Abstract:
A packaging device comprising a container and a cover, the cover being hinged relative to the container about a hinge pin, the container comprising a first thread. The device also comprises a first portion connected to the container by the hinge pin, the first portion being capable of blocking the container when the cover is in a closed position; a ring freely rotatably attached onto the first portion, the ring comprising a second thread capable of engaging with the first thread of the container so as to threadably, removably engage the cover.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    The present application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/FR2009/001464, filed Dec. 18, 2009, which claims priority from French Application No. 0950828, filed Feb. 10, 2009, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a packaging device suitable for containing a cosmetic product in the form of a powder, a gel, a liquid, a cream, or a paste, such as a foundation, a hair product or another makeup or personal care product. The packaging device hereof is also applicable to other applications, in particular in the field of household products. The invention is particularly adapted to packaging products with a high solvent content, in particular water content, which must be protected as much as possible from air, so as to limit the evaporation of the solvent(s) contained therein. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0003]    There are known packaging devices that comprise an articulated cover over a bottom, wherein a closing element or assembly makes it possible to lock the cover over the bottom in a removable manner. 
         [0004]    A joint-type seal is arranged within the housing, all around a hollowing suitable for receiving the product. Such a housing, which is easily created, does not ensure sufficient sealing for certain applications. 
         [0005]    Housings with more sophisticated designs are described in particular in the patent application EP 0 614 629. According to this document, the housing comprises an internal cover mounted in free rotation on the interior of an outer covering, the outer covering being articulated over a bottom comprising a hollowing. The internal cover, which rotations freely, may be fixedly connected onto the bottom so as to ensure the protection of a product contained in a hollowing formed in the bottom. The outer cover is articulated on the bottom such that, after uncoupling the internal cover relative to the bottom, the housing can be opened by pivoting, in light of an application of a powder brush contained in an auxiliary hollowing. Other than the relatively important blockage, this housing suffers from a major disadvantage due to the complexity thereof, the difficulty in use, in particular in opening, as well as in it&#39;s fragility and cost. 
         [0006]    A packaging device to tightly seal a product, which is sturdy, simple to use and economical to manufacture, would provide distinct advantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The packaging device hereof includes a receptacle and a cover, the cover being articulated relative to the receptacle around an axis of articulation, said receptacle comprising a first threading, and the cover comprising:
       a first part connected to the receptacle by the axis of articulation, the first part being suitable for blocking the receptacle when the cover is in a closed position;   a fixed ring in free rotation on the first part, the ring comprising a second threading suitable for becoming engaged with the first threading of the receptacle in order to threadably, removably engage the cover.       
 
         [0010]    The packaging device hereof presents both the advantages of threadable housings in terms of sealing closure, and the advantages of articulated housings, in terms of ease and comfort of use. 
         [0011]    The packaging device hereof makes it possible to ensure the re-covering of the receptacle by means of a non-moveable piece in rotation while the cover is being threadably closed, thus ensuring a better seal for the device and guaranteeing a better protection for the packaged product. 
         [0012]    The packaging device hereof may comprise, in addition to the principle characteristics previously mentioned in the preceding paragraph, one or a plurality of the following characteristics, taking individually or according to any technically possible combination:
       the first part of the cover comprises a clipping arrangement for clipping in the ring on the first part;   the cover comprises a fixedly connected leg of the first part suitable for providing articulation of the cover around the axis of articulation;   the device comprises a sealing joint between the cover and the receptacle, wherein the shape thereof is adapted to match the contours of the receptacle;   threadable engagement and removal of the ring relative to the receptacle causes the ring to be displaced in a direction perpendicular to an opening plane of the device, the axis of articulation being constructed so as to be displaced at a distance at least equal to the displacement of the ring;   the cover is articulated relative to the receptacle by means of a retarder comprising an external fixedly connected part of the leg of the cover and an internal fixedly connected part of the receptacle, the external part being moveable relative to the internal part;   the device is created from a plastic material, zamak, metal, alloys or a combination of the materials.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more evident from the description given below, provided for information only and in no way meant to be a limitation, with reference to the attached figures, among which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a packaging device according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the packaging device in an open position; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view along the AA′ axis of the packaging device illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0023]    In all the figures, same elements bear the same reference numerals. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    The packaging device  10  illustrated in the figures is suitable for containing a cosmetic product in the form of a powder, gel, liquid, cream, or even a paste, such as foundation, a hair care product or other makeup or personal care product.  FIG. 1  represents, in particular, an exploded view of the different elements composing the packaging device  10  according to an embodiment of the invention;  FIG. 2  is the packaging device  10  assembled in an open position; and  FIG. 3  is a section view along the AA′ axis of the packaging device  10  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0025]    The device  10  is formed by:
       a receptacle  1  that is hollowed out, in a cylindrical shape, comprising a bottom  16  suitable for containing the cosmetic product, the receptacle  1  comprising a first threading  11  in the upper portion thereof;   a cover  2 , in a circular shape, formed by a first part  3  and by a ring  4 , the first part  3  being connected to the receptacle  1  by means of an axis of articulation  13  and being suitable to cover up the receptacle  1 , the ring  4  comprising a second threading  12  suitable to become engaged with the first threading  11  of the receptacle  1 ;   a joint  14  creating a seal during the closure of the cover  2 , situated between the receptacle  1  and the cover  2 , the joint  14  being advantageously created from a foam-type polyethylene material, commercially available for example under the trade name TRISEAL; and   an elastic retarder  20 , enabling articulation of the cover  2  and the receptacle  1  and making it possible to control the speed of articulation of the cover  2 , the retarder  20  comprising an outer part  22  moveable in rotation around an internal part  21 .       
 
         [0030]    The first part  3  is formed by a flat part  5  in a circular shape and comprising an additional central thickness  8  in a circular shape which comprises, in the periphery thereof, a clipping means  6 . The flat part  5  is suitable for pressing upon the contours  15  of the receptacle  1  when the cover  2  is in the closed position thereof, as represented in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0031]    The first part  3  further comprises a fixing leg  7 , substantially perpendicular to the flat part  5 , comprising in the lower portion thereof a cylinder bore  9 . The cylinder bore  9  is created so as to be able to receive the retarder  20 , the retarder  20  being mounted by force into the cylinder bore  9  such that the outer part  22  of the retarder  20  is fixedly connected from the fixing leg  7  after the assembly of the retarder  20 . The inner part  21  of the retarder  20  is blocked in rotation on the receptacle  1 . Thus, the first part  3  of the cover  2  is articulated around the axis of rotation  13 . 
         [0032]    The circular-shaped ring  4  comprises an opening  23  suitable for being clipped onto the additional thickness  8  of the first part  3  by means of the clipping assembly  6 . 
         [0033]    The clipping assembly  6  makes it possible to maintain the ring  4  fixedly connected to the first part  3  during the articulation of the first part  3  around the axis of rotation  13 , while also enabling the ring  4  to freely rotate around the first part  3 , the ring  4  being able to freely rotate according to an axis perpendicular to the opening plane  30  of the device  10 . 
         [0034]    The outer part  22  of the retarder  20 , in a cylindrical shape, comprises a plurality of grooves on the outer surface thereof, suitable for preventing the rotation of the outer part  22  on the interior of the cylinder bore  9  of the fixing leg  7 . The outer part  22  is moveably rotated, along the axis of rotation  13 , around the inner part  21 . The inner part  21  leads from the outer part  22  to the level of an extremity  24 , the extremity  24  having a rectangular shape suitable for blocking the rotation of the inner part  21 . 
         [0035]    The retarder  20  further comprises an elastic element, of the coiled spring type, enabling the articulation of the cover  2  without external intervention. 
         [0036]    In a closed position, as represented in  FIG. 3 , the ring  4  is engaged onto the receptacle  1 , then screwed onto the receptacle  1  by means of the threadings  11 ,  12 . Thus, threadably engaging the ring  4  causes an axial displacement of the first part  3  such that when the ring  4  is entirely screwed in, the first part  3  covers up the bottom  16  of the receptacle  1 . 
         [0037]    Threadably engaging the ring  4  further exerts a pressing force onto this first part  3 , thus ensuring a seal for the device  10  when the first part  3  is pressed onto the contours  15  of the receptacle  1 . 
         [0038]    The joint  14  in particular makes it possible to increase the integrity of the seal by being deformed under the pressing exerted by threadably engaging the ring  4 , so as to match the shape of the contours  15  of the receptacle  1  when the ring  4  is screwed in. 
         [0039]    According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the joint  14  is fixedly connected onto the flat part  5  of the first part  3 , for example by gluing. 
         [0040]    Screwing and unscrewing the ring  4  onto the receptacle  1  causes the ring  4  to be axially displaced in a direction perpendicular to the opening plane  30  of the device  10 , leading to a displacement of the first part  3  along the same direction, the ring  4  and the first part  3  being clipped in. 
         [0041]    Once the threading  12  of the cover  2  is no longer engaged with the threading  11  of the receptacle  1 , the cover  2  is articulated around the axis of rotation by means of the retarder  20  such that the movement of rotation of the cover  2  frees up access to the packaged cosmetic product. 
         [0042]    The articulation of the cover  2  is achieved without exterior intervention, in a manner so as to generate an aesthetic opening and a pleasing impression of fluidity and grace for the user. 
         [0043]    When the ring  4  is threadably engaged or disengaged, the retarder  20  is further displaced by a distance substantially equal to the axial displacement of the cover  2 . The extremity  24  of the inner part  21  of the retarder  20  is slidably mounted, along the axis of displacement of the cover  2 , on the receptacle  1 , between a first position corresponding to the ring  4  being threadbly engaged by the receptacle  1 , and a second position corresponding to the ring  4  being clear of the receptacle—that is, when the two threadings  11 ,  12  have been disengaged. 
         [0044]    When the user wishes to open the device  10 , the ring is unscrewed  4  by pivoting around the first part  3  until the ring  4  is disengaged from the threading  11  of the receptacle  1 . 
         [0045]    The articulation of the cover  2  is thus achieved without exterior intervention, by the elastic retarder  20 , the articulation of the cover  2  being further braked by the retarder  20  in a manner so as to generate an aesthetic opening and a pleasing impression of fluidity and grace for the user. 
         [0046]    The articulation of the cover  2  is stopped by an abutment integrated into the fixing leg  7  coming into contact with the receptacle  1 , the elastic retarding means  20  making it possible to maintain the device  10  in an open position as represented in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0047]    The invention has been described in particular for packaging a cosmetic product, but nevertheless the invention is equally applicable for packing other products, such has household products.