A container

Abstract

A container 10 comprises a first chamber 12 and a second chamber 20. The first chamber 12 comprises a deformable body 14, an inlet 16 to the deformable body 14 and an outlet 18 from the deformable bod

Description

This invention relates to a container. It is common for people who take regular showers to use shower gel to wash themselves. Shower gel is normally provided in a deformable container that has a lid that flips open. The person using the shower gel will open the container lid and squirt out a small amount of shower gel onto their hand or a sponge and use that to wash themselves. The person can open and close the lid of the shower gel container as often as required in order to extract the necessary shower gel. There are a number of issues with this common arrangement. Firstly, almost all shower gel containers are single use containers and are thrown away once they are empty. This creates unnecessary waste, particularly of plastics containers. Secondly, the dosing of the shower gel is inaccurate, and as a result a user will often squirt out more shower gel than they need, creating unnecessary waste of the shower gel. Thirdly, it can be difficult for a user to create the necessary lather to use the shower gel effectively, when the shower gel is delivered in this manner. It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art. According to the present invention, there is provided a container comprising a first chamber comprising a deformable body, an inlet to the deformable body and an outlet from the deformable body, and a second chamber comprising a rigid body storing a fluid, an outlet from the rigid body that is connected to the inlet of the deformable body and a dosing mechanism for providing a dose of the fluid through the outlet of the rigid body and into the inlet of the deformable body. Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a container that can be used for the storage and use of fluids such as shower gel that overcomes the problems in the prior art shower gel containers. The second chamber of the container can be used as an effective refill pack, which reduces the amount of plastics waste that would occur with conventional shower gel containers, since this chamber can be refilled once empty. The improved container also supports the use of more accurate dosing of the fluid, such as a shower gel, since the dosing mechanism will provide a more carefully calibrated dose of the fluid that the end user will require. The provision of the first chamber also allows the dosed fluid to be mixed with water in the first chamber, for example by shaking the container once the fluid has been dosed into the first chamber, which provides a quick and efficient method of creating a soap lather, prior to application on the users’ body. Advantageously, the first chamber and the second chamber are releasably connected together. In a preferred embodiment of the container, the first chamber and the second chamber are connected together by screw threads located on the bodies of the respective chambers. The container is preferably constructed so that the first and second chambers are separate components. This allows the second chamber, which stores the fluid such as shower gel, to be provided as a refill pack that can be replaced or refilled once it has been used. This further improves the reusability of the container and lowers the amount of single use plastics that are needed to create an effective working dispenser, such as a shower gel dispenser. Preferably, the first chamber and the second chamber have respective circular cross-sections. In one embodiment, the circular cross-section of the first chamber is greater than the circular cross-section of the second chamber. The two chambers could also have the same circular cross-section. The container can essentially be tubular and this makes the container easy to hold and use, when a person is, for example, in a shower. The use of different sizes of cross-section helps to distinguish between the two chambers that make up the container and this allows the end user to be able to orientate and use the container in an appropriate fashion. Ideally, the dosing mechanism for providing a dose of the fluid through the outlet of the rigid body and into the inlet of the deformable body comprises a button on the exterior of the rigid body of the second chamber. The dosing mechanism that is present as part of the second chamber is used to dose the fluid that is stored within the rigid body of the second chamber into the deformable body of the first chamber. One preferred embodiment of the dosing mechanism is the provision of a button on the exterior of the rigid body. The button could be rigid or could be a soft silicon type button. The use of a button provides a clear and simple construction that allows the user to easily perform the function of dosing the fluid from the second chamber to the first chamber. The user pressing the button on the exterior of the rigid body of the second chamber creates an increased pressure within the rigid body and the pressure differential results in a predefined amount of the fluid being forced from the second chamber to the first chamber. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a container, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the container, Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of the container of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram, similar to Figure 2, of a third embodiment of the container. Figure 1 shows a container 10 comprising a first chamber 12 comprising a deformable body 14, an inlet 16 to the deformable body 14 and an outlet 18 from the deformable body 14, and a second chamber 20 comprising a rigid body 22 storing a fluid 24, an outlet 26 from the rigid body 22 that is connected to the inlet 16 of the deformable body 14 and a dosing mechanism 28 for providing a dose of the fluid 24 through the outlet 26 of the rigid body 22 and into the inlet of the deformable body 14. The container 10 can be used to store and deliver shower gel 24, which is stored within the second chamber 20. The lower first chamber 12 is empty and is used to create a space where the shower gel 24 can be mixed with water to create the necessary lather to use during their shower. To perform this operation, the user must first introduce water into the first chamber 12. There are a number of ways in which this can be achieved, with the water being drawn into the first chamber 12 via the outlet 18 of the deformable body 14. The user could simply turn the container 10 upside down under the water flow of the shower to introduce water into the first chamber 12. This allows a portion of the deformable body 14 to be filled with water. The container 10 is provided with a sliding panel 8, that covers an aperture that provides entry to the first chamber 12. The user can slide back the panel 8 and introduce water into the first chamber through the aperture that has been uncovered by the sliding panel 8. Once the user has introduced a small amount of water into the first chamber 12, they can then dose a small amount of the fluid shower gel 24 from the second chamber 20 into the first chamber 12. At this point there is a unmixed composition of water and fluid shower gel 24 in the first chamber 12. In order to mix the two components together, the user can shake the container 10 and this will cause the contents of the first chamber 12 (the water and shower gel 24) to be combined together to create a soap lather that the person can use to wash with in the shower. To expel the lather from the first chamber 12, the user can squeeze the deformable body 14 to cause the lather to exit the first chamber 12 via the outlet 26 in the deformable body 14. Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the container 10. The main components of the container 10 are the same as in the embodiment of Figure 1. The first chamber 12 comprises a deformable body 14, an inlet 16 to the deformable body 14 and an outlet 18 from the deformable body 14. The second chamber 20 comprises a rigid body 22 for storing a fluid 24, an outlet 26 from the rigid body 22 that is connected to the inlet 16 of the deformable body 14 and a dosing mechanism 28. As before, the dosing mechanism 28 is for providing a dose of the fluid 24 through the outlet 26 of the rigid body 22 and into the inlet of the deformable body 14. The dosing mechanism 28 for providing a dose of the fluid 24 through the outlet 26 of the rigid body 22 and into the inlet of the deformable body 14 comprises a button 28 on the exterior of the rigid body 22 of the second chamber 20. The button 28 is a soft silicon button. The button 28 allows the user to easily perform the function of dosing the fluid 24 from the second chamber 20 to the first chamber 12. The user presses the button 28 on the exterior of the rigid body 22 of the second chamber 20 and this creates an increased pressure within the rigid body 20. The pressure differential results in a predefined amount of the fluid 24 being forced from the second chamber 20 to the first chamber 12. The principal difference between the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 is that in the embodiment of Figure 2, the container 10 is constructed so the first chamber 12 and the second chamber 20 are releasably connected together and in this arrangement the first chamber 12 and the second chamber 20 are connected together by screw threads 30 and 32 located on the bodies 14 and 22 of the respective chambers 12 and 20. The allows the two chambers 12 and 20 of the container 10 to be easily separated from each other. The second chamber 20 can be a refill pack that can be replaced when empty, with a new replacement second chamber 20 being screwed in place to the first chamber 12. The first chamber 12 and the second chamber 20 have respective circular cross-sections. The circular cross-section of the first chamber 12 is greater than the circular cross-section of the second chamber 20. The container 10 is tubular and this makes the container 10 easy to hold and use. When a person is in a shower, they can hold the container 10 in one hand and shake the container to mix the soap and water together. The use of different sizes of cross-section helps to distinguish between the two chambers 12 and 20 that make up the container 10. This allows the end user to be able to orientate and use the container 10 in the correct fashion. Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the components of the second embodiment of the container 10 that is shown in Figure 2. As explained above, the first chamber 12 and the second chamber 20 are releasably connected together in this embodiment of the container 10. Screw threads 30 and 32 are located on the bodies 14 and 22 of the respective chambers 12 and 20. The refill pack 20 is a rigid polymer component that contains concentrated soap 24 and screws onto the main body 14 of the container 10. There is a soft plastic button 28 on top of the second chamber 20 which, when pressed, forces air and the concentrated soap 24 into the main chamber 12. On the underside of the second chamber 20 is the outlet 26 from the rigid body 22 that will be connected to the inlet 16 of the deformable body 14 when the two components 12 and 20 are screwed together. The concentrated soap 24 that leaves the second chamber 20 when the user presses the button 28 exits the outlet 26 of the second chamber 20 and then enters into the top of the first chamber 12 via the inlet 16 that is present on the top of the deformable body 14. This allows the user to dose a small amount of the concentrated soap 24 from the second chamber 20 into the first chamber 12 in preparation for the mixing of the sap 24 with water inside the first chamber 12. The first chamber 12 is a squeezable plastic bottle 12 which can be filled with water through the opening 18 in the base of the first chamber 12 and with soap 24 through the top opening 16. The water and soap 24 flow into the space within the deformable body 14 and the container 10 can be shaken to produce an even foam, which is suitable for use by the person who is using the shower in a shower. The outlet 18 on the bottom of the first chamber 12 allows bubbles to be squeezed out of the container 12 by the user. Once the first chamber 12 has been emptied of the mixture of soap and water, then the user can repeat the process, with water being drawn into the first chamber 12 and then soap 24 being dosed into the first chamber 12 and mixed with the water by shaking the container 10. Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the container 10. This embodiment of the container 10 is similar to that of container shown in Figure 2. The container 10 is again constructed so the first chamber 12 and the second chamber 20 are releasably connected together. As before, the first chamber 12 and the second chamber 20 are connected together by screw threads 30 and 32 located on the bodies 14 and 22 of the respective chambers 12 and 20. The two chambers 12 and 20 function in the same manner as in the previous embodiments, with the first chamber 12 being empty to start with and the second chamber 20 storing the fluid soap 24. The second chamber 20 further comprises a further aperture 34 into the deformable body 14. This further aperture 34 is located on the side of the deformable body 14 towards the top of the body 14 and functions as a water inlet 34. This aperture 34 is provided to allow the user to be able to introduce water into the interior of the first chamber 12 rather than through the outlet 18 of the first chamber 12. The aperture can therefore be larger than the outlet 18 to make it easier for the user to get the water into the first chamber 12, in preparation for the mixing of the water with the soap 24 that is present in the second chamber 20. The aperture 34 can also be provided with a closing mechanism, such as the sliding panel 8 shown in the embodiment of Figure 1, that allows the user to open and close the aperture 34 as and when needed. In the embodiment of the container 10 that is shown in Figure 4, the user will use the closing mechanism to open the aperture 34, introduce the water into the first chamber 12, close the aperture 34 with the closing mechanism and then dose a small amount of the concentrated soap 24 from the second chamber 20 into the first chamber 12. The user can then perform the mixing operation of the soap and water to create the foam and / or lather that is required for their showering. This can then be dispensed from the container 10 via the outlet 18 of the first chamber 12 by squeezing the deformable body 14 of the first chamber 12.

Claims

1. A container (10) comprising:• a first chamber (12) comprising a deformable body (14), an inlet (16) to the deformable body (14) and an outlet (18) from the deformable body (14), and• a second chamber (20) comprising a rigid body (22) storing a fluid (24), an outlet (26) from the rigid body (22) that is connected to the inlet (16) of the deformable body (14) and a dosing mechanism (28) for providing a dose of the fluid (24) through the outlet (26) of the rigid body (22) and into the inlet of the deformable body (14).

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber (12) and the second chamber (20) are releasably connected together.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the first chamber (12) and the second chamber (20) are connected together by screw threads (30, 32) located on the bodies (14, 22) of the respective chambers (12, 20).

4. A container according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first chamber (12) and the second chamber (20) have respective circular crosssections.

5. A container according to claim 4, wherein the circular crosssection of the first chamber (12) is greater than the circular cross-section of the second chamber (20).

6. A chamber according to any preceding claim, wherein the dosing mechanism (28) for providing a dose of the fluid (24) through the outlet (26) of the rigid body (22) and into the inlet of the deformable body (14) comprises a button (28) on the exterior of the rigid body (22) of the second chamber (20).

7. A chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the dosing mechanism (28) for providing a dose of the fluid (24) through the outlet (26) of the rigid body (22) and into the inlet of the deformable body (14)5 comprises a turnable key (28) on the exterior of the rigid body (22) of the second chamber (20).

8. A chamber according to any preceding claim, wherein the second chamber (20) further comprises a further aperture (34) into the io deformable body (14).

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