Slim dispenser

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6231254
  • Patent Number
    6,231,254
  • Date Filed
    Friday, May 7, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 15, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A lipstick dispenser uses the normally decorative A-shell as a functional element by providing a plurality of longitudinal splines in the interior of the A-shell. The splines fit into notches in an elevator cup to keep the elevator in fixed relationship to the A-shell. A propel/retract mechanism is provided by interacting screw threading on the elevator and on a base that is secured together with the A-shell. The base has flexible upwardly extending friction tabs that ride on the inside of the A-shell and provide a desired frictional drag.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to the field of lipstick and cosmetic dispensers having a propelling and retracting mechanism for a cosmetic stick contained within the dispenser.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




There has been a trend in the cosmetics product market towards “non-transferable” lipstick products. These products are heavy, silicone filled lipsticks that do not transfer from the wearers lips, and leave residue, such as on a coffee cup or clothing. These lipstick formulations have a significant quantity of volatile components in their formulations. As such, they must be kept enclosed in an airtight container when not in use. If not enclosed in an airtight container, they will dry out and shrink. They will become unusable to the consumer, particularly if the lipstick shrinks and falls out of the dispenser cup. These products were first introduced to the market in slim lipstick dispensers because these dispensers had the necessary airtight construction. However, these initial slim dispenser designs also have disadvantages. These slim dispenser designs typically include an elevator cup that has a threaded rod extending downwardly into and engaging a threaded base element, and which can be operated with a twisting action to extend the cosmetic stick from a nose member. One such design is shown, for example, in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,893.




A disadvantage of these designs is that in order to load the dispenser with a cosmetic stick, the cosmetic stick must be formed and carefully loaded into the dispenser or cast in place in the tubular nose of the dispenser. The elevators of these dispensers cannot be bottom filled with a molten cosmetic product which is allowed to cool, in place, in a mold, so that the cosmetic is molded in place onto an elevator cup. It is to be appreciated that bottom filling of an elevator cup of a cosmetic dispenser is considered a preferred method of loading the cosmetic stick into a lipstick dispenser because it simplifies the cosmetic loading operation and reduces product loss arising from breakage of the cosmetic stick on loading. Such bottom filling methods are used with conventional lipstick dispensers where the cup size is on the order of 0.50 inches diameter. Such bottom filling methods are not generally usable in slim dispenser designs because they will use a small diameter solid threaded rod element engaged in a cam or nut element to drive the elevator. In contrast, the conventional dispensers use a combination of an innerbody with straight tracks working in combination with helical tracks on a cam sleeve to move an elevator cup by engagement with the elevator cup lugs.




Lastly, the “feel” of the existing slim dispenser designs is sometimes slack; desirably, a cosmetic dispenser should have a sufficient amount of swivel drag to give the dispenser a feel that is smooth and luxurious.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide a slim cosmetic dispenser which is capable of being bottom filled with a molten cosmetic product to allow a cosmetic stick to be formed in place in the elevator cup of the dispenser. It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide such a dispenser with an enhanced swivel drag. It is an object of the preferred embodiment of the invention to provide such a dispenser which seals to prevent premature drying and deterioration of a cosmetic stick.




These objects, and other objects which shall become apparent hereafter are accomplished by a cosmetic dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, comprising a tubular A-shell, an elevator and a base.




The A-shell is preferably a decorative aluminum A-shell, but has a plurality of longitudinal splines provided with the interior wall of the A-shell, either as ribs formed integrally with the wall, or as part of a plastic insert. Preferably, there are from four to eight of such splines. The elevator has an elevator cup at an upper end and an elevator stem extending down from the cup. The elevator stem is preferably hollow, and open at its lower end.




The elevator cup is fitted inside the A-shell and has a plurality of notches around its outer wall. The longitudinal splines fit into the notches to keep the elevator cup in a fixed orientation relative to the A-shell. In one preferred embodiment, the elevator cup notches are formed in an annular bead extending around the outer wall of the elevator cup; for ease of manufacture, the bead is deformable, and the elevator cup notches are made by the pressure of the A-shell splines on the bead when the cosmetic dispenser is operated. In another embodiment, the elevator cup notches are molded or otherwise formed in the outer wall of the elevator cup.




The elevator stem has an exterior wall with a circular cross-section and screw threading extending radially outwardly therefrom which interacts with mating internal screw threading in the base. The base is rotatably attached to the A-shell, preferably by an annular bead extending around a perimeter of the interior wall of the A-shell in snap fitting engagement with a channel extending around a perimeter of an outer wall of the base. Accordingly, the cosmetic dispenser is operable to cause the elevator cup to travel longitudinally in the A-shell by rotation of the base element relative to the A-shell, because the rotation causes the mating screw threads to propel the elevator upwardly or retract it downwardly, with the A-shell splines received in the elevator cup notches maintaining the elevator cup in a fixed orientation relative to the A-shell.




In a preferred embodiment, a desired swivel torque is provided by a plurality of separate tabs formed with and extending upwardly from the base into frictional contact with the interior wall of the A-shell to generate friction between the base and the A-shell upon relative rotation of the base and A-shell.




The invention reduces the number of parts used in a dispenser by eliminating the innerbody found in most conventional lipstick dispensers. It provides a slender appearance and an airtight option. It provides a desirable feel due to the friction of plastic friction tabs against a metal A-shell.




Other objects, aspects and features of the invention in addition to those mentioned above will be pointed out in or will be understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a cross-sectional elevation view of a lipstick dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 2

is a perspective exploded view of a lipstick dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 3

is a cross-sectional elevation view of an A-shell of a lipstick dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional elevation view of an elevator of a lipstick dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional elevation view of a cam base of a lipstick dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention





FIG. 6

is a perspective view of an assembled A-shell and cam base of a sealed lipstick dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional elevation view of an A-shell and insert of a lipstick dispenser in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 8

is a perspective view of the insert for an A-shell of FIG.


7


.





FIG. 9

is a perspective view with partial cross-section of the A-shell of FIG.


7


.





FIG. 10

is a top plan cross-sectional view of the lipstick dispenser of

FIG. 1

along the line


11





11


.





FIG. 11

is a detail of the view of

FIG. 10

, showing the ribs of the A-shell mating to the bead of the elevator cup.





FIG. 12

is a detail side elevation cross-sectional view of the area within line


12





12


of FIG.


1


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring now to

FIGS. 1-12

, where like elements are indicated with the same element numbers, a cosmetic dispenser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown at


20


. Dispenser


20


comprises an A-shell


30


, an elevator


50


, and a base


70


. A-shell


30


is a decorative tubular part, preferably formed of metal, most preferably, aluminum. A-shell


30


has an interior wall


32


and an exterior wall


34


. A plurality of longitudinal splines


36


are provided on the interior wall


32


of A-shell


30


. Preferably, there are from four to eight such longitudinal splines


36


. In one preferred embodiment, the splines


36


are integrally formed with the A-shell


30


. This can be manufactured by cold forming the A-shell in an appropriate die. Alternately, as can be seen in

FIGS. 7-9

, A-shell


30


may be a smooth cylinder, and the splines


36


can be incorporated in a metal or plastic insert


38


that fits inside the A-shell


30


.




Elevator


50


is preferably formed from polypropylene and has an elevator cup


52


at an upper end thereof and an elevator stem


56


at a lower end


58


thereof. The elevator cup


52


fits inside the A-shell


30


. Elevator cup


52


has a plurality of notches


60


around outer wall


62


of the cup


52


. Notches


60


receive the longitudinal splines


36


. The splines


36


received in the notches


60


operate to keep the cup


52


fixedly oriented relative to the A-shell


30


. Preferably the number of notches


60


is the same as the number of splines


36


. The notches


60


may be molded into the outer walls of the elevator cup


52


. Preferably, notches


60


are formed in an annular bead


64


extending around the outer wall


62


of the elevator cup. Bead


64


is preferably deformable, and the elevator cup notches


60


can therefore be formed by pressure applied by the splines


36


as they pass over bead


64


when the cosmetic dispenser


20


is first operated. Elevator stem


56


has an exterior wall


65


with a circular cross-section and an exterior screw threading


66


extending radially outwardly from the wall


65


. Preferably, stem


56


is hollow, so that the dispenser


20


may be bottom filled with a cosmetic product.




It is to be appreciated that the bead


64


fits tightly against the inner wall


32


of the A-shell


30


to provide the necessary sealing fit that prevents leakage or escape of volatile components in the lipstick when the dispenser is closed with a cap and base.




Base element


70


has an inner wall


72


with a circular cross-section and an internally threaded track section


74


. Threaded track section


74


is engaged by the exterior screw threading


66


on elevator stem


56


. Base


70


is rotatably attached to A-shell


30


. In one preferred embodiment, base


70


is attached to A-shell


30


by a beaded wall section


40


forming an annular bead extending around a perimeter of the interior wall


32


of the A-shell


30


in snap fitting engagement with a channel


76


extending around the perimeter of the outer wall


78


of the base


70


. Preferably, as seen in

FIG. 12

, there is also an external bead


79


in base


70


that fits into a channel


41


in A-shell


30


. Accordingly, the cosmetic dispenser


20


is operable to cause the elevator cup


52


to travel longitudinally in the A-shell


30


by rotation of the base element


70


relative to the A-shell


30


, because the rotation causes the external screw threading


66


to track upwardly in the threaded section


74


. While the elevator moves upwardly, the A-shell splines


36


received in the elevator cup notches


60


maintain the elevator cup


52


in a fixed orientation relative to the A-shell


30


.




In a preferred embodiment, a desirable swivel torque is provided by at least one, preferably two, or a plurality of separate tabs


80


formed with and extending upwardly from the base


70


into frictional contact with the interior wall


32


of the A-shell


30


to generate friction between the base


70


and the A-shell


30


upon relative rotation of the base


70


and A-shell


30


. To provide the desired swivel friction, the tabs, and typically, the entire base


70


should be formed from a suitable plastic that has low creep characteristic and a good lubricity. In a preferred embodiment, the base is fabricated from Delrin®, a PTFE filled acetal manufactured by E.l. duPont de Nemours and Company. As can be seen in

FIGS. 2 and 12

, the tabs


80


are separated from each other and have an upwardly extending segment


82


and a radially extending segment


84


. Although friction tabs


80


are believed preferred, other friction elements may be used, as for example a continuous bead, which would provide a sealing fit between the components to preserve the product and prevent it from drying out. Such a continuous bead could for example connect all the segments


84


to create one annular bead, with segments


82


maintained as separate segments. Alternatively, segments


82


could be a continuous web instead of being segmented, just as segments


84


would be a continuous bead instead of being segmented.




It is to be appreciated that the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting of the invention, and that other modifications of the cosmetic dispenser of the invention may be chosen by persons of ordinary skill in the art, all within the scope of the invention as claimed below.



Claims
  • 1. A cosmetic dispenser, comprising:a tubular A-shell having an interior wall and an exterior wall, and having a plurality of longitudinal splines provided on said interior wall of said A-shell; an elevator having an elevator cup at an upper end thereof and an elevator stem at a lower end thereof, said elevator cup being fitted inside said A-shell and having a plurality of notches around an outer wall thereof for receiving said longitudinal splines, wherein said elevator cup notches are formed in a deformable annular bead extending around said outer wall of said elevator cup, said elevator cup notches being formed by deformation of said annular bead caused by said A-shell splines when said cosmetic dispenser is operated, said elevator stem having an exterior wall with a circular crosssection and screw threading provided thereon; a base element having an inner wall with a circular cross-section and an internally threaded section engaged with said screw threading provided on said elevator stem, said base element being rotatably attached to said A-shell; means for generating friction between said base element and said A-shell upon relative rotation of said base element and A-shell; said cosmetic dispenser being operable to cause said elevator cup to travel longitudinally in said A-shell by rotation of said base element relative to said A-shell, said A-shell splines received in said elevator cup notches maintaining said elevator cup in a fixed orientation relative to said A-shell.
  • 2. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein said splines are integrally formed with said interior wall of said A-shell.
  • 3. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an insert fitted inside said A-shell, said splines being provided on said insert.
  • 4. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein said elevator stem is hollow.
  • 5. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for generating friction comprises one or more separate tabs formed with and extending upwardly from said base element into frictional contact with said A-shell interior wall.
  • 6. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for generating friction comprises a continuous bead formed on an outer surface of said base element and in sealing friction fit with said A-shell interior wall.
  • 7. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1, wherein said annular bead fits sealingly against said A-shell interior wall.
  • 8. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein said base element is rotatable attached to said A-shell by an annular bead extending around a perimeter of said interior wall of said A-shell in snap fitting engagement with a channel extending around a perimeter of an outer wall of said base element.
  • 9. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are from 4 to 8 of said splines.
  • 10. A cosmetic dispenser, comprising:a tubular A-shell having an interior wall and an exterior wall an insert fitted inside said tubular A-shell having a plurality of longitudinal splines provided on an interior wall of said insert; an elevator having an elevator cup at an upper end thereof and an elevator stem at a lower end thereof, said elevator cup being fitted inside said A-shell and having a plurality of notches around an outer wall thereof for receiving said longitudinal splines, wherein said elevator cup notches are formed in a deformable annular bead extending around said outer wall of said elevator cup, said elevator cup notches being formed by deformation of said annular bead caused by said longitudinal splines when said cosmetic dispenser is operated, said elevator stem having an exterior wall with a circular cross-section and screw threading provided thereon; a base element having an inner wall with a circular cross-section and an internally threaded section engaged with said screw threading provided on said elevator stem, said base element being rotatably attached to said A-shell; one or more separate tabs formed with and extending upwardly from said base element into frictional contact with said A-shell interior wall for generating friction between said base element and said A-shell upon relative rotation of said base element and A-shell; said cosmetic dispenser being operable to cause said elevator cup to travel longitudinally in said A-shell by rotation of said base element relative to said A-shell, said A-shell splines received in said elevator cup notches maintaining said elevator cup in a fixed orientation relative to said A-shell.
  • 11. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 10 wherein there are from 4 to 8 of said splines.
  • 12. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 10 wherein said elevator stem is hollow.
  • 13. A cosmetic dispenser in accordance with claim 10 wherein said base element is rotatable attached to said A-shell by an annular bead extending around a perimeter of said interior wall of said A-shell in snap fitting engagement with a channel extending around a perimeter of an outer wall of said base element.
  • 14. A cosmetic dispenser, comprising:a tubular A-shell having an interior wall and an exterior wall, and having from 4 to 8 longitudinal splines provided on said interior wall of said A-shell; an elevator having an elevator cup at an upper end thereof and a hollow elevator stem at a lower end thereof, said elevator cup being fitted inside said A-shell and having a plurality of notches around an outer wall thereof for receiving said longitudinal splines, wherein said elevator cup notches are formed in a deformable annular bead extending around said outer wall of said elevator cup, said elevator cup notches being formed by deformation of said annular bead caused by said longitudinal splines when said cosmetic dispenser is operated, said elevator stem having an exterior wall with a circular cross-section and screw threading provided thereon; a base element having an inner wall with a circular cross-section and an internally threaded section engaged with said screw threading provided on said elevator stem, said base element being rotatably attached to said A-shell by an annular bead extending around a perimeter of said interior wall of said A-shell in snap fitting engagement with a channel extending around a perimeter of an outer wall of said base element; a plurality of separate tabs formed with and extending upwardly from said base element into frictional contact with said A-shell interior wall for generating friction between said base element and said A-shell upon relative rotation of said base element and A-shell; said cosmetic dispenser being operable to cause said elevator cup to travel longitudinally in said A-shell by rotation of said base element relative to said A-shell, said A-shell splines received in said elevator cup notches maintaining said elevator cup in a fixed orientation relative to said A-shell.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
3256980 Bau Jun 1966
3275132 Hultgren Sep 1966
3807881 Seidler Apr 1974
3907441 Idec et al. Sep 1975
5018893 Holloway May 1991
5551787 Rosenthal Sep 1996
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
1351560 Dec 1963 FR