Stackable Compact Storage Containers

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of compact containers for storing cosmetic or personal care products or other items.

BACKGROUND

A cosmetic compact is a portable storage container for color makeup products, personal care products, and/or other articles such as implements for applying product. Typical products may be solid or semi-solid, such as pressed or cast powders, pastes, creams or products of a cake-like consistency. Cosmetic products that may be offered in compact cases include blush, eyeshadow, foundation, lip products, and others.

Compacts are versatile in that they are convenient and functional, while also being visually appealing. The latter is an important feature in a retail environment. Some common features of a cosmetic compact include a base, and a cover that closes the base to protect the contents of the base. Within the base are one or more compartments for holding one or more cosmetic products or related articles. The cover may alternately assume opened and closed positions with respect to the base. The cooperation of the cover and base may include an airtight seal between the two, and a fastening mechanism that prevents accidental opening of the compact. The base and cover are generally the same overall shape; round, oval and rectangular being very common. Cosmetic compacts are usually sized to fit conveniently into a handbag, and held in the hand when in use. Also, it is quite common for the innerside of the cover to comprise a mirror that may be used when the compact is in an opened position. When there is a need to carry more than one compact (for holiday travel, for example) it would be convenient to keep all makeup compacts together.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

A main object of the invention is to provide a set of two or more compact storage containers that are stackable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a set of stackable cosmetic compacts.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to stackable compact storage containers for storing and transporting cosmetic or personal care products or other items. Each compact comprises a container for holding one or more cosmetic or personal care products or other items, and a cover for sealing the container. Preferably, each compact in a stack holds a different cosmetic or personal care item. Two or more compacts may be stacked by securing the cover of one compact to the container of another compact. Two compacts are stacked or separated by sliding the two compacts in opposite directions, relative to each other.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a stack of cosmetic compacts according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a cover for a cosmetic compact according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a cover for a cosmetic compact according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a container for a cosmetic compact according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a container for a cosmetic compact according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of a container for a cosmetic compact according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of a stack of cosmetic compacts according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, stackable compact storage containers are depicted as having a generally circular cross section, but compacts according to the present invention are not so limited. The novel features of the present invention may be applied to compacts of non-circular cross section, such as square or rectangular. All of the compacts in a stack may be identical as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. Alternatively, some or all of the compacts in a stack may be differently shaped. Each stackable compact according to the present invention comprises a container (12) for holding one or more (hereinafter, referred to as “products”) or personal care products or other items, and a cover (11) for sealing the container. Two compacts are stacked by sliding a portion of the cover of a first compact into a portion of the container of a second compact.

The Cover

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, one embodiment for a cover for a cosmetic compact according to the present invention comprises a base plate (11a), a connecting plate (11b), a hinge element (11c), and a handle (11d). The connecting plate rises from the top surface (11e) of the base plate, and is formed with an undercut (11g, best seen in FIG. 7). Located in the undercut are one or more interference bumps (11h). The undercut and interference bumps facilitate the stacking of multiple cosmetic compacts, as described below. The hinge element (11c) depends from the bottom surface (11f) of the base plate (11a), and comprises a channel (11i) that is designed to receive a hinge pin (9). The handle (11d) depends from the base plate (11a), positioned opposite to the hinge element (11c). In the figures, the handle (11d) is fashioned as a spherical knob, but other shapes are permitted. It is preferable that the handle is sufficiently large to be easily grasped by a user. As best seen in FIG. 2, the handle (11d) extends below the base plate (11a) of the cover (11) so that the handle may also serve as a fastener to lock the cover in the closed position when not in use. For example, a latch (11j) may be located in the portion of the handle that extends below the base plate (11a). The latch is deigned to cooperate with a catch (12j) of the container (12), as described below. Optionally, a top portion of the handle may extend above the base plate (11a) of the cover (11).

The Container

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, one embodiment of the container (12) comprises a top surface (12a), a bottom surface (12b), and a sidewall (12c) that extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the container. A depression in the top surface defines an interior space (12d) that is able to receive one or more products, such as a makeup, skin care agent or applicator.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover (11) is hingedly attached to the container (12), so that the cover may rotate between the closed position and the opened position. For example, a notch (12e), located in the sidewall (12c) of the container, is sized to receive the hinge element (11c) of the cover (11). First and second passageways (12f, 12f′) are located on either side of the notch, such that a cylindrical pin (9) may pass through the sidewall (12c) of the container (12), and through the channel (11i) of the cover (11). In this arrangement, the cover (11) is moveable in relation to the container (12), between a closed position and an opened position. When the cover is in the closed position the contents of the interior space (12d) are not accessible, and a seal is formed by contact between the bottom surface (11f) of the base plate (11a), and the top surface (12a) of the container (12). When the cover is in the opened position, the contents of the interior space are accessible. A catch (12j) is located on the sidewall (12c) of the container (12), opposite to the notch (12e). The catch is positioned to cooperate in a snap-fit or interference manner with the latch (11j) of the cover (11), to maintain the cover in the closed position when not in use. Optionally, below the catch (12j), a lower portion of the sidewall (12c) may be formed with an indentation (12k). Also, a lower portion of the sidewall (12c) is formed with gap (12g). Preferably, the gap is centered on the notch (12e), as shown (see FIGS. 5, 6). One or more flanges (12h, 12h′) are connected to the lower portion of the sidewall (12c), and extend inwardly to form one or more tracks (12i, 12i′). The one or more tracks (12i, 12i′) facilitate the stacking of one or more compacts, which is now described.

A Stack of Compacts

FIG. 7 depicts four stackable compact storage containers according to the present invention, in a stacked configuration. A stack is formed when the connecting plate of a first compact is inserted through the gap and into the one or more tracks of a second compact. As that happens, the one or more flanges of the second compact pass over the interference bumps of the first compact, and come to rest in the undercut of the first compact. For example, FIG. 7 shows connecting plate (21b) of compact (20) inserted through the gap (12g) of compact (10). To allow the connecting plate to fit into the gap and be supported in the one or more tracks (12i, 12i″), the width of the gap (12g) is just slightly larger than the diameter of the connecting plate (11b). Also, the diameter of the undercut (11g) of the cover (11) is just slightly less than the distance between the ends of the one or more flanges (12h, 12h′) of the container (12), except for the interference bumps (11h). Similarly, compact (30) is inserted into the bottom of compact (20), and compact (40) is inserted into the bottom of compact (30) to form the stack of four compacts. Any number of compacts, however, may be stacked in this manner. Adjacent compacts may be separated by sliding the adjacent compacts in opposite directions, relative to each other.

As noted above, a top portion of the handle may extend above the base plate (11a) of the cover (11), and a lower portion of the sidewall (12c) may be formed with an indentation (12k). In the stacked configuration, the top portion of the handle of a lower compact is received into the indentation of an upper compact. For example, in FIG. 1, the top portion of the handle (41d) of compact (40) is received into the indentation (32h) of compact (30) that sits on top of it.

Preferably, each compact in a stack holds a different cosmetic or personal care product that is suitable for use on human skin or hair. For example, in a stack of several compacts according to the invention, two or more of the compacts may hold a makeup product wherein the product in each compact is different from the others, such as different shades of the same type of product, or different types of products. Optionally, two or more compacts may hold skin care products, such as a sunscreen product or a moisturizer. Optionally, one or more compacts may hold product applicators, such as a brush or sponge. Optionally, one or more compacts may hold cleaning products, such as dry or wet wipes that are suitable for removal of cosmetic products from the skin.