GB2609442A - Improvements relating to planes - Google Patents

Abstract

A device 10 for sharpening a cosmetic formed into a solid stick 4, the device having upper 12 and lower 14 housing members. The housing members define a collection chamber that communicates with the exterior via opening 16. A blade 18 is mounted on the upper member of the housing and obstructs at least a portion of the opening through which material shaved from a cosmetic stick may enter the chamber. The opening is preferably an elongate slot angled to the longitudinal axis of the housing. When a solid stick cosmetic is dragged over the surface of the upper housing member 12, the blade 18 engages with the solid stick and cuts the material. The upper and lower housing members are preferably releasably secured to one another and they may be separated to access the contents of the cavity.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PLANES

The present invention relates to a device for sharpening cosmetic pencils and the like.

A cosmetic may be defined as products intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the body's structure or function. The products may take many forms including liquids, emulsions and solids. Most cosmetics contain a combination of at least some of the following core ingredients: water, emulsifier, preservative, thickener, emollient, colour, fragrance and pH stabilisers.

When formed into a solid, to facilitate application, cosmetics are often formed into solid stick which may or may not be contained within a support structure. In the case of a lipstick, the solid stick is contained within a housing that a mechanism for extending and retracting the solid stick of cosmetic since the cosmetic material is prone to accidental damage owing to the need for the cosmetic to be appliable to the lips of a user. For certain cosmetic applications, it is more practical to support the solid stick with a more robust material and it is commonplace for some cosmetics, such as brow liners, for them to be formed into a pencil where the cosmetic is formed into a solid stick which forms a core, around which is a wooden or paper outer support forming a pencil that can be sharpened and shaped as desired prior to use. In this fashion, the cosmetic material is protected and a user is able to apply a firm and controlling grip to apply the cosmetic as desired.

It is a well-known problem that the solid stick form of the cosmetic will blunt over time and that to achieve a sharp chisel-shaped point and defined result, the solid stick cosmetic material requires forming sharpening.

Known cosmetic sharpeners only achieve a pointed effect on the solid stick of cosmetic material, are prone to clogging with the malleable cosmetic material, which is often wax-like, and can result in shavings of cosmetic material being displaced in an undesirable fashion, falling onto clothing, soft furnishing and the like.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a device for sharpening a cosmetic formed into a solid stick, said device comprising a housing having an upper and lower member defining a chamber having an opening, a blade mounted on the upper member of the housing and obstructing at least a portion of the opening through which material shaved from a cosmetic solid stick may enter the chamber.

The present invention thus provides the means to sharpen a cosmetic formed into a solid stick as desired, to form a chisel point, for example, or else sharpen to a single point.

Furthermore, shavings can be collected in the chamber to prevent them from falling in an undesired fashion.

The opening may be a slot. The slot may be an elongate slot. The slot may be at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

The blade may extend along one side of the slot and obstruct a portion of the slot.

The housing members may form a clam shell and be releasable secured to one another such that the two clam shell members may be separated and the contents of the cavity accessed.

This is particularly useful for removing any material that has been collected in the cavity during use.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Fig. 1 shows a device in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 2 shows the device of Fig. 1 with the housing members separated.

Figs. land 2 show a cosmetic pencil 2 to be sharpened, having a cylindrical elongate paper body 4 and a central cosmetic material core 6 device 10 having an upper 12 and lower 14 housing members releasably connected to one another. The upper and lower members define a collection chamber that communicates with the exterior via opening 16 being an elongate slot angled to the longitudinal axis of the housing and which receives a blade 18 that partially overlies the opening 16 such that when a solid stick cosmetic is pushed in a forward motion over the surface of the upper housing member 12, the blade engages with the solid stick and cuts the core material and/or paper body 4. The separated material falls through the opening into the collection chamber 20. By a user pushing or dragging the cosmetic solid stick over the opening and blade an altering the angle of attack the user may sharpen the solid stick into the desired shape for a particular application.

The upper and lower housing members 12,14 form a clam shell configuration and can be separated from one another so that material disposed in the collection chamber 20 after use can be discarded. The two housing members can then be reassembled ready for the next operation.

The upper housing member 12 has a planar surface 30 and a downwardly depending perimetral side wall 32 extending substantially perpendicularly to the plan of the surface 30.

Extending perpendicularly to the plane of surface 30 from the inner face of surface 30 are two downwardly depending cylindrical locating pins 32,34 that received a blade carrier 40 upon which the blade 18 is removably mounted. The carrier has a mounting plate SO having two through going bores 52, 54 through which locating pins 32,34 may pass to ensure that the blade carrier and thus the blade are correctly aligned with the slot 16.

The lower housing member 14 has a planar base 60 and an upwardly depending perimetral side wall 62 forming a well. Disposed at one end is a discrete compartment 70 complementarily shaped to that of the blade carrier and locating pins so as to co-operate with them to locate, align and retain the features in place when the device is assembled.

The discrete compartment 70 has two cylindrical blind bores 72, 74 for receiving the locating pins 32, 34 and a substantially rectangular well 76 for receiving the blade carrier 40.

Extending around the upper edge of the side wall 62 is an upstanding flange 80 having two pairs of wall thickenings 82, 82' and 84, 84' disposed on opposite sides of the housing member and which co-operate with correspondingly shaped and located recesses on the inner surface of the side wall 32 of the upper housing member 12. These wall thickenings and recesses form mating members that mate to releasably connect the clam shell members together to form the housing. The clam shell members are made from a material being elastically deformable such that the members may be snapped together to form the device and easily separated to remove unwanted shaved material located within the chamber of the housing.

Claims (7)

1. SCLAIMS1.A device for sharpening a cosmetic formed into a solid stick, said device comprising a housing having an upper and lower member defining a chamber having an opening, a blade mounted on the upper member of the housing and obstructing at least a portion of the opening through which material shaved from a cosmetic solid stick may enter the chamber.
2. 2. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the opening is a slot.
3. 3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the slot is an elongate slot.
4. 4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the blade and slot are at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing.
5. 5. A device as claimed in any previous claim wherein the blade extends along one side of the slot and obstruct a portion of the slot.
6. 6. A device as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the housing members form a clam shell and are releasably secured to one another such that the two clam shell members may be separated and the contents of the cavity accessed.
7. 7. A method of sharpening a cosmetic solid stick comprising the use of a device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6.