U.S. patent application number 10/071913 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-13 for cosmetic container having a clean finish.
This patent application is currently assigned to Charles Chang. Invention is credited to Chang, Charles, Sheffler, Robert J..
Application Number | 20020071706 10/071913 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26831575 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020071706 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sheffler, Robert J. ; et
al. |
June 13, 2002 |
Cosmetic container having a clean finish
Abstract
A cosmetic container is provided for a liquid product such as
nail polish or lip gloss, said container comprising a container
reservoir and a neck portion defining an opening and forming a
cylindrical passage to the reservoir. The neck portion includes an
upper surface comprising a raised lip immediately adjacent to the
opening and terminating in a transition extending down and out
towards the outer surface. The neck portion further includes an
outer surface upon which are disposed outer threads. Closure of the
container and access to the liquid product stored therein is
accomplished by use of a hollow cap comprising a top having a roof
and a downwardly extending wall having internal threads disposed
thereon to engage the outer threads on the neck portion, and a
brush extending from said roof, said brush comprising an elongated
stem extending downwardly from said roof and terminating in
bristles mounted thereto at the end of said stem.
Inventors: |
Sheffler, Robert J.;
(Morganville, NJ) ; Chang, Charles; (Wayne,
NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Gregory J. Battersby, Esq.
GRIMES & BATTERSBY
Post Office Box 1311
Stamford
CT
06904-1311
US
|
Assignee: |
Charles Chang
|
Family ID: |
26831575 |
Appl. No.: |
10/071913 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10071913 |
Feb 8, 2002 |
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09715523 |
Nov 20, 2000 |
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09715523 |
Nov 20, 2000 |
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09133673 |
Aug 13, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
401/129 ;
401/126 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 11/0093 20130101;
A46B 2200/1046 20130101; A45D 34/045 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
401/129 ;
401/126 |
International
Class: |
A46B 011/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cosmetic container for liquid products including: a container
reservoir; a neck portion defining an opening and forming a
cylindrical passageway into said reservoir, said neck portion
having an outer surface and an upper surface including a raised lip
immediately adjacent to said opening and terminating in a
transition, said neck portion further including outer threads
disposed on said outer surface; and a hollow cap including a top
having a roof and a downwardly extending wall with internal threads
disposed thereon to engage the outer threads on said neck portion
and a brush extending from said roof, said brush including an
elongated stem extending downwardly from said roof and terminating
in bristles mounted thereto at the end of said stem.
2. The cosmetic container of claim 1, wherein said transition has a
rectangular, cross-sectional shape.
3. The cosmetic container of claim 1, wherein said transition has a
rounded, cross-sectional shape.
4. The cosmetic container of claim 1, further including an interior
container mass disposed within said container, said interior
container mass being higher in molecular attraction than said outer
surface, wherein the molecules making up said liquid products are
attracted to said interior container mass and thereby migrate
toward said mass.
5. A cosmetic container for liquid products including: a container
reservoir; a neck portion defining an opening and forming a
cylindrical passageway into said reservoir, said neck portion
having an outer surface and an upper surface including a raised lip
immediately adjacent to said opening and terminating in a
transition, said neck portion further including outer threads
disposed on said outer surface; and a hollow cap including a top
having a roof and a downwardly extending wall having internal
threads disposed thereon to engage the outer threads on said neck
portion.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/715,523 filed on Nov. 20, 2000 in the name
of Robert J. Sheffler and Charles Chang for "A Cosmetic Container
Having a Clean Corkage Insert," which, in turn, is a continuation
in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/133,673 filed on
Aug. 13, 1998 in the name of Alexandra Gordon and Charles W. Grimes
for "Cosmetic Container Having a Clean Corkage Insert," which has
since issued as U.S. Letters Patent No. 6,186,689 B1.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to cosmetic containers and,
more particularly, to cosmetic containers having a unique finish
which serves multiple functions: namely, sealing the product within
the container and preventing the product from locating on top of
the container finish or the container threads.
[0004] This invention is directed primarily to color cosmetic
liquid products that are ordinarily applied with a brush, sponge or
foamed mitt utilized with a rod or stem, which products are
traditionally sold in clear glass containers having narrow threaded
necks. Examples of such products include nail coatings, liquid
eyeliner, lip-liner and other facial products. The cosmetic
container of the present invention is designed to serve multiple
functions as a sealing mechanism and as a means to keep product
from locating on the top of a bottle finish or on the continuous
threads about the bottle opening.
[0005] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0006] Existing cosmetic packages are subject to product migration
onto surfaces where they can cause problems of inadvertently
staining ones clothes or other personal property. There is also the
chance of product dry-out acting as an adhesive which binds the
closure to the container, complicating subsequent use owing to the
difficulty in cap removal. Still another problem with the prior art
cosmetic packages is that the product accumulation about the
threads and around the opening to the container can give users the
false impression that the container is sealed since the cover
resists further tightening, thereby potentially allowing the
product within the container to dry up. The function of the unique
finish of the present invention is to provide the means to maintain
a product-free environment about the opening to the container and
at the seal therefore as well as about the threaded neck of the
container, while at the same time enhancing the containment and
sealing of the liquid product within the bottle.
[0007] The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,389, which issued
to Vasas on Mar. 2, 1993 for a "Wiper Mounting Ring," which
discloses a rod and applicator brush for applying cosmetics. The
main feature of this patent concerns a wiper for removing excess
product from the brush. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,823, which
issued to Spatz on Jul. 29, 1975 for a "Cosmetic Applicator"
discloses an applicator for coloring eyelashes which includes a
wiper for removing excess mascara from the applicator member.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,505, which issued to Dahm on Nov. 15,
1998 for a "Container with Stripper" discloses a container with a
stripper which prevents excess product from depositing on the
applicator. Also of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,624, which
issued to Montgomery on Sep. 13, 1983 for a "Cosmetic Applicator
and Container System," and U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,996, which issued to
Gueret on Jun. 27, 1989 for an "Applicator Device for a Liquid
Product, Nail Varnish in Particular."
[0009] The prior art cosmetic containers fail to adequately address
the problem of liquid product accumulating at the top of the
finish, thereby resulting in residual product buildup and
contamination of the threads, causing drying of the product and
binding of the closure assembly, as well as a propensity for
residual product dry-out and corkage reduction. U.S. Pat. No.
6,257,788 B1, which issued to Gueret on Jul. 10, 2001 for a
"Nail-Varnish Applicator Arrangement" attempts to solve this
problem by disclosing glass container finishes that have a sharp
apex in cross-section. However, this sharp edge is not entirely
effective in eliminating the problem of residual product buildup.
Forming the acute angles described by Mr. Gueret is not achievable
in the guide rings of the glass-forming process owing to the
inability to vent these rings effectively. Even if a unique method
could be found to form such shapes in the guide rings, they could
not be removed from the rings after molding without considerable
breakage, due to the fragile nature of this feature. Furthermore,
this and similar attempts result in a container having sharp
cutting knife edges--a potential risk to consumers.
[0010] The prior art does not disclose the unique finish of the
present invention which prevents buildup of product about the
opening to the container and the threads without using a sharp and
dangerous edge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Against the foregoing background, it is a primary object of
the present invention to provide a cosmetic container having a new
and improved finish for its opening that prevents the accumulation
of liquid product at the top of the container.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
cosmetic container that prevents the accumulation of liquid product
in the threads therefor, thereby causing the cap of the container
to become difficult to screw on or unscrew.
[0013] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a cosmetic container that prevents the liquid product contents from
drying up when the cap is not properly attached.
[0014] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
cosmetic container having a finish for its opening having a narrow
profile, thereby reducing the amount of surface area upon which
liquid product may accumulate.
[0015] But another object of the present invention is to provide a
cosmetic container having a narrow finish for its opening yet is
still practical to manufacture.
[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
cosmetic container having a narrow finish that is sufficiently high
to prevent the accumulation of liquid residue but not so high as to
allow the cap to pick up any residual product when it is screwed
onto the threads about the neck of the container.
[0017] Yet still another object of the present invention is to
provide a cosmetic container having a design that concentrates the
molecular mass of the container more favorably toward the inside of
the container contrasted with the outer surface of the container,
thereby causing the liquid molecules to migrate to the inside of
the container owing to the preferentially high molecular attraction
to the liquid molecules by the denser container mass.
[0018] To the accomplishments of the foregoing objects and
advantages, the present invention, in brief summary, comprises a
cosmetic container for a liquid product such as nail polish or lip
gloss, said container comprising a container reservoir and a neck
portion defining an opening and forming a cylindrical passage to
the reservoir. The neck portion includes an upper surface
comprising a raised lip immediately adjacent to the opening and
terminating in a transition extending down and out towards the
outer surface. The neck portion further includes an outer surface
upon which are disposed outer threads. Closure of the container and
access to the liquid product stored therein is accomplished by use
of a hollow cap comprising a top having a roof and a downwardly
extending wall having internal threads disposed thereon to engage
the outer threads on the neck portion, and a brush extending from
said roof, said brush comprising an elongated stem extending
downwardly from said roof and terminating in bristles mounted
thereto at the end of said stem.
[0019] A clean neck is achieved by keeping the top lip narrow to
carry less product which may be transferred to the neck. Analyzing
the drawback, the bottle neck gets coated with product when the
brush leaves a residue on the lip. When the cap is replaced, it
compresses the residue and spreads the product forward and to the
sides. A portion leaks onto the outside of the bottle neck 10 where
it is sandwiched between the neck and the cap and accumulates in
the threads, thereby either causing the cap to get stuck on the
neck or preventing full reattachment of the cap.
[0020] To solve the above problem, the rim width of the lip is
reduced so that only a small amount of residue is deposited
thereon. The lip is also kept away from the cap inside wall. More
desirable, the cap is not permitted to come into contact with the
lip so that contact is not made with the residue.
[0021] The first key feature of this application is the reduction
of the amount of product residue left on the surface of the rim by
reducing the surface area for product contamination in a cosmetic
container. Then the contamination area is separated from the clean
surrounding area by elevating the contamination area upward and is
protected by the larger diameter of the clean surrounding area so
that the cap's inner surface will not be in contact with the
residue. The insert or plug is designed for the above purpose and
not for the purpose of wiping the stem.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The above and other objects and advantages of this invention
may be more clearly seen when viewed in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
[0023] FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the invention;
and
[0024] FIGS. 2 through 7 are enlarged cross-sectional views of the
various embodiments of the container of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the invention comprises
a container 1 which, in the preferred embodiment, is used to
contain liquid cosmetics such as nail enamel, liquid eyeliner or
lip-liner. The container 1 includes an open neck portion 10 having
an inner wall 12 which defines a columnar passage 14 through the
neck portion 10 and into a hollow portion or container reservoir 16
in which the contents of the container 1 collect. The neck portion
10 also includes an outer surface 18 having threads 20, which
threads 20 are adapted to engage complementary threads 22 disposed
on the interior surface 24 of a cap 26.
[0026] The cap 26 includes sides 28 extending downwardly from the
top 30, which sides may be outwardly or inwardly sloping, or
completely vertical. The sides 28 provide a surface for gripping
the cap 26 for use and twisting it in order to attach or remove the
cap 26 from the container 1. Inside the hollow cap 26 is a recessed
interior 32 is sufficiently wide to accommodate the neck portion 10
of the container 1. Disposed within and extending out of the
recessed interior 32 is a brush 34 which includes a stem 36
extending axially through the columnar passage 14 when the brush 34
is located within the container 1, and having a tufted applicator
38 projecting outwardly from the end thereof and into the reservoir
16. The cap 26 and brush 34, including the stem 36 and tufted
applicator 38, are an integral unit that may be manufactured
together or separately and assembled prior to use. It should also
be appreciated that the tufted applicator 38 may be replaced by any
number of different elements appropriate for the application of
cosmetics, including flocked tips or bristled eyeliner brushes.
[0027] The neck portion 10 terminates at the top in a finish or top
lip surface 40, which lip wall 40 is designed to be as small as
possible so as to minimize the total surface area upon which
product may accumulate. Another design criteria is to allow the top
lip 40 and cap roof 42 to be in frictional contact when the cap 26
is attached to the container 1, which contact serves to create a
seal that prevents liquid product from seeping out of the reservoir
16 and onto the upper surface 44 of the lip 40 or into the threads
20, 22. In the preferred embodiment, the distance between the lip
40 and the interior surface 24 should also be as large as possible
for best results, although in certain designs the lip 40 and
interior surface 24 can be relatively close.
[0028] The wall thickness of the lip surface 40 less than the
thickness of the neck portion 10, as illustrated in the
cross-sectional FIGS. 2-7. In order to accommodate this difference
in thickness, a transition 46 is provided between the lip 40 and
the outer surface 18 of the neck portion 10. The severity of this
transition 46 may be squared-off in cross-section, as illustrated
in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7, or tapered as illustrated in FIG. 2. The shape
of the transition 46 is limited as much by manufacturing concerns
as by functional considerations. In order to further narrow the lip
40, a bevel 48 may also be included at the top portion of the lip
40, which bevel 48 forms part of the transition 46, as illustrated
in FIG. 7.
[0029] The height of the lip surface 40 is also a crucial
dimension, inasmuch as it must be sufficiently high to prevent the
accumulation of residue from the reservoir 16 and transition 46,
but not so high that it will pick up residual product when the cap
26 is sealing to the container 1.
[0030] Another feature of the present invention that reduces the
accumulation of liquid product on the lip 40 is that the interior
container molecular mass 50 is preferentially dense so it attracts
the molecules of the liquid product, thereby causing the molecules
of product to migrate towards the mass 50 as opposed to the less
dense outside of the container 1. Tests have been conducted using
glass as a prototype material for the container 1 showing the
efficacy of this design element. While glass is particularly suited
to this design because of its relatively high density of 2.5, any
number of other materials, such as plastics, would suffice,
provided the molecular attraction of the interior container mass 50
is larger than the attraction outside the container. As a result of
this phenomenon, containers 1 having specially-shaped lips 40 are
also effective in reducing or eliminating the accumulation of
liquid product thereon, as shown in FIG. 6.
[0031] While the invention has been explained by a detailed
description of certain specific embodiments, it is understood that
various modifications and substitutions can be made in any of them
within the scope of the appended claims which are intended also to
include equivalents of such embodiments. For example, while the
cosmetic container 1 illustrate in FIG. 1 shows a cap 26 including
a brush 34, it should be appreciated that the unique design of the
present invention works equally well for containers having caps
without brushes or stems. For example, the container 1 may be used
for a liquid product such as a cream product or liquid foundation
that is poured or scooped out of the container. The narrower lip
wall 40 of the present invention reduces the amount of residue that
collects on the rim, thereby reducing the possibility that the
liquid product will accumulate in the threads 20.
* * * * *