Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D40/00—Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks
  • A45D40/22—Casings characterised by a hinged cover

Definitions

• This invention is directed to an improved cosmetic compact and is more particular concerned with improved latch means for a compact for housing cosmetic preparations.
• Compact cases have long been used for enclosing various cosmetic preparations such as powder, rouge, blushers, facial creams and the like. Such cases are generally small portable containers designed to fit in a woman's pocketbook or purse.
• the lid and the base of the compact be held in sealing, and preferably air tight, relationship when the container is in the closed position.
• the latch means employed to hold the two halves of the compact in sealing relationship in the closed position obviously plays a key role.
• Berger U.S. Patent No. 3,199,742 shows a compact having a,cover of square cross-section in which the whole of the edge opposite the hinge is curved downwardly and inwardly to form a hook shaped cross-section which encircles the correspondingly convexly curved edge of the base of the compact.
• Such a latch construction is not readily releasable by manual pressure exerted by thumb and forefinger.
• Hayes et al U.S. Patent NO. 3,776,245 shows a latch comprising an outwardly projecting tab on the cover having a horizontal upper surface and a groove formed in its underside which snaps over a projecting rib on the side of the base.
• the horizontal upper surface of the tab is aligned with shoulders formed on the edge of the base and adapted to facilitate opening of the latch by simultaneous upward pressure on the tab and downward pressure on the shoulder using the thumb and forefinger of one hand of the user.
• this latch mechanism is not capable of retaining the compact in the closed position where the sealing means employed in the compact exerts any significant pressure tending to bias the cover away from the base of the compact.
• the cosmetic preparation is held in an inner, flexibly mounted receptacle which, in the closed position of the compact, is sealingly engaged by a lid mounted in the cover and forced downwardly towards the base of the compact.
• the latch mechanism employed has to be sufficiently robust to hold the cover in place against the upward pressure exerted by the receptacle against the associated lid.
• the invention comprises a compact for housing a cosmetic preparation having a base adapted to house a receptacle for the cosmetic preparation, a cover hingably attached to said base and latch means to retain said base and said cover in sealing engagement in the closed position but releasable by application of manual pressure applied by thumb and forefinger of the human hand.
• the latch means comprises a tab integrally formed on the compact cover and having on its underside a lug adapted to engage a horizontal undersurface on the compact base.
• the main body of the tab on the compact cover projects substantially vertically downwardly from the plane of the cover and has a termin l portion projecting outwardly and downwardly at an angle to the plane of the cover in the range of about 10° to about
• At least one finger engaging tab projects outwardly from the upper edge of the base at a location abutting the tab on the cover when the latter is in the closed position.
• the cover tab and the finger engaging tab or tabs on the base facilitate the opening of the latch by the user placing the forefinger of one hand on the finger engaging tab and the thumb on the underside of the cover tab and exerting an upward pressure on the latter tab by appropriate twisting motion of thumb and forefinger (clockwise in the case of a right handed user, and counterclockwise in the case of a left handed user) .
• FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a compact case in accordance with the invention.
• FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the underside of the compact case shown in FIGURE 1;
• FIGURE 3 is a front elevation view taken from the left hand side of the compact case shown in FIGURE 1;
• FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line 4-4 in FIGURE 1;
• FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of part of the cross-sectional view shown in FIGURE 4.
• FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a compact with latch means in accordance with the invention.
• FIGURES 1 and 2 show plan views of the top and the underside, respectively, of a cosmetic compact, shown generally as l__ f and equipped with latch means, shown generally as __, in accordance with the invention.
• Compact base l ⁇ and cover 16_ are pivotally connected by hinge 18. and are shown in the closed position.
• Finger engaging tabs or shoulders 20_ are integrally formed on the upper perimeter of base 14 and project outwardly therefrom on either side of latch 12 and serve to facilitate the release of the latter as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.
• FIGURE 3 shows a side elevational view of the latch means .12 and associated finger engaging projections 20.
• the cross-sectional view shown in FIGURE 4 and the enlarged portion thereof shown in FIGURE 5 show the construction latch means 12 in greater detail, the same numbering being used in all of the above Figures to indicate the common elements.
• Latch means 12 comprises a tab 2_2_ integrally formed on the perimeter of cover 1.6_ and projecting substantially vertically downward from the plane of said cover.
• a lug 2__ is disposed on the lower inner extremity of tab 22 and has a substantially horizontally disposed planar upper surface 27 which, in the closed position of compact 10_, engages the corresponding planar surface of horizontal undersurface 26 formed on the lower portion of frontwall 3_0 of base JL4_.
• Tab 22 is a substantially horizontally disposed planar upper surface 27 which, in the closed position of compact 10_, engages the corresponding planar surface of horizontal undersurface 26 formed on the lower portion of frontwall 3_0 of base JL4_. Tab 22
• angle _ ⁇ ____ r is one of the factors of particular importance to the efficient functioning of the latch means of the invention.
• the angle ⁇ -* has a value in the range of 10° to about 75° and preferably has a value of about 40 to 50°.
• the cover _ ⁇ _ are integrally formed from a resilient plastic material such as ABS, polyacrylates, polyesters, polystyrenes, polyamides, cellulosics and the like.
• a resilient plastic material such as ABS, polyacrylates, polyesters, polystyrenes, polyamides, cellulosics and the like.
• the choice of material in any given instance is governed, amongst other factors, by the nature of the cosmetic product being stored in the container.
• the plastic material employed to fabricate the above parts should be compatible with the cosmetic preparation, i.e., the latter should not be affected adversely by contact with or proximity to the plastic material nor should the plastic be affected adversely by contact with or proximity to the cosmetic preparation or any component thereof.
• the tab 22 is integrally formed from a resilient plastic material such as ABS, polyacrylates, polyesters, polystyrenes, polyamides, cellulosics and the like.
• the resiliency of the tab ___ permits the outer edge 32_ of ⁇ u 9 ___* to be deflected outwardly on making contact with the outer edge of the base sidewall 30 and to slide downwardly over the said frontwall until the lug 24 snaps into position in locking engagement with the latch undersurface 26.
• the opening of the latch means 1__ in the above manner is greatly facilitated by the provision of the finger engaging shoulders 20. shown in abutting relationship to the tab 22. in FIGURE 3 and in the corresponding perspective- view shown in FIGURE 6.
• the latch 12. is readily disengaged from the locked position by a clockwise twist of the thumb and forefinger. If the user of the compact is left handed the forefinger is placed on top of the left hand shoulder 2O. A counterclockwise twist of the thumb and forefinger results in disengagement of the latch from the locked position.
• the receptacle 36 for cosmetic preparation 3_8 has a sidewall 40 comprising a first annular rim of inverted U-shaped cross-section.
• the receptacle 3> is mounted in spaced apart relationship on the floor of the base 14 by means of flexible connecting member ___ which connects sidewall 40 to annular support member ___.
• the latter is retained in place on the floor of base _ ⁇ by inwardly projecting annular retaining member ___.
• the receptacle and associated sidewall, connecting member and support member are advantageously fabricated integrally from a resilient plastic material such as those exemplified above, the connecting member being of relatively thinner cross-section than the other members in order to enhance its flexibility.
• a resilient plastic material such as those exemplified above, the connecting member being of relatively thinner cross-section than the other members in order to enhance its flexibility.
• a second annular rim 48. is integrally formed on the inner surface of the cover 1J5 and projects downwardly therefrom so that, as the cover of the compact is moved to the closed position, the inner wall of the annular rim 48 enters into circumferential sealing engagement with the outer surface of sidewall 4J3 of the receptacle 36.
• the cover JL6. and integrally formed annular rim 48. form a lid for the receptacle 36. and the contents 3_8 thereof are thereby sealed from contact with the environment. Any spillage of the contents or contamination thereof is effectively prevented so long as the compact remains closed.
• the receptacle ___ is greatly facilitated by the ability of the receptacle ___ to be moved to a limited extent downwardly towards the floor of the base 14. as well as laterally in the plane of the base by reason of the flexible nature of connecting member 42..
• This "floating" nature of the receptacle 36 enables it to be centered and brought into sealing engagement with the integrally formed lid in cover 16 during the closing of the compact.
• the interference fit formed between the lid and receptacle in the above manner can leave the connecting member of the receptacle flexed downwardly in the closed position of the compact.
• the flexing of the member in this fashion generates a force biasing the cover 16. away from the base ⁇ 4.
• the latch means of the invention serves to overcome this biasing force and retain the cover and base in locked position.
• the improved latch means for a cosmetic compact in accordance with the invention has been illustrated by the various specific embodiments described above with reference to the drawings. It is to be understood that these embodiments have been given for purposes of illustration only and the scope of the invention is not limited thereby. Various modifications and changes can be made in the structures described above without departing from the spirit of the invention.
• the improved latch means can be employed with any compact which comprises a base with a cover hingably attached thereto and is not confined to use in compacts which have the particular constructions illustrated above.

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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ID=25355228

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• 1987
  • 1987-04-24 EP EP19870903060 patent/EP0270568A4/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1987-04-24 JP JP50279187A patent/JPS63503435A/ja active Pending
  • 1987-04-24 WO PCT/US1987/000778 patent/WO1987007483A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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