Overcap device to hold and dispense ornamental particles

Abstract

An overcap device for storing and dispensing ornamental particles. The overcap device includes a closure cap for covering a recessed area used for the storage of the ornamental particles where the closure cap has an annular flange to frictionally engage the inner surface of the recessed storage area. The overcap device further includes a recessed area on the underside to removably fit on the top of a vial closure cap, where such recessed area includes flat ribs of a varying number to accept vial closure caps of inconsistent tolerances.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/484,192 filed Jun. 30, 2003. The contents of this application is hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an overcap device for packaging and dispensing loose ornamental particles. More particularly, this invention relates to an overcap device removably attached over a top end of a cylindrical vial and an easy-open top end closure covering a recessed area used for the storage and dispensing of such ornamental particles to various surfaces.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional packaging in the cosmetics industries, particularly for nail polish and enamel, typically includes a cylindrical vial with a screw cap, to which a brush is attached. The brush is unscrewed from the cap and the brushed used to apply the polish or enamel to a surface, including fingernails and toenails. The use of ornamental particles, including glitter, powder, and crystals, in addition to plain nail polish and enamel, have become widespread, permitting limited artistic expression on the part of the user. Such ornamental particles were required to be suspended in the liquid polish or enamel in the vial, and brushed on the surface in a combined application, or such ornamental particles are separately purchased and not coordinated or combined in a fashionable manner.

One problem with the prior devices is that the liquid suspension requires constant shaking to prevent the ornamental particles from settling to the bottom, particularly for particles of a larger dimension.

Another problem has been that the application of such suspended ornamental particles, already disbursed in the nail polish and enamel, prevented any significant individual artistic expression in the application and location of such ornamental particles. Often the individual particles would be occluded and any ornamentation would be obscured.

Another problem with prior devices is that with such ornamental particles being suspended in the nail polish or enamel, there is essentially no practical means to ensure particles with one ornamental surface and the opposite surfacing being purposed for affixing to the surface would apply with the ornamental surface facing outward.

An additional problem with prior devices is that with such ornamental particles being suspended in the nail polish or enamel, or where a separate container storing such ornamental particles is fixed to the cap of the vial of nail polish or enamel, there is essentially no means to interchange differing ornamental particles during application or when packaging and presenting such nail polish or enamel for sale.

Furthermore, a problem with prior devices which include a container to store glitter particles to be applied to the nail surface using a sifting means, is that the entire vial of nail polish or enamel must be lifted and overturned to utilize the sifting means to apply the glitter particles, and if not properly done, for example if the cap container were loose, could result in spillage of the nail polish. The sifting means to apply the glitter particles does not permit the detailed placement of such particles in an ornamental design on the nail surface, and may further result in the over-application or spillage of the glitter particles.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the general purpose of the invention is to provide a removably attached overcap device for storing ornamental particles to aid in the application of such ornamental particles to fingernails and toenails.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a device of the kind indicated to fit over the top end of a vial for storing ornamental particles. The device of the kind indicated can easily be removed from the vial for simultaneous access to the contents of the vial and the ornamental particles in the overcap device. Such overcap device can easily be interchanged with other such overcap devices to permit easy replacement of defective overcap devices or such overcap devices with an insufficient supply of ornamental particles.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the kind indicated, which is not likely to result in the spillage of the ornamental particle contents of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the kind indicated, which is economical to produce and sell.

The invention achieves these objectives by providing a removably attached handle means that contains an interior container to store the ornamental particles until time for application to the intended surface. The interior container is covered by a closure cap that uses a friction seal between the interior surface of the interior container and a downwardly dependent peripheral flange integrally attached to the closure cap. The handle means contains a cylindrical socket to receive the screw top of a vial, such as that which contains nail polish, and such cylindrical socket contains a plurality of flat ribs to create a removable friction seal with the screw cap of the vial. The handle means, with or without the closure cap in place, may be removed during the application of the nail polish or enamel to the intended surface, and permits the interchangeability of such ornamental particles as may be desired by the user or the manufacturer.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

Various objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated and better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings show the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference characters designating the same parts throughout the view:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating components, particularly the recessed storage compartment, in a disassembled form.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 1, illustrating components, particularly the downwardly depending notched peripheral flange of the cap, in a disassembled form.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the handle means in place on the top end of a vial, and with the closure cap in place.

DRAWINGS—Reference Numerals

• 12. Closure Cap
• 14. Handle Means
• 16. Interior Container
• 18. Socket
• 20. Peripheral Flange
• 22. Flange Notches
• 24. Screw Cap
• 26. Auxiliary Holes
• 28. Flat Ribs
• 30. Vial
• 32. Applicator Brush

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of the invention, an handle means 14, which comprises essentially an interior container 16, said interior container 16 being intended to store the ornamental particles, and having socket 18 on the underneath side which receives the screw top of the vial 30. In accordance with the invention, the socket 18 comprises a plurality of flat ribs 28 along the interior surface of the socket 18. The flat ribs 28 permit a removable but tight fit with a screw cap 24 of some variable diameter capping the vial 30 of nail polish and enamel. The handle means 14 further comprises a plurality of auxiliary holes 26 of variable length and dimension to minimize the amount of material required to manufacture the handle means and to reduce the total weight of the handle means.

The interior container 16, of variable dimensions, is intended to store the ornamental particles and present such ornamental particles for application to the intended surface. As provided by the invention, a closure cap 12 comprises essentially of a downwardly depending peripheral flange 20, with a plurality of flange notches 22 integrally extending from an inside surface of the closure cap 12. The plurality of flange notches 22 permits some flexibility in the peripheral flange 20, which is manufactured to be the same diameter, or slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the interior container 16, allowing for a tight but removable seal of the closure cap 12 on the handle means 14. The closure cap 12 can be removed from the handle means 14 using a gentle twist and pull motion providing easy access to the contents of the interior container 16.

Operation

In use of the device, as show in FIG. 3, the user removes the handle means 14 containing the ornamental particles, and closure cap 12, from the vial 30 of polish or enamel using a gentle back-and-forth rocking motion, disengaging the flat ribs 28 from the screw cap 24, and thereby exposing the screw cap 24 containing the applicator brush 32. The user uses the applicator brush 32 to apply the nail polish or enamel to the intended surface. The screw cap 24 with the applicator brush 32 can be replaced.

The closure cap 12 can be removed by a gentle pull, exposing the contents of the interior container 16, more particularly the ornamental particles. The handle means 14 can be transported by the user independent of the vial 30 of polish or enamel near any surface where such ornamental particles are to be applied. The user removes the desired number of ornamental particles and places them on the nail surface while the nail polish or enamel adhesive is still wet.

The closure cap 12 is replaced on the handle means 14 using a gentle pushing motion, engaging the notched peripheral flange 20 to the upper portion of the interior surface of the interior container 16, securing the ornamental particles in thereto.

The handle means 14, together with the closure cap 12 in place, is replaced on the screw cap 24 of the vial 30. The plurality of flat ribs 28 engage with the outer surface of the screw cap 24 of the vial 30 to create a friction-based connection to removably attach the handle means 14 to the vial 30. The handle means 14 may be easily removed from its engaged position with the screw cap 24 of the vial 30, and interchanged with similar handle means 14 containing the same or different ornamental particles.

Claims

1. An overcap container assembly comprising:

(a) a cylindrical interior container having an open top whereby desired particle contents can be stored,

(b) a closure cap removably retained on the interior container for closing the open top thereof,

(c) an intermittent annular peripheral flange downwardly depending from said closure cap dimensioned to frictionally receive and partially extend around said cylindrical interior container, and

(d) a coaxially disposed handle means containing said cylindrical interior enabling the same to be manipulated for the removal of the particle contents.

2. An overcap container assembly as in claim 1, where said handle means has a cylindrical socket adapted to frictionally receive a screw cap of a vial.

3. An overcap container assembly as in claim 2 where said cylindrical socket contains a plurality of axially aligned ribs whereby a screw cap of varying tolerances may be frictionally received.