Cover with tactile discontinuity

Abstract

Examples include a consumer product comprising a detergent product and a container comprising a box, a cover and a lock to maintain the cover in a closed position. The lock comprises at least a first actuator moveable from a locking position to an opening position by applying an actuation pressure onto the first actuator when the cover is in the closed position. The cover comprises a first tactile discontinuity, the first tactile discontinuity facing the first actuator, the first tactile discontinuity permitting displacing the first actuator from the locking position to the opening position by applying the actuation pressure at the first tactile discontinuity when the cover is in the closed position, whereby the cover further comprise a second tactile discontinuity, the second tactile discontinuity directly facing the second specific portion of sidewalls when the cover is in the closed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A consumer product comprising a detergent product and a container, the container comprising a box, a cover for the box, and a lock to maintain the cover in a closed position, the box comprising the detergent product, the box comprising a base, sidewalls and an opening, the cover comprising a top and flanks, the cover covering the opening and the cover covering at least a first and a second specific portion of sidewalls of the box when the cover is in the closed position, the lock comprising at least a first actuator moveable from a locking position to an opening position by applying an actuation pressure onto the first actuator when the cover is in the closed position, the first actuator being connected to the first specific portion, the cover comprising a first tactile discontinuity, the first tactile discontinuity facing the first actuator, the first tactile discontinuity permitting displacing the first actuator from the locking position to the opening position by applying the actuation pressure at the first tactile discontinuity when the cover is in the closed position, whereby the cover further comprise a second tactile discontinuity, the second tactile discontinuity directly facing the second specific portion of sidewalls when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         2 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening is either opposite the base or in one of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         3 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second tactile discontinuities are on a same specific flank of the cover. 
     
     
         4 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each tactile discontinuity spans less than about 8 cm 2  and more than about 0.2 cm 2 , each tactile discontinuity defining a centroid;   each centroid is separated from the top of the cover by less than about 5 cm and by more than about 0.5 cm;   each centroid is separated from a distal end of the specific flank by more than about 0.5 cm; and   the top of the cover spans less than about 13 cm and more than about 6 cm along a direction normal to the first specific portion at the centroid defined by the first tactile discontinuity.   
     
     
         5 . The consumer product according to  claim 4 , wherein the first and the second tactile discontinuities are on a same specific flank of the cover, and whereby the centroid of the first tactile discontinuity and the centroid of the second tactile discontinuity are separated by a separation distance along a direction parallel to the top of the cover, the separation distance being of more than about 1.5 cm and of less than about 10 cm. 
     
     
         6 . The consumer product according to  claim 4 , wherein the consumer product comprises a third tactile discontinuity, the third tactile discontinuity facing either the first actuator or a second actuator when the cover is in the closed position, the second actuator, if present, pertaining to a second lock, the second actuator, if present, being moveable from a locking position to an opening position by applying a further actuation pressure onto the second actuator when the cover is in the closed position, the second actuator, if present, being connected to a third specific portion of the sidewalls of the box, the third specific portion being covered by the cover when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The consumer product according to  claim 4 , wherein the third tactile discontinuity faces and whereby the second actuator is present, whereby:
 the first and second specific portions of sidewalls and the first actuator pertain to a same specific sidewall;   the third specific portion of sidewalls and the second actuator pertain to an opposite sidewall, the opposite side wall being opposite to the specific sidewall;   the third tactile discontinuity pertains to an opposite flank, the opposite flank being opposite to the specific flank.   
     
     
         8 . The consumer product according to  claim 4 , wherein the consumer product comprises a fourth tactile discontinuity. 
     
     
         9 . The consumer product according to  claim 8 , wherein the third and the fourth tactile discontinuities are both on the opposite flank, and whereby the centroid of the third tactile discontinuity and the centroid of the fourth tactile discontinuity are separated by a separation distance along a direction parallel to the top of the cover, the separation distance being of more than about 1.5 cm and of less than about 10 cm. 
     
     
         10 . The consumer product according to any of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second specific portions of sidewalls and the first actuator pertain to a same specific sidewall, whereby the third specific portion of sidewalls and the second actuator pertain to an opposite sidewall, the opposite side wall being opposite to the specific sidewall, whereby the fourth tactile discontinuity pertains to the opposite flank, whereby at least one of a centroid of the third tactile discontinuity and a centroid of the fourth tactile discontinuity is aligned either with the centroid of the first tactile discontinuity or with the centroid of the second tactile discontinuity along a direction normal to the third specific portion when the cover is in the closed position portion. 
     
     
         11 . The consumer product according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second specific portions of sidewalls and the first actuator pertain to a same specific sidewall, whereby the third specific portion of sidewalls and the second actuator pertain to an opposite sidewall, the opposite side wall being opposite to the specific sidewall, whereby the fourth tactile discontinuity pertains to the opposite flank, whereby at least one of a centroid of the third tactile discontinuity and of a centroid of the fourth tactile discontinuity is facing a region between the centroid of the first tactile discontinuity and the centroid of the second tactile discontinuity. 
     
     
         12 . The consumer product according  claim 8 , wherein the first and second specific portions of sidewalls and the first actuator pertain to a same specific sidewall, whereby the third specific portion of sidewalls and the second actuator pertain to an opposite sidewall, the opposite side wall being opposite to the specific sidewall, whereby the fourth tactile discontinuity pertains to the opposite flank, whereby a shortest distance between, at least one of a centroid of the third tactile discontinuity and of a centroid of the fourth tactile discontinuity along the flanks and top of the cover, is of less than 18 cm. 
     
     
         13 . The consumer product according to  claim 4 , wherein each centroid is separated from the top of the cover by more than about 1 cm and by less than about 3 cm. 
     
     
         14 . The consumer product according to  claim 8 , wherein the container comprises a first flap facing the first tactile discontinuity when the cover is in the closed position, and whereby the second actuator comprises a single flap facing both the third and fourth tactile discontinuities when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         15 . The consumer product according to  claim 8 , wherein the container comprises a first flap facing the first tactile discontinuity when the cover is in the closed position, a second flap facing the third tactile discontinuity when the cover is in the closed position, and a third flap facing the fourth tactile discontinuity when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein the centroid of the first tactile discontinuity is located in a central region of a flank of the cover along a horizontal direction parallel to the top of the cover. 
     
     
         17 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent product is in the form of unit dose detergent pouches. 
     
     
         18 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the specific portions comprise a visual indication visible through the corresponding tactile discontinuity or tactile discontinuities, when the cover is closed. 
     
     
         19 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein each tactile discontinuity is one of an aperture, a slit, a membrane or an embossed area. 
     
     
         20 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , whereby the cover is a lid or a sleeve. 
     
     
         21 . The consumer product according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more additional tactile discontinuities are provided in the cover such one or more additional tactile discontinuities being directly facing a corresponding specific portion of sidewalls when the cover is in the closed, at least one of the one or more tactile discontinuities being located on a flank of the cover opposite to another flank on which the second tactile discontinuity is located. 
     
     
         22 . A method to operate a locked consumer product, the consumer product being according to  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 unlocking the container by grabbing the cover with a first adult hand between a thumb of the first adult hand and one or more other fingers of the first adult hand, whereby the grabbing takes place across the top of the cover, whereby fingertips of the thumb and of the one or more other fingers are simultaneously placed on the first and on the second tactile discontinuity; and   opening the container by lifting, sliding or rotating the pinched cover away from the box to expose the opening.   
     
     
         23 . The method to operate a locked consumer product according to  claim 22 , the method comprising locking the container, the lock emitting a clicking sound upon locking. 
     
     
         24 . A method to manipulate a locked consumer product using a machine, the consumer product being according to  claim 22 , the machine comprising a gripping device, the method comprising gripping the consumer product by inserting the gripping device in the second tactile discontinuity, whereby the gripping device has a profile matching a profile of the second tactile discontinuity.