Abstract:
It is an object of the invention to provide a package including a viscous liquid such as a lip balm wherein the package is formed of an inner container and an outer container. The inner container includes the product and is sized for receipt in the outer container. Once disposed within the outer container, the inner container is securely maintained therein. This two-container arrangement, amongst other benefits, provides a means to prevent migration of the product to the outer container as well as permits separate production of the product and outer container.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/222,966 entitled, “Lip Balm Container With Product Insert” and having a filing date of Jul. 3, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to packaging for viscous liquids such as lip balm, lip gloss, and/or lipstick. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to a sealed insert for holding a viscous liquid that may be secured within an outer container. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Containers that are used to store and dispense viscous liquids such as lip balms and lip-glosses employ a wide variety of designs. Many such containers have a lid that screws onto threads of a recessed cup, which holds the viscous liquid. When threaded onto the cup, the lid covers the opening of the cup and maintains the contents therein. When removed, a consumer may access the product in the container using, for example, their finger or an applicator brush. 
         [0004]    Many viscous products tend to run when exposed to increased temperatures. In such situations, the product can migrate into the interface between the recessed cup and the lid as well as onto the inner surface of the lid. This can result in the product spilling upon opening the container. Further, in instances where the container houses applicators (e.g., brushes), such applicators may become covered with product. 
         [0005]    The migration of the viscous product is further facilitated by the way consumers tend to carry containers for these types of products. Often the containers are carried in bags/purses and/or pockets. That is, the containers are not necessarily maintained in an upright orientation. Accordingly, the product may migrate under the force of gravity. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    It is an object of the invention to provide a package including a viscous liquid such as a lip balm wherein the package is formed of an inner container and an outer container. The inner container includes the product and is sized for receipt in the outer container. Once disposed within the outer container, the inner container is securely maintained therein. This two-container arrangement, amongst other benefits, provides a means to prevent migration of the product to the outer container as well as permits the separate production of the product and outer container. 
         [0007]    According to one aspect, a package for holding a viscous consumer product is provided. The package includes an outer container having a base with a recess therein and a lid that is adapted to engage the base. When engaged, the lid and base collectively define an enclosed area. An inner container is provided for fixed disposition within the outer container. This inner container contains a cup that includes a viscous product disposed within a recess of the cup. A cap is adapted to engage the cup and substantially seal the viscous product within the recess of the cup. The outside perimeter of the cup is press fit into the inside perimeter of the recess in the base of the outer container forming a first interference fit. Similarly, an outside perimeter of the cap press fit into an inside perimeter of the cup to form a second interference fit. To permit removal of the cap from the cup without removing the cup from the outer container, the frictional resistance force of the interference fit between the cap and cup is less than the corresponding frictional resistance force of the interference fit between the cup and the base member of the outer container. Accordingly, a consumer may pull the cap away from the cup without removing the cup from the base member. In one arrangement, the cap is formed of a disc member that is sized for positioning within a periphery of the recess of the cup. In a further arrangement, this cap may include a tab to allow a user to grip the cap and pull it away from the cup member. In one arrangement, the tab is interconnected to the cap member via a living hinge arrangement that allows the tab to move relative to the cap member. This may allow for providing a longer tab that may be folded over and against the top surface of the cap. 
         [0008]    To provide the interference fit between the various members, typically the member that is inserted into the recess of the other member has a diameter or other cross-dimension that is greater than a corresponding diameter or other cross-dimension of the receiving recess. In the case of the cup, an outside periphery or perimeter of the cup fits within a corresponding inside perimeter of the recess in the base. Further, this outside perimeter of the cup may include one or more detents that allow for slightly compressing the cup as it is inserted into the slightly smaller recess within the base. 
         [0009]    In one arrangement, the inner container is a substantially cylindrical member, which may taper slightly from a top edge to a bottom edge to facilitate placement within the recess. In a further arrangement, the outer container may be substantially spherical when the lid is interconnected to the base member. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect, A method is provided for inserting a viscous product into a container. In the presented method, the interior container including the viscous product is disposed within a recess of an outer container. More specifically, the inner periphery of the inner container is press fit into an inner perimeter of the recess formed in the outer container. This compression of the inner container into the outer container forms an interference fit between these members. Once inserted within the recess of the outer container, a lid of the outer container may be interconnected thereto and thereby encapsulate the inner container within the outer container. Further, a cap or lid of the inner container may be pulled away or otherwise removed from the inner container. In any arrangement, the force required to remove the cap from the inner container is less than the force required to remove the inner container from the outer container. Accordingly, the cap may be removed from the inner container without disturbing the press fit interconnection between the outer container and the inner container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a lip balm container. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a view of the container of  FIG. 1  when the container is closed. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the lid of the container of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the container of  FIG. 1  that incorporates a product insert. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  that incorporates a product insert. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the insert of  FIGS. 4 and 5  as disposed in the lower member of the container of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates one embodiment of an engagement between the lid and cup member of the insert of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates the cup member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which assist in illustrating the various pertinent features of the packaging design. Although the invention will now be described primarily in conjunction with a spherical lip balm container, it should be expressly understood that aspects of the invention are applicable to other containers. In this regard, the following description is presented for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the following teachings, and skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0020]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views, and referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a container  10  is provided that is constructed to hold a viscous liquids such as lip balms or lip-glosses or any one of a myriad of possible products. As shown, the container  10  is generally spherical having an upper member or lid  12  and a lower member or base  14  that, when connected, form a spherical body. This spherical body is substantially hollow to provide an enclosed interior area for holding a product  20  such as a lip balm or lip-gloss. 
         [0021]    As shown, the lower member  14  of the body includes an exterior threaded collar or rim  18 . Likewise, the upper member  12  has an interior threaded rim  16 . These threaded rims  16 ,  18  allow the upper member  12  to screw onto and off of the lower member  14  to open and close the container  10 . When the threaded rims are screwed together (see  FIG. 2 ) the container  10  is closed and the product  20  is maintained within the interior of the container  10 . 
         [0022]    In the present embodiment, the upper member  12  of the spherical container  10  forms a lid and the lower member  14  includes a recess (i.e., recessed interior surface) for holding the product  20 . To facilitate the use of the product, the upper member/lid  12  further includes a mirror  30  that is disposed within its recessed interior surface. See  FIG. 3 . This allows a consumer to utilize the mirror to apply the product contained within the container  10 . 
         [0023]    The present inventors have recognized that placement of the product  20  directly into the interior of the container  10  presents a number of challenges. As noted above, disposition of the product directly into the container can allow the product to migrate. In the case of the container of  FIGS. 1-2 , such migration can foul the mirror rending it useless. In addition, depositing the product directly into the container  10  can complicate manufacturing. That is, the containers may have to be shipped from a manufacturer of the container to a balm/gloss manufacturer for filling. This process may result in the delay of shipping the completed containers, which may limit the ability of a seller of the product to make changes to their packaging and/or provide promotional products (e.g., containers with corporate logos, etc.) on short notice. Accordingly, provided herein is an insert  50  that may be utilized with a viscous product container such as the container of  FIGS. 1-3 . As shown, insert  50  is sized for disposition within the container  10 . See for example  FIGS. 4-6 . In this regard, the insert  50  holds the product and may be inserted in the base of the container. This allows for mass producing the inserts and assembling these inserts with containers (which may be separately produced) on an as-needed basis. Further, the insert (e.g., inner container) may provide a self-contained container that prevents migration of the product into any remaining enclosed area between the lid and base of the outer container. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the insert  50  is formed of a cup-shaped body or cup  60  and a cap  70 , which are disposed within the container  10 . In this regard, the container  10  forms an outer container and the insert  50  forms an inner container. Once the cup  60  is filled with product, the cap  70  engages the cup  60  to substantially seal the product therein. In the present embodiment, the periphery of the lid  70  is initially in a press fit engagement (e.g., forms and interference fit) within an interior perimeter of the cap  60 . That is, the outer perimeter of the cap fits within an upper rim  62  of the cup  60 . 
         [0025]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the interior of the rim  62  of the cup  60  and the peripheral edge perimeter of the lid  70  are formed to provide a conformal engagement. Specifically, the rim  62  has a ledge  64  that limits the disposition of the lid  70  into a recess of the cup  60 . This ledge  64  is located a distance from the top edge  66  of the cup member that is approximately the same as the width of a peripheral edge of the lid  70 . Further, around the inside of the rim between the ledge  64  and the top edge  66  is an interference tab  68 . This interference tab  68  is sized for conformal received within a detent  78  formed around the peripheral edge of the lid  70 . Accordingly, when the lid  70  is disposed within the cup member, the interference tab  68  rests within the detent  78 . Typically, the lid and the cup are formed of a pliable polymeric material such that each member is able to elastically flex. This allows for pushing the peripheral edge of the lid past the interference tab on the inside surface of the rim  62 . 
         [0026]    The engagement between the interference tab  68  and the detent  78  make the lid  70  resistant to removal. That is, a force required to remove the lid  70  must overcome the frictional interference between the outer perimeter of the lid and the inner perimeter of the cup. In order to remove the lid from the cup member, the lid includes a gripping tab  80 . As shown, this gripping tab  80  is an elongated member that is flexibly interconnected to the lid  70 . In this regard, the gripping tab  80  may be folded over onto the top surface of the lid  70  when the insert  50  is disposed in the outer container  10  and the container is closed. In one arrangement, the tab  80  is integrally formed with the lid  70  and utilizes a living hinge arrangement that permits the tab to flex relative to the lid. When the container  10  is opened, a user may fold the gripping tab  80  outward, grasp the tab, and pull the lid  70  from the cup  60 . At this time, the product within the cup  60  is exposed and a user may apply the same. The lid may be disposed of after initial removal. However, the lid  70  may be reused on the inner container to prevent the product from, for example, migrating when temperatures rise. 
         [0027]    In the present embodiment, while being generally cylindrical, the outside of the cup  60  is tapered. See  FIG. 6 . That is, the diameter of a top peripheral edge  66  of the cup  60  is greater than the diameter of a bottom peripheral edge  58  of the cup  60 . Such tapering facilitates insertion of the cup into the outer container  10 . The outside perimeter of the rim of the cup is sized for conformal receipt within the inside rim of the recess in the lower member/base of the outer container  10 . Furthermore, the recessed inside surface of the base may include one or more stops  22  that engage the lower edge/bottom  58  of the cup to limit the insertion distance of the cup  60  in the outer container. 
         [0028]    Generally, the cup engages lower member of the outer container  10  using an interference fit between its outside rim surface and the inside surface of the recess in the lower member  14 . In the present embodiment, this interference fit is free of other fasteners or adhesives. To provide improved resistance to removal, the diameter of the cup is greater than the diameter of the recess in the base. Accordingly, seating the cup in the base requires applying pressure to the cup to seat it within the base. To facilitate such placement, the outside rim surface of the cup  60  may include one or more detents  56  formed into its surface. See  FIG. 8 . Typically, one or more detents  56  are spaced around the periphery of the rim  62 , allowing the rim  62  to compress inward. That is, by applying pressure to the cup member  50  during insertion into the base  14 , these detents  56  allow the rim to compress inward slightly and thereby provide an improved interference fit between the mating rims of the cup  60  and the base  14 . 
         [0029]    Importantly, the interference fit between the cup  60  and the base  14  requires a greater removal force than the interference fit between the cap  70  and the cup  60 . In this regard, a user can pull the cap  70  off of the cup  60  to expose the product without pulling the cup  60  out of the base  14 . 
         [0030]    The insert also provides a number of manufacturing benefits for the overall container. For instance, it will be appreciated that the inserts and the outer containers may be separately manufactured and subsequently combined. That is, rather than having to place product directly into the outer container the product may be placed into and sealed within the inserts  50 . This may allow for generating a stock of inserts that may be utilized with differently configured and/or decorated containers. Further, this allows for distributing the manufacture of these components to different manufacturers. 
         [0031]    The foregoing description of the packaging design has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, and skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain best modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such or other embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the invention.