FR2841751A1 - PACKAGING AND APPLICATION DEVICE COMPRISING A COUPLING MEMBER FOR JOINING TWO CONTAINERS - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaging and application device, comprising: - at least two containers (2, 3) containing cosmetic or care products (P) and each comprising a body (5) and a closure cap (10 ) removable, - at least one coupling member (4) capable of joining the two receptacles in the extension of one another, this coupling member being at least partially elastically deformable and comprising at least one housing (20; 21) ) configured to at least partially accommodate a container and allow attachment of the latter to the coupling member.

Description

The present invention relates to packaging devices and

  of application, in particular for applying at least one cosmetic or care product.

  By "cosmetic product" is meant a product as defined in the

  Council Directive 93/35 / EEC of June 13, 1993.

  Known from US Pat. No. 6,035,865, containers configured to be joined by means of a coupling member comprising studs capable of engaging in recesses provided in the bottom of the containers. Each container is closed by a closure cap which can carry an applicator such as a brush for example. To improve the ergonomics of the closure capsule, it could be desirable to increase its axial dimension in order to facilitate its gripping. However, the size of the assembly constituted by the two containers joined by the coupling member would then be likely to become troublesome, in particular for its transport in a handbag, for example. Furthermore, the fact of having to make recesses in the body of the containers, in order to cooperate with the studs of the coupling member, may be detrimental to

the aesthetic plan in particular.

  There is a need to benefit from a device comprising two receptacles which can be joined by a coupling member, capable of presenting a bulk compatible with its transport in a handbag for example, while offering a

improved ergonomics.

  The present invention relates, according to a first of its aspects, to a device for packaging and applying at least one product, which can be characterized by the fact that it comprises: - at least two containers containing cosmetic products or care, each comprising a body and a removable closure capsule, - at least one coupling member capable of joining the two containers in line with one another, this coupling member being at least partially elastically deformable and comprising at least one housing configured to at least partially accommodate a container and allow attachment, in particular attachment

  removable from the latter on the coupling member.

  The coupling member may comprise two housings arranged opposite one

the other.

  The coupling member may include at least one housing configured to be able to receive and frictionally hold the capsule of one of the containers. It is then possible to use, when this closure capsule carries an application member, the coupling member as a gripping member, which can allow handling of the application member more easily than with the closure cap only, especially when the axial dimension of the latter is not very large. The coupling member may include at least one housing configured to

  to be able to accept and hold by friction the body of one. containers.

  The coupling member may be able to combine two containers of different natures and / or shapes, which offers numerous possibilities from an aesthetic point of view and can allow the same coupling member to be used for the whole of a range. of

  containers with different shapes or containing different products, for example.

  The coupling member may have an elasticity allowing it to adapt to

  the shape of the body or the capsule of the receptacles it accommodates.

  The coupling member can be constituted, in a particular implementation of the invention, by a single piece molded from an elastically deformable material, for example an elastomer. The coupling member may also include a foam. The coupling member may have a non-slip outer surface, for example due to the choice of a flexible and / or rough material and / or the presence of

reliefs on its surface.

  In the absence of a container engaged inside, the coupling member may have a substantially cylindrical outer surface, of revolution or not. The shape of the coupling member can also be different. For example, in the absence of a container engaged inside, the coupling member may have an outer surface having a cross section passing through a minimum between its two axial ends. The organ

  coupling may have an external diabolo shape, for example.

  The coupling member may include a bellows-shaped part.

  One of the housings may have a larger opening than the other

  housing, for example to accommodate two containers of different dimensions.

  One of the dwellings may have an internal layout allowing

  to evacuate the air during the introduction of the corresponding container into this housing.

  Such an arrangement can make it possible, for example, to prevent air from being trapped in the corresponding housing when a container is engaged inside of it. The housing can for example comprise at least one groove parallel to the

  direction of introduction of the container.

  As a variant, the coupling member may for example include a thread and / or

  at least one lateral orifice opening into one of the housings.

  The coupling member can comprise at least one stop against which can bear one at least of the containers, at the end of its introduction into the coupling member. At least one of the containers may come, whether such a stop exists or not, bearing against the coupling member by a shoulder of the capsule or of the body, by

example.

  A wall can separate the two housings of the coupling member. This wall

  may, if necessary, make the accommodation non-communicating.

  At least one of the receptacles can accommodate an application member integral with the

  corresponding closure cap.

  At least one of the containers may include a wringer, for example a

  wringer with a foam block.

  At least one of the housings may have a rough interior surface capable of frictionally retaining the body or the capsule of a container, in particular a surface

  interior with bumps or streaks.

  The coupling member can be transparent or translucent. The coupling member can be configured to produce optically variable effects, for example

  goniochromatic, visible from the outside.

  The products contained in the two containers assembled using the

coupling may be different.

  Another subject of the invention, according to another of its aspects, is a device for packaging and applying a product, which can be characterized by the fact that it comprises: - at least two containers each comprising a body and a removable closure capsule, at least one of the containers comprising an application member integral with one of the body and the capsule, - a coupling member making it possible to join the two containers, this coupling member having at least one axial end to cooperate with that of the body and of the closure capsule to which the applicator member is attached, in order to allow use

  the application member while the latter is integral with the coupling member.

  Another subject of the invention is, according to another of its aspects, a coupling member comprising a tubular body defining at its opposite axial ends two housings each configured to allow at least partially engaging a container and retaining it by friction, the housings being non-communicating and / or the coupling member comprising at least one end of insertion stop for at least one of the receptacles, disposed between the housings, this stop being produced otherwise than by a

  relief in the body, and / or the coupling member being made of elastomer.

  The coupling member can constitute a gripping member for the user

when applying the product.

  Another subject of the invention, according to another of its aspects, is a device for packaging and applying a product, which can be characterized by the fact that it comprises: - at least two containers each comprising a body and a removable closure capsule, - a coupling member making it possible to join the two containers, this coupling member having at least one axial end configured to cooperate with the closure capsule of one of the containers, in order to allow the removable fixing of that here on

the coupling member.

  Another subject of the invention is, according to another of its aspects, a make-up method which can be characterized by the fact that it comprises the following step: - applying a product with an application member integral with a capsule of closure or of the body of a container, this capsule or this body being retained at least partially, in a removable manner, in a coupling member, this coupling member being configured to allow to retain, in particular in a removable manner, a second

  container in line with the first.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description

  which follows, non-limiting examples of implementation, and on examining the appended drawing, in which: - Figure 1 shows, in elevation, an example of a device produced in accordance with the invention, - Figure 2 is a schematic axial section of the device of Figure 1, - Figure 3 illustrates the use of the device of Figure 1 for making up the face, - Figures 4 to 14 show, in axial section, different possibilities, among d others, for making the coupling member, - Figure 15 is a schematic perspective view of another example of coupling member, - Figure 16 shows, in axial section, another example of member coupling, - Figure 17 is a cross section of the coupling member of Figure 16, - Figure 18 is a schematic perspective view of a closure capsule having ridges on its outer surface, - the Figure 19 shows, in axial section, a coupling member made é in a cellular material, - Figures 20 to 23 are schematic cross sections illustrating different possible shapes, among others, for each housing of the coupling member intended to accommodate a container, - Figure 24 illustrates the engagement of a container body of circular cross section in a housing of non circular cross section, - Figure 25 illustrates the assembly, by means of the coupling member, of two containers having bodies of different shapes, - Figure 26 shows an embodiment offering the possibility of inserting, into the coupling member, at least partially the body of a container, and - FIG. 27 shows an embodiment in which the coupling member

  is configured to allow the bodies of two containers to be engaged therein.

  There is shown in Figures 1 and 2 a device 1 comprising two containers

  2 and 3 joined by a coupling piece 4.

  Each container 2 or 3 comprises, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, a body 5 containing a product P. Each body 5 comprises, in the example illustrated, a base part 6 surmounted by an attached part 7 defining the neck 8 of the container and which can if necessary serve as a support for a wringer 9, constituted for example

by a block of foam.

  Each container 2 or 3 also comprises a closure capsule 10, comprising a mounting skirt 11 configured to be screwed onto the neck 8. Each closure capsule 10 serves as a gripping member for an application member 12 immersed in the product P inside the base part 6 when the container is closed, the applicator member being connected by a rod 15 to the closure capsule 10. Each closure capsule 10 has an outer surface having a

  general shape of a flattened dome at the top.

  In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the containers 2 and 3 have identical external shapes, but it is not beyond the scope of the present invention

  when the containers have different shapes, as will be explained below.

  The applicator members 12 contained in the containers 2 and 3 may be identical or not, in particular be different in their texture and / or their shape and / or their nature. The containers 2 and 3 contain, in the example under consideration, different products P but it is not going beyond the scope of the present invention when the products P are

  identical and that, for example, only the application members 12 are different.

  The coupling member 4 comprises two housings 20 and 21 leading to

  opposite ends, to accommodate receptacles 2 and 3 respectively.

  In the example considered, the housings 20 and 21 are configured to be able to

  accommodate the closure capsules 10 of the containers 2 and 3.

  The housings 20 and 21 are defined by a wall 22 of the coupling member 4, of generally tubular shape of axis X and are non-communicating, being separated by a transverse wall 23 extending perpendicular to the axis X. L 'coupling member 4 is made in one piece in the example considered, in an elastomeric material, for example by injection molding. The tubular wall 22 is thus able to expand elastically during the introduction of the capsules.

  closure 10 in housings 20 and 21.

  The dimensions of the housings 20 and 21 are chosen so that the closure capsules 10 are retained by friction inside the coupling member 4 with sufficient force to avoid unwanted separation of one of the containers and of the coupling member, in particular during the transport of the device 1, in a handbag

for example.

  To use one of the applicator members 12, the user unscrews one of the closure capsules 10, without removing the latter from the corresponding housing of the coupling member 4, and can then use the coupling 4 and, where appropriate, also of the body 5 of the remaining container as of a gripping member during

  application of the product, as illustrated in Figure 3.

  It is understood that the coupling member 4 can allow, thanks to its size, a good grip. In addition, especially when the coupling member 4 is produced in a

  elastomeric material, its outer surface may have non-slip properties.

  Of course, it is not going beyond the scope of the present invention when the closure capsule is used as a gripping member to apply the product,

  having separated it from the coupling member.

  The coupling member may have other forms still, without departing from the scope of the present invention, as will now be described with reference

in Figures 4 to 16.

  The two housings 20 and 21 can in particular be communicating, as illustrated in FIG. 4, this communication being able to be obtained for example by

  deletion of the transverse wall 23 from the example of FIGS. 1 and 2.

  It is also seen in Figure 4 that the coupling member may have, in the absence of the containers, a generally tubular shape, of cylindrical outer surface of revolution. The housings 20 and 21 can be communicating but with, for example, at least one stop 26 made between them, against which the containers can come to bear at the end of their introduction into the coupling member 4. This stop 26 can for example be provided in the form of an annular rib projecting from the inner surface of the tubular wall 22. It can be seen in FIG. 5 that the stop 26 is not produced by a relief

hollow of the tubular wall 22.

  FIG. 6 represents the coupling member 4 of FIG. 5 in which a closure capsule 10 has been inserted. The latter comes to bear against the stop 26 and the coupling member 4, which is elastically deformable, has slightly deformed to marry

  the shape of the closure cap 10.

  The housings 20 and 21 can have different shapes, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In particular, the housings 20 and 21 can have

  different depths and / or dimensions, measured transversely to the X axis.

  The thickness of the wall which laterally delimits each housing 20 and 21 may or may not be constant when moving along the X axis and / or around the X axis, and be

  the same or not for housing 20 and 21.

  In the absence of the receptacles, the external shape of the coupling member can be non-cylindrical in revolution. For example, there is shown in Figure 8 a coupling member 4 whose outer surface has a general shape of diabolo, concave outward, and in Figure 9 a coupling member 4 whose outer surface

  has a general shape of a rugby ball, being convex towards the outside.

  At least one of the housings 20 and 21 may include reliefs, in particular bosses or ribs intended to increase the friction between the container and the coupling member or to confer increased flexibility to accommodate containers of very varied shapes. The reliefs can be, for example, in the form of annular grooves 27, as shown in FIG. 10. At least one of the housings 20 and 21 can also, in a variant not illustrated, grooves oriented parallel to the axis X. The coupling member 4 can comprise an axially deformable part, as illustrated in FIG. 11. It can be seen in this figure that the coupling member can comprise a bellows-shaped part 28 which is connected at its ends to walls

  annulars 29 and 30 defining the openings of the housings 20 and 21.

  The coupling member 4 can be made entirely of an elastically deformable material or otherwise, for example comprising an elastically part

  deformable and a rigid part, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13.

  The coupling member 4 of FIG. 12 has on the outside a rigid ring on the outside and an elastomer sleeve 36 disposed inside the ring 35, by

  example stuck in it, and defining the housings 20 and 21.

  In FIG. 13, it can be seen that the elastomer sleeve 36 can have annular grooves 37 in order to frictionally retain the containers that the housings 20 and 21 are

configured to accommodate.

  The coupling member 4 can also comprise at least one lateral orifice 32, as illustrated in FIG. 14. Such an orifice can allow the air contained in the housing in which it opens to leave it as and when of the engagement of a container. Each housing 20 or 21 may have a lateral orifice 32. The latter may be in various forms, for example in the form of slots 33 as illustrated in FIG. 15, the pattern and the arrangement of these lateral orifices being able to be chosen,

  if necessary, so as to improve the aesthetics of the coupling member.

  To evacuate the air initially contained in the housing when a container is inserted into the coupling member 4, it is possible, as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, to provide, for example, grooves inside the housings 20 and 21, these streaks extending through

  example, along the longitudinal axis of the coupling member 4.

  The coupling member 4 of FIG. 16 comprises, as in FIG. 12, a rigid ring 35, an elastically deformable inner sleeve 36 comprising ridges

longitudinal 38.

  Figure 17 is a cross section of the coupling member 4 of Figure 16 along XVII and allows to visualize the grooves 38 allowing the air to escape when a container is inserted into a housing 20 or 21 with already a container in place in

the other accommodation.

  The ridges 38 can be produced on the coupling member 4 as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, or else can be formed on the closure capsule 10, as illustrated.

in Figure 18.

  There is shown in this figure a closure capsule 10 of generally cylindrical shape having on its circumference ridges 40 extending along its longitudinal axis. The coupling member 4 can be made of materials other than

  solid material, for example a cellular material, elastomeric or not.

  By way of example, FIG. 19 shows a coupling member 4

made of foam.

  As materials which can be used to produce the coupling member, mention may be made, this list not being limiting, of silicone, latex, butyl, nitrile elastomers, NBR, SBR, thermoplastic elastomers, SIS SEBS, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, NBR, latex, silicone foams,

  these foams can be closed or open cells.

  The housings 20 and 21 may have various cross sections,

  the cross sections of the two housings 20 and 21 being identical or not.

  At least one of the housings 20 and 21 can be delimited internally, over at least a portion of its length, by a cylindrical surface of revolution, as illustrated in FIG. 20, or parallelepiped, of square or rectangle section as illustrated respectively on Figures 21 and 22, or prismatic, in particular polygonal, by

  hexagonal example, as shown in figure 23.

  The internal cross section of a housing can correspond substantially, for example in a homothetic manner, to the external cross section of a closure capsule or of a body of a container intended to be introduced inside. The internal cross section of a housing may also not have the same shape as the external cross section of the closure capsule or of the container body, as illustrated in FIG. 24. In this figure, it can be seen that the coupling may include a housing for example of diamond-shaped section and that the container intended to be inserted inside may have a non-homothetic cross section, for example circular with a diameter slightly greater than the dimension

on one side of the rhombus.

  The coupling member 4 can receive two containers having base parts of different shapes, as illustrated in FIG. 25 and identical closure capsules

or not.

  It is also possible to engage in the coupling member 4 not two closure capsules but for example the closure capsule of one of the containers and the part of

  base of the other container, as illustrated in figure 26.

  Referring to the variant illustrated in FIG. 27, it can be seen that the base parts of two containers can be engaged inside the housings of the coupling member 4. One of these containers may comprise, for example, an application member secured to the body of the container, the associated closure capsule being able in this case to be

devoid of application body.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described. In particular, the containers may or may not include dryers. The coupling member can be made with other forms as well and / or in other materials, in particular in materials making it possible to create optically variable effects, in order to

to create animations.

  Throughout the description, including the claims, the expression

  "comprising a" should be understood as being synonymous with "comprising at least

  a ", unless otherwise specified.

Claims (25)

  1. Packaging and application device, characterized in that it comprises: - at least two containers (2, 3) containing cosmetic or care products (P) and each comprising a body (5) and a capsule removable closure (10), - at least one coupling member (4) capable of joining the two containers in line with one another, this coupling member being at least partially elastically deformable and comprising at least one housing (20; 21) configured to at least partially accommodate a container and allow it to be fixed to the coupling member.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling member comprises a housing configured to be able to receive and retain so   removable by friction the closure cap (10) of one of the containers.   3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that   the coupling member comprises at least one housing configured to be able to accommodate and   detachably retain the body of one of the containers by friction.   4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the coupling member (4) has an elasticity allowing it to   adapt to the shape of the body or the capsule of the receptacles it accommodates.   5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that the coupling member (4) consists of a single piece coming elastomer molding.   6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the coupling member has a non-slip outer surface.   7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the coupling member comprises a foam.   8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that in the absence of a container engaged inside, the   coupling has a substantially cylindrical outer surface.   9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by   the fact that the coupling member comprises a portion (28) in the form of a bellows.   10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by   the fact that in the absence of a container engaged inside, the coupling part has an outer surface having a cross section passing through a minimum between its two axial ends.   11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that it has two housings and by the fact that a housing (20)   has a larger opening than the other housing (21).   12. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that at least one dwelling has an internal arrangement   allowing the air to be evacuated when the container is introduced into said housing.   13. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the internal arrangement comprises at least one groove (38) parallel to the direction   inserting the container into the housing.   14. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the coupling member (4) has at least one lateral opening   (32; 33) opening into a housing.   15. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the coupling member comprises at least one stop (23; 26) against which can bear at least one container (2, 3) at the end of its   introduction into the coupling member.   16. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that a wall (23) separates two housings (20, 21) from the coupling member.   17. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that at least one housing has an interior surface having bosses or ridges (27).   18. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the coupling member (4) is transparent or translucent.   19. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the coupling member is configured to produce effects   optically variable, visible from the outside.   20. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the products (P) contained in the two containers (2, 3) are different.   21. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that at least one of the containers houses an applicator member (12). 22. Device according to claim 19, characterized in that the member   application is integral with the closure capsule (10).   23. Coupling member (4) for coupling two containers, characterized in that it comprises a tubular body defining at its opposite axial ends two housings (20, 21) each configured to allow engagement at least partially a container and retain it by friction, and by the fact that: - the housings are non-communicating and / or - the coupling member comprises at least one stop (26) at the end of introduction for at least one of the containers , disposed between the housings, this stop being produced otherwise than by a hollow relief of the body   - And / or the coupling member is made of elastomer.   24. Coupling member according to the preceding claim, one of the receptacles housing an applicator, characterized in that it is configured to constitute a member   gripping during application.   25. Make-up method, characterized in that it comprises the following step: - applying a product with an application member secured to a closure capsule (10) or to the body (5) of a container, this capsule or this body being retained at least partially, in a removable manner, in a coupling member (4), this coupling member being configured to allow a second container to be retained in the extension of the first.