Cosmetics case

A cosmetics case holds one or more cosmetic pencils in a flat hollow container body having a plurality of openings on one side to receive the cosmetic pencils, lipsticks, or the like. A holding body is slidable in the container body and releasably holds the cosmetic pencils or the like. The holding body slides between a retracted position and a projected position which projects a portion of the cosmetic pencils or the like from the opening. One or more springs urge the holding body to the projected position and a retainer releasably retains the holding body in the retracted position to control the desired position of the cosmetic pencils.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a portable cosmetics case which receives a 
plurality of cosmetic pencils in an easily usable manner. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Conventionally, a flat box-like cosmetics case contains a plurality of 
cosmetic pencils, lipsticks, and the like arranged in parallel. In use, 
the cover of the case is opened and a selected cosmetic pencil is taken 
from the case. However, to pick up a cosmetic pencil or the like with its 
upper half exposed is rather difficult and an impatient lady tends to tip 
all the cosmetic pencils or the like onto the palm of her hand. Also 
unrequired cosmetic pencils tend to drop from the case. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved cosmetics 
case to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantage. 
The cosmetics case according to the present invention comprises a flat 
box-like hollow container body having at least one opening through which a 
cosmetic pencil, a lipstick, or the like can be inserted in the container 
body, at least one cosmetic pencil holding body releasably holding at 
least one cosmetic pencil or the like and adapted to slide in the 
container body in the longitudinal direction of the cosmetic pencil 
contained in the holding body between a retracted position in which the 
contained cosmetic pencil or the like is fully retracted in the container 
body and a projected position in which a portion of the cosmetic pencil or 
the like projects beyond the opening of the container body, spring means 
for urging the holding body to said projected position, and a releasable 
retainer means for retaining the holding means against said spring means 
to said retracted position. 
The cosmetics case according to the present invention is convenient for 
carrying selected cosmetic pencils, lipsticks or the like, in a hand bag. 
As a portion of the cosmetic pencils projects longitudinally from the case 
by operating the releasable retainer means, a desired lipstick can be 
pulled out very easily. Also unrequired cosmetic pencils do not 
accidentally drop out of the case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIGS. 1-11, which show a cosmetics case according to a 
first embodiment of the present invention, the case comprises a flat 
cosmetics container body 1 which has a plurality of openings 2 on its 
front end surface as shown by arrow A in FIG. 1. A cosmetic pencil 6 is 
removably inserted through each opening 2 into an accomodation space 5 
(FIG. 2) formed in the container body 1. As shown in FIG. 2 cosmetic 
pencils 6 are held by a holding body 7 which is slidably received in the 
container body 1. The holding body 7 moves forward by operation of a lock 
knob 8 to expose hand held portions 9 (FIG. 4) of the cosmetic pencils 6 
as will be explained in more detail below. 
Returning to FIG. 2, the holding body 7 is slidably received in the 
accomodation space 5 and has a plurality of openings 10 which receive 
cosmetic pencils 6. The cosmetic pencils 6 can be selected as desired. In 
the illustrated embodiment, first cosmetic pencils 16, which have 
telescopic cosmetic 15, e.g. lipstick, and in the illustrated embodiment 
of FIG. 11, second cosmetic pencils 18, which have pencil-like cosmetic 
17, e.g. eyebrow pencil, are shown. 
Returning again to FIG. 2, the container body 1 is formed by a lower box 
25, an upper box 26 and a front plate 27 which forms the opening 2 for 
receiving the cosmetic pencils 6. The container body 1 may be formed of a 
suitable plastic. As shown in FIG. 8, a surface plate 3 of the upper box 
26 (FIG. 2) has a mounting recess 11 for a mirror 4 which is formed of 
suitable material e.g. plastic, glass or metal plate. The mirror 4 is 
attached in the recess 11 by a suitable adhesive 12. 
In the accommodation space 5 in the container body 1, there is shown in 
FIG. 9 a plurality of parallel guide rails 19 which engage in guide 
grooves 13 of the holding body 7 to guide the holding body 7. In FIG. 2, 
there is also shown partition walls 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the guide 
rails 19 and the partition walls 14 are formed integrally with the lower 
box 25 (FIG. 2) and reinforce the container body 1. 
Returning once again to FIG. 2, the holding body 7 is formed of a suitable 
plastic material as that of the container body 1. One or more locking 
projections 20 are formed on the holding body 7 near the front end of the 
holding body 7, and project into each opening 10 as shown in FIG. 6. As 
shown in FIG. 4, on a side surface 21 of the holding body 7 an elastic 
projection 28 is formed to engage with a recess 22 (FIG. 5) formed on the 
upper box 26 of the container body 1. Thus, the innermost position of the 
holding body 7 is limited. As shown in FIG. 3, a guide member 23 is 
slidably accommodated in the container body 1 between two of the partition 
walls 14. A compression spring 41 (FIG. 4) is inserted between the rear 
wall of the container body 1 and the rear end member 31 of the guide 
member 23 to urge the guide member 23 forward. Thus as shown in FIG. 6, 
front end 24 of the guide member 23 engages with the rear end surface of 
the holding body 7. When the elastic projection 28 engages with the recess 
22 as shown in FIG. 5, the spring 41 is compressed as shown in FIG. 7. As 
shown in FIG. 5, when the lock knob 8 is operated to release the elastic 
projection 28 from the recess 22, the spring 41 urges the holding body 7 
forward, as shown in FIG. 8, to project the hand-held portions 9 of the 
cosmetic pencils 6 from the opening 2. 
The first cosmetic pencil 16 has a cylindrical body 34 which includes, as 
shown in FIG. 10, a first peripheral lock projection 32 which engages with 
the lock projection or projections 20 (FIG. 8) of the holding body 7. 
Returning to FIG. 10 a first pick-up portion 33 is formed as a peripheral 
projection and is engageable with the opening 2 (FIG. 8) of the container 
body 1 to protect the accommodation space 5 from dust intrusion. The first 
pick up portion 33 and adjacent cylindrical portion form the 
above-mentioned hand-held portion 9. The color of the particular cosmetic 
pencil 16 or color number may be indicated on the outer surface of the 
pick up portion 33 or on the cylindrical portion 34, to identify the 
particular cosmetic pencil. By turning the pick up portion 33, cosmetic 
15, e.g. lipstick, projects from or is retracted into the cylindrical 
cover 36. 
The second cosmetic pencil 18 has a cylindrical body 1 as shown in FIG. 11, 
which pencil 18 includes a second peripheral lock projection 37 which 
engages with the lock projection or projections 20 (FIG. 20) of the 
holding body 7 and a second pick-up portion 38 which engages with the 
opening 2 (FIG. 8) of the container body 1. A pencil-like cosmetic having 
a cosmetic core 17 is inserted in a hollow opening of the cylindrical body 
39 shown in FIG. 8. As discussed before in regard to FIG. 10, the second 
pick up portion 38 and an adjacent cylindrical portion form the hand-held 
portion 9 shown in FIG. 11. Also, a particular color or color number may 
be indicated on the end surface of the pick up portion 38 and/or on the 
peripheral surface 37 of the cylindrical portion to identify the cosmetic 
17. 
The container body 1 is assembled by means of alignment hole 29 (FIG. 3). 
On the side surface of the container body 1, a recess 30 (FIGS. 3 and 5) 
is formed to receive at least a major portion of the lock knob 8 (FIGS. 4 
and 5) to prevent the knob 8 from being accidentally actuated. As shown in 
FIG. 3, the guide member 23 has end surfaces 40 which engage with end 
surfaces 35 of the partition walls 14 to define or limit the forwardmost 
position of the guide member 23. There is shown at 31 is a spring 
receiving recess. 
In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, five cosmetic pencils 6 of the 
same size are received in the container body 1. However, the cosmetic 
container may be adapted to receive any suitable member of cosmetic 
pencils 6, including only one, and also may be adapted to receive a 
plurality of cosmetic pencils of different diameter. 
The spring 41 is shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 7, and 8 as a coil spring. However, a 
suitable leaf spring may be advantageously used, in place of the coil 
spring 41. The lock knob 8 is shown in FIG. 5 as being inserted in the 
recess 30 from the outside. Of course, a suitable means, not shown in the 
drawing, prevents the knob 8 from dropping off. The lock projections 20 in 
FIG. 6 and projections 28 in FIG. 5 are shown as urging the projections 20 
and 28 radially inwards or sideways by means of the elasticity of the 
formed plastic material. However, to reinforce this elastic force, a 
suitable leaf spring, not shown, can be mounted. 
FIG. 12 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the 
same reference numerals show the same or similar parts or portions as that 
of the first embodiment, and repeated explanation will not be necessary. 
In FIG. 12, a coil spring 42 is inserted between the rear surface of the 
holding body 7 and two of the partition walls 14 in the container body 1. 
Thus, the guide member 23 shown in FIG. 3 can be eliminated. 
FIGS. 13 and 14 show a third embodiment of the present invention, in which 
the reference numerals correspond to those shown in FIGS. 1-12 with the 
addition of 100 thereto. In this embodiment best shown in FIG. 14, the 
holding body 107 is divided into afirst holding body 51 and a second 
holding body 52, and the lock knob 108 is also arranged as a first lock 
knob 53 and a second lock knob 54. To urge the holding bodies 51 and 52, 
springs 142, of which only one is shown in FIG. 13, are inserted between 
the partition walls 114 and the holding bodies 51 and 52, respectively. In 
the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 13, the first holding body 51 receives 
two first cosmetic pencils 116 and the second holding body 52 receives 
three second cosmetic pencils 118. 
FIGS. 15 and 16 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention in which 
the reference numerals correspond to those shown in FIGS. 1-12 with the 
addition of 200 thereto. As shown best in FIG. 16, the holding body 207 is 
divided into five holding bodies 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 which each receive 
only one cosmetic pencil 206, respectively. Each holding body 61-65 is 
guided and separated by guide rails 219 formed on the inside surface of 
the container body 201. The lock knob 208 is formed as five lock buttons 
71, 72, 73, 74 and 75 on the upper surface of the container body 201 to 
operate the desired holding body 61, 62, 63, 64 or 65, independently. 
Further as shown in FIG. 15, to urge each holding body 61-65 forward, 
springs 242 are engaged between the partition walls 214 and the holding 
bodies 61-65, respectively. Although in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 
15, two lipsticks 216 and three eyebrow pencils 218 are shown, the 
combination can be determined as desired. 
As described in detail, the cosmetics case according to the present 
invention receives one or more cosmetic pencils 6 fully in the container 
body 1, and no part of the cosmetic pencils 6 is projected beyond the 
container body 1. Thus, the cosmetics case is very conveniently carried in 
a hand bag. In operation, by simply operating the lock knob 8, the holding 
body 7 or one of the holding bodies 107 or 61-65 projects the hand held 
portion(s) 9 of the received cosmetic pencil(s) 6 from one end of the 
container body 1. Thus, a desired cosmetic pencil 6 can be pulled from the 
holding body 7, 107, or 61-65. After use, the cosmetic pencil 6 is 
inserted in the opening 2 of the container body 1 and is pushed into the 
holding body 7, 107, or 61-65 to engage the projection 32 or 37 with the 
lock projection 20, and also to push back the holding body 7 to engage the 
projection 28 with the recess 22. 
The construction of the cosmetics case is very simple and can be 
manufactured cheaply. The cosmetics case can be easily operated. Cosmetic 
pencils 6 can be selected and inserted in the cosmetics case as desired.