WO1999039605A1

WO1999039605A1 - Cosmetic toy

Info

Publication number: WO1999039605A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/019965
Authority: WO
Inventors: Scott V. Borba; Cathy Dy; Helen Dy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-02-04
Filing date: 1998-09-25
Publication date: 1999-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 2000-08-04
Also published as: AU9577898A

Abstract

A cosmetic toy includes a cosmetic device (10) having a holder (12) and cover (14). The holder has a chamber (28) for containing a cosmetic therein. The cosmetic is preferably heat resistant lip gloss. The cover is adapted to enclose the chamber. The cover may be attached to the holder via a pin (15) arrangement, a clasp (20, 21) arrangement, or hinge arrangement. The cosmetic device is preferably a heart-shaped locket having a handle (18) for inserting a necklace therethrough such that a wearer may adorn a piece of jewelry with the convenience of having lip gloss accessible at any given time. A pouch for carrying the cosmetic device and necklace is also provided.

Description

DESCRIPTION

COSMETIC TOY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of the present invention generally relates to cosmetics and jewelry. A person adorns jewelry to look and feel better. For similar reasons, a person applies cosmetics. Once the cosmetics have been applied, however, a person typically places the holder containing a respective cosmetic back into the drawer or purse where the cosmetic was originally found. As such, a person usually purchases their favorite cosmetics in pairs of two. One cosmetic is kept in their makeup drawer while the other is kept in their purse. This is expensive. This practice becomes even more costly when the cosmetic kept in the purse is inevitably lost and must be replaced. Jewelry, on the other hand, is purchased only once. Furthermore, jewelry is kept on the person at all times and is not lost as cosmetics are. Therefore, a device which combines the functionality of a cosmetic with the qualities of a piece of jewelry is desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a cosmetic device having a holder and a cover. The holder includes a base and a first and second wall extending substantially normally therefrom to define a chamber for holding a cosmetic. The holder has a rib circurnferentially surrounding each wall. The cover is adapted to enclose the chamber, keeping its contents free of outside contaminants. The cover is attachable to the holder by a variety of different means. Preferably, the cover is attached to the holder via a pin arrangement adapted to swivel the cover about the holder. Alternatively, the cover can be attached to the holder by clasps. To these ends, the cover includes a first arm and an opposing second arm extending away from the cover. Each arm includes a clasp. The rib has a first clasp holder and an opposing second clasp holder formed therein for matingly engaging with the respective clasp of the cover. In yet another embodiment, the cover can be attached to the holder via a hinge arrangement. The cosmetic device is preferably a heart-shaped locket packaged as a cosmetic toy unit with heat resistant lip gloss contained within the chamber of the holder, a necklace engageable with a handle on the holder for supporting the cosmetic locket around the neck of the wearer, and a faux fur pouch for carrying the cosmetic locket and necklace. Rings, bracelets, and pots may similarly contain lip gloss and be packaged as a unit with the cosmetic locket.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device which combines the functionality of a cosmetic with that of a piece of jewelry in a single decorative unit. Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and annexed drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS

Fig. 1 is a top planar view of the holder and cover of the cosmetic device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the holder taken along Section 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side planar view of the cover shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top planar view of the holder and cover of the cosmetic device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the holder and cover taken along Section 5-5 of

Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a top planar view of the holder shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the holder taken along Section 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side planar view of the holder shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is a top planar view of the cover shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a side planar view of the cover shown in Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning in detail to the drawings, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the cosmetic device 10 is preferably a heart-shaped locket. The shape of the cosmetic device 10 should not be limited to a heart, however. Other shapes include geometric shapes such as a diamond, a pentagon, a hexagon, a circle, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a cylinder, as well as non- geometric shapes such as a star, a flower, a peace-sign, a cross, a butterfly, an eye, a vase, a key, an apple, a gift-wrapped box, a starfish, a bell, a leaf, and the like. Similarly, the cosmetic device 10 need not be limited to one particular piece of jewelry such as a locket. Other pieces of jewelry include rings, bracelets, and pots. The cosmetic device 10 has a holder 12, a cover 14, and a means for attaching 16 the cover 14 to the holder 12. The holder 12 includes a base 22 and first and second walls 24, 26 extending substantially normally therefrom to define a chamber 28 for holding a cosmetic (not shown). The holder 12 has a rib 27 circumferentially surrounding each wall 24, 26. The rib 27 may have sparkles 32 (shown in Fig. 4 only) to enhance the overall decorative appearance of the cosmetic device 10. The cover 14 may include an indicia 38 (shown in Fig. 4 only) thereon. Preferably, the indicia 38 is an embossed butterfly. The cosmetic device 10 has a handle 18 defining a slot 19 for threading a necklace (not shown) therethrough. The means for attaching 16 include, but are not limited to, a pin arrangement, a clasp arrangement, or a hinge arrangement. Figs. 1-3 illustrate the preferred pin arrangement. Figs. 4-10 illustrate the clasp arrangement.

As seen in Figs. 1-3, the pin arrangement includes a pin 15 and an opposing protrusion 17 extending from the cover 14. The holder 12 includes a first channel 19a adapted to rotatably engage the pin 15 for swiveling the cover 14 about the holder 12. A second channel 19b in the holder 12 matingly engages the protrusion 17 for frictionally maintaining the cover 14 on the holder 12.

As seen in Figs. 4-10, the clasp arrangement includes a first clasp holder 30 and an opposing second clasp holder 31 formed in the rib 27. Each clasp holder 30, 31 includes a first section 40 inclined toward the center of the holder 12 and a second section 42 perpendicular to the first section 40. As seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the cover 14 is clasped about the holder 12 proximate the middle of the cosmetic locket. Figs. 4-5 and 9-10 show the cover 14 having a first arm 34 and an opposing second arm 36 extending away from the cover 12. Each arm 34, 36 has a clasp 20, 21. Each clasp holder 30, 31 is adapted to matingly engage with its respective clasp 20, 21 , as best seen in Fig. 5.

While the hinge arrangement is not shown, this means for attaching 16 the cover 14 to the holder 12 is substantially similar to the clasp arrangement, except a hinge replaces one of the above-identified clasp configurations. Preferably, the cover 12 is attached to the holder 14 via a live hinge between a clasp holder 30, 31 and a respective clasp 20, 21. In lieu of a live hinge, a hinge comprising a metal pin connecting a clasp holder 30, 31 to a respective clasp 20, 21 may also be employed.

In construction, both the holder 12 and the cover 14 are preferably made of a clear plastic. If the plastic is tinted, however, lavender is the preferred tint. Clear plastic advantageously enables the wearer to view the true color of the lip gloss (not shown) contained within the chamber 28. To mitigate expense in construction, injection molding techniques commonly known in the art are employed to produce both the holder 12 and the cover 14. Furthermore, the material choice of plastic is important due to its light weight and ability to insulate the lip gloss from the body heat of the wearer of the cosmetic device 10. The preferred cosmetic locket is 1.5 inches high, 2 inches wide, and .5 inches deep. Importantly, these dimensions promote child safety because a young child will not be able to swallow a cosmetic locket manufactured to these preferred specifications.

Once the cosmetic device 10 has been manufactured, lip gloss is injected into the chamber 28. Prior to shipment to market, the necklace is inserted through the slot 19 in the handle 18. The necklace is preferably a 24 inch matte silver chain, permitting the cosmetic locket to be worn as a piece of jewelry with or without the use of lip gloss. The lip gloss is preferably heat or temperature resistant to prevent melting and potential leakage of the lip gloss from the cosmetic device 10. The lip gloss has a sweet-flavored taste and smell, incorporating pearl essence particles that shimmer. The color of the lip gloss may vary. All the ingredients of the lip gloss are Federal Drug Administration approved.

The cosmetic device 10, preferably a heart-shaped cosmetic locket, can be packaged as a cosmetic toy unit with the heat resistant lip gloss contained within the chamber 28, a necklace engageable with the handle 18 for supporting the cosmetic locket around the neck of the wearer, and a faux fur pouch (not shown) for carrying the cosmetic locket and necklace. The pouch, preferably 3 inches high and 3 inches wide, may vary in color. Ideally, the cosmetic locket can be packaged with a ring, bracelet and pots containing lip gloss for a complete set of functional jewelry items. In operation, the user opens the cosmetic device 10 shown in Figs. 1-3 by prying the cover 14 away from the holder 12 proximate the protrusion 17. Once pried away, the user then rotates the cover 14 about the holder 12 such that the cover 14 swivels in a plane parallel to the plane of the holder 12 for obtaining the lip gloss contained within the chamber 28. Once the cover 14 no longer encloses the chamber 28, the user is able to apply lip gloss as desired. After the desired quantity of lip gloss has been applied, the user then rotates the cover 14 about the holder 12 and presses the cover 14 toward the holder 12 proximate the protrusion 17 for frictionally maintaining the cover 14 on the holder 12. Advantageously, the cosmetic device 10 shown in Figs. 1-3 remains in one piece even while opened, thus promoting child safety and preventing loss of the cover 14.

In operating the device 10 shown in Figs. 4-10, the user pries away a clasp 20, 21 of the cover 14 away and off of the holder 12. The width of each clasp 20, 21 is conveniently large enough such that a fingernail may be used to pry the respective clasp 20, 21 up and away from the holder 12. With the alternative hinge arrangement, the user merely pries away a clasp 20, 21 of the cover 14 away from the holder until the cover 14 is substantially normal to the holder 12 at the live or metal hinge configuration.

Advantageously, the instant invention provides its wearer the luxury of wearing a beautiful piece of jewelry and the convenience of having lip gloss accessible at any given time. By having the lip gloss adorned as a piece of jewelry, it solves the common problem of losing and replacing cosmetics. Furthermore, costs are saved because the instant invention provides the wearer with a piece of jewelry, lip gloss, and a miniature purse in a complete package. Thus, a device which combines the functionality of a cosmetic with that of a piece of jewelry in a single decorative unit has been disclosed. While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A cosmetic device comprising: a holder having a base and first and second walls extending substantially normally from said base to define a chamber for holding a cosmetic; a cover for enclosing said chamber; and means for attaching said cover to said holder.

2. A cosmetic device according to claim 1, said means for attaching including a cover adapted to clasp over said chamber, said cover having a first arm and an opposing second arm extending away from said cover, each said arm having a clasp.

3. A cosmetic device according to claim 2, said cover having a rib circumferentially surrounding each said wall, said rib having a first clasp holder and an opposing second clasp holder formed therein.

4. A cosmetic device according to claim 3, each said clasp holder adapted to matingly engage with each said clasp.

5. A cosmetic device according to claim 1, said means for attaching including a live hinge connecting said first clasp to said holder.

6. A cosmetic device according to claim 1, said cover having an indicia thereon.

7. A cosmetic device according to claim 6, said indicia being a butterfly.

8. A cosmetic device according to claim 1, said holder and said cover being heart shaped.

9. A cosmetic device according to claim 1, said holder and said cover having a shape selected from the group comprising a diamond, a pentagon, a hexagon, a circle, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a cylinder, a star, a flower, a peace-sign, a cross, a butterfly, an eye, a vase, a key, an apple, a gift-wrapped box, a starfish, a bell, and a leaf.

10. A cosmetic device according to claim 1, said holder and said cover being made of clear plastic.

11. A cosmetic device according to claim 1, said holder having a handle defining a slot for threading a necklace therethrough.

12. A cosmetic device according to claim 3, said rib having sparkles thereon.

13. A cosmetic toy comprising: a holder having a chamber; a cosmetic contained within said chamber; a cover adapted to enclose said chamber; means for attaching said cover to said holder; and a pouch for carrying said holder and said cover.

14. A cosmetic toy according to claim 13, said means for attaching being a pin arrangement adapted to swivel said cover about said holder.

15. A cosmetic toy according to claim 13, said means for attaching being a hinge arrangement connecting said holder to said cover.

16. A cosmetic toy according to claim 13, said means for attaching being a clasp arrangement adapted to matingly engage said cover onto said holder.

17. A cosmetic toy according to claim 13, said pouch being made of faux fur.

18. A cosmetic toy according to claim 13, said cosmetic being heat resistant lip gloss.

19. A cosmetic toy package comprising: a cosmetic locket having a handle and a holder defining a chamber; a cosmetic contained within said chamber; a cover adapted to enclose said chamber; means for attaching said cover to said holder; a necklace engageable with said handle for supporting said holder and said cover about the neck of a wearer; and a pouch for carrying said holder, said cover, and said necklace.

20. The cosmetic toy package according to claim 19 further comprising a ring having a chamber containing a cosmetic; a bracelet having a chamber containing a cosmetic; and a pot having a chamber containing a cosmetic, each said cosmetic being heat resistant lip gloss.