SAMPLE ACTIVATOR AND DISPENSER DEVICE

Abstract

A sample activator and dispenser device (10) is described, said samples (30) being disposed on reels (31) of continuous strip (32), the device for dispensing samples (10) comprising a body (11) containing an input portion (12) of the continuous strip (32) and an output portion (13) of the sample (30) forming a passage channel (14) of the sample inside the body (11); the passage channel (14) of the sample comprising at least one separator (15) positioned inside the body (11) and acting with a connecting contour (301) of the sample (30) so as to detach it one by one from the continuous strip (32); the sample activation and dispenser device (10) further comprising at least one activator element (50) positioned in the passage channel (14) after the input portion (12) and before the at least one separator (15), the at least one activator element (50) projecting towards an upper surface of the continuous strip (32) so as to activate the sample (30).

Claims

1. A sample activator and dispenser device (10), said samples (30) being disposed in reels (31) of continuous strip (32), the device for dispensing samples (10) comprising a body (11) containing an input portion (12) of the continuous strip (32) and an output portion (13) of the sample (30) forming a passage channel (14) of the sample inside the body (11); the passage channel (14) of the sample comprising at least one separator (15) positioned inside the body (11) and acting with a connecting contour (301) of the sample (30) so as to detach it one by one from the continuous strip (32); the sample activation and dispenser device (10) being characterized by further comprising at least one activator element (50) positioned in the passage channel (14) after the input portion (12) and before the at least one separator (15), the at least one activator element (50) projects towards an upper surface of the continuous strip (32) so as to activate the sample (30).

Description

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1is a first perspective view of the sample activation and dispenser device;

[0016] FIG. 2is a second perspective view of the sample activation and dispenser device;

[0017] FIG. 3is a front view of the sample activation and dispenser device;

[0018] FIG. 4is a rear view of the sample activation and dispenser device;

[0019] FIG. 5is a schematic view of the sample when retrieved from the sample activation and dispenser device;

[0020] Detail Eis a detailed view of the sample product disposed in microcapsules;

[0021] FIG. 6is a schematic side view of the sample activation and dispenser device, illustrating the activation elements;

[0022] FIG. 7is an A-A cut view of the device illustrated in FIG. 6;

[0023] FIG. 8is a schematic side view of the sample activation and dispenser device, illustrating the passage of the sample material through the activation elements;

[0024] FIG. 9is a schematic view of the sample activation and dispenser device, illustrating the separation of the samples once activated;

[0025] Detail Cis a detailed view of the action of the activation elements in the microcapsules of the sample product;

[0026] Detail Fis a detailed view of the rupture of the microcapsules of the sample product and the consequent activation of the sample by the action of the activation elements;

[0027] FIGS. 10A-10Fare schematic views of the stages of retrieving the sample already activated from the sample activation and dispenser device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment and as can be seen in the accompanying drawings, the object of the present disclosure consists of a sample activation and dispenser device 10, particularly samples 30 of fragrances in microcapsules and disposed on reels 31 of continuous strips 32. The reels 31 can be formed by a plurality of samples 30 containing all the same product, for example, a same fragrance. Further, the reel 31 can be formed by a plurality of samples 30 containing different product types, for example, some comprising fragrances, other samples 30 containing make-up, other cosmetic products. However, all these samples 30 disposed on the same reel 31 and all the products are provided in microcapsules.

[0029] The sample 30 of the present embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5. This sample 30 is made entirely of paper, which can be biodegradable paper or otherwise, without comprising plastic parts or polymer materials, which enables the full recycling thereof and minimizes damage to the environment. Accordingly, the sample 30 is formed by a base B with a grasp area 41, whereby the user grasps the sample 30 provided by the device 10, and by the connection contours 301 whereby the samples 30 are detached, one by one, from the continuous strip 32. Additionally, the sample 30 also comprises a central portion C on which small quantities of the products are placed to be brought to the attention of the users when they retrieve the sample 30 from the device 10. The products disposed in the central region C are, preferably, formed by a plurality of microcapsules which wrap and protect the aroma of a fragrance or the surface of a cosmetic, for example, as illustrated in Detail E.

[0030] In this case, the products provided in the central portion C of the sample 30 are, preferably, in the form of microcapsules, that is, they preferably consist of fragrances, whose perfumes are protected in fine microcapsules that need to be ruptured to exude the odors, or by cosmetic or make-up products that can be provided in the form of microcapsules. This is why the sample 30 does not comprise any type of film or protective layer on its surface or on the central portion C, since the sample product is already protected in the form of microcapsules.

[0031] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the sample activation and dispenser device 10 comprises a body 11, formed in a single part preferably made of polymer material, though other materials can be used such as, for example, rubber, metal material and composites. This body 11 comprises an input portion 12 of the continuous strip 32 of the reel 31 and an output portion 13 of the sample 30, when it is detached from the continuous strip 32.

[0032] The input portion 12 and the output portion 13 are preferably shaped like flat slots, but other shapes can be used for these portions, provided that they allow the input of the continuous strip 32 and the output of the sample 30.

[0033] In this sense, as can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the input portion 12 of the continuous strip 32 and the output portion 13 of the sample 30 form, inside the body 11 of the device 10, a passage channel 14 of the sample, whose E thickness is calculated based on the thickness of the continuous strip 32 containing the plurality of samples 30. This passage channel 14 of the sample is continuous, connects the input portion 12 with the output portion 13 inside the body 11 and comprises at least one separator 15 positioned inside the body 11. The separator 15 acts in a connecting contour 301 of the sample 30, with the objective of detaching the sample 30 one by one from the continuous strip 32, as will be explained in detail ahead.

[0034] More specifically, the separator 15 is positioned on a first surface 141 inside the body 11. This separator 15 is formed by a front face 151 which projects from the first surface 141 towards the passage channel 14 of the sample and a back face 152 which also projects from the first surface 141 towards the passage channel 14 of the sample. The front face 151 and the back face 152 are concurrent with each other so that at the point concurrence a separating edge 153 is formed. Additionally, both the front face 151 and the back face 152 are disposed slanted relative to the first surface 141, such that the length of the back face 152 is greater than the length of the front face 151.

[0035] Preferably, the device 10 comprises a pair of separators 15 positioned in line, parallel to each other and near the output portion 13 of the sample 30, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, and have the function of detaching the samples 30 one by one from the continuous strip 32.

[0036] The passage channel 14 of the sample 30 comprises a curvature 16 disposed on a second surface 142 inside the body 11. This curvature 16 is positioned to coincide with the position of the separators 15 and its string has a length at least equal to the length of the separators 15, so that the separating edge 153 of each separator 15 is slightly housed in the semi-circle formed on the second surface 142 by this curvature 16, keeping the thickness E of the passage channel 14 of the sample constant.

[0037] Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the continuous strip 32 of the reel 31 is positioned in the passage channel 14 such that the connecting contour 301 of a sample 30 is housed in the curvature 16 and the end of the grasping portion 41 of the sample 30 is positioned outwardly of the output portion 13. In this position, the separating edge 153 of the separator encases into the connecting contour 301 of the sample 30 which is positioned in the curvature 16.

[0038] When the sample 30 is subjected to an Ft: traction force applied to the grasping portion 41, the sample 30 is moved into the passage channel 14 towards the output portion 13 of the device and the separating edges 153 of the separators 15, which are encased in the connection contours 301 of the sample 30, rupture this connecting contour 301, detaching the sample 30 from the continuous strip 32 and releasing this sample 30 for the user.

[0039] The sample activator and separator device 10 further comprises at least one activator element 50 positioned in the passage channel 14, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0040] Preferably, the device 10 comprises a plurality of activation elements 50 disposed on the first surface 141 inside the body 11, after the input portion 12 and before the pair of separators 15. The activation elements 50 are pyramid-shaped, whose vortexes project towards an upper surface of the continuous strip 32 which passes through the passage channel 14, so as to activate the sample 30. Other shapes may be attributed to the activation elements 50, provided that they allow the activation elements 50 to activate the samples 30.

[0041] More specifically and as can be seen in Detail C and Detail F, a plurality of activation elements 50 disposed in the passage channel 14 of the device 10 have the function of rupturing the microcapsules of the sample product 30 during the passage of the continuous strip 32 through the passage channel 14 of the device, such that when the sample 30 is subsequently ruptured by the separators 15, the microcapsules of its product have already been broken apart by the activator elements 50 and the sample 30 is thus already activated, that is, exuding the odors in the case of a fragrance or with a product provided for the touch, in the cases of cosmetics and make-up.

[0042] Therefore, when the sample 30 is subjected to the Ft: traction force applied to the grasping portion 41, it is moved inside the passage channel 14 towards the output portion 13 of the device and the separating edges 153 of the separators 15, which are encased in the connection contours 301 of the sample 30, rupture this connecting contour 301, separating the sample 30 from the continuous strip 32. At the same time, when the sample 30 is moved inside the passage channel 14 towards the output portion 13 of the device, the passage of the central portion C of the sample 30 by the activation elements 50 makes the activation elements 50 rupture the microcapsules of the product disposed in the central portion C of the sample 30, activating this sample 30 so that, when completely exiting the device 10, the user already has access to the aroma of his or her fragrance or to the cosmetic material or make-up disposed therein, as can be seen schematically in FIGS. 8 and 9 and Details C and F.

[0043] The sequence of actions that result in the release of a sample 30 activated by the sample activation and dispenser device 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 10A to 10F. As illustrated in FIG. 10A, initially the continuous strip 32 of the reel 31 is inserted into the sample activation and dispenser device 10, such that the continuous strip 32 is positioned in the passage channel 14 and one end of the grasping portion 41 of the sample 30 is disposed in the output portion 13 so that it can be accessed by the user.

[0044] The user then holds the grasping portion 41 of the sample 30 and applies an Ft: traction force, that is, pulls this sample out of the device 10 holding the grasping portion 41 of this sample 30, as illustrated in FIG. 10B.

[0045] Once the user has applied the Ft: traction force, the sample 30 and the continuous strip 32 move inside the passage channel 14, unraveling the reel 31, such that the activated sample 30 begins to leave the device 10 through the output portion 13 and the continuous strip 32 is inserted into the device 10 through the input portion 12 (FIG. 10C).

[0046] Inside the body 11 of the device 10, the sample 30 and the continuous strip 32 are moved through the passage channel 14, passing by the activation elements 50 that rupture the microcapsules of the product disposed in the central region C of the sample 30, activating this sample 30. Displacement continues until the connection contours 301 of the already activated sample 30 are housed in the curvature 16 of the passage channel 14 and meet the separating edges 153 of the separators 15 which are encased in the connection contours 301, as illustrated in FIG. 10D.

[0047] With the continuation of Ft: traction force applied by the user, the already activated sample 30 continues to move out of the device 10 through the output portion 13, as illustrated in FIG. 10E, but, by virtue of the encasement and actuation of the separating edges 153 of the separators 15 in the connection contours 301 of the sample, these connection contours 301 are ruptured, releasing the activated sample 30 for the user (FIGS. 10E and 10F), at the same time in which a new grasping end 41 of a new sample 30 is positioned in the output portion 13 of the device 10.

[0048] The presence of the activation elements 50 inside the passage channel 14 assures the activation of the sample 30 when the continuous strip 32 is moved through the passage channel 14, while the presence of the separators 15 inside the body 11 of the device 10 and the encasement and actuation of these separators 15 in the connection contours 301 of the samples 30, rupturing these connection contours 301 and separating one by one the samples 30 from the continuous strip 32 still inside the body 11 of the device, completely and satisfactorily prevents the output of more than one sample 30 when Ft: traction force is applied by the user.

[0049] In possession of the already activated sample 30 released by the sample activator and dispenser device 10, the user already has access to the product provided in the sample 30, which may be a perfume fragrance, cosmetic or make-up. There is no need to detach any part or film from the sample 30. In this sense, a reel 31 with samples 30 of fragrances, for example, when disposed in the sample activation and dispenser device 10, does not exude any odor. However, the sample 30 from this reel 31, when exiting the device 10 is exuding the odor of the fragrance and no action needs to be taken by the user other than just pulling the sample 30 and retrieving it from the device 10.

[0050] With this construction and functionality described above, the sample activation and dispenser device 10 is compact, mechanical, easy to operate and has small dimensions, meaning it can be installed and correctly operated on any external or internal flat surface such as, for example, a table corner, a small shelf, a store wall, inserted into a dispenser or in a dispensing box, among other surfaces.

[0051] Additionally, the sample activation and dispenser device 10 dispenses samples 30 already activated, that is, with the microcapsules of the product disposed therein ruptured, enabling the manufacture of samples 30 made entirely of paper, with no plastic parts, and without the need of a protective layer for the sample product.

[0052] Having described one example of a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the scope of the present object encompasses other possible variations, being limited solely by the content of the accompanying claim, possible equivalents being included therein.