Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I 15 ~2~i
ROLL-ON DISPENSING DEVICE
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The inuention relates to roll-on dispensing devices
for use in applying viscous fluids or powders to the body
and to methods of remouing body hair by means of depilat-
ories.
It is common practice to remove unwanted body hair
by means of depilatories in the form of creams, lo-tions
or sprays. A recent survey showed that the ~ast major-
ity of people who removs body hair from tha armpits use
a razor rather than a depilatory. This may be due to
10 difficulty of applying conventional creams or lotions to
this part of the body.
Although it is common to apply deodorants and anti-
perspirants to the armpits by means of special applicat-
ors such as the so called roll-on applicators, this means
15 of applying depilatories has not been used to the best
of our knowledge.
In the course of our researches we have investigated
the possibility of applying depilatories to the armpits
by means of roll-on applicators. It was found that the
20 standard type of roll-on applicator such as that used
for deodorants or antiperspirants is unsuitabLe for app-
lication of depilatories. We have devised a novel form
of applica-tor which is particularly suitable for the
application of depilatory fluids such as creams or lotions
25 ko the body and especially the armpits. It may also be
used for application of other viscous fluids, especially
thixotropic fluids, including cosmetic formulations e.g.
deodorants and antiperspirants, which may be in powder
form, and also for talc.
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In one aspect the invention provides a roll-on
dispensing device for a viscous fluid or powder of the
kind comprising a ball rotatable mounted in a housing
which provides an inlet and an outlet for fluid or
powder dispensed by rotation of the ball, wherein the
housing is provided with a plurality of arcuate projec-
tions extending from the inlet side to the outlet side
of the ball, serving to support the ball and to retain
the ball in place, said projections having spaces in
between through which fluid or powder can bu fed by
rotation of the ball.
Preferably the arcuate projections comprise rad-
ially inwardly protruding ribs formed in the housing
and extending axially from the inlet side to the outlet
side of the ball and the radially inner edges of the ribs
jointly define a zone of a sphere. Preferably in this
construction the baLl is a substantially srnooth sphere.
In a preferred embodiment the device is provided
with a cap, the cap having therein a head space above
the ball~ which permits the ball to be bathed with fluid
when the device is shaken. In this construction the
housing is preferably provided with a bevelled edge and
the cap is provided with an internal rim or ledge which
mates with said bevelled edge to provide a liquid tight
saal.
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In another aspect the invention provides a roll-on dis-
pensing device containing a depilatory ~luid, said device
being specially adapted to dispense said depilatory fluid.
In this aspect the device may comprise a ball rot-
atably mounted in a cavity in a housing which provides
an inlet and an outlet for fluid or powder dispensed
by rotation of the ball~ wherein either the ball or the
housing is provided with radial protrusions the radial
extremities of which define a spherical surface and the
other of the ball and the housing has a sphericalLy
curved surface for rolling engagement with the ext:rem-
ities of the protrusions, the protrusions operating as
radial spacers forming spaces through which fluid can be
fed by rotation of the ball~
In this device the ball is formed with a multipicity
of radially outwardly projecting protrusions, the radially
outer extremities of which define a sphere and engage the
surface of said cavity, which is smoothly spherically
curved.
In the above embodiments the housing may be formed
integrally with the neck of the container for the depil-
atory, or it may be a separate unit which is located
at the neck of the container or it may even form the neck
of the container.
If a separate unit, the housing may have internal
screw threads or other means For attachment to the body
of the container, such as a groove for mating with a
corresponding rib on the body of the container. Pref-
erabLy the housing for the ball is made of a relatively
resilient plastics material such as polyethyLene and is
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designed so that the ball can be pushed into place by
slight deformation of the walLs oF the housing which
then spring back into shape thereby gripping the ball.
Following is a description by way of example and
with reference to the accompanying drawings of devices
in accordance with the invention.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dispensing
device;
Figure 2 i6 an inverted plan view of the housing for the
ball;
Figure 2a shows a projection in cross section;
Figure 2b is a plan view of the housing;
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view showing the neck of
the device with the cap in place;
Figure 4 illustrates, in perspective view, a housing
similar to that used in the ambodiment of Figures 1-3;
Figure 5 is an axial section of Figure 4; and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified ball used
in another embodiment of the invention.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings the
device comprises a container body 1, which may be made
of moulded polyvinyl chloride, a housing 2, a ball 3,
and a cap 4. The container body 1 has screw threads
5 for attachment of cap 4 by corresponding screw threads
6. The container body 1 has a circumferential rib 7
for attachment of housing 2 by a co-operating circum~ar-
ential groove 8. The housing 2 is made of polyethylene
and is pressed over rib 7 to provide a snap fit thereby
producing the neck of the container. As seen in Figure
2, the housing 2 has a series of equispaced projections
9 of arcuate shape (Fig. 2a). When in position the ball
3 sits on the base of arcuate projections 9 and is held
in position by the arcuate shape of the projections 9.
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The housing 2 has a bevelled edge 10 at the top which
mates with a corresponding rim 13 on cap 4.
The housing 2 is fitted on to body 1 by snap fit
of groove 8 over circumferential rib 7. The ball 3
has a diametsr slightly greater than the circle prov-
ided by the tops of projections 9 (Fig. 2b) and is
pushed into the housing through the tops of the resil-
iently deformable projections 9, until it rests snugly
in the housing held by the arcuats projections 9. The
ball can rotate freely on the seat provided by thc bases
9a of these projections yet is held firmly by them in
view of the curve of the upper parts 9b of the project-
ions. As shown in Figure 3 the cap 4 is screwed on
to container body 1, enveloping the neck produced by
housing 2. The bevelled edge 10 and rim or ledge 16
provide a liquid tight seal. The cap has another
internal lcdge 16, which abuts the ledge 15 of band 17
of the housing. As seen in Figure 3 there is a head
space 18 in the cap above the ball 3. The body 1 may
carry labelling on the Flat portion 14 of its side or
sides.
In use the container body 1 may be filled with a
thixotropic depilatory lotion formulation such as one
describ3d in Harry's Cosmeticology, published by
Leonard Hill ~ooks9 6th Edition 1976.
In use the cap is removed and the device is used
to apply depilatory to the armpits or other body area.
~efore removal of the cap it is usually desirable to
shake the container to ensure sufficient depilatory
is covering the upper surface of the ball. This
assist initial application of the depilatory. The
headspace 18 is sufficient to enable depilatory lotion
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to bathe upper surface of balL 3 when the device is
shaken with the cap on.
A device of the type described was tested against
a standard pack of the roll-on deodorant type and a
depilatory spray.
Empty roll-on deodorant packs of a standard type
currently marketed in United Kingdom, such as that
illustrated in UK Patent No. 740220, were filled with a
depilatory lotion formulation instead of the deodorant
formulation. It was found that this type of pack
failed to deliver sufficient quantity of the depilatory
to effect underarm depilation.
In a further triaL 50 women were asked to carry out
underarm depilation with A) an aerosol spray depilatory
pack having a special angled nozzle and a) a roll on
applicator of the type described herein with rsference
to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.
49 of the 50 preferred the roll-on to tha spray and
of those women currently using either a razor or an
electric razor for underarm hair removal 50% ratad the
roll-on better or much better than their currant method.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, there
is shown a roll-on dispensing devic3 comprising
a ball 20 held captive, but rotatably mounted, in a
housing 21 providing a snap-on fitment 22 by which the
housing can be secured to the mouth of a container for
a ViSCQUS fluid. When the container is tipped up to
bring the fluid into contact with the ball, rotation
of the ball in contact with a fixed surface causes fluid
~ to be deposited on the surface.
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The ball is a smooth sphere, but the cavity 23 in
which the ball is held captive has a plurality of rad-
ially-inwardly extending ribs 24 whose radially inner
edges together define a spherical surface supporting the
` 5 ball for rotation and holding it captive. Five ribs
24 are pravided in the illustrated construction. The
ribs 24 space the ball 20 from the cavity wall and enable
a thick film of fluid to be carried by the ball in the
areas between the ribs 24. This construction has been
found to be particularly useful in dispensing thixo-
tropic substances.
Referring now to Figure 6, a baLl 30 for a roll-on
dispenser is shown which has a multiplicity of radial
protrusions 31. These protrusions have flat tops which
together define a sphere. Such a ball is rotatably
mounted in and held captive in a cavity in a housing of
the known kind. The protrusions 31 act as spacers to
accommodate between the spherical surface of the ball and
the smooth spherically-curved wall of the cavity a rel-
atively thick film of the fluid to be dispensed. Thisconstruction has been found particularly useful in deal-
ing with fluids which tend to lubricate the ball to such
an extent that a smooth ball glides over the surface
without rotating. The protrusions on the ball 30 prod-
uce a frictional driving effect on the ball when it ismoved across the surface.
When the device is not in use, a sealing cover is
placed over the ball and houslng.
Thus liquid substances which could previously not
be applied by the roll-on method can now be applied by
devices as described and illustrated.
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In the embodiments shuwn the baLL preferabLy has
a diametsr of at Least 25 mm.
The invention aLso provides a method of removing
body hair which comprises appLying to an area of the
body a depilatory fluid by m0ans of a rolL-on deuice,
adapted to dispense depilatory fluid, allowing said
fluid to react with the hair for a sufficient period
of time~ removing the loosened hair and rinsing the body
area.
Prefarably the roll-on devica is of the typa des-
cribed herein.
The method is especiaLly useful for removal of hair
from the armpits. The depilatory fluid is usually
allowed to react with the hair for up to 10 minutes, e.g.
1-10 minutes or up to 5 minutes may be sufficient~
The devices of the invention may also be used to
apply viscous liquid, cream or powder formulations,
to other parts of the body besides the armpLtS.
