• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
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    • 专利摘要:
    PACKAGED AND PACKED ORAL CARE INSTRUMENT. A package comprising one of the front cover and a back cover, at least a first portion of the front cover or back cover being formed of a first material, and one of the front cover and the back cover being formed of a second material, the second material being is more rigid than the first material. The first formed portion of the first material is capable of being deflected without permanent deformation of the display package. An oral care instrument can be included inside the package and in some modalities, the first portion is adjacent to the head.
    公开号:BR112014014455B1
    申请号:R112014014455-9
    申请日:2012-12-14
    公开日:2021-01-19
    发明作者:Robert Moskovich；Marisela Hernandez；Paul D. Carse；Matthew Lee Kolb
    申请人:Colgate-Palmolive Company；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    FIELD OF THE INVENTION
    [001] The present invention relates to the packaging, and more specifically, the packaging of oral care instruments. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    [002] A common type of exposure packaging for an oral care instrument, such as a toothbrush, comprises blister packaging that includes a rigid, transparent front cover made of a clear plastic film that allows visual inspection of the care instrument oral.
    [003] The quality and functional characteristics of oral care instruments can vary widely. Providing consumers with all the information needed to make optimal purchasing decisions at the point of sale can be challenging due to the relatively small size of the packages, and due to the need to maintain the oral care instrument included in the package. There is a need to improve display packaging to help consumers make better informed purchasing decisions. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
    [004] Some packages according to the modalities of the invention solve the above problems while providing a cover to keep the packaged instrument clean, and also provide sufficient mechanical strength and durability to withstand the static and dynamic loads associated with transporting the toothbrushes from from the factory to the market without rupture or deformation of the packaging or toothbrushes. In particular, it is desirable that the bristles are protected from exposure to prolonged loads that can permanently bend them or otherwise alter their configuration in a way that would impair them functionally or aesthetically.
    [005] In one embodiment, the invention may comprise a package comprising a front cover and a back cover, at least a first portion of the front cover or the back cover being formed of a first material, and one of the front cover and the back cover being formed of a second material, the second material being more rigid than the first material. The first formed portion of the first material is capable of being deflected without permanent deformation of the package.
    [006] In another embodiment, the invention may comprise a packaged oral care instrument comprising an oral care instrument having a plurality of tooth engaging elements and a handle, a blister pack having a front and back cover surrounding the instrument oral care, the front cover including a flexible region, and the flexible region having an original configuration in which the flexible region is arranged adjacent to the tooth engaging elements. The flexible region is made of a first material and the other regions of the package are made of a second material that is different from the first material, and the first material being more flexible than the second material.
    [007] In yet another embodiment, the invention may comprise a packaged oral care instrument comprising an oral care instrument having at least one flexible element, and a package involving the oral care instrument. The package includes at least one rigid region and a flexible region adjacent to at least one flexible element of the oral care instrument. The flexible region being made of a material having a first modulus of elasticity (À1), and at least one of the rigid regions being made of a material having a second modulus of elasticity (À2), where (À1) / (À2) <1.
    [008] Some packages of the types described here can be manufactured at low cost using techniques in which the film is formed in a bubble form using a thermoforming process in which the film is heated and, pressure / vacuum forms the heated film in a shape dictated by a mold. The resulting bubble shape is then cut and mounted on the back cover by using fastening techniques such as sealing / welding.
    [009] The packaged oral care instrument has the advantage of allowing consumers to better touch the product before making a purchase decision, and allows consumers to personalize the degree of involvement.
    [010] The packaged oral care instrument also provides the advantage of a package that maintains its general configuration even after tactile involvement by several consumers, thus reducing the number of products in the exhibitor that have unpleasant-looking packaging. The packaged oral care instrument also has the advantage of reducing the number of packages that are no longer suitable for sale, due to the consumer's involvement with the product before purchase.
    [011] Other areas of application of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    [012] The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a user touching a set constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the Figure 1 package. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along lines 4-4 in Figure 3. Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment. Figure 6 is a perspective view that illustrates the assembly of the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
    [013] The following description of the preferred modality (s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application or uses.
    [014] The description of illustrative modalities according to the principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which should be considered as part of the entire written description. In describing the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or guidance is for convenience of description only and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as "bottom", "top", "horizontal", "vertical", "high", "low", "top", "low", "top" and "bottom", as well as their derivatives ( for example, "horizontally", "down", "up", etc.) should be interpreted to refer to the orientation as described below or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These are relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require the apparatus to be constructed or operated in a particular orientation, unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as "attached", "affixed", "connected", "coupled", "interconnected", and similar terms refer to a relationship in which structures are fixed or attached to each other, either directly or indirectly, through intermediate structures, as well as either attachments or movable or rigid relationships, unless expressly described to the contrary. In addition, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference in the exemplified embodiments. Thus, the invention should not be expressly limited to such exemplary modalities that illustrate a possible non-limiting combination of characteristics that may exist alone or in other combinations of characteristics; the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims.
    [015] Figures 1-2 illustrate a packaged oral care instrument 10 that includes a toothbrush 20 and an exposure pack 11. The exposure pack 11 includes a front cover 40 and a back cover 60 so that the front cover it is mounted to wrap the toothbrush 20. In the embodiment, as shown, the packaged oral care instrument 10 is a manual toothbrush 20. However, in other embodiments, other types of toothbrushes, including both toothbrushes manual and electrical teeth, as well as other types of oral care instruments, including tongue cleaners, tooth polishers, oral care materials dispensers, and other oral care instruments, can be employed to provide an oral care instrument packaged as described herein.
    [016] The illustrated toothbrush 20 comprises a head 27, a neck 22, and a handle 21. The handle 21 provides the user with a mechanism for easily grasping and handling the toothbrush 20. If desired, the handle 21 can include a properly textured grip made of soft elastomeric material. The cable 21 can be of simple construction or of multiple parts. Grips of suitable texture for cable 21 may include clamping zones or pads 25, 24 arranged at the front and back of cable 21, respectively. The cable 21 can also be contoured and / or angled to provide an ergonomic cable. To further improve the handling characteristics and, specifically to make the cable more easily gripped, particularly when wet, the cable 21 may further comprise a surface treatment such as raised rib pattern 26 (referring to Figure 3) at the top cable 21 near its proximal end.
    [017] The cable 21 passes into the neck 22 at its distal end. The neck 22 may or may not have a smaller cross-sectional area than the cable 21. The neck 22 can be considered as a portion of the cable 21, or the head can be considered to be connected to a distal end of the cable 21 via of the neck 22. The head 27 may be wider or wider than the neck 22, or it may be a continuous extension or narrowing of the cable 21.
    [018] As shown in Figure 3, the head 27 generally comprises a front surface 27a, a rear surface 27b, 27c and a peripheral surface. The front surface 27a and the rear surface 27b of the head 27 are opposite each other and can assume a wide variety of shapes and contours. For example, the front and rear surface 27a, 27b can be flat, convex, concave, or have another shape of contour, or can include various combinations thereof. The back surface 27b may comprise a soft tissue cleaner 23, which can be used to clean soft tissue from the inner portions of the oral cavity, such as the tongue and cheeks. The soft tissue cleaner 23 can be made of an elastomeric material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, and comprises a plurality of protuberances 23a and 23b for engaging and / or massaging soft oral tissue. The protrusions can be of any size or shape, or suitable arrangement. As shown in Figure 5, the protrusions can be finger-shaped projections 23a, 23b or circular projections. Details of another suitable soft tissue cleaner are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,143,462, issued December 5, 2006 to Colgate-Palmolive Company, which is incorporated herein by reference.
    [019] The front surface 27a of the head 27 comprises a collection of tooth engaging elements 32 extending from the same for cleaning and / or polishing contact with a user's teeth. While the collection of tooth engaging elements 32 is preferably indicated for brushing teeth, the collection of tooth engaging elements 32 can also be used to polish teeth, rather than, or in addition to, cleaning teeth. As used here, the term "tooth engagement elements" is used in a generic sense to refer to any structure that can be used to clean, polish, or scrub teeth through relative surface contact. The most common examples of “tooth engagement elements” include, without limitation, tufts of bristles, filament bristles, fiber bristles, nylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, elastomeric protrusions, flexible polymeric protrusions, combinations of these and / or structures containing such materials or combinations. Suitable elastomeric materials include any resilient biocompatible material suitable for use in an oral hygiene device.To provide better comfort as well as cleaning benefits, the elastomeric material preferably has a hardness property in the A8 to A25 range of Shore hardness A preferred elastomeric material is the styrene-ethylene / butylene-styrene (SEBS) block copolymer manufactured by GLS Corporation. SEBS material from other manufacturers or other materials within and outside the hardness range observed could also be used.
    [020] In addition, as illustrated, the head 27 comprises tooth engagement elements 32 which include bristles 30, and a polishing cup 31. Bristles 30 can be arranged in an upper and lower tuft block 30a, 30b, in which block tuft 30a is arranged above the polishing cup 31, and tuft block 30b is arranged below the polishing cup 31. A central tuft block 30c can be arranged inside the polishing cup 31. Although the above disclosure describes an arrangement particular of cleaning elements in the head 27, it is understood that the present invention is thus not limited to any particular arrangement of the tooth cleaning elements.
    [021] Referring again to Figures 1-2, the display pack 11 can be any type of packaging suitable for displaying a packaged oral care instrument, such as a blister pack. The display package 11 includes a display wrapping region 12 comprising an open diagonal groove, as shown. In other embodiments, other display wrapping structures can be, for example, closed horizontal elongated grooves, circular or oval openings, or the like. The display wrap region 12 is shaped to accommodate various display arrangements such as a display rod, hook or pin. The display wrapping region in the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5 may comprise a front cover display hitch arm 13, 113, 216 or arranged in contact with a corresponding rear cover display hitch arm 63, 166, or 263, when the front and rear covers are joined. In other embodiments, the display wrapping region 12 may comprise a hook opening (not shown) located near a top end of the display package 11 to which the packaged oral care instrument can be hung for display in a store retail.
    [022] In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-2, the entire front cover 40 is substantially transparent. In other embodiments, the front cover 40 may be only partially transparent to allow consumers to view parts of the oral care instrument 20 from the front of a retail display prior to purchase. As a result, surfaces of the visible portions of the toothbrush 20 can be seen by the consumer without removing the toothbrush 20 from the display package 11 or compromising the integrity of the package 11. As used herein, the term "transparent" includes materials that allow a user to see through the material, even if the material is colored or includes a degree of translucency.
    [023] The front cover 40 includes a cavity 44 which can be tridimensionally contoured to generally match the shape of the toothbrush 20. The cover can comprise thermoformed plastic films. Suitable thermoformed plastic films can include materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (TPE, PETA, PETG, PETGAG), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), or preferred styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SBS), PCV. Other materials suitable for thermoformed plastic film include, without limitation, renewable primary products, such as, for example, corn starch, sugar (polyhydroxybutyrate / -valerate), cellulose diacetate, cellulose nitrate, and polylactide (PLA). As shown in Figure 2, the front cover 40 further includes a flange region 42 surrounding the cavity 44. The flange region 42 provides a flat surface for contact with the rear cover 60. The flange region 42 can be sealed to the cover posterior 60 over its entire surface or a portion thereof by means of heat sealing techniques, pressure sensitive adhesive, mechanical fasteners such as clamps, by wrapping portions of the side edges of the front cover 40 around the rear cover 60, and / or by other suitable techniques.
    [024] In addition, as illustrated, package 11 includes a resilient flexible bubble region 50 on the front cover 40. The flexible bubble region 50 allows a consumer to engage with the oral care instrument without allowing direct contact, that is, without allowing the user to physically contact the oral care instrument. In some circumstances, a user may wish to engage with the bristles to assess the softness of the bristles; in other cases, a user may wish to feel the bristles for other reasons. As the transparent cover 40 allows a visual inspection of the oral care instrument, particularly if the toothbrush design still incorporates drawings or other figures attractive to children, children may also wish to engage with the toothbrush by pressing on the region flexible bubble 50 close to the toothbrush head 27 or in other regions of the package.
    [025] The flexible region 50 is located on the front cover 40 adjacent to the bristles 30. In Figure 2, the flexible region 50 is represented in an original, undeflected configuration. The original non-deflected configuration can provide that the flexible region 50 is spaced from the bristles 30, as shown in Figure 1. In other embodiments, the flexible region 50 may be in contact with the bristles 30 in their original, unflagged configuration. The flexible region 50 is sufficiently flexible and resilient to allow the stiffness of the bristles to be assessed by manual palpation and deflection without direct contact and without permanent deformation of the display package 11. The flexible region 50 is made from a material that is soft enough , sufficiently flexible, and sufficiently resilient to allow the soft flexible region to be deflected manually to allow bristle stiffness to be assessed by palpation by the soft flexible region 50.
    [026] Any suitable material having sufficiently soft, flexible and resilient characteristics can be used for construction of the flexible region 50. In one embodiment, the material used for the construction of the flexible region 50 is thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Certain other materials may also be suitable, including, for example, silicone, synthetic and natural rubbers, elastomers, and monolayer or multilayer films including one or more layers of materials, such as polyvinyl alcohol, polymethylmethylmethacrylate, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, or combinations thereof. It is preferred that the materials have no tendency to wrinkle or crease when subjected to deflection by consumers.
    [027] The flexible region or bubble 50 must be flexible enough to allow flexion and conformation of the flexible region 50 for the thumb or fingers of the user and to allow flexion and manipulation of the bristles 30. The flexible region 50 must be sufficiently resilient to support several deflections of different magnitudes to deflect the flexible region 50 in contact with portions of the toothbrush 20, and consistently and reliably revert to their original configuration.
    [028] The term "bubble" as used herein refers generally to a region that can be deflected. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bubble 50 is sized to partially surround the toothbrush head 27. The bubble 50 is preferably configured to accommodate repeated cycles of deflection and reversion to its original shape without wrinkling, bending or other effects that may harm your appearance. For this purpose, the bubble 50 preferably has no sharp edges. Blister 50, as shown, can be described as generally peanut-shaped, comprising upper and lower lobes 51a and 51b having generally cylindrical side walls 51d and 51E. Generally flat side wall portions 51F and top wall portion 51c connect the upper and lower lobes 51a, 51b, and a generally flat front wall 51 adjacent to the side wall portions 51d, 51e along an edge 53 which may be well defined as illustrated, or alternatively it may be more rounded and less defined. Thus, the bubble 50 in its original configuration has contoured sides 52 which generally correspond to the contours of the sides of the bristles 30, along the edge 53 at the intersection of the top and sides (see, for example, Figures 1 and 2). This shape is designed to provide a combination of aesthetic appeal as well as good functional performance in terms of, for example, the ability to return to its original shape after being collected inside the bristles and palpated.
    [029] The flexible portion 50 preferably has at least a portion made of a first material that is softer, more flexible, and / or more resistant than a second material that is used for other portions of the package. For example, in some embodiments, the flexible portion 50 can be made of a first material, while the rest of the front cover 40 can be made of a second material that is more rigid than the first material. In some embodiments, the entire front cover 40 can be made from the first material.
    [030] The package 11 also includes the back cover 60, which can be a cardboard backing card. The package 11 can further include a wraparound assembly 65, which can be integrally formed with the back card from a single unitary section of card stock, and which extends from the back cover 60 to wrap around a portion of the cover front. The wraparound assembly comprises top and bottom flaps 66a, 66b, each having a U-shaped groove 67a, 67b through which the toothbrush handle 20 and front cover 40 portions extend. Each of the flaps 67a, 67b has a pair of edges 69a-d which are folded into the side walls 68a, 68c, when package 11 is mounted to add strength and rigidity. Assembly 65 further comprises flat or substantially flat side walls 68a, 68c and a flat or substantially flat front wall 68b, which can be used to display product information, marketing information, instructions and / or other relevant information. These walls can also be used in general to enhance the appearance of the packaged instrument by adding attractive shapes and colors to its appearance. In addition, wraparound assembly 65 can help protect toothbrush head 27 from stacking loads or other loads that may be encountered during transportation, handling and retail display.
    [031] To keep the wraparound assembly 65 in a rigid and strong box configuration, the edges 69a-d can be glued or otherwise joined to the inner surface of the side walls of 68a, 68c, and an additional edge or flap (not shown) can extend from the free edge of the side wall 68c around the back of the back cover 60 so that it is joined by pressure sensitive adhesive, hot melt glue, adhesive tape, stapling, soldering , or other means. Alternatively, the assembly 65 can be held in place by a clear plastic wrap, a shrink-wrapped plastic sleeve, clear tape, or other suitable means without an additional border.
    [032] While the side walls 68a, 68c and the front wall 68b of the embodiment of Figures 1-2 are rectangular, in other embodiments these structures may have other shapes, for example, trapezoidal shapes. In addition, while the illustrated wraparound assembly 65 covers a portion of the cable above its lower or proximal end, leaving the lower end of the cable visible, the wraparound assembly 65 in other embodiments can cover the lower end of the cable. In addition, the surrounding assembly 65 may, in some cases, comprise a single curved wall, for example, semicircular or semi-elliptical cross-section, instead of having substantially flat side and front walls. In some embodiments, additional structure may be included on the outside of the front cover 40 that covers one or more portions of the toothbrush neck 20 and additionally provides strength and stiffness, as well as additional surfaces for including marketing information or other purposes.
    [033] In addition to flexible region 50, package 11 may include additional regions to allow users to feel multiple portions of the oral care instrument. Portions of particular interest may include the soft tissue cleaner 23, and various parts of the handle 21 such as the clamping zones 24, 25, the protruding ribs 26, or the handle 21 in its entirety to allow users to be more familiar with the characteristics of cable ergonomics. In these embodiments, the corresponding portions of the package 11 can be constructed from the same material used in the construction of the flexible region 50.
    [034] Figures 3-4 illustrate another modality in which an oral care instrument is contained in an exhibition package. The display package as shown is a "double bubble package" comprising a transparent front front cover 140 and a transparent back cover 160 that are thermoformed or otherwise shaped to define three-dimensional cavities. In the embodiment, as shown, the back cover cavity 146 generally corresponds to the shape of the toothbrush, and includes a region of greater depth 162 for receiving the back of the toothbrush head.
    [035] In the embodiment of Figure 3, the front cover 140 includes a rectangular-trapezoidal cavity 144 to accommodate a correspondingly shaped insert 145. Insert 145 can comprise side panels 145b and 145c on either side of a front panel 145a. Dashboards 145a, 145b, 145c can be used to display graphics, or to include product information, marketing information, instructions and / or other relevant information. These surfaces can also be used in general to improve the appearance of the packaged instrument by adding attractive shapes and colors to its appearance. Insert 145 further comprises top and bottom flaps 148a, 148b, each having a U-shaped groove, 149a, 149b through which a portion of the toothbrush handle 20 extends.
    [036] The front cover 140 further includes a generally rectangular flexible bubble portion 150, which may comprise a straight-sided protrusion having a somewhat square distal end 152, and a rounded, tapered proximal end 151. As shown in Figure 4, the flexible bubble region 150 may have a front wall generally convex to the outside 153. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the bubble has a depth "d" of between about ^ inch and 2 inches, a width "w" of about ^ inch to 2 ^ inches; and a "T" wall thickness of between about 0.01 inch and 0.03 inch. The illustrated front wall 153 has a central region that has a radius of curvature "r", but in other embodiments the front wall 153 may not have a radius of curvature. In addition, instead of being outwardly convex, the front wall 153 may be flat, concave, or otherwise shaped. The flange region 142 has a thickness "tf" which is preferably greater than that of the bubble portion 150. The thickness of the material of the bubble portion 150 can vary over its surface area.
    [037] The flexible region 150 can be of any suitable shape or size, including, but not limited to, generally spherical, ellipsoidal, trapezoidal or rectangular. The properties of the flexible region 150 will depend on several factors, including the type of material chosen, the thickness of the material, the shape of the flexible region 150, the distance that the flexible region 150 is deflected, the volume of the space deflected, and the properties of material such as the modulus of elasticity. The properties of the flexible region 150 can be selected to provide the consumer with the desired level of flexibility for a particular region of the product contained within the package. For example, the flexible region 150 for a user to wrap with the bristles may have different characteristics from a flexible region for a user to wrap with the grip pads.
    [038] A soft tissue cleaner such as a tongue and cheek cleaner 23 on the back of the toothbrush can be received in the protruding portion 162 of the back cover 160. The protruding region 162 can be made of a soft flexible material for allow the user to deflect the protruding region 162 in contact with the tongue and cheek cleaner 23 to feel the tongue and cheek cleaner 23 and obtain a tactile impression of its softness and elasticity.
    [039] The package optionally further comprises an insertion card 165 disposed between the flanges of the front cover 140 and the rear cover 160 and extending around the perimeter of the package to provide an additional graph display area. Insertion card 165 may have instructions, logos, advertisements, and / or other marketing information printed on it. The whole or a portion of the insertion card 165 may be opaque, so that the product information can be effectively carried to the consumer. The insertion card 165 has a cut region 165a that provides an opening through which the toothbrush 20 can be arranged between the front and rear cover. The illustrated insertion card 165 is flat, but in other embodiments the insertion card may be in accordance with the interior contours of the cavity, or otherwise have a three-dimensional configuration. The insert card 165 can be a single layer or a multilayer laminate of plastic, film, cardboard, sheet metal, combinations thereof, or other suitable materials. The insert 165 card can be flexible or rigid.
    [040] The package may also include a flap 163 extending from the back cover 160. As shown in Figure 3, flap 163 is configured to fit within the distal end 152 of flexible region 150 and to extend along a wall flexible region 150 to provide structural support and to transmit stacking loads from the back cover 160 of a pack to the back cover of a pack located just below a stack, or in the case of the pack at the bottom of the stack, to a surface where the stack is supported. For example, packaged oral care instruments can be stacked on top of one another during transportation, handling and / or storage in a horizontal configuration, for example, with a package at the bottom of a pile having its front wall on a support surface, and with the front wall of each top package covering the back wall of a package below it. The inclusion of flap 163 can help prevent irregular stacking, and prevent deformation of the flexible regions 150 which can lead to deformation of parts of the oral care instrument during transport and handling. Flap 163 can also help prevent flexible region 150 from being subjected to excessive compression loads, thereby limiting deflection of flexible region 150 in response to stacking loads, or other static or dynamic loads, in addition to pressure initiated by the user for purposes bristle probe. In some embodiments, the flexible region 150 can protrude the same measurement as any other extension from the front cover, such as the rectangular trapezoidal configuration 144 of Figure 3, to facilitate stacking, with supports 164 also supporting stacking loads and / or other loads in the lower cable region 21 of the package.
    [041] In some embodiments, one or more of the front cover 140, the rear cover 160, and the flexible region 150 can be formed from the same flexible material. In such embodiments, the package may include structural elements that function similarly to flap 163. These structural elements can be positioned inside the package to provide rigidity and help prevent flexible portions of the package from being subjected to excessive compression loads. . In addition, structural elements can help to define an area of the package where printed information can be attached to the package.
    [042] In certain embodiments, the display package can be formed using both thermoforming and injection molding technologies. The display package can include bubble covers that are made using a typical thermoforming process, with a subsequent cut in an upper portion of the package to create an opening. The flexible region 150 is subsequently molded onto the bubble to create a portion of the flexible bubble designed to provide a tactile sensation and recoverable shape to preserve the package and product from destruction.
    [043] In an alternative embodiment, the display package can comprise a front cover and a back cover that are made of different materials. For example, the front cover can be made from paper substrate and the back cover can be a rigid or semi-rigid cover. In some embodiments, the front cover may include an opening in which a bubble cover is arranged. The bubble cover is made of a softer material in order to provide the consumer with the desired level of flexibility for a particular region of the product contained within the package. The bubble cover can be made of the same material as the bubble region 150. In one embodiment, a toothbrush is arranged inside the package with the entire toothbrush located behind the front cover and the brush head portion located in the opening such that the tooth cleaning elements extend through the opening. In this modality, the consumer can wrap the teeth cleaning elements through the bubble cover.
    [044] Figure 5 illustrates a package for a toothbrush comprising a molded front cover 240 and a rear cover 260 made from a thin and flexible film. The front cover includes a cavity 246 that includes a protruding region or bubble 250 made of a first material, such as TPU, which is flexible and resilient, with surrounding portions being made of a second material which is not so flexible and resilient. The bubble 250 makes it easier for the consumer to feel cleaning elements such as bristles on the head. Additional flexible regions can be incorporated to provide probing of other portions of the instrument by the consumer. The flexible regions can be separate and distinct, or they can be contiguous. Although the bubble 250 is described as a separate component of the front cover 240, it is understood that in some embodiments the bubble 250 can be formed integrally with the front cover 240 by means of a two-step injection molding process, for example. In some embodiments, the bubble 250 may be a separate component from the rest of the package. For example, in one embodiment, the front cover 240 can be made from a card board material, and the blister 250 can be made separately and attached to the front cover 240 by means of any appropriate securing means, such as glue or the like.
    [045] As described above, the first material can be any suitable material that has sufficiently soft, flexible and resilient characteristics can be used for the construction of the bubble region 250, such as TPU, silicone, natural and synthetic rubbers, elastomers, and monolayer or multilayer films including one or more layers of materials, such as polyvinyl alcohol, methyl polymethacrylate, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, or combinations thereof.
    [046] The second material can be one that provides rigidity to the front cover. The second material can be, for example, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, PVC, PET / PETG or any other suitable material.
    [047] The flexible region 250 can be configured to allow deflection in any direction, or to allow deflection in certain directions only. For example, the flexible region may be deformable in the direction directed towards the back cover and / or in a direction parallel to the plane of the back cover. Deflection of the flexible region (s) can also be bidirectional, such that a compression movement can be used to feel the softness of the bristles. Deflection of the flexible region can also be at an angle to the plane of the posterior cover. In the embodiment of Figure 5, the protruding region or bubble 250 is entirely made of the first material, that is, the flexible material. In some other embodiments, only a portion of the bubble region 250 is made of the first material.
    [048] The back cover 260 can be made of OPP, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, PVC, PET / PETG or any other suitable material. In the embodiment of Figure 5, the back cover 260 is made from a stock of detachable cover. The back cover may include a detachable flap 261 that assists the user in peeling the back cover. The front cover can be sealed to the back cover by thermal welding, adhesive, interference fit, puncture, tape, their combinations, or another suitable technique.
    [049] The package also includes upper and lower stacking shoulders 248 and 247 which help to allow the packages to be arranged in stacks, where the ends 248a and 247a of the shoulders confine the back cover of an adjacent package to support stacking loads without imposing stacking loads on the bubbles 250 in excess of the limited capacity of the bubbles to support such loads. The lugs can be configured to cooperate with adjacent packages in a way that allows a stack of three or more packages to snap together like a brick, allowing for a reduction in the packaging material associated with shipping boxes for the packaged instruments. The upper stacking shoulder 248 is generally U-shaped in order to define a groove that opens downwards and to one side to function as a display hook, to receive and engage a display rod, shelf or the like in an environment to support the package, in addition to functioning as a stacking boss.
    [050] Front cover 240 can be formed by a two-pass injection molding process in which a first material, such as rigid thin-walled polystyrene (OPS) is used to provide a general rigid structure, and a second material, just like a soft transparent TPU material is used to provide a bubble. TPU stains can also be added to tighten brush handles at three contact points or regions, for example, a region at the proximal end 801, a region 802 between the proximal end 801 and grip pad 804, and a region 803 at the neck adjacent to the head. It is understood that more or less TPU points can be added to the package depending on the application. In addition, it is understood that in some modalities, TPU points may not be included in the regions described above.
    [051] Figure 6 illustrates a method for forming the packages of Figure 5. A conveyor system, such as a conveyor belt, can be used to move the molded front covers 340 over various stations along the assembly path. A line 300 of molded front covers is transmitted from the molding station to a filling station 600. The molded covers can be formed in line or at a remote location, and can be molded into stackable "trays" comprising, for example, six covers arranged side by side. An oral care instrument 20 is deposited robotically or manually into the cavity 341 of each of the molded front covers 340 in the filling station 600 and gripped by the points of soft material in three locations. The filled molded front covers 340 are transported in a downstream direction "A" towards a sealing station 610 where the rear cover 360 is applied to the back of the open mold cavity 341 to seal the oral care instrument within the front and rear cover, 340, 360. The rear cover 360 is applied as a cover stock web 381 which is drawn from a power source such as a cover stock roll 380. The lid can be heat sealed to the front covers 340, then cut to form an easy-opening edge that can be easily removed after purchase to access the toothbrush. Once the back cover has been applied to the front cover line 300, the packaged toothbrushes are further transported downstream to a separation station 620 where the packs are separated from one another to produce individually packaged oral care instruments 310 .
    [052] From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the packaged oral care instrument described here provides significant advantages in the field of packaging such instruments. While each of the packages in the three embodiments described in detail above comprises a front cover and a back cover that are joined to each other, packaging according to other embodiments of the invention may have other configurations, for example, configurations in which the front and the rear part comprises one of a single unitary structure of integral part, or in which the package comprises a pair of top and bottom covers generally tubular.
    [053] More specifically, a toothbrush usually includes a head with cleaning elements such as bristles arranged in tufts. Tufts of bristles can be arranged in various shapes, sizes and patterns. In addition to the bristle sets, other elements, such as thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) elements, can also be provided to promote cleaning efficiency. The distinguishing feature between bristle toothbrushes is stiffness. Although toothbrush packaging often includes an indication of bristle stiffness using a term like "extra soft", "soft", "medium" or "hard", consumers sometimes want to feel and deflect the bristles before purchase , to feel the stiffness of the bristles. This may be due, in part, to some consumer experiences with low-quality counterfeiting or imitation toothbrushes that are sometimes sold in packaging similar or identical to genuine articles. These low-quality brushes may have bristles that are of a different stiffness than bristles on higher quality toothbrushes. The ends of the bristles on low-quality toothbrushes may also have less desirable characteristics. Rather than having rounded ends or other edge treatments, low-quality toothbrush bristles can have rough-cut ends that can cause discomfort to the user during brushing, particularly if the bristles have a higher degree of stiffness than desired .
    [054] In some embodiments, to allow consumers to feel the bristles of a toothbrush, the soft flexible region comprises a bubble that has an original shape in which it is in close proximity to, or in contact with, the bristles of a brush of teeth. The bubble region is preferably soft and flexible enough that consumers can feel the differences in stiffness between the bristles, such as those classified as "extra soft", "soft", "medium" or "hard", by feeling the bristles through the bubble material, while being resilient enough to return to its original configuration without prejudice to its appearance after being released.
    [055] In order to feel the head of a packaged bristle toothbrush and assess the stiffness, consumers can apply pressure on the front cover with their fingers or thumbs. This can cause localized deformation and distortion of the front cover, which can make the packaged toothbrush unsuitable for continuous display, and therefore can make the item unsellable. In addition, the consumer may be dissatisfied with the tactile response obtained by trying to assess bristle stiffness in this way, because the consumer may not be able to feel a significant difference between the bristles of different degrees of stiffness in different toothbrushes, due to the rigidity and interference of the packaging material.
    [056] As described, the packaged oral care instrument comprises an exhibition package that is capable of protecting the oral care instrument during transport, handling and retail display, in addition to providing a soft and flexible region that facilitates better tactile involvement of portions of the oral care instrument by the consumer. Thus, the package allows the consumer to obtain more information, in the form of tactile feedback, so that the consumer can obtain information not only about the functionality and "appearance", but also the "feel" of one or more portions of the instrument.
    [057] As used throughout, ranges are used as an abbreviation to describe each and all values that fall within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the end of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the current disclosure controls.
    权利要求:
    Claims (9)
    [0001]
    1. Package (11) comprising a front cover (140) with a cavity and a flange region (142) surrounding the cavity and a posterior cover (160) connected thereto; and an oral care instrument (20) disposed therein, the oral care instrument including a head (27) and a handle (21); at least a first flexible portion (150) of the front cover (140) being formed of a first material, characterized by the fact that another portion of the front cover (140) being formed of a second material, the second material being more rigid than the first material, and the first flexible portion (150) is located on the bristles (30) of the head (27) of the oral care instrument (20), in which the first flexible portion (150) allows contact with the bristles (30) without permanent deformation of the package (11) and the first flexible portion (150) is able to revert to the original configuration after multiple deflections.
    [0002]
    2. Package (11) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the first flexible portion (150) is arranged in the vicinity of the head (27), and the front cover (140) further comprises a second portion (144 ) being formed from the first material, the second portion (144) being located in the vicinity of the cable (21).
    [0003]
    3. Package (11) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first flexible portion (150) and the second portion (144) are formed separately and, optionally, the first flexible portion (150) and the second portion (144) are formed uniformly.
    [0004]
    4. Package (11) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least a portion of the first flexible portion (150) extends at a distance from an outer surface of the front cover (140) in a direction to away from the back cover (160).
    [0005]
    5. Package (11) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the first material comprises TPU and the second material comprises polystyrene.
    [0006]
    6. Package (11), according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the oral care instrument (20) comprises a toothbrush.
    [0007]
    7. Package (11), according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the posterior cover (160) includes the oral care instrument (20).
    [0008]
    Package (11) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a flap (163) extending from the rear cover (160), the flap (163) being configured to fit inside the distal end (152) of the first flexible portion (150) and to extend along a wall of the first flexible portion (150).
    [0009]
    9. Package (11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first flexible portion (150) has a depth "d" between ^ inch and 2 inches, a width "w" between ^ inch and 2 ^ inches, and a "T" wall thickness between 0.01 inch and 0.03 inch.
    类似技术:
    公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题
    BR112014014455B1|2021-01-19|package comprising a frontal cover with a cavity and a flange region surrounding the cavity and a posterior cover connected to it and an oral care instrument
    AU2011369484B2|2014-10-09|Oral care kit for displaying a portion of a toothbrush
    US9505540B2|2016-11-29|Packaged oral care implement and package
    US10273067B2|2019-04-30|Package for storing a plurality of products
    US10112760B2|2018-10-30|Packaged oral care implement and package
    CN112512934A|2021-03-16|Packaged oral care implement and package kit therefor
    KR20160085264A|2016-07-15|Packaged oral care implement &amp; method of opening the same
    US9938063B2|2018-04-10|Package for storing a plurality of products
    AU2016432058B2|2020-05-07|Packaged personal care implement
    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    US20140339111A1|2014-11-20|
    EP2791027A2|2014-10-22|
    AU2012352105A1|2014-06-19|
    BR112014014455A2|2017-06-13|
    CO6980640A2|2014-06-27|
    CA2858073A1|2013-06-20|
    EP2791027B1|2018-09-26|
    HK1200786A1|2015-08-14|
    TW201332857A|2013-08-16|
    MX2014007243A|2014-08-08|
    CN103987630A|2014-08-13|
    WO2013090659A2|2013-06-20|
    KR20140103336A|2014-08-26|
    PH12014501305A1|2014-09-15|
    AU2012352105B2|2014-10-16|
    WO2013090659A3|2013-08-01|
    US9980798B2|2018-05-29|
    CN103987630B|2017-04-05|
    RU2571249C1|2015-12-20|
    MX346121B|2017-03-08|
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    法律状态:
    2019-09-17| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: suspension of the patent application procedure|
    2020-07-07| B06A| Notification to applicant to reply to the report for non-patentability or inadequacy of the application according art. 36 industrial patent law|
    2020-12-01| B09A| Decision: intention to grant|
    2021-01-19| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 14/12/2012, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US201161576652P| true| 2011-12-16|2011-12-16|
    US61/576,652|2011-12-16|
    PCT/US2012/069627|WO2013090659A2|2011-12-16|2012-12-14|Packaged oral care implement|
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