Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGE INCLUDING AN OVERCAP HAVING AN
INTEGRAL COMPARTMENT FOR A SECONDARY PRODUCT
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a package including an
overcap.
2. Background Art
[0002] A container with a dispensing actuator such as, as for example, an
aerosol canister
with a dispensing valve or a container with a pump type dispenser, is
frequently packaged
with an overcap over the dispensing actuator. The purpose of the overcap is
mainly to protect
the dispensing actuator from accidental damage prior to use by an end user.
Because of its
limited purpose, the overcap is only snap-fitted to the container rather than
having a more
secure attachment mechanism such as threads or some other mechanical locking
mechanism.
A drawback to this packaging system is that although the overcap is desirable,
it does not
provide any additional apparent value to the consumer because the consumer is
likely
interested only in the product contained within the container. Therefore, for
containers with
overcaps, it would be desirable to provide some additional value to the
package with the
overcap that is apparent to a consumer.
[0003] One method to add value to the overcap is to adapt the overcap to carry
a
secondary product that is usable by the consumer. For example, Korich U.S.
Patent No.
4,141,445 discloses a shaving cream canister with an overcap adapted to carry
a razor and
refill blade cartridges for the razor.
[0004] Gring U.S. Patent No. 4,089,609 discloses a canister with a dispensing
actuator
for containing a shave preparation and an applicator snap-fit over and around
the dispensing
actuator. The applicator includes an upper compartment that holds a sponge or
brush that can
be used to apply the shave preparation in the canister. A separate overcap
that snap fits to the
canister is used to cover both the applicator and the dispensing actuator.
[0005] Mason U.S. Patent No. 5,361,918 discloses an overcap for a nursing
bottle having
a nipple. The overcap has an upper compartment and a lower compartment, and
snap fits on
the bottle so that the nipple is covered by the lower compartment. The upper
compartment is
adapted to contain baby formula, and has an opening designed to facilitate
easing pouring of
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baby formula from the upper compartment into the baby bottle. A cap is
provided to cover
the opening.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, an overcap for at least
partly covering a
container with a dispensing actuator includes a primary cap and a secondary
cap. The
primary overcap includes a sidewall defining an upper chamber with an open end
and a lower
chamber and a dividing wall completely spanning the sidewall between the upper
chamber
and the lower chamber. An opening through the sidewall adjacent to the open
end provides
access into the upper chamber. The sidewall is releasably attachable to the
container with the
lower chamber adapted for covering the dispensing actuator. The secondary
overcap
removably covers the open end and the access opening.
[0007] According to another aspect of the invention, a package containing a
shave
preparation product and a cosmetic product includes a container with a
dispensing actuator
and an overcap releasably connected to the container. The overcap includes a
primary cap
and a secondary cap. The primary cap has an upper chamber with an opening and
a lower
chamber. The lower chamber encloses the actuator, and the secondary cap is
slidably mated
around the primary cap covering the upper chamber opening. The shave
preparation product
is contained within the container, and the upper chamber contains the cosmetic
product.
[0008] Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent upon
consideration of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR.AWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a container and an overcap for
the
container that is adapted to carry a secondary product;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the assembled container
and
overcap taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of a container and another overcap
adapted
to carry another secondary product;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the assembled container
and
overcap taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
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[0013] FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view of a container and yet another
overcap
adapted to carry yet another secondary product; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the assembled container
and
overcap taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a package 20 for a primary product 22
and a
secondary product 24 includes a container 26 having a dispensing actuator 28
and an overcap
30. The package 20 has an assembled position shown in FIG. 2, and a
disassembled position
is shown in FIG. 1. The primary product 22 is contained within the container
26, and the
secondary product 24 is carried by the overcap 30. The primary product 22
shown in the
FIGS. is a shave preparation; however, the product could be any substance
amenable to being
stored within the container 26 and dispensed from the container through the
dispensing
actuator 28. The secondary product 24 shown in FIGS. I and 2 is a cosmetic
product such as
aftershave having a fi-agrance, skin astringent, under-arm deodorant, hand or
face lotion, or
any other cosmetic product suitable for containment within the overcap 30.
[0016] The container 26 is a canister having a substantially circular
cylindrical sidewall
32, a can dome 34 connected to the sidewall at a double seam - or top chime -
36, and a
valve cup 38 located in the center of the dome for carrying the dispensing
actuator 28. The
container 26 may be made of any suitable material, such as metal and/or
plastic, in any
appropriate method. The dispensing actuator 28 includes a valve 40 with a
valve stem 42
connected to a valve actuator 44 for dispensing the primary product 22
contained within the
container 26 in a manner well known in the art. A valve cover 46 is attached
to the container
26 and covers the can dome 34, the valve 40, and the valve stem 42, while
providing access
to the valve actuator 44. (The actuator 28, valve actuator 44, and valve cover
46 are shown
only in schematic form in FIGS. 2 and 3.) Although the container 26 shown and
described
herein is a typical pressurized aerosol type canister and dispensing valve,
the container could
alternatively be a non-pressurized container with a different dispensing.
actuator such as, for
example, a pump type dispenser. The container 26 could also have other shapes.
[0017] The overcap 30 includes a primary cap 48 having an upper chamber 50 for
carrying the secondary product 24 and a lower chamber 52 for covering the
dispensing
actuator 28. The overcap 30 also includes a secondary cap - or dust cover - 54
for covering
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the upper chamber. The overcap 30 is preferably made of a molded plastic
polymer, but may
be made of any suitable material. The exterior shape of the overcap 30 is
preferably -
although not necessarily - substantially similar to the exterior shape of the
container 26 such
that the entire package has a relatively smooth outer profile extending from
the container
sidewall 26 to the secondary cap 54 in the assembled position. The smooth
outer profile of
the package 20 has the advantage that the package 20 uses less space and is
easier to crate
together with other similar packages because there are no extraneous
protrusions that could
catch or bind.
[0018] The primary cap 48 includes a cylindrical sidewal156 of circular cross
section
having an upper open end 58 adjacent to the upper chamber 50 and a lower open
end 60
opposite the upper open end and adjacent to the lower chamber 52. The upper
open end 58
provides access into the upper chamber 50 and the secondary product 24
contained within the
upper chamber, and the lower open end 60 of the sidewa1156 fits around the top
chime 36. A
snap-fit attachment structure 62, such as, for example, a slight undercut
around the inner
periphery of the sidewa1156 adjacent to the lower open end 60, releasably
holds the primary
cap 48 to the top chime with the lower open end substantially flush with the
sidewall 32 when
the package 20 is in the assembled position. A substantially flat dividing
wal164 spans the
sidewall 56 spaced between the upper open end 58 and the lower open end 60.
The dividing
wall 64 separates the upper chamber 501ocated above the dividing wall from the
lower
chamber 521ocated below the dividing wall. The dividing wa1164 is spaced a
distance from
the lower open end 60 sufficient to prevent the dividing wall from contacting
the dispensing
actuator 28 when the primary cap 48 is in the assembled position on the
container 26. The
sidewa1156 includes an upper portion 66 adjacent to the upper open end 58 and
a lower
portion 68. The outside diameter of the upper sidewall portion 66 is less than
the outside
diameter of the lower sidewall portion 68 such that the outer peripheral
surface of the upper
sidewall portion is radially inset from the outer peripheral surface of the
lower sidewall
portion forming a stepped shoulder 70 extending around the entire outer
periphery of the
sidewa1156 between the upper sidewall portion and the lower sidewall portion.
The upper
sidewall portion 56 extends from the open end 58 to the shoulder 70 and has a
substantially
smooth outer peripheral surface. The inside diameter of the upper sidewall
portion 66,
shown in FIG. 2 is also less than the inside diameter of the lower sidewall
portion 58, but the
inner diameter of the upper and lower sidewall portions may alternatively be
the same (such
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as depicted in FIG. 4). The dividing wall 64 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is
substantially flat and
generally coplanar with the shoulder 70, but the dividing wall could have
other shapes and
locations as long as it separates the upper chamber 50 from the lower chamber
52 and does
not engage the dispensing actuator 28 in the assembled position.
[0019] The secondary cap 54 includes a substantially cylindrical sidewall 72
having an
open end 74 and an end wall 76 spanning the sidewall 72 opposite the open end
74. The end
wal176 of the secondary cap 54 covers the upper open end 58 of the primary cap
48 with the
open end 74 abutting the shoulder 70 in the assembled position. The inner
peripheral surface
of secondary cap sidewall 72 is also substantially smooth so as to slide
freely past the outer
peripheral surface of the upper sidewall portion 66 of the primary cap 48.
Preferably, the
upper sidewall portion 66 of the primary cap 48 has a slight interference fit
with the
secondary cap sidewall 72 so that the secondary cap will not disengage from
the primary cap
when in the assembled position without being urged by a user. Other retention
mechanisms
such as snap-fit detents could also be used to keep the secondary cap 54 on
the primary cap
48. The end wall 76 is preferably spaced from the open end 74 a distance
sufficient for the
open end 74 to abut the shoulder 62 when in the assembled position. The
secondary cap
sidewall 72 is preferably flush with the lower sidewall portion 68 of the
primary cap 48 when
in the assembled position such that the secondary cap sidewall, the lower
sidewall portion of
the primary cap, and the sidewall 32 of the container 26 are substantially
aligned with each
other. Of course, the sidewalls 32, 72 , and sidewall portion 68 do not have
to be aligned
with each other, but could be displaced or shaped to accommodate other
aesthetic and
functional requirements.
[0020] Although the sidewalls 56, 72 depicted in the FIGS. have a circular
cylinder
shape, the sidewalls could be any cross sectional shape such as, for example
elliptical or
polygonal, to preferably match the outer shape of the container sidewall 32.
In addition, it
may be preferable for the sidewalls 56, 72 to have a non-cylindrical shape,
depending on the
shape of the container 26 and the nature of the secondary product 24 to be
carried by the
overcap 30. For example, if the container sidewal132 has a polygonal non-
cylindrical cross
sectional shape, then the sidewall 56 may preferably have a polygonal non-
cylindrical shape
to match the general outer shape of the container sidewall. Further, the
shoulder 70 could
alternatively be formed around only a portion of the sidewall 56 with
complementary
portions of the secondary cap sidewall 72 shaped to fit against the shoulder.
Preferably,
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however, at least a portion of the sidewall end 74 abuts against the shoulder
70 of the primary
cap 48 in the assembled position to act as a stop for the secondary cap 54.
Also preferably,
although not necessarily, if only an intermittent shoulder is provided, the
sidewal172 has an
appropriate complementary shape such that the sidewall 72 fits substantially
flush with the
lower sidewall portion 68 in the assembled position.
[0021] To use the package 20, the user removes the overcap 30 and dispenses an
amount
of the shave preparation 22 from inside the container through the dispensing
actuator 28. The
user then uses the shave preparation 22 in a usual manner of shaving. After
shaving, the user
removes the secondary cap 54 from the primary cap 48 and accesses the
secondary product
24 with his/her fingers or contacts the product with an applicator and applies
the secondary
product in an appropriate manner. An applicator 78 such as a pad, brush,
sponge, or other
loose application device that will fit in the upper chamber 50 when the
secondary cap 54 is
covering the upper end 58 may be provided for use by the user. The user then
returns the
package 20 to the assembled position by covering the upper open end 58 of the
primary cap
48 with the secondary cap 54 and snap-fitting the primary cap to the top chime
36 of the
container 26 with the dispensing actuator 28 inside the lower chamber 52. In
this manner the
package 20 provides a primary shave preparation and a secondary cosmetic
product in a
convenient single package and adds value to the overcap for the container.
[0022] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a package 100 for a primary product 102
and a
secondary product 104 includes a container 106 having a dispensing actuator
108 and an
overcap 110 for covering the dispensing actuator. The package 100 has an
assembled
position shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 3 shows the package in a disassembled
position. The
primary product is a shave preparation 102 and is contained within the
container 106. The
secondary product is a set of applicator pads 104 that carry a cosmetic
product such as one of
the cosmetic products listed above. The pads 104 are preferably fibrous or
woven pads
impregnated or coated with the cosmetic product, but other materials such as
porous sponges
could be used alternatively. The pads 104 are carried within the overcap 110.
[0023] The container 106 is similar to the container 26 in that it is a
canister including a
cylindrical sidewall 112, a can dome 114 connected to the sidewall at a top
chime 116, and a
valve cup 118 in the can dome carrying the dispensing actuator 108, which is
shown
schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4 as a well known aerosol actuator. The overcap
110 is similar
to the overcap 30 in that it includes a primary cap 120 having an upper
chamber 122 for
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carrying the pads 104, a lower chamber 124 for covering the dispensing
actuator 108, and a
secondary cap 126 for covering the upper chamber 122. The primary cap includes
a
cylindrical sidewall 128 having an upper open end 130 adjacent to the upper
chamber 122
and a lower open end 132 opposite the upper open end and adjacent to the lower
chamber
124. The sidewall 128 has generally the same shape as the container sidewall
112 and is
sized to fit around the top chime 116 such that the lower end 132 is
substantially flush with
the container sidewall when the primary cap 120 is in the assembled position.
A snap-fit
mechanism 136 around the inner periphery of the sidewall 128 adjacent to the
lower open end
132 releasably holds the primary cap 120 to the top chime 116 of the container
106. A
dividing wall 134 spans the sidewall 128 spaced between the upper open end 130
and the
lower open end 132 and separates the upper chamber 122 from the lower chamber
124. The
dividing wall 134 is spaced a distance from the lower end 132 sufficient to
prevent the
dividing wall from contacting the dispensing actuator 108 in the assembled
position. The
sidewall 128 includes an upper portion 138 adjacent to the upper open end 130
and a lower
portion 140. The outer peripheral surface of the upper sidewall portion 138 is
radially inset
from the outer peripheral surface of the lower sidewall portion 140 forming a
stepped
shoulder 142 around the entire outer periphery of the sidewall 128 between the
upper
sidewall portion and lower sidewall portion. An access opening 144 through the
upper
sidewall portion 138 is located adjacent to the upper end 130. The access
opening 144
provides access to the peripheral edge of pads 104 within the upper chamber
122 so that a
user may readily access the edges of the pads with a fmger or other device to
remove the pads
from the upper chamber.
[0024] The secondary cap 126 includes a cylindrical sidewall 146 having an
open end
148 and an end wall 150 spanning the sidewall opposite the open end. In the
assembled
position, the end wall 150 of the secondary cap 126 covers the open end 130 of
the primary
cap 120, and the sidewall 146 covers the access opening 144. The secondary cap
sidewall
146 fits snugly around the upper sidewall portion 138 of the primary cap 110
with the open
end 148 abutting the peripheral shoulder 122. The outer peripheral surface of
each of the
secondary cap sidewall 146, the primary cap lower sidewall portion 140, and
the container
sidewall 106 are preferably aligned flush with each other in order to provide
a substantially
smooth outer surface to the entire package 100. The outer peripheral surface
of the upper
sidewall portion 138 and the inner peripheral surface of the secondary cap
sidewall 146 that
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engages the upper sidewall portion 138 are substantially smooth with a slight
interference fit
therebetween in order to allow the secondary cap 126 to be slidably mounted
over the upper
chamber 122 and require a small force to remove the secondary cap 126 from the
primary cap
120.
[0025] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a package 200 for a primary product 202
and a
secondary product 204 includes a container 206 and an overcap 208 similar to
the overcap 30.
The container 206 is a low-presure canister or bottle having a circular
cylindrical sidewall
210, a top end wall 212 attached to the sidewall at a top seam 214, and a
dispensing actuator
216, which is shown schematically in FIGS. 5 & 6 as a pump mechanism,
protruding above
the top end wall. The overcap 208 includes a primary cap 218 having an upper
chamber 220
for carrying the secondary product 204 and a lower chamber 222 for covering
the dispensing
actuator 216 and a secondary cap 224 for covering the upper chamber 220. The
package 200
has an assembled position shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 5 shows the package in a
disassembled
position. In the assembled position, the secondary cap 224 covers the upper
chamber 220 and
secondary product 204 and the lower chamber 222 of the primary cap 218 covers
the
dispensing actuator 216.
[0026] The primary cap 218 includes a cylindrical sidewa11226 having a lower
open end
228 adjacent to the lower chamber 222 and an upper open end 230 opposite the
lower open
end and adjacent to the upper chamber 220. The sidewal1226 has generally the
same shape
as the container sidewa11210 and is sized to fit around the top seam 214. An
undercut 232
extending around the inner periphery of the sidewa11226 adjacent to the lower
end 228 snap-
fits around the top seam 214 in the assembled position. A dividing wa11234
spans the
sidewa11226 between the upper end 230 and lower end 228 and separates the
upper chamber
220 from the lower chamber 222. A stepped shoulder 236 extending around the
outer
periphery of the sidewal1226 divides the sidewall into an upper sidewall
portion 238 adjacent
to the upper open end 230 and a lower sidewall portion 240. The outside
diameter of the
upper sidewall portion is less than the outside diameter of the lower sidewall
portion 240.
[0027] The secondary cap 224 includes a cylindrical. sidewall. 242 with a
similar cross
section as the primary cap sidewall 226 and has an open end 244 and an end
wa11246
spanning the sidewall opposite the end 244. In the assembled position, the end
wa11246 of
the secondary cap 224 fits over the open end 230 of the primary cap 218, and
the inner
surface of the secondary cap sidewall 242 mates against the outer surface of
the upper
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sidewall portion 238 with a slight friction fit. The opposing mating surfaces
of the secondary
cap sidewall 242 and the upper sidewall portion 238 are substantially smooth,
except for a
snap-fit retention mechanism 248 such as a complementary rib and undercut, so
that the
secondary cap 224 slidably fits over and around the upper sidewall portion 238
of the primary
cap 218. In the assembled position, the open end 244 of the secondary cap 224
preferably
abuts flush against the shoulder 236 with the snap-fit mechanism 248 engaged
to releasably
retain the secondary cap to primary cap 218.
[0028] The secondary product 204 is a stick of caked solid such as an
aftershave or
underarm deoderant. The secondary product 204 is held in place in the upper
chamber 220
with any sufficient retention structures such as hooks 250a and/or ribs 250b
protruding from
an inner surface 252 of the upper chamber 220. Alternatively or additionally,
the inner
surface of the upper sidewall portion 238 may be angled inwardly such as at
252 toward the
open end 230 in order to retain the secondary product 204 within the upper
chamber 220.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0029] The overcaps 30, 110, and 208 can add value to a package including a
container
carrying a primary product by carrying a secondary product.
[0030] Numerous modifications to the present invention will be apparent to
those skilled
in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description
is to be
construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling
those skilled in the
art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out
same. The
exclusive rights to all modifications which come within the scope of the
appended claims are
reserved.
