Apparatus for use with multiple coupleable accessories
An apparatus including a body, such as a bottle, that has an inner chamber or receptacle. The apparatus includes an accessory that is removably coupleable to the body. In one embodiment, the accessory can be a cap. In another embodiment, the accessory can be a dispensing mechanism. In yet another embodiment, the accessory can be a refill cartridge.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a body defining a chamber, the body including a neck portion having a collar with an outer surface, the outer surface of the neck portion including a plurality of engagement members thereon, the plurality of engagement members includes a first engagement member, the first engagement member is a first ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface of the collar, the first ramp includes a first ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface of the neck portion, the first ramp surface extends to an upper planar end of the first ramp, and the upper planar end extends to a vertical surface that is on an opposite end of the first engagement member from the first ramp surface; and
an accessory removably coupleable to the body, the accessory is rotatable on the neck portion in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the accessory includes a coupling portion with a coupling structure that engages with at least one of the plurality of engagement members on the neck portion of the body to couple the accessory to the body, and the first ramp guides the accessory onto the neck portion of the body for mounting thereto, and also assists with removal of the accessory from the neck portion, and wherein the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface which guides the accessory onto the neck portion when the accessory rotates in the first direction, and the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface which directs the accessory off the neck portion when the accessory rotates in the second direction.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of engagement members also includes a second engagement member spaced apart from the first engagement member, and the second engagement member is a second ramp having a second ramp surface.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first ramp has a first height, the second ramp has a second height, and the second height is different from the first height.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of engagement members also includes a second engagement member and a third engagement member, each of the second engagement member and the third engagement member being spaced apart from each other and from the first engagement member, the second engagement member is a second ramp, and the third engagement member is a third ramp.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first ramp has a first height, the second ramp has a second height, and the third ramp has a third height, and each of the first height, the second height, and the third height is different from the other ones of the first height, the second height, and the third height.
6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the neck portion has a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the second ramp has a second ramp surface, and the third ramp has a third ramp surface, and each of the first ramp surface, the second ramp surface, and the third ramp surface is oriented in the same direction about the longitudinal axis.
7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the coupling structure is a first coupling structure, the accessory includes a second coupling structure and a third coupling structure, and each of the first coupling structure, the second coupling structure, and the third coupling structure engages one of the first ramp, the second ramp, and the third ramp when the accessory is engaged with the neck portion.
8 . An apparatus, comprising:
a body defining a chamber, the body including a neck portion having a collar with an outer surface and a longitudinal axis, the outer surface of the neck portion including a plurality of engagement members thereon, the plurality of engagement members includes a first engagement member and a second engagement member separate from and spaced apart from the first engagement member about the longitudinal axis, the first engagement member is a first ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface, the first ramp includes a first ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface, the second engagement member is a second ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface, the second ramp includes a second ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface, the first ramp surface and the second ramp surface being oriented and inclined in the same direction as each other, a height of the second ramp surface being different from a height of the first ramp surface; and
an accessory removably coupleable to the body, the accessory includes a coupling portion with a first coupling structure and a second coupling structure spaced apart from the first coupling structure,
wherein when the accessory is engaged with the neck portion, the accessory can be rotated in a first direction relative to the neck portion and in a second direction relative to the neck portion, the second direction being opposite to the first direction, the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure slide along the first engagement member and the second engagement member, respectively, when the accessory is rotated in the first direction, and the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure slide along the first engagement member and the second engagement member, respectively, when the accessory is rotated in the second direction.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first engagement member and the second engagement member guide the accessory onto the neck portion when the accessory is rotated in the first direction, and the first engagement member and the second engagement member direct the accessory off the neck portion when the accessory is rotated in the second direction.
10 . An apparatus for dispensing a product, the apparatus comprising:
a body defining a chamber, the body including a neck portion having a collar with an outer surface, the outer surface of the neck portion including a plurality of engagement members thereon, the plurality of engagement members includes a first engagement member, the first engagement member is a first ramp that extends outwardly from the outer surface of the collar, the first ramp includes a first ramp surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the outer surface of the neck portion, the first ramp surface extends to an upper planar end of the first ramp, and the upper planar end extends to a vertical surface that is on an opposite end of the first engagement member from the first ramp surface, the first ramp surface having a first height that is less than a height of the collar; and
a dispensing mechanism removably coupleable to the body, wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a coupling portion with a coupling structure that engages with at least one of the plurality of engagement members on the neck portion of the body to couple the dispensing mechanism to the body, and the first ramp surface guides the dispensing mechanism onto the neck portion of the body for mounting thereto as the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface, and also assists with removal of the dispensing mechanism from the neck portion as the coupling structure slides along the first ramp surface.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of engagement members includes a second engagement member and a third engagement member, the second engagement member is a second ramp having a second ramp surface, the third engagement member is a third ramp having a third ramp surface, and the dispensing mechanism includes a second contact member and a third contact member.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second ramp has a second height, and the third ramp has a third height, and each of the first height, the second height, and the third height is different from the other ones of the first height, the second height, and the third height.
13 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first ramp surface and the second ramp surface are oriented and inclined in the same direction as each other.
14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first ramp surface and the second ramp surface are oriented and inclined in the same direction as each other.
15 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the coupling portion includes a first projection located at an upper end of the second ramp, the first projection has a first lower surface, a first planar portion with a constant thickness, and a first angled portion having a first tapered profile from a first thinner end proximate to the first planar portion to a first thicker end proximate to the first lower surface.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the coupling portion includes a second projection proximate to and spaced apart from the first projection, the second projection has a second lower surface, a second planar portion with a constant thickness, and a second angled portion having a second tapered profile from a second thinner end proximate to the second planar portion to a second thicker end proximate to the second lower surface.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the collar has a longitudinal axis, and the first projection and the second projection prevent the accessory in a locked position on the neck portion from being pulled directly off the neck portion along the longitudinal axis.
18 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the coupling portion includes a third coupling structure, the plurality of engagement members includes a third engagement member that is a third ramp having a third ramp surface, and the third coupling structure engages the third engagement member.