Multi-cavity container having offset indentures for dispensing fluids
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein are dual-cavity containers comprising, among other things, a divider wall having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a first cavity defined by a first wall coupled to the first surface of the divider wall, the first wall having an indenture shaped to conform to a thumb or finger; and a second cavity defined by a second wall and the second surface of the divider wall; the second wall having an indenture shaped to conform to a thumb or finger; and an opening mechanism.
1. A dual-cavity container comprising:
a divider wall having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the divider wall having a back edge and a front edge;
a first cavity defined by a first wall coupled to the first surface of the divider wall, the first cavity having a proximal end located at a first distance from the back edge of the divider wall and a distal end located at a second distance from the front edge of the divider wall,
the first wall having a first indenture shaped to conform to a thumb or finger, the first indenture in the first wall being adjacent to the proximal end of the first cavity, a first edge of the first indenture forming a first apex for the first cavity; and
a second cavity defined by a second wall and the second surface of the divider wall, the second cavity having a proximal end located at a third distance from the back edge of the divider wall, the third distance from the back of the edge of the divider wall being substantially the same as the first distance from the back edge of the divider wall, and a distal end located at a fourth distance from the front edge of the divider wall, the fourth distance from the front edge of the divider wall being shorter than the second distance from the front edge of the divider wall, such that the proximal ends of the two cavities are in alignment with each other while the distal ends of the two cavities are offset relative to each other;
the second wall having a second indenture shaped to conform to a thumb or finger, the second indenture in the second wall being adjacent to the proximal end of the second cavity, a second edge of the second indenture forming a second apex for the second cavity, and the second apex of the second cavity being offset relative to a position of the first apex of the first cavity such that the first apex of the first cavity is positioned closer to the front edge of the divider wall than the second apex of the second cavity; and
an opening mechanism positioned adjacent to the two distal ends of the two cavities.
2. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the divider wall has a thickness of about 10% to about 40% of either the first wall or the second wall.
3. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the divider wall has a thickness of about 30% to about 70% of either the first wall or the second wall.
4. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the divider wall has a thickness of about 40% to about 60% of either the first wall or the second wall.
5. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the divider wall is constructed from barrier films, flexible monolayer films, or laminate flexible films.
6. The dual-cavity container of claim 5 , wherein the divider wall comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, ethyl vinyl alcohol, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyamide, poly acrylonitrile, fluoropolymer, poly chlorotrifluoroethylene and aluminium foil.
7. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the first wall and/or the second wall are constructed from a rigid monolayer film or a laminate rigid film.
8. The dual-cavity container of claim 7 , the first wall and the second wall comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, crystalline polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, cycloolefin copolymers, poly acrylonitrile, fluoropolymer, and poly chlorotrifluoroethylene.
9. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the opening mechanism comprises a fracture line, a die cut, a perforation, or a combination thereof, at one end of the container.
10. The dual-cavity container of claim 9 , wherein the opening mechanism comprises a die cut.
11. The dual-cavity container of claim 9 , wherein the opening mechanism comprises two half-moon shaped die cuts adjacent to a fracture line.
12. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a tip whereby the tip can be twisted off along the opening mechanism to provide an opening to the container.
13. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the volumes of the first cavity and the second cavity are the same.
14. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the volume of the first cavity is smaller than the volume of the second cavity.
15. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cavities are formed by a thermoforming process.
16. The dual-cavity container of claim 15 , wherein the divider wall is constructed from a central ribbon and the first wall and second wall are constructed from an external ribbon.
17. The dual-cavity container of claim 1 , wherein the first wall, the divider wall, and the second wall are coupled along part of their perimeter to define the two cavities by bonding or welding them together.