Abstract:
A finger operable container is provided for use with cream, paste or cake-like products, such as cosmetics. The container comprises an assembly including a housing and at least one cooperating slide member received by the housing. At least one receptacle is provided in the assembly for receiving the product, and a pair of finger openings is formed in the assembly through which two fingers of the same hand can be inserted. The finger openings are configured and arranged to allow the finger movements of a single hand to move the assembly between a closed storage position in which the receptacle is covered and an open position in which the receptacle is exposed to permit application of the product.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a container for products, such as cosmetics, in the form of a cream, paste or cake. 
   Various kinds of cosmetic preparations are sold in small, transportable containers that will fit in a purse or handbag and that provides for storage and application of the cosmetic preparation. A common type of container for cream, paste or cake-like cosmetic products, such as makeup, blush, eye shadow and the like, is a compact which consists of a pair of clam shell like plates hingedly connected at a rear edge so that the cosmetic preparation can be protectively stored in the compact with the plates in the closed position, and the compact can be opened for application of the cosmetic. 
   The cosmetic industry continues to seek new and innovative packaging for presenting various cosmetic products to the consumer as an alternative to standard packaging such as conventional compacts of the type just described. 
   The present invention addresses this need by providing a unique package design for cream, paste or cake-like products, such as cosmetics. The present invention provides a novel, easy to use container suitable for a wide variety of products. Although the container is illustrated and described herein in connection with its use as a container for cosmetics, it is to be understood that the container is not limited to cosmetic products and various other kinds of product could be used with the container. 
   A particularly advantageous feature of the present invention is its ease of use. Its design allows for the container to be opened and closed using two fingers of the same hand, leaving the other hand free for application of the cosmetic or other product. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with one broad aspect of the present invention, a finger operable container is provided for use with cream, paste or cake-like products, such as cosmetics. The container comprises an assembly including a housing and at least one cooperating slide member received by the housing. At least one receptacle is provided in the assembly for receiving the product, and a pair of finger openings is formed in the assembly through which two fingers of the same hand can be inserted. The finger openings are configured and arranged to allow the finger movements of a single hand to move the assembly between a closed storage position in which the receptacle is covered and an open position in which the receptacle is exposed to permit application of the product. 
   The design of the present invention is versatile, providing various options for presenting the product. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a housing with a single cooperating slide member. One of the finger openings is located in this slide member and the other finger opening is located in the housing. The receptacle for the product may be located in the housing, with a central access opening in the housing providing access to the receptacle. In this embodiment, the slide member is moveable between a closed position protectively covering the receptacle and an open position in which the receptacle is uncovered. If desired, the slide member may be made of a transparent material so that when the slide member is in the closed position, the color shade of the product in the receptacle can be seen by the user. 
   In another embodiment, the assembly includes a housing with first and second cooperating slide members that extend into the housing from opposite sides. The finger openings are located in the first and second slide members. In this embodiment, the receptacle for the product may be located in the housing, with a central access opening in the housing providing access to the receptacle. The first and second slide members can be moved from a closed storage position where they cooperate to protectively cover the receptacle to an open position in which the receptacle is uncovered. 
   In yet another embodiment where the assembly includes first and second slide members, a product receptacle is provided in each of the slide members. When the slide members are in the closed position, the receptacles are concealed within the housing and when the slide members are moved outwardly to the open position, the receptacles are exposed. Thus, this embodiment provides for the storage and application of two different cosmetic products, e.g. of different color shades. The container may also be provided with a mirror. For example, the mirror may be mounted to the housing between the first and second finger openings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
     Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a container in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating how the container can be moved to the open position using the thumb and fore finger of the same hand, leaving the other hand free for application of the cosmetic; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the container in the closed position; 
       FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the container in the open position; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the container taken substantially along the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view in the open position of a container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a container in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the container of  FIG. 8  in the open position; 
       FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the container of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the container in the open position; 
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of the container taken substantially along the line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the container in a partially open position; and 
       FIG. 14  is an exploded perspective view showing the components of the container. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
   Referring now in more detail to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a container  10  held by the thumb and forefinger of a person&#39;s left hand. The term “finger” is used herein with its broad ordinary meaning to refer to any of the five terminating members of the hand, including the thumb. Obviously, the container could be used and operated with other fingers, but is most conveniently held and used by the thumb and forefinger. In the embodiment shown, the container includes a finger opening  11  through which the thumb is inserted and a finger opening  12  through which the forefinger is inserted. The finger openings are of generally circular configuration and of substantially the same diameter. Located between the finger openings  11 ,  12  is a circular access opening  13  which provides access to the cosmetic or other product housed within the container in an underlying receptacle or well. When the container is in the closed position shown in  FIG. 1 , a protective cover  14  overlies the cosmetic material. 
   As seen in  FIG. 2 , the container has been moved from the closed position to an open position by extending the forefinger away from the thumb. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the container is comprised of an assembly including a housing  15  and a slide member  16 . The housing  15 , more particularly, has a first end portion  15   a  adjacent the finger opening  11  which is of a rounded configuration having a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the finger opening  11  and with a common center axis. The housing has an interior cavity or passageway that terminates in an opening at the opposite end  15   b  of the housing into which the slide member  16  is slideably received. The slide member includes a relatively flat first portion  16   a  which is received within the interior passageway of the housing  15  and an externally disposed second portion  16   b  that remains outside the housing when the slide member  16  is in the closed position. As can be seen, this second portion  16   b  has a rounded end adjacent the finger opening  12  that conforms to the shape of housing  15 . This rounded end has a radius of curvature slightly larger than the radius of the finger opening  12  and with a common center axis. At the end  15   b  of the housing where the slide member is received, the top and bottom walls of the housing  15  have an arcuate cut-out or recess corresponding to the radius of the finger opening  12  so that the finger opening is unobstructed when the slide member  16  is in the closed retracted position. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 5 , a receptacle  17  or well is formed in the housing  15  directly beneath the access opening  13 . This receptacle can be filled with the cosmetic material. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the slide member  16  is formed from a single piece of material, such as injection molded plastic, which may be opaque or transparent. When the slide member  16  is opaque, a circular opening is provided in the flat first portion  16   a  of a size corresponding to the access opening and a circular insert is fitted into this opening to serve as the protective cover  14 . The insert may be formed of a transparent material so that so that when the slide member is in the closed retracted position, the protective cover  14  is located between the access opening  13  in housing  15  and the underlying cosmetic material in the receptacle  17 , protectively covering the cosmetic material while allowing the user to view the color shade of the cosmetic material. Alternatively, the insert that forms the protective cover  14  may be a mirror. 
   A modified form of the container is shown in  FIG. 6  and indicated by the reference character  10 ′. To avoid repetitive description, elements that correspond to elements described in the previous embodiment will be identified with corresponding reference numbers, but with prime (′) notation added. As in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the container  10 ′ includes a housing  15 ′ and a slide member  16 ′. This embodiment differs over that of  FIGS. 1-5  in that the slide member  16 ′ can be made entirely of a transparent material, avoiding the need for an insert. 
   Yet another embodiment of a container in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 7 . To avoid repetitive description, elements that correspond to elements described in the previous embodiments will be identified with corresponding reference numbers, but with double prime (″) notation added. As with the previous embodiments, the container  10 ″ includes a housing  15 ″ with a hollow interior passageway. However, in this embodiment the passageway terminates in openings at both ends of the housing  15 ″. Slide members  16 ″ extend into the housing  15 ″ at both the first end  15   a ″ and the second end  15   b ″ of the housing. When in the retracted closed position, the relatively flat first portion  16   a ″ of the slide members meet one another to overlie and protectively cover the receptacle  17 ″. However, when the slide members are moved to the extended open position as shown in  FIG. 7 , the receptacle  17 ″ is uncovered to allow access to the cosmetic material. 
   In  FIG. 8 , a container  30  in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated. As with the previous embodiments, the container has a finger opening  31  through which the thumb of one hand can be placed and a finger opening  32  for receiving the forefinger of the same hand. Between the two finger openings  31 ,  32  is mounted a circular mirror  33  to assist the user in applying the cosmetics. 
   As can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 9 , as well as in  FIGS. 10-14 , the container is comprised of an assembly including a housing  35  and cooperating slide members  36 ,  38 . The housing has a hollow interior passageway terminating in openings at opposite ends of the housing. A first slide member  36  is slideably received by one of the openings, and a second slide member  38  is slideably received by the other opening. Each slide member  36 ,  38  includes a relatively flat first portion  36   a ,  38   a  that is received within the interior passageway of the housing  35  and an externally disposed second portion  36   b ,  38   b  located adjacent the respective opposite ends of the housing. The slide members  36 ,  38  can be moved from a closed retracted storage position as shown in  FIG. 8  to an extended open position as shown in  FIG. 9  for application of the cosmetic products. 
   In the relatively flat first portion  36   a ,  38   a  of each slide member, there is provided a receptacle  37  for receiving the cosmetic product. The receptacle, more particularly, comprises a circular recess or well formed in the first portion  36   a ,  38   a . When the container  30  is in the closed storage position as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the receptacles  37  are concealed within the housing  35  one above the other as shown in  FIG. 12 . When the slide members  36 ,  38  are moved to the extended open position as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , the receptacles  37  are exposed and accessible for making application of the cosmetic. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 14 , the housing  35  is conveniently fabricated from two separate pieces of injection molded plastic that can be snap-fit together and held in assembled relation by respective integrally molded posts  41  and corresponding sockets  42  in the top and bottom pieces. The housing, more particularly, includes a top piece  43  that forms a top wall  44  and opposing sides  45 , with the mirror  33  being mounted in a suitably shaped recess formed in the top wall  44 . A bottom piece  47  defines a bottom wall  48  and opposing spaced apart sides  49  that collectively define the hollow interior passageway of the housing adapted for receiving the slide member  36 . A similar configuration is present on the underside of the top piece  43 , not visible in  FIG. 14 , to provide a passageway for receiving the slide member  38 . 
   Positive stop grooves  51  are formed in the interior surface of the bottom wall  48  and top wall  44 . These grooves cooperate with corresponding positive stop beads  52  formed on the interior ends of the first portion  36   a ,  38   a  of the slide members  36 ,  38  to limit the extend of travel of the slide members  36 ,  38  when moved to the open position. The beads  52  on slide member  36  interact with the grooves  51  on bottom wall  48  and the beads  52  on slide member  38  interact with the grooves  51  (not visible in  FIG. 14 ) on the interior surface of the top wall  44 , and thereby serve to retain the housing and the slide members  36 ,  38  in assembled relation. Ribs  53  formed on the sides of the first portions  36   a ,  38   a  of slide members  36 ,  38  cooperate with corresponding grooves  54  formed on the interior surfaces of the sides  45 ,  49  for retaining the slide members  36 ,  38  in the closed position, providing a positive “click” when the slide members are closed. 
   Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.