[0001] This invention relates to the packaging of two co-reactive components which must
be contained isolated from one another and remain mixed together a limited time before
use and particularly to a package for the mixing and pressurised dispensing of co-reactive
components.
[0002] It has been proposed in GB 1 125 528 to pack a hair dye comprising an oxidative dyestuff
and an oxidising agent in two separate containers each having a valve. The oxidising
agent is contained in a first container together with a propellant and the dyestuff
in a second container. The containers are placed in valve-to-valve position and the
valves opened so that the oxidising agent is transferred to the second container by
the propellant together with a quantity of propellant. The containers are separated
and after shaking to mix the contents the mixture can dispensed from the second container
under pressure from propellant by manual operation of the valve. As proposed in GB
1 125 528 each of the containers are standard aerosol containers with conventional
valves having hollow stems which are joined together for mixing by a connecting piece.
It is therefore necessary for the user to connect together the two containers with
the connecting piece prior to use.
[0003] Apart from the inconvenience of this procedure there is the risk of the connecting
piece being lost or used to connect together an incorrect pair of containers and the
risk of leakage because of difficulty in correctly aligning the containers with one
another.
[0004] According to the present invention there is provided a package comprising two containers
each containing a co-reactive component at least one of the containers containing
a propellant, a guide sleeve releasably connecting the containers to one another with
a reciprocable interconnectable valve means on each container adapted to interconnect
and provide a passageway therethrough from one container to the other the guide sleeve
permitting movement of the containers with respect to one another whereby the valve
on both of the containers can be opened and closed.
[0005] There is thus provided a single package which can be conveniently stored by the user
until required. Shortly before use the containers are moved towards one another under
the restraint of the guide sleeve to allow the components to mix together in one of
the containers. The guide sleeve minimises accidental leakage of one or both components
when the containers are brought together to mix the components. The containers can
then be separated and, if necessary after shaking to mix, the mixture can be discharged
by manual operation of the interconnectable valve of the container containing the
mixture.
[0006] Alternatively the container containing the mixture of components can be provided
with a second discharge valve for the release of the mixture. This discharge valve
can be at the end of the container opposite the interconnectable valve.
[0007] Preferably there is provided removable stop means preventing inadvertent movement
of the containers towards one another leading to premature opening of the interconnectable
valves and mixing of the components.
[0008] The guide sleeve can be attached to one of the containers and the other container
can be slidable within the guide sleeve. Alternatively an alignment sleeve can be
attached to the other container, the alignment sleeve providing a surface which cooperates
with the guide sleeve to assist in maintaining the containers in alignment when the
containers are moved towards one another.
[0009] The valves can comprise a male valve on one container and a female valve on the other
container interconnectable by engagement in the direction of movement of the containers
permitted by the guide sleeve, each valve being resiliently biased to the closed position,
the guide sleeve guiding the movement of the containers
towards and away from one another in the common direction of operation of the valves.
[0010] The package can include an operating button adapted to be fitted to the valve of
the container containing the mixture of components to facilitate manual operation
of the valve and application of the mixture to the desired location.
[0011] The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying
diagrammatic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of a package according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevation of the package of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the containers interconnected;
Figure 4 is an elevation of an alternative embodiment showing the guide sleeve in
cross-section; and
Figure 5 is an elevation similar to Figure 4 showing a further alternative embodiment.
[0012] As shown in Figure 1 the package 1 comprises two cylindrical containers 2 and 3 which
can be standard aerosol type cans. The containers are releasably connected together
by a guide sleeve 4 secured to the upper container 2 and slidable over the lower container
3. The guide sleeve can be of plastics material and as shown in Figure 2 be provided
with annular ribs 5 and 6 to snappingly engage with the top of the container 2. The
lower container 3 is provided as shown in Figure 2 with an alignment sleeve 7 which
can also be snappingly secured to the top of container 3 by annular ribs 8 and 9.
The outside surface 10 of the alignment sleeve substantially corresponds to that of
the container body 3. At the lower end of the alignment sleeve is a releasable stop
means 11 which extends below the bottom edge 12 of the guide sleeve and prevents inadvertent
movement of the containers towards one another. The stop means 11 can be removed by
gripping the tab 13 and tearing the stop means from the alignment sleeve.
[0013] The upper container 2 is provided with a male valve having a stem 14 and the lower
container 3 has a female valve with an opening 15 adapted to receive the stem 13.
Both valves are resiliently biased to the closed position and as shown in Figures
1 and 2 the valves on both containers are closed.
[0014] In the embodiment shown the component in eg, the upper container would be contained
together with a propellant.The component in the other, ie lower container would be
contained without any propellant or with a propellant at lower pressure than that
of the upper container. The presence of a propellant in both containers has the advantage
that both containers can be readily subjected to a pressure test by the hot water
bath technique and the risk of leakage from the containers in use can therefore be
minimised.
[0015] In use the user removes the removable stop means 11 by tearing it from the alignment
sleeve and then presses the two containers together, ie by applying pressure to the
top of the package. Having removed the stop means 11 the guide sleeve 4 is free to
slide downwardly over the alignment sleeve 7 and the lower container 3 so that the
applied pressure brings the valve stem 14 into the female valve and opens both the
male and female valve as shown in Figure 3 to provide a passageway between the two
containers.After waiting for an appropriate interval of time for the components in
the upper container to pass through the two valves into the lower container the containers
are moved apart and separated from one another by sliding the upper container together
with the guide sleeve 4 away from the lower container. An operating button (not shown)
of any convenient form can then be fitted to the valve on the lower container and
manually operated to dispense the mixture under pressure from the propellant.
[0016] There is thus provided a simple and convenient package which is easy for the user
to operate shortly before use. An operating button can be removably attached to the
package if required or a lternatively the valve means can be arranged such that it
can be manually operable without the use of such a button. The package is tamperproof
and prevents inadvertent premixing of components or errors by the user in mixing or
trying to mix together the contents of containers containing incorrect components.
[0017] Referring now to Figure 4 there is shown an alternative embodiment comprising an
upper container 16 and a lower container 17. A guide sleeve 18 snappingly engaged
with the top of the lower container is a sliding fit over an alignment sleeve 19 similarly
snappingly engaged with the bottom of the upper container. Stop means formed by tear-off
strip 20 on the guide sleeve prevents the containers moving closer together than the
position shown in Figure 4 prior to removal of the tear-off strip.
[0018] The lower container is provided as before with a valve 21 at the upper end. Not shown
in Figure 4 is a reciprocable valve in the lower end of the upper container which
is interconnectable with the valve 21 of the lower container. As shown in Figure 4
the valve 21 is a male valve so the valve in the bottom of container 16 is a female
valve.
[0019] At the upper end of the container is provided a discharge valve 22 which can be provided
with any form of operating button most suited to the nature and use of product to
be dispensed.
[0020] Both the containers are initially charged with one of the components which are co-reactive.
At least the lower container 17 is also charged with a propellant. In use the user
removes the tear strip 20 and applies pressure to bring the two interconnectable valves
together, opening them and allowing the component in the lower container 17 to be
urged by excess pressure into container 16. Container 16 can then be removed from
the guide sleeve 18 and after any necessary mixing by shaking, the mixture of the
reaction components can be discharged via the discharge valve 22.
[0021] Thus in this embodiment any appropriate operating button can be applied by the manufacturer
to the valve 22 before the package reaches the user. The package can therefore be
supplied to the user in a single unit for use and any necessity for the user to fit
an operating button is avoided.
[0022] In both the embodiments it can be advantageous to provide some form of positive engagement
between the guide sleeve and the alignment sleeve before use so that the two containers
remain as a unit. For example an annular bead on the guide sleeve can engage in annular
groove on the alignment sleeve, the engagement being sufficient to maintain the containers
together but readily disengageable by the hand pressure necessary to effect mixing
of the components.
[0023] Referring now to the embodiment of Figure 5 a first container 23 is contained within
a holder 24 having a base 25. The holder 24 extends above the container 23 to form
a guide sleeve portion 26 having an inner diameter 27 which is a sliding fit around
the outside of upper container 28 shown above the holder for clarity. The outer diameter
of the guide sleeve portion is reduced at 29 and provided with a plurality of apertures
30. A removable stop means is provided in the form of an annular sleeve 31 extending
around the reduced portion 29 having internally extending projections 32 extending
through the apertures 30. A line of weakness 33 in the sleeve 31 enables the user
to grip a tab (not shown) and tear part 34 of the annular sleeve away to remove the
stops formed by the projections 32.
[0024] In this embodiment the lower container 23 would conveniently contain one of the co-reactive
components together with a propellant. The upper container 28 would contain the other
co-reactive component either without propellant or with propellant at a lower pressure
than in the container 23. The containers are provided with interconnectable valves,
the lower container 23 being shown in Figure 5 with a male valve 35 and the upper
container 28 having a female valve (not visible). The package can conv
eniently be provided to the user with the upper container 28 slidably inserted into
the upper end of the guide sleeve 26. The projections 32 engage the shoulder 35 of
the upper container to prevent premature operation of the interconnectable valves.
[0025] In use the user removes the part 34 of the stop means and pushes the upper container
downwardly to open both interconnectable valves and allow mixing of the components.
The upper container 28 is then removed and fitted with an appropriate button to allow
the user to apply the mixture of components as required under pressure from the propellant.
[0026] Whilst the package of the present invention is particularly useful for containing
oxidative hair dyes it is equally suitable for other products in which the components
must be stored separately and mixed together shortly before use such as various types
of paint, foamants, adhesives and the like.
1. A package comprising two containers (2,4,16,17,23,28) each containing a co-reactive
component at least one of the containers containing a propellant and having a reciprocable
valve means (14,15,21,35) characterised in that there is provided a guide sleeve (4,18,26)
releasably connecting the containers one to another and permitting movement of the
containers with respect to one another whereby the valve (14,15,21,35) on both of
the containers can be opened, the reciprocable valve means (14,15,21,35) being adapted
to interconnect and provide a passageway therethrough from one container to the other.
2. A package according to Claim 1 characterised in that one of the containers (16)
is provided with a second valve (22) for discharging the mixture of components.
3. A package according to Claim 2 characterised in that the second valve (22) is at
the end of the container (16) opposite the interconnectable valve.
4. A package according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that there
is provided removable stop means (11,20,31) preventing inadvertent movement of the
containers towards one another to effect opening of the interconnectable valves.
5. A package according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the
guide sleeve (4,18,26) is attached to one of the containers (2,17,28) and the other
container (3,16,23) is slidable within the guide sleeve.
6. A package according to Claim 5 characterised in that an alignment sleeve (7,19)
is secured to said other container (3,16) to provide a surface (10) which cooperates
with the guide sleeve (4,18) to assist in maintaining the containers (2,3,16,17) in
alignment when the containers are moved together.
7. A package according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the
interconnectable valves (14,15,21,35) are provided by a male valve on one container
and a female valve on the other container interconnectable by engagement in the direction
of movement of the containers permitted by the guide sleeve, each valve being resiliently
biased to the closed position.