Combination container and device, and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9327897-B2
Application number	US-201213729229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2012
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

A combination includes a container having a body with a first end and a second end. The body defines a cavity for holding contents to be dispensed from the container. An actuator is positioned proximate to the first end of the body. The actuator is operatively connected to the cavity to allow the contents to be dispensed therefrom. At least two diametrically opposed first fastening members are positioned on or in the body. A device has a generally open first end, a generally open second end, and a sidewall extending therebetween. The device is removably mountable onto the body of the container. At least two diametrically opposed second fastening members are positioned on or in an interior surface of the sidewall. Each second fastening member engages at least a portion of one of the first fastening members of the container when the device is mounted onto the container.

First claim

I claim:

1. A combination comprising:
a container including:
a body having a first end and an opposing second end, a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end, the body defining a cavity for holding contents to be dispensed from the container;
an actuator positioned proximate to the first end of the body, the actuator being operatively connected to the cavity to allow the contents to be selectively dispensed from the cavity;
at least two diametrically opposed first fastening members positioned on or in the body proximate the first end thereof; and
a device including:
a generally open first end;
a generally open second end;
a sidewall extending between the open first end and the open second end, the sidewall having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface, the interior surface of the sidewall having a shape that generally complements a shape of at least a portion of the first end of the body of the container such that the device is removably mountable onto at least a portion of the first end of the body of the container; and
at least two diametrically opposed second fastening members positioned on or in the interior surface of the sidewall, each second fastening member engaging at least a portion of one of the first fastening members of the container when the device is mounted onto the container.

2. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the device is removably mountable onto at least a portion of the container in both a first rotational position and a second rotational position, the second rotational position being circumferentially spaced-apart from the first rotational position, in the first rotational position the first end of the device being positioned above the actuator, in the second rotational position the first end of the device being configured to be positioned above or below a level of the actuator.

3. The combination according to claim 2 , wherein in the first rotational position the second fastening members being circumferentially spaced-apart from the first fastening members.

4. The combination according to claim 3 , wherein in the second rotational position the device is linearly movable between a first vertical position and a second vertical position, the second vertical position being spaced-apart from the first vertical position along the longitudinal axis, in both the first and second vertical positions each second fastening member being aligned with one of the first fastening members with respect to the longitudinal axis.

5. The combination according to claim 4 , wherein in the first rotational position at least a portion of each second fastening member contacting a portion of the first end of the body.

6. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each first fastening member comprises a groove extending radially inwardly into at least a portion of the body of the container and each second fastening member comprises a generally complementary rib extending radially inwardly from the sidewall of the device.

7. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each second fastening member extends from the first end to the second end of the device.

8. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each second fastening member extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis when the device is mounted to the container.

9. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each first fastening member extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.

10. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the device is perforated.

11. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each second fastening member is generally convex and each first fastening member is generally concave.

12. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a cap removably attachable to the body, the actuator extending upwardly from the cap along the longitudinal axis, the first fastening members extending on or in at east a portion of both the cap and the body.

13. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the sidewall of the device, as measured along the longitudinal axis, is generally equal to a height that the actuator extends upwardly from the first end of the body of the container.

14. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the first fastening members are formed on or in a component that is removably mountable onto at least a portion of the body of the container.

15. A method of using a container having an actuator to dispense contents within the container, the method comprising:
rotating a device with respect to the container from a first rotational position to a second rotational position, the device generally surrounding the actuator in both the first and second rotational positions and an upper end of the device being positioned at a vertical level equal to, or above, a top of the actuator in both the first and second rotational positions; and
moving the device solely linearly downwardly generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container from a first vertical position to a second vertical position, the device generally surrounding the actuator in the first vertical position, the actuator being generally exposed to allow a user to dispense the contents from the container when the device is in the second vertical position.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
depressing the actuator to dispense the contents from the container; and
moving the device upwardly along the longitudinal axis from the second vertical position to the first vertical position to generally surround the actuator.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
placing another container onto a first end of the device for storage or transportation.

18. A method of using a container having an actuator to dispense contents within the container, the method comprising:
rotating a device with respect to the container from a first rotational position, wherein a first fastening member of the container is circumferentially spaced-apart from a second fastening member of the device, to a second rotational position, wherein the first fastening member of the container is aligned with the second fastening member of the device, the device generally surrounding the actuator in both the first and second rotational positions; and
moving the device solely linearly downwardly generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container from a first vertical position to a second vertical position, the device generally surrounding the actuator in the first vertical position, the actuator being generally exposed to allow a user to dispense the contents from the container when the device is in the second vertical position.

Assignees

• Galderma R&D
• Galderma Res & Dev

Inventors

• Fily Sebastien

Classifications

• B65D25/20 Primary

  External fittings (of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44) · CPC title

• B65D55/00

  Accessories for container closures not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65D83/767 Primary

  the piston having an integrated dispensing opening (B65D83/762 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D83/0044 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic