Sealed lipstick dispenser

Details Sealed lipstick dispenser Sealed lipstick dispenser

1999-05-07

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

C401S068000, C401S086000, C401S087000, C401S088000, C401S098000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06200047

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of lipstick and cosmetic dispensers having a propelling and retracting mechanism for a cosmetic stick contained within the dispenser.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There has been a trend in the cosmetics product market towards “non-transferable” lipstick products. These products are heavy, silicone filled lipsticks that do not transfer from the wearers lips, and leave residue, such as on a coffee cup or clothing. These lipstick formulations have a significant quantity of volatile components in their formulations. As such, they must be kept enclosed in an airtight container when not in use. If not enclosed in an airtight container, they will dry out and shrink. They will become unusable to the consumer, particularly if the lipstick shrinks and falls out of the dispenser cup. These products were first introduced to the market in slim lipstick dispensers because these dispensers had the necessary airtight construction. However, these initial slim dispenser designs also have disadvantages. These slim dispenser designs typically include an elevator cup that has a threaded rod extending downwardly into and engaging a threaded base element, and which can be operated with a twisting action to extend the cosmetic stick from a nose member. One such design is shown, for example, in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,893.
A disadvantage of these designs is that in order to load the dispenser with a cosmetic stick, the cosmetic stick must be formed and carefully loaded into the dispenser or cast in place in the tubular nose of the dispenser. The elevators of these dispensers cannot be bottom filled with a molten cosmetic product which is allowed to cool, in place, in a mold, so that the cosmetic is molded in place onto an elevator cup. It is to be appreciated that bottom filling of an elevator cup of a cosmetic dispenser is considered a preferred method of loading the cosmetic stick into a lipstick dispenser because it simplifies the cosmetic loading operation and reduces product loss arising from breakage of the cosmetic stick on loading. Such bottom filling methods are used with conventional lipstick dispensers where the cup size is on the order of 0.50 inches diameter. Such bottom filling methods are not generally usable in slim dispenser designs because they will use a small diameter solid threaded rod element engaged in a cam or nut element to drive the elevator. In contrast, the conventional dispensers use a combination of an innerbody with straight tracks working in combination with helical tracks on a cam sleeve to move an elevator cup by engagement with the elevator cup lugs.
Lastly, the “feel” of the existing slim dispenser designs is sometimes slack; desirably, a cosmetic dispenser should have a sufficient amount of swivel drag to give the dispenser a feel that is smooth and luxurious.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide a slim cosmetic dispenser which is capable of being bottom filled with a molten cosmetic product to allow a cosmetic stick to be formed in place in the elevator cup of the dispenser. It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide such a dispenser with an enhanced swivel drag. It is an object of the preferred embodiment of the invention to provide such a dispenser which seals to prevent premature drying and deterioration of a cosmetic stick.
These objects, and other objects which shall become apparent hereafter are accomplished by a cosmetic dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, comprising a nose element, an elevator element, and a cam element. The nose element has an internal aligning web and an internal friction bead below the aligning web. The aligning web has a non-circular aperture, preferably an oval with straight sides. The elevator element has an elevator cup at an upper end thereof and an elevator stem at a lower end thereof. The elevator cup fits into the nose element above the aligning web. The elevator stem has a non-circular external cross-sectional shape that matches and extends through the non-circular aperture. Preferably, the non-circular aperture and the matching elevator stem are flat-sided ovals.
The stem is partially threaded on at least one curved exterior wall or has external lugs. A tubular cam element has an internally threaded or tracked section that engages the partial thread ribs or lugs of the elevator element. The cosmetic dispenser is operable to cause the elevator cup to travel longitudinally in the nose element by relative rotation of the cam element and the nose element. Such relative rotation causes the internally threaded or tracked section of the cam element to engage with the partial thread ribs or lugs of the elevator element to cause the elevator element to move relative to the cam element. Preferably, additional rib elements extend laterally from flat sides of the stem sufficiently to engage the aligning web upon extension of the elevator element from the cam element to limit travel of the elevator element in the nose element to that it does not unintentionally pop free of the dispenser.
To allow for bottom filling of the cosmetic dispenser of the invention, the bottom end of the cam sleeve is open, and the elevator stem is hollow. Thus the dispenser may be bottom filled with the elevator in either the retracted or extended position.
The cam element has an upper end section for fitting into a lower section of the nose element below the aligning web. The upper end section of the cam element has an external bead or lip located below the upper edge of the cam to snap fit together with the friction bead on the inside of the nose element, to provide a seal to prevent escape of volatile components of the cosmetic stick.
The external bead and the friction bead bear against each other and thereby also provide a desired frictional drag upon rotation of the cam element relative to the nose element. Variation in the amount of swivel drag can be provided by various designs; for example, the friction bead and the external bead can extend fully around a circumference of the nose element and cam element respectively, or one or both of them can be segmented. In another embodiment, the nose element is provided with slots upwardly extending from a lower end thereof to provide resilience to the nose element for a reduced swivel drag.
Other conventional components of a dispenser may be included, such as a base element having a chamber for receiving the cam element, and a cap fittable over the nose element which snap fits to the base element.
Other objects, aspects and features of the invention in addition to those mentioned above will be pointed out in or will be understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3216563 (1965-11-01), Finkenzeller
patent: 3256980 (1966-06-01), Bau
patent: 3275132 (1966-09-01), Hultgren
patent: 3335854 (1967-08-01), Landen
patent: 3807881 (1974-04-01), Seidler
patent: 5018893 (1991-05-01), Holloway
patent: 5172993 (1992-12-01), Ackermann et al.
patent: 5549404 (1996-08-01), Kageyama et al.
patent: 5553956 (1996-09-01), Mitsuya et al.
patent: 5813421 (1998-09-01), Wang
patent: 5884638 (1999-03-01), Ohba
patent: 5888004 (1999-03-01), Bouix
patent: 1351560 (1963-12-01), None

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