Dual receptacle symmetrical package for liquids

The present application relates to a package for containing liquid materials, in particular, a flexible dual receptacle package.

Currently liquids such as jams, honey, conserves, sauces and condiments of various kinds—including such products as tomato ketchup, mustards, mayonnaise, salad oils, chili sauce, jams, liquid chocolate, hazelnut, peanut jelly, and other such flavour additives, combinations and other like products are sold in individual, single-serve packages in the food service and hospitality trade. These packages are generally manufactured as a small pre-formed plastic or alumina cup, tub or tray, or vacuum formed plastic cup, tub or tray—usually round, rectangular or square in shape with almost vertical, conical shaped side walls, flat base and a soft peel-off closure forming a lid to enclose, cover and protect the contents. A small extension of the lid acts as a means of peeling the lid backwards to detach the lid from the main body of the package in use. A variation of this is also used, where a section tab of the tray body is centrally scored under the lid section to create a break point or weakened section score mark, such that when this score section is snapped the lid tab is easier to remove and contents revealed.

While larger bottles of such products are sold individually, the hospitality and catering trades commonly use individual, single serve packages as a means of presenting an individual food service portion and also avoiding human contact, cross contamination and wastage inherent in larger package forms.

Typically packages of this type can be thermo formed or pre-formed and filled or thermo formed and filled in one operation. They may be packed on machinery such as a Dosamat manufactured by Hermann Waldner (Germany); mini dose machines manufactured by Elton S.A from Spain, as well as using machines manufactured by other companies who may specialize in single serve packaging. The current invention can use the same type of equipment for filling the package, but with a dual filling operation for two separate liquid types.

The existing packages may be difficult for consumers to handle. A consumer may need to peel off the lid to open, and once opened the contents must be removed using a spoon or knife to dispense the contents of the package. This is usually a messy procedure.

An alternative package has also been developed for sauces with a dual chamber plastic package—with a flat base, and rectangular shape where the lid section has a purpose made weakened, raised, and positioned lengthwise score line midway between the two longer parallel sides. When the two chambers under the lid are squeezed together, the contents are dispensed via the weakened scored section through the lid. This package can only deliver the contents of the package if the two chambers are squeezed toward each other, and by no other method.

Again, such packages are messy to handle, and there is little control over the delivery of the contents, which tend to squirt out, and in some cases cause the contents to spill onto the user. There is little control over the dispensing of such contents, with the package-opening pointed away from the user so that it is not visible to the user when dispensing the product.

The current invention is designed to increase visible control over the direction of dispensing and the dispensed quantity of such liquids, and therefore overcome the deficiency of such existing packages.

Small volume packages are also used in the cosmetic and toiletries industry, where the most common form of package is a small bottle or vial. The bottles or vials may be glass, plastic, or soft plastic tubes of various kinds that have lid closures. Such packages may be used for a range of products including skin care products, cosmetics, hand and face creams, skin lotions, suntan screens, liquid soaps of various kinds and other such products, including samples and demonstration of various cosmetics.

There are shortcomings of such single-serve packages and small bottles for containing and dispensing a pre-determined amount of a liquid. The invention disclosed herein seeks to provide a controlled means of dispensing a liquid product via a defined, visible and apparent opening that becomes visible after the removal of closure system at one end of the package. The disclosed technology also provides alternative means of dispensing the product—by opening the closure and squeezing individual chambers together, separately, or in sequence.

With each chamber containing an accurate measured volume of liquid, it is possible to ensure a volume relationship between the two separate liquids held in each chamber of the package.

Further, the present invention enables two separate products to be dispensed from the one package for a single use, but for dual purposes.

The current technology may have application as a single use, dual purpose package as a sampling tester in the cosmetic industry—where small volume packages are useful to those people wanting to test a product prior to purchase, and useful to cosmetic companies as both a demonstration and test sampling device. It is also preferably of a size and shape that is suited to use as a purse pack that may be useful during travelling, particularly given restrictions on larger packages through airport security.

Further, the present invention enables the user to use the package as a means of controlled decoration of a surface—such as to create a decorative individual pattern of tomato sauce/mustard on a hot dog, bagel, sub or sandwich; to add a white and brown chocolate coating onto a cake; signature decorations on a coffee or cake; decorative salad oils onto salads; use as a face paint for children\'s parties and such other purposes as determined by the user.

In effect this enables the user to use the package as a form of writing or drawing instrument using the contained liquid to draw with and create a recognizable artistic pattern, signature or shape.

Further, the present invention has application in the home hobby, hardware and plumbing businesses for applications such as glues—including two part glues; epoxies; sealants; silicones; and paints of various kinds where a single serve package form is desired to minimize wastage or when two associated components are used to create the desired end product mix.

While the package has be designed as a dual chamber package for two separate types of liquid, it will be readily appreciated that the package can also be used for one type of liquid in both chambers of the package.

In another depiction of the package, a single orifice opening is also possible where the separation of the two liquids is not specifically required or desired.

In general, the package will be constructed from a thermo-formed or as pre-formed vacuum package, but equally it could be formed in a variety of soft plastics or laminates which might be clear, opaque, translucent or coloured for decorative or other reasons.

It is also possible that the package form could also be textured or sculpted and coloured to create a creative decorative effect and resemble the surface and visual colour of a fruit such as a lemon or strawberry or other such object.

As a single serve package holding two independent but related liquids, the invention eliminates the need for two separate packages and the additional packaging materials involved. It allows for savings in space, transport cost, environmental cost, and inherent costs associated with having two separate packages. The present technology has the potential to achieve significant cost savings in manufacture, distribution and beyond the sale to the point of disposal.