EP2250923A1

EP2250923A1 - Cylindrical cosmetic container

Info

Publication number: EP2250923A1
Application number: EP09305440A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kazuo Takahashi; Takahiro Kusumoto; Kenichi Hiyama; Yoshinobu Abe; Yutaka Mihara
Original assignee: Hidan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hidan Co Ltd
Priority date: 2009-05-15
Filing date: 2009-05-15
Publication date: 2010-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2029-05-15
Also published as: EP2250923B1

Abstract

A cylindrical cosmetic container with an inner cap inside a cap (5) fit outside an upper end of a container body uses a first motion resistance at a halfway covering posture to an immediately preceding covering posture and a second motion resistance from the immediately preceding covering posture to a fully cover posture while the container body is covered with the cap (5), in which the inner cap includes a protrusion (7f) to deform toward an outer diameter side while applying the first motion resistance by being pressed into sliding contact with an extending upper end (4c) of the container body and a projection (7d) projecting from an outer circumferential surface for applying the second motion resistance greater than the first motion resistance when a convex rib (4b) moves over the projection (7d).

Description

The present invention relates to a cylindrical cosmetic container for storing a cylindrical (stick-shaped) cosmetic such as lipstick.
There exists a cylindrical cosmetic container (Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 3153992 ) that has a thick-walled portion formed on an inner cap of a cap and a convex rib formed on an upper end of a container body. A motion resistance occurs while the convex rib moves over the thick-walled portion in a state in which the container body is being covered fully with the cap (hereinafter referred to as an immediately preceding covering posture) to a state in which the container body is covered fully with the cap (hereinafter referred to as a fully covering posture). The motion resistance can be interpreted as indicating a completely covered condition.
In the above-mentioned conventional container, however, the inner cap is fit loosely outside an upper end member of the cap with a space being therebetween prior to the immediately preceding covering posture while the container body is covered with the cap. As a result, the cap covering is unstable until the container body is covered completely with the cap. This sense of the instability ruins an upscale nature that the cosmetic container is required to possess.
The present invention was made in view of the foregoing actual circumstances to solve at least the above-mentioned problems. A first exemplary aspect of the present invention provides a cylindrical cosmetic container that comprises a container body for accommodating a cylindrical cosmetic; a cap that is fit outside an upper end of the container body for covering the container body; and an inner cap that is incorporated into the cap. The upper end of the container includes an extending end that extends upward further than a convex rib that is formed so to project from an outer circumferential surface. The inner cap includes a protrusion that protrudes from an inner circumferential surface of the inner cap and is deformable toward an outer diameter side in response to sliding contact with the extending upper end for applying a first motion resistance from a halfway covering posture to a fully covering posture through an immediately preceding covering posture in the course of covering the container body with the cap. The inner cap also includes a projection that projects from an outer circumferential surface of the inner cap for applying a second motion resistance that is larger than the first motion resistance while the convex rib moves over the projection from the immediately preceding covering posture to the fully covering posture in the course of covering the container body with the cap.
A second exemplary aspect of the present invention provides the cylindrical cosmetic container according to the first exemplary aspect, wherein the protrusion that is formed on the inner cap comprises a plurality of protrusions circumferentially that are vertically long and linear.
A third exemplary aspect of the present invention provides the cylindrical cosmetic container according to the first or second exemplary aspect, wherein the protrusion that is formed on the inner cap projects toward the inner circumference side and also sinks on the outer circumference side to be laterally and cross-sectionally a vertically long U-shape or V-shape so that the protrusion deforms toward the outer diameter side while applying the first resistance by being pressed into contact with the extending upper end.
According to the first exemplary aspect of the present invention, the first motion resistance is produced at a preliminary step prior to the successive steps of the immediately preceding covering posture and the fully covering posture. The second motion resistance is greater than the first motion resistance and is produced at a final step of the covering operation. As a result, the cap covering operation acquires an increased stability while an upscale appearance is maintained.
According to the second exemplary aspect of the present invention, the first motion resistance is applied uniformly in the circumferential direction for a longer time. As a result, the stability is further increased.
According to the third exemplary aspect of the invention, the moderate deformation of the inner cap produces the first motion resistance. As a result, the stability is increased even further.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where a middle tool of a cosmetic container covered with a cap moves to a bottom end position and a top end position;
FIG. 2A is a front view and FIG. 2B is a plan view of a partial longitudinal section of an inner cap, respectively;
FIGS. 3A to 3D are enlarged longitudinal sectional views of a main part showing a course of a cap covering;
FIGS. 4A and 4B are enlarged horizontal sectional views of the main part respectively showing a state without a first motion resistance and a state with a first motion resistance in the course of the cap covering; and
FIG. 5A is a partial sectional front view of the middle tool, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the middle tool.

A cylindrical cosmetic container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a cylinder main body identified generally by the numeral 1 in FIG. 1. The cylinder main body comprises a guide hole 1a that extends along a longitudinal (vertical) direction. A middle plate body 2 is incorporated in the cylindrical main body 1 so as to be movable up and down. An accommodating portion 2a is formed in an upper part of the middle plate body 2 for accommodating a cylindrical cosmetic (not illustrated).
A spiral cylinder body 3 incorporates the cylinder main body 1 and a spiral groove 3a is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the spiral cylinder body 3. An engagement protrusion 2b protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the middle plate body 2. The engagement protrusion 2b penetrates through the guide hole 1 a and engages the spiral groove 3a to be movable vertically. Rotation of the spiral cylindrical body 3 relative to the cylinder main body 1 causes the middle plate body 2 to move vertically without rotation relative to the cylinder main body 1.
A ring 3b is fit and fixed outside the cylinder main body 1 and is positioned at an upper end of the spiral cylinder body 3. A middle tool 4 has a lower end portion that is fit and fixed outside a lower end portion of the ring 3b. The middle tool 4 also has an upper end portion 4a that extends farther up than the upper end of the spiral cylinder body 3. The upper end portion 4a of the middle tool 4 is fit inside a lower end portion of a cap 5, which is described later. An annular convex rib 4b is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the upper end portion 4a, and the upper end portion 4a extends farther up from the convex rib 4b. The cylinder main body 1 projects up from an extending upper end 4c and is stepped in a smaller diameter. The extending upper end 4c of the middle tool 4 is bent inward in this embodiment, but may be straight without being bent. A petticoat cylinder body 6 is fit and fixed outside the middle tool 4 and spiral cylinder body 3. The components 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 constitute a container body X.
A resinous tubular-topped inner cap 7 is fit and fixed inside the cap 5 so as not to come off. A space S exists between an outer circumferential surface of the inner cap 7 and an inner circumferential surface of the cap 5. The inner cap 7 has a lower end 7a that defines a trumpet-shaped with an inner circumferential surface that flares gradually out toward a lower end side, so that the extending upper end 4c of the middle tool 4 can be fit easily inside the inner cap 7. A lower end 7b of the opened lower end portion 7a abuts against the inner circumferential surface of the lower end portion of the cap 5.
First and second thick- walled projections 7c and 7d are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the inner cap lower end portion 7a and are shaped annularly. The first and second thick- walled projections 7c and 7d are spaced vertically from each other and abut against the inner circumferential surface of the cap 5. A thin portion 7e is defined between the first and second projection 7c and 7d at a position spaced from the cap 5 and is thinner than the projections 7c and 7d. During a covering (closing) of the cap 5, the convex rib 4b of the middle tool 4 is positioned at a lower side of the second projection 7d at an immediately preceding covering posture (see FIG. 3C), and a motion resistance is applied. This motion resistance defines a second motion resistance in the present invention. The cap 5 then is pushed forcibly further to obtain a fully covering posture (see FIG. 3D). The convex rib 4b moves over the second projection 7d and into a position between the first and second projection 7c and 7d in this fully covering posture. This causes the thinner portion 7e to deform elastically toward an outer diameter side. This elastic force presses the first and second projection 7c and 7d against the inner circumferential surface of the cap 5. As a result, double air tightness is achieved. A lower end 5a of the cap 5 abuts with impact against an annular protrusion 4d on the middle tool 4 when the fully covering posture is achieved in this way. Thus, a snapping sound is produced to provide a tactile and auditory confirmation that the cap 5 is brought into the fully covering posture.
In addition, the present invention can be carried out without providing the above-mentioned superior air tightness. The middle tool 4 may be formed without the annular protrusion 4d so that the cap lower end 5a abuts against an upper end 6a of the petticoat cylinder body 6 to produce a snapping sound upon reaching the fully covering posture.
Protrusions 7f are formed circumferentially on an inner circumferential surface of the inner cap 7 (see FIGS. 3A-3D, 4A, and 4B). Another motion resistance is applied when the extending upper end 4c of the middle tool 4 abuts against the protrusions 7f at a halfway covering posture prior to the immediately preceding covering posture in which the convex rib 4b reaches the lower side second projection 7d so that the second motion resistance is applied. The motion resistance applied at the halfway covering posture defines a first motion resistance. Each protrusion 7f protrudes toward the inner circumferential surface side of the inner cap 7 and also sinks on the outer circumferential surface side of the inner cap 7. More particularly, each protrusion 7f is laterally and cross-sectionally a vertically long U-shaped channel (bowl shape). A horizontal sectional U-shape is not necessary for the protrusion 7f provided that the protrusion 7f produces a first motion resistance. For example, the protrusion 7f can be a horizontal sectional V-shape. The protrusion 7f also can be thick-walled and can project in from the inner circumferential surface.
The first motion resistance is applied, as the extending upper end 4c of the middle tool 4 abuts against the inner cap protrusion 7f (see FIGS. 3B and 4A) from a motion resistance free state where the middle tool 4 does not interfere with the inner cap 7 (see FIG. 3A) during the covering operation of the cap 5. Thrusting the cap 5 against the first motion resistance causes the protrusion 7f to deform elastically toward the outer diameter side within the space (see FIGS. 3C and 4B). Thus, the covering operation is performed while the first motion resistance is maintained. The second motion resistance is applied, as the convex rib 4b reaches the second projection 7d. Note that the first motion resistance is applied with an elastic deformation of the protrusion 7f within the space S, whereas the second motion resistance is applied by forcibly moving over the second projection 7d that abuts against the inner circumferential surface of the cap 5. In other words, the second motion resistance is larger than the first motion resistance. Accordingly, the covering operation of the cap 5 comprises the successive steps of: applying the smaller first motion resistance continuously; applying the larger second motion resistance instantaneously; and producing a agreeable snapping sound when the covering operation is completed.
The container body X is covered with the cap 5 and the inner cap 7 is fit inside the cap 5. The second projection 7d is formed at the lower end portion of the inner cap 7. A snapping sound is produced under the larger second motion resistance when the convex rib 4b forcibly moves over the second projection 7d at the immediately preceding covering posture, and the fully covering posture is achieved. The small first motion resistance is applied when the extending upper end 4c of the middle tool 4 abuts against the inner cap protrusion 7f at the halfway covering posture prior to the immediately preceding covering posture followed by the fully covering posture. The first motion resistance continues up to the immediately preceding covering posture, and the fully covering posture is achieved, with the second motion resistance is being applied.
There exists a first free state without a motion resistance prior to the halfway covering posture (see FIG. 3A) during the covering operation. The smaller first motion resistance is applied in midstream through the first free state. After that, the cap covering is finalized to cover a container body fully and producing a snapping sound under the second larger second motion resistance. As a result, the covering operation is stable and a required upscale appearance is achieved.
The plurality of protrusions 7f are arranged circumferentially at equal intervals on the inner cap 7 and hence provide an evenly distributed first motion resistance. Thus, a further increased stability and an excellent cap covering operation are achieved.
Further, each protrusion 7f that provides the first motion resistance is vertically long and U-shaped in horizontal section. Each protrusion 7f projects toward the inner circumferential side relative to the inner cap 7 and also sinks on the outer circumferential side. The protrusion 7f is thrust by the extending upper end 4c of the middle tool 4 so as to deform elastically out within the space S while the first motion resistance is applied in the course of covering operation. As a result, the resistance is moderate, and the stability is enhanced further.
It should be understood that the present invention is not restricted to the cylindrical cosmetic container of the aforementioned embodiment. Rather, the invention also can be applied to a variety of cylindrical cosmetic containers within the practicable scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

A cylindrical cosmetic container, comprising:
a container body for accommodating a cylindrical cosmetic;

a cap fit outside an upper end of the container body for covering the container body; and

an inner cap incorporated into the cap, wherein

the upper end of the container body includes an extending end that extends upward further than a convex rib formed to project from an outer circumferential surface, and

the inner cap includes:
a protrusion that protrudes from an inner circumferential surface of the inner cap and is deformable toward an outer diameter side in response to sliding contact with the extending upper end for applying a first motion resistance from a halfway covering posture to a fully covering posture through an immediately preceding covering posture in the course of covering the container body with the cap; and

a projection that projects from an outer circumferential surface of the inner cap for applying a second motion resistance larger than the first motion resistance while the convex rib moves over the projection from the immediately preceding covering posture to the fully covering posture in the course of covering the container body with the cap.
The cylindrical cosmetic container according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion formed on the inner cap comprises a plurality of protrusions circumferentially that are vertically long and linear.
The cylindrical cosmetic container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the protrusion formed on the inner cap projects toward the inner circumference side and also sinks on the outer circumference side to be laterally and cross-sectionally a vertically long U-shape or V-shape so that the protrusion deforms toward the outer diameter side while applying the first resistance by being pressed into sliding contact with the extending upper end.