Dispensing package for a viscous product with a reusable pumping mechanism

A method for dispensing doses of a viscous product from a replaceable mass of a viscous product, said method comprising the steps:

• providing a dispensing package containing a mass of the viscous product, the dispensing package comprising:
• a head portion, and
• a body portion, the head portion being removably secured to a first end of the body portion,
• the body portion having a unidirectionally movable follower piston initially positioned near a second end of the body portion and a mass of a viscous product between the first end and the follower piston, the follower piston being movable toward the first end by atmospheric pressure as product is dispensed from the mass,
• a reciprocable dosing piston positioned adjacent the first end of the body portion, the dosing piston having a flow passage extending therethrough, the dosing piston being movable in a first direction toward the second end of the body portion, movement of the dosing piston in the first direction compressing the mass of Viscous product and causing a dose of viscous product from the mass to be dispensed from the package through the flow passage,
• the head portion having a manually oscillatable pumping mechanism operatively engaging the dosing piston and being movable in a first arcuate direction to move the dosing piston from a first position in the first direction to a second position upon the application of an external force to the pumping mechanism,
• the head portion further having biasing means, the biasing means urging said pumping mechanism in an arc in a second arcuate direction, the second arcuate direction being opposed to the first arcuate direction, the biasing means moving the dosing piston from the second position to the first position upon the release of the external force from the pumping mechanism;
• repeatedly and alternatively applying external force to, and releasing external force from, the pumping mechanism to dispense at least a substantial portion of the mass of viscous product in the body portion in a plurality of doses;
• removing the head portion from the body portion;
• and
• securing the head portion to a second body portion, the second body portion being like the first body portion and containing a fresh mass of viscous product.