Container systems with lids for unit dose detergent compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718589-B2
Application number	US-201113017245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2011
Priority date	Jan 29, 2010
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A container system includes a tub including a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall and side walls extending between the front wall and the back wall. A bottom extends between the front wall, back wall and side walls. A mouth structure includes a fastening feature configured for connecting to a lid. The mouth structure has an opening therethrough that provides access to a containing volume of the tub. A shoulder extends inwardly from the side walls to the mouth structure. A plurality of unitized doses of a detergent composition is located within the containing volume of the tub. A lid is connected to tub using the fastening feature. The lid has an open position for allowing user access to the containing volume and a closed position for preventing user access to the containing volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container system comprising:
a. a tub comprising:
a front wall;
rear wall opposite the front wall;
side walls extending between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein the side walls have convex curvature;
a bottom extending between the front wall, rear wall and side walls;
a mouth structure connected to the front, rear, and side walls, the mouth structure including a fastening feature configured for connecting to a lid and having an opening there through that provides access to a containing volume of the tub; and
a shoulder extending inwardly from the side walls to the mouth structure;

a plurality of unitized doses of a detergent composition within the containing volume of the tub, wherein the tub has: a maximum width (W 1 ) measured between the side walls of the tub; a maximum width (W 2 ) of the opening through the mouth structure; a maximum depth (D 1 ) measured between the front wall and the rear wall and a maximum depth (D 2 ) of the opening formed by the mouth structure; such that W 1 is greater than W 2 and D 1 is greater than D 2 , and further wherein at least one side wall includes a flat portion that is bounded by curved portions, wherein a curved portion curves outwardly from the shoulder and another curved portion curves inwardly to the bottom, and wherein the flat portion is vertically oriented;

and wherein the side walls each have a radius of curvature from the shoulder to the bottom along the length of the side wall; and
b. a lid connected to the tub using the fastening feature, the lid having an open position for allowing user access to the containing volume and a closed position for preventing user access to the containing volume, wherein the lid comprises:
a tub connecting portion including an engaging feature configured to engage the fastening feature of the mouth structure; and
a lid closure portion configured for movement relative to the tub connecting portion between the open position and the closed position, wherein the lid closure portion comprises a top and a hood, wherein the hood extends outwardly and downwardly from the top.

2. The container system of claim 1 , wherein the tub includes a handle structure formed integrally with the rear wall of the tub.

3. The container system of claim 2 , wherein the handle structure includes an inwardly extending portion extending inwardly from the rear wall toward the front wall of the tub and an outwardly extending portion that extends outwardly toward one of the side walls of the tub.

4. The container system of claim 3 , wherein the handle structure is a first handle structure, the container system further comprising a second handle structure formed integrally with the rear wall of the tub, including an inwardly extending portion extending inwardly from the rear wall toward the front wall of the tub and an outwardly extending portion that extends outwardly toward another one of the side walls of the tub.

5. The container system of claim 1 further comprising a bead of a perfume-comprising hot melt adhesive applied to at least one of the tub and the lid.

6. The container system of claim 1 , wherein the lid closure portion is hingedly connected to the tub connecting portion such that the lid closure portion moves between the open position and the closed position while remaining connected to the tub connecting portion.

7. The container system of claim 6 , wherein the lid further comprises a latching system configured to latch the lid closure portion to the tub connecting portion with the lid closure portion in the closed position.

8. The container system of claim 7 , wherein the latching system comprises a latch member including an engaging member that projects outwardly from a tub facing surface of the latch member, the engaging member arranged and configured to engage a latch engaging feature of the tub connecting portion.

9. The container system of claim 8 , wherein the latch member is operable to move between a latch position and an unlatch position, wherein in the latch position the engaging member being engaged with the latch engaging feature of the tub connecting portion, wherein in the unlatch position the engaging member being out of engagement with the latch engaging feature of the tub connecting portion.

10. The container system of claim 8 , wherein the latch member includes an upper portion, a lower portion, side portions and a window located between the upper portion, lower portion and side portions.

11. The container system of claim 1 , wherein the tub connecting portion includes an opening extending there through that is aligned with the opening of the mouth structure, the tub connecting portion further comprising a sealing lip that extends into the opening of the tub connecting portion.

12. The container system of claim 11 , wherein the lid closure portion includes a top and a sealing rib extending downwardly from the top such that an end of the sealing rib is adjacent a sealing surface of the sealing lip with the lid closure portion in the closed position.

13. The container system of claim 12 , wherein the sealing lip extends continuously about the entire periphery of the opening of the tub connecting portion.

14. The container system of claim 13 , wherein the sealing rib extends continuously about the entire periphery of the opening of the tub connecting portion with the lid closure portion in the closed position.

15. A container system comprising:
a. a tub comprising:
a front wall comprising a recess;
a rear wall opposite the front wall;
side walls extending between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein the side walls have convex curvature;
a bottom extending between the front wall, rear wall and side walls;
a mouth structure connected to the front, rear, and side walls, the mouth structure including a fastening feature configured for connecting to a lid and having an opening there through that provides access to a containing volume of the tub;
a shoulder extending inwardly from the side walls to the mouth structure;

a plurality of unitized doses of a composition within the containing volume of the tub,
a first handle structure formed integrally with the rear wall of the tub, wherein the handle structure includes an inwardly extending portion extending inwardly from the rear wall toward the front wall of the tub and an outwardly extending portion that extends outwardly toward one of the side walls of the tub and a second handle structure formed integrally with the rear wall of the tub, including an inwardly extending portion extending inwardly from the rear wall toward the front wall of the tub and an outwardly extending portion that extends outwardly toward another one of the side walls of the tub,
wherein each of the inwardly extending portions includes top and bottom edges that intersect the side walls, and wherein each of the outwardly extending portions has a contour that is curved from the top edge to the bottom edge;

and wherein the side walls each have a radius of curvature from the shoulder to the bottom along the length of the side wall; and
b. a lid connected to the tub using the fastening feature, the lid having an open position for allowing user access to the containing volume and a closed position for preventing user access to the containing volume.

16. The container system of claim 15 , wherein the lid comprises:
a tub connecting portion including an engaging feature configured to engage the fastening feature of the mouth structure; and
a lid closure portion configured for movement relative to the tub connecting portion between

Assignees

• Kopulos Christopher Robert
• Andres Brian David
• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Kopulos Christopher Robert
• Andres Brian David

Classifications

• B65D2543/00296

  Plastic · CPC title

• B65D43/0202 Primary

  without integral tamper element · CPC title

• B65D43/169

  the lid, the hinge and the element connecting them to the container being made of one piece · CPC title

• B65D2543/00083

  oval · CPC title

• B65D2543/00564

  indirect by means of a gasket or similar intermediate ring · CPC title