U.S. patent application number 10/882991 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-03 for overcap device to hold and dispense ornamental particles.
Invention is credited to Vance, Robert.
Application Number | 20050045642 10/882991 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34221285 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050045642 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vance, Robert |
March 3, 2005 |
Overcap device to hold and dispense ornamental particles
Abstract
An overcap device for storing and dispensing ornamental
particles. The overcap device includes a closure cap for covering a
recessed area used for the storage of the ornamental particles
where the closure cap has an annular flange to frictionally engage
the inner surface of the recessed storage area. The overcap device
further includes a recessed area on the underside to removably fit
on the top of a vial closure cap, where such recessed area includes
flat ribs of a varying number to accept vial closure caps of
inconsistent tolerances.
Inventors: |
Vance, Robert; (O'Fallon,
MO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Turning Point Law
Suite 116
100 Smith Ranch Road
San Rafael
CA
94903
US
|
Family ID: |
34221285 |
Appl. No.: |
10/882991 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60484192 |
Jun 30, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/521 ;
215/227 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/28 20130101;
B65D 51/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/521 ;
215/227 |
International
Class: |
B65D 051/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An overcap container assembly comprising: (a) a cylindrical
interior container having an open top whereby desired particle
contents can be stored, (b) a closure cap removably retained on the
interior container for closing the open top thereof, (c) an
intermittent annular peripheral flange downwardly depending from
said closure cap dimensioned to frictionally receive and partially
extend around said cylindrical interior container, and (d) a
coaxially disposed handle means containing said cylindrical
interior enabling the same to be manipulated for the removal of the
particle contents.
2. An overcap container assembly as in claim 1, where said handle
means has a cylindrical socket adapted to frictionally receive a
screw cap of a vial.
3. An overcap container assembly as in claim 2 where said
cylindrical socket contains a plurality of axially aligned ribs
whereby a screw cap of varying tolerances may be frictionally
received.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. Section
119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/484,192 filed Jun.
30, 2003. The contents of this application is hereby incorporated
by reference into the present disclosure.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] 1. Field of the Invention
[0005] This invention relates to an overcap device for packaging
and dispensing loose ornamental particles. More particularly, this
invention relates to an overcap device removably attached over a
top end of a cylindrical vial and an easy-open top end closure
covering a recessed area used for the storage and dispensing of
such ornamental particles to various surfaces.
[0006] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0007] Conventional packaging in the cosmetics industries,
particularly for nail polish and enamel, typically includes a
cylindrical vial with a screw cap, to which a brush is attached.
The brush is unscrewed from the cap and the brushed used to apply
the polish or enamel to a surface, including fingernails and
toenails. The use of ornamental particles, including glitter,
powder, and crystals, in addition to plain nail polish and enamel,
have become widespread, permitting limited artistic expression on
the part of the user. Such ornamental particles were required to be
suspended in the liquid polish or enamel in the vial, and brushed
on the surface in a combined application, or such ornamental
particles are separately purchased and not coordinated or combined
in a fashionable manner.
[0008] One problem with the prior devices is that the liquid
suspension requires constant shaking to prevent the ornamental
particles from settling to the bottom, particularly for particles
of a larger dimension.
[0009] Another problem has been that the application of such
suspended ornamental particles, already disbursed in the nail
polish and enamel, prevented any significant individual artistic
expression in the application and location of such ornamental
particles. Often the individual particles would be occluded and any
ornamentation would be obscured.
[0010] Another problem with prior devices is that with such
ornamental particles being suspended in the nail polish or enamel,
there is essentially no practical means to ensure particles with
one ornamental surface and the opposite surfacing being purposed
for affixing to the surface would apply with the ornamental surface
facing outward.
[0011] An additional problem with prior devices is that with such
ornamental particles being suspended in the nail polish or enamel,
or where a separate container storing such ornamental particles is
fixed to the cap of the vial of nail polish or enamel, there is
essentially no means to interchange differing ornamental particles
during application or when packaging and presenting such nail
polish or enamel for sale.
[0012] Furthermore, a problem with prior devices which include a
container to store glitter particles to be applied to the nail
surface using a sifting means, is that the entire vial of nail
polish or enamel must be lifted and overturned to utilize the
sifting means to apply the glitter particles, and if not properly
done, for example if the cap container were loose, could result in
spillage of the nail polish. The sifting means to apply the glitter
particles does not permit the detailed placement of such particles
in an ornamental design on the nail surface, and may further result
in the over-application or spillage of the glitter particles.
SUMMARY
[0013] Accordingly, the general purpose of the invention is to
provide a removably attached overcap device for storing ornamental
particles to aid in the application of such ornamental particles to
fingernails and toenails.
[0014] A further objective of the invention is to provide a device
of the kind indicated to fit over the top end of a vial for storing
ornamental particles. The device of the kind indicated can easily
be removed from the vial for simultaneous access to the contents of
the vial and the ornamental particles in the overcap device. Such
overcap device can easily be interchanged with other such overcap
devices to permit easy replacement of defective overcap devices or
such overcap devices with an insufficient supply of ornamental
particles.
[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide an improved
device of the kind indicated, which is not likely to result in the
spillage of the ornamental particle contents of the device.
[0016] Another object of the invention is to provide an improved
device of the kind indicated, which is economical to produce and
sell.
[0017] The invention achieves these objectives by providing a
removably attached handle means that contains an interior container
to store the ornamental particles until time for application to the
intended surface. The interior container is covered by a closure
cap that uses a friction seal between the interior surface of the
interior container and a downwardly dependent peripheral flange
integrally attached to the closure cap. The handle means contains a
cylindrical socket to receive the screw top of a vial, such as that
which contains nail polish, and such cylindrical socket contains a
plurality of flat ribs to create a removable friction seal with the
screw cap of the vial. The handle means, with or without the
closure cap in place, may be removed during the application of the
nail polish or enamel to the intended surface, and permits the
interchangeability of such ornamental particles as may be desired
by the user or the manufacturer.
DRAWINGS--FIGURES
[0018] Various objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become fully appreciated and better understood when
considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings show the
preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference characters
designating the same parts throughout the view:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating components,
particularly the recessed storage compartment, in a disassembled
form.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 1,
illustrating components, particularly the downwardly depending
notched peripheral flange of the cap, in a disassembled form.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the handle means in place on
the top end of a vial, and with the closure cap in place.
DRAWINGS--Reference Numerals
[0022] 12. Closure Cap
[0023] 14. Handle Means
[0024] 16. Interior Container
[0025] 18. Socket
[0026] 20. Peripheral Flange
[0027] 22. Flange Notches
[0028] 24. Screw Cap
[0029] 26. Auxiliary Holes
[0030] 28. Flat Ribs
[0031] 30. Vial
[0032] 32. Applicator Brush
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
2, the preferred embodiment of the invention, an handle means 14,
which comprises essentially an interior container 16, said interior
container 16 being intended to store the ornamental particles, and
having socket 18 on the underneath side which receives the screw
top of the vial 30. In accordance with the invention, the socket 18
comprises a plurality of flat ribs 28 along the interior surface of
the socket 18. The flat ribs 28 permit a removable but tight fit
with a screw cap 24 of some variable diameter capping the vial 30
of nail polish and enamel. The handle means 14 further comprises a
plurality of auxiliary holes 26 of variable length and dimension to
minimize the amount of material required to manufacture the handle
means and to reduce the total weight of the handle means.
[0034] The interior container 16, of variable dimensions, is
intended to store the ornamental particles and present such
ornamental particles for application to the intended surface. As
provided by the invention, a closure cap 12 comprises essentially
of a downwardly depending peripheral flange 20, with a plurality of
flange notches 22 integrally extending from an inside surface of
the closure cap 12. The plurality of flange notches 22 permits some
flexibility in the peripheral flange 20, which is manufactured to
be the same diameter, or slightly larger diameter than the diameter
of the interior container 16, allowing for a tight but removable
seal of the closure cap 12 on the handle means 14. The closure cap
12 can be removed from the handle means 14 using a gentle twist and
pull motion providing easy access to the contents of the interior
container 16.
[0035] Operation
[0036] In use of the device, as show in FIG. 3, the user removes
the handle means 14 containing the ornamental particles, and
closure cap 12, from the vial 30 of polish or enamel using a gentle
back-and-forth rocking motion, disengaging the flat ribs 28 from
the screw cap 24, and thereby exposing the screw cap 24 containing
the applicator brush 32. The user uses the applicator brush 32 to
apply the nail polish or enamel to the intended surface. The screw
cap 24 with the applicator brush 32 can be replaced.
[0037] The closure cap 12 can be removed by a gentle pull, exposing
the contents of the interior container 16, more particularly the
ornamental particles. The handle means 14 can be transported by the
user independent of the vial 30 of polish or enamel near any
surface where such ornamental particles are to be applied. The user
removes the desired number of ornamental particles and places them
on the nail surface while the nail polish or enamel adhesive is
still wet.
[0038] The closure cap 12 is replaced on the handle means 14 using
a gentle pushing motion, engaging the notched peripheral flange 20
to the upper portion of the interior surface of the interior
container 16, securing the ornamental particles in thereto.
[0039] The handle means 14, together with the closure cap 12 in
place, is replaced on the screw cap 24 of the vial 30. The
plurality of flat ribs 28 engage with the outer surface of the
screw cap 24 of the vial 30 to create a friction-based connection
to removably attach the handle means 14 to the vial 30. The handle
means 14 may be easily removed from its engaged position with the
screw cap 24 of the vial 30, and interchanged with similar handle
means 14 containing the same or different ornamental particles.
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