US20060243294A1

US20060243294A1 - Compact with lateral support base

Info

Publication number: US20060243294A1
Application number: US11/118,489
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Petit
Original assignee: Techpack International SA
Current assignee: Albea Services SAS
Priority date: 2005-05-02
Filing date: 2005-05-02
Publication date: 2006-11-02

Abstract

The compact has a bottom, a cover, a hinge fixing the cover to the bottom, the cover and the bottom defining an average opening plane P of the compact, and forming a junction defining a closed external contour C in the plane P. The compact includes at least one bearing surface A on a typically horizontal plane support H defining a support surface or polygon S with area S_s, so as to have a compact with a “vertical” position. The contour C has a centre of gravity G forming a solid angle α with the support surface S, with a minimum angle α_Mtypically varying from α₁=15° to α₂=60°, so as to simultaneously have a compact that is stable in the vertical position.

Description

DOMAIN OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the domain of compacts used to package makeup products, typically makeup powders.

STATE OF THE ART

In general, compacts typically comprise:

- a hollow cover usually with an internal mirror,
- a hollow bottom, typically provided with a inner frame or intermediate support with at least one cup in which the said cosmetic will be held,
- a hinge, forming the connection device between the said cover and the said bottom, to articulate the said cover and the opening of the said compact,
- a closer or any other means of locking and unlocking the said cover with respect to the said bottom, so as to open and close the said compact, a closer typically being a push button.

A very large number of embodiments of compacts are known, which may relate to one or several constituents of the compact, particularly to the closer or opening of the compact.
Thus, some of the patents issued by the inventors include:

- patent FR 2 661 080 that describes a makeup compact with a small closer,
- patent FR 2 725 958 that relates to a compact with edge to edge closing and assisted opening,
- patent FR 2 737 192 that describes a compact with a pivoting cover provided with a hinge with flexible tabs,
- patent FR 2 755 352 that describes a compact with assisted opening,
- patent FR 2 755 353 that describes a compact with an unlocking and pre-opening push button,
- and patent FR 2 794 723 that describes a compact with improved pre-opening.

PROBLEMS THAT ARISE

As is clear from the state of the art mentioned, compacts according to the state of the art simultaneously have a very wide variety of technical features, and also are very similar in shape despite these technical features. In fact, all these compacts are typically round, rectangular or oval compacts, which are not particularly different from each other apart from the decor, the technical features usually being related to handling of the compact and are located at the hinge, the inner frame, the closer, the leak tightness of the compact, etc., and these features are not even visible when the compact is closed, since they are typically deliberately made invisible or hardly visible, so that the “technical” aspect of the compact is cannot be seen.
Therefore one major problem that arises in the domain of compacts is to renew and diversify available compacts. The offer on sale is firstly visual, what the potential purchaser sees on the display unit. Therefore, it is essential for purchasing the compact.
The purpose of the invention is to define technical means that enable such renewal and diversification of the offer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the compact that will be placed on a typically horizontal plane support H comprises a bottom, a cover, a hinge fixing the said cover to the said bottom directly or through a inner frame fixed to the said bottom, so as to enable opening of the said compact by rotation of the said cover with respect to the said bottom, and a closing means typically consisting of a closer, the said cover and the said bottom defining an average opening plane P of the said compact, typically parallel to the said hinge, the said cover and the said bottom forming a junction defining a closed external contour C in the said plane P, the said cover being closed and is characterised in that:

- a) the said compact includes at least one bearing surface A on the said plane support H defining a support surface or polygon S with area S_s, typically perpendicular to the said plane P and the said contour C, so as to have a compact with a so-called “vertical” position,
- b) the said compact has a height h measured along the vertical equal to at least 30 mm,
- c) the said contour C has a centre of gravity G forming a solid angle α with the said support surface S, with a minimum angle α_Mtypically varying from α₁=15° to α₂=60°, so as to simultaneously have a compact that is stable in the vertical position, such that the said compact has a surface R projected laterally onto a vertical plane V with a large area S_R, the said area S_Rtypically being greater than the area S_Sof the said support polygon, and possibly greater than the area S_Ecorresponding to the orthogonal projection E of the said compact on the said plane support H, and thus it has large side visibility typically when the said compact is placed on a shelf or a display unit.

The minimum angle α_Mis the angle between the straight line normal to the plane P and passing through the centre of gravity G, and the straight line GF passing through the edge of the support surface S closest to the said normal straight line, such that this angle is equal to the minimum rotation to be applied to the said compact before it tips. For example, see FIGS. 1, 2 a and 4 b.
Preferably, the minimum angle α_Mmay typically vary from α₁=20° to α₂=40°, compacts with an angle α_Mvarying from 25° to 35° being particularly slender and stable.
The combination of means a) to c) according to the invention provides a means of solving the problem that arises. It opens the opportunity for a complete new family of compacts that can potentially have an infinite variety of shapes.
Essentially, the invention has radically modified the technical elements of known compacts according to the state of the art, and their topological relation; in compacts according to the state of the art in particular, the said plane P is typically parallel to its bearing surface A on a plane support that defines a support surface or polygon S, while it is typically perpendicular to its bearing surface in compacts according to the invention.
Therefore, the invention has transformed the topological organization between the technical elements of compacts, since all compacts including compacts according to the state of the art comprise a average opening plane P of the said compact, and a bearing surface defining a support surface or polygon S on a typically horizontal plane support, the compacts forming part of objects designed to be placed on a typically plane and horizontal surface and not, for example, objects intended to be attached by a hook or placed in compartments.
Furthermore, by convention compacts are typically represented as being placed on a horizontal support, such that every compact has a vertical direction and a bearing surface that is always immediately identifiable.
Furthermore, note that the means according to the invention are completely unrelated to the shape itself of the said compacts. The means according to the invention do not define an external shape, but rather a topology, the outside shape of the compacts according to the invention may be arbitrary provided that the said compact satisfies the combination of technical requirements a) to c) above.
Compacts according to the invention have the advantage of providing good side visibility, typically when the said compact is placed on a shell or on a display unit, because they have a surface R with a large laterally projected area S_R, particularly by projection on a vertical plane V typically parallel to the said plane P.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1 to 5 b relate to compacts (1) according to the invention, FIGS. 6 a to 6 c corresponding to compacts (1′) according to the state of the art; these compacts are shown diagrammatically.
In all FIGS. 1 to 8 b, only essential compact topology elements in general have been shown, namely typically in the horizontal plane H, the bearing surface A and the support surface or polygon S, and in plane P, the centre of gravity G and the curve C.
The hinge (4) has been sometimes represented, but not the closer typically located on the opposite side of the hinge (4) so as to not put too much information in the figures. The said hinge has been diagrammatically shown by a rectangle shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 1, 3 b, 4 a, 4 b, 7 a, 7 b, 8 a and 8 b, and continuous lines in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, or by a hollow circle with a continuous line in FIGS. 3 a, 5 a, 5 b, depending on whether it is a side view or a cross-sectional view.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing generic elements of the compact (1) that define its topology, any compact according to the invention including:

- a support surface or polygon S on a horizontal plane H, the said surface or polygon being delimited by a curve F,
- a contour C corresponding to the external junction between the cover and the bottom of the compact, in a typically vertical plane P, the said contour C forming a closed curve with centre of gravity G,
- an angle α_M, in other words the minimum angle between the straight line passing through G and the straight line GF that bears on the said curve F.

FIG. 2 a corresponds to FIG. 1, but the bearing surface of the said compact includes two bearing surfaces A₁and A₂, the view in FIG. 2 typically corresponding to the compact in FIG. 3 b after an axial rotation of 90°. Neither the curve C nor the hinge (4) is shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 b shows surfaces E and R projected by the said compact (1) onto the horizontal plane H and the vertical plane V respectively. The compact is shown in dashed lines, the said compact (1) being similar to that shown in FIG. 4 a.
FIG. 3 a represents a diagrammatic view of a compact (1) in a plane perpendicular to plane P and to the said hinge, the said hinge (4) being parallel to the plane H and close to the said plane H. Another section through the compact is shown in dashed lines, the profile of the said compact (1) in the plane of the Figure perpendicular to the said plane P not being constant. In this Figure, the bottom (2) and the cover (3) are typically symmetric about the plane P.
FIG. 3 b represents a diagrammatic sectional view of a compact (1) in a plane perpendicular to plane P, the hinge (4) not being perpendicular to this plane, and typically being parallel to this plane. In this Figure, the bottom and the cover are not symmetric with respect to the plane P.
FIGS. 4 a and 4 b are perspective side views that illustrate two variant compacts (1) in which the said hinge (4), as in the case in FIG. 3 a, is parallel to the said plane H and is close to the said plane H. In these figures, the bottom and the cover are symmetric about the plane P.
In FIG. 4 a, the curve C is a half ellipse, whereas it is a half circle in FIG. 4 b.
FIG. 5 a corresponds to FIG. 3 a, but in the compact (1) in FIG. 5 a, the said plane P forms an angle β<90° with the plane H.
FIG. 5 b corresponds to FIG. 5 a, but has a hinge (4) parallel to the said plane H, but at a distance from the said plane H.
FIGS. 6 a to 6 c are side views related to compacts (1′) according to the state of the art.
FIG. 6 a illustrates the value of the angle α_Min the case of a rectangular compact placed normally on a plane support H.
FIG. 6 b illustrates the value of the angle α_Min the case in which the same compact is placed on the edge, in other words abnormally since it is not very stable.
FIG. 6 c illustrates the case of a compact with an oval profile, that can oscillate like a weeble but which always returns to its stable position.
FIG. 7 a shows a perspective view of a compact (1) similar to that in FIG. 3 a but with a variable profile in a plane perpendicular to plane P.
FIG. 7 b is a perspective view of a compact (1) that is firstly in the form of a weeble, and secondly and independently has a curved plane P′ in substitution of the said plane P.
FIGS. 8 a and 8 b are perspective views of a compact (1) with two adjacent parts forming an angle γ between them and comprising two planes P, one part with a plane P₁and a centre of gravity G₁and the other with a plane P₂and a centre of gravity G₂.
The compact (1) according to FIG. 8 a only includes one hinge (4), while the compact (1) according to FIG. 8 b includes two hinges and therefore two covers (3).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the said medium contact plane P and the said contour C may form an angle from the said support surface S, β=90°±25°.
The said angle β may be equal to 90°±5°, and is preferably equal to 900.
Thus, in FIGS. 1, 2 a, 3 a, 3 b and 4 a, the said plane P makes an angle of 90° with the support surface S which is coincident with the horizontal plane H.
However, an angle of approximately 90° is necessary in FIG. 7 a, and an angle quite different from 90° is required in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b.
According to one variant of the invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 a, 4 a, 4 b, 5 a and 7 a, the said bearing surface A may include the said hinge (4) or is typically parallel to the said hinge and at a small distance from the said hinge, typically less than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “back” bearing surface (11).
In this case, the closer (5) typically opposite the hinge, is located at the upper part of the compact (1).
According to another variant of the invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 3 b and 7 b, the said bearing surface A may form an angle with the said hinge (4) varying from 45° to 135° and typically close to 90°, so as to form a so-called “lateral” bearing surface (12).
According to another variant of the invention and as illustrated in FIG. 5 b, the said bearing surface A may include the said closing means (5) or it may be at a small distance from the said closing means, typically less than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “front” bearing surface (10).
In compacts according to the invention, the said area S_Emay be greater than the said area S_S, as typically illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 b, 5 a and 5 b, but the said area S_Emay also be equal to the said area S_Sas illustrated in FIGS. 3 a, 4 a, 4 b, 7 a.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 a and 3 b, the said bearing surface A on the said plane support may be formed by at least two bearing surfaces A₁and A₂with area S_A1+S_A2less than the area of the said support surface of area S_S.
Although the invention does not require a predetermined shape for the said bearing surface A or the said support surface S, the said support surface S and/or the said bearing surface A may typically be a circle, or an ellipse, or a regular or irregular polygon.
For example, FIG. 1 shows a square, FIG. 2 a shows a rectangle, FIGS. 2 b and 4 a show an ellipse, FIG. 4 b shows a circle, FIG. 7 a shows a trapezium, and FIGS. 8 a and 8 b show a pentagon.
As illustrated in FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 4 a, 4 b and 7 a, the said compact may have a profile or section in a horizontal plane parallel to the said bearing surface A or the said support polygon S, that is variable and typically reduces as the distance from the said bearing surface A or the said plane support H reduces, so as to increase the stability of the said compact.
However, the said variable profile may reduce over a part of the height of the compact and then increase, without departing from the scope of the invention.
According to the invention, the said contour C may comprise or form a combination of a straight line and typically an arc of a circle or an arc of an ellipse or a broken line, so as to have a variable profile or section in a plane perpendicular to the said plane P.
The said curve C typically includes two parts, firstly a first part located in the plane P and secondly a second part closing the said first part, and typically in or close to the bearing surface A or the support surface S. In the figures, the said second part has been diagrammatically shown by a straight line in the support surface S—see FIGS. 1, 4 a, 4 b, 7 a.
The said first part of the curve C that in particular contributes to giving its external shape to the said compact may be very variable and thus for example form a complex arc in FIG. 1 or in FIG. 2 b, a broken line with three straight line segments as shown in FIGS. 3 a to 7 a, a portion of an ellipse in FIG. 4 a, a portion of a circle in FIG. 4 b.
Thus, the shape of the curve C itself may be arbitrary, based on geometric criteria, to the extent that there is an infinite number of curves C with the same centre of gravity G.
According to the invention, the said height h of the compact (1) may typically vary from 40 mm to 70 mm, but heights of up to 100 mm are possible for large compacts, and heights as low as 30 mm are possible for small compacts.
Preferably, the said height h of the said compact (1) in the so-called “vertical” position is typically the largest dimension of the said compact.
This is usually advantageous; however, cases can arise in which the largest dimension of the compact is not its height h, particularly for some particular compacts.
Even if in theory a compact (1) may be placed in different manners on its plane support H, in practice there is only one way of placing it considering the decoration of the compacts and the graphics which cannot be read unless the compact is placed in a predetermined orientation, and therefore its vertical direction (13) is imposed.
In compacts according to the invention, the said bottom and the said cover may have plane or non-plane external surfaces. As in the case of the curve C, this applies to variants allowed by the invention within the context of a compact comprising the same basic topological data, namely the position of the centre of gravity G of the curve C with respect to the support surface S.
Advantageously, as illustrated in FIG. 2 b, the said area S_Rmay be greater than the said area S_E.
According to one embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7 b, the said bearing surface A may be a curved surface, the said compact acting like a weeble with an equilibrium position for which the said centre of gravity G is projected vertically inside the said support polygon S, the curvature of the said bearing surface being such that when the said compact moves away from its equilibrium position, the said centre of gravity G creates a torque tending to return the compact towards the said equilibrium position.
As can be seen in FIG. 7 b, when the compact is inclined towards the right, the initial support surface S₁becomes S₂and since the centre of gravity G is to the left of the straight line N₂normal to S₂, the said compact returns towards the left towards its equilibrium position. The same is true when the compact is inclined towards the left, its initial support surface S₁becomes S₃.
The compact according to FIG. 6 c is a “weeble” compact according to the state of the art.
According to another embodiment of the compact according to the invention, the said plane P may be replaced by a regulated and curved surface P′ as also illustrated in FIG. 7 b. Although it is convenient to have compacts in which the cover (3) and the bottom (2) form a contact plane P between the edge of the said cover and the edge of the said bottom when the said compact is closed (apart in the hinge area), there is no reason why the contact between the edges of the cover and the bottom of the compact according to the invention should not be typically adjusted, and possibly a left surface that may or may not be adjusted, with the edges of the cover and the bottom matching for example like the two valves of a shell.
Although this embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 7 b showing the “weeble” compact, this embodiment is independent of the “weeble” aspect of the compact.
According to another embodiment of the compact according to the invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 8 a and 8 b, an assembly formed by planes P₁and P₂with an angle γ between them varying between 120 to 170°, may be substituted for the said plane P.
In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 8 b, the support surface S is automatically larger.
The compact according to FIG. 8 b comprises two hinges (4) and two covers (3), the configuration of the compact with two planes P₁and P₂being quite suitable for this embodiment. However, this embodiment does not in itself require the presence of two planes P₁and P₂.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

All Figures—except for FIGS. 6 a to 6 c-show example embodiments of compacts according to the invention.
These compacts are typically made by moulding a bottom provided with hinge and closer elements, and moulding a cover provided with hinge and closer elements complementary to the corresponding elements on the bottom.
After bringing the hinge elements on the bottom and the cover to face each other, they are typically assembled by means of a central hinge pin.
According to one variant, the bottom includes a inner frame fixed to the said bottom, the said inner frame supporting the said hinge and/or closer element.
The compacts according to the invention have been used for packaging cosmetics such as an agglomerated powder, and in general for all so-called “solid” cosmetics that will not deform by gravity under the action of their own weight.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The invention has many advantages in practice. As illustrated as an example in the figures, the compacts according to the invention introduce a new topology that:

- reduces the size of the “footprint” of compacts, in other words the space occupied on bathroom shelves or in display units,
- provides a wide lateral extent, typically decorated, to a person using it or looking at it on a display unit,
- radically modifies the visual perception of compacts according to the invention compared with compacts according to the state of the art, so as to considerably renew the offer of new compacts,
- makes it possible to create a virtually infinite number of shapes starting from the same basic topology, so as to customise the said compacts.

These are important advantages in the field of packaging cosmetics.

LIST OF MARKS

- Compact . . . 1, 1′
  - “Front” bearing surface . . . 10
  - “Back” bearing surface . . . 11
  - “Side” bearing surface . . . 12
  - Vertical direction . . . 13
- Bottom . . . 2
- Cover . . . 3
- Hinge . . . 4
- Closer . . . 5

Claims

1. Compact (1) for packaging cosmetics such as an agglomerated powder, that will be placed on a typically horizontal plane support H comprising a bottom (2), a cover (3), a hinge (4) fixing the said cover (3) to the said bottom (2), directly or through a inner frame fixed to the said bottom, so as to enable opening of the said compact by rotation of the said cover with respect to the said bottom, and a closing means typically consisting of a closer (5), the said cover (3) and the said bottom (2) defining an average opening plane P of the said compact (1), typically parallel to the said hinge (4), the said cover (3) and the said bottom (2) forming a junction defining a closed external contour C in the said plane P, the said cover being closed, and characterised in that:

a) the said compact (1) includes at least one bearing surface A on the said plane support H, defining a support surface or polygon S with area S_s, typically perpendicular to the said plane P and the said contour C, so as to have a compact (1) with a so-called “vertical” position,

b) the said compact (1) has a height h measured along the vertical equal to at least 30 mm,

c) the said contour C has a centre of gravity G forming a solid angle α with the said support surface S, with a minimum angle α typically varying from α₁=15° to α₂=60°, so as to simultaneously have a compact (1) that is stable in the vertical position,

such that the said compact (1) has a surface R projected laterally onto a vertical plane V with a large area S_R, the said area S_Rtypically being greater than the area S_Eof the said support polygon, and possibly greater than the area S_Ecorresponding to the orthogonal projection E of the said compact on the said plane support H, and thus it has large side visibility typically when the said compact is placed on a shelf or a display unit.

2. Compact (1) according to claim 1 in which the said average contact plane P and the said contour C forms an angle β<9°±25° from the said support surface S.

3. Compact according to claim 2 in which the said angle β is equal to 90°±5°, and is preferably equal to 90°.

4. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bearing surface A comprises the said hinge (4) or is typically parallel to the said hinge and at a small distance from the said hinge, typically less than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “back” bearing surface.

5. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bearing surface A forms an angle with the said hinge (4) varying from 45° to 135° and typically close to 90°, so as to form a so-called “lateral” bearing surface.

6. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bearing surface A comprises the said closing means (5) or at a small distance from the said closing means, typically less than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “front” bearing surface.

7. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said area S_Eis greater than the said area S_S.

8. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said area S_Eis equal to the said area S_s.

9. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bearing surface A on the said plane support is formed by at least two bearing surfaces A₁and A₂with area S_A1+S_A2less than the said area of the said support surface S_S.

10. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said support surface S and/or the said bearing surface A is typically a circle, or an ellipse, or a regular or irregular polygon.

11. Compact according to claim 1 with a profile or section in a horizontal plane parallel to the said bearing surface A or the said support polygon S, that is variable and typically reduces as the distance from the said bearing surface A or the said plane support H reduces, so as to increase the stability of the said compact.

12. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said contour C comprises or forms a combination of a straight line and typically an arc of a circle or an arc of an ellipse or a broken line, so as to have a variable profile or section in a plane perpendicular to the said plane P.

13. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said height h of the compact (1) typically varies from 40 mm to 70 mm.

14. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said height h of the said compact (1) in the so-called “vertical” position is typically the largest dimension of the said compact.

15. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bottom and the said cover have plane or non-plane external surfaces.

16. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said area S_Ris greater than the said area S_E.

17. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bearing surface A is a curved surface, the said compact acting like a weeble with an equilibrium position for which the said centre of gravity G is projected vertically inside the said support polygon S, the curvature of the said bearing surface being such that when the said compact moves away from its equilibrium position, the said centre of gravity G creates a torque tending to return the compact towards the said equilibrium position.

18. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said plane P is replaced by a regulated and curved surface P′.

19. Compact according to claim 1 in which an assembly formed by planes P₁and P₂with an angle γ between them varying between 120 to 170°, is substituted for the said plane P.