Abstract:
A system for two consumer products, such as cosmetic products, pharmaceutical products, personal hygiene products and adhesive products, among others, is provided. The system provides for convenience in holding, storing and applying stick products and uses two different mechanisms independent of each other to control the two stick products.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a system for two consumer products. More particularly it relates to a system that provides for convenience in holding, storing and applying two consumer stick products. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    There are various consumer products that are required to be used consecutively to produce a desired result. For example, in certain areas of make-up one needs to use two cosmetic products consecutively to get a desired look for example, lipliner and lipstick, eyeliner and eye shadow, concealer and foundation are to be applied one after another to get a perfect look. Lipstick is used to enhance the shape and/or the color of the lips and to prevent or minimize substantially the feathering of a lipstick product that is applied to the lips, outlining of lips is done by a separate lip liner product in addition to a lipstick product. Similarly, eyeliner is used after applying eyeshadow to give shape to the eyes and define them as desired. Also, makeup concealer is applied on top of the foundation as it works at concealing or camouflaging facial imperfections. There are such products which are available separately or where they are attached end-to-end as dual-ender products. 
         [0005]    Various products are known in the art that provide two cosmetic products in one package. They are generally dual ended so as to contain the two products at the two ends of the container. For example, United States Patent Application No. 2002/0071707 A1 to Breidenbach, et al. discloses a dual ended lip cosmetic applicator which contains a lip product in at least one end of the container. The second end of the dual ended applicator may contain virtually any type of product and can include a lip product, a nail product, a facial product, an eye product, a cosmetic serum, a perfume, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,359 to Zhang, et al. discloses a cosmeticising pen that contains two different cosmetics in two opposite ends thereof. U.S. Design Pat. No.370,088 to Burns discloses a combination lipstick and lipliner where the two products are present at the two ends of the pen. 
         [0006]    In the area of lip cosmetics, there are products that have the lipstick bullet formulated in such a way so as to integrally contain the lipliner that either surrounds the lipstick or is on the periphery of the lipstick for example International Patent Application WO 2002/063992 to Grayson and U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,097 to Kapustin. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,184 to An discloses an integrated lipstick and lip pencil comprising of a lipstick part, a lip pencil part and a coupling part for coupling the lipstick part and the lip pencil part to combine them into one body. It discloses that the components constituting the lipstick and the lip pencil can be separated from each other when shock above a prescribed power is applied by a user to perform their own function. 
         [0007]    However, the aforementioned products have been unable to provide the user with a product that allows an easy and convenient application of a make-up routine. For example, the product wherein the lipstick is formulated so as to integrally contain the lipliner part such that the lipliner surrounds the lipstick, does not enable the product to be used reliably for outlining the lips as it is cylindrical of annular cross-section in shape such as to leave smudges on the lips when used. Again, the solution in which the part for outlining the lips is positioned only on one side of the part acting as the lipstick means that both lips can be outlined only by rotating the product body through 180° after outlining the upper lip. This makes this product relatively complex and difficult to use because of the need to correctly position the lip outlining part to correspond with the limit of each lip. 
         [0008]    Also, most of the consumer products such as pharmaceutical products, personal hygiene/personal care products and adhesive products that are to be used or applied consecutively are available separately in one package. However, there has not been a device to hold two such items together in proximity so that the user can have easy access to both items simultaneously. Moreover, as the user must buy and use the two products separately, costs for buying the products are increased twice and it is inconvenient in use and carrying. 
         [0009]    Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved system that is simple and capable of holding two consumer products in an easy to use manner. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    The present invention generally is a system for two consumer products, such as cosmetic products, pharmaceutical products, personal hygiene products and adhesive products, among others. The system provides for convenience in holding, storing and applying stick products and uses two different mechanisms independent of each other to control the two stick products. 
         [0011]    According to an embodiment of the invention, the system comprises of a cap, a body and a means to propel-repel the individual products. The body comprises of two half shells wherein a partition wall is provided in the inner side of each of the half shell such that two chambers are formed upon assembling both the halves. 
         [0012]    According to another embodiment of the invention, the partition wall in the internal side of each of the half shells is present at a position so as to result in the chambers of the system having different diameters to contain differing quantities of the products. Each of the chambers houses the two products and the propel-repel mechanism assemblies thereof. The propel-repel mechanism used for the products could be a general lipstick mechanism, a threaded screw mechanism, a sliding mechanism or any other suitable mechanism depending on the product to be dispensed. Further, for better and easier dispensing of the products, a means to propel-repel the products is provided which is attached to the mechanism assembly. The propel-repel means could be a rotor wheel, a slider or any other suitable means and could be positioned either at the base or on the lateral side of the body of the system. 
         [0013]    According to another embodiment of the invention there are present two rings on the outer body of the system for dispensing the two products. Each of the chambers houses the two products and utilizes the propel-repel mechanism assemblies thereof. The rings are snap fitted to the outer body of the system and both of the rings work independently of each other to propel-repel the respective products. The inner diameter of each of the rings has teeth, which are connected to the teeth on the outer diameter of the rotor wheels, of the mechanism assemblies, in a gear and pinion like arrangement. As one of the rings is rotated, the rotor wheel of the mechanism assembly is also rotated due to the gear and pinion like arrangement and therefore causes the cup to propel or repel the product. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, both the chambers in the system utilize a threaded screw mechanism to propel-repel the products wherein the threaded screw assembly comprises of a threaded screw, a cup and a rotor wheel. The stick product sits inside the cup and the rotor wheel is threadedly attached to the screw below the cup. Rotation of the rotor in an anticlockwise direction and clockwise direction causes the screw to advance or retract, thereby propelling or repelling the product as per the requirement. 
         [0014]    According to yet another embodiment of the invention, both the chambers in the system utilize an extended general lipstick mechanism assembly to dispense the products. The lipstick mechanism assembly comprises of a drive, helix and a cup to dispense the product. Further, for better and easier functioning of the same is provided a rotor wheel which is connected to the helix. The rotor wheel helps in propelling or repelling of the stick like product. The rotation of the rotor wheel causes a mechanism inside the chamber to move the stick, disposed in the cup, longitudinally with respect to the chamber. The stick may be moved to its highest position so that it is exposed out of the opening for application and correspondingly moved to its lowest position with respect to the chamber for storage. 
         [0015]    According to yet another embodiment of the invention, both the chambers in the system house a slider mechanism to dispense the products wherein the slider mechanism assembly comprises of a cup, a cup holder and a slider. The cup holder has a cup in which the product sits and on the bottom end of the cup holder is a groove through which is attached the slider. The sliding movement of the slider button causes the cup holder to move in its opposite direction thereby causing the product to be exposed or stored. 
         [0016]    According to yet another embodiment of the invention one of the chambers utilizes a threaded screw mechanism while the other chamber utilizes a general lipstick mechanism. 
         [0017]    According to yet another embodiment of the invention one of the chambers utilizes a general lipstick mechanism while the other chamber utilizes a slider mechanism. 
         [0018]    According to yet another embodiment of the invention one of the chambers utilizes a threaded screw mechanism while the other utilizes a slider mechanism. 
         [0019]    According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the system addresses a sought after yet unfulfilled need of an easy and convenient application of a routine, where the user is getting both products in a convenient and easy-to-hold form and can apply in the easiest possible way. 
         [0020]    According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the system of the present invention is, therefore, an incremental improvement of functionality use and reach of long existent product assembly. The system of the present invention could be used for any two consumer products in stick form. The system could also be used for two products that are generally used in tandem. It could be used for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products related to cosmetic, skin care, personal care, pharmaceutical, wound care, personal hygiene products and adhesive products, among others. The system of present invention can also provide for variation of similar products or for use of many combinations of complementary products as well. 
         [0021]    These and further aspects which will be apparent to the expert of the art are attained by a system for two consumer products in accordance with the main claim. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is an isometric open view of the system of  FIG. 1  showing the system utilizing a general lipstick and a threaded screw mechanism; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is an isometric open view of a system according to another embodiment of the present invention showing the system utilizing a general lipstick and a slider mechanism; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the slider mechanism assembly of the system of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is an isometric open view of a system according to another embodiment of the invention showing the system utilizing an extended threaded screw mechanism for both the products; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is cross section view of the system of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
       [0030]    To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]      FIG. 1  is one embodiment of the present invention showing the system  100  for two stick consumer products that may be dispensed and applied independently. The system  100  consists of a cap  101 , a body  102 , a rotor wheel  103  at the bottom of the body and a rotor wheel  104  at the lateral side of the body. The cap  101  and the rotors  103  and  104  may be formed from any suitable metal or a polymeric material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or any other suitable material. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the body  102  of the system  100  comprises of two half shells  105  and  106 . In the inner side of each of the half shell is provided a partition wall  112  such that when the two halves are joined together they form two chambers inside the body  102 . The two halves could be made of any polymeric material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or any metal such as aluminium, steel, aluminium alloys, ZAMAC (Zinc Aluminium Magnesium and Copper alloy) or any other suitable material. The chambers could be of any form or shape and have a base and an opening for the products to be housed. One of the chambers utilizes a general lipstick mechanism assembly  201  while the other utilizes a threaded screw mechanism assembly  202  for propelling or repelling the respective products. 
         [0033]    The threaded screw assembly  202  comprises a cup  110 , a screw  111  and the rotor wheel  104 . The rotor wheel  104  has complementing threads in its inner diameter through which it is screwed on to the screw  111 . The assembly is so arranged that the rotor wheel  104  is positioned below the cup  110 . As per  FIG. 3 , the stick product  113  sits inside the cup  110 . Anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor wheel  104  causes the product  113  disposed in the cup  110  to propel upwards with respect to the chamber while clockwise rotation brings the cup  110  back to its initial position. The threaded screw mechanism  202  dispenses the product  113  while the general lipstick mechanism  201  assembly dispenses the second product  114 . 
         [0034]    The lipstick mechanism assembly  201  comprises a drive  108 , a helix  109  and a cup  107  to dispense the product  114 . The rotor wheel  103  is provided at the base which is connected to the drive  108 . The drive  108  includes a gliding groove  115  formed thereon. The inner wall of the helix  109  includes a spiral shell guiding trench  116 . The stick product  114  is disposed on the upper portion of the cup  107 . The outer wall of the cup  107  includes a guiding pillar  117  that can move in the guiding groove  115  and the spiral shell guiding trench  116  of helix  109 . In combination, the cup  107  is disposed in the drive  108  allowing the guiding pillar  117  to fall into the gliding groove  115 . The cup  107  is free to move vertically within the drive  108  with a limited range. The helix  109  is then harnessed outside of the drive  108  also allowing the guiding pillar  117  to fall into the spiral shell guiding trench  116 . Finally, the rotor wheel  103  is assembled to the bottom portion of the drive  108  and is affixed thereon. Rotor wheel  103  is rotated to use the stick product. The drive  108  is rotated in response to the rotation of the rotor wheel  103 . The cup  107  is also rotated in response to the rotation of the guiding pillar  117 . Since the helix  109  does not move, the cup  107  can then move upward or downward along the guiding groove  115  driven by the movement of the guiding pillar  117  in the spiral shell guiding trench  116 . The stick product  114  can then be propelled and repelled within the drive  108 . 
         [0035]    The material for cup  107  and  110  and screw  111  could be polyoxymethylene while polypropylene could be used for the drive  108  and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene for helix  109 . The aforementioned materials are an example, however any suitable material could be used for various parts of the mechanism assemblies. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  illustrates another embodiment of a system  300  for two consumer products. The system  300  utilizes a slider mechanism  203  in one of the chambers and a general lipstick mechanism  201  in the other chamber. The lipstick mechanism assembly  201  comprises of the drive  108 , the helix  109 , the cup  107  and the rotor wheel  103  at the base to dispense the product  114 . The slider mechanism assembly  203  comprises of a metallic housing  301 , a slider button  302  and a slider  303 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , in the metallic housing is housed a cup holder  305  that holds the cup  304 . The slider  303  is attached with the cup holder  305  through a groove present in it. The slider button  302  is present at the end of the slider  303  for the user to slide the product up or down as per the requirement. The sliding movement of the slider button  302  causes the cup holder  305  to move in its opposite direction thereby causing the product to be exposed or stored. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 6 and 7  depict another embodiment of a system  400 . The system  400  includes two rings  401  and  402  on the outer body of the system  400  for user to dispense the two products  403  and  404 . The rings  401  and  402  are snap fitted to the body of the system  400 . In the inner diameter of the rings  401  and  402  are present teeth  405  and  410  respectively. Both the chambers utilize threaded screw mechanism to dispense the products. The product  403  in one of the chambers sits in the cup  406  below which is placed a rotor wheel  407 . The rotor wheel  407  has threads in its inner diameter through which it is screwed on to the screw that holds the cup  406 . The outer diameter of rotor wheel  407  has teeth, which are connected, with the teeth  405  in the inner diameter of the ring  401  in a gear and pinion like arrangement. As the ring  401  is rotated, the rotor wheel  407  is also rotated due to the gear and pinion like arrangement and therefore causes the threaded screw with cup  406  to propel or repel the product  403 . The product  404  in the other chamber sits in the cup  408  below which is placed a rotor wheel  409 . The rotor wheel  409  has threads in its inner diameter through which it is screwed on to the screw that holds the cup  408 . The outer diameter of rotor wheel  409  has teeth  411  that are connected with the teeth  410  in the inner diameter of the ring  402  in a gear and pinion like arrangement. As the ring  402  is rotated, the rotor wheel  409  is also rotated due to the gear and pinion like arrangement and therefore causes the threaded screw with cup  408  to propel or repel the product  404 . 
         [0038]    The two rings  401  and  402  could be made of any metal such as aluminium, steel, aluminium alloys, ZAMAC (Zinc Aluminium Magnesium and Copper alloy) or any polymeric material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or any other suitable material. Also, all the parts of the system of the present invention could be made from either any metal or any polymeric material or any other suitable material. Although the above description and drawings show the system, and in particular the chambers thereof, being cylindrical, the shapes and profile cross section thereof are not limited to the same. 
         [0039]    The system of the present invention addresses the need of an easy and convenient application of a routine where the user is getting both products in a convenient and easy-to-hold form. Further, as the size, form and use retain familiarity with other long existing products, making it easy for a user to apply the products in a familiar way. 
         [0040]    The system of the present invention could be used for any two consumer products in stick form. The system could also be used for two stick products that are generally used in tandem. It could be used for cosmetic products, pharmaceutical products, personal hygiene products and adhesive products, among others. The system of present invention can also provide for variation of similar products for example different shades or flavors of lip-balm, two fragrances of deodorant sticks. The system of the present invention could allow for use of many combinations of complementary products as well, for example insect repellant and anti-itch, sun block and burn treatment use and the like. 
         [0041]    Various examples of the products where the system of the present invention could be used are but not limited to a lipstick and a lipliner, a lipstick and a lip gloss, two lipsticks of different shades, a lipstick and a lip primer, a lipstick and a lipbalm, eyeshadow and eyeliner, two eyeshadows of different shades, an eyeshadow and an eyeprimer, a foundation stick and a concealer or a correcting stick, a blush and a concealer, acne treatment formulation and concealer, blemish concealer and skin treatment stick, two skin treatment formulations in stick form, pain relieving balm and antiseptic stick, a deodorant stick and an antiperspirant stick, sun care products in stick form such as sunscreens, skin emollients in stick form, insect repellents and the like, adhesive sticks, a primer and an adhesive, a catalyst and a resin, shaving soap sticks, coloring sticks and so forth. 
         [0042]    Thus, the system provides a simplified, inexpensive, and efficient system that achieves all the enumerated objectives and obtains new results in the art. 
         [0043]    While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.