The present application relates generally to a cosmetic compact, and in particular, to a compact including a hidden hinge.
Vessels exist that are portable, convenient to use, and designed to contain cosmetic products for use. These types of portable vessels usually consist of a jar and lid assembly, that when assembled together provide an effective barrier for containing the product. The jar and/or lid are typically made of a glass, a plastic, a metal, combinations of the foregoing, or the like, that when closed together create a seal that can contain the product. These jar and lid assemblies may typically be sealed by a thread fastening mechanism, a snap fastening mechanism, or a clamp fastening mechanism. Some assemblies, when fastened together, can compress an o-ring or a gasket interposed by the jar and the lid. Some assemblies include hinged compacts rather than separate jars and lids.
These vessels are used in the cosmetics and personal care industries for containing a product to be applied to a body. Exemplary products include creams, gels, loose or compressed powders, and various makeup products, such as lip balm, blush/rouge, tint, petroleum products, sunscreen, etc. Portable vessels have been developed to contain products in a compact and often substantially airtight assembly. These are often built with a plastic pot and a loose plastic lid that are housed by a protective shell. However, because these vessels have a loose lid, it is difficult to manage both the loose lid and the protective shell while applying the contained product to a body. Some vessels have addressed this problem by utilizing a hinge or a tether to keep the lid with the pot. Such is the case with traditional compacts. Although portable vessels and compacts exist, there remains a need for improved cosmetic containers.
This disclosure provides design, material, manufacturing methods, and use alternatives for cosmetic packaging.
In a first example, a cosmetic container may comprise a lid assembly including a housing having a top surface and one or more walls defining a cavity for holding a product, the housing further including a first recess disposed along an edge of the housing, a base assembly including a base housing having a bottom surface and one or more walls defining a cavity for holding a product and a second recess disposed along an edge of the base housing, and a hinge assembly disposed at least in part in the first recess and the second recess, the hinge assembly coupled to the lid assembly and the base assembly adjacent to the first recess and the second recess and configured to allow the lid assembly to pivot relative to the base assembly to move the cosmetic container between a closed configuration and a fully open configuration. When the cosmetic container is in the fully open configuration, the top surface of the lid assembly and the bottom surface of the base assembly may be configured to lie flat on a surface.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the hinge assembly may comprise a hinge, a first pair of pins, and a second pair of pins.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, at least one of the pins of the first pair of pins may be movable along a longitudinal axis of the hinge.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, at least one of the pins of the second pair of pins may be movable along a longitudinal axis of the hinge.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the first pair of pins may be configured to engage a pair of apertures in the lid assembly, the first pair of apertures may be positioned in opposing side walls of the first recess.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the second pair of pins may be configured to engage a pair of apertures in the base assembly, the pair of apertures may be positioned in opposing side walls of the second recess.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, when the cosmetic container is in the fully open configuration, the hinge assembly may not be visible from the bottom surface of the base assembly and the top surface of the lid assembly.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the hinge assembly may further comprise one or more magnets.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the one or more magnets may be configured to releasably couple the cosmetic container to a second cosmetic container.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the cosmetic container may further comprise a magnetic latching mechanism disposed in the lid assembly and the base assembly.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the lid assembly and the base assembly may be symmetric when in the fully open configuration.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the cosmetic container may have a half-circular cross-sectional shape in the closed configuration.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, the cosmetic container may have a circular cross-sectional shape in the fully open configuration.
Alternatively or additionally to any of the examples above, in another example, when in the closed configuration, the hinge assembly may be disposed within the first recess and the second recess to define a generally flat hinge edge.
The above summary of some example embodiments is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure. The Figures, and Detailed Description, which follow, more particularly exemplify these embodiments.
The foregoing and other aspects of the present invention are best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific instrumentalities disclosed. Included in the drawings are the following Figures:
In some embodiments, the cosmetic container 10 and/or the various components thereof may be made from a rigid material (e.g., acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, thermoplastics, other polymers, glass, metal, alloy, wood, and the like). Other embodiments may, however, include containers 10 made from a flexible or semi-rigid material, such as plastic. In some embodiments, the base and/or lid assemblies 12, 14 may comprise a transparent or translucent material so that the cosmetic product within may be externally viewed.
The base assembly 12 may include a recess 20 configured to receive a portion of the hinge assembly 16. The recess 20 may having a length extending from a first wall 19 to a second wall 21. The lid assembly 14 may include a recess 22 configured to receive another portion of the hinge assembly 16. The recess 22 may having a length extending from a first wall 23 to a second wall 25. The recesses 20, 22 may be similar in size, although this is not required. As will be described in more detail below, the recesses 20, 22 may generally align to form a combined recess for receiving the hinge assembly 16. The hinge assembly 16 may be positioned within the recesses 20, 22 such that a back surface of the hinge assembly 16 is generally aligned with an edge surface 24 of the base assembly 12 and an edge surface 26 of the lid assembly 14. In other words, the hinge assembly 16 may be disposed within the recesses 20, 22 such that the hinge edge 28 of the cosmetic container 10 is generally flat when the container 10 is in the closed configuration.
Referring additionally to
It is further contemplated that one or more of the compartments 32, 42 of either the base assembly 12 or the lid assembly 14 may be replaced by or otherwise include a mirror and/or an applicator. While the base assembly 12 is described as having a “bottom” surface and the lid assembly 14 is described as having a “top” surface, it should be understood that the use of the terms “bottom” and “top” are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the cosmetic container 10 to a particular spatial orientation.
Referring again to
The hinge assembly 16 may include a hinge 50 having a first end 64 and a second end 66. The hinge 50 may have a length extending between the first end 64 and the second end 66 that is about the same as, or slightly less than a length of the recesses 20, 22 in the base and lid assemblies 12, 14. The hinge assembly 16 may include a first pin 52a extending from the first end 64 and a second pin 52b extending from the second end 66 to form a first pair of pins 52a, 52b (collectively, 52). In some cases, the hinge assembly 50 may be considered a watch link style hinge. The first pair of pins 52 may be configured to be received within a first pair of apertures 56a, 56b (collectively, 56) formed in the housing 40 of the lid assembly 14. The apertures 56 may be formed in the walls 23, 25 on either side of the recess 22. In some instances, the apertures may extend through the walls 23, 25 such that the apertures 56 are accessible from a location outside of the recess 22. In other cases, the apertures 56 may terminate at a location intermediate the recess 22 and the outer surface of the housing 40. In some cases, the first pair of pins 52 may be movably attached, such as, but not limited to, spring-loaded to the hinge 50 to allow the pins 52 to be depressed and placed within the apertures 56 in the lid assembly 14. In other words, the pins 52 may be movable along a longitudinal axis of the hinge 50 to allow an overall length (e.g. from a tip of the first pin 52a to a tip of the second pin 52b) to be shortened for assembly. For example, a first pin 52a may be inserted into the first aperture 56a. Once the first pin 52a has been inserted into the first aperture 56a, the tip of the second pin 52b may extend beyond an opening of the aperture 56b in the recess 22. The second pin 52b may be pushed into a recess in the hinge 50 (e.g. a force exerted on the tip of the second pin 52b) to shorten an exposed length of the pin 52b and allow it to be inserted into the second aperture 56b. When the exerted force is released from the pin 52b, the pin 52b may return to its original length (shown in
The hinge assembly 16 may include a third pin 54a extending from the first end 64 and a fourth pin 54b extending from the second end 66 to form a second pair of pins 54a, 54b (collectively, 54). The second pair of pins 54 may be configured to be received within a pair of apertures 58a, 58b (collectively, 58) formed in the base 30 of the base assembly 12. The apertures 58 may be formed through a side wall on either side of the recess 20. In some instances, the apertures may extend through the walls 19, 21 such that the apertures 58 are accessible from a location outside of the recess 20. In other cases, the apertures 58 may terminate at a location intermediate the recess 20 and the outer surface of the housing 30. In some cases, the second pair of pins 54 may be movably attached, such as, but not limited to, spring-loaded) to the hinge 50 to allow the pins 54 to be depressed and placed within the apertures 58 in the base assembly 12. In other words, to the pins 54 may be movable along a longitudinal axis of the hinge 50 to allow an overall length (e.g. from a tip of the third pin 54a to a tip of the fourth pin 54b) to be shortened for assembly. For example, the third pin 54a may be inserted into an aperture 58a of the base. Once the third pin 54a has been inserted into the aperture 58a, the tip of the fourth pin 54b may extend beyond the aperture 58b opening in the recess 20. The fourth pin 54b may be pushed into a recess in the hinge 50 (e.g. a force exerted on the tip of the fourth pin 54b) to shorten an exposed length of the pin 54b and allow it to be inserted into the aperture 58b. When the exerted force is released from the pin 54b, the pin 54b may return to its original length (shown in
The pins 52, 54 may be secured to the hinge 50 to allow for movement along a longitudinal axis of the hinge 50 but to prevent rotational movement of the pins 52, 54 relative to the hinge 50. The pins 52, 54 may be positioned within the apertures 56, 58 such that the base and lid assemblies 12, 14 may rotate and/or pivot relative to the pins 52, 54. This may allow the base and lid assemblies 12, 14 to pivot open about the hinge assembly 16. In some cases, the hinge assembly 16 may be removable through actuation of one or more of the pins 52, 54 through the corresponding apertures 56, 58.
When the cosmetic container is in the fully open configuration, as shown in
The base assembly 12 and the lid assembly 14 may each have a generally half-circular cross-sectional shape such that the cosmetic container 10 has a generally circular shape in the fully open configuration. However, the base assembly 12 and the lid assembly 14 may take any rotationally symmetrical shape (e.g. symmetric about the hinge assembly 16) desired, including but not limited to, square, rectangular, triangular, half-ovoid, polygonal, etc.
As the base assembly 12 and lid assembly 14 are moveable in more than one direction (e.g. two degrees of freedom), it may be desirable to have a closure mechanism does not require precise alignment to releasably secure the base assembly 12 and the lid assembly 147 to one another. In some cases, the base assembly 12 and the lid assembly 14 may be releasably coupled together using a magnet closure. For example, the base assembly 12 may include a magnet disposed on, embedded in, attached to, or otherwise a part of the base 30. In some instances, the magnet may be disposed under a rim 72 (see
Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the appended claims be construed to cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
The present application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/365,495, filed on Jul. 22, 2016, titled COMPACT WITH HIDDEN HINGE, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62365495 | Jul 2016 | US |