Dispensing package

#This invention relates to swivel-up dispensing packages, and more particularly, to swivel-up dispensing packages exhibiting a pressure relief dosing and delivery system, and a free-floating elevator which is suitable for liquid filling.

#Swivel-up dispensing packages have been used to dispense cosmetic cream products to the axillae of the user. Typically, the product is moved to the outer end of the dispensing package by manually turning a hand wheel, which drives a feed screw and, in turn, an elevator. Moving the elevator into the product pressurizes the product causing the product to be extruded through the orifices of a perforated dome onto the applicating surface of the perforated dome.

#An undesirable side effect of this type of dispensing package which occurs when cream products are used is that after the product has been dispensed there exists residual pressure within the product in the dispensing package against the perforated dome causing the product to weep onto the applicating surface of the perforated dome for a period of time after the user has ceased dispensing. Depending upon the material properties of the cream product contained in the dispensing package, product separation may occur and individual components of the cream product could spread onto the applicating surface. Either occurrence results in a soiled, undesirable appearance of the applicating surface and may also negatively affect application aesthetics. Furthermore, after the product and/or its components, have weeped (defined as a liquid component separating from a product's chemical or physical matrix) onto the applicating surface, the product, or its components, may spread to the outer wall of the container body and soil the hands of the user.

#FIG. 1 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the present dispensing package with the elevator in its fully retracted position.

#FIG. 2A is a detailed longitudinal-sectional view of the dispensing package with the elevator in its fully retracted position as highlighted by the circle 2A shown in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the container body with elevator along the line 2B--2B as shown in FIG. 1.

#With reference to FIGS. 1 through 6, a dispensing package 10 is disclosed. The dispensing package 10 is a screw dispensing package commonly used in applying deodorant, and other materials. The dispensing package employs a pressure relief screw mechanism 12 to move an elevator 14 within a container body 16 and force material from the first end 18 of the container body 16. The pressure relief screw mechanism 12 is preferably similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,356 to Johnson et al., although other pressure relief screw mechanisms could be employed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

#Briefly, and with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, the screw mechanism 12 is actuated by rotating a hand wheel 20 coupled to a feed screw 22 and the elevator 14. In use, the hand wheel 20 is rotated, thereby rotating the feed screw 22. Since the elevator 14 is housed within the container body 16, rotation of the feed screw 22 causes the elevator 14 to move up the feed screw 22, thus forcing material from the dispensing package 10 when the hand wheel 20 is rotated to cause the elevator 14 to move upwardly.

#In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dispensing package 10 includes a container body 16 in which the material is stored, an elevator 14 used to force the material from within the container body 16, and a screw mechanism 12 controlling the movement of the elevator 14 within the container body 16. The container body 16 is preferably constructed from polypropylene and the elevator 14 is preferably constructed from polyethylene. The use of these materials in constructing the container body 16 and elevator 14 achieves a smooth sliding interaction between the inner wall 24 of the container body 16 and the outer surface 26 of the elevator 14. However, other materials could be employed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.