US3493309A - Case for a lipstick or like cosmetic stick - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1970 Y. V. GRISEL CASE FOR A LIPSTICK 0R LIKE COSMETIC STICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 16, 1964 Feb. 3, 1970 Y. v. GR'ISEL CASE FOR A LIPSTICK OR LIKE COSMETIC STICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 16, 1964 mmmm yvmv Vlml emu-l.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,493,309 CASE FOR A LIPSTICK R LIKE COSMETIC STICK Yvan Victor Grisel, Miesviliage, Switzerland, assignor to Ejectoret A., Geneva, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Original application Dec. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 418,834, now abandoned. Divided and this application Nov. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 682,327

Int. Cl. A45d 40/06 US. Cl. 40178 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A case for a lipstick or like cosmetic comprising a tubular body in which slides a tubular stick-holding cup, said cup being capable of protruding outwardly from said body by its lower edge which can be fitted and preferably force-fitted in the holes of a casting-plate at the time of the casting of the stick.

The present application results from the division of our application Ser. No. 418,834, Dec. 16, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a case for a lipstick or like cosmetic stick.

In the art, many methods of manufacturing lipsticks are already known wherein those sticks are manufactured more or less automatically to avoid as much as possible any manual contact with the cosmetic stick during its manufacture.

These various methods are attended by many technical difficulties and require more or less complicated manufacturing processes which led to final products having not all the requisite properties.

The case structure according to the present invention permits the manufacture of cosmetic sticks ready for use which avoid these drawbacks.

Said case is characterized in that it comprises a substantially cylindrical body having a lateral wall forming the lateral wall of said case, a to aperture and a bottom aperture and being provided with slot means, a substantially tubular stick-holding cup having a lateral wall, a top aperture and a bottom aperture and being provided with stop means solid with said case and engaging said slot means for ensuring a guided sliding of said cup within said body between an innermost and an outermost position, the bottom aperture of said body being wider than the bottom end of said cup and said cup projecting outwards from the bottom aperture of said body in said innermost position.

Such a case may be used as follows for obtaining the final cosmetic stick: a perforated plate or tray is disposed above a plurality of moulds arranged in a suitable manner so that the aperture of each mould is vertically aligned with one aperture of said plate or tray; the edges of the mould apertures, possibly with the assistance of temporary fastening means, are caused to engage said plate apertures; above said perforated plate or tray a casting frame of conventional design is disposed; and finally said thick paste is cast so as to fill up the moulds and form an excess volume of paste in the space bounded by said plate and frame, whereby said excess volume is formed with such outer surface area and depth that when the thick paste cools down its shrinkage will not affect the paste contained in the separate moulds.

The upper portion of said moulds, which fits into said apertures of said casting plate, consists of the stick-holding cup of the aforesaid case which has been previously placed in its innermost position within the substantially cylindrical body.

3,493,309 Patented Feb. 3, 1970 Thus, a lipstick may be obtained which is free of any contraction effect notably at its root or base clamped in the stick-holding cup, as contrasted with current techmques.

This shrinkage phenomenon constituted heretofore a major drawback because it weakened the lipstick or cosmetic stick at the base and therefore was to be accounted for many breakages under normal conditions of use.

The lower portion of the aforesaid moulds consist of a lower detachable insert adapted to fit in or on the aforesaid upper mould portion and forming the stick-holding cup, the necessary guiding effect for assembling these two portions being provided by the substantially cylindrical body.

Under these conditions the mould assembly is extremely simplified and permits of manufacturing, by starting from the case according to the invention, lipsticks or other cosmetic sticks at a relatively high production rate and at a low cost.

After having formed the paste stick, disengaged the perforated plate or tray and the aforesaid insert from the case, a closing cap or like cover may be removably fitted on the bottom of the body in order to close the bottom aperture thereof. Thus, a lipstick prefectly ready for use, having a pleasant appearance, will be obtained, and the user will not run the risk of soiling her fingers since any deposit of paste on the aforesaid body may have occurred during the preparation of the final stick by direct moulding in the box.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear as the following description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the attached drawings and by way of example only:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section taken along the axis of a lipstick case according to this invention, but provid d with its paste stick and closing cap;

FIGURE 2 is a lipstick-holding cup used in the construction of the lipstick case of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an axial section showing on a smaller scale a moulding device comprising a lipstick case according to this invention, ready to receive the lipstick proper;

FIGURE 4 is a modified form of embodiment of a lipstick-holding cup according to this invention;

FIGURE 5 shows on a smaller scale, in section, a plate for supporting the separate moulds usuable in the manufacture of the final cosmetic sticks by using cases according to this invention;

FIGURE 6 is another sectional view showing the shape of a paste stick cast obtained according to conventional methods;

FIGURE 7 is a similar view showing the shape of paste sticks obtained by using the case of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 shows diagrammatically on a smaller scale a device for manufacturing in a continuous manner lipsticks by direct moulding in the cases according to the invention;

FIGURE 9 shows on a larger scale one method of securing lipstick bodies adapted to be used in the manufacturing arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a section taken upon the line X-X of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 11 shows on a larger scale a modified form of embodiment concerning means for securing the cases under the lipstick casting plate for manufacturing the lipsticks proper.

Referring first to the form of embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, a case for the manufacture of lipsticks or like cosmetic rods according to this invention comprises, as in conventional arrangements, a body 1 proper having slidably fitted therein a lipstick-holding cup 2. The sliding mounting of this cup may be effected for example by using a pin 3 slidably engaging with at least one of its ends a longitudinal slot 4 formed in the inner wall of the case and guided by at least one helical groove 6 formed in the intermediate wall 7 of said body. The visible or apparent surface of this case consists mainly of the outer cylindrical wall 8 which may be formed integrally, for example by stamping, with the aforesaid wall 7. Instead of a pin 3, one or two studs rigid with the cup 2 may be provided, these studs being for example formed integrally therewith and projecting from the lateral surface thereof.

When the user rotates the knurled or otherwise roughened cylindrical finger-hold forming portion 9 rigid with the inner wall of the body, which is rotatably mounted for smooth sliding movement in the cylinder 7, the lipstick holding cup 2 moves up or down within the body.

In FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the bottom 10 of the lipstick case comprises an aperture 10a of a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of said cup 2, and that the bottom 2a of this cup 2 projects from the body in the lowermost cup position.

The helical groove or grooves 6 comprise advantageously at their lower end a substantially rectilinear section 6a which may if desired comprise a small end portion turned away from the cup-containing end, for a purpose to be explained presently.

Moreover, the body is provided at its lower portion with a closing cap 11 fitting for example exactly on a shoulder 12 formed at the lower portion of the aforesaid knurled cylindrical finger-hold 9 whereby the cap 11 will constitute the lower extension of this finger-hold 9.

Besides, two constrictions or inner ribs 2b are formed in the cup 2 to assist, in the conventional manner, in properly retaining the paste lipstick (shown in chain-dotted lines in FIGURE 1) in the cup 2 while ensuring a satisfactory adherence between the paste lipstick and the cup. If a cup-guiding pin 3 is used the latter will further assist in holding the lipstick in the cup and reducing the quantity of useful cosmetic lost in this cup.

Under these conditions, each case is obtained by simply taking a body 1, placing the cup 2 in its lowermost position in said body, the pin 3 or equivalent studs being disposed in the bottom of groove sections 611, without fitting the cap 11. Then the body 1 is turned upside down and slipped on a hollow member 14 which is to constitute the lower portion of the mould (see FIGURE 3), in which the cosmetic paste will be cast during the lipstick manufacturing process. Advantageously, the walls of this mould 14 fit exactly in the cup 2 and a shoulder or like fitting means may be provided at the upper end 14a of mould 14 which fits exactly on the walls of cup 2, together with notches 14b for the passage of the pin 3. Of course, these notches 14b are not required if equivalent studs rigid with the cup are used instead of the pin 3, as shown by way of example in FIGURE 4. In FIG- URE 3 it is assumed that the member 14 is supported by a plate 15 in which cavities or like shallow recesses 15a are formed for properly positioning each separate mould in which the different lipsticks are cast.

Then a casting plate or tray 16 is placed on top of the case. This plate or tray 16 is formed with apertures 16a in which the various cups 2 fit edge to edge with their bottoms 2a.

Of course, each cavity 15a registers exactly with a corresponding casting aperture 16a.

To form the paste lipstick proper the molten paste of cosmetic substance is poured onto the plate 16 to fill up the mould consisting of the cup 2 and lower mould half 14. As the cosmetic paste cools down it contracts somewhat but, as will be seen presently in connection with FIGURE 7, the shrinkage of this paste will by no means interfere with the final shape of the cast lipstick rod proper.

Of course, if desired the member 14 may be fitted on or against the cup 2 instead of inside the latter.

The bottom portion 17a of the lipstick-holding cup 17 of FIGURE 4 (which is to emerge slightly from the bottom aperture of the body) has a certain curvature in longitudinal section in order to ensure a perfect engagement between the outer surface of said bottom portion 17a and the inner walls of an aperture 16a formed in the casting plate 16. A few very fine slits 18 are formed in the side wall of cup 17 in order to impart a certain radial elasticity thereto, thus facilitating its engagement in the aperture 16a and permitting, if desired, the fastening of each separate case beneath the casting plate 16. In this case, the walls of each aperture 16a formed in this casting plate 16 will preferably be so shaped as to ensure a proper engagement with the correspondingly shaped lower portion 16a of cup 16.

A pair of external projections 3 for guiding the cup 17 in the body are shown; these projections have a function similar to that of pin 3 of the cup 2 illustrated in FIGURE 2, and a slightly narrower portion 17b is provided for safely holding the solidified lipstick in the cup 17.

According to the form of embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5 there is provided a plate 18 for supporting different moulding members 19 similar to the mould 14 described in connection with FIG-URE 3 but without the slits 14b since they are intended for use with cups such as 17 of FIGURE 4 which comprise guiding studs 3, said cups fitting for example on a shoulder 19a of mould 19.

In FIGURES 6 and '7 there is shown the difference between paste sticks obtained by suitably using a case according to the present invention, and those obtained by using known case structures.

FIGURE 6 shows the conventional configuration of a lipstick after the casting operation in a mould of known design. The lipstick or cosmetic substance 20 contracts or shrinks as it cools, this shrinkage affecting firstly the base 20a of the stick and then the upper portion 20b thereof; under these conditions, notably in the upper portion 20b of the stick, empty cavities such as 21 result. It is obvious that since the lipstick 20 is held in its cup by its upper portion 2012 it is most likely to break when used.

When the lipsticks or like sticks of cosmetic substance are cast by using a case according to the present invention and a casting plate or tray such as 16 (FIGURE 3), a conventional casting frame is placed upon the plate 16 and the molten lipstick or other cosmetic paste is poured on said plate and into said frame. Upon cooling, in each lipstick the pasty material 22 solidifies gradually by commencing at the base 22a of each stick, but no cavity is formed in the upper portion 22b of each separate stick, since the still fluid paste deposited onto the plate 16 and into the frame 23 will fill up immediately any cavity such as 21, FIGURE 6, which tends to build up in the sticks 22. As a result, when the lipstick or other cosmetic paste has cooled down completely only slight corrugations in the excess paste remaining on the plate 16 appear, with out any detrimental effect whatsoever on the manufacture of each stick 22. Then, by simply scraping off the excess paste remaining on the plate 16, and adapting a closing cap on the bottom aperture of the body, the final lipstick ready for use is obtained.

In FIGURE 8 there is shown an annular casting plate 24 adapted to revolve about a substantially vertical axis 25. This annular plate 24 has spaced holes 26 formed therein which act like the apertures 16a formed in the casting plate 16 of FIGURES 3 and 4. This annular casting plate 24 revolves slowly for example in the direction of the arrow 7, with a continuous motion. The reference numeral 27 designates diagrammatically a reserve of lipstick cases according to this invention, ready to be fed to and secured beneath the plate 24. Preferably, each separate case thus fastened under the plate will comprise a hollow member such as 14 (FIGURE 3), which on the other hand may be maintained until the lipstick is about to be put into actual use, if desired. Cases thus suspended from the plate 14 are illustrated at 28. On the other hand, the reference numeral 29 shows diagrammatically a device for feeding molten cosmetic paste to the top of said annular revolving plate 24. Raised lateral lips 30 form together with the intermediate portion of the top face of annular plate 24 a kind of channel to guide the liquid paste poured onto the plate. These guide lips 30 may be either stationary or simply laid upon the annular plate 24, the rotation between the movable plate 24 and the guide lips 30 being attended for example by a smooth frictional contact therebetween. Guide lips 30 revolving bodily with the plate 24 may also be contemplated. The molten, thick cosmetic paste poured for filling the cases 28 carried by the underface of annular plate 24 flows into the moulds and solidifies slowly therein as already explained in connection with FIGURE 7.

When the paste has cooled down sutficiently in the moulds 28 a doctor or other scraping device shown diagrammatically at 32 is provided for removing the excess of cosmetic or like substance remaining on the top face of annular plate 24, this excess paste being recovered by means of an adequate return line shown diagrammatically at 33. A short time afterwards the box and paste stick assemblies 34 thus obtained can be removed continuously and inserted for example into the apertures of a perforated plate 35 on which said assemblies can either be allowed to complete their cooling or, if desired, be transferred into refrigerator. If desired, at this phase of the manufacturing process each separate hollow element such as 14 (FIGURE 3) may be removed from the relevant case. Furthermore, if desired each hollow element 14 may be left on the case to constitute an eflicient and convenient means for protecting the paste lipstick until it is desired to use it. Under these conditions it is advantageous to use a hollow element 14 made of plastic material preferably transparent plastic material.

It is also advantageous to fasten the stick-holding cup of each separate case beneath the annular plate 24 by using the device illustrated in FIGURE 4.

In FIGURE 9 there is shown a modified method of fastening the various cases 1 and their separate moulding members 14 with the assistance of elastic blades 36 adequately secured beneath the plate 24 and comprising for example at their free end 36a a hollow portion 37 adapted to receive the end of each mould 14 by snap fitting.

According to another modified method of fastening the various cases beneath the casting plate 38 and as shown in FIGURE 11, elastic blades 39 secured on the plate 38 are provided and adapted to receive and clamp for example the knurled cylindrical portion 9 projecting from the base of each body. Thus, the cups 2 of each body will be properly fitted in the corresponding holes 38a of the casting plate 38.

The various materials used for constituting the various walls of the body and cup may differ considerably; thus, metals having a particularly pleasant appearance, or plastics, may be used When each case, covered or not with its separate casting mould such as 14, is filled with its lipstick, it is subsequently closed by means of the cap 11 of FIGURE 1,

thus preventing any undesired manual contact with the cosmetic or lipstick material. In this respect it is clear that different means may be provided for closing the bottom of the case, depending notably on the future use of the manufactured case, which may constitute either a case proper or a refill.

In the examples described and illustrated herein the casting mould proper consists of an upper portion, namely the lipstick-holding cup, and a lower portion or moulding member. According to this invention and with a view to further facilitate the casting operation, the mould may consist of the case proper or of a refill cartridge constitut ing an inner sleeve adapted to be fitted in a permanent case or like container consisting for example of precious metal or the like.

Of course, this invention should not be construed as being limited by the specific forms of embodiment shown and described hereinabove by way of example, since many modifications and variations may be brought thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A case for a lipstick or like cosmetic in which the stick forming material is poured directly in the pasty state, said caSe comprising a substantially cylindrical body with top and bottom apertures, and with slot means, a short substantially cylindrical cup adapted to fit in said body for sliding engagement therewith, said cup having top and bottom apertures and being intended to hold the cosmetic stick after the paste has been poured in the said body and through said two apertures, said stick extending practically to the bottom of said cup, said cup further comprising inner rib means to hold said stick in said cup and pin means for operative engagement with said slot means to ensure a guided sliding of said cup within said body between an innermost and outermost positions, the bottom aperture of said body being wider than the bottom of said cup and said cup projecting outwardly from said bottom aperture of the body when it is in its innermost position.

2. Case according to claim 1 wherein the bottom end of said cup has a radial elasticity obtained by providing longitudinal slits in said bottom end.

3. Case according ot claim 1 wherein the bottom end of said cup is constituted by a flared portion thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,818,973 l/l958 Croce et al 401- 2,879,548 3/1959 Croce et a1 264-268 3,153,479 10/1964 Hultgren 40l78 3,315,344 4/1967 Niclas 29-428 FOREIGN PATENTS 351,372 2/ 1961 Switzerland.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 18-59

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