Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a dispense~ for
material~ in paste form, such as concentrated water-colors or
oil-colors, whiGh are intended to be admixed with a suitable
diluent prior to use~
As is well known, water-colors and oil-colors are
usually sold in concentrated form and small quantities are taken
from the container for use and admixed with a suitable solvent.
The containers commonly used are plastic or metallic squeeze
tubes.
Thé problem with such containers is that, since the
actual admixture must take place in a separate vessel, numerous
vessels must be acquired, one for each color used. Furthermore,
this operation results in a waste of material due to the
inability of the user to control with accuracy the amount of ;-
concentrate dispensed. ;
The present invention relates to a dispenser for
materials in paste form which permit an extremely accurate dis-
pensing of said material into an open cup which forms an integral
; part of the dispenser and in which the admixture with the suitable diluent can be effected.
More specifically, the dispenser of the invention com-
,i prises an outer wall, an inner cup-shaped portion open at its
; upper end and made of flexible and deformable material, a
substantially flat annular zone surrounding the cup-shaped portion
and located at its upper edge, and an annular lip which surrounds
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the annular zone and extends generally upwardly from the outer
1~ edge of the zone. The outer wall, cup portion, annular lip and
1, annular zone are all interconnected~ A substantially flat
closure member is disposed oVer and is bonded to the upper sur- ;
face of the annular zone thereby to close the cup-shaped portion ;
' and define, with the annular lip, an open top receptacle. In
this manner, the closure member may be puncture to allow dispensing
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of the material contained within the cup~shaped portion into the
; open receptacle when pressuxe is applied to the cup-shaped
portion.
Preferably~ the outer wall and the cup-shaped portion ,~
are frustoconical.
In one embodiment, the closure member is composed of
two coextensive engaging layers, a first layer havin~ an opening
preformed therein, and a second disposed above the first layer
and free of openings.
In another embodiment, the closure member is composed
of first layer having an opening preformed therein and a second
layer disposed above the first layer which covers only a portion
of the first layer but covers completely the preformed opening.
In a still further embodiment, the closure member is ~,
composed of a unitary section having a hollow upwardly extending
portion integral therewith, this portion being frangible to ~r ~. ;,
allow dispensing of the contents.
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Embodiments of the invention will now be described with
reference to the appended drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a sectional view of the dispenser of the
invention shown fully assembled.
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Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views of other embodi-
ments of the means of closings operable in the present invention. -~-
The main body of the present dispenser has externally
an approximately cylindrical or slightly frustoconical shape. `
Said-body is formed from flexible, easily deformable material ~7'', ''
of suitable thicknesses, such as plastic, plastified material or
the like. On the upper part of the said body the external wa~
is bent inwardly and downwardly for a depth of few millimeters
30 so as to form the sides 3 of a shallow cup; said wall then ;-~
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continues without interruption to form a flat annular zone 5. At
the center of said annular zone there is formed a central cavity
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7 which extends downwardly within the interior o~ the external
wall 1. This cavit~ constitutes the actual material-containing
section of the dispenser and can be of a cylindrical, hemispheri-
cal or other suitable shape. The upper or closure part of the
container consists of a disk 9 of a diameter slightly smaller than ~.
the internal diameter of the sides 3 of the cup; the disk is
formed of rigid or semirigid plastic material of the same chemical
composition than that of the main body, or of a plastified heat-
~ sealable cardboard, or of a heat-sealable aluminium, or of any
~ 10 other material which can be sealed by heat or by chemical or
physical means to the
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flat snnular zone 5 of the ma$n body.
To utilize the di~pensqr of the present invention, one
fir~t fills the central cavity 7 with t~e desired material and
then seal~ said cavity by means of disk 9, along the flat an~
nular zone 5. The disk t~us effects an air-tight seal for
the container, the contents of whlch remain protected from
drying, contamination and the like.
In the embodiment shown in ~igure 1, disk 9 iB compoEed
of two layers of egual diametQrs, a first layer 11 having
preformed therein an opening 1~ of suitable size and shape
and a second layer 15 integral therewith~ thinner than ~aid
first layer and ~ithout any openingq.
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To use the product, it is sufficient to pierce the
second layer 15 in correæpondence to opening 13 by means of
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:,J a suitable ob~ect, such as a penci~ point. To dispense the
material, pressure is applied on the lower section of container
7 forcing the desired quantity of material through opening
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13 into the cup defined by the sides 3 and t~e disk 9. The
;J paste material can then be diluted or otherwise treated.
;l Arter use~ the treated material remsining in the cup~
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particularly ~hen ~uch material i8 concentrated oil-paint or
water-paint, tends to dry thus forming a film which recloses
the opening and effectivelg prevents air from coming into
~; contact ~ith the material still remaining in the container,
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;~ thus preventing it from drying and ~o protecting it. If the
i materials being dispensed do not possess such filmforming
charQcteristics~ a suitable plug msy be provided to close the
i opening.
Pigure~ 2 and 3 sho~ the other embodiments of the means
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~ closing the container contemplated by the present invention.
`; In Figure 2, dis~ 9 i8 provided with a removable adhesive
~ tab 17 which serve~ to close opening 13 preformed in said disk.
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In figure 3, disk 9 is pro~ided with a hollow upwardly-
e~tending sect$on 19 ~hich can be cut prior to u~e to obtaini
the de3ired opening.
It i~ noted that, for aesthetic purpose3, particularly
~: ~here the dispen~er i8 used to market paint~, the di~k cani
be formed totally or partially of a transparent material. This
allows the pro~pective purchaser to view the precise color of
the contents, adding marketing value to the present devlce.
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