is able to displace a portion of a product stored in a reservoir. In reservoir. While the translucent wall may be transparent, clear, colorless, tinted, or the like, the wall may be opaque. For example, rather than the flexible wall being transparent and allowing passage of a substantial amount of light so that a product is visible through the material of the reservoir, the flexible wall may be opaque and not allow passage of a substantial amount of light so that a product is not visible through the material of the reservoir. Further, and in this implementation, the opaque flexible wall may be the same or different color as a color of a product contained in the reservoir. The dispensers may have an opaque housing comprising a shelled wall opposite an inflexible solid wall. The opaque housing may comprise various plastics, metals, ceramics, or composites. The dispensers may have a flexible reservoir sandwiched between the shelled wall and the inflexible solid wall of the opaque housing. The flexible reservoir may comprise various plastics, ceramics, or composites. For example, the opaque housing and flexible reservoir may be formed of plastics and may be subsequently assembled together. Additionally, product may be dispensed from the dispenser through a product delivery duct disposed in an application tip for application of the product to a user&#39;s skin. In some implementations, the translucent wall may be substantially clear or tinted and therefore a color of the product contained in the reservoir may be observed before application. Moreover, the translucent wall of the dispenser may comprise a substantially more supple material than the opaque housing, thereby providing a deformable wall to displace a portion of product stored in the flexible reservoir. 
     Illustrative Dispenser with Translucent Wall and Opaque Housing 
       FIG. 1  represents an illustrative dispenser  102  with a translucent wall  104  and an opaque housing  106 . The dispenser  102  comprises an application tip  108  securely disposed to a collar  110 .  FIG. 1  illustrates the collar  110  may be fixed distal to the opaque housing  106 . The collar  110  may be made of a thermoplastic polymer or any other material which may be fixed to the opaque housing  106 , such as various metals, plastics, ceramics, composites, or the like. In some embodiments, the opaque housing  106  may comprise terpolymer (e.g., DuPont™ Surlyn®), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), acrylic, thermoplastic polyesters (e.g., polycyclohexlandymethanol terephthalate—PCT, PCTA, PCTG), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or other opaque materials. In some embodiments, the translucent wall  104  may comprise terpolymer (e.g., DuPont™ Surlyn®), polyethylene (PE), PP, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PET modified by copolymerization (PETG), or other translucent materials. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the opaque housing  106  comprises a generally pouch-shaped body having a shelled wall  112  formed therein. In this embodiment, the shelled wall  112  formed in the pouch-shaped body of the opaque housing  106  provides exposure to a portion of a flexible reservoir contained in the opaque housing  106 . The exposed portion of the flexible reservoir defines the translucent wall  104 . For example, the flexible reservoir may comprise terpolymer (e.g., DuPont™ Surlyn®), PE, PP, PET, PETG, or other flexible materials suitable for forming the translucent wall  104 . Further, the flexible material forming the translucent wall  104  may force product to the application tip  108  via a product delivery duct  114 . The product delivery duct  114  may be interconnected with the flexible reservoir and may transport displaced product stored in the flexible reservoir to the application tip  108 . 
     The dispenser  102  also includes a cap  116  that encapsulates the application tip  108  when the dispenser  102  is not in use. The cap  116  may be made of a thermoplastic polymer or any other material which is non-reactive or resistant to the product being dispensed, such as various metals, plastics, ceramics, composites, or the like. The cap  116  may be substantially the same shape as the opaque housing  106 . For example, the cap  116  may be substantially the same shape as the generally pouch-shaped opaque housing  106 . The dispenser  102  is shown as being a generally a pouch-shaped body. However, in other implementations, the dispenser may be configured in any form suitable for dispensing a portion of the product contained in the flexible reservoir. For example, the dispenser  102  may be a generally tubular shaped body. Likewise, a tubular shaped flexible reservoir may be contained by an inflexible housing. Further, the inflexible housing may be tubular shaped. The tubular shaped inflexible housing may also have a shelled wall  112  formed therein, which provides exposure to a portion of the tubular shaped flexible reservoir. 
       FIGS. 2A-2D  illustrate a construction of the dispenser  102  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2A  illustrates a flexible reservoir  202  configured to be contained by the opaque housing  106 . As discussed above, the flexible reservoir  202  may comprise terpolymer (e.g., DuPont™ Surlyn®), PE, PP, PET, PETG, or other flexible materials suitable for storing a product. The flexible reservoir  202  may be translucent, clear, tinted, or any other level of transparency suitable for providing visibility to a product stored in the flexible reservoir  202 . Further, the flexible reservoir may be opaque and may be the same or different as the color of a product stored in the flexible reservoir. While  FIG. 2A  illustrates the flexible reservoir  202  as comprising a single chamber, the flexible reservoir may comprise any number of chambers. For example, a flexible reservoir may comprise two separate and distinct chambers for storing cosmetic product. For example, each chamber may hold a different type of cosmetic product.  FIG. 2A  illustrates that the opaque housing  106  comprises the shelled wall  112  opposite a solid wall  204 , which may be a single unit of material. For example, the opaque housing  106  may be formed as a single unit from terpolymer, polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), acrylic, thermoplastic polyesters (e.g., polycyclohexlandymethanol terephthalate—PCT, PCTA, PCTG), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or other opaque materials. The shelled wall  112  opposite the solid wall  204  defines a cavity  206  for containing the flexible reservoir  202  in the opaque housing  106 . For example, the shelled wall  112  and the solid wall  204  may sandwich the flexible reservoir  202  in-between the shelled wall  112  and the solid wall  204 . 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates the flexible reservoir  202  sandwiched in-between the shelled wall  112  and the solid wall  204  of the opaque housing  106 . The shelled wall  112  formed in the opaque housing  106  provides exposure to a portion  208  of the flexible reservoir  202  contained in the opaque housing  106 . The exposed portion  208  of the flexible reservoir  202  may define the translucent wall  104 .  FIG. 2B  illustrates the collar  110  for containing the flexible reservoir  202  in the cavity  206  of the opaque housing  106 . The collar  110  may be opaque and may be formed as a single unit from terpolymer, polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), acrylic, thermoplastic polyesters (e.g., polycyclohexlandymethanol terephthalate—PCT, PCTA, PCTG), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or other opaque materials. While  FIG. 2B  illustrates the collar  110  being a separate unit from the housing  106 , the collar  110  and the housing  106  may be formed as a single unit from terpolymer, PP, ABS, SAN, polyesters (e.g., PCT, PCTA, PCTG), or other opaque materials. For example, the collar  110  may be connected to the housing  106  via a living hinge. The collar  110  may be fixed distal to the opaque housing  106 . For example, the collar  110  may be ultrasonically welded, adhesively adhered, mechanically fastened (e.g., press-fit, snap-fit, interference fit, threads, or fastener) and/or engaged by one or more engagement features, distal to the opaque housing  106 . The collar  110  may encapsulate a coupling  210  of the flexible reservoir  202  and may have an opening  212  for receiving a portion of the application tip  108 . The collar  110  may be configured to support application tip  108  that may be interconnected to the flexible reservoir  202 . 
       FIG. 2C  illustrates the application tip  108  having a stem  214  for interconnecting with the coupling  210  of the flexible reservoir  202 . The stem  214  may transport a displaced portion of product stored in the flexible reservoir  202  to the application tip  108 . While  FIG. 2C  illustrates the application tip  108  being a separate unit from the collar  110 , the application tip  108  and the collar  110  may be formed as a single unit from terpolymer, PP, ABS, SAN, polyesters (e.g., PCT, PCTA, PCTG), or other opaque materials. For example, the application tip  108 , collar  110 , and the housing  106  may be molded as one unit. As discussed above, and in this implementation, the collar having the application tip formed therein may be connected to the housing via the living hinge. 
       FIG. 2D  illustrates a side view of the assembled dispenser  102  without the cap  116 . As  FIG. 2D  illustrates, the dispenser  102  may comprise a generally pouch-shaped body. Again, in this embodiment, the shelled wall  112  formed in the generally pouch-shaped body of the opaque housing  106  provides exposure to a portion  208  of the flexible reservoir  202 . The exposed portion  208  of the flexible reservoir  202  may define the translucent wall  104 .  FIG. 2D  further illustrates that the shelled wall  112  may be opposite to the solid wall  204 . As discussed above, the shelled wall  112  opposite to the solid wall  204  may be made of a material different than the material of the flexible reservoir  202 . For example, the flexible reservoir  202  may comprise any flexible materials suitable for forming the translucent wall  104 , and the shelled wall  112  and the solid wall  204  may comprise any inflexible materials suitable for forming the opaque housing  106 . Further, the inflexible material forming the shelled wall  112  and the solid wall  204  may provide for deforming the translucent wall  104 , but not the inflexible solid wall  204 . Because the inflexible solid wall  204  does not deform, the translucent wall  104  deforms and displaces a portion of product stored in the flexible reservoir  202 . 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the dispenser  102  without the cap  116 . Again, the dispenser  102  generally comprises a pouch-shaped body. In this implementation the dispenser  102  is shown as being generally symmetric about a longitudinal axis  302  and a latitudinal axis  304 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-section of the dispenser  102  without the cap  116  taken along line A-A illustrated in  FIG. 3  and illustrates details of interconnection of the flexible reservoir  202  and the application tip  108 . In the illustrated implementation, the opaque housing  106  comprises the shelled wall  112  configured to surround and hold the flexible reservoir  202 . Again, the shelled wall  112  provides exposure to the portion  208  of the flexible reservoir  202 , the exposed portion  208  of the flexible reservoir  202  defining the translucent wall  104 . The translucent wall  104  is configured to displace a portion of a product stored in the flexible reservoir  202  into the product delivery duct  114  and to the application tip  108 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the flexible reservoir  202  is interconnected to application tip  108  via the product delivery duct  114 .  FIG. 4  illustrates that the product delivery duct  114  may comprise an aperture  402  and bore  404 . Bore  404  may extend longitudinally through application tip  108  and stem  214 . The stem  214  may be received by the coupling  210  of the flexible reservoir  202 . With the stem  214  securely coupled to the coupling  210  of the flexible reservoir, the product delivery duct  114  may be able to transport product from the flexible reservoir  202  through the product delivery duct  114  to the application tip  108 , when the exposed translucent wall  104  of flexible reservoir  202  is displaced. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates that the collar  110  may be fixed distal to the opaque housing  106 . As discussed above with respect to  FIG. 2B , the collar  110  may be fixed distal to the opaque housing  106  via an ultrasonic welding process. The collar  110  may be ultrasonically welded to the opaque housing at an interface  406 . Again, because the collar  110  may be fixed to the opaque housing, the collar  110  may contain the flexible reservoir  202  in the cavity  206  of the opaque housing  106 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a dispenser  102  comprising a living hinge  502  coupling a collar  110  and a housing  106 . As discussed above, with respect to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 5  illustrates dispenser  102  with a translucent wall  104  and an opaque housing  106 . The dispenser  102  comprises an application tip  108  securely disposed to the collar  110 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the collar  110  may be connected to the opaque housing  106  via the living hinge  502 . While  FIG. 5  illustrates the collar  110  may be connected to the opaque housing  106  via a living hinge  502 , any other hinge may be utilized. For the hinge connecting the collar  110  and the housing  106  may be a barrel hinge, pivot hinge, butt/mortise hinge, case hinge, continuous hinge, concealed hinge, butterfly hinge, flag hinge, strap hinge, H hinge, HL hinge, or the like. The living hinge  502  may provide for the collar  110  to be pivotably rotated into position such that the collar  110  is positioned distal to the housing  508 . The application tip  108  and the collar  110  may be molded as one unit. Further, the application tip  108 , collar  110 , and the housing  106  may be molded as one unit. 
     Example Process for Manufacturing a Dispenser with Translucent Wall and Opaque Housing 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an example process  600  for manufacturing a cosmetic dispenser (e.g., dispenser  102 ) comprising a translucent reservoir (e.g., flexible reservoir  202 ) and an opaque housing (e.g., opaque housing  106 ) based at least in part on material characteristics of the particular cosmetic dispenser. For instance, this process may be performed to manufacture a cosmetic dispenser comprising a translucent reservoir formed of a first material and an opaque housing formed of a second material different from the first material. For example, the first material forming the translucent reservoir may be terpolymer (e.g., DuPont™ Surlyn®), PE, PP, PET, PETG, or other translucent materials, and the second material forming the opaque housing may be terpolymer, PP, ABS, SAN, acrylic, thermoplastic polyesters (e.g., PCT, PCTA, PCTG), PMMA, or other opaque materials. In some instances, the process may be performed at a manufacturing facility during an assembly of the cosmetic dispenser. Specifically, the process may be performed at a manufacturing facility subsequent to a manufacturing of the translucent reservoir and the opaque housing. For example, the translucent reservoir may be formed by an extrusion blow molded (EBM) process at one manufacturing facility and the opaque housing may be formed by an injection molding process at a second manufacturing facility, different from the first manufacturing facility. The translucent reservoir and the opaque housing may then be assembled at a third manufacturing facility, different from the first manufacturing facility and the second manufacturing facility. Alternatively, the translucent reservoir and the opaque housing may be manufactured by a single manufacturing facility. Further, while a third manufacturing facility may assemble the translucent reservoir and the opaque housing together, a single manufacturing facility may manufacture the translucent reservoir and the opaque housing, and subsequently assemble the translucent reservoir and the opaque housing together. Further, it is contemplated that the translucent reservoir may be formed by other manufacturing processes other than an EBM process. For example, the translucent reservoir may be generally tube shaped and formed by an injection blow molding process. Here, the generally tube shaped reservoir may comprise a single layer or any number of layers of material. Specifically, the generally tube shaped reservoir may comprise one, two, three, four, or five layers of material formed by an extrusion process (e.g., a multilayer profile extrusion/co-extrusion process). The opaque housing may comprise a shelled wall (e.g., shelled wall  112 ) opposite a solid wall (e.g., solid wall  204 ). The shelled wall opposite the solid wall may define a cavity (e.g., cavity  206 ) for sandwiching the translucent reservoir in-between the shelled wall and the solid wall of the opaque housing. 
     While  FIG. 6  illustrates a process for manufacturing a cosmetic dispenser with a translucent reservoir and an opaque housing configured to store and subsequently dispense a product to a surface, this process may apply to the manufacturing of any type of dispenser. Additionally, this process may apply to manufacturing any type of dispenser formed of any other suitable materials capable of storing a product and subsequently dispensing the product stored therein. 
     Process  600  includes an operation  602 , which represents sandwiching the translucent reservoir in-between the shelled wall and the solid wall of the opaque housing. For example, the translucent reservoir may be inserted into the cavity of the opaque housing by sliding the translucent reservoir in-between the shelled wall and the solid wall of the opaque housing. Process  600  may include operation  604 , where subsequent to at least the sandwiching of the translucent reservoir in-between the shelled wall and the solid wall of the opaque housing, a collar may be fixed distal to the opaque housing. The collar may be fixed distal to the opaque housing via an ultrasonic welding process. For example, the collar may be arranged distal to the opaque housing and subsequently ultrasonically welded to the opaque housing at an interface (e.g., interface  406 ). 
     Following operation  604 , at operation  606 , and subsequent to the fixing of the collar distal to the opaque housing, an application tip (e.g., application tip  108 ) may be securely coupled to the translucent reservoir. By securely coupling the application tip to the translucent reservoir, the application tip may secure the assembly of the cosmetic dispenser. For example, a stem (e.g., stem  214 ) of the application tip may be securely coupled to a reservoir coupling (e.g., coupling  210 ) of the translucent reservoir. In addition, the collar may support the application tip interconnected to the translucent reservoir. Further, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5  where the collar may be connected to the opaque housing via a living hinge (e.g., living hinge  502 ), the collar may be pivoted, via the living hinge, to be arranged distal to the opaque housing. As discussed above, in this embodiment, the collar may include the application tip, where the collar and the tip are formed of a single unit. Here, in this embodiment, subsequent to the collar pivoting about the living hinge and arranged distal to the opaque housing, the collar may be ultrasonically welded, adhesively adhered, mechanically fastened (e.g., press-fit, snap-fit, interference fit) and/or engaged by one or more engagement features, distal to the opaque housing. 
     CONCLUSION 
     Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the invention. For example, while embodiments are described having a translucent reservoir sandwiched in-between a shelled wall and a solid wall of an opaque housing, other configurations are also contemplated. For example, a translucent window may be sealed to the shelled wall rather than sandwiching a translucent reservoir in-between the shelled wall and the solid wall. Additionally, for example, the translucent window sealed to the shelled wall may comprise various flexible plastics. In one specific example, a translucent window formed of a flexible plastic may be ultrasonically welded to the shelled wall of the opaque housing.