Personal Care Package

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation of the assembled personal care package hereof in a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the individual container bottles comprising the personal care package hereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of an individual container bottle when capped;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation similar to FIG. 4 of a bottle container hereof when uncapped;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of assembled bottles juxtaposed in the package hereof as seen substantially from the position 6--6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective elevation of the assembled personal care package hereof in an alternative embodiment.

In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may have been exaggerated for purposes of clarity.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings, the assembled package hereof in the first embodiment hereof is designated by the reference numeral 10 and, as best seen in FIG. 1, appears as an elongated rectangular unit of squared cross-section. Comprising package 10 are four individual and separable bottle-like shaped containers 12, 14, 16 and 18 adapted to be removably retained nested in the assembled relation shown in FIG. 1 surrounding a narrow elongated bottle-like container 20.

Each of the exterior bottles are geometrically and dimensionally identical and, when totalling four in number as in the preferred embodiment, they potentially each occupy a quadrant of the squared section comprising the assembly. For that purpose, each of the individual bottles are constructed trapezoidally as a triangular truncated wedge extending from a base 22 representing an exterior face of the assembly of FIG. 1. The interior distal face 24 extends substantially parallel to face 22 and the two faces are oppositely joined by the opposite triangular side faces 26 and 28.

For dispensing the personal care commodity from any of the bottles, each bottle includes a pour neck 30 having a helical groove 32 about its exterior for receipt and retention of an interfitting removable cap 34. Depending on the type of commodity wet or dry within each of the bottles, an appropriate pour orifice (not shown) may be inserted in or over the opening of neck 30. Each cap, for aesthetic continuity, is formed in section and in dimensional correspondence with the truncated wedge of the bottle on which it is to be supported. Depending centrally downwardly from the underside of the cap 34 is a sleeve enclosure 36 containing a cooperable interfit (not shown) with neck groove 32 to enable opening and closing the bottle when desired. By selective positioning of groove 32, rotating cap 34 on neck 30 to the closed position effects surface registration and continuity between the corresponding exterior bottle and cap surfaces thereat. Being that the wedge shaped caps respectively interlock against rotation when in their assembled nested relation, they are precluded from rotation and thereby prevent leakage when nested for travel.

Narrow bottle or tube container 20, adapted to be centrally surrounded by the bottle containers, is of a polygonal periphery having a number of like sides 38 complementing the number and angle of end faces 24 to be confronted. Like the exterior bottles, tube 20 includes a removable cap 40 so as to expose an internal compartment (not shown) in which a toothbrush or other suitable type personal item or commodity can be readily inserted and removed when needed.

In order to assemble and disassemble individual bottles from the package of FIG. 1 for gaining access to the personal care commodity therein, there is provided longitudinally extending along each side face 26 and 28 a length of strip fastener 42. Such strip fasteners may, for example, be of the hook and loop fabric of the type marketed under the trademark Velcro, and are centrally positioned vertically along the side faces whereby strip 42 on a face 26 of one bottle complements and attaches to the strip 42 on a side face 28 of the adjacent bottle to be assembled thereto. In this manner all four bottles can be individually assembled to each other by the mere placement thereof in juxtaposition, enabling the complementary strips 42 to retain them in that juxtaposed relation until they are separated.

The individual exterior bottles along with their respective caps and tube 20 are preferably formed of a polymeric plastic composition whereby they can be readily molded inexpensively to the desired shape and to any selected color. They preferably are similarly sized for a selected volume content depending on the weight and quantities of the individual personal care items to be packaged. The commodity items likely to be contained in the various bottles can be powders such as talc or soap or liquids such as perfume, shampoo, mouthwash, hair bleach, creams, lotions, etc. The preferred quantities can reasonably be greater for a three week trip than for a three day trip, and consequently the bottles can be functionally sized and merchandised to suit.

For the alternative assembled package of FIG. 7, the same individual containers 12, 14, 16 and 18 are assembled alternately staggered in an interfitting relation. This results in the unit being substantially flat as defined by the parallel planes 46 and 48 of the opposite base surfaces 22. Obviously, the arrangements of either FIGS. 1 or 7 can be selected and interchanged at will by the possessor thereof.

By the above description there is disclosed a novel personal care package by which several personal care items can readily accompany the traveler. By virtue of the configuration and construction of the individual bottles defining the package when assembled, each bottle can be readily removed and restored to the assembly on an as-needed basis with only a minimum of effort. Once assembled, the collectiveness of the bottles represents a unitary structure that is compact in all respects affording a maximum of convenience for luggage packing or hand carrying as desired. The virtues thereof should be instantly appreciated in providing a significant advance in packaging of personal care items for travelers.

Since many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the drawings and specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.