Back to results
US 12,654,186 B2Granted
Apparatus for use with multiple coupleable accessories
AssigneeThe Clorox Company
InventorsLi Zhang, Benjamin Ma, Paolo Contiero, Massimo Repetto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus including a body, such as a bottle, that has an inner chamber or receptacle. The apparatus includes an accessory that is removably coupleable to the body. In one embodiment, the accessory can be a cap. In another embodiment, the accessory can be a dispensing mechanism. In yet another embodiment, the accessory can be a refill cartridge.
Claims18
An apparatus, comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, the body including a neck portion having a collar with an outer surface, the outer surface of the neck portion including a plurality of engagement members thereon, the plurality of engagement members includes a first engagement member, the first engagement member is a first ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface of the collar, the first ramp includes a first ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface of the neck portion, the first ramp surface extends to an upper planar end of the first ramp, and the upper planar end extends to a vertical surface that is on an opposite end of the first engagement member from the first ramp surface;
- and
- an accessory removably coupleable to the body, the accessory is rotatable on the neck portion in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the accessory includes a coupling portion with a coupling structure that engages with at least one of the plurality of engagement members on the neck portion of the body to couple the accessory to the body, and the first ramp guides the accessory onto the neck portion of the body for mounting thereto, and also assists with removal of the accessory from the neck portion, and wherein the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface which guides the accessory onto the neck portion when the accessory rotates in the first direction, and the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface which directs the accessory off the neck portion when the accessory rotates in the second direction.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, the body including a neck portion having a collar with an outer surface and a longitudinal axis, the outer surface of the neck portion including a plurality of engagement members thereon, the plurality of engagement members includes a first engagement member and a second engagement member separate from and spaced apart from the first engagement member about the longitudinal axis, the first engagement member is a first ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface, the first ramp includes a first ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface, the second engagement member is a second ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface, the second ramp includes a second ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface, the first ramp surface and the second ramp surface being oriented and inclined in the same direction as each other, a height of the second ramp surface being different from a height of the first ramp surface;
- and
- an accessory removably coupleable to the body, the accessory includes a coupling portion with a first coupling structure and a second coupling structure spaced apart from the first coupling structure,
- wherein when the accessory is engaged with the neck portion, the accessory can be rotated in a first direction relative to the neck portion and in a second direction relative to the neck portion, the second direction being opposite to the first direction, the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure slide along the first engagement member and the second engagement member, respectively, when the accessory is rotated in the first direction, and the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure slide along the first engagement member and the second engagement member, respectively, when the accessory is rotated in the second direction.
1 more element
An apparatus for dispensing a product, the apparatus comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, the body including a neck portion having a collar with an outer surface, the outer surface of the neck portion including a plurality of engagement members thereon, the plurality of engagement members includes a first engagement member, the first engagement member is a first ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface of the collar, the first ramp includes a first ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface of the neck portion, the first ramp surface extends to an upper planar end of the first ramp, and the upper planar end extends to a vertical surface that is on an opposite end of the first engagement member from the first ramp surface, the first ramp surface having a first height that is less than a height of the collar;
- and
- a dispensing mechanism removably coupleable to the body, wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a coupling portion with a coupling structure that engages with at least one of the plurality of engagement members on the neck portion of the body to couple the dispensing mechanism to the body, and the first ramp surface guides the dispensing mechanism onto the neck portion of the body for mounting thereto as the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface, and also assists with removal of the dispensing mechanism from the neck portion as the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.