Cosmetic Case

Abstract

A mirrored cosmetic case has a snap-in container for a solid cosmetic at one end of the mirror and a hinged lid that is recessed to accommodate the container.

Description

The present invention relates to cosmetic cases, more particularly of the type containing a mirror and a supply of cosmetic to be applied to the face while looking in the mirror.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic case which presents ready access to a quantity of solid cosmetic within the case.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic case having a supply of cosmetic therein that can be replaced when exhausted.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a cosmetic case containing a supply of cosmetic, which will have desirably small dimensions, so that it can be pocket size or the size of a cigarette lighter, at the same time that it provides space for a relatively large quantity of cosmetic.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic case which will be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to clean, and rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cosmetic case according to the present invention, with the cover closed;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the cover open;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the cosmetic case of the present invention, with the cover closed; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the cover open and showing a container of cosmetic just prior to insertion.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown a cosmetic case according to the present invention, comprising a base or body 1 having a lid 3 that has an end portion 5 that is raised on the outside and recessed on the inside. Lid 3 is swingably secured to body 1 by means of an elongated piano hinge 7 extending substantially full length of body 1 and lid 3. In the closed position shown in FIG. 1, the margins of body 1 and lid 3 are coextensive and in registry with each other.

Body 1 and lid 3 may be stamped from sheet metal or molded from plastic or formed from any other suitable rigid or semirigid material.

A mirror 9 is secured as by cement or the like to the inside bottom of body 1, and extends most of the length of body 1 but terminates in a free edge 11 spaced by a gap 13 from the adjacent end wall 15 of body 1.

Gap 13 thus serves as a recess for the detachable reception of a cosmetic container 17. Container 17 may be of polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene or other easily resiliently deformable plastic material and is rectangular and upwardly open and contains a quantity of a solid cosmetic 19 such as a rouge or cream or paste other coloring or conditioning material to be applied to the skin of the user.

In speaking of the "free edge" of mirror 9, it will of course be understood that this edge can be bordered or covered with a protective strip of the like, without departing from the invention.

Container 17 includes at its base an outwardly extending lip or projection 21 integrally molded thereon, which is releasably disposable in a correspondingly shaped opening 23 through the base of end wall 15 of body 1, when container 17 is disposed in the assembled relationship shown in FIG. 3. In this position, container 17 is somewhat squeezed between end wall 15 and free edge 11 of mirror 9, the resilient deformability of the container 17 releasably retaining the container in the assembled position of FIG. 3, as does also the projection 21.

The container 17 can be closed and sealed until use by heat-sealed foil of flexible material such as metal foil, plastic or the like (not shown), which can simply be peeled off when container 17 has been inserted in recess 13, so as to facilitate the packing and shipping and merchandising of container 17, and to avoid soiling the hands when inserting a fresh container 17.

A conventional fingerpiece 25 is provided on lid 3 to aid in opening the case.

In the assembled relationship of FIG. 3, with the lid 3 closed, it will be noted that the upper or open portion of container 17 is disposed in the recessed underside of raised portion 5 of lid 3.

In use, the case is simply opened, from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 2 and beyond, whereupon the user's face can be seen by reflection in mirror 9 while the user applies cosmetic 19 with the finger or with a brush.

When the supply of cosmetic 19 is exhausted, the container 17 may simply be snapped out of recess 13 in which it is resiliently retained. Then, a fresh container 17 of cosmetic can be inserted, from the FIG. 4 position to the FIG. 3 position, the opening 23 guiding the container into the recess 13 in which it is resiliently retained. Alternatively, of course, the projection 21 can be omitted, relying entirely on the resilience of the container for the releasable retention of the container in its seat.

When the lid is closed, a cosmetic case is presented whose overall dimensions are as small as possible, but which at the same time accommodates a maximum quantity of cosmetic 19 by virtue of the recessed underside of the projecting portion 5 of the lid 3.

It will also be noted that the cosmetic case of the present invention is of remarkably simple construction, embodying as it does only the hinged body 1 and lid 3, the mirror 9 cemented to the bottom of the body, and the replaceable cosmetic container 17. The free edge 11 of the mirror 9 thus performs the uniquely novel function of retaining the replaceable cosmetic container.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, therefore, it will be evident that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A cosmetic case comprising a body and a lid for closing the body, a cosmetic container releasably secured to the body in one end of the body and projecting above the body, and a recess in only the end of the lid that overlies said one end of the body to receive the projecting portion of the cosmetic container when the lid is closed, said case when said lid is closed having a greatest thickness through said recess and a substantially lesser thickness elsewhere and a mirror secured flat on the inside wall of said body that is opposite said lid, said mirror having a free edge spaced from an end wall of the body, said container being releasably retained between said free edge of the mirror and said end wall of the body.

2. A cosmetic case as claimed in claim 1, said container being of a resiliently deformable material and being resiliently deformably retained between said edge of said mirror and said end wall of the body.

3. A cosmetic case as claimed in claim 2, said container being a rectangular open-top container, said free edge of said mirror and said end wall of said base both being straight and defining between them a rectangular recess of a size to receive and retain said container.

4. A cosmetic case as claimed in claim 1, said end wall having a recess therein, said container having a projection thereon that fits in said recess to aid in retaining said container in said body.

5. A cosmetic case as claimed in claim 3, said body and lid being rectangular and having a greatest length in a direction perpendicular to the greatest length of said open-top container, said lid recess being rectangular and having a greatest length perpendicular to the greatest length of said body and lid.