초록 ▼

Systems, methods, and processes are disclosed for the manufacture, filling and dispensing of flowable contents. The dispenser system includes a dispenser bottle, a dispensing cap, a pre-filled container, an optional inversion tube wherein the pre-filled container contains flowable contents therein f

Systems, methods, and processes are disclosed for the manufacture, filling and dispensing of flowable contents. The dispenser system includes a dispenser bottle, a dispensing cap, a pre-filled container, an optional inversion tube wherein the pre-filled container contains flowable contents therein for dispensing when a dispenser bottle is squeezed, pumped or sprayed. A user grasps the bottle, squeezes it to increase internal pressure, and forces out through the dispensing cap the flowable contents. Upon release, the system allows air to enter and replace the forced-out flowable contents and neutralize the pressure in the space between the container and the bottle. An inline process of manufacturing and filling the containers is provided.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dispenser system comprising: a squeeze bottle body having an elongated resilient side wall and a closed end and an open end with an uppermost edge, the bottle body defining a compressible squeeze region extending from the uppermost edge to a midpoint along the length of the squeeze bottle body;

1. A dispenser system comprising: a squeeze bottle body having an elongated resilient side wall and a closed end and an open end with an uppermost edge, the bottle body defining a compressible squeeze region extending from the uppermost edge to a midpoint along the length of the squeeze bottle body;a dispenser cap releasably covering the open end of the squeeze bottle body to define a sealed cartridge refill chamber;a first one-way valve disposed within the bottle body constructed to allow a volume of external air to enter the cartridge refill chamber when a squeezing force applied to the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body is removed;a second one-way valve disposed in the dispenser cap and constructed to open in response to a squeezing force applied to the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body;a seamless, invertible liner having an elongated body section with a closed end and an opposing open end with a flange projecting outwardly from the open end and removably seated on the uppermost edge of the bottle body and captured between the dispenser cap and the uppermost edge of the squeeze bottle body to dispose the elongated body section within the cartridge refill chamber and fix the position of the closed end of a fully extended body section relative to the length of the squeeze bottle body, the body section of the liner being constructed to invert from a fully extended configuration to a fully inverted configuration when a squeezing force is applied to the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body, the liner further being tapered inwardly from the flange;an inversion tube with a tube body thicker than the liner with a complementary taper to at least a portion of the liner and having a hollow interior, the inversion tube being releasably inserted into the liner to form a liner and tube assembly with the tube body terminating in opposing flangeless ends disposed solely within the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body with the liner at least partially disposed between a cap-side end of the inversion tube and the adjacent uppermost edge of the squeeze bottle body, the inversion tube further being sufficiently rigid along its entire length to induce incremental inversion of the liner into the inversion tube from the fully extended configuration to the fully inverted configuration during each successive squeezing force applied to the squeeze bottle body within the squeeze region while remaining sufficiently flexible along its entire length to yield inwardly from a first tubular configuration to a deformed tubular configuration in response to a squeezing force applied to the squeeze bottle body within the squeeze region while the interior of the tube body receives an inverted portion of the invertible liner, the inversion tube further being sufficiently flexible along its entire length to return to the first tubular configuration from the deformed tubular configuration when the squeezing force is removed from the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body while the liner remains at least partially inverted;a volume of flowable contents at least partially filling the liner and tube assembly, the volume of flowable contents being added prior to insertion of the liner and tube assembly into the cartridge refill chamber; anda removable or puncturable lid covering the open end of the invertible liner and sealing the volume of flowable contents within the liner and tube assembly with the liner, lid, and inversion tube defining a sealed, separately transportable, invertible, disposable, pre-filled cartridge inserted into the cartridge refill chamber with the entire length of the inversion tube solely within the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body, the pre-fiUed cartridge further being constructed to, when the lid is removed or punctured, to place the volume of flowable contents in communication with the second one-way valve of the cap and disgorge at least a portion of the flowable contents out through the second one-way valve as at least a portion of the invertible liner inverts into the inversion tube when the squeeze bottle body is selectively squeezed within the squeeze region;the invertible liner is tapered inwardly from the open end to the bottom end, and the inversion tube is similarly tapered to the invertible liner and removably snug fit into the invertible liner. 2. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the liner is constructed to fully invert up to half of its length into the inversion tube. 3. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the liner is formed without seams using a deep draw thermoform process. 4. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the liner includes only one opening aligned with the second one-way valve opening of the dispenser cap. 5. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the dispenser cap includes a set of feet constructed to hold the squeeze bottle body in an inverted configuration on an underlying support surface with the second one-way valve of the dispenser cap spaced apart from the support surface. 6. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the flowable contents are maintained in a vacuum state with at least a portion of the contents abutting the interior of the second one-way valve of the dispenser cap. 7. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the liner is subdivided into an upper region and a lower region; andthe inversion tube is entirely disposed in the upper region of the liner. 8. The dispenser system of claim 7 wherein: the upper portion and lower portion of the liner are equally divided. 9. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the inversion tube has a thickness range from 0.012 to 0.020 inches; andthe liner is thinner than the inversion tube. 10. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the inversion tube has a thickness range from 0.006 to 0.020 inches; andthe liner has a minimum thickness of 0.002 inches. 11. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: The inversion tube is constructed of resin material. 12. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the inversion tube includes a plurality of spaced apart upright members between a top ring and a bottom ring. 13. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the pre-filled cartridge inhibits cross-contamination from other pre-filled cartridges and discoloration of the bottle body, the pre-filled cartridge further being constructed to be removed from the dispenser bottle body and disposed once the pre-filled contents have been substantially removed while leaving no residual contents behind on the bottle body; anda replacement pre-filled cartridge may be removably seated on the uppermost edge of the bottle body. 14. The dispenser system of claim 1 wherein: the seamless liner inverts into the inversion tube and substantially conforms to an inner surface of the inversion tube and eliminates cavities to inhibit a volume of contents from residing therein. 15. The dispenser system as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the liner is constructed with food related barrier properties to increase the shelf-life of the volume of flowable contents stored therein. 16. The dispenser system as set forth in claim 1 wherein: The inversion tube is removable from the liner when the cap is uncoupled from the bottle body while leaving the liner in contact with the bottle body. 17. A dispenser system comprising: a squeeze bottle body having an elongated resilient side wall and a closed end and an open end with an uppermost edge, the bottle body defining a compressible squeeze region extending from the uppermost edge of the open end to a midpoint along a length of the dispenser bottle body;a dispenser cap releasably covering the open end of the squeeze bottle body to define a cartridge refill chamber with the squeeze bottle body;a seamless, tapered, pliable, invertible liner having an elongated body section with a closed end and an opposing open end including a means for removably seating the liner on the uppermost edge of the squeeze bottle body to fix the position of the liner relative to the length of the bottle body when the means for removably seating the liner are removably captured between the dispenser cap and the bottle body, the liner being constructed to invert incrementally along its length from an initial fully extended configuration to a fully inverted configuration during each successive squeezing force applied to the bottle body within the squeeze region, the liner being tapered inwardly from the open end to the closed end;a resin inversion tube similarly tapered to and thicker than the liner, the tube including opposing flangeless ends removably inserted and snug fit into the liner with both flangeless ends disposed within the squeeze region, the inversion tube being sufficiently flexible throughout its entire length to compress inwardly from a first tubular configuration to a second deformed configuration in response to a squeezing force applied to the bottle body within the squeeze region while remaining sufficiently rigid to induce the liner to incrementally invert into the inversion tube with the tube also being sufficiently resilient so as to return to its original shape when the squeezing force is removed from the squeeze region while the liner remains at least partially inverted within the inversion tube;a volume of flowable contents added to the tube and liner prior to insertion of the tube and liner into the refill chamber;a means for sealing the open end of the collapsible liner to define a sealed, separately transportable, invertible, disposable, pre-filled cartridge inserted into the dispenser bottle body within the refill chamber with the inversion tube disposed entirely within the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body;a means for dispensing the contents from the pre-filled cartridge as the liner inverts incrementally in response to the bottle body being squeezed within the squeeze region after the means for sealing is removed or punctured;a means for equalizing pressure within the refill chamber when a squeezing force is removed from the squeeze region of the bottle body; andthe means for equalizing pressure and the means for dispensing the contents cooperating to maintain the liner in a vacuum state while equalizing the pressure of the refill chamber when a squeezing force is removed from the squeeze region. 18. A dispenser system comprising: a squeeze bottle body with a closed bottom end and an open top end with an uppermost edge and an elongated compressible sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface between the ends, the interior of the bottle body defining a cartridge refill chamber and the exterior of the bottle body defining a squeeze region extending from the uppermost edge to a midpoint along the length of the sidewall of the squeeze bottle body;a first one-way valve disposed in the bottle body and constructed to allow external air to enter the refill chamber when a squeezing force is removed from the bottle body within the squeeze region;a disposable, cartridge including a seamless, invertible liner with an elongated sidewall with an exterior surface and an interior surface, the liner being tapered inwardly from an open end with a flange removably seated on the uppermost edge of the bottle body to an opposing closed end, the cartridge further including a resilient, inversion tube having an outer surface and an inner surface and being thicker than the elongated sidewall of the liner, the inversion tube being similarly tapered to the liner and removably snug fit into and releasably suspended within the liner with a first portion of the liner concentrically encircling the outer surface of the inversion tube and a second portion of the liner extending from the inversion tube into a fully extended configuration, the inversion tube further having a tube body with opposing flangeless ends concentrically encircled by the squeeze region, the tube body being compressible along its entire length to yield inwardly from a first tubular configuration to a compressed configuration in response to a squeezing force applied to the exterior surface of the bottle body within the squeeze region to compress the interior surface of the bottle body against the exterior surface of the first portion of the liner encircling the outer surface of the inversion tube with the interior of the inversion tube receiving an inverted portion of the invertible liner and the inversion tube being sufficiently resilient to return to the first tubular configuration when the squeezing force is removed from the squeeze region while the liner remains at least partially inverted, the cartridge further including a volume of contents at least partially filling the liner and extending through the inversion tube and a puncturable or removable seal spanning the open end of the liner;a dispenser cap constructed to releasably cover the open end of the squeeze bottle body and removably capture the flange of the liner between the dispenser cap and the uppermost edge of the bottle body to fix the position of the liner relative to the length of the bottle body with the inversion tube disposed with both flangeless ends within the squeeze region;a second one-way valve disposed in the cap and operable to allow the contents of the pre-filled cartridge to be evacuated from the bottle body when a squeezing force is applied to the squeeze bottle body within the squeeze region; andthe first and second one-way valves cooperating to maintain the liner within the refill chamber in a vacuum state as the squeeze bottle is repeatedly squeezed within the squeeze region to invert the liner incrementally into the inversion tube and disgorge the contents of the cartridge out through the second one-way valve.