Title of Invention

IMPROVED CONTAINER

Abstract

A container for particulate materials such as talcum powders and the like comprising: i. an enclosed container body having at least one opening on a side portion thereof adjacent its top; \\. a slidably displaceable flap member on said opening adapted/such that /ty in a first position the said displaceable flap member completely blocks the said opening to close the container opening while in a second position the said slidably displaceable cover opens said opening for dispensing of the contents. 2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opening is composed of plurality of perforations/openings for effective dispensing of the contents. 3. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 or 2 wherein said slidably moveable flap member is accommodate/provided internally within the container. 4. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the container top is internally . provided with a channel/ retainer means which .co operate, with-the slidable [ flap member such that for the purpose of closing the outlet, the flap member at least partly is released from said retainer means to cover the outlet/opening and for the purpose of opening the outlet the flap member is displaced internally in said retainer means to open the outlet for dispensing of the contents. 5. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4 wherein for said opening and closing of the container outlet by displacement of the slidable flap 14

Full Text

THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 of 1970) PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION (See Section 10) IMPROVED CONTAINER HINDUSTAN LEVER LIMITED, a company incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, 1913 and having its registered office at Hindustan Lever House, 165/166, Backbay Reclamation, Mumbai -400 020, Maharashtra, India The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. 1 2 0 FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a closure system and in particular to a displaceable flap closure system for containers and the like especially for containing powdery/granular products such as talcum powder. The closure system is directed to facilitate simple and easy opening of the container to release its contents and also close the container opening for pilfer-proof storage as may be required. In particular, the displaceable flap closure is adapted such that apart from opening and closing of the container outlet by simple to and fro displacing force applied on the flap by the user's finger/thumb the same would facilitate the application of the contents such as talcum powder and the like in parts of the body not easily accessible, such as underarm portions, thereby avoiding unwanted wastage of the contents and making such closures/containers with such closures more user friendly and suitable for cost-effective various end uses/applications. BACKGROUND ART It is generally known to have various forms of containers for packaging of powdered granular or similar products which are required to be poured or dispensed in limited qualities as and when required depending upon the end use/application desired. It is conventionally known to have talcum powder containers having at the top plurality of perforations/holes adapted to release the contents when the container is inclined downwards and as and when the use is over, the container is maintained in an upright condition so that the powder / contents do not come out of the perforations/openings. In order to avoid unwanted pilferage and loss of expensive content such as talcum powders and like it is also known to provide variety of closures to block such openings in containers when the contents are not required to be dispensed from the container. According to one such embodiment the container top i.e the openings/perforations are provided with a a rotatable cap which is also having perforations/openings such that upon rotary motion of the cap to a first position the openings/perforations in the cap coincide with the opening / perforations of the container top thereby providing for release of the contents on inclined downward movement of the container while in a second position, by a reverse rotary motion of the cap, the cap assumes a position where it blocks the openings on top of the container to define a closed condition for the closure in which state even if the container is mistakenly inclined / inverted upside down then the contents do not come out or spill due to such blocking position of the cap over the openings / perforations on the top of the containers. It is also known to have press fit cap for same purpose which in the closed position press fit with respect to openings / perforations on the top of the container to block the openings/perforations of the container while in the open position the press fit connection of the cap with respect to container top is released thereby exposing the containers openings/perforations of the container for dispensing of the contents for application/use. US 2330939 relates to closure of the type used for dispensing liquid or powdered material such as cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparations for example. More particularly, it relates to closures for containers having a neck shell provided with a curved portion in which a dispensing aperture is formed, the neck shell being nested in a cap of similar form which is rockably secured thereto whereby the dispensing aperture formed in a neck shell may be rendered effective or ineffective to dispense of the contents of the container as required. 3 US 2391345 discloses container structure employed in the packaging of powder granular or similar products which are to be poured or dispensed in limited quantities from the containers and it primarily seeks to provide a novel top structure for container of type stated wherein at least one pouring or dispensing opening is provided and wherein is included a slide or gate structure for controlling said opening and displaceable by finger pressure for uncovering said opening and means for automatically closing the opening when finger pressure is released. EP 0886607 B1 discloses yet another self closing closure for a container which does not utilize the container as a part of the self closing mechanism and can be operated by a single hand. According to this prior art the closure body is adapted to be attached to the mouth of the container the body having a part spherical outer surface in which at least one aperture is provided for dispensing materials from the container, a cover mounted on the closure body and having a part spherical inner surface i.e. slidable over said part spherical outer surface between an aperture closing first position and an aperture-opening second position and biasing means formed integrally with one of the cover and body to act against the other of the cover and body to urge the cover towards the first position, characterized in that the part spherical outer surface of the body has a recess formed therein having a smaller diameter part spherical base into which said aperture opens and the cover is slidable within the recess to open and close said aperture. It would be apparent from the above that while containers for such talcum powder and other like substances are well known to have closures of a variety of constructional features, the wide use/applications of such talcum powder and the like require that such closures and containers be provided in a manner which would serve the desired purposes of opening and closing the container outlet for dispensing and storing 4 respectively of the contents and at the same time the same should also be simple to operate so that it can be opened or closed without difficulty. While some of the prior art embodiments discussed above and available in the art do suggest the opening and closing of the container opening by simple finger aided displacement of the cap, as would be apparent from the constructional details of such closures, the same involve complexities both in terms of its manufacture which add to the cost of the overall product and also complexities in terms of operation for opening and closing of the closures. In particular the finger aided self closing closures have additional problems in that those are all spring aided and therefore require pressure to open up the closure against the usual resilient bias of the closure in its closed condition and in case it is not effectively handled such as when used by children/aged persons, it is likely that even the finger / thumb can get locked with respect to the counteracting resiliency biased closure. This can cause injury to the users and the users need to be attentive while using such closures even after the dispensing is over so that it does not injure the user's fingers while the closure automatically retracts to the normal close condition. Added to the above, such spring loaded self-closing caps lead to problems where the spring can be damaged or the closure when forced against its normal bias is itself damaged . Importantly also, while all the known varieties of containers for talcum powder have closures with outlets at the top it is found that disposition of such outlet on top is not convenient to dispense the powder in regions of the body difficult to access such as the underarm portions. Accordingly, it is usual that while applying the contents in such parts of the body lot of the content instead of being applied to the desired part of the body fall off with likely loss of expensive contents. There is thus a need in the art to develop 5 closures for such containers which would not only be simple and easy to operate and can be effectively used by children and the aged but would also ensure effective end use /application of its contents avoiding unnecessary wastage. Also, it is important that while providing for cost effective and simple closure mechanism for such containers for powdery contents and the like one need to ensure that the same is reached to the consumer in tamper proof condition since the contents of such containers should be reached to the consumer without any tampering/contamination. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is thus the basic object of the present invention to provide a closure system for containers for particulate material such as talcum powder and the like which would be cost-effective, simple and easy to operate between the closed and the open condition by simple means which can be operated safely by one and all including children and aged. Another object of the present invention is directed to containers such as used for talcum powder and the like with closure system wherein the opening is selectively positioned to facilitate effective dispensing of the contents effectively for application even in parts of the body not easily accessible such as underarm portions thereby avoiding unwanted wastage of the expensive contents in such container. Yet another object of the present invention is directed to provide for a closure system adapted for use with containers containing powdery materials such as talcum powder and the like which can be safely handle by children and even aged people without 6 exposing to dangers of injury to the user and/or damage to the closure system in the process of opening/closing of the same. Yet further object of the present invention is directed to a closure system for containers containing powdery contents such as talcum powder and the like which would be attractive and have an aesthetic get up and also importantly be also tamper proof to ensure that the contents in the container is reached to the ultimate consumer/users free of any extraneous contamination/unauthorized use. Yet further object of the present invention is directed to provide for a talcum powder container with closure system which would be simple and cost effective to obtain and would provide for simple opening of the container outlet for dispensing of the contents for application/use and also maintain the desired effective closed condition for the container during its use to avoid unwanted spillage of contents therefrom. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus according to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a container for particulate materials such as talcum powders and the like comprising: i. An enclosed container body having at least one opening on a side portion thereof adjacent its top; ii. a slidably displaceable flap member on said opening adapted such that in a first position the said displaceable flap member completely block the said opening to close the container opening while in a second position the said slidably displaceable cover opens said opening for dispensing of the contents. Preferably, for controlled dispensing of the powdery contents the opening is composed of plurality of perforations/openings for effective dispensing of the contents. Importantly, in the above disclosed container of the invention the selective disposition of the nutlal/.cpe.aiog. in a sidwall portion adjacent the top fao)))tate the proper application of the powdery Contents on the body especially in regions not easily accessible such as the underarm portion. Moreover, the slidable flap member is adapted such that the same can be Operated by simple displacing force exerted by means of only the finger/thumb of the user. To achieve such simple and easy operation of the slidable flap member and also impart an aesthetic outlook to the container, the slidable movement of the flap is accommodated/fjrovided internally within the container. For the purpose, the container top is internally provided with a channel/ retainer means which co-operate with the slidable flap mernber such that for the purpose of closing the outlet, the flap member at least partly is released from said retainer means to cover the outlet/opening and for the purpose of opening the outlet the flap member is displaced internally in said retainer means to open the outlet for dispensing of the contents. Preferably, to facilitate simple opening and closing of the container outlet by displacement of the slidable flap member, the flap and the co-operating retainer means are disposed suc:h that for opening of the outlet the flap member can be simply pushed up by the users finger while for closing the outlet the flap member is simply pulled down. To facilitate such action by means of the users finger the flap member is provided preferably with a. finger trap/ zone where the finger tip can be placed to comfortably displace the flap member for opening and closing of the outlet. 8 In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a closure system adapted for releasable securing to a container body portion comprising: i. a body portion a closed top and an open bottom adapted to releasably connect to a container body and having at least one opening on a side portion thereof adjacent its closed top; ii. a slidably displaceable flap member on said opening adapted such that in a first position the said displaceable flap member completely block the said opening to close the opening while in a second position the said slidably displaceable cover opens said opening. In the above disclosed closure system of the invention, the slidable movement of the flap is accommodated/provided internally within the closure. For the purpose, the closure top is internally provided with a channel/ retainer means which co-operate with the slidable flap member such that for the purpose of closing the outlet, the flap member at least partly is released from said retainer means to cover the outlet/opening and for the purpose of opening the outlet the flap member is displaced internally in said retainer means to open the outlet. The slidable motion of the flap member is preferably achieved by a vertical to and fro motion although it is also possible to achieve like effects by a slidable sideway movement of the displaceable flap. In accordance with another aspect of the invention the closure system can also have plurality of such opening and slidable flap cover with the openings of varied shapes/sizes to cater to various end use /applications. 9 The container body can be obtained of various shapes and sizes and materials including polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers of polypropylene. The closure system is also preferably made compatible with the container. The flap member, however, which requires adaptability to be smoothly slidable can be preferably obtained of an appropriate blend of differing densities of polyethylene. Also in order to ensure tamper proof delivery of such containers with the closure system the closure can additionally be provided with a tamper proof seal such as a plastic film/membrane over the closed -filled container whereby the consumer would be satisfied that the container is free of any unauthorised use/contamination. It is only during the first use of the contents that the user is required to pee! off the seal to displace the slidable flap for dispensing the contents. DESCRIPTION IN RELATION TO ACCOMPANYING FIGURES The details of the invention its objects and advantages are explained hereunder in greater detail in relation to non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the container and closure system in accordance with the present invention as per the accompanying figures wherein- Figure 1A illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a closure system in accordance with the present invention with the container outlet open ; Figure 1B is a front view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 with the container outlet closed; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the closure system of the present invention. Figure 3 is a side view of the container of figure 1. Figure 4 is a rear view of the container of figure 1. 10 Figure 5 is the bottom view of the container of figure 1. Figure 6 is a top view of the closure system of the invention with a pilfer proof seal ; Figure 7 is a top view of the closure system of Fig. 6 with the seal on top of the displaceable flap; Reference is first invited to figure 1 which illustrates the container with the closure system in accordance with the present invention. Such a container which is having a substantially rectangular cross section in the middle and substantially oval cross section at the top and bottom ends with said top and bottom having a tapered configuration (as evident from the Fig. 1-5) usually is suitable for containing talcum powder. As illustrated in said figure, the container is provided with the closure system (CS) at the top which cnostilutes tne top of me container and .is adapted to press fit or re)easat>)y secure otherwise with respect to the main container body (CB). The closure system as shown in said figure has at least on one side surface thereof, adjacent the top, outlets in the form of plurality of perforations/openings (OP). A slidable flap (SF) is provided which is adapted for a slidable movement whereby in a first position of said flap, the flap covers the openings (OP) thereby closing the container outlets. Such a position of the flap is shown in Fig. 1B. As and when the contents of the container are required to be dispensed, the flap can be displaced in the upward direction (in the direction of arrow A) whereby the flap recedes into a channelised retainer means internally provided in said closure system and in the process releases the openings (OP). The position of the retainer means (RM) which extends partly on the top and further down towards the rear of the closure system is illustrated by the dotted portion in the rear view in Fig 4. n To facilitate the channelized to and fro motion of the flap member and to retain the same in position a flanged peripheral member (FP) is provided to surround the flap when it is in its position closing the outlet openings. Importantly, as would be apparent from figures 1A and 2 the container outlets (OP) have been disposed facing a side of the container / closure system adjacent the top which facilitate application of the contents in portions of the body which are not readily accessible such as underarm portions and the like. Such a combination of the selective disposition of the outlets and the displaceabie flap means to open and close such outlet achieve the desired objective of simple opening and closing of the outlet on one hand and on the other hand effective dispensing of contents for user friendly end application/use avoiding unnecessary wastage of the expensive contents of the container. Moreover, the closure system has been developed such that the same can be easily operated even by children and aged people without any fear of injury or damage to the closure thereby making such closure system widely acceptable for containers of range of products. In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention the closure system is further provided with a tamper proof seal such that after the container is filled and before it is used for the first time by the consumer, the consumer by checking the presence of the pilfer proof seal on the flap covering the containers outlet would be convinced that the contents have not been dispensed earlier and are original and free of contamination. Such pilfer proof seal can be in the form of a plastic seal/membrane (PS) secured with respect to the flap member (FP) in its initially closed position (prior to first use) as shown in Figure 7. As clearly evident from the figures 6 and 7 the tamper proof seal ensures that the closure cannot be opened for use without breaking of such seal. While the above closure system of the invention has been detailed and described in relation to the container as a releasably securing closure to the container body, it is possible that the closure system and the container body can be obtained as a single unit or as a further alternative the closure system with the displaceable flap together can constitute a main body of the container with a possible releasable bottom opening to introduce contents into the container. It is also possible that any container with such closure system can be provided with the same objectives and advantages irrespective of its shape and configuration and the scope of the invention should be governed accordingly. Also, while in the illustrated embodiment the flap member is shown to have a triangular shape, it is possible depending upon the shape of the container and the closure as well as the end use requirement the shape and size of such flap member can also vary to suit different end uses / aesthetic requirements. It is thus possibly by way of the present invention to provide a cost effective, simple and easy to operate closure system for containers containing particulate material such as talcum powder and the like which would make the use and application of such containers not only simple and easy but also facilitate effective end application of contents from such containers to serve wide variety of purposes for varied end use /applications. Dated this 20th day of December 2002. Hindustan Lever Limited. S Venkatramani (Patents Manager) 13 WE CLAIM : 1. A container for particulate materials such as talcum powders and the like comprising: i. an enclosed container body having at least one opening on a side portion thereof adjacent its top; \\. a slidably displaceable flap member on said opening adapted/such that /ty in a first position the said displaceable flap member completely blocks the said opening to close the container opening while in a second position the said slidably displaceable cover opens said opening for dispensing of the contents. 2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opening is composed of plurality of perforations/openings for effective dispensing of the contents. 3. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 or 2 wherein said slidably moveable flap member is accommodate/provided internally within the container. 4. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the container top is internally . provided with a channel/ retainer means which .co operate, with-the slidable [ flap member such that for the purpose of closing the outlet, the flap member at least partly is released from said retainer means to cover the outlet/opening and for the purpose of opening the outlet the flap member is displaced internally in said retainer means to open the outlet for dispensing of the contents. 5. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4 wherein for said opening and closing of the container outlet by displacement of the slidable flap 14 member, the flap and the co-operating retainer means are disposed such that for opening of the outlet the flap member is adapted to be pushed up by the users finger while for closing the outlet the flap member is adapted to be pulled down. 6. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5 wherein said flap member is provided preferably with a finger trap/zone where the finger tip can be supported to comfortably displace the flap member for opening and closing of the outlet. 7. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 6 wherein the container body is of varied shapes and sizes and materials preferably selected from polythylene, polyproplene and copolymers of polypropylene. 8. A closure system adapted for releasably securing to a container as claimed in claims 1 to 7 comprising: i. a body portion having a closed top and an open bottom adapted to releasably connect to a container body and having at least one opening on a side portion thereof adjacent its closed top; ii. a slidably displaceable flap member on said opening adapted such that in a first position the said displaceable flap member completely block the said opening to close the opening while in a second position the said slidably displaceable cover opens said opening. 9. A closure system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the opening is composed of plurality of perforations/openings for effective dispensing of the contents. 10. A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 or 9 wherein said slidably moveable flap member is accommodate/provided internally within the container. 11. A closure system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the said body portion towards the top is internally provided with a channel/retainer means which co¬operate with the slidable flap member such that for the purpose of closing the outlet, the flap member at least partly is releasable from said retainer means to cover the outlet/opening and for the purpose of opening the outlet the flap member is displaceable internally in said retainer means to open the outlet for dispensing of the contents. 12.A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 11 wherein for said opening and closing of the said outlet by displacement of the slidable flap member, the flap and the co-operating retainer means are disposed such that for opening of the outlet the flap member is adapted to be pushed up while for closing the outlet the flap member is adapted to be pulled down. 13. A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 12 wherein said flap member is provided preferably with a finger trap/ zone where the finger tip can be supported to comfortably displace the flap member for opening and closing of the outlet. 14. A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 13 wherein the slidable motion of the flap member is preferably achieved by a vertical and/or slidable sideways to and fro motion. 15.A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 14 comprising plurality of said openings and slidable flap covers wherein each of the openings and corresponding flaps are of varied shapes/sizes and selectively disposed to cater to various end use/applications. 16. A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 15 which is made compatible with the container. 17. A container/closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 16 wherein the flap member is adapted to be smoothly slidat)le and preferably obtained of an appropriate blend of differing densities of polyethylene. 18. A container/closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 17 comprising a tamper-proof seal/member over said slidable flap member adapted to be removed/destroyed only during first use of the contents of the container. 19. A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 18 obtained of varied shapes and sizes and materials depending upon the contents and purpose. 20. A closure system as claimed in anyone of claims 8 to 19 wherein it is made compatible with the container. 21.A container/closure system substantially as hereindescribed and illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures. Dated this 17th day of December 2003 Hindustan Lever Limited.

Documents:

1140-mum-2002-(provisional specification).pdf

1140-mum-2002-cancelled pages(12-01-2005).pdf

1140-mum-2002-claims(granted)-(12-01-2005).doc

1140-mum-2002-claims(granted)-(12-01-2005).pdf

1140-mum-2002-claims.doc

1140-mum-2002-claims.pdf

1140-mum-2002-correspondence 1(25-07-2007).pdf

1140-mum-2002-correspondence 2(17-12-2003).pdf

1140-MUM-2002-CORRESPONDENCE(8-2-2012).pdf

1140-mum-2002-correspondence(ipo)-(27-12-2004).pdf

1140-mum-2002-correspondence(ipo).pdf

1140-mum-2002-correspondence.pdf

1140-mum-2002-description(granted).doc

1140-mum-2002-description(granted).pdf

1140-mum-2002-dispenser.pdf

1140-mum-2002-drawing.pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 1(20-12-2002).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 1.pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 19(17-12-2003).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 19.pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 2(granted)-(12-01-2005).doc

1140-mum-2002-form 2(granted)-(12-01-2005).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 2(granted).doc

1140-mum-2002-form 2(granted).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 2(title page).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 3(17-12-2003).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 3(20-12-2002).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 3.pdf

1140-mum-2002-form 5(17-12-2003).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form pct-isa-210(20-12-2002).pdf

1140-mum-2002-form-pct-isa-210.pdf

1140-mum-2002-form-pct-isa-237).pdf

1140-mum-2002-power of attorney(05-03-2003).pdf

1140-mum-2002-power of attorney.pdf

1140-mum-2002-u.s patents.pdf

abstract1.jpg