Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HAIR COLORANT CONTAINER IN THE FORM OF A FLEXIBLE SACHET
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, a hair colorant container in the form of a flexible sachet
having a
laminate structure for storing a hair colorant component is provided.
In a second aspect, a packaged hair colorant product comprising such a hair
colorant
container and a hair colorant component stored in the internal volume of the
reservoir of the
container is provided.
In a third aspect, a package kit for providing a ready to use hair color
product comprising
a hair colorant container as a first package containing a hair dye component
and a second
package, preferably a bottle or a hair colorant container containing a
developer component
comprising an oxidizing agent is provided.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Colorant products for oxidative dyeing keratin fibers, like hair, are usually
provided using
a package kit comprising a hair dye component and a developer component with
an oxidizing
agent. The hair dye component, the developer component as well as ready to use
"direct-dyes"
are hereinafter collectively referred to as "hair colorant components". The
hair dye component
typically in the form of a sticky cream is stored in an aluminium tube or in a
plastic bottle, e.g.
made of PVC, and the developer component is usually provided in a plastic
bottle. To obtain a
ready to use hair color product, the hair dye component has to be dispensed
into the bottle
containing the developer component. The hair dye component and the developer
component are
blended in the bottle before applying to the hair.
As the hair colorant components, i.e. the hair dye component, the developer
component as
well as "direct dyes" are relatively reactive, the container must be resistant
to chemicals and must
exhibit excellent barrier properties.
Aluminium tubes meet these requirements due to thick metal walls in
combination with
protective lacquer, however, aluminium tubes or bottles made of plastic
materials, e.g. PVC have
the disadvantage of being undesirable from an ecological point of view. In
particular, the
manufacturing process is energy and cost intensive and the weight of the
package is relatively
high, thus leading to high transportation costs. Furthermore, from a
functional point of view, due
to thick walls and rigid neck portions these packages are hard to squeeze and
to dispense
completely, thus, leading to residual hair colorant component remaining in the
package. In
particular, bottles made of plastic materials can only be used for low
viscosity fluids.
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Therefore, there is a need for providing an improved container for storing
hair colorant
components, i.e. hair dye components as well as developer components. In
particular, the hair
colorant container shall be capable of providing safe dispensing/discharging
of the hair colorant
component into a second container, like a bottle. The container should be easy
to hold and to be
used in general and should be accessible by manufacturing in a cost-saving and
facile manner. In
addition, the package should meet sustainability requirements, e.g. should
exhibit ecologically
desirable properties in terms of production and disposal. Moreover, the hair
colorant container
shall be reclosable after opening by the consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a hair colorant container
in the form of a
flexible sachet having a laminate structure for storing a hair colorant
component. The hair
colorant container comprises:
- a reservoir with an internal volume for storing the hair colorant
component,
- a pouring spout being in fluid communication with the internal volume and
having a
dispensing end for dispensing the hair colorant component,
- the pouring spout being integrally formed with the reservoir and
projecting from an upper side
of the reservoir and having an elongated shape with a width being smaller than
the width of
the reservoir, and
- a removable tear tab at the dispensing end for sealing the container
before the container has
been opened.
The pouring spout comprises at least one re-sealing element for reclosing the
dispensing end
once the tear tab has been removed. The re-sealing element has a stiffness
that is greater than the
stiffness of the laminate structure.
In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a packaged hair colorant
product
comprising such a hair colorant container and a hair colorant component stored
in the internal
volume of the reservoir.
In a third aspect, the present invention relates to a package kit for
providing a ready to use
hair color product. The package kit comprises a first and a second package
wherein the first
package is a hair colorant container according to the invention that contains
a hair dye
component, and the second package is a bottle or a hair colorant container
according to the
invention which contains a developer component.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A hair colorant container according to the invention comprises a reservoir
with an internal
volume and a pouring spout on the upper side of the reservoir for dispensing,
i.e. discharging the
hair colorant component stored in the reservoir. The pouring spout is
integrally formed with the
reservoir and projects with an elongated shape from an upper edge, i.e. upper
side of the
reservoir. The width of the pouring spout is smaller than the width of the
reservoir, whereby the
pouring spout is insertable into a bottleneck of a second package. An inner
flow channel of the
pouring spout is in fluid communication with the internal volume of the
reservoir.
In order to provide a tight seal prior to usage of the hair colorant component
a removable
tear tab is placed at the dispensing end of the pouring spout.
As the width of the pouring spout is relatively small, a hair colorant
container with a
relatively short tear distance is provided, so that the fingers of the user
stay in control during the
opening action, i.e. when the tear tab is being removed. In order to remove
the tear tab the
fingers of one hand rest below the dispensing end of the pouring spout, while
the fingers of the
other hand remove the tear tab.
The hair colorant container is made of a laminate structure resulting in the
flexibility
characteristics of a sachet. The laminate structure is chemically resistant to
the hair colorant
component, i.e. the laminate is compatible with the component provided in the
sachet. The
sachet may be designed as a flat and reclined, i.e. pillow-type pouch, which
is easy to store or as
an upstanding pouch, i.e. with an upright configuration comprising a base for
supporting the
sachet in the upright position. A sachet with an upright position is
advantageous to handle, in
particular, it can be set aside once the tear tab is removed without leakage
of the hair colorant
component.
The sachet may be made of one piece of a flexible laminate folded at one
longitudinal
edge and joined, i.e. sealed together at the remaining open edges and,
thereby, providing a so-
called "three-sided seal".
However, the laminate may also be folded at the two opposite longitudinal
edges and
sealed at the backside of the container and, thus, providing a so-called "fin-
seal". The usage of
one piece of laminate which is folded at least at one outer longitudinal edge
results in a reduction
of laminate-material during the production process of the sachet.
However, a container with a "fin-seal" is preferred as the capacity of the
container is
increased. Further, as the longitudinal edges can be inflated more easily
during the filling
process, the filling speed of the hair colorant compound into the container
can be increased, as
well.
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However, the flexible sachet may also be made of two pieces of flexible
laminate which
are stacked upon each other and joined, i.e. sealed, at their outer
circumference.
With respect to the reservoir, the pouring spout may be positioned
symmetrically, i.e. in
the centre, or may be positioned asymmetrically. Preferably, the pouring spout
is aligned with an
outer longitudinal edge of the reservoir that is folded along said edge.
Generally, the spout, i.e. the width of the spout, comprises a sealing portion
and a flow
channel portion. A symmetric, i.e. centric spout comprises two sealing
portions and one flow
channel portion, whereas a spout being aligned with the outer longitudinal
edge comprises only
one sealing portion and one flow channel portion as the sealing function on
the remaining side is
provided by the folded edge of the laminate. In order to maximize the flow
channel relative to a
given spout diameter, the spout aligned with the outer edge is preferred, as
it allows a wider flow
channel and subsequently an easier dispensing/discharging experience.
The hair colorant container of the present invention is easy to handle and has
decreased
weight as compared to equivalent rigid containers mentioned in the state of
the art. It requires,
inter alia, less material as well as reduced amounts of energy for
manufacturing and
transportation and, thus, meets sustainability and cost-reduction
requirements.
The pouring spout comprises at least one re-sealing element for reclosing the
dispensing
end once the tear tab has been removed.
It is advantageous to provide a reclosing feature in view of the requirement
to conduct an
allergy test 24 hours before applying the ready to use hair color product to
the hair. In order to
conduct an allergy test, the consumer removes a certain amount of the hair
colorant component
out of the container and applies it to the skin in order to examine if skin
irritation occurs. In
addition, some consumers prefer not to use the hair colorant component in a
single dose, but
rather in a split dose, i.e. multi dose, e.g. for hairline dyeing. After
conducting the allergy test or
after removing a certain amount of the hair colorant component for other
purposes, the consumer
is able to reclose the container in order to store the content in a safe
manner. Further, exposure
of the hair colorant component to air, and in particular to oxygen, is
limited, thereby protecting
the content of the sachet from oxidation.
The re-sealing element for reclosing the dispensing end has a stiffness that
is greater than
the stiffness of the laminate structure. The term "stiffness" is defined as
the rigidity of the re-
sealing element, i.e. the extent to which the pouring spout resists
deformation in response to an
applied force. In other words, the stiffness is a measure of the resistance
offered by the pouring
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spout to deformation. The rigidity of the re-sealing element provides ¨ once
the pouring spout is
reclosed ¨ a tight and secure closure.
The re-sealing element may be integrally formed with or may be attached to the
hair colorant
container. The re-sealing element extends at least partially along the length
of the pouring spout
and crosses a folding line along which the pouring spout can be folded and
flapped towards the
reservoir. Further, the re-sealing element may also cross over to the
reservoir, i.e. extend at least
partially along the length of the reservoir.
Preferably, the pouring spout is reclosable by folding the pouring spout
toward the outer
surface of the reservoir. Due to increased stiffness/rigidity of the re-
sealing element compared to
the flexibility of the laminate structure, the pouring spout stays in contact
with the outer surface
of the reservoir and does not flex back. In other words, the rigidity/tension
of the re-sealing
element keeps the pouring spout in the folded up position. Once the hair
colorant container is
reclosed, the inner flow channel of the pouring spout is substantially
blocked, thereby preventing
spillage of the hair colorant component.
In order to obtain a ready to use hair color product suitable to be applied to
the hair of a
consumer, a hair dye component has to be mixed with a developer component.
Preferably, the
hair color product may be an oxidative hair color product, wherein the dye
component is used in
5 combination with a developer component comprising an oxidizing agent,
i.e. oxidant, commonly
a peroxy oxidizing agent. A package kit is thus provided comprising a first
and a second package
containing the hair dye component and the developer component, respectively.
The first package
is a hair colorant container according to the invention and the second package
may be a hair
colorant container, as well, or a bottle. Preferably, the second package is a
bottle comprising a
bottleneck with an opening.
The user is enabled to open the flexible sachet containing the hair dye
component in an
easy manner by clamping the sachet in the region of the pouring spout and by
removing the tear
tab. After opening the sachet, the hair dye component can be dispensed into
the bottle by
inserting the pouring spout into the opening of the bottleneck.
Due to increased stiffness of the re-sealing element the hair colorant
container shows
enhanced handling properties. When the hair colorant container is in a
straight position, the
pouring spout maintains said straight position. Thus, the pouring spout can be
easily inserted
into the bottleneck of the bottle, preferably by using only one hand. As the
reservoir of the
container has flexible characteristics it can be squeezed easily. Therefore,
the hair colorant
product is easier to discharge in its entirety compared to containers of the
state of the art.
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Preferably, the pouring spout has an outer perimeter which fits at least over
a defined
section to an inner perimeter of the opening of the bottle for docking the
sachet to the bottle.
That means that the outer perimeter of the spout is adapted to the inner
perimeter of the opening
of the bottle so that at least a defined section of the outer wall of the
spout lies against the inner
wall of the bottleneck. This facilitates an easy and safe
dispensing/discharging action. More
preferably, a friction fit between the outer wall of the pouring spout and the
inner wall of the
bottleneck is provided such that the sachet receives support from the bottle
during the dispensing
action.
Preferably, the outer perimeter of the pouring spout has a profile that can
expand to an
oval shape. Thus, a defined circumferential section of the outer wall of the
spout does not lie
against the inner wall of the bottleneck but leaves a passage open through
which air may be
released from the inside of the bottle during dispensing/discharging the hair
dye component.
Therefore, fast and complete dispensing is allowed in an orderly fashion.
More preferably, the hair colorant container comprises an angled tear notch
cut between
the dispensing end of the pouring spout and the tear tab. When the spout gets
inserted into the
bottleneck in an essentially flattened condition the angled tear notch cut
ensures that the top end
of the spout has a width which is narrower than the internal bottleneck
diameter. The angle
allows an easy insertion of the spout. Through the docking action, the spout
gets pushed against
the inner wall of the bottleneck and facilitates the opening of the spout
profile.
Preferably, the width of the reservoir is about 40 % to about 60 %, more
preferably of
about 50 % of its height and further preferably, the width of the elongated
shape of the pouring
spout is about 40 % to about 100 %, more preferably of about 75 % of its
height.
In particular, the reservoir may have a width of about 5 cm to about 9 cm and
a height of
about 11 cm to about 16 cm, whereas the pouring spout may have a width of
about 1.5 cm to
about 2.5 cm and a height of about 1.5 cm to about 3 cm. More preferably, the
external width of
the pouring spout is about 1.6 cm and the internal width of the spout, i.e. of
the width of the flow
channel is about 1.4 cm.
Thus, on the one hand the internal flow channel of the pouring spout is as
wide as
possible to enable easy and fast dispensing, and, on the other hand, the spout
width is in line with
the opening diameter of a bottle having a defined standard internal neck
diameter of about 1.7 cm
in which the spout has to be inserted in order to dispense the hair colorant
component. These
dimensions lead to a hair colorant container which is easy to handle, e.g.
easy to open and easy to
insert into the bottle. In contrast thereto, aluminium tubes according to the
state of the art
typically have smaller spout diameters of about 1 cm. In addition, the tube
spout is relatively
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short and can be inserted only a short distance. This may lead to an
uncontrolled movement of
the aluminium tube spout during the dispensing action thereby increasing the
possibility of
depositing the hair colorant component onto the inner walls of the bottleneck
or even slipping out
of the neck and depositing the hair colorant component onto the outside of the
bottleneck.
The above-mentioned dimensions of the hair colorant container have the
advantage that a
plurality of containers can be stored in a compact way. In particular, the
hair colorant container
can be packed into a box along with a second package, like a bottle, in a
space-saving manner.
Preferably, the hair colorant container is provided / offered for sale in a
pre-folded
manner, i.e. in a state in which the pouring spout is folded toward the outer
surface of the
reservoir. Thus, the hair colorant container can be offered in a more compact
way / space-saving
manner. Further, the consumer receives direction / comprehension pertaining to
the use of the re-
sealing element, i.e. how to perform the reclosing of the sachet. The hair
colorant container
provides intuitive opening and reclosing of the pouring spout.
According to an embodiment, the re-sealing element may be a metal strip,
plastic strip,
band, adhesive clamp, wire tie, rigid non-permanent adhesive bonding tab
and/or an additional
rigid layer attached to or inserted in the laminate structure.
Preferably, the adhesive clamp comprises a tape having one side of the tape
coated with an
adhesive substance and a clamping strip of foldable non-elastic material
attached to the adhesive
side of the tape. The other side of the tape is attached to the outer surface
of the pouring spout.
Preferably, the tape is wider and longer than the clamping strip in order to
seal a puncture of the
laminate structure by an edge of the clamping strip. Preferably, the tape
and/or the adhesive
substance may be transparent so that printings on the outer surface of the
pouring spout are
visible. Preferably, the adhesive clamp may comprise a printed area over the
tape at the area of
the clamping strip. Preferably, the print comprises at least one folding mark
indicating the
folding line along which the pouring spout should be folded. Preferably, the
printed area is non-
transparent, and further preferably, slightly larger than the clamping strip
to cover and hide the
clamping strip when viewed from the side of the adhesive clamp.
In case the re-sealing element is a wire tie, the wire tie is preferably
attached to the outer
surface of the pouring spout and extends downwards to and along a specific
distance on the outer
surface of the reservoir. Once the tear tab has been removed and the container
has to be reclosed,
the pouring spout can be folded along the folding line and flapped towards the
reservoir. The
tension of the wire tie keeps the pouring spout in the folded up position.
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In case the re-sealing element is an additional rigid layer inserted in the
laminate structure
would provide a re-sealing element which is not visible to the consumer.
In addition, the package kit for providing a ready to use hair color product
may further
comprise a sleeve into which the hair colorant container may be inserted after
the pouring spout
has been folded and flapped against the reservoir. The sleeve further prevents
the pouring spout
from unfolding.
According to an embodiment, the hair colorant component is a hair dye
component, a
developer component or a direct dye.
The hair colorant container is suitable to be used for storing a hair dye
component, preferably
an oxidative hair dye component, or a developer component comprising an
oxidizing agent,
commonly a peroxy oxidizing agent. However, the hair colorant container can
also be used for
storing so-called "direct-dyes", which are ready to use and which can be
applied to the hair
directly. In particular, the laminate structure is resistant to chemicals of
the hair dye component
as well as to the developer component. Further, the hair colorant container is
suitable to be used
for storing all kind of hair colorant components, i.e. low or high viscosity
fluids, like liquids or
pastes, i.e. cremes. Thus, a hair colorant container is provided which is
capable of replacing, i.e.
substituting both, an aluminium tube containing a hair dye component and a PVC
bottle
containing a developer component.
According to an embodiment the tear tab is integrally formed with the pouring
spout.
Preferably, the tear tab is aligned with an outer edge of the pouring spout
and extends in
orthogonal direction to the outer edge of the pouring spout.
This embodiment provides an ergonomical design which enables the user to open
the
container in a facile manner. The sachet exhibits an asymmetric shape and is
preferably made of
one piece of a flexible laminate folded along one longitudinal edge, the fold
forming an
alignment of the reservoir, spout and tear tab. In other words, the
longitudinal edge forming the
alignment has no joint, which would decrease the width of the inner flow
channel with respect to
a given width of the spout. Thus, the width of the inner flow channel is
maximized in relation to
the width of a given internal opening of a second package into which the spout
has to be inserted.
The relatively large width of the inner flow channel allows easier and faster
dispensing and
contributes to a positive experience for the user.
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According to an embodiment, the hair colorant container comprises a pre-
defined tearing
line between the tear tab and the dispensing end of the pouring spout along
which the tear tab is
teared when the container is opened.
In order to facilitate opening of the container, i.e. in order to reduce the
force required for
tearing, a tearing aid may be provided at the dispensing end by means of a
tear notch,
perforations, laser scoring/cut for tear guidance, orientation of individual
material layers, e.g. use
of easy tear films such as a polyethylene sealing layer, or use of aluminium
as a guidance
material, for example. This allows for an easy initiation as well as good
control of the tear
direction during opening. A tear notch, e.g. in form of a simple cut,
triangular cut or semi
circular cut creates a focus point for the applied force of the user and
facilitates initiation of the
tear procedure.
However, design of the container allows for the use of accessories such as
scissors, blades or
knifes may be used for opening, as well. Accordingly, cutting through the
laminate structure of
the sachet results in defined edges.
According to an embodiment the pouring spout of the hair colorant container
comprises a
grip zone on the outer surface of the pouring spout extending substantially
along the complete
width of the elongated shape and adapted with its dimensions to the fingers of
a user for
clamping/holding the pouring spout with the fingers when the tear tab is
removed, thereby
pressing opposite walls of the pouring spout together and, thus, providing
protection against
spill/splash, i.e. a spill prevention.
As the grip zone extends essentially along the complete width of the elongated
shape of the
spout and is adapted with its dimensions to the fingers of the user, the inner
flow channel of the
pouring spout can be blocked once the user clamps the pouring spout by means
of his fingers.
By clamping the pouring spout, opposite walls of the spout are pressed
together thereby
substantially preventing the hair colorant component from spilling out of the
reservoir when the
tear tab is removed. Thus, the fingers of the user act as a temporary valve
element.
By positioning the fingers in the manner described above, essentially no
pressure is
applied onto the reservoir that might lead to an immediate volume change that
increases the risk
of spillage. To the contrary, the fingers of the user are directed to areas of
the spout which do not
contain substantial amounts of hair colorant component when the sachet is held
in an upright
position, thereby preventing hair colorant component movement enforced by
pressure. The hand
which is holding the package below the tear line acts as a valve by firmly
holding the spout
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thereby preventing substantial movement of the hair colorant component. Hence,
a spill
prevention as well as an easy-to-open sachet is provided.
In order to open the hair colorant container the following method may be
applied: The
pouring spout is clamped at the grip zone with the fingers of a first hand of
the user, thereby
5 pressing opposite walls of the pouring spout together and providing spill
prevention. The tear tab
is then removed from the dispensing end with the fingers of the second hand.
Importantly, the
fingers of the first hand rest below an imaginary tear line that covers,
preferably, the complete
width of the pouring spout, and, therefore interact with the tear motion above
the imaginary tear
line in a scissor like way.
According to an embodiment the pouring spout comprises at its inner perimeter
at least one
flow restrictor for restricting the flow of the hair colorant component when
the component
dispenses.
10 Preferably, the flow restrictor may be provided in case the hair
colorant component stored in
the reservoir has low viscosity, such as liquid hair dye components. By means
of a flow
restrictor the width of the inner flow channel is narrowed, thus, leading to
spill prevention during
the opening action as well as to a limited flow rate of the hair colorant
component when it
dispenses. The pouring spout is still adapted to the opening of a second
package while providing
a flow restriction leading to a mess-free dispensing. In other words, by means
of a flow restrictor
the same flow velocity can be provided for hair colorant compounds with
different viscosities.
The flow restrictor may have the shape of a recess, indentation, notch or
bulge, for instance.
The shape, i.e. geometry of the flow restrictor is adapted to the desired flow
velocity of the hair
colorant compound. The flow restrictor is easy to integrate into the pouring
spout. Preferably,
the flow restrictor may be provided by means of removable and exchangeable
sealing bars
integrated in the manufacturing tools.
According to an embodiment, the at least one flow restrictor is formed as a
bulge projecting
inside the pouring spout.
Such a bulge projects inside the inner flow channel, thereby limiting the flow-
through
passage within the pouring spout.
According to an embodiment, at least two bulges are formed in a staggered
arrangement.
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The staggered arrangement of the at least two bulges further limits the flow
rate of the
hair colorant component. The bulges may be arranged in an overlapping or in a
non-overlapping
manner. An overlapping arrangement provides a further limitation of the flow
rate.
According to an embodiment, the laminate structure of the hair colorant
container comprises
at least three layers, preferably four layers.
The hair colorant container is made of a laminate material comprising a multi-
layer structure.
The different layers may have diverse properties contributing to the overall
property of the
laminate. For example, the laminate material may comprise three layers, namely
a sealing layer,
a barrier layer and a protective layer. The barrier layer may be made of
plastic material or
aluminium, both having excellent barrier properties.
Preferably, at least one layer of the laminate structure is made of plastic
material, preferably
of polyethylene or polypropylene. The plastic material typically consists of
polymers of high
molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or
reduce costs.
The polymers are made from monomers which may be either natural or synthetic
organic
compounds. Plastic materials, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, are
advantageous
materials as they provide sufficient mechanical strength to withstand
mechanical stress caused,
for example, by transportation, handling and storage under varying temperature
and moisture
conditions. Furthermore, hair colorant containers made of plastic materials,
preferably of
polyethylene or polypropylene, have a low net weight and, therefore, permit a
reduction in
transportation costs compared to equivalent rigid containers.
Moreover, at least one of the plastic layers may be produced by means of an
extrusion
foaming process. The extrusion foaming process results in an increased
thickness of the plastic
layer without increasing material consumption, and, thus, resolving the
conflict between the need
to reduce weight and material use on the one hand and to improve the thickness
of the container
wall on the other hand.
According to an embodiment, the laminate structure of the hair colorant
container comprises
three layers, wherein
- the first layer facing the inside of the container comprises polyethylene
or ethylene acrylic
acid polymer or ethylene methacrylic acid polymer or combinations thereof;
- the second layer following the first layer comprises aluminium; and
- the third layer following the second layer and facing the outside of the
container comprises
polyamide or polyester, preferably polyethylenterephthalat, or combinations
thereof.
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Preferably, the first layer comprises polyethylene and about 5 wt% to about 10
wt% ethylene
methacrylic acid polymer or polyethylene and about 5 wt% to about 10 wt%
ethylene acrylic acid
polymer. Such composition of materials contributes to improved bonding
properties with the
aluminium, i.e. barrier layer. This composite of layers results in a
significant reduction of
corrosion and/or migration of particles of the hair colorant component, like
dye pigments,
surfactants and aqueous ammonia solution. Preferably, the first and the second
layer are joined
together by means of extrusion lamination. This results in a laminate
structure being sufficiently
resistant against both, chemical, e.g. oxidation, and mechanical stress.
Furthermore, the first layer may be produced by means of an extrusion foaming
process. The
foaming process results in an increased thickness of the first layer without
increasing material
consumption.
According to an embodiment, the laminate structure of the hair colorant
container comprises
four layers, wherein:
- the first layer facing the inside of the container comprises polyethylene
or ethylene acrylic
acid polymer or ethylene methacrylic acid polymer or combinations thereof;
- the second layer following the first layer comprises polyethylene or
ethylene acrylic acid
polymer or combinations thereof;
- the third layer following the second layer comprises aluminium; and
- the fourth layer following the third layer and facing the outside of the
container comprises
polyamide, polyester, preferably polyethylenterephthalat, or combinations
thereof.
Preferably, the first layer is a polyethylene layer and may have a thickness
of about
70 p m to about 100 p m. The first layer may be produced by means of an
extrusion foaming
process. The foaming process results in an increased thickness of the layer
using the same
amount of plastic material.
The second layer may have a thickness of about 18 p m to about 25 p m and
comprises
polyethylene and ethylene methacrylic acid polymer or polyethylene and
ethylene methacrylic
acid polymer. The aluminium layer, i.e. the third layer, acts as a barrier
layer and may have a
thickness of about 9 p m. The specific composition of the second layer
contributes to improved
bonding properties with the aluminium layer. Such composite of layers results
in significant
reduction of corrosion and/or migration of particles of the hair colorant
component, like dye
pigments, surfactants and aqueous ammonia solution.
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Preferably, the first, the second and the third layer are joined together by
means of
extrusion lamination. Such a laminate structure results in sufficient chemical
and mechanical
stress resistance.
The fourth layer may be made of polyamide with a thickness of about 5 p m or
of
polyethylenterephthalat with a thickness of about 12 p m. Preferably, the
fourth layer is joined to
the third layer by means of adhesive lamination. Preferably, the overall
thickness of the laminate
material is about 100 p m to about 150 p m.
Further, the fourth layer may comprise a printing applied on the surface
facing the
aluminium layer so that the printing is protected against abrasion. As the
fourth layer has
transparent appearance, the printing can still be seen from the outside.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in more detail below with reference to illustrative
embodiments, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a back view of an embodiment of the hair colorant container;
Fig. 2 shows a front view of a hair colorant container with a snap and seal
closure;
Fig. 3 shows the front view of another embodiment of the hair colorant
container with a
wire tie as a re-sealing element;
Fig. 4 shows the front view of another hair colorant container with a hook and
loop tape
closure; and
Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the hair colorant container with a flow
restrictor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AS SHOWN IN THE EMBODIMENTS
OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 shows a hair colorant container 10 in the form of a flexible sachet for
storing a hair
colorant component, i.e. a hair dye component, a developer component or a
"direct-dye". The
container 10 comprises a reservoir 12 with an internal volume 13, a pouring
spout 14 being in
fluid communication with the internal volume 13 and having a dispensing end 16
and a
removable tear tab 18. The tear tab 18 is attached at the dispensing end 16
for sealing the
container 10 before the container 10 has been opened.
The pouring spout 14 and the tear tab 18 are integrally formed with the
reservoir 12 and are
aligned at one outer longitudinal edge 30 of the reservoir 12. The pouring
spout 14 projects from
an upper side 20 of the reservoir 10 and has an elongated shape with a width
22 being smaller
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than the width 24 of the reservoir 10. The tear tab 18 is placed at the
dispensing end 16 in a
perpendicular manner with respect to the pouring spout 14.
Further, the pouring spout 14 comprises a grip zone 26 which extends
substantially along the
width 22 of the spout 14 and is adapted with its dimensions to the fingers of
a user. Thus, the
user is enabled to open the container 10 in an easy manner by clamping the
container 10 in the
region of the pouring spout 14, namely at the grip zone 26 and thereby
providing a spill
prevention. By clamping the pouring spout 14, the fingers of the user act as a
temporary valve
element. Opposite walls of the spout 14 are pressed together thereby
substantially preventing the
hair colorant component from spilling out of the reservoir 12 when the tear
tab 18 is being
removed.
After opening the container 10, the hair colorant component can be dispensed
into a
second package, like a bottle, to provide a ready mixed hair color product.
In order to facilitate the removal of the tear tab 18, a pre-defined tearing
line 28 between
the tear tab 18 and the dispensing end 16 of the pouring spout 14 is provided.
The pre-defined
tearing line 28 may be provided by means of a tear notch, perforations, laser
scoring/cut for tear
guidance, specific orientation of individual material layers, e.g. the use of
easy tear films, such as
a polyethylene layer, or the use of aluminium as a guidance material, for
example. This allows
an easy tear initiation as well as a controlled tear direction. The container
10 according to Fig. 1
shows a tear notch 36 which creates a focus point for the applied force of the
user and makes it
easier to initiate the tear.
The width 24 of the reservoir 12 is about 6.5 cm and the height 38 of the
reservoir 12 is
about 11 cm, whereas the pouring spout 14 has a width 22 of about 1.6 cm and a
height 40 of
about 3 cm. The internal width of the spout 14, i.e. of the flow channel 42 is
about 1.4 cm.
Thus, on the one hand the internal flow channel 42 of the pouring spout 14 is
as wide as possible
to enable easy and fast dispensing, and, on the other hand, the spout width 22
is in line with the
opening diameter of a bottle having a defined standard internal neck diameter
of about 1.7 cm in
which the spout 14 has to be inserted in order to dispense the hair colorant
component.
The outer perimeter of the pouring spout 14 has a profile that expands to an
oval shape.
Thus, a defined section of the outer wall of the spout 14 does not lie against
the inner wall of the
bottleneck but leaves a passage open through which air may be released from
the inside of the
bottle during dispensing/discharging the hair dye component. Therefore, a
fast, complete and
mess free dispensing is allowed.
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When the spout 14 gets inserted into the bottleneck in a most flat condition
the angled
tear notch cut 36 ensures that the top end of the spout 14 has a width 22
which is narrower than
the internal bottleneck diameter. The angled notch 36 allows an easy insertion
of the spout 14.
Through the docking action, the spout 14 gets pushed against the inner wall of
the bottleneck and
5 facilitates the opening of the spout profile.
The container 10 is made of a flexible laminate structure 44 which comprises
at least
three layers, preferably four layers. The laminate 44 of the present
embodiment has a thickness
of about 100 p m to about 150 p m and comprises four layers.
10 The first layer facing the inner volume 13 of the container 10 is a
polyethylene layer and
has a thickness of about 70 p m to about 100 p m. The first layer is produced
by means of an
extrusion foaming process.
The second layer following the first layer has a thickness of about 18 p m to
about 25 p m
and comprises polyethylene and ethylene methacrylic acid polymer or
polyethylene and ethylene
15 methacrylic acid polymer.
The third layer is made of aluminium and acts as a barrier layer. The
aluminium layer has
a thickness of about 9 p m.
The first, the second and the third layer are joined together by means of
extrusion
lamination. Such a laminate structure 44 results in sufficient chemical and
mechanical stress
resistance.
The fourth layer is made of polyamide with a thickness of about 5 p m or of
polyethylenterephthalat with a thickness of about 12 p m. The fourth layer
comprises a printing
applied on the surface facing the aluminium layer and is joined to the third
layer by means of
adhesive lamination.
The laminate structure 44 of the present embodiment shows substantially no
corrosion
and/or migration of particles of the hair colorant component, like dye
pigments, surfactants and
aqueous ammonia solution.
The laminate 44 is folded at the two opposite longitudinal edges 30, 31 of the
container
10 and sealed at the backside and provide a so-called "fin-seal" 34. As the
pouring spout 14 is
aligned with the outer longitudinal edge 30 of the reservoir 12, the spout 14
comprises one
sealing portion 46 and one flow channel portion 42 as the sealing function on
the remaining side
is provided by the folded edge of the laminate 44. Such a design results in a
maximized flow
channel 42 relative to a given spout diameter.
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The hair colorant containers 10 shown in Fig. 2 to 4 comprise a re-sealing
element 48,
respectively, for reclosing the dispensing end 16 of the pouring spout 14 once
the tear tab 18 has
been removed. The pouring spout 14 is reclosable by folding and fixing the
pouring spout 14 at
the outer surface of the reservoir 12 by means of the re-sealing element 48.
Once the hair
colorant container 10 is reclosed, the inner flow channel 42 of the pouring
spout 14 is
substantially blocked, thereby preventing spillage of the hair colorant
component.
The re-sealing element 48 shown in Fig. 2 is a snap and seal closure 50,
whereas the re-
sealing element 48 shown in Fig. 3 is a wire tie 52 and the re-sealing element
48 shown in Fig. 4
is a hook and loop tape closure 54.
According to Fig. 2, the wire tie 52 is attached at the outer surface of the
pouring spout 14
and extends downwards to and along a specific distance on the outer surface of
the reservoir 12.
Once the tear tab 18 has been removed and the container 10 has to be reclosed,
the pouring spout
14 can be folded along a folding line and flapped towards the reservoir 12.
The tension/rigidity
of the wire tie 52 keeps the pouring spout 14 in the folded up position.
The hook and loop tape closure 54 (cp. Fig. 3) and the snap and seal closure
50 (cp. Fig. 4)
consist of two elements 56, 58, namely of a male 56 and a female element 58,
wherein one of the
elements 56, 58 is attached at the outer surface of the pouring spout 14 and
the other one is
attached at the outer surface of the reservoir 12, respectively. In order to
reclose the container
10, the pouring spout 14 is folded along the folding line and is secured at
the reservoir 12. The
male and female elements 56, 58 engage and keep the pouring spout 14 in the
folded position.
Fig. 5 shows a hair colorant container 10 comprising a flow restrictor 60 at
the inner
perimeter 62 of the pouring spout 14. The flow restrictor 60 is provided in
case the hair colorant
component stored in the reservoir 12 has low viscosity, such as liquid hair
dye components. By
means of the flow restrictor 60 the width of the inner flow channel 42 is
narrowed, thus, leading
to spill prevention during the opening action as well as to a limited flow
rate of the hair colorant
component when it dispenses. The flow restrictor 60 has the shape of two
bulges 64 projecting
inside the pouring spout 14 in a staggered manner.
COMPARISION EXPERIMENTS
A hair colorant container according to Fig. 3 and hair colorant containers
according to
Figs. 2 and 4 were compared with respect to their handling properties.
The evaluation of the handling properties (preferences) were carried out by 19
panelists
for the following criteria: Resealability, simplicity of folding the pouring
spout, docking
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performance of the pouring spout to a bottleneck of a bottle and discharging
performance of the
hair colorant component.
With respect to the above cited criteria 15 of 19 panelists preferred the hair
colorant
container according to Fig. 3. The test results clearly showed that the hair
colorant container
.. according to Fig. 3 provided improved docking performance of the pouring
spout to the bottle
due to increased stiffness of the pouring spout, improved discharging
performance of the hair
colorant component as well as improved folding and reclosing performances
compared to the
hair colorant containers according to Fig. 2 and 4.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly
limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise
specified, each such
dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally
equivalent range
surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is
intended to mean
"about 40 mm."
List of reference signs:
10 hair colorant container
12 reservoir
13 internal volume
14 pouring spout
16 dispensing end
18 removable tear tab
20 upper side of the reservoir
22 width of the spout
24 width of the reservoir
26 grip zone
28 pre-defined tearing line
outer longitudinal edge
32 other outer longitudinal edge
30 34 fin seal
36 tear notch
38 height of the reservoir
height of the pouring spout
42 flow channel
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44 laminate
46 sealing portion of the spout
48 re-sealing element
50 snap and seal closure
52 wire tie
54 hook and loop tape closure
56 male element
58 female element
60 flow restrictor
62 inner perimeter of the pouring spout
64 bulges
