Medicament or cosmetic applicator package

Dec. 16, 1952

S. VAN BOYTHAM

2,621,784

MEDICAMENT OR COSMETIC APPLICATOR PACKAGE

Filed Dec. 6, 1948

SHEETS—SHEET 1

<img file="US2621784A_D0001.tif" />

<img file="US2621784A_D0002.tif" />

Dec. 16, 1952 s. van boytham 2,621,784

MEDICAMENT OR COSMETIC APPLICATOR PACKAGE

Filed Dec. 6, 1948 ² SHEETS—SHEET 2

<img file="US2621784A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US2621784A_D0004.tif" />

//VlZxf/VTUZe &lt;5TEAM?S'/ V7?/A βΟΥΤΉΕΜ V77-7O/e/v^YV5 mww, /c/£Ctf, /vstz# $

<img file="US2621784A_D0005.tif" />

Patented Dec. 16, 1952

2,621,784

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,621,784

MEDICAMENT OR COSMETIC APPLICATOR PACKAGE

Stephan van Boytham, Hollywood, Calif., assignor of ten per cent to Annette Caldwell, Hollywood, Calif., and twenty per cent jointly to Hans Klehmet and Virginia Klehmet, both of Malibu, Calif.

Application December 6, 1948, Serial No. 63,708

Claims.

This invention relates generally to packages and particularly to an improved package for containing medicaments, cosmetic materials, polishes, and other substances and for applying such substances.

Certain medicaments, such as skin-treating lotions, salves and liquids are commonly applied to the skin through the use of a wad or pad of absorbent material which is first saturated with the medicament by pouring the latter onto the applicator pad from a bottle, jar or other container. As is well known, such a procedure is subject to several disadvantages, one of which is that the liquid is quite apt to spill onto the floor or onto the apparel of the user of the medicament and, in addition, often stains the hands of the user. A major disadvantage resides in the fact that the applicator pad and the mouth of the bottle may not be sterile and, for this reason, the affected areas of the skin to which the medicament is applied may become contaminated and infection of these areas may ensue. When a liquid cleaning or polishing agent is to be applied to a surface, the liquid is poured onto a cloth or pad and is subject to spilling and, in some cases, may stain or injure the hands of the user. In the case of powder or liquid cosmetic materials, the supply of material is usually stored in a vanity case or other container and dispensed therefrom onto a pad or puff as needed and this often results in loss of some of the material. In all the cases referred to above, it is necessary that the substance to be applied be contained in a bottle, jar or case and dispensed onto an applicator pad or cloth as required, and for this reason the container must be carried on the person so as to be readily available when needed. Moreover, when containers holding certain substances are opened, the substances are apt to deteriorate or lose their potency.

In an effort to alleviate the difficulties discussed above, it has been proposed to provide a package in which an applicator pad or bandage, to which a medicament has been added, is enclosed in an envelope. In such packages, the envelope is usually made from paper which is torn and removed to gain access to the pad or bandage, the latter then being applied to the skin. It is thus seen that due to the fact that the pad is applied to the skin by the fingers of the user’s hand, the once sterile surface of the pad may be touched by and rendered unsterile by the Angers so that infection of the area to be treated by the medicament may result. In prior applicator packages of which I am aware, the medicament is applied to the applicator pad in a liquid state (Cl. 206—46) and allowed to dry thereon before or while the pad is enclosed in an envelope so that there is no danger of leakage of the liquid from the package. However, in treating certain skin disorders, forti5 fying the skin against the sun’s rays, etc., liquid medicaments and lotions must be used and no satisfactory means have been heretofore proposed for packaging discardable applicator wads or pads containing a liquid treating agent. The 10 present invention is directed to a package in which an absorbent or adsorbent applicator pad is enclosed in or forms the inner surface or lamination of a leakproof envelope.

One object of my invention is to provide an 15 applicator package which embodies a pad of saturable material disposed within an inside surface of an envelope or other relatively Aat container, the container being made from material which is impervious to liquid medicaments and 20 other substances and being hermetically sealed so as to prevent contamination of the saturated pad therein and leaking of the liquid from the package. In another embodiment, the pad may be formed as a saturable inner lamina of the 25 envelope and containing the substance to be applied.

Another object is to provide an applicator package of the character referred to in which the envelope consists of a sheet of liquid impervious, fusible material folded upon itself with its con³⁰ tiguous edges sealed, preferably by applying heat and pressure thereto, the envelope being readily opened by unsealing one edge and thereafter unfolding the envelope by applying a force in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of ³⁵ the envelope so as to effect a “peeling” action tending to unseal and separate the sides of the envelope, to unfold the envelope and expose the saturated pad.

Another object is to provide an applicator ⁴⁰ package of the type indicated in which the applicator pad or sheet is affixed to the inner surface of at least one of the folded sides of the envelope so that when the envelope is unfolded, the pad is exposed and can be applied against ⁴⁵ the skin of the user by holding the opened envelope ffat in the palm of the hand so that the pad, which may be sterile when disposed within the folded envelope, remains untouched and uncontaminated by the hands. A related object is ⁵⁰ to provide a package of the type referred to in which the applicator pad or sheet is affixed to both of the folded sides of the envelope and folded therebetween so that unfolding of the envelope causes unfolding of the applicator sheet. ⁵⁵ Another object is to provide a package in which

2,621,784 cakes, pills or other substantially solid bodies of various substances can be held and applied to use when the package is opened.

Another object is to provide an applicator package in which the envelope is provided at one side with a pocket for receiving fingers of the user so that the package can be held during the unfolding thereof and the package opened onto the fingers or onto the fingers and the palm of the hand, depending upon the size of the package, the exposed pad then being in position to be patted or wiped against the skin of the user and untouched by either hand during the opening of the package. Another object in this respect is to provide an enclosure or envelope which consists of a single sheet of the liquid impervious material, the sheet being folded in one direction to provide the envelope, and one end being folded in the reverse direction to provide the finger pocket, the several contiguous edges being sealed to complete the package.

Another object is to provide a package which has an inner surface or lamina capable of absorbing various liquids and retaining semi-liquids, such as oils, creams and lotions, and serving as an applicator pad for applying the substance.

Another object is to provide an applicator package, of the character referred to, which is extremely simple in construction, and one which is especially adapted for economical manufacture by mass production methods so that the applicator packages can be sold at a very low retail price and discarded following use.

Another object is to provide an applicator package which is susceptible of various modifications, both as regards the shape of the package and its enclosed pad or applicator sheet and the material from which the envelope and the pad are made, it being obvious that these characteristics of the package depend largely upon the particular use to which the applicator pad is to be put and the substance to be applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of producing the applicator package, the method consisting of a minimum number of simple steps which can be carried out either manually or in machines designed for the purpose.

Further objects will appear from the following specification and from the drawings, which are intended for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an applicator package made in accordance with the present invention, the package being shown in open or extended position and supported on the palm of the user’s hand, as when the applicator pad is applied to use;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved applicator package as viewed from one side thereof;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the opposite side of the package;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 4—4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 5—5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which the package is unfolded;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of an applicator package of modified shape; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing another modification.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to S of the drawings in detail, my improved applicator package comprises a relatively flat container or enevelope which encloses an applicator pad or sheet 11. The envelope i 0, in its simplest form, may consist of a rectangular sheet of material which is folded or doubled back upon itself to provide opposite sides 12 and 13, the contiguous edges of the sides being suitably bonded together, as indicated at 14, 15 and 16, to form a completely closed, leakproof envelope. The envelope 18 can be made from various flexible materials such as transparent or opaque plastics, paper, fiber, etc., depending upon the nature of the substance to be applied. In the case of liquid medicaments, lotions, cleaning or polishing agents of liquid or semi-liquid nature, I have found that plastic materials, such as polyethylene, vinyl, or rubber hydrochloride are especially suitable since they are transparent, flexible, light in weight, strong and durable, and impervious to liquids, besides being hygienic and sanitary. Such materials are preferably of a heat-sealing nature so that by applying heat and pressure to the contiguous edges, as indicated by the multiple short line areas 14, 15 and IS, the material can be melted and fused together to provide a positive leak-proof seal which prevents escape of liquid from the envelope along the edge portions thereof. When non-fusible materials, such as paper, are employed, their contiguous edges may be bonded together by means of any suitable adhesive.

In cutting the material from which the envelope 10 is formed, an extension Π is provided at the end of the side 13, this extension providing a flap which can be readily gripped between the thumb and forefinger of the person using the applicator and drawn toward the body of the envelope to break the seal line 15, whereupon the sides 12 and 13 of the envelope can be separated to permit unfolding of the envelope by drawing the flap 17 toward the fold line 18 of the envelope with a “peeling” action (Fig. 6), the seal lines 14 and 16 at the contiguous edges of the envelope being broken by this movement to allow complete opening of the envelope. When the shape of the envelope is generally rectangular, the peeling of the side 13 from the side 12 is aided by grasping the flap 17 adjacent an end thereof and pulling the side 13 in a diagonal direction, such an angular pull facilitating separation of the edge portions along the seal lines 14, 15 and 16.

The applicator pad 11 may take various forms and be made from any suitable absorbent or adsorbent material. I have found that a relatively inexpensive material such as flannelette is especially suitable for the purpose since it is highly absorbent, light in weight and less bulky than other materials, besides being capable of mass production by a die cutting step. When a package of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is desired, the flannelette is cut to substantially rectangular shape and of a size which is slightly smaller than the dimensions of the envelope when the latter is in the open position illustrated in Fig. 1. By this provision, a border of the envelope material surrounds the pad or sheet 11, this border constituting those portions of the envelope which are to be bonded together to provide the seals 14, 15 and 16.

As an important feature of my invention, the sheet or pad 11 is suitably affixed to the inner surface of the envelope 10. This may be accomplished in many ways, for example, by cementing the pad to the envelope. When the envelope 10 is made from a fusible plastic material, the pad can be conveniently secured in place by merely applying heat and pressure to the envelope, pref

2,621,784 erably adjacent the edges of the pad. While the pad 11 may be of substantially one-half the length of the envelope, Fig. 1 illustrates it as of substantially the full length of the envelope so that maximum applicator area is provided. When a pad II of the shape and size as that shown in Fig. 1 is employed, the pad is adapted to be folded upon itself during the folding of the sides of the envelope, and to be opened out or extended automatically as the envelope is unfolded.

The applicator pad or sheet I I is adapted to contain various substances for application to the skin of a person or to miscellaneous objects. For example, the pad may contain cosmetic powder or other dry material or it may be saturated with a liquid or semi-liquid medicament, such as skin treating and fortifying agents. Typical examples of such agents are: cold cream, cleansing cream and other skin treating substances, sun tan lotion and various medicaments. In other instances, the pad may contain shoe polish, metal polish, eyeglass cleaner, or sundry liquid or semi-liquid substances which are ordinarily stored in bottles, jars, cans or other containers.

It is within the concept of this invention to make the envelope from a laminated material having its inner lamina of an absorbent substance capable of retaining liquids and semi-liquids and applying the same when the package is opened.

When the pad is to contain powder material, the latter may be sprinkled thereon prior to sealing the sides and end of the package. When the pad II is to be saturated with a liquid, however, the envelope and pad are first folded and the lateral edges of the envelope are sealed as indicated at 14 and J 6, after which the liquid is introduced into the partly sealed envelope through the open end thereof to saturate the pad. While the liquid can be inserted in various ways, I have found it preferable to inject it into the envelope in measured quantities by means of a tube or injection needle (not shown) which can be readily inserted into the envelope through the open end thereof.. By injecting the liquid in this manner, the possibility of spilling some of the liquid and wetting the contiguous sides of the opening is entirely avoided. After a predetermined amount of the liquid has been introduced into the envelope 10 and absorbed by the pad 11, the sides of the opening are sealed as indicated at 15 so as to completely enclose the saturated pad and positively seal the liquid within the envelope to prevent leakage thereof.

Applicator envelopes containing the saturated pads may be packed and sold in packages from which the purchaser can withdraw the envelopes as needed. Since the improved packages are thin and flexible and leak-proof, they can be conveniently carried on the person or in a handbag and used as needed. To apply the saturated pad 11 to use, the envelope 10 is opened in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6 so as to unfold and expose the pad. It is to be noted that since the envelope is opened by merely peeling a side thereof down toward the fold line 18, it is unnecessary to touch the pad with the fingers so that the pad, if originally sterile, is sterile when the package is first opened. Consequently, the improved applicator package is particularly suitable for applying medicaments to sores, cuts, burns and other affected areas of the body. Preferably, the affected area is treated by holding the open , package in the palm of the hand as shown in Fig. 1 and patting or wiping the area with the pad to cause the medicament to be deposited thereon. After the pad II has served its useful purpose, the entire package 10, 11 may be discarded.

It is an important object to provide means for facilitating the opening of the envelope and for retaining the same on the hand of the user. This means consists of a pocket 20 formed at the bottom or rear side of the envelope 10 and into which at least some of the fingers 2 i of the user’s hand 22 can be inserted as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The pocket 20 can be formed by securing three edges of a rectangular piece of the plastic material to the back or under side of the envelope but I prefer to form the pocket by means of an extension 23 of the material from which the envelope is made, the extension 23 forming a continuation of the side 12 of the envelope and being folded along a transverse line 24. By this construction, a single strip or sheet of the plastic material is folded to provide the end portion or upper side 13, the intermediate portion or lower side i2 and the opposite end portion or extension 23 and thus the cost of producing the package is maintained at a low figure. The lateral edges of the extension 23 and that portion which is disposed adjacent the fold line 24 are secured to the corresponding portions of the envelope proper by the sealing lines 14, IS and IS, it being noted that along the lateral edges of the envelope the three plies 12, 13 and 23 are fused together by heat and pressure.

When it is desired to use the applicator pad, fingers of the user are first inserted into the pocket 20 as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 whereafter the envelope 10 is opened by grasping the flap 17 and stripping the side 13 down toward the fold line 18 in the manner previously explained. During this movement, the package is retained on the fingers of the user and the applied stripping force is counteracted by a force exerted by the fingers. Since the package is retained by the fingers, the result of the stripping or peeling action is to cause the side 13 to lie flat against the palm of the hand so as to fully extend and prepare the pad 11 for application to the skin.

It has been stated that the applicator package may assume various shapes and sizes. In Fig. 7 there is illustrated a package which is triangular in form, the envelope 25 being made from a diamond-shaped piece of plastic or other flexible material and folded on a line extending transversely of the diamond. Preferably, one side 26 of the triangle is formed with an extended point which provides a tab 27 by means of which the two sides 26 and 28 can be readily unfolded by a stripping action, such a procedure breaking the seal, which is indicated at 29, to expose the pad 30. By this construction, a pulling force exerted on the flap or tab 27 is transmitted equally to the inclined seal lines 29 to separate the sides of the envelope with little effort on the part of the user.

While the packages shown in Figs. 1 to 7 are described as sealed by fusing the plastic material together, or through the use of a suitable cement or other bonding agent, it is within the concept of this invention to provide sealing means which is readily broken by a cutting string or strip indicated at 35 in Fig. 8. The string or strip 35 may be disposed just inwardly of the sealed edges 36 of the envelope 37 and provided with a loose end 38 which may be grasped between the thumb and forefinger and pulled to cut the plastic ma

2,621,784 terial whereby to open the envelope and permit unfolding of its sides. In other respects, the envelope 37 is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6.

While the improved applicator package is herein disclosed as embodied, in one preferred form and various alternatives, it is- apparent that it is susceptible of other modifications within the scope of the appended claims.