Coating implements with material supply – Solid material for rubbing contact or support therefor – Including means to advance material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-16
2001-03-13
Recla, Henry J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Solid material for rubbing contact or support therefor
Including means to advance material
C401S080000, C401S082000, C401S086000, C401S063000, C401S074000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200049
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cosmetic dispensers and a method for preserving the functions due to plastic deflection and deformation. The subject matter is generally found in U.S. Classification 401, Subclass 78 and 80.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional cosmetic dispensers, particularly those used for lipstick, have a multi-element construction. The exterior portion is often times a decorative shell with a cap. Interiorly, provision is made for a tube having a spline slot, a helical sleeve having and internal helix, and a riser cup in which the lipstick or other cosmetic is seated. The riser cup has legs which expand between the top and bottom of the strokes. The legs or projections are provided to simulate a click so that the users have an audible as well as physical feeling when the upper position and the lower position are attained.
A problem arises after the containers are manufactured, and before they are filled with the desired cosmetic in avoiding developing a permanent set in the expandable members that provide the friction as the cup is raised and lowered, and which lock the contents at the upper and lower position or firmly preclude the same from moving at an intermediate position. If the dispensers, after they are manufactured, and the expandable portions are in a restrained condition for one month or less prior to using, they develop a set which severely impedes expansion and therefore the friction and the clicking action of the top and bottom.
Even after the dispenser is filled with the desired cosmetic, if the user, after half of the cosmetic has been consumed, does not lower the cup to the lower most position the expandable member can be similarly induced to take a set and diminish its function.
Attempts have been made at developing a relaxation zone for such expandable members, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,126. Other patents in the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,561 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,501 and the prior art recited in all of those patents.
What is needed is a construction which provides for a relaxation zone of the expandable members relating to the movement of the cup in both the upper position and the lower position. Moreover, it is additionally important for utilizing the relaxation at the top and the bottom in the 80/20 piece lipstick mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dispenser, primarily for cosmetics but also applicable for medication of chapped or cracked skin, having a shell, usually decorative, and a cap which normally snap fittingly engages the upper portion of the body. Interiorly there is a spline tube having a pair of opposed vertical tracks terminating in an upper catch and a lower catch. The riser cup is provided with a plurality of circumferentially downwardly spaced legs which deflect outwardly to resiliently engage the interior portion of the spline tube. Follower pins are provided diametrically opposed and extending outwardly from the riser cup to engage the helical track in the helical sleeve. Characteristic of the invention is the provision of a relaxation taper at the lower portion of the helical sleeve which is of larger diameter than the balance of the interior portion so that it can receive the depending legs from the riser cup and thereby let them expand to a relaxed condition in which condition they will retain their set. At the opposed portion of the motion, when the cup is near the top, provision is made for windows which are short vertical slots in the cup and in coordinated relationship with the helical track so that at the upper portion of its motion the helical cup legs rest either in the vertical track of the spline tube or in the windows. In this position of relaxation, while the riser cup is in the up position, the depending legs are permitted to relax as well and thereby not lose the cantileverly spring outward relationship to the bottom of the cup. The invention may also place windows, i.e. short vertical slots, at the lower portion of the spline tube either in place of or in addition to the similar windows discussed above in order to allow the depending legs to relax while the cup is at or near the lower portion of its motion. Similar windows may also be placed at other locations of the helical sleeve so as to allow the depending legs to relax when the riser cup is at the associated position.
Important to the method is providing a cosmetic dispenser having as interior operative members a spline tube, a helical sleeve, and riser cup with depending cantileverly outwardly deflecting legs. In accordance with the method, after manufacture of the cosmetic dispenser, the cup is at the top when it is delivered from the dispenser manufacturer to the cosmetic manufacturer. At all times thereafter, the cantilever legs are permitted to relax and do not take a deflective set. When the cosmetic manufacturer decides to fill the container, the legs are still in a relaxed position. After the filling, the cup is positioned at the lower position, but there again the legs remain relaxed. Thereafter, when the consumer uses the product, it will continue to maintain its drag effect, and the click feel audible both at the top and the bottom. This is designed to encourage the user to lower the cup to the bottom relaxed position when finished with applying the cosmetic so that even during the retention period by the consumer while the cosmetic is consumed the legs will be permitted to relax and thereby retain their yieldable effect.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic dispenser which permits the same to be stored in a relaxed configuration of the yieldable members on the cup which otherwise engage the interior portion of the spline tube to provide for friction, and locking at the top and the bottom. Offset pins on the cup engage the helical track inside the helical sleeve to rotate the cup and elevate the same to an upper position sufficient so that enough of the cosmetic extends outside the helical sleeve for application by the user.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a cosmetic dispenser which can be shipped with the cup and its legs in a relaxed configuration, and stored for lengthy periods of time in that configuration whereby a deflective set is taken by the cantilever legs. Conversely, even after the dispenser is filled, the provision for a zone of relaxation at the top and the bottom makes possible the prolongation of the resilient life of the legs for a significant period of time than might be expected.
Yet another and important object of the present invention is to provide an interior operable structure which can be used in the so-called 80/20 one piece cosmetic dispenser mechanism by simply using collapsible cores.
A further object of the present invention is to stabilize the cup at the top and the bottom to minimize wobbling. In the same fashion, inadvertent back off is inhibited.
There is a distinct click sound when the subject cup reaches the top which warns the user against forcing the cup further out of its track when it reaches the top or the bottom, and there is a feeling that the cup has reached “its place” at either extremes of its movement.
The objective of the present invention is a significant improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,126 which fails to accommodate the 80/20 one piece mechanism due to the aesthetic conditions of the product dictated by the subject patent, whereas as to the Applicant the interior portion of the spline tube is enlarged to accommodate the flexing legs.
A key object of the method of the present invention is to provide for the audible signal at both the top and the bottom of the track of the cup and as a concomitant the manufacturer of the mechanism places it in the upper relaxed position for shipment to the cosmetic manufacturer who, in turn, continues to store the same prior to filling with the cup in the upper position. Desirably in accordance with the method, prior to filling with the cosmetic, the cup is lowered to its lowest relaxed
Calvo José T.
Pinhel Joaquim José Lopes
Dominik Jack E.
Huynh Khoa
Plastic-Envases, c.a.
Recla Henry J.
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