Abstract: Shaving gel compositions having excellent shaving properties and skin conditioning benefits. These compositions are found to be stable, despite the removal of the secondary surfactant.

Abstract: A finger actuated dispenser for a multi-component reactant toothpaste, or other fluent materials. The dispenser preferably comprises at least two coaxial cylindrical product reservoirs wherein the uppermost end of each product reservoir communicates with the other reservoirs through generally coaxial nozzles. The lowermost end of each reservoir is equipped with a concentric piston connected rearward of its leading face to the rearward portions of the other pistons by a plurality of radially oriented spokes having knife edges on their forwardmost surfaces. The knife edges taper outwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the reservoirs from the interior of the innermost reservoir toward the outermost reservoir, thereby outwardly expanding the innermost surface of the innermost reservoir wall as the pistons and knife edges are advanced upwardly relative to the product reservoirs.

Abstract: A case for cosmetics including a cover and a base. The cover and base have end and peripheral walls which together define an interior compartment. An integrally formed latching device is located in the front portion of the case. The latching device comprises a push tab in the form of a tongue-like section of the base peripheral wall. The distal and intermediate portions of the push tab are separated from adjacent portions of the base peripheral wall by at least one slot which extends alongside the push tab to its proximal end. Coacting cam means associated with the push tab and with an adjacent portion of the cover produces a force biasing the front portion of the base and cover apart when the push tab is moved inwardly with the latch engaged. Interengagement means is integrally formed on the cover and base peripheral walls to latch the cover to the base when the front portions of the base and cover are pressed together and unlatch when the front portions of the base and cover are forced apart.

Abstract: A bag-in-box composite container where the inner bag is easily separable from the outer box. In a preferred embodiment, a rigid one-piece outer box having a continuous side wall and a pair of end panels joined thereto defines a hollow box cavity. At least one of the end panels has a first aperture and at least two additional apertures therein. An inner bag is located within the hollow box cavity of the outer box. The inner plastic bag has a pouring spout with an annular flange connected thereto. The pouring spout extends through the first aperture in the end panel of the outer box. The annular flange of the pouring spout includes a pair of heat stakes which extend through the apertures in the end panel of the outer box. The heat stakes prevent relative rotation between the pouring spout and the outer box while temporarily securing the inner bag to the outer box. Upon emptying of the liquid contents, the inner bag is then separated from the outer box by depressing the pouring spout downward.

Abstract: A self-expanding flexible pouch that can be used as the measuring device for reconstituting a concentrated product contained therein. The pouch includes an improved one-piece extensible stay located in the throat area of the flexible pouch that is biased toward a relaxed, expanded, circular configuration but is initially held substantially flat in a stressed condition by the sealed top portion of the pouch. When the top portion of the pouch is removed, the improved stay expands to its relaxed, expanded configuration and thereby expands and opens the throat area of the pouch. The improved stay comprises a one-piece, continuous extensible loop having a pair of opposed hinges. The hinges are thinner in thickness than the remaining portions of the loop and aligned with the side peripheral edges of the pouch. Two opposed thick-walled sections are located between the opposed hinges. The opposed thick-walled sections provide the automatic opening force for the pouch.

Abstract: A sealed, self-expanding, reclosable, flexible pouch having a pair of extensible stays located in the throat area of the pouch. The extensible stays are biased toward a circular configuration but are initially held substantially flat in a stressed condition by the pouch's sealed top portion. When the pouch's top portion is removed, the extensible stays expand to their relaxed expanded configuration and thereby expand and open the throat area of the pouch. An inwardly oriented male securement means is attached to one extensible stay and extends along the throat area of the pouch. A complementary inwardly oriented female securement means is attached to the other of the opposing extensible stays and extends along the throat area of pouch. The complementary male and female securement means permits the throat area of the pouch to be sufficiently closed after initial opening, thereby constraining the pouch's contents.

Abstract: A soft, silky, cloth-like polymeric web exhibiting either patterns of microapertured or microbubbled surface aberrations, said webs further including a contrasting visually discernible pattern which imparts an embossed appearance to at least one surface thereof. Such polymeric webs may be either fluid-pervious or fluid-impervious, as desired, depending upon the particular end use. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the visually discernible pattern comprises a regularly repeating pattern which imparts an improved aesthetic appearance to the webs. Method and apparatus for producing such polymeric webs are also disclosed.

Abstract: A bag in squeeze bottle fluid dispenser capable of dispensing substantially all of the fluid product contained therein. A suitable bag support element is inserted inside the flexible bag to prevent substantial axial movement of the bag in the direction of its discharge orifice and to encourage radial collapse of the bag instead. The internal bag support means, which in a preferred embodiment comprises an extruded plastic helix, has an internal fluid passage formed within the coils of the helix and fluid communication to allow fluid contained within the bag to access the internal fluid passage along substantially the entire length of the internal bag support element. Thus, radial collapse of the flexible bag does not block the passage of fluid remaining in the bag through the discharge orifice in the bag until substantially all of the fluid contained within the bag has been dispensed.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for heating or cooking a food product packaged within a container by using heated air. The oven apparatus includes a substantially closed-loop heated air system that starts with a blower that blows air into a heating barrel where a heating element heats the air to a high temperature. The heated air exits the heating barrel, passes through an air flow channel in the oven's door, and enters the oven's heating chamber. The heated air passes through the container inside the heating chamber and heats the food product within the container. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heating chamber is rotated while the heated air passes through the container to tumble the food product and ensure even heating thereof. The air exiting from the food product container enters a recirculation chamber which directs the air back into the blower to repeat the cycle.

Abstract: A container for successively dispensing substantially uniform volumes of a plurality of liquid ingredients such that the liquids are simultaneously dispensed in a desired proportion to form a mixture. The container has a plurality of separate compartments; each compartment being adapted to house a different liquid ingredient. Each compartment has a tubular metering device located therein. The metering device dispenses a previously metered volume and meters a second volume by controlling the venting of air within the compartment each time the container is tilted and uprighted as in a normal dispensing operation. A continuous lip surrounds the dispensing opening of each metering device. The continuous lip prevents a liquid ingredient from entering the dispensing opening of another liquid ingredient compartment and contaminating that compartment. In addition, a flip top cap is attached to the upper end wall. In the closed position the cap seals the dispensing openings of each metering device.

Abstract: A package for flowable products incorporating a refill facilitating pouring spout structure. The pouring spout portion of the structure is equipped with a piercing element along its uppermost edge. The refill package of flowable product preferably comprises a flexible pouch which is positioned on top and over the refill facilitating pouring spout structure. The piercing element on the refill pouring spout portion of the structure pierces the bottom of the flexible refill package and the bulk of the flowable product contained therein runs through the pouring spout portion of the structure into the container. Any flowable product running over the outside walls of the pouring spout portion of the structure runs into the container via a drain back feature and vent hole provided at the base of the pouring spout portion of the structure. The refill facilitating pouring spout structure is preferably provided with screw threads for releasably attaching it to the container.

Abstract: A metering device for successively dispensing uniform volumes of liquid from a container. The upper portion of the dispensing device is divided into a dispensing passage and a metering chamber by a vertical wall. The lower portion of the dispensing device is undivided forming a collecting chamber, the upper portion of which communicates with both the metering chamber and the dispensing passage. The metering chamber has axially spaced inlet and vent openings connected to the inner area of the liquid container. The metering chamber is partially segregated from the collecting chamber by a baffle protruding from the vertical wall. This baffle insures accurate operation of the dispensing device and reduces its necessary volume and length.

Abstract: A tablet dispensing container comprehending a tubular sleeve, a reciprocating element and a locking mechanism. The tubular sleeve forms the container and has two opposing openings therein; a dispensing opening in the lower end and a reciprocating element opening in the upper end. The reciprocating element is attached to the tubular sleeve and is biased toward the upper end. A user manually depresses the reciprocating element which forces the end with the tablet accommodating mechanism through the dispensing opening thereby dispensing a tablet. A locking mechanism prevents the reciprocating element from reciprocating when in a locked position. The locking mechanism permits reciprocation of the reciprocating element when in the unlocked position. The locking mechanism is adapted to remain in either the locked or the unlocked position until manually moved to the other position. Preferably, the locking mechanism includes a visual signal which indicates when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position.

Abstract: A method and package for simultaneously microwave heating or baking a plurality of articles such as brownies, cupcakes, muffins or cookies or the like. The method includes the steps of arranging the plurality of articles in a predetermined, vacant-center array within an ovenable container, non-sealingly enclosing the array of articles in the container so that the articles share a common headspace, and applying microwave energy for a sufficient period of time to effect the heating or baking. The method may further include preparing a bakeable batter, subdividing the batter into a plurality of equal portions with one portion in each of a plurality of like receptacles so that, upon being baked, each of the portions becomes one of the articles. A package is also provided to facilitate practicing the method.

Abstract: Containers of the present invention are particularly adapted for use in heating a food product contained therein by utilizing an oven that operates with forced heated air. In one embodiment of the present invention, the container includes a body portion having a bottom end panel attached thereto, and a top end panel releasably attached thereto. The container is provided with means for allowing heated air to pass through the container such as a plurality of apertures in the container's top and bottom end panels, or a plurality of apertures in the container's sidewall panel. In one embodiment, the body portion of the container is provided with a pleat that is initially folded. When the container's top end panel is removed, the pleat is unfolded to allow the container to be expanded. In another particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the body portion of the container is provided with a line of weakness that is broken to open the container.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for extracting whole juice sacs from citrus fruits by fluid impinging chunks of peeled fruit meat. In one embodiment, a fruit chunk is fed into a fluid impingement chamber that includes a plurality of off-center orifices. High-pressure fluid emitted from the orifices strikes the fruit chunk and spins it such that the fruit chunk's juice sacs are stripped from the chunk's sectional membranes. In another preferred embodiment, a plurality of fluid impingement chambers are incorporated into a high-speed, continuous motion turret. In yet another preferred embodiment, fruit chunks are fed into an inclined tube that includes fluid orifices which emit high pressure fluid. Controlling the fluid pressure, nozzle orifice size, number of orifices, direction of fluid jets, impingement time, and size and shape of the fruit chunks determine how substantially the radial membranes of fruit chunks are stripped of juice sacs without shredding the membranes.

Abstract: A microwave food carton having two integral layer-divider panels, and a one piece blank which may be erected to form the carton. Surface areas of the top and bottom walls of the carton, and the integral layer-divider panels, are each provided with a layer of microwave susceptor material so that they are directly heated thereby upon application of microwave energy. Such a carton is particularly useful in a microwave food package for microwave heating oppositely facing surfaces of each of a plurality of food pieces disposed in three layers in the package. In such a package, one of the integral layer-divider panels is disposed between each two adjacent layers of food pieces; the food pieces are preferably uniformly thick and have planar upper and lower surfaces; and the carton is preferably sized, relative to the sizes of the food pieces, to ensure a snug contacting relation between the microwave susceptor covered walls and panels of the carton, and the planar surfaces of each of the food pieces.

Abstract: An improved bag-in-box (BIB) composite container in which the container's inner bag is blow-molded inside the container's outer box. In one preferred method the body portion, which is a heated and softened preform preferably made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is placed within a carton through an aperture in the carton's top end panel, followed by injecting a pressurized gas into the preform to expand it into a bag within the outer box. In another particularly preferred method, a parison is extruded into an outer carton through an aperture in the carton's top end panel, followed by injecting a pressurized gas into the parison to expand it into a bag within the outer box.