Base for container of a viscous product and a propellant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9637301-B2
Application number	US-201514686449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2015
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for storing and dispensing a viscous product. The product and a propellant are stored in a container on a base, and the propellant forms a head space. In a storage configuration, the container rests on the base, the base rests on a surface, and the propellant in the head space and the product tend to move toward positions wherein the propellant in the head space is at a higher elevation than the product and the product is at a higher elevation than an inlet to a dispenser. In one aspect, the base comprises a first portion, a second portion comprising a lid, a sidewall comprising a window, and an interior. In a second aspect, the method comprises storing the container in the storage configuration, removing the lid to expose a dispenser, dispensing the product, and viewing an interior of the base through the window.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
(i) a container for storing a viscous product and a propellant, and
(ii) a base for the container;
wherein the propellant forms a head space; wherein the container comprises a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion of the container; wherein the second portion of the container comprises a dispenser; wherein, when the base and the container are in a storage configuration, the second portion of the container is adjacent to the base, the container rests on the base, the base rests on a surface, and the product and the propellant in the head space tend to move toward positions wherein the propellant in the head space is at a higher elevation than the product and the product is at a higher elevation than an inlet to the dispenser;
wherein the base comprises:
a first portion of the base, wherein the first portion of the base comprises a first end of the base;
a second portion of the base, wherein the second portion of the base comprises an integral second end of the base, and wherein the integral second end of the base is opposite the first end of the base;
a sidewall between the first end of the base and the integral second end of the base, wherein the sidewall comprises an interior surface of the sidewall;
an interior of the base, wherein the interior of the base comprises the interior surface of the sidewall and any point between two points on the interior surface of the sidewall;
a removable lid, wherein the lid comprises a safety mechanism to prevent actuation of the dispenser while the lid is engaged with the base and the dispenser; and
an actuator for the dispenser;

wherein the first end of the base comprises a first opening of the base;
wherein the integral second end of the base comprises a second opening of the base; and
wherein the sidewall comprises a window positioned to provide a line of sight from a point outside the base to the interior of the base.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transparent material positioned to provide a line of sight from a point outside the base to the interior of the base while the base is joined to the container.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a translucent material positioned to provide a path for light to pass from a point outside the base to the interior of the base while the base is joined to the container.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the base comprises the removable lid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser comprises a valve for dispensing the product and wherein the actuator comprises an extension configured to be moved into contact with the dispenser, thereby actuating the valve to dispense the product.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lid is a tamper-evident lid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base is integral to the container.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base is removably fixed to the container.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the base is fixed to the second portion of the container, and wherein the second portion of the base is wider than the first portion of the base.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the base is removably fixed to the second portion of the container.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the base receives the second portion of the container through the first opening of the base.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the base comprises a lip.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the integral second end of the base has a continuous cross-section.

14. An apparatus comprising:
(i) a container for storing a viscous product and a propellant, and
(ii) a base for the container; wherein the propellant forms a head space;
wherein the container comprises a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion of the container; wherein the second portion of the container comprises a dispenser;
wherein, when the base and the container are in a storage configuration, the second portion of the container is adjacent to the base, the container rests on the base, the base rests on a surface, and the product and the propellant in the head space tend to move toward positions wherein the propellant in the head space is at a higher elevation than the product and the product is at a higher elevation than an inlet to the dispenser;
wherein the base comprises:
a first portion of the base, wherein the first portion of the base comprises a first end of the base;
a second portion of the base, wherein the second portion of the base comprises an integral second end of the base, and wherein the integral second end of the base is opposite the first end of the base;
a sidewall between the first end and the integral second end, wherein the sidewall comprises an interior surface of the sidewall;
an interior of the base, wherein the interior of the base comprises the interior surface of the sidewall and any point between two points on the interior surface of the sidewall; and
an actuator for the dispenser;

wherein the first end of the base comprises a first opening of the base;
wherein the integral second end of the base comprises a second opening of the base;
wherein the second portion of the base comprises a lid, wherein the lid comprises a safety mechanism to prevent actuation of the dispenser while the lid is engaged with the base and the dispenser; and
wherein the sidewall comprises a window positioned to provide a line of sight from a point outside the base to the interior of the base.

15. A method for storing and dispensing a viscous product; wherein the product and a propellant are stored in a container on a base; wherein the propellant forms a head space; wherein the container comprises a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion of the container; wherein the second portion of the container comprises a dispenser; wherein the container is configured to dispense the product when the propellant in the head space is at a higher elevation than the product and the product is at a higher elevation than an inlet to the dispenser; wherein the base comprises a first portion, a second portion opposite the first portion of the base, a sidewall, an interior of the base, and an actuator for the dispenser; wherein the first portion of the base comprises a first end of the base; wherein the second portion of the base comprises an integral second end of the base; wherein the integral second end of the base is opposite the first end of the base; wherein the sidewall is between the first end of the base and the integral second end of the base; wherein the sidewall comprises an interior surface of the sidewall; wherein the interior of the base comprises the interior surface of the sidewall and any point between two points on the interior surface of the sidewall; and wherein the sidewall comprises a window positioned to provide a line of sight from a point outside the base to the interior of the base; said method comprising:
storing the container in a storage configuration on the base, wherein the container rests on the base, the base rests on a surface, and the product and the propellant in the head space tend to move toward positions wherein the propellant in the head space is at a higher elevation than the product; and the product is at a higher elevation than the inlet to the dispenser;
removing a lid from the base to expose the dispenser, wherein the lid comprises a safety mechanism to prevent actuation of the dispenser while the lid is engaged with the base an

Assignees

• Frito Lay North America Inc

Inventors

• Godfroid Robert
• LAUFER Galina
• Pehar David Michael
• Spirk John Evan

Classifications

• B65D83/567

  with means for preventing delivery (B65D83/56 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D83/40

  Closure caps (actuator caps B65D83/20) · CPC title

• B65D83/38 Primary

  Details of the container body (pressure relief devices B65D83/70) · CPC title

• B65D83/56

  with arrangements for interruption of dispensing when the container is inverted · CPC title

• B65D83/752

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic