Patent US3581940A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3581940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multiple compartment dispenser container with check valves
Assignee: Alberto Culver Co
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Filing: 1968-11-12
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Granted: 1971-06-01
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Expires: 1988-11-12
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a dispenser container for separate storage and proportioned mixed dispensing of two interacting fluid components. The combination comprises a tubular container of flexible material (plastic or plastic laminate preferred) having central wall means providing two collapsible longitudinally extending compartments. The container is constructed and arranged so as to produce substantially equal internal pressures in both compartments whenever it is grasped by a hand. The outer walls of the container compartments are simultaneously and equally collapsed toward a central plane, thereby correspondingly reducing the volume of both compartments and creating equal internal pressures therein. The container tapers from the outlet end toward the closure end which is preferably sealed along a transverse line lying substantially in the longitudinal plane toward which the outer walls collapse. Preferably the compartments have approximate cross sections of half ellipses with the inner wall means generally coinciding with the major axes and the minor axes progressively shortening from the outlet end to the closure end. Separate ports are provided for each compartment at the outlet end of the container and outlet check valves control the outflow through these ports. A dispenser cap is received over the outlet end of the container enclosing the ports and valve means. The cap provides an intermixing passage communicating with both the port means at its inner end when the valves are open and its outer end with a dispensing outlet; and; intermediately, means are preferably provided for promoting through intermixing of the two fluids being dispensed.
Inventors
- 👤 John A Cella
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:48
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/32; B65D81/3283; B05; B05B; B05B11/00; B05B11/0005; B05B11/0078; B05B11/01; B05B11/04; B05B11/047; B65D35/00; B65D35/22; B65D47/00; B65D47/04; B65D47/20; B65D47/2018; B65D47/2056; B65D47/2062; B65D47/2075
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
A dispenser container, comprising in combination: a. container means formed of plastic material and providing two substantially separate tubes of equal size each having an arcuate flexible outer wall and a generally flat central wall enclosing a longitudinally extending compartment, said tubes being arranged side-by-side with said inner walls in adjacent facing relation and said outer walls oppositely disposed, said tubes being dimensioned to be manually grasped for simultaneously and substantially uniformly collapsing the said outer walls of said tubes toward said inner walls to reduce the volume of said compartments, said tubes having adjacent outlet ends and adjacent closure enDs and tapering from said outlet ends toward said closure ends so that said compartments progressively reduce in cross section toward said closure ends, said outer and inner walls being brought together and united at said closure ends, rib means connecting said inner walls along the longitudinal centerline of said tubular container means but terminating at a spaced distance from said closure ends, said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments; b. outlet check valve means associated with each of said port means biased to close said parts when said container means is under ordinary atmospheric pressure while permitting said ports to open when said container means is manually collapsed; and c. dispenser cap mean received on the outlet end of said container means enclosing said port means and said valve means, said cap means providing common passage means communicating at its inner end with both of said port means when opened by said valve means and at its outer end with a dispensing outlet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
269 words
A dispenser container, comprising in combination: a. container means formed of plastic material and providing two substantially separate tubes of equal size each having an arcuate flexible outer wall and a generally flat central wall enclosing a longitudinally extending compartment, said tubes being arranged side-by-side with said inner walls in adjacent facing relation and said outer walls oppositely disposed, said tubes being dimensioned to be manually grasped for simultaneously and substantially uniformly collapsing the said outer walls of said tubes toward said inner walls to reduce the volume of said compartments, said tubes having adjacent outlet ends and adjacent closure enDs and tapering from said outlet ends toward said closure ends so that said compartments progressively reduce in cross section toward said closure ends, said outer and inner walls being brought together and united at said closure ends, rib means connecting said inner walls along the longitudinal centerline of said tubular container means but terminating at a spaced distance from said closure ends, said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments; b. outlet check valve means associated with each of said port means biased to close said parts when said container means is under ordinary atmospheric pressure while permitting said ports to open when said container means is manually collapsed; and c. dispenser cap mean received on the outlet end of said container means enclosing said port means and said valve means, said cap means providing common passage means communicating at its inner end with both of said port means when opened by said valve means and at its outer end with a dispensing outlet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
The dispenser container of claim 1 wherein said compartments have approximate cross sections of half ellipses with said inner walls generally coinciding with the major axes thereof, and the minor axes of said half-ellipsoidal compartments progressively shortening from said outlet end to said closure ends, and wherein said container means is formed of a thermoplastic material, said closure ends being heat-fused together along a transverse line lying in the longitudinal plane toward which said outer wall collapses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
170 words
A two-compartment tubular container formed of plastic material and providing two substantially separate tubes of equal size each having an arcuate flexible outer wall and a generally flat central wall enclosing a longitudinally extending compartment, said tubes being arranged side-by-side with said inner walls in adjacent facing relation and said outer walls oppositely disposed, said tubes being dimensioned to be manually grasped for simultaneously and substantially uniformly collapsing the said outer walls of said tubes toward said inner walls to reduce the volume of said compartments, said tubes having adjacent outlet ends, and adjacent closure ends and tapering from said outlet ends toward said closure ends so that said compartments progressively reduce in cross section toward closure ends, said outer and inner walls being brought together and united at said closure ends, rib means connecting said inner walls along the longitudinal centerline of said tubular container but terminating at a spaced distance from the said closure ends, and said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
170 words
A two-compartment tubular container formed of plastic material and providing two substantially separate tubes of equal size each having an arcuate flexible outer wall and a generally flat central wall enclosing a longitudinally extending compartment, said tubes being arranged side-by-side with said inner walls in adjacent facing relation and said outer walls oppositely disposed, said tubes being dimensioned to be manually grasped for simultaneously and substantially uniformly collapsing the said outer walls of said tubes toward said inner walls to reduce the volume of said compartments, said tubes having adjacent outlet ends, and adjacent closure ends and tapering from said outlet ends toward said closure ends so that said compartments progressively reduce in cross section toward closure ends, said outer and inner walls being brought together and united at said closure ends, rib means connecting said inner walls along the longitudinal centerline of said tubular container but terminating at a spaced distance from the said closure ends, and said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
The container of claim 3 wherein said compartments have approximate cross sections of half ellipses and the minor axes of said half-ellipsoidal compartments progressively shortening from said outlet end to said closure ends, and wherein said container is formed of a thermoplastic material, said closure ends being heat-fused together along a transverse line lying in a longitudinal plane toward which said outer wall collapses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
277 words
A dispenser container comprising in combination: a. tubular container means formed of flexible plastic material providing opposite outer walls and central wall means dividing said container means into two collapsible longitudinally extending compartments, said container means having an outlet end and a closure end, said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments, said container means being dimensioned to be grasped by one hand for simultaneously collapsing the said outer walls of said container means toward said central wall means, said central wall means comprising two wall members each separately providing an inner wall for one of said compartments, said outer walls and inner walls being brought together and united at said closure end along a transverse line lyiNg approximately in said longitudinal plane toward which said outer walls collapse, said outer walls and said inner walls being integrally formed, and integral rib means connecting said inner walls along the longitudinal centerline of said tubular container means, said rib means terminating at a spaced distance from the said transverse union line of said closure end; b. outlet check valve means associated with each of said port means effective to close said ports when said container means is under ordinary atmospheric pressure while permitting said ports to open when said container means is collapsed by the grasp of a hand; and c. dispenser cap means received on the outlet end of said container means enclosing said port means and said valve means, said cap means providing intermixing passage means communicating at its inner end with both of said port means when said valve means are open and at its outer end with a dispensing outlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
277 words
A dispenser container comprising in combination: a. tubular container means formed of flexible plastic material providing opposite outer walls and central wall means dividing said container means into two collapsible longitudinally extending compartments, said container means having an outlet end and a closure end, said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments, said container means being dimensioned to be grasped by one hand for simultaneously collapsing the said outer walls of said container means toward said central wall means, said central wall means comprising two wall members each separately providing an inner wall for one of said compartments, said outer walls and inner walls being brought together and united at said closure end along a transverse line lyiNg approximately in said longitudinal plane toward which said outer walls collapse, said outer walls and said inner walls being integrally formed, and integral rib means connecting said inner walls along the longitudinal centerline of said tubular container means, said rib means terminating at a spaced distance from the said transverse union line of said closure end; b. outlet check valve means associated with each of said port means effective to close said ports when said container means is under ordinary atmospheric pressure while permitting said ports to open when said container means is collapsed by the grasp of a hand; and c. dispenser cap means received on the outlet end of said container means enclosing said port means and said valve means, said cap means providing intermixing passage means communicating at its inner end with both of said port means when said valve means are open and at its outer end with a dispensing outlet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
283 words
A dispenser container, comprising in combination: a. container means formed of plastic material and providing two substantially separate tubes of equal size each having an arcuate flexible outer wall and a generally flat inner wall enclosing a longitudinally extending compartment, said tubes being arranged side-by-side with said inner walls in adjacent facing relation and said outer walls oppositely disposed, said inner walls being laterally spaced apart and having their central portions integrally connected by rib means extending along the longitudinal centerline of said container means, said tubes being dimensioned to be manually grasped for simultaneously and substantially uniformly collapsing the said outer walls of said tubes toward said inner walls to reduce the volume of said compartments, said tubes having adjacent outlet ends and adjacent closure ends and tapering from said outlet ends toward closure ends so that said compartments progressively reduce in cross section toward said closure ends, said outer and inner walls being brought together and heat-fused at said closure ends along a transverse line running generally parallel to the planes of said inner walls, said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments; b. outlet check valve means associated with each of said port means biased to close said parts when said container means is under ordinary atmospheric pressure while permitting said ports to open when said container means is manually collapsed; and c. dispenser cap means received on the outlet end of said container means enclosing said port means and said valve means, said cap means providing common passage means communicating at its inner end with both of said port means when opened by said valve means and at its outer end with a dispensing outlet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
283 words
A dispenser container, comprising in combination: a. container means formed of plastic material and providing two substantially separate tubes of equal size each having an arcuate flexible outer wall and a generally flat inner wall enclosing a longitudinally extending compartment, said tubes being arranged side-by-side with said inner walls in adjacent facing relation and said outer walls oppositely disposed, said inner walls being laterally spaced apart and having their central portions integrally connected by rib means extending along the longitudinal centerline of said container means, said tubes being dimensioned to be manually grasped for simultaneously and substantially uniformly collapsing the said outer walls of said tubes toward said inner walls to reduce the volume of said compartments, said tubes having adjacent outlet ends and adjacent closure ends and tapering from said outlet ends toward closure ends so that said compartments progressively reduce in cross section toward said closure ends, said outer and inner walls being brought together and heat-fused at said closure ends along a transverse line running generally parallel to the planes of said inner walls, said outlet end providing outlet port means separately communicating with said compartments; b. outlet check valve means associated with each of said port means biased to close said parts when said container means is under ordinary atmospheric pressure while permitting said ports to open when said container means is manually collapsed; and c. dispenser cap means received on the outlet end of said container means enclosing said port means and said valve means, said cap means providing common passage means communicating at its inner end with both of said port means when opened by said valve means and at its outer end with a dispensing outlet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The dispenser container of claim 6 wherein said compartments have approximate cross sections of half ellipses with said inner walls being generally parallel to the major axes thereof, and the minor axes of said half-ellipsoidal compartments progressively shortening from said outlet end to said closure ends, and wherein said container means is integrally formed of a thermoplastic material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-31 | 1974-11-30 | 1975-06-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-31 | 1978-11-30 | 1979-06-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-31 | 1982-11-30 | 1983-06-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |