Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Benefit is claimed of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/711,154, entitled “SAMPLE APPLICATOR”, and filed Aug. 24, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to personal care. More particularly, the invention relates to sample-size applicators for underarm antiperspirant and/or deodorant. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,667 (the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length) discloses a bottom-fill sample applicator for product such as underarm antiperspirant and/or deodorant. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,185 discloses a two-piece top-fill sampler. The product is initially poured into a channel in the body around a perimeter of a central upward projection. The body is inverted, allowing the product to flow over the top of the projection for cooling. After cooling, the channel is left empty. In one non-illustrated embodiment, the underside of the cap molds the exposed surface of the product. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     On aspect of the invention involves a method for filling a personal care product applicator comprising flowing an amount of said personal care product into a one piece body of the applicator through a first end thereof. The flowing leaves the product in a first location within the body atop a transverse web. A closure is secured to the body at the first end. The transverse web is displaced to shift the product from the first location. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a lengthwise central vertical sectional view of a sample applicator. 
         FIG. 2  is a transverse central vertical sectional view of the applicator of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are longitudinal and transverse central vertical sectional views of a body of the applicator of  FIG. 1  during a first intermediate stage of applicator assembly. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are longitudinal and transverse central vertical sectional views of the body of the applicator of  FIG. 1  during a second intermediate stage of applicator assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a filled applicator  20 . The applicator  20  includes a one-piece molded plastic (e.g., polypropylene or polyethylene) body  22 , a one-piece molded plastic cap/closure  24  (e.g., also polypropylene), and personal care product  26 . Exemplary product  26  is an antiperspirant and/or deodorant composition having properties as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,667 (the &#39;667 patent) cited above. An exemplary quantity of the product is 8-20 grams, more narrowly 10-15 grams. 
     The exemplary body  22  comprises a sidewall  30  extending upward from a lower end/rim  32  to an upper end/rim  34  and having inner/inboard and outer/outboard surfaces  36  and  38 , respectively. For reference, a central vertical axis  500  is also shown. The orientation and directions specified reference typical storage and retail display orientation and are used for ease of understanding. They do not mandate that the applicator be maintained in such orientation. A transverse web  40  is unitarily formed with the sidewall  30  and extends inward from a perimeter junction with the sidewall inboard surface  36 . The web  40  has a lower surface (underside)  42  and an upper surface  44 . The web includes a central portion  46  and a perimeter portion  48 . The exemplary applicator has an elongate footprint. Exemplary footprint is essentially elliptical with a length about twice a width. 
     The cap  24  includes a sidewall  50  extending upward from a lower end/rim  52  to an upper end  54  and having inner/inboard and outer/outboard surfaces  56  and  58 , respectively. An upwardly convex dome  60  extends inward/upward from a junction with the sidewall at the upper end  54 . The dome has a lower surface  62  and an upper surface  64 . In the exemplary applicator, the body sidewall  30  includes an outwardly-extending shoulder  66  engaging the cap sidewall lower end  52  when the cap is in its installed condition/position. 
     As is discussed in further detail below, the web  40  is shown in an upwardly-shifted condition/position in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The web may be shifted to this condition/position from a lower condition/position of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . An exemplary shift is by an over-center toggling action wherein the web is self-retaining in both conditions/positions. The transition from the first condition to the second condition causes the web (or at least the central portion (which represents a majority area portion of it) to shift from concave up to convex up. 
     During a filling sequence, the cap  24  is initially in an uninstalled condition/position and the web  40  is initially in its lower condition/position. In the exemplary lower condition/position, a chamber  100  is formed in the sidewall above the web  40  and below the rim  34 . With the web in this condition, the product  26  may be introduced in liquid form through the open upper end of the body. The product may be pre-heated for flowability as in the &#39;667 patent. The exemplary filling only fills a lower portion of the chamber  100 , leaving an empty upper portion  102 .  FIG. 3  further shows an upper surface/meniscus  104  of the as-introduced product  26 . The product  26  may be allowed to fully or partially cool to at least partially solidify. The cap  24  may be installed ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) leaving an empty space  110  above the product  26 . The web  40  may be shifted upward to the upper condition/position by the application of pressure to the web underside  42  (e.g., via insertion of a finger or tool through the open lower end of the body). During displacement, air may be driven from the chamber  110  (e.g., with the pressure creating a temporary gap between the closure and body). It may be advantageous to hold the body to the cap during this stage (e.g., in a fixture) to prevent any excessive separation. The web displacement also upwardly displaces the product  26  so that the product  26  protrudes above the rim  34 . In the exemplary applicator, the web  40  also protrudes above the rim  34 . 
     The product may further cool to further harden. During the hardening, the underside  62  of the dome  60  may mold the product. To help the molding, the container may be inverted. Alternatively, there may be no or partial molding. For example, if the product has sufficiently solidified, the toggling may be performed in the absence of the cap, with the product being just sufficiently deformable to not be ejected or broken up. In the installed condition, the cap/closure  24  may be nondestructively removably secured to and replaceable on the body. 
     Relative to previous bottom-fill applicators, there may be several advantages. There may be greater cleanliness because the product will not be forced back through the web. This may allow elimination of a bottom closure (e.g., plug). Relative to the top-fill sampler of U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,185, this may also permit greater flexibility in the choice of product and fill techniques. For example, product and storage flexibility (e.g., ability to withstand heat) may be improved because product reflow is not a problem. 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, a variety of applicator shapes may be presented. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 1