Lipstick and container system

A new lipstick case for containing a plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and protect the lipstick while being carried in a handbag or the like is disclosed. The lipstick case comprises a holder formed of resilient transparent plastic (either hard or soft plastic) having a plurality of vertically aligned open-top elongated chambers therein. The chambers each have dimensions to snugly receive an outer protective tube of a conventional cosmetic lipstick. The lipstick is inverted within the chamber such that the base of the lipstick may be readily viewed and easily grasped by a user to withdraw the coloring medium from the protective outer tube while retaining the tube within the chamber. A top closure flap is integrally transversely formed on the holder whereby lipstick tubes contained therein are prevented from inadvertently falling out of the chambers. A fastener for holding the top closure flap closed is also included. In an alternate embodiment, the lipstick case additionally includes a rectangular mirror mounted lengthwise on an inside surface of the top closure flap whereby application of the lipstick on the lips of the user is facilitated by the image reflected thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to cosmetic cases and more particularly 
pertains to lipstick cases which may be adapted for containing a plurality 
of tubes of lipstick to organize and protect the lipstick while being 
carried in a handbag or the like. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of cosmetic cases is known in the prior art. More specifically, 
cosmetic cases heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of holding 
cosmetics are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious 
structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs 
encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the 
fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
The present invention is directed to improving devices for containing a 
plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and protect the lipstick while 
being carried in a handbag or the like in a manner which is safe, secure, 
economical and aesthetically pleasing. 
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,546 to Acker discloses a combination 
lipstick display and storage container for a lipstick tube in which the 
lipstick is mounted in front of a mirror of a appropriate rectangular 
shape such that the mirror reflects the image of the lipstick to a 
potential customer and thus enhances the point-of-sale presentation 
thereof, and after purchase the mirror can be held in a generally 
horizontal orientation and has adequate length for the user to see enough 
of a reflected image of her lips to assist in the application of the 
lipstick mass. 
The prior art also includes the following patents of interest: U.S. Pat. 
No. Des. 247,123 to Benes which discloses a lipstick tube holder, U.S. 
Pat. No. Des. 288,012 to Sussman showing an organizer for lipsticks and 
similar articles, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 301,771 to Bakie which describes a 
cosmetic case, and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 306,220 to Wang showing a lipstick 
container. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a lipstick case 
for containing a plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and protect 
the lipstick while being carried in a handbag or the like. 
In this respect, the lipstick case according to the present invention 
substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the 
prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for 
the purpose of containing a plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and 
protect the lipstick while being carried in a handbag or the like. 
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for 
new lipstick cases which can be used for containing a plurality of tubes 
of lipstick to organize and protect the lipstick while being carried in a 
handbag or the like. In this regard, the present invention substantially 
fulfills this need. 
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made 
in an attempt to develop devices for holding cosmetics. No prior effort, 
however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. 
Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest 
the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and 
configured as disclosed and claimed herein. 
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and 
advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps 
and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning 
parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily 
available materials. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
cosmetic cases now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a new cosmetic cases construction wherein the same can be 
utilized for containing a plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and 
protect the lipstick while being carried in a handbag or the like. As 
such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be 
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new lipstick 
case apparatus and method which has all the advantages of the prior art 
cosmetic cases and none of the disadvantages. 
The invention is defined by the appended claims with the specific 
embodiment shown in the attached drawings. For the purpose of summarizing 
the invention, the invention may be incorporated into a new lipstick case 
for containing a plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and protect 
the lipstick while being carried in a handbag or the like. The lipstick 
case comprises a holder formed of resilient transparent plastic having 
sides and a bottom. The holder also has a plurality of divider panels 
integrally formed therein cooperatively with the sides and bottom whereby 
a plurality of identical vertically aligned open-top elongated chambers is 
defined. The chambers each have dimensions to snugly receive an outer 
protective tube of a conventional cosmetic lipstick. The lipstick is 
inverted within the chamber such that the base of the lipstick may be 
readily viewed and easily grasped by a user to withdraw the coloring 
medium from the protective outer tube while retaining the tube within the 
chamber. 
A top closure flap is integrally transversely formed on the holder whereby 
lipstick tubes contained therein are prevented from inadvertently falling 
out of the chambers. The top closure flap has a first vertical portion 
projecting upwardly from the back side of the holder. A generally 
horizontal portion extends from the top of the first vertical flap portion 
toward the front side of the holder. The horizontal flap portion is 
hingedly connected to the first vertical flap portion with a first 
integral hinge portion extending transversely thereacross. A second 
vertical flap portion extends downwardly from the front of the horizontal 
portion to overlappingly contact the outside surface of the front side of 
the holder. The second vertical flap portion is hingedly connected to the 
horizontal flap portion with a second integral hinge portion extending 
transversely thereacross. Securement means to hold the top closure flap 
closed is also included. The securement means comprises a strip of hook 
tape material disposed on the overlapping surface of the second vertical 
flap portion and a cooperative strip of loop tape material disposed on the 
overlapped surface of the front side of the holder. In an alternate 
embodiment, the lipstick case additionally includes a rectangular mirror 
mounted lengthwise on an inside surface of the top closure flap whereby 
application of the lipstick on the lips of the user is facilitated by the 
image reflected thereon. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In 
as much as the foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent 
and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed 
description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that 
the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. 
Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which 
form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated 
by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific 
methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or 
designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the 
present invention. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that 
such equivalent methods and structures do not depart from the spirit and 
scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lipstick 
case for containing a plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and 
protect the lipstick while being carried in a handbag or the like. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new lipstick 
case which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new lipstick 
case which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new 
lipstick case which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with 
regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then 
susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making 
such lipstick cases economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
lipstick case which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior 
art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some 
of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
lipstick case that also includes an attached mirror to aid a user in 
applying the lipstick contained therein. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new lipstick 
case that is designed to accommodate all conventional lipstick tubes. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
lipstick case that is compact so as to take up little space within a users 
handbag, cosmetic case, or the like. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. The foregoing has 
outlined some of the more pertinent objects of this invention. These 
objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more 
prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other 
beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in 
a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the 
disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the 
invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the 
detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope 
of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, a 
new lipstick case embodying the principles and concepts of the present 
invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be 
described. 
From an overview standpoint, the lipstick case is adapted for use for 
containing a plurality of tubes of lipstick to organize and protect the 
lipstick while being carried in a handbag or the like. See FIG. 2. 
With reference now to FIGS. 1-4 and more specifically, it will be noted 
that a new lipstick case 10 for containing a plurality of tubes of 
lipstick 70 to organize and protect the lipstick while being carried in a 
handbag or the like, is shown. The lipstick case 10 comprises a holder 20 
formed of resilient transparent plastic having sides and a bottom. The 
holder 20 also has a plurality of divider panels 26 integrally formed 
therein cooperatively with the sides and bottom whereby a plurality of 
identical vertically aligned open-top elongated chambers 28 is defined. 
The chambers 28 each have dimensions to snugly receive an outer protective 
tube 74 of a conventional cosmetic lipstick 70. The lipstick 70 is 
inverted within the 28 chamber such that the base 72 of the lipstick may 
be readily viewed and easily grasped by a user to withdraw the coloring 
medium (not shown) from the protective outer tube 74 while retaining the 
tube 74 within the chamber 28. 
A top closure flap 40 is integrally transversely formed on the holder 20 
whereby lipstick tubes 70 contained therein are prevented from 
inadvertently falling out of the chambers 28. The top closure flap 40 has 
a first vertical portion 42 projecting upwardly from the back side 24 of 
the holder. A generally horizontal portion 44 extends from the top of the 
first vertical flap portion 42 toward the front side 22 of the holder. The 
horizontal flap portion 44 is hingedly connected to the first vertical 
flap portion 42 with a first integral hinge portion 48 extending 
transversely thereacross. 
A second vertical flap portion 46 extends downwardly from the front of the 
horizontal portion 44 to overlappingly contact the outside surface of the 
front side 22 of the holder 20. The second vertical flap portion 46 is 
hingedly connected to the horizontal flap portion 44 with a second 
integral hinge portion 50 extending transversely thereacross. Securement 
means 60 to hold the top closure flap 40 closed is also included. The 
securement means 60 comprises a strip of hook tape material 62 disposed on 
the overlapping surface of the second vertical flap portion 46 and a 
cooperative strip of loop tape material 64 disposed on the overlapped 
surface of the front side 22 of the holder 20. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 depict an alternate embodiment of the lipstick case 10 which 
additionally includes a rectangular mirror 70 mounted lengthwise on an 
inside surface of the top closure flap 40 whereby application of the 
lipstick on the lips of the user is facilitated by the image reflected 
thereon. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further 
discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. In as much as 
the present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims as 
well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has 
been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of 
particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the 
preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes 
in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts 
may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the 
invention. 
Now that the invention has been described,