US20090211939A1

US20090211939A1 - Carry-on organizer

Info

Publication number: US20090211939A1
Application number: US12/072,668
Authority: US
Inventors: Yong Hoon Cho
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-02-27
Filing date: 2008-02-27
Publication date: 2009-08-27

Abstract

A carry-on organizer for beauty implements having a plurality of horizontally or vertically fused covers, holders or containers as components of the carry-on organizer, the components having different or uniform length and different or similar internal dimensions for covering, holding or housing the beauty implement. The components of the carry-on organizer can be all fused covers, all fused holders, all fused containers or a combination of fused covers, holders and containers.

Description

BACKGROUND

Most beauty implements are provided individually resulting into many individual pieces to be carried or stored around. When carried inside a purse or bag as most users do, one often has to search through the bag or purse before the desired beauty implement can be located. Beauty implements as used herein refer to devices and cosmetic products used for personal hygiene and appearance such as eyelash curler, nail clippers, tweezers, mascara, eyebrow pencil, lip pencil, lipstick, powder, blush, foundation, make up, concealer, eye shadow and the like. To solve this problem, users often have a cosmetic bag to segregate the beauty implements. Also, many manufacturers have devised containers or cases with organizing compartments, slots, or bands to hold the beauty implements. Some of these cases or containers place all the beauty implements in one container without organization based on related usage. Some organize these based on related usage such as those used for the eyes are grouped together in one container like the mascara, eye shadow, tweezers, eyelash curler, and eye brow pencil. The containers of the beauty implements also provide safety to the users by not exposing the tips that can hurt such as those found on the tweezers, metal nail file, cutters, and the like thereby making it easy to carry around.
It is an object of this invention to provide a device that can segregate the beauty implements as well as protect the users and bystanders from being hurt by those devices that have sharp tips.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a device that is a better substitute for storing and carrying beauty implements than the current cosmetic bags and containers.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a beauty implement organizer that is simple, therefore, inexpensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a carry-on organizer for beauty implements, comprising a plurality of horizontally or vertically fused covers, holders or containers as components of the carry-on organizer, the components having different or uniform length and different or similar internal dimensions covering, holding or housing the beauty implement. The components of the carry-on organizer can be all fused covers, all fused holders, all fused containers or a combination of fused covers, holders and containers. The cover component caps or closes a beauty implement, the holder component holds composition used with a beauty implement and the container component includes a closure for housing a beauty implement. The component of the carry-on organizer has outside and inside surfaces complementing with the outside and inside surfaces of the beauty implement inserting into the component. The outside surfaces for the vertically fused carry-on organizer is recommended to have fused components having an outside surface of similar geometric shapes. Although the horizontally fused carry-on organizer would look better with components having an outside surface of similar geometric shape, these can have varying geometric shapes. The beauty implement housed inside the fused container component is recommended to have a bottom end modified into an end cap to serve as a cover, a cover handle combination, a cover connector combination or a cover handle connector combination for the container instead of closing the container with its own closure. To secure the beauty implement into the end cap, flaring undercuts at opposite sides of a bottom section of the beauty implement is placed inside a plug component of the end cap. The plug has a slit matching the shape of a peripheral bottom end of the beauty implement and optionally, a neck to serve as a handle for the end cap. The neck of the end cap can be lined.
Other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it shows and describes only certain embodiments of the invention by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the simplest version of the carry-on organizer in a horizontal orientation.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a fused twin cap attaching a mascara and an eyelash curler.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a carry-on organizer with more than two fused holder, container or cover.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fused twin cover with different lengths but of the same inside diameter.

FIG. 2A is a front view of a fused cover and holder attaching a mascara and an eyelash curler.

FIG. 2B is a front view showing the fused twin cover of FIG. 2 attaching a pencil and enclosing a tweezers by capping the long cover and converting this to a container.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the simplest version of a carry-on organizer with two vertically fused covers.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an eyebrow pencil attaching to a cover fused to a container housing a tweezers which has a bottom end acting as a handle and a cover to close the container.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of an eyebrow pencil attaching to a cover fused to a container housing a tweezers which has a bottom end acting as a handle, a cover and also as a connector for a second container which can house another beauty implement.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a tweezers showing the bottom end of the tweezers modified into an end cap acting as a cap and also as a handle.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a tweezers with a lined end cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The carry-on organizer is a fused cover, holder or container for carrying beauty implements. Covers, holders and containers are chosen as components for the carry-on organizer because most beauty implements need covers and holders and for those that do not need covers and holders, are easily carried inside a container. The carry-on organizer is also identified herein as organizer. Component of the organizer can be the cover, holder or the container which sometimes, if a specific component is referred to, will be identified for example as cover organizer, cover component or simply cover for the cover, etc. The cover acts as a cap or a closure for a beauty implement. A holder acts as a holder for a liquid or solid formulation or composition, hereinafter collectively referred to as composition, used with a beauty implement and a container houses a beauty implement that can have its own closure or provided by the housed beauty implement. The container as used here, differ from the cover in that the latter has no closure component. FIG. 1 shows the simplest example of the carry-on organizer 100. It is a fused twin cover 1 which herein shown as example comprises two caps fused together. This example would be good to carry two beauty implements that are used hand in hand like a mascara 2 and an eyelash curler 3 as shown in FIG. 1A. In this example, the fused twin cover 1 acts as the cap for the mascara and the eyelash curler. This organizer will allow one to carry the mascara and the curler together at all times avoiding one to forget bringing one but not the other.
The fused twin cover 1 may be of the same or different length, of similar or different inside diameter if the cover is cylindrical in shape or if it is not cylindrical, of similar or different interior dimensions. Interior dimensions hereinafter refers to the dimensions of the inner compartment or interior of the component of the organizer 100 whether it is cylindrical or not. FIG. 2 shows a fused twin cover 1 with a different length 4 but of the same inside diameter 5. The example for a cover that will be used herein to illustrate the invention is a simple cap 6. The illustrated cap has a plain outside surface and inside interior, meaning, there are no threadings or other parts and designs. However, it should be understood that covers or caps with threading, other connectors, designs, finishes and parts either on the outside or the inside surface is also a cover that can be a component of the organizer 100. In FIG. 2, a long cap is fused with a short cap. On FIG. 1A, the fused cover 1 attaches to the beauty implements by friction fit. Either of the fused twin cap or cover can be converted to a container or a holder 9 for holding powders, liquids or suspensions such as a mascara holder or a nail polish container. Illustrated as an example in FIG. 2A is a mascara holder 9 (examples of holders are also identified with 9) replacing the long cap 6 fused with the short cap 6. Holders are differentiated from caps by having an additional closure component to keep the powder, liquid or suspension from spilling. In the example shown, the holder is closed by a mascara applicator acting also as the closure to the holder 9 through a screw type connector. The mascara applicator includes a brush 7 attached to its own handle 8 which has a threading at the interior of the handle to match with the threading on the holder for closure. Here, the mascara brush simply dips into the mascara holder 9 during usage. Note that the mascara holder is a component of the organizer 100. To differentiate FIG. 2A from FIG. 1A, in FIG. 1A, the mascara applicator has a brush and also has its own cover or cap but independent of the fused cover 1, the cap acting also as the handle 10 for the mascara holder 9 but the holder here is not a component of the organizer 100. The carry-on organizer 100 are two caps fused together, one fitting into the eyelash curler as the cover for the curler and the other cap acting only as a shell covering handle 10 of the mascara applicator. The carry-on organizer can be oriented in any direction, that is, it can be made to face at different directions so long as the holder 9 if it is a component of the organizer 100 is closed to keep the powder, liquids or suspensions from spilling off. In FIG. 2B, the example used to illustrate the fused carry-on organizer 100 is a cap 6 fused with a container 11. The fused container shown is an empty tubular container secured by its own cap 13 that can carry a beauty implement like a tweezers 12 with the eyebrow pencil 14 inserting into the fused cap 6 by friction fit. Instead of the container having its own closure like the cap, this can be substituted by converting an end bottom of the beauty implement housed inside the container into a cover for the container, details of which will be described later. Although all of the drawings herein show the covers, holders and containers as plain tubular or cylindrical in shape except for the threading on the holder, these containers, covers and holders need not be plain tubular. Plain as used here means the outside and inside surfaces are smooth and even throughout. The outside surfaces and the interior of the carry-on organizers can have different geometric shapes, for example, polygonal of a desired number of sides, oval, and the like. For aesthetic purposes, however, it is recommended to fuse covers, holders and containers having outside surfaces of generally the same or similar shape.
Although FIGS. 1 and 2 show two fused carry-on organizer, the organizer 100 can have more than two fused covers, holders or containers. FIG. 1B shows an example of a combination of four fused covers, holder and container. For example, with four fused carry-on organizer, one can carry not only the mascara and curler but also an eyebrow pencil and an eyeliner. The fused carry-on organizer can have all covers, all holders, all containers or a combination of covers 1, holders 9 and containers 11. Likewise, the multiple carry-on organizer can have different combinations of lengths and inside or internal dimensions. Length is used here instead of height. The lengths are dictated by the length of the beauty implement and the dimensions of their respective interior are dictated by the size or dimensions of the outside surface dimensions of the beauty implement that will be inserted or housed into the respective component of the organizer. The number of fused covers, holders and containers on the carry-on organizers is at the discretion of the manufacturer which can be based on relationship in usage of the beauty implements, ease of storage, number of beauty implements to carry and the like. As can be seen in the drawings, the carry-on organizer 100 has to pair well with the beauty implement. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A, the internal dimensions and the outside surface of the cover organizer should fit and compliment the beauty implement. That is, the internal dimensions should cover and engage well with the eyelash curler and the mascara (used as examples for the beauty implement) while the outside surface should have the same or complimentary finish and/or design as the outside surface of the beauty implement.
While the examples shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 show the carry-on organizers 100 fused in a horizontal orientation, that is, side by side with each other, the components of the organizers can also be fused in a vertical orientation, that is, one on top of the other. FIG. 3 shows a carry-on organizer 100 fused in a vertical orientation. Like the fused horizontal carry-on organizers, the vertical carry-on organizers can also have more than two fused covers, holders or containers; different lengths; different internal dimensions; and, outside surfaces of different shapes. However, because of its orientation, the number of containers, holders and/or covers can be limited by the size of the bag, purse and the like in which these will be stored. For this reason and also for aesthetic considerations, it is recommended to have only two or three fused covers 1, holders 9 and containers 11 for these type of carry-on organizers.
FIG. 3 shows two vertically fused covers as an example of a carry-on organizer 100 fused in a vertical orientation. FIG. 3A shows an eyebrow pencil 14 friction fitting into a cover 1 fused to a first container 11 a housing a beauty implement like a tweezers 12 which has a bottom end 15 acting as a handle and a cap combination to close the first container 11 a. In FIG. 3B, the bottom end of the tweezers acting as a cap/cover and a handle also acts as a connector 16 for a second container 11 b which can cover or house another beauty implement. A shown, the container organizer, instead of having its own cover or cap for closure, the bottom end of the beauty implement is modified into a cap 15 to act as a cover and handle for container 11 a or into a connector 16 for the second container 11 b. The second container 11 b can be another cover 1, a holder 9 or an empty container 11 to house a beauty implement closed by its own independent cover similar to cap 13 or the beauty implement housed inside the container can have a bottom end acting as a cover/cap alone, that is, it need not be a handle as well, or as a cover and handle similar to the handle/cap combination 15 or a cover, handle and connector combination to yet another container, holder or cover similar to connector 16. The second container as a holder 9 can hold liquids like a nail polish or a mascara composition that has its own cover or a cover acting as a connector to yet another cover, holder or container similar to connector 16. The design of the covers, cover/handle, connectors, and cover/connectors and cover/handle/connectors, some but not all of which are shown in the figures provided can be designed or modified so long as the claimed fusion of covers, holders, containers, covers/holders/containers combinations are maintained either in the vertical or horizontal orientation. For aesthetic reasons only, as stated above, it is recommended to make the outside surface of the fused covers, holders and containers of the carry-on organizer to be of similar shapes and this is especially recommended for the carry-on organizer 100 fused in the vertical orientation.
The bottom end of the beauty implement housed inside a fused container oriented vertically is recommended to have a bottom end acting as a cover, cover/handle, cover/connector, or cover/handle/connector. For the carry-on organizer fused horizontally, it is not recommended to have a bottom end acting as a connector for aesthetic reasons. The bottom end of a beauty implement modified to act as a cover, cover/handle, cover/connector, or cover/handle/connector is herein collectively referred to as end cap 17. FIG. 4 shows one way of permanently and securely making/modifying the bottom end of the beauty implement, herein exemplified by a tweezers, into an end cap 17 of choice. For the tweezers shown, at least two undercuts 18 are placed on each lateral peripheral sides 19 opposite each other at the end section 20 of the tweezers opposite the pincers 21. This end 20 is forced into a plug 17 a having a slit (not shown). In the example shown, the plug 17 a component of the end cap has an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the container organizer so as to friction fit into the container organizer. The top of the plug can have a protruding lip 17 b to facilitate the handling of the end cap 17, that is, the protruding lip gives a place for easily holding the tweezers as well as preventing the end cap from inserting too far into the container organizer. The slit on the plug matches the shape of the peripheral bottom end of the tweezers to be able to situate the tweezers inside the plug and after situating, the tweezers is slightly pulled out causing the undercuts 18 to flare out to prevent the tweezers from coming off from the plug when pulled out of the container. This type of connection can be used for other beauty implements, not just the tweezers and other methods of permanent attachment can also be used aside from the one illustrated here. With beauty implements other than the tweezers having a bottom end or a bottom section, the undercuts are placed at opposite sides of a bottom section of the beauty implement. The shape of the end cap 17 varies according to its function. The end cap acting solely as a cover can simply be designed as cylindrical with an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the container organizer to frictionally fit well into the container organizer as shown in FIG. 4. The end cap acting as a cover/handle can have a neck 23 on the plug of the end cap 17 where the hands can hold on as shown in FIGS. 3B and 5 It is recommended to put a lining 22 around the end cap 17. The lining is placed around the neck 23 of the end cap 17. The end cap 17 acting as a cover/handle/connector 16 as shown in FIG. 3B, has two necks, 23 and 23 a and both are also lined. The design and construction of the various end caps is not limited to the ones shown here. The lining 22 is recommended to be made of a soft and rubbery material such as silicone, latex and natural or synthetic rubber to impart softness to the touch since this is used as a handle; be stretchable to easily apply the liner to the neck 23 portion; and, impart frictional hold when used to close the container or holder.
The carry-on container 100 is usually made of clear or opaque plastic by injection molding. This is the same for caps like 13 used to close or secure the containers as well as for the bottom ends 15 and 16 of the beauty implements acting as a handle, a cover or a connector for a second container which can house another beauty implement. Metal instead of plastic can also be used but may be more expensive and wood and glass can do the function but may not be too sturdy or long lasting. Unlined or untreated wood may not work as holders of liquids. The covers, holders and containers are usually fused when molded but these can also be attached for example by adhesives, bonding by heat, etc. but these methods would be expected to produce a more inferior product in terms of durability and/or appearance.
The method of attachments to the cover 1, the means for covering the holder 9 and methods of securing the beauty implements inside a container can be varied. The examples shown above are only a few of the many variations that can be used. For example, the beauty implements can be attached and/or secured to by the cover/cap through friction fit, snap fit, screwing, etc., the cover/cap serving as a component cover and if fused in the vertical orientation, the cover/cap can be modified into an end cap to act as a connector, as well; or the body/holder of the beauty implement fused to a cover/cap or container can have a cover further attaching to another cover/cap or container by friction fit, snap fit, screwing, etc., and, the fused container housing a beauty implement can have different closures aside from the cap 13 shown such as having an end cap on the bottom section of the beauty implement. These variations described include but are certainly not comprehensive. Attachment through a screwing mechanism require matching threading on the covers/caps, holders and containers with the threading on the beauty implement and snap fitting require matching locking mechanisms. The core of the invention lies in the fusion of covers, holders and containers that will hold the beauty implements together in one piece with the means of closure and attachments, only complimenting this.
While the embodiments of the present invention have been described, it should be understood that various changes, adaptations, and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A carry-on organizer for beauty implements, comprising a plurality of horizontally fused covers, holders or containers as components of the carry-on organizer, the components having different or uniform length and different or similar internal dimensions covering, holding or housing the beauty implement.

2. The carry-on organizer of claim 1 wherein the carry-on organizer comprises all fused covers, all fused holders, all fused containers or a combination of fused covers, holders and containers.

3. The carry-on organizer of claim 1 wherein the cover component caps or closes a beauty implement, the holder component holds composition used with a beauty implement and the container component includes a closure for housing a beauty implement.

4. The carry-on organizer of claim 1 wherein the component of the carry-on organizer has outside and inside surfaces complementing with the outside and inside surfaces of the beauty implement inserting into the component.

5. The carry-on organizer of claim 1 wherein the beauty implement housed inside the fused container component has a bottom end modified into an end cap.

6. The carry-on organizer of claim 5 wherein the end cap is a cover or a cover handle combination.

7. The carry-on organizer of claim 5 wherein the bottom end of the beauty implement modified into an end cap are flaring undercuts at opposite sides of a bottom section of the beauty implement inside a plug component of the end cap.

8. The carry-on organizer of claim 7 wherein the plug has a slit matching the shape of a peripheral bottom end of the beauty implement.

9. The carry-on organizer of claim 7 wherein the plug has a neck serving as a handle for the end cap.

10. The carry-on organizer of claim 9 wherein the neck on the plug of the end cap has a lining around the neck of the plug.

11. A carry-on organizer for beauty implements, comprising a plurality of vertically fused covers, holders or containers as components of the carry-on organizer, the components having different or uniform length and different or similar internal dimensions covering, holding or housing the beauty implement.

12. The carry-on organizer of claim 11 wherein the carry-on organizer comprises all fused covers, all fused holders, all fused containers or a combination of fused covers, holders and containers.

13. The carry-on organizer of claim 11 wherein the cover component caps or closes a beauty implement, the holder component holds composition used with a beauty implement and the container component includes a closure for housing a beauty implement.

14. The carry-on organizer of claim 11 wherein the component of the carry-on organizer has outside and inside surfaces complementing with the outside and inside surfaces of the beauty implement inserting into the component.

15. The carry-on organizer of claim 11 wherein the carry-on organizer has components having outside surfaces of similar geometric shapes.

16. The carry-on organizer of claim 11 wherein the beauty implement housed inside the fused container component has a bottom end modified into an end cap.

17. The carry-on organizer of claim 16 wherein the end cap is a cover, a cover handle combination, a cover connector combination or a cover handle connector combination.

18. The carry-on organizer of claim 16 wherein the bottom end of the beauty implement modified into an end cap are flaring undercuts at opposite sides of a bottom section of the beauty implement inside a plug component of the end cap.

19. The carry-on organizer of claim 18 wherein the plug has a slit matching the shape of a peripheral bottom end of the beauty implement.

20. The carry-on organizer of claim 18 wherein the plug has a neck having a lining, the neck serving as a handle for the end cap.