Sanitizer dispenser

Abstract

The present invention relates to a disinfectant dispenser (1,1') and a method of disinfection using such a disinfectant dispenser (1,1'), comprising a container body (10) with a first compartment (11) and a second compartment (12) separated from each other, the first compartment (11) containing a disinfectant substance (20) and the second compartment (12) containing a hydrating substance (30), and a dispenser outlet (50,50') attached to the container body (10), configured to dispense the disinfectant substance (20) from the first compartment (11) and the hydrating substance (30) from the second compartment (12).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 212,901, filed June 21, 2021, and European Application No. 21182637.5, filed June 30, 2021, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference.

[0002] Technical Field The present invention relates to a disinfectant dispenser and a method of disinfection using such a disinfectant dispenser.

[0003] Background technology Disinfection is required to kill or inactivate pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms. In particular, epidemic or pandemic situations, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, require frequent application of disinfectant substances to the skin. Such disinfectant substances may be antiviral drugs and may be provided in the form of a solution. However, such substances are harmful to the skin, causing severe skin dryness and secondary skin diseases. Moreover, disinfectants have an unpleasant odor.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, i.e. in particular to provide a solution for disinfection which prevents drying out and unpleasant odors.

[0005] These objects, as well as other objects which become apparent on reading the following description, are solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0006] Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a disinfectant dispenser comprising a container body with a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment and the second compartment being separated from each other, the first compartment containing a disinfectant substance and the second compartment containing a hydrating substance, and a dispenser outlet attached to the container body, the dispenser outlet configured to dispense the disinfectant substance from the first compartment and the hydrating substance from the second compartment.

[0007] Thus, the disinfectant dispenser includes both a function for dispensing a disinfectant substance (i.e., a hygiene function) and a function for dispensing a hydrating substance (i.e., a skin hydration function) in a single device. At the same time, the latter function can cause a pleasant smell. The dispenser can be used for application of substances to a surface (e.g., skin). The dispenser can be used by a user to dispense each substance onto a surface such as the skin, successively or at least partially at the same time, i.e., simultaneously. The dispenser thus includes a solution that promotes easy disinfection and at the same time prevents the skin from dehydrating and becoming unpleasantly smelly. As these compartments are provided by the container body, the provided solutions are further advantageous in terms of compactness and handling. For example, the container body may include one or more walls that divide the container body into compartments that are different from each other, i.e., the one or more walls may be arranged to define the compartments. Furthermore, the disinfectant dispenser improves the aesthetics of the final product, i.e., the combination of the disinfectant substance and the hydrating substance.

[0008] The dispenser outlet may be configured such that, upon operation of the dispenser outlet, the disinfecting substance is dispensed from the first compartment and the hydrating substance is dispensed from the second compartment. This allows the dispenser to dispense both substances (e.g. automatically) by a single user operation. The dispenser can therefore be used very conveniently. For example, the configuration of the dispenser outlet is such that, upon operation of the dispenser outlet, the dispensing of the disinfecting substance at least partially precedes and / or occurs at least partially simultaneously with the dispensing of the hydrating substance. The dispenser outlet thus dispenses the substances in a defined order, thereby providing sufficient disinfection and hydration of the skin without requiring the user to operate the dispenser in a particular manner. The simultaneous dispensing of the substances may be performed such that the substances are mixed with each other, for example, as they flow through and / or are discharged from the dispenser outlet. For example, the dispenser outlet may comprise a dispensing outlet for discharging the substances from the disinfectant dispenser, and the substances may mix (or combine or merge) upstream of the dispensing outlet, within the dispensing outlet, and / or downstream of the dispensing outlet. Thus, the substances (e.g., in fluid or liquid form) may be combined within the dispensing outlet immediately prior to administration to the skin, or may be administered sequentially to combine on the skin.

[0009] The dispenser outlet may comprise a first section and a second section operable independently of each other, the first section operable to dispense a disinfectant substance and the second section operable to dispense a hydrating substance. Thus, the dispenser outlet can be easily used to selectively dispense a disinfectant substance or a hydrating substance. For example, the first section and the second section can be used for sequential dispensing and thus application of a disinfectant substance and a hydrating substance.

[0010] The first section is preferably located adjacent to the second section, which allows for a compact dispenser outlet and therefore a compact sanitizer dispenser.

[0011] The dispenser outlet may comprise a section operable to dispense both the disinfectant and hydration substances, preferably through a single dispensing opening. For example, the dispenser comprises a single section operable to dispense both the disinfectant and hydration substances. Thus, the dispenser facilitates a user to dispense the substances with a reduced number of user actions.

[0012] In particular, the sanitizer dispenser may be adapted for the so-called "2-in-1" application of a sanitizing substance and a hydrating substance.

[0013] The dispenser outlet may be operable by contact, such as pressing. For example, the dispenser outlet may comprise one or more operating elements that are touch-sensitive (e.g., can be moved, displaced or pressed) and thus can be operated by contact. Additionally or alternatively, the dispenser outlet may be operable by non-contact operation. For example, the dispenser outlet may comprise a sensor configured to detect one or more (spatial) conditions of an object (such as a hand or finger) in the vicinity of the sensor, e.g., in front of the sensor, e.g., the presence or absence of an object (such as a hand or finger). Thus, based on the detected condition (such as the presence of an object), the dispenser outlet may be operated to dispense a disinfectant and / or a hydrating substance. For example, a first detected condition operates the dispenser outlet to dispense a disinfectant and / or a hydrating substance, and a second detected condition operates the dispenser outlet to dispense a hydrating substance.

[0014] The compartments may be disposed adjacent to one another, thereby providing a compact container body.

[0015] The container body may include a bottom and a top, the compartment extending from the bottom to the top, and the dispenser outlet attached to the top. The bottom is typically the portion of the container body in which the sanitizer dispenser is placed.

[0016] Preferably, at least a portion of the container body is transparent. Preferably, at least the second compartment and / or the first compartment are at least partially transparent. For example, at least a portion of one or more walls or side walls included in the container body may be transparent.

[0017] The disinfectant may be in fluid and / or liquid form. The disinfectant may be an alcoholic composition, such as a hydroalcoholic composition. Preferably, the disinfectant is an antiviral agent. Additionally or alternatively, the disinfectant may be bactericidal, tuberculocidal and / or fungicidal.

[0018] The disinfectant may comprise at least 20% by weight alcohol, preferably at least 35% by weight alcohol, or at least 50% by weight alcohol, or at least 60% by weight alcohol, or at least 70% by weight alcohol. The disinfectant may comprise up to 90% by weight alcohol, preferably up to 80% by weight alcohol, or up to 70% by weight alcohol, or up to 65% by weight alcohol. The disinfectant may comprise at least 20% by weight water, preferably at least 30% by weight water, or at least 35% by weight water, or at least 50% by weight water, or at least 65% by weight water, or at least 80% by weight water. The disinfectant may comprise up to 80% by weight water, preferably up to 65% by weight water, or up to 50% by weight water, or up to 40% by weight water. The water is preferably deionized water. The disinfectant may be in the form of a solution or a gel.

[0019] The hydrating substance may be in a fluid or liquid form. The hydrating substance may be provided at least partially in the form of a cream and / or body lotion or may include a cream and / or body lotion. The hydrating substance may be a cream and / or body lotion. The hydrating substance may be provided at least partially in the form of beads, such as hydrogel beads. The compartment ensures that the disinfectant substance is separated from the hydrating substance, so that the disinfectant substance, especially the alcohol in the disinfectant substance, is effectively prevented from shrinking the beads. This prevents the beads from hardening and becoming difficult to crush, and therefore the dispenser allows the disinfectant substance and the hydrating substance to be used well in combination.

[0020] Preferably, each bead is visible to the naked eye and / or has a size of between 1 mm and 10 mm, more preferably between 1 mm and 7 mm.

[0021] Each bead may have an internal phase dispersed in a continuous phase, the internal phase having a hydrophobic active ingredient, preferably a perfume oil and / or a flavor oil, and the continuous phase having a biopolymer and water, forming a hydrogel matrix, each bead having at least one liquid crystalline structured phase. In an embodiment, the hydrating material may be a hydrogel bead as disclosed in WO 2019 / 077052 or EP 3697503.

[0022] The hydrating material may be perfumed, preferably with perfume oils and / or flavour oils, so that the hydrating material produces a very pleasant smell after disinfection with the disinfecting substance.

[0023] The disinfectant dispenser may be a consumer product, such as a perfumed consumer product. A "consumer product" (or "finished product") is to be understood as a manufactured product that is ready for distribution, sale and use by consumers. A "perfumed consumer product" is to be understood as a consumer product that is expected to provide at least a pleasant perfume effect to the surface to which it is applied (e.g., skin, hair, textiles or domestic surfaces). In particular, the disinfectant dispenser may be a package and / or a packaging solution.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for disinfection comprising the steps of a) providing a disinfectant dispenser as described above, b) dispensing a disinfectant substance from the first compartment, and c) dispensing a hydration substance from the second compartment.

[0025] Preferably, step b) at least partially precedes and / or occurs simultaneously with step c).

[0026] The above comments and advantages regarding the apparatus apply equally to the method.

[0027] Description of the Preferred Embodiments The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a disinfectant dispenser according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a disinfectant dispenser according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 shows the skin hydration (SH) obtained after application of a disinfectant substance alone (left half of the figure) compared to the skin hydration after application of a disinfectant and a hydrating substance according to a first embodiment of the invention (right half of the figure). [Figure 4]FIG. 1 shows the skin hydration obtained after application of only a disinfecting substance (left half of the figure) compared with the skin hydration obtained after application of a disinfecting substance and a hydrating substance according to a second example of the invention (right half of the figure).

[0029] In Fig. 1, a preferred embodiment of a disinfectant dispenser 1 is exemplarily shown. The dispenser 1 is suitable for disinfecting a surface such as human skin. Preferably, the dispenser 1 is suitable for disinfecting at least human hands. The dispenser 1 may have a palm-sized size to be placed on a table top and / or in a pocket. The dispenser 1 is not limited to a particular shape. For example, the dispenser 1 may have the shape of a container such as a bottle and / or may be cylindrical.

[0030] The dispenser 1 comprises a container body 10 with a first compartment 11 and a second compartment 12 separated from each other. In other words, the compartments 11, 12 can store respective components independent of each other. The container body 10 may have only one first compartment 11 and / or only one second compartment 12. Thus, the dispenser 1 may be a dual compartment dispenser, i.e. the container body 10 may be a dual compartment container body or bottle. In another embodiment, the container body 10 may also have a plurality of first compartments 11 and / or a plurality of second compartments 12. Thus, the description regarding the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12 applies equally to one or more other first compartments 11 and one or more other second compartments 12. One or more walls may be arranged to divide the container body 10 into at least the compartments 11, 12. The one or more walls may form one or more side walls of the compartments 11, 12. The container body 10 may comprise a side wall 13 surrounding the compartments 11, 12. The side wall 13 may be circular in cross section. Other configurations for the side wall 13 are also possible, for example elliptical or polygonal in cross section.

[0031] The compartments 11 and 12 are not limited to a particular arrangement. As shown in FIG. 1, the compartments 11 and 12 may be arranged adjacent to each other, for example, with an (air) gap between the compartments 11 and 12. In another embodiment, the side wall of the first compartment 11 may simultaneously form the side wall of the second compartment 12, for example, such that there is no (air) gap between the compartments 11 and 12. In other words, the wall may divide the container body 10 into the first compartment 11 and the second compartment 12. In another embodiment, a plurality of first compartments may be arranged around one or more second compartments, and / or a plurality of second compartments may be arranged around one or more first compartments.

[0032] 1, the container body 10 preferably comprises a bottom 14 and a top 15, and the compartments 11, 12 may extend from the bottom 14 to the top 15. Each compartment 11, 12 may have a respective opening, which is located in the top 15. If an optional sidewall 13 is present, the sidewall 13 may extend from the bottom 14 to the top 15.

[0033] The container body 10 is not limited to a specific material. Preferably, at least a part of the container body 10 is transparent. For example, the walls or side walls defining the compartments 11, 12 may be transparent. Additionally or alternatively, the side wall 13 may be transparent. The container body 10 may be at least partially formed from a resin such as plastic and / or glass. Additionally or alternatively, a part of the container body 10, for example the bottom 14, may be formed from a metal. Preferably, the bottom 14 may have a material having a higher density than the material of the remaining part of the container body 10. This allows the bottom 14 to provide a specific and stable positioning of the dispenser 1.

[0034] Each compartment 11, 12 is suitable for containing, i.e. storing, a respective substance, which may be provided in a fluid and / or liquid form. For example, the compartments 11, 12 are designed to be leak-proof so that the contained substance cannot easily leak out of each compartment. The amount that can be stored by the first compartment 11 may be equal to the amount that can be stored by the second compartment 12. Thus, the compartments 11, 12 may have substantially the same volume and / or substantially the same dimensions, e.g. the same height and / or the same width.

[0035] The first compartment 11 contains a disinfecting (i.e., germicidal) substance 20. The substance 20 may be a formulation. The disinfecting substance 20 is a chemical agent designed to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on a surface, such as the skin. Preferably, the disinfecting substance 20 is an antiviral agent, meaning that the substance 20 is capable of inactivating or destroying a virus, such as a coronavirus (particularly SARS-CoV-2, or another severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus ("SARS-CoV"), such as SARS-CoV-1). Additionally or alternatively, the disinfecting substance 20 may be germicidal, tuberculocidal and / or fungicidal.

[0036] Preferably, the disinfectant substance 20 is an alcoholic composition, such as a hydroalcoholic composition. The disinfectant substance 20 may be provided as a solution and / or in the form of a liquid and / or gel. The disinfectant substance 20 may comprise an alcohol, such as ethanol, preferably in the range of 20% to 80% by weight, more preferably in the range of 50% to 70% by weight, and most preferably in the range of 55% to 65% by weight. Additionally or alternatively, the disinfectant substance may comprise water, such as deionized water. The disinfectant substance 20 may comprise water in the range of 20% to 80% by weight, preferably in the range of 30% to 50% by weight, and more preferably in the range of 35% to 45% by weight.

[0037] The second compartment 12 contains a hydrating substance 30. The substance 30 may be a formulation. The hydrating substance 30 is adapted to hydrate human skin, for example the human hand. In other words, the hydrating substance 30 is capable of impregnating cells, such as the skin, with water or of retaining water produced by the body in the skin. Thus, the hydrating substance 30 is capable of bringing the skin from a dehydrated state to a hydrated state. The hydrating substance 30 may comprise a cream and / or a body lotion. Suitably, the hydrating substance 30 is at least partially provided in the form of beads 31, such as hydrogel beads. Each bead 31 may be visible to the naked eye and / or have a size between 1 mm and 10 mm. The beads 31 may be spherical. Each bead 31 may have an internal phase dispersed in a continuous phase, the internal phase comprising a hydrophobic active ingredient, preferably a perfume oil and / or a flavor oil, and the continuous phase comprising a biopolymer and water, forming a hydrogel matrix, each bead 31 comprising at least one liquid crystalline structured phase. The beads 31 may be so-called "crystalline scented pearls". Preferably, at least a portion of the beads 31 may be similar to the hydrogel beads disclosed in WO 2019 / 077052, the contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference.

[0038] The hydrating material 30 may be perfumed. Thus, the hydrating material 30 may produce a pleasant odor. For odorization, the hydrating material 30 may contain a fragrance and / or odoriferous substance, such as a fragrance and / or a perfume oil and / or a flavor oil. A "perfume oil" is an ingredient or composition that is liquid at about 20°C. A perfume oil can be a single odoriferous ingredient or a mixture of ingredients in the form of a perfumed composition. A "perfuming ingredient" is a compound that is used for the primary purpose of imparting or modulating an odor. In other words, such an ingredient must be recognized by the skilled artisan to be considered as odoriferous and at least capable of imparting or modulating the odor of the composition in a positive or pleasant sense, and not merely having an odor. Perfume oils include combinations of perfuming ingredients and substances which together improve, enhance or regulate the delivery of the perfuming ingredients, such as perfume precursors, emulsions or dispersions, but also combinations which impart additional benefits beyond regulating or imparting odor, such as substantivity, fragrance, malodor control, antibacterial effect, microbial stability, insect repellency, etc.

[0039] The nature and type of perfuming ingredients present in the oil phase do not warrant a more detailed description here, and in any case they cannot be described in exhaustive detail, and they are in any case not exhaustive, and a person skilled in the art can select them based on his general knowledge according to the intended use or application and the desired organoleptic effect.In general terms, these perfuming ingredients belong to various chemical classes, such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, ethers, acetates, nitriles, terpenoids, nitrogen- or sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds and essential oils, and said perfuming co-ingredients can be of natural or synthetic origin.Many of these co-ingredients are in any case listed in reference texts such as S. Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, 1969, Montclair, New Jersey, USA, or its latest edition, or other similar works, but also in the abundant patent literature in the field of perfumery.It is understood that this ingredient can also be a compound known to control the release of various types of perfuming compounds.

[0040] The perfuming ingredients can be dissolved in solvents currently used in the perfume industry. The solvent is preferably not an alcohol. Examples of such solvents are diethyl phthalate, isopropyl myristate, Abalyn (a rosin resin available from Eastman), benzyl benzoate, ethyl citrate, limonene or other terpenes, or isoparaffins. Preferably, the solvent is very hydrophobic and highly sterically hindered, such as Abalyn or benzyl benzoate. Preferably, the perfume contains less than 30% solvent. More preferably, the perfume contains less than 20%, even more preferably less than 10%, of solvent, all these percentages being defined by weight relative to the total weight of the perfume. Most preferably, the perfume is essentially solvent-free.

[0041] The disinfectant dispenser 1 further comprises a dispenser outlet 50. The dispenser outlet 50 is attached to the container body 10 and configured to dispense the disinfectant substance 20 from the first compartment 11 and the hydration substance 30 from the second compartment 12. The dispenser outlet 50 is thus fluidly connected to the first compartment 11, for example via a first fluid line (such as a conduit), and to the second compartment 12, for example via a second fluid line (such as a conduit). The dispenser outlet 50 may have one or more pumps arranged to move and dispense the substances 20, 30 from the compartments 11, 12, respectively. The one or more pumps may be operated manually (for example by a human hand or finger) and / or by electrical energy. For the latter, the disinfectant dispenser 1, for example the dispenser outlet 50, may comprise an electric motor and / or an electrical energy storage, such as a battery, for supplying electrical energy to the one or more pumps. Additionally or alternatively, the dispenser outlet 50 may be configured to dispense the substances 20,30 from their respective compartments 11,12 by gravity and / or by manipulating (eg, squeezing) the container body 10.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser outlet 50 is configured to selectively dispense the disinfectant substance 20 or the hydrating substance 30 or both together. Thus, the dispenser outlet 50 can dispense the substances 20, 30 independently of each other. Thus, a user of the dispenser 1 has the option of dispensing the disinfectant substance 20 or the hydrating substance 30. Thus, the dispenser 1 can be a so-called "dual independent" application. For example, a user can first dispense the disinfectant substance 30 to disinfect his / her skin (e.g., the skin of the hands), and then dispense the hydrating substance 30 to prevent dehydration of the skin. As shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser outlet 50 can include a first section 51 and a second section 52 that are operable independently of each other. The first section 51 is operable to dispense the disinfectant substance 20. For example, the first section 51 includes a respective (or own) pump that is configured to move (e.g., draw) the disinfectant substance 20 from the first compartment 11. In particular, the first section 51 can be manually operated (e.g., by contact, e.g., by pressing) to operate the respective pumps and thereby dispense the disinfectant substance 20. Thus, the first section 51 can be moved from an initial position to an operating position (such as a depressed position) to operate the respective pumps. The first section 51 can be provided with respective dispensing openings 51a, by which the disinfectant substance 20 is dispensed (i.e., expelled) from the dispenser outlet 50.

[0043] The second section 52 is operable to dispense the hydration material 30. Dispensing by the second section 52 may be identical to dispensing by the first section 51. For example, the second section 52 includes a respective (or own) pump configured to move (e.g., draw) the hydration material from the second compartment 12. In particular, the second section 52 may be manually operated (e.g., by contact, e.g., by pressing) to operate the respective pump, thereby dispensing the hydration material 30. Thus, the second section 52 may be moved from an initial position to an operating position (such as a depressed position) to operate the respective pump. The second section 52 may include a respective dispensing opening 52a, by which the hydration material 30 is dispensed (i.e., expelled) from the dispenser outlet 50.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the first section 51 may be disposed adjacent to the second section 52. However, the present invention is not limited to a particular arrangement of the sections 51, 52. In another embodiment, the container body 10 may be disposed between the sections 51, 52, for example, such that the first section 51 is disposed above the top 15 of the container body 10 and the second section is disposed below the bottom 14 of the container body 10. Furthermore, one of the sections 51, 52 may be disposed at least partially on the other section, for example, such that the sections 51, 52 are stacked on top of each other. When the sections 51, 52 are disposed adjacent to each other, the sections 51, 52 may be at least partially flush with each other and / or the dispensing openings 51a, 52a may be positioned at substantially the same height. The height is measured from the bottom 14 of the container body 10.

[0045] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser outlet 50 is operable by contact, i.e. by pressing. Additionally or alternatively, other possibilities of operating the dispenser outlet 50 by contact, such as moving or pulling, are possible. In another embodiment, the dispenser outlet 50 may be operable by non-contact operation. This may be achieved by providing one or more sensors arranged to detect a state (e.g., presence or absence) of an object (e.g., a hand or finger) and, for example, when the presence of an object is detected, to dispense the respective substance based on the detected state. For example, each section 51, 52 may be equipped with a respective sensor for operating the respective section by non-contact operation and thereby dispensing the respective substance.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser outlet 50 is preferably attached to the top surface 15 of the container body 10. In another embodiment, the dispenser outlet 50 may be attached to a different location, such as a lateral side (e.g., side wall 13) of the container body 10 or a bottom 14 of the container body 10. The attachment of the dispenser outlet 50 may be by mechanical coupling, such as force coupling and / or form coupling. For example, the dispenser outlet 50 may be attached to the container body 10 by engagement with a portion of the container body 10, such as one or more walls defining the compartments 11, 12 and / or the side wall 13. The engagement may be a snap engagement and / or a press fit and / or a threaded engagement.

[0047] In an embodiment, the dispenser outlet may be configured such that upon operation of the dispenser outlet, the disinfecting substance 20 is dispensed from the first compartment 11 and the hydrating substance 30 is dispensed from the second compartment 12. With respect to the dispenser outlet 50, this may be achieved by forming the first section 51 integrally with the second section 52. Thus, the sections 51, 52 form one section that simultaneously dispenses the substances 20, 30 when operated. Upon being discharged from the dispenser outlet 50, the substances 20, 30 may be mixed with each other. For example, the dispensing openings 51a, 52a may be positioned (e.g., inclined relative to each other) such that the substances 20, 30 mix (or merge) with each other immediately after being discharged from the respective openings 51a, 52a. That is, the substances may be combined or merged on a surface such as the skin.

[0048] The disinfectant dispenser 1 may further comprise a cap 53 arranged to cover at least a portion of the dispenser outlet 50, e.g. at least the dispensing openings 51a, 52a. The cap 53 may be transparent and / or may be attached to the dispenser 1, e.g. the dispenser outlet 50. The attachment may be achieved by force fitting, such as a press fit, and / or form fitting. The cap 53 may be cylindrical in shape, but may also have a different shape. When attached, the cap 53 may cover the dispenser outlet 50 to prevent the dispenser outlet 50 from being (unintentionally) manipulated.

[0049] Figure 2 shows a second preferred embodiment of a disinfectant dispenser 1'. The disinfectant dispenser 1' corresponds to the disinfectant dispenser 1 described above, unless otherwise stated below. The same reference numbers indicate the same features.

[0050] The dispenser 1' differs from the dispenser 1 according to the first embodiment in particular in that its dispenser outlet 50' is alternatively designed. The dispenser outlet 50' comprises a section 51' operable to dispense both the disinfectant substance 20 and the hydration substance 30. The dispenser 1' can therefore be said to be for a so-called "2-in-1" application. For example, the dispenser outlet 50' has a configuration such that, upon its operation (e.g. operation of the section 51'), the disinfectant substance 20 and the hydration substance 30 are dispensed (i.e. discharged) from the dispenser outlet 50' in a defined form or sequence. This configuration may be such that a defined amount of the disinfectant substance 20 is at least partially (or completely) dispensed before a defined amount of the hydration substance 30 is dispensed. For example, the section 51' comprises one or more pumps configured to move (e.g. draw) the disinfectant substance 20 from the first compartment 11 and the hydration substance 30 from the second compartment 12 in a defined sequence, e.g. such that the dispensing of the disinfectant substance 20 occurs at least partially prior to and / or at least partially simultaneously with the dispensing of the hydration substance 30. The one or more pumps may in particular correspond to the one or more pumps described above in relation to the dispenser 1.

[0051] For example, the pump or pumps may be configured to draw and thus dispense only the disinfectant substance 20 in a first stage (e.g., when the section 51' is moved, e.g., pressed, to a first position) and to draw and thus dispense the hydration substance 30 in a second stage following the first stage (e.g., when the section 51' is moved, e.g., pressed, from the first position to the second position). The disinfectant substance 20 may be dispensed only in the first stage or may also be dispensed in the second stage, resulting in a partially simultaneous dispense of the substances 20, 30. Alternatively, the pump or pumps may be configured to simultaneously start drawing and thus dispensing the substances 20, 30 when the dispenser outlet 50' is operated. Thus, when operated, the dispenser outlet 50' always dispenses the disinfectant substance 20 and the hydration substance 30 simultaneously.

[0052] The dispenser outlet 50' may comprise a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the compartments 11, 12. The mixing chamber is arranged such that when the dispenser outlet 50' draws the substances 20, 30 from the compartments 11, 12, for example by its pump or pumps, the substances 20, 30 merge or mix in the mixing chamber and are then dispensed from the mixing chamber and thus from the dispenser outlet 50'. Thus, the substances are dispensed simultaneously by the dispenser outlet 50'. The substances 20, 30 may then be dispensed through a single dispensing opening 51a' that is included in the dispenser outlet 50' (e.g., in the first section 51') and fluidly connected to the mixing chamber.

[0053] Alternatively, the dispenser outlet 50' may be designed so that the substances 20, 30 mix together as they are discharged from the dispenser outlet 50, and thus no mixing chamber is required. In this case, the dispenser outlet 50' may have a single dispensing opening 51a' so that the substances 20, 30 mix together at the single dispensing opening 51a'. For example, a first line for drawing the disinfecting substance 20 and a second line for drawing the hydrating substance 30 may open into the single dispensing opening 51a' (by their downstream openings). This allows the substances 20, 30 to mix or combine at the dispensing opening 51a' and then be applied to a surface such as skin.

[0054] Alternatively to the single dispensing opening 51a', the dispenser outlet 50' may have separate dispensing openings for each of the substances 20, 30. For example, the dispenser outlet 50' may have a dispensing opening 51a' as a first dispensing opening for dispensing (or discharging) the disinfecting substance 20, and the dispenser outlet 50' may have a second dispensing opening for dispensing the hydrating substance 30. The second dispensing opening may be arranged in line with the first dispensing opening 51a'. Thus, the substances 20, 30 may be dispensed through the dispensing openings, which allows the substances 20, 30 to mix (or merge) with each other immediately after they are discharged from their respective openings.

[0055] Section 51' may substantially correspond to first section 51 and may be manually operated (e.g., by touching, e.g., by pressing) to operate one or more pumps and thereby dispense substances 20, 30. For example, section 51' may be moved from an initial position to an operating position (such as a depressed position) to operate one or more pumps. EXAMPLES

[0056] Example 1: Hydroalcoholic gel combined with a hydrating agent in the form of a cream A disinfectant substance 20 was prepared by mixing the ingredients in Table 1 below, thereby obtaining a hydroalcoholic gel.

[0057] [Table 1]

[0058] A disinfecting substance 20 was then provided to the first compartment 11 .

[0059] In a separate step, a hydrated material 30 was prepared by mixing the ingredients in Table 2 below, thereby obtaining a hydrated perfumed material in the form of a cream.

[0060] [Table 2]

[0061] A hydrated material 30 was then provided to the second compartment 12 .

[0062] Before substances 20 and 30 were applied to the skin (on the arm), the skin hydration (SH) was measured in vivo using a Delfin Instruments Moisturemeter SC device, which determined the baseline skin hydration value (SH0) of the skin. Measurements were performed on two different spots on the forearm, which determined the baseline skin hydration value (SH0) of the skin.

[0063] Then, 50 μl of the disinfectant material 20 was applied to each spot on the skin and spread five times with a finger. Then, 5 minutes after application of the disinfectant material, 50 μl of the hydrating material 30 was applied to one of the two spots. One hour after application, the remaining material was removed with a tissue and the SH was measured at each spot. The results are shown in the right half of Figure 3.

[0064] Example 2: Hydroalcoholic gel combined with hydrating material in the form of beads The disinfectant substance 20 was prepared by mixing the ingredients in Table 3 below, thereby obtaining a hydroalcoholic gel.

[0065] [Table 3]

[0066] A disinfecting substance 20 was then provided to the first compartment 11 .

[0067] In a separate step, a hydrated material 30 was prepared by dispersing hydrated alginate scented beads in a hydrogel. Such beads were prepared using the ingredients shown in Table 4 below.

[0068] [Table 4]

[0069] Sodium alginate, water and glyceryl stearate citrate were mixed and stirred at 70°C for 1 hour. The solution was cooled to reach room temperature while stirring. Fragrance and inner body cream were added to the solution and the mixture was stirred for 15 minutes. The mixture was then diluted with 0.5% CaCl 2 Alginate scented beads were formed by prilling with an aqueous solution. The beads were filtered, washed with deionized water and added into a hydrogel (pearl:hydrogel ratio 3:2) to form a hydrated material. The hydrogel was prepared by mixing the ingredients shown in Table 5 below.

[0070] [Table 5]

[0071] A hydrated material 30 was then provided to the second compartment 12 .

[0072] Before substances 20 and 30 were applied to the skin (on the arm), the skin hydration (SH) was measured in vivo using a Delfin Instruments Moisturemeter SC device. Measurements were performed on two different spots on the forearm, which gave the baseline skin hydration value (SH0) of the skin.

[0073] Then, 50 μl of disinfectant 20 was applied to each spot on the skin and spread five times with a finger. Then, 5 minutes after application of the disinfectant, 50 μl of hydrating material (30+31) was applied to one of the two spots. One hour after application, the remaining material was removed with a tissue and the SH was measured at each spot. The results are shown in the right half of Figure 4.

[0074] In each of the figures of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, comparative examples are shown in the left half. In these comparative examples, only the disinfecting substance 20 is applied (i.e. 50 μl), i.e. the respective hydrating substances 30, 31 are not applied. In the right half of each of the figures of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the respective examples of the present invention, i.e. Example 1 and Example 2, are shown, respectively. It can be seen that one hour after applying the disinfecting substance 20, Example 1 and Example 2 according to the present invention cause higher skin hydration than in the comparative example, thus effectively preventing skin dehydration. At the same time, the disinfecting substance 20 disinfects the skin. Moreover, the fragrance in the hydrating substance can prevent the generation of unpleasant odors caused by the disinfecting substance.

[0075] It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment is merely a preferred embodiment and that other designs of sanitizer dispenser may be used.

Claims

Claim 1 A disinfectant dispenser (1, 1'), comprising a container body (10) having a first compartment (11) and a second compartment (12), wherein the first compartment (11) and the second compartment (12) are separated from each other, the first compartment (11) contains a disinfecting substance (20), and the second compartment (12) contains a hydrating substance (30), and a dispenser outlet (50, 50') attached to the container body (10), the dispenser outlet (50, 50') being configured to dispense the disinfecting substance (20) from the first compartment (11) and the hydrating substance (30) from the second compartment (12). The disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') comprising the above. Claim 2 The dispenser outlet (50, 50') is configured such that, during operation of the dispenser outlet (50, 50'), the disinfecting substance (20) is dispensed from the first compartment (11) and the hydrating substance (30) is dispensed from the second compartment (12), preferably such that the dispensing of the disinfecting substance (20) at least partially precedes and / or occurs simultaneously with the dispensing of the hydrating substance (30). The disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to Claim 1. Claim 3 The dispenser outlet (50) has a first section (51) and a second section (52), the first section (51) and the second section (52) being operable independently of each other, the first section (51) being operable to dispense the disinfecting substance (20), the second section (52) being operable to dispense the hydrating substance (30), the first section (51) preferably being arranged adjacent to the second section (52). The disinfectant dispenser (1) according to Claim 1 or 2. Claim 4 The dispenser outlet (50') has a section (51') operable to dispense both the disinfecting substance (20) and the hydrating substance (30) preferably via a single dispensing opening (51a'). The disinfectant dispenser (1') according to Claim 1 or 2. Claim 5 The dispenser outlet (50, 50') is operable by contact such as pressing and / or by non-contact operation. The disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to Claim 1 or 2. Claim 6 The compartments (11, 12) are arranged adjacent to each other and / or the container body (10) includes one or more walls that divide the container body (10) into the compartments (11, 12), the disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The container body (10) comprises a bottom (14) and an upper part (15), the compartments (11, 12) extend from the bottom (14) to the upper part (15), and the dispenser outlet (50, 50') is attached to the upper part (15), the disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2.

8. At least a part of the container body (10), preferably at least the second compartment (12), is transparent, the disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The disinfecting substance (20) is an alcohol composition such as a hydroalcoholic composition and / or The disinfecting substance (20) contains at least 20% by weight of alcohol, preferably at least 35% by weight of alcohol, or at least 50% by weight of alcohol, or at least 60% by weight of alcohol, and / or the disinfecting substance (20) contains at most 90% by weight of alcohol, preferably at most 80% by weight of alcohol, or at most 70% by weight of alcohol, or at most 65% by weight of alcohol, the alcohol being preferably ethanol, and / or The disinfecting substance (20) contains at least 10% by weight of water, preferably at least 20% by weight of water, or at least 30% by weight of water, or at least 35% by weight of water, and / or the disinfecting substance (20) contains at most 80% by weight of water, preferably at most 65% by weight of water, or at most 50% by weight of water, or at most 35% by weight of water, the water being preferably deionized water, and / or The disinfecting substance (20) is in the form of a solution or a gel, the disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The hydrating substance (30) is provided at least partially in the form of beads (31) such as hydrogel beads, preferably each bead (31) is visible to the naked eye and / or has a size in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm, the disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2.

11. Each bead (31) has an internal phase dispersed in a continuous phase, the internal phase having a hydrophobic active ingredient, preferably an essential oil and / or a flavor oil, the continuous phase having a biopolymer and water, forming a hydrogel matrix, and each bead having at least one liquid crystal structured phase, the disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 10.

12. The disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydrating substance (30) is provided at least partially in the form of a cream and / or a body lotion.

13. The disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydrating substance (30) is preferably flavored with an essential oil and / or a flavor oil.

14. A method for disinfecting, comprising: a) providing a disinfectant dispenser (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2; b) dispensing the disinfecting substance (20) from the first compartment (11); c) dispensing the hydrating substance (30) from the second compartment (12). A method comprising the steps of:

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein step b) is carried out at least partially prior to and / or simultaneously with step c).

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