Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority of provisional Application Ser. No. 60/575,768, which was filed on May 28, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     The present invention is directed to dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product (i.e., foods, adhesives, etc.); and more specifically, to such a dispensing package having novel components and assemblies that simplify the manufacturing process for the product and also reduce the overall expense of the dispensing package and the ensuing stick product.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, it is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product that includes: (a) a barrel component defining an interior chamber, having an applicator end and an open actuator end; (b) an elevator component adapted to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; and (c) a spindle component vertically secured within the barrel component and having a shaft extending from the actuator end into the interior chamber defined by the barrel component and coupled to the elevator component such that rotation of the spindle component causes the elevator component to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; (d) where the barrel component includes a tear-away seal molded integrally therewith at the applicator end. In a detailed embodiment, the tear-away seal encloses the applicator end of the barrel component.  
         [0005]     In an alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the tear-away seal has a domed shape.  
         [0006]     In an alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the spindle component includes a threaded shaft, and the elevator component is molded such that it contains an unthreaded hole for receiving, and being threaded by, the spindle component.  
         [0007]     In an alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the tear-away seal includes a tab extending therefrom to facilitate gripping by a user so that the user can tear the tear-away seal from the barrel by gripping and pulling on the tab. In a more detailed embodiment, the applicator end of the barrel has a tear-away sealing bead integrally molded radially between the tear-away seal and an inner periphery of the applicator end of the barrel, and where the tear-away bead has the gripping tab extending therefrom.  
         [0008]     In an alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the barrel component includes a pair of opposed, horizontal slots extending therethrough approximate the actuator end; and the spindle component includes a thumb-wheel positioned in the interior chamber approximate the actuator end; and two diametrically-opposed ends of the thumb-wheel are respectively seated within, and extend through, the opposed, horizontal slots in the barrel component, thereby securing the spindle component to the barrel component.  
         [0009]     It is a second aspect of the present invention to provide a dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product that includes: (a) a barrel component defining an interior chamber, having an applicator end and an open actuator end; (b) an elevator component adapted to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; and (c) a spindle component vertically secured within the barrel component and having a shaft extending from the actuator end into the interior chamber defined by the barrel component and coupled to the elevator component such that rotation of the spindle component causes the elevator component to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; (d) where the barrel component includes a pair of opposed, horizontal slots extending therethrough approximate the actuator end; and (e) where the spindle component includes a thumb-wheel positioned in the interior chamber approximate the actuator end; and (f) where two diametrically-opposed ends of the thumb-wheel are respectively seated within, and extend through, the opposed, horizontal slots in the barrel component, thereby securing the spindle component to the barrel component. This second aspect of the present invention may be practiced in any of the detailed embodiments set forth above for the first aspect.  
         [0010]     It is a third aspect of the present invention to provide a dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product that consists essentially of the following components: (a) a barrel component defining an interior chamber, having an applicator end and an open actuator end, and a pair of opposed, horizontal slots extending therethrough approximate the actuator end; (b) an elevator component adapted to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; and (c) a spindle component vertically secured within the barrel component and having a shaft extending from the actuator end into the interior chamber defined by the barrel component and coupled to the elevator component such that rotation of the spindle component causes the elevator component to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; (d) where the spindle component includes a thumb-wheel positioned in the interior chamber approximate the actuator end; and (e) where two diametrically-opposed ends of the thumb-wheel are respectively seated within, and extend through, the opposed, horizontal slots in the barrel component, thereby securing the spindle component to the barrel component.  
         [0011]     It is a fourth aspect of the present invention to provide a dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product that includes: (a) a barrel component defining an interior chamber, having an applicator end and an open actuator end; (b) an elevator component adapted to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; and (c) a spindle component vertically secured within the barrel component and having a shaft extending from the actuator end into the interior chamber defined by the barrel component and coupled to the elevator component such that rotation of the spindle component causes the elevator component to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; (d) where the spindle component includes a threaded shaft; and (e) where the elevator component is molded such that it contains an unthreaded hole for receiving, and being threaded by, the spindle component. This fourth aspect of the present invention may be practiced in any of the detailed embodiments set forth above for the first aspect.  
         [0012]     It is a fifth aspect of the present invention to provide a dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product that includes: (a) a barrel component defining an interior chamber, having an applicator end and an open actuator end; (b) an elevator component adapted to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; and (c) a spindle component vertically secured within the barrel component and having a shaft extending from the actuator end into the interior chamber defined by the barrel component and coupled to the elevator component such that rotation of the spindle component causes the elevator component to move longitudinally within the interior chamber of the barrel component; (d) where the barrel component includes a tear-away product-shaping endwall molded integrally therewith at the applicator end. This fifth aspect of the present invention may be practiced in any of the detailed embodiments set forth above for the first aspect.  
         [0013]     In an alternate detailed embodiment of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the tear-away product-shaping endwall seals the applicator end of the barrel component such that molten product can be filled into the barrel component through the open actuator end and contained in the barrel component by the tear-away product-shaping endwall.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as assembled, showing internal components in phantom lines.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a close-up view of the tear-away seal at the applicator end of the barrel, including the tear-away sealing bead and gripping tab, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional close-up view of the tear-away seal at the applicator end of the barrel, including the tear-away sealing bead and gripping tab, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective bottom-end view of the applicator end of the barrel, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of the thumb-wheel having a chamfered leading edge, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional close-up view of the tear-away seal at the applicator end of the barrel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  shows a bottom view of a self-tapping hole in the elevator component, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  shows a cutaway view of a self-tapping hole in the elevator component, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     The present invention is directed to dispensing package for a cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product (i.e., foods, adhesives, etc.); and more specifically, to such a dispensing package having novel components and assemblies that simplify the manufacturing process for the product and also reduce the overall expense of the dispensing package and the ensuing stick product.  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a dispensing package  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the following four injection molded plastic components: a barrel component  12 , an elevator component  14 , a spindle component  16  and an overcap component  18 . The barrel component  12  is a hollow barrel defining an interior chamber having a substantially ellipsoidal cross-section. The applicator end  20  of the barrel has a domed seal  22  integrally molded thereon and the actuator end  24  is open. Referring primarily to  FIG. 2 , the elevator component  14  includes a center hole through which the threaded shaft  28  of the spindle  16  extends. Therefore, since the spindle component  16  is held vertically intact with respect to the barrel  12  when the dispensing package  10  is assembled (as will be discussed in detail below), rotation of the spindle  16  in a first direction will cause the elevator  14  to rise within the barrel and rotation in the opposite direction will cause the elevator to fall within the barrel.  
         [0025]     The barrel  12  includes a pair of opposed horizontally extending slots  30  extending therethrough approximate the actuator end  24 . These slots  30  seat and vertically maintain a thumb wheel  32  of the spindle  16  within the interior chamber of the barrel  12 . Two diametrical ends of the thumb wheel  32  are respectively received within, and extend out through the opposed, horizontally extending slots  30  to thereby vertically secure the spindle  16  and elevator  14  (comprising an elevator assembly) within the barrel  12 .  
         [0026]     As introduced above, the barrel  12  includes a domed seal  22  integrally molded therewith at the applicator end  20 . This seal  22 , as will be described as follows, is adapted to be separated from or tom-away from the barrel  12  by the eventual user of the product to expose the cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant stick material emerging through the applicator end  20 . Referring specifically to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a tear-away sealing bead  34  is integrally molded peripherally around and radially between the base of  36  of the dome and the rim  38  at the applicator end  20  of the barrel  12 . The bead  34  is radially bounded by a pair of thin frangible bridges  40 ,  42  integrally molded peripherally around and radially between the bead  34  and the base  36  of the dome and between the bead  34  and the rim  38  of the applicator end  20  of the barrel  12 . A gripping tab  44  is integrally molded with the bead  34  and extends axially upward with respect to the bead so as to allow a user to grip and pull on the tab  44 , which in turn causes the frangible bridges  40  and  42  to tear as the user pulls the bead  34  away from the package  10 . Although not shown, there is a portion of the bridge  40  between the bead  34  and the base of the dome  36  that is substantially thicker (not readily able to be torn) such that as the user tears away the bead  34  peripherally around the base of the dome  36  and rim  38  of the barrel, when such tearing reaches this built-up section of the frangible bridge  40 , further pulling on the tab  44  will cause the domed seal  22  to be pulled out from the applicator end  20  along with the remainder of the bead  34  (bridge  42  will be completely torn).  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective bottom-end view of the applicator end  24  of the barrel  12 . As discussed above, the opposed horizontally-extending slots  30  seat and maintain the thumb wheel  32  of the spindle  16  therein, thereby securing the spindle  16  and elevator  14  within the interior chamber of the barrel  12  upon assembly. To assemble this dispensing package in this manner, the barrel  12  is first molded (i.e., injection molded) from a suitably flexible plastic/resin (such as polypropylene or polyethylene). Once molded, the barrel is set upside-down in a puck or a tray, for example, and molten or fluid cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product material is deposited into the interior chamber of the barrel  12  through the open actuator end  24  (bottom end) of the barrel. Subsequently thereafter, and while the cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product material is still substantially in a fluid state, the ends  46  of the longer diameter of the ellipsoid barrel are compressed in towards one another such that the actuator end  24  of the barrel  12  begins to take on a substantially circular shape. When the actuator end  24  of the barrel reaches the circular shape approximating the circular shape of the thumb wheel  32 , the spindle  16  and elevator  14  are inserted through the actuator end  24  of the barrel until the thumb wheel  32  passes the lower horizontal strips  48  of the barrel between the window  30  and the edge of the barrel. At this point the threaded shaft  28  of the spindle  16  is fully submerged into the cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product material and the upper surface of the elevator abuts against, or is very close to the cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product material. Once the thumb wheel passes these lower strips  48 , the pressure is removed from the diametric ends  46  to allow the actuator end of the barrel  12  to return to its substantially ellipsoidal shape in securing the thumb wheel  32  within the windows  30 . At this point the cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product material is substantially sealed between the lower surface of the domed seal  22  and the upper surface of the elevator, after which it substantially solidifies to its ‘stick’ state.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , in the exemplary embodiment, the thumb wheel  32  has a chamfered leading edge  50 , which helps facilitate passing the leading edge of the thumb wheel  32  by the lower strips  48  of the barrel and in to the horizontal slots  30 . It can also be seen that the horizontal strips  48  are also slightly radially bowed out as compared to the remainder of the barrel walls to further facilitate this assembly step. Upon application of pressure on the diametric ends  46  of the barrel, this expanded diameter of the strips  48  will accommodate the thumb wheel passing thereby, but the smaller diameter of the walls of the barrel above the slots  30  will act as stops preventing further insertion of the thumb wheel thereby.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , it is within the scope of the invention that the hole  26  in the elevator  14  through which the threaded shaft  28  of the spindle  16  extends is a self-tapping hole. Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when molded, the hole  26  in the elevator  14  will include a straight draw set of splines  52  that are very easy to mold and to remove from the injection mold (i.e., no unscrewing action is required). The first time the threaded shaft  28  is threaded into the hole  26 , the threaded shaft  28  cuts threads into the splines  52  as it is assembled at high speed; and thus, the spindle  16  would act like a self-tapping wood/metal screw.  
         [0030]     The exemplary embodiment of the barrel  12  is molded having thin side walls that vary from approximately 0.025 inches to approximately 0.015 inches. The seal design is also based upon optimizing the “thin wall” aspects of the barrel design. A transitional wall section will span the top flat or domed area of the seal to promote uniform flow of the plastic (polypropylene or polyethylene) that tracks the oval shape and allows for uniform filling of the side walls around the outside of the domed seal to the last point of fill. The over-cap design will incorporate stop positions ribs on the inside diameter or a stepped wall that creates a full perimeter stop position surface. The tear way seal design allows the mold for the barrel to be top center gated. (See  FIG. 7 ). This gate design and the use of the integral domed seal with the rest of the body allows for a contoured and smooth top edge at the point of application while providing for a thin wall design to the lower portion of the body in the direction of the actuator end and its associated bottom fill opening.  
         [0031]     The tear way seal allows for safe, secure and high-speed bottom filling and shaping of the hot (un-solidified) cosmetics/antiperspirant/deodorant product into the pre-assembled body/cap unit of the dispensing package, alone, or with the use of a carrier tray. The integral seal and bead have substantial capabilities to maintain a substantially 100% hermetic seal in volatile environments to minimize weight loss prior to initial use.  
         [0032]     The four-component design as discussed above also substantially reduces the number of molded components as compared to prior art stick delivery products. For example, the present invention eliminates a separate securing platform of the elevator assembly and also eliminates a separate product shaping seal. The present invention likewise eliminates a number of assembly steps.  
         [0033]     As an alternative to the filling step described above, it is within the scope of the invention that the dispensing package is assembled first with the elevator assembly discussed above; and, thereafter, the molten cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product material is injected into the interior chamber of the barrel  12  through the open actuator end  24  (bottom end) of the barrel and through injection holes (not shown) in the elevator such that the molten cosmetic/antiperspirant/deodorant or other stick product fills the area between the elevator  14  and the domed seal  22 .  
         [0034]     Having described the invention with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiment set forth herein are to be incorporated into the meanings of the claims unless such limitations or elements are explicitly listed in the claims. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.

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