A method of making a head for a semisolid product dispenser, such as a gel deodorant
dispenser, comprises the steps of: providing a piece of porous media having a desired
shape with a perimeter and openings through the media in the area inside of the
perimeter, compressing at least the portion of the media inside of the perimeter
between two parts of a hard tool so as to crush the media, thereby reducing the
size of the openings, and affixing the porous media to a head frame to form the
semisolid product dispenser head. Preferably the porous media is affixed to the
head frame by an insert injection molding process, and the media is crushed in
the same mold tool as is used to mold the head frame. A preferred porous media
is made of two layers of extruded strands of polymer, where the strands in one
layer are generally parallel to one another but are non-parallel to the strands
in the adjoining layer, the strands are bonded at crossover points between the
layers and have openings defined by spaces between the strands in one layer superimposed
over spaces between strands in the adjoining layer. Preferably the head of the
semisolid product dispenser is made by ultrasonically welding the head frame to
a transfer member using a combination of double shear and energy-directing ultrasonic
weld joints, coupled with a positive stop.
