U.S. patent application number 17/279960 was filed with the patent office on 2022-02-03 for container for a cosmetic product, comprising a hinged intermediate panel having a hollow front portion.
The applicant listed for this patent is QUALIPAC. Invention is credited to ALIM EL HASSAIN, ISABELLE LALLEMANT, YEVSEY SOBOL.
Application Number | 20220031046 17/279960 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220031046 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SOBOL; YEVSEY ; et
al. |
February 3, 2022 |
CONTAINER FOR A COSMETIC PRODUCT, COMPRISING A HINGED INTERMEDIATE
PANEL HAVING A HOLLOW FRONT PORTION
Abstract
A container for cosmetic product, includes at least one base
part having at least one housing delimited to receive a cosmetic
product. A cover is hinged about a first pivoting axis and the
cover is kept closed on the base part by an actuator. An
intermediate panel is rotatable with respect to the cover and the
base part about a second pivot axis, when the container is open,
between a closed usage position where the inner edge of the
intermediate panel is lowered onto the base part around the
cosmetic product to keep the product within the housing, and an
inclined open position. The intermediate panel includes at least
one hollow front portion forming a receptacle. The base part
includes at least one opening that extends through the entire
thickness thereof so as to receive, in the closed position of the
intermediate panel, the hollow front portion.
Inventors: |
SOBOL; YEVSEY; (STATEN
ISLAND, NY) ; LALLEMANT; ISABELLE; (VERSAILLES,
FR) ; EL HASSAIN; ALIM; (SAINT OUEN, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
QUALIPAC |
CLICHY |
|
FR |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/279960 |
Filed: |
September 19, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
September 19, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR2019/052202 |
371 Date: |
March 25, 2021 |
International
Class: |
A45D 40/22 20060101
A45D040/22; A45D 33/22 20060101 A45D033/22; A45D 40/24 20060101
A45D040/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 25, 2018 |
FR |
18 58693 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A container for at least one cosmetic product in the form of a
block or blocks, comprising at least: a base part having a
predetermined thickness, and comprising a top surface, a bottom
surface, and at least one inner housing delimited to receive said
at least one cosmetic product; a cover hinged about a first
pivoting axis common to the base part; an actuator manually
operable by a user to keep the cover closed on the base part; and
an intermediate panel configured to rotate with respect to the
cover and to the base part about a second pivoting axis, when the
container is open, between at least a closed position of use
wherein an inner edge of the intermediate panel is lowered onto the
base part around said at least one cosmetic product to hold said at
least one cosmetic product in said at least one inner housing, and
an inclined open position; wherein said at least one cosmetic
product is removable from the base part; wherein the intermediate
panel further comprises at least one hollow front portion forming a
receptacle having a predetermined depth and a bottom surface; and
wherein the base part further comprises at least one through
opening passing entirely through the predetermined thickness
thereof to receive, in the closed position of the intermediate
panel, said at least one hollow front portion.
17. The container of claim 16, wherein, in a closed position of the
container, only said at least one hollow front portion of the
intermediate panel is insertable in said at least one through
opening in the base part and the bottom surface of the hollow front
portion is configured to fit flush with the bottom surface of the
base part.
18. The container of claim 17, wherein said at least one through
opening in the base part is disposed away from said at least one
inner housing, opposite to the first pivoting axis; and wherein
said at least one hollow front portion of the intermediate panel is
disposed away from the inner edge, opposite to the second pivoting
axis.
19. The container of claim 16, wherein the intermediate panel at
its front part comprises at least one cut-out of material forming a
recessed zone recessed toward inside of the base part; and wherein
the base part comprises at least one finger-support zone bordering
the recessed zone to receive the recessed zone in the closed
position of use of the intermediate panel, to facilitate a movement
from the closed position of use to the inclined open position of
the intermediate panel.
20. The container of claim 19, wherein said at least one
finger-support zone, at its border with the recessed zone,
comprises a rounded profile similar to an end of a finger of the
user.
21. The container of claim 16, wherein the inner edge of the
intermediate panel is divided into a plurality of reception
portions, each portion corresponding to an independent cosmetic
product; and wherein said at least one inner housing of the base
part comprises short ribs delimiting a plurality of reception
zones, each reception zone corresponding to a different reception
portion.
22. The container of claim 21, wherein said short ribs are
configured to position and lock said at least one cosmetic
product.
23. The container of claim 21, wherein said plurality of reception
portions of the intermediate panel are delimited by continuous ribs
extending between the second pivoting axis and said at least one
hollow front portion.
24. The container of claim 16, wherein the first pivoting axis and
the second pivoting axis are coaxial.
25. The container of claim 16, wherein the intermediate panel
comprises a connector to hold the intermediate panel in the closed
position of use on the base part.
26. The container of claim 25, wherein the connector comprises two
side hooks provided on a front edge of the intermediate panel
cooperating with corresponding slots provided in the base part to
form clips.
27. The container of claim 16, wherein the actuator comprises two
independent parts, at least a first part of the actuator being
provided solely on the intermediate panel.
28. The container of claim 27, wherein the cover comprises an
internal mirror held in place by a mirror-grip frame, a second part
of the actuator being entirely provided on the mirror grip
frame.
29. the container of claim 28, wherein the first part of the
actuator is disposed in front of said at least one hollow front
portion of the intermediate panel.
30. The container of claim 29, wherein the first part of the
actuator comprises elastic lugs, a push button and a hook
cooperating with a housing provided in the mirror-grip frame.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to containers of the case type
for cosmetic products, in particular for receiving cosmetic
products in the shape of blocks (or cups).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] At present time there are numerous types of containers for
receiving cosmetic products, in particular make-up. In the more
specific field of containers of the case type including a base part
and a hinged cover, providing one or more housings in the base part
is known, to place therein at least one coloured compressed powder
in the form of a solid block or a waxy formula, coloured or not.
This in particular relates to eye shadow, face powders (colouring,
blusher, bronzer) or cosmetic products for lip make-up.
[0003] These cases make it possible, in some cases, to contain
several blocks of different colours or different shades of the same
colour disposed in a plurality of compartments provided for this
purpose.
[0004] However, the advantage of these so-called "pocket" cases is
being easily transportable, but size limits are quickly reached
with regard to the number of blocks that can be contained. Thus it
is usual to have a plurality of different cases for different types
of product (eye shadow, face powder) and/or of colours/shades of
colours, which may quickly become complicated to manage and
bulky.
[0005] However, it is often true that a person uses this case at
their home to apply make-up in the morning before going to work,
with therefore a first type of make-up, carries it to work in their
bag, possibly uses it during the day to retouch their make-up, and
wishes to once again use it in the evening without going home again
to potentially use another type of make-up different from the
first. As indicated previously, the palette of colours or shades of
colours is very small, in general 4 shades and rarely more than 8,
so that the person cannot greatly vary the type of make-up, unless
carrying with them a certain number of cases (with the previously
mentioned drawbacks) or having to go home again, which is
impractical and even sometimes impossible. This person will
therefore usually be contented with the colours/shades offered by
the case that they have with them. The cases of the prior art are
therefore limited in the daily use thereof.
[0006] To solve this problem there are cases in which it is
possible to replace the range of colours/shades. However, they are
complex to use since it is necessary to replace the whole of a
piece constituting the case, for example a slide or a panel.
Mention can be made in particular of the patents FR2732200 and
US2015201733.
[0007] Another solution described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,127 and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,014 makes it possible to replace make-up blocks
using a hinged intermediate panel disposed between the bottom of
the base part and the cover of the case. However, other problems
may also be raised with regard to this type of case. This is
because lifting the panel in order to remove the blocks is in
general impractical since it is difficult to access said panel.
[0008] Moreover, these cases remain fairly bulky, in particular
with regard to manufacture (incorporating of hinges), and/or with
regard to strength and/or "perceived quality". However, at the
present time, reducing quantities of materials used in the
manufacture of parts made from plastics material, even in the case
where they can be recycled, is an increasingly important question.
The manufacturers of packaging for cosmetic products are therefore
acting in particular on reducing thicknesses, which makes it
possible to reduce the environmental impact of the case.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An objective of the present invention is to at least partly
respond to the limitations of the prior art previously
mentioned.
[0010] In particular, one aim of the invention is to propose a very
compact, versatile, environmentally friendly and easy-to-use
product.
[0011] To this effect, the invention relates to a container for a
cosmetic product or products in the form of a block or blocks,
including at least: [0012] a base part having a given thickness, a
top surface and a bottom surface, and including at least one inner
housing delimited to receive at least one cosmetic product, [0013]
a cover hinged about a first pivoting axis common to the base part,
[0014] means that can be manually actuated by a user for holding
the cover closed on the base part, and [0015] an intermediate panel
able to rotate with respect to the cover and to the base part about
a second pivoting axis, when the container is open, between at
least a first closed position of use wherein an inner edge of said
intermediate panel is lowered onto the base part around the
cosmetic product in order to hold the latter in the inner housing,
and a second inclined open position, wherein for example the
cosmetic product can be removed from the base part,
[0016] characterized in that: [0017] the intermediate panel further
includes at least one hollow front portion forming a receptacle
having a given depth and a bottom surface, and [0018] the base part
also includes at least one opening passing entirely through the
thickness thereof to receive, in the first position of the
intermediate panel, said hollow front portion.
[0019] According to preferred embodiments of the present invention:
[0020] the hollow front portion of the intermediate panel is the
only one and the depth thereof is such that, once the container is
closed and the hollow front portion is inserted in the through
opening, also the only one, in the base part, the bottom surface of
said hollow portion fits flush with the bottom surface of said base
part, [0021] the through opening in the base part is disposed away
from the inner housing for the cosmetic product or products,
opposite to the first pivoting axis, and the hollow front portion
of the intermediate panel is disposed away from the inner edge,
opposite to the second pivoting axis, [0022] the intermediate panel
includes, at the front part, at least one cut-out of material
forming a zone recessed toward the inside of the base part, which
includes at least one finger-support front zone bordering said
recessed zone for receiving said recessed zone in the closed
position of use of the intermediate panel, in order to facilitate
going from the closed position of use to the inclined open position
of the intermediate panel, [0023] the finger-support zone of the
base part has, where it borders the recessed zone of the
intermediate panel, a substantially rounded profile similar to an
end of a finger of a user, [0024] the inner edge of the
intermediate panel is divided into a plurality of reception
portions each corresponding to an independent cosmetic product, and
the inner housing of the base part includes means delimiting a
plurality of reception zones corresponding to said reception
portions, [0025] the inner housing of the base part is provided
with ribs for positioning/locking the cosmetic products, [0026] the
various reception portions of the intermediate panel are delimited
by continuous ribs extending substantially between the second
pivoting axis and the hollow front portion, [0027] the first and
second pivoting axes are coaxial, [0028] the intermediate panel is
provided with means for holding it in the closed position of use on
the base part, [0029] the means for holding the intermediate panel
on the base part comprise two side hooks provided on a front edge
of said intermediate panel cooperating with corresponding slots
provided in the base part to form clips, [0030] the means for
holding the cover closed on the base part comprise two independent
parts, wherein at least a first part is carried solely by the
intermediate panel, [0031] the cover having an internal mirror held
in place by a mirror-grip frame, the other part of the means for
holding said cover on said base part is entirely carried by said
mirror grip, [0032] the first part of the means for keeping the
cover closed on the base part is disposed on a front edge of the
hollow front portion of said intermediate panel, and [0033] the
first part of the means for holding the cover closed on the base
part includes elastic lugs, a push button and a hook housed in an
opening provided in the mirror grip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0034] Other particular advantages, aims and features of the
present invention will emerge from the following non-limitative
description of at least one particular embodiment of said object of
the present invention, with regard to the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0035] FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of the container
according to the present invention,
[0036] FIG. 2 is an isometric perspective view of the container of
FIG. 1 in the open position with an intermediate panel in the
closed position of use,
[0037] FIG. 3 is an isometric perspective view of the container of
FIG. 2 with an intermediate panel in the inclined open
position,
[0038] FIG. 4 is an isometric perspective view similar to FIG. 3
with make-up cups,
[0039] FIG. 5 is a view in cross section of FIG. 2,
[0040] FIG. 6 is a view from the right of FIG. 1,
[0041] FIG. 7 is a view from the left of FIG. 1,
[0042] FIG. 8 is a plan view of FIG. 1,
[0043] FIG. 9 is a front view of FIG. 1,
[0044] FIG. 10 is a view from below of FIG. 1,
[0045] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the base part of the
container,
[0046] FIG. 12 is a view from below of the base part of FIG.
11,
[0047] FIG. 13 is an isometric perspective view of the base part of
FIGS. 11 and 12,
[0048] FIG. 14 is a second isometric perspective view of the base
part of FIGS. 11 and 12,
[0049] FIG. 15 is a detail view of FIG. 14,
[0050] FIG. 16 is a plan view of the intermediate panel,
[0051] FIG. 17 is a view from below of the intermediate panel of
FIG. 16,
[0052] FIG. 18 is an isometric perspective view of the intermediate
panel of FIGS. 16 and 17,
[0053] FIG. 19 is a detail view of FIG. 18,
[0054] FIG. 20 is an isometric perspective view of the cover of the
container, and
[0055] FIG. 21 is an isometric perspective view of a mirror-grip
frame of the container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0056] FIGS. 1 to 21 show a container 1 for a cosmetic product or
products according to the present invention. This container 1, or
case, is typically produced from a single plastics material,
preferably bio-sourced, and has a right angle parallelepipedal
shape, for example with a format that can be held in one hand, with
a total thickness E (see FIGS. 6 and 7 in particular) from a few
millimetres to approximately 1 cm. It makes it possible to
transport cosmetic products 100 such as, non-limitatively, eye
shadow, face powder or lipstick.
[0057] This container includes a cover 10, a mirror-grip frame 20,
a mirror 30 trapped between the cover 10 and the mirror-grip frame
20, a base part 40 and an intermediate panel 50.
[0058] The base part 40 and the cover 10 are hinged about a first
pivot 60 enabling said cover 10 to pass alternately from a first
closed position illustrated in FIG. 1 to an open position of use
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0059] Likewise, the intermediate panel 50 and the base part 40 are
hinged about a second pivot 70 enabling said intermediate panel 50
to pass from a first lowered position of use illustrated by FIGS. 2
to 5 to a second inclined open position illustrated by FIGS. 3 and
4.
[0060] Advantageously, the pivots 60 and 70 are coaxial and are
each provided with (not shown) pins serving as a rotation axis.
[0061] The intermediate panel 50 includes, as is in particular
visible in FIGS. 16 to 19, an inner edge 51 for receiving cosmetic
products 100 each in the form of blocks, for example solid, and a
hollow front portion 52 forming a receptacle for one or more
pencils/brushes for applying make-up.
[0062] More precisely, the inner edge 51 is divided into a
plurality (4 in number in the embodiment shown) of reception
portions 53 each corresponding to a block 100 (see also FIG. 4),
each portion 53 being delimited by side ribs 54 each extending
continuously between the second pivot 70 and the hollow front
portion 52 in order to form the same number of frames.
[0063] The base part 40 for its part includes, as can be seen in
particular in FIGS. 3 and 11 to 15, a given thickness Es, a bottom
surface 41, and a top surface 42 forming an inner housing 43 for
receiving the blocks of cosmetic products 100. More precisely, the
inner housing 43 includes short ribs 44 for positioning/locking the
blocks of cosmetic product 100 that cooperate with the frames
formed by the ribs 54 of the intermediate panel 50 (see FIG. 4).
Thus, in the closed position of use of the intermediate panel 50 on
the base part 40 (FIG. 5), the blocks of cosmetic products 100
placed between the ribs 44 (see FIG. 4) are trapped firstly by said
ribs 44 and the front and rear edges of the inner housing 43, and
secondly by the ribs 54 of the intermediate panel 50. Thus the
blocks 100 always remain in place when the container 1 is
transported, with the cover 10 closed, and when it is used, with
the cover 10 open. These blocks 100 can also be removed very easily
from the base part 40 by moving the intermediate panel 50 from the
first closed position of use (FIG. 1) to the second inclined open
position (FIGS. 2 and 3).
[0064] Advantageously, the base part 40 further includes a through
opening 45 for receiving, in the lowered closed position of the
intermediate panel 50 (FIGS. 2 and 5), the whole of the hollow
front portion 52 of the latter.
[0065] The through opening 45 of the base part 40 is disposed away
from the inner housing 43 of cosmetic products, opposite the
pivoting axes 60 and 70. Likewise, the hollow front portion 52 of
the intermediate panel 50 is disposed opposite to the pivoting axes
60 and 70.
[0066] More precisely, the depth Ep of the hollow front portion 52
is such that, once the container 1 is closed and the hollow front
portion 52 is inserted in the through opening 45 in the base part
40, the bottom surface 55 of said hollow portion 52 fits flush with
the bottom surface 41 of the base part 40 (visible in particular in
FIGS. 6, 7 and 9).
[0067] Moreover, the intermediate panel 50 includes, in the front
part, two cut-outs of material forming zones 56 recessed towards
the inside the base part 40, which includes two front side support
zones 46 respectively bordering said recessed zones 56 to receive
them in the closed position of use of the intermediate panel.
[0068] Advantageously, each support zone 46 of the base part 40
has, where it borders the recessed zone 56 of the intermediate
panel 50, a substantially rounded profile similar to an end of a
finger of a user.
[0069] This solution has various advantages that are particularly
advantageous compared with the prior art.
[0070] This is because this makes it possible, without any increase
in material or additional attached piece, to house make-up
pencils/brushes in the very small space (in particular the
thickness) occupied by the hollow front portion 52. The container
is therefore both lightweight and compact while offering sufficient
capacity and very simple manipulation, both in the daily use
thereof and for changing the blocks of cosmetic products.
[0071] Moreover, the advantage of this rechargeable case 1 being
that it is possible to remove at least some of the blocks 100 by
lifting the intermediate panel 50, providing for the hollow front
portion 52 to be housed entirely in the through opening 45 of the
base part 40, while fitting flush with the bottom surface 41
thereof, enables the person using the container 1 to lift said
intermediate panel 50 into the inclined second position thereof
(FIGS. 2 and 3) in a very simple, ergonomic and user-friendly
manner, with low force, by pushing it from below, for example by
means of their two index fingers. The finger-support zones 46 also
facilitate changing from the closed position of use to the inclined
open position of the intermediate panel 50 by making a lever effect
firstly with the thumb, which bears on the finger-support zone or
zones, and secondly with the index finger, which pushes the bottom
of the hollow front portion 52 from above.
[0072] The ribs 44 of the base part 40 are positioned so that the
cups of cosmetic products 100 are held in position even once the
intermediate panel 50 is in the inclined open position. It is thus
easier to interchange the cups 100 and to close the intermediate
panel 50 again without locking a cup underneath.
[0073] Finally, the fact that the bottom surface 55 of the hollow
portion 52 fits flush with the bottom surface 41 of the base part
40 makes it possible to create a truly flat container bottom while
optimising to the maximum extent the use of the through opening
45.
[0074] The container 1 is also provided with means for holding the
intermediate panel 50 in the closed position of use on the base
part 40. More precisely, and as can be seen in FIGS. 14 and 18 and
in particular on the detail views of FIGS. 15 and 19, these means
are composed of two side hooks 58 provided on a front edge of said
panel 50 cooperating with slots 48 provided in the front rim of the
base part 40 in order to form clips for fixing by pressure.
[0075] The container 1 further includes means 90 for holding the
cover 10 closed on the base part 40. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 to 4
and 17 to 18, these means 90 comprise two independent parts, or
more precisely a first part 91 carried solely by the intermediate
panel 50, on the front of the hollow front portion 52, and a second
part 95 carried by the mirror-grip frame 20. The first part 91
includes two elastic lugs 92 disposed at the front edge of the
hollow front portion 52, a central button 93 housed in an opening
47 in the base part 40, and a hook 94 cooperating with a housing 96
in the second part 95.
[0076] It must be understood that the detailed description of the
object of the invention, given solely by way of illustration, in no
way constitutes a limitation, the technical equivalents also being
included in the field of the present invention.
[0077] Thus the hollow front portion 52 could be in a plurality of
parts, each receiving for example a small pencil and cooperating
with a through opening provided in the thickness of the base part
40. It is thus possible to imagine two hollow portions for two
different types of brush fully inserted in two independent through
openings separated for example by a small portion of material.
[0078] The number of blocks of cosmetic product 100, and therefore
of reception portions 53, may be less than or greater than the four
that are the object of the figures of the present application.
[0079] The blocks 100 may also be in the form of waxy formulae,
coloured or not.
* * * * *