US3130735A

US3130735A - Mascara container

Info

Publication number: US3130735A
Application number: US217232A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clark William George
Original assignee: International Silver Co
Current assignee: International Silver Co
Priority date: 1962-07-25
Filing date: 1962-07-25
Publication date: 1964-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-28

Description

" April 28,1964 W.G.CLARK MASCARA CONTAINER Original Filed Jan. 19, 1960 INVENTOR v Maw/w G. i/wk ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 3,130,735 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 3,130,735 MASCARA CONTAINER William George Clark, Woodhury, Comm, assignor to The International Silver Company, Wallingford, Conn, a

corporation of (Ionnecticut Continuation of application Ser. No. 3,295, Jan. 19, 1960.

This application July 25, 1962, Ser. No. 217,232 4 Claims. (Cl. 132-85) The invention, generally, relates to cosmetic devices, and, more particularly, to a mascara container. This application is a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 3,295, filed January 19, 1960.

It is known to provide tubular mascara casings to contain mascara material and to provide an applicator attached to the closure of the casing. However, the heretofore known casings have not been entirely satisfactory in that it is difficult to insert the applicator and excessive leakage develops about the opening in the casing.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved structural arrangement to overcome the disadvantages mentioned above.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mascara container which is a dependable carrier for mascara material and also is compact and convenient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mascara container which is simple and readily usable without excessive leakage of the mascara material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a structural arrangement for a new and improved mascara container which is competitive commercially and is practical in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mascara container having a structural arrangement which is effective in preventing leakage of the mascara material and is substantially less noisy when the applicator is removed or inserted in the casing.

Generally, the preferred form of the invention is embodied in a casing to enclose a mascara fluid and having an opening therein. A closure which is adapted to fit the opening has one end of an applicator attached thereto, the opposite end of the applicator being receivable within the casing through the opening. A lip of flexible material extends peripherally within the casing adjacent the opening to wipe the applicator as the applicator is moved relative thereto.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one form of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in section of a preferred form of the invention;

P16. 2 is a view in cross section of an insert adapted to fit with the casing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in cross section showing a modification of the insert shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a cross section of a lip in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a casing is generally tubular with one end 11 closed and an opening 12 at the opposite end. The casing 10 may be formed of any suitable material and may be formed in any desired shape, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the particular material of which the casing 10 is formed or to any particular shape.

A plastic insert 13 is fitted tightly within the opening 12 of the casing 10 as, for example, by press fitting, although, if desired, a suitable adhesive or other bonding material may be used. With the insert 13 in place an opening from the casing 10 is provided by an opening 14 extending axially through the insert 13.

The principal purpose of the insert 13 is the advantages in manufacture. For example, the casing 10 may be manufactured separately and the insert 13 may be standard for several forms of casings.

To close the opening 14 communicating with the easing 10, a plurality of threads 15 is formed about the outermost end of the insert 13 to match similar threads 26 at one end of a closure member 17. Preferably the threads 16 are formed internally of an insert 18 which is held rigidly within an opening I19 of a tubular member 20. The end 2 1 of the tubular member 20 is closed in a manner similar to the end 11 of the casing 10.

An applicator 22, for the illustrative purposes, is in the form of a small circular rod 23 having a plurality of circumferential elements, such as grooves 24 about one end which, if desired, may be screw threads, characterized by a given longitudinally spaced relation or pitch. The opposite cylindrical end 23 of the applicator (i.e. opposite from the grooves 24) is received in an opening 25 in the insert 18 and held rigidly therein by a snap ring 26 so that the applicator 22 is movable by grasping the externally exposed part or end of closure member 17.

Preferably, the opening 14 of the casing 10 is larger than the diameter of the applicator 22 to permit the insertion and withdrawal of the applicator 22 with ease. A lip 27 extends peripherally within the opening 14 adjacent the outer end thereof and is formed to wipe the applicator 22, the opening Within lip 27 being of slightly less diameter than the diameter of cylindrical rod portion 23.

As seen better in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the lip 27 is formed integrally with the outermost end of the insert 13, and in its preferred form, is formed of the same material as the insert 13. Extending from the innermost edge of the lip 27 is a free end 28 which is curved back within the opening 14- and terminates in an edge 29.

The enlarged portion shown in FIG. 4 illustrates the arcuate manner in which the inner surface 30 of the lip 27 is formed. In addition, the lip 27 is shown as being thinner in cross section at the point 31 to provide increased fiexure at this point 31. The lip 28 is thicker in cross section at the point 32 than at the point 31. Still further, the edge 29 of the free end 28 is curved back away from the surface 33 so that only the surface 33 will be in engagement with the applicator 22.

To minimize noise usually associated with the withraw-al and insertion of an applicator, the length of the surface 33 on the free end 23 is greater than the pitch or distance across adjacent ones of the grooves 24. By this means, the surface 33 does not enter the grooves 24 appreciably but, rather, serves to wipe only the excess mascara material as the applicator 22 is withdrawn.

In some instances an increased wiping action may be desired. This is obtained in accordance with the invention by providing a flange 4t) extending peripherally within the opening 14 adjacent the free end 28.

The flange 4% is formed by inserting a washer of flexible material within the opening 14 and bonding it to an abutment surface 41 by, for example, a suitable adhesive. Like the bore provided by the fee end 28, the bore pro vided by the flange 49* is slightly less in diameter than the outside diameter of the applicator 22.

If desired, the insert 13 as well as the insert 18 is formed of a suit-able plastic material, such as nylon, and has an outside diameter which is .002 to .004 inch greater than the openings 12 and 19, respectively, into which they fit. Similarly, the bore provided by the lip 28 is .002 to .004 inch smaller than the outside diameter of the applicator 22 to permit an effective wiping action.

By positioning the lip 27 and the free end 23 adjacent the outermost end of the opening 14, the bore opening into which the applicator 22 is inserted is more easily visible, as contrasted with heretofore known arrangements wherein a projecting means is positioned adjacent the innermost end of the opening 14. Also, by placing the lip 27 and the free end 28 adjacent the outermost end of the insert 13, more space is available within the opening 14 to contain additional mascara fluid material, thus increasing the capacity of the casing it Another advantage of an arrangement in accordance with the invention is that any mascara fluid which escapes past the lip 27 is removed easily as, for example, by wiping with a suitable tissue. In contrast, leakage in prior devices collects within the casing opening and is diificult to remove.

While the above forms of the invention have been described and illustrated, it is understood that further modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A mascara container comprising an elongated casing to enclose liquid mascara material, said casing having an opening at one end thereof, an insert member of flexible material reducing the open end of said casing and having a central circular opening for access to the liquid mascara material, a closure member removably engageable with said casing to close and seal the open end thereof, the opening in said insert member having a wide outward flare directly externally exposing the same for ready cleaning when said closure member is removed, said closure member including an externally exposed manufl grasping end and including a mascara applicator rod received in said central opening, said rod having a smooth cylindrical portion near said grasping end and having at its other end external circumferential applicator threads for immersion in the liquid mascara, said rod having a maximum diameter slightly in excess of the diameter of said central opening, whereby said insert-member opening must be flexed into stressed wiping contact with said rod, said insert member in the region of contact with said rod having a circumferentially continuous lip integral with said insert member, said lip having a free end located inwardly of the opening and intermediate the respective longitudinal ends of said insert member, said lip having a curved exterior surface at the location of contact with said applicator, said contact location being between the free end of said lip and its connection with said insert member, the curvature of said surface being less than required to fill the space between said threads, whereby a metered filling of mascara material is developed in said threads for each removal of said apphcator.

2. A container according to claim 1, and including a flange member also closing the open end of said casing and retained by said insert member in said opening between the free end of saidflip and the interior of said casing, said flange member having a central circular opening aligned with said first-mentioned opening and slightly in excess of the rod diameter and overstanding the cylindrical rod portion when said container is closed.

3. A mascara container comprising an elongated casing to enclose liquid mascara material, said casing having an opening at one end thereof, an insert member of flexible material reducing the open end of said casing and having a central circular opening for access to the liquid mascara material, a closure member removably engageable with said casing to close and seal the open end thereof, the opening in said insert member having a wide outward flare directly externally exposing the same for ready cleaning when said closure member is removed, said closure member including an externally expose-d manual grasping end and a mascara applicator including a rod received in said central opening, said rod having a smooth cylindrical portion near said grasping end and having at its other end longitudinally spaced external circumferential applicator elements forming recesses therebetween for immersion in the liquid mascara, said portion of said rod having a maximum diameter slightly in excess or" the diameter of said central opening, whereby said insert-member opening must be flexed into stressed wiping contact with said rod, said insert-member in the region of con-tact with said rod having a circumferential continuous lip integral with said insert-member, said lip having a free end located inwardly of the open-ing and intermediate the respective longitudinal ends of said insert-member, said lip having a curved exterior surface at the location of contact with said applicator, said contact location being between the free end of said lip and its connection with said insert-member, the curvature of said surface for any given longitudinal cross-section which includes the axis of said applicator being less than required to fill the space between said elements, whereby a metered filling of mascara material is developed in said elements for each removal of said applicator.

4. A container according to claim 3, and including a flange member also closing the open end of said casing and retained by said insert member in said opening between the free end of said lip and the interior of said casing, said flange member having a central circular opening aligned with said first-mentioned opening and overstanding the cylindrical rod portion when said container is closed, said opening being of a diameter to wipe excess mascara material from said applicator as the same is removed from said casing, whereby the metering of mascara material achieved by said lip may be more uniform,

No references cited.

Claims

1. A MASCARA CONTAINER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CASING TO ENCLOSE LIQUID MASCARA MATERIAL, SAID CASING HAVING AN OPENING AT ONE END THEREOF, AN INSERT MEMBER OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL REDUCING THE OPEN END OF SAID CASING AND HAVING A CENTRAL CIRCULAR OPENING FOR ACCESS TO THE LIQUID MASCARA MATERIAL, A CLOSURE MEMBER REMOVABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CASING TO CLOSE AND SEAL THE OPEN END THEREOF, THE OPENING IN SAID INSERT MEMBER HAVING A WIDE OUTWARD FLARE DIRECTLY EXTERNALLY EXPOSING THE SAME FOR READY CLEANING WHEN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS REMOVED, SAID CLOSURE MEMBER INCLUDING AN EXTERNALLY EXPOSED MANUAL GRASPING END AND INCLUDING A MASCARA APPLICATOR ROD RECEIVED IN SAID CENTRAL OPENING, SAID ROD HAVING A SMOOTH CYLINDRICAL PORTION NEAR SAID GRASPING END AND HAVING AT ITS OTHER END EXTERNAL CIRCUMFERENTIAL APPLICATOR THREADS FOR IMMERSION IN THE LIQUID MASCARA, SAID ROD HAVING A MAXIMUM DIAMETER SLIGHTLY IN EXCESS OF THE DIAMETER OF SAID CENTRAL OPENING, WHEREBY SAID INSERT-MEMBER OPENING MUST BE FLEXED INTO STRESSED WIPING CONTACT WITH SAID ROD, SAID INSERT MEMBER IN THE REGION OF CONTACT WITH SAID ROD HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CONTINUOUS LIP INTEGRAL WITH SAID INSERT MEMBER, SAID LIP HAVING A FREE END LOCATED INWARDLY OF THE OPENING AND INTERMEDIATE THE RESPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL ENDS OF SAID INSERT MEMBER, SAID LIP HAVING A CURVED EXTERIOR SURFACE AT THE LOCATION OF CONTACT WITH SAID APPLICATOR, SAID CONTACT LOCATION BEING BETWEEN THE FREE END OF SAID LIP AND ITS CONNECTION WITH SAID INSERT MEMBER, THE CURVATURE OF SAID SURFACE BEING LESS THAN REQUIRED TO FILL THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID THREADS, WHEREBY A METERED FILLING OF MASCARA MATERIAL IS DEVELOPED IN SAID THREADS FOR EACH REMOVAL OF SAID APPLICATOR.