Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses an assembly for packaging and dispensing a product, particularly a liquid product.

In a cosmetic container and the like, a pump is coupled to the opening at the upper part of a container holding a liquid content such as a cosmetic, etc., to dispense and spray the content to the exterior in designated amounts. When the user presses down on a nozzle corresponding to a button so as to spray the liquid content, the content that had been supplied within the cosmetic container is pressurized, moved upward along the discharge passage, and sprayed through the nozzle. When the pressure on the nozzle is released, the discharge passage is mechanically closed by the rising of the nozzle, the pressure inside the pump is decreased, and the content is drawn in from the container to compensate.

A cosmetic container equipped with a pump such as the above is being used not only for spraying perfumes and cosmetics but also a variety of other contents such as shampoos, air fresheners, insecticides, etc. Due to the convenience of dispensing designated amounts of a content with a single pressing of the nozzle without having the content exposed to outside air, use of such container continues to grow.

A cosmetic container equipped with a spray pump is disclosed in <CIT>. The cosmetic container disclosed in the prior art document includes a nozzle, nozzle cap, cap cover, cap, valve, valve spring, housing cover, piston spring, piston, guide, disk, and housing, among others, and hence has a complicated structure that is difficult to fabricate. Also, the conventional cosmetic container may include a valve spring and a piston spring, which may be made of a metallic material, differing in material from the other parts made of plastic and making it difficult to recycle the container. Recent interest in and awareness of the need for environment friendliness has increased the demand for cosmetic containers that are easy to recycle, but the conventional cosmetic container fails to meet such demand.

Moreover, the spray pump disclosed in the prior art document above entails a complicated structure and shape for coupling with the container storing the content, where such complexity may be a cause of increased fabrication time and costs.

Therefore, an aspect of the invention, which was conceived to resolve the problems above, is to provide a cosmetic container that has a simple structure and is easy to recycle.

Other objectives of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the embodiments set forth below.

One aspect of the invention provides a cosmetic container that includes: a body in which an interior space is formed for holding a content; a body shoulder coupled to an upper part of the body; and a pump coupled to an upper part of the body shoulder, where the body shoulder includes an outer periphery member, which may be inserted into the body, an inner periphery member, which is positioned on the inside of the outer periphery member, a placement step, which is formed on an upper part of the inner periphery member, and a pump support, which protrudes downward from the placement step and through the inside of which the pump is inserted, and where the pump includes a housing inserted through the pump support, and a housing flange configured to rest on the placement step is formed on an outer perimeter of the housing.

An outer step in which an upper end of the body may be inserted can be formed on the outer periphery member, and a detent protrusion through which an outer perimeter of the housing may be inserted can be formed on an inner perimeter of the pump support. A disconnect portion can be formed in the detent protrusion.

The body shoulder includes a bottom surface, a reinforcing member protrudes from the bottom surface, and the reinforcing member is connected with the inner periphery member.

A disconnect portion is formed between the reinforcing member and the inner perimeter of the outer periphery member.

A gap is formed between the inner periphery member and the pump support.

The outer periphery member can include an inner step formed on its inner perimeter, and the inner step can have a downwardly inclining sloped surface.

An embodiment of the present invention having the features above can provide various advantageous effects including the following. However, an embodiment of the present invention may not necessarily exhibit all of the effects below.

An embodiment of the invention can provide a cosmetic container that has a simple structure and is easy to recycle.

As the invention allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the written description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to particular modes of practice, and it is to be appreciated that all changes that do not depart from the scope of the appended claims are encompassed by the present invention. In the description of the present invention, certain detailed explanations of the related art are omitted if it is deemed that they may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention.

The terms used in the present specification are merely used to describe particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In the present specification, it is to be understood that terms such as "including" or "having," etc., are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof disclosed in the specification and are not intended to preclude the possibility that one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof may exist or may be added.

While such terms as "first" and "second," etc., can be used to describe various components, such components are not to be limited by the above terms. The above terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

Certain embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those components that are the same or are in correspondence are rendered the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a cosmetic container <NUM> according to a first disclosed embodiment of the invention, and <FIG> is a cross-sectional view across line A-A of <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective cross-sectional view of the body shoulder <NUM> of the cosmetic container <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, and <FIG> is a perspective view of the body shoulder <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a cosmetic container <NUM> according to this embodiment may be equipped with a nozzle <NUM> at the top such that pressing the nozzle <NUM> operates the pump <NUM> inside and causes the content stored in the body <NUM> to be discharged. A cosmetic container <NUM> according to this embodiment may include a nozzle <NUM>, a body shoulder <NUM>, a body <NUM>, a body piston <NUM>, and a pump <NUM>.

The nozzle <NUM> may be positioned at an upper part of the body <NUM> and may be pressed by the user. The nozzle <NUM> may have the shape of a hollow cylinder with an open bottom. The nozzle <NUM> may include a periphery member <NUM>, where the periphery member <NUM> can have a circular horizontal cross section and can be inserted into the inside of the body shoulder <NUM>.

The nozzle <NUM> may include a discharge hole <NUM>, where the discharge hole <NUM> may be connected with the pump <NUM>. Thus, the content (not shown) moved through the pump <NUM> can be discharged through the discharge hole <NUM> to the exterior of the nozzle <NUM>.

Within the nozzle <NUM>, a coupler protrusion <NUM> protrude downwards. The coupler protrusion <NUM> may be shaped as a hollow column and may be inserted into the upper end of a valve <NUM> of the pump <NUM>. As a result, the nozzle <NUM> and the valve <NUM> may move up and down as an integrated body, and the content that has passed through the valve <NUM> may move through the coupler protrusion <NUM> to the discharge hole <NUM>.

The body shoulder <NUM> is coupled to an upper end of the body <NUM> and has the pump <NUM> coupled therein. The body shoulder <NUM> may allow the pump <NUM>, which has a smaller diameter compared to the body <NUM>, to be easily coupled to the upper part of the body <NUM>.

The body shoulder <NUM> includes an outer periphery member <NUM> having a circular horizontal cross section, where the outer diameter of the outer periphery member <NUM> can be the same or almost the same as the inner diameter of the body <NUM>. Thus, the outer periphery member <NUM> is inserted into the upper end of the body <NUM>. An outer step <NUM> can be formed on the outer periphery member <NUM>, where the outer step <NUM> may be inserted into a shoulder coupler groove <NUM> formed in the inner perimeter of the body <NUM>. Such a coupling between the outer step <NUM> and the shoulder coupler groove <NUM> may allow the body shoulder <NUM> to be firmly coupled to the upper part of the body <NUM>.

An inner periphery member <NUM> is provided on the inside of the outer periphery member <NUM>, and one or a multiple number of reinforcing members <NUM> is provided between the outer periphery member <NUM> and the inner periphery member <NUM>. The reinforcing members <NUM> protrude upward from the bottom surface <NUM> of the body shoulder <NUM> and are connected to the inner periphery member <NUM>. Thus, the inner periphery member <NUM> protruding upward from the bottom surface <NUM> may be made structurally stable by the reinforcing members <NUM>.

The reinforcing members <NUM> can be formed in a multiple number in particular intervals and can be formed with a height that is lower than that of the inner periphery member <NUM>.

A disconnect portion or a multiple number of disconnect portions <NUM> is formed between the reinforcing members <NUM> and the outer periphery member <NUM>. Because of the disconnect portions <NUM>, the reinforcing members <NUM> and the outer periphery member <NUM> may not be connected. When the outer periphery member <NUM> is inserted into the upper end of the body <NUM>, the disconnect portions <NUM> can allow the outer periphery member <NUM> to easily undergo an elastic deformation, whereby the outer periphery member <NUM> can be firmly secured to the inner perimeter at the upper part of the body <NUM> to prevent the content from leaking.

Due to the presence of the bottom surface <NUM>, the body shoulder <NUM> may be structured to be penetrated only at the pump support <NUM>, corresponding to the center.

On the inner perimeter of the outer periphery member <NUM>, there may be formed an inner step <NUM>. Due to the inner step <NUM>, the diameter at the inner perimeter of the outer periphery member <NUM> may be decreased. Also, the inner step <NUM> may have a downwardly inclining sloped surface. When the nozzle <NUM> is pressed down, the lower end of the nozzle <NUM> can touch the inner step <NUM>, whereby further downward movement of the nozzle <NUM> may be limited.

The inner periphery member <NUM> may correspond to a hollow cylinder that is formed in the center on the inside of the outer periphery member <NUM> and may be structured to have both the upper end and the lower end open. A preferably annularly shaped placement step <NUM> is provided on an upper part of the inner periphery member <NUM>.

A housing flange <NUM> of the pump <NUM> rests and is positioned on the placement step <NUM>. Also, on the inner perimeter of the inner periphery member <NUM>, there may be provided an inwardly protruding detent protrusion <NUM>. The housing flange <NUM> may pass over and be caught on a lower part of the detent protrusion <NUM>, so that the housing <NUM> can be firmly secured within the inner periphery member <NUM>.

The pump support <NUM>, which may be shaped as a hollow cylinder, may be provided on the inside of the inner periphery member <NUM>. The pump support <NUM> protrudes vertically downward from the end portion of the placement step <NUM> and may be structured to have the shape of a hollow cylinder with both the upper end and lower end open. The pump support <NUM> has the housing <NUM> of the pump <NUM> inserted therein.

A detent protrusion <NUM> may be provided also on the inner perimeter of the pump support <NUM>. A multiple number of detent protrusions <NUM> can be formed along the longitudinal direction on the inner perimeter of the pump support <NUM>, and <FIG> illustrates an example in which there are three detent protrusions <NUM> at the upper part and one detent protrusion <NUM> at the lower part of the inner perimeter. The detent protrusions <NUM> may press against the outer perimeter of the housing <NUM> of the pump <NUM>, so as to prevent the pump <NUM> from becoming easily detached from the pump support <NUM> and strengthen the sealing function.

A gap <NUM> is formed between the pump support <NUM> and the inner periphery member <NUM>. The gap <NUM> allows the pump support <NUM> to be displaced in relation to the inner periphery member <NUM>, so that a pressure applied on the pump <NUM> displaces only the pump support <NUM> and leaves the inner periphery member <NUM> and the outer periphery member <NUM> undisplaced. Thus, the inner periphery member <NUM> and the outer periphery member <NUM> can remain coupled to the upper part of the body <NUM> in a stable manner in spite of the operation of the pump <NUM>.

The body <NUM> may include an interior space (no numeral assigned) in which the content is stored and may have the body shoulder <NUM> coupled to its upper end for coupling with the pump <NUM>. The content that has been injected into the interior space may be moved through the pump <NUM> in the direction of the nozzle <NUM>.

The body <NUM> may be structured to have the shape of a hollow cylinder with its upper part open. On the upper end of the body <NUM>, there may be formed an upper protrusion <NUM>, which may be inserted into the outer step <NUM> formed on the outer perimeter of the body shoulder <NUM>.

A shoulder coupler groove <NUM> may be formed in the inner perimeter at an upper part of the body <NUM>. The detent protrusion <NUM> formed on the outer perimeter of the body shoulder <NUM> may be inserted into the shoulder coupler groove <NUM>, whereby the body shoulder <NUM> can be firmly secured to the upper end of the body <NUM>.

A disconnect portion <NUM> having a disconnected shape may be formed in the detent protrusion <NUM>. Depending on the detent protrusion <NUM>, there can be one or multiple disconnect portions <NUM>. The disconnect portion <NUM> may correspond to a passageway through which air within the body <NUM> can be discharged to the exterior during the fastening of the body shoulder <NUM> onto the body <NUM> that has been filled with the content.

The body <NUM> may have a bottom surface (no numeral assigned), and an air hole <NUM> may be formed in the bottom surface. Air can enter the lower part of the body <NUM> through the air hole <NUM>, and the air that has entered may cause the body piston <NUM> to rise.

The body piston <NUM>, which may be provided within the body <NUM>, may rise when the content within the body <NUM> is discharged and thus reduced in amount, thereby allowing an easier discharging of the content. A contact member <NUM> may be provided around the periphery of the body piston <NUM>, where the contact member <NUM> can move upward while maintaining tight contact against the inner perimeter of the body <NUM>.

The nozzle <NUM>, body shoulder <NUM>, body <NUM> and body piston <NUM> of a cosmetic container <NUM> based on this embodiment can all be fabricated from the same type of plastic resin material, thereby providing the advantage that the manufacture and recycling of the cosmetic container <NUM> may be facilitated.

The pump <NUM> is inserted into the pump support <NUM>, corresponding to the center of the body shoulder <NUM>, to discharge the content injected within the body <NUM>. The housing <NUM> of the pump <NUM> is inserted to the inside of the pump support <NUM> and may be secured coupled by the detent protrusions <NUM>, <NUM>. The housing flange <NUM> is placed on the placement step <NUM> to secure the vertical position of the pump <NUM>. Thus, a cosmetic container <NUM> based on this embodiment may provide the advantage of easy fabrication, since the coupling of the pump <NUM> may be completed simply by inserting the pump <NUM> into the pump support <NUM> corresponding to the center of the body shoulder <NUM>.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the pump <NUM>, and <FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view across the center of the pump <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the pump <NUM> may use an elastic member <NUM> made from plastic resin or silicone, etc., in lieu of a conventional coil spring made from a metallic material. The elastic member <NUM> may have the shape of an hourglass with a tube-shaped center portion <NUM> protruding from the center, so as to be folded and elastically compressed when an external force is applied and be elastically restored to upwardly push the valve <NUM> and guide <NUM> when the external force is removed. As the elastic member <NUM> is formed from the same material as that of other components of the cosmetic container <NUM>, it may be easier to recycle the cosmetic container <NUM>.

Since the pump <NUM> includes the valve <NUM>, guide <NUM>, piston <NUM>, pump shoulder <NUM>, housing <NUM>, disk <NUM>, and elastic member <NUM>, the composition is simpler compared to the conventional pump, allowing easier fabrication as well as decreased manufacturing cost.

<FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view across the center of the valve <NUM> of the pump <NUM> based on an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the valve <NUM> may be structured to have the shape of a hollow cylinder with a valve flange <NUM> protruding outwards from the upper end thereof. The lower surface of the valve flange <NUM> may touch the upper end of the elastic member <NUM>. A through-hole may be formed in the center of the valve <NUM>. A button (not shown) of the pump may be coupled to an upper part of the valve <NUM>, and a portion of the piston <NUM> and a portion of the guide <NUM> may be inserted into a lower part of the valve <NUM>.

On the inner perimeter of the valve <NUM>, there may be formed a coupler protrusion <NUM>. The coupler protrusion <NUM> may be inserted into a coupler groove <NUM> formed in the periphery of the guide <NUM> inserted within the valve <NUM>, so that the valve <NUM> and the guide <NUM> may move up or down together as an integrated body.

<FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view across the center of the guide <NUM> of the pump <NUM> based on an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the guide <NUM> may include a guide body <NUM>, which may be inserted into the valve <NUM>. The guide body <NUM> may have the shape of a hollow cylinder with its upper end open, connecting to the inside of the valve <NUM>. Inlet holes <NUM> may be formed in the periphery of the guide body <NUM>. The piston <NUM> can be put in tight contact around the inlet holes <NUM> and thus close the inlet holes <NUM>.

At a lower end of the guide body <NUM>, there may be formed a guide head <NUM>. The guide head <NUM> may be a part that is formed with a larger diameter compared to the guide body <NUM> and may catch onto the lower part of the piston <NUM> when the guide <NUM> is moved upward such that the piston <NUM> is also moved upward together.

The piston <NUM> may tightly contact the outer perimeter of the guide body <NUM>. The piston <NUM> may include a guide coupler portion <NUM> and a housing coupler portion <NUM>.

The guide coupler portion <NUM> may tightly contact the outer perimeter of the guide body <NUM> and may have the shape of a hollow cylinder. The guide coupler portion <NUM> may close the inlet holes <NUM>, and when the guide <NUM> is moved downward, the guide coupler portion <NUM> may move downward after a certain delay compared to the guide <NUM>, to allow the inlet holes <NUM> to be open for a particular duration of time. The upper part of the guide coupler portion <NUM> may be inserted into the gap formed between the valve <NUM> and the guide <NUM>.

The housing coupler portion <NUM> may have a larger diameter and a shorter length compared to the guide coupler portion <NUM> and may be disposed around the guide coupler portion <NUM>. The housing coupler portion <NUM> may also have the shape of a hollow cylinder, and its outer perimeter may tightly contact the inner perimeter of the housing <NUM>. Due to the housing coupler portion <NUM>, the downward movement of the piston <NUM> may be delayed even as the guide <NUM> is moved downward.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view across the center of the pump <NUM> after a downward pressing has compressed the elastic member <NUM> and opened the inlet holes <NUM> of the guide <NUM> from the state illustrated in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, when the guide <NUM> is moved downward, the piston <NUM> may move downward with a certain delay due to friction with the inner perimeter of the housing <NUM>. As a result, the inlet holes <NUM> of the guide <NUM> may be opened, and the content (not shown) that has entered the interior space <NUM> may be drawn in through the inlet holes <NUM> to the inside of the guide <NUM>. When the guide <NUM> is moved upward, the piston <NUM> may be caught on the guide head <NUM> and be moved upward together with the guide <NUM>.

<FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view across the center of the pump shoulder <NUM> and elastic member <NUM> of the pump <NUM> based on an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the pump shoulder <NUM> may include a shoulder body <NUM> that is inserted into the open top of the housing <NUM>. The shoulder body <NUM> may have the shape of a hollow cylinder and may have the valve <NUM> inserted therein. On the periphery of the shoulder body <NUM>, a shoulder flange <NUM> may protrude outward. A placement ring <NUM> of the elastic member <NUM> may be positioned on the upper surface of the shoulder flange <NUM>. Also, at the end portion of the shoulder flange <NUM>, there may be formed a shoulder periphery member <NUM> protruding downward. The shoulder periphery member <NUM> may touch the outer perimeter of the upper part of the housing <NUM>, and a lower end of the shoulder periphery member <NUM> may touch the upper surface of the housing flange <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> may be coupled to the opening at the upper part of the body shoulder <NUM>. The housing <NUM> may include an interior space <NUM> into which the content may be drawn, where the guide <NUM> and the piston <NUM> may be positioned and undergo upward and downward movements within the interior space <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> may be structured to have the shape of a hollow cylinder with both its top and bottom open. The housing flange <NUM> may protrude outward from the periphery of the housing <NUM>. The housing flange <NUM> can be placed on an upper part of the container (not shown).

On the inside of the housing <NUM>, there may be formed a placement step <NUM>, which may have a decreased diameter. The disk can be positioned on the placement step <NUM>. The disk <NUM> may be opened or closed by a pressure difference between the interior space <NUM> and the container. As the structure of the disk <NUM> is as disclosed in documents such as <CIT>, etc., the structure of the disk <NUM> will not be described here in further detail.

<FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view across the center of the elastic member <NUM>, illustrating the elastic member <NUM> before compression (left drawing) and after compression (right drawing).

Referring to <FIG>, the elastic member <NUM> may be positioned between the valve flange <NUM> and the shoulder flange <NUM> and may serve to push the valve <NUM> upward. When an external force is applied, the elastic member <NUM> may experience an elastic deformation as the deformation portions <NUM> are compressed, and when the external force is removed, the elastic member <NUM> may elastically restore its original shape. In this way, the valve <NUM> may be raised or lowered by the elastic deformation and restoration of the elastic member <NUM>.

In the center of the elastic member <NUM>, there may be formed a center portion <NUM>. The center portion <NUM> may have an annular shape and may be formed with a relatively greater thickness, so as to undergo little or no deformation even when an external force is applied.

The deformation portions <NUM> can be formed symmetrically on both ends of the elastic member <NUM>. The deformation portions <NUM> may be formed with somewhat smaller thicknesses compared to the center portion <NUM> and may correspond to portions where deformation is relatively easier. Therefore, when an external force is applied, the deformation portions <NUM> formed above and below in an integrated form at both ends of the center portion <NUM> may be curved and deformed, allowing a downward movement of the valve <NUM>. When the external force is removed, the deformation portions <NUM> may be elastically restored, and the valve <NUM> may be moved upward as a result.

At the lower end of the deformation portion <NUM> located at the bottom, there may be formed a placement ring <NUM>. The placement ring <NUM> may rest on the upper surface of the shoulder flange <NUM> of the pump shoulder <NUM>. The upper end of the deformation portion <NUM> located at the top may touch the lower surface of the valve flange <NUM>.

The elastic member <NUM> based on this embodiment may have the non-deforming center portion <NUM> disposed at the center and the deformation portions <NUM> disposed on both ends thereof, thus providing the advantage of stable deformation and restoration. It is possible to fabricate the elastic member <NUM> and the pump shoulder <NUM> in an integrated form using the same or different materials.

Although the cosmetic container <NUM> based on this embodiment is illustrated as including a body piston <NUM> and not including a tube (not shown) on the pump <NUM>, a cosmetic container based on another embodiment of the invention can include a tube and not include a body piston <NUM>.

In a cosmetic container <NUM> based on this embodiment, the nozzle <NUM>, body shoulder <NUM>, body <NUM>, body piston <NUM>, and pump <NUM> can all be fabricated from the same plastic resin, thus providing the advantage of easy recycling.

Claim 1:
A cosmetic container comprising:
a body (<NUM>) having an interior space formed therein for holding a content;
a body shoulder (<NUM>) coupled to an upper part of the body (<NUM>); and
a pump (<NUM>) coupled to an upper part of the body shoulder (<NUM>),
wherein the body shoulder (<NUM>) comprises an outer periphery member (<NUM>), an inner periphery member (<NUM>), a placement step (<NUM>), and a pump support (<NUM>), the outer periphery member (<NUM>) inserted into the body (<NUM>), the inner periphery member (<NUM>) positioned on an inside of the outer periphery member (<NUM>), the placement step (<NUM>) formed on an upper part of the inner periphery member (<NUM>), the pump support (<NUM>) protruding downward from the placement step (<NUM>) and having the pump (<NUM>) inserted through an inside thereof,
the pump (<NUM>) comprises a housing (<NUM>) inserted through the pump support (<NUM>), and a housing flange configured to rest on the placement step (<NUM>) is formed on an outer perimeter of the housing (<NUM>),
wherein the body shoulder (<NUM>) comprises a bottom surface (<NUM>), a reinforcing member (<NUM>) protruding upward from the bottom surface (<NUM>), and the reinforcing member (<NUM>) connected with the inner periphery member (<NUM>) protruding upward from the bottom surface (<NUM>),
wherein a disconnect portion (<NUM>) is formed between the reinforcing member (<NUM>) and an inner perimeter of the outer periphery member (<NUM>),
wherein the cosmetic container further comprises a gap (<NUM>) formed between the inner periphery member (<NUM>) and the pump support (<NUM>), the gap (<NUM>) configured to allow the pump support (<NUM>) to be displaced in relation to the inner periphery member (<NUM>) such that a pressure applied on the pump (<NUM>) displaces only the pump support (<NUM>) and leaves the inner periphery member (<NUM>) and the outer periphery member (<NUM>) undisplaced.