COSMETIC CONTAINER WITH AN IMPROVED SIFTER FOR LOOSE POWDERS

Abstract

A container for loose powder having an improved sifter which allows for controlled dispensing of the powder through the sifter. The sifter surface provides enhanced loading onto and between the bristles of a brush or other types of applicators to yield good product payoff and even application of the target surface. Two-way flowability of the powder through the sifter insures excess powder flows back into the powder compartment of the container creating improved cleanliness.

Description

BACKGROUND

Currently available loose powder containers include a housing portion which serves as a cup or reservoir for the loose powder or other powdered type cosmetics. A perforated plate or net is disposed over the opening of the reservoir and then a top or cover is provided to enclose both the housing and the perforated plate. The perforated plate allows the consumer to transfer the powder from the reservoir onto either a flat surface of the perforated plate or net, or onto some other surface such as, for example, the inside of the container cover when the container is turned upside down. The perforated plate is intended to facilitate dispensing of the loose powder for application onto a desired substrate such as a person's face in the event the loose powder is a cosmetic product such as a powdered foundation for one's face.

Customers tend to prefer to apply these powders onto their face and body with a brush applicator or another type of applicator having either fibers and or a sponge type material, therefore, loose powder containers are also oftentimes sold with a brush or other type of applicator. The brush or applicator is used to gather the powder present on the flat surface of the perforated plate or net for application onto the target area.

A problem associated with the use of a perforated plate or net, which acts as a sifter for the loose powder, relates to the difficulty associated with sifting a proper amount of powder through the plate or net, then to load a sufficient amount of loose powder evenly onto a brush or other applicator in order to achieve good “payoff”. Payoff is a term of art relating to the amount of color applied onto a treated surface with a single application gesture. A product is deemed to have good payoff when a sufficient amount of powder is easily and evenly applied onto a target surface with minimal repeat application gestures. The better the payoff, the easier it is to apply the requisite amount of powder in order to obtain good coverage of the color. Failure to gather a sufficient amount of powder evenly onto the bristles of a brush or applicator results in poor payoff, which in turn requires numerous application attempts in order to get a desired amount of coverage onto the targeted area. One way to avoid the color payoff problem is to eliminate a sifter/perforated plate altogether. A brush can then be placed directly in contact with the loose powder found at the bottom of the container. However, elimination of the sifter precludes a consumer from being able to gather a desired amount of powder onto the brush in a controlled manner.

A second issue with conventional perforated plate or net sifters is that the amount of powder presented on the surface of the perforated plate or net is not controlled. Excess powder on the sifter plate or net can get pushed out of the sifter and outside the powder container causing the powder to be spilled thus creating possible consumer dissatisfaction and the potential need to clean up the unwanted powder that is outside the container and associated surfaces.

Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a container for loose powder having an improved sifter which allows for controlled dispensing of the powder through the sifter and to enable a sufficient amount of powder to be evenly gathered onto and between the bristles of a brush or other types of applicators so as to yield good product payoff of during application onto the target surface.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will be more apparent hereinafter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a container for storing and dispensing loose powder, the container having a bottom wall and an upwardly projecting side wall which together define a product storage compartment, a resilient porous pad serving as a sifter for the loose powder and a removable cover.

Loose powder for cosmetics is but one use of the novel invention which can advantageously be used with any granular material.

The resilient porous pad is comprised of an open cell synthetic resin with pores of sufficient size to allow loose powder or granular material present in the storage compartment to pass through the pad and rest on an upper surface of the pad, ready for gathering by brush bristles or a flocked or sponge type applicator.

The container of the present invention has a separate housing or support frame located above the loose powder present within the product storage compartment, upon which the resilient porous pad rests. The spacing between a bottom surface of the resilient porous pad adjacent to the loose powder, and the loose powder itself, must be sufficient to allow the loose powder to pass through the resilient porous pad and onto a top surface of the resilient porous pad to allow it to be gathered from the top surface by brush bristles. Similarly, the spacing between the top surface of the resilient porous pad and the bottom of a removable cover must be sufficient to allow loose powder, passing through the pad, to collect within the space between the pad and the cover so that the powder can be collected on to the brush or other applicator types when the container is turned upside down. Conversely excess powder on the top of the pad can fall back into the container when in its normal vertical position either by the movement of the brush or the applicator across the top surface of the pad by tapping the container to sift the powder through the pad back into the container.

The open cells of the resilient porous pad form a rough surface on the top of the pad. This surface separates the individual fibers of the brush or applicator allowing the powder that is collected on the surface of the pad to disperse substantially evenly onto the individual fibers.

The cellular structure of the resilient porous pad used as a sifter may find use in other environments where controlled dispensing of granular material is desired. For instance, controlling dispensing of spices or other materials may take advantage of the cellular structure present in the resilient porous pad of the present invention. The resilient pad allows such dry granular material to pass either from the container to be dispensed or to move back to the container after some of the dispensed granular material is utilized.

The following description applies and is described with relationship to a loose powder product in the cosmetics industry. Other embodiments or uses of the present invention will be apparent from the description of the invention with relationship to the loose powder being a cosmetic loose powder used in the cosmetics industry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects, features and drawings of the present invention will better be understood in light of the embodiment examples which are discussed below with the aid of a drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the support frame inside the powder container of the present invention, upon in which the resilient porous pad rests above the product storage compartment.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the embodiment of the resilient porous pad inside the support member located in the powder container

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the powder container having the support frame located in the powder container.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the loose powder container having the embodiment of the resilient porous pad inside the support frame

FIG. 5 is a side cross section view showing powder storage container of the present invention with the cover sitting above the resilient porous pad and the powder represented in the powder storage area.

FIGS. 6a and 6b are perspective views showing the top surface of the pad as convex or concave, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general, the loose powder container contemplated for use with the resilient porous pad of the present invention will be of a jar-type configuration, in that the container includes a compartment portion for a loose powder product or a granular material which has a closed end and an open end. Within the open end is a support member or housing to house the resilient porous pad of the present invention, thereby positioning the loose powder product between the closed end of the compartment portion and the resilient porous pad. Lastly, a removable cover is disposed about the open end of the container, thus sealing the open end of the container.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 5 show a n embodiment of the loose powder container of the present invention, generally referred to as 10. A resilient porous pad 12 is disposed within the container 10 and acts as a sifter for the loose powder P (FIG. 5) present in the container 10. The resilient porous pad is comprised of open cell synthetic or natural cellular material. The synthetic resin can be comprised any suitable material such as for example, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and polyester. A natural porous or cellular material can be Luffa. The pores (not shown) of the resilient porous pad 12 are of a size sufficient to enable the loose powder P to pass through the porous pad 12 when the container 10 is inverted and shaken and or tapped. In this way the porous pad can also control product flow directly onto the intended site. The pathways through the pores of the cellular architecture of the foam pad to control release of powder passing therethrough compared to substantially planer sifters such as plates or nets formed in the prior art.

The shape and size of the porous pad 12 will typically depend on the size and shape of the container 10 and to the related aesthetic requirements for transfer of the Powder P to the brush or applicator. For example the top surface 20 of the pad can be flat as shown in a preferred embodiment. But it can be concave or convex as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b. With regards to its shape, the porous pad 12 should substantially mirror the circumference or perimeter formed by an interior wall 16 of a frame 34. This way, when the container 10 is shaken or tapped in the inverted orientation, loose powder P present in the bottom portion of the container 10 passes through the porous pad 12 in order to be sifted. As to the size of the porous pad 12, what is meant by size is the thickness of the porous pad 12. In order for the loose powder P to be effectively deposited onto the top or upper surface 20 of the porous pad 12, there must be sufficient spacing 25 between the upper surface 20 and an inner portion 22 of a removable cover 24. The spacing 25 between the upper surface 20 and the inner portion 22 should be from about 0 mm to about 2 mm, preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 1.00 mm

Additionally, the container could be any shape so long as the top can be secured to the bottom. A cylindrical shape is shown as a preferred embodiment and all components for another shape container would be consistent with said other shape.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 the resilient porous pad 12 of the present invention is disposed within a support frame or housing 34 which sits inside the top open end of the loose powder container 10. The resilient porous pad is, preferably, sized to substantially exactly fix inside frame 34 and be held therein by friction between the perimeter of porous pad 12 and interior wall 16. In this way, powder P can not move from the compartment 30 to space 25 without passing through sifter 12. The loose powder container 10 contemplated for use with the present invention is typically of a cylindrical jar-type configuration, in that the container is provided with a bottom wall 26 and an upwardly projecting side wall 28 which define a compartment 30 for the loose powder P. An upper edge 32 of the upwardly projecting side wall 28 defines an opening through which the support frame is inserted. The pad 12 is also cylindrical. Support frame 38 also has a lower lip 42 on which frame 34 sits.

The support frame 34 is comprised of an upper flanged lip 38 that sits on the upper edge 32 of the container wall. The frame and flanged lip 42 comprise a housing 40 to hold the pad 12 in place. The upper flange lip 38 is attached to vertical wall 39. Bottom support straps 35 are integrally formed with frame 34 and intersect perpendicular to the vertical wall 39.

The resilient porous pad 12 is held in relation above the loose powder P present in the compartment 30. The location of the bottom support straps 35 should be such that the resilient porous pad 12 can be securely suspended over the loose powder P present in the compartment 30. The support straps 35 will also define the shape of the aperture 31 through which loose powder P will pass from compartment 30, and then through the resilient porous pad 12. In FIG. 1, the shape of aperture 31 is circular since the inwardly extending wall 39 is in the form of a collar sitting in the inside perimeter of the container 10.

As seen in FIG. 1, the support straps 35 may be in the form of a cross-member. In this configuration it is seen that aperture 31 is in the shape of a pie slice. The precise form or shape of support straps 35 is not critically important, so long as the resilient porous pad 12 can be disposed securely within the container 10, above the loose powder P in the compartment 30, and form an aperture 31 sufficient to allow loose powder P to contact, and then pass through resilient porous pad 12.

Additionally, the outside surface 36 of the upwardly projecting wall 28 is provided with a means for removably mounting the cover 24 on the container 10. Preferably, and as shown in FIG. 5, the means for removably mounting the cover 24 on the container 10 will consist of a set of opposing threads 37 and 37′. Additional means for removably mounting a closure on a container are well known within the art and include lug fasteners, vertical ribs, snap-fit engagements, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 the flanged lip 38 of the support frame 34 contacts the inner portion 22 of the removable cover 24 forming a seal to prevent the powder P from leaking outside container 10.

FIGS. 6a and 6b are perspective views of alternative embodiments of the shape of the porous pad 6 with FIG. 6a illustrating a convex shape 62 while FIG. 6b illustrates a concave shape 64 of the pad sitting within frame 34.

It should be understood that the preferred embodiment was described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly legally and equitably entitled.

Claims

1. A container having a reservoir holding granular material and a sifter having a top and bottom and located on top of said reservoir to control passage of said granular material through said sifter, said container comprising a housing located above said reservoir, said sifter located in said housing and comprising a resilient porous pad of an open cell structure resin having pores of sufficient size to allow said granular material to pass through said pad from said bottom to said top when said container is turned upside down, and from said top to said bottom of said pad when said container is in its normal vertical position,and a removable cover attached to said container.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said container, said housing and said pad are cylindrical.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein said resilient porous pad comprises a natural cellular material.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein said natural cellular material comprises Luffa.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein said container has a bottom wall, an upwardly projecting side wall connected to said bottom wall which together define said reservoir, said side wall extending above said reservoir, said side wall terminating in a top, said removable cover attached to the top of said side wall and to said container, said pad located above said reservoir and below said cover.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein said housing for said pad is located above said reservoir, the top of said pad being spaced from said removable cover when said removable cover is attached to said container.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein said foam pad is compressed to fit within and be held in said housing.

8. The container of claim 6, wherein the top of said pad is flat.

9. The container of claim 6, wherein the top of said pad is concave.

10. The container of claim 6, wherein the top of said pad is convex.

11. The container of claim 6, wherein said granular material comprises a powder, wherein said powder which passes from said reservoir to the top of said pad rests on the top of said pad for easy access by a user when the removable cover is removed from said container.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein said powder on the top of said pad may pass down through said pad into said reservoir.

13. The container of claim 12, wherein said powder comprises cosmetic powder.

14. The container of claim 2, wherein said resilient porous pad comprises polyurethane.

15. The container of claim 2, wherein said resilient porous pad comprises polyvinyl chloride.

16. The container of claim 2, wherein said resilient porous pad comprises polyester.

17. The container of claim 1, wherein said removable top is sealed to said container when said top is closed onto said container.

18. The container of claim 1, wherein said housing comprising support straps located below said pad on which said pad rests, said support straps defining the opening for the pad to pass said granular material to and from, said reservoir through said pad.

19. The container of claim 1, wherein said housing for said pad comprises a support frame for holding said pad, wherein said support frame is supported by said container above said reservoir.

20. The container of claim 1, wherein said resilient porous pad comprises a synthetic resin.