The present invention relates to cosmetic and toiletry containers and more particularly to a new refillable dispenser for solid and semi solid toiletry materials for example for solid deodorants and waxes and the like, which are low-cost and have a reduced impact on the environment.

Background of Invention

It has become apparent that single use plastics should be avoided if at all possible, including for toiletry containers. This is because of problems in the effective recycling of such containers after use, as well as that plastic inevitably uses petroleum oil in its manufacture, which is an unsustainable depletion of the world's resources. Recycling of small items of plastic requires separation into the different polymers which end users are not able to identify, as well as washing to remove any residual product remaining in the container. This is not economically viable and therefore not achievable without significant subsidies and/or regulations, which are not present, or sufficiently effective, in most countries of the world.

Known refillable cosmetic dispensers exist for example US patent 6095708 discloses a dispenser for a solid stick type deodorant in which a new solid stick is disposed on the base portion by the user the problem with this system is that the user is required to handle the replacement stick of material which results in excess material adhering to the user's hands in addition the replacement stick is itself wrapped in a protective plastic film which needs to be removed by the user and discarded. The protective plastic film is necessary to protect the semi solid material from physical damage during distribution, as well as degradation due to the ill effects of too much or too little humidity and ultraviolet light. In view of these disadvantages inherent in the known types of toiletry containers present in the prior art the present invention provides a new refillable gel, viscous, semi-solid or solid toiletry dispenser construction which reduces costs and reduces the use of materials which have a negative impact on the environment and nevertheless provides a product which is clean safe and easy to use and which protects and maintains the material in the desired condition before use.

Summary of Invention:

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a refillable toiletry dispenser comprising a generally cylindrical body which has an open upper end and a lower end. An upper cap portion which is removably coupled to the upper end of the container to allow the user to access the contents of the container during use.

The lower end comprises a replaceable lower cap, which is capable of being removed. A replaceable cartridge containing the toiletry material in the form of a hollow cylinder with an open upper end and a closed lower end, characterised in that the hollow cylinder is made from a rigid or semi-rigid and recyclable or biodegradable material such as card or biodegradable plastic, and the upper end of the cylindrical body includes an inwardly protruding flange against which the upper end of the hollow cylinder abuts when the replaceable cartridge is inserted into the cylindrical container.

The upper cap portion is preferably threadedly connectable to the open upper end of the cylindrical body. The replaceable lower cap is preferably threadedly connectable to the lower end of the cylindrical body. The lower cap could also be connectable to the lower end by a bayonet fitting. The lower cap may include a recess and the closed lower end of the hollow cylinder may include a protruding axially extending flange, which mutually engage. The recess and protruding axial flange may be correspondingly arranged annularly.

In an alternative aspect of the invention the lower end cap includes an inwardly radially extending flange which acts against the lower ends of the hollow cylinder wall to retain the replacement cartridge in the cylindrical body.

In a further aspect of the invention the closed lower end includes a pusher, which the user may press inwardly along the axis of the hollow cylinder to release, or allow, access to more material at the open upper end.

Preferably the pusher is an inverted shallow U- shape with a base and circular side wall corresponding to the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder, with the material side of the base forming a support for the material and the external side of the base being accessible to the user to press to release more material. The circular side wall is preferably a close fit to the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder so that material does not escape between the circular side wall and the inside surface of the hollow cylinder. The ends of the circular side wall may include a radially extending enlargement which is urged against the inside wall of the hollow cylinder due the relative dimensioning with respect to the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder to create a leaf spring effect in the circular side wall so creating an effective seal. The pusher is preferably moulded from biodegradable plastic or cut from cardboard to form a cardboard cylinder with the card-based profile having this desired precise shape.

Detailed embodiments of the invention will now be described. Brief Description of Drawings: Figure 1 : shows an axial cross section view of a first embodiment of the refillable dispenser,

Figure 2: shows an axial cross section view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the components shown separately, Figure 3: shows an enlarged cross section view of the portion as shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4: shows a cross section view of a first embodiment of the replaceable cartridge,

Figure 5: shows a cross section view of an alternative embodiment of the replaceable cartridge, Figure 6: shows an axial cross section of an alternative embodiment of the toiletry dispenser of the invention,

Figure 7: shows an axial cross section view of the embodiment of Figure 6 with the components shown separately,

Figure 8: shows an enlarged cross section view of the lower end as shown in Figure 6,

Figure 9: shows an enlarged cross section view of the upper end as shown in Figure

6,

Figure 10: shows a cross section view of an embodiment of a replaceable cartridge for the dispenser of Figure 6, Figure 11 shows a cross section view of a further alternative embodiment of the replaceable cartridge,

Figures 12A-C: show the cartridge dispenser of Figure 6 in various stages of use,

Figure 13 shows an axial cross section view of a further embodiment of the refillable dispenser, Figure 14 shows an enlarged cross section view of the top corner portion as shown in Figure 13,

Figure 15 shows a top view of a replaceable cartridge according to a further embodiment of the invention,

Figure 16 is a longitudinal cross section view of the replaceable cartridge of Fig 15,

Figure 17 shows a perspective view of driver part of the material advancing mechanism of the embodiment of Figure 15,

Figure 18 shows a perspective view of the material advancing mechanism in an intermediate position,

Figure 19 shows perspective view of the material advancing mechanism in a lower, (material unused) position,

Figure 20 shows a perspective view of the material advancing mechanism and the hollow cylinder of the replacement cartridge before assembly,

Figure 21 shows a longitudinal cross section of the assembled replacement cartridge,

Figure 22 shows an enlarged view of the lower end of the replacement cartridge of Figure 21,

Figure 23 shows a perspective view of the replaceable cartridge with the material advancing mechanism in an intermediate position,

Figure 24 shows a perspective view of the dispenser viewed from the lower end,

Figure 25 shows a longitudinal cross section of the dispenser of the invention with the replaceable cartridge of Figure 15,

Figure 26 shows an enlarged view of a further embodiment the material advancing mechanism,

Figure 27 is a side perspective view of a further embodiment of the material carrier, Figure 28 is an enlarged view of figure 27,

Figure 29 shows an enlarged view of a further embodiment the material advancing mechanism, and

Figure 30 is an enlarged view of the threaded shaft of Figure 29.

Detailed Description:

In this description the reference numbers for common parts remain the same throughout the various embodiments.

Referring to Figures 1-3 a refillable toiletry dispenser 1 is shown comprising a generally cylindrical body 2 which has an open upper end 3 and a lower end 4. An upper cap portion 5 which is removably coupled to the upper end of the container to allow the user to access the contents 8 of the container during use. In this embodiment the contents are typically massage wax, or face creams, and similar products which are relatively viscous and are currently supplied by means of a dedicated jar of glass or plastic material which is not re-usable but is disposed of when the product has been used, or becomes no longer usable. Such jars, when made of glass, are heavy and substantial and it is a waste not to be able to continue using them, and when made of plastic, they enter the waste stream and are generally not recycled.

By means of this invention this waste is avoided because the dispenser 1 is reusable. The lower end 4 comprises a replaceable lower cap 6, which is capable of being removed by the user. A replaceable cartridge 7 containing the toiletry material 8 is the form of a hollow cylinder 9 with an open use end 10 and a closed opposite end 11 and is located in the cylinder body 2. The hollow cylinder 9 is made from a rigid or semi-rigid and recyclable or biodegradable material such as card. Card is readily recyclable or recoverable in all parts of the world, either by recycling to paper pulp, broken done by composting or used as a fuel. New card is made from recycled or fibre sources and is therefore sustainable. Similarly, biodegradable plastic may be composted or used as fuel, or will decompose into natural materials if discarded, and is generally made from sustainable sources. The hollow cylinder 9 contains the semi-solid toiletry product material 8 such as massage wax. Currently such products are sold in single use plastic tubs which as discarded to the environment and do not decompose naturally and are not sustainable. Furthermore they are made from virgin crude oil which is a fossil fuel and contributes to climate change.

The cylindrical body is made from aluminium and is robust and hard wearing in this application and will last for many replenishments. It may alternatively be made from stainless steel, or in an alternative embodiment it may be made from biodegradable plastic. When it eventually is disposed of it can be readily recycled as most countries of the world have very high recycling rates for aluminium.

The upper end of the cylindrical body includes an inwardly radially protruding flange 12 against which the upper end 10 of the hollow cylinder 9 abuts when the replaceable cartridge 7 is inserted into the cylindrical body 2.

The upper cap portion 5 of the dispenser 1 is threadedly connectable to the open upper end 3 of the cylindrical body 2 by an upper cap end thread 13. The user removes and recloses the upper cap portion 5 before and after each use.

The replaceable lower cap 6 is threadedly connectable to the lower end 4 of the cylindrical body 2 by a lower cap thread 14. The lower cap 6 is removable by the user when the material 8 is all used up and a new replaceable cylinder 7 of material 8 is required. The user removes the lower cap 6 removes the empty cylinder 7 from the container body and replaces it with a new full cylinder 7 before replacing the lower cap 6.

The lower cap 6 includes an annular recess 15 and the closed lower end of the replaceable cartridge 7 includes a corresponding outwardly extending protruding annular flange 16. The recess 15 and protruding flange 16 are correspondingly arranged annularly to locate and retain the hollow cylinder 9 concentrically within the cylinder body 2 during use.

Figures 4 and 5 show alternative embodiments of the replaceable cartridge 7 with alternative top covers 25, 26 which are attached to the open use end 10 during distribution of the replaceable cartridges 7 to protect the material 8 inside. In figure 4 the cartridge body is made from cardboard, whereas the cartridge body of the embodiment in Fig. 5 is made from biodegradable plastic. The user removes the top cover 25, 26 before inserting the replaceable cartridge into the cylinder body 2.

Reference is also made to Figures 13 and 14 which show an alternative embodiment with corresponding numerical references for the corresponding parts. In this embodiment the lower cap 6 comprises a flat inside surface 6a which presses against a corresponding flat outside surface 1 la of the closed opposite end 11 of the cartridge 7 when the lower cap 6 is fully attached to the cylindrical body 2. A rounded and circular inside lip 6b of the lower cap 6 corresponds to the rounded circular edge 1 lb of the closed opposite end 11 of the cartridge 7.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 12 an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown using the same numerical identifiers for common parts. In this embodiment the lower end cap includes an inwardly extending radial flange 17 which acts against the lower end 18 of the hollow cylinder wall 9 to retain the replacement cartridge 7 in the cylindrical body 2. The closed opposite end 11 of the cartridge 7 includes a material advancing mechanism in the form of pusher 19, which the user may press inwardly along the axis of the hollow cylinder 9 which exposes more material 8 at the open use end 10, and allow access to more material at the open use end 10 according to the requirement of the user. When the material 8 is completely spent, as shown in Figure 7, the lower cap 6 is unscrewed and the spent cartridge 7 removed so a new cartridge can be inserted. Figures 12A-12C show the dispenser at various stages of use with the upper cap 5 removed ready for use. Figure 12A shows the cartridge at the start of use with the cartridge just installed, Figure 12b shows the dispenser with the material 8 approximately half used up and Figure 12C shows the dispenser when all the material has been used.

The pusher 19 is a shallow U- shape with a base 20 and circular side wall 21 corresponding to the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder 9, with the material side of the base 20 forming a support for the material and the external side of the base being accessible to the user to press to release more material. The circular side wall 21 is a close fit to the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder 9 so that material does not escape between the circular side wall 21 and the inside surface 22 of the hollow cylinder 9. The ends of the circular side wall 21 include a radially extending enlargement 23 which is urged against the inside wall 22 of the hollow cylinder 9 due the relative dimensioning with respect to the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder 9 to create a leaf spring effect in the circular side wall 21 so creating an effective seal 24.

In this embodiment the pusher 19 is made from cardboard by die-cutting the desired shape from a cardboard sheet. Thus, the entire cartridge 7 is made from the same card material so it can be disposed of responsibly and recycled. Alternatively, the pusher 19 is moulded from biodegradable plastic. The card may also have a moisture proof coating which provides a barrier to the material 8 to prevent softening of the card from prolonged contact with the material, but which also is sufficiently thin that it does not prevent the cartridge 7 from being effectively recyclable as card material after use.

As shown in Figure 9 the open upper end 3 and the upper cap 5 are the same as in the first embodiment, with the inwardly protruding flange 12 retaining the replaceable cartridge 7.

Figures 10 and 11 show alternative embodiments for top covers 27, 28 for the cartridge 7 to protect the material 8 during distribution and storage until the cartridge is required to be used, at which time the top cover 26, 27 is removed before the cartridge is inserted into the cylindrical body. In the embodiment of Figure 10 the cartridge 7 is made from biodegradable plastic. In the embodiment of Figure 11 the cartridge 7 is made from rolled cardboard using a card or cork disc as the pusher 19.

A further embodiment s shown in Figures 15 to 25. In this embodiment the dispenser 31 is reusable and comprises a cylindrical body 32. The lower end 34 of which comprises a replaceable lower cap 36, which is capable of being removed by the user, and an upper end 33 comprising an upper cap 35 also capable of being removed by a user. A replaceable cartridge 37 containing the toiletry material 38 is the form of a hollow cylinder 39 with an open use end 40 and an open opposite end 41. The hollow cylinder 39 is made from a rigid or semi-rigid and recyclable or biodegradable material such as card.

The cylindrical body 32, upper cap 35 and lower cap 36 are made from aluminium and is robust and hard wearing in this application and will last for many replenishments. It may alternatively be made from stainless steel, or in an alternative embodiment it may be made from biodegradable plastic.

The upper end of the cylindrical body 32 includes an inwardly radially protruding flange 12 against which the open use end 40 of the hollow cylinder 39 of the replaceable cartridge 37 abuts, when the replaceable cartridge 37 is inserted into the cylindrical body 32 through the lower end 34.

The upper cap portion 35 of the dispenser 31 is threadedly connectable to the open upper end 33 of the cylindrical body 32 by an upper cap end thread 43. The user may remove and reclose the upper cap portion 35 before and after each use.

The replaceable lower cap 36 is threadedly connectable to the lower end 34 of the cylindrical body 32 by a lower cap thread 44, as best seen in Figure 25. The lower cap 36 is removable by the user when the material 38 is all used up and a new replaceable cylinder 37 full of material 38 is required. The user removes the lower cap 36 removes the empty cylinder 37 from the cylindrical body 32 and replaces it with a new full cylinder 37 before replacing the lower cap 36.

The lower cap 36 is generally in the form of an annular ring with a central opening 36a, allowing access by the user to a material advancing mechanism 46, and with an inwardly extending annular flange 42 on the opposite to the thread 44 which serves to abut against the lower end of the replaceable cartridge 37 to secure the cartridge 37 in the cylindrical body 32. Arranged on the flange and facing upwards towards the inside of the cylindrical body is at least one extending tongue 45 which engages with at least one of corresponding recesses 29, 30 on the lower end of the wall of the hollow cylinder 39 of the cartridge 37 which serve to prevent rotation of the cartridge 37 relative to the cylindrical body 32 of the dispenser 31. It will be appreciated that any number of tongues 45 or corresponding recesses 29, 30, such as a continuous series of teeth, for example, could be used to lock radially cartridge with respect to the dispenser 31 when the lower cap 36 is connected to the cylindrical body 32.

The replaceable cartridge 37 also comprises a material advancing mechanism 46 which permits the user to advance the material upwardly to the open dispensing end 33 as the material is used, so the material can be made available for use by the user, as is shown in more detail in Figures 17 to 23. The advancing mechanism 46 comprises a threaded shaft 47 with an integral wing shaped driving plate 48 arranged orthogonally at one end of the shaft. A disc shaped material carrier 49 is threadedly connected to the shaft 47 by means of a threaded central hole 50 so that the carrier 49 travels along the shaft 47 when the shaft 47 and the carrier 49 are mutually rotated.

Referring particularly to Figures 21 and 22, it can be seen that the driving plate 48 comprises a pair of opposing cantilever leaf sprung arms 51 arranged at opposing ends of the driving plate 48 and that a recess 52 is formed in the outside surface of each arm 51. These recesses 52 correspond dimensionally with the dimensions of a radial flange 53 arranged at the lower end 41 of the hollow cylinder 39, such that the flange 53 locates in the recesses 50 of the driving plate 48 so that the driving plate 48 is retained at the lower end 41 of the hollow cylinder 39 and such that when the driving plate 48 is rotated by the user this causes the material carrier 49 to advance along the threaded shaft 47 thus urging the material 38 upwardly towards the open end of the hollow cylinder 39 and to be available for use as the material is needed.

An alternative embodiment of the material advancing mechanism 66 is shown in Figures 26-30. In particular in Figure 26 it can be seen that instead the driving plate 48 of the previous embodiment, the driving plate 68 incorporates a one way driving arrangement 63, which in this embodiment includes a pair of orthogonal surfaces 61 against which the digits of the user can abut to rotate the thread 67 and advance the material 38 and a gently sloping surface 62 which provides the user with no purchase in the opposition direction. By this means it is only possible for the user to advance the disc shaped material carrier 69 and confusion of the required direction on the part of the user is avoided.

Referring now to Figures 27 and 28 stop means 64 are provided on the inside guide of the disc shaped material carrier 69, which abut against the corresponding stop means 65 of the threaded shaft 67 as shown in Figures 29 and 30. In this way the disc shaped material carrier 69 is retained on the threaded shaft 67 and the user is prevented from over-turning the threaded shaft and causing the disc shaped carrier from separating from the threaded shaft 67.

As can be seen more clearly from Figure 20 during assembly of the advancing mechanism 46 in the hollow cylinder 39 of the replaceable cartridge 37, the advancing mechanism 46 is inserted from the open use end 40 of the hollow cylinder 39 and on reaching the lower end 41 of the hollow cylinder 39 the leaf spring arms 51 are deflected inwardly by the flange 53 by means of the rounded surfaces 57 at the end of each leaf spring arm 51 such that the flange 53 clicks into place in the recesses 52 retaining the driving plate 48 and the advancing mechanism as a whole from any further lateral movement.

Longitudinal flanges 55 are arranged on the outside circumference of the material carrier 49 which correspond with lateral grooves 54 in the inside surface of the hollow cylinder 39 and prevent rotation of the material carrier 49 with respect to the hollow cylinder 39 such that the material carrier 49 must advance along the length of the threaded shaft 47 and correspondingly along the length of the hollow cylinder 39 when the driving plate 48 is rotated by the user, rather than the material carrier 49 itself rotating. By means of this construction it can be seen that it is easy for the user to access the driving plate to make more material available and also easy for the user to replace the replaceable cartridge 37 when the material is completely used up by simply removing the lower cap, removing the spent cartridge, removing the lid 56 from a new cartridge 37 and replacing the old cartridge with the new cartridge, and finally replacing the lower cap once more.

It will be appreciated that there are other alternative embodiments which for within the general scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Component List

1- Refutable toiletry dispenser

2- Cylindrical body

3 Open upper end

4 Lower end.

5 Upper cap portion

6- Lower cap,

6a Inside surface

6b Circular inside lip

7 A replaceable cartridge

8- Toiletry material

9 Hollow cylinder

10- Open use end

11- Closed opposite end,

11a Outside surface lib Rounded circular edge

12- Inwardly protruding radial flange

13 Upper cap portion thread

14 Lower cap thread

15 Recess

16 Protruding axially extending flange

17 Inwardly extending radial flange

18- Lower ends

19 Pusher

20- Base

21- Circular side wall

22- Inside surface

23 Radially extending enlargement 24- Seal

25- Top cover

26- Top cover

27- Top cover 28- Top cover.

29- Recess

30- Recess

31- Refillable toiletry dispenser

32- Cylindrical body 33 - Open upper end

34- Lower end

35-Upper cap 36- Lower cap

36a- Central opening 37- Replaceable cartridge

38 - T oiletry material 39- Hollow cylinder

40- Open use end

41- Open Opposite end 42- Flange

43 -Upper cap thread

44- Lower cap thread

45- Tongue

46- Material advancing mechanism 47- Threaded shaft

48- Orthogonal driving plate

49- Disc- shaped carrier

50- Threaded hole

51 -Leaf spring arms

52-Recess 53 -Flange

54- Lateral grooves

55- Longitudinal flanges

56-Lid 57- Rounded surfaces

61-Orthogoinal surfaces

62-Gently Sloping surfaces

63-One way driving arrangement

64-Stop means 65-Stop means

66-Material advancing mechanism

67-Threaded shaft

68-Driving plate