Lipstick container with a replaceable lipstick

A lipstick container with replaceable lipstick includes a hollow cap including inner grooves; a lipstick carrier partially disposed in the cap and including a rotational seat, an axial snapping hole in the rotational seat, two opposite snapping members between the snapping hole and the rotational seat, two recesses each disposed between the snapping members, two axial projecting members each formed with the snapping member, and ridges on an outer surface; a joining device including an axial well, end projections, an annular protrusion, and inner troughs; a locking device including a seat having first and second annular surfaces; an axial shaft; two opposite protuberances; a toothed member on the second annular surface; and an axial projecting element; and a base including a grooved member, a toothed element on a bottom, and an axial through hole.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to lipstick containers and more particularly to a lipstick container with a replaceable lipstick so as to be environment friendly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional lipstick containers are intended to be thrown away after the lipstick has been consumed. However, this is not environment friendly and may harm the environment.

For overcoming the drawbacks, the present inventor has invented a lipstick container with a replaceable lipstick. In detail, the lipstick container comprises a cover, a lipstick carrier, a joining device and a base. A snapping hole is provided at one end of the lipstick carrier. Two cavities are provided at two opposite portions of the snapping hole respectively. Two raised members are provided on an inner surface of the lipstick carrier and are away from the cavities. A shaft is provided on a bottom of the lipstick carrier. A flange is provided at either end of the shaft and extends radially. The flanges urge against the raised members respectively in a locked position. A rotation of the base can disengage the shaft from the lipstick carrier prior and the joining device to replace a consumed lipstick with a new one.

However, the lipstick container has the following disadvantage: The shaft and the base are formed integrally by means of ultrasonic welding or adhesive. This is not environment friendly and may harm the environment.

Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a lipstick container with a replaceable lipstick comprising a cap including an internal space and a plurality of grooves on an inner surface adjacent to its opening; a lipstick carrier partially disposed in the internal space and including a rotational seat at an end distal the cap, a snapping hole axially disposed in the rotational seat, two opposite snapping members disposed between an edge of the snapping hole and the rotational seat, two recesses each disposed between the snapping members, two axial projecting members each formed with the snapping member and adjacent to the recess, and a plurality of ridges formed on an outer surface of the rotational seat; a joining device including an axial well, a plurality of end projections spaced apart on an outer surface of an end of the joining device, the projections being configured to secure to the grooves, an annular protrusion at an end of the joining device opposite to the projections, and a plurality of longitudinal troughs on an inner surface of the joining device adjacent to the protrusion, the troughs being configured to secure to the ridges; a locking device including a seat having a first annular surface at one end and a second annular surface at the other end; an axial shaft extending from the first annular surface and disposed through the well of the joining device; two opposite protuberances radially extending from an outer surface of the shaft and urging against the projecting members of the lipstick carrier respectively; a toothed member formed on the second annular surface; and an axial projecting element extending from the toothed member; and a base including a grooved member on an inner surface urging against an outer surface of the protrusion, a toothed element on a bottom and being in gear engagement with the toothed member and urging against the second annular surface, and an axial through hole disposed through both an end of the base and the toothed element with the projecting element disposed therein.

In addition, an annular groove is formed between the protuberances and the first annular surface. A washer is disposed on the annular groove; engaged with the first annular surface, and urging against the snapping members.

The invention has the following advantages and benefits in comparison with the conventional art:

Decreased manufacturing cost and increased production efficiency. The toothed element is gear engagement with the toothed member and the projecting element is disposed in the through hole. Thus, the locking device and the base are secured together. This is contrast to the conventional art which has its locking device and the base formed integrally by means of ultrasonic welding or adhesive. This not only greatly decreases the manufacturing cost but also increases the production efficiency.

Prolonged useful life. The washer is disposed on the annular groove and is engaged with the first annular surface. The washer urges against the snapping members so that the locking device can increase tightness with the lipstick carrier when the lipstick carrier is rotated. Otherwise, the lipstick carrier may be loosened. With the provision of the washer, the snapping members do not contact the seat. This can decrease wear of both the lipstick carrier and the locking device and prolong the useful life of both the lipstick carrier and the locking device.

Easy lipstick replacement and environment friendly. A user may hold the joining device and clockwise rotate the base so as to rotate the locking device. Thus, the protuberances move from a position engaging the projecting members to a position in the recesses. The lipstick carrier is unlocked. Then the user may lift the lipstick carrier to disengage it from both the locking device and the well. Finally; the user may replace the consumed lipstick with a new one. Only the consumed lipstick is replaced rather than discarding the lipstick container. The lipstick container is reusable and environment friendly and does not harm the environment.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention mill become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS.1to6, a lipstick container100in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.

A cylindrical cap10includes an internal space11and a plurality of grooves12on an inner surface adjacent to its opening.

A cylindrical lipstick carrier20is partially disposed in the space11and includes a rotational seat21at an end distal the cap10, two opposite cuts22at an edge of the rotational seat21, a snapping hole23axially disposed in the rotational seat21, two opposite, curved snapping members24disposed between an edge of the snapping hole23and the rotational seat21, two recesses25each disposed between the snapping members24and aligned with the cut22, two axial projecting members26each formed with the snapping member24and adjacent to the recess25, and a plurality of ridges27formed on an outer surface of the rotational seat21. A distance of the recesses25is less than that of the cuts22and greater than a diameter of the snapping hole23.

A cylindrical joining device30includes an axial well31, a plurality of end projections32equally spaced apart on an outer surface of an end of the joining device30and distal the well31, the projections32being configured to secure to the grooves12by snapping, an annular protrusion33at an end of the joining device30opposite to the projections32, a recessed member34in the protrusion33, and a plurality of longitudinal troughs35on an inner surface of the joining device30adjacent to the protrusion33. The troughs35are configured to secure to the ridges27by snapping.

A locking device40includes a seat41having a first annular surface411at one end urging against an inner surface of the rotational seat21and a second annular surface412at the other end urging against an inner surface of the protrusion33; a plurality of equally spaced ribs413disposed between the first annular surface411and the second annular surface412to support the first annular surface411and the second annular surface412; an axial shaft42extending from a center of the first annular surface411into the well31of the joining device30; two opposite protuberances43radially extending from an outer surface of the shaft42and urging against the projecting members26of the lipstick carrier20respectively; an annular groove44formed between the protuberances43and the first annular surface411a toothed member45formed on the second annular surface412; and an axial projecting element46extending from a center of the toothed member45. A distance of the protuberances43is less than that of the recesses25.

A cylindrical base60includes a grooved member61on an inner surface urging against an outer surface of the protrusion33, a toothed element62on a central portion of a bottom and being in gear engagement with the toothed member45and urging against the second annular surface412, and an axial through hole63disposed through both an end of the base60and the toothed element62with the projecting element46disposed therein.

The difference between a first embodiment and a second embodiment is that the second embodiment further comprises a washer50disposed on the annular groove44of the locking device40, engaged with the first annular surface411, and urging against the snapping members24of the lipstick carrier20.

Referring toFIGS.7to9in conjunction withFIG.5, a replacement of a lipstick is discussed in detail below. Firstly, a user may remove the cap10out of the joining device30to expose a consumed lipstick70mounted on the lipstick carrier20. Secondly, the user may hold the joining device30and rotate the base60so as to rotate the locking device40. Thus, the protuberances43move from a position engaging the projecting members26to a position in the recesses25. The lipstick carrier20is unlocked. Thirdly, the user may lift the lipstick carrier20to disengage it from both the locking device40and the well31. Finally, the user may replace the consumed lipstick70with a new one.

Referring toFIG.9in conjunction withFIGS.5to6, the lipstick carrier20having a newly mounted lipstick71is ready to fasten in the well31. After the lipstick carrier20has been fastened, the shaft42is disposed in the snapping hole23with the protuberances43positioned in the recesses25respectively and the snapping members24urging against the washer50. Next, the user may counterclockwise rotate the base60until the protuberances43are locked by the projecting members26respectively and an edge of the first annular surface411urges against the inner surface of the rotational seat21. As such, the lipstick carrier20is locked by the locking device40. Finally, the user may put the cap10onto the joining device30to complete the lipstick replacement of the lipstick carrier20. Only the consumed lipstick of the lipstick carrier20is replaced rather than discarding the lipstick container. In other words, the lipstick container of the invention is reusable and environment friendly and does not harm the environment.

Following are noted. The washer50is disposed on the annular groove44and is engaged with the first annular surface411. The washer50urges against the snapping members24so that the locking device40can increase tightness with the lipstick carrier20when the lipstick carrier20is rotated. Otherwise, the lipstick carrier20may be loosened. With the provision of the washer50, the snapping members24do not contact the seat41. This arrangement can decrease wear of both the lipstick carrier20and the locking device40, increase the times of the lipstick replacement, and prolong the useful life of the lipstick carrier20.

Following are further noted. The toothed element62is gear engagement with the toothed member45and the projecting element46is disposed in the through hole63. Thus, the locking device40and the base60are secured together. This is contrast to the conventional art which has its locking device40and the base60formed integrally by means of ultrasonic welding or adhesive. This arrangement not only greatly decreases the manufacturing cost but also increases the production efficiency.