GB2062591A - An improved nail polish bottle and closure therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A nail polish bottle 30 with a screw cap 34 has affixed to the cap an axially rotatable loop 48 which contributes to an enhanced point-of- sales display of the bottle wherein the bottle label is readily oriented in facing relation to the customer. As shown, the loop is also pivotally traversable, and thus minimizes the space needed for shipping the product. The bottle is sealed by an annular lip 46 on the end of brush 42. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved nail polish bottle The present invention relates generally to an improved nail polish bottle, the improvement more particularly residing in the plastic screw cap for the bottle having effectively affixed thereto a loop from which the bottle can be suspended in a point-of-sales display.

As understood, nail polish is very volatile and thus must be kept under an effective seal within its bottle or other such container in order to obviate any loss due to evaporation. It is undoubtedly for this reason that prior attempts to affix a display loop to bottled volatile fluids have used an external connection, as exemplified by the loop-attached cap of U.S. Patent 363,983. Such connection, however, restricts the degrees of movement of the loop and thus interferes either with properly orienting the bottle in its display, or with providing a compact shipping condition for same, and otherwise is disadvantageous.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved nail polish bottle overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to mount a display loop to the bottle cap that in one embodiment is rotative and in another has universal movement; such mounting in each instance being achieved, at least in part, with an opening made entirely through the cap, but which opening nevertheless does not adversely affect the sealed condition in which the nail polish is maintained within the bottle.

An improved nail polish bottle demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes a storage bottle for nail polish of the type having an externally threaded neck at the upper end thereof. Cooperating therewith is a bottle cap having, according to the present invention, a through-bore that is formed by an enlarged diameter bottom opening into the cap and a smaller diameter upper distal opening adjacent the underside or internal surface of the top of the cap. As a result, the change in size in said diameters forms a shoulder in the through-bore.

Completing the cap is a nail polish brush extending in depending relation from the cap and having an operative position frictionally engaged thereto in which it is in physical abutment against the shoulder. As a result, the contents of the bottle are sealed by the brush against evaporation and a compartment is formed in the cap, between the top of the brush and the underside surface of the top of the cap. Said compartment is used to advantage wherein a rotatable display loop is mounted on the cap by having a portion thereof projected into the compartment and effectively prevented from inadvertent removal by engagement against the undersurface of the top of the cap.Most important however, is that even though there is clearance in the cap opening to permit the loop to rotate therein there is no loss by evaporation of the bottle contents through said clearance because of the seal provided by the brush seated in the internal shoulder of the cap.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the closest known prior art container having a loop affixed to the cap thereof capable of assisting in the display thereof; Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are an improvement over the container of Fig. 1, and relate to a first embodiment of the within invention.More particularly, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a nail polish bottle having a universally movable loop, to facilitate display thereof, affixed to the cap of said bottle; Fig. 3 illustrates the inventive bottle hereof as it would be typically suspended from a hook or the like during the commercial display thereof; and Fig. 4 is a partial elevational view, in section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing details of the internal structural features of the cap and of the loop affixed thereto.

Continuing with a description of the drawings, Figs. 5, 6 and 7 relate to a second embodiment of the invention. More particularly, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bottle in its contemplated display position; Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view, illustrating the components of said bottle and how they are assembled; and Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5, illustrating further structural details.

It is already well known, as exemplified by the can 10 shown in Fig. 1, intended to depict the patented product of U.S. Patent 363,983, that it is advantageous for point-of-sales display to have a hook or loop 12, by which the product can be suspended from hooks on a pegboard or the like.

As illustrated, the screw cap 14 and can 10, which in the illustrated instance is used for the storage of glue, has a member 1 6 affixed to it, as at 18, said member bounding a cylindrical compartment transversely of the cap 14. The opposite ends of the loop 12 are appropriately projected into the compartment of the member 1 6 so that the loop can partake of pivotally traversable movements 20 about the axis 22.

First Embodiment As an improvement over the just described prior art container, there is illustrated in Figs. 2-4 a nail polish bottle 30 of the type that has an upper threaded neck 32. Threadably engagable to neck 32 is a plastic cap 34. Among other structural features, cap 34 has a large diameter threaded opening 36 and a smaller diameter opening 38 contiguous thereto which openings because of the change in diameter size, form a shoulder 40 within the cap 34.

Additionally, the nail polish brush 42, which is used in conjunction with the nail polish bottle 30, has its conventionally mounted position in the cap 34 in which it extends in depending relation therefrom so that upon unthreading the cap 34, the brush 42 with nail polish on the bristle end thereof can be removed from the bottle 30 preparatory to use.

In the mounting of brush 42 in cap 34, the upper portion 44 of the brush is appropriately sized to provide a friction fit with the wall bounding the upper opening 38. Limiting the extent that upper portion 44 is projected within the opening 38 is a laterally extending lip 46 which abuts against the shoulder 40.

In accordance with the present invention it has been recognized that a display loop 48 can be effectively integrated with the cap 34 by further extending the opening through the cap 34, as with the illustrated opening length portion 50 which extends through the top surface 52 of the cap. In effect, therefore, cap 34 is formed with a central through-bore consisting of the openings 36, 38 and 50.

Before positioning the brush 42 in the cap 34, the first embodiment of the present invention contemplates the prior insertion therein of a loopengaging member 54, the base 56 of which is sized to be retained within the bore 38 with enough clearance to permit rotative movement 58 thereof (see Fig. 2) about the axis 60.

The upper portion 62 of member 54, namely that portion which is projected beyond the cap surface 52, is formed as bifurcated arms which have sufficient resiliency to be spread apart and then snapped together about the cylindrical body of the display loop 48. Interconnected, as just indicated, loop 48 can be urged through pivotal movements 64 about the axis 66.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the nail polish bottle 30 is readily commercially displayed on a display hook or member 68 supported in a conventional manner from a pegboard 70 or the like. Moreover, assuming that bottle 30 has a label or is otherwise constituted so that it is desirable in a particular orientation, this is not a problem since loop 48 is adjustable about axis 60 to provide this orientation. The other movement 64 of the loop 48 is helpful in providing an optimum minimum size to the package during shipment and for other such reasons.

It should be readily appreciated from the description herein that loop 48 has been integrated with cap 34 in a manner which provides numerous improvements, one being a greater range in movements of the loop 48 in relation to the cap 34. In part, this is achieved by effectively utilizing the through-bore 36, 38, 50 formed centrally through the cap 34, all as has been described. In this regard, part of the within invention is the recognition that the mounting of the brush 42 in a depending relation from the cap 34 also provides an effective seal against the loss by evaporation of the contents of the bottle. Thus, although cap 34 is provided with a through-bore as described, the provision of this structural feature is without any adverse effect on the use of bottle 30 for storage of even a volatile commodity such as nail polish.

Second Embodiment The second embodiment of a nail polish bottle according to the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 5-7, said embodiment being similar to that already described in the important respect that it also includes a display loop mounted on the bottle cap with sufficient clearance so that it can partake of rotative movement and yet there is no possibility of any loss through evaporation through said cap of any of the volatile contents of the bottle. This embodiment of the invention differs only in the manner in which the display loop is rotatably mounted on the cap, as will now be described in detail.

Starting with Figs. 6 and 7, it should be readily apparent therefrom that the bottle, generally designated 70, is also of the type having a bottle neck 72 with external threads 74 for achieving threadable engagement with a plastic cap 76 having cooperating internal threads 78. The threaded cap portion is of slightly larger diameter than an upper unthreaded portion 80, thereby presenting an internal shoulder 82 at the location where the diameters change.

As is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 7, shoulder 82 is used to seat a plug-type member 84 located at the top of the wand 86 of the nail polish brush 88 which, in accordance with conventional practice, is mounted in depending relation from the cap 76 so that when the cap is removed from bottle 70 a supply of the nail polish contents thereof is also removed on the bristle end 90 of the brush thereby facilitating the application of the polish on the consumer's fingernails. Pertinent to the within invention is that incident to the frictional projection of the plug 84 in the cap upper opening 80 an effective seal is formed at the interface of shoulder 82 with a lateral lip 92 of the plug 84.As a consequence, a compartment 94 is effectively formed above the plug 84 along the length portion 80 of the cap, and the just noted seal that is effectuated at the shoulder 82 prevents any evaporation of any of the volatile contents of the bottle to pass the plug 84 and thus enter into the compartment 94. As a result, the compartment 94, in accordance with the present invention, is used to advantage in the rotatable mounting of a display loop on cap 76.

More particularly, in the embodiment of Figs.

5-7, there is provided a member 96 which can effectively be used as a display loop wherein it includes an opening 98 sized to have projected therethrough a display hook or member 100 which, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, is advantageously supported in a conventional manner from a pegboard 102 or the like. Display loop 96 has a depending leg 104 formed integral thereon which at its terminal end includes a slightly enlarged diameter 106. Said diameter 106 is made slightly larger than the diameter of the opening 108 into the cap, so that after depending leg 104 is forced through the opening 108, shoulder 110 which is provided by the slightly larger diameter 106 engaged against the undersurface 112 of the top 114 of the cap thereby minimizing any inadvertent disengagement of the display loop 96 from its mounted position on the cap 76.However, it will be understood that there is sufficient clearance between the smaller sized cylindrically shaped portion of the leg 104 and the cap opening 108 to allow rotative movement in the display loop 96.

As a result, and again as is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 5, display loop 96 is readily rotated on the cap 76, or the cap and bottle rotated in relation thereto, so that when the bottle 70 is mounted on the hook 100 the bottle label 11 6 is readily placed in a desirable facing relation to the consumer.

From the foregoing description it should be readily apparent that a nail polish bottle according to the present invention, whether of the first embodiment 30 or the second embodiment 70 as described herein, has the noteworthy advantage of being mountable in significantly large numbers on a pegboard-type display with the bottle label or other descriptive matter in a desirable facing relation to the consumer. This important commercial objective is achieved primarily by the rotative degree of movement in the display loop mounted on the bottle cap. Despite this rotative movement, however, there is no possibility of any loss through evaporation of the volatile contents of the bottle, all as has already been explained in detail.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

Claims (4)

1. In combination, a storage bottle for nail polish having an externally threaded neck at the upper end thereof, a bottle cap having a throughbore, said through-bore being formed by an enlarged diameter bottom opening into said cap and a smaller diameter upper distal opening adjacent the underside surface of the top of said cap, said change in size in said diameters forming a shoulder in said through-bore, a nail polish brush extending in depending relation from said cap having an operative position frictionally engaged thereto and in physical abutment against said should forming a seal at said shoulder and bounding a compartment between same and said underside surface of the top of said cap, and means presenting a display loop mounted on said cap by being disposed into said compartment through said top into engaged relation with said underside surface thereof, whereby said contents of said bottle are sealed against evaporation through said bottle cap through-bore during the use thereof for the mounting of said display loop for rotative movement thereon.

2. An improved nail polish bottle as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said means presenting a display loop consists of a rotatably disposed loopengaging member in said upper opening projected to extend through and beyond said top of said cap, and a display loop pivotally attached to said projected end of said loop-engaging member, whereby said display loop is adapted to additionally partake of pivotal movement.

3. An improved nail polish bottle as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the loop-engaging member has bifurcated arms and is fabricated of resilient plastic to thereby snap in engaged relation about said loop.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 18.12.80.

New claim:

4. In combination, a storage bottle having an externally threaded neck at the upper end thereof, a bottle cap having a through-bore, said throughbore being formed by an enlarged diameter bottom opening into said cap and a smaller diameter upper distal opening adjacent the underside surface of the top of said cap, said change in size in said diameters forming a shoulder in said through-bore, a nail polish brush extending in depending relation from said cap having an operative position frictionally engaged thereto and in physical abutment against said shoulder forming a seal at said shoulder and bounding a compartment between same and said underside surface of the top of said cap, and a one piece display loop member mounted on said cap for relative rotation thereto by means of a portion of the member being disposed into said compartment through said top into engaged relation with said underside surface thereof, whereby said contents of said bottle are sealed against evaporation through said bottle cap through-bore during the use thereof for the mounting of said display loop for rotative movement thereon.