GB2197295A - Container for lipstick or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A container e.g. for direct-poured lip-stick comprises an outer casing 211, a cup 214 for the lipstick, and a rotatable sleeve 215 positioned between said casing 211 and said cup 214, said sleeve 215 being non- rotatably constrained to a seat portion 221 of the cup 214 by slidable engaging means and protruding from said casing with a knurled control portion for manual rotation to feed the stick. The cup 214 comprises an outer piece of essentially hollow, cylindrical shape having pins 223 located in a helical track 216 of the casing 211 and an inner piece 253 integral with the seat portion 221, the two pieces being connected by pins 252 located in a second helical track 251. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Container for lipstick lip paste and/or deodorant suitable to receive the material in cream suspension form by direct pouring The present invention relates to a container for lipstick, lip paste, deodorant and/or the like, suitable to receive the material in cream form, by direct pouring.

Lipsticks, lip pastes and/or deodorants are known, which are realized in the form of a more or less coloured stick, housed inside an essentially tubular container.

Said stick, of more or less large diameter, and formed by direct pouring on a central axial core provided in the container, and integral with a control ring nut, is controlled to come out from, and to re-enter the outer container, in order to be used, by means of the rotation of the ring nut, placed at the bottom of the container, and supporting the same stick An outer ring nut rotatably provided at the bottom, acting as a closure, controls the axial to-and-fro translation of a stick-bearing cup, and, consequently, the coming out and the reentering of the stick relatively to the true container, said cup being constrained not to rotate relatively to the container.

A so-made container shows the problem that the product is absent from a central volume thereof, equivalent to the core integral with the ring nut, besides having to be grasped by the two user's hands, when carrying out the extraction of the stick, or the reintroduction thereof from/into the container is desired.

A purpose of the present invention is to provide a container for lipstick, lip paste, deodorant or similar materials, which is suitable to receive the material in cream form by direct pouring, is translatable between a completely inner position, and a completely outer position, and is controllable to perform said translation with the aid of one user's hand only, in an extremely simple way. Furthermore, such a container must contain a larger amount of lipstick or of lip paste, even if it is simply accomplishable, of limited cost and of the same outer size.

These and other purposes, according to the present invention, are achieved by- providing a container for such materials as direct-poured lipstick, lip paste and/or deodorant, of the type comprising an outer casing, a cup, suitable to support a stick of said poured material, said cup being provided with two radial pins diametrically opposite to each other, which engage inside a helical track provided inside the interior of said casing, and provided being means for the longitudinal guide of said cup, provided on a rotatable sleeve positioned between said casing and said cup, said sleeve being axially constrained to said casing by engaging means, characterized in that said sleeve is protruding from said casing with a knurled control portion, which allows the rotation to be controlled at an end, which is the.

same end of the operational outlet of said stick, said casing being suitable to receive a cover onto the same end, and being provided at its other end with a closure element, said helical track being provided only on a bottom portion of said casing, said cup being composed by a first piece of essentially hollow, cylindrical shape, which bears, on an inner wall thereof, a second helical track, inside which engaged are two further radial pins protruding from a second piece, composed by two essentially cylindrical, hollow portions, coaxially lined-up with each other, and of different diametrical dimensions, the first, smaller portion, bearing two further pins, and the second, larger portion being provided with longitudinal guide means complementary to the means provided on the said sleeve.

The structural and functional characteristics, and the advantages of a container according to the present invention shall be better understood from the following exmplifying and nonlimitative disclosure, referred to the hereto attached schematic drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a closed container according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view equal to that of Fig. 1; turned by 90 , without the upper cover and in a different operational position; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the container of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view according to path IV-IV of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view according to path V-V of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, a container, according to the present invention, and generally indicated with 210, comprises essentially six pieces 211, 212, 213, 214, 215 and 250, e.g., realized by moulding from plastic material.

The piece 211 is the externally cylindrical casing, internally provided, on a limited bottom portion, with a helical track 216, ending into a horizonal track portion 262, at the ends of which track 216 provided are, in an upper position, a first inner circumferential seat 224, and in a lower position, a second inner, recessed circumferential seat 217, at an end; and at the other end of the casing, provided being an outer, recessed circumferential seat 218, suitable to receive a cover 212, or second piece.

The piece 213 is a closure element, or plug, suitable to enter the casing 211, with interference fit inside the seat 217, with stopping against its shoulder surface, and is provided with a seat 220 suitable to receive an identifying element, or a trademark (not shown).

The piece 214 is a cup, which is provided with two radial pins 223, placed in positions diametrically opposite to each other, at an end thereof, and engaged inside the helical track 216.

The cup 214, of cylindrical, hollow shape, has, on its inner wall, a second helical track 251, it too ending, at its upper end, into a horizontal portion 263, which receives a second couple of radial pins 252 extending radially, and to opposite directions, from a lower, cylindrical, hollow portion 253 of a piece generally indicated with 250, it being made elastic, at its lower end, by a couple of notches 249.

The piece 250 is provided, in an upper, cylindrical, hollow portion 254 thereof, with an inner seat 221, suitable to receive and contain a cylindrical stick 222 of lipstick, lip paste or deodorant, positioned into it by direct pouring, said upper portion 254 being enlarged and coaxial relatively to the first portion 253, and connected to it by a through-bore 255.

The upper portion 254 of the piece 250 is provided with outer seats 256, recessed and diametrically opposite to each other, shaped according to generatrices of the outer surface.

It must be observed that the cup 214 has, on its top surface, an annular rounded ledge 258 suitable to match with an annular groove 259 complementary to it and provided under the portion 254 of the piece 250.

The piece 21 5 is constituted by a sleeve suitable to be inserted inside the casing 211, facilitated by an inner, conical upper portion thereof 261, axially, but not rotatably, constrained by an annular edge 225, suitable to be inserted, with expanding, into the annular seat 224, it too being provided with at least a couple of notches 260, which make edge 225 more elastic and yielding, favouring its insertion into seat 224.

Said sleeve 215 has furthermore a couple of inner, longitudinal projections 257, diametrically opposite to each other, and extending from edge 225 along generatrices, as well as an outer, opposite-end, knurled, control portion 227.

The assemblage of a container 210, so disclosed and according to the present invention, is as follows.

The sleeve 215 is introduced into the casing 211, in such a way that the edge 225 engages, in a spring-like fashion, inside the seat 224, such an introduction being made easier by the conicalness 261 of the inner wall.

The pins 252 of piece 250 are introduced into the track 251 of cup 214, thanks to the elasticity conferred by the notches 249.

The so-formed assembly 250-214 is introduced into the lower portion of casing 211, so that the seats 256 of the upper portion 254 of piece 250 get inserted into the longitudinal projections 257 of sleeve 215.

By acting on knurling 227 of sleeve 215, the assembler operates in such a way that the pins 223 of cup 214, which moves upwards, come in correspondence of track 216, entering it.

The cover 212 is then positioned on casing 211, and from the bottom injected it the material to form the stick 222, passing through the bore 255, by the directmelt injector means (not shown), it being thus possible to form a stick of a dosis adequate to the container, without any further actions being required.

After such an operation, the piece 213 is positioned, to close the lower section of container 210.

The movement necessary to use such a container, filled, for example, with a stick 222 of lip paste, results extremely easy.

Once that the cover 212 has been removed, the user grasps the container 210 by one of his hands only, by acting, e.g., with his thumb and his forefinger on the knurled portion 227, thus making sleeve 21 5 rotate relatively to casing 211.

The cooperation and the mutual reactions between the first, stationary track 216 and the movable pins 223, the contemporaneous reaction between the pins 252 and the second track 251, as well as the cooperation of the inner projections 257 with the recessed seats 256 promote the coming out of stick 222, ready for use.

Once that the said lip paste has been used, by a rotation towards the opposite direction the stick is brought back into the casing 211, and the cover 212 is repositioned.

By the double lifting action created by the composite cup 214-250, such a lower position of seat 221 can be created, as to allow having a longer stick 222 than allowed by the normal containers.

The bore 255 can also be closed by a proper plug (not shown), the formation being thus allowed of a stick by direct pouring, in the usual way, the stick-forming material being poured fron the top.

In this case, after that the assembly 214250 has been positioned, the bottom closure is accomplished by the plug 213, making said assembly 214-250 completely sink to its limit lowermost position.

The cream-like material is then poured into the interior of the container, the container being filled, and the residue possibly overflown atop being removed by a means of spatula.

The cover 212 is then positioned to close the container.

Claims (9)

1. Container for such materials as directpoured lipstick, lip paste and/or deodorant, of the type comprising an outer casing, a cup, suitable to support a stick of said poured material, said cup being provided with two radial pins diametrically opposite to each other, which engage inside a helical track provided inside the interior of said casing, and provided being means for the longitudinal guide of said cup, provided on a rotatable sleeve positioned between said casing and said cup, said sleeve being axially constrained to said casing by engaging means, characterized in that said sleeve is protruding from said casing with a knurled control portion, which allows the rotation to be controlled at an end, which is the same end of the operational outlet of said stick, said casing being suitable to receive a cover onto the same end, and being provided at its other end with a closure element, said helical track being provided only on a bottom portion of said casing, said cup being composed by a first piece of essentially hollow, cylindrical shape, which bears, on an inner wall thereof, a second helical track, inside which engaged are two further radial pins protruding from a second piece, composed by two essentially cylindrical, hollow portions, coaxially lined-up with each other, and of different diametrical dimensions, the first, smaller portion, bearing two further pins, and the second, larger portion being provided with longitudinal guide means complementary to the means provided on the said sleeve.

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that said longitudinal guide means provided on said sleeve and on said second portion of said second piece of said cup diametrically opposite to each other are recessed seats.

3. Container according to claim 1, or 2 wherein said second, larger portion of said second piece, in its bottom portion, and said first piece of said cup, in its top portion are respectively provided with a rounded annular ledge and a related complementary groove.

4. Container according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said sleeve is provided, in correspondence of said axial constraint, with at least a couple of such notches, so to make it elastic.

5. Container according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said second piece of said cup is provided in its bottom portion with at least a couple of such notches as to make it elastic.

6. Container according to any preceding claim wherein said first track is provided, in its top portion, with a horizontal portion to cause said pins of said cup to stop.

7. Container according to any preceding claim wherein said second track is provided in its top portion with a horizontal portion to cause said further pins protruding from said second piece of said cup to stop.

8. Container according to any preceding claim wherein said upper portion of said casing is internally provided with a conical wall, so to facilitate the insertion of said sleeve.

9. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.