Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SHOULDER DESIGN FOR TUBE
~o
FIELD
The present invention relates to a shoulder design for tubes. More
specifically, the present invention relates to a shoulder design for tubes
wherein
the dispensed amount of the product contained in the shoulder area of the tube
is minimized, and is particularly useful for tubes containing dentifrice
compositions such as toothpastes.
BACKGROUND
Packaging for consumer products has previously been provided in the
2o form of tubes and has been used to contain various types of products, e.g.,
food
products, hair care products, cosmetic products, and dentifrice compositions
such as toothpastes, gels, or combinations containing part paste and part gel.
Such tubes are generally formed with a shoulder area at which the tube body
narrows down to a nozzle having an orifice that can be resealably closed or
capped. When a user desires to dispense a certain amount of the product
contained in the tube, he or she simply removes the cap, squeezes the tube
until
the desired amount of product is dispensed through the orifice in the nozzle,
then
replaces the cap for storage purposes. In standard tubes, the product is
generally dispensed in a Nplug flow" manner, i.e., the product located
3o immediately below the nozzle is dispensed first, with the rest of the
product
gradually becoming mixed into the dispensing flow as the tube is squeezed
during subsequent uses.
For containing dentifrice products, tubes formed from laminates
comprising plastics such as polyethylenes, and sometimes additionally
containing a foil or acetate layer, have previously been provided. The
dentifrice
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products contained therein typically include flavor additives for enhancing
consumer acceptance of the product, in addition to the effective ingredients
that
promote oral health. However, the dentifrice contained in such laminate tubes
may lose some of this flavor due to absorption and transmission losses into
the
packaging materials that comprise the tube.
This flavor loss effect tends to be particularly pronounced for the portion of
the dentifrice that is contained in the shoulder area of the tube, which is
also the
portion that is first dispensed by the user. This is due to the fact that the
flavor
migration rate of the product in the shoulder area of the tube tends to be
slower
than that of its transmission rate though the shoulder material. Thus, a loss
or
alteration of the original flavor characteristic can be perceived by many
consumers, especially for product dispensed during the first few squeezes of
the
tube. As a result, the consumer's perception of the product or the brand as a
whole may be significantly and negatively influenced during the initial uses
of the
~5 product, despite the fact that the original flavor characteristic of the
remainder of
the product is substantially unaffected.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a tube in which the flow of the
product contained in the shoulder area of the tube can effectively be
minimized,
especially such that perceptible differences in the flavor of a dentifrice
product
2o contained in the various areas of such a tube are minimized. None of the
existing art provides all of the advantages and benefits of the present
invention.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to a tube for containing and dispensing a
25 contents, comprising: (a) a body portion; (b) a shoulder portion sealingly
attached to the body portion, the shoulder portion and the body portion
bounding
a shoulder area in the interior of the tube, and the shoulder portion provided
with
at least one extension extending into the interior of the tube from the
shoulder
portion in the direction of the body portion; and (c) a nozzle seaiingly
attached to
3o the shoulder portion and provided with an orifice through which the
contents can
be dispensed; wherein the contents contained in the shoulder area of the tube
are substantially prevented from being dispensed when the tube is squeezed.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will
become evident to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present
35 r~isclosure.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and
distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the present invention
will be
better understood from the following description of preferred embodiments
taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference
numerals
identify identical elements and wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the
tube of the present invention;
Figs. 2a-c show a qualitative comparison of the initial dispensing of a
dentifrice from a conventional tube and from a tube according to the present
invention;
Figs. 3-7 show partial sectional views of additional preferred embodiments
of the tube of the present invention; and
~5 Fig. 8 is a graphical representation of the percentage of flavor additive
present per dispensed gram of a dentifrice, showing conventional tube profiles
and a profile for a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
2o Although the following detailed description is given primarily in the
context
of a tube for containing a dentifrice product, it will be understood that the
tube
may be useful for containing and dispensing other products where it is
desirable
to prevent the portion of the product contained in the shoulder area from
being
dispensed, for example, food products, hair care products, cosmetic products,
25 and the like. In addition, the use of the term "dentifrice" herein should
be
understood to non-limitingly include oral care compositions such as
toothpastes,
gels, and combinations of such pastes and gels.
The tube of the present invention is desirably provided with a cap to
protect the contents from exposure to the atmosphere when the tube is not in
3o use. Any type of cap or lid that is resealably fitted to the tube nozzle
may be
used with the tube of the present invention, for example, a screw-on type cap.
The cap may further be provided with a flip-open top for more convenient
consumer use. . For ease of illustration, the cap is not shown in the
accompanying Figures.
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Referring to Fig. 1, a partial cross sectional view of a preferred
embodiment of the tube of the present invention is shown. The tube 10 is
generally comprised of a tube body portion 12, a shoulder portion 14, and a
nozzle 16. The nozzle 16 is provided with an orifice 20 through which the
product is dispensed when the tube body 12 is squeezed by the user. The nozzle
16 may be provided with threads 22 in order to facilitate the fitting of a cap
(not
shown) to the nozzle 16.
The tube body 12 may be comprised of any materials known to those of
skill in the art that provide adequate storage of the dentifrice or other
product
contained in the tube. The materials comprising the body 12 should have no
reaction with the components that comprise the contents, such that the
contents
could be rendered unsafe or otherwise unsuitable for consumer use. They
should, of course, also be durable enough to withstand normal consumer use
without leakage, tearing or breakage, etc.
~5 For containing a dentifrice product, non-limiting examples of suitable
materials from which the tube body 12 may be comprised include polyethylenes,
such as low density polyethylene ("LDPE"), linear low density polyethylene
("LLDPE"), and high density polyethylene ("HDPE"), ethylene acrylic acid
("EAA"), foils, such as aluminum foil, or any of the above materials in any
2o combination, for example, formed as a laminate structure.
The shoulder portion 14 is attached to the tube body 12 in continuous
bonded or sealed contact such that the contents of the tube are prevented from
leaking out at this juncture. The nozzle 16 and the shoulder 14 are preferably
continuously formed from a unitary piece of material (e.g., by injection
molding)
25 as shown in the Figures; alternatively, they may be comprised of separate
pieces
fused or otherwise securely attached to each other by any means known to those
of skill in the art. In addition, the nozzle 16 and the shoulder 14 preferably
have
the same material composition, but alternatively may be comprised of different
material compositions. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials from which
3o the shoulder portion 14 and the nozzle 16 may be comprised include the
polyethylenes described above.
The shoulder portion 14 is further comprised of an inward extension 18.
Preferably, the inward extension 18, the shoulder 14, and the nozzle 16 are
all
formed from a unitary piece of material (e.g., by injection molding) as shown
in
35 the Figures; alternatively, they may be comprised of separate pieces fused
or
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otherwise securely attached to each other by any means known to those of skill
in the arE. In addition, they preferably have the same material composition,
but
alternatively may be comprised of differing material compositions. At least
one
extension 18 is located in the interior of the tube 10, and extends from the
5 shoulder portion 14 in the general direction of the body portion 12 (as
opposed to
extending in the general direction of the nozzle 16). This extension 18 may be
provided in various configurations, as will be explained in greater detail
below.
The extension 18 functions as a baffle or funnel that permits the portion of
the contents contained in the central region C of the tube 10 (i.e., generally
under
the nozzle 16) to be dispensed, while substantially preventing the contents
contained in the shoulder areas S (i.e., the interior region of the tube that
is
generally bounded by the body portion and the shoulder portion) from being
dispensed, when the tube 10 is squeezed by the user. Without the extension 18,
content contained in the shoulder areas S is free to mix into the dispensing
flow.
~ 5 Thus, the extension 18 maintains a static layer of the contents in the
shoulder
areas S.
In the context of a dentifrice product contained in a conventional dentifrice
tube, the overall flavor characteristic of the product tends to be diminished
as a
result of the absorption and transmission of the flavor additive into the
packaging
2o materials such as the tube laminate, the shoulder, and the barrier insert.
In
addition, some flavor additives are comprised of several different components,
and in such cases, there may be uneven rates of migration between these
various components to the tube packaging materials. This causes a loss of the
original flavor characteristic. In conventional tubes, the portion of the
dentifrice
25 that is most likely to have a diminished overall flavor andlor a loss of
the original
flavor characteristic is located in the shoulder areas S.
In the conventional tubes, the amount of flavor that is lost to transmission
in the shoulder areas S tends to be particularly noticeable within the first 5-
10
uses of the dentifrice. Thus, the consumer's first impression of the
dentifrice
3o product as a whole may be a negative one. This is especially undesirable
since
the initial uses of the product form a consumer's "first impression", and a
negative first impression tends to adversely effect a consumer's opinion of
the
total product and of the overall brand.
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The lack of or alteration of flavor at initial use is particularly noticeable
in
smaller tube sizes, e.g., 10g, 20g, 40g, and may be intensified during storage
time before purchase and use. For the foregoing reasons, it is highly
desirable
to prevent the dentifrice contained in the shoulder area from being dispensed.
The design of the tube 10 of the present invention can substantially
prevent the flow of the dentifrice contained in the shoulder area from
dispensing
out or mixing with the rest of the product. The extension 18 creates a static
layer
of dentifrice in the shoulder area S that is not dispensed as the tube 10 is
squeezed. This static layer is comprised of the dentifrice that has
experienced a
loss and/or alteration of the original flavor characteristic due to migration
and
transmission of the flavor additive. Thus, by preventing that portion of the
product
from being dispensed, the tubes 10 of the present invention provide a truer
and
more uniform flavor characteristic to the user throughout the entire usage
cycle of
the tube 10.
~5 The above-described phenomena can be qualitatively represented as
follows. First, a conventional tube without an extension 18 is filled with
colored
gel G in the shoulder area, and with white paste W in the remainder of the
tube.
The colored gel G represents that portion of the dentifrice that has a
noticeable
flavor loss or alteration of flavor characteristic, which is desired to be
maintained
2o within the tube (i.e., not dispensed). The white paste W represents the
portion of
the dentifrice having the full amount of original flavor characteristic and
desired
for dispensing. A tube filled in such a manner is represented in Fig. 2a.
Upon the initial dispensing from a conventional tube 100, represented in
Fig. 2b, nearly all of the content dispensed from the tube 100 comprises the
25 colored gel G. In addition, even past the initial dispensing, the white
paste W
that is later dispensed is coated with colored gel G at its periphery. Without
being bound by theory, it is believed that the colored gel G continues to coat
the
white paste W for at least the initial 10 grams of dispensing. This indicates
that
dentifrice having a reduced or altered flavor characteristic is being
dispensed for
3o at least the first 5-10 consumer uses of the product. Depending on the
amount
of dentifrice a particular consumer prefers to dispense per use, the above-
described effect may continue for a longer period of time.
In contrast, as shown in Fig. 2c, when the same procedure is carried out
using the tube 10 of the present invention, almost no colored gel G is
squeezed
35 out during the initial dispensing. And, upon continued dispensing, there is
no
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colored gel G coating the white paste W at its periphery. This indicates that
the
colored gel G, i.e, the portion of the dentifrice in the shoulder area that
loses or
changes flavor, is successfully contained in the shoulder area S when the tube
of the present invention is used.
5 Many other preferred embodiments of the present invention in which the
tube 10 is provided with the inward extension 18 are possible. The following
non-
limiting description illustrates additional preferred embodiments of the
present
invention.
Fig. 3 shows a preferred embodiment in which the extension 18 is of a
~o tapered shape to provide it with a degree of flexibility. This shape can
provide
those users who do wish to dispense all of the product contained in the tube
(i.e.,
those who do not want the product contained in the shoulder area to be left in
the
tube upon disposal) with the option of squeezing down the shoulder portion 14
to
completely dispense the product in the shoulder areas S. Preferably, the
tapered
~5 shaped is formed such that the extensions 18 can readily collapse when
pressure is exerted at the shoulder portion 14.
Fig. 4 shows a preferred embodiment in which the extension 18 has
dimensions defined by the overall tube dimensions. Without being bound by
theory, and depending on size of the tube and the size of the nozzte opening,
it is
2o believed that the length c of the extension 18 can desirably be a minimum
of 3
mm in length, and up to a maximum length equal to the diameter "d" of the body
portion 12 of the tube. The diameter "e" of the extension 18 can desirably be
equal to or greater than the tube's orifice diameter "f".
Figs. 5a-c show preferred embodiments in which the extension 18 is
25 provided in the form of at least one ring 18. As shown in Figs. 5a-c,
multiple
rings 18a-c may be provided, each ring having a corresponding radius Ra-c that
emanates outward from an imaginary centerline 25 longitudinally drawn through
the tube 10 from the center of the nozzle orifice. Although the rings 18a-c
are
shown to be concentric and uniformly spaced from each other, the location,
30 shape, and spacing of each ring 18a-c may be varied. For example, the shape
may be circular, triangular, oval, square, or any other shape, and may be
symmetrical or non-symmetrical. The rings 18a-c can be non-continuous (see
rings 18b and 18c as shown in Fig. 5b), or continuous (see rings 18a-c as
shown
in Fig. 5c), or a combination of continuous and non-continuous rings (as shown
in
35 Fig. 5b). In addition, although three rings 18a-c are shown in Fig. 5, it
should be
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understood that the preferred embodiments of the present invention are not
limited to three in number and may contain a larger or a smaller number of
rings
18.
In the previously described preferred embodiments of the present
invention, for example as shown in Fig. 5a, the extension 18 (or the multiple
extensions 18) extends into the interior of the tube in a direction that is
parallel to
the nozzle 16 (and also parallel to the imaginary centerline 25 longitudinally
drawn through the tube 10 from the center of the nozzle orifice). In the
preferred
embodiments shown in Figs. 6a and 6b, the extensions 18 are not parallel to
the
nozzle 16. Instead, the extensions 18 are provided at an angle a formed with
respect to an imaginary line 27 drawn in the longitudinal direction of the
tube 10
from the interior wall 16a of the nozzle 16. Preferably, the angle a may
extend
up to 60 degrees in either direction with respect to the imaginary line 27.
For
example, Fig. 6a shows the extension 18 angled toward the imaginary centerline
~5 25, while Fig. 6b shows the extension 18 angled toward the body portion 12.
Without being bound by theory, it is believed that 60 degrees is an
approximate
functional maximum that if exceeded, may cause difficulties in the releasing
the
tube from the injection molding equipment that is typically used in the
manufacture of the tube.
2o Figs. 7a and 7b illustrate preferred embodiments in which the extension
18 is further provided with a tip 19. The tip 19 is provided at an angle p
formed
with respect to an imaginary line 29 drawn in the longitudinal direction of
the tube
from the extension 18. The angle ~i is preferably up to about 45 degrees with
respect to the line 29. The tip 19 may be oriented in either direction with
respect
25 to the imaginary line 29. For example, Fig. 7a shows the tip 19 angled
toward
the body portion 12, while Fig. 7b shows the extension 18 angled toward the
imaginary centerline 25. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that 45
degrees represents an approximate functional maximum that if exceeded, may
cause difficulties in the releasing the tube from the injection molding
equipment
3o that is typically used in the manufacture of the tube. It should also be
understood that the tip 19 may be provided with any of the preferred
embodiments of the extension described herein and is not limited to the angled
embodiments.
In addition to preventing the dentifrice contained in the shoulder area of
35 the tube from being dispensed, use of the preferred embodiments of the
present
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invention can also provide lowered packaging costs. Conventional dentifrice
tubes generally contain a barrier insert in the shoulder area, which is
intended to
provide oxygen and flavor barrier properties to the tube. This barrier insert
is
typically a pre-molded piece that is placed on a heading tool before the tube
body portion itself is put in position. The barrier insert is often made of
polybutylene terphthalate, which can withstand the injection pressures and
temperatures of the heading plastic, and does not crack in the head. The head
plastic portion of the tube, which is generally made of HDPE, locks the
barrier
insert in position as it is bonded to the remainder of the tube body portion.
These barrier inserts tend to be costly, and therefore the overall package
cost is
increased when they are used.
In the tube of the present invention, this costly barrier insert can be
eliminated. The barrier insert is intended to help lessen the effects of the
flavor
inconsistencies by lessening the transmission of the flavor through the tube
~ 5 walls; however, the barrier insert itself still tends to absorb the
flavor. Thus, it is
not truly effective for preventing flavor inconsistency or alteration. The
preferred
embodiments of the present invention are believed to better serve the purpose
of
preventing flavor inconsistency or alteration, thereby eliminating the need
for the
barrier insert.
EXAMPLES
The following examples further describe and demonstrate embodiments
within the scope of the present invention. The examples are given solely for
the
purpose of illustration and are not to be construed as limitations of the
present
invention, as many variations hereof are possible without departing from the
spirit
and scope of the invention.
The following example represents a 20 gram size dentifrice tube. The
percentage of flavor additive present at a given number of grams dispensed
after
the indicated period of storage time at the indicated temperature is measured
for
3o tubes of three constructions: (1) "With Extension" refers to a tube
constructed
according to the present invention; (2) "With Insert" refers to a conventional
tube
provided with a barrier insert; and (3) "Without Insert" refers to a
conventional
tube in which the barrier insert has been removed but which is not provided
with
an extension according to the present invention.
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The same dentifrice formulation is used in ail tubes. Herein, "% Flavor"
refers to amount of flavor additive by weight of total composition. Initial
weight
percent of flavor additive present in the dentifrice formulation at the outset
of
storage is 1.0%.
5 Herein, "accelerated condition" refers to storage of a sample for specified
number of months at 40°C. Such a condition is believed to be
representative of
a certain shelf life period at ambient conditions. For example, "1.5 months,
accelerated condition" is believed to be representative of a 1 year shelf
life; and
"4.5 months, accelerated condition" is believed to be representative of a 3
year
1o shelf life.
Example: 20 cram tube. 1.5 months accelerated condition
Grams Dispensed% Flavor - With % Flavor - With% Flavor - Without
Extension Insert Insert
1 0.821 0.798 0.710
2 0.948 0.929 0.877
3 0.960 0.944 0.883
4 0.962 0.947 0.870
5 0.960 0.943 0.877
6 0.947 0.936 0.875
7 0.919 0.928 0.886
8 0.900 0.921 0.885
9 0.882 0.913 0.900
10 0.857 0.899 0.894
11 0.832 0.890 0.879
12 0.825 0.894 0.819
13 0.839 0.877 0.854
14 0.814 0.835 0.844
The foregoing Example is graphically represented in Fig. 8, in which the
tube provided "Vlfith Extension" is represented by the circular-shaped data
points,
tile conventional tube "With Insert" is represented by the diamond-shaped data
points, and the conventional tube "Without Insert" is represented by the
triangular-shaped data points.
From Fig. 8, it can be seen that for at least about the first seven grams of
dentifrice dispensed from the tubes, the tube 10 of the present invention
permits
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greater retention of the flavor additive than either of the other two
conventional
tube designs.
Although small package sizes such as 20g tubes are believed to represent
the most severe case of flavor transmission and consequent flavor loss or
alteration, it is further believed that larger tube sizes, e.g., 40g or 1208,
would
exhibit flavor profiles similar to that shown in Fig. 8, i.e., about the same
amount
of flavor loss would be expected. This may be explained as follows. The tube
diameter is typically the same for a 20g dentifrice tube and a 40g dentifrice
tube,
and the diameter of a 120g dentifrice tube is typically only slightly larger
than that
of a 20g tube. Of course, the respective lengths of these tube sizes differ.
However, the diameter in the shoulder area is believed to be the most relevant
dimension in determining the amount of dentifrice product that experiences the
flavor loss or alteration. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that
about
the same amount of product would experience the flavor loss or alteration
regardless of the tube volume, and that this amount would simply represent a
greater overall percentage of the product contained in the tube for the
smaller
tube sizes. Thus, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are
believed to provide similar advantages for any such tube size.
The embodiments represented by the previous examples have many
2o advantages. For example, they can provide an improved product in which
consumers can enjoy a pleasant, uniform flavor characteristic throughout the
entire usage cycle of the product, from beginning to end. lowered product cost
is also possible, as there is no need to add more flavor to the dentifrice to
compensate for the flavor loss in the product near the shoulder area.
Elimination
of the need for the barrier insert may reduce the overall packaging costs and
is
further believed to be environmentally-friendly. In addition, since some
flavor
additives escape very easily through insertless tubes, indicating that
consumers
may easily perceive a loss of original flavor characteristic, some dentifrice
formulations cannot be placed in insertless tubes. However, all formulations
may
3o be provided in an equally advantageous manner when using the tubes
according
to the present invention.
As used herein the term "comprising" means that other steps and other
ingredients which do not affect the end result can be added. This term
encompasses the terms "consisting ofl' and "consisting essentially of."
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It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are
for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in
light
thereof will be suggested to one skilled in the art without departing from the
scope of the present invention.
