ContainerThe present invention relates to a container for viscous liquid or flowable solid material.
It is the almost universal practice to provide containers for foodstuffs, shampoos, detergents, lotions and other household items with a base on which the container can be supported on a flat horizontal surface and to provide a dispensing opening at the top, normally covered by a cap.
The present invention provides a container for viscous liquid or flowable solid material, the container having a base which enables the container to stand upright on a supporting surface, the container having a dispensing opening formed in a wall thereof and a removable cap over the opening, the dispensing opening being located at such a level that in the upright position of the container, more than half the internal volume of the container is above the lowest level of the opening.
This leads to a number of avantages : i) the contents of the container can flow immediately through the dispensing opening when the cap is removed; ii) substantially all of the contents of the container can be dispensed, and without waiting for the contents to flow to the dispensing opening, avoiding frustration on the part of the user and consequent waste arising from the premature disposal of the partially full container; iii) it is much less likely that any contaminant such as dirt or crumbs will reach the portion of the container contents which pours through the opening; iv) deliberate contamination of the contents of the container before sale is more difficult and more easily detectable, and v) if the contents of the container are liable to spoilage through oxidation, only the uppermost portion furthest from the dispensing opening is likely to be affected, not the lowermost portion which pours through the opening.
Optionally, a filling opening distinct from the dispensing opening is provided above the level of the dispensing opening. This enables the container to be re-filled rapidly without disturbing the contents of the container.
Preferably the upper portion of the container is normally closed.
Preferably the container has a flexible wall portion which in use is squeezable to enable material to be dispensed from the uncapped dispensing opening.
In one embodiment the dispensing opening is formed in said base.
In another embodiment the dispensing opening is formed in a side wall portion of the container.
Preferably, in the upright position, more than 70% (more preferably more than 80%, desirably more than 90%) of the volume of the container is above the lowest level of the dispensing opening.
In one embodiment the container contains a foodstuff. In other preferred embodiments the container contains a toiletry composition, a medicament, a shampoo or a composition for topical application.
The interior of the container is preferably sterile.
In one embodiment the cap is a screw cap, but other types of cap such as push-on caps can also be used, for example.
In preferred embodiments the capacity of the container is in the range 5 millilitres to 5 litres, more preferably 50 millilitres to 2 litres.
Other preferred features are defined in the dependent claims.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing, wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one embodiment of the invention;Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of another embodiment;Figure 3 is a side elevation of a hinged screw cap assembly which can be used in a variant of the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, andFigure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a squeezable tubular container in accordance with the invention.
Referring to Figure 1, a plastic sauce bottle 1 is shown having a conventional filling opening in its neck portion which is capped by a conventional screw cap C.
In this embodiment of the invention a re-entrant portion R is formed in the-integral base portion 4 of the container and a downwardly protruding neck portion 2 whose bore B communicates with the interior of the bottle 1 is formed in the re-entrant portion. A conventional screw thread is formed in the exterior of neck portion 2 and a cap 3 is screwed onto this to cap the dispensing opening.
The bottle is partially filled with sauce to a level L and the sauce can be dispensed from the dispensing opening by lifting the bottle from its supporting surface (eg a table top) squeezing it and unscrewing the cap 3. A label 6 with a printed indication of the contents is provided as shown.
Because the contents of the bottle are viscous, the cap 3 can be re-screwed onto neck 3 without undue spillage, particularly bearing in mind that when the squeezing of the bottle is stopped, the bottle tends to expand to its normal volume and suck back the sauce into its neck 2.
Figure 2 shows a further sauce bottle 1'made of polyethylene or other soft plastics material, but having a re-entrant portion R formed in the lower portion of its side wall. Neck 2'defines a dispensing opening whose lowest level X is below 50% of the volume of the bottle, so that if the bottle were completely filled and remained in the normal upright position on a supporting surface, over 50% of the contents would eventually flow out of the uncapped dispensing opening.
A label 6 with a printed indication of the contents is provided as shown.
Figure 3 shows a cap assembly 3'which can be used instead of the cap 3 of the bottle of Figures 1 and 2. It is composed ot suitable plastics material and has a lower portion 3A with a dispensing nozzle 5 which is capped by a cap 6 when an upper portion 3B, hinged to the lower portion by a living hinge H, is closed. The lower portion 3A has an internal screw thread which is complementary to the outer screw thread of neck portion 2 of bottle 1 in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 shows a tube 10 of sun tan lotion, shampoo, toothpaste or other cream CR.
A re-entrant portion R is formed in its base and an externally threaded neck 2'is capped with a screw cap 3. The resulting dispensing opening is as far as possible from the air space A at the top of the tube and ensures that if the contents CR are susceptible to spoilage by oxidation, only the portion dispensed when the container is nearly empty is likely to be contaminated.
A label 6'with wording such as a printed indication of the contents and/or instructions for use is provided and is designed to be read with the tube resting on its base. In other embodiments the wording is provided directly (eg by printing during manufacture) on the outside of the container wall-and is in any event the right way up for reading when more than half the internal volume of the container is above the lowest level of the dispensing opening.
It is preferable but not essential for the base of the container to be flat and it is preferable but not essential for the base to be integral with the body of the container, eg by being defined by the bottom wall portion of the container.
The capacity of bottles 1 and 1'is suitably from 200 ml to 2 litres and the capacity of tube 10 is suitably 5 ml to 200 ml.