Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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APPLI CATOR S'3~ S TEMS
The present invention relates to applicator systems
capable of delivering a flowable composition from a
container at any orientation of the container.
Such an applicator system, hereinafter referred to as
an applicator system of the kind described, comprises:-
a container including an inner collapsible layer
distinct from an outer deformable layer, the inner.
collapsible layer defining a reservoir, and the outer
deformable layer being separated from the inner
collapsible layer by a buffer zone;
a dispenser including a first passageway distinct
from a second passageway, the first passageway being in
communication with the buffer zone and the second
passageway being in communication with the reservoir; and
valve means operable to control entry of air into the
buffer zone through the first passageway and exit of
flowable composition from the reservoir through the second
passageway.
However, a one-way flapper valve is provided to
control the entry of the air into the buffer zone through
the first passageway, and a physically separate one-way
flapper valve is provided to control the exit of the
flowable composition from the reservoir through the second
passageway.
It would be commercially desirable if an applicator
system of the kind described could be simplified, allowing
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assembly to be easier and thus allowing manufacture to be
more efficient.
Such a simplification is achieved by the present
invention, which provides an applicator system, for use in
delivering a flowable composition, comprising: (a) a
container including an inner collapsible layer distinct
from an outer deformable layer, the inner collapsible layer
defining a reservoir, and the outer deformable layer being
separated from the inner collapsible layer by a buffer
zone; (b) a dispenser including at least one air inlet
section, a flowable composition outlet section, and a first
passageway distinct from a second passageway, the first
passageway being in communication with the buffer zone and
ending at the air inlet section and the second passageway
being in communication with the reservoir and ending at the
flowable composition outlet section, wherein the buffer zone
is not in communication with the flowable composition outlet
section; and (c) valve means including an inlet part which
acts as a one-way check valve operable to control entry of
air into the buffer zone through the first passageway and
including an outlet part which acts as a one-way check valve
to control exit of flowable composition from the reservoir
through the second passageway; wherein the valve means is of
unitary construction.
It would be possible for the container to be a
delaminating container, in which the inner collapsible
layer progressively peels away from the outer deformable
layer, but the inner collapsible layer may alternatively
comprise a flexible bag.
Preferably, an inlet part of the valve means
controlling the first passageway is a flapper valve.
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To avoid reliance on a single air inlet, which may
become blocked by any of the flowable composition
dripping down the outside of the dispenser, the first
passageway may include a plurality of circumferentially
spaced air inlets, and the flapper valve may be of
annular shape.
Preferably, an outlet part of the valve means
controlling the second passageway is a quadrolobe valve -
a quadrolobe valve opens from the centre, rather than the
side, and is thus capable of achieving a smoother flow
during exit of the flowable composition from the
reservoir.
It will be appreciated that assembly is particularly
simple if the valve means is a push fit with the
dispenser.
More particularly, the quadrolobe valve may be a
push fit within the second passageway.
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It will also be appreciated that assembly of the
dispenser with the container can be simplified if the
dispenser is a simple direct or indirect push fit with the
container.
In one arrangement, the dispenser. is a push fit
within an insert, and the insert is a push fit within a
neck of the container, the insert having an annular
channel surrounding a tubular member, with the annular
channel including at least one opening forming part of the
first passageway, and the tubular member contacting the
valve means and forming part of the second passageway.
An applicator system, according to the present
invention, will now be described in greater detail, by way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:-
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cap, a
bottle, a flexible bag, a support tube, an insert, a
valve, a spout, a sponge pad, a comb housing and a comb -
all being components in a hair colouring kit embodying the
present invention:
Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional
view showing the cap when secured to the bottle;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the insert:
Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view, taken
perpendicularly to the cross-sectional view of Figure 2,
showing a dye container when docked with the insert to
allow dye in the dye container to be added to the flexible
bag;
Figure 5 is a~perspective view showing the spout when
secured to the bottle:
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Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional
view of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 5
but showing the sponge pad when secured to the spout:
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7:
Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the comb
housing when secured to the bottle with the comb secured
to the comb housing;
Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 9; and
Figures 11 and 12 are, respectively, cross-sectional
views of the comb and the comb housing before being
secured together.
('6
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Use of a hair colouring composition can be
problematical.
One problem is that the hair colouring composition
may need to be prepared from two or more component
materials just prior to use. This . means that the
component materials need to be stored separately in a
manner allowing a user to mix the component materials when
required. Typically, one of the component materials is
hydrogen peroxide and another of. the component materials
is a dye. The user must not, however, be exposed to any
danger or any risk of staining when adding the dye to the
hydrogen peroxide.
Another problem is that the hair colouring
composition may need to be applied to the hair through an
applicator at any angle. If the applicator is fed from a
simple squeeze bottle, the applicator will be ready for
use in any orientation when the squeeze bottle is full.
However, as the squeeze bottle is progressively emptied,
it is found that the applicator is not ready for immediate
use in any orientation, but may first need to be primed to
offset the effect of any suckback of the hair colouring
composition. This makes it difficult to control the
application of the hair colouring composition,
particularly to the hairline whilst avoiding staining of
the skin.
The present hair colouring kit not only allows the
hair colouring composition to be prepared just prior to
use, but has applicators fed by a user-controlled delivery
system in which the hair colouring composition is
discharged by a mechanically generated pressure
differential (not an aerosols in such a way that the hair
colouring composition is always ready to be discharged at
any orientation of~the delivery system.
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All orientation~delivery is possible for all of the
hair colouring composition which is discharged - which can
be over 90$ or even 95~ of the hair colouring composition
which has been prepared.
The present hair colouring kit also allows the hair
colouring composition to be delivered in user-regulated
amounts through applicators to specific areas to achieve
an even colour distribution with minimal mess.
No one applicator is equally suitable, even if
carefully manipulated, for applying hair colouring
composition to the roots, the hairline and the main body
of a head of hair. It is therefore usual to provide
applicators of different types selected from a line
applicator, a surface applicator and a brush/comb-like
applicator. The line applicator can be a spout with a
single outlet and the surface applicator can be of porous
material with a plurality of outlets. The brush/comb-like
applicator can have a plurality of outlets for dispensing
hair colouring composition which is then dispersed by a
plurality of elongate parting members. As might be
expected, the elongate parting members might resemble the
bristles of a brush or the teeth of a comb. All of the
different applicator types are to be brought into fluid
communication with a container for the hair colouring
composition.
Specific advantages of the present hair colouring kit
are that:-
(a) only a selected one of three applicators of different
type is exposed during use so that there is no risk during
manipulation of the hair of mess being caused by any hair
colouring composition left in or on the other applicators
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(b) a surface applicator from three applicators of
different type is of foam or sponge material having a
resiliently compressible porous structure to provide
improved spreading of the hair colouring composition; and
(c) a brush/comb-like applicator from three applicators
of different type has at least two of its outlets formed
in respective ones of its elongate parting members to
provide improved dispersal of the hair colouring
composition.
Other specific advantages of the present hair
colouring kit are that a one-piece valve simultaneously
performs the dual functions of controlling entry of air
and exit of hair colouring composition, a support for
elongate parting members is secured to a housing by at
least one catch which is releasable from a position remote
from the hair colouring composition and, with a line
applicator attached to a container, a brush/comb-like
applicator is locatable over the line applicator yet is
still attachable directly to the container.
Before describing a surface applicator with reference
to Figures 7 and 8, and a brush/comb-like applicator with
reference to Figures 9 to 12, a delivery system
incorporating a line applicator will be described with
reference to Figures 1 to 6.
A bottle 10 may be formed with a hollow body 12 which
is of generally oval section and is closed at a lower end
but has an open neck 14 at an upper end. The neck may be
formed with an external thread 16. The neck 14 may also
be formed with a pair of opposed lug means 18 of which
only one is shown in Figure 1. Each of the lug means 18
preferably includes a gap 20 approached by a ramp 22 for a
purpose to be described hereinafter.
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At least the body 12 may be formed of a resiliently ,
deformable plastics material such that the bottle 10 can
quickly reform in shape when released from having been
squeezed. The plastics material may be low density
polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) or
polypropylene and may be transparent. If. not transparent,
the plastics material is preferably translucent and may or
may not be coloured.
A flexible bag 24 may be formed ~of two overlapping.
sheets 26 of the same shape which are sealed together
around most of their common periphery to form a side
sealed sachet having an upper opening 28 and a lower V-
shaped edge 30. The bag 29 defines a reservoir for a
first material, such as hydrogen peroxide, and should
therefore provide a good moisture barrier. Each of the
sheets 26 may be of laminated metallised material, and
preferably includes the following three layers: LLDPE
sealant/adhesive/metallised PET (polyethylterphthalate). ,
The bag 29 is insertable into the bottle 10 through
the neck 19 to form a container with an outer deformable
layer (body 12) and an inner collapsible layer (sheets 26)
separated from one another by a buffer zone 32, as shown
in Figure 4.
As also shown in Figure 4, a support tube 34 may be
insertable into the bag 29 through the opening 28. The
tube 34 may have a plurality of holes 36 along its length
and provide an at least partially rigid channel which is
open in cross-section. A lower end 38 of the tube 34 may
be open or closed. The lower end 38 of the tube 34 can be
in contact with the bag 24 - alternatively, the lower end
38 of the tube 39 may be close to but not in contact with
the V-shaped edge 30 of the bag 24. An upper end of the
tube 34 may be secured to an insert 40 by any suitable
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method or means, and may be a simple push fit in the
insert 90.
The insert 40 is partially insertable into the bag 24
through the opening 28 and is also partially insertable
into the bottle 10 through the neck 14. Preferably, the
insert is permanently fixed in a fluid tight manner to the
sheets 26 around the opening 28, for example by heat or
ultrasonic welding. The insert 40 and the bag 24 could
alternatively be of unitary construction. The insert 40
is preferably irremovably fixed to the neck 14 by a simple
push fit or any other suitable method or means but could
alternatively be removable by a user to achieve a
refillable system.
As shown in Figures 2, 4 and 6, the insert 40 may be
a one-piece plastics moulding having a tubular member 42
which defines an orifice and extends centrally of a side
wall 44, a transverse wall 46 and a pair of opposed lower
sections 48.
The side wall 44 is shown with an outwardly extending
flange 50 at its upper end, for limiting insertion of the
insert 40 into the bottle 10, and an inwardly directed rib
52 at a position generally mid-way between the flange 50
and the transverse wall 46. The transverse wall 96 is
shown with a plurality of holes 54 therethrough for
joining the buffer zone 32 to an annular channel 56
defined between the tubular member 42 and the side wall 44
and thus surrounding the tubular member 42. The opposed
lower sections 48 are shown as hollow, to prevent sinkage
in moulding, and thereby facilitate the fluid tight fixing
of the insert 40 to the bag 24.
A lower end of the tubular member 42 may be inwardly
recessed for receiving the upper end of the tube 34 and an
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upper end of the tubular member 42 may be inwardly
chamfered.
Typically the bag 24 will be supplied to a user when
already partially filled with a first material, such as
hydrogen peroxide. It will therefore .be necessary to
prevent the first material escaping through the tube 34
and the tubular member 42. A removable flip top cap could
be provided for closing the upper end of the tubular
member 42. Alternatively, the upper end of the tubular
member 42 could be closed by a rupturable film seal.
Preferably, however, a removable cap 58 is provided, as
shown in Figure 2.
The cap 58, which may again be a one-piece plastics
moulding, may have a plug seal 60 for sealingly closing
the upper end of the tubular member 42. A securing part
62 of the cap 58 could be an airtight fit with the neck 14
of the bottle 10. However, there are advantages in
forming the securing part 62 of the cap 58 as a non-
airtight fit. For example, there could be an internal
thread 64 which is a breathable screw fit with the
external thread 16 on the neck 14 of the bottle 10 to
provide an air passageway to atmosphere from the annular
channel 56.
One advantage is that, if hydrogen peroxide in the
bag 24 became unstable and produced oxygen, the bag 24
could expand with air in the buffer zone 32 escaping
through the holes 54 in the insert 40 and then between the
threads 16 and 64.
Another advantage is that, if the buffer zone 32 were
to be subjected to an unwanted pressure change, for
example as a result of air travel, air could again either
escape from or enter the buffer zone 32 by the above-
indicated route.
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The hair colouring kit as so far described allows a
user to prepare a hair colouring composition or other
flowable composition just prior to use.
In practice, at least a second material is added to
the first material in the reservoir. If the reservoir had
been supplied in an empty state, or had been emptied in a
previous use, it would of course first be necessary to add
some first material to the reservoir. In any event, the
initially separated materials need to be allowed to mix.
As shown schematically, in Figure 4, the second
material may be stored in an entirely independent
container 66. If the first material is hydrogen peroxide,
the second material is likely to be a dye. As dyes can be
oxygen sensitive, the container 66 may need to provide an
excellent oxygen barrier. Moreover, if the dye is in the
form of a gel, cream or paste, for example, the container
66 could need to be plastically deformable to allow a user
to squeeze the dye therefrom. On the other hand, if the
dye is in the form of a liquid, the dye might be able ~ to
exit the container 66 under the influence of gravity.
If the container 66 is resiliently deformable, the
bag 24 is preferably inflated with air above the first
material - if the container 66 is not resiliently
deformable, the bag 24 is preferably deflated.
The user may be supplied with a plurality of the
containers 66 and each of the containers 66 may contain a
different material such as a different shade of hair
colorant with the intention that one or more of the
containers 66 are to be emptied into the reservoir to form
a particular flowable composition such as a hair colouring
composition of specifically selected shade.
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It is desirable for the container 66, or each of the
containers 66, to include a long nozzle 68 which can
extend completely through the tubular member 42 into the
tube 34. This can give good docking in that the container
66 is less likely to come apart from the bottle 10 even
when the user is using both hands to squeeze the container
66. It can also promote good mixing in that the contents
of the container 66 might be squirted from close range
directly into the contents of the bag 24. Clearly, it
will be necessary for the container 66 to be opened before
insertion of the long nozzle 68 into the tubular member
42, and opening may be effected by breaking off, cutting
off or twisting off the nozzle's tip 70 (shown in broken
outline in Figure 4).
It will be appreciated that, as the second material
is emptied from the container 66 into the bag 24, the
volume of any air in the bag 24 above the first material
will be progressively reduced, and any such compressed air
should be encouraged to escape to prevent the bag 24 from
expanding.
If the nozzle 68 is a loose fit in the tubular member
42, the compressed air will escape through that loose fit.
Alternatively, one or more splines could be formed along
the length of the nozzle 68 and/or one or more air escape
castellations could be formed on the dye container
adjacent a base of the nozzle 68. Dependent on the nature
of the second material in the container 66, and the
dimensions, the compressed air might inject upwards
through the second material to form an air pocket in the
container 66 which expands as the air pocket in the bag 24
contracts.
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Even if the bag 29 does expand, air in the buffer
zone 32 would escape through the holes 54 in the
transverse wall 46 of the insert 90, as previously
described.
After sufficient of the second material has been
added to the first material, the container 66 is removed
from the bottle 10 and is either discarded, or resealed
and saved for future use.
As alternatives to adding the second material to the
first material by decanting, the second material may be
contained in a container which is formed with or located
within the bag 24 and which is rupturable, for example by
squeezing the body 12 of the bottle 10, or which is
otherwise capable of allowing the second material to be
added to the first material.
When the second material has been added to the first
material, they are preferably mixed at this stage by
shaking the bottle 10. It would be possible for the user
to prevent escape of the contents of the bag 24 by placing
a gloved finger over the upper end of the tubular member
42 whilst shaking. It may be more convenient, however,
for the user to replace the cap 58 so that the plug seal
60 closes the upper end of the tubular member 42. In
either case, the tube 34 acts to restrain the bag 24,
while shaking and/or inverting the bottle 10, and thereby
aids mixing by allowing the contents of the bag 24 to move
more freely than the bag 29. It is believed that optimum
mixing by shaking occurs if around 10~ of the volume of
the bag 29 is left as headspace. If the bag 24 and the
body 12 of the bottle 10 are both translucent, it is
possible to check visually whether or not mixing has been
completed.
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To prepare for discharge of the flowable composition
formed by the first and the second materials, or more
specifically the hair colouring composition formed by the
hydrogen peroxide and the dye, the insert 40 is again
exposed to allow a spout 72 to be attached to the insert
40, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.
The spout 72 may once again be a one-piece plastics
moulding, here comprising a cylindrical portion 74 leading
to a domed portion 76 which itself leads to a tapered
portion 78. A bottom end of the cylindrical portion 74 is
formed with an outwardly directed rib 80. A top end of
the cylindrical portion 74 is formed adjacent a shoulder
82 presented by the domed portion 76. One or more, such
as three, air inlets 84 extend through the domed portion
76 and may be equally circumferentially spaced around the
domed portion 76. The tapered portion 78 is formed with
an elongate passageway 86 which gradually narrows along
its length from a larger lower end to a single outlet 88
at a smaller upper end. An annular recess 90 is formed in
an inner surface of the tapered portion 78 near the larger
lower end of.the passageway 86. An annular rib 92 is
formed on an outer surface of the tapered portion 78 near
the smaller upper end of the passageway 86.
A valve member 94, which may be formed of a silicone
polymer and may be of unitary construction, is attachable
to the spout 72.
Preferably, the valve member 94 includes an inlet
part in the form of an annular flapper valve 96 which acts
as a one-way check valve to control entry of air through
the air inlets 84.
Preferably, the valve member 94 also includes an
outlet part in the~form of a central quadrolobe valve 98
which acts as a one-way check valve to control exit of
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hair colouring composition through the passageway 86. A
quadrolobe valve 98 is preferred because it opens from the
centre not the side and thus gives a smoother flow of hair
colouring composition therethrough. However, as
alternatives to a quadrolobe valve 98, the outlet part of
the valve member 99 could be a flapper valve, an umbrella
valve or a duckbill valve.
The flapper valve 96 and the quadrolobe valve 98 may
be joined by an intermediate part including a transverse
sealing wall 100 and a frusto-conical locating wall 102
whose outer surface has an annular rib 104.
The valve member 99 is easily attached to the spout
72 by pushing the quadrolobe valve 98 into the passageway
86 until the annular rib 109 on the valve member 94
engages with the annular recess 90 in the spout 72.
The spout 72 is then itself easily attached to the
insert 40 by pushing the cylindrical portion 74 of the
spout 72 into the annular channel 56 of the insert 40
until the rib 80 on the cylindrical portion 74 snaps
passed the rib 52 on the insert 40, with an audible or at
least tangible click, at which time the shoulder 82 of the
spout 72 is brought into abutment with the flange 50 of
the insert 40 and the sealing wall 104 of the valve member
94 is brought into sealing engagement with the upper end
of the tubular member 42 of the insert 40.
In an alternative construction, the spout 72 can be
attached to the insert 40 by a screw fit rather than the
above-noted push fit.
The bottle 10 could be shaken after the spout 72 has
been attached to the insert 40 in order to mix or re-mix
the flowable composition.
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In order to deliver the hair colouring composition
from the bag 24 to the outlet 88 in the spout 72, from
where the hair colouring composition is discharged in a
line to for example the roots of a head of hair, the body
12 of the bottle 10 is squeezed by the user. This
compresses the air in the buffer zone 32 but the
compressed air cannot escape through the fluid passageway
including the holes 54, the annular channel 56 and the air
inlets 84 because the flapper valve 96 acts to close the
air inlets 84. Instead, the compressed air acts to partly
collapse the bag 24 so that some hair colouring
composition is forced out through the fluid passageway
including the tube 34, the tubular member 42, the frusto-
conical locating wall 202 and the quadrolobe valve 98,
which opens to let the hair colouring composition
therethrough. When the user stops squeezing the body 12
of the bottle 10, the bottle 10 quickly reforms in shape
so that the buffer zone 32 expands. The quadrolobe valve
98 closes to prevent suckback of the hair colouring
composition beyond the quadrolobe valve 98 and the bag 24
maintains its partly collapsed state. Instead, air is
sucked into the buffer zone 32 past the flapper valve 96
which opens to let air in through the air inlets 84.
Squeezing of the body 12 of the bottle 10 is repeated
by the user with whatever pressure and frequency is deemed
appropriate to the circumstances.
It will be appreciated that the holes 36 in the tube
34 can prevent the hair colouring composition becoming
trapped, as the bag 24 is progressively collapsed to bring
the sheets 26 of the bag 24 into contact with one another,
and the tube 34 might itself collapse to allow flowable
composition in the tube 34 to be discharged.
As the hair colouring composition is dispensed, the
user may see through the at least translucent body 12 that
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the bag 24 is collapsing. This should reassure a user wha
feared that the hair colouring composition could run out
without warning.
Although the reservoir for the first material may be
a side sealed sachet, as hereinbefore. described, the
reservoir could take other forms - for example, an inner
collapsible layer distinct from an outer deformable layer
would also be provided by an inverting-half-bag bottle or
a delaminating bottle, the latter preferably peeling
progressively away from a neck thereof, or by a
compression blown bag integrally moulded with the insert.
Moreover, although the valve member may be of unitary
construction but dual function, as hereinbefore described,
the valve member could take other forms - for example,
separate valves could be provided for controlling exit of
hair colouring composition and entry of air, the latter
possibly being a simple air hole in the body of the bottle
which a user closes with a finger.
Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, a surface
applicator 106 is shown removably secured over the outlet
88 of the spout 72. More particularly, the surface
applicator .106 may include a pad 108 of foam or sponge
material having a resiliently compressible porous
structure. Such a structure not only has a plurality of
outlets, but allows hair colouring composition emerging
from the outlet 88 to pass through the pad 108 and by
careful manipulation be evenly spread along the hairline.
The pad 108 may be located at or near an upper end of a
carrier 110 with a lower half of the carrier 110 being
frusto-conical in the direction leading from a smaller
upper end to a larger lower end. An inner surface of the
lower half of the carrier 110 may be formed with an
annular recess 112 for detachably engaging with the
annular rib 92 on the spout 72 when the carrier 110 is ._
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pushed onto the spout 72. The carrier 110 and the spout
72 may be mutually configured to avoid relative rotation.
The pad 108 may present a curved face, to facilitate
accurate application, with the curved face extending only
partly around the circumference of an upper half of the
carrier 110. If the pad 108 is formed of a plastics
material, and the carrier 110 is also formed of a plastics
material, the pad 108 may be fixed to the carrier 110 by
use of an adhesive. Clearly, if the original surface
applicator 106 is not to be cleaned and re-used, a range
of surface applicators 106 could be provided which are
either similar if intended to be disposable or different
if intended to be interchangeable.
As shown in Figures 9 to 12, a brush/comb-like
applicator 119 could be removably secured over the outlet
88 of the spout 72 instead of the surface applicator 106,
the brush/comb-like applicator 114 including a housing 116
and a releasable unit 118.
The brush/comb-like applicator 114 could be a screw
fit or a snap fit to the neck 14.
The housing 116 is yet another one-piece plastics
moulding here defining, considered from the top, an
aperture 120, a tapered open chamber 122 having a series
of slotted webs 124 on its opposed major side walls, a
guide tube 126 ensuring open communication into the
chamber 122 from a chamber 128, a slot 130 at an upper end
of the chamber 128, an internal thread 132 near a lower
end of the chamber 128, and a pair of opposed lug means
134 at the lower end of the chamber 128.
The internal thread 132 is preferably strippable from
a mould without screwing.
The housing 116 is a removable screw fit with the
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bottle 10 by virtue of the internal thread 132 in the
chamber 128 engaging the external thread 16 on the neck
14. As the housing 116 is progressively screwed on, the
outlet 88 of the spout 72 enters the guide tube 126.
Finally, the lug means 134 cam along the ramps 22 of the
lug means 18 and then snap into the gaps 20 of the lug
means 18. The snap may give an audible or at least
tangible click to indicate that the housing 116 has been
fully screwed onto the bottle 10. In this final position,
with the lug means 18 and 132 interengaged, the chamber
122 opens in the direction of the major axis of the body
12, which it will be recalled is of generally oval
section.
The releasable unit 118, which is the final component
of the present hair colouring kit, may again be formed as
a one-piece moulding of a plastics material such as
polypropylene, with an additive such as silicone to give a
low coefficient of friction.
The releasable unit 118 can be at least in part
translucent to signal to a user that the flowable
composition is about to be delivered.
The unit 118 comprises a support 136 which is
generally planar and gradually tapers from a narrower
upper end to a wider lower end. The narrower upper end
has a resiliently deflectable catch 138 extending
therefrom with a barb-like leading end 138a. The wider
lower end has a rigid catch 140 extending therefrom with a
barb-like leading end 140a. The periphery of the support
136 is formed with a skirt 142 which is of complementary
outline to the opening of the chamber I22. A plurality of
elongate parting members, such as substantially rigid
teeth 144, project from the support 136 in a direction
opposed to the resiliently deflectable catch 138, the
rigid catch 140 and the skirt 142. A plurality of outlets ._
CA 02310372 2000-OS-17
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146 for the flowable composition can extend through the
support 136.
As shown most clearly in Figure 9, the teeth 144 may
be arranged in two rows. The teeth 144 may but need not
necessarily have generally triangular outlines of
different transverse dimensions when viewed from the ends
of the two rows. The transverse dimensions of the teeth
144 may progressively increase from the narrower upper end
of the support 136 to the wider lower end of the support
136. Moreover, the teeth 144 of the different rows may be
staggered with respect to one another, and may again have
generally triangular outlines but now of generally similar
thicknesses when viewed from the sides of the two rows.
As shown most clearly in Figure 11, at least two but
possibly all of the outlets 146 further extend through
respective ones of the teeth 144. However, it may be
desirable for one or more of the outlets 146 not to extend
through the teeth 144. For example, at least one outlet
146 may be positioned in the support 136 between adjacent
ones of the teeth 144. At least two but possibly all of
the outlets 146 which extend through the teeth 144 may
emerge through orifices 148 at the free ends of the teeth
194.
In fact, although it is convenient to state that the
orifices 148 are at the free ends of the teeth 144, the
orifices 148 may be slightly set back from the free ends
of the teeth 194, partly to avoid direct coating of the
scalp, and partly as a result of a preferred moulding
technique known as the passing face shut off technique,
which allows the orifices 148 to be formed by a simple
two-part mould without need of side pins.
To assemble the unit 118 with the housing 116, it is
merely necessary to locate the barb-like leading end 140a
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_ WO 9912651 I PCTNS98124840
21
of the rigid catch 140 in the slot 130 and then pivot.
This brings the free edge of the skirt 142 into engagement
with the slotted webs 124 and also deflects the barb-like
leading end 138a of the catch 138 to allow entry of the
catch 138 into the aperture 120. The unit 118 is fully
secured to the housing 116 when the barb-like leading end
138a of the catch 138 emerges from the aperture 120 to
snap engage with the material of the housing 116 around
the aperture 120.
To remove the unit 118 from the housing 116, the
reverse procedure is followed. The catch 138 is
releasable by finger pressure. Alternatively, it may be
possible to release the catch 138 by rolling the housing
116 over a hard surface in a manner such that the hard
surface knocks the barb-like leading end 138a of the catch
138 back into the aperture 120. It will be appreciated
that release of the catch 138 occurs remotely of the
orifices 148.
One reason for removing the unit 118 from the housing
116 may be to facilitate cleaning of any residual hair
colouring composition.
Another reason for removing the unit I18 from the
housing 116 may be to allow replacement by another unit
118 of different type. For example, it may be desirable
to replace the substantially rigid teeth 149, which give a
comb-like construction, by either a brush-like
construction including a plurality of resiliently flexible
bristles, or a sponge-like construction or, indeed,
another comb-like construction in which there are teeth
and/or orifices of different dimensions and/or different
configurations. This may facilitate thorough dispersal o,f
dispensed hair colouring composition in different .
situations, such as different hair lengths or different
hair types.
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22
The dimensions, positions and shapes of the orifices
148 may be changed, in different units 118, dependent on
the rheology of the hair colouring composition, or on the
need for different colouring results such as root
coverage, streaking or highlighting.
As a general matter, relevant to all of the present
disclosure, the first container in which the first
material is to be held can be construed as including the
bottle when fitted with any one or combination of the
different applicators.
As another general matter, relevant to all of the
present disclosure, the flowable composition can be
capable of demonstrating pseudo-plastic flow behaviour,
here meaning that the flowable composition decreases in
viscosity as it is sheared and, once the shearing has
stopped, the internal structure of the flowable
composition (which was responsible for the original
viscosity) rebuilds very quickly causing an increase in
viscosity approaching that of the original viscosity.
The flowable composition should be capable of the
above-noted pseudo-plastic flow behaviour within a shear
strain rate range of O.Ols-1 to 10, OOOs-', which is the most
probable shear strain rate range to be encountered when
the flowable composition is a hair colouring composition.
An example of a suitable flowable composition could
have a viscosity of no less than 0. O1 Pa. s (preferably no
less than 0.15 Pa.s) when measured at a shear strain rate
of 2000s-' and no more than 5 Pa.s (preferably no more than
1.4 Pa. s) when measured at a shear strain rate of lOs-'.
