DEVICE FOR PACKAGING TWO PRODUCTS SEPARATELY

Abstract

Device (100, 200, 400) for packaging two products (A, B) separately and dispensing a resulting mixture (M) on a first use, said device comprising a plug (300) arranged between a lower container (110, 210) forming a first product cavity (115) and an upper container (120, 220) forming a second product cavity (125), the plug (300) having a base (310) fixedly secured to one of the lower container (110, 210) or upper container (120, 220) and presenting a communication passage (314) opening on both the first and second cavities, and a rotatable head (350) engaged with the other one of the upper container or lower container, the head being rotatable between a closed position where it covers the passage in the base thus preventing fluid communication between the first and second cavities and an open position where head is rotated away and at least partially uncovers the passage, thus allowing mixing of products contained the first and second cavities.

Claims

1. A device for packaging two products separately and dispensing a resulting mixture on a first use, said device comprising: a lower container delimiting a first product cavity containing a first product and an upper container delimiting a second product cavity containing a second product, said containers being capable of rotating one relative to the other without moving axially, wherein said device comprises a plug arranged between the first product cavity and the second product cavity, the plug having a base fixedly secured to one of the lower container or upper container and presenting a communication passage opening on both the first and second cavities, and a rotatable head engaged with the other one of the upper container or lower container, the head being rotatable between a closed position where it covers the passage in the base thus preventing fluid communication between the first and second cavities and an open position where head is rotated away and at least partially uncovers the passage, thus allowing mixing of products contained in the first and second cavities.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the head is secured to the base, in its closed position before first use, by a frangible connection.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base is integrally made with the lower container.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base is mounted inside an open end of the container preferably an open neck of said container.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the base is mounted on the lower container, said lower container being a vial, preferably integral.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lower container has an open end, located opposite the plug, that is closed by a cover after filing the second product.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the upper container is a dispensing container such as a pipette closed by a removable cap or an ampule closed by a breakable top neck.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the upper or lower container engaged with the head of the plug, comprises at least one inner lateral grooves configured to cooperate with corresponding laterally projecting tabs of said head of the plug.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the head is without rotational symmetry, namely has on oval shape.

10. A method of using a device according to claim 1, comprising: a step of rotating the upper container relatively to the lower container in order to force the rotation of the head of the plug relatively to said base of the plug and uncover the passage in the base allowing communication between the first and second cavities.

Description

[0032] The present invention will be better understood from studying the detailed description of an embodiment considered by way of non-limiting examples and illustrated by the attached drawings in which:

[0033] FIGS. 1 to 6 are schematic views of a device according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0034] FIGS. 7 to 9 are schematic views of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention,

[0035] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a complementary embodiment equipped with application elements.

[0036] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a device 100 according to a first embodiment of the invention, showing the various components of said device 100.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a view of the assembled device 100 along a longitudinal section.

[0038] The device 100 is intended for packaging two products A, B separately and dispensing a mixture M of those two products on first use.

[0039] The device 100 comprises a lower container 110 delimiting a first product cavity 115 containing the first product A and an upper container 120 delimiting a second product cavity 125 containing the second product B.

[0040] Lower container 110 and upper container 120 are arranged so that they are capable of rotating one relative about a longitudinal axis of the device 100 to the other without moving axially.

[0041] To this end, in the exemplified embodiment, the lower container 110 is a vial comprising a peripheral wall 111, a closed bottom 112 and an opposite open neck 113 together delimiting the first cavity 115. The lower container 110 is integrally made from a thermoplastic material.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the neck 113 has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the body of the lower container 110 and comprises, on its outer surface, two outer annular shoulders 113a delimiting an annular groove 113b.

[0043] The upper container 120 is in the form of a cap and comprises a central dispensing chimney or duct forming the second cavity 125 and containing the second product B.

[0044] The upper container 120 comprises a terminal dispensing orifice 126 covered with a removable terminal cap 123.

[0045] Alternatively, the upper container 120 may present an upper portion shaped with a frangible end piece. At the time of use, the frangible piece is broken away in order to open a dispensing orifice in flow communication with the internal cavity.

[0046] The upper container 120 is rotatably mounted on the lower container 110 by way of an assembly peripheral skirt 122 provided on its radially inner surface with an annular bead 122a cooperating with the annular groove 113b of the lower container by snap-fit attachment, such that the upper container 120 is held axially relative to the lower container 110, while allowing a rotating movement one relative to the other.

[0047] The upper container 120 has an annular sealing lip 128 extending substantially along the longitudinal axis X-X′ down into the neck 113. The sealing lip 128 is annular and bears closely against the radially inside surface of the neck 113, which surface is annular, thereby providing sealing between the lower container 110 and the upper container 120.

[0048] According to the present invention, the device further comprises a plug 300, separately shown on FIG. 3, arranged between the first cavity 115 and the second cavity 125.

[0049] The plug 300 has a base 310 which is to be fixedly secured to the lower container 110. More precisely, the base is mounted inside the neck of the lower container 110. The base may be forced-fitted inside the neck and blocked into rotation by way of longitudinal ribs 311 arranged around said base and intended to cooperate with corresponding longitudinal grooves on an inner surface of the neck 113. The base 310 may also be blocked longitudinally by way of a peripheral annular rib 312 intended to clip inside a corresponding inner groove of the neck.

[0050] Furthermore, the base 310 is hollow and present a communication passage 314 opening both on the first cavity 115 of the lower container 110 and the second cavity 125 of the upper container 120.

[0051] One will note that the opening orientated toward the second cavity 125 is biased in the longitudinal direction of the packaging device. One will also note that the opening toward the second cavity is non-circular, namely slightly oval. Inclination of the opening may vary depending on the desired rise amplitude as it will be explained below.

[0052] The plug 300 also comprises a rotatable head 350 mounted on the base and arranged so that the head 350 may be rotated between a closed position (FIG. 4) where it covers the passage in the base thus preventing fluid communication between the first and second cavities and an open position where head is rotated away (FIG. 5) and at least partially uncovers the passage, thus allowing mixing of products contained in the first and second cavities.

[0053] More particularly, the head 350 is mounted on the base 310 in the opening orientated toward the second cavity. To this end, the head 350 is also equipped with longitudinal prongs 351 bearing against an inner ridge of the opening of the base. The prongs 351 help guiding the head during its rotation.

[0054] In the exemplified embodiment, the head is oval shape so that when its shape substantially corresponds to the shape of the opening to cover. When the head is rotated by 90° as shown on FIG. 5, it uncovers the oval opening of the passage 314 through the base.

[0055] In addition, the head 350 presents two lateral tabs 352 intended to cooperate each with a corresponding inner longitudinal groove of the upper container. This way, the head is mechanically engaged with the upper container 120. Rotation of the upper container 120 relatively to the lower container 110 will cause the head to rotate relatively to the base of the plug, thus partially uncovering the opening of the base allowing fluid communication between the lower container 110 and the upper container 120.

[0056] Since the opening of the base 310 toward the second cavity 120 is biased in the longitudinal direction, the head 350 will also rise during rotation, thus increasing a gap between the base and the head and thus facilitating the flow between the two cavities. Amplitude of the raise will depend of the inclination of the opening.

[0057] The plug 300 may be integrally made from a thermoplastic material. In addition, in order to improve sealing in the closed position and to provide an anti-tampering functionality at first use, the head is manufacture integrally with the base of the plug while keeping a frangible peripheral skirt to be broken at first rotation.

[0058] As illustrated on FIG. 6, use of the device 100 is as follow. First the user turns the cap (upper container 120) on the vial (lower container 110). By doing this, the head 350 (engaged with the upper container 120) of the plug 300 will also rotate and uncover the passage 314 in the base 310. Product B can thus fall down into product A and be mixed with it. Mixture M is dispensed through dispensing orifice 126 after removal of top cap 123.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a view of a device 200 according to a second embodiment of the invention along a longitudinal section.

[0060] Device 200 mainly differs from device 100 in that the base of the plug 300 is integrally made with the lower container. As it will be noted, device 200 comprises an upper container 220 being a breakable ampule as substantially described in document EP1918214.

[0061] Device 200 also comprises a lower container 210 that is plugged to the bottom of the ampule forming the upper container 200, in place of the stopper 5 described in document EP1918214 so as to make the ampule able to store two products and dispense the mix of the two products.

[0062] The lower container 210 is sealingly plugged to the upper container 220 by way of outer peripheral ribs 218 born by the lower container 210 that are able to cooperate with corresponding peripheral inner grooves of said upper container. Of course, the other way round is possible. This way, according to the invention, the upper container 210 can rotate relatively to the lower container 210 without moving axially. The upper container 220 is equipped with lateral wings 226 intended to help the user rotating it. The lower container 210 may present complementary lateral wings 216.

[0063] Advantageously, the lateral projecting wings 226 of the upper container 220 may be aligned with the projecting wings 216 of the lower container 210 in the closed position. Thus the user can know if the device has been open if the wings are misaligned.

[0064] As explained, lower container 210 integrates the plug 300.

[0065] The internal wall of the upper container 220 is equipped with longitudinal grooves able to slidably receive the lateral tabs 352 of the head 350 of the plug 300 when said lower container 210 is plugged to the upper container 220. Thus, once plugged, the head 350 of the plug 300 becomes mechanically engaged with the upper container 220.

[0066] Moreover, it is no longer equipped with a neck allowing the lower container 210 to be filled up before installing the plug 300 in said neck and has to be bottom-filled. To this end, the lower container is provided with an open bottom, opposed the plug 300, and closed after filing by a corresponding stopper.

[0067] As illustrated on FIG. 10, use of the device 200 is as follow. First the user turns the breakable ampule forming the upper container 220. By doing this, the head 350 (engaged with the upper container) of the plug 300 will also rotate after breaking the frangible skirt. The head then uncovers the passage 314 in the base 300. Product B can thus fall down into product A and be mixed with it namely by shaking the device 200.

[0068] This ampule type container 200 is particularly appropriate for smaller amount of product, of the order of 1 to 5 ml total amount.

[0069] FIG. 10 illustrates an improved container 400 differing from devices 100, 200 in that it carries at the dispensing orifice 126, an arrangement of massaging element 401.