Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6619297
-
Patent Number
6,619,297
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, December 19, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 16, 200320 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Robert; Eduardo C.
- Comstock; David C.
Agents
- Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 132 295
- 132 294
- 132 297
- 132 300
- 220 427
- 220 2388
- 220 426
- 220 475
- 220 526
- 312 202
- 312 269
- 312 2702
- 312 300
- 312 305
- 312 308
- 206 581
- D28 78
- D28 79
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A cosmetic case includes a frame unit and a stack of trays. The trays are mounted pivotally on the frame unit, and are turnable about a single axis to move between a closed position in which the trays are aligned with each other, and an open position in which the trays are out of alignment from each other. Each of the trays lags behind an adjacent one of the trays during turning movement of the trays, and has a first engaging member, a slide rail, and a second engaging member. The first engaging member of each of the trays is slidable along the slide rail and is engageable with the second engaging member of an adjacent one of the trays for subsequent simultaneous movement therebetween.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 090202229, filed on Feb. 14, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cosmetic case, more particularly to a multi-layered cosmetic case.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional multi-layered cosmetic case is shown to comprise a horizontal base
91
, a hollow pivot
92
disposed vertically on the base
91
proximate to an edge of the base
91
, a stack of trays
93
pivotally connected to the pivot
92
, and a top cover
94
. The trays
93
are used for storing cosmetic items. The top cover
94
is disposed to cover the trays
93
when the latter are stacked in alignment.
Since the trays
93
are not interconnected to each other by engaging members, the trays
93
move independently so that only one tray
93
can be moved and opened at a time, as best illustrated in FIG.
2
. Thus, the conventional multi-layered cosmetic case is inconvenient to use. Furthermore, the top cover
94
is easily misplaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a multi-layered cosmetic case with a stack of trays that can be opened and closed simultaneously.
Accordingly, a multi-layered cosmetic case of the present invention comprises a frame unit and a stack of trays. The trays are mounted pivotally on the frame unit, and are turnable about a single axis to move between a closed position in which the trays are aligned with each other, and an open position in which the trays are out of alignment from each other. Each of the trays lags behind an adjacent one of the trays during turning movement of the trays, and has an open top with a top edge, a closed bottom, a first engaging member disposed at one of the top edge and the closed bottom, a slide rail disposed in the other one of the top edge and the closed bottom, and a second engaging member disposed adjacent to the slide rail. The first engaging member of each of the trays is slidable along the slide rail of the adjacent one of the trays for relative movement therebetween and subsequently engageable with the second engaging member of the adjacent one of the trays for subsequent simultaneous movement therebetween.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1
is an assembled sectional view of a conventional multi-layered cosmetic case;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the conventional cosmetic case of
FIG. 1
in a state of use;
FIG. 3
is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a multi-layered cosmetic case according to the present invention;
FIG. 4
is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 5
is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment in an open state;
FIG. 6
is a sectional schematic view illustrating how a second tray causes a first tray to move to an open state; and
FIG. 7
is a schematic view illustrating how the trays are moved to a closed state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 3
to
5
, the preferred embodiment of a multi-layered cosmetic case according to the present invention is shown to comprise a frame unit
1
, a stack of four first trays
3
, and a second tray
4
. The first and second trays
3
,
4
are used for storing cosmetic items.
Each of the first trays
3
has a first pivot end
35
formed with a pivot hole
30
, and two opposite first lateral sides
34
. The lateral sides
34
of each of the first trays
3
extend from the first pivot end
35
in directions away from the first pivot end
35
. A single pivot pin
5
extends through the pivot holes
30
in the first trays
3
. Each of the first trays
3
further has an open top with a top edge
33
, a closed bottom
36
, a first engaging member in the form of a protrusion
31
, and a slide rail in the form of an arc-shaped slot
32
. The protrusion
31
of each of the first trays
3
projects upwardly from the top edge
33
, and is disposed at one of the first lateral sides
34
. The slot
32
in each of the first trays
3
extends from one of the first lateral sides
34
to the other one of the first lateral sides
34
, and extends angularly in the closed bottom
36
about the pivot hole
30
to receive the protrusion
31
of an adjacent lower first tray
3
. The slot
32
in each of the first trays
3
has two opposite ends
321
,
322
that serve as second engaging members to engage the protrusion
31
. The protrusion
31
of each of the first trays
3
is slidable along the slot
32
in the adjacent first tray
3
to permit relative movement between two adjacent first trays
3
, and subsequently engages one of the opposite ends
321
,
322
of the slot
32
to cause subsequent simultaneous movement of the adjacent first trays
3
.
The frame unit
1
includes a top wall
11
extending above the first trays
3
, a bottom wall
12
extending below the first trays
3
, and a side wall
14
interconnecting the top and bottom walls
11
,
12
and extending adjacent to one of the first lateral sides
34
. The top wall
11
has a slot
113
which is similar in configuration to the slot
32
in each of the first trays
3
and which has two opposite engaging ends
114
,
115
.
The first trays
3
include an uppermost tray
38
disposed adjacent to the top wall
11
and connected pivotally to the top wall
11
via a pivot
111
and the pivot hole
30
.
The second tray
4
is disposed on the bottom wall
12
below the first trays
3
, and is connected pivotally to the bottom wall
12
via a pivot
121
and a pivot hole
40
. The second tray
4
has a top edge formed with a protrusion
41
which is similar in configuration to the protrusion
31
of the first tray
3
. The protrusion
41
is slidable along the slot
32
in the lowermost tray
39
of the first trays
3
. The second tray
4
includes a second pivot end
42
substantially aligned with the first pivot ends
35
, and two opposite second lateral sides
47
which substantially extend along the first lateral sides
34
but longer than the latter. The second tray
4
further has a cover wall
45
, a distal end
49
(shown in FIG.
5
), an extension region
43
(shown in FIG.
5
), a tray recess
48
, and a receptacle
46
. The cover wall
45
extends at one of the second lateral sides
47
opposite to the side wall
14
of the frame unit
1
, and projects upwardly to cover the first trays
3
. The distal end
49
is opposite to the second pivot end
42
. The extension region
43
is adjacent to the distal end
49
. The tray recess
48
is in alignment with the first trays
3
. The receptacle
46
is disposed in the extension region
43
, and extends toward the top wall
11
. The receptacle
46
is used for storing a cosmetic brush
50
.
The first and second trays
3
,
4
are interconnected via the pivot pin
5
which passes through the pivot holes
30
in the first trays and the pivot hole
40
in the second tray
4
. The first and second trays
3
,
4
are then mounted pivotally on the frame unit
1
by engaging the pivot hole
30
in the uppermost tray
38
with the pivot
111
of the top wall
11
and by engaging the pivot hole
40
in the second tray
4
with the pivot
121
of the bottom wall
12
. The first and second trays
3
,
4
and the top and bottom walls
11
,
12
are now aligned and in a closed state.
The outer profiles of the top and bottom walls
11
,
12
are substantially similar to that of the second tray
4
. The top and bottom walls
11
,
12
have the aligned pivots
111
,
121
in the pivot ends
119
,
129
, and extension regions
118
,
128
distal to the pivot ends
119
,
129
. The top wall
11
is further formed with a through hole
117
in the extension region
118
that is registered with the extension region
43
in the second tray
4
.
The second tray
4
and the frame unit
1
are further provided with releasable interlocking elements such as a bottom tab
44
, a locking groove
122
, a side tab
451
, and a locking notch
141
. The bottom tab
44
projects downwardly from the cover wall
45
, and engages releasably the locking groove
122
. The side tab
451
projects sidewise, and engages releasably the locking notch
141
. As such, the first and second trays
3
,
4
can be retained in the closed state on the frame unit
1
.
In use, the bottom tab
44
of the second tray
4
or the side tab
451
of the cover wall
45
can be moved away from the locking groove
122
in the bottom wall
12
or the locking notch
141
in the side wall
14
with the use of a finger. At this time, the protrusion
41
of the second tray
4
moves from one end
321
to the other end
322
of the slot
32
in the lowermost tray
39
. The lowermost tray
39
then moves after the second tray
4
has been turned by an angular distance. Similarly, the protrusion
31
of the lowermost tray
39
moves from one end
321
to the other end
322
of the slot
32
in the adjacent one of the first trays
3
. The same movement occurs successively in the other first trays
3
, such that each of the first trays
3
lags behind the adjacent one of the first trays
3
during turning movement of the trays
3
,
4
about the pivot pin
5
, as best illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 6
. Finally, the protrusion
31
of the uppermost tray
38
abuts against one end
115
of the slot
113
in the top wall
11
, and is retained thereat. The first and second trays
3
,
4
are now opened, and are moved out of alignment from each other and from the frame unit
1
(see FIG.
5
).
When the protrusion
41
of the second tray
4
is moved in a reverse direction, that is, from the end
322
to the other end
321
of the slot
32
in the lowermost tray
39
of the first trays
3
, the protrusion
3
l of the lowermost tray
39
also moves from the end
322
to the other end
321
of the slot
32
in the adjacent one of the first trays
3
. The other first trays
3
follow the same movement successively, as best illustrated in
FIG. 7
, until the protrusion
31
of the uppermost tray
38
of the first trays
3
abuts against the other end
114
of the slot
113
in the top wall
11
. The first and second trays
3
,
4
are now in a closed state, and are not only aligned with each other, but are also aligned with the top and bottom walls
11
,
12
of the frame unit
1
.
Therefore, the multi-layered cosmetic case of the present invention is easy to use because the trays
3
,
4
can be opened and closed simultaneously.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
- 1. A multi-layered cosmetic case comprising:a frame unit; and a stack of first trays mounted pivotally on said frame unit, said first trays being turnable about a single axis to move between a closed position in which said first trays are aligned with each other, and an open position in which said first trays are out of alignment from each other, each of said first trays lagging behind an adjacent one of said first trays during turning movement of said first trays, each of said first trays having an open top with a top edge, a closed bottom, a first engaging member disposed at one of said top edge and said closed bottom, a slide rail disposed in the other one of said top edge and said closed bottom, and a second engaging member disposed adjacent to said slide rail, said first engaging member of each of said first trays being slidable along said slide rail of the adjacent one of said first trays for relative movement therebetween and being subsequently engageable with said second engaging member of the adjacent one of said first trays for subsequent simultaneous movement therebetween, wherein said first engaging member is formed as a protrusion projecting upwardly from said top edge, said slide rail being formed as an arc-shaped slot extending angularly in said closed bottom about said single axis to receive said protrusion of an adjacent lower one of said first trays, said slot having two opposite ends each defining said second engaging member to engage said first engaging member, wherein each of said first trays has a first pivot end, and two opposite first lateral sides extending from said first pivot end in directions away from said first pivot end, said slot extending from one of said first lateral sides to the other one of said first lateral sides, said protrusion being disposed at one of said first lateral sides, wherein said frame unit includes a top wall extending above said first trays, a bottom wall extending below said first trays, and a side wall interconnecting said top and bottom walls and extending adjacent to one of said lateral sides, wherein said first trays include an uppermost tray adjacent to said top wall and connected pivotally to said top wall about said single axis, said top wall having a slot which is similar in configuration to said slot in each of said first trays, further comprising a second tray disposed on said bottom wall below said first trays and connected pivotally about said single axis, said second tray having a top edge formed with a protrusion which is similar in configuration to said protrusion of each of said first trays, wherein said second tray includes a second pivot end substantially aligned with said first pivot ends, and two opposite second lateral sides substantially extending along said first lateral sides, wherein said second tray further has a cover wall extending at one of said second lateral sides opposite to said side wall of said frame unit and projecting upwardly to cover said first trays, and wherein said second lateral sides are longer than said first lateral sides, said second tray further having a distal end opposite to said second pivot end, and an extension region adjacent to said distal end, said second tray further having a tray recess in alignment with said first trays, and a receptacle disposed in said extension region of said second tray and extending toward said top wall.
- 2. The multi-layered cosmetic case as claimed in claim 1, further comprising releasable interlocking elements provided on said second tray and said frame unit.
- 3. The multi-layered cosmetic case as claimed in claim 2, wherein said interlocking elements include a bottom tab projecting downwardly from said cover wall, and a locking groove formed in said bottom wall for engaging releasably said bottom tab.
- 4. The multi-layered cosmetic case as claimed in claim 3, wherein said interlocking elements further include a side tab projecting sidewise from said cover wall, and a locking notch formed in said side wall for engaging releasably said side tab.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
90202229 U |
Feb 2001 |
TW |
|
US Referenced Citations (21)