Bottles and refill containers

Abstract

A refill cartridge and a bottle for containing the cartridge. The refill container includes at least two sealed openings, one at the top and one at the bottom. They may be sealed with an in-mold label. The bottle is adapted to contain the cartridge and may also include a pump and a dip tube. The dip tube is used to puncture the top and bottom seals of the cartridge when the bottle lid is screwed onto the bottle. Puncturing the bottom seal releases the product into the water-filled interior of the bottle body. Typically, the product is a concentrate, such as a body wash or hand wash concentrate. The bottle preferably includes an opening or window that allows a consumer to view at least a portion of the cartridge so that they can determine which variant of the product is present in the refill container within the bottle.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] There is growing concern around the world about the plastic waste generated by modern society, particularly the pollution of our oceans from plastic packaging.

[0002] Many consumer products are sold in disposable plastic packaging that is discarded after use. One proposed solution is the use of reusable shell packaging for daily enjoyment of the product, and smaller refill packaging for refilling the product after it has been depleted. The advantage of this is that the packaging used to repeatedly refill the product is smaller, saving plastic, while the larger, more sturdy packaging is reused.

[0003] There is growing awareness of the problem of plastic waste, but unfortunately, this does not necessarily translate into acceptance of inconvenient products or packaging. Therefore, it is important that any refill container that enjoys consumer acceptance must be easy and convenient to use. Also, the refill container must function well and not cause confusion.

[0004] Previous refill containers have been proposed in the patent literature, including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,794,474 to Mueller et al., WO 2018 / 114301 to Cesare et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,096 to Easter.

[0005] Easter discloses a container for diluting and dispensing liquid materials, comprising a primary container, e.g., a bottle, adapted to contain a diluent such as water, and a replaceable cartridge removably attached to the bottle's mouth. The cartridge contains a relatively small amount of chemical concentrate to be diluted. A dispensing mechanism consisting of a pump with a bottle cap at its lower end is used to dispense the contents of the container. A dip tube extending downward from the cap is inserted into the bottle by pushing its free end into the top and bottom of the cartridge, thereby piercing the bottle and allowing the material in the cartridge to be expelled into the bottle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 8,794,474 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2018 / 114301 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 3,655,096 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention relates to refill cartridges, bottles, and combination bottle / cartridges that are easy to use and use less plastic. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to a first embodiment, the present invention provides a cartridge suitable for use as a refill container. The cartridge includes a body having a receptacle for receiving a product and a lid thereon, the lid including a fastener for fastening the lid to the body, a closure platform including an opening, and a seal covering the opening. The seal is retractable to break the seal and allow a pump dip tube to penetrate the cartridge. The bottom of the cartridge also includes a sealed opening that can be broken by the dip tube, thereby allowing the product to leak from the cartridge into the bottle body. It is particularly preferred that the seal include an in-mold label.

[0009] The cartridge preferably contains a concentrated product that can be diluted with the water in the bottle. The cartridge is therefore smaller and contains less plastic than that found in a full-size disposable bottle. Because it uses a modest amount of plastic, disposal or recycling of the cartridge is improved over disposable full-size packages.

[0010] Preferably, the cartridges described above include indicia that are visible from the outside of the cartridge. The indicia may be on one or more flaps that extend downward from the top of the lid along at least a portion of the side of the cartridge. For example, there may be two opposing flaps with wings, one on each side of the cartridge.

[0011] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a bottle and cartridge combination. The cartridge may be, but need not be, the cartridge described above. The cartridge includes a lid on top thereof that is received within the bottle and has at least one flap extending downward. At least one of the bottle lid and bottle body includes an opening or window. When the bottle lid is secured to the bottle, at least a portion of the flap is visible. Thus, by placing indicia, such as different colors, on the flaps for each product variant, a consumer can see which variant is currently in the refill container within the bottle.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, the invention includes a bottle and cartridge combination, wherein the lid of the cartridge includes a closure platform including an opening and a seal covering the opening, the seal being openable when punctured by a dip tube. The seal at the bottom of the cartridge is pierceable by the dip tube, the dip tube preferably being beveled to allow the fluid product to exit the cartridge. The container may include a pump attached to the dip tube.

[0013] The bottle / cartridge of the present invention is particularly useful for concentrated products, such as body wash, where the concentrated body wash is contained in a refill container and then diluted by combining it with water in the body of the bottle. By using a concentrate, less plastic is required for the refill container. The bottle containing the entire amount of diluted product can be reused by the consumer. Thus, even if the bottle is made of plastic, plastic is conserved because the bottle is reused. Even more preferably, the bottle is not made of plastic, but rather is made of, for example, stainless steel or aluminum.

[0014] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a bottle having an opening or window suitable for viewing a cartridge therein. The bottle includes a lid and a body, and the opening or window may be in at least one of the lid and the body.

[0015] The present invention also relates to a process for refilling and reusing bottles using the cartridges and bottles.

[0016] For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a bottle according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the bottle of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the bottle of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a top view of the bottle of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the bottle of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing the bottle before the refill cartridge is inserted and the cover is closed. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of a cartridge according to the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view of the cartridge of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a side view of the cartridge of FIG. 7. [Figure 10] FIG. 8 is a top view of the cartridge of FIG. 7. [Figure 11] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the cartridge of FIG. 7. [Figure 12] 1A-1C are partial cross-sectional views of a cartridge of the present invention prior to application of its lid from various angles. [Figure 13] 1A-1C are partial cross-sectional views of a cartridge of the present invention prior to application of its lid from various angles. [Figure 14] 1A-1C are partial cross-sectional views of a cartridge of the present invention prior to application of its lid from various angles. [Figure 15] 1A-1C are partial cross-sectional views of a cartridge of the present invention prior to application of its lid from various angles. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a front view of the pump and lid of the bottle of FIG. 1 along with the dip tube. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a side view of the pump, lid, and dip tube of FIG. 16. [Figure 18] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bottle of FIG. 3. [Figure 19] 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bottle of FIG. 2. [Figure 20] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of FIG. 3 with the bottle removed and the door shown. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a top view of the cartridge of FIG. 9 without the lid. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Bottle 10 (FIGS. 1-4) includes body 12, lid 14, and pump head 16. An opening or window 18 is disposed in lid 14, as described below. Body 12 is received in bottom sleeve 20. Sleeve 20 protects the bottom of the bottle from damage such as scuffs, scratches, and dents. It may be made of silicone. The bottle may be made of a suitable plastic, such as high-density polyethylene, but may advantageously be manufactured from stainless steel or aluminum to minimize the use of plastic. The pump and bottle lid may be made of high-density polyethylene. Other materials from which the bottle can be made include glass and polyethylene terephthalate.

[0019] Cartridge 100 (FIGS. 7-15) comprises a body 102 and a lid 104. Lid 104 includes opposing flaps 108 depending therefrom. Lid 104 includes a closure platform 150 and an opening 152 defined by an inner cylindrical wall 154 (see, e.g., FIG. 12) and sealed by an in-mold label (IML) seal 106. An outer cylindrical wall 117 having an exterior protrusion 116 depends from platform 150. The cartridge may be made of high-density polyethylene, and the IML may also be made of high-density polyethylene. The IML must be made of a material that can be opened with a dip tube, with or without a door 170. Depending on the required barrier properties, other materials, such as polypropylene, may be suitable for the IML. The IML may be multiple layers of the same or different materials.

[0020] Typically, the product is placed into the cartridge body by the manufacturer, who then secures the cartridge lid 150 to the cartridge by screwing or snapping them together. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the depending wall 117 has an exterior protrusion 116 that snaps into an interior detent 160 inside the top end of the cartridge body to secure the cartridge lid to the cartridge. Of course, other structures may be used to secure the cartridge lid to the cartridge. A flap 108 extends downward from the top of the lid along the outside of the cartridge.

[0021] Preferably, the manufacturer provides the consumer with a bottle with an attached pump, bottle lid, and dip tube, as shown in Figures 16 and 17. As best seen in Figure 18, a support projection 62 in the bottle lid 14 is received in a clip 62 on the pump stem 92 to help secure the pump to the lid. The pump may be secured within the bottle structure using ribs, gaskets, or plastic.

[0022] The bottle may come with a first cartridge already in place, or the bottle may be cartridge-less. Assuming there is no cartridge in the bottle or the cartridge has been used and removed, when the consumer is ready to use the product, they remove the lid / pump / dip tube from the bottle and fill the body of the bottle with water. They then insert the cartridge into the bottle with the cartridge shelf 200 (FIG. 12) resting on the bottle neck 30. A flap 108 extends downward from the lid 104 outside the neck 30.

[0023] The combined bottle lid / pump head / dip tube shown in Figures 16 and 17 is then put into place. The lid 14 is screwed onto the bottle (see Figure 19), mating the external threads 32 on the bottle neck with the internal threads 90 on the bottle lid. This secures the cartridge within the bottle. The dip tube 24 is beveled at 26 to facilitate penetration of the seal 106 (Figure 12), allowing the dip tube to enter the cartridge through an opening 152 in the cartridge lid and then push open a door 170 at the bottom of the cartridge, which then pushes open the seal 140 below the cartridge, allowing product to leak from the cartridge into the water-filled body 12 of the bottle. The door 170 is formed from a generally circular notch 171 in the bottom 172 of the cartridge and preferably remains attached to the bottom 172 at at least one point 174, which functions as a hinge. While the door 170 is shown as being generally circular, it may be any suitable shape.

[0024] 18 and 19 show the configuration of the bottle / cartridge combination after the bottle lid has been closed and the dip tube has been inserted through the cartridge into the bottom of the bottle, except that the door 170 has been omitted.

[0025] The relationship between the components of the bottle / refill container can be seen in FIG.

[0026] With the cartridge / refill container, pump, and bottle lid in place as seen in Figure 18, the consumer presses the pump head to pump the diluted product out of the body of the bottle. Once the product is depleted, the consumer can easily open the bottle by removing the lid, then detach the pump head / lid / dip tube from the refill container and remove the refill container from the bottle body. The refill container can be discarded, or more preferably, recycled, and another one inserted.

[0027] When the bottle lid 14 is screwed onto the bottle, the flaps 108 are received under the bottle lid between the lid wall and the bottle neck 30. According to one feature of the present invention, an opening or window 18 in the bottle lid is positioned so that the opening allows all or part of one or more of the flaps 108 to be seen when the lid is closed. If a window is used instead of an opening, it may be made of transparent or translucent plastic. Thus, the consumer can see part of the flap even when the bottle is closed. This allows the consumer to know which refill container is present in the bottle if appropriate indicia, such as color, are present on the flap. Alternatively, one or more openings or windows can be in the body of the bottle in addition to or instead of one in the lid, as long as part of the cartridge is visible from the outside of the bottle.

[0028] Although the cartridge is shown as having a sealed opening at the top and a sealed door at the bottom, other arrangements that allow for insertion of a dip tube through the top and bottom may be possible. For example, one or both may have a lid, such as a flip-top, that the consumer can open before inserting the cartridge into the bottle. Thus, the cartridge has a line of weakness at its top that can be sealed or a closed area that accommodates passage of a dip tube through either a sealed or reversible opening, and a closed area at its bottom that can be opened through a notch or line of weakness or a sealed or reversible opening through which the dip tube can be sealed.

[0029] Suitable pumps are available from Rieke Corp. of Auburn, Indiana. Suitable stainless steel bottles are available from S'well Bottles of New York, New York. Suitable in-mold labels are available from CCL Industries of Shelton, Connecticut.

[0030] Among the aspects of the invention are the following. 1. A cartridge comprising: a) a body including a receptacle for receiving the product; b) a lid on top thereof; c) the seal at its base; Equipped with d) the lid is i) a closed platform including an opening; ii) a lid seal covering the opening in the lid; and Equipped with iii) the lid seal is retractable to break the seal and allow a dip tube to penetrate the top of the cartridge, and the bottom seal is opened by the dip tube releasing product into the bottle; cartridge.

[0031] 2. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising indicia visible from the exterior of the cartridge.

[0032] 3. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the indicia are visible from a side of the cartridge.

[0033] 4. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the lid further comprises at least one flap extending downward from the top of the lid along at least a portion of a side of the cartridge.

[0034] 5. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the lid comprises two opposing flaps with wings, one on each side of the cartridge.

[0035] 6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lid seal and the seal at the bottom of the cartridge comprises an in-mold label.

[0036] 7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the in-mold label comprises high density polyethylene.

[0037] 8. A cartridge comprising: a) a body including a receptacle for receiving a fluid product; b) the lid on top of it Equipped with c) the lid is d) at least one flap extending downward from the top of the lid along at least a portion of a side of the cartridge; A cartridge comprising:

[0038] 9. A bottle and cartridge combination, a. A bottle including a bottle lid and a bottle body, b. the bottle body includes a cartridge receptacle; Bottle and c. A cartridge, i. a cartridge body including a cartridge receptacle for receiving a fluid product; ii. The cartridge lid on top of it Equipped with iii. the lid comprises at least one flap extending downwardly from the top of the lid; d. the cartridge is received within the bottle; A cartridge and e. an opening or window in at least one of the bottle lid and bottle body through which at least a portion of the flap is visible when the bottle lid is secured to the bottle; A bottle and cartridge combination comprising:

[0039] 10. The bottle and cartridge combination of claim 9, wherein the bottle includes a neck above the bottle body, the flap extends downwardly adjacent the neck, and the opening or window through which the flap is visible is in the bottle lid, such that at least a portion of the flap is visible through the opening or window when the bottle lid is closed.

[0040] 11. A bottle and cartridge combination, a. A bottle including a bottle lid and a bottle body, b. the bottle body includes a cartridge receptacle; Bottle and c. A cartridge, i. a cartridge body including a cartridge receptacle for receiving a fluid product; ii. The cartridge lid on top of it Equipped with iii. the lid comprises at least one flap extending downwardly from the top of the lid; iv. the cartridge includes a seal at its bottom; d. The lid of the cartridge is i. a closed platform including an opening; ii.ii. a seal covering said opening; and Equipped with iii. the seal is openable to break the seal upon contact with a dip tube, the bottom seal allowing fluid product to exit the cartridge when the bottom seal is opened by the dip tube; Cartridge and A bottle and cartridge combination comprising:

[0041] 12. The bottle and cartridge combination of claim 11, further comprising a pump received in a lid of the bottle and a dip tube extending downwardly from the pump, the dip tube having upper and lower ends adjacent the pump.

[0042] 13. The bottle and cartridge combination of claim 12, wherein the dip tube includes a bevel at its lower end for piercing the seal.

[0043] 14. A bottle, a. A bottle cap and a bottle body, b. the bottle body includes a receptacle suitable for receiving a cartridge; a bottle lid and a bottle body; c. an opening or window in at least one of the bottle lid and bottle body suitable for viewing at least a portion of the cartridge from outside the bottle; Equipped with a bottle.

[0044] 15. The bottle of claim 14, further comprising a pump received in the lid of the bottle.

[0045] 16. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bottom includes a door, the door being sealed by the seal and operable to open the seal when the door contacts the dip tube.

[0046] 17. The cartridge of claim 16, wherein the door is formed in the bottom of the cartridge by a cut and attached to the bottom by a hinge.

[0047] 18. A cartridge comprising a top having an opening for receiving a dip tube and a bottom having an opening for receiving a dip tube, said top and bottom openings being reversibly closed by a lid.

[0048] 19. A cartridge comprising a top having an opening or line of weakness and a bottom having an opening or line of weakness, the opening or line of weakness being suitable to allow a dip tube to pass through the top of the cartridge and open the bottom of the cartridge.

[0049] 20. The bottle and cartridge combination of claim 9, wherein the cartridge includes a shelf around its top, and the cartridge is received within the bottle with the shelf resting on the bottle.

[0050] 21. The cartridge of claim 11, wherein the bottom includes a door, the door being sealed by the seal and operable to open the seal when the door contacts the dip tube.

[0051] 22. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the door is formed in the bottom of the cartridge by a cut and attached to the bottom by a hinge.

[0052] 23. The bottle and cartridge combination of claim 11, wherein the cartridge includes a shelf around its top, and the cartridge is received within the bottle with the shelf resting on the bottle.

[0053] It is, of course, to be understood that the particular forms of the invention illustrated and described herein are intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the present disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

Claims

1. 1. A cartridge (100) comprising: a) a body (102) including a receptacle for receiving a product; and b) a top having a lid (104), wherein the lid (104) includes a lid platform (150) having: i) an opening (152) with a lid seal (106) covering the opening; or ii) a line of weakness facilitating the formation of the opening (152) on the lid platform (150); a bottom (172) of the cartridge having: i) an opening with a seal (140); or ii) a line of weakness facilitating the formation of an opening on the bottom (172) of the cartridge, wherein the opening with the seal or the line of weakness is suitable for allowing a dip tube (24) to penetrate the cartridge top and open the cartridge bottom; and at least one of the lid seal (106) and the seal (140) on the bottom of the cartridge comprises an in-mold label.

2. The cartridge (100) of claim 1, further comprising indicia visible from the exterior of the cartridge.

3. 3. The cartridge (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the lid (104) comprises two opposing flaps (108) with wings, one on each side of the cartridge (100).

4. The cartridge (100) of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid seal (106) comprises an in-mold label.

5. The cartridge of claim 4 , wherein the in-mold label comprises high density polyethylene.

6. The cartridge of claim 4, wherein the lid seal (106) and the bottom seal (140) comprise in-mold labels.

7. 7. The cartridge (100) of claim 1, wherein the cartridge bottom includes a door (170), the door being sealed by the seal and openable to open the seal when the door comes into contact with the dip tube (24).

8. 8. The cartridge (100) of claim 7, wherein the door (170) is formed in the bottom of the cartridge by a notch (171) and attached to the bottom by a hinge (174).

9. A combination of a bottle (10) and a cartridge (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the cartridge lid (104) includes at least one flap (108) extending downwardly from the top of the lid (104); The cartridge (100) is received within the bottle (10); when the bottle lid (14) is secured to the bottle (10), at least one of the bottle lid (14) and the bottle body includes an opening or window (18) through which at least a portion of the flap (108) is visible; A combination of the bottle (10) and cartridge (100).

10. 10. The combination of bottle (10) and cartridge (100) of claim 9, wherein the bottle (10) has a neck above the bottle body, the flap (108) extends downwardly adjacent the neck, and the opening or window (18) through which the flap (108) is visible is in the bottle lid, such that when the bottle lid is closed, at least a portion of the flap (108) is visible through the opening or window (18).

11. 11. The bottle (10) and cartridge (100) combination of claim 9 or 10, further comprising a pump received in the bottle lid and a dip tube (24) extending downwardly from the pump, the dip tube (24) having upper and lower ends adjacent the pump.

12. 12. The bottle (10) and cartridge (100) combination of claim 11, wherein the dip tube (24) includes a bevel (26) at its lower end for piercing the seal.

13. 13. The bottle (10) and cartridge (100) combination of any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the bottle body includes a receptacle suitable for receiving the cartridge (100).

14. 14. The bottle (10) and cartridge (100) combination of any one of claims 9 to 13, further comprising a pump received in a lid (14) of the bottle.

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