Patent Application
20190059557
The present invention generally relates to a new design of cosmetic case or compact, and more specifically relates to a cosmetic case or compact featuring a removable palette.
Cosmetic containers—also referred to as compacts, powder boxes, or powder cases—are portable vessels for holding, storing, and transporting cosmetics. Typically, cosmetic containers are fully enclosed and include one or more types of cosmetics, such as foundations, skin powders, skin creams, eye shadow, mascara, blush, lip gloss, lip stick, or other cosmetics products. Cosmetic containers may include a variety of shades of product, as well as one or more useful accessories such as a mirror or a brush for applying the cosmetic product. Cosmetic containers are typically sized so as to be hand-held and carried in a small bag or purse.
There are many disadvantages to existing cosmetic containers. Historically, each compact could only contain a single cosmetic product, forcing individuals to either limit themselves to a single type or shade of product or to carry multiple containers. Similarly, many compacts were not easily refillable, forcing users to dispose of the compact and purchase a new one once the cosmetic product was exhausted.
Several existing designs seek to address these concerns but still pose significant disadvantages. One example of a compact case with interchangeable cosmetic inserts is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,127, invented by Marjorie Geer, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This design features cosmetic inserts with recesses along their perimeters that are configured to engage with a hinged inner lid with a plurality of openings. While this structure allows individual cosmetic inserts to be replaced, the inner lid used to restrain the cosmetic inserts adds undesirable thickness and complexity to the cosmetic container. Further, it is difficult for a user to remove a single cosmetic insert without accidentally removing the other inserts or spilling the cosmetics contained in the other inserts.
A similar design for a cosmetic make-up kit with replaceable modules is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,420, invented by Morris Sussman, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This design features a plurality of cosmetic modules which are held in place by a frame plate with an array of openings. To remove any module, the user must disengage the latch on the frame plate and lift the frame plate, thereby providing access to remove any of the modules. This design also causes undesirable thickness and complexity, with a risk that multiple modules will be removed or spilled while attempting to change a single modules.
Further, while existing cosmetic cases permit users to carry multiple types or shades of cosmetic, they are still inherently limited in that each can only hold a finite number of different cosmetics. Users generally, and cosmetic artists in particular, often need to mix various types or shades of cosmetics together, which is not possible with existing cosmetic containers.
What is needed is an improved cosmetic container that securely contains multiple discrete cosmetic inserts and enables a user to easily remove a single insert without the risk of spilling or accidentally removing the other inserts. Further, a portable device that enables a user to easily mix his or her own cosmetics is also needed. The device and related methods described in the present disclosure address the drawbacks of existing designs.
Certain embodiments are shown in the drawings. However, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings.
For the purposes of promoting and understanding the principles disclosed herein, reference is now made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language is used to describe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is hereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices and such further applications of the principles disclosed and illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one of skill in the art to which this disclosure relates.
As shown in
As shown, the cosmetic container 100 forms a rectangular prism with rounded corners. The height of the cosmetic container 100 is substantially less than its length or depth. In an embodiment, the cosmetic container 100 is half an inch tall, 6 and 3/16ths of an inch long, and 4 and ¾ths of an inch deep. In an embodiment, the top case 102 and the bottom case 104 are each a quarter of an inch tall. The cosmetic container 100 may be made from plastic, metal, or another suitable material that is sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape and securely contain cosmetics within the interior of the container 100.
As shown in
Each insert 204 contains a hollow depression 306 surrounded by a raised surface 308. The depression 306 may be filed with a cosmetic, such as a primer, lipstick, lip gloss, lip liner, concealer, foundation, face powder, rouge, bronzer, mascara, eye shadow, eye liner, etc. In an embodiment, the inserts 204 contain various shades of a single type of cosmetic product. Alternatively, in an embodiment, the inserts contain different types of cosmetic products. As will be clear to one of skill in the art, various combinations of cosmetics may be selected based on the particular needs of the users. In an embodiment, the depression 306 is substantially circular in profile and with a diameter of 1 and ⅛th inch and a depth of approximately ⅛th of an inch. As will be clear to one of skill in the art, other dimensions may be used so as to accommodate a greater or lesser amount of a cosmetic product.
A cosmetic palette 202 is located in the top case 102. In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the cosmetic palette 202 is highly reflective so as to function as a mirror, enabling a user to view his or her self while applying cosmetics. The cosmetic palette 202 may be used to mix various cosmetic products together, such as different shades of a single type of cosmetic or even different types of cosmetics. In this way, a user can create a limitless number of desired shades or types of cosmetics from the finite number of cosmetics held within the container 100. In an embodiment, the palette 202 is used by folding the top case 102 back such that it is substantially parallel to the bottom case 104. The container 100 may then be held in a single hand while a person's other hand places cosmetics from the inserts 204 onto the palette 202, mixes the cosmetics, and applies them.
In an embodiment, the palette 202 contains decorative or informational matter over a portion of its surface, such as a manufacturer's name or logo or instructions for use of the cosmetics held within the container 100.
As shown in
The bottom of each insert 204 includes a protrusion 502 and the bottom case 104 of the container 100 contains a plurality of openings 304, each sized so as to accommodate a protrusion 502. An insert 204 is secured within the container by aligning the insert 204 with the walls 205 in the bottom case 104 and applying pressure to the exterior surface 408 of the insert 204. This presses the protrusion 502 of the insert 204 into and through the corresponding hole 304 in the bottom case 104. The pressure between the walls 206 and the opening 304 in the bottom case 104 and the outer walls 506 and the protrusion 502 of the insert 204, respectively, secure the insert 204 in place.
The protrusion 502 of each insert 204 is substantially flush with the bottom surface 406 of the bottom case 104 when the inserts 204 are located in the container 100. To remove a single desired insert 204, a user applies pressure to the protrusion 502 of the desired insert 104 from below while grabbing the top surface 308 and/or outer walls 510 of the insert 204. This allows a user to remove a single insert at a time without spilling the cosmetic contained in either the insert 204 or the container 100 or getting any of the cosmetic on his or her skin.
The top case 102 may be secured to the bottom case 104 so as to close the container 100 and ensure the cosmetic located within the container 100 does not spill out or come into contact with items located outside the container 100. In an embodiment, the top case 102 includes a latch 106a and the bottom case includes a corresponding recess 106b sized to accommodate the latch 106a. The latch 106a is made from a material with a degree of flexibility and resilience so as to permit the latch 106a to bend away from the recess 106b and thereby engage with and disengage from the recess 106b. Despite being pliable, the latch 106a contains sufficient rigidity to hold the cosmetic container 100 closed once engaged with the recess 106b.
As shown in
As shown in
In an embodiment, one or more tools for applying cosmetics may be held in the space between the palette 202 and the interior surface 602 of the top case 102. For example, one or more brushes may held by the palette 202 between the palette 202 and the top case 102. To access the tools, the user simply removes the palette 202.
It is understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description of some examples and embodiments of the present invention and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments may be made in accordance with the disclosure made herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention but to provide sufficient disclosure to allow one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention without undue burden.
This invention claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/552,210, filed on Aug. 30, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62552210 | Aug 2017 | US |
