Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MATERIAL DISPENSER/APPLICATOR
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is based upon, and claims the priority of, U S Provisional
Application
SN 62/285,570 filed November 2, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated by
reference herein.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disclosure of PCT/IB2015/053286 (now U S National Phase application SN
15/330,500 filed September 28, 2016) is hereby incorporated by reference
herein. That
application relates to an applicator for semi-solid materials, such as lip
balm, that
incorporates many novel features including, but not limited to, an elastomeric
material base
cap, and a plunger for holding the semi-solid material, which plunger is
reciprocal within and
with respect to a housing.
According to the present invention, a number of additional features and/or
enhanced
functionalities are provided for a material dispenser/applicator, based at
least in part on the
application of said PCT application. Also, a novel flowable material dispenser
is disclosed.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an
applicator for a
semi-solid material such as lip balm. The applicator comprises: A generally
tubular housing
having first and second ends. A plunger to which is mounted semi-solid
material extending
exteriorly of the housing first end, the plunger including a shaft. And an
elastomeric material
base cap mounted to the second end of the housing and having an interior
structure to which
the shaft is connected. The structures are configured so that by continued
depression the
elastomeric base cap is movable to a position which induces separation between
surface
manifestations on the shaft and interior structure of the base cap which
provides ejection of
the plunger and its shaft from the housing.
The elastomeric base cap interior structure to which the shaft is connected
preferably
comprises a tubular portion of the base cap. An end cap (preferably
transparent or
translucent) is releasably connected to the housing at the first end thereof
for covering the
semi-solid material. In view of the desired functionality of the applicator of
the invention the
elastomeric base cap should have a durometer of about 45-55 (about 50 is
ideal) on the Shore
A scale, not the broader range of 40-70 in said PCT application.
The applicator preferably further comprises an apertured abutment within the
housing
through which the plunger shaft reciprocates and which acts as a stop for the
interior structure
of the base cap during ejection of the plunger shaft from the housing. The
housing desirably
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has an interior guide hub (or apertured abutment) with ribs configured and
positioned to
preclude spinning of the plunger shaft.
In one embodiment of the invention the elastomeric material base cap is a
bistable
element which moves from a first stable configuration in which the semi-solid
material is
primarily within the housing to, after removal of the end cap and manual
actuation thereof a
second stable configuration in which the semi-solid mass is substantially
completely exterior
of the housing, and upon further manual actuation of the elastomeric material
base cap while
in the second stable configuration moves to a third position whereby the
plunger shaft is
ejected from contact with the elastomeric base cap. In another embodiment the
base cap
merely moves from its normal position to the eject position, and is not
bistable.
According to another aspect of the invention, an applicator for a semi-solid
material is
provided which comprises: A generally tubular housing having first and second
ends. A
plunger to which is mounted scmi-solid material extending exteriorly of the
housing first end,
the plunger including a shaft. And an interior guide hub with ribs configured
and positioned
to preclude spinning of the plunger shaft. The particular elastomeric material
end cap as
described above may also be utilized.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of
using the
applicator as described above to eject a plunger having semi-solid material
which is primarily
used up, and replacing it with another, replacement, plunger having a fresh
supply of semi-
solid material by inserting the shaft of the replacement plunger into
operative association
with the interior structure/tube of the elastomeric material end cap.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a dispenser
for
dispensable material which comprises: A generally tubular housing having first
and second
ends. A dispensable material containing or supporting structure including a
shaft having a
first surface manifestation thereon; an elastomeric material base cap at the
second end of the
housing and having a generally central structure with a second surface
manifestation
releasably operatively cooperating with the first surface manifestation. Upon
depression
thereof, the elastomeric material base cap operatively moves to a position
which moves the
shaft to provide access to dispensable material from the dispensable material
containing or
supporting structure at the first end of the housing. And a stop mechanism
within the housing
for stopping movement of the generally central structure of the base cap so
that upon
continued depression of the base cap the first and second surface
manifestations disconnect
so that said dispensable material containing or supporting structure is
removable from the
housing and replaceable by a fresh dispensable material containing or
supporting structure.
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The dispensable material containing structure may comprise a bellows
containing
flowable material mounted within the housing and having a dispensing nozzle
adjacent the
first end of the housing. The dispenser also preferably includes an end cap
for releasably
closing the first end of the housing through which the flowable material is
dispensed by the
dispensing nozzle. The end cap preferably includes a first portion which
screws onto the
housing, and a second potion which is connected by a living hinge to the first
portion and
which pivots to uncover, and cover, the dispensing nozzle.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an applicator or
dispenser
with readily replaceable material application or dispensing components. This
and other
objects of the invention will become clear from a detailed description of the
invention and
from the appended claims.
=
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is an exploded side cross-sectional view of a semi-solid material
(the
material, such as lip balm or lipstick, itself shown in dotted line)
applicator according to the
invention with what may be called an "ejection button" which allows the
plunger shaft to be
readily detached from the elastomeric material base cap to allow ready
replacement of
cartridges of semi-solid material (as disclosed per se in said PCT
application);
FIGURE 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the applicator of FIGURE 1
assembled,
except for the end cap which has been unscrewed from the housing, with the
components in a
first position wherein much of the semi-solid material is within the housing;
FIGURE 3 is a view like that of FIGURE 2 wherein the bistable base cap has
been
moved to a second position in which the semi-solid material is substantially
completely
exterior of the housing;
FIGURE 4 is a view like that of FIGURE 3 only with the semi-solid material
shown
as substantially depleted, and showing the ejector button on the base cap
depressed further
from the second position to a third position so that the elastomeric material
end cap is
detached from the plunger shaft so that a new plunger, with a fresh quantity
of semi-solid
material, may be inserted into operative association with the elastomeric
material end cap;
FIGURE 5 is a view like that of FIGURE 1 of a second configuration of
applicator
according to the invention which has a shorter housing and wherein the
elastomeric material
base cap is not bistable;
FIGURE 6 is a view like that of FIGURE 2 for the second configuration of
applicator;
FIGURE 7 is a view like that of FIGURE 4 for the second configuration of
applicator;
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FIGURE 8 is a bottom view of an exemplary housing for the applicator of
FIGURES
1-4;
FIGURE 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the housing of FIGURES 1-4 & 8
rotated
ninety degrees from the view in FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 10 is a side cross-sectional exploded view of a flowable material
dispenser
using an elastomeric base cap and housing similar to those of the embodiments
in the other
FIGURES and said PCT application but with an internal bellows with associated
shaft, shown
in elevation, the bellows containing the flowable material instead of a
plunger mounting a
mass of semi-solid material;
FIGURE 11 is a side cross-sectional view of the dispenser of FIGURE 10
assembled
and with the end cap open to allow dispensing of flowable material;
FIGURE 12 is a view like that of FIGURE 11 with the base cap slightly
depressed to
dispense flowable material from the bellows; and
FIGURE 13 is a view like that of FIGURE 12 only showing the end cap completely
removed, the bellows depleted, and the base cap moved to a position whereby
the bellows
shaft is detached from the base cap so that the bellows and shaft may be
ejected and replaced
by a replacement fresh bellows and shaft.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The applicator 10 according to the invention in FIGURES 1-4 is very similar to
the
applicator in said PCT application, including a screw-on end cap 11, an
elastomeric material
base cap 12, a tubular housing 14, and a reciprocal plunger 20 which mounts a
semi-solid
material (such as lip balm, shown in dotted line at 15) which has a plunger
shaft 21. The
housing 14 has a first end 16 and an opposite second end 17. The components
may be made
of the same materials as in said PCT application.
In the FIGURES 1-4 applicator 10, the central tube 31 (comparable to the
central
tubes 31, 131 in said PCT application) which releasably connects the base cap
12 to the end
22 of the plunger shaft 21 opposite the semi-solid material 15 is longer than
that in the PCT
application. In one practical embodiment the central tube 31 is about 2-3 mm
(e. g. about 2.5
mm) longer. This added length allows the applicator to function so that the
plunger 20 and
shaft 21 may be "ejected" from the housing 14, allowing ready use of
replacement cartridges
once all of the semi-solid material 15 has been used up.
The end 22 of the plunger shaft 21 has a first surface manifestation ¨ in the
drawing
shown at 24 as a circumferential depression in the end 22 of shaft 21 ¨ which
operatively
cooperates with a second surface manifestation 25 on the tube 31, element 25
best seen in
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FIGURES 1 & 4. The second surface manifestation 25 is in the form of a
circumferential
projection which fits in the depression 24 to hold the elements 21, 31
together during normal
operation, and until separation thereof is desired. While the manifestations
24, 25 as
illustrated are preferred any other surface manifestations that perform the
intended function
of releasably attaching the shaft 21 to the base cap 12 may be provided.
Also, in the applicator 10 according to the invention it has been found that
the
elastomeric material of the base cap 12 should have a durometer of about 45-55
(about 50 is
highly desirable) on the Shore A scale, rather than 40-70 as in the PCT
application. A
durometer of about 50 allows the base cap 12 to still be bistable yet
effectively be moved to a
third, eject, position, during which the surface manifestations 24, 25 detach.
Once the end cap 11 is removed (preferably by unscrewing it, as in FIGURES 1-
4),
the semi-solid material 15 associated with the plunger 20 is exposed but
typically much of it
does not extend out the first end 16 of the housing 14, as seen in FIGURE 2. A
human user
can use her/his finger to engage the exterior surface 19 (which may be
considered an eject
button) of the base cap 12 and push it from the first stable position shown in
FIGURE 2 to a
second stable position shown in FIGURE 3 in which substantially all of the
material 15 is
exterior of the first end of the housing 14. That is, as in said PCT
application, the cap 12 is
bistable.
During movement of base cap 12 from the first position of FIGURE 2 to the
second
.. position of FIGURE 3 the plunger shaft 21 is guided by the centrally
located guide hub 39,
which can also be considered an apertured abutment. In the position of the
base cap 12 in
FIGURE 3 the central tube 31 engages the centrally located guide hub 39 which
guides
reciprocation of the shaft 21, stopping movement of the tube 31.
If depression of base cap 12 by a user's finger is continued from the position
of
FIGURE 3 to the position of FIGURE 4 then the plunger shaft 21 end 22 will be
detached
from the base cap 12 tube 31 because the plunger shaft 21 will keep moving but
the base cap
12 will be stopped by the hub 39. Therefore the shaft 21 and plunger 20
attached thereto, as
in FIGURE 4, will be separated from the rest of the applicator 10 since the
surface
manifestations 24, 25 will be detached from one another so that a new
cartridge containing a
new plunger 20 with fresh semi-solid material 15 attached, and plunger shaft
21, may replace
the removed one by inserting the new shaft end 22 into the central tube 31
when the base cap
12 is in the FIGURE 4 position. When the replacement plunger is inserted the
elastomeric
tube 31 of the elastomeric material base cap 12 is deflected so that the
surface manifestations
24, 25 engage each other and the new shaft 21 is attached to the base cap 12.
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It is noted that during the ejection process, that is moving from the second
position of
FIGURE 3 to the third, eject, position of FIGURE 4, typically the first end 16
of the housing
14 will be angled (or completely facing) downwardly so that gravity assists in
the detachment
of the old plunger 20 from the base cap 12.
During insertion of the new plunger with fresh lip balm or the like 15
desirably the
user will hold the base cap 12 in the FIGURE 4 position while the user
(preferably but not
necessarily with the end cap 11 over the material 15 but engaging the
circumferential
periphery 23 of the top of the plunger 20 and not the material 15 itself)
pushes the end 22 of
shaft 21 into operative association with the central tube 31 of the base cap
12. Once the shaft
end 22 is seated, the user removes her/his finger from the exterior 19 of the
base cap 12, and
continues to move the end cap 11 toward the housing 14, and ultimately screws
it in place so
that the end cap 12 and plunger 20 are in the positions illustrated in FIGURE
2.
The applicator 110 of P1UURES 5-7 is similar to that of FIGURES 1-4 only the
housing 114 and shaft 121 are shorter and the end cap 112 is not bistable.
Components
comparable to those of the FIGURES 1-4 embodiment are shown by the same
reference
numeral only preceded by a "1."
In FIGURE 6 the base cap 112 is in its normal position (once the end cap 111
is
removed) with the lip balm 115 extending outwardly from the first end 116 of
the housing
114. Once the lip balm 115 has been substantially depleted (as shown
schematically in
FIGURE 7) the user pushes on exterior surface 119 of the base cap 112 to move
it to the eject
position. During this sequence to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 the
surface
manifestations 124, 125, respectively, on the end 122 of shaft 121 and central
tube 131 of
base cap 112, respectively, detach from each other since the tube 131 movement
is stopped
by the apertured abutment 139. Replacement of a new plunger 120 with fresh
material 115 is
as described above with respect to the FIGURES 1-4 embodiment.
Preferably, as shown most clearly in FIGURES 8 & 9, the housing 14, includes
interior ribs 42 associated with the guide hub/ apertured abutment 39 to
prevent the plunger
shaft 21 from spinning; otherwise spinning might occur, such as when a seal
(if it exists)
between the semi-solid material 15 and the end cap 11 is broken when the end
cap 11 is
unscrewed from the housing 14 first end 16. The ribs 42 engage portions of the
perimeter of
the plunger (which may have the configuration of the plunger 121 illustrated
in FIGURE 7 of
said PCT application) to prevent it from spinning/rotating.
The housing 114 may have ribs 42 also, as described above, the housing 114
substantially the same as housing 14 except that it is shorter.
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FIGURES 8 and 9 show four ribs 42 symmetrically positioned around the interior
circumference of the circular opening in the guide hub 39 and show the "upper"
(closest to
the base cap) faces 43 thereof slanted downwardly in FIGURE 9 (so that the
ribs 42
themselves have a generally triangular cross-section). However other numbers
(e. g. three or
five) and/or configurations in cross-section (e. g. quadrate, multiple, or
random) may be
provided.
FIGURES 10-13 show a different type of material dispenser 50 than in the other
FIGURES but using the same general concepts of a tubular housing, an end cap,
and an
elastomeric material base cap. Different numerals will be used than related to
the other
FIGURES.
The dispenser 50 is provided for dispensing a flowable material (e. g.
liquid), such as
(but not limited to) lotions, eye drops or other medical or medicinal fluids,
flavor
concentrates for flavoring ingestible liquids like water, toothpaste, and
lubricants. Located
interiorly of a generally tubular housing 51 is a bellows 52 made of generally
conventional
bellows elastomeric material, operatively connected at a closed end thereof
through a
connected (preferably integral) shaft 53 to a central interior tube 57 of an
elastomeric base
cap 56 at the second end 55 of the housing 51. The base cap 56 preferably has
a central tube
57 just like the tubes 31, 131 in the other embodiments, and the first surface
manifestation 58
on the shaft 53 and the second surface manifestation 59 in the tube 57 are
just like the surface
manifestations 24, 124, 25, 125 in the other embodiments.
Interior of the housing 51 is an interior guide hub/apertured abutment 61 with
an
interior opening 62 defined by a collar which guides reciprocation of the
shaft 53.
The end of the bellows 52 opposite the shaft 53 has a conventional dispensing
nozzle
64 therein, which will be dimensioned depending upon the particular flowable
material to be
dispensed and which may include a conventional one-way valve.
The first end 66 of the housing 51, opposite the elastomeric base cap 56, may
be
closed off by an end cap 67. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in
FIGURES 10-13 the
end cap 67 contains a hollow generally tubular first portion 68 which has
external screw
threads 69 (best seen in FIGURES 10 & 13) which screw onto conventional
complementary
interior screw threads 70 (FIGURE 10) on the first end 66 of the housing 51.
The end cap 67
also includes a solid terminating second portion 72 which is connected by a
living hinge 73
(FIGURES 11 & 12) to the first portion 68. Any suitable closure (such as a
clip, magnet,
snap, etc.) may be provided for holding the second portion 72 to the first
portion 68 when the
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dispenser 50 is in the non-dispensing position with the elements 68, 72
connected as in
FIGURES 10& 13.
In operation of the dispenser 50, the end cap 67 second portion 72 is detached
from
the first portion 68, and pivoted away via the living hinge 73 to the relative
positions
illustrated in FIGURES 11 & 12. To dispense the flowable material within the
bellows 52 the
user depresses the elastomeric material base cap 56, causing the bellows 52 to
compress and
the flowable material therein to be dispensed through the nozzle 64. FIGURE 11
shows the
dispenser 50 in a position just before depression of the elastomeric material
base cap 56 and
FIGURE 12 shows the bellows 52 partially compressed in response to depression
of the base
cap 56.
Once the bellows 52 is substantially empty the end cap 67 is unscrewed (FIGURE
13)
from the housing 51. Then depression of the end cap 56 is continued to the
position of
FIGURE 13 wherein movement of the tube 57 is stopped by the abutment 61. This
causes
detachment of the surface manifestations 58, 59 so that the shaft 53 and
bellows 52 are easily
removed from the housing 51 just as for the other embodiments in FIGURES 4 &
7. A new
bellows 52 can be inserted, the shaft 53 thereof moved into operative
engagement with the
central interior tube 57 of the base cap 56 so that the surface manifestations
58, 59
operatively engage so that the base cap 56 is operatively connected to the new
bellows 52.
The entire dispenser 50 is preferably made of dishwasher safe and eco-friendly
plastic.
It will thus be seen that there are generic similarities between the various
embodiments, comprising in general a dispenser for dispensable material (a
semi-solid like
lip balm or a flowable material like lotion) having a dispensable material
containing or
supporting structure (20, 52) including a shaft (21, 53) having a first
surface manifestation
thereon (24, 58); an elastomeric material base cap (12, 56) having a generally
central
structure (31, 57) with a second surface manifestation (25, 59) releasably
operatively
cooperating with the first surface manifestation (24, 58); upon depression
thereof, the
elastomeric material base cap (12, 56) operatively moves to a position which
moves the shaft
(21, 53) to provide access to dispensable material from the dispensable
material containing or
supporting structure (20, 52) at the first end (16, 70) of the housing (14,
51); and a stop
mechanism (39) within the housing (14, 51) for stopping movement of the
generally central
structure (31, 57) of the base cap so that upon continued depression of the
base cap the first
and second surface manifestations (24, 25; 58, 59) disconnect so that the
dispensable material
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containing or supporting structure (20, 52) is removable from the housing (14,
51) and
replaceable by a fresh dispensable material containing or supporting
structure.
The invention is to accorded the broadest scope possible of the appended
claims to
encompass all equivalent structures, devices, and procedures, limited only by
the prior art.
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