JP7508059B2 - Compact container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cosmetic compact container.

In recent years, foundations have become more diverse, with the mainstream powdery foundations (containing no volatile ingredients) being replaced by emulsion foundations, cushion foundations, tension foundations, and other foundations that contain volatile ingredients. As a result, there has been an increase in airtight compact containers with inner lids that have airtight mechanisms to prevent the evaporation of volatile ingredients.

Airtight compact containers include parallel compact containers that house applicators such as puffs and brushes for applying foundation next to the container (e.g., Patent Document 1), and multi-tiered compact containers that house applicators on top of the inner lid (e.g., Patent Document 2).

However, because parallel compact containers are configured to house the applicator and foundation side by side, the compact container is accordingly large, while multi-tiered compact containers are smaller and easier to carry, and so the number of multi-tiered airtight compact containers is on the rise.

In addition, in many multi-tiered compact containers with inner lids, including the one in Patent Document 2, the inner lids often open directly to the left or diagonally upwards to the left as seen by the user, as shown in Figure 1.

Patent No. 5753417 Patent No. 3790600

However, there are both right-handed and left-handed users, and if the inner lid only opens to the left, for example when a left-handed person holds the puff in their left hand and tries to apply foundation to the puff from the side, as shown in Figure 1, the inner lid gets in the way, making it difficult to use.

In addition, in the case of compact containers with lids as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the operation part is provided on the front side, so when opening the outer lid, the user must hold the compact container in the palm of his/her hand and then press a button with the other hand to open the lid, making it impossible for the user to open it with one hand.

In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a compact container that can eliminate the inconvenience of use due to differences in handedness and that allows the lid to be opened with one hand.

In order to solve the above problems, in one aspect of the present invention,
A case part,
an outer lid pivotally connected to the case at a rear end thereof;
A cosmetic storage tray in which the cosmetic is filled;
A compact container comprising an inner lid having a lower surface covering the cosmetic storage tray from above and an upper surface on which an applicator is placed,
Left and right operation units are provided on the outer surface of the case,
When the left and right operating parts are operated, the outer lid is opened backward relative to the case part,
The inner lid is openable toward the front of the compact case,
The outer lid is provided with a locking hook depending from a front end of a side wall,
the case portion has a frame portion surrounding an opening or recess formed in the center, a locking member disposed at a front end of the frame portion and engageable with the engaging hook, and left and right release members,
A front end recess is formed at a front end of the frame of the case by cutting out an upper surface in a band shape from a surface surrounding the opening or the recess to the outside,
the locking member is disposed in a front end recess of the frame portion and is movable between a locked position located outside a front end side of the opening or the recess of the frame portion in a radial direction and a disengaged position located inside in the radial direction;
The left and right release members are
The left and right operation parts are exposed from an outer surface of a frame part surrounding an opening or a recess of the case part;
and left and right unlocking arms that sandwich the locking member from the left and right and move together with the left and right operating parts,
When the left and right operating parts are both pressed while the outer lid is in a closed state, the left and right unlocking arms move to the front end side and push both ends of a part of the locking member from the left and right side to the rear end side, whereby the locking member moves to the inner disengagement position, and the locked state between the locking member and the locking hook is released,
When the outer lid is in a closed state, when one of the left and right operating parts is pressed, one of the left and right unlocking arms moves to the front end side, and even if one end of a part of the locking member is pressed to the rear end side, the locking member does not move to the disengagement position, and the locked state between the locking member and the locking hook is maintained.
A compact container is provided.

According to one aspect, the inconvenience of using a compact container due to differences in handedness can be eliminated, and the lid can be opened with one hand.

13 is a diagram showing the open position of the inner lid and the position of the hand holding the puff in a left-handed person in a conventional compact case. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compact container according to a first embodiment of the present invention disassembled into a compact case and a refill. 1 is a top view showing the movement of a compact case according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the compact case of the first embodiment disassembled into its individual components. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the case shown in FIG. 4 . FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the outer cover shown in FIG. 4 . FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the inner lid shown in FIG. 4 . FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a cosmetic container serving as a refill shown in FIG. 4 . FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of engagement between the case part and the outer lid in the main body according to the first embodiment, with the frame part of the case part removed. FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the movement of the inner lid. A diagram showing the outer lid of the compact case according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. 4A to 4C are rear views of the compact case according to the first embodiment with the lower body removed, showing a standby state and a state when the operating piece is pressed. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the compact case according to the first embodiment, showing a standby state and a state when the operating piece is pressed. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the compact case according to the first embodiment taken along line B of FIG. 11 , showing a standby state and a state in which the operating piece is pressed. A diagram showing the positional relationship of the operating part when the outer lid is opened and closed in a compact case according to a comparative example and a compact case according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the open position of the inner lid and the positional relationship of the hand holding the puff for right-handed and left-handed people in the compact case according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing the refill removed from a compact case according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which an inner lid is provided on the refill side. A diagram showing the outer lid of a compact case having two locking hooks on the left and right sides in an open state according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Below, a description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted.

The compact container (cosmetic container) of the present invention is a multi-tiered compact container that is suitable, for example, as a container for storing cosmetics containing volatile components, but can also be used for cosmetics that do not contain volatile components.

Cosmetics containing volatile components include, for example, liquid cosmetics such as emulsion foundation, cushion foundation, tension foundation, and emulsion blush, as well as fluid or semi-solid cosmetics. In the present invention, the cosmetics are pre-filled in a cosmetics storage tray, and are filled by replacing the tray as a refill (also called a refill or replacement container).

Overall Configuration of First Embodiment
First, the schematic configuration of a cosmetic compact container according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the compact container of the first embodiment disassembled into a compact case and a refill. Figure 3 is a top view showing the movement of the compact container according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the present invention, the compact container 9 has a case portion 1, an outer lid 5, an inner lid 6, and a cosmetic storage tray 7.

The case part 1 is the lower part that is held by the user. The case part 1 has an opening O formed in the center. The outer lid 5 is pivotally connected to the case part 1 at the rear end. The cosmetic storage tray 7 is filled with cosmetic. The inner lid 6 covers the top of the cosmetic storage tray 7 with its underside, keeping the cosmetic F airtight.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the case part 1, the outer lid 5, and the inner lid 6 are a compact case C, and the cosmetic storage tray 7 is a refill R that can be attached and detached to the case part 1 of the compact case C.

As shown in Figures 3(b) and 3(c), left and right operating units 31A and 31B are provided on the outer surface of the case unit 1. The operating units 31A and 31B are also called operating buttons, push buttons, push pieces, etc.

From the state shown in FIG. 3(a), the operating parts 31A and 31B are pressed to rotate the outer lid 5, and the outer lid 5 opens toward the rear of the case part 1 as shown in FIG. 3(b).

When the user rotates the inner lid 6 from the state shown in FIG. 3(b), the inner lid 6 can be opened toward the front of the compact container 9 as shown in FIG. 3(c).

As shown in Figures 2, 3(b), and 3(c), in this embodiment, the inner lid 6 is pivotally connected to the front end of the case part 1. As shown in Figures 2 and 3(c), when the inner lid 6 is open, the cosmetic storage tray 7 can be replaced as a refill R for the compact case C, which is composed of the case part 1, the outer lid 5, and the inner lid 6. When the replaced refill R is attached to the compact case C, the entire cosmetic storage tray 7, which is the refill R, fits into the opening O of the case part 1.

Figure 4 is an oblique view of the compact case 9 of the first embodiment, disassembled into its individual components.

In compact case C, the inner lid 6 is pivotally connected to the front end of the case part 1, and the outer lid 5 is pivotally connected to the rear end of the case part 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the case 1 is a frame W having a generally ring-like shape with an opening O in the center. The frame W has a generally U-shaped rear end notch 15 that penetrates vertically at the rear end for connection purposes, and a front end recess 14 that is a strip-shaped cutout from the top surface of the inner surface of the ring at the front end.

The lower end of the side wall 52 of the outer lid 5 is provided with an attachment piece 53 that protrudes downward from the other parts of the side wall 52. The lower end of the attachment piece 53 is sandwiched and engaged with the side surface of the rear end notch 15, so that the outer lid 5 is pivotally attached to the case part 1.

The inner lid 6 has a bottom surface that covers the top of the cosmetic storage tray 7, and a bottom surface 61 on which an applicator such as a puff P is placed. The inner lid 6 also has a pivot support 63 that extends forward from the bottom surface 61, which is the portion on which the puff P is placed, and whose front end serves as a pivot shaft. The pivot support 63 of the inner lid 6 is sandwiched between the inner side surface of the front end recess 14 of the case 1, and the front end of the pivot support 63 engages with the case 1, so that the inner lid 6 is pivotally supported by the frame W of the case 1.

The cosmetic storage tray 7 is fitted into the opening O of the case 1. The configuration of each component is explained below.

<Configuration of case part>
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the case 1 shown in FIG. 4 disassembled into individual components.

The case part 1 has an upper body 10, a lower body 20, two release members 30A and 30B on the left and right, and a lock member 40.

The upper body 10 and the lower body 20 form the outer shape of the frame W, which has an opening O in the center.

In more detail, the upper body 10 has a case top surface 11, an inner peripheral wall 12, and a support frame 13. The upper body 10 is a window-opening sealing member that surrounds a central opening O.

A front-end recess 14 is formed at the front end of the case top surface 11, and a rear-end notch 15 is formed at the rear end. The front-end recess 14 does not penetrate in the vertical direction, but penetrates in the radial direction of the opening O. The rear-end notch 15 does not penetrate in the radial direction of the opening O, but penetrates in the vertical direction.

The front end recess 14 corresponds to a strip-shaped cutout of the upper surface from the inner surface of the frame W shown in FIG. 4. The front end recess 14 has opposing front end side surfaces 141A, 141B. The front end side surfaces 141A, 141B are formed with pivot shaft insertion grooves 142A, 142B (not shown) that are open at the bottom and into which a shaft for engaging with the inner lid 6 is inserted.

A fixing protrusion 144 is provided at the lower end of the front end recess 14. The fixing protrusion 144 fixes the position of the locking member 40 and restricts the rotation and tilt of the locking member 40.

In addition, on the case top surface 11, the periphery of the pivot shaft insertion grooves 142A, 142B of the front end recess 14 is formed with raised portions 111A, 111B that rise upward to allow for the insertion of the shaft.

In addition, a rib 143 is provided at the rear side of the front end recess 14, rising upward from the outside of the inner peripheral wall 12.

The rear end notch 15 is composed of opposing rear end side walls 151A, 151B and a notch front side wall 152 that forms the bottom of the notch recess. The rear end side walls 151A, 151B are formed with pivot shaft insertion holes 153A (not shown), 153B that penetrate from left to right so that a shaft for connecting to the outer lid 5 can be inserted.

Abutment rubber 154 (see FIG. 13) is attached to the cutout front side wall 152, which contacts the protrusion 532 (see FIG. 6) at the lower end of the mounting piece 53 of the outer lid 5. The provision of the abutment rubber 154 causes the outer lid 5 to rise slightly when the locking hook 54 is released.

The inner peripheral wall 12 is formed with two claw holes 121A, 121B (see FIG. 14) on the left and right, and a number of snap pieces 122. The claw holes 121A, 121B are holes through which the airtight release claws 32A, 32B of the release members 30A, 30B emerge from and retract into the inside of the inner peripheral wall 12.

The snap piece 122 provides a sense of completion and a clicking sound when the cosmetic storage tray 7 is attached to the case part 1. The lower end of the snap piece 122 is used to connect the upper body 10 and the lower body 20.

The support frame 13 is provided with a rotation restriction rib 131. When the cosmetic storage tray 7 is attached, it fits into an opening O inside the frame W of the case 1 and comes into contact with the upper surface of the support frame 13. At this time, the locking protrusion 75 (see FIG. 8) on the underside of the cosmetic storage tray 7 engages with the rotation restriction rib 131 of the support frame 13, restricting the rotation of the cosmetic storage tray 7 inside the case 1.

The lower body 20 has an outer peripheral wall 21 and a lower ring 22. Left and right notches 23A and 23B are formed on the left and right sides of the outer peripheral wall 21, which forms the outer surface of the frame W, into which the operating parts 31A and 31B are fitted.

The lower surfaces (lower side walls) 24A, 24B of the left and right notches 23A, 23B are linear in cross section (see FIG. 14) and have a planar shape that is recessed like a bowstring relative to the remaining circular outer wall 21. The planar shape of the lower surfaces 24A, 24B makes it easier to press the operating parts 31A, 31B.

A notch 25 is formed at the rear end of the outer peripheral wall 21, and a standing piece 26 is provided on the front surface, which is the bottom surface of the notch recess. The notch 25 and the standing piece 26 engage with the rear end notch 15 of the upper body 10 from the rear end side (see FIG. 13(a)).

At the front end of the outer peripheral wall 21, an engagement recess 27 with a thin inner surface is formed so that the locking hook 54 of the outer lid 5 can be fitted. The upper end of the outer surface of the engagement recess 27 in the outer peripheral wall 21 is called the front upper end 28 of the lower body 20.

The release member 30A has an operating part 31A, an airtightness release claw 32A, an unlocking arm 33A, and a fixed arm 34A. Similarly, the release member 30B has a similar configuration. The left and right operating parts 31A, 31B are exposed to the outside from the left and right cutouts 23A, 23B of the lower body 20 of the case part 1.

The locking member 40 has locking portions 41 and 42, sliding side surfaces 43A (see FIG. 12) and 43B that are inclined on both sides in a semi-cylindrical shape, and locking pieces 44A and 44B.

Details of the engagement and disengagement between the release member 30 and the lock member 40 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 12 to 14.

Note that FIG. 4 shows an example of a configuration in which an opening O is formed in the center of the case 1 along the outer periphery of the side wall of the cosmetic storage tray 7 to fit the cosmetic refill R, but the case 1 may have a recess that does not penetrate vertically as a portion for fitting the refill R. Alternatively, the case 1 may have a recess as a portion for fitting the refill, and a through hole may be formed in part of the recess for pressing the underside of the cosmetic storage tray 7 with a finger to remove the refill R.

<Outer lid configuration>
Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the outer lid 5 shown in Fig. 4. The outer lid 5 has a top surface 51 and a side wall 52. An attachment piece 53 extends from the rear end of the side wall 52, and a locking hook 54 (an example of a locking piece) is provided hanging down from the front end so as to face the attachment piece 53.

The rear side of the side wall 52 has cut surface sections 521A and 521B that are shorter in height than the front side.

With this configuration, when the outer lid 5 is engaged with the case part 1 (see Figure 11), a gap is created from the top end of the case part 1 rearward from the part of the case part 1 that faces the left and right operating parts 31A, 31B.

The mounting piece 53 is the first hinge for connecting the outer lid 5 to the case 1. The mounting piece 53 has a pivot hole 531 at its lower end that penetrates in the left-right direction, and a pressing protrusion 532 on its inside.

The outer lid 5 is pivotally attached to the case part 1 by inserting a shaft into the pivot hole 531 formed in the mounting piece 53 of the outer lid 5 and the pivot shaft insertion holes 153A, 153B of the upper body 10 of the case part 1.

The locking hook 54 is provided with a locking projection 541 that protrudes toward the inner circumference. When the outer lid 5 is closed, the locking hook 54 is sandwiched and engaged between the engagement recess 27 of the lower body 20 of the case part 1 and the locking member 40. More specifically, the locking projection 541 fits and engages between the upper end locking projection 41 of the locking member 40 and the lower outer locking projection 42. Details of unlocking the outer lid 5 from the case part 1 will be described later with reference to FIG. 13.

<Inner lid configuration>
Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the inner lid 6 shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 7, the inner lid 6 has a lid bottom surface 61, an upright wall 62, and a pivot support portion 63.

The top surface of the cover bottom surface 61 is a surface on which the puff P is placed when not in use, and the bottom surface is a surface that covers the makeup in the cosmetic storage tray 7.
The standing wall 62 stands upward so as to surround the placed puff P on the upper surface side of the lid bottom surface 61. The standing wall 62 regulates the position of the puff P on the inner lid 6, and prevents the puff P from being pinched when the outer lid 5 is closed.

An outward flange 64 is provided so as to extend outward from the upper end of the standing wall 62. Providing the outward flange 64 makes it easier for the user to grasp the inner lid 6.

The height of the upright wall 62 from the top surface of the lid bottom surface 61 is preferably higher than the height of the puff P placed on the top surface of the lid bottom surface 61. With this configuration, when the outer lid 5 is closed, at least a portion of the outward flange 64 comes into contact with the mirror M provided on the underside of the top surface of the outer lid 5, thereby closing the inner lid 6 against the cosmetic storage tray 7.

The rear end of the standing wall 62 is lower than the other parts, so that the outward flange 64 is recessed (set back) to form a flange recess 641. This flange recess 641 improves the breathability of the puff P placed on it and makes it easier for the user to grasp (see Figure 9).

The pivot support portion 63 is a second hinge portion for connecting the inner lid 6 to the case portion 1. The pivot support portion 63 extends forward of the lid bottom surface 61, which is the portion on which the puff P is placed. The front end of the pivot support portion 63 is a cylindrical end portion 631 having an axis insertion hole 632 that penetrates from left to right so that the front end of the pivot support portion 63 serves as a pivot axis.

As shown in FIG. 3(b), when the inner lid 6 is closed, the pivot support 63 at the front end of the inner lid 6 is sandwiched between the inner side of the front end recess 14 of the case 1.

By inserting a shaft into the shaft insertion hole 632 of the shaft support part 63 of the inner lid 6 and the pivot shaft insertion grooves 142A, 142B of the front end recess 14 of the case part 1, the inner lid 6 can pivot forward relative to the front end of the case part 1, centering on the cylindrical end part 631 at the front end of the shaft support part 63.

In addition, protrusions 633 and 634 are provided on the cylindrical end 631 at the front end of the pivot support portion 63 of the inner lid 6.

The inner lid 6 can be maintained open at a predetermined angle by contact between the protrusions 633 around the cylindrical end and the upper ends of the ribs 143 on the upper body 10. Details of the opening angle of the inner lid 6 will be described later with reference to FIG. 10.

The underside of the lid bottom surface 61 of the inner lid 6 is provided with an annular rib 65 that can be inserted into the outer peripheral groove 74 (see FIG. 8) of the cosmetic storage tray 7. When the annular rib 65 of the inner lid 6 comes into contact with the packing 80 (see FIG. 8) fitted into the outer peripheral groove 74, the cosmetic storage tray 7 becomes airtight and sealed off from the air when the outer lid 5 is closed.

In addition, a logo design 66 is provided on the back side of the bottom surface 61 of the inner lid 6, which faces the surface on which the puff P is placed.

By providing a logo design 66 on the back of the inner lid 6, it is possible to suppress light reflection when the inner lid 6 is opened to the front, and to reduce the sense of discomfort felt by the user. In addition, when in use, the inner lid 6 is positioned forward, making the inner lid 6 more prominent, so by providing a brand logo as the logo design 66, it is possible to identify the object being used.

In addition, lifting grooves 67A (not shown) and 67B are formed on the left and right sides of the outer periphery of the lower surface of the lid bottom surface 61 of the inner lid 6.

When the left and right operating parts 31A, 31B of the case part 1 are pressed, the airtight release claws 32A, 32B of the release members 30A, 30B enter the lifting grooves 67A, 67B through the claw intrusion holes 121A, 121B of the upper body 10, and the inner lid 6 releases the airtight state. Details will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 14.

<Refill composition>
Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the cosmetic storage tray 7 serving as a refill shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 8, (a) shows an exploded top perspective view of the cosmetic storage tray 7, and (b) shows a bottom perspective view of the cosmetic storage tray 7.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), the cosmetic storage tray 7 has a cosmetic tray body 70 and a gasket 80.

The cosmetic plate body 70 has a double side wall, an inner side wall 72 and an outer side wall 73, and cosmetic material F is filled between the bottom surface 71 and the inner side wall 72. Note that cosmetic material F has been omitted in FIG. 8(a).

The packing 80 is made of an elastomer or a soft elastic material. The packing 80 is fitted into the outer peripheral groove 74 between the inner side wall 72 and the outer side wall 73.

The gasket 80 has a lower thick fitting portion 81 that fits into the outer peripheral groove 74 of the decorative plate body 70, and an upper thin abutment portion 82 that contacts the annular rib 65 of the inner lid 6.

When the outer lid 5 is closed, the annular rib 65 of the inner lid 6 comes into contact with the thin abutment portion 82 of the packing 80 fitted into the outer circumferential groove 74, thereby making the cosmetic F airtight.

Referring to FIG. 8(b), a locking protrusion 75 is formed on the underside of the bottom surface 71 of the cosmetic tray body 70. When the refill R is attached, the locking protrusion 75 engages with the rotation restriction rib 131 of the support frame 13 of the case part 1, thereby restricting the rotation of the cosmetic storage tray 7 relative to the case part 1 when the refill R is attached.

<Configuration of rear end of case>
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the engagement between the case portion 1 and the outer lid 5 in the compact case 9 according to the first embodiment, with the lower body 20 removed.

The lower end of the attachment piece 53 of the outer lid 5 is connected to the upper body 10 constituting the frame at the lower side of the rear end notch 15 of the case part 1. In the example of FIG. 9, the attachment piece 53 is connected to the upper body 10 below the halfway point of the rear end notch 15 in the vertical direction.

Therefore, the upper side of the rear end notch 15 in the case part 1 is open, and this open part serves as the finger insertion part I.

As shown by the dotted line, the rearmost end of the outward flange 64 of the inner lid 6 is approximately equal to the position of the notch front wall 152, which is the front surface of the rear end notch 15 of the case part 1.

Alternatively, the rear end of the flange recess 641 of the outward flange 64 of the inner lid 6 is located forward of the notch front wall 152 of the rear end notch 15 of the case part 1.

With this configuration, when opening the inner lid 6, a finger can be inserted into the finger insertion section I on the upper side of the rear end notch 15 to lift up the rear end of the outward flange 64, making it easier to open the inner lid 6.

The rear end of the upright wall 62 of the inner lid 6 is lower than the other parts, forming a flange recess 641 where the outward flange 64 is recessed. As a result, when a user inserts the tip of their finger into the rear end notch 15 to lift the inner lid 6, the flange recess 641 of the outward flange 64 comes into contact with the tip side of the finger, and by the principle of leverage, the user can open the inner lid 6 with less force.

In addition, at the front end of the inner lid 6, the standing wall 62 is interrupted by a notch at the portion where it connects to the pivot support portion 63. That is, an interruption portion N exists in the standing wall 62. As will be described in detail below in FIG. 10, the existence of the interruption portion N in the standing wall 62 allows the inner lid 6 to be opened 180° or more without hitting the case portion 1.

<Movement of inner lid>
Fig. 10 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the movement of the inner lid 6. In Fig. 10, (a) shows a state in which the inner lid 6 is closed, (b) shows a state in which the inner lid 6 is opened by 90 degrees, and (c) shows a state in which the inner lid 6 is opened to the maximum extent.

As shown in Figures 10(a) to (c), by inserting a shaft into the shaft insertion hole 632 formed in the cylindrical end 631 at the front end of the shaft support portion 63 of the inner lid 6 and into the pivot shaft insertion grooves 142A, 142B (see Figure 5) in the upper body 10 of the case portion 1, the inner lid 6 becomes pivotable relative to the front end of the case portion 1.

The cylindrical end 631, which is the pivot center at the front end of the pivot support part 63 of the inner lid 6, has protrusions 633 and 634 around it.

In FIG. 10(a), the protrusion 633 of the cylindrical end 631 and the upper end of the rib 143 of the upper body 10 are not in contact.

During the transition period from FIG. 10(a) to FIG. 10(b), the protrusion 633 of the cylindrical end portion 631 and the upper end of the rib 143 of the upper body 10 are not in contact with each other, so when the inner lid 6 is open to an angle equivalent to this non-contact period, for example, 90° or less, the inner lid 6 rotates in the closing direction.

When the inner lid 6 is in the 90° open position shown in FIG. 10(b), the protrusion 633, which is located on the lower side when closed, comes into contact with the upper end of the rib 143 on the upper body.

When the inner lid 6 is opened more than 90°, the protrusion 633 comes into contact with the upper end of the rib 143 and overcomes it at more than 150°, making it difficult to return to its original position. During use, the inner lid 6 does not return from the 150° position and close.

Furthermore, if the inner lid 6 is opened further beyond the angle (e.g., 150°) at which the contact between the protrusion 633 and the rib 143 ends, gravity will automatically rotate the inner lid 6 to its maximum extent and the rotation of the inner lid 6 will stop. The rotation angle at which the inner lid 6 opens to its maximum extent is, for example, 210°, and at this point, the pivot support 63 of the inner lid 6 comes into contact with the front upper end 28 of the lower body 20, stopping the rotation.

Figure 10(c) shows the inner lid 6 in its fully open state. As shown in Figure 10(c), the opening angle of the inner lid 6 can be set to 180° or more, so that the inner lid 6 can be positioned lower than the case part 1 during use. This means that when the inner lid 6 is opened to the front, it does not block the mirror M from the user's field of vision, reducing the discomfort felt by the user.

In this embodiment, the upright wall 62 of the inner lid 6 is interrupted at the front end by a discontinuous portion N, so that even if the inner lid 6 is opened to the maximum extent of 180° or more, the upright wall 62 and outward flange 64 of the inner lid 6 are unlikely to collide with the outer peripheral wall 21 of the case portion 1.

In addition, when the inner lid 6 is in the fully open state, the pivot support 63 comes into contact with the front upper end 28 of the lower body 20 when closed, so that further opening of the inner lid 6 can be stopped before the outward flange 64 of the inner lid 6 comes into contact with the outer surface of the outer peripheral wall 21 of the case portion 1.

It is possible that cosmetic F may adhere to the outward flange 64 when the puff P is replaced after use, but with the above configuration, even when the inner lid 6 is opened, the outward flange 64 does not come into contact with the case part 1, so dirt can be prevented from adhering to the outside of the compact container 9.

In this example, the upright wall 62 is completely disconnected at the front end of the inner lid 6, but it is also possible to provide an upright wall 62 on the front side of the lid bottom surface 61 that is low enough so as not to collide with the case part 1 when the inner lid 6 is open.

In addition, in this configuration, the protrusions 633, 634 provided on the cylindrical end 631 of the pivot support 63 of the inner lid 6 abut against the front upper end 28 of the lower body 20 to control the opening angle, but a structure that achieves the same effect by abutting against the upper body 10 or the locking member 40 may also be used.

<When the compact container is closed>
Fig. 11 is an overall view showing a state in which the outer lid 5 of the compact case 9 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is closed. In Fig. 11, (a) is an upper perspective view seen from the front, and (b) is a lower perspective view seen from the rear.

As described above, the outer lid 5, excluding the mounting piece 53, is provided with cut surface sections 521A, 521B at the rear of the area facing the left and right operating sections 31A, 31B of the case 1, where the lower end of the side wall 52 is positioned higher.

Therefore, when the outer lid 5 is closed, as shown in FIG. 11(a), the outer lid 5 and the case part 1 are fitted together without any gaps at the front, but as shown in FIG. 11(b), there is a gap G between the rear facet cut parts 521A and 521B and the case top surface 11, which is the upper end of the case part 1.

By devising the shape of the outer lid 5 in this way, a gap G is created when the outer lid 5 is closed, making it easier for the user to press the operating parts 31A and 31B on both sides all the way to the back, and since air can pass through the gap, deterioration of the applicator puff P due to moisture can be prevented.

<Outer lid unlocking operation>
Next, the mechanism for unlocking the outer lid 5 will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. Fig. 12 is a rear view of the compact case 9 according to the first embodiment with the lower body 20 of the case 1 removed, showing the standby state and the state when the operation piece is pressed. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view (side cross-sectional view) of surface A of Fig. 11, showing the standby state and the state when the operation piece is pressed in the compact case 9 according to the first embodiment.

The case 1 is provided with left and right release members 30A and 30B. The left and right release members 30A (30B) have an operating portion 31A (31B) exposed on the outer periphery, an airtight release claw 32A (32B), an unlocking arm 33A (33B), and a fixed arm 34A (34B).

As shown in Figures 12(a) and (b), the unlocking arms 33A and 33B clamp the locking member 40 from the left and right and move together with the left and right operating parts 31A and 31B.

The locking member 40 has an upper end locking projection 41, an outer locking projection 42, sliding side surfaces 43A and 43B that are inclined on both sides in a semi-cylindrical shape, and locking pieces 44A and 44B. The upper end locking projection 41 and the outer locking projection 42 become locking parts that engage with the locking projection 541 of the locking hook 54.

As shown in Figures 13(a) and (b), the locking member 40 is movable within the frame W, which is formed by the upper body 10 and the lower body 20, between a locked position (engaged position) on the radially outer side (front end side) of the opening O and a released position (disengaged position) on the inner side.

When the outer lid 5 is closed as shown in Fig. 12(a) and Fig. 13(a), the locking hook 54 of the outer lid 5 is sandwiched between the engagement recess 27 of the lower body 20 of the case part 1 and the locking member 40. The locking protrusion 541 of the locking hook 54 fits between the upper end locking protrusion 41 of the locking member 40 and the outer locking protrusion 42 and engages with it.

When both left and right operating parts 31A, 31B are pressed with the outer lid 5 closed, as the left and right unlocking arms 33A, 33B move to the front end side, they push the sliding side surfaces 43A, 43B of the locking member 40 to the rear end side, as shown in FIG. 12(b). This causes the locking member 40 to move to the inward release position, as shown in FIG. 13(b), and the locking parts 41, 42 of the locking member 40 and the locking hook 54 of the outer lid 5 are released from the locked state (engagement).

When either the left or right operating part 31A, 31B is pressed, even if one of the left or right unlocking arms 33A, 33B moves, the locking member 40 does not move to the unlocked position, and the engagement between the locking member 40 and the locking hook 54 of the outer lid 5 is maintained.

With this configuration, the lock is not released and the outer lid 5 cannot be opened unless both left and right operating parts 31A and 31B are pressed together, which prevents the outer lid 5 from opening due to a malfunction while the device is being carried.

<Airtight release operation>
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view (front cross-sectional view) taken along line B of FIG. 11, showing the compact case 9 according to the first embodiment in a standby state and in a state where the operation piece is pressed.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the left and right release members 30A, 30B provided in the case 1, the portions exposed from the left and right notches 23A, 23B in the outer peripheral wall 21 of the lower body 20, which are the outer surfaces of the frame W surrounding the opening O, are the left and right operating sections 31A, 31B.

The airtight release claws 32A, 32B extend from the rear surface opposite the exposed surfaces of the left and right operating parts 31A, 31B, and can extend inward through the claw ingress/egress holes 121A, 121B in the inner peripheral wall 12 of the upper body 10, which constitutes the inner surface of the frame part W, or enter into the inner peripheral wall 12.

In more detail, as shown in FIG. 14(a), in the closed state, the airtightness releasing claws 32A, 32B of the release members 30A, 30B of the case part 1 are not in contact with the inner lid 6, and the tips of the airtightness releasing claws 32A, 32B are positioned approximately flush with the inner surface of the inner peripheral wall 12.

When the left and right operating parts 31A, 31B are operated, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the airtightness release claws 32A, 32B protrude beyond the claw intrusion holes 121A, 121B and enter the lifting grooves 67A, 67B of the inner lid 6, causing the inner lid 6 to be pressed and lifted by the airtightness release claws 32, thereby releasing the airtight state of the inner lid 6 relative to the cosmetic storage tray 7.

On the other hand, when the outer lid 5 is closed, at least a portion of the outward flange 64 of the inner lid 6 comes into contact with the mirror M provided on the underside of the top surface 51 of the outer lid 5, closing the inner lid 6 against the cosmetic storage tray 7, and the annular rib 65 of the inner lid 6 is inserted into the outer peripheral groove 74 of the cosmetic storage tray 7 and abuts against the packing 80, so that the cosmetic F stored in the cosmetic storage tray 7 is kept airtight.

As shown in FIG. 5 above, the lower surfaces 24A, 24B of the left and right notches 23A, 23B of the lower body 20 into which the operating units 31A, 31B are fitted are flat, so that the lower surfaces 24A, 24B are recessed further than the operating units 31A, 31B, as shown in FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b).

This shape causes the operating parts 31A, 31B to bulge outward from the lower surfaces 24A, 24B, making it easier to press the operating parts 31A, 31B all the way in.

<Usage>
FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the positional relationship of the operating parts when the outer lid is opened and closed in a compact case 90X according to a comparative example and a compact case 9 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 15, (a) shows a hand holding a compact container 90X according to a comparative example, and (b) shows a hand holding a compact container 9 according to the present invention.

In the comparative example configuration shown in FIG. 15(a), the normal usage action requires holding the compact case 90X in the palm of the hand and then pressing the button 2X with the opposite hand to open the lid.

In contrast, in the configuration of the present invention shown in FIG. 15(b), operating parts are provided on both sides of the compact container 9, so that while still holding the compact container 9, the user can press the operating parts 31A and 31B on both sides with the same hand to release the locked state of the outer lid 5.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11(b), the rear of the outer lid 5 is provided with face-cut portions 521A, 521B, and a gap G is provided between the bottom end of the outer lid 5 and the case top surface 11 of the case part 1. This makes it easy to insert a finger into the gap G when unlocking the outer lid 5, thereby making it easy to open the outer lid 5.

In this way, the configuration of the present invention makes it possible to unlock and open the outer lid 5 using only one hand holding the compact container 9, making the act of opening the lid even easier.

Figure 16 shows the open position of the inner lid and the position of the hand holding the puff for right-handed and left-handed people in the compact case 9 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In more detail, in Figure 16, (a) shows the positional relationship for a right-handed person, and (b) shows the positional relationship for a left-handed person.

Because the inner lid 6 opens towards the front, whether the compact container 9 is held in the manner shown in FIG. 16(a) or FIG. 16(b), the hand holding the puff P, which is the opposite hand holding the compact container 9, will not hit the cosmetic F even if it is brought close to the side.

In this way, by making the inner lid 6 open toward the front, it can be used by both right-handed and left-handed people without the inner lid getting in the way, eliminating the inconvenience of using it due to differences in dominant handedness.

Furthermore, the inner lid 6 opens to the front side, increasing the area of the hand that holds the case portion 1 of the compact container 9, so that the compact container is held with more fingers than in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, improving stability when held in the palm.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a compact case 9α according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which an inner lid is provided on the refill side, with the refill R1 removed.

In this embodiment, the inner lid 6α is pivotally connected to the front end of the cosmetic storage tray 7α, so that the inner lid 6α and the cosmetic storage tray 7α can be replaced as a refill R1 for the case part 1α and the outer lid 5. In addition, the case part 1α and the outer lid 5 form a compact case C1 that can be used repeatedly.

In this embodiment, the case portion 1α also has an opening O1 formed in the center. When the refill R1 is attached, the cosmetic storage tray 7α of the refill R1 fits into the opening O1 of the case portion 1α. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

Note that FIG. 17 shows an example of a configuration in which an opening O1 is formed in the center of the case 1α along the outer periphery of the side wall of the cosmetic storage tray 7α, which is part of the refill R1, in order to fit the cosmetic storage tray 7α, but the case 1α may have a recess that does not penetrate vertically as a portion into which the cosmetic storage tray 7α is fitted. Alternatively, the case 1α may have a recess formed as a portion into which the cosmetic storage tray is fitted, and a through hole formed in part of the recess for pressing the underside of the cosmetic storage tray 7α with a finger to remove the refill R1.

Third Embodiment
Fig. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a compact case 9β having two locking hooks on the left and right according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 18, (a) shows a state in which the outer lid 5β is open, and (b) shows a state in which the inner lid 6β is open.

In this embodiment, two locking members 400A and 400B are provided on the top surface of the case 1β above the left and right operating parts 35A and 35B. Two locking hooks 55A and 55B are provided on the side wall of the outer lid 5β at positions corresponding to the left and right locking members 400A and 400B.

When the outer lid 5β is in the closed state, the left and right operating parts 35A and 35B are pressed to release the engagement between the two locking members 400A and 400B and the two engaging hooks 55A and 55B.

In FIG. 18, an example is shown in which the two left and right locking members 400A, 400B and the locking hooks 55A, 55B are provided directly above the operating unit, approximately 180° apart on both sides, but in this embodiment, the two left and right locking members 400A, 400B and the locking hooks 55A, 55B may be provided closer to the user than the left and right operating units 35A, 35B.

As in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 16, for a compact container having two locking members 400A, 400B on the left and right and locking hooks 55A, 55B, a mechanism may be applied in which only the cosmetic storage tray can be replaced as a refill R as in the first embodiment, or a mechanism may be applied in which the inner lid and cosmetic storage tray can be replaced together as a refill R1 as in the second embodiment.

In either embodiment, the operating units 31A, 31B (35A, 35B) are provided at two locations, one on the left and one on the right of the compact container 9 (9α, 9β), so that the user can open the outer lid 5 (5β) with the hand holding the case 1 of the compact container 9. This makes it possible to unlock and open the outer lid with one hand, making the act of opening the lid easier and also making the action of opening and closing the outer lid itself easier to use.

The above describes in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as described in the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, the cosmetic storage tray is shown to store only cosmetics such as solids or pastes, but the cosmetic storage tray may store things other than cosmetics.

For example, a cosmetic container may hold an elastic member (cushion) impregnated with the cosmetic, and the cosmetic may be applied to a puff via the elastic member to create a cushion foundation or cushion blush.

Alternatively, a mesh can be stretched over the top surface of the cosmetic container, and the liquid cosmetic can be applied to the puff through the mesh to create a tension foundation or tension blush.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 1, 1α, 1β, 1γ Case section 5, 5β, 5γ Outer lid 6, 6α Inner lid 7, 7α Cosmetic storage tray 9, 9α, 9β, 9γ Compact case 10 Upper body (windowed lid), frame section 11 Case top surface 12 Inner peripheral wall 121A, 121B Claw recess 13 Support frame 14 Front end recess 15 Rear end notch 151 Rear end side wall 152 Notched front side wall 20 Lower body, frame section 21 Outer peripheral wall (outer surface of frame section)
23A, 23B Left and right notches 30 Release member 31 Operation portion 32 Airtight release claw 33 Lock release arm 34 Fixed arm 40 Lock member 41 Upper end locking projection (locking portion)
42 Outer locking projection (locking portion)
43 Slide portion 53 Mounting piece 54 Locking hook 55A, 55B Locking hook 61 Lid bottom surface 62 Upright wall 63 Pivot support portion 64 Outward flange 641 Flange recess 65 Annular rib 66 Logo design 67A, 67B Lifting groove 70 Cosmetic plate body 71 Bottom surface 72 Inner side wall 73 Outer side wall 74 Outer peripheral groove 80 Gasket C Compact case F Cosmetic material (foundation)
G Gap N Interrupted part R Refill O Opening P Puff (applicator)
W Frame section

Claims (8)

A case part,
an outer lid pivotally connected to the case at a rear end thereof;
A cosmetic storage tray in which the cosmetic is filled;
A compact container comprising an inner lid having a lower surface covering the cosmetic storage tray from above and an upper surface on which an applicator is placed,
Left and right operation units are provided on the outer surface of the case,
When the left and right operating parts are operated, the outer lid is opened backward relative to the case part,
The inner lid is openable toward the front of the compact case,
The outer lid is provided with a locking hook depending from a front end of a side wall,
the case portion has a frame portion surrounding an opening or recess formed in the center, a locking member disposed at a front end of the frame portion and engageable with the engaging hook, and left and right release members,
A front end recess is formed at a front end of the frame of the case by cutting out an upper surface in a band shape from a surface surrounding the opening or the recess to the outside,
the locking member is disposed in a front end recess of the frame portion and is movable between a locked position located outside a front end side of the opening or the recess of the frame portion in a radial direction and a disengaged position located inside in the radial direction;
The left and right release members are
The left and right operation parts are exposed from an outer surface of a frame part surrounding an opening or a recess of the case part;
and left and right unlocking arms that sandwich the locking member from the left and right and move together with the left and right operating parts,
When the left and right operating parts are both pressed while the outer lid is in a closed state, the left and right unlocking arms move to the front end side and push both ends of a part of the locking member from the left and right side to the rear end side, whereby the locking member moves to the inner disengagement position, and the locked state between the locking member and the locking hook is released,
When the outer lid is in a closed state, when one of the left and right operating parts is pressed, one of the left and right unlocking arms moves to the front end side, and even if one end of a part of the locking member is pressed to the rear end side, the locking member does not move to the disengagement position, and the locked state between the locking member and the locking hook is maintained.
Compact container. The left and right release members each have an airtightness release claw that penetrates the frame from the left and right operation portions and is capable of protruding from and retracting from an inner surface of the frame,
The cosmetic storage tray is
The cosmetic tray has a double side wall, an inner side wall and an outer side wall, and a cosmetic material is filled between the bottom surface and the inner side wall. A gasket made of an elastic body is fitted into an outer peripheral groove between the inner side wall and the outer side wall.
The inner lid has a bottom surface provided with an annular rib that can be engaged with the outer circumferential groove of the decorative plate body,
The upper surface side of the inner lid is provided with an upright wall that stands upward so as to surround the applicator to be placed thereon, and an outward flange that extends outward from an upper end of the upright wall,
The height of the upright wall from the upper surface of the inner lid is higher than the applicator placed on the upper surface of the inner lid,
When the outer lid is closed, the cosmetic storage tray is sealed by the inner lid,
When the left and right operating parts are operated, the inner lid is pressed by the airtightness releasing claws and lifted, thereby releasing the airtight state of the inner lid with respect to the cosmetic storage tray,
When the outer lid is closed, at least a part of the outward flange comes into contact with a mirror provided on the underside of the top surface of the outer lid, thereby closing the inner lid against the cosmetic storage tray, and the annular rib of the inner lid comes into contact with the packing of the cosmetic storage tray, thereby making the cosmetic airtight.
2. The compact container of claim 1 . The inner lid is pivotally connected to a front end of the case portion,
When the inner lid is open, the cosmetic storage tray is replaceable as a refill for the case, the inner lid, and the outer lid;
When the refill is attached, the cosmetic storage tray of the refill fits into the opening or the recess of the case portion.
The compact container according to claim 1 or 2 . An attachment piece is provided at a lower end of a rear end of a side wall of the outer lid, the attachment piece protruding downward from other portions of the side wall,
In the outer lid, the position of the lower end of the side wall is higher in the rear from the portion of the case part facing the left and right operation parts, excluding the mounting piece, and a gap is provided from the upper end of the case part when the outer lid is in a closed state.
A compact container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The upper surface side of the inner lid is provided with an upright wall that stands upward so as to surround the applicator to be placed thereon, and an outward flange that extends outward from an upper end of the upright wall,
The height of the upright wall from the upper surface of the inner lid is higher than the applicator placed on the upper surface of the inner lid,
The rear end of the outward flange is recessed from the other portions.
A compact container according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The inner lid is pivotally connected to a front end of the cosmetic container,
The inner lid and the cosmetic storage tray are replaceable as refills for the case and the outer lid,
The case portion has an opening or a recess formed in the center,
When the refill is attached, the refill is fitted into the opening or the recess.
A compact container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The locking members are provided on the upper surface of the case portion above the left and right operation parts or forward of the left and right operation parts,
The two engaging hooks are provided on the side wall of the outer lid at positions corresponding to the two locking members,
When the outer lid is in a closed state, the left and right operating parts are pressed to release the engagement between the two locking members and the two engaging hooks on the left and right.
The compact container of claim 2. A logo design is provided on the back side of the inner lid opposite to the surface on which the applicator is placed.
A compact container according to any one of claims 1 to 7 .

Images