Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a container for,
and a method of packaging, a two-component product, such
as an adhesive formed from an epoxy resin and a
hardener.
Traditionally, epoxy adhesives have been sold with
the resin and the hardener packaged in separate tubes,
IO so that the resin and the hardener do not react before
the product is to be used. The user dispenses equal
amounts of the resin and hardener from the respective
tubes and mixes the two components with an appropriate
implement to form the adhesive. The mixing process is
often messy and requires the provision of a mixing
implement and mixing surface or container by the user.
A container for a two-component product, primarily
a pharmaceutical product, has been proposed in GB-A-
2002316. This container comprises two compartments for
the respective products separated by a wall which can be
ruptured by an internal projection when it is desired to
mix the components. Mixing of the components is carried
out by the user shaking or kneading the container and
this may not achieve satisfactory mixing in all cases.
Moreover, the mixed product has to be dispensed by
breaking off an end of the container and this is not
particularly convenient.
Viewed from a first aspect, the invention provides
a container for a two-component product, such as for
example an adhesive formed from an epoxy resin and a
hardener, the container comprising a container body and
a barrier member located within the container body in a
separating position defining two compartments within the
container body for the respective components, wherein
the barrier member is arranged to be dislodged to form a
mixer and/or applicator for the product.
Thus, when it is desired for the components to be
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brought together, the barrier member may be dislodged.
The barrier member may then act as a mixer, or as an
applicator, or both. The barrier member may
advantageously therefore serve the dual function of
separating the components and later mixing them, or the
dual function of separating the components and later
acting as an applicator for the mixed components, or the
triple function of separation, mixing and applying.
In one form of the invention, once the barrier
member has been dislodged the components may be mixed by
the user massaging the container body, for example in
the case of a flexible container body. Such mixing may
or may not be assisted by the barrier member. Either
way, following mixing the barrier member may then be
used as an applicator, to apply the mixed product, for
example, in the case of an adhesive product, to a
surface to be glued. The barrier member is preferably
in the form of a spatula.
In another form of the invention, the barrier
member may be used to mix the components but not as an
applicator. For example, the mixed product may be
dispensed from the container via a dispensing opening,
e.g. a nozzle or an opening created by cutting off a
corner of the container body.
In the currently preferred form of the invention,
the barrier member forms both a mixer and an applicator
of the product.
The components can be contained within the
container body until it is desired for the product to be
used, obviating a messy, external mixing operation.
Furthermore, the user is not required to provide a
mixing surface or container.
The barrier member may be arranged to be dislodged
by withdrawal or partial withdrawal from the container
body. Alternatively, the barrier may be arranged to be
dislodged by dislocation within the container body such
that it no longer separates the two components.
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Preferably, the barrier member is arranged to be
dislodged by rotation thereof. In this way, the
components can be mixed conveniently without removing
the barrier member from the container body, which may
cause some of the container content also to be removed
from the container.
Naturally, it is desirable for the barrier member
in the separating position to completely separate the
components, to prevent any mixing thereof. In one
possible arrangement, the barrier member may be
connected to the walls of the container body by at least
one frangible connection, such that the barrier member
is retained in the separating position by the frangible
connection which is broken when the barrier member is
dislodged. Such a connection may be formed integrally
with the barrier member, in which case the barrier
member may be formed as part of a container body
moulding. Such a connection may advantageously form a
seal between the barrier member and the wall of the
container body in the separating position.
Preferably, the container body and the barrier
member are made as separate members, for example as two
injection mouldings. The barrier member may then be
inserted in the container body to form a tight fit.
This can advantageously be achieved by forming the
barrier member of a material of greater rigidity than
the container body. In this way, the container body may
deform slightly around the barrier member to ensure an
effective seal between the barrier member and the
container body. It is therefore desirable for the
relevant external dimensions of the barrier member to be
slightly greater than the corresponding internal
dimensions of the container body, so that the barrier
member stretches the container body somewhat when it is
in the separating position, thereby ensuring a tight
seal.
In any event, it has been found that some contact
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between the components of an epoxy adhesive or similar
product is acceptable, as the components react and
harden where they meet, forming their own seal.
In a preferred arrangement, the barrier member is
arranged such that rotation thereof acts to mix the
components. The barrier member may be rotated by the
user by means of portion thereof projecting externally
of the container body. In this way, it is not necessary
for the user to manually massage the container body, and
the option of a rigid container body is available.
The barrier member may be arranged to be dislodged
after the container has been opened. For example, the
container may be opened in one operation and a
subsequent operation may dislodge the barrier member,
for example withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the
barrier member from the container body or rotation
thereof. Alternatively, the barrier member may be
arranged to be dislodged before the container has been
opened, for example by external manipulation of the
container body. Preferably, the barrier member is
arranged to be dislodged when the container is opened.
For example, the container may be so configured that the
opening operation also dislodges the barrier member. In
this way, two distinct operations are not required.
The container may be opened by partial destruction
of the container body, for example by tearing or
breaking. Preferably, the container comprises a closure
member, which may be removed to open the container.
In a preferred arrangement, the closure member
retains the barrier member in the separating position
until the container is opened. Thus, the closure member
advantageously performs a dual role of retaining the
barrier member and closing the container. The closure
member may be arranged to be removed to open the
container, thereby freeing the barrier member so that it
can be dislodged. Preferably, the closure member is
arranged such that removal of the closure member
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dislodges the barrier member, so that a distinct
dislodging operation is not required. The closure
member may be attached to, or preferably integral with,
the barrier member.
The closure member may be connected to the
container body in any suitable manner. For example, the
closure member may be formed integrally with the
container body and be attached thereto by a frangible
connection. Alternatively the closure member may be a
simple pull-off cap, optionally with interengaging
retaining means on the cap and container body. In a
preferred embodiment, the closure member is connected to
the container body by a screw thread or similar
connection, such that rotation of the closure member
disconnects the closure member from the container body.
Advantageously, removal of the closure member causes
rotation of the barrier member, which may act to mix the
components as described above.
The container body may be of any suitable form, for
example a cylinder, a bottle or a sachet. In the
preferred embodiment, the container body is in the form
of a tube, like a toothpaste tube. This has been found
to be a convenient configuration, which allows the mixed
product to be dispensed easily after mixing. Such a
tube generally has a linear sealed end transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the tube. The plane of the barrier
member may be substantially orthogonal to the line of
the sealed end in the separating position.
The closure member may be applied to the container
body before the compartments are filled. In particular
the barrier member may be retained in the separating
position by the closure member and the closure member
may be connected to the container body before the
compartments are filled. This is particularly
advantageous in the case of a tube as described above in
that the tube may be filled from the end remote from the
closure member and then sealed by heat sealing,
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ultrasound or the like.
It will be appreciated that the container as
described herein, comprising a container body and a
barrier member, may be supplied without the two
components contained therein. The components may then
be added and then the compartments sealed up. Such an
unfilled container therefore falls within the extent of
the invention. A preferred form of the invention
comprises the container with the two components
ZO contained and sealed in the respective compartments.
The invention also extends to the method of
packaging a two-component product in the container
described herein.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be
described by way of example only and with reference to
the accompanying figures, in which:
Figure 1 shows a partially transparent view of a
container according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows the container of figure 1 in use;
and
Figure 3 shows the application of adhesive mixed in
the container of figure 1.
Figure 1 shows a container according to the
invention for an adhesive comprising an epoxy resin and
a hardener. The container comprises a container body in
the form of a flexible, injection moulded, polypropylene
tube 2. The tube 2 is provided with a closure member in
the form of an injection moulded polypropylene cap 4.
The tube 2 and the cap 4 are connected by means of
respective interengaging screw threads 6 formed on each
of the tube 2 and cap 4. A barrier member in the form
of a spatula 8 is formed integrally with the cap 4. The
spatula 8 is received in the tube 2 and separates the
sealed tube 2 into two compartments 10, 12, one for each
of the epoxy resin and the hardener, by sealingly
engaging the walls of the tube 2. The tube 2 is sealed
at its end opposite the cap (tail end 14) by a weld 16.
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The production of the filled container will now be
described, again with reference to figure 1.
The tube 2 is initially open and unsealed at its
tail end 14. The cap.4 is attached to the tube 2 by
means of the screw connection 6 and is then heat sealed
to the tube. The epoxy resin and hardener are dispensed
into the respective compartments 10, 12 defined by the
spatula through the open tail end 14. The tail end 14
is then ultrasonically welded to form a seal 16 which is
substantially orthogonal to the plane of the spatula 8.
The welding operation also pulls the material of the
tube 2 tightly around the spatula 8 in the region of the
tail end 14. This ensures an effective seal is formed
between the edges of the spatula 8 and the walls of the
tube 2 to maintain the resin and hardener in their
respective compartments 10, 12.
The operation of the container will now be
described. with reference to figure 2.
When it is desired to dispense the adhesive, the
user rotates the cap 4 relative to the tube 2 in order
to unscrew the cap 4. The rotation of the cap 2 also
causes the spatula 8 to rotate within the tube 2. This
rotation dislodges the spatula 8 from its sealing
engagement with the walls of the tube 2. Because the
tube 2 flares outwardly towards the tail end 14, space
is provided between the walls of the tube 2 and the
edges of the spatula 8 for the epoxy resin and hardener
to flow towards each other and mix. The rotating
spatula 8 acts to agitate the resin and hardener,
promoting mixing. The flexion of the walls of the tube
2 due to the rotation of the spatula 8 within the tube 2
also agitates the resin and hardener. By the time the
cap 4 has been completely unscrewed the spatula 8 has
undergone several revolutions which is sufficient to
completely mix the resin and hardener. The spatula 8
can then be removed from the tube 2 and used to apply
the mixed adhesive as desired, the cap 4 serving as a
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grip for the spatula 8, as shown in figure 3.
In an alternative embodiment to that shown in the
figures, the tube 2 and the cap 4 may be connected by
means of a push fit, rather than a screw connection,
with the heat seal between them acting to maintain them
in engagement until it is desired to dispense the
adhesive. In this embodiment, the spatula 8 can be
rotated within the tube 2 without the cap 4 unscrewing.
Conveniently, the container according to the
invention may be supplied for filling at an adhesive
factory with the tube 2 and cap 4 already connected and
with the tail end 14 of the tube 2 open.
Although the invention has been described herein
with particular reference to epoxy adhesives, it will be
appreciated that the invention may be applied to other
two-component products, such as pharmaceutical
preparations, toothpastes and the like. Furthermore,
the invention is also of application to products
comprising more than two components. Moreover, the
invention may be applied to products wherein not all
components are in a fluid phase, for example products
comprising a liquid component and a solid component, two
solid components or even one or more gaseous components.
