Jars for cosmetic products with non-cylindrical neck

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of pots, in particular that of pots for cosmetic products. By cosmetic product is meant in particular all products for skin makeup, including lips, and all compositions intended for bodily application, including so-called care products such as moisturizers, cleansing products or products intended to protect the skin from the sun.

[0002] Cosmetic jars generally have a base, forming a reservoir and intended to contain a cosmetic product, topped with a neck defining an opening. The base is closed by a lid.

[0003] As is known, the neck is substantially cylindrical. In other words, the cross-section of the neck is circular or the opening defined by the neck is circular. The cylindrical shape of the neck allows for easy closing and opening of the pot, in particular by screwing and unscrewing the lid onto the base. For this purpose, the neck is generally provided with a screw thread or a screw ramp.

[0004] However, it may be advantageous to manufacture a neck of a different shape. In this respect, pots are known having a neck with a non-circular section, in particular a square section defining a square opening. In order to allow the closing and opening of such a pot, certain prior art solutions propose a hinge system connecting the base to the lid. There are also other alternative closing and opening systems, such as that described in document FR 1551009, consisting of adding complex and difficult-to-implement mechanisms.

[0005] Document US6318578B1 discloses a jar for a cosmetic product comprising a base surmounted by a neck defining an opening and a lid and first and second assembly elements.

[0006] Existing solutions for non-cylindrical necks therefore have the disadvantage of being complex and / or requiring a change in the usual closing and opening gesture by rotating the lid on the base of the pot.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, the invention aims to propose a jar for cosmetic products having a non-cylindrical neck and allowing easy opening and closing while maintaining a simple and natural gesture.

[0008] The invention relates to a pot for a cosmetic product comprising a base surmounted by a neck defining an opening and a lid adapted to close said opening, said neck having a non-circular section, said neck comprising a rim forming a bead around the perimeter of the neck.

[0009] According to the invention, the neck comprises at least one first assembly element formed in an external wall of the neck under the rim, the cover comprising a contour wall configured to surround the neck when the cover is positioned on the neck in an open position or a closed position in which the cover closes the opening, the cover comprising at least one second assembly element formed in the contour wall and of complementary shape to said at least one first assembly element, so as to allow said at least one first assembly element to fit together with the at least one second assembly element; the lid being configured so that: when the lid is in the closed position: o said at least one second assembly element of the lid is arranged under the rim of the neck, preventing vertical extraction of the lid from the neck; and o said at least one second assembly element and said at least one first assembly element are fitted together so as to create resistance to relative rotation of the lid and the neck, and when the lid is in the open position said at least one second assembly element is disengaged from said at least one first assembly element and from the rim of the neck, so as to allow vertical extraction of the lid from the neck, the lid being configured to move from the open position to the closed position and vice versa by rotation of the lid around the neck.

[0010] Such a pot with a non-cylindrical neck allows the same opening and closing movement to be achieved as with a conventional pot with a cylindrical neck and whose lid is screwed onto the base, i.e. for example with a counterclockwise rotation to open the pot and a clockwise rotation to close it.

[0011] Furthermore, locking the rotation by interlocking the first assembly element and the second assembly element allows the user to know when the closure or tightening of the lid on the base is correct. This prevents excessive tightening which could cause wear of the pot in the long term, and in particular crushing of a sealing gasket arranged between the lid and the base. This also prevents insufficient tightening of the lid on the pot, thus ensuring a good seal of the pot.

[0012] According to one feature, the contour wall of the cover delimits a cavity formed in the cover, the section of which corresponds to the superposition of the section of the neck in a first position and the section of the neck in a second position pivoted by a predefined angle relative to the first position.

[0013] The lid thus includes a cavity sized to fit the shape of the neck.

[0014] According to one characteristic, the predefined angle is less than 45° and strictly greater than 0°, and preferably equal to 22°.

[0015] According to one feature, the neck has a prismatic section having a polygon-shaped base or a polygon-shaped base having rounded angles and / or sides.

[0016] According to one characteristic, the neck has a square section, or square with rounded angles and / or sides.

[0017] According to one characteristic, said at least one first assembly element is formed at one or more angles of the section of the neck.

[0018] This makes it easier to locate said at least one first assembly element for closing and opening the pot.

[0019] According to one characteristic, the neck comprises a number of first assembly elements equal to the number of sides of said polygon.

[0020] According to one characteristic, the neck has an oval section.

[0021] According to one feature, the cover comprises a number of second assembly elements equal to the number of first assembly elements of the neck.

[0022] According to one characteristic, said at least one first assembly element comprises a projection in relief from the external wall of the neck and said at least one second assembly element comprises a hollow of corresponding shape, or vice versa.

[0023] According to one feature, said at least one first assembly element comprises a notch formed in the neck and said at least one second assembly element comprises a lug of corresponding shape, or vice versa.

[0024] According to one characteristic, said at least one first assembly element comprises an angular stop shaped to block said at least one second assembly element bearing on the stop.

[0025] In particular, the angular stop allows the rotation of the lid around the neck to be stopped when the lid moves from the open position to the closed position.

[0026] According to one characteristic, said at least one second assembly element and / or said at least one first assembly element is elastic.

[0027] According to one characteristic, the cover comprises at the level of said at least one second assembly element a cutout increasing the elasticity of the second assembly element.

[0028] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below with reference to the appended drawings, given as non-limiting examples: there figure 1 is a perspective view of a jar for a cosmetic product according to an embodiment in accordance with the invention; figure 2 is an exploded view of the figure 1 ; there figure 3 is a perspective view of a base of the pot of the figure 1 according to a first angle of view; the figure 4 is a perspective view of the base of the pot from a second viewing angle; the figure 5 is a perspective view of a lid of the pot of the figure 1 ; there figure 6 is a bottom view of the cover of the figure 5 ; there figure 7 is a sectional view along a transverse plane of the pot of the figure 1 wherein the cover is in an open position; the figure 8 is a sectional view along said transverse plane of the pot of the figure 1 wherein the cover is in a closed position; and the figure 9 is a sectional view along a vertical plane of the pot of the figure 1 in the closed position.

[0029] THE figures 1 et 2 represent a pot 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0030] The pot 1 is in the illustrated embodiment a container configured to contain a product directly accessible by the user, and intended to be taken for example by finger or by means of a spatula. A pot according to the invention can nevertheless be any type of container or container. By way of non-limiting example, the pot can be a container equipped with a pump or a pipette allowing the product contained in the container to be taken.

[0031] The pot 1 has a base 2 and a lid 3 allowing the pot 1 to be opened or closed. In this example, the pot 1 also has a seal 4 arranged between the base 2 and the lid 3.

[0032] The pot shown in these figures is a pot with a square outline. A pot with a "square outline" is understood to mean a pot having a base with a substantially parallelepiped shape with a square bottom, which does not exclude pots with rounded edges or any other slight alteration of its general shape. Furthermore, this description is made for a pot 1 with a square outline, but is valid mutatis mutandis for any pot regardless of the general external shape of its base.

[0033] In this description, the term transverse plane means a plane parallel to the bottom of the base of the pot, and the term vertical plane means a plane orthogonal to the transverse plane.

[0034] Pot 1 is here symmetrically formed with respect to a vertical plane.

[0035] Base 2 is for example represented individually on the figures 3 et 4 from two different viewing angles. The base 2 comprises a container 200 and a neck 201 which surmounts the container 200. The neck 201 defines an opening 202 which allows access to a product contained in the container 200. The dimensions of the neck 201 and the opening 202 are close to the cross-sectional dimensions of the base 2. In any event, in the example shown here, the opening 202 of the pot 1 is sufficiently wide to allow the passage of at least one finger of a hand, that is to say that it has a cross-sectional dimension greater than or equal to approximately 25 millimeters.

[0036] The neck 201 comprises an outer wall 203, and a rim 204 formed in the outer wall 203. The rim 204 forms a bead around the circumference of the neck 201.

[0037] The external wall 203 is here substantially curved in the part located under the rim 204. This makes it possible to facilitate a rotational movement of the cover 3 on the neck 201.

[0038] Preferably, an upper portion of the rim 204 is rounded or beveled to create a ramp effect with the seal 4 displaced vertically against the neck 201.

[0039] The neck 201 has a non-circular (transverse) section. In this embodiment, the neck 201 has a substantially square section. The neck 21 here has a section shape substantially similar to the contour of the base. More precisely, the neck 201 comprises four identical portions, i.e. of the same shape and the same dimensions, together forming the lateral faces of a parallelepiped whose base is substantially square. The intersections between the portions have rounded corners. The rounded corners make it easier to rotate the lid around the base.

[0040] Of course, this description applies to other neck shapes. In particular, it applies to any pot having a neck of non-circular cross-section. For example, the neck may have a substantially polygonal or oval cross-section. In other words, the neck may have a prismatic shape whose base is a polygon or a cylindrical shape whose base is non-circular, for example oval.

[0041] The neck 201 comprises at least one first assembly element 205. Said at least one first assembly element 205 is formed in the external wall 203. Said at least one first assembly element 205 is here formed under the rim 204.

[0042] In the illustrated example, the neck 201 comprises four first assembly elements 205. Generally, the term "first assembly element" refers to a part of the neck 201 adapted to cooperate with a second assembly element carried by the lid 3. The cooperation between the first assembly element and the second assembly element ensures or participates in the closing of the pot as described below. The first assembly elements 205 are advantageously formed at the corners of the neck 201. This makes it easier to locate them.

[0043] Of course, the number and location of the first assembly elements 205 may vary.

[0044] The first assembly elements 205 being all identical here, the description is made for one of them only.

[0045] The first assembly element 205 comprises a stop 206. The stop 206 is an angular stop making it possible to stop the rotation of the cover 3 around the neck 201 when the cover 3 moves from an open position to a closed position.

[0046] The stop 206 is formed for example here by a shoulder formed in the external wall 203 of the neck 201. More precisely, a notch 207 is formed in the external wall 203 such that the neck 201 then has a locally reduced thickness. A face of the neck 201 tangent to the notch 207 then forms the shoulder or stop 206.

[0047] The first assembly element 205 of the neck 201 here also comprises a projection 208. The projection 208 stands out from the external wall 203 of the neck 201. The projection 208 here has a semi-cylindrical shape. The projection 208 is tangent to the notch 207.

[0048] Base 2 is made of any suitable material, including glass or plastic. It may be transparent or opaque. Base 2 may be designed to accommodate a separate bowl or refill containing the cosmetic product.

[0049] Cover 3 is shown individually in figures 5 And 6 The cover comprises an upper face 300, a lower wall 301, on the back of the upper face 300, and a contour wall 302.

[0050] The cover 3 here has square contours, that is to say the upper face 300 has a square shape. Advantageously, the cover 3 has substantially (or exactly) the same shape and the same contour dimensions as the base 2.

[0051] The upper face 300 here constitutes an external face, intended for example to be visible to a user when the pot 1 is closed by the cover 3.

[0052] The cover 3 comprises a cavity 303 formed in the lower wall 301. The cavity 303 forms an internal part of the cover 3 not visible to the user when the cover 3 closes the opening 202.

[0053] The contour wall 302 has an outer contour surface 302a and an inner contour surface 302b.

[0054] The external contour surface 302a extends around the periphery of the upper face 300. In other words, the external contour surface 302a is tangent to an edge of the upper face 300. The external contour surface 302a is visible to the user when the cover 3 closes the opening 202.

[0055] The internal contour surface 302b delimits the cavity 303 at the periphery. The internal contour surface 302b extends into the internal part of the cover 3. The internal contour surface 302b is therefore not visible to the user when the cover 3 closes the opening 202.

[0056] The internal contour surface 302b has rounded corners of a shape complementary to the rounded corners of the neck 201.

[0057] The cover 3 comprises at least one second assembly element 304 of a shape complementary to the first assembly element 205 of the neck 201. In the example shown, the cover 3 comprises four second assembly elements 304. Each second assembly element 304 of the cover 3 has a corresponding first assembly element 205 of the neck 201 with which it is adapted to cooperate.

[0058] In the example shown, the four second assembly elements 304 are formed at the rounded corners of the contour wall 302.

[0059] Of course, the number and location of the second assembly elements can vary.

[0060] The second assembly elements 304 being all identical here, the description is made only for one of them but of course applies to the others.

[0061] The second assembly element 304 is formed in the contour wall 302. The second assembly element 304 extends into the internal part of the lid 3 so as to be invisible to the user when the lid closes the opening 202. This makes it possible to improve the aesthetics of the pot 1.

[0062] The second assembly element 304 here comprises a boss or lug 305, and a hollow 306. The lug 305 and the hollow 306 are adjacent to each other. The lug 305 has a shape complementary to the notch 207 formed in the neck 201. The hollow 306 also has a shape complementary to the projection 208. The lug 305 of the second assembly element 304 is adapted to be inserted into the notch 207 of the first assembly element 205 between the stop 206 and the projection 208. The hollow 306 of the second assembly element 304 is adapted to house the projection 208 of the first assembly element 205.

[0063] The second assembly element 304 here has a height at most equal to the height of the first assembly element 205 of the neck 201. Preferably, the second assembly element 304 has a height less or substantially less than the height of the first assembly element 205 of the neck 201.

[0064] Height is understood to mean the vertical dimension. The height of the neck 201 corresponds to the sum of the height of the rim 204 and the height of the first assembly element 205 taken in the same vertical plane.

[0065] In the example shown, the height of each of the rim and the first assembly element is not the same at all points. The neck 201 has at least one slope or ramp formed at the boundary between the rim 204 and the first assembly element 205. A slope is here formed in each of the portions of the neck 201.

[0066] The second assembly element 304 is advantageously made of elastic material. For example, the flexibility of the material constituting the cover 3 (generally made of a plastic material) can be used to advantage by the second assembly element. This allows simple interlocking between the first assembly element 205 and the second assembly element 304.

[0067] In the embodiment shown in the figure 6 , the second assembly element comprises a cutout 307 formed in the contour wall 302. Said cutout gives the second assembly element 304 more flexibility and thus makes it easier to fit with the first assembly element 205.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the cover 3 may be made entirely of an elastic material. The cover 3 may be made by molding or injection so as to give it the desired shape.

[0069] Generally, at least one of the first assembly element and second assembly element has flexibility and elasticity allowing said assembly elements to fit together.

[0070] The internal contour surface 302b has a shape and dimensions allowing it to surround the neck 201 so as to close the opening 202. In other words, the section of the cavity 303 is at least as large as the section of the neck 201 so that the cover 3 can surround and rotate around the neck 201 of the base 2.

[0071] The cover 3 is configured to assume an open position and a closed position in which the cover 3 closes the opening 202. When the cover 3 is in the open and closed positions, the contour wall 302, and in particular the internal contour surface 302b, surrounds the neck 201.

[0072] The open position of the lid 3 corresponds to the position in which the second assembly element 304 is disengaged from the first assembly element 205 and from the rim 204 of the neck 201. In this position, the lid can rotate freely and be extracted vertically with respect to the neck 201. The closed position of the lid 3 corresponds to the position in which the second assembly element 304 is arranged under the rim 204 of the neck 201. In this position, the rotation of the lid is blocked by the cooperation of the assembly elements (unless sufficient force is applied to the lid to overcome the resistance created by the interlocking of the assembly elements), and the vertical extraction of the lid 3 with respect to the neck 201 is prevented by the interaction between the first assembly elements and the bead 204 detailed below.

[0073] There figure 7 represents the cover 3 positioned around the neck 201, in the open position. The figures 8 et 9 represent the cover positioned around the neck 201, in the closed position.

[0074] Advantageously, the section of the cavity 303 corresponds to the superposition of the section of the neck 201 in a first position and of the section of the neck 201 in a second position rotated by a predefined angle relative to the first position. In other words, the section of the cavity 303 corresponds to the superposition of the section of the neck 201 and its image obtained by the rotation around its center (or barycenter) of said section according to a predefined angle.

[0075] The preset angle corresponds to the angle swept by the cover 3 when it passes from an extreme open position to the closed position, or vice versa.

[0076] The predefined angle may be less than 45°. In a preferred embodiment, the predefined angle is of the order of 22°.

[0077] The cavity 303 is thus formed when the cover 3 comprises the same number of second assembly elements 304 as the number of first assembly elements 205 of the neck 201.

[0078] In another embodiment, the cover 3 may comprise a number of second assembly elements 304 less than the number of first assembly elements 205 of the neck 201. In the example of the neck 201 of substantially square section and having four first assembly elements 205, the cover 3 may comprise a single, two or three second assembly elements 304.

[0079] Of course, the reverse is entirely possible. The cover 3 may comprise a number of second assembly elements 304 greater than the number of first assembly elements 205 of the neck 201.

[0080] In any event, the cavity 303 has a section allowing the cover 3 to surround the neck 201 when the cover 3 closes the opening 202, in particular in the open and closed position. Furthermore, the cavity 303 has a section such that the cover 3 can be extracted vertically from the neck 201 and rotate around the neck 201 when the cover 3 is in the open position, and that a resistance to rotation of the cover 3 relative to the neck 201 is created and the vertical extraction of the cover 3 with respect to the neck 201 is prevented when the cover 3 is in the closed position.

[0081] When a user wants to close the pot 1, he positions the lid 3 in the open position, as in figure 7 In this position the cover 3 is rotated by the predefined angle relative to the neck 201. The rounded corners of the cover 3 are here opposite the rounded corners of the neck 201.

[0082] In order to close the pot 1, the user turns the lid 3, for example clockwise. The lid 3 rotates around the neck 201 until the first assembly element 205 of the neck 201 and the second assembly element 304 of the lid 3 cooperate together. In other words, the cover 3 rotates around the neck 201 until the second assembly element 304 is in abutment against the stop 206 of the neck 201. The stop 206 thus forms an angular stop for the cover 3. In the example described, when the cover 3 is in the closed position, the lug 305 is inserted into the notch 207 of the neck 201, and the projection 208 is inserted into the hollow 305. In this position, the second assembly element 304 extends under the rim 204. The cover 3 is then blocked vertically by the bead 204. In other words, the cover 3 cannot be extracted vertically with respect to the neck 201.

[0083] In order to open the pot 1, the user turns the lid 3 in the opposite direction to the closing direction, for example counterclockwise. The user overcomes the resistance created by the cooperation between the first assembly elements and the second assembly elements. The second assembly element 304 of the lid is disengaged from the first assembly element 204 of the neck 304. The second assembly element 304 of the lid 3 is then disengaged from the stop 206 of the neck 201. The lug 305 is disengaged from the notch 207. The projection 208 is also disengaged from the recess 205. Free rotation of the lid 3 relative to the base 2 is then again possible. The second assembly element 304 of the cover 3 is also released from the rim 204 of the neck 201. The cover 3 can then be extracted vertically with respect to the neck 201 since it is no longer blocked by the bead 204.

[0084] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated.

[0085] The invention makes it possible to maintain a screwing gesture on a neck which a priori cannot allow it due to its geometry such as a square, another polygon shape, and more generally many non-circular shapes.

[0086] Such a lid 3 is easily adaptable to any base 2, intended to contain a cosmetic product, comprising a neck 201 having at least a first assembly element 205 and a rim 204. Only the lid 3 is modified to allow the opening and closing of the pot by a simple and intuitive gesture.

Claims

1. Pot for a cosmetic product including a base (2) surmounted by a neck (201) defining an opening (202) and a lid (3) designed to block said opening (202), said neck (201) having a non-circular section, said neck (201) comprising a rim (204) forming a bead on the periphery of the neck (201), said pot being characterized in that said neck (201) comprises at least one first assembly element (205) formed in an outer wall (203) of the neck (201) under said rim (204), said lid (3) comprising a contour wall (302) designed to surround said neck (201) when the lid (3) is positioned on said neck (201) in an open position or a closed position, in both of which the lid (3) blocks the opening (202), said lid (3) comprising at least one second assembly element (304) formed in said contour wall (302) and shaped to fit said at least one first assembly element (205), in such a way as to enable said at least one first assembly element (205) to be engaged with said at least one second assembly element (304); said lid (3) being designed so that: • when the lid (3) is in the closed position: - said at least one second assembly element (304) of the lid (3) is arranged under the rim (204) of the neck (201), preventing the vertical removal of the lid (3) from the neck (201); and - said at least one second assembly element (304) and said at least one first assembly element (205) are engaged with each other to resist the relative rotation of the lid (3) and the neck (201), and • when the lid (3) is in the open position, said at least one second assembly element (304) is disengaged from said at least one first assembly element (205) and from the rim (204) of the neck (201), to enable the vertical removal of the lid from the neck (201), said lid (3) being designed to switch from said open position to said closed position and vice versa by rotating the lid about the neck (201).

2. Pot according to Claim 1, wherein the contour wall of the lid (3) delimits a cavity (303) formed in the lid (3), the section of which corresponds to the overlap of the section of the neck (201) in a first position and the section of the neck (201) in a second position pivoted by a predefined angle relative to said first position.

3. Pot according to Claim 2, wherein said predefined angle is less than 45° and strictly greater than 0°, and preferably 22°.

4. Pot according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the neck (201) has a prismatic section with a base that is polygonal or polygonal with rounded corners and / or sides.

5. Pot according to Claim 4, wherein the section of the neck (201) is square, or square with rounded corners and / or sides.

6. Pot according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein said at least one first assembly element (205) is formed at one or more corners of the section of the neck (201).

7. Pot according to one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the neck (201) comprises a number of first assembly elements (205) equal to the number of sides of said polygon.

8. Pot according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the neck (201) has an oval section.

9. Pot according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (3) comprises a number of second assembly elements (304) equal to the number of first assembly elements (205) of the neck (201).

10. Pot according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one first assembly element (205) includes a projection (208) extending from the outer wall (203) of the neck (201) and said at least one second assembly element (304) includes a recess (306) of matching shape, or vice versa.

11. Pot according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one first assembly element (205) includes a notch (207) formed in the neck (201) and said at least one second assembly element (304) includes a lug (305) of matching shape, or vice versa.

12. Pot according to one of the preceding claims, in which said at least one first assembly element (205) includes an angular stop (206) shaped to stop said at least one second assembly element (304) bearing against said stop (206).

13. Pot according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one second assembly element (304) and / or said at least one first assembly element (205) is elastic.

14. Pot according to Claim 13, wherein the lid (3) comprises a cut-out (307) in said at least one second assembly element (304), to increase the elasticity of said second assembly element (304).