Dispensing personal care products

Abstract

Contoured bags are provided for use in pressurized dispensing containers, e.g., for personal care products such as shaving preparations.

1 . A dispensing system comprising 
 a pressurized canister having top defining an opening, a bottom, and a generally cylindrical side wall,    a flexible bag, disposed within the canister, containing a component to be dispensed from the dispensing system,    a valve assembly, in fluid communication with the bag, sealing the opening of the canister and including a valve defining an outlet through which the component can exit the dispensing system, and    an actuator, configured to open the valve in response to actuation by a user,    wherein the bag includes an upper portion and a tapered lower portion, the lower portion having a sidewall that tapers away from the side wall of the canister as the bag approaches the bottom of the canister.    
     
     
         2 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the upper portion includes a generally straight, cylindrical side wall.  
     
     
         3 . The dispensing system of  claim 2  further comprising a transition area between the upper portion and the lower portion.  
     
     
         4 . The dispensing system of  claim 3  wherein the transition area has a radius of curvature R 1  of about 20 mm to about 200 mm.  
     
     
         5 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the bag contours smoothly from the upper portion to the lower portion.  
     
     
         6 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the lower portion terminates in a base portion.  
     
     
         7 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the width W of the base portion is within about +5 mm of the diameter of the canister opening.  
     
     
         8 . The dispensing system of  claim 7  wherein the radius of curvature R 2  of the base portion is from about 10 mm to about half of width W (W/2).  
     
     
         9 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the bag includes a shoulder, and the shoulder is shaped to closely conform to the top of the canister.  
     
     
         10 . The dispensing system of  claim 9  wherein at any point along the shoulder of the bag, the radius of curvature of the bag is within about +20% of the radius of curvature of the canister at the same point.  
     
     
         11 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the bag includes a threaded neck.  
     
     
         12 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  further comprising an inner bag, disposed within the bag.  
     
     
         13 . The dispensing system of  claim 12  wherein the inner bag includes a lower portion contoured to match the contour of the lower portion of the bag.  
     
     
         14 . The dispensing system of  claim 12  wherein both the lower and upper portions of the inner and outer bags are contoured, so that the bags are generally diamond-shaped in cross-section.  
     
     
         15 . A dispensing system comprising 
 a pressurized canister having top defining an opening, a bottom, and a generally cylindrical side wall,    an outer bag, disposed within the canister, containing a first component to be dispensed from the dispensing system,    an inner bag, disposed within the outer bag, containing a second component to be dispensed,    a valve assembly, in fluid communication with the inner and outer bags, sealing the opening of the canister and including a valve defining outlets through which the components can exit the dispensing system, and    an actuator, configured to open the valve in response to actuation by a user,    wherein the inner and outer bags each include an upper portion and a tapered lower portion, the lower portion having a sidewall that tapers away from the side wall of the canister as the bag approaches the bottom of the canister.    
     
     
         16 . The dispensing system of  claim 15  wherein the valve assembly comprises a single, unitary valve stem.  
     
     
         17 . The dispensing system of  claim 16  wherein the valve stem comprises a female valve stem.  
     
     
         18 . The dispensing system of  claim 15  wherein the inner bag includes a tapered upper portion, having a sidewall that tapers toward the side wall of the canister as the bag approaches the top of the canister.  
     
     
         19 . The dispensing system of  claim 15  wherein the inner bag includes a threaded neck.  
     
     
         20 . The dispensing system of  claim 15  wherein the outer bag includes an upper edge that is crimped onto a rim of the canister.