EP0943262B1 - Lipstickcase - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of red tubes to lips.

STATE OF THE ART

Normally, lipstick tubes include a grooved and fixed rod, provided with a pair of opposite vertical grooves, grooves on each which play pins belonging to a support or bowl with which the stick or lipstick pencil, the free end of said lugs opening onto an enveloping cylinder, commonly called a spiral, because on the wall internal of said cylinder there are one or two grooves helical on which said lugs of the bowl, so the gyratory movement of the spiral relative to the grooved rod causes the axial displacement, in one direction or the other, of the bowl with stick or lipstick pencil concerned. (see p.X. EP 07 91 309 A).

PROBLEM

The grooved rod and the spiral, being coaxial, come into contact through a large cylindrical surface, this is the reason why there is a tendency to jamming in the gyratory movement which, in practice, is avoided by application, between the surfaces in contact, a layer of suitable lubricant.
This solution, in addition to the cost involved in adding and applying said lubricant, also presents a problem linked to the possibility that the scent of said lubricant may interfere with the purchaser of the tubes, in particular when the packaging has been stored for a long time and there is a risk of these substances becoming rancid.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tube of red to lips whose structural features have been designed to obtain uniform torque, in the relative movement between the rod and the spiral, in the absence of conventional lubricants applied on surfaces in contact with such elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

a) ladite tige et ladite spirale comprennent des moyens d'encliquetage dans le sens axial qui coopèrent, de manière à assurer l'assemblage permanent de ladite tige et de ladite spirale,

b) ladite tige et/ou ladite spirale comprennent au moins un moyen d'écartement radial de hauteur ou épaisseur E, qui forme, typiquement à une de leurs extrémités communes, une zone ou ligne de contact circonférentiel, les dimensions radiales respectives de ladite tige et de ladite spirale, notamment la hauteur E, le rayon extérieur R3 de ladite tige et le rayon intérieur R4 de ladite spirale étant choisies pour que, après encliquetage, une contrainte permanente prédéterminée s'exerce entre ladite tige et ladite spirale, ladite tige et ladite spirale exerçant l'une sur l'autre une pression localisée sur ladite ligne de contact,

de manière à avoir une surface de contact minimale entre la spirale et la tige et ainsi obtenir un couple uniforme, de valeur prédéterminée, dans le mouvement de rotation relatif entre les deux éléments, et cela, en l'absence de lubrifiants.According to the invention, the lipstick tube comprises a cylindrical rod, typically provided with a wall with vertical grooves, inside which moves a bowl carrying a stick of lipstick and provided with two lugs which, crossing the grooves of the rod, move in helical grooves established on the internal face of an outer spiral coaxially surrounding said rod, so that a relative rotational movement between the rod and the spiral causes the axial displacement of the bowl and consequently the lipstick stick associated therewith, and is characterized in that:

a) said rod and said spiral comprise latching means in the axial direction which cooperate, so as to ensure permanent assembly of said rod and said spiral,

b) said rod and / or said spiral comprise at least one radial spacing means of height or thickness E, which typically forms, at one of their common ends, a circumferential contact zone or line, the respective radial dimensions of said rod and of said spiral, in particular the height E, the external radius R3 of said rod and the internal radius R4 of said spiral being chosen so that, after snap-fastening, a predetermined permanent stress is exerted between said rod and said spiral, said rod and said spiral exerting localized pressure on said contact line,

so as to have a minimum contact surface between the spiral and the rod and thus obtain a uniform torque, of predetermined value, in the relative rotational movement between the two elements, and this, in the absence of lubricants.

This combination of means solves the problem posed. In Indeed, the tube of the invention ensures perfect relative sliding between the spiral and the rod, in the absence of lubricants and with a couple perfectly uniform.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

All the figures are according to the invention.
FIG. 1 represents, in axial section, a tube of lipstick (1) and illustrates the main elements of a tube of red as well as a method of the present invention.
The axial direction is that of the generatrices of the coaxial cylinders formed by the rod (3) and the spiral (4).

Figure 1a is an enlarged view of the circled part top right of the tube in Figure 1.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the lower part and to the left of the tube in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a portion of tube, in axial section, which corresponds to the right part of Figure 1, and which relates to the cooperation of said rod (3) and said spiral (4).
FIG. 3a is an enlarged view of the circled part of FIG. 3.

Figures 4a to 6c are views similar to the figure 3, and represent modalities of the invention.

Fig.4a : par son extrémité (46) et son épaulement (41),

Fig.4b : idem

Fig.4c : idem

Fig.4d : par ses extrémités (46) et (47),

Fig.4e : par ses épaulements (41) et (48)

Les figures 5a à 5e illustrent un second type d'encliquetage axial dans lequel la spirale (4) présente des butées d'arrêt (42,43) qui bloquent dans le sens axial, ladite tige :

Fig.5a : par son extrémité (35) et son épaulement (32)

Fig.5b : idem

Fig.5c : idem

Fig.5d : idem

Fig.5e : par ses épaulements (32) et (36).
Les figures 6a à 6d illustrent un troisième type d'encliquetage axial dans lequel le blocage dans le sens axial est assuré par la coopération d'une nervure (33,45) et d'une rainure (44,34) :

Fig. 6a à 6c : nervure (33) et rainure (44)

Fig. 6d : nervure (45) et rainure (34)

Les figures 4a à 6d qui présentent le même type d'encliquetage axial présentent des moyens d'écartement différents, moyens (7,70,8,80) qui sont portés par la tige et/ou la spirale, et à différentes hauteurs.FIGS. 4a to 4e illustrate a first type of axial latching in which the rod (3) has stops (31) and (30) which block, in the axial direction, said spiral (4):

Fig. 4a: by its end (46) and its shoulder (41),

Fig. 4b: same

Fig. 4c: same

Fig. 4d: by its ends (46) and (47),

Fig. 4e: by its shoulders (41) and (48)

FIGS. 5a to 5e illustrate a second type of axial latching in which the spiral (4) has stops (42, 43) which block said rod in the axial direction:

Fig. 5a: by its end (35) and its shoulder (32)

Fig. 5b: same

Fig. 5c: same

Fig. 5d: same

Fig. 5e: by its shoulders (32) and (36).
FIGS. 6a to 6d illustrate a third type of axial latching in which the blocking in the axial direction is ensured by the cooperation of a rib (33,45) and a groove (44,34):

Fig. 6a to 6c: rib (33) and groove (44)

Fig. 6d: rib (45) and groove (34)

Figures 4a to 6d which show the same type of axial latching show different spacing means, means (7,70,8,80) which are carried by the rod and / or the spiral, and at different heights.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates essentially to the combination of two means with separate functions, the axial latching function and the radial spacing function, between the rod (3) and the spiral (4).
Indeed, in the case where a part (30) of said axial latching means could also constitute a radial spacing means which can render adjacent radial spacing means inoperative, the thickness (E _7,8,70,80 ) of said adjacent radial spacing means is chosen to be greater than that (E _'30 ) of said part (30), the difference in thickness E-E' being at least equal to 0.025 mm.
This is illustrated in particular in FIG. 3a which shows the difference in positive thickness E-E '.

The latching means can have several practical arrangements.

According to a first embodiment, said rod (3) may comprise upper (31) and lower (32) stops, which axially block said spiral (4) by cooperation either with at least one end (46) of said spiral, or with at at least one shoulder (41), so as to form said latching means.
In this case, said spiral can be snapped onto said rod either by one end (46) and a shoulder (41) (FIGS. 4a to 4c), or by its two ends (46) and (47) (FIG. 4d), either by two shoulders (41) and (48) (Figure 4e).

According to a second modality, said spiral (4) can comprise upper (43) and lower (42) stops, which axially block said rod (3) by cooperation either with at least one end (35) of said rod, or with at at least one shoulder (32), so as to form said latching means.
Thus, said rod can snap into said spiral either by one end (35) and a shoulder (32) (Figures 5a to 5d), or by two shoulders (32) and (36) (Figure 5 e).

According to a third method, said means can be formed by cooperation a rib (33,45) and a groove (44,34) of axial locking, said rod carrying said rib (33) or said groove (34) and said spiral carrying respectively said groove (44) or said rib (45). See figures 6a to 6d.

The choice between these various locking methods axial may depend in particular on considerations techniques (for example, the greater or lesser easy to mold the spiral and the rod) or aesthetic considerations.

As regards the radial spacing means, the tubes according to the invention may comprise a single radial spacing means, a method which has not been illustrated in a figure, but, preferably, the tubes according to the invention comprise, two radial spacing means, one being located in the first third of the common height D ₄₃ , the other being located in the third third of this common height, as illustrated in FIG. 3 where the means (8) located at the upper part is at a distance D ₈ from the upper end of the common height, and where the means (7) located at the lower part is at a distance D ₇ from the lower end for the common height, D ₇ and D ₈ being less than D _43/3 .

Said radial spacing means between said rod (3) and said spiral (4) may be constituted by a high circular contact rib (8.80) and a low contact rib (7.70) which ensure a tangential circular contact , of the crown / cylinder type, along two contact lines (71, 81), said contact ribs being able to be carried by said rod and / or said spiral.
The height E, for example E ₇ and E ₈ , of said contact ribs can be at least equal to 0.15 mm and chosen to be high enough so that, on the one hand, there is no radial contact with any of said axial latching means, and on the other hand that there is no radial contact, other than that constituted by said contact lines (71, 81), typically by contact of said rod and said spiral, in particular halfway between the two contact lines (71,81), following a bending of the type "bending of a beam in support at its two ends".

Naturally, the height of the ribs may depend of the nature of the materials chosen, and be adapted by the person skilled in the art according to their rigidity.

According to the invention, the low contact rib (7.70) may have an angle inclination a of between 30 ° and 60 °, so as to facilitate the assembly of said rod and said spiral, to be improved in the time the uniformity of said couple. See rib (7) in Figure 3.
In this case, the rib acts partly by bending and partly by compression.

Generally, said rod (3) and / or said spiral (4) are made of plastic material having a permanent elasticity.
As plastic material, polypropylene, polyacetal or polystyrene is preferably used.

a) on forme séparément ladite tige (3) de rayon extérieur R₃ et ladite spirale (4) de rayon intérieur R₄, avec R₃ < R₄, et avec un jeu R₄-R₃ compris typiquement entre 0,025 mm et 0,075mm, ladite tige et/ou ladite spirale étant dotés desdits moyens d'encliquetage axial et d'écartement radial de hauteur E prédéterminée,

b) on assemble par encliquetage à force ladite tige et ladite spirale,

la hauteur E étant choisie par rapport au jeu R₄-R₃ de façon à ce que s'exerce une pression permanente, et de niveau prédéterminé, entre ladite tige et ladite spirale au niveau dudit moyen d'écartement radial, de manière à obtenir un couple à la fois uniforme et d'une valeur correspondant environ à l'effort standard du consommateur qui met en rotation relative ladite tige et ladite spirale pour faire monter ou descendre la bâton de rouge à lèvres.Another object of the invention consists of a method of manufacturing tubes comprising the following steps:

a) separately forming said rod (3) of outer radius R ₃ and said spiral (4) of inner radius R ₄ , with R ₃ <R ₄ , and with a clearance R ₄ -R ₃ typically comprised between 0.025 mm and 0.075 mm, said rod and / or said spiral being provided with said axial latching and radial spacing means of predetermined height E,

b) said rod and said spiral are assembled by snap-fastening,

the height E being chosen with respect to the clearance R ₄ -R ₃ so that a permanent pressure is exerted, and of predetermined level, between said rod and said spiral at the level of said radial spacing means, so as to obtain a torque which is both uniform and of a value corresponding approximately to the standard effort of the consumer who sets said rod and said spiral in relative rotation to raise or lower the stick of lipstick.

It should be understood that the clearance R ₄ -R ₃ relates to all of the coaxial parts opposite the rod (3) and the spiral (4) with the exception of said radial spacing means. If there was therefore no said spacing means, the two parts (3) and (4) would present this set R ₄ -R ₃ over all of their common part. Said spacing means, of thickness greater than this clearance R ₄ -R ₃ therefore introduces a tension or stress, of predetermined level in particular by the relative height of E with respect to the clearance R ₄ -R ₃ , between said rod and said spiral, without any other parasitic friction or separation occurring.

EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTATION

A tube (1) was made according to FIGS. 1 to 2. It includes in particular three coaxial tubular elements, with, from outside to inside, an aesthetic case exterior (5), typically aluminum, a spiral (4) whose inner surface has a groove helical (40), a rod (3) carrying a pair of vertical grooves (2) and provided with a bottom (90). AT inside said rod (3), there is a bowl (9), lipstick stick holder, not shown here, presenting two 180 ° lugs (not shown on Figure 1), each passing through a groove (2) and cooperating with a helical groove (40), so that any relative rotation between said rod (3) and said spiral (4) moves the bowl (9) in a one way or the other.

The rod (3) comprises two ribs (7, 8) in relief, the rib (7) being inclined at an angle α close to 45 ° and therefore having a "spring" effect. These ribs, taking into account their relative height E with respect to the clearance R ₄ -R ₃ , form, by their end, two circular contact lines (71, 81) between said rod (3) and said spiral (4). As can be seen in Figures la and 3a, these two lines (71,81) constitute the only areas of contact - and friction during the rotation of said rod relative to said spiral - between said rod (3) and said spiral (4).
On a practical level, the applicant has made tests to determine the optimum value of the height E of the ribs (7,8). She therefore, for a given clearance R ₄ -R ₃ which results from the proper geometry of the rod and the spiral, fabricated tubes by varying the thickness E, and she observed that in order to obtain a uniform torque and standard value, that is to say corresponding to the standard torque obtained with lubricants, it was advisable to have an E / R ₄ -R ratio ₃ ) optimized, typically between 1 and 10, and preferably between 2 and 8, depending on the nature of the plastic used.
Indeed, for the low values of this ratio, there is an insufficient torque, and there is even play between the rod and the spiral. On the other hand, for high values of this ratio, on the one hand, the optimal value of the torque could be exceeded, and on the other hand this would increase the thickness of the wall of the tube.

In a tube according to the invention, the contact between coaxial parts (3) and (4) being produced practically by the end of ribs (7,8,70,80) along two circumferential lines (71,81), the friction between the two parts is thus minimal, making unnecessary the use of lubricants, as previously indicated.
These ribs ensure automatic centering of the coaxial parts (3) and (4).

Furthermore, the “standard” torque level may possibly vary depending on the destination of the tubes, according to countries or continents, the invention makes it possible to adjust the torque value required on demand, by slightly modifying in the desired direction the E / R ₄ -R ₃ ).

The actual manufacturing of the tubes includes the manufacturing of the different parts (3, 4, 5, 9, 90) separately, and their assembly by snap-fastening. The parts (3) and (4) are typically made of plastic and produced by injection.
The assembly of the parts (3) and (4) is facilitated by the rounded edge (6) of the end of the spiral (4) and by the inclination of the rib (7).

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

On the one hand, the invention solves in a simple and the problem of using lubricants to obtain a uniform and level torque "Standard", that is to say usual for the consumer.

On the other hand, the invention opens the way to a multitude of different products and therefore increases the possible commercial offer of the manufacturer of lipstick tubes.
In fact, the invention allows the manufacture of tubes, the torque of which can be adapted to the consumer's wishes, the level of “standard” torque also being able to vary from country to country or from continent to continent. other.

Claims (13)

1. Lipstick tube (1) comprising a cylindrical stem (3) with a wall with typically vertical grooves (2) inside which a holder (9) supporting a lipstick is free to move, and provided with two pins which pass through the grooves in the stem and move in helical grooves (40) formed on the inside face of an external spiral (4) coaxially surrounding the said stem (3), such that relative rotation movement between the stem (3) and the spiral (4) causes axial displacement of the holder (9) and consequently of the lipstick fixed to the holder, characterized in that:

   a) the said stem (3) and the said spiral (4) comprise click fit means in the axial direction that cooperate in order to provide the permanent assembly of the said stem and the said spiral,

   b) the said stem (3) and the said spiral (4) comprise at least one radial spacer (7, 70, 8, 80) with height or thickness E, that typically forms a circumferential contact area or line (71, 81) at one of their common ends, the radial dimensions of the said stem and the said spiral respectively, and particularly the height E, the outside radius R3 of the said stem (3) and the inside radius R4 on the said spiral (4) being chosen such that, after click fitting, a predetermined permanent stress is applied between the said stem and the said spiral, the said stem and the said spiral exerting pressure on each other along the said contact line (71, 81),

      in order to give a minimum contact area between the spiral (4) and the stem (3) and thus obtain a uniform torque with a predetermined value in the relative rotation movement between the two elements, without any lubricants.
2. Tube according to claim 1 in which, if part (30) of the said axial click fit means could also form a radial spacing means capable of making an adjacent radial spacing means (7) inoperative, the thickness (E₇) of the said radial spacing means adjacent to the said part (30) is chosen to be greater than the thickness of the said part (E'₃₀), the difference in thickness E-E' being equal to at least 0.025 mm.
3. Tube according to either of claims 1 and 2, in which the said stem (3) comprises high (31) and low (32) stops that block the said spiral (4) axially by cooperation either with at least one end (46) of the said spiral, or with at least one shoulder (41) in order to form the said click fit means.
4. Tube according to claim 3, in which the said spiral click fits with the said stem either through one end (46) and a shoulder (41), or through its two ends (46) and (47), or through two shoulders (41) and (48).
5. Tube according to any one of claims 1 and 2, in which the said spiral (4) comprises top (43) and bottom (42) stops that block the said stem (3) in the axial direction by cooperation with either at least one end (35) of the said stem, or with at least one shoulder (32) in order to form the said click fit means.
6. Tube according to claim 5, the said stem click fits with the said spiral either through one end (35) and a shoulder (32), or through two shoulders (32) and (36).
7. Tube according to any one of claims 1 and 2, in which the said click fit means is composed of the cooperation of a rib (33, 45) and an axial blocking groove (44, 34) the said stem supporting the said rib (33) or the said groove (34) and the said spiral supporting the said groove (44) or the said rib (45) respectively.
8. Tube according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising two radial spacing means, one being located in the first third of the common height D₄₃, the other being located in the third third of this common height.
9. Tube according to claim 8, in which the said radial spacing means between the said stem (3) and the said spiral (4) are composed of a high circular contact rib (8, 80) and a low contact rib (7, 70) that provide circular ring/cylinder type tangential contact along two contact lines (71, 81), the said contact ribs possibly formed on the said stem and/or the said spiral.
10. Tube according to claim 9, in which the height E of the said contact ribs is equal to at least 0.15 mm and is chosen to be fairly high so that firstly there is no radial contact with any of the said axial click fit means, and secondly that there is no radial contact other than the contact formed by the said contact lines (71, 81), typically by contact between the said stem and the said spiral, particularly at mid-distance between the two contact lines (71, 81), following a "beam bending supported at its two ends" type bending.
11. Tube according to any one of claims 9 to 10, in which at least the bottom contact rib (7, 70) has an inclination with an angle α equal to between 30° and 60° in order to facilitate assembly of the said stem and the said spiral to improve the uniformity of the said torque with time.
12. Tube according to any one of claims 1 to 10 in which the said stem (3) and/or the said spiral (4) are made of plastic and have a permanent elasticity.
13. Process for manufacturing a tube according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising the following steps:

    a) the said stem (3) with an outside radius R₃ and the said spiral (4) with an inside radius R₄ are formed separately, where R₃ < R₄, and with a clearance R₄-R₃ typically between 0.025 mm and 0.075 mm, the said stem and/or the said spiral being provided with the said axial click fit means and a predetermined radial height spacer E,

    b) the said stem and the said spiral are assembled by click fitting,

       the height E being chosen with respect to the clearance R₄-R₃ such that a predetermined permanent pressure is exerted between the said stem and the said spiral at the said radial spacing means, in order to obtain a uniform torque with a value more or less what a consumer expects to apply when turning the said stem with respect to the said spiral in order to move the lipstick up or down.

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