US3115270A

US3115270A - Reservoir seal for semi-fluent materials

Info

Publication number: US3115270A
Application number: US215112A
Authority: US
Inventors: Melnikoff Zachary
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-08-06
Filing date: 1962-08-06
Publication date: 1963-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-24

Description

Dec. 24, 1963 2. MELNIKOFF RESERVOIR SEAL FOR SEMI-FLUENT MATERIALS Filed Aug. 6, 1962 INVENTOR. ZACA AEJ MEL/V/KQ WK/4&4

United States Patent Ofi'ice 3,115,270 Patented Dec. 24, 1963 3,115,270 RESERVOIR SEAL FOR SEMI-FLUENT MATERIALS Zachary Melnikoff, 351 S. Fuller Ave., Los Angeles 36, Calif. Filed Aug. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 215,112 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) This invention relates to a dispenser of semi-fluent materials, such as mascara, and particularly to a mascara reservoir non-leakable seal which does not use glues, cements, or other adhesives.

The usual mascara dispenser is composed of two main parts, namely, a reservoir shell for holding the mascara material and a handle to which an applicator rod and brush are attached. A plug seals the open end of the reservoir shell, the plug having a central opening through which the rod and brush passes. The handle is internally threaded, and when unthreaded is removed with the desired amount of mascara material on the brush. After use, the brush is inserted back in the reservoir and the handle threaded to [the plug. The rod and a resilient washer in the opening in the plug seals the opening.

In the past, it has been necessary to use glues and cements of different kinds to prevent the mascara material, which is semi-fluent, from leaking between the walls of the reservoir and the plug. Since the dispenser reservoir shell is made of plastic materials, a force fit therebetween has been found insufiicient to hold the material within the reservoir. This occurs because of the fatigue of the plastic under pressure. The present invention has been found to permit a force fit to be used, the necessary contact pressure to prevent leakage being maintained at all times. 1

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the closure of a reservoir containing semi-fluent materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved, non-leakable seal for a resilient reservoir for semi-fluent materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, air-tight seal for a plastic shell subject to pressure fatigue to prevent leakage of a semi-fluent material from the shell.

A better understanding of this invention may be had from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mascara dispenser embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, partly in cross-section, taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the seal embodying the invention; and 1 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Referring, now, to the drawings in which the same numerals identify the same elements, a mascara dispenser unit includes a reservoir shell section 5 and a handle section 6. These units are generally of a plastic material. At the open end of the reservoir shell 5 is a plug unit composed of a cylinder 8, a wiper 9, and a metallic cylin der with a right angle flange 11 which holds the wiper 9 against the plug 8. The plug 8 has an annular ring 14 thereon which is slightly larger in diameter than an annular groove 15 in the shell 5, the plug 8 and shell 5 being maintained in fixed axial position by this ring and groove combination 14-15, the plug 8 being forced into the shell 5 to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The handle 6 has attached thereto a rod 20 on the end of which is a coil wire 21 to which spiral bristles 22 are attached. The handle '6 is threaded on the plug 8 as shown by the threads 24 in FIG. 3.

The reservoir 5 contains semi-fluent mascara material 26 which is collected on the bristles 22, the brush then being removed past the wiper 9 which will remove any excess mascara material.

1111 was found that the difference in diameters of the ring and groove combination 1415 provided sufficient pressure to prevent leakage when the dispenser was assembled. However, because of fatigue of the plastic under pressure, the contact pressure was decreased and leakage occurred as air entered the reservoir. Various glues and cements were then used to seal the plug 8 in the open end of the mascara material reservoir, but because of fatigue and the nature of the mascara material, leakage still occurred.

The present invention permits a simple ring and groove seal for plastic reservoirs to provide an air-tight assembly which will prevent leakage over the lifetime of the dispenser. This is accomplished by surrounding the plastic end of the shell opposite the groove 15 with a nonexpandable metallic ring 30 which prevents any expansion of the open end of the reservoir from fatigue. Thus, it is a simple assembly operation to slip the ring 30 into the recess 31 and press the plug 8 into the open end of the reservoir so that the ring 14 is accommodated in the groove 15, the resiliency of the plug and shell permit-ting the assembly. The outer surface of the ring 30 is flush with the outer surface of the shell 5 to provide a smooth outer surface. This reinforcement of the open end of the plastic shell maintains a sufliciently tight contact between the surface of the ring 14 and the surf-ace of the groove 15 to prevent leakage of the contents of the reservoir over the normal lifetime of (the dispenser.

I claim:

1. A seal construction between the open end of a plastic reservoir and a plastic closure element for said reservoir comprising an annular internal groove in and adjacent to the open end of said reservoir, an external annular ring on said closure element of said reservoir and adapted to be accommodated in said groove when said reservoir and said closure element are forced together, and a non-expandable external band around said open end of said reservoir opposite said groove therein.

2. A seal construction in accordance with claim 1 in which said closure element is plastic and said band is metal of suificient thickness to prevent expansion thereof, a recess being provided on the outer surface of said open end of said reservoir for accommodating said band.

3. A seal construction in accordance with claim 1 in which said annular ring has a slightly larger diameter than said annular groove, the resiliency of said plastic of said reservoir and said closure element permitting the interlocking of said ring and groove under pressure.

4. A seal for a plastic reservoir for semi-fluent material comprising a hollow cylinder closed at one end and open at the other, said cylinder being a reservoir for semi-fluent material such JaS mascara, the open end of said cylinder having an internal annular groove therein adjacent the open end thereof and an internal recess adjacent said open end and opposite said groove, a plastic plug having an external annular ring adapted to be accommodated in said groove when said plug is forced into said open end, and a non-expandable metal band in said recess, said band being of sufiicient thickness to prevent expansion thereof.

5. A seal in accordance with claim 4 in which said annular ring has a slightly greater diameter than the internal diameter of said groove, the resiliency of said plastic of said cylinder and said plug permitting the interlocking of said ring and groove under pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. A SEAL CONSTRUCTION BETWEEN THE OPEN END OF A PLASTIC RESERVOIR AND A PLASTIC CLOSURE ELEMENT FOR SAID RESERVOIR COMPRSING AN ANNULAR INTERNAL GROOVE N AND ADJACENT TO THE OPEN END OF SAID RESERVOIR, AND EXTERNAL ANNULAR RING ON SAID CLOSURE ELEMENT OF SAID RESERVOIR AND