Dispenser and methods

1. An apparatus ( 20 ) comprising:

a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material;

a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 , 132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ); and

a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a free pouring condition, a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition,

wherein:

in the free-pouring condition, flow ( 530 , 532 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior ( 23 ), through the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers and out the opening;

in the first dosing condition:

flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; and

in the second dosing condition:

flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the selector is mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between said first dosing condition, said second dosing condition, a closed condition; and

in the closed condition, flow is blocked from the bottle interior ( 23 ) into both the first and second chambers and is blocked from the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers out the opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the selector and chamber member combined to provide means for identifying each of the first dosing condition, second dosing condition, free-pouring condition, and closed condition.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the selector is mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between said free pouring condition, said first dosing condition, said second dosing condition, and a closed condition; and

in the closed condition, flow is blocked from the bottle interior ( 23 ) into both the first and second chambers and is blocked from the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers out the opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

a dose volume of the first chamber and of the second chamber is 15-75 ml.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

a dose volume of the first chamber and of the second chamber is 20-40 ml.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the chamber member ( 24 ) and selector ( 26 ) are each a single separate piece assembled to each other.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the bottle body is polyethylene; and

the chamber member and selector are polypropylene.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a flowable material within the bottle body.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the bottle body interior has a volume of 0.4-2.01.

11. A method for manufacturing the apparatus of claim 1 , the method comprising:

securing the chamber member to the bottle body; and

securing the selector to the chamber member.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the securing of the chamber member comprises locking to prevent rotation and extraction; and

the securing of the selector comprises snapping onto the chamber member to permit rotation between at least said first dosing condition and second dosing condition.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the chamber member is threaded onto a neck of the bottle body.

14. A method for using the apparatus of claim 1 comprising:

inclining the apparatus in the first dosing condition to pour ( 520 ) a first dose of material from the first chamber and introduce ( 522 ) a second dose of the material to the second chamber;

rotating the selector to the second dosing condition to isolate, relative to the bottle interior, the second chamber; and

inclining the apparatus in the second dosing condition to pour ( 524 ) the second dose of material from the second chamber and replenish ( 526 ) the first dose of the material in the first chamber.

15. A method for using an apparatus ( 20 ), the apparatus comprising:

a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material;

a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 , 132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ); and

a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition,

wherein:

in the first dosing condition:

flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; and

in the second dosing condition:

flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber,

the method comprising:

inclining the apparatus in the first dosing condition to pour ( 520 ) a first dose of material from the first chamber and introduce ( 522 ) a second dose of the material to the second chamber;

rotating the selector to the second dosing condition to isolate, relative to the bottle interior, the second chamber; and

inclining the bottle body in the second dosing condition to pour ( 524 ) the second dose of material from the second chamber and replenish ( 526 ) the first dose of the material in the first chamber.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

rotating the selector ( 26 ) to the free-pouring condition; and

in the free-pouring condition, inclining the bottle body to cause flow ( 530 , 532 ) from the bottle interior ( 23 ), through the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers in parallel, and out the opening.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the introducing ( 522 ) of the second dose comprises an overfilling;

a re-uprighting allows partial drainback from the second chamber to eliminate the overfilling of the second dose; and

the replenishing ( 526 ) of the first dose comprises an overfilling; and

a second re-uprighting causes partial drainback from the first chamber to eliminate the overfilling of the first dose.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

rotating the selector to a free-pouring condition; and

in the free-pouring condition, pouring material from the bottle body interior out of the apparatus.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

a re-uprighting after the pouring leaves both the first chamber and the second chamber containing doses of the flowable material.

20. An apparatus ( 20 ) comprising:

a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material;

a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 , 132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ); and

a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition,

wherein:

in the first dosing condition:

flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber;

in the second dosing condition:

flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber;

the chamber member is secured to the bottle body against rotation and extraction; and

the selector is secured to the chamber member via snap engagement permitting rotation between at least the first dosing condition and said second dosing condition.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein:

the selector is held for rotation via a cooperating rib and channel.

22. An apparatus ( 20 ) comprising:

a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material and having a neck ( 28 ) with an external thread ( 34 );

a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 , 132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ) and having:

an inner wall ( 50 );

an outer wall ( 52 ); and

an annular bottom wall ( 54 ) joining the inner wall and the outer wall, the inner wall bearing a feature ( 66 ) for engaging the external thread; and

a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition,

wherein:

in the first dosing condition:

flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; and

in the second dosing condition:

flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening;

flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening;

flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and

flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein:

the chamber member comprises vertical radial vanes ( 56 , 58 , 60 ) between the inner wall, outer wall, and bottom wall, to define the first chamber and the second chamber.

24. The dispenser of claim 23 wherein:

the chamber member is a single piece.