Abstract:
An instrument for dispensing a product used for shaving, typically shaving a face, is disclosed. The product consists of a container body and a container lid. The container body at least partially encloses the shaving product and contains a mechanism to advance the shaving product towards an at least partially opened top of the container body. The container body typically has walls, at least one of which is flat and is adapted to receive a mirror or reflective surface thereon. With a mirror or reflective surface thereon, the shave dispenser may be used in a shower with the mirror on the container body being used as a reflective surface for the user to properly apply the shave product to his face.

Description:
[0001]    This regular patent application claims the benefit of and priority from and incorporates by reference all of the following: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/393,188, filed Oct. 14, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/406,811, filed Oct. 26, 2010; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/413,046, filed Nov. 12, 2010. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Containers containing personal care products for which a mirror is typically used in the application or use of the product. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    People are busier than ever. Multitasking is common. It&#39;s not uncommon (for speed and/or convenience) for a man to combine shaving with bathing in the shower or bath. Whether it&#39;s his face, head or entire body, shaving in the shower saves time, resources (water), and eliminates the need to clean a dirty sink. The same can be said for a teenager wishing to apply a product such as a facial scrub in the shower. 
         [0004]    People who use personal care products (in the bath or shower) sacrifice when the availability of a mirror is limited or restricted. Mirrors are typically made of glass or plastic which, when combined with the slippery environment of a bath or shower, create a potential hazard. Most mirrors are separate, hand-held instruments. Once used, it must be stored in the shower amongst the bottles shampoo, shave cream and soap. 
         [0005]    Applicant provides a novel way to combine the convenience of a mirror and packaging of the personal care product. For example, a container would contain a mirror or reflective film surface on the side of the package. Combining the mirror with the packaging would add convenience and safety to the user&#39;s experience. 
         [0006]    Applicant further provides in a container having a shaving gel or gel-like substance, a novel shape of a dispenser head. Applicant provides a novel container shape for a shaving stick of the pushup type, a novel concave shaped dispensing head. This novel shaped dispensing head for a pushup dispenser provides a more efficient spread and coverage of the shape composition, (gel, gel oil or otherwise), on the user&#39;s skin surface. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, no mirror is used, but the product upper surface, upper lip and/or top is concave. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A shave system comprising a container having a body with an upper lip defining an at least partly open top, a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls, one of which includes a generally flat portion, and a base is provided. The container includes an interior. A lid is provided for removably engaging the container walls so as to removably cover the at least partly open top. A product for application to the face of a user at least partly engages the interior of the body. A product movement means moves the product upward in the body responsive to manual operation. A mirror engages the generally flat portion of one of the front or rear walls of the body of the container. 
         [0009]    The mirror is non-fogging. A label may be dimensioned to removably cover at least part of the mirror. The label is typically a peel off label which will leave no residue on the mirror. 
         [0010]    The product is a solid. The product may also be semi-solid and is sufficiently viscous so as not to flow through the cover openings except through manual operation of the product movement means. The product may have a concave upper surface. The upper lip may include concave walls. The top may include a concave cover having a multiplicity of openings therein. The product movement means may be a push plate or a base plate, a threaded rod, and a knob. 
         [0011]    A member is adapted to releasably engage the body or the lid to a vertical wall, which member is a suction cup. A razor is provided, further including means to releasably engage a razor. The means to releasably engage the razor is, in one embodiment, an elastic band. The means to releasably engage the razor may be a hinged loop. The side walls may be concave and the body may be comprised of plastic or silicon. 
         [0012]    A novel peel-off label has a reflective surface on the underside thereof. The peel-off label typically has indicia, trademarks written or other information on an outer face, visible from a product to which it is attached. The underside of the label typically includes an adhesive to releasably and removably attach it to a face of a mirror or reflective surface. The reflective surface is fixedly attached to a container. 
         [0013]    In a preferred embodiment, the removable label and the reflective surface have similar length and width dimensions, such that the removable label portion substantially covers the reflective layer, which is itself attached to the surface of the container. 
         [0014]    In an alternate preferred embodiment, at least part of the reflective surface underlying the label may be visible to the consumer. 
     
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are front perspective and rear elevational views of Applicant&#39;s device. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are top and bottom elevational views of Applicant&#39;s device. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  are all side elevational views of three embodiments of Applicant&#39;s device. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are bottom elevational views of embodiments in  FIGS. 6 and 7  of Applicant&#39;s device set forth herein. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 10 ,  11 , and  12  are rear, side, and front elevational views, respectively, of a “toggle” body embodiment of Applicant&#39;s device designed to releasably couple with a disposable razor or other shaving device, without the disposable razor coupled therewith. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 13 ,  14 , and  15  are rear, side, and front elevational views with the disposable razor incorporated therewith. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 16 ,  17 , and  18  are a squeezable to be embodiment of Applicant&#39;s device, including means for coupling a disposable razor therewith and rear, side, and front elevational views. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 19 ,  20 , and  21  are the views of  FIGS. 16 ,  17 , and  18  above, with a razor engaged therewith. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 , and  25 A are views of further novel embodiments of Applicant&#39;s various devices disclosed herein. More specifically, these figures illustrate, among other things, a novel concave contoured dispenser top or head, as best seen in  FIGS. 22 and 23 . They also illustrate a “flip-out” razor holder. 
           [0024]      FIGS. 26 and 27  illustrate front and rear perspective views of an embodiment of Applicant&#39;s device, including two variations of a razor holder, as well as a suction cup to retain the dispenser to a vertical support surface. 
           [0025]      FIG. 28  illustrates a contoured dispenser cover top apart from the rest of the container in perspective view. 
           [0026]      FIG. 28A  illustraes a bottom perspective view of a push plate for moving product upward in the container body. 
           [0027]      FIGS. 29 ,  30 , and  31  are front, side elevational and bottom views of an embodiment with the razor engaged therewith. 
           [0028]      FIGS. 32 and 33  are front elevational and side cross-sections showing a product movement means. 
           [0029]      FIG. 34  illustrates use of an embodiment of Applicant&#39;s device as engaging a vertical side wall of a shower stall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               10  Container 
               12  Container lid 
               14  Container front label 
               14   a  Container front wall 
               15  Container body 
               16  Container bottom 
               17  Container side wall 
               18  Product push plate or twist knob or other product movement means 
               19  Container side wall 
               20  Container back label 
               20   a  Container back wall 
               21  Product 
               21   a  Upper surface 
               22  Mirror or reflective material, non-fogging surface 
               23  Upper lip of body 
               24  Convex protruding surface 
               26  Concave indent surface 
               27  Push plate 
               28  Flat surface 
               29  Twist knob/rod/plate 
               30  Indents 
               32  Molded groove 
               34  Cutaway section 
               36  Disposable razor 
               37  Contoured dispenser cover top 
               38  Holes or perforations 
               39  Shaver holder 
               40  Finger indent 
               41  Hole for shaver 
               42  Shaver 
               47  Product push plate 
               48  Elastic band 
               50  Hinged foldout loop mechanism 
               52  Suction cup 
           
         
       
     
         [0064]      FIGS. 1-9  illustrate embodiments for Applicant&#39;s novel container  10 , which embodiments include a removable top  12  and container bottom  16 . The cross sectional shape of a container body  15  is made of substantially round, oval, or flat surfaces or combinations thereof ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  8  and  9 ), but typically at least one wall has a generally flat portion adapted to receive a mirror  22  or similar reflective sheet. 
         [0065]    Applicant&#39;s system includes a container  10 , which container may have a container front wall  14   a , a container back wall  20   a , and container side walls  17  and  19 . The container front wall, rear wall, and two side walls in cross-section in one embodiment are generally rectangular. Container  10  may include a container bottom  16  for engaging body  15 . Container bottom  16  may be configured to receive product movement means  18 , which may be a product push plate  47  (see  FIG. 28A ) or a twist knob/rod/plate combination  29  (see  FIGS. 32 and 33 ). 
         [0066]    A product  21  is provided for at least partially engaging the interior of body  15  and the product movement means  18  provides upward movement in response to manual operation of the product movement means. 
         [0067]    Container body  15  contains an at least partially open top for product  21  to emerge therefrom. Top may be completely open for receiving the product therethrough as seen in  FIG. 1 , or may include a contoured dispenser cover top  37  as seen in  FIGS. 22 and 28  (concave contoured dispenser cover top) or  FIG. 25  (convex contoured dispenser cover top). When contoured dispenser cover top  37  is used, the top is at least partly open and the product provided within the body is usually sufficiently viscous or thick that it can be pushed through the holes or perforations  38  by manual operation of the product movement means  18 , yet will not, on its own, flow out from holes or perforations  38 . In other words, product  21  is not a hard solid or a flowable liquid, but is a semi-solid that, under the impetus of manually operated product movement means  18 , will squeeze out holes  38  for application to the face of the user. For example, a gel or a paste may be used, which gel or paste will comprise product that sufficiently lubricates the skin for shaving purposes. Indeed, product  21  as solid (usually in open top container) or semi-solid shave cream (usually used in partially open top) has properties that provide sufficient lubrication for shaving, as in shaving with a straight razor  36 . Products may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,950,094 and 5,174,992, which patents are incorporated herein by reference. Any suitable product may be used. 
         [0068]    A container lid  12  has walls configured to removably engage an upper portion of container body  15 , so as to removably cover the at least partially open top. 
         [0069]    Applicant&#39;s novel container typically has a front label  14 , and a rear label  20 . The rear label typically may be placed over the mirror or reflective material  22  in a temporary fashion (to display ingredients, for example, then peeled off by the user to expose the mirror  22  or reflective material. 
         [0070]    Front or back (rear) walls are typically flat, but may include a concave  26  or convex  24  walls and either protrude  24  ( FIG. 7 ) from the container or be indented  26  ( FIG. 6 ) into the container to engage. Mirror or reflective material  22  is attached to the container on these flat surfaces or may be attached as in  FIG. 5  with a water resistant adhesive or other suitable means. The mirror may be non-fogging. 
         [0071]    As seen in  FIGS. 10-21  (container is a squeezable “tottle”), mirror  22  may be removable (using a non-permanent pliable or releasable adhesive) and using indents  30  to pry off. Mirror  22  may be attached with adhesive or snapped on with buttons molded into the plastic container  10 . Container  10  may also contain a molded groove  32  or cutaway section  34  or other suitable walls configured to removably hold a disposable razor  36  or other shaving instrument. Container body  15  in  FIGS. 10-15  is generally oval and may be squeezable to squeeze a flowable product out of an open top. Mirror  22  may be a solid, for example, acrylic member with a reflecting surface or a flexible reflective film, like Mylar, which will flex when squeezed, but reform to the flat wall surface when released. Likewise, as seen in  FIGS. 16-21 , mirror  22  may engage a flat front wall  14   a  of a body  15  comprising a squeezable tube containing a flowable product  21 . Disposable or other razor  36  may also engage the body. 
         [0072]    As seen in  FIGS. 22 ,  23 ,  24 , and  25 , contoured dispenser top  37  is attached to the body of the container, or is molded as a part of the container so as to be one part. This top is to be in contact with the skin and is meant to help spread the product, which may be a shave cream, gel or oil. It may be hard or firm plastic or a soft, silicone, rubber-like or other suitable material. It may include a textured pattern to assist the spreading of the product. This contour is concave so as to remain in contact with the user&#39;s face, head, leg, etc. The material may be clear, patterned or solid colored. 
         [0073]    Holes or perforations  38  are situated in a manner to assist the flow and spread of the product. They would also protect the product from the water in a shower or bath environment. 
         [0074]    Shaver holder  39 , a pull down/snap closed, hinged-type loop assembly is built into the top of the container  12 . This may be molded into and as part of the top or may be molded separately and attached via a hinge built into the top  12 . 
         [0075]    A small indent, finger indent  40 , may be molded into the top  12  so the user could use their fingernail to open the otherwise flush shaver holder  39 . 
         [0076]    Hole  41  for razor  36  may be round, square or other suitable shape. This is to place the shaver, so the shaver is held in proximity to the container and is kept out of the water, which may be left pooled in the shower or bath. 
         [0077]      FIGS. 26 and 27  illustrate another preferred alternate embodiment of Applicant&#39;s device, here, having concave side walls  17 / 19  and the container back wall having mirror  22  with container back label  20  peelingly affixed thereto. Further, razor retainer means, here, an elastic band is engaged to wrap around the container and hold a razor  36  against the container. Elastic band  48  is typically wide, for example, maybe ¼ inch to 1 inch in width. Moreover, a groove may be provided in one or more walls of body  15  for seating of the elastic band therein. For example, it is seen in  FIG. 26  that a groove is provided to allow the band to be seated beneath mirror  22 , which is flush against exposed surface of container back wall  20   a  as the mirror is indented therein and the indented channel carrying the elastic band is indented below the rear surface of the mirror. Product  21  is seen to have an upper surface  21   a  that is concave and is solid, but will lubricate the surface of the face when applied thereto. Upper lip  23  of body  15  is also seen to define a concave shape, at least in front and rear elevational views.  FIGS. 26 and 28  also illustrate use of a hinged loop mechanism  50  for folding from the non-use position, as seen in  FIGS. 26 and 27 , to a use position where the element is hinged outward and capable of receiving the handle of a razor in the loop thereof. 
         [0078]      FIGS. 29 ,  30 , and  31  illustrate further the views of an embodiment having curved side walls and an elastic band  48  for retainment of razor  36  or other shaving instrument thereto. A suction cup  52  is provided, here, illustrated to be part of lid  12 , but in other embodiments may be on the front or rear wall, usually whichever of the two walls does not have the mirror. In  FIG. 34 , it may be seen that the suction cup  52  may hold container  10  to a vertical support surface, such as a shower stall. In  FIG. 34 , the lid is right side up and the base is below it. However, in an alternate preferred embodiment, the body could be reversed 180° so gravity would tend to hold body  15  in lid  12 . That is to say, the container would be mounted upside down against a vertical support surface. 
         [0079]    Typically, elements  48 / 52 , which comprise means for retaining a razor to the container, are used in the alternative. It may be seen with reference to  FIGS. 22 and 23  that shaver holder  39 , elastic band  48 , and hinged foldout loop element  50  are structurally different, but are designed to achieve the same function, retaining razor  36  adjacent container  10 . 
         [0080]      FIG. 28A  illustrates the use of push plate  27  as known in the art of deodorant sticks, for example, but for use with Applicant&#39;s shave stick and product  21 . 
         [0081]    Although the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention&#39;s particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alterations, modifications, and equivalences that may be included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.