GB2331502A - Container for cosmetics - Google Patents

Abstract

A container for doughy cosmetics comprises bowl (11) to accommodate a doughy product (22) and a lid fastened to the bowl (11), the bowl (11) being provided with a product check device in the form of a grid (13), submerged in the doughy product (22) in order to provide a support, and engaged with an inner side surface (17) of the bowl (11). The grid (13) is so engaged with the inner side surface (17) that it can be vertically shifted between an intermediate position and a position close to a bottom (24).

Description

2331502 1 CONTAINER FOR COSMETICS The application relates to a container,

specifically designed for doughy cosmetics and similar products, featuring a product check device. Such a product check device can prevent any accidental leak of the product while being used, even 5 following a significant volume drop.

The above-mentioned type of container, commonly used in beauty and health industries, includes a bowl, to accommodate the product, and either a screw or pressure sealed lid fastened to the bowl.

As experts in the field are well aware, there exist doughy cosmetics containing highly volatile substances able to fix the product quite immediately, for instance, a foundation or lipstick.

The obvious advantage of these products is that, thanks to their specific mix, they leave no stains. However, the presence of a highly volatile substance in that type of products mix requires specific technical problems linked to both the conservation and use of the very product to be taken into account when manufacturing the container.

First of all, the lid applied to the container must be as airtight as possible to prevent the highly volatile substance contained in the product from easily and quickly evaporating, which otherwise would cause the product rapidly to lose its above-mentioned characteristics, i.e., an easy and safe fastening as well as anti-stain properties.

From this point of view, various types of containers able to ensure appropriate hermetic sealing features have already been devised. The second technical problem to be solved concerns the progressive volume decrease of the doughy product, accommodated in the bowl of the container, caused by the use and the obvious and unavoidable simultaneous loss of the volatile component every time the container is opened. As a consequence, shrinkage of the doughy product gradually occurs, resulting in detaching from the inner sides of the bowl.

1 2 Therefore, when being used, the product is no longer firmly anchored to the bowl of the container, which might cause complete loss of the product or at least, make its use difficult.

According to the invention there is provided a container for doughy cosmetics comprising a bowl to accommodate a doughy product and a lid to be fastened to the bowl, the bowl being provided with a product check device, wherein the check device features a grid submerged in the doughy product, in order to provide a support, and engaged with an inner side surface of the bowl, and the grid is so engaged with the inner side surface that it can be vertically shifted between an intermediate position and a position close to a bottom of the bowl.

Such a container, equipped with such a highly reliable and costeffective check device, can secure the doughy product to the bowl of the container throughout its life cycle, i.e., when the container is either full or half-empty and at intermediate stages.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an exploded view sho,,.iig a conlainer for doughy cosmetics, including a bowl to accommodate a product, and a lid to be sealed to the container, the lid being shown in dotted lines; Figure 2 is a horizontal projection of the bowl shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line III-III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a zoomed-in detail of the portion outlined in Figure 3 surrounded by a dotted line circle; Figure 5 is a horizontal projection of a check device designed to be applied to the bowl shown in Figures 1 to 4; Figure 6 is a top view of the check device shown in Figure 5; Figures 7, 8 and 9 display three other possible configurations for the check device; Figures 10 to 15 are cross sections showing operating stages to: firstly, apply a check device as shown in Figures 5 to 9 Inside the container bowl, secondly, fill up the bowl with the doughy product; 3 Figures 16 to 20 show the operation of the check device inside the bowl every time the user retrieves some doughy product, thus, causing its subsequent decrease; Figure 21 shows the bowl upside down in which the check device prevents the free fall of the doughy product down the device, and Figure 22 is a zoomed-in detail of the section denoted in Figure 21 by a dotted line circle.

With reference to Figures I to 9, a container 10 comprises a generally cylindrical bowl I I on which a lid 12 (for instance, a screw or pressure sealed lid) is hermetically sealed.

A check device 13 (Figures 5,6) formed by a discoidal grid, provided in turn with a set of spaced teeth 14 which jut out radially at regular intervals, is anchored to the bowl 11.

Figure 5 shows a basically square meshed 15 grid 13, although grids 13 featuring different meshes, whose density may vary as shown in Figures 79, can be mounted likewise.

As described below, teeth 14 of the grid 13 are to be engaged in shaped sections 16 located on the inner surface 17 of the bowl I I in diametrically opposite directions.

For instance, as indicated in Figures 3, 4, the above-mentioned shaped sections 16 may be equipped with a set of superimposed sub-squares 18 (Figure 4) in which the teeth 14 of the disk 13 click.

With the bowl 11 empty as shown in Figure 10, a disk 13 is driven in following the direction indicated by the arrow 19 as shown in Figures 11, 12, until reaching the loaded hollow position shown in Figure 12, clicking, together with teeth 14, in the shaped sections 16 by a peripherical raised edge 20 located on the inner surface of the bowl 11, next to the top of the bowl.

With the bowl 11 as shown in Figure 13 (i.e., with the grid 13 applied inside in a hollow position), doughy product 22 is poured hot into the bowl 11 itself through a filling device 21, until the bowl is filled up, as shown in Figure 14, meaning that the grid 13 is now completely submerged in the doughy product 22; then, the bowl 4 I I is hermetically sealed with the lid 12, as shown in Figure 15. Pushed by the doughy product 22, the disk 13 might sink deeper with respect to the position reported in Figure 13, as shown in Figure 14.

The above description thoroughly outlines the mechanism through which the disk 13 forms both a frame and a check device for the doughy product 22, thus, enabling it to remain compact and steadily secured to the bowl 11.

In addition, the disk 13 will retain its fastening characteristics even when the doughy product 22 volume starts diminishing inside the bowl 11, as shown in Figures 16 to 20.

In fact, the user, retrieving the doughy product with one finger, will not only reduce the quantity, - i.e., the volume - of the doughy product itself inside the bowl 11, but will simultaneously, by exerting a slight pressure, cause the gradual vertical release of the disk 13, shifting it from an intermediate position (Figure 14) down to a position close to the bottom 24 of the bowl 11 in the process, as shown in 15 Figures 16 to 20.

Consequently, the doughy product which, by decreasing in volume - 0 also c.-used by, the partial evaporation of the volatile component - detaches itself from the inner surface of the bowl 11 (Figures 16, 18), will be prevented by the disk 13 from falling down freely in the direction indicated by the arrow 23 (Figure 21). The check function performed by the disk 13, loaded in turn in a hollow position and steadily engaged in the bowl 11 through teeth 14 and shaped sections 16, and fastened to the doughy product through meshes 15, implements the operation.

Note that the weight of the product is not heavy enough to be able (with bowl 11 positioned upside down in Figure 21) to balance the pre-load of the grid 13, which would cause: firstly, the grid to be shifted from a convex to a hollow position (see Figure 21), secondly, teeth 14 to be disengaged from shaped sections 16, and finally, the grid 13 to fall down with the product 22 fastened to it.

1 1 The bowl 11, and consequently, the disk 13, might feature configurations other than the cylindrical and discoidal ones displayed. Moreover, both the teeth 14 and the shaped sections 16 might not be equipped, and, thanks to a simple friction, the disk 13 might be fastened directly to its outer edge, against the smooth inner surface 17 of the bowl 11. To achieve the above, the outer edge of the disk 13 could also feature a smoother peripheral rim designed to slide over the above-mentioned surface 17.

6

Claims (6)

1. A container for doughy cosmetics comprising a bowl to accommodate a doughy product and a lid to be fastened to the bowl, the bowl being provided with a product check device, wherein the check device features a grid submerged in the doughy product, in order to provide a support, and engaged with an inner side surface of the bowl, and the grid is so engaged with the inner side surface that it can be vertically shifted between an intermediate position and a position close to a bottom of the bowl.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the grid is firmly anchored to the inner side surface of the bowl.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the grid is equipped with teeth which can engage in shaped sections located on the inner surface of the bowl in diametrically opposite positions.

4. A container according to any one of'claims 1 to 3, wherein the grid is discoidal.

5. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the grid is loaded inside the bowl in order to take on a dished shape.

6. A container for doughy cosmetics substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.