Sealed cosmetic case

Details Sealed cosmetic case Sealed cosmetic case

2000-02-23

2001-06-05

Manahan, Todd E. (Department: 3732)

Toilet

Toilet kit

Powder box and applicator

C206S235000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06240930

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a small portable cosmetic case with an atmospherically sealed inner compartment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Abstract
Portable sealed cosmetic containers, commonly called compacts, are commonly employed to carry personal use cosmetics. The structure of the compact is generally comprised of an outer case provided with an internal cosmetic holding container. A cover is connected to the case by means of a pivoting hinge located at the rear of the compact, and is thus able to pivot against the case and seal the cosmetic container from the atmosphere. A releasable latch mechanism is provided at the front of the compact as means of holding the cover against the container part to maintain the seal.
In order to maintain an effective seal against the external environment, compact designs sometimes make use of an elastic packing piece attached to the underside of the cover, such as that proposed by Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 6-2585(B2). When the cover is closed, the packing piece comes into pressure contact against perimeter of the container and thus seals the cosmetic material from the external environment.
Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-347(A1) puts forth an elastic packing piece, incorporating an inverted U-shaped cross section, installed around the perimeter of the cosmetic holding container. By closing the cover, the cover packing piece and a packing piece around the internal cosmetic container come into mutual pressurized contact to create an atmospheric seal. This structure is designed to maintain the atmospheric seal even when the packing pieces and cosmetic container have undergone a certain amount of distortion.
Moreover, with the purpose of maintaining an effective seal, the hinge pin of the aforesaid of compact is rigidly supported by the compact's cover and container as means of preventing looseness there between.
As this design maintains a rigid pivoting connection between the compact's cover and container, small dimensional variations between these two parts have the effect of distorting their shape when the cover is closed and the latch mechanism engaged. When the container and/or cover part become distorted in this manner the atmospheric seal can be easily broken. That is, this type of distortion can induce misalignment between the cover and container when the compact is closed, a problem which results in uneven pressure being applied against the packing piece and breaking of the atmospheric seal.
Moreover, uneven pressure applied against the packing piece has the effect of generating excessive wear at certain locations thereon, thus leading to premature breakdown of its elastic sealing property.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides means of maintaining uniform pressure on each part of the packing piece in the closed condition of the compact's cover according to an engagement of the latch mechanism, by employing various types of voids or gaps in the pivoting hinge assembly between the compact's cover and container parts, whereby creating a more effective long term seal between the compact's cover and container and lengthening the service life of the packing piece.
The cosmetic case described by this invention is comprised of a container part within which a cosmetic holding space is provided, a cover part capable of pivotably exposing or sealing the cosmetic holding space, a hinge pin provided between the cover part and container part as means of allowing their pivotal rotation thereon, a latch mechanism capable of releaseably securing the cover part against the container part, a packing piece provided as means of forming an atmospherically tight seal between the cover part and cosmetic holding space according to a securing motion of the latch mechanism, and an elastic deformation structure, formed either on the cover part or container part, as means of allowing a positional displacement of the hinge pin when the cover part is held closed against the container part by the latch mechanism.
The elastic deformation structure operates in a manner as to allow the positional displacement of the hinge pin connecting the cover and container parts, thus eliminating the possibility of generating dimensional distortion in the cover and/or container part as a result of the secured latch mechanism, thus allowing uniform pressure to be applied against the packing piece regardless of dimensional manufacturing irregularities which may be present in the cover and container part, and thus providing for a mechanism through which the effective sealing property of the cosmetic case can be maintained over a long period of time.
Moreover, the effective service life of the packing piece is extended because the invention provides means of establishing more uniform sealing pressure on the packing piece.
The invention also provides for a structure in which the container part incorporates a container hinge boss, the cover part incorporates a cover hinge boss, the hinge pin inserts through both of the hinge bosses to form a pivoting joint, and the elastic deformation structure is provided as part of either the container hinge boss or cover hinge boss.
The part of the container hinge boss between the hinge pin and container part may be thinly formed in cross section and shaped so as to provide a flexible gap between the hinge pin and container part.
The part of the container hinge boss located between the hinge pin and container part may be narrowly formed so as to allow a predominantly open space between the hinge pin and container part.
The part of the cover hinge boss between the hinge pin and cover part may be thinly formed in cross section and shaped to provide a flexible gap between the hinge pin and cover part.
The part of the cover hinge boss located between the hinge pin and cover part may be narrowly formed so as to allow a predominantly open space between the hinge pin and cover part.
In cases where the hinge boss is structured to include the thin cross section, that thin cross section provides an elastic deformation property allowing the area between the container and hinge or cover and hinge to elongate or compress, thus allowing the hinge pin to pivot and positionally displace in fore-aft, horizontal, and vertical directions.
If the hinge boss is structured to include the narrowly formed part, that narrowly formed part provides an elastic deformation property that allows the hinge boss to bend in relation to the container and cover. That is, the hinge pin is able to rotate while displacing in fore-aft, horizontal, and vertical directions while also torsionally twisting on an axis perpendicular to the hinge pin.
The invention also provides for a cosmetic case structure in which a container hinge boss is formed on the container part, a cover hinge boss is formed on the cover part, a hinge pin is formed as an integral part of either the container hinge boss or cover hinge boss, and a hinge connecting and releasing structure is provided as part of the corresponding hinge boss not containing the integral hinge pin, and the elastic deformation structure is provided either on the container hinge boss or cover hinge boss.
The aforesaid structure eliminates the necessity of inserting a separate hinge pin into the hinge bosses and allows for the easy removal of the cover from the container, thus simplifying the process by which the cosmetic material is placed into the cosmetic case at the time of manufacture.
The invention also provides for a structure in which the container part is defined by a sidewall, the cover part incorporates a cover plate able to close over the container part, the elastic deformation structure is formed into either the sidewall or cover plate as a flat spring structure, and the hinge pin mutually joins the sidewall and cover plate through the flat spring structure.
The flat spring structure may be formed by parallel slits opened vertically within and through the sidewall.
The flat spring structure may be

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