Dispenser For Oral Care Composition
A dispenser having a nozzle, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening, has an improved user experience in dosing oral care compositions (such as toothpaste on a toothbrush).
The present invention is directed to a dispenser suitable for oral care compositions such a toothpaste.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany commercial toothpaste packages have: a flexible tube body (to contain the toothpaste before dispensing); and a functionally attached dispenser having a cylindrical nozzle. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the contents of the tube body. When a user squeezes the flexible tube body, a dose of toothpaste is extruded through the cylindrical nozzle of the dispenser and dispensed onto a tooth brush head. The nozzle diameter/geometry is critical for defining a user's experience in dispensing a desired tooth paste volume out from the package. Based on unpublished consumer testing, dosage is an important factor for an overall tooth brushing experience. Too large a dosage may waste toothpaste (making the user feel as value is being lost) as well as may frustrate the user given the efforts associated with getting get rid of extra toothpaste (e.g., additional rinsing). On the other hand, if a dosage is too small, it may not provide enough cleaning benefit to teeth or freshening benefit to the oral cavity. Further complicating matters is the diversity of tooth brushes available to users. From example, some classic manual toothbrush brushes may have relatively large heads while smaller heads may be associated with some power brushes and specialty tooth brushes (e.g., children or gum sensitivity).
Another challenge in dosing is the relatively viscous nature of toothpaste. To this end, some consumers report that a relatively high viscous toothpaste connotes quality. However, with this viscosity, there are challenges for some consumer segments (e.g., elderly) to exert enough pressure on classic packages of toothpaste to dose it with the most desired level of control and/or quantity. Thus, there is a continuing need to provide a dispenser that can improve the dosing experience using a single dispenser designs to serves the needs among a myriad of user segments, toothbrushes, and to do so with a relatively viscous composition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention attempts to address one or more of these needs by providing a dispenser, suitable for dispensing oral care composition, with a nozzle having a broadening nozzle opening that generally increases the dosing amount (using the same force in an otherwise classic dispenser). One aspect of the present invention provides a dispenser for an oral care product. The dispenser comprising a base which is functionally attachable to a container containing an oral care composition (e.g., flexible tube). The dispenser further comprises a nozzle, which extends from the base. The dispenser has a proximal opening at the interface of the nozzle and the base and an opposing distal opening. A longitudinal axis intersects a centroid of a cross section of the proximal opening and a centroid of a cross section of the distal opening. The distal opening has a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of the proximal opening. The nozzle is capable of being in fluid communication with the functionally attached container containing the oral care composition. An example of such a container is a flexible tube. An example of an oral care composition is a paste, preferably a toothpaste.
One advantage of the dispenser is a dispensing a dose of oral care composition that is wider than some classic dispensed doses thereby increasing the surface area to facilitate better dispersion or the oral care composition when administered in an oral cavity. This is particularly advantageous with relatively high viscous oral care compositions, such as pastes, which may not disperse as readily as comparatively less viscous compositions.
One advantage of the dispenser herein is to minimize changes to existing products to minimize costs and capital investment, yet improve the user experience.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative in nature and not intended to limit the invention defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, and in which:
Features and benefits of the various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which includes examples of specific embodiments intended to give a broad representation of the invention. Various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this description and from practice of the invention. The scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed and the invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
As used herein, the articles including “the”, “a” and “an” when used in a claim or in the specification, are understood to mean one or more of what is claimed or described.
As used herein, the term “plurality” means more than one.
As used herein, the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, are meant to be non-limiting, i.e., other steps and other ingredients which do not affect the end of result can be added. Accordingly, the terms “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” are embodied in the term “comprising”. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” means that the devices, apparatuses, methods, components, and/or compositions may include additional ingredients, but only if the additional ingredients do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed devices, apparatuses, methods, components, and/or compositions.
An “oral care composition” is means a composition, which in the ordinary course of usage, is not intentionally swallowed for purposes of systemic administration of particular therapeutic agents but is rather retained in the oral cavity for a time sufficient to contact dental surfaces (i.e., tooth) and/or oral tissues for treatment. The oral care product may be in various compositional forms including toothpaste, dentifrice, tooth gel, subgingival gel, denture cleaning composition, denture adhesive, or the like. A preferred oral care composition is a paste composition, preferably a toothpaste composition.
An “oral care product” means packaging containing one or more doses, preferably a plurality of doses, of oral care composition. A dispenser is part of the packaging that contains the oral care composition.
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The dispenser described herein, is particularly useful for use with an oral care composition (especially a toothpaste) having a viscosity range from 150,000 centipoise to 850,000 centipoise (“cP”). A method for assessing viscosity is described. The viscometer is Brookfield® viscometer, Model DV-I Prime with a Brookfield “Helipath” stand. The viscometer is placed on the Helipath stand and leveled via spirit levels. The E spindle is attached, and the viscometer is set to 2.5 RPM. Detach the spindle, zero the viscometer and install the E spindle. Then, lower the spindle until the crosspiece is partially submerged in the paste before starting the measurement. Simultaneously turn on the power switch on the viscometer and the helipath to start rotation of the spindle downward. Set a timer for 48 seconds and turn the timer on at the same time as the motor and helipath. Take a reading after the 48 seconds. The reading is in cP.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.”
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or benefit thereof, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
Claims
1. A dispenser (1) for an oral care product, comprising:
- a base (9) functionally attachable to a container containing an oral care composition (not shown);
- a nozzle (13) extending from the base (9), having a proximal opening (19) at the interface of the nozzle (13) and the base (9), and an opposing distal opening (17);
- a longitudinal axis (15) intersecting a centroid of a cross section of the proximal opening (19) and a centroid of a cross section of the distal opening (17);
- wherein the distal opening (17) has a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of the proximal opening (19); and
- wherein the nozzle (13) is capable of being in fluid communication with the functionally attached container containing the oral care composition.
2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the distal opening (17) is 5% to 115% larger than the cross-sectional area of the proximal opening (19), preferably 10% to 70%, more preferably 20% to 46% larger.
3. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle (13) further comprising a middle opening (21) in-between the proximal opening (19) and the distal opening (17), wherein the middle opening (21) cross-sectional area: is larger, preferably 3% to 55% larger, than the cross-sectional area of the proximal opening (19); but is smaller, preferably 3% to 30% smaller, than the cross-sectional area of the distal opening (17).
4. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the distal opening (17) has the same cross-sectional shape as the proximal opening (19);
- preferably the distal opening (17) and the proximal opening (19) each have a circular shape;
- more preferably a middle opening (21), in-between the proximal opening (19) and the distal opening (17), also has a circular cross-sectional shape.
5. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle (13) has a height measured along the longitudinal axis (15), from 3 mm to 20 mm, preferably from 4 mm to 12 mm.
6. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-sectional area of the distal opening (17), proximate opening (19), and a middle opening (21) longitudinally midway in-between the distal opening (17) and proximate opening (19), is each independently from 15 mm2 to 205 mm2, preferably from 30 mm2 to 115 mm2.
7. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a cap (3) for releasably capping the nozzle (13) closed.
8. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the cap (3) is hinged (5).
9. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle (13) and base (9) have a height, measured along the longitudinal axis (15), from 2 mm to 20 mm, preferably from 3 mm to 13 mm.
10. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the base (9) comprises threading, preferably inwardly facing threading (11).
11. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a skirt (7) extending circumferential outward and around at least the base (9).
12. The dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a container containing an oral care composition functionally attached to the base,
- preferably the oral care composition is a toothpaste paste composition;
- preferably the container and base (9) are functionally attached to each other by threading.
13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the paste composition comprises a viscosity from 150,000 centipoise to 850,000 centipoise.
14. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein the container is a tube, preferably a flexible tube and wherein the paste composition is toothpaste.
15. The dispenser of according to any of the preceding claims, made from plastic, preferably wherein the plastic is polypropylene, more preferably injection molding of said plastic.
