Abstract
A packaged deodorant stick product comprising a deodorant stick composition mounted on an upper surface of a retaining member, a lower surface of the retaining member being reversibly connected to an upper surface of a holder enabling the deodorant stick product to be held in the human hand, wherein reversible connection between the retaining member and the holder is achieved by means of tongue and groove connection elements.
Claims
1. A packaged deodorant stick product comprising: a deodorant stick composition; and a retaining member, wherein the deodorant stick composition is mounted on an upper surface of the retaining member, wherein a lower surface of the retaining member is configured to be reversibly connected to an upper surface of a holder enabling the deodorant stick product to be held in a human hand, wherein reversible connection between the retaining member and the holder is achieved by tongue and groove connection elements, wherein the tongue element extends at least partially across the lower surface of the retaining member or the upper surface of the holder, wherein the groove element extends fully across the other of the lower surface of the retaining member or the upper surface of the holder, wherein the tongue and groove elements extend along a major axis of the oval cross-section of the product, and wherein the deodorant stick product has an oval cross-section when viewed from above.
2. A deodorant stick product according to claim 1, wherein the tongue and/or groove element comprises a retention bead serving to restrict lateral movement therebetween.
3. A deodorant stick product according to according to claim 1, comprising a cap which sits over the deodorant stick composition and contacts the holder.
4. A deodorant stick product according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the height of deodorant stick composition to the height of the holder is from 1:2 to 3:2.
5. A deodorant stick product according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the height to the breadth of the deodorant stick composition is from 1:2 to 3:2.
6. A deodorant stick product according to claim 1, wherein the tongue element depends from the lower surface of the retaining member and the groove element is cut into the upper surface of the holder.
7. A deodorant stick product according to claim 1, wherein the deodorant stick composition is an antiperspirant composition.
8. A deodorant stick product according to claim 1, wherein the deodorant stick composition has a hardness of at least 600 gram force.
9. A deodorant stick product according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member comprises curved bridge structures which protrude upwards into the deodorant stick composition.
10. A deodorant stick product according to claim 9, wherein the curved bridge structures are embedded in the deodorant stick composition.
11. A method of applying a deodorant stick composition to a surface of a human body comprising the topical application of a product according to claim 1.
Description
SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT
(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a deodorant stick product (1) according to the invention with the deodorant stick composition (2) and associated retaining member (3) separated from the holder (4).
(2) FIG. 2 is a front view of a deodorant stick product (1) as illustrated in FIG. 1 minus the deodorant stick composition and plus a cap (5) shown as partially transparent.
(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the deodorant stick composition (2), associated retaining member (3) and the separated holder (4) as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the retaining member (3) about to be slid into the holder (4).
(4) FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional perspective view of the packaging elements illustrated in FIG. 2, again shown with the cap (5) shown as partially transparent.
(5) Please note that these Figures are not necessarily drawn to the same scale.
(6) FIG. 1 shows a deodorant stick composition (2) sat on an associated retaining member (3) separated from a holder (4) into which the retaining member (3) is designed to slot. When put together, a tongue (6) on the underside of the retaining member (3) is slotted into a groove (7) in the upper side of the holder (4). The holder (4) is comprised of two elements: an upper element (4A) in which the groove (7) sits and a lower element (4B) holding the upper element (4A). Typically, the upper element (4A) and the lower element (4B) are moulded independently and then fitted together.
(7) Also illustrated in FIG. 1 is a small projection (8) from the side of the holder (4) designed to aid retention of a cap (5) and designed to fit over the deodorant stick composition (2).
(8) FIG. 2 illustrates the deodorant stick product (1) without its deodorant composition (2), but with a cap (5) shown over the space where the deodorant composition would sit and connecting with the holder (4). This Figure also illustrates bridge structures (9) that rise from the oval surround (3A) of the retaining member (3) and protrude into the deodorant stick composition (2) when it is in place. These bridge structures (9) serve to aid the retention of the composition (2) on the retaining member (3), particularly when the composition is being topically applied.
(9) FIG. 3 illustrates the deodorant stick composition (2) and its associated retaining member (3) slid out of the holder (4). Also illustrated are the tongue (6) and groove (7) features first illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows that the tongue (6) depending from the retaining member (3) bears a bead (10) which is designed to click into a hollow (11) in the groove (7) when the two are fully slotted together. The interaction between the bead (10) and the hollow (11) serve to aid the retention of the tongue (6) within the groove (7) and also provide a tactile and sometimes audible signal to the consumer of when the stick composition (2) and its associated retaining member (3) has been fully loaded into the holder (4).
(10) Also illustrated in FIG. 3 is a ledge (12) around the outer perimeter of the holder (4). The lower edge of a cap (5), as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, sits on this ledge (12) when such a cap (5) is employed. The ledge (12) is also illustrated and labelled in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4.
(11) FIG. 4 shows cross-sections of each of the cap (5), the retaining member (3) and the holder (4), as illustrated in one or more of the previous figures. The cross-section of the cap (5) shows a retaining ring (13) on its inner surface, designed to accommodate the small projection (8) from the side of the holder (4) when the cap (5) is slid into place. The projection (8) from the side of the holder (4) and the retaining ring (13) on the inner surface of the cap (5) form a reversible “click-lock” retaining means for the cap (5) on the holder (4).
(12) FIG. 4 also illustrates the bridges structures (9) of the retaining member (3) in more detail. These key features arc upwards from an oval surround (3A) of the retaining member (3) into the deodorant stick composition (2), enhancing its retention.
(13) FIG. 4 also illustrates the holder (4) in more detail. As previously mentioned, it is comprised of two elements, including the upper element (4A) in which the groove (7) sits. The groove (7) is in part defined by opposing internal walls (4C) of the holder (4), specifically of the upper element (4A) of the holder (4). The opposing internal walls (4C) have a concave surfaces (4D) along the length of the groove (7). These walls (4C) are designed to accommodate corresponding convex surfaces (6A) of the tongue (6) depending from the retaining means (3), as illustrated in FIG. 3. The concave surfaces (4D) and convex surfaces (6A) are such that the tongue (6) fits closely into the groove (7), enhancing the quality of retention between the retention member (3) and the holder (4).
