Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTIPLE-COMPARTMENT CONTAINER WITH LABEL
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods for promoting the sale of
laundry products
and more particularly to methods associated with packaged laundry products
having at least one
consumer benefit and a mufti-compartment container.
Background of the Invention
Packaged consumer products having two or more compartments are known in the
art.
Such multiple compartment containers allow for the co-packaging of
compositions which cannot
easily, stably, or cost-effectively be packaged in standard one compartment
containers. Often,
these multiple compartment containers or packages allow for foaming to occur
when two separate
substances are dispensed and react. Recently, some isolated examples of
consumer products in
dual-compartment containers have seen some commercial success. Especially
successful are dual-
compartment adhesives, especially of the epoxy type. Other examples include,
in the field of oral
care, a mouthwash product and a toothpaste product marketed by Unilever under
the tradename
"Mentadent~", and in the field of drain cleaners, a product called "Liquid
PlumrO" marketed by
Clorox. All of these products use top-dispensing containers and are free from
handles, spigots
and/or dispensing taps. The Mentadent products are marketed to provide the
benefits of cavity
protection/whiteness/fresh breath. The Liquid PlumrO drain cleaner product is
marketed to
provide a single benefit when the dual compositions are combined. The "Liquid
Plumr~"
product when placed on a shelf so that the title (front) label can be seen,
hints at the dual-
compartment structure in that the container is deeply grooved, but it is
equally colored in both
compartments and therefore it is more difficult to distinguish between the two
compartments.
Packages and/or containers having two or more compartments are relatively
common in
product areas outside of laundry products. Contrastingly, such multiple
compartment containers
are rare in the laundry product field and have not yet enjoyed a commercial
success to any
significant extent. A rare example of such a container is one commercially
available in the
product "Dobbelman Duo," distributed in Holland by Sara Lee. This product is
also dispensed
by top-pouring from two separate openings. The marketed product possesses a
handle but no
dispensing mechanism, and is marketed to consumers by two labels, one affixed
to each
compartment, where a first label carries a more distinctive brand
identification marking (the title,
or "front" label) and the second is dominated by usage instructions (the
instruction or "rear"
label). In order to show the title or "front" label, the container is
inevitably presented on store
shelves in such a manner that only one compartment is directly visible when a
consumer faces a
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supermarket shelf carrying Dobbelinan Duo bottles. Indeed despite use of the
word "Duo" in the
name there is ironically no other way of recognizing the nature of the product
when it is seen on a
supermarket shelf. This is a severe limitation in that supermarket shelves
typically carry a large
variety of products and the consumer is both confused by the number of
products and likely to
overlook such a laundry product in particular.
Therefore, a need exists to provide laundry products in multiple-compartment
containers
having appropriate labeling, distinguishing features, and orientation, so as
to identify to
consumers the availability and uniqueness of multiple-compartment laundry
products.
More recently, laundry compositions have been developed as a result of much
technical
investigation which are in flowable form and which deliver two or more
distinct benefits to the
consumer. These compositions are advantageously packaged in a multiple-
compartment
container. In one such product, a first composition of a heavy-duty liquid
detergent and a second
composition of a highly effective bleach system, is provided. These
compositions are suitably
packaged in multiple-chamber laundry product containers. Large sizes of such
products,
especially those having dispensing mechanisms, such as press-taps (spigots),
positioned near the
base of the container and having a handle, at least one label carrying a
prominent brand name,
and at least one label with usage instructions, present unusual technical
challenges insofar as
there is a need to make important choices from a myriad of possible
combinations and
arrangements so as to effectively communicate the product and its benefits to
the consumer, and
to do so in such manner that handling of the container by the consumer in a
supermarket is both
safe and convenient.
The benefits associated with laundry products available in multiple-
compartment
containers is not always recognized by the consumer since the advertising,
including labeling,
store shelf facing and arranging, and shelf arrangements are not conducive to
the promotion of
such benefits.
Therefore, there exists a need to develop the proper arrangement of multiple-
compartment
container, labeling, shelf-facing, and dispensing methods and mechanisms so as
to provide an
easily-recognizable multiple benefit to the consumer.
There is also a need to provide methods of promoting the sale of such laundry
detergents
to make consumers aware of the multiple benefits of these products such that
consumers will be
motivated to use them, leading to cleaner, softer, and/or stain-free
clothes/fabrics.
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Summary of the Invention
It has now surprisingly been discovered that highly preferred methods exist
for the
mutual arrangement of the two compartments of the multiple-compartment laundry
product
container, for orientation to maximize ease of access to the bottle handle,
for maximizing at the
same time awareness of the multiple-compartment nature of the container, for
maximizing
visibility of the identification label in relation to the position of the
product on a store shelf, and
for maximizing visual and physical balance of the multiple-compartment
container for ease of
handling and use. These and other related methods and the associated numerous
advantages are
further described in the disclosure which follows.
The present invention relates to methods of promoting the sale of a laundry
product, said
laundry product comprising composition provided in at least two components,
wherein the
components are located within a multiple-compartment container, a first
component located
within a first compartment and a second located within a second compartment,
said method
comprising the step of:
a) orienting the product such that a multiple-compartment feature is
visually observable from the front consumer vantage point.
The present invention further relates to methods of promoting the sale of a
laundry
product, said laundry product comprising composition provided in at least two
components,
wherein the components are located within a multiple-compartment container, a
first component
located within a first compartment and a second located within a second
compartment, said
method comprising the steps of:
a) displaying the laundry product in a vertical plane on a shelf such that
both
compartments of the bottle are simultaneously visible from the view of a
consumer looking at the bottle on the shelf;
b) labeling the bottle such that the front of the bottle is in parallel with
the
vertical plane and is visible to consumers;
c) labeling the bottle such that directions for use and descriptions of the
product
are in parallel with the vertical plane, but not visible to consumers.
The present invention relates to methods of promoting the sale of a laundry
product, said
laundry product comprising composition provided in at least two components,
wherein the
components are located within a multiple-compartment container, a first
component located
within a first compartment and a second located within a second compartment,
said method
comprising the step of:
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a) providing a promotional material to a consumer, wherein said promotional
material comprises information regarding an ability of said laundry product
to provide a multiple-benefit to laundered fabric items and wherein a first
composition comprises a heavy duty liquid composition and the second
composition comprises a peracid bleach.
The present invention further relates to methods of promoting multiple-
compartment,
multiple benefit laundry products for cleaning and/or treating clothing. The
methods encompass
a variety of steps by which consumers are informed of the benefits of the
multiple-compartment,
multiple benefit laundry products, especially the ability to remove stains
without pre-treating, in
order to motivate a consumer to use a product, which they otherwise may not
use, to clean and/or
treat clothing, thereby resulting in cleaner/conditioned clothes for the
consumer.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 on SHEET 1 is a perspective view of the multiple compartment
container.
SHEET 2 is a perspective view of the method of promoting a multiple-
compartment
container.
SHEET 3 is a perspective view of the method of promoting a multiple-
compartment
container and a bottom view of the method of promoting a multiple-compartment
container.
SHEET 4 is a illustrative depiction of two embodiments of the method of
promoting a
multiple-compartment container.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention makes use of containers for
heavy-duty
liquid detergents as depicted at Figure 1 in Sheet 1 and as described in
detail in commonly
assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0030063 A1 to Leray and Etesse,
published Mar. 14,
2002. The container of the present invention comprises at least two
compartments 51, 52, and
may include a multiple-dispensing tap, 100 preferably with a plate 107, collar
108, push button
113, and wings 114. The container may preferably include a venting mechanism,
preferably a
venting hole or holes, 60, 61. The method of promoting a multiple compartment
container may
include a plane, P and a viewpoint, E. With the eye of a viewer positioned at
E, both
compartments of the dual-chamber container can be seen simultaneously and the
handle of the
container, H, is to the right. A brand-identifying label that prominently
displays the name of the
product, not explicitly shown in Sheet 1, is affixed to the container such
that at least 50% of its
surface area is substantially in parallel to plane P.
In a second preferred embodiment, Figure 2, SHEET 2 shows a schematic of a
face-on
view of a side-by-side positioning of two multiple-compartment containers
wherein in each
container, one compartment, A, is visually distinctive from a second
compartment, B, and
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wherein a brand-identifying label, L, is explicitly shown and is positioned in
accordance with the
invention herein. Handle H is also shown with relative positioning. From both
the difference in
size between the shaded and unshaded compartments, and the visual distinction
it is apparent that
this is a multiple-compartment product. Note also the presence of the press
taps or spigots C to
the bottom left side of each container, aligned parallel with the shelf S and
with minimum
tendency to be knocked by a passer-by.
In contrast to SHEET 2, a comparative example is shown in Figures 4 and 5 on
SHEET
3, which is a schematic presenting two conventional dual-chamber top-pouring
liquid detergent
products B 1 and B2 on a shelf S, wherein each container has a brand-
identifying label L
identifying the front of the container and each container has equal sizes of
the two chambers
(shown in a cross-section view as 1 and 2). It is apparent that from the shown
front consumer
vantage point, only one chamber of each container is visible.
Figures 6 and 7, SHEET 4 represents two alternative embodiments wherein there
is a
pronounced mismatch in the sizes of the two compartments. In Figure 6, an
embodiment similar
to that of Figure 2, SHEET 2 is shown. In this embodiment, a method of
promoting a multiple-
compartment container is shown by the front consumer vantage point view of
both the first
compartment 51 and the second compartment 52 are positioned such that handle H
and tap or
spigot T are positioned to the sides of the product. Figure 7 shows an
alternative embodiment of
this same product whereby the method of promoting a multiple-compartment
container is
practiced by obtaining an acceptable visual impact of the presence of the
first compartment 51,
and second compartment 52 in a view wherein, on account of the size difference
between
compartments, both of the compartments can be seen from the side of the
container coinciding
with the press-tap or spigot T. However, this method of promoting the product
has some
disadvantages in that (1) the press tap T "sticks out" to a greater extent and
is liable to be
knocked by a person passing the shelf; (2) the handle is no longer easily
accessible from the front
consumer vantage point for xeadily lifting the container, see by comparison
SHEET 2; and (3) the
shelf-facing bottle size is relatively smaller, limiting the label (not
depicted) size and less
efficiently using the shelf space provided.
Detailed Description of the Invention
While the specification concludes with the claims particularly pointing and
distinctly
claiming the invention, it is believed that the present invention will be
better understood from the
following description.
All documents cited are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference;
the citation of
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any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with
respect to the present
invention
The compositions of the present invention can include, consist essentially of,
or consist
of, the components of the present invention as well as other ingredients
described herein. As
used herein, the term "comprising" means that the various components,
ingredients, or steps, can
be conjointly employed in practicing the present invention. Accordingly, the
term "comprising"
encompasses the more restrictive terms "consisting essentially of and
"consisting of." As used
herein, "consisting essentially of" means that the composition or component
may include
additional ingredients, but only if the additional ingredients do not
materially alter the basic and
novel characteristics of the claimed compositions or methods.
All percentages and ratios used herein are by weight of the total composition
and all
measurements made are at 25°C, unless otherwise designated.
Methods have now surprisingly been discovered to promote a laundry product,
including,
the mutual arrangement of the two compartments of a dual-compartment laundry
product
container, orientation to maximize ease of access to the bottle handle,
maximizing at the same
time awareness of the dual nature of the container and composition, maximizing
the shelf-facing
side of the bottle, maximizing visibility of the identification label in
relation to position on a store
shelf, and/or maximizing visual and physical balance of the dual-compartment
container for ease
of handling and use. Methods of promoting the sale have now surprisingly been
discovered that
may include the steps of advertising; displaying; orienting, arranging on a
shelf (preferably a
store shelf); labeling; and/or increasing consumer selection awareness. This
and other related
methods and the associated numerous advantages are further described in the
disclosure which
follows.
It has been surprisingly found that the methods according to the present
invention assist
in the sale and merchandising of laundry products in dual-compartment
containers.
Without being limited by theory, it is believed that the present invention
offers numerous
benefits, including the following: increased consumer awareness and
appreciation of the visibly
distinct compartments in a unified container, leading to validation of
assertions to the potential
performance of the product. In particular, the visible distinction of multiple-
compartments in a
unified container greatly helps validate a manufacturer's assertions about the
multiple laundry
benefit potential performance of the product by improving consumer
understanding and
appreciation of its multiple nature which is distinctive from most other
laundry products.
Furthermore, the labeling/compartment orientation is easily identifiable as
two individualized
compartments without loss of clarity to product type and use identification.
Furthermore, when a
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gripping device is present, the arrangement and selection of the compartments,
labeling and the
gripping device (e.g. handle) leads to containers that are easily accessible
and safe in both retail
situations as well as in-home use and storage.
The laundry products herein may also include a wide variety of other
ingredients.
The compositions of the present invention, are described in detail
hereinafter.
Definitions
As used herein, the term "promotional material" refers to a variety of
marketing
materials, preferably printed materials, which convey to consumers the ability
of the multiple-
compartment laundry products to provide multiple benefits to clothing and/or
fabrics. Preferably,
the promotional material further comprises information regarding the use of
such laundry
products to provide improved cleaning (i.e., "no need to pre-treat.") and/or
cleaning plus
conditioning (i.e., softening, static control) and/or cleaning plus other
fabric treatment
(whitening, bleaching, color care, anti-fuzz, etc.). Promotional materials
include, but are not
limited to: brochures; print advertisements in newspapers, magazines,
journals, and the like;
labeling on packages/containers containing or encompassing the present laundry
products;
leaflets; radio and/or television advertisements; discount coupons (especially
those redeemable
upon purchase of the present laundry products); direct mail advertisements;
electronic mail
advertisements; fact sheets; magnets; pencils; pens; buttons; notepads;
clothing, product samples,
event sponsorship, endorsement, spokesperson, and the like.
Laundry Product
The methods of the present invention include a laundry product. As used
herein, the term
"laundry product" refers most generally to a laundry composition in a
container. The term
"laundry composition" refers generally to compositions designed for use in the
cleaning and
treatment of clothes and/or other fabrics in (or before placing in) automatic
washing machines for
private use and/or retail services and facilities. Compositions designed for
the hand-washing or
hand-laundering of fabrics are also encompassed. Compositions for laundry pre-
treatment using
cleaning and/or fabric care ingredients are also encompassed. Such terms
differentiate the
present invention from other completely different consumer products such as
drain cleaners or
adhesives which are not for laundry purposes and are not included in the
present invention.
Preferably, the laundry product is self supporting and can rest on a flat
surface without
tipping or falling over.
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Laundry Composition
Laundry compositions herein more specifically include heavy-duty liquid
laundry
detergents (HDL's), liquid laundry detergents with bleach and/or bleach
catalyst, compositions
containing a fabric care component (for example, a softening, color
protecting, fabric-protecting
and/or anti-wrinkle active), compositions containing a fabric-treatment
component, liquid
detergents containing a fabric care component, and the like. For examples of
laundry
compositions and components thereof, see Liquid Detergents, Vol. 67 Surfactant
Science Series,
Edited by I~. Y. Lai, Published By Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1997. See in
particular, Chapter 8 on
heavy duty liquid detergents from Page 261-324 and references cited therein.
Particularly preferred for use herein are dual component laundry compositions
that
simultaneously deliver or provide more than one laundry benefit. "Laundry
benefits" in general
include fabric cleaning and fabric care of consumer garments or domestic
finished textile goods.
For example, one component may provide cleaning benefits, while the second
component
provides bleaching and/or softening benefits.
"Fabric cleaning" includes the benefits from the use of surfactants and/or
detergents and
may involve any known mechanism such as interfacial tension lowering and/or
oily soil roll-up
and emulsification and/or soil suspension and/or soil anti-redeposition in the
presence of
surfactants optionally with polymers and/or electrolytes. Soil hydrolysis
and/or depolymerization
may be involved, as is commonly the case with detersive enzymes such as the
common
hydrolases, more specifically including proteases, amylases, lipases and
mixtures thereof. Soils
can vary widely and can include localized, often highly colored marks or
stains, more generalized
graying or discoloration, oily marks, skin debris, presence of common sooty or
clay-like dirt and
the like. "Fabric cleaning" in common laundry detergents includes the action
of detergent
cleaning ingredients such as the aforementioned surfactants, polymers and
enzymes, as well as
the action of bleaches, chelants and other cleaning adjuncts.
"Fabric care" includes fabric softening, anti-wrinkling, shape retention, anti-
shrinkage,
ease of ironing, prevention of dye-transfer (or bleeding), color-brightening,
color rejuvenation,
maintenance of color, prevention of abrasion and/or other similar benefits
distinguished from
cleaning benefits in that fabric care benefits maintain or add to the
appearance, aesthetics or
physical properties of fabrics without there being a required element
involving soil. Often fabric
care benefits are accomplished by the reverse of cleaning, for instance, by
depositing materials
onto fabrics rather than removing them.
In general, any two laundry ingredients, especially any two ingredients having
different
chemical structure or function, may be capable of providing measurably
different benefits in
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fabric laundering. Preferred for use herein are compositions which are
"capable of providing at
least two distinct benefits." As used herein, "distinct benefits" refers to
two or more benefits,
such as benefits selected from whitening or stain removal, cleaning benefits,
bleaching benefits,
fabric care benefits, and combinations thereof, that are consumer noticeable
(including but not
limited to noticeable in the standard tests of textile institutes); and
preferably involve a technical
challenge. More preferably, the "distinct benefits" are benefits which are
difficult to accomplish
by merely mixing two ingredients in a unitary liquid cleaning product.
Examples of preferred sets of two distinct benefits include: (a)
simultaneously providing
the cleaning that is typical of an anionic detergent surfactant such as a
sodium linear
alkylbenzenesulfonate and the fabric care that is typical of an ester-quat
fabric softener; (b)
simultaneously providing the cleaning that is typical of an enzymatic
detergent such as
one containing a protease, and the cleaning that is typical of an enzyme-
reactive bleach, such as
PAP.
One particularly preferred example of a set of two distinct laundry benefits
is to include a
typical heavy-duty liquid detergent, or at least a surfactant and/or an
enzyme, in one
compartment, and in the other compartment to include any known textile
treatment chemical that
under normal circumstances would be considered chemically reactive with or
otherwise
incompatible with the contents of the former compartment. Such ingredients
include all manner
of textile finishes, softeners, anti-shrink agents, color protecting and/or
fabric agents and the like
which are chemically reactive (especially with respect to textile fibers)
and/or which would
normally be applied to fabrics in textile finishing rather than laundering
operations.
More preferred are dual component compositions having a first component and a
second
component where the first and second components are physically or chemically
incompatible
with each other and/or where the first and second components provide a foaming
reaction when
combined. For examples of preferred dual component laundry compositions, see
PCT Published
Application WO 01/00765, to DeBuzzacarini, et al., published Jan. 4, 2001 and
see PCT
Published Application WO 02/22772, to DeBuzzacarini, et al., published Mar.
21, 2002.
Preferred laundry products herein are capable of providing at least two
distinct laundry
benefits and comprise a two component laundry composition, preferably, having
flowable form,
packaged, located or contained within a dual-compartment container, where a
first component,
preferably a flowable composition, is located within a first compartment and a
second
component, also preferably a fiowable composition, is located within a second
compartment of
the container. In such a case the first composition can for example be a fully-
formulated heavy
duty liquid detergent (preferably a laundry detergent) without bleach and
comprising at least a
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cleaning surfactant, and the second preferably includes a bleach, bleach
activator, bleach catalyst,
bleach booster, or mixture thereof. Preferably, the second component comprises
a fabric care
ingredient, more preferably which is substantially free from cleaning
ingredients.
For a partially formulated bleach or bleach catalyst in flowable form, no
other component
is required other than the bleach or bleach catalyst and a suitable solvent or
suspending medium.
In another suitable case the first flowable can be a liquid laundry detergent
not containing an
esterquat softener or a silicone, while the second flowable can be a fabric
care composition
comprising a common commercially available esterquat softener and/or a
silicone with a solvent
or suspending medium such that the fabric care composition or component is
flowable. The
formulation of liquid laundry detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches and the
like is well known in
the art.
The containers as described below are designed to store at least two flowable
laundry
compositions in separate compartments. The flowable laundry compositions
stored in the first
and second compartments may be the same, but are preferably different. By
different it is meant
that the flowable laundry compositions differ in that at least one ingredient
of the first
composition stored in the first compartment, is not present in the second
composition stored in
the second compartment, or vice versa. The flowable compositions may be in
particulate, gel or
paste form, but are preferably a liquid. In one embodiment of the present
invention the flowable
products stored in the first and second compartments have different
rheological properties, for
example the flowable products may have different viscosities, densities, flow
properties etc.
Container
The methods of the present invention include a multiple-compartment container.
As used
herein, "container" refers to a closable receptacle suitable for storing and
dispensing liquids and
impermeable to the liquid such that it will not leak. Suitable containers have
at least two
compartments that are physically affixed to one another, molded together, or
held in contact by a
further packaging element such as a transparent plastic sleeve, without
permitting the contents of
one compartment to flow into the other. Containers herein enclose a volume
sufficient for at
least two doses or uses of a laundry composition and preferably, the
compartments have a total
capacity of over 50 ml. Preferably, the containers herein are together capable
of holding from
about 750 ml (approximately 8-10 doses) to about 8 liters (approximately 75
doses) of the
laundry composition. In other words, the containers of the present invention
are not of the small
unit-dose "pouch" type that has recently come onto the market in some
geographies, rather, the
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volume of the container is similar to the relatively larger volume sizes as
used for single-
compartment liquid laundry detergents.
Containers herein are typically capable of standing on a flat surface (or
base) and may be
rigid, self supporting or flexible, including non-self supporting. However,
when the container is
not self-supporting it may have affixed to it, or be itself placed inside a
sleeve, external package,
or supplemental container. The general form of the container may thus vary and
can be
substantially rigid, flexible or malleable, and may be selected from bottles,
boxes, bags-in-boxes,
bags, sachets other than unit dose sachets, pouches other than unit dose
pouches, and
combinations of such forms. When the container is, for example, a box, if the
box is made of a
paper or other cellulose material, the box will either need to be treated or
lined so as to properly
be impermeable to the liquid such that it will not Leak. The container form as
presented on a store
shelf must be rigid enough to permit it to stand upright rather than to
collapse, partially collapse,
or fold over (i.e. "flop"). This is important for purposes of display of both
the contents and the
label(s). Preferably, when the dual-compartment container is a bag, large
sachet or large (non-unit
dose) pouch, it is supported in a second substantially rigid container or
affixed to an element that
permits the overall packaging assembly to stand upright.
The process used for making a container as described above depends on the
size, shape
and materials of the container being made. In the case where the container is
rigid, suitable
manufacturing processes may be appropriately chosen by a skilled person. Such
processes may
include, but are not limited to: injection molding, injection-blow-molding, or
extrusion-blow-
molding. In the case where the container is flexible and/or malleable,
suitable manufacturing I
processes can again be selected by the skilled person. In such a case, a bag,
sachet or large pouch
may also be produced by a forming and sealing process, with the rigid neck or
necks being sealed
or integrated on one side of the bag, sachet or large pouch. In a preferred
embodiment the
container is made by molding more than one separate compartments, by any
suitable means,
which are then irreversibly joined to each other, using any suitable means,
for example, adhesive,
lock and key system of cooperating surfaces etc. In an alternative preferred
embodiment the first
and second compartments are made by irreversibly pinching along the length of
a single
compartment container, thereby providing two separate compartments.
One or more of the multiple-compartment containers according to the present
invention
may be manufactured from any of the common plastics commonly commercially used
in
packaging liquid laundry products. Composite materials may also be used, but
common paper is
generally unsuitable for packaging liquids. Alternatively, for concentric
multiple chambered
containers, in which compartments are inside of one another, artwork on the
front-facing label
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can be used to communicate the multiple compartments.
Compartments
As discussed above, the containers of the present invention have at least two
compartments. Preferably, the compartments are differentiated from one another
by non-
equivalent selections in two or more of the following features:
(a) color
(b) degree of transparency vs. opacity
(c) size
(d) color of stored component (when a compartment is transparent or partially-
transparent)
Preferred containers for use herein have a compartment difference in at least
(a) plus one of
(b)-(d). Preferably, each compartment is different from the other compartments
by at least one
characteristic selected from size, color, transparency, or mixtures thereof.
a) Color Difference
The dual-compartment container of the present invention may have two opaque
(or nearly
opaque) color compartments which are visibly distinct from one another by
variance in color.
For example one compartment may appear blue and another white, one blue and
another orange,
one red and another white, one light blue and another dark blue, one green and
another blue.
Color difference can also be provided for by using one or two transparent
compartments and
coloring the liquid contents thereof, preferably with a high degree of color
contrast. Color
difference may also be affected on a container that has two like-colored
compartments by
applying differently colored labels, sleeves, dyes, and/or inks to the
different compartments.
b) Transparency
The individual compartments of the dual-compartment container of the present
invention
may be manufactured from materials having varying transparency which can range
widely. For
example, visible light may be transmitted from 0% to 100% through the
packaging material or
may be sufficient only for partial light transmission. Optionally, the
materials of the container
may contain one or more filter mechanisms, including, but not limited to, an
ultraviolet light filter
to protect the component color integrity and other light sensitive materials
in the product.
Additionally, the individual compartments may be partially opaque (or nearly
opaque) and
partially transparent, such as, for example, when a transparent portion is
included on the side of a
compartment in order to allow the consumer to visualize the level of laundry
product remaining.
Alternatively, a magnifying window can be placed on a container compartment or
compartments
so that the contents are more readily visible.
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c) Size
The minimum size of the total multiple-compartment container volumes of the
present
invention is that which is suitable for providing at least two standard
American washing machine
doses of laundry product. Preferably, the containers of the present invention
are capable of
holding from about 750m1 up to about 8 liters. The individual compartments may
be equivalent
in size, or may be of different sizes, particularly when the sizes are
suitable for dual compositions
used in different ratios in the final product (such as 4 parts liquid
detergent, 1 part bleaching
composition). Preferably, a first compartment holds the same volume as a
second compartment.
d) Color of Composition
The multiple-compartment containers of the present invention may be
substantially
transparent and contain a different colored composition in one component from
the composition
in the other compartment or compartments. In such an embodiment, each of the
compartments of
the container are distinguishable by the difference in appearance of the
compositions seen
through the transparent, or nearly transparent container.
Preferred container
Preferably, the multiple-compartment container of the present invention
comprises two
compartments which differ in color, are of different sizes, and contain
differently colored liquids.
More preferably, the multiple-compartment container of the pxesent invention
is selected from
those described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0030063
A1, to Leray
and Etesse, published Mar. 14, 2002.
Label
As used herein, the term "label" means an item used to identify something,
such as a
piece of cardboard, cardstock, paper, plastic (e.g. in-mold label) and/or
cloth ascribed and
attached to (or associated with) an article to designate its origin, owner,
contents, use,
destination, price, benefits, identity, contact information, or size, etc. The
labels herein may be
physically affixed to the container, may be shrink-wrapped around or onto the
container, may be
tied to the bottle with string or other connecting means, or may be printed
directly onto the
container by traditional printing means (or even new technologies such as wax
transfer). The
labels are preferably plastic with a self adhesive backing that allows for
easy affixation on the
container. More preferably, the labels are in-mold plastic labels with
adhesive placed in the mold
prior to extrusion blow molding.
The labels of the present invention may generally mimic the shape of the
container. The
label may be selected from partially wrap-around labels, wrap-around labels,
shrink-wrap labels,
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stickers, hang-tags, and labels conveying the name of the product. Preferably,
in-mold labels are
used.
The multiple-compartment containers of the present invention may include at
least one
label that helps to properly identify the "front consumer vantage point."
Additional labels may
also help to identify the "rear consumer vantage point," and a "side consumer
vantage point."
Therefore, the function of these additional labels is to facilitate the
correct positioning of the
bottles on the shelf, allowing the consumer to fully benefit from the
invention. Reference is
made to SHEET 1, Figure 1 for representation of the terms "front consumer
vantage point," "rear
consumer vantage point," and "side consumer vantage point." All of these
vantage points are
arranged with reference to the vertical axis of the product. As can be seen
for example, in Figure
I, SHEET 1, when the vertical plane "P" is mapped through the middle of the
laundry product,
the front (as observed in the "E" direction) and rear (observed in the
opposite direction to E)
vantage points are arranged substantially in parallel with this plane. The
side consumer vantage
points are arranged as substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane.
As may be seen in Figure 1, SHEET 1, as used herein, the term "front consumer
vantage
point" refers to the vertical plane along the edge of the product which
represents the image
preferably viewed by a consumer Looking at the product on a store shelf (i.e.,
looking in the "E"
direction). In Figure l, SHEET 1, by viewing the product in the "E" direction,
the consumer
would see both compartments, the handle, and the side of the press tap. This
vantage point is
normally seen by the consumer from a substantially direct point of view,
whether the consumer's
view be from directly in front of the product to slightly above, slightly to
either side, or slightly
below the product. This vantage point is that commonly preferred by the seller
of the laundry
product to be first noticed by the consumer, therefore this vantage point is
normally labeled in
larger font with the trademark logo or product name, along with the size of
the product,
information on key features, and/or warnings for use.
As used herein, "front" generally refers to the part or surface of anything
which seems to
look out, or to be directed forward; the fore or forward part; the foremost
rank; the opposite to
back or rear; the most conspicuous part. As used herein, "front side" is meant
generally to mean
the portion of the container identified by the "brand-identifying label," as
it is the portion of the
container that is intended for "first viewing" by the consumer, whether it be
on a store shelf or in
an advertisement. As used herein, the terms "brand-identifying label" or
"brand-identifier label"
generally refers to the label that contains the most prominent brand
identification (i.e. Logo,
trademark, title, word, tradedress), irrespective of its size. Although a
container in the abstract
may not have an obvious "front" side, or may have more than one side that can
be selected as a
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"front" side by placement of appropriate labeling, according to the invention
herein, a "front"
side is always selected such that both of the multiple-compartments are at
least partially visible
from the front consumer vantage point. Therefore, as used herein, the "front"
of the container
should not be selected such that only one compartment of the multiple-
compartment is visible.
The brand-identifying labels herein are used to recognize the appropriate
"front" side and to
clearly indicate that this is the side that should be first viewed by the
consumer.
Similarly, as may be seen in Figure 1, SHEET 1, the term "rear consumer
vantage point"
refers to that side of the laundry product which normally is not seen by the
consumer when the
product is on the shelf. This vantage point is~on the opposite side of the
product from the front
consumer vantage point and is generally parallel thereto when the container
has four sides.
The term "side consumer vantage point" is that view of the product which is
normally
only partially seen by the consumer viewing the product on a store shelf.
However, if the product
is shelved on the end of a shelving unit, or on a shelving unit which is
sparsely filled, it is entirely
possible that the side consumer vantage point, whether it be the "right side
consumer vantage
point" (view from the right) or the "left side consumer vantage point" (view
from the left), is
partially viewed.
Although the front, rear, and side vantage points are easily identified when
the container
footprint is generally square or rectangular in shape, it should be understood
that round, oval, or
even irregular shaped containers may be properly identified with front rear
and side vantage
points, even though such sides may be curved, wavy, and/or non-parallel.
The three points other than the front vantage point may be labeled with a
variety of
informational markings, including directions for use, manufacturing
information, universal
pricing code, warnings, intellectual property rights, etc. The typeface
normally used on any rear
or side consumer vantage point label is typically relatively small in
relationship to the typeface
used on any front consumer vantage point label.
In addition, one or more other types of identifying labels may be used, such
as those
affixed by string looping through a hole in the label and about any suitable
attachment point on
the container, including, but not limited to, the handle, the cap (or caps),
the press tap, and/or the
spigot.
Other types of infoixnation which may be conveyed to the consumer (or store
staff) may
include safety information, instructions for use in a series of laundry
products, andlor laundry
tips.
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It is also theorized that such information normally appearing on labels could
also be
conveyed to the consumer by other store/shelf signage, wording in
advertisements, leaflets,
brochures, similar products, etc.
Preferably, information included on the label or other information convenyance
includes
instructions that identify the multiple-benefits of the compositions, such as
the wording "no need
to pre-treat"; a statement to the effect that because of the multiple
component composition, there
is no need to pre-treat stains; a statement that because of the multiple
component composition,
the laundry product alone works as well, or better than, the use of a
combination of a heavy duty
liquid detergent and pretreater andlor pre-spotting composition; and/or
identification of the
product as performing such that there is no need for a pre-treating
composition.
Preferably, the multiple-compartment container includes a label that is
visible
simultaneously with the first compartment and the second compartment, more
preferably, the
label is a brand-identifying label.
Optional Features
The multiple-compartment containers herein may also encompass one or more of
the
following features:
Dispensing Mechanism
The compositions in the multiple-compartment containers herein may be released
from
the container by simple top-pouring openings, or may be dispensed by one or
more dispensing
mechanisms) such as taps, spigots, dial plates, pumps, screw plates, etc.
Other dispensing
mechanisms suitable for liquid detergents and/or liquid fabric softeners may
also be included.
The tap or spigot is preferably included that dispenses from all compartments
at the same
time, preferably one which is adaptable for dispensing different ratios of
product from each of the
compartments (i.e. 4 parts from first compartment composition, 1 part from
second compartment
composition). The dispensing mechanism may also be adapted to dispense a 1:1
ratio of each
dual-composition within a dual-compartment bottle. Examples of dispensing
mechanisms
(including taps and dial plates) useful herein are found in U.S. Published
Patent Application
2002/0030063, Published March 14, 2002.
The dispensing mechanism may include a valve system which helps to regulate
the flow
of the two component compositions to achieve the proper ratio.
The dispensing means may also be provided with extended channels, i.e., a
spout, which
can be arranged as to provide the most effective trajectory of flowable
product for collection by
the user.
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Venting Mechanism
At least one venting mechanism and/or cap is preferably used on the multiple-
compartment container to enclose at least one of the orifices of the product.
As used herein, a
"venting mechanism" refers to a system of air and/or gas and/or liquid
transfer regulation. The
function of the venting mechanism is to discourage explosion or implosion due
to off-gassing
and/or gas depravation (such as due to changes in temperature, pressure,
etc.). The venting
mechanism may perform by active and/or passive means. Passive venting may
include a
membrane, liner, or module to allow air/gas into or out of the container, but
not liquid. Active
venting may include plugs and/or caps that can be removed, and/or opened to
allow unrestricted
air flow into or out of the package. Active venting may also allow liquid to
flow into and/or out
of the package. An example of active venting is a removable, or partially
removable cap, insert,
lid, and/or plug. Useful venting mechanisms are disclosed in the following:
Netherlands patent
application NL 1018746, published on September 16, 2002 to Sara Lee; PCT
Published
Application WO 01/66421, Published September 13, 2001 to Procter R~ Gamble;
PCT Published
Application WO 96/30486, Published October 3, 1996 to Warwick; and PCT
Published
Application WO 95/19919, Published July 27, 1995 to Colgate.
In a preferred embodiment, the multiple-compartment container includes a
venting
mechanism on the upper half of the container and a dispensing means attached
to the lower half
of the container. More preferably, the dispensing means is attached in the
lower eighth of the
container.
Gripping Means
The products of the present invention may further include a gripping means.
The
gripping means may be for example, a handle. The handle may be integral to
and/or an extension
of the multiple-compartments. Alternatively the gripping means may comprise an
area on the
surface of the container which is modified to facilitate grip by the user. For
instance, texturing on
the surface of the container to increase friction. Preferably, the gripping
means is incorporated
into the bottle such that it is easily accessible when on a shelf and/or is
easily lifted from one
point to another. As used herein, "accessible" means to be convenient, handy,
at hand.
In some embodiments, a multiple-compartment container with multiple handles in
optimal orientations to the multiple-compartments may be preferred in order to
further improve
ease of handling, such as for larger, heavier bottles.
Preferably, the handle is attached to the container so as to be observable
from the front
consumer vantage point.
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Methods of Promoting the Sale of a Multiule-Compartment Laundry Product
As used herein, "methods of promoting the sale" includes steps of advertising;
displaying; orienting, arranging on a shelf (preferably a store shelf);
labeling; andlor increasing
consumer selection awareness.
Generally speaking, the methods of the present invention are drawn to the
identification
of the multiple compartment container and corresponding multiple benefit of
the laundry product
to maximize consumer realization of such features. The present invention
recognizes that it is
important for the consumer to recognize the benefit of a multiple-compartment
laundry product to
justify the added cost and complexity of a multiple-compartment container.
When the consumer
realizes that the laundry product has separate compartments that provide at
least two separate
benefits and/or some consumer meaningful benefit such as task simplification,
the sales of the
product will go up. Therefore, the methods of the present invention are drawn
to the mutual
arrangement of the two compartments of a multiple-compartment laundry product
container for
orientation of the bottle on display; orientation of the bottle on a shelf to
maximize ease of access
to the optional gripping means; maximizing awareness of the multiple nature of
the container and
composition; maximizing visibility of the identification label in relation to
position on a store
shelf; maximizing visual and physical balance of the multiple-compartment
container for ease of
handling and use; and/or maximizing occupancy of available shelf-space.
Steps of Advertising
The methods of promoting the sale of a laundry product, may include a step of
advertising the laundry product and/or the benefits therein. Preferably, the
step of advertising
includes providing promotional material to a consumer, wherein the promotional
material
comprises information regarding an ability of said laundry product to provide
a multiple-benefit
to laundered fabric items.
Preferably, the promotional material includes advertising claims that discuss
the benefits
of the multiple-compartment container and/or multiple component compositions.
More
preferably, the laundry products of the present invention are advertised in
conjunction with
language selected from the following: dual-action, dual-effective, foaming, no
need to pre-treat,
effective as a regular laundry detergent and pre-treater combined, no need for
separate bleach, no
need for separate pre-treater, detergent plus fabric conditioner, detergent
plus softener, detergent
with color-lock, detergent with color care, with freshness enhancers, two-
phase, double-action,
anti-microbial, etc.
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Steps of Displaying
The present methods of promoting the sale of a laundry product may include a
step of
displaying the laundry product. As used herein, "displaying" refers to the
manner in which the
multiple-compartment containers of the present invention are presented to the
consumer and/or
the general public in conjunction with promotional materials such as in
television or print
advertisements, billboards, retail store shelves, in-store demonstrations,
etc. Preferably, the step
of displaying the product includes having the product portrayed in a venue
selected from
television advertisements, billboards, clothing, fabrics, samples, promotional
materials,
photographs, web pages, cartoons, non-photographic images, or print media.
Steps of Orienting '
The present methods of promoting the sale of a laundry product may include the
step of
orienting the product such that a multiple-compartment feature is visually
observable from the
front consumer vantage point. As used herein, a "multiple-compartment feature"
refers to the fact
that the container has at least two compartments which contain separate
compositions.
Preferably, the orienting step is preceded by a step of first identifying a
front consumer vantage
point associated with the product. Such identification may be assisted by the
use of labels. The
methods herein may include orienting the product in a vertical plane on a
shelf. The term
"orienting the product in vertical plane on a shelf " as used herein,
includes, but is not limited to:
rotating the product as it stands erect on a substantially flat container base
(such a base is present
on most conventional containers) or: directly placing the product on the shelf
such that it is
equivalently rotated.
Preferably, the step of orienting the product further includes orienting the
product and a
label such that the label, first compartment, and second compartment are
simultaneously visibly
observable.
The step of orienting the product may include locating the product on a
substantially
horizontal fixture selected from shelves, kiosks, or countertops. The step of
orienting the product
may include orienting the product and presenting to consumers in a medium
selected from: print
media, photographs, web pages, cartoons, non-photographic images, television
commercials,
store shelves, kiosks, or combinations thereof.
Preferably, the step of orienting the product is repeated on at least one
additional product
located substantially adjacently on a substantially horizontal portion of a
store shelf. The step of
orienting the container may be applied in sequence to two or more of similar
or identical
containers located in an array and presented to consumers in a medium selected
from: print
media, photographs, web pages, cartoons, non-photographic images, television
commercials,
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store shelves, kiosks, or combinations thereof.
The step of orienting the product may include a step of co-locating the
laundry product
(preferably on a store shelf or in a consumer presented media) with at least
one other single-
compartment laundry product wherein although the laundry products are
different by at least one
ingredient, the products have the same color scheme.
Steps of Arranging on a Store Shelf
As used herein "step of arranging on a store shelf' refers to the practice of
placing the
mufti-compartment laundry product for sale on a shelf, display case, kiosk,
etc. and then orienting
the product such that the appropriate consumer vantage point is substantially
visible. Preferably
the methods herein include a step of arranging the product on a store shelf
wherein the step
includes displaying the bottle in a vertical plane on the shelf such that both
compartments of the
bottle are simultaneously visible from the view of a consumer looking at the
bottle on the shelf;
labeling the bottle such that the front of the bottle is in the same vertical
plane and is visible to
consumers; and labeling the bottle such that directions for use and
descriptions of the product are
on the same vertical plane, but not visible to consumers.
According to the present invention, more than one multiple-compartment
container may
be arranged on a store shelf (such as a standard shelf found in a consumer
drug store, a
supermarket, a club store such as Sam's~, Costco~), in such a manner as to
allow the consumer
to clearly identify the multiple-compartment nature of the laundry product and
allow for ease in
access and lifting.
In order to correctly orient the containers on the store shelf, the following
steps~may be
taken:
1) transport more than one multiple-compartment container to the store shelf;
2) arrange the multiple-compartment containers on the store shelf such that;
a) both compartments are visible from the front consumer vantage point,
preferably providing visually distinctive appearance with brand-identifying
label
facing the front.
In one embodiment, the present invention involves methods associated with the
communication to consumers of the benefits of a heavy-duty liquid laundry
detergent (HDL) with
bleach contained in a separate compartment of a dual-compartment HDL bottle
equipped with a
handle and a press tap or spigot or greater than one tap and/or spigot or tap
and/or cap.
The two compartments 51 and 52 are oriented side by side in a manner in which
one or
more brand-identifying labels) is/are oriented along a plane that is
essentially parallel to the
plane through the cross section of the center of the two compartments. In
addition, the handle for
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2,1
lifting the dual-compartment bottle is positioned in a manner in which the
handle is also oriented
along a plane that is essentially parallel to the plane through the cross
section of the center of the
two compartments. Both of these criteria are preferred in order to maximize
the advantages listed
above.
With respect to SHEET 1, the two compartments are oriented side by side in a
manner in
which the identification label would be oriented along a plane P that is
essentially parallel to the
plane through the cross-section of the center of the two compartments. In
addition, the handle H
for lifting the dual-compartment bottle is positioned in a manner in which the
handle H is also
oriented along a plane P that is essentially parallel to the plane though the
cross-section of the
center of the two compartments 51, 52.
Plane P is also parallel to the plane defining the front of a shelving
arrangement in a
store, and E at 90 degrees +/-45 degrees to plane P is a typical viewing angle
by the consumer
("front consumer vantage point"). Accordingly, the consumer gets the visual
benefit of seeing the
potentially visually distinguishable components of the product in compartments
51 and 52.
Steps of Labeling
As used herein, a "step of labeling" generally refers to the step of providing
a label in
conjunction with the laundry products herein. Preferably, the front of the
container should be
easily recognizable by the consumer, the store owner, and/or the distributor
as that which is to be
the first and primary view of the laundry product. The label is preferably
affixed to the container
such that it encourages the placement of the laundry product on a store shelf,
display case, pre-
formed displayable pallet, end aisle display, window display, center aisle
display, co-product
display, other general store display common within the trade, kiosk,
advertisement, etc. such that
both compartments are clearly visible.
Preferably, the method of promoting the sale further includes a step of
positioning and
affixing a brand-identifying label to the container such that the label is
visible from the front
consumer vantage point.
Methods of Increasing Consumer Selection Awareness
The present invention also relates to a method of simplifying the process of
locating and
acquiring multi-benefit laundry product that is located together in the same
multi-component
container rather than different locations in the store. Such a method may
include the steps of
providing a coordinated'system of containers and labels. As used herein,
"coordinated system of
containers and labels" may include (a) an overall product/brand line-up having
a small size and a
large size, where the overall product line-up shares artwork or design
elements indicating that the
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two sizes correspond to the same brand and (b) wherein the small size is a
multiple-chamber top-
dispensing bottle and the large size is a multiple-chamber bottom dispensing
bottle preferably
having a press tap or spigot positioned so that pouring from the top of the
bottle is not necessary.
Method of Providing Proper Proportion
The present invention also relates to a method of providing the desired
proportion of
individual components of a multi-benefit regimen to avoid running out of one
or having to
purchase one item more often than the other.
Method of Minimizing Store Stocking Steps
The present invention also relates to a method of providing a multiple-
compartment
product in place of two single-compartment products to deliver equivalent
benefits thereto and
thus reduce the time and expense of multiple product store-shelf stocking
steps.
Service Business Use
Any of the above systems, compositions and methods can be used in a laundry
service
business, for example in a dry-cleaning establishment, an institutional
laundry (such as school,
hotel or military field laundry), a hospital, an institution, a hotel, or
similar, without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
EXAMPLES
The following examples I through III 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
thereof are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
EXAMPLE I
A method of promoting a laundry product is praticed as follows. First, a
laundry product
according to the methods of the present invention is assembled as a dual-
compartment bottle,
according to Figure 1 on SHEET 1 contains a first laundry composition that
includes a
peroxyacid bleach in the second compartment (52) and an aqueous heavy duty
liquid laundry
detergent including a surfactant in the first compartment (51). The first and
second
compartments of the bottle both have holes at the top of their respective
compartment (61 and
62). These openings are jointly covered by a venting cap. Both compartments of
the bottle are
arranged such that the contents of each are simultaneously dispensed by a
press tap (100, 107,
108, 113, 114 in combination) that is located underneath the first
compartment. The bottle has a
handle (H) that is oriented along plane (P) for ease in lifting.
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The front consumer vantage point is selected as that viewed from the direction
E.
Therefore, the left side consumer vantage point is perpendicular to the left
to the
direction viewed from the E direction and the right side consumer vantage
point is perpendicular
to the right to the direction viewed from the E direction. The rear consumer
vantage point is
hidden in this portrayal.
As can be seen from Figure l, both compartments of the laundry product are
visible in
the front consumer vantage point and the handle is easily accessible. At least
one brand-
identifying label (not shown) is attached to either or both of the
compartments (51 and 52)
indicating the name of the product.
The laundry product is placed on a store shelf such that the front consumer
vantage point
is substantially visible to a consumer standing by the shelf.
EXAMPLE II
A laundry product according to the methods of the present invention is
assembled as
follows.
Example II is essentially the same as Example I except that the bottle's
consumer vantage
points are reversed such that the rear consumer vantage point of Example I and
Figure I is now
the front consumer vantage point of Example II.
Both compartments of the laundry product are visible in the front consumer
vantage point
and the handle is easily accessible.
The laundry product is photographed in this configuration and the photograph
of the
product is incorporated into promotional literature.
EXAMPLE III
A method of promoting a laundry product is practiced by aligning on a store
shelf, a two-
by two array of laundry products according to Example I. A sketch of this
alignment is provided
in SHEET 2.
While particular embodiments of the subject invention have been described, it
will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of
the subject invention
can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It
is intended to cover,
in the appended claims, all such modifications that are within the scope of
the invention.
