IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,509,283
Granted Patent B2
US 12,509,283 · App. 18/121,789 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Cap of a package suitable for storing personal health care products

Inventors: Kurt Franklin Trombley (Loveland, OH); Peter Leonard Middleton (Cincinnati, OH); Susan Eleanor Baillely (Cincinnati, OH)
Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
B65D51/245B65D47/088B65D51/249
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,509,283
App. No.
18/121,789
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cap of a package is suitable to store and present personal health care products. The cap of the package disclosed herein comprises an information for a receiver which corresponds to the personal health care product and which is recognizable with visual and tactile senses. The information is transferred by a product specific icon which protrudes from an external surface of the cap of the package.

Claims (39)

1 . A cap for a package suitable to contain a personal health care composition comprising at least one external surface, wherein the at least one external surface comprises a circumferential edge, a first protrusion located inside the circumferential edge, and a second protrusion protruding from the first protrusion, wherein a sum of a height of the first protrusion and of a height of the second protrusion is equal to or smaller than a height of the circumferential edge;

wherein a maximal height of the second protrusion is in a range of from about 0.4 mm to about 2.0 mm; and

wherein a shape of the second protrusion comprises an icon representing a product selected from dentifrice, toothpaste, and toothbrush, wherein the icon comprises information about the product which can be transferred to a human.

2 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein the height of the second protrusion is from about 0.4 mm to about 1.0 mm.

3 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein the height of the first protrusion is from about 2 mm to about 19.5 mm.

4 . The cap of claim 3 , wherein the height of the first protrusion is from about 2 mm to about 3.0 mm.

5 . The cap of claim 3 , wherein the height of the first protrusion is from about 8 mm to about 12 mm.

6 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein a size of the second protrusion is selected so that the icon is recognizable by tactile sense comprising a length in a range of from about 10 mm to about 25 mm.

7 . The cap of claim 6 , wherein the second protrusion comprises a length in a range of from about 14 mm to about 18 mm.

8 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein the second protrusion comprises a width in a range of from about 3 mm to about 15 mm.

9 . The cap of claim 8 , wherein the width of the second protrusion is in a range of from about 6 mm to about 7 mm.

10 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein a corner radius of an edge of a shape contour of the second protrusion is less than about 4 mm.

11 . The cap of claim 10 , wherein the corner radius of the edge of the shape contour of the second protrusion is less than about 0.4 mm.

12 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein the circumferential edge is leaned outwards comprising an inclination angle from about 1° to about 10° measured to vertical.

13 . The cap of claim 12 , wherein the inclination angle is from about 3° to about 5° measured to vertical.

14 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein the circumferential edge comprises a flat surface and a width in a range of from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.

15 . The cap of claim 14 , wherein the width is in the range of from about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm.

16 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein a base of the cap comprises a through-hole suitable to receive a nozzle of a package.

17 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein the cap is a folding cap comprising a folding part and a static part connected by a hinge and separated by a folding line.

18 . The cap of claim 17 , wherein the folding line is parallel or inclined to the external surface.

19 . The cap of claim 17 , wherein the folding part of the cap comprises at least the external surface, the first protrusion, and the second protrusion.

20 . The cap of claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a thermoplastic plastic material, comprising a polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylchloride polystyrene, polyvinylidene chloride, ethylene vinyl alcohol, polymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or a combination thereof.

21 . A package comprising a cap comprising at least one external surface, wherein the at least one external surface comprises a circumferential edge, a first protrusion located inside the circumferential edge, and a second protrusion protruding from the first protrusion,

wherein a sum of a height of the first protrusion and of a height of the second protrusion is equal to or smaller than a height of the circumferential edge; and

wherein a maximal height of the second protrusion is in a range of from about 0.4 mm to about 2.0 mm; and

wherein a shape of the second protrusion is recognizable by a human being and has a shape of an icon, and wherein the package is a tube.

22 . Package of claim 21 , wherein the package is able to stand on the cap.

23 . The package of claim 22 , wherein the package is able to stand on the circumferential edge alone, or on the circumferential edge and a surface of the second protrusion.

24 . The package of claim 21 , wherein the cap and the package are inseparably connected to each other.

25 . A method of transferring information to a human being comprising:

(i) filling a personal health care composition into a package;

(ii) identifying an icon representative for the personal health care composition contained in the package, wherein the icon does not include lettering;

(iii) providing a folding cap comprising:

(a) at least one external surface, wherein the at least one external surface comprises a circumferential edge, a first protrusion located inside the circumferential edge,

(b) a second protrusion protruding from the first protrusion, wherein a sum of a height of the first protrusion and of a height of the second protrusion is equal to or smaller than a height of the circumferential edge; and wherein a maximal height of the second protrusion is in a range of from about 0.4 mm to about 2.0 mm; and wherein a shape of the second protrusion is recognizable by a human being and is shaped as the icon identified in step (ii),

(c) a folding part, and

(d) a static part connected to the folding part by a hinge and separated by a folding line, wherein the folding part of the cap comprises at least the external surface, the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and;

(iv) combining the cap and the package; and

(iv) providing the package to the human being so that the icon is detectable by tactile senses.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2023
From: TROMBLEY, KURT FRANKLIN; MIDDLETON, PETER; BAILLELY, SUSAN ELEANOR
To: COMPANY, THE P&G, COMP
Reel/Frame 063028/0851 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 22162693 · Mar 17, 2022 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230294887A1 · Sep 21, 2023
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