Abstract:
A liquid cosmetic case adapted to dispense a cosmetic material which includes a tube-shaped container adapted to house a cosmetic material, said container being provided at one end thereof with threaded walls which define an aperture; a cap provided with locking slots and threads for screw engagement with the threaded walls of said container; a discharger disposed within said aperture, said discharger containing liquid guiding passages which communicate at one end with the container and at the other end with a conduit provided in such discharger; and a support cap engaged with the upper external portion of said discharger for securing a brush to the discharger conduit, said support cap containing locking flanges which engage with said locking slots provided in said cap, whereby upon the engagement and disengagement between the cap and the discharger, the communication through said liquid guiding passes between said container and said conduit in the discharger can be opened or closed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2004-0112884 and 10-2005-0094842, filed on Dec. 27, 2004 and Oct. 10, 2005, respectively in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a liquid cosmetic case in which a supporting cap to which a brush is fixed is attached to the upper side of a tube-shaped container that stores liquid cosmetic and is coupled with a discharger which is closed after discharging the liquid cosmetic. The cap is thread-coupled with the upper side of the tube-shaped container so that the discharger coupled with the supporting cap ascends and descends by opening and closing the cap. When the cap ascends, a ring-shaped step in the upper end of a liquid supplying container is opened so that a through hole and a liquid guiding passage formed by an inner protrusion wheel step are connected to a discharge hole and that the liquid cosmetic in the tube-shaped container is discharged to the brush. When the cap descends, the ring-shaped step in the upper end of the liquid supplying container is pressed and closed so that the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container does not leak and that a user can safely carry the liquid cosmetic case. 
   2. Discussion of Related Art 
   According to a conventional art, a screw rod with which a piston is thread-coupled to ascend and descend and in which a liquid cosmetic guiding passage is formed so that a ball for opening and closing the liquid cosmetic guiding passage is elastically supported by a spring in the liquid cosmetic guiding passage is provided in a container that stores the liquid cosmetic and is coupled with a body. 
   Therefore, according to the conventional art, a large number of parts are coupled with each other and the structure is complicated so that manufacturing expenses increase. Also, a user must hold the container and rotate the body several times during use, which is inconvenient. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In order to solve the above-described problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic case in which a supporting cap to which a brush is fixed is fixed to the upper side of a tube-shaped container that stores liquid cosmetic and is coupled with a discharger closed after discharging liquid cosmetic and a cap is thread-coupled with the upper side of the tube-shaped container so that the discharger coupled with the supporting cap ascends and descends by opening and closing the cap. When the cap ascends, a ring-shaped step in the upper end of a liquid supplying container is opened so that a through hole and a liquid guiding passage formed by an inner protrusion wheel step are connected to a discharge hole and that the liquid cosmetic in the tube-shaped container is discharged to the brush. When the cap descends, the ring-shaped step in the upper end of the liquid supplying container is pressed and closed so that the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container does not leak and that a user can safely carry the cosmetic case. Since the cap is thread-coupled with the upper side of the tube-shaped container, it is possible to prevent the liquid cosmetic from leaking and from being contaminated. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and/or other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cosmetic case according to the present invention whose cap is opened; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the cosmetic case according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the cosmetic case according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view illustrating an operation state of the cosmetic case according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a cosmetic case according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view illustrating the operation state of the cosmetic case of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a cosmetic case according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the main part of the operation state of the cosmetic case of  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view of a cosmetic case according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view of the main part of the operation state of the cosmetic case of  FIG. 9 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIGS. 1 to 4  are exploded perspective views of a cosmetic case according to the present invention and sectional views illustrating the coupled state and the operation state of the cosmetic case according to the present invention. 
   An opening  3  is formed in the upper side of a male thread  2  provided on the outer circumference wall of a tube-shaped container  1  and a step  4  and a ring-shaped step  5  and an inner protruded wheel step  7  are formed on the inner circumference wall of the tube-shaped container  1  in the lower side of a liquid supplying container  6  so that an additional discharger  10  can be inserted to ascend and descend while being provided with a sealing O-ring  20 . 
   A liquid guiding passage  11  is horizontally disposed in the center of the discharger  10  and is connected to a discharge conduit  12  which vertically penetrates the center of the discharger  10 . A pressing plate  31   a  is formed on the circumference of a supporting cap  31  to which a brush  30  is fixed and a groove ring  33  is formed in the lower end and on the outer circumference wall of the discharger  10  so that the groove ring  33  is fixed to engage with the protrusion ring  13  provided on the inner circumference wall and in the upper side of the supporting cap  31 . 
   A groove  14  into which the sealing O-ring  20  is inserted and a locking step  15  are formed on the outer circumference wall and in the upper side of the discharger  10 . A structure containing slanted circumference walls  16  whose upper side is wide and whose lower side is narrow is formed below the liquid guiding passage  11 . Stepped jaws  17  and  17   a  are formed in the lower end of the structure defining the slanted circumference walls  16 , the upper side of which is wide and the lower side of which is narrow. A column  19  which supports the jaws  17  and  17   a  is provided with a divided opening  18  which supplies liquid cosmetic. 
   As described above, the supporting cap  31  to which the brush  30  is fixed is connected to the protrusion ring  13  of the discharger  10  and the discharger  10  which contains the sealing O-ring  20  provided in the groove  14  is inserted into the opening  3  of the tube-shaped container  1  such that the sealing O-ring  20  tightly seals the inner circumference wall of the opening  3 . The locking step  15  of the discharger  10  engages the step formed on the inner circumference wall of the opening  3 , whereby the slanted circumference wall  16  of the discharger  10  presses and closes the ring-shaped step  5  of the opening  3 . The column  19  with the divided opening  18  extends through hole  7   a  formed by the inner protrusion wheel  7  disposed in the inner circumference wall and in the lower side of the tube-shaped container  1  to connect the liquid supplying container  6  to the inside of the tube-shaped container  1  through the divided opening  18 . 
   As described above, a cap  40  is thread-coupled with the upper side of the tub-shaped container  1 . A female thread  41  corresponding to the male thread  2  formed in the upper side and on the outer circumference wall of the tube-shaped container  1  is formed on the inner circumference wall and in the lower side of the cap  40 , respectively, and a pressing step  42  and an inner locking wheel  43  are respectively formed on the inner circumference wall and in the center of the cap  40  so that the cap  40  is thread-coupled to the upper side of the tube-shaped container  1 . Therefore, the pressing step  42  formed on the inner circumference wall of the cap  40  is fixed to the upper side of the discharger  10  to press against the pressing plate  31   a  locking flanges formed in the upper side of the supporting cap  31  to which the brush  30  is fixed and to have the discharger  10  descend. Therefore, the slanted circumference wall  16  whose upper side is wide and whose lower side is narrow formed at the outer circumference wall of the discharger  10 , presses and closes the ring-shaped step  5  formed on the inner circumference wall and in the upper side of the tube-shaped container  1  to intercept the liquid supplying container  6  connected to the divided opening  18  and the liquid guiding passage  11  connected to a discharge hole  12 . 
   In the above-described state, the pressing plate  31   a  is pressed by the pressing step formed on the inner circumference wall in the center of the cap  40  and locked by the inner locking wheel (locking slots)  43 . When the cap  40  is rotated to be opened, the pressing plate  31   a  locked by the inner locking wheel  43  formed on the inner circumference wall and in the center of the cap  40  ascends to a predetermined height together with the cap  40  that ascends as it is rotated. 
   At this time, the discharger  10  coupled with the supporting cap  31  including the pressing plate  31   a  locking flanges ascends so that the slanted circumference wall  16  of the discharger  10  separates from the ring-shaped step  5  of the opening  3  to open the upper side of the liquid supplying container  6 . Therefore, the through hole  7   a  formed by the inner protruded wheel step  7  formed on the inner circumference wall and in the lower end of the tube-shaped container  1  is connected to the liquid guiding passage  11  and the discharge hole  12  so that the liquid cosmetic in the tube-shaped container  1  can be discharged to the brush  30 . Simply stated, as the cap is unscrewed, the stopped jaws will engage inner protrusion wheel  7  and the pressing plate  31   a  will snap out of a groove on the cap to enable the cap to be removed. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  are sectional views illustrating a cosmetic case according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As described in the structure of the discharger  10  of  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the liquid guiding passage  11  connected to the discharge hole  12  is extended downward by the use of a supporting plate  50  having a bottom planar surface  51 . 
   The supporting plate  50  is positioned to ascend and descend in the liquid supplying container  6 . An opening and closing ball  52  is provided under the supporting plate  50  to open and close the through hole  7   a  formed by the inner protruded wheel step  7  of the liquid supplying container  6 . An outer locking protrusion wheel  53  is provided on the outer circumference wall and in the lower end of the discharger  10  to which the brush  30  is fixed. An inner locking protrusion wheel  54  is provided on the inner circumference wall and in the upper end of the tube-shaped container  1  into which the discharger  10  is inserted to ascend and descend. The outer locking protrusion wheel  53  and the inner locking protrusion wheel  54  are coupled with each other so that the discharger  10  does not deviate when the tube-shaped container  1  is pressed. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8  are sectional views illustrating a cosmetic case according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As described with reference to the structure of the discharger  10  of  FIGS. 1 to 6 , the column  19  formed below the slanted circumference wall  16  defines the liquid guiding passage  11  connected to the discharge hole  12  said passage  11  being further defined by the supporting plate  50  formed by extending the liquid guiding passage  11  in the downward direction. Therefore, the through hole  7   a  formed by the inner protruding wheel step  7  that forms the liquid supplying chamber  6  is directly opened and closed. 
   In the state where the cap  40  is thread-coupled with the tube-shaped container  1 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the pressing plate  31   a  of the supporting cap  31  to which the brush  30  is attached engaged with the upper side of the discharger  10  by the pressing step  42  formed at the inner circumference wall in the upper side of the cap  40  so that as the discharger  10  descends, the slanted circumference wall  16  presses and seals up the ring-shaped step  5  of the tube-shaped container  1 . Therefore, it is possible to safely carry the cosmetic case without the danger of the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  leaking to the outside. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  are sectional views illustrating a cosmetic case according to a third embodiment of the present invention. By the male threads  2  of the upper outer circumferential wall of the tube-shaped container  1  of  FIGS. 1 to 8 , and by the outer protruding ring  2   a  of the tube-shaped container  1 , and an inner protruding ring  41   a  of the cap  40 , the cap  40  on the top of the tub-shaped container  1  can be forcibly opened without female treads  41  formed in the lower inner circumferential wall of the cap  40 . Moreover, without the liquid guiding passage  11  formed in the center of the discharge hole  12 , a vertical body  60  which is a vertical extension of the discharge hole  12 , is formed. Corresponding to the structure of an upper step  61  formed in the upper side of the vertical body  60 , a groove ring  62  is formed in the lower side of the outer circumferential wall of the vertical body  60  and several erected pieces  70  are formed in the upper inner circumferential wall of the tube-shaped container  1  to open the circumference of the liquid supplying container  6  such that a liquid supplying chamber  71  is formed. A through-hole  7   a  formed in the lower end is closed such that an opening and closing cap  72 , in which the inner protruding ring  72   a  is formed in correspondence to the groove ring  62  of the vertical body  60 , is formed in the upper side of the inner circumferential wall to open and close the discharge hole  12  formed in the vertical body  60 . An elastic spring  80  is disposed between the upper step  61  of the vertical body  60  and the opening and closing cap  72  such that the opening and closing cap  72  is safely operated by the erected pieces  70  for defining the liquid supplying chamber  71 . An inner locking protruding wheel  73  is formed in the inner lower circumferential wall of the supporting cap  31  and is engaged with the upper side of the discharger  10  to cover the supporting cap  31 . An outer locking protruding wheel  74  is formed in the upper side of the outer circumferential wall of the tube-shaped container  1  and is engaged with the inner locking protruding wheel  73  such that the discharger  10  is not separated when pressing the tube-shaped container  1 . 
   In the liquid cosmetic case according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as described above, the state of the cap  40  being thread-coupled with the tube-shaped container  1 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is the state in which the pressing plate  31   a  of the supporting cap  31  is pressed by the pressing step  42  formed in the upper side of the inner circumferential wall of the cap  40  such that the slanted circumference wall  16  presses and closes the ring-shaped step  5  of the tube-shaped container  1 . Thus, the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  does not leak and is safely stored. 
   When using the liquid cosmetic case according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the cap  40  thread-coupled with the upper side of the tube-shaped container  1  is turned to open the tube-shaped container  1 . At that time, as the pressing plate  31   a , locked to the inner locking wheel  43  formed in the center of the inner circumferential wall of the cap  40 , is rotated to ascend to a predetermined height together with the ascending cap  40 , the discharger  10  coupled with the supporting cap  31  in which the pressing plate  31   a  is formed also ascends together them so that the slanted circumference wall  16  of the discharger  10  is separated from the ring-shaped step  5  of the opening  3  and the upper side of the liquid supplying container  6  is opened. The divided opening  18  of the discharger  10 , the liquid supplying container  6 , the liquid guiding passage  11 , and the discharge hole  12  all communicate with each other such that when the tube-shaped container  1  is held by hand and pressed, the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  is discharged and impregnated into the brush  30 . 
   When the discharger  10  ascends due to the pressing of the tube-shaped container  1 , the stepped jaws  17  and  17   a  formed in the lower sides of the divided opening  18  are obstructed by the inner protruding wheel step  7  forming the through hole  7   a  so that the discharger  10  does not excessively ascend. 
   Moreover, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrating the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the state of opening the through-hole  7   a  due to the pressure generated by opening the cap  40  thread-coupled with the tube-shaped container  1  and pressing the tube-shaped container  1 , the opening and closing ball  52  ascends and the tube-shaped container  1  communicates with the liquid supplying container  6 , the liquid guiding passage  11 , and the discharge hole  12  through the through-hole  7   a  such that the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  is discharged through the discharge hole  12  and is impregnated into the brush  30 . 
   By repeating the above actions, the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1 . At that time, the outer locking protrusion wheel  53  of the supporting cap  31  fixed to the upper side of the discharge  10  is locked to the inner locking protrusion wheel  54  formed in the upper side of the inner circumference wall of the opening  3  so that ring the discharger  10  is not separated and is safely used. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrating the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the discharger  10  ascends, as shown in  FIG. 7 , due to the pressure generated in the tube-shaped container  1  by opening the cap  40  thread-coupled with the tube-shaped container  1  and pressing the tube-shaped container  1 , and the slanted circumference wall  16  for closing the through-hole  7   a  formed by the inner protruded wheel step  7  ascends such that the through-hole  7   a , the liquid guiding passage  11 , and the discharge hole  12  communicate with each other so that the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  is discharged through the discharge hole  12  and is impregnated into the brush  30 . 
   After use, the cap  40  is thread-coupled with the upper side of the tube-shaped container  1  such that the slanted circumference wall  16  securely closes the through-hole  7   a  so that the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  is prevented from leaking. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrating the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, when opening the cap  40  thread-coupled with the tube-shaped container  1 , the pressing step  42  formed in the central portion of the inner circumference wall of the cap  40  releases the pressing plate  31   a  engaged with the upper side of the discharger  10  and is elastically supported by the upper step  61  of the vertical body  60  of the discharger  10  and the upper side of the opening and closing cap  72  such that the discharger  10  ascends due to the elastic force of the elastic spring  60  installed between the circumference of the vertical body  60  and the erected pieces  70 . At this time, the lower side of the discharge hole  12  pressing and closing the lower side of the vertical body  60  is opened such that the tube-shaped container  1  communicates with the discharge hole  12  by the communication of the several erected pieces  70  with the discharge hole  12 . 
   Thus, due to the pressure generated by pressing the tube-shaped container  1 , the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  is discharged and impregnated into the brush  30 . 
   As such, after using the brush  30  into which the liquid cosmetic is impregnated, the cap  40  is again thread-coupled with the upper side of the tube-shaped container  1  such that the pressing step  42  of the cap  40  presses the pressing plate  31   a  of the supporting cap  31  engaged with the upper side of the discharger  10  and the lower side of the vertical body  60  contacts the inner bottom of the opening and closing cap  72  so that the inner protruding ring  72   a  in the inner circumference wall of the opening and closing cap  72  is engaged with the groove ring  62  formed in the outer circumference wall of the vertical body  60 . Thus, the tube-shaped container  1  and the discharge hole  12  are securely pressed and closed. 
   At this time, since the elastic spring  80  is elastically pressed between the upper step  61  of the vertical body  60  and the upper circumference of the opening and closing cap  72 , the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  does not leak and is safely stored. 
   Therefore, the liquid cosmetic case according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention is structured such that the discharger  10  coupled with the supporting cap  31  automatically ascends and descends due to the opening and closing of the cap  40 . When the cap  40  ascends, the ring-shaped step  5  as the upper side of the liquid supplying container  6  is opened such that the through-hole  7   a  defined by the inner protruding wheel step  7 , the liquid guiding passage  11 , and the discharge hole  12 , communicate with each other so that the liquid cosmetic in the tube-shaped container  1  is discharged to the brush  30 . When the cap  40  descends, since the ring-shaped step  5  as the upper side of the liquid supplying container  6  is pressed and closed, the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container  1  does not leak and is safely stored. 
   As described above, the supporting cap, in which the brush is attached, is fixed to the upper side of the tube-shaped container for storing the liquid cosmetic and the discharger for discharging the liquid cosmetic is coupled with the upper side of the tube-shaped container such that the cap is thread-coupled with the tube-shaped container so that the discharger coupled with the supporting cap automatically ascends and descends due to the opening and closing of the cap. Thus, when the cap ascends, the ring-shaped step as the upper side of the liquid supplying container is opened such that the through-hole formed by the inner protruding wheel step, the liquid guiding passage, and the discharge hole communicate with each other so that the liquid cosmetic in the tube-shaped container is discharged to the brush. When the cap descends, and the ring-shaped step as the upper side of the liquid supplying container is pressed and closed, the liquid cosmetic stored in the tube-shaped container does not leak and is safely stored. When using the liquid cosmetic case, since a desired amount of the liquid cosmetic is easily discharged by repeatedly pressing the tube-shaped container by the user, loss of the liquid cosmetic can be prevented. 
   Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes might be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.