Patent Publication Number: US-8985881-B2

Title: Lipstick tube

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to containers for lipstick and, in particular, to lipstick tubes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     At present, lipstick tubes are cylindrical devices including a rotating or pushup base which raises the lipstick out of the base for application to the lips. After application, turning the base of the tube in the opposite direction typically pulls the lipstick back inside. A cap is designed to cover the lipstick and cover and engage a portion of the base, to protect the open end of the lipstick from damage. However, the user must remember to manually retract the lipstick into the base before replacing the cap. Otherwise, the cap will press onto the lipstick, either ruining its rounded shape or mashing the lipstick into and over the base. 
     Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a lipstick holder which prevents the lipstick from being distorted when the cover is replaced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a lipstick tube which is designed to prevent the cap from pressing on the lipstick. The lipstick tube includes a base and a lipstick holding portion with a protruding element, which may be, for example, in the form of a ring around the base or a pair of support pins extending radially from the sides. The diameter of the protruding portion is larger than that of the cap, so that the cap seats on the protruding element when covering the lipstick. Thus, the protruding element prevents the cap from touching the lipstick, even if the lipstick was not retracted into the base. The protruding element can be rotated by the user to retract the lipstick holding portion and the lipstick into the base. 
     There is thus provided, according to the present invention, a lipstick tube including a hollow cylindrical base, a lipstick holder disposed in the base, a cap longer than the distance between the top of the protruding element and the top of a lipstick in the lipstick holder covering the lipstick holder, and a protruding element affixed to the lipstick holder and moving together with the lipstick holder relative to the base, where the protruding element protrudes radially from the holder for engaging the cap in a closed orientation. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the base includes a pair of spiral grooves extending longitudinally along its side wall, and the protruding element includes a pair of pins extending radially from the lipstick holder, the pins being slidingly seated in the grooves. 
     Further according to a preferred embodiment, the protruding element further includes an annular ring extending around the tube and engaging the pins. 
     There is also provided a method for protecting lipstick in a lipstick tube, the method including providing a hollow cylindrical base, disposing a lipstick holder in the base, and affixing a protruding element to the lipstick holder, the protruding element protruding radially from the base for engaging a cap in a closed orientation. 
     Preferably, the method further includes covering the lipstick and the lipstick holder with a cap longer than a lipstick mounted in the lipstick holder until the cap engages the protruding element. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be further understood and appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1   a  is a plan view illustration of a lipstick tube constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1   b  is a cut away view of the lipstick tube of  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 1   c  is a cut away view of the lipstick tube of  FIG. 1   a  with lipstick therein; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a plan view illustration of the lipstick tube of  FIG. 1   a  without the cap; 
         FIG. 2   b  is an exploded view of the lipstick tube of  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIGS. 3   a  to  3   d  are schematic illustrations of the process of cap removal and lipstick extraction, according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 4   a  to  4   c  are schematic illustrations of the process of lipstick insertion and cap replacement, according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a lipstick tube constructed and operative in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6   a  is a plan view illustration of a lipstick tube constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6   b  is a sectional view of the lipstick tube of  FIG. 6   a ; and 
         FIG. 6   c  is a cut away view of the lipstick tube of  FIG. 6   a.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a lipstick tube designed to prevent the cap from pressing on the lipstick when the user covers the tube without retracting the lipstick into the base. This is accomplished by providing a protruding element affixed to the lipstick holding portion of the tube which engages or serves as a stop member for the cap and prevents it from squeezing the lipstick into the lipstick holding portion. Since the diameter of the protruding element is slightly larger than that of the cap, the cap abuts the protruding element when covering the lipstick. Thus, the protruding element prevents the cap from touching the lipstick, even if the lipstick was not retracted into the base before replacing the cap. The protruding element can be rotated by the user to retract the lipstick holding portion and the lipstick into the base. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  and  1   c , there are shown a plan view and cut away views, respectively, of a lipstick tube  10  constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Lipstick tube  10  includes a hollow, cylindrical base  12 , here illustrated as defining a pair of spiral grooves  14  and  14 ′ (shown in  FIG. 2   b ) along its side wall  16 , as known. A lipstick holder  20 , in which the lipstick  28  is disposed, seats in the base and is arranged to rotate as it rises along the side wall  16  of the base. A protruding element  22 , here illustrated as a ring, is coupled to lipstick holder  20 , as by a pair of pins  24 , and extends radially beyond the base. Lipstick tube  10  further includes a cap  40  having a closure surface  42  for closing the tube and covering the top of the lipstick and a bottom edge  44 . Cap  40  is arranged to engage protruding element  22 . It will be appreciated that the length of cap  40 , from closure surface  42  to bottom edge  44 , is longer than the distance from the top of the protruding element to the top of a lipstick in the lipstick holder. In this way, the closure surface  42  is always distanced from the tip of a lipstick seated in the holder, as can be seen in  FIG. 1   c.    
     The structure and operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention can be better understood from  FIG. 2   a  and  FIG. 2   b , a view without the cap and an exploded view, respectively, of the lipstick tube of  FIG. 1   a . As can be seen, lipstick tube  10  includes base  12  with spiral grooves  14  and  14 ′ extending along its side wall  16 . 
     Lipstick tube  10  may further include a first sleeve  30 , typically of plastic, defining longitudinal grooves  32  and  32 ′ along a substantial portion of its length and substantially opposite each other, through which pins  24  pass. Sleeve  30  is provided to surround the lipstick  28  and prevent the ring and attached lipstick from rotating, as known. An optional outer sleeve  34 , having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of sleeve  30 , also defining longitudinal grooves  36  and  36 ′ along a substantial portion of its length and substantially opposite each other for passage of pins  24 , may be provided for aesthetic reasons, to cover and hide the mechanism from view, as known. It will be appreciated that corresponding sleeves, without a longitudinal groove, are known and in use in conventional lipstick tubes and do not form part of the novel mechanism of the present invention. 
     Lipstick holder  20  includes at least two pins  24  arranged to engage the grooves in the base and sleeves. Lipstick holder  20  further includes a protruding element  22  extending radially beyond the base. In this embodiment, the protruding element  22  includes a ring mounted about sleeve  34  on pins  24 . A hollow cap  40  is provided to cover the sleeves, lipstick and side wall  16  of the base. Cap  40  is sized to enclose the lipstick and sleeves  30  and  34 , when present, and to seat on protruding element  22 , as seen in  FIG. 1   a.    
       FIGS. 3   a  to  3   d  are schematic illustrations of the process of cap removal and lipstick extraction, utilizing the lipstick tube  10  of  FIG. 1   a . In  FIG. 3   a , the lipstick  28  is shown seated on lipstick holder  20  and fully retracted inside base  12 . Cap  40  is sized to abut and engage protruding element  22  in such a fashion that closure surface  42  is distanced from the tip of the lipstick  28  at all times. 
     Cap  40  is removed, as shown in  FIG. 3   b . According to some embodiments, the bottom edge  44  of cap  40  is flat and seats directly on ring  22 . In other embodiments, such as illustrated in  FIG. 3   b , the bottom edge  44  includes an external undercut or step, and engages a complementary groove  23  in ring  22  for frictional engagement ensuring a tighter fit. 
     Now the user begins to rotate the ring  22  relative to the base  12 , so as to cause the lipstick  28  to rise through the base  12  and protrude above the tube, as seen in  FIG. 3   c . As can be seen, pins  24  extend through groove  14  and engage ring  22 , so that rotation of ring  22  relative to base  12  causes pins  24  to slide along grooves  14  and  14 ′ in a spiral motion along the length of the base and raise lipstick holder  26  through the base.  FIG. 3   d  shows the lipstick tube of the invention when the lipstick is fully extended. 
       FIGS. 4   a  to  4   c  are schematic illustrations of the process of lipstick insertion and cap replacement, according to one embodiment of the invention. Typically, the user will retract the lipstick into the tube before covering with the cap. However, in case this is not done, as shown in  FIG. 4   a , the cap  40  is replaced over the extended lipstick  28  until it seats on ring  22 . Either the ring or the base is now rotated relative to the other, and the lipstick retracts together with the lipstick holder and the cap, downwards along the base ( FIG. 4   b ) until fully retracted ( FIG. 4   c ). It will be appreciated that alternative mechanisms for raising and lowering the lipstick can be employed within the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a perspective view of a lipstick tube  50  constructed and operative in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Lipstick tube  50  includes a base  52  defining spiral grooves  54  and  54 ′ longitudinally along its side wall  56 , as described above, and a cap  60 , here illustrated as having a planar lower edge  62 . A lipstick holder (not shown) is provided inside base  52 . In this embodiment, the protruding element  58  is a pair of pins extending from the lipstick holder through grooves  54  and  54 ′. As can be seen, bottom edge  62  of cap  60 , in the closed orientation, engages pins  58  so as not to press on the lipstick inside. Alternatively, any other design of protruding element coupled to the lipstick holder may be provided. 
       FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b  and  6   c  are plan, sectional and cut-away views, respectively, of a lipstick tube  70  constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Lipstick tube  70  is substantially similar to lipstick tube  10  so the mechanism will not be described again. Lipstick tube  70  differs in the cap  72  and the base  80 . Base  80  has a larger diameter than the protruding element  22  and, in the fully retracted position shown in  FIG. 6   b , the protruding element seats on the base. 
     Cap  72  is designed to cover and enclose the protruding element, for a more streamlined appearance. Thus, cap  72  includes an internal undercut  74  defining a shoulder  76  and an elongated bottom edge  78 . Shoulder  76  is designed to seat on and engage the protruding element, here ring  22 , while the elongated edge  78  of the cap covers the protruding element and possibly the side wall  82  of the base, until it engages the base  80 . 
     While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. It will further be appreciated that the invention is not limited to what has been described hereinabove merely by way of example. Rather, the invention is limited solely by the claims which follow.