PACKAGING WITH IMPROVED REMOVING ELEMENT

Abstract

A packaging for a liquid substance, in particular a cosmetics product such as nail varnish, includes a container which is accessible via a neck, a closure which interacts with the neck of the container by element of a screw connection, as well as a brush which is attached to the closure and which extends into the container when the closure is screwed on, which brush is attached to the closure in such a manner that it can be displaced. The brush by element of a screw connection interacts with the closure.

Description

The invention relates to a packaging for a substance in a liquid, particulate or pasty state, for example a cosmetics product such as nail varnish, comprising a container which is accessible via a neck, a closure which interacts with the neck of the container by means of a screw connection, as well as a removing element attached to the closure, such as a brush, pipette or scoop, which removing element extends into the container when the closure is screwed onto the neck and interacts with the closure by means of a screw connection.

Such a packaging in the form of a nail varnish bottle is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,905. The closure in the form of a cap can be screwed onto the neck of the bottle by means of a threaded connection. The removing element, which is designed as a brush, has a handle with an external screw thread, which is in turn screwed into a hole in the cap which is provided with respective internal screw thread. These threaded connections have identical pitch angles and identical directions, so that when the cap is unscrewed and the brush is prevented from turning, the latter remains stationary with respect to the bottle. As a result, the brush can even remove the last remaining contents from the bottle.

The brush is retained by means of a separate disk which is provided on the inside of the bottle. Such a design is complicated to produce and is also expensive. In addition, the internal disk forms an obstruction in the interior of the bottle, which renders insertion of the brush more difficult. The fact that the threaded connection between the brush and the cap has dimensions which are so small, in particular has such a small diameter that failures may easily occur, is a further drawback. The functioning of such a threaded connection with a small diameter leaves something to be desired, which adversely affects the ease of use.

A further packaging in the form of a nail varnish bottle is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,154. With this known nail varnish bottle, the handle of the brush is constantly kept pressed against the bottom of the bottle by means of a spring, which is provided in the cap of the nail varnish bottle. When the cap of the bottle is unscrewed, the brush remains pressed against the bottom. This makes it possible to remove even the last remaining drops of nail varnish from the bottle with the brush. After all, the handle is pushed so far outwards with respect to the cap that the brush can still touch the bottom, even if the cap is removed completely from the bottle. In said state, the nail varnish can be removed almost completely by scraping the bottom of the bottle using the brush.

This results in an improvement with respect to the nail varnish bottles which have a brush which is fixedly connected to the cap, whose brush can only reach the vicinity of the bottom if the cap is fully screwed onto the bottle. However, as soon as the cap is unscrewed from the bottle, the distance of the brush to the bottom increases. When the cap is completely unscrewed, the brush can only be inserted into the bottle up to a relatively large distance from the bottom in order to remove the nail varnish from the bottle. This inevitably means that a relatively large amount of remaining nail varnish can then not be reached and has to be disposed of together with the bottle.

Although, in this connection, the above-described nail varnish bottle with a sprung brush already represents an improvement, it still has drawbacks attached to it. A first drawback is the limited ease of use of a cap with sprung brush. During application of the nail varnish, the brush can slide back, against the spring force of the spring. This could be overcome by using a relatively strong spring, but this has the drawback that the pushing back of the brush when screwing the cap back onto the bottle is then rendered difficult. In addition, the brush is relatively unstable due to the sprung suspension.

Furthermore, a spring mechanism has the drawback of a relatively high cost price, which is due to the production, material and assembly costs. A further drawback could be that the brush is kept pressed against the bottom on account of the pressing action in such a manner that the shape of the spring becomes bent. Over time, said bent shape of the brush will become permanent and will also persist when the cap with the brush has been unscrewed from the container. However, such a bent brush results in drawbacks during the application of the nail varnish.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a packaging, in particular a nail varnish bottle, which ensures, on the one hand, that virtually the entire substance contents, such as nail varnish, can be used, while the brush retains its normal shape in connection with the application of the nail varnish. It is a further object to provide a packaging which can be produced relatively inexpensively and which nevertheless offers a high degree of ease of use and is not susceptible to failures. These objects are achieved by the fact that the screw connection between the removing element and the closure and the screw connection between the closure and the neck have a substantially similar diameter, or that the screw connection between the removing element and the closure has a diameter which is larger than the screw connection between the closure and the neck.

Such a ratio between the threaded connections offers various advantages. A set of screw connections of approximately similar diameter, in particular an identical set of screw connections, offers the advantage that production thereof is relatively inexpensive. In addition, the structure can be assembled in a relatively simple manner. In addition, the functioning of identical screw threads is much more reliable than with a relatively small threaded connection. After all, a relatively small threaded connection results in failures, such as jamming and defects, more quickly as the surfaces thereof which interact with one another are small and thus exposed to high material stresses.

In addition, the packaging according to the invention no longer has a spring to keep the brush pushed outwards with respect to the closure. As a result, the problem that the brush is kept pressed against the bottom in a bent position when the closure has been fitted does not occur. Instead, a screw connection is provided between the brush and the cap, in such a manner that displacement with respect to one another is possible by turning the brush and cap with respect to one another. When the cap has been placed on the container, but not yet been screwed onto the container, the brush reaches as far as the bottom. When the cap is subsequently screwed onto the container, the brush moves into the cap. As the cap moves in the direction towards the bottom when it is being screwed on, the position of the brush with respect to the bottom remains constant. This means that, when the closure is being screwed on, which action causes a movement in the direction towards the bottom of the container, the brush is no longer pushed against the bottom, but rather remains standing on it in a more or less constant position.

Such an effect can be achieved in particular if the screw connection between the closure and the neck and the screw connection between the closure and the brush have similar properties, such as similar diameters and similar lead angle or pitch. Screw connections having a similar lead angle or pitch are understood to mean screw connections which have equally large displacements in the longitudinal direction when the nut and the screw are turned one complete revolution with respect to one another. With the above-described embodiment of the packaging, a revolution of the closure with respect to the container and with respect to the brush results in identical displacements, so that the inserted brush can be kept at a constant position with respect to the bottom, also when screwing the closure further onto the container. The position of the brush is preferably chosen such that it just or almost touches the bottom.

In a preferred embodiment, the closure has an internal screw thread and the brush has a handle which comprises bristles at one end and has a nut at the other end which interacts with said internal screw thread of the closure. In particular, the closure may have an internal screw thread which interacts both with the neck and with the nut.

In order to properly seal the packaging according to the invention, the nut and the neck may be provided with sealing means. Retaining means may be provided in order to prevent rotation of the nut and neck with respect to one another and to make the desired rotation of the closure and brush with respect to one another possible. These retaining means may have mating shapes which can be brought into engagement with one another by placing the closure on the neck. By way of example, retaining means are mentioned which comprise at least one recess or projection of the nut, as well as a projection or recess on the container.

In an alternative embodiment, the retaining means may also be based on friction, for example as provided by a friction element which may be provided either on the neck or on the nut of the brush.

In a particularly efficient embodiment, the sealing means may also comprise a sealing element which is attached to the neck, which sealing element comprises the projection or the recess. In this connection, the nut and the sealing element may comprise sealing surfaces which can be made to interact with one another.

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a first variant of the packaging according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a second variant.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view in perspective of the variant from FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the brush container turned upside down.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the end cover turned upside down.

The figure shows a part of a packaging according to the invention, which represents a nail varnish bottle provided with a container 1. The top side of the container 1 has a neck 2, which is provided with an external screw thread 3. Furthermore, the closure 4 has been screwed onto the container 1, which closure comprises a cap 16 which has an internal screw thread 5.

The cap 16 comprises a nut section 6, having an external screw thread 7 which is in engagement with the internal screw thread 5 of the cap 16. A handle 8 is attached to the nut section 6, which handle 8 extends into the container 1. On the underside of the handle 8, the brush 9 is provided. In the figure, the brush 9 is just above or just on the bottom 17 of the container 1.

On the top side of the neck 2 of the container 1, a sealing ring 10 is provided which has a collar 11 which extends into the neck 2. The sealing ring 10 has a top surface 12, on which the bottom surface 13 of the nut section 6 rests. In addition, the sealing ring 10 is provided with lugs 14, which protrude upwards with respect to the top surface 12. On the bottom surface 13, the nut section is provided with recesses 15 which are formed and positioned in accordance with the lugs 14.

When placing the closure 4 on the container 1, it has to be ensured that the nut section 6 is unscrewed as far as near the bottom end of the cap 16. In this position, the handle 8 with the brush 9 protrudes as far as possible with respect to said cap 16. Subsequently, the bottom surface 13 of the nut section can be placed on the top surface 12 of the sealing ring 10, with the lugs 14 and recesses 15 interacting with one another. The nut section 6 is then locked against rotation. At the subsequent rotation of the cap 16, the latter moves downwards with respect to the nut section 6, with the internal screw thread 5 of the cap 16 coming into engagement with external screw thread 3 of the neck 2. The cap 16 can be tightened until it hits the nut section 6, so that the nut section 6 is firmly pressed onto the sealing ring 10.

When the nut section 6 is being screwed on, the handle 8 and brush 9 always remain in the same position with respect to the bottom 10 of the container 1, so that the brush 9 is not deformed. Conversely, the handle 8 and brush 9 also remain in said position when the nut section 6 is unscrewed. As a result, the brush 9 can be moved over the bottom 17 of the container 1 when the cap 16 is completely unscrewed in order to also remove the last remaining drops of nail varnish.

With the variant illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, the nut section 6 to which the handle 8 and the brush 9 are attached is provided with an external screw thread 20, while the cap 16 has an internal screw thread 21 at that location. The diameter of these screw threads 20, 21 is larger than that of the screw threads 3, 5 between the neck 2 and the cap 16. The advantage of this embodiment is that the functioning of both screw threads is excellent. The diameter of the screw threads 20, 21 between the nut section 6 and the cap 16 is even relatively greater than that of the variant from FIG. 1, as a result of which a very light and reliable screwing movement is made possible.

A significant advantage of the nut section 6 with a relatively large diameter (required for the relatively large diameter of the screw threads 20, 21) is also that it creates space for the apron-shaped seal 22 which is injection-molded onto the transition 23 which conically narrows from the nut section 6 to the handle 8. When the closure 4 is placed on the neck 2, this apron-shaped seal 22 is brought into contact with the top side of said neck 2. This ensures that the substance which is present inside the container 1 cannot penetrate into the region with the various threaded connections.

Furthermore, on the apron-shaped seal 22, there are recesses 24, which engage with corresponding projections 23 on the top side of the neck 2 in such a manner that said section 6 is locked against rotation.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the closure 4 consists of the above-described nut section 6 and the associated parts, the cover 25 and the sleeve 32. The cover 25, which is also shown upside down in FIG. 5 for the sake of clarity, has a stop 26 which is formed at the end of a threaded elevation 27. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the nut section has a corresponding stop 26, on a corresponding helical elevation 29. The cover has opposite projections 30, while the sleeve has corresponding recesses 31.

When assembling the closure 4, the nut section 6 is first screwed into the screw thread 21 of the sleeve 32. Subsequently, the cover 25 is placed, with the projections 30 thereof coming to lie in the recesses 31. The purpose of the stops 26, 28 will be explained next.

If, for any reason whatsoever, the nut section 6 is rotated outwards over some distance with respect to the sleeve 32, so that the brush 9 projects relatively far outside, the closure 4 can nevertheless be placed correctly on the container 1 in the following manner. As soon as the grooves 24 engage with the corresponding projections 33 at the top side of the neck 2, the nut section 6 is locked against rotation. The sleeve 32 can now be rotated further, with the sleeve 32 moving in the direction of the container 1, as a result of the interaction between the screw threads 20, 21 of the nut section 6 and the sleeve 32. Gradually, the screw thread 5 of the sleeve 32 comes into contact with the screw thread 3 of the neck 2, as a result of which the cap 16 becomes secured to the container 1. When the sleeve 32 and the cover 25 attached thereto have eventually been rotated so far that the stops 26, 28 are in contact with one another, the closure 4 has been tightened completely. The bottom of the sleeve 32 may in this case still be situated at a distance from the top wall of the container 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1. Container

2. Neck

3. External screw thread (neck)

4. Closure

5. Internal screw thread (cap)

6. Nut section

7. External screw thread (nut section)

8. Handle

9. Brush

10. Sealing ring

11. Sealing ring collar

12. Top surface (sealing ring)

13. Bottom surface (nut section)

14. Sealing ring lug

15. Recess (nut)

16. Cap

17. Bottom (container)

20. External screw thread (nut section)

21. Internal screw thread (cap)

22. Apron-shaped seal

23. Conical transition

24. Recess (apron-shaped seal)

25. Cover

26. Stop (cover)

27. Helical elevation (cover)

28. Stop (sleeve)

29. Helical elevation (sleeve)

30. Projection (cover)

31. Recess (sleeve)

32. Sleeve

33. Projection (neck)

34. Friction element (nut section)

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A packaging for a substance in a liquid, particulate or pasty state, for example a cosmetics product such as nail varnish, comprising a container (1) which is accessible via a neck (2), a closure (4) which interacts with the neck (2) of the container (1) by means of a screw connection (3, 5), as well as a removing element attached to the closure (4), such as a brush (9), pipette or scoop, which removing element extends into the container (1) when the closure (4) is screwed onto the neck (2) and interacts with the closure (4) by means of a screw connection (5, 7; 20, 21), wherein the screw connection (5, 7) between the removing element and the closure and the screw connection (3, 5) between the closure (4) and the neck (2) have a substantially similar diameter, or in that the screw connection (5, 7; 20, 21) between the removing element and the closure has a diameter which is larger than the screw connection (3, 5) between the closure (4) and the neck (2), characterized in that retaining means (14, 15) are provided in order to prevent rotation of the nut (6) and the neck (2) with respect to one another.

13. The packaging as claimed in claim 12, in which the screw connection (3, 5) between the closure (4) and the neck (2) and the screw connection (5, 7) between the closure (4) and the brush (9) have similar properties, such as similar diameters and similar lead angle or pitch.

14. The packaging as claimed in claim 12, in which the closure (4) has an internal screw thread (5) and the removing element (9) has a handle (8) provided with a nut section (6) which interacts with said internal screw thread (5) of the closure (4).

15. The packaging as claimed in claim 14, in which the closure (4) has an internal screw thread (5) which interacts both with the neck (2) and with the nut section (6).

16. The packaging as claimed in claim 14, in which the nut section (6) and the neck (2) are sealed with respect to one another by sealing means (10).

17. The packaging as claimed in claim 14, in which the retaining means have mating shapes (14, 15) which can be brought into engagement with one another by placing the closure (4) on the neck (2).

18. The packaging as claimed in claim 16, in which the retaining means comprise at least one recess (15) or projection of the nut (6), as well as a projection (14) or recess on the container (1).

19. The packaging as claimed in claim 18, in which the sealing means comprise a sealing element (10) attached to the neck, which sealing element (10) comprises the projection (14) or the recess.

20. The packaging as claimed in claim 19, in which the nut section (6) and the sealing element (10) comprise sealing surfaces (12, 13) which can be made to interact with one another.

21. The packaging as claimed in claim 12, in which the retaining means comprise a friction element (34) provided on the nut section (6), which friction element can be made to interact with the neck (2).

22. The packaging as claimed in claim 15, in which the nut section (6) and the neck (2) are sealed with respect to one another by sealing means (10).

23. The packaging as claimed in claim 12, in which the retaining means have mating shapes (14, 15) which can be brought into engagement with one another by placing the closure (4) on the neck (2).

24. The packaging as claimed in claim 12, in which the retaining means comprise at least one recess (15) or projection of the nut (6), as well as a projection (14) or recess on the container (1).