GB2213467A - Case for lipstick - Google Patents

Abstract

A case for a lipstick or a like product comprises a hollow body (11) in which is mounted a godet (18), which is movable towards and away from an open end of the body and which has externally directed lugs (21) which extend through longitudinal slots (15) in the body (11), and a spiral (22) rotably mounted on the body (11) and having inwardly facing helical grooves (23) in which the end of the godet lugs (21) engage. The spiral (22) has a circular inner cross- section and an outer cross-section that over at least part of its length is non-circular. A transparent cover (25) passes over the spiral (22) and engages with a portion of the body remote from the open end thereof to close the open end of the body (11). The internal cross-section of the cover (25) over at least part of its length that overlies the non-circular, portion of the spiral when the cover (25) is fully engaged is non-circular, whereby when the cover (25) is fully engaged movement of the spiral (22) relative to the cover (25) is substantially prevented. <IMAGE>

Description

CASE FOR LIPSTICK AND LIKE PRODUCTS The present invention relates to cases for lipstick and similar stick-moulded products including blushers, solid make-ups and deodorants.

During the past two decades there has been a marked change in the distribution pattern of cosmetic products away from conventional druggist, pharmacist, perfumery and departmental retail outlets and towards self-service outlets, particularly of the food and grocery 'supermarket' type. Even within specialist stores, such as pharmacies and the cosmetic department of department stores, there has been a move towards 'self-service' arrangements of the goods.

This change has meant that personal, specialist advice, regarding, for example, choice of formulation for a particular skin type, recommended method of application and, in the case of decorative cosmetics, selection of a particular shade of colour is frequently not available to the purchaser of cosmetics.

The manufacturers of cosmetics have, therefore, attempted to make their advertising, promotion and product packaging increasingly informative to compensate for the increasing absence of personal advice. In the case of decorative cosmetics, the information most required by the consumer, outweighing formula suitability, or correct application technique, is the shade or colour of the product. Considerable emphasis has been put on facilitating consumer shade selection and, in particular, attempts have been made to enable the purchaser to know the colour or shade of the product by some indication visible on the displayed product, or its packaging.

The most common method involves the use of labels intended to be the same colour as the cosmetic product. However, the difficulty in achieving accurate colour matching between different media e.g., the lipstick itself and the paper label, is great and frequently, despite the manufacturers best efforts, only an approximate idea of the colour or shade is given by this method.

A better way of achieving the desired result is to expose part of the cosmetic product itself to view. Because of considerations of transit damage, handling damage and hygiene, it has generally been considered that the cosmetic should be exposed only through a transparent part of a container while capped, covered or closed.

Turning now to stick-moulded products such as lipstick, the conventional lipstick case comprises four essential parts. First, a a hollow body portion open at one end and being of circular internal and external cross-section at least at the open end and having at least one axially extending slot formed through its wall.

Second, a godet which contains the lipstick bullet and is received for longitudinal movement within the body. The godet is provided with one or more externally directed lugs which travel in and extend through the slot or slots in the body. Third, a spiral which is a cylindrical sleeve positioned around the body and having one or more internally directed helical grooves in which the ends of the godet lugs engage. This is mounted such that relative rotation of the spiral and the body causes movement of the godet. The spiral is usually fixedly mounted inside or moulded onto an opaque sleeve that serves to hide the working components of the case. For convenience, the term "spiral" is used in this specification to refer either to the member that has the helical grooves or to that member together with its opaque sleeve.Fourth, a cover which normally fits over the assembly of the body, godet and spiral, to prevent dirt reaching the lipstick bullet and protect the bullet against physical damage.

The conventional lipstick case of the above-described type is so constructed that when the godet is fully retracted into the base, the tip of a full bullet of lipstick is below the open end of the body. This arrangement is thought desirable to avoid damage to the bullet when the cover is placed on the case either during a final step of the manufacturing process, or during use.

This conventional case does not permit a portion of the bullet to be exposed when the lipstick is displayed for sale because of the occlusive nature of the sleeve and spiral and the absence of any means for securing the godet in an intermediate position along its track.

Various proposals have been made for simple modifications of the conventional case to allow a portion of the bullet to be visible in the fully retracted position of the godet, but these have been unsatisfactory because they lead to damage to the tip. Initial attempts to produce cases which allowed lipstick bullet exposure usually consisted of the adoption of a clear cover and expedient modifications to the detail of established mechanisms designed to restrict full-bullet retraction so that, in the base's fully wound down position, a portion of the bullet tip remained exposed.

Unfortunately this form of construction, in which at least part of an unused bullet tip is always exposed, lead to a relatively high level of rejects due to bullet damage during the final stage of the production (placing the cover on the base) and subsequent damage during recapping by the consumer in use, with consequent production difficulty, consumer irritation and complaint.

An alternative proposal included a body in which the slots comprised two axially extending portions connected near the mid-point of the track by a circumferentially extending portion. This enabled the godet to be "locked" in a position intermediate its fully extended or fully retracted position and in which the tip of the bullet could be viewed through the cover. However, this construction requires that there should be a positive "locking" at the mid-point to enable the godet to be placed in that position at the end of the manufacturing process and be held there during subsequent transportation and display. This, however, means that during normal use of the case, there is a distinct stiffness, or hesitation as the lipstick is moved in and out of the body, which is disliked by the consumer.

U.K.Patent No.2036696 discloses a further proposal according to which the body, godet and spiral are of conventional form, with the external surface of the spiral being a right circular cylinder, and the cover having an internal cross section such that when the cover is positioned over the spiral and the body it frictionally engages both the spiral and the body to restrict relative movement therebetween. This frictional engagement can be overcome by manual force to expose the tip of the godet in a desired position. This arrangement imposes stringent restrictions on manufacturing tolerances to ensure that frictional engagement is achieved especially between the spiral and the cover.

According to the present invention there is provided a case for a lipstick or a like product comprising a hollow body in which is mounted a godet, which is movable towards and away from an open end of the body and which has one or more externally directed lugs which extend through one or more longitudinal slots in the body, a spiral mounted on the body and having inwardly facing helical grooves in which the end of the godet lugs engage, the spiral having a circular inner cross-section and an outer cross-section that over at least part of the length of the spiral is non-circular and an at least partially transparent cover which passes over the spiral and engages with a portion of the body remote from the open end thereof to close the open end of the body, the internal cross-section of the cover over at least a part of its length that overlies the non-circular portion of the spiral when the cap is fully engaged also noncircular, whereby when the cap is fully engaged movement of the spiral relative to the cap is substantially prevented.

As will be appreciated, the construction is so arranged that the mechanical engagement prevents accidental relative movement between the body and the spiral, so that the godet and bullet are held against inadvertent movement, e.g., during transit, but removal of the cover allows normal retraction and extension.

In a preferred form of the invention the external shape of the spiral is such that at the end adjacent the open end of the body it is of circular cross-section while over at least a portion of its length away from the open end it is of non-circular cross-section. The transition from circular to non-circular cross-section may be abrupt or smooth and when smooth the transition may commence substantially at the end of the spiral adjacent the open end of the body.

The internal cross-section of the cover may be non-circular over the entire length of the cover but is preferably only non-circular over at least part of that part that overlies the non-circular cross-section part of the spiral when the cover is engaged thus virtually eliminating optical distortion of the bullet tip and the spiral when viewed through the cover.

The non-circular cross section of the spiral and the cover are preferably the same. The external cross-section of, the cover may be of any desired shape. There is, however, preferably a smooth interface between the cover and the body when the cover is in position.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Fig.l is a side view, with parts broken away to reveal interior detail, of a lipstick case embodying the invention; Fig.2,2(a) and 2(b) are radial cross-sections through the case shown in Fig.l at A-A, B-B and C-C; and Fig.3 is a further side view of the lipstick case taken at 900 from Fig.l.

The case comprises a body 11, of essentially conventional design, having a closed end 12 by which the case is held when in use, a stepped portion 13, which provides a seat for the cover of the case, and a cylindrical portion 14 that has two axially extending, diametrically opposite slots 15 having upper and lower circumferentially extending end portions 16 and 17. A godet 18 containing a bullet 19 of lipstick is mounted for sliding axial movement within the cylindrical portion 14 of the body 11 and lugs 21 of the godet 18 extend through the slots 15. Rotatably mounted on the cylindrical portion 14 is a cylindrical member, or spiral 22.

which has helical grooves 23 on its inner surface, in which the grooves 23 the ends of the lugs 21 engage. The spiral 22 is fitted tightly within a sleeve 24 so as to be rotatable therewith.

In conventional manner, the lipstick is advanced and retracted by relative rotation of the body and the spiral, which causes the helical grooves 23 to move relative to the axial slots 15 causing the godet to move axially along the cylindrical portion 14 of the body 11.

A cover 25 for the case is of clear plastics material and is of a size to fit over the sleeve 24 and to engage the body 11 when the margin of its open end is resting on the stepped portion 13 of the body. A tight engagement between the cover 25 and the body is ensured by longitudinal ribs (not shown) spaced around the periphery of the body, between the stepped portion 13 and the cylindrical portion 14.

As shown in Figs 2a,b and c, at the open end of the body (11), the spiral (22) and the cover (25) each have a circular cross section (Fig 2a) The internal cross section of the spiral (22) is circular over the whole length of the spiral (22) but the external cross section gradually changes from circular to non-circular.

At the end away from the open end of the body (11) the spiral (22) has a cross section formed by intersecting arcs of greater radius than that of the circular section to provide four equally spaced nodes (26) imposed on the circular section (Fig.2b).

The internal cross section of the cover (25) also gradually changes from circular to non-circular of corresponding shape but with internal notches (27).

The stepped portion (13) of body (11) has a similar section (Fig 2c).

The dimensions of the stepped portion 13 and interior of cover (25) are such that there is frictional engagement therebetween. The internal surface of cover (25) may be spaced from the external surface of spiral (22) but such spacing must of course be small enough that rotation of the spiral (22) within cover (25) is prevented by engagement of nodes (26) with notches (27).

Claims (6)

1. A case for a lipstick or a like product comprising a hollow body in which is mounted a godet, which is movable towards and away from an open end of the body and which has externally directed lugs which extend through longitudinal slots in the body, a spiral mounted on the body and having inwardly facing helical grooves in which the end of the godet lugs engage, the spiral having a circular inner cross-section and an outer cross-section that over at least part of the length of the spiral is non-circular and a transparent cover which passes over the spiral and engages with a portion of the body remote from the open end thereof to close the open end of the body, the internal cross-section of the cover over at least part of its length that overlies the non-circular portion of the spiral when the cap is fully engaged also being non-circular, whereby when the cap is fully engaged movement of the spiral relative to the cap is substantially prevented.

2. A case according to claim 1 where in the external shape of the spiral is such that at the end adjacent the open end of the body it is of circular cross-section whIle over at least a portion of its length away from the open end it is of non-circular cross-section.

3. A case according to claim 2 wherein the transition from circular to non-circular cross-section is a smooth transition that commences substantially at the end of the spiral adjacent the open end of the body.

4. A case according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the internal cross-section of the cover is only non-circular over at least a part of that part of its length that overlies the non-circular cross section part of the spiral when the cover is engaged.

5. A case according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the non-circular section of the spiral and the cover are the same.

6. A case according to claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.