EP0634117A1

EP0634117A1 - Base for containers, in particular for cosmetics products, with an incorporated fixed insert for interchangeable cups

Info

Publication number: EP0634117A1
Application number: EP94202056A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Longin Blachut
Original assignee: LAFFON DESIGN-KREE PLAST SpA; LAFFON DESIGN KREE PLAST SpA
Current assignee: Laffon SpA
Priority date: 1993-07-16
Filing date: 1994-07-14
Publication date: 1995-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-14
Also published as: IT230357Y1; DE69425931D1; EP0634117B1; DE69425931T2; ITMI930578V0; ITMI930578U1

Abstract

A base for containers, intended to contain particularly but not exclusively cosmetics products, comprises an outer casing (12) in which there is fixed an insert (13) for receiving interchangeable cups or pans (11). Within said insert (13) there is provided at least one seat (14) for at least one cup (11), said seat (14) consisting of a base wall (15), two opposing side walls (16) and two opposing shoulders (17, 18) which extend between said walls (16) and along their entire length comprise undercuts (19, 20) in which there snap-engage teeth (22, 23) provided at the base of said cup (11). The shoulder (17) is rigid, whereas the shoulder (18) is elastically yieldable.

Description

This invention relates to a base for containers intended to contain particularly but not exclusively cosmetics products, with an incorporated fixed insert for retaining one or more interchangeable cups in a freely removable manner.
Said interchangeable cups - generally known as pans in this sector - contain cosmetics products such as eye shadow, blusher, lip gloss, rouge powder, face powder, etc.
Said containers could however also be used for containing products of different type, such as parapharmaceuticals or others.
As is well known to the expert to the art the construction of containers in general and/or of cases for containing cosmetics products such as the aforesaid requires the solution of various technical problems.
One of these is the possibility of reutilizing the container once its contained product has been used up, by merely replacing the empty pans, which are available commercially in the form of specific refills for that container.
In this respect, to assure the consumer that the product contained in the refill is original, it is desirable for the pans and the insert incorporated into the container base to comprise precise corresponding locators so that components of different origin cannot be fitted in.
Another technical problem relates to the facility for replacing the pans contained in the container with other pans containing a different cosmetics product or with a different number of modular pans, with ease and without soiling the fingers.
It is also desirable to provide a container with an interior in which the assembled pans form a patten of pleasing appearance and which can be varied.
The general object of the present invention is to solve the aforesaid problems in a simple, economical and functional manner.
Said object is achieved by a container base having the characteristics defined in the accompanying claims.
The structural and functional characteristics of the invention and its advantages compared with the known art will be more apparent from the following description, given with reference to the accompanying drawings which show one embodiment of a container base for interchangeable pans formed in accordance with the innovative principles of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the container base according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a section on the plane II-II of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a section on the plane III-III of Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the section of Figure 3.

With reference to the drawings, the container base of the invention is indicated overall by 10 and in the illustrated example is of rectangular shape with two rows of opposing interspaced pans 11 also of rectangular shape.
Both the container base 10 and the pans 11 could have a shape other than rectangular, this being shown by way of non-limiting example only.
The container base 10 is structurally formed from an outer casing 12 into which there is fixed an insert 13 formed in one piece, and arranged to receive the interchangeable pans 11.
Said insert 13 comprises at least one seat 14 for the pans 11.
In the illustrated example two seats 14 are provided (Figures 3 and 4), separated by a central trough 21 for containing small brushes and other accessories.
As can be clearly seen from the drawings, each seat 14 is defined by a base wall 15, two opposing side walls 16 and two opposing shoulders 17, 18 which extend between said walls 16 and along their entire length comprise respective undercuts 19, 20.
The shoulders 17 are rigid and extend directly from the base wall 15 to define said trough 21, whereas the shoulders 18 are elastically yieldable and extend between the side walls 16, interspaced by the base wall 15.
Externally along the edge of their base the pans 11 comprise two opposing teeth 22, 23 which can engage in either one of the undercuts 17, 18 (according to the position in which the cup 11 is applied).
With said teeth 22, 23 there cooperate opposing edges 24, 25 arranged to rest (either one, depending on the position in which the pan 11 is applied) on the top of the shoulder 18.
Locators (for example protuberances and recesses) 26 and 27 are provided respectively on the inner face of the base wall 15 of the insert 13 and in the outer face of the base of the pans 11, to ensure that only original components can be fitted in.
From the aforegoing it is apparent that the pans 11 can be easily snap-fitted into the seats 14 because of the flexibility of the shoulder 18, which facilitates natural engagement between the teeth 22, 23 and the undercuts 19, 20 when the edge 24 or 25 is rested on the top of the shoulder 18.
The pans 11 can be easily disengaged from the seats 14 for replacement, by exerting on that edge 24 (25) lying above the shoulder 17 a force by means of a finger in the direction of the arrow F, such as to flex the shoulder 18 and hence disengage the tooth 22 from the undercut 19 by rotating the pan 11 about 28 into the position shown by dashed lines in Figure 4. The pan 11 can hence be extracted from the insert 13. It should be noted that the empty space 30 left between the shoulder 17 and the edge 24 enables a finger to exert the grip on the edge 24 for correctly effecting the aforedescribed extraction of the pan 11 from the insert 13.
The object stated in the introduction to the description is hence attained.
The shapes of the container base 10 and the relative insert 13 can be different from those shown by way of non-limiting example in the drawings, and the shape and number of pans 11 can also be different.
A single pan 11 could also be provided occupying the entire useful space delimited by the insert 13.
The scope of protection of the invention is hence defined by the accompanying claims.

Claims

A base for containers intended to contain particularly but not exclusively cosmetics products, of the type comprising an outer casing (12) in which there is fixed an insert (13) for receiving interchangeable cups or pans (11), characterised in that within said insert (13) there is provided at least one seat (14) for at least one cup (11), said seat (14) consisting of a base wall (15), two opposing side walls (16) and two opposing shoulders (17, 18) which extend between said walls (16) and along their entire length comprise undercuts (19, 20) in which there snap-engage teeth (22, 23) provided at the base of said cup (11), said shoulder (17) being rigid, whereas said shoulder (18) is elastically yieldable.
A container base as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that with said teeth (22, 23) there cooperate respective edges (24, 25) intended to rest one or the other on the top of the shoulder (18).
A container base as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that between the shoulder (17) and the edge (24) a free space (30) is left for gripping the edge (24).
A container base as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that between said wall (15) and said pan (11) respective complementary locators (26, 27) are provided which fit together on inserting the pan (11) into the insert (13).