GB1599960A

GB1599960A - Lipstick containers and the like

Info

Publication number: GB1599960A
Application number: GB1719178A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Cope Allman International Management Services Ltd
Current assignee: Cope Allman International Management Services Ltd
Priority date: 1977-06-10
Filing date: 1978-05-02
Publication date: 1981-10-07
Also published as: FR2393547B1; FR2393547A1; DE7813733U1

Description

(54) LIPSTICK CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE (71) We, COPE ALLMAN INTER NATIONAL (MANAGEMENT SER VICES) LIMITED, a British Company of 27 Hill Street, London W1X 8AS, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to a container for a stick of a pasty product such as lipstick or other cosmetic or pharmaceutical products.

Lipstick containers are known comprising an outer sleeve and a co-axial inner sleeve cooperating by their relative rotation to displace a cup which carries the stick. Containers of this type normally have a base which is connected to, and is rotatable with, the lower end of the inner sleeve. The upper ends of the inner and outer sleeves are enclosed by a cap which is supported on the base, When all the lipstick has been used up, the used assembly (the sleeves and the cup together with the stick) is replaced, whereas the cap and the base are retained The user thus has to separate the base from the used assembly, and then connect this base to a replacement assembly.These operations have to be achieved easily and repeatedly, without risk of damage either to the base or to the assembly, and furthermore the connection of the base with the lower end of the inner sleeve has to be achieved in a reliable manner to ensure that the movement of the cup is smooth.

Connecting the base to the lower end portion of the inner sleeve by screwing may not be convenient because, for one reason, in normal use of the container the user may screw the base the wrong way causing the base to come loose from the lower end of the sleeve instead of raising the cup and, for another reason, unscrewing could take place inadvertently due to vibrations.

One classic solution to the problem lies in making the base in the form of a tubular body which is fitted into the projecting lower end of the inner sleeve by force. But this solution has drawbacks. The engaging force acts on the visible external wall of the base and, frequently, this wall which is generally of relatively rigid plastics material is inadvertently split as it is fitted onto the sleeve. A split could occur if the base and the lower end of the inner sleeve are out of alignment just at the moment when they are fitted together.

Clearly, if the base is visibly split it must be removed and replaced by a new one.

According to the invention there is provided a container for a stick of pasty product, comprising an outer sleeve and a coaxial inner sleeve containing a cup which is arranged to carry the stick of pasty product, one of the sleeves having helical slots and the other sleeve having axial slots which receive a projection on the cup and co-operate such as to enable the cup and stick to be moved axially by relative rotation of the sleeves thereby causing the stick to be extended from or retracted into an application end of the container, and the container including, at the opposite end from the application end, a base which has an outside wall and an internal member which is radially spaced away from, but is connected to, the outside wall, the internal member being co-operable with a spigot on the inner sleeve such as to attach the base to that sleeve by frictional engagement of opposed surfaces of the internal member and the spigot, and the engagement being such as to enable the inner sleeve to be rotated by the base.

Thus, the elements that are subjected to the engaging forces, that is to say the spigot and the internal member of the base, need not be visible and consequently a split in one of these elements need not be seen.

The internal member of the base preferably engages frictionally within an open end of the spigot.

Preferably the internal member is open ar its leading end (the end which leads when the internal member is fitted into the spigot.

Preferably the internal member is more elastically deformable than the spigot.

Thus, the wall of the internal member, being spaced away from the outside wall, can deform elastically, greatly reducing the risk of splitting of the internal member.

Preferably the spigot is positioned within and is radially spaced apart from, but is joined to, the inner sleeve. This means that a split in the spigot would not be seen.

Preferably the spigot is joined to the inner sleeve by a wall at the adjacent end of the inner sleeve.

The base preferably has abutment means for the spigot, and this abutment means comprises a shoulder formed on the outside of the internal member.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a vertical section through a container embodying the invention.

The container 1 for a stick of pasty product, represented in the drawing, comprises an inner sleeve 2 and a co-axial outer sleeve 3, a cup 4 carrying a stick 5 of pasty product (e.g.

lipstick), a base 6 and a cap 7 fitting over the outer sleeve 3 and supported on the base 6.

The inner sleeve 2 and the outer sleeve 3 co-operate in the standard manner by relative rotation to shift the cup 4. For this purpose the cup 4 has two pegs (not visible in the drawing) guided in two diameterically opposed longitudinal slots in the inner sleeve 2 and of which one only, slot 8, is visible in the drawing, whilst the outer sleeve 3 has two helical grooves 9, 10 which are diametrically opposed and in which likewise the pegs on the cup 4 are guided. Thus by relative rotation of the sleeves 2 and 3 the cup 4 is caused to move longitudinally within the sleeve 2, thereby enabling the stick 5 to be extended from or retracted into the upper application end of the container.

The base is in the form of cylindrical cupshaped body connected to, and rotatable with, a thickened lower end portion 11 of the wall of the inner sleeve 2.

The arrangement for connecting the lower end portion 11 of the inner sleeve 2 to the base 6 is formed by a spigot 12 formed on a bottom wall 13 at the lower end of the inner sleeve 2, and by an internal member in the form of an upstanding pillar 14 integral with the base 6. The outer surface 15 of the spigot 12 is spaced away from the side internal surface 16 of the lower end portion 11. Likewise the pillar 14 is spaced radially inwards from the cylindrical outside wall 6 of the base.

The pillar fits into the spigot with a frictional or jamming action. It will be noted that the connection, for rotation together, of the lower end portion 11 and the base 6 is achieved solely by engagement of the pillar 14 in the spigot 12 and there is no need for tight engagement between the mutually facing surfaces of the inner face 17 of the base 6 and the outer face 18 of the lower end portion 11.

The inner sleeve 2 and its lower end portion are formed by one and the same component moulded in a durable decorative material such as polypropylene, whereas the base 6 is of a resilient material such as polystyrene.

The pillar 14 has an abutment for the spigot in the form of an external shoulder 19.

It will be understood that instead of the pillar engaging within the spigot, the spigot could fit inside the pillar.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A container for a stick of pasty product, comprising an outer sleeve and a co-axial inner sleeve containing a cup which is arranged to carry the stick of pasty product, one of the sleeves having helical slots and the other sleeve having and axial slots which receive a projection on the cup and co-operate such as to enable the cup and stick to be moved axially by relative rotation of the sleeves thereby causing the stick to be extended from or retracted into an application end of the container, and the container including, at the opposite end from the application end, a base which has an outside wall and an internal member which is radially spaced away from, but is connected to, the outside wall, the internal member being co-operable with a spigot on the inner sleeve such as to attach the base to that sleeve by frictional engagement of opposed surfaces of the internal member and the spigot, and the engagement being such as to enable the inner sleeve to be rotated by the base.

2. A container according to Claim 1, in which the internal member of the base engages frictionally within an open end of the spigot 3. A container according to Claim 2, in which the internal member is open at its end which leads when the internal member is fitted into the spigot.

4. A container according to Claim 3, in which the internal member is more elastically deformable than the spigot.

5. A container according to any of Claims 2 to 4, in which the spigot is positioned within and is radially spaced apart from, but is joined to, the inner sleeve.

6. A container according to Claim 5, in which the spigot is joined to the inner sleeve by a wall at the adjacent end of the inner sleeve.

7. A container according to any preceding claim, in which the base has abutment means for the spigot, the abutment means comprising a shoulder formed on the outside of the internal member.

8. A container for a stick of pasty product, which is substantially as described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

and is radially spaced apart from, but is joined to, the inner sleeve. This means that a split in the spigot would not be seen.

Preferably the spigot is joined to the inner sleeve by a wall at the adjacent end of the inner sleeve.

The base preferably has abutment means for the spigot, and this abutment means comprises a shoulder formed on the outside of the internal member.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a vertical section through a container embodying the invention.

The container 1 for a stick of pasty product, represented in the drawing, comprises an inner sleeve 2 and a co-axial outer sleeve 3, a cup 4 carrying a stick 5 of pasty product (e.g.

lipstick), a base 6 and a cap 7 fitting over the outer sleeve 3 and supported on the base 6.

The inner sleeve 2 and the outer sleeve 3 co-operate in the standard manner by relative rotation to shift the cup 4. For this purpose the cup 4 has two pegs (not visible in the drawing) guided in two diameterically opposed longitudinal slots in the inner sleeve 2 and of which one only, slot 8, is visible in the drawing, whilst the outer sleeve 3 has two helical grooves 9, 10 which are diametrically opposed and in which likewise the pegs on the cup 4 are guided. Thus by relative rotation of the sleeves 2 and 3 the cup 4 is caused to move longitudinally within the sleeve 2, thereby enabling the stick 5 to be extended from or retracted into the upper application end of the container.

The base is in the form of cylindrical cupshaped body connected to, and rotatable with, a thickened lower end portion 11 of the wall of the inner sleeve 2.

The arrangement for connecting the lower end portion 11 of the inner sleeve 2 to the base 6 is formed by a spigot 12 formed on a bottom wall 13 at the lower end of the inner sleeve 2, and by an internal member in the form of an upstanding pillar 14 integral with the base 6. The outer surface 15 of the spigot

12 is spaced away from the side internal surface 16 of the lower end portion 11. Likewise the pillar 14 is spaced radially inwards from the cylindrical outside wall 6 of the base.

The pillar fits into the spigot with a frictional or jamming action. It will be noted that the connection, for rotation together, of the lower end portion 11 and the base 6 is achieved solely by engagement of the pillar 14 in the spigot 12 and there is no need for tight engagement between the mutually facing surfaces of the inner face 17 of the base 6 and the outer face 18 of the lower end portion 11.

The inner sleeve 2 and its lower end portion are formed by one and the same component moulded in a durable decorative material such as polypropylene, whereas the base 6 is of a resilient material such as polystyrene.

The pillar 14 has an abutment for the spigot in the form of an external shoulder 19.

It will be understood that instead of the pillar engaging within the spigot, the spigot could fit inside the pillar.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A container for a stick of pasty product, comprising an outer sleeve and a co-axial inner sleeve containing a cup which is arranged to carry the stick of pasty product, one of the sleeves having helical slots and the other sleeve having and axial slots which receive a projection on the cup and co-operate such as to enable the cup and stick to be moved axially by relative rotation of the sleeves thereby causing the stick to be extended from or retracted into an application end of the container, and the container including, at the opposite end from the application end, a base which has an outside wall and an internal member which is radially spaced away from, but is connected to, the outside wall, the internal member being co-operable with a spigot on the inner sleeve such as to attach the base to that sleeve by frictional engagement of opposed surfaces of the internal member and the spigot, and the engagement being such as to enable the inner sleeve to be rotated by the base.
2. A container according to Claim 1, in which the internal member of the base engages frictionally within an open end of the spigot
3. A container according to Claim 2, in which the internal member is open at its end which leads when the internal member is fitted into the spigot.
4. A container according to Claim 3, in which the internal member is more elastically deformable than the spigot.
5. A container according to any of Claims 2 to 4, in which the spigot is positioned within and is radially spaced apart from, but is joined to, the inner sleeve.
6. A container according to Claim 5, in which the spigot is joined to the inner sleeve by a wall at the adjacent end of the inner sleeve.
7. A container according to any preceding claim, in which the base has abutment means for the spigot, the abutment means comprising a shoulder formed on the outside of the internal member.
8. A container for a stick of pasty product, which is substantially as described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.