BAG FOR CONTAINING BEAUTY AIDS
The invention relates to a bag for storing and using beauty aids for an individual on the go. The invention is further related to a method of accomplishing the same.
This is a continuation-in-part application that claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/422,841, “Bag for Containing Beauty Aids,” which was filed on Jan. 25, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present patent application concerns bags for storing and application of beauty aids.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe makeup industry and in fact the entire industry for manufacture and selling of beauty aids is a growing area, particularly in the U.S. As the industry grows, the need for travel cases and makeup bags has grown as well.
In one aspect, the need for protective cases and bags has grown as the beauty aid industry has grown. In another aspect, the beauty aid industry has grown at the same time as the need for a storage device that can contain such beauty aids in a manner that allows easy and quick access by the user of such items. There is an increased need to provide a storage device that reduces the risk of damage to beauty aids that are being carried by the user from place to place. There is also an increased need to provide a storage device that can store a multitude of beauty aids in a manner which makes them easily accessible to the user who is “on the go” and so is convenient for travel or day-to-day movement with the user such that the user can carry all of their necessary beauty aids in a convenient manner that allows them to be accessible and usable in a wide variety of settings beyond the user's vanity at home.
Evolving airport and other transportation center's security procedures have led many travelers to store beauty aids, toiletries, and other containers of liquids in plain sealable bags, such as for example, zip lock bags or similar bags. Users of such bags typically fill the bags to the extent it becomes difficult to find items the user later attempts to access. If the item the user is attempting to access is at the bottom of the bag, the user often ends up emptying the bag to access that one item.
Conventional cosmetic bags require users to either remove items individually and place them directly onto external surfaces, or invert or dump the contents onto potentially contaminated areas. Additionally, conventional cosmetic bags require digging, manual displacement of contents, or complete emptying to access items positioned at the bottom of the compartment. These limitations create inconvenience for users and potential exposure to unsanitary surfaces.
SUMMARYAccording to an aspect of the invention, a method is provided of storing beauty aids in a substantially rectangular bag having a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of sliders configured to open and close a resealable closure having sections corresponding to each of the three sides of the bag where each of the pair of sliders are configured to close the rectangular bag when moved toward the other of the pair of sliders, where the bag is made of a flexible, stretchable material configured to tightly enclose the beauty aids as the bag becomes full, where a bottom side of the bag is a closed side without a portion of the resealable closure, a top side is the side opposite the bottom side, and a first lateral side and a second lateral side disposed between the top side and the bottom side, the method comprising moving one or both of the pair of sliders apart to open the top side of the bag to allow the user to search for a beauty aid in the bag, moving the pair of sliders toward each other to close the bag, moving the pair of sliders to one of the lateral sides of the rectangular bag while maintaining the bag substantially closed by keeping the pair of sliders in close proximity to one another, re-orienting the bag by rotating the bag about 90 degrees such that the pair of sliders are facing upwards, and separating the pair of sliders to open the bag to search for a beauty aid that had been placed in the bag. This method provides controlled access to different internal regions of the enclosure solely by rotating the enclosure laterally while the contents remain substantially undisturbed, eliminating the need for digging, manual displacement of contents, or complete emptying to access items positioned at the bottom of the compartment.
According to an embodiment, a method is provided of converting an enclosure from a closed storage configuration into a substantially planar protective surface while maintaining containment of beauty aids within a defined perimeter boundary of the enclosure, the method comprising positioning the enclosure on a support surface while a zipper assembly is in a closed configuration such that the enclosure defines a volumetric storage compartment, actuating the zipper assembly to an open position thereby separating opposing perimeter edges of the enclosure, allowing the enclosure body to expand and unfold outwardly into a substantially planar configuration, and maintaining the perimeter boundary defined by the enclosure such that beauty aids remain supported exclusively on an interior surface of the enclosure and are prevented from contacting the underlying external support surface. This method creates an intermediate protective barrier between the beauty aids and the external environment, providing reduced exposure to contaminated or unsanitary surfaces and immediate visual access to substantially all items simultaneously while preserving containment within the perimeter boundary of the enclosure.
According to an embodiment, a method is provided of accessing items contained within a soft-sided enclosure without removing the items from the enclosure and without substantially disturbing the relative positioning of the items therein, the method comprising fully closing a zipper assembly such that the enclosure forms a substantially sealed and tensioned compartment around contained beauty aids, laterally reorienting the enclosure by rotating the enclosure approximately 90 degrees onto either a left side or a right side axis, and opening the zipper assembly from the reoriented position thereby exposing a different lateral side of an internal compartment. This lateral reorientation method allows selective access to different internal regions without requiring removal of other contents, inversion of the enclosure, or dumping of contents onto an external surface.
As used herein, each of the following terms has the meaning associated with it in this section.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein generally have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Generally, the nomenclature used herein and the laboratory procedures in biochemistry, analytical chemistry and organic chemistry are those well-known and commonly employed in the art. Standard techniques or modifications thereof are used for chemical syntheses and chemical analyses.
The articles “a” and “an” are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e. to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” means one element or more than one element.
The term “about” will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art and will vary to some extent on the context in which it is used.
An “individual” or “subject”, as that term is used herein, includes a member of any animal species including, but are not limited to, birds, humans and other primates, and other mammals including commercially relevant mammals such as cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, cats, and dogs. Preferably, the subject is a human.
Reference to “a device” or “a material” is a reference to one or more elements or materials and includes equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a reference to “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or means and may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions used are to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, the word “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical “or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the context clearly necessitates otherwise.
For purposes of the present application, singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, where appropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive.
It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturing techniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The bagmat as described herein is to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. Language that may be construed to express approximation should be so understood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
“Beauty aids” as used herein refers to toiletries, beauty products, containers of lotions, ointments, pastes, creams or other liquids, and includes but is not limited to makeup, cosmetics, perfumes, skincare products, hair care products, and related application tools and accessories.
Example implementations of a bag capable of storing beauty aids in a substantially sealed and tensioned compartment around the contained beauty aids. It is designed with a roomy compartment for holding all toiletries, cosmetics (e.g., colored shadow and/or tint materials such as eye shadow, blush, powders), perfume, creams, lotions, gels, makeup brushes, palettes, etc. in a manner which allows the aperture to be opened or the bag to be opened all the way down to the bottom and thereby allows for easy access to all of these items and anything else that might be carried in such a bag. In this manner, the bag protects eye-shadows, blush, powders and perfume bottles from cracking and breaking. In certain preferred embodiments, the bag is therefore comprised of a shock absorbing protective layer. In certain embodiments, the bag is spill resistant and/or water resistant. The bag is alternatively referred to as “a bagmat” which reflects its functionality as both a storage device and a makeup application device.
These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings.
The bagmat can be made available in multiple sizes to meet the diverse needs. In certain embodiments, the bag may be in any size suitable for the individual's needs, e.g., from a relatively small bag (for example, 5 cm wide by 5 cm tall) to the size of a garment bag. The bagmat may be provided in any desirable design and color. In certain preferred embodiments, the exterior and even the interior of the bag is made up of multiple designs, prints and colors.
Printing ink may be applied to the exterior and/or interior of the bagmat and provide a design or a logo as desired. Preferably, the printing ink can be an ink that will not be removed by machine washing. The bag is constructed from materials specifically selected to provide durability, flexibility, and protection for beauty aids during storage and transport. The bag may be made at least in part of a multiplicity of suitable materials, such as, but not limited to, natural and synthetic rubbers, neoprene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene propylene diene (EPDM), durable plastics such as but not limited to polypropylene (PP) and lightweight metals such as but not limited to aluminum alloy. In certain preferred embodiments, the bag is comprised of Neoprene (also polychloroprene or pc-rubber), which is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene. Neoprene exhibits good chemical stability and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range. Neoprene and EDPM are closed cell foams that are soft, flexible and durable form-fitting sponge rubber that provides good thermal and moisture insulation. Neoprene and EDPM are resistant to the ozone, sunlight, oxidation, many chemicals and petroleum derivatives Neoprene and EDPM can resist breakdown by water and air and is able to be isolated by virtue of its unique molecular structure.
EPDM rubber (or ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) is a type of synthetic elastomer rubber that is a high-density rubber that is very durable and water resistant. EPDM rubber has excellent resistance to atmospheric aging which makes it heat, ozone and weather resistant. EPDM rubber has a good resistance to most water-based chemicals. EPDM rubber also has a great resistance to abrasives and tearing. EPDM rubber has stable, saturated polymer backbone structure which makes it a good shock absorbing material. Owing to these qualities, use of EDPM and neoprene makes the bag of the present invention shock proof. According to an embodiment herein, the outer lining of the bag is made up of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyester fabric, an oxford nylon fabric, a nylon fabric, EPDM, neoprene, or mixtures of any of the foregoing. In certain preferred embodiments, at least part (and in certain embodiments preferably all) of the bagmat material is a stretchy durable fabric like neoprene and the fabric is preferably antibacterial.
The bag may be used to perform a method for accessing items contained within the soft-sided enclosure without removing the items from the enclosure and without substantially disturbing the relative positioning of the items therein.
The method comprises the steps of:
-
- 1. Fully closing the zipper assembly such that the enclosure forms a substantially sealed and tensioned
- compartment around the contained beauty aids.
- 2. Laterally reorienting the enclosure by rotating the enclosure approximately 90 degrees onto either a
- left side or a right side axis, as discussed below with reference to
FIGS. 7 and 8 . - 3. Opening the zipper assembly from the reoriented position, thereby exposing a different lateral side
- of the internal compartment.
The bag preferably tightly encloses the beauty aids within the flexible but structured body of the enclosure such that the contents remain substantially fixed in position relative to one another during lateral reorientation of the enclosure.
Using example implementations of the bag allows users to find specific items that might be at the bottom of the bag without digging, manual displacement of the contents, or complete emptying of the bag.
The configuration shown in
The closed configuration illustrated in
The opened configuration illustrated in
The opened interior configuration shown in
The side elevational view in
The configuration shown in
The left side elevational view in
The lateral access configuration shown in
The configuration shown in
The top-opening configuration illustrated in
The lateral access configuration demonstrated in
The counter-clockwise rotational access method shown in
The clockwise lateral access configuration demonstrated in
The clockwise rotational access method shown in
It is noted that the aperture closure mechanism described in the above examples refer to “zippers” and “zipper teeth.” Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that other enclosure mechanisms may be used that use “sliders” to seal a resealable closure. For example, a slider may run along a pressed fit seal to lock and unlock the seal similar to how a zipper locks and unlocks the teeth.
While the invention has been disclosed with reference to specific embodiments, it is apparent that other embodiments and variations of this invention may be devised by others skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It should be appreciated that those skilled in the art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention, recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, depending upon the needs of the particular application, to implement the functionality of any given detail described herein, beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown. That is, there are modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention. All patents and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. The appended claims are intended to be construed to include all such embodiments and equivalent variations.
Claims
1. A method of storing beauty aids in a substantially rectangular bag having a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of sliders configured to open and close a resealable closure having sections corresponding to each of the three sides of the bag where each of the pair of sliders are configured to close the rectangular bag when moved toward the other of the pair of sliders, where the bag is made of a flexible, stretchable material configured to tightly enclose the beauty aids as the bag becomes full, where a bottom side of the bag is a closed side without a portion of the resealable closure, a top side is the side opposite the bottom side, and a first lateral side and a second lateral side disposed between the top side and the bottom side, the method comprising:
- moving one or both of the pair of sliders apart to open the top side of the bag to allow the user to search for a beauty aid in the bag;
- moving the pair of sliders toward each other to close the bag;
- moving the pair of sliders to one of the lateral sides of the rectangular bag while maintaining the bag substantially closed by keeping the pair of sliders in close proximity to one another;
- re-orienting the bag by rotating the bag about 90 degrees such that the pair of sliders are facing upwards; and
- separating the pair of sliders to open the bag to search for a beauty aid that had been placed in the bag.
2. The method of claim 1 comprising:
- closing the bag by moving the pair of sliders towards one another if the beauty aid was not found; and
- repeating the steps of re-orienting the bag and separating the bag to permit the user to search for the beauty aid through the other lateral side.
3. A method of converting an enclosure from a closed storage configuration into a substantially planar protective surface while maintaining containment of beauty aids within a defined perimeter boundary of the enclosure, the method comprising:
- positioning the enclosure on a support surface while a zipper assembly is in a closed configuration, such that the enclosure defines a volumetric storage compartment;
- actuating the zipper assembly to an open position, thereby separating opposing perimeter edges of the enclosure;
- allowing the enclosure body to expand and unfold outwardly into a substantially planar configuration; and
- maintaining the perimeter boundary defined by the enclosure such that beauty aids remain supported exclusively on an interior surface of the enclosure and are prevented from contacting the underlying external support surface.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein upon opening, the enclosure transitions from a three-dimensional storage structure into a generally planar mat configuration without requiring removal of contents from the enclosure.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the interior surface becomes an operative support surface for the beauty aids, and the underlying external surface is not contacted by the beauty aids.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the perimeter edge of the enclosure forms a containment boundary that resists outward rolling, sliding, or displacement of items.
7. A method of accessing items contained within a soft-sided enclosure without removing the items from the enclosure and without substantially disturbing the relative positioning of the items therein, the method comprising:
- fully closing a zipper assembly such that the enclosure forms a substantially sealed and tensioned compartment around contained beauty aids;
- laterally reorienting the enclosure by rotating the enclosure approximately 90 degrees onto either a left side or a right side axis; and
- opening the zipper assembly from the reoriented position, thereby exposing a different lateral side of an internal compartment.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the beauty aids are tightly enclosed within a flexible but structured body of the enclosure such that the contents remain substantially fixed in position relative to one another during the lateral reorientation of the enclosure.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the contents do not freely tumble or redistribute due to gravity during reorientation.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein items that were previously positioned along a bottom surface of the enclosure are repositioned to a lateral access side upon rotation, thereby making previously obscured items directly accessible without requiring removal of other contents, inversion of the enclosure, or dumping of contents onto an external surface.
11. A method of using a bag for containing beauty aids, the method comprising:
- providing a bag having a front wall, a rear wall, a bottom attached to the front wall and rear wall to create a sealed bottom of the bag, an aperture extending across a top of the bag and along lateral sides of the front and rear walls between the top and bottom, and a closure system for forming a tight seal;
- storing beauty aids within an interior of the bag;
- opening the closure system such that the interior of the bag is flattened and beauty aids are accessible without spilling out of a perimeter of the bag; and
- resealing the aperture to store the beauty aids inside the bag.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bag is made of a flexible, stretchable material configured to tightly enclose the beauty aids.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the closure system comprises a zipper assembly.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the bag is made at least in part of neoprene.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising removably securing beauty aids to an interior wall of the bag using straps attached to the interior wall.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 4, 2026
Publication Date: Jul 9, 2026
Inventor: Lu Camarena Meshulam (Miami Shores, FL)
Application Number: 19/556,704