Product dispensing apparatus with sample holder

Abstract

 The present invention is directed to a dispensing apparatus (10) comprising a cap (12) configured to store and dispense a product, while also providing a storage space for an object, e.g., a sample product container (17), via a recessed chamber (16) located in the cap (12).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a product dispensing apparatus and, more particularly, to a product dispensing apparatus comprising a cap with a built-in recess capable of storing, e.g., a product sample.

Background

[0002] Product dispensing containers are known in the art that allow for the body and dispensing of fluid products such as liquids, creams and ointments. Most of these containers incorporate a body unit that stores the product and a cap for dispensing the product and sealing the body unit when the product is not being used. The cap may be of the flip-top or screw-on variety. Conventional product dispensing containers can take on a variety of shapes, sizes and colors that allow manufacturers to distinguish their products from competing products.

[0003] Current sales and marketing trends have ushered in an increase in "cross selling" whereby marketers include trial or sample products along with standard sized packages. For example, a manufacturer of sunscreen may wish to promote a new product such as a lip balm and include a sample of the lip balm along with a standard size tube of sun screen. Packaging standard sized products with smaller or different shaped sample or promotional sizes has confounded marketers who are more conscious about cost-efficient and attractive packaging. Current methods involve shrink wrapping the trial or promotional size product to the full size product. This method requires additional material and manufacturing steps, activators or two part systems, and may result in a less appealing product presentation.

[0004] As demonstrated, the prior art lacks an apparatus that provides a means for dispensing/preserving products while at the same time being able to conveniently store a secondary product such as a sample size or promotional product.

Objects and Summary

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a container such as a bottle, tube, canister, etc., for a product which also has at least one compartment to hold a product sample or the like.

[0006] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cap for a product container which has at least one compartment to hold a product sample or the like.

[0007] The present invention provides a dispensing apparatus as defined in claim 1. In certain embodiments the dispensing apparatus comprises a body having an inner chamber and a top end; and a cap secured to the top end of the body, the cap having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the cap optionally comprises an opening extending through the top surface and the bottom surface into the inner chamber of the body; and a recessed chamber in the top surface.

[0008] In another aspect, the present invention provides a cap as defined in claim 10. In some embodiments the cap comprises a top surface; a bottom surface; an optional opening extending through the top surface and the bottom surface; and a recessed chamber in the top surface.

[0009] In yet other embodiments, the present invention is directed to a method for storing an object, the method comprising: providing an apparatus comprising: a body having an inner chamber and a top end; and a cap secured to the top end of the body, the cap having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the cap optionally comprises an opening extending through the top surface and the bottom surface into the inner chamber of the body; and a recessed chamber in the top surface; and placing an object into the recessed chamber.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] The present invention will be more readily understood from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments presented below considered in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a product dispensing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a closed condition;

[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a product dispensing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, open to dispense a product;

[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a product dispensing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a sample container;

[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a product dispensing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention with the cap removed;

[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates a product dispensing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, to an enlarged scale; and

[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a product dispensing apparatus, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

[0017] The dispensing apparatus of the present invention is configured to store and dispense a product, while providing a storage space through a recessed chamber in the cap. The storage space can be used to store, e.g., sample-sized product, applicators, personal items, etc.

[0018] As used herein, the term "product" is intended to include, but is not limited to, any fluid substance, including liquids, gels, creams, ointments, cosmetics, medicines and food items.

[0019] Referring now to Figure 1, the dispensing apparatus 10 has a body 11 which stores the product. The body can be any shape or size suitable for dispensing the product in accordance with the present invention capable of having a dispensing cap, such as, e.g., lipstick tubes, perfume bottles, cream tubes, etc. A cap 12 is configured on an open end of the body 11 to aid in dispensing the product. The cap 12 may also have a lid 13 to secure the contents of the body 11. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the lid 13 is closed. The cap 12 may be of any suitable size and style depending on the style, size and shape of the body 11 and the type of product to be stored. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the lid of the cap may be a screw-on, snap-on, removable, permanently fused to the body, or any combination thereof. The lid of the cap may also be screw-on, snap-on, flip-top, dual flip top, rotating, etc. In addition, the cap may also be configured to have a nozzle inserted into an opening for use with liquid products such as perfumes.

[0020] While the dispensing apparatus 10 as shown in Figure 1 may look like a standard capped tube, the recessed chamber 16 is revealed when the lid 13 is opened, as shown in Figure 2. In certain embodiments, the cap 12 may have an opening 15 extending through the top surface 14 through the bottom surface (not shown) of the cap 12 for dispensing product from the body 11 through the cap 12. The opening 15 may be any diameter sufficient to allow for the product to flow freely from the body though the opening 15, for example, at least about 0.5 mm, at least about 1.0 mm, at least about 2.0 mm, at least about 3.0 mm, at least about 4.0 mm, at least about 5.0 mm in diameter, etc. In other embodiments, the cap may only have a recessed chamber with no opening to dispense product, and product may simply be dispensed through the top portion of the body by removing the cap therefrom. Referring back now to Figure 2, the recessed chamber 16 has an opening which is accessible through the top surface 14 of the cap 12. The recessed chamber 16 is a suitable size to fit the desired contents. For example, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a product sample container 17 is inserted into the recessed chamber. Therefore, the recessed chamber 16 will be a sufficient size/depth to receive the product sample container 17. The recessed chamber may also be configured in any shape, such as cylindrical, rectangular, cone, circular, etc. There may be multiple recessed chambers in the cap, and one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the number and size of these recesses depending on the particular application. The product sample container 17 may contain the same product stored in the body 11 or a different product.

[0021] The embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 also show a lid 13 which is used to cover, and preferably seal, the opening 15 and also to cover and secure sample container 17 in the recessed chamber 16. In this particular embodiment, the lid 13 is a flip-top, wherein a portion of the lid 13 is affixed to the cap 12, allowing the lid 13 to open and close freely without having to be completely separated from the cap 12.

[0022] Referring now to Figure 4, the bottom portion 18 of the recessed chamber 16 can be seen. The recessed chamber 16 is open on one end to allow for insertion of the desired contents, but the bottom and sides 18 are sealed so as to prevent the contents of the body 11 from coming into contact with the contents of the recessed chamber 16. The recessed chamber 16 extends from bottom surface of the cap into the body 11 so that some of the volume of the body 11 is displaced by the recessed chamber 16. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the body 11 is a wide-mouth tube used for storing the product. However, the size and shape of the body can vary depending on the particular application. While the neck of the body in this embodiment is threaded for accepting a corresponding threaded cap, other embodiments may be configured to accept snap-on caps or any other style of cap. The lid 13 of the cap has an optional protrusion 20 for sealing the opening 15 when the lid 13 is moved to the closed position.

[0023] Referring now to Figure 5, an alternative use for the recessed chamber 16 is shown. In this embodiment, dollar bills 19 are being stored in the recessed chamber 16, although one skilled in the art would recognize the multitude of objects which may be inserted into the recessed chamber. For example, an individual wishing to conceal something of value can use the recessed chamber to store the item. When closed, the lid conceals the item.

[0024] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the front and back halves of the lid 13 are configured to flip independently of one another. This allows the lid 13 to be partially opened to dispense the product within the body 11 while securing the contents of the recessed chamber 16. Other similar embodiments may be configured to secure the contents of the recessed chamber and such configurations will be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art.

[0025] The body, caps and lids of the present invention can be made from a variety of suitable materials such, for example, polymers such as polyethelene, polypropylene, polysterene, polycarbonate homopolymers, copolycarbonates, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resins (ABS), styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN), polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethane, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA Acrylics), polysterethermoplastic urethane (TPU), Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), poly vinylidine fluoride (PVDF), blends of polycarbonate, resins thereof, or mixtures thereof. Current manufacturing processes such as injection molding or extrusion molding may be used to fabricate such articles and one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate such processes.

[0026] The dispensing apparatus of the present invention may also be configured with a "tamper evident" detail so that buyers know that the opening in the cap has not been exposed and/or the object in the recessed chamber has not been removed prior to purchase. Tamper evident details may include, e.g., film wrappers, heat-shrink bands or wrappers, container mouth inner seals, tape seals, breakable or tear away portions of caps, sealed metal tubes, sealed plastic tubes, etc. The type of tamper evident detail may vary depending on the application and one having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate which cap to use for which situation.

[0027] The present invention is described above with reference to exemplary embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made and other embodiments can be used without departing from the broader scope of the present invention. Therefore, these and other variations upon the exemplary embodiments are intended to be covered by the present invention.

Claims

1. A dispensing apparatus comprising:

a body (11) having an inner chamber and a top end; and

a cap (12) secured to the top end of the body, the cap having a top surface (14) and a bottom surface,
wherein the cap comprises a recessed chamber (16) in the top surface, and optionally an opening (15) extending through the top surface and the bottom surface into the inner chamber of the body.

2. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recessed chamber (16) is cylindrical.

3. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a lid (13), wherein at least a portion of the lid is removably secured to the cap (12).

4. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the lid is permanently affixed to the cap.

5. The dispensing apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the lid is a flip-top, a screw-on lid or a snap-on lid.

6. The dispensing apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the recessed chamber of the cap extends into the inner chamber of the body.

7. The dispensing apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the lid is a flip-top and comprises at least two sections which flip independently of each other.

8. The dispensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein one of the at least two sections of the flip-top resides over the opening of the cap and the other of the at least two sections of the flip-top resides over the recessed chamber.

9. A cap comprising:

a) a top surface;

b) a bottom surface;

c) a recessed chamber in the top surface; and

d) optionally, an opening extending through the top surface and the bottom surface.

10. The cap of claim 10 further comprising a lid, wherein at least a portion of the lid is removably secured to the cap.

11. The cap of claim 10, wherein the recessed chamber is cylindrical.

12. The cap of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the lid is permanently affixed to the cap.

13. The cap of claim 11, wherein the lid is a flip-top, a screw-on lid or a snap-on lid.

14. The cap of claim 14, wherein the flip-top comprises at least two sections which flip independently of each other.

15. The cap of claim 16, wherein one of the at least two sections of the flip-top resides over the opening of the cap and the other of the at least two sections of the flip-top resides over the recessed chamber.

Drawing