Compact Cosmetics Container

Abstract

A pencil shaped compact cosmetics container assembly has a pressed powder stored in a cylindrical segment having a cover that opens along a length rather than at an end such that the powder is visible to a user loading a brush with the powder before applying as a cosmetic, such as eyeshadow. Another section of the assembly holds a brush that is stored under the cover, the another section serving to lock the cover in a closed position.

Description

This application is a non-provisional of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/666,534, filed May 3, 2018, incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is for a cosmetics container with integrated brushes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a number of prior art devices described as combination cosmetics containers with one or more brushes integrated into a compact container that holds, for example, a liquid used with a very thin brush and a powder used with a thicker brush or sponge. It is common to combine eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara and/or brow liner. By example, Jourmoe has a 3inONE liner and shadow with two brushes and a sponge that all compactly assemble into a pencil-sized container. Such a pencil-sized tube has multiple sections with compartments for holding the cosmetics and storing the brushes, and the sections usually either press-fit or screw together when not in use.

One of the drawbacks of a compact pencil container is that the powders are only able to be used by dipping a brush into a tube containing the powder. When loading a brush from a full sized cosmetics container, it is preferred to see how much the brush is being loaded rather than blindly dipping a brush into a pencil-sized cylinder. Full sized makeup containers often contain pressed powder that is intentionally caused to cake so it allows a user to work a brush into the pressed powder until the brush is loaded a desired way, but pressed powders are not available in a compact pencil container. There is a need for a better way to load a brush that is part of a compact pencil-shaped cosmetics container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a compact cosmetics container that uniquely stores a pressed powder in a tray positioned in a horizontal cylindrical segment rather than having a loose powder that fills a cylinder from an open end. In a most preferred embodiment, a section of the container is segmented such that two half cylinder segments are joined by a hinge on one side and a thumb tab on the other side. A bottom cylindrical segment holds the pressed powder, and a top cylindrical segment functions as a cover. Preferably, a brush is stored between the cover and the pressed powder. When the cover is closed, a connector snaps or screws around the joined half cylinders to lock the cover over the pressed powder. Brushes, foam pads, pencils and liquids may be combined with the container, as is well known in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an eyeliner cap.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an eyeliner container.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pressed powder container of the present invention.

FIG. 3a is a perspective view of an alternate pressed powder container that is similar to the pressed powder container of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a mascara container.

FIG. 4a is a plan view of an alternate mascara container that is similar to the mascara container of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a pencil shaped assembly of the present invention, showing all of the sections shown in FIG. 1-4 assembled.

The following is the list of numerical callouts used in FIGS. 1-5:

0 Pencil-shaped assembly

1 Eyeliner cap

2 Eyeliner container
3 Pressed powder container
4 Mascara container

5 Connector

6 End cap

7 Eyeliner dispenser portion

8 Eyeliner

9 Spring

10 Hinge portion
11 Pressed powder cover
12 Mascara brush
13 Pressed powder brush

14 Thumb tab

15 Powder cover lock portion

16 Wand

17 Pressed powder tray
18 Threads or snap connector ridges

19 Shoulder DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment is a pencil-shaped assembly 0, shown in FIG. 5, that has multiple sections, shown in FIGS. 1-4, that assemble into a compact container. Unless otherwise described, all parts of the container are preferably made from rigid plastic materials using known methods. The preferred embodiment will be described from left to right, referring to the orientation of FIG. 5. Some of the parts of the assembly are already well known in the art. When two of the sections are separated, a first applicator, such as pressed powder brush 13, is exposed. Unique to the present invention, separating these two sections unlocks a pressed powder cover 11. When the pressed powder cover is opened, a pressed powder container 3 holding a pressed powder, such as eyeshadow, is presented. The section holding the pressed powder is preferably about half cylinder, or a horizontal cylindrical segment, so that a user can easily see how much of the pressed powder is loaded onto the first applicator.

FIG. 1 shows a first cap, such as eyeliner cap 1, that has been removed from the pencil shaped assembly 0, or just assembly, shown in FIG. 5. The first cap is preferably a plastic cap that snaps or twists onto a first section of the assembly. The first cap is also preferably pointed, like a pen cap, such that the assembly may be used as a hair chopstick, if desired.

FIG. 2 shows a first section of the assembly that, most preferably, includes an eyeliner container 2. An eyeliner dispenser portion 7 is twisted to dispense eyeliner makeup 8 a desired distance away from the eyeliner container. Where the first section is an eyeliner container, a connector 5 is often used to join the eyeliner container to other cosmetics containers. Although FIG. 2 shows a preferred construction of the eyeliner container section, other known constructions may be employed without distracting from the invention. On the end of the first section that is opposite the eyeliner 8 is an applicator, such as a pressed powder brush 13. The pressed powder brush may be a bristled brush or a sponge brush. A wand 16 of the brush is offset from a center of the first section, as will be described later. The wand may be joined to a rotating disc that snaps into the connector 5 if the connector screws to the eyeliner container. If the connector snaps to the eyeliner container, then the wand may be molded, press fit or otherwise joined to the connector. It should be noted that the first section does not need to be eyeliner and it does not need a connector, so this is just a preference that seems to make the most sense based on convention. The first section could just be an applicator, in which case there would not be a need for a separate removable cap.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second section, such as pressed powder container 3, has a pressed powder cover 11 that is connected to the pressed powder container using a hinge portion 10 and an optional thumb tab 14. The hinge may be a living hinge such that the pressed powder container and the pressed powder cover may be molded as a single piece part. Alternatively, the hinge may include one or more metal pins or molded pins that engage with one or more sockets to create a hinge. When the press powder cover is closed, the section is substantially a cylindrical shape. The term cylindrical shape is intended to encompass any of the various design elements that may be added to make the section more aesthetic. Flattening portions of the cylindrical shape may be done to create a less than round cross section, such as a somewhat triangular cross section, or a rectangular cross section, or some other common pencil shape that is commonly selected to distinguish or ornament an otherwise pencil shaped device. A flattened portion of the cylindrical shape may provide some utility, such as to create a wider pressed powder tray portion 17. To provide a maximum surface area of pressed powder, the cover is substantially half of a hollowed cylindrical segment, but it could be less than a half cylinder if it is desired that the pressed powder tray portion is deeper. The hollowed portion is where the pressed powder brush is stored. The pressed powder may be directly filled into the pressed powder tray portion, or a separate tray containing pressed powder may be fixed or otherwise inserted into the pressed powder container.

Although the drawings only show the pressed powder is covered by a cover that is hinged, the cover could slide to expose the press powder. A sliding cover could rotate relative to the cylindrical section, or it could slide along a length of the cylinder in either direction. The cover could be attached to the first section, or it could be attached to a third section after the cover is moved to expose the pressed powder in the second section.

An end of the second section closest to the first section is open between the pressed powder container and the pressed powder cover. This open portion is intentional to allow the pressed powder brush 13 to slide into the second section for compact storage of the brush when the assembly is assembled. Connector 5 may spin freely relative to the first section such that alignment of the pressed powder brush under the pressed powder cover is not affected when the assembly is twisted together at connector 5. Other methods of joining the assembly may be used, if desired, such as a snap fit connector or sleeve. The other end of the second section closest to the first section ha

A user uses the assembly by separating the first section from the second section, drawing the first applicator away from the second section, which unlocks the pressed powder cover, and then moving the pressed powder cover away from the pressed powder container 3 to expose the pressed powder, such as eyeshadow. The first applicator is then worked into the pressed powder by a user until the brush is loaded with a desired amount of the powder, and then the user applies the powder as makeup. Any eyeliner, mascara, or other included cosmetics are used in the common way. The user may close and otherwise assemble the assembly to its original condition by aligning the first applicator, closing the cover and snapping or screwing the assembly together again.

Preferably the right end of the pressed powder container incorporates a mascara brush 12. Other brushes may be incorporated at this location, or nothing at all. If a mascara brush is included, then a third section, shown in FIG. 4, should be included to hold mascara. The third section may include a shoulder 19, as shown in FIG. 4, or the shoulder may be included in the second section, as shown in FIG. 3a, in which case the third section should look more like the one in FIG. 4a. Threads or ridges 18 should be included as needed to be able to secure the various sections and cap together. The mascara container 4 may be constructed in substantially the same way as is common in the art, except that the mascara brush is part of the second section of the assembly. FIG. 4 shows that the mascara container is capped with end cap 6, but an additional brush or other makeup product could be added at this location if desired.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it will be realized that alterations and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A compact cosmetics container comprising:

A generally pencil-shaped cosmetics container assembly having at least a first section and a second section;

the second section is characterized by a cylindrical portion that is divided into two segments along a length such that there is a base portion that may be covered by a cover portion, the base portion being joined to the cover portion by a hinge portion;

the base portion is characterized by a pressed powder container;

a pressed powder applicator connected to the first section is stored between the cover portion and the base portion; and

wherein, when the first section is assembled with the second section, the cover portion is locked over the base portion such that a pressed powder stored in the pressed powder container cannot be accessed by a user.

2. The compact cosmetics container of claim 1 further comprising a mascara applicator extending from an end of the second section, opposite an end that connects to the first section; and

a third section that contains mascara, the third section being removable from the second section such that the mascara applicator may be dipped into the mascara during use or storage.

3. The compact cosmetics container of claim 1 wherein the first section is characterized by an eyeliner container that dispenses eyeliner; the eyeliner being protected by a removable eyeliner cap.

4. The compact cosmetics container of claim 1 wherein the pressed powder is eyeshadow and the pressed powder applicator is an eyeshadow brush.