Dispensing Systems: Developing Dispensers
Profiles for pumps, such as Valois of America's new Eclipse design, are getting even lower. Suppliers are driving new innovations.
By Marie Redding, Senior Editor
In both the fragrance and skincare markets, spray pump technology is continually evolving. Since the first low-profile pumps were introduced in the 1990s, dispensing systems have gradually become smaller—to the point of now being just barely visible. Other features, such as locking mechanisms that eliminate the need for an overcap, have become equally important. Refillable and airless concepts are also continuing to take dispensing systems to the next level. Read about some of the latest developments below.
New Ultra-Low-Profile Pumps
For fragrances, several different super-low-profile pumps have recently been launched to give package designers more versatility when designing a bottle. Emsar Inc. (Stratford, CT) is currently developing a new super-low-profile pump system. Plans are in the works for a launch at the Cosmoprof trade show in Bologna, Italy, this April.
Saint-Gobain Calmar (City of Industry, CA) first showed the press its new low-fitting, high-tech fragrance pump at the Health & Beauty America (HBA) trade show in New York City last September. It is called Melodie, and it sprays with a fine mist. It consists of an injection-molded part smaller than a quarter, which is what allows the engine of the pump to remain hidden and invisible from outside the bottle. "It disappears completely," says Gerard Perrin, vice president of sales and marketing for Saint-Gobain Calmar.
According to Perrin, one challenge was ensuring that the machinery used to create the pump was highly accurate in order to injection mold such an extremely small component. "The most difficult part is in the molding because tolerances are so tight," says Perrin. "This required a complete change in the technology of injection molding."
It took two years for Saint-Gobain Calmar's R&D team to develop the technology. The first fragrance to take advantage of this new extremely low-profile pump is set to launch this month.
Valois of America (Congers, NY) premiered its ultra-low-profile pump called Eclipse at the Luxe Pack Monaco show last October. Edward Quinn, Valois's national director of sales, perfumery and cosmetics, says, "We began supplying low-profile pumps in 1992 and created our V4 Compact pump five years ago. Our goal has been to continually hide the engine and to make the pump smaller in stacking height. The Eclipse now takes our VP line a step further. It is truly a great innovation."
Quinn explains that one challenge was miniaturizing the body of the pump while at the same time keeping the spray dosage at 100 µl. The pump's body is positioned partly in the bottle and partly outside the fixation point, and it is completely invisible from outside the bottle. "In a side-by-side comparison with the other ultra-low-profile pumps, the Eclipse is the lowest-profile pump to be offered to the market," says Quinn.
According to Quinn, another challenge was achieving the extremely low stacking height of 9.95 mm. "We changed the way the actuator is assembled," he says. "The spray mechanism works without using a classic insert." The pump's unique assembly is one of its seven patented features.
The Eclipse line is generating a tremendous amount of interest, according to Quinn. The first orders have already been placed. "We are proud to bring this contribution to the luxury market and to lead the category," he says.
Pfeiffer of America (Princeton, NJ) also launched two super-low-profile pump systems at the Luxe Pack Monaco show. Its crimpless system is called Progress, and the crimp version is named Inspiration. Both are constructed using the same basic design. A metal spring is located on the outside of the dosage chamber and a plate valve is used in place of a metal ball. These allow for a very low actuation force, according to the company. Representatives say that its super low profile, along with the invisibility of the cylinder and the crystal dip tube, allow for more flexibility in package design.
Rexam's Super-Low and No-Profile Pumps
Rexam Dispensing Systems (Purchase, NY) has marketed its super-low-profile pump for the past eight years. It was one of the first pumps to set the standard low height for the industry, according to the company. Until now, other suppliers have only been able to come close to the height of it. With all the new ultra-low-profile pumps recently launched by other companies, is it possible for Rexam to now go even lower?
Dennis Desrochers, vice president of sales and marketing at Rexam, says, "The difference between our pump and ultra-low ones new to the market is about a little more than one millimeter, so you wouldn't see much of a difference. Our customers feel that our pump is already as low as it needs to be. We have the technology to lower the profile even further, but we feel that the end result is a pump with a very short stroke that feels odd to the consumer. We simply don't see any real need or demand to make it any lower right now in the 13- or 15-mm finishes that are typical in the retail sizes."
For those customers that require a real difference in profile, Rexam offers a unique design with its Snap-In SP5, SP7, and SP8 pumps, which do not even require a neck. This allows the pumps' profile to be under 5.5 mm. It was most recently used for the launch of Dior's Poison fragrance.
Minipumps: Capless, Crimpless, and Lockable
UK-based Precise Plastics Ltd. and Emsar Inc. have been working together for the past four years on a range of miniature snap-on pump sprays with injection blow-molded PET bottles. Many companies have already used some of these new packages for various brands including L'Occitane and Avon.
Two new types of minispray packages were launched at the HBA show last September: the 10-ml Venise package and the 7.5-ml Test Tube. This extends the line to nine packaging options, ranging in size from 7.5 to 30 ml, all of which are available with either a spray or dispensing lotion pump.
The Venise package can be sprayed with one hand, and doesn't need an overcap. The bottle contains a thread molded into the wall and a sleeve that turns to reveal the actuator. The sleeve has a soft-lock when it is in the high and low positions. The Test Tube package was developed by changing the standard 7.5-ml bottle and giving its base and overcap a larger radius. Its simple design concept is based on a standard tester in a lab.
Test Tube is a new minipump design developed by Emsar and Precise Plastics. PET was the chosen material for the injection-molded bottles due to its clarity and excellent stability with alcohol-based formulations. All of the spray pumps and treatment pumps in the miniature line were designed around Emsar's standard pump module, which sits inside injection-molded housing. The pumps are pushed onto the bottles' injection-formed necks. "This method offers a good seal without any of the adjustments required with standard crimp-on packages," says Phil Miller, vice president and general manager for Emsar. "It makes it possible for a filler to use any of these packages by just snapping the pump on without having to use a crimping machine. This system offers an easy, integrated, all-in-one package solution for mini or portable packaging."
A Miniature Refillable Fountain Pen Design
Alcan Packaging Techpack, in partnership with VIIeme Sens, launched its new minispray dispenser called Feel'In, which is intended for alcohol-based fragrances. It consists of an outer container that can be custom designed, a plastic or glass refill cartridge, and a conventional pump fitted with a rigid tube. When the spray cartridge is empty, the outer container can be unclipped, and a new prefilled cartridge can be inserted with just one click, similar to the way a fountain pen is refilled. The pump is designed to stay attached to the container and the rigid tube pierces through the cartridge's heat-sealed film. Alcan Packaging Techpack also offers cartridge filling and heat-sealing in its new full-service workshop.
New Airless Options for Skincare
Lablabo (Annemasse, France) presented its new Verso Double-Ended Cylinder Airless Pack at HBA last September. The package contains two different pouches with two different dispensing systems. It is the first cylindrical-shaped airless dispenser on the market according to Louis Khoury, marketing and sales director for Lablabo. "It is perfect to hold both day and night skin-cream formulas," he says.
Cospack America Corp. (Edison, NJ) launched a line of stock white polypropylene airless dispensers for skincare products. Named Pure Airless, they are, according to the company, "designed to accentuate the pureness of your skincare products." David Hou, director of product development for Cospack, explains, "Our standard airless dispenser has been generating more and more interest over the past three years. It doesn't use a standard dip tube. It has a piston on the bottom of the bottle which pushes the product up without using a tube. It makes it a great package for a product with a higher viscosity."
Familiar Trends Will Continue
Many of the same trends will probably continue. In the fragrance area, Rexam Dispensing System's Desrochers feels that miniature pumps will be especially popular. "We have a pump that is the ultimate in miniaturization—it is roughly the equivalent of an 11-ml pump, but requires a special neck finish. We use it in our sampling business extensively."
It is also important to think about portability for both fragrances and skincare products. "Double-ended components will continue to be popular because a major benefit is that they are great for travel," says Lablabo's Khoury.
When it comes down to it, Cospack's David Hou sums it up by saying, "Everyone always wants something that looks innovative, but the foremost concern is that the dispenser works well and at the right output."