Product dispensing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9833533-B2
Application number	US-201213607581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2012
Priority date	Sep 7, 2012
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A product dispensing system includes a housing that has a sidewall with at least one orifice and at least one protrusion in alignment with the at least one orifice. An exterior surface of the at least one protrusion provides a visual contrast in color, texture, or surface finish that differs from that of an exterior surface of the sidewall adjacent the orifice.

First claim

We claim:

1. A product dispensing system, comprising:
a housing having a sidewall with a surface variation formed at least partially thereby, which further forms a first communication element; and
a second communication element formed by a dispensing opening,
wherein the first and second communication elements form similarly shaped parts of a pattern.

2. The product dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the surface variation comprises at least one protrusion and orifice.

3. The product dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein an actuation button provided within the sidewall forms a third communication element that is associated with the pattern.

4. The product dispensing system of claim 3 , wherein the first communication element and the second communication element are located on a first side of the housing; and the third communication element on a second, different side of the housing.

5. The product dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication element includes at least one orifice and at least one recessed protrusion in alignment with the at least one orifice, and wherein an exterior surface of the at least one recessed protrusion provides a visual contrast in color, texture, or surface finish that differs from that of an exterior surface of the sidewall adjacent the orifice.

6. The product dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one recessed protrusion extends within the at least one orifice.

7. The product dispensing system of claim 6 , wherein a distance between the exterior surface of the sidewall adjacent the at least one orifice and the exterior surface of the at least one recessed protrusion is between about 0.1 mm to about 25 mm.

8. The product dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein a plurality of protrusions extend through a plurality of orifices having a complementary shape.

9. The product dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication element includes a plurality of protrusions that extend through a plurality of orifices, and wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions has a geometric shape that differs from another of the plurality of protrusions.

10. The product dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication element includes a plurality of protrusions that extend through a plurality of orifices, and wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions has a length and width that differ from another of the plurality of protrusions.

11. The product dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication element includes a plurality of protrusions that extend through a plurality of orifices, and wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions has an orientation with respect to the sidewall that differs from another one of the plurality of protrusions.

12. The product dispensing system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions has an orientation with respect to the sidewall that differs from the dispensing opening.

13. The product dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the surface variation provides a visual contrast in color, texture, or surface finish that differs from that of at least a portion of an external surface of the sidewall adjacent the surface variation.

Assignees

• Baranowski Brad P
• Belongia David C
• Walter Scott D
• Unnikrishnan Aparna
• Johnson & Son Inc S C

Inventors

• Baranowski Brad P
• Belongia David C
• Walter Scott D
• Unnikrishnan Aparna

Classifications

• A61L9/12 Primary

  Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor · CPC title

• A61L9/14

  using sprayed or atomised substances {including air-liquid contact processes} · CPC title