CONTAINER FOR COSMETICS HAVING A REFILL SYSTEM

Abstract

Container for cosmetics generally comprising a vessel and a closing element, wherein the vessel has a profile comprising a jacket having a profile comprising a pair of opposite bell profiles. The tails of each bell profile are in contact with the tails of the other bell profile, and the opposite bells of the two bell profiles respectively form a central reservoir area wherein is housed a flexible cartridge containing the cosmetic material, and two opposite housing and engagement areas for the side walls of the cartridge.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to containers for cosmetics, in particular it relates to containers for cosmetics in paste.

PREVIOUS ART

The packaging of cosmetics represents a critical part for the proper storage of the cosmetic product. It is common practice in the packaging of liquid and paste formulations to use a rigid type packaging, which allows for a more effective way to contain the formulations, preventing the access of air and the leakage of product. Particularly preferred materials for such containers are materials chemically inert and compatible with cosmetic formulations, such as for example PET, PE, PP, HDPE and others with similar properties.

To the eyes of the consumer, a rigid container is highly appreciated, as it is easy to use, devoice of risks of unexpected and unwanted leakage of product or problems in opening the packaging when in use. In contrary, the use of a rigid container, despite the entails aforementioned advantages, significant manufacturing and transportation costs, in addition to a considerable environmental impact, both in the production phase and in the disposal phase.

Therefore, the idea of manufacturing soft containers for mascara has been considered, which can be lightweight, easy to use and at the same time safe in daily handling.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,898 discloses a container for cosmetics comprising a body apt to house paste cosmetics said bad being sheet-welded on three sides and open on one short side to constitute a rectangular profile structure, with a neck element being inserted on the open side comprising a centrally flanged cylindrical element, with a flange having a substantially elliptical profile, on the internal portion of said cylindrical element being provided a wiper and on the external portion being provided-facing outwards-a thread for engagement with the complementary thread arranged on a closing and grip element arranged at the end of a rod equipped with an applicator at the opposite end of said closing and grip element.

This solution certainly proves to be environmentally sustainable, because it does not necessarily require the presence of a rigid and hardly recyclable structure. However, it shows an important weakness in the fragility of the outer container sheet, unless a particularly resistant material is used, which would reduce its biodegradability. Further, although consideration about precautions were certainly factored in, the user's perception of such a structure is of an easy overflow of paste substance from the tube while finishing makeup, with the resulting inconveniences. This risk, albeit potential, certainly leads to not particularly favouring such a container.

EP 1 411 797 discloses a cosmetic assembly comprising an outer shell and a soft insert provided with means to prevent the internal rotation of the soft insert relative to the outer shell through appropriate measures provided on the neck of the container itself.

The structure thus achieved is constructed so that it is difficult to extract the soft insert once its use is finished, provided that there are elements apt to the measure used to ensure the fixing of the soft insert to the housing neck of the application rod. In other words, the solution described appears an excellent system for producing soft containers for cosmetics to be filled in the most diverse containers, so as to ensure interchangeability for the cosmetic manufacturer, depending on the required packaging.

The solutions described are therefore extremely useful in the production phase, but do not in any way solve the underlying problem, namely to reduce in a certain and lasting way the amount of non-recyclable material, or the high production costs such as glass, while still maintaining a safe, lightweight and functional structure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to obtain a container for cosmetics in paste that can have a reusable rigid structure and a soft container for paste products associated with it that sees the least waste of plastic material and that is substantially environmentally sustainable, because it is readily replaceable, while guaranteeing absolute preservation of the quality of the cosmetic product before its first use.

Said object is obtained by a container for cosmetics generally comprising a vessel and a closing element, characterized in that said vessel has a profile comprising a jacket having the profile comprising a pair of opposite bell profiles, the tails of each bell profile being in contact with the tails of the other bell profile, and the opposite bells of the two bell profiles respectively forming a central reservoir area wherein is housed a flexible cartridge containing the cosmetic material, and two opposite housing and engagement areas for the side walls of said cartridge.

Other preferred features of the invention are highlighted and protected by the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional features and advantages of the invention will anyway become more apparent from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments, provided for illustrative purposes and not limiting, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container for cosmetics according to the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a container for cosmetics according to the invention ready for normal use.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of the container for cosmetics according to the invention ready for normal use.

FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view of the container for cosmetic products according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional front view of the container for cosmetics according to the invention ready for normal use.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a replacement cartridge of the container for cosmetics according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a replacement cartridge of the container for cosmetics according to the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 a container for cosmetics 1 is depicted, generally comprising a vessel and a closing element held in mutual engagement ready for sale.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the aforementioned container for cosmetics comprises an application body 1, a grip element 2 and a rod 3 ending with an applicator 4, a cartridge 5, formed in turn by a flexible body at the top of which is provided a neck 6, and an outer jacket 7 of rigid material.

In particular, the cartridge 5 is composed of a sheet having a substantially rectangular profile folded along the short side and closed by welding on the side walls 8a, 8b and provided with an opening in correspondence with said neck 6.

In engagement with said neck 6 is provided a flanged collar 9, shaped so that the flange separates the engagement portion with said neck 6, comprising a toroidal projection 10, from the insertion and engagement portion of the applicator rod with said grip element 2, comprising a cylindrical hollow body externally provided with a threading 11.

Finally, the outer jacket 7, in two pieces as already highlighted in FIG. 1, has each piece with a profile comprising a parabola. The two bell profiles are therefore opposite, with the relatively gently sloping tails of each bell profile in contact with the tails of the other bell profile, and the opposite bells of the two bell profiles forming a substantially cylindrical central cavity. In this way, there is obtained a reservoir area 12 in the base portion of said outer jacket 7, in which the central portion of the cartridge 5 is housed, and an area for engagement with the side walls 8a, 8b of the cartridge 5 itself. Likewise, within the grip element 2, which forms the upper part of said jacket 7, a cavity 13 with circular profile is obtained.

Preferably, the cartridge 5 is composed of a plurality of sheets of inert, hydrophobic, and non-breathable material, which are stacked and joined, according to production processes widely known in themselves.

From FIG. 3 the particular conformation of the rod 3 can be recognized: it comprises a head 14, at the top of which is provided a flange 15. Internally, the head 14 of the rod is hollow. Along the lateral profile of the flange 15 a continuous cavity 16 is provided.

As well illustrated by FIG. 4, said cavity 13 features a jag 17 running along the entire inner wall, engaging with the cavity 16 of the rod 3. Also recognizable is the engagement and contact area 18 between the two elements constituting the outer jacket 7, in an area of mutual engagement also with the flanged element of the collar 9.

From the exploded view of FIG. 6, the cartridge 5 can be recognized, with the neck 6 provided at the top ready for engagement with the collar 9. From the collar 9 protrudes the rod 3 equipped with the shaped head 14, in which the flange 15 provided with a continuous cavity 16 and a cover cap 19 are recognizable.

FIG. 7 shows the arrangement of the elements inside the refill cartridge when set on the sales counter. In particular, the cap 19 keeps the rod 3 in a fixed and stable position, thanks to the engagement between the threading provided along the inner surface of the cap and the threading 11 of the collar 9. A conical protrusion 20 extends from the centre of the inner surface of the covering element of said cap 19, so as to engage a cavity internally formed in the head 14 of the rod 3 through contact and push force.

Operationally, the structure thus obtained comprises a cartridge body 5 filled with a cosmetic product in paste within which a rod 3 equipped with an applicator is housed, at the head of the rod 3 being arranged a cap which keeps the rod in a fixed and stable position. Such a structure, by itself, has only a storage and transport function, and is not a functioning application body. It is in fact evident that the rod lacks a gripping head. At the same time, it is clear that the cartridge thus obtained is completely sealed against agents deteriorating the properties of the cosmetic paste, and can be transported, marketed and used even months after storage.

At the same time, the jacket 7 is constructed so as to accommodate the cartridge 5 on its inside, providing the main body with a rigid protective structure, the collar 9 having the same profile as the lower body of the jacket, so as to act as a connecting and positioning element of the cartridge itself.

To be operational, lacking a handle on the rod, it is however necessary for the user to unscrew the cap provided on the cartridge, partially extract the rod 3 and insert its head in the capsule 7, exerting slight pressure so that the jag 18 engages detachably with the head of the rod 3.

Once the engagement between the rod 3 and the capsule 7 is created, the user has a conventional applicator, wherein the capsule effectively becomes a conventional handle.

The particular conformation of the capsule 7 not only has an aesthetic value of recognizability but also a non-trivial technical function: the larger touchable surface compared to known technical solutions allows the user to exert less force during the opening and closing operations of the container.

Further, the collar 9 is preferably provided with means for engagement with the engagement surfaces of the jacket 7, that is with the top surface of the container 7. Such engagement means, which can function by interlocking, push force, magnetic attraction, or in any other known and useful manner, are designed to reduce the risk of an inadvertent and unwanted leakage of the entire cartridge 5 instead of just the actual applicator body, during the phases of makeup application and at the same time to ensure the possibility of changing the cartridge, when the cosmetic content inside it is finished.

As it can be understood from the preceding description, in this way it is possible to provide two different products on the market: the complete applicator assembly and the refills comprising the cartridge provided with an air-tight cap and internally equipped with the rod ready for use: in this way the amount of packaging required for every single product is reduced, while still ensuring the quality of the product offered and the safety of makeup operations, without risks of leakage or jams in the opening of the vessel. At the same time, respect for hygiene and quality of the product being applied is maintained, as the applicator brush is automatically replaced after a certain number of uses.

The solution thus obtained proves to be an excellent compromise between environmental sustainability and quality of the marketed product, regardless of the material composing the individual parts, as the number of provided elements is effectively reduced and, over time, at least the outer jacket is retained, in addition to allowing for a reduction of weight and occupied space for the user in case of extended travels or in the case in which the user needs to have different types of cosmetic to adopt (for example different colours or different applicator morphology).

The currently described embodiment aims at having only illustrative purposes: there can be various solutions having the same or equivalent protection, although they may have one or more different morphological characteristics that nonetheless maintain the same inventive concept.

It is therefore understood that the scope of the protection of the present application may be recognized exclusively by the following claims.

Claims

1. A container (1) for cosmetics comprising a vessel and a closing element, wherein said vessel has a profile comprising a jacket (7) having a profile comprising a pair of opposite bell profiles, the tails of each bell profile being in contact with the tails of the other bell profile, and the opposite bells of the two bell profiles respectively forming a central reservoir area wherein a flexible cartridge (5) containing the cosmetic material is accommodated, and two opposite housing and engagement areas for the side walls (8a, 8b) of said cartridge.

2. The container for cosmetics according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge (5) comprises a sheet having a substantially rectangular profile folded along the short side and closed by welding on the side walls (8) and provided with a neck (6), in correspondence with said neck (6) being further provided a flanged collar (9) for separation between a U-shaped toroidal support projection (10) of said cartridge (5) and a threaded area (11) for engagement with said closing element.

3. The container for cosmetics according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge (5) holds on its inside an applicator body comprising a rod (3) which bears the actual applicator at one end (4) and at the other end a hollow head (14) provided at its top with a flange (15), on the lateral surface of said flange (15) being provided a continuous cavity (16).

4. The container for cosmetics according to claim 3, wherein said closing element comprises a capsule having a profile comprising a pair of opposite bell profiles, the tails of each bell profile being in contact with the tails of the other bell profile, and the opposite bells of the two bell profiles being joined on the sides and respectively forming a central rounded profile cavity on the inside and two opposite areas for gripping and handling said applicator body, said rounded profile cavity of said closing element presenting a jag (17) running along the entire inner wall, for engagement with said continuous cavity (16) provided on said head (14) of said rod (3).

5. The container for cosmetics according to claim 3, wherein said closing element comprises a closing cap (19) which keeps said applicator rod in a fixed position.

6. The container according to claim 5, wherein said cap features on the inner wall of its top surface a conical protrusion (20) for engagement with a complementary internal cavity obtained within said head (14) of the applicator.

7. The container for cosmetics according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge (5) comprises a plurality of sheets of inert, hydrophobic, and non-breathable material, which are stacked and joined.