US 2003/0156885 A1Published application

Applique package and method of manufacture

OwnerJennifer Paulson Leeinventor

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Abstract

A package for storing and dispensing a desired amount of an applique on an applicator, such as a tube of mascara, includes a self-supporting, deformable sleeve mounted intermediate the applique reservoir and a cap member for closing the package when the applicator is adjacent the bottom of the reservoir. The sleeve member includes an open-ended passageway communicating with the reservoir and is fixedly and sealingly mounted to a housing for the reservoir. In one embodiment, the cap member fits over and about the sleeve member and is removably secured to the outer surface of the reservoir housing; when secured, the sleeve member sealingly engages the inner end surface of the cap member. In an alternative embodiment, the cap member is removably secured to a rigid relatively thin, plate member which, in turn, is fixedly and sealingly mounted to the end of the sleeve member opposite the housing member so as to leave the exterior surface of the sleeve member exposed to view when the package is closed. The flexible sleeve preferably is transparent, includes a series of grooves along the internal surface of the passageway and has a concave outer peripheral surface. The flexible sleeve member preferably is sealingly affixed to each of the reservoir housing and rigid plate members during the sleeve molding operation.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A package for storing an applique material and for dispensing a desired amount of said material on an applicator, said package including:

a housing member for storing a quantity of said applique material, said housing including a reservoir chamber having a closed bottom end and a top opening, an open-ended passageway communicating with said reservoir top opening, and open-ended cavity means extending into said housing adjacent said passageway;
a cap member for sealingly closing said package, said cap including a rod member, means mounting one end of said rod member to a base member within said cap member, said rod member having a free end extending outwardly from said cap;
an applicator mounted to the free end of said rod member, said applicator adapted to rest adjacent the bottom of said reservoir when said cap member sealingly closes said package;
an open-ended, self-supporting, deformable sleeve member having a central passageway communicating with the opposed first and second open ends thereof, said passageway adapted to receive said applicator therethrough substantially without interference when said sleeve is in its undeformed state, said passageway also adapted to provide a continuously variable interference surface against said applicator upon applying inward finger pressure directly against the exterior surface of said sleeve, so as to squeeze and manipulate said sleeve while simultaneously withdrawing said applicator from said reservoir through said passageway, to thereby dispense the desired amount of applique on said applicator;
means fixedly and sealingly mounting said first open end of said sleeve member within said housing cavity means with each of said sleeve and housing passageways in register with one another;
and
means for sealingly mounting said second open end of said sleeve member to said cap member when said applicator rod member extends through said sleeve member and said applicator is positioned adjacent the bottom of said reservoir.

4 more elements

A method for manufacturing a package for storing and dispensing a desired amount of an applique fluid material on an applicator, including the steps of:

pre-forming a housing member for storing a quantity of said applique material, said housing including an open end and further including cavity means adjacent said opening;
pre-forming a cap member for sealingly closing said package, said cap member including a rod mounted within said cap member and an applicator mounted to the distal end of said rod member, said applicator adapted to rest adjacent to the bottom of said housing when said cap member closes said package;
placing said pre-formed housing member in a molding die and plug adapted to form an open ended, self-supporting sleeve member having a central passageway communicating with the opposed first and second open ends thereof, said passageway adapted to receive said applicator therethrough substantially without interference;
and
filling a moldable material into said molding die and plug, thereby filling said housing cavity means with said moldable material and forming said sleeve member, whereby said sleeve member is sealingly connected to each of said housing member and said cap member when said cap member closes said package.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/354,217Filed 29 Jan 2003
Priority: 15 Feb 2002
Published: 21 Aug 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A45D 40/268
Comprising a wiper: with adjustable wiping action
A45D 40/265
Using a brush or the like: connected to the cap of the container
B29C 45/1676
Making multilayered or multicoloured articles: using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
B65D 51/32
Combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes: with brushes or rods for applying or stirring contents