Patent Publication Number: US-2005115584-A1

Title: Modular cosmetic container

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to a cosmetic container, and more particularly to a stackable modular cosmetic container.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Two kinds of stackable cosmetic cases are described respectively in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,935 and No. 6,302,120. Two cosmetic cases have the same stackable structure. A cosmetic case in the prior arts comprises an outer housing and an inner housing. The outer housing of the cosmetic case is provided with a retaining protrusion extending along the upper surface of the upper wall of the outer housing. The lower wall of the outer housing is provided in the underside with a retaining groove for retaining the retaining protrusion of the upper wall of another outer housing. Therefore, a plurality of the cosmetic cases can be stacked and jointed together such that the retaining protrusion of one outer housing is snugly fitted into the retaining groove of the upper wall of another outer housing.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the foregoing, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvement for the stackable structure of modular cosmetic containers which remove the retaining protrusion from the upper surface of the upper wall of the outer housing.  
      According to the present invention, a modular cosmetic container comprises an outer case and an inner case. The upper surface of the outer case is a flat surface without any protrusion. An extending wall extending downwardly along the lateral side of the outer case forms a recess for retaining the upper wall of another outer case in the manner of lateral holdfast. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention would be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. In the drawings:  
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a modular cosmetic container of the present invention being opened.  
       FIG. 2  is a top view of a modular cosmetic container of the present invention being closed.  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is a stackable schematic view of the present invention in use. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a top view of a modular cosmetic container of the present invention being opened and closed, respectively. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a modular cosmetic container with a cylindrical body includes an outer case  200  and an inner case  100 . The outer case  200  is formed of an upper wall  206 , a lower wall  207 , and a side wall  202  connecting the upper wall  206  and the lower wall  207 . The diameters of the upper wall  206  and the lower wall  207  are identical. The upper wall  206  and the lower wall  207  are provided respectively at predetermined corresponding positions with a hole for pivotally turning the inner case  100  as a center of rotation.  
      An open receiving space  201  for receiving the inner case  100  is defined by the upper wall  206 , the lower wall  207 , and the side wall  202 . The side wall  202  is provided at the edge side thereof with a retaining projection  205  for locking the inner case  100 . An extending wall  204  is formed on the lateral surface of the lower wall  207 , so that the outer diameter of the extending wall  204  is greater than that of the upper wall  206 .  
      The inner case  100  corresponds in shape and size to the receiving space  201  of the outer case  200 . Additionally, the inner case  100  is provided with a containing space  101  for placing cosmetic products, and is provided at a predetermined position of the outer side wall thereof with a retaining recess  102  for engaging the retaining projection  205  of the outer case  200 . The inner case  100  is provided at the lateral side with a curved projection  103  for easily releasing a lock of the inner case  100  from the receiving space  201 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , the upper surface of the upper wall  206  is a flat surface without any protrusion. The inner case  100  has upper and lower ends respectively provided with a pivot  104  for insertion into respective holes  203  on the upper wall  206  and the lower wall  207 . The extending wall  204  extending downwardly along the lateral side of the lower wall  207  forms a recess  208  below the lower wall  207 .  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a stackable schematic view of the present invention in use. Two modular cosmetic containers can be stacked and jointed together in the manner of lateral holdfast, such that the upper wall  206  of outer case  200  of lower container is snugly fitted into the recess  208  defined by the extending wall  204  of outer case  200  of upper container.  
      Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art can easily understand that all kinds of alterations and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments contained herein.