TITLE: Assembly for packaging and dispensing a product, in particular a cosmetic product, comprising a dispensing member

The present invention relates to the field of assemblies for packaging and dispensing a product, in particular a cosmetic product, comprising a container of the vial, tube or bottle type containing a product and provided with an opening and with a dispensing member intended to plug the opening of the container.

By way of entirely non-limiting example, the product may be fluid, such as a cosmetic product, for example, or any other fluid product, such as a food product, paint, for example, or a non-fluid product, for example a viscous product, such as glue, compote or a pasty product designed to flow, for example.

A “cosmetic product” is understood, in particular within the meaning of the present invention, to be a product as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products.

More particularly, the present invention relates to dispensing members, also known as closure caps, made of synthetic material comprising a hollow cylindrical body that is intended to be snap-fastened onto the open end of the container to be closed, and a lid that is fastened to the body and movable with respect to said body between an open position in which the container is open and a closed position in which said container is closed.

The lid is generally hinged to the body, for example by one or more hinges or articulations.

The lid could also be fastened to the body, for example by being screwed on, or by any other means.

Conventionally, such a dispensing member is fastened on the neck of a container by the cooperation of one or more snap-fastening protrusions provided on the outer surface of the neck of the container and the inner surface of a fastening skirt provided on the dispensing member and designed to extend radially around the neck of the container in the position fastening the closure member to the neck of the container.

However, in order to meet environmental obligations, it may prove advantageous to be able to detach the dispensing member from the container in order to reuse it, and in particular to be able to refill it, for example with solid or liquid refills contained in packaging containing a lower quantity of plastic than the quantity of plastic of the container.

A dispensing assembly comprising a dispensing member comprising a mounting skirt mounted on a reservoir and intended to be dismantled from the reservoir using a turning movement is known from document FR 3 084 655. The neck of the reservoir for that purpose comprises radial protrusions cooperating with V- shaped ramps formed on the mounting skirt.

However, such a solution is intended for a single dismantling operation, because during the relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container, the mounting skirt of the dispensing member and/or the radial protrusions present on the neck of the reservoir may undergo plastic deformation.

The dispensing member and/or the container would therefore not be reusable.

In addition, the amount of plastic is greatly increased by the radial protrusions and the particular shape of the mounting skirt.

The presence of the radial protrusions on the neck of the reservoir and of the ramps on the mounting skirt of the dispensing member also renders the structure and design of these elements more complex and increases the difficulty of manufacturing them industrially.

Finally, the ergonomics and intuitiveness of the use of such an assembly, in particular when refitting the dispensing member on the container after these two elements have been separated, are not entirely satisfactory.

Such a dispensing assembly is unable to provide a satisfactory solution to environmental problems while at the same time being simple to design, to manufacture and to use.

Containers of non-circular cross section comprising a hollow body of noncircular cross section and a neck provided with an opening allowing access to the internal volume of the body and connected to said body by a junction or shoulder, are also known.

The junction exhibits an inclined slope between the body and the neck and intended to cooperate with an external skirt of the dispensing member.

Thus, upon relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container, the external skirt of the dispensing member cooperates with the inclined profile of the junction to transmit an axial force to the snap-fastening skirt and thus bring about axial disengagement of the snap-fastening skirt from the neck of the container.

However, and again with a view to reducing the environmental impact, to limit the use of plastic, it is advantageous to reduce the wall thickness of the dispensing member or else to reduce the height of the external skirt of the dispensing member, and this of necessity entails reducing the height of the junction between the neck and the body of the container.

With such a design, the external skirt of the dispensing member may become radially deformed during the relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container, so that the axial disengagement force may fail to be transmitted to the snap-fastening skirt or may prove to be insufficient in magnitude.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to alleviate the above disadvantages and improve the reliability of the detachment of the dispensing member from the container through a relative rotation of these elements.

Another objective of the invention is to reduce the amount of material, particularly of plastic, used in the manufacture of the dispensing member in particular, but also of the container.

The invention relates to an assembly for packaging and dispensing a product, in particular a cosmetic product, comprising a reservoir or container and a dispensing member or cap intended to close off the opening of the container.

Said dispensing member is intended to be mounted by snap-fastening onto the container and to be disengaged from said container by a relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container.

The container comprises a body, a neck of circular cross section and a junction or shoulder of non-circular cross section radially connecting the body to the neck and having a non-circular cross section.

The dispensing member comprises a body of cross section similar to or the same shape as the cross section of the junction of the container and an inner snapfastening skirt radially surrounded by the body and intended to cooperate with the neck of the container.

The junction exhibits a slope inclined towards the neck and cooperating with the body of the dispensing member during relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container.

The height of the inclined profile of the junction of the container is dimensioned in such a way as to ensure that the inner snap-fastening skirt disengages from the neck of the container upon a relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container through an angle of around 90° for example.

The dispensing member further comprises at least one stiffening rib radially connecting the inner snap-fastening skirt to the body of the dispensing member.

Thus, upon relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container, the body of the dispensing member cooperates with the inclined profile of the junction to transmit an axial force to the inner snap-fastening skirt and thus bring about axial disengagement of said inner snap-fastening skirt from the neck of the container.

In other words, using the stiffening rib that connects the body to the snapfastening skirt of the dispensing member makes it possible to encourage the transmission, from the body to the snap-fastening skirt, of this axial force experienced by the body during the relative rotation of the dispensing member and of the container due to the cooperation with the inclined profile of the junction of the container. The reliability of the operation of disengaging the dispensing member from the container through the relative rotation of these elements is thus improved.

Thanks to the stiffening rib, the stiffness of the body is increased and any excessive elastic, and especially plastic, deformation of said body, which might tend to render inoperative the disengagement of the dispensing member through relative rotation thereof with respect to the container, or might even lead to a need to scrap the dispensing member, can thus be avoided.

In addition, the transmission of the axial forces experienced by the body to the inner snap-fastening skirt is improved and also allows said inner skirt to be offset radially outwards, making disengaging said inner skirt from the neck of the container easier still.

Specifically, during the relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container, the radial force experienced by the body of the dispensing member is transmitted to the inner snap-fastening skirt so as to facilitate the disengagement thereof by offsetting it radially outwards.

Thanks to the stiffening rib, it is therefore possible to considerably reduce the dimensions, and particularly the wall thicknesses, of the dispensing member and therefore the amount of plastic used, while at the same time improving the ease and reliability with which said dispensing member can be disengaged from the container for the purposes, for example, of refilling the container, or of separating the dispensing member from the container in order to recycle these elements at the end of life of the packaging and dispensing assembly.

Finally, the use of such a stiffening rib also makes it possible to improve the longer-term geometric integrity of the dispensing members when they are packaged and transported or loose in large bulk packages, such as large bags, before being snap- fastened onto the necks of corresponding containers, thus preventing them from becoming individually deformed under the weight of the other dispensing members, which deformation would be liable to impede or even render impossible their subsequent snap-fastening onto the neck of a container.

For example, the inner snap-fastening skirt has a circular section and radially surrounds the neck of the container.

Advantageously, the inner snap-fastening skirt comprises at least two skirt portions circumferentially spaced apart by a circumferential clearance.

In other words, the inner snap-fastening skirt is discontinuous in the circumferential direction.

Such a configuration encourages the radial parting of the snap-fastening skirt portions during the relative rotation of the dispensing member with respect to the container and makes it possible to minimize still further the quantity of material needed in the manufacture of the dispensing member.

In a variant, the inner snap-fastening skirt may comprise a body-junction portion, which is continuous in the circumferential direction, and at least two skirt portions intended to perform the snap-fastening onto the neck of the container and which are spaced apart circumferentially by a circumferential clearance.

Advantageously, the dispensing member comprises at least two stiffening ribs respectively radially connecting an inner skirt portion to the body of the dispensing member.

For example, the cross section of the body of the dispensing member corresponds to the cross section of the body of the container.

For example, the non-circular cross section of the body of the dispensing member has an ovoid shape defined by a major axis and a minor axis at least 10%, preferably at least 15%, and in particular at least 20% smaller than the major axis.

The skirt portions are advantageously centred on the major axis of the noncircular shape of the body of the dispensing member. The body may, for example, further comprise a radial upper wall provided with a flow or dispensing orifice for the passage of the fluid contained in the container.

Advantageously, the assembly comprises a lid that is hinged with respect to the body of the dispensing member by means of at least one articulation or hinge about a transverse pivot axis, along a transverse axis perpendicular to the axis of elevation of said body, between an open position, in which the flow orifice is open, and a closed position, in which the flow orifice is closed off, for example by a plugging pip or protrusion.

Other systems for connecting the lid to the body could be provided. For example, provision could be made for the lid to be screwed or snap-fastened onto said body. Provision could also be made for the dispensing member not to comprise a pivoting lid, but rather a temporary membrane seal covering the flow orifice or a removable peg inserted into said flow orifice in a position closing said orifice and having radial and axial dimensions configured so as to be withdrawn from said orifice by the user before the packaging assembly is used.

The hinge is advantageously centred on the minor axis of the cross section of the body of the dispensing member so as to avoid excessive deformation of the hinge as the dispensing member is disengaged from the neck of the container.

According to one advantageous embodiment, the stiffening ribs are advantageously provided one on each side of the hinge in the relative position of the dispensing member with respect to the container, as this allows the dispensing member to be disengaged without the risk of damaging said hinge.

More specifically, the stiffening ribs are advantageously situated one on each side of, and preferably as close as possible to, the hinge in the circumferential direction.

In instances in which the dispensing member has just one stiffening rib connecting the snap-fastening skirt to the body of the dispensing member, this rib is advantageously centred on the hinge in the circumferential direction.

Thanks to the above-mentioned measures, the stiffness of the dispensing member is particularly increased at the hinge so as to limit any excessive deformation and any risk of damage to the hinge during one or more repeated operations of disengaging the dispensing member from the neck of the container through relative rotation of these elements. Moreover, the presence of the stiffening rib or ribs connecting the snap-fastening skirt to the body of the dispensing member is likely to be visible to a user, even when the dispensing member is snap-fastened on the container; therefore, employing the stiffening rib or ribs in the vicinity of the hinge improves the overall appearance of the dispensing member by keeping this or these ribs away from that portion of the dispensing member that directly faces the user.

According to one embodiment, the dispensing member further comprises an annular sealing lip radially surrounded by the inner snap-fastening skirt and intended to be inserted inside the neck of the container in order to seal the assembly.

For example, one out of the neck of the container, and the inner snapfastening skirt of the dispensing member comprises at least a first snap-fastening relief cooperating with at least a second snap-fastening relief provided on the other out of the neck of the container, and the inner snap-fastening skirt of the dispensing member.

The first and second snap-fastening reliefs may be protruding or recessed.

According to one embodiment, each skirt portion comprises at least one snapfastening protrusion protruding radially towards the neck of the container and intended to cooperate with an annular rib provided on said neck.

According to one embodiment, the snap-fastening protrusion extends circumferentially over the entire circumference of the corresponding skirt portion.

The present invention will be understood better from studying the detailed description of embodiments that are given by way of entirely non-limiting example and are illustrated by the appended drawings, in which:

[Fig.l] is an exploded perspective view of an assembly for packaging and dispensing a product according to one embodiment of the invention;

[Fig.2] is a view from above of the container of the assembly of Figure 1;

[Fig.3] is a view in partial section on III-III of Figure 2;

[Fig.4] is a view from above of the dispensing member in the open position;

[Fig.5] is a view in section on V-V of Figure 4;

[Fig.6] is a view in section on VI- VI of Figure 4;

[Fig.7] is a view from beneath of the dispensing member in the closed position;

[Fig.8] is a view of details of Figure 7 ;

[Fig.9] is a view in section on IX-IX of Figure 4;

[Fig.10] is a view in partial section on the major axis Al of the junction of the container, showing the assembly of Figure 1, in the assembled position; and

[Fig.l l] is a view in partial section on the major axis Al of the junction of the container, showing the assembly of Figure 1, in the disengaged position in which the dispensing member has been rotated through 90° relative to the container.

In the rest of the description, reference will be made to an orthonormal system X, Y, Z, where Z corresponds to an axis of elongation representing the vertical direction, and in which are found:

- a longitudinal axis X, which is horizontal and extends from rear to front in Figure 2;

- a transverse axis Y, which is horizontal, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, and extends from left to right in Figure 2; and

- a vertical axis Z, which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X and transverse axis Y and extends from bottom to top in Figure 1.

The expressions “upper” and “lower” refer to the upper part and the lower part of the figures, in the assembled position of the assembly.

Figure 1 shows an assembly 1 for packaging and dispensing a product, in particular a cosmetic product.

A “product” is understood to be a liquid, semi-liquid or viscous product that is intended to flow out of a reservoir under the effect of gravity. The product may, in an entirely non-limiting manner, be a cosmetic product, such as a hygiene product or a care product, for example.

The assembly 1 for packaging and dispensing a product comprises a reservoir or container 10 and a dispensing member 20, or cap, intended to close off the opening of the container 10.

The container 10 comprises a hollow body 11 delimiting an internal volume 12 containing a product. The container 10 extends axially along an axis Z-Z’ that is presumed to be vertical in the figures, from an upper end 13 forming a neck provided with an opening 13a for accessing the internal volume 12 to a lower end 14 forming the bottom of the reservoir.

The container 10 may be made, for example, of rigid synthetic material.

The neck 13 in this instance has an outside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the body 11 of the container 10.

As illustrated, the body 11 of the container 10 has, in this instance, a noncircular cross section and the neck 13 has a circular cross section. In a variant, the body 11 of the container 10 could have a circular or any other shape of section.

The neck 13 is connected to the body 11 of the container 10 by a junction or shoulder 15. The junction 15 in this instance exhibits an inclined slope 15a between the body 11 and the neck 13.

The container 10 comprises a shoulder I la, visible in Figures 3 and 10, connecting the inclined slope 15a of the junction 15 to the body 11 of the container 10. Such a shoulder I la enables the creation of an abutment against which the lower end 21a of the body 21 of the dispensing member 20 can bear when said dispensing member 20 is mounted on the container 10.

As a variant, provision could be made for such a shoulder not to be present.

The junction 15 likewise has a non-circular cross section.

The non-circular cross section here has an ovoid shape defined by a major axis Al and a minor axis A2 that is at least 20% smaller than the major axis Al. The axes Al, A2 are visible in Figure 2.

As visible in detail in Figure 2, the neck 13 comprises, on its exterior surface 13b, a rib 13c, in this instance an annular rib, intended to cooperate with an inner snapfastening skirt 25 of the dispensing member 20.

The dispensing member 20 is produced in one piece for example by injectionmoulding a plastics material, for example a polymer such as polypropylene or any other polymeric composition having similar physical properties.

As illustrated in Figures 4 to 11, the dispensing member 20 comprises a body 21 of non-circular cross section that extends along a longitudinal axis Z-Z’, in this instance depicted in a vertical position of use, and comprises an open lower end 21a that is intended to surround the annular neck of the container 10 and to come into axial contact with the junction 15 of the container 10. The dispensing member 20 further comprises an upper end 21b, opposite to the lower end 21a. The cross section of the body 21 corresponds to the cross section of the body 11 of the container 10. Thus, the non-circular cross section of the body 21 of the dispensing member 20 in this instance has an ovoid shape defined by a major axis A’ 1 and a minor axis A’2 that is at least 20% smaller than the major axis A’ l. The axes A’ 1, A’2 are visible in Figure 7. The axes A’ l, A’2 are, in this instance, parallel to the axes Al, A2 of the junction 15 of the container 10.

The body 21 further comprises a radial upper wall 22, in this instance substantially planar, that closes the upper end 21b and is provided with a flow orifice 22a for the passage of the fluid contained in the container 10.

As illustrated, the upper wall 22 is axially set back from the upper end 21b of the body 21. As a variant, provision could be made for the upper wall 22 to be axially aligned with the upper end 21b.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the flow orifice 22a opens out onto a boss which protrudes from the upper wall 22. As a variant, provision could be made for the flow orifice 22a to open out onto a planar upper wall.

The dispensing member 20 further comprises a lid 23 that is articulated with respect to the body 21 by means of an articulation or hinge 24 about a transverse pivot axis A0, along the transverse axis Y, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis Z, between an open position, visible in Figures 1, 4 and 5, and a closed position visible in Figure 7.

The lid 23 may be connected to the body 21 for example by a hinge of the “film” or living hinge type or a strip that has a reduced thickness at the pivot axis A0 so as to give the hinge bending properties.

The hinge 24 in this instance is centred on the minor axis A2 of the cross section of the body 21 of the dispensing member 10.

Other systems for connecting the lid 23 to the body 21 could be provided. For example, provision could be made for the lid 23 to be screwed or snap-fastened onto said body 21. Provision could also be made for the dispensing member 20 not to comprise a pivoting lid 23, but rather a temporary membrane seal covering the dispensing orifice 22a or a removable peg inserted into said dispensing orifice in a position closing said orifice and having radial and axial dimensions configured so as to be withdrawn from said orifice by the user before the packaging assembly is used.

As illustrated, the lid 23 has a contour 23a that is closed by a wall or top surface 23b. The contour 23 a corresponds in terms of shape to the upper wall 22 of the body 21. The lid 23 further comprises a stopper member 29 that protrudes axially towards the inside from the inner surface of the top surface 23b when the lid 23 is in the closed position. The stopper member 29 is in this instance produced in the form of a stud.

The open position, illustrated in Figure 1, corresponds to a position in which the flow orifice 22a is open, allowing the fluid contained in the container 10 to flow towards the outside. The closed position, illustrated in Figure 7, corresponds to a position in which the flow orifice 22a is closed, being closed off by the stopper member 29, thereby preventing the fluid contained in the container 10 from flowing towards the outside.

The dispensing member 20 further comprises an inner snap-fastening skirt 25 of circular section, radially surrounded by the body 21 and intended to radially surround the neck 13 of the container 10.

In the non-limiting illustrated example, the inner snap-fastening skirt 25 comprises two skirt portions 25a, 25b circumferentially spaced apart by a circumferential clearance. In other words, the inner snap-fastening skirt 25 is discontinuous in the circumferential direction.

Advantageously, the skirt portions 25a, 25b are centred on the major axis A’ 1 of the non-circular shape of the body 21 of the dispensing member 20.

Each skirt portion 25a, 25b comprises a snap-fastening protrusion 26a, 26b protruding radially towards the neck 13 of the container 10 and intended to cooperate with the annular rib 13c of said neck 13.

The snap-fastening protrusion 26a, 26b in this instance extends circumferentially around the entire circumference of the corresponding skirt portion 25a, 25b.

As a variant, provision could be made for each skirt portion 25a, 25b to comprise a snap-fastening groove and for the neck 13 to comprise an annular snapfastening protrusion cooperating with said groove.

In general, one out of the neck 13 of the container 10, and the inner snapfastening skirt 25 of the dispensing member 20 comprises at least a first snap-fastening relief cooperating with at least a second snap-fastening relief provided on the other out of the neck 13 of the container 10, and the inner snap-fastening skirt 25 of the dispensing member 20. The first and second snap-fastening reliefs may be protruding or recessed. As illustrated, the dispensing member 20 further comprises an annular sealing lip 27 radially surrounded by the inner snap-fastening skirt 25 and intended to be inserted inside the opening 13a of the neck 13 of the container 10 in order to seal the assembly 1.

As illustrated, and entirely non-limitingly, the dispensing member 20 further comprises two stiffening ribs 28a, 28b respectively radially connecting an inner skirt portion 25a, 25b to the body 21 of the dispensing member 20.

As a variant, it would be possible to provide just one inner snap-fastening skirt portion 25 and just one stiffening rib 28 radially connecting said inner snapfastening skirt 25 to the body 21 of the dispensing member 20.

The stiffening ribs 28a, 28b are advantageously provided one on each side of the hinge 24 in the relative position of the dispensing member 20 with respect to the container 10, as this allows the dispensing member 20 to be disengaged without the risk of damaging said hinge 24.

More specifically, the stiffening ribs 28a, 28b are advantageously situated one on each side of, and preferably as close as possible to, the hinge 24 in the circumferential direction.

In an embodiment in which the dispensing member has just one stiffening rib connecting the snap-fastening skirt to the body of the dispensing member, this rib is advantageously centred on the hinge in the circumferential direction.

As visible in Figure 7, each rib 28a, 28b makes an angle a with the minor axis A2. The angle a is for example comprised between 30° and 50°, for example between 40° and 45°, and for example around 42°.

In the position in which the dispensing member 20 is assembled on the container 10, as visible in Figure 10, the lower end 21a of the body 21 of the dispensing member 20 is in axial abutment against the shoulder 1 la of the container 10.

The height Hl of the inclined slope 15a of the junction 15 is at least equal to the travel Cl needed for disengaging the snap-fastening protrusion 26a, 26b of the corresponding snap-fastening skirt 25a, 25b.

The travel C 1 extends axially between the lower surface of the snap-fastening protrusion 26a, 26b and the upper surface of the annular rib 13c of the neck 13 of the container.

The height Hl of the inclined slope 15a of the junction 15 of the container 10 is thus dimensioned in such a way as to ensure that the inner snap-fastening skirt 25a, 25b disengages from the neck 13 of the container 10 upon a relative rotation of the dispensing member 20 with respect to the container 10 through an angle of around 90° for example.

The travel Cl is, for example, between 1 mm and 3 mm, for example between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm, for example equal to 1.95 mm.

The height Hl is at least equal to the travel Cl, preferably at least equal to 1.5 times said travel Cl. For example, the height Hl is equal to 3.3 mm, when the travel Cl is equal to 1.95 mm.

Upon relative rotation of the dispensing member 20 with respect to the container 10, the body 21 of the dispensing member 20 cooperates with the inclined profile 15a of the junction 15, as may be seen in Figure 11, to transmit an axial force to the inner snap-fastening skirt 25 and thus bring about axial disengagement of said inner snap-fastening skirt 25 from the neck 13 of the container 10.

Using the stiffening rib or ribs 28a, 28b connecting the body 21 to the snapfastening skirt 25 of the dispensing member makes it possible to encourage the transmission, from the body 21 to the snap-fastening skirt 25, of this axial force experienced by the body 21 during the relative rotation of the dispensing member 20 and of the container 10 due to the cooperation with the inclined profile 15a of the junction 15 of the container 10. The reliability of the operation of disengaging the dispensing member 20 from the container 10 through the relative rotation of these elements is thus improved.

The container 10 is manufactured from a plastics material such as, for example, polypropylene (PP), PET, recycled PET or high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

The dispensing member 20 is manufactured from a plastics material such as, for example, polypropylene (PP), or high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

Thanks to the stiffening rib 28a, 28b, the stiffness of the body 21 is improved and any plastic deformation of said body can thus be avoided.

In addition, the transmission of the axial forces experienced by the body 21 to the inner snap-fastening skirt 25 is improved and also allows said inner skirt 25 to be offset radially outwards, making disengaging said inner skirt 25 from the neck 13 of the container 10 easier still.

Thanks to the stiffening rib 28a, 28b, it is therefore possible to considerably reduce the dimensions and wall thicknesses of the dispensing member 20 and thus the amount of plastic used, while at the same time improving the ease with which said dispensing member can be disengaged for the purposes, for example, of refilling the container 10, or of separating the dispensing member from the container in order to recycle the products at the end of life.