Product dispensers

Abstract

There is provided herein a dispenser (2) for a product in stick form. The dispenser (2) includes a product stick carrier (10), an outer sleeve (6) and a product concealing sleeve (8). The product stick carrier (10) includes a product stick support for supporting a product stick in use. The outer sleeve (6) is disposed outwardly of the product stick carrier (10). The product stick carrier (10) is fixed relative to the outer sleeve (6). The product concealing sleeve (8) is disposed inwardly of the outer sleeve (6) and is retractable from a first, fully extended position relative to the outer sleeve (6) for concealing a product stick supported by the product stick support in use in order to expose the product stick. The product concealing sleeve (8) and the outer sleeve (6) include inter-engaging flaps (110A-D) which cooperate with one another to prevent advancement of the product concealing sleeve (8) relative to the outer sleeve (6) beyond a set point so as to define the first, fully extended position. The outer sleeve (6), product concealing sleeve (8) and product stick carrier (10) are each formed of a paper-based or card-based material.

1 . A dispenser for a product in stick form comprising:
 a product stick carrier comprising a product stick support for supporting a product stick in use;   an outer sleeve disposed outwardly of the product stick carrier, wherein the product stick carrier is fixed relative to the outer sleeve; and   a product concealing sleeve disposed inwardly of the outer sleeve, the product concealing sleeve being retractable from a first, fully extended position relative to the outer sleeve for concealing a product stick supported by the product stick support in use in order to expose the product stick;   wherein the product concealing sleeve and the outer sleeve comprise inter-engaging flaps which cooperate with one another to prevent advancement of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve beyond a set point so as to define the first, fully extended position;   and wherein the outer sleeve, product concealing sleeve and product stick carrier are each formed of a paper-based or card-based material.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the product stick carrier has a proximal end and a distal end, the distal portion comprising the product stick support. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the product concealing sleeve is disposed outwardly of the product stick carrier between the product stick carrier and the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  any preceding claim  wherein the product stick carrier comprises a proximal end and a distal end connected by one or more sidewalls. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser as recited in  any preceding claim , wherein the product stick carrier comprises a plurality of sidewalls, and the product stick support comprises a cradle portion, wherein the cradle portion comprises:
 a first opposed pair of flaps, each one of the opposed flaps being attached, at a proximal end of the flap, to a distal end of a respective one of a first pair of opposed sidewalls of the product stick carrier along a foldline;   wherein each flap of the first opposed pair of flaps includes a proximal portion extending from the distal end of the product stick carrier sidewall with which it is associated along the interior surface thereof toward the proximal end of the product stick carrier sidewall, the proximal portion of the flap optionally being bonded to the interior surface of the product stick carrier sidewall;   each flap of the first opposed pair of flaps further comprising a distal portion connected along a foldline to the proximal portion of the flap, the distal portion of the flap extending across the interior of the product stick carrier from the product stick carrier sidewall to which the flap is attached along a foldline toward the opposed carrier sidewall;   wherein the distal portions of the opposed pair of flaps are bonded to each other in a surface-to-surface relationship to create a support for the product in stick form.   
     
     
         6 . The dispenser as recited in  any preceding claim , wherein the product concealing sleeve and outer sleeve, and optionally the product stick carrier, each comprise three or more sidewalls, such as four sidewalls. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 6  wherein the product stick carrier, product concealing sleeve and outer sleeve each have the same number of sidewalls; optionally wherein each of the product stick carrier, product concealing sleeve and outer sleeve has a square or rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser as recited in  any preceding claim , wherein the product concealing sleeve and outer sleeve, and optionally the product stick carrier, are each formed from a respective blank of sheet material, optionally a single piece blank of sheet material. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  any preceding claim  wherein the product stick carrier is bonded to a base of the outer sleeve to fix the product stick carrier relative to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  any preceding claim  wherein the product stick carrier has a length of at least 50% of a length of the outer sleeve, optionally of at least 75% of the length of the outer sleeve, and optionally greater than a length of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         11 . An assembly comprising a dispenser for a product in stick form and a product in stick form located therein;
 wherein the dispenser comprises;
 an outer sleeve disposed outwardly of the product stick, wherein the product stick is fixed relative to the outer sleeve; and 
 a product concealing sleeve disposed outwardly of the product stick between the product stick and the outer sleeve, the product concealing sleeve being retractable from a first, fully extended position relative to the outer sleeve for concealing the product stick in use in order to expose the product stick; 
 wherein the product concealing sleeve and the outer sleeve comprise inter-engaging flaps which cooperate with one another to prevent advancement of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve beyond a set point so as to define the first, fully extended position; 
 and wherein the outer sleeve and product concealing sleeve are each formed of a paper-based or card-based material. 
   
     
     
         12 . The assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the product concealing sleeve and outer sleeve each comprise three or more sidewalls, such as four sidewalls. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 11  or  claim 12  wherein the product concealing sleeve has the same number of sidewalls as the outer sleeve; optionally wherein each of the product concealing sleeve and outer sleeve has a square or rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly as recited in any one of  claims 11 to 13 , wherein the product concealing sleeve and outer sleeve are each formed from a respective blank of sheet material, optionally a single piece blank of sheet material. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser or assembly as recited in  any preceding claim , wherein the inter-engaging flaps of the product concealing sleeve and the outer sleeve comprise at least one pair of inter-engaging flaps, each pair of inter-engaging flaps comprising a locking flap at the distal end of the outer sleeve and an engagement flap at the proximal end of the product concealing sleeve, wherein:
 the locking flap is folded inwardly at the distal end of the outer sleeve so as to extend along the interior surface of the outer sleeve toward the proximal end of the outer sleeve; and   the engagement flap is folded outwardly at the proximal end of the product concealing sleeve so as to extend along the exterior surface of the product concealing sleeve toward the distal end of the concealing sleeve.   
     
     
         16 . The dispenser or assembly as recited in  claim 15 , wherein, in each pair of inter-engaging flaps, an end edge of the locking flap is configured to engage an end edge of the engagement flap to prevent further movement of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve in a direction from the proximal end toward the distal end of the outer sleeve to define the first, fully extended position of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser or assembly as recited in  claim 15  or  claim 16 , wherein the engagement flap is bonded to the exterior surface of the product concealing sleeve and/or wherein the locking flap is bonded to the interior surface of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser or assembly as recited in  any preceding claim , wherein the outer sleeve comprises one or more stopper flaps at the proximal end of the outer sleeve, each stopper flap being folded inwardly so as to extend along the interior surface of the outer sleeve from the proximal end of the outer sleeve toward the distal end of the outer sleeve, wherein each stopper flap is configured to engage a proximal end of the product concealing sleeve to prevent further movement of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve beyond a second set point in a direction from the distal end toward the proximal end of the outer sleeve so as to define a second, fully retracted position of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser or assembly as recited in  claim 18  as dependent directly or indirectly upon  claim 15 , wherein each engagement flap is connected along a foldline to a proximal end of a sidewall of the product concealing sleeve, and wherein the stopper flap engages the foldline at the proximal end of the product concealing sleeve connecting a respective one of said one or more engagement flaps to the sidewall. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser or assembly as recited in  any preceding claim , wherein the product stick carrier, outer sleeve and, where provided, product concealing sleeve together define a base part of the dispenser, wherein the dispenser further comprises a removable cap for closing an open end of the base part. 
     
     
         21 . The dispenser or assembly of  claim 20 , wherein a proximal end of the removable cap is configured to abut a distal end of the outer sleeve when located over the base part with the product concealing sleeve is in the first, fully extended position. 
     
     
         22 . The dispenser or assembly of  any preceding claim , wherein:
 the dispenser has a width of less than 30 cm, or less than 20 cm, such as less than 10 cm or less than 5 cm, or less than 3 cm, or less than 2 cm, and/or the dispenser has a length with the product concealing sleeve in the first, fully extended position, of less than 50 cm, or less than 30 cm or less than 20 cm, or less than 15 cm.   
     
     
         23 . An assembly comprising the dispenser of any one of  claims 1-10 , or any one of  claims 15 to 22  as dependent directly or indirectly on any one of  claims 1-10 , further comprising a product in stick form supported by the product support. 
     
     
         24 . The dispenser or assembly of  any preceding claim , further comprising an outer packaging arranged to house the dispenser. 
     
     
         25 . The dispenser or assembly of  any preceding claim , wherein the product stick is a stick of personal care product, such as lipstick.