POT EMPILABLE POUR PRODUIT COSMETIQUE

STACKABLE COSMETIC JAR

Abrégé français

Cette invention concerne un pot (2) destiné à un produit cosmétique, ledit pot comprenant un corps de contenant non circulaire (4) et une fermeture à bouchon (14). Le corps de contenant (4) possède une extrémité fermée (6) définie par un panneau inférieur (8) et une extrémité ouverte définie par une bouche (12). Une surface extérieure du panneau inférieur (8) est dotée de pieds (66) disposés symétriquement et en forme de croissant qui font saillie. La fermeture à bouchon (14) inclut un accessoire (16) pouvant être logé autour de la bouche (12) et qui se trouve sur le corps de contenant (4). Un couvercle (18) est relié par charnière à l'accessoire (16) et défini par un panneau couvrant (20) présentant une surface supérieure bombée. Cette surface supérieure inclut une paire d'entailles en forme de croissant (24, 26) formées de manière symétrique l'une par rapport à l'autre le long de bords opposés du panneau couvrant (20). Ces entailles en forme de croissant (24, 26) permettent d'empiler les pots les uns sur les autres tout en assurant une bonne stabilité. Le panneau couvrant bombé (arrondi) (20) répartit plus uniformément la force (venant des pots empilés) le long de la fermeture à bouchon (14). Ainsi, les pots ont des parois moins épaisses, et le poids du plastique s'en trouve réduit.

Abrégé anglais

A jar (2) for a cosmetic product is provided which includes a non-circular
container body (4) and a cap closure
(14). The container body (4) features a closed end (6) defined by a bottom
panel (8) and an open end defined by a mouth (12). The
bottom panel (8) on an exterior surface is formed with projecting crescent
shaped symmetrically disposed feet (66). The cap
closure (14) includes a fitment (16) engageable around the mouth (12) and
supported on the container body (4). A lid (18) is
hingedly connected to the fitment (16) and defined by a roof panel (20) having
a domed upper surface. The upper surface includes a pair
of crescent shaped indents (24, 26) formed symmetrical to each other along
opposite edges of the roof panel (20). The crescent
shaped indents (24, 26) allow stacking of one jar upon another with good
stability. The domed (curved) roof panel (20) distributes
force (from stacked jars) more evenly along the cap closure (14). This permits
a decrease in jar wall thickness which leads to a
reduction in plastic weight.

Revendications

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CLAIMS
1. A jar (12) for cosmetic products comprising:
(i) a non-circular container body (4) having a dosed end (6) defined by a
bottom panel
(8) and an open end defined by a mouth (12), the bottom panel (8) on an
exterior
surface formed with projecting crescent shaped symmetrically disposed feet
(66); and
(ii) a cap closure (14), characterised in what the cap closure comprises;
(a) a fitment (16) engageable around the mouth (12) and supported on the
container
body (4); and
(b) a lid (18) hingedly connected to the fitment (16) and defined by a roof
panel (20)
having a domed upper surface, the upper surface comprising a pair of crescent
shaped indents (24, 26) symmetrical to each other formed along opposite edges
of the roof panel (20),
the projecting crescent shaped symmetrically disposed feet shaped to engage,
when
stacked above another similar jar, the crescent shaped indents of the other
similar jar.
2. A jar according to claim 1 wherein the crescent shaped indents (24, 26)
comprise a middle
section (28) flanked on either side by terminal sections (30, 32), the middle
section (28)
being grooved deeper into the roof panel (20) than the terminal sections (30,
32).
3. A jar according to claim 2 wherein the terminal sections (30, 32) have a
V-shaped floor.
4. A jar according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the roof panel (20)
is
bordered by a downward projecting skirt (34), the skirt (34) having a front
portion (36), a
rear portion (38) and two side portions (40, 42) opposite one another bridging
the front
and rear portions (36, 38).
5. A jar according to claim 4 wherein the front and rear portions (36, 38)
have lower
concavely formed edges (44).

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6. A jar according to any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising a seal
plug (46)
downwardly projecting from an interior surface of the roof panel (48), the
seal plug (46)
being interior to and uninterruptedly juxtaposed to the front, rear and side
portions of the
skirt (36, 38, 40, 42).
7. A jar according to claim 6 wherein the seal plug (46) has a front
section (50), a rear section
(52) and two side sections (54, 56) opposite one another bridging the front
and rear
sections (50, 52), the front and rear sections (50, 52) having lower convexly
formed edges
(58).
8. A jar according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein a lid seal (60) surrounds
the mouth (12) and
projects upwardly toward the lid (18).
9. A jar according to claim 8 wherein the seal plug (46) in a dosed
position is seated interior
to and matingly with the lid seal (60).
10. A jar according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the lid seal (60) along a
perimeter thereof
has an outwardly projecting seal bead (62), the seal bead (62) seated matingly
with an
interior of the front portion of the skirt (36) along a lower concavely formed
edge thereof
(44).
11. A jar according to claim 10 further comprising a support ridge (64) on
the fitment (16)
below the seal bead (62), the support ridge (64) having a convex curvature to
matingly
engage the concavely formed lower edges of the front and rear portions of the
skirt (36,
38).

Description

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STACKABLE COSMETIC JAR
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns jars which have domed lids and are structured to be
stackable
one upon another.
Ordinarily the term "jar" refers to a squat large-mouthed container. In the
cosmetics art,
jars are the packaging of choice for cold creams and for petrolatum. Indeed,
petrolatum
jars sold under the trademark of VASELINE or VASELINOS are the premier jar
cosmetic
products. Since these packages are proportionately squat, retailers need to
stack one jar
upon another to efficiently utilize store shelf space. Stackability is also a
desirable feature
in transport of these packages from manufacture to the retail store.
Environmental concerns and economics provide an incentive to light weight
packages.
Excess plastic desirably should be removed from packaging. Ordinarily jars
need to be
stackable to conserve space. A certain amount of plastic is needed to render
walls of the
jar sufficiently sturdy for stacking.
We have found that curved (dome) caps distribute force more evenly. Less
downward
force is generated. Consequently the jars can be constructed with thinner
walls than
ordinarily required for flat capped jars. Of course the problem with curved
surfaces is
that objects are not readily stably perched thereon. Curvature presents
stackability
problems.
US 6 412 634 (Telesca et al.) discloses a domed flip-top dispenser for
towelettes. Around
the inner towelette dispensing aperture is a domed platform congruent with the
domed
lid. A special plug seal is described to ensure tight fit between lid and
dispensing
aperture. A focus of the present invention is to provide a jar with a lid
having a
curvilinear top surface permitting a second similar jar to be stably
positioned atop the
first. A secondary objective of certain embodiments according to the present
invention is
to provide a sealing system suitable for a jar with curvature.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Ajar for cosmetic products is provided which includes:
(i) a non-circular container body having a closed end defined by a bottom
panel and an
open end defined by a mouth, the bottom panel on an exterior surface formed
with
projecting crescent shaped symmetrically disposed feet;
(ii) a cap closure including:
(a) a fitment engageable around the mouth and supported on the container body;
(b) a lid hingedly connected to the fitment and defined by a roof panel having
a
domed upper surface, the upper surface including a pair of crescent shaped
indents symmetrical to each other formed along opposite edges of the roof
panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more
evident upon
consideration of the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a plan perspective view of a jar according to one embodiment of
the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 3 is an illustration of stacked jars;
Figure 4 is a plan elevational view similar to that of Figure 1 except that
the lid has been
moved into an open position;
Figure 5A is a cross-sectional partial view along line 5A-5A of Figure 2
showing the depth
variation and configuration of the crescent shaped indent on the roof panel;
Figure 5B is a cross-sectional partial view along line 5B-5B of Figure 5A
showing depth
near terminal section of the indent;
Figure 5C is a cross-sectional partial view along line 5C-5C of Figure 5A
showing depth
around a middle section of the indent;

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Figure 6 is a cross-section along line 6-6 of Figure 1;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the partial area in dashed outline shown
in Figure 6;
and
Figure 8 is an elevational tilted view of the jar showing a bottom panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
We have found that use of a pair of crescent shaped indents (curved grooves)
prevent
slippage. The indents prevent not only a stacked jar from sliding off the roof
panel of
another jar but they also prevent a sideways fall. The crescent geometry of
the present
invention ensures that both directions of instability on a cap closure can be
minimized.
Figure 1 illustrates the jar 2 of the present invention. This package includes
a non-circular
container body 4 having a closed end 6 defined by a bottom panel 8 and an open
end
defined by a mouth 12.
A cap closure 14 is placed over the open end 10 of the container body.
Figure 1 illustrates a fully closed position of the cap closure. Figure 4
illustrates an open
position. The cap closure includes a fitment 16 engageable around the mouth 12
and
supported on the container body. A lid 18 is hingedly connected to the
fitment. The lid
is defined by a roof panel 20 having a domed upper surface.
Figure 2 illustrates the upper surface as including a pair of crescent shaped
indents 24, 26
symmetrical to each other and formed along opposite edges of the roof panel.
Figure 3
illustrates jar 2 serving as a base for jar 3 (shown without a cap closure) in
a stacking
arrangement.
Figure 5A illustrates a cross-sectional partial view of the lid with focus
upon the crescent
shaped indent 24. The indent includes a middle section 28 flanked on either
side by
terminal sections 30, 32. The middle section 28 has a rounded and at midpoint
almost
flat floor; it is grooved deeper into the roof panel than the terminal
sections 30, 32.
Figure 5C best illustrates the middle section. There is also a geometric
difference

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between the sections. Terminal sections 30, 32 have a V-shaped floor. Figure
5B best
illustrates the terminal sections.
Figure 4 best illustrates an interior surface 48 of the roof panel 20. The
roof panel is
bordered by a downward projecting skirt 34. This skirt is defined by a front
portion 36, a
rear portion 38 and two side portions 40, 42 opposite one another. The side
portions
bridge the front and rear portions. The front and rear portions have lower
concavely
formed edges 44.
A seal plug 46 projects downwardly from the interior surface 48 of the roof
panel. The
seal plug is interior to and uninterruptedly juxtaposed along front, rear and
side portions
of the skirt. Further, the seal plug has a front section 50, a rear section 52
and two side
sections 54, 56. The front and rear sections have lower convexly formed edges
58.
A lid seal 60 surrounds the mouth 12 and projects upwardly toward the lid 18.
Along a
perimeter of the lid seal 60 is an outwardly projecting seal bead 62, best
shown in Figure
7. The seal bead is seated matingly against an interior of the front portion
36 of the skirt
along the lower concavely formed edge 44. In a closed lid position, the jar
features the
seal plug seated interior to and matingly with the lid seal.
A support ridge 64 is found on the fitment 16 below the seal bead. The support
ridge
has a convex curvature to matingly engage the concavely formed lower edges of
the
front and rear portions of the skirt.
Figure 8 illustrates the bottom panel 8 of the container body being formed
concavely
outward and downward. This structure creates along an outer perimeter of the
bottom
panel a set of juxtaposed feet 66 shaped to engage the crescent shaped indent
24 of jar 2
when stacked atop this jar 2.