Box including a hinge having a loop element and a hook element

Abstract

The invention relates to a box comprising: at least one base portion (2), a lid (3), and a hinge connecting the lid to the base portion. The hinge comprises: a first element fixed to the base portion (2), and a second element (5) fixed to the lid (3), one of said first and second elements being an element presenting loops and the other of said first and second elements being elements presenting hooks arranged to co-operate with said loops.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to boxes, and more particularly but not exclusively to boxes for containing applicators and/or cosmetics.

[0002] Such boxes generally comprise a base portion and a lid connected to the base portion by means of a hinge, which hinge may include a metal pin.

[0003] An object of the invention is to provide a novel box which may be characterizable, in a first aspect of the invention, by the fact that the hinge comprises a first element fixed to the base portion and a second element fixed to the lid, one of the first and second elements being a loop element and the other a hook element. The loops and the hooks are arranged to co-operate mutually.

[0004] Loop and hook elements are sold in particular in the form of strips under the trademark Velcro® and are in widespread use as fastener means, the hooks being made, for example, by molding a plastics material, and the loops being formed by a woven or non-woven fabric. The hooks and the loops may co-operate to catch together, with at least some of the hooks becoming engaged in the loops.

[0005] The term “hook” should not be understood in a limited sense, and it covers ends having two hooks or an enlarged head. Similarly, the term “loop” should not be interpreted respectively, and it covers loops that are open or closed. Thus, the first and second elements present hooking means of complementary types distributed over their surfaces and suitable for catching together mechanically when they are united.

[0006] The invention makes it possible to provide a hinge without it being necessary to use a metal pin, unlike conventional hinges.

[0007] The invention also makes it possible to provide boxes in which the lid can, if necessary, be completely separated from the base portion, thus making it possible, for example, to use a plurality of base portions in association with a common lid, which lid may include, for example, a mirror, with the various base portions possibly containing substances presenting different colors and/or natures, and/or different applicators.

[0008] A single base portion may be used with the lid, but in a variant, a plurality of base portions may be used with the same lid, the base portions being superposable, at least one of the base portions serving as a lid for another base portion underlying it.

[0009] Below, the terms “rear”, “front”, “top”, and “bottom” refer to the box when it is observed in the closed state and the hinge is situated further back from the observer, the box being opened initially by causing the lid to tilt upwards and rearwards.

[0010] Since the base portion presents rear and top faces, the first element may extend over said rear and top faces. Since the lid presents rear and bottom faces, the second element may extend over said rear and bottom faces so as to co-operate with the first element.

[0011] The box may include at least one third element on the top face of its base portion. The box may include at least one fourth element on the bottom face of the lid and one of the third and fourth elements may be a loop element while the other is a hook element, the third and fourth elements being disposed in such a manner as to catch together when the box is in a closed position.

[0012] Since the base portion presents a bottom face, the box may include on said bottom face at least one fifth element, which may be a loop element or a hook element.

[0013] In a particular embodiment, the fifth element is of a kind complementary to the third element, said fifth element being positioned on the bottom face of the base portion in such a manner as to be capable of catching onto at least one other third element present on an underlying base portion positioned beneath said bottom face. On the bottom face of the base portion, the box may include at least one sixth element arranged to catch with another first element of an underlying base portion disposed beneath said bottom face. This enables the base portions to be joined together.

[0014] The first element may comprise at least two distinct portions, in particular two portions disposed close to respective opposite side faces of the base portion. The two distinct portions may be of the same kind or they may be of complementary kinds. The second element may comprise at least two distinct portions disposed on the lid in corresponding manner.

[0015] The first element may present at least one fraction which extends over the top face of the base portion, and said fraction may be of non-constant width, in particular its width may increase on approaching the rear face of the base portion. This can make it easier to open the box, where appropriate.

[0016] The first element may include fractions fixed on surfaces that are substantially plane. The first element may also include at least one fraction fixed on a surface that is not plane, and in particular on a circularly cylindrical surface.

[0017] One of the lid and the base portion may include a tab having a loop element or a hook element and the other one of the lid and the base portion may include a portion for catching onto said tab.

[0018] The first element may extend partially over at least one side face of the base portion and the second element may extend partially over at least one side face of the lid. This enables the lid to be assembled to the side of the base portion after the box has been opened. The first element may extend simultaneously over the top face, the rear face, and at least one side face of the base portion.

[0019] The base portion and the lid may each present an outline that is rectangular or otherwise, in particular an outline that is circular when observed from above, and the first and second elements may extend over respective fractions of the circumference of the base portion and of the lid. These fractions may each correspond, for example, to at least one-fourth of the circumference.

[0020] At least one of the first and second elements may be fixed at least in part in a setback in the base portion or in the lid. It is preferably a hook element which is fixed in a setback of the base portion or the lid, with the depth of the setback possibly being sufficient to ensure that the hooks do not project significantly outside the setback.

[0021] At least one of the base portion and the lid may include a portion in relief arranged to co-operate with a complementary portion in relief on the other one of the lid and the base portion so as to ensure that the lid is always positioned in the same manner relative to the base portion when the box is closed.

[0022] The base portion may also include a portion in relief on its bottom face, said relief being arranged to co-operate with a portion in relief on the top face of another base portion so as to position said other base portion relative to the first.

[0023] The base portion may include a housing for receiving one at least one substance, in particular a substance contained in a dish. In a variant or in addition, the base portion may include a housing receiving at least one applicator. The bottom of said housing may include a hook element or a loop element arranged to hold the applicator.

[0024] The lid may include a mirror, in particular on its bottom face.

[0025] The invention also provides a base portion or a lid considered in isolation.

[0026] Such a base portion or such a lid may be sold separately, for example in a blister pack, e.g. for the purpose of constituting a refill, or a spare lid, or in order to enable a user who already possesses a box comprising a lid and a base portion to add at least one second base portion thereto.

[0027] The presence of hook elements or loop elements on one of the outside faces of the box can serve, where appropriate, to reduce any risk of the box moving while it is being carried about in a handbag or vanity case, by providing appropriate fastener means therein.

[0028] The invention can be better understood on reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and on examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an example of a box made in accordance with the invention;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary section view on II-II of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a view of the underside seen looking along arrow III of FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the FIG. 1 box in the closed position, with a second base portion under the first;

[0033] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the connection between the rear portions of the various base portions of the FIG. 4 box;

[0034] FIG. 6 shows how the box can be made with a visible clasp;

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a hinge element made in two portions;

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a variant embodiment of the rear of the base portion;

[0037] FIG. 9 shows how a hinge element can be made of varying width;

[0038] FIG. 10 is a highly diagrammatic view showing another way of making the box;

[0039] FIG. 11 shows one way of having loop elements or hook elements on at least three faces of the base portion or of the lid;

[0040] FIG. 12 shows another variant embodiment of the box;

[0041] FIGS. 13 and 14 are diagrams showing how two base portions may catch together laterally or longitudinally in another variant embodiment;

[0042] FIG. 15 shows how a setback 24 can be made with a chamfer;

[0043] FIG. 16 shows how a loop element or a hook element can be provided on the bottom of a housing for receiving an applicator;

[0044] FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing a variant embodiment of a clasp;

[0045] FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing a variant embodiment of the box in which the hinge extends over the entire width of the base portion and the lid;

[0046] FIG. 19 shows one way of positioning the lid on the base portion during initial assembly of the box; and

[0047] FIG. 20 shows how at least one of the first and second elements can be made so as to be movable.

[0048] The box 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a base portion 2 and a lid 3 hinged to the base portion 2 by means of a hinge comprising two elements 4 and 5 fixed respectively to the base portion 2 and to the lid 3.

[0049] As can be seen more particularly in FIG. 2, the first element 4 extends over the rear and top faces 6 and 7 of the base portion 2, while the second element 5 extends over the rear face 8, the top face, and the bottom face 10 of the lid.

[0050] In accordance with the invention, one of the elements 4 and 5 is an element having hooks 14 and the other is an element having loops 13. In the example described, it is the first element 4 which is a hook element and the second element 5 which is a loop element, however the opposite situation could exist without going beyond the ambit of the present invention.

[0051] The hook and loop elements are implemented, for example, as pieces of Velcro® strips of different kinds, stuck respectively to the base portion 2 and to the lid 3. The hook and loop elements could also be fixed to the base portion and to the lid in some other way, for example by heat sealing or by snap-fastening, in particular.

[0052] In the example described, the fraction 4a of the first element 4 which extends over the top face 7 of the base portion 2 is disposed in a setback 12 thereof which extends in centered manner over substantially one-third of the length of the rear side.

[0053] The fractions 5a and 5c of the second element 5 which extend respectively over the top face 9 and the bottom face 10 of the lid are disposed in setbacks therein, with only the setback 15 receiving the fraction 5c being visible in FIG. 1.

[0054] The second element 5 presents substantially the same width as the first element 4 and the two elements 4 and 5 can co-operate during opening of the box so as to keep the lid 3 secured to the base portion 2, while enabling it to pivot backwards relative thereto.

[0055] The lid 3 may also be separated, if so desired, from the base portion 2 by exerting sufficient traction.

[0056] In the example described, the box 1 may be held in the closed position by co-operation between at least one third element 20 present on the base portion 2, and specifically two elements 20, and at least one fourth element 21 secured to the lid 3, and specifically two fourth elements 21.

[0057] In the example shown, the elements 20 are hook elements, while the elements 21 are loop elements, but the opposite configuration could apply without thereby going beyond the ambit of the present invention.

[0058] In the example described, each element 20 occupies a front corner of the base portion 2, being generally triangular in shape when seen from above. The elements 21 are placed in the front corners of the lid so as to catch onto the elements 20 when the box is closed.

[0059] Means are provided for positioning the lid 3 relative to the base portion 2 when the box 1 is closed.

[0060] In the example described, these means comprise firstly a step 24 formed on the base portion 2 so as to define a housing 33, this step 24 being substantially square in outline when the base portion 2 is viewed from above, for example, and a corresponding rib 26 formed on the lid 3, the rib 26 being arranged to engage inside the step 24 when the box 1 is closed.

[0061] The step 24 may present a flank that is at right angles as shown in FIG. 2, or in a variant it may present a chamfer, as shown in FIG. 15.

[0062] In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the box 1 has only a single base portion 2, however, without going beyond the ambit of the present invention, it is possible to make a box comprising a plurality of base portions, for example two superposed base portions 2 and 2′, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0063] The base portions 2 and 2′ can be secured to each other, for example, by providing a fifth element 30, which is a loop element, on the bottom face 26 of the base portion 2, the fifth element being disposed in such a manner as to be capable of catching onto the fraction 4a of the first element 4 of the base portion 2′, which may be identical to the base portion 2, as can be seen in FIG. 5.

[0064] The base portion 2 may present a projecting portion 32 arranged on its bottom face 66 to engage in the housing 33 so as to ensure that the base portions 2 and 2′ are always positioned in the same manner one on the other. Each base portion 2 or 2′ may advantageously include on its bottom face 66, not only the fifth element 30, but also a sixth element 40, e.g. two elements 40, disposed in such a manner as to catch onto the elements 20 of the base portion 2′ disposed immediately below, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

[0065] Where appropriate, a clasp 50 may be provided on the front side of the box 1, the clasp comprising, for example, a fixed portion 51 present on the front face 52 of the base portion 2 and a flexible tab 53 fixed via its top end 54 to the front face 55 of the lid 3 and having its bottom end 56 suitable for being superposed on and catching onto the fixed portion 51 when the box is closed. The portions 51 and 53 of the clasp are made, for example, using strips of Velcro®.

[0066] In the examples of FIGS. 1 to 6, the base portion 2 has a housing 60 which receives a dish 61, e.g. a metal dish, containing a substance P, e.g. foundation makeup, and the lid 3 has a mirror 63 in its bottom face.

[0067] It would not go beyond the ambit of the present invention for the lid 3 to have no mirror and for the base portion 2 to present a housing arranged in some other manner, e.g. to receive not a dish containing a substance, but an accessory such as a brush or a flocked applicator, or indeed a plurality of housings containing various substances and/or applicators, which housings may be of a variety of shapes.

[0068] FIG. 16 shows that it is possible to place a hook or loop element 9 on the bottom of the housing for receiving an applicator, which element serves to catch onto the applicator; the applicator may be provided with an applicator element having loops or hooks that are themselves capable of catching onto the element 90. In a variant, an element of complementary kind to the element 90 may be disposed on the applicator, e.g. on its handle.

[0069] The box may also be made using a different clasp, for example comprising a tab 80 arranged to snap into a corresponding housing 81, as shown in FIG. 17.

[0070] The hinge connecting the lid 3 to the base portion 2 may be made differently from that which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0071] The first and second elements 4 and 5 may extend, for example, over substantially the entire width of the rear sides of the lid 3 and the base portion 2, as shown in FIG. 18.

[0072] The first and second elements may each comprise two portions.

[0073] By way of illustration, FIG. 7 shows the rear face 6 of the base portion 2, and in this figure it can be seen that the first element may comprise two portions 4′ and 4″ situated, for example, close to the side faces of the base portion.

[0074] In the example described, the portions 4′ and 4″ are received in respective setbacks 12′ and 12″ of the base portion 2, which setbacks may be of a depth corresponding substantially to the thickness of the backing to which the loops or the hooks of the element are connected, specifically loops in FIG. 7.

[0075] The rear face 6 of the base portion 2 may also be made with a shape that is outwardly convex, and in particular it may carry a rib 70 defining a bulging surface 71, e.g. in the form of half a circular cylinder, having the first element 4 fixed thereon.

[0076] At least one of the first and second hinge elements may be of varying width. By way of example, FIG. 9 shows the base portion 2 with a first element 4 that presents width which increases on coming closer to the rear face 6, for example in order to make it easier to open the box. The fraction 4a of the element 4 may be received in a housing 12 of corresponding shape, e.g. having an outline that is substantially trapezoidal in shape.

[0077] When the first element is made as two portions 4′ and 4″, and when the second element also comprises two corresponding portions 5′ and 5″, each of said portions may extend not only over the rear faces of the base portion 2 and the lid 3, and over the top face of the base portion 2 and the bottom face of the lid 3, but also over the side faces of the base portion 2 and of the lid 3, as shown in FIG. 10, thus making it possible, for example, to assemble the base 2 and the lid 3 side by side after the box has been opened.

[0078] The loop and hook elements used for assembling a base portion with another base portion or with a lid in at least two directions can also be distinct, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0079] The base portion and the lid need not be generally in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, and for example they may be of a shape having an outline when the box is viewed from above that is curvilinear, and in particular oval or circular as shown in FIG. 12.

[0080] In this figure, it can be seen that the first element 4 can extend over half of the circumference of the base portion 2 and the second element 5 over half of the circumference of the lid 3, for example.

[0081] The disposition of the first and second elements enables them to catch together tangentially.

[0082] In the example of FIG. 10, both of the portions 4′ and 4″ are loop portions while the portions 5′ and 51″ are hook portions. In a variant, both of the portions 4′ and 41″ could be hook portions with the portions 5′ and 51″ both being loop portions. Furthermore, one of the portions 4′ could be a loop portion and the other portion 4″ could be a hook portion so as to enable a plurality of base portions to be assembled together side by side as shown in FIG. 13, or indeed so as to enable two base portions 2 and 2′ to be placed one in line with the other, as shown in FIG. 14.

[0083] FIG. 19 shows how it is possible to position the lid 3 on the base portion 2 during initial assembly thereof. The front edges can be brought into contact with each other, the rib 26 of the lid bearing against the step 24, and then the lid can be pivoted in the direction of the arrow.

[0084] At least one of the first and second elements may be movable relative to the corresponding portion of the box.

[0085] Thus, for example, the first element may be movable relative to the base portion 2, as shown in FIG. 20.

[0086] In FIG. 20, there can be seen the first element 4 fixed on a roller 95 hinged to the base portion by means of a pin (not shown) extending between two lugs 96 extending the base portion rearwards.

[0087] Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and in particular it is possible to combine the characteristics of the various embodiments described with one another.

[0088] Throughout the description, including in the claims, the term “comprising a” should be understood as being synonymous with “comprising at least one”, unless specified to the contrary.

Claims

1. A box (1) comprising:

at least one base portion (2; 2′);

a lid (3); and

a hinge connecting the lid to the base portion;

the box being characterized by the fact that the hinge comprises:

a first element (4; 4′, 4″) fixed to the base portion (2; 2′); and

a second element (5; 5′, 5″) fixed to the lid (3);

one of said first and second elements being an element presenting loops (13) and the other of said first and second elements being elements presenting hooks (14) arranged to co-operate with said loops.

2. A box according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the base portion (2) presents a rear face (6) and a top face (7), and by the fact that the first element (4; 4′; 4″) extends over said rear and top faces, by the fact that the lid (3) presents a rear face (26) and a bottom face (10), and by the fact that the second element (5; 5′; 5″) extends over said rear and bottom faces.

3. A box according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the fact that the base portion presents a top face (7), by the fact that the base portion includes at least one third element (20) on said top face, by the fact that the lid presents a bottom face (10), and the lid includes at least one fourth element (21) on said bottom face, with one of the third and fourth elements being a loop element and the other being a hook element, the third and fourth elements being disposed in such a manner as to catch together when the box is closed.

4. A box according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the base portion presents a bottom face (66) and by the fact that the base portion includes on said bottom face at least one fifth element (40) constituted by a loop element or a hook element.

5. A box according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the fifth element is complementary in nature to the third element, the fifth element (40) being positioned on the bottom face of the base portion in such a manner as to be capable of catching onto at least the third element present on another base portion (2′) positioned beneath said bottom face.

6. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the base portion presents a bottom face (66) and by the fact that the base portion includes on said bottom face at least one sixth element (30) arranged to catch with the first element (4) of another base portion (2′) disposed beneath said bottom face.

7. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the first element comprises at least two distinct portions (4; 4″).

8. A box according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that said distinct portions are disposed close to respective opposite side faces of the base portion.

9. A box according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized by the fact that the two distinct portions are complementary in nature.

10. A box according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by the fact that the second element comprises two distinct portions (5′; 5″) disposed on the lid in corresponding manner.

11. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the first element (4) includes at least one fraction (4a) extending over a top face (7) of the base portion and presenting width that is not constant, in particular being of width that increases on coming closer to a rear face (6) of the base portion.

12. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the first element (4) comprises fractions (4a; 4b) fixed on surfaces that are substantially plane.

13. A box according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by the fact that the first element comprises a fraction fixed on a surface that is not plane, in particular the surface of half a circular cylinder.

14. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that one of the lid and the base portion carries a tab (53) comprising a loop element or a hook element, and by the fact that the other of the lid and the base portion carries a portion (51) for catching onto said tab.

15. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the first element (4′, 4″) extends in part over at least one side face of the base portion.

16. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the second element (5′, 5″) extends in part over at least one side face of the lid.

17. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that each of the base portion and the lid presents an outline that is not rectangular, and in particular an outline that is circular when observed from above, and by the fact that the first and second elements extend over respective fractions of the circumference of the base portion and of the lid.

18. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the first element extends over the top face, the rear face, and at least one of the side faces of the base portion.

19. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that at least one of the first and second elements is fixed at least in part in a setback (12; 12′; 12″) of the base portion or of the lid.

20. A box according to claim 19, characterized by the fact that it includes at least one hook element fixed in a setback of the base portion or of the lid.

21. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that at least one of the base portion and the lid includes a portion in relief (26) arranged to co-operate with a complementary portion in relief (33) of the other one of the lid and the base portion so as to position the lid relative to the base portion when the box is closed.

22. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the base portion (2) includes a portion in relief (32) on a bottom face, said portion in relief being arranged to co-operate with a portion in relief (33) of the top face of another base portion (2′) so as to position the two base portions relative to each other.

23. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the base portion includes a housing (60) receiving at least one substance (P), in particular a substance contained in a dish (61).

24. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the base portion includes a housing receiving at least one applicator.

25. A box according to claim 23, characterized by the fact that the housing has a bottom provided with a hook or loop element (90).

26. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the lid includes a mirror (63), in particular on a bottom face.

27. A box according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that it includes a second base portion (2′) superposed with the first (2).

28. A box according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that at least one of the first and second elements is movable relative to the corresponding portion of the box.