REUSEABLE HOUSING FOR FLEXIBLE POUCH WITH FITMENT

Abstract

A container is disclosed which includes a housing having an inner chamber and a hinge allowing the housing to open and close. Contained at least partially within the housing is a pouch for holding a substance and a fitment attached thereto for accessing the substance. Additionally, a hinged cap is also included for selectively accessing and sealing the substance held within the pouch.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of the present invention relates to containers in general, and more specifically to a new and improved reusable container for use with a disposable flexible pouch equipped with a fitment for dispensing a product.

Flexible pouches (containers) for holding various substances are currently being utilized as a replacement for the traditional rigid container in some world markets. This is occurring primarily because such containers are lighter, take up less packaging space when empty, and cost equal or less to manufacture. Additionally, these flexible containers are environmentally friendly as they take up less landfill space and generally require less mass of material to produce.

The stand-up or gusseted pouch is an example of the flexible container as described above. Generally, the stand-up pouch is produced by folding one sheet of material to form the front and back panels and a gusseted bottom that allows the pouch to stand in a stable vertical position. Alternatively, the stand-up pouch is produced using three sheets of material. Two of the sheets are typically rectangular in shape and are joined together to form the front and back panels of the pouch, and the third sheet is generally a circular-shaped sheet forming the bottom of the pouch. The third circular-shaped sheet normally provides the base for the stand-up pouch, which allows the pouch to remain in a stable vertical position. The three sheets are also usually joined together using a heat-sealing process. Additionally, a fitment can also be incorporated into the pouch for dispensing any material contained within the pouch.

Despite the advantages of flexible pouches, such as the stand-up pouch described above, conventional rigid containers not having such advantages are still widely used, especially by consumers located in the United States. U.S. consumers usually demand the ease of use that conventional rigid containers offer and, as such, these rigid containers are still commonplace in the market.

Thus, there exists a need to provide the average consumer with a container that is as easy to use as the conventional rigid container and offers the other advantages of the flexible pouch such as lighter weight, less packaging space, and equal or lower cost.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to satisfy the needs as identified above. These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the container according to the present invention. An embodiment of the container according to the present invention comprises a housing that is hinged on a portion of the housing, allowing the housing to freely open and close. The housing also has an inner chamber that is able to hold a pouch inside. In one embodiment of the invention, the pouch includes a fitment that rests on a portion of the housing in order to stabilize the pouch within the housing. In another embodiment, the fitment may rest at least partially within the housing. A hinged cap may also be arranged on the housing and may be separate from or integral with the fitment. It is also contemplated that the pouch contents can be selectively accessed through the pouch fitment.

A second embodiment of the present invention includes a container comprising a housing that is hinged on a portion of the housing, allowing the housing to open and close. In this embodiment, the housing also has an inner chamber that is able to hold a pouch inside. The pouch is further attached to a fitment base allowing one to selectively access content within the pouch. A hinged cap is additionally attached to the pouch in order to provide ease of access to content within the pouch. In some versions of the invention the hinged cap rests on top of the housing, but in other versions, the hinged cap may rest at least partially within the housing or may be an integral part of the housing.

A further embodiment of the present invention includes a container comprising a housing having two sides that snap together allowing formation and opening of the housing. The two sides additionally form a chamber which, when in a closed position, may fit a pouch inside. A fitment is also connected to the pouch and is positioned to be supported by a portion of the housing in order to stabilize the pouch. A sealable closure may also be arranged on a top portion of the housing to allow access to content within the pouch.

In addition to the above embodiments, a number of optional features may be included in the present invention for improved function. By way of example, the housing may contain multiple hinges instead of one hinge. The housing may also be optionally made of a flexible material to permit compression of the housing during use. Alternatively, the housing may be a two-sided clam shell structure having a connection element where the connection element contains a snap-fitting mechanism for securing the housing together. It is also contemplated that the housing can be made of a polypropylene material or any other suitable material. Additionally, the pouch may be comprised of a flexible body, and may also contain a fluid therein, such as a shampoo. Moreover, in one embodiment, the sealable closure may be a screw on cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and upon examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 in an open position.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the housing section of the container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the pouch enclosed within the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the hinged cap of the container of FIG. 1 in an open position.

FIGS. 7-10 show a perspective view of different versions of fitments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In describing the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and to be described with respect to the drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to any specific terms used herein, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a container designated generally by reference numeral 10. In one embodiment of the present invention, the container 10 comprises a housing 12, a hinged cap 18, and an aperture 24 (see FIG. 2) in the housing 12 through which the fitment 38 extends. The fitment 38 rests on a top portion 25 of the housing which is integral with the housing 12. The hinged cap 18 is further arranged adjacent a retaining ring 22 to allow the hinged cap 18 to rest on the housing 12. The container 10 of FIG. 1 is designed to hold a pouch with fitment, which may contain a variety of different liquid or semi-solid substances, including shampoos, conditioners, hair gels, or other similar substances.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded view of an embodiment of the container 10 comprising a housing 12 with a first side 14 and a second side 16 in a generally open position. The first side of the housing 14 may be connected to the second side of the housing 16 by a hinge 28, which allows the housing to freely open and close. A user can therefore freely open and close the housing 12 to replace any materials held therein.

As further seen in FIG. 2, the housing 12 may also contain an inner chamber 26 defined by the first side of the housing 14 and the second side of the housing 16. The inner chamber 26 may additionally be sized to fit and retain a pouch 34 therein. The pouch 34 may be generally rectangular in shape or, alternatively, may be any other suitable shape, such as a cylinder or a parallelepiped. The pouch may further have a flexible body 35 for holding a substance such as a liquid or semi-solid within. In one embodiment, the pouch 34 is a conventional stand-up pouch. Alternatively, the pouch may not contain a stand-up feature, and may be any suitable form of pouch that is able to fit within the housing 12. Additionally, in another embodiment, attached to a top portion of the pouch is a fitment 38 for accessing any content or substance stored within the pouch 34. In one embodiment, the fitment 38 is attached to the pouch 34 through use of a heat seal between the pouch material 36 and the fitment base 56, which secures the fitment 38 to the pouch 34 as well as actively seals any stored substance within the flexible body 35 of the pouch 34. In yet another embodiment, when the pouch 34 is inserted in the housing 12, a retaining ring 22 optionally located on the fitment may rest on the top portion 25 of the housing 12 holding the pouch 34 in place. The housing 12 may then be closed presenting the consumer with a rigid container from which to dispense a product.

As best seen in FIG. 2, a fitment 38 engaged with a hinged cap 18 may also be connected to the pouch 34 to provide access to content within the flexible body 35 of the pouch 34. In one embodiment, the hinged cap 18 screws onto the pouch 34 to provide a secure connection thereto. Thus, the hinged cap 18, in one embodiment, may be reused multiple times with different pouches. Alternatively, the hinged cap 18 may be connected to a portion of the housing 12, or may be connected to any other suitable location that allows a user to access content within the flexible body 35 of pouch 34. The hinged cap 18 additionally includes a top portion 40, a bottom portion 42, and a hinge 20 allowing the top portion 40 to close onto the bottom portion 42. A recess 44 as seen in FIG. 6 may also be disposed in the top portion 40 of the hinged cap 18 to securely receive a nozzle 46. The nozzle 46 may be of any suitable shape, such as a cylinder, or parallelepiped, and can be used to expel any substance housed in the container 10 in a controlled manner. The recess 44 may also be of any shape suitable to accommodate the nozzle 46.

In addition, as is clearly seen in FIG. 2, a defined aperture 24 may be formed in a top portion of the housing 12 when the housing 12 is in a closed position. As is demonstrated more clearly in FIG. 1, and in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the hinged cap 18 optionally rests completely outside the aperture 24 of the housing 12 and is held in place by a retaining ring 22 engaged with a portion of the hinged cap 18. A user may therefore easily utilize the hinged cap 18 due to its convenient location outside the aperture 24 of the housing 12.

FIG. 3 depicts an alternative view of the housing 12 of the container 10. As seen in FIG. 3, the housing 12 has a first side 14 and a second side 16 connected through the use of a hinge 28. It is contemplated that the hinge 28 may be any suitable hinge, joint, pivot, or other connection allowing the housing 12 to open and close. Moreover, in an alternate embodiment, the housing 12 may have multiple hinges as well as multiple sides. It is contemplated that the multiple sides of the housing 12 may open and close about the multiple hinges to form a container similar to the container embodied by reference numeral 10. However, it is also contemplated that the housing 12 may not have a hinge 28, and rather may be two sides that interconnect to form the housing 12. The interconnection mechanism may be any suitable form of connection such as a clip, hook, or latch that allows the two sides 14 and 16 of the housing 12 to securely close.

As also best seen in FIG. 3, a front edge 15 of the first side 14 of the housing 12 may optionally connect to a front edge 17 of the second side 16 of the housing 12 through use of a snap-fit mechanism (not shown). The snap-fit mechanism may be any suitable connection mechanism such as a clip, hook, or latch that allows the two sides of the housing 12 to securely close. As FIG. 3 further depicts, the first side 14 and the second side 16 of the housing 12 may also form a clamshell shape. Alternatively, the housing 12 may be any number of suitable shapes including a cube, a cylinder, or a parallelepiped. An inner chamber 26 of the housing 12 is also shown and is disposed between the first side 14 and the second side 16 of the housing 12. The inner chamber 26 enables a pouch 34 to rest within. In an alternate embodiment, the housing 12 may have more than two sides in which case the inner chamber 26 would be defined by the more than two sides.

In another embodiment of the invention, the housing 12 of FIG. 3 is composed of a polypropylene material. However, it is also contemplated that the housing 12 may be composed of high-density polyethylene, metal, ceramic, or any other appropriate material of similar characteristics. In one embodiment, the housing 12 is made of a flexible material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, to allow for compression of the housing 12. This provides a user with the ability to effectively expel any content held within the container 10. Alternatively, the housing 12 may have a flap or tab (not shown) formed in either the first side 14 of the housing 12 or the second side 16 of the housing 12 capable of being depressed by a user. A user may then depress the optional tab or flap to more easily compress the pouch 34 located within the housing 12. Alternatively, one or both of the two sides 14 and 16 of the housing 12 may have a hole designed into it. The hole may be any number of shapes and sizes provided the housing 12 is still structurally able to hold the pouch 34. A user can then compress the pouch directly with his thumb and/or finger(s) to effectively expel any remaining content in the pouch 34.

Further referring to FIG. 3, the housing 12 may also contain an aperture 24 for allowing a hinged cap 18 to rest therein. In one embodiment, the hinged cap 18 rests fully outside of the aperture 24 in the housing 12. In an alternate embodiment, the hinged cap 18 may rest at least partially within the aperture 24 of the housing 12.

As best seen in FIG. 4, and in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the aperture 24 of the housing 12 is of a generally circular shape allowing the hinged cap 18 to fit easily therein. In one embodiment, the aperture 24 may be of any shape able to accommodate the shape of the hinged cap 18, such as a square, rectangle, or triangle. FIG. 4 further shows the aperture 24 having a top portion 25 for allowing the retaining ring 22 (see FIG. 3) to rest upon. However, it is contemplated that the hinged cap 18 can alternatively not engage with a retaining ring 22, in which case the hinged cap 18 would rest partially disposed within the aperture 24.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is a pouch 34 shown with a hinged cap 18 attached thereto. In one embodiment, the hinged cap 18 is screwed onto the pouch 34. Alternatively, the hinged cap 18 may be connected to the pouch 34 through any other suitable means of connection, such as through an adhesive or through a snap on mechanism. The pouch 34 may also comprise a flexible body 35 for housing a substance therein. Thus, the flexible body 35 of the pouch 34 may be compressed to expel any substance contained within the flexible body 35. In one embodiment, the substance may be a liquid, such as a shampoo, conditioner, or hair gel. Alternatively, the substance may be any other substance capable of being housed within the pouch. It is also contemplated that the hinged cap 18 may not be attached to the pouch 34, but rather may be attached to the housing 12.

The hinged cap 18 is best seen and described with reference to FIG. 6. The hinged cap 18 generally comprises a top portion 40 and a bottom portion 42. The top portion 40 may have a recess 44 disposed therein for receiving a nozzle 46 attached to the bottom portion 42 of the hinged cap 18. The hinged cap 18 may also contain a hinge 20 for opening and closing the hinged cap 18. A retaining ring 22, as seen in FIG. 5, is also optionally arranged adjacent the hinged cap 18 for resting the hinged cap 18 on the top portion 25 of the housing 12. In an alternate embodiment, rather than being attached to the hinged cap 18, the pouch 34 may be attached to a screw top or other suitable closure. Additionally, the hinged cap 18 further contains a removable seal 48 on top of the nozzle 46 for covering an opening 47 of the nozzle 46. The seal 48 may be a piece of aluminum foil actively bonded to the nozzle through use of a glue or other substance, or, alternatively, may be any other suitable form of seal such as a plastic seal.

Several views of the various fitments capable of being attached to the pouch 34 are best seen in FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10. Each fitment 138, 238, 338 and 438 shown therein contains an upper opening 150, 250, 350 and 450 respectively and a lower opening 152, 252, 352, and 452. A cylindrical tube 154, 254, 354 and 454 may additionally span between the upper and lower openings of the various fitments. The lower openings 152, 252, 352 and 452 may communicate with the interior of the pouch 34, while the upper openings 150, 250, 350 and 450 may communicate with the nozzle 46 in the hinged cap 18. Thus, each fitment allows a user to access content housed within the flexible body 35 of the pouch 34. The fitments also contain a bottom piece, 156, 256, 356 and 456 respectively, having diamond shaped top and bottom faces. These bottom pieces 156, 256, 356 and 456 may also engage with the pouch 34 at the heat sealed portion 36 as shown in FIG. 5. It is contemplated that the pouch 34 is compatible with each fitment 138, 238, 338 and 438 as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 respectively. Alternatively, any suitable fitment known in the art may be used with pouch 34.

In use the container 10, as shown in FIG. 1, holds a replaceable pouch with a fitment, similar to that of pouch 34. A user may place the replaceable pouch with a fitment inside of the container 10 by first opening the container about the hinge 28 on the housing 12 and then placing the pouch inside. The user may then securely close the housing 12 over the replaceable pouch with fitment. Once installed, the user may compress the preferably flexible housing 12 of the container 10 to squeeze out any content within the pouch 34. In some embodiments, the content within the pouch 34 may be a liquid, such as a shampoo, used by the end user while bathing. Once the user has used all of the content within the pouch 34, the user may then open the container 10 about the hinge 28 on the housing 12 and replace the used pouch 34 with a new pouch. The user may then continue using the container 10 in the manner described above.

Utilizing the features of the invention as described with reference to the various embodiments disclosed herein, an end user is able to purchase a number of replaceable pouches similar to that of pouch 34 and easily use such pouches in conjunction with container 10. The user may then easily dispose of the same once used. Therefore, the end user saves a significant amount of material that would otherwise be wasted if the container, similar to that of container 10, were to be disposed of after each use. Additionally, the user is provided with container 10 that is similar in shape and functionality to traditional rigid containers and therefore familiar and easy to use for consumers. Moreover, a manufacturer may use any number of different pouches with the current container 10, thus providing the manufacturer with the ability to produce a pouch with fitment that is less costly than the average stand-up pouch with fitment. The container 10 therefore provides an improved alternative to the traditional rigid container as well as the average stand-up pouch with fitment.

Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a housing having an inner chamber and a hinge allowing the housing to open and close;

a pouch arranged within the inner chamber of the housing;

a fitment connected to the pouch, the fitment supported on a portion of the housing to retain the pouch at a stable position therein and allow selective access to content within the pouch; and

a hinged cap arranged adjacent the fitment to seal the contents within the pouch.

2. The container according to claim 1 wherein the hinged cap is integrally attached to the top portion of the housing.

3. The container according to claim 1 wherein the housing has multiple hinges.

4. The container according to claim 1 wherein the pouch is comprised of a flexible body.

5. The container according to claim 4 wherein the pouch contains a fluid therein.

6. The container according to claim 4 wherein the housing is made of flexible material to permit compression of the housing.

7. The container according to claim 1 wherein the housing is composed of a polypropylene material.

8. The container according to claim 1 wherein the housing is a two-sided clam shell structure having a connection element for securing the housing together.

9. The container according to claim 8 wherein the connection element is a snap-fitting mechanism for securing the housing together.

10. A container comprising:

a housing having an inner chamber and a hinge allowing the housing to open and close;

a pouch arranged within the inner chamber of the housing, wherein the pouch is connected to a fitment; and

a hinged cap integrally attached to the fitment, wherein the hinged cap at least partially engages a top portion of the housing to selectively permit access to content within the pouch.

11. The container according to claim 10 wherein the housing is made of flexible material to permit compression of the housing.

12. The container according to claim 10 wherein the housing has multiple hinges.

13. The container according to claim 10 wherein the pouch is comprised of a flexible body.

14. The container according to claim 13 wherein the pouch contains a fluid therein.

15. The container according to claim 10 wherein the housing is composed of a polypropylene material.

16. The container according to claim 10 wherein the housing is a two-sided clam shell structure having a connection element for securing the housing together.

17. The container according to claim 17 wherein the connection element is a snap-fitting mechanism for securing the housing together.

18. A container comprising:

a housing having two sides that allow formation and opening of the housing, wherein the two sides define an inner chamber when pieced together;

a pouch arranged within the inner chamber of the housing;

a fitment connected to the pouch, the fitment supported on a portion of the housing to retain the pouch at a stable position therein; and

a sealable closure arranged on a top portion of the housing adjacent the fitment to selectively permit access to content within the pouch.

19. The container according to claim 18 wherein the sealable closure is a screw on cap.

20. The container according to claim 18 wherein the housing is a two-sided clam shell structure having a connection element for securing the housing together.