Cosmetic container holder and cosmetic container holder with telescopic mechanism

Abstract

To provide a cosmetic container holder and a cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism that can hold cosmetic containers of various designs, keep the center of the cosmetic container and the center of the cosmetic container holder constant, and can be manufactured from a thin, flexible material. [Solution] The cosmetic container holder 1-1 comprises constricted sections 2 and 3, and regular hexagonal frames 4 to 6 attached to the constricted sections 2 and 3. The constricted sections 2 and 3 are made from a single flexible material. A first end edge 21(31) is provided on the upper part of the constricted section 2(3), and a second end edge 22(32) is provided on the lower part. The constricted section 2(3) has a twisted folding structure, and the inner diameter of the constricted section 2(3) can be adjusted by twisting the space between the first end edge 21(31) and the second end edge 22(32).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cosmetic container holder and a cosmetic container holder with a telescopic mechanism for use as a holding jig for a cosmetic container in the process of filling a cosmetic container with a cosmetic product as the content, and particularly to a variable cosmetic container holder and a cosmetic container holder with a telescopic mechanism.

Background Art

[0002] There are cosmetic products using cosmetic containers such as tube containers and jar containers. For example, a tube container generally consists of a tube body and a cap. The tube body consists of a tubular sleeve made of a soft resin material and a head made of a resin material harder than the sleeve. The head is provided integrally with the sleeve so as to close the end of the sleeve, and an outlet for the cosmetic product as the content and a screw for fastening the cap are formed. And the cosmetic product as the content is filled in the tubular tube body. When the cap is fastened to the head of the tube body, the tube body is closed. When mass-producing a cosmetic product using such a tube container, the operation of filling the content into the tube body is performed while holding an empty tube container by a tube holder as a cosmetic container holder.

[0003] In this filling process, for example, as shown in Fig. 23(a), with the cap 101 side of the tube container 100 facing downward and the rear end opening 102a of the empty tube body 102 facing upward, the tube container 100 is inverted. Then, as shown in Fig. 2(b), the tube container 100 is inserted into the inner chamber 201 of the tube holder 200 from the cap 101 side, and the inverted tube container 100 is held by the tube holder 200. In such a state, a content (not shown) is filled into the empty tube body 102 from the rear end opening 102a. Then, by sealing the open rear end, a tube product is completed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] In such a tube holder 200, in order to ensure secure holding of the tube container 100, the shape and dimensions of the inner chamber 201 are set to be approximately the same as the outer shape and outer diameter of the tube body 102 (or cap 101). The cap 101 is made of a hard material such as Delrin. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-310101 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the conventional technologies described above had the following problems. There are many types of tube containers 100 with different external shapes and outer diameters. Therefore, tube holders 200 having inner chambers 201 with internal shapes and inner diameters corresponding to each type of tube container 100 must be prepared and set up separately.

[0007] For example, for tube containers with both circular and elliptical cross-sections, as shown in Figures 24(a) and (b), a tube holder 200-1 with a circular inner chamber 201 and a tube holder 200-2 with an elliptical inner chamber 201 must be prepared separately. This necessitates the selection and replacement of either tube holder 200-1 or 200-2, potentially reducing work efficiency.

[0008] Furthermore, the tube holders 200-1 and 200-2 described above have difficulty accommodating tube containers 100 in which the outer diameter of the cap 101 and the outer diameter of the tube body 102 differ. In particular, when the outer diameter of the cap 101 is larger than the outer diameter of the tube body 102, it is difficult to hold the tube container 100 with the tube holder 200-1, etc.

[0009] Therefore, as shown in Figure 25, a tube holder 200-3 with a ring 300 attached has been proposed. Specifically, as shown in Figures 25 and 26(a), the ring 300 is made of a variable material such as rubber, and a plurality of claws 300a are provided protruding from the inside of the ring 300. This ring 300 is fitted onto the outside of the tube holder 200-3. The claws 300a then protrude into the inner chamber 201 through the hole 202.

[0010] Therefore, when the large tube container 100 with the cap 101 is pressed into the inner chamber 201 of the tube holder 200-3 against the elasticity of the ring 300, as shown in Figures 25 and 26(b), the cap 101 of the tube container 100 is held by the inner chamber 201 of the tube holder 200-3, and the tube body 102 is elastically held by the multiple claws 300a of the ring 300.

[0011] However, since the tube holder 200-3 has a structure in which the tube body 102 is elastically held by multiple claws 300a of the ring 300, there is a possibility that the center of the tube holder 200-3 and the center of the tube container 100 may be misaligned due to differences in elastic force between the multiple claws 300a. For this reason, the tube holder 200-3 may produce a large number of defective products during the filling process of the tube container 100.

[0012] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a cosmetic container holder and a cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism that can hold cosmetic containers of various designs, keep the center of the cosmetic container and the center of the cosmetic container holder constant at all times, and can be manufactured from a thin, flexible material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] To solve the above problems, the first invention is a cosmetic container holder having a cylindrical constricted portion whose inner diameter can be adjusted by expanding and contracting, wherein the constricted portion is made of a flexible material and has a twisted fold structure composed of mountain fold lines and valley fold lines.

[0014] With this configuration, when the cosmetic container is inserted into the constricted portion and the constricted portion is retracted, the cosmetic container is held in the constricted portion by the function of the twist-fold structure, and when the constricted portion is extended, the cosmetic container is released from the held state.

[0015] The second invention is a cosmetic container holder according to the first invention, characterized in that the squeeze portion has a first edge portion of a regular n-gon (where n is a positive integer of 3 or more) provided at one end, and a second edge portion provided at the other end that is congruent and concentric with the first edge portion.

[0016] The third invention is a cosmetic container holder according to the first invention, characterized in that, in the unfolded state of the constricted portion, the twisted folding structure defines n parallelograms with one side of the first edge and one side of the second edge as the first pair of sides and the other side as the second pair of sides, the second pair of sides of each parallelogram being the mountain fold line, and the diagonal line that slopes in the same direction as the mountain fold line being the valley fold line.

[0017] With this configuration, the first and second edges can be positioned vertically, allowing the aperture to be in an upright position. In this state, if the first edge is pushed down or the second edge is pushed up while rotating around the central axis in the direction of the inclination of the edge formed by the mountain fold lines, the edge formed by the valley fold lines moves toward the central axis as the edge formed by the mountain fold lines becomes inclined. The same phenomenon occurs for all n valley fold lines. As a result, a through-hole, which is a regular n-gon in plan view and penetrates the aperture vertically, is formed by the edges formed by the n valley fold lines. Hereinafter, "inner diameter of the aperture" refers to the inner diameter of this through-hole.

[0018] Therefore, when the first edge is rotated and pushed down, the inner diameter of the aperture portion decreases, and when the first edge is rotated and pushed up, the inner diameter of the aperture portion increases. Alternatively, when the second edge is rotated and pushed up, the inner diameter of the aperture portion decreases, and when the second edge is rotated and pushed down, the inner diameter of the aperture portion increases. In other words, the cosmetic container holder of the present invention functions like a camera aperture mechanism by twisting the aperture portion using the first edge or the second edge.

[0019] For example, in the step of holding the cosmetic container, the cosmetic container holder is set upright with the length of the constricted portion maximized (hereinafter referred to as the "initial state"). Then, after inserting the cosmetic container into the constricted portion, the first edge is rotated and pushed down to twist the constricted portion. As a result, the constricted portion is narrowed so that its inner diameter decreases, and the edge formed by the n valley fold lines makes point contact with the cosmetic container, holding the cosmetic container. After the filling process, the first edge is rotated in the reverse direction and pushed up to the initial state of the cosmetic container holder, maximizing the inner diameter of the constricted portion, and the cosmetic container can be removed.

[0020] By the way, with conventional technology, when holding cosmetic containers of different types with different external shapes and outer diameters, as described above, it is necessary to prepare and set up separate cosmetic container holders with internal shapes and inner diameters corresponding to each type of cosmetic container. In this respect, the cosmetic container holder according to the present invention has a structure that holds the cosmetic container by changing the inner diameter of the constricted part, so that a single cosmetic container holder can hold cosmetic containers of many different designs with different external shapes and outer diameters.

[0021] The fourth invention is a cosmetic container holder according to the third invention, characterized in that the angle β between the diagonal of the parallelogram and one of the second opposite sides is set to "180° / n".

[0022] With such a configuration, the first edge portion can be pushed down while being smoothly rotated, and as a result, the throttle portion can be easily screwed.

[0023] A fifth invention is the cosmetic container according to the third invention, wherein the flexible material forming the throttle portion is a thin and soft material, and the first edge portion and the second edge portion are regular hexagons with n = 6.

[0024] In conventional cosmetic container holders, in order to securely hold the cosmetic container, it had to be made of a hard material such as polyacetal. However, in the present invention, a thin and soft material is used as the flexible material forming the throttle portion, so the cosmetic container holder can be made of a material used for a plastic bag or the like. As a result, the working cost, working time, and work ease can be improved. Further, in the case of the cosmetic container holder formed of a soft material, compared with one formed of a hard material, there are advantages that the gripping force and the containing power with respect to the cosmetic container are high, and the cosmetic container is difficult to be damaged. That is, in the case of the cosmetic container holder formed of a hard material, the cosmetic container can be strongly held in point contact, but for this reason, the cosmetic container may be damaged. Also, in the case where the shape of the cosmetic container is asymmetrically deformed or local protrusions occur, it is difficult to hold it corresponding to the shape. However, in the case of the cosmetic container holder formed of a soft material, since it can cope with the deformed portion or the like in surface contact, the cosmetic container can be securely and stably held.

[0025] Also, in the present invention, since the first edge portion and the second edge portion are set to regular hexagons, not only a cosmetic container having a circular outer shape but also an irregularly shaped cosmetic container such as an elliptical shape can be securely held.

[0026] The sixth invention is characterized in that, in the cosmetic container holder according to the fifth invention, the angle β between the diagonal of the parallelogram and one side of the second pair of sides is set to "30°", and the angle α between the diagonal and one side of the first pair of sides is set to "30° or more and 55° or less".

[0027] The seventh invention is characterized in that, in the cosmetic container holder according to the third invention, a plurality of the throttle portions are arranged in a straight line, and these plurality of throttle portions are connected in series in a state where the second edge portions are aligned with each other or in a state where the second edge portion and the first edge portion are aligned with each other.

[0028] With such a configuration, the cosmetic container inserted into the cosmetic container holder can be held by the plurality of throttle portions. When the cosmetic container is held, a plurality of holding positions are generated along the length direction of the cosmetic container, so the cosmetic container is firmly held by the plurality of throttle portions.

[0029] Also, in a state where the second edge portions are aligned with each other or in a state where the second edge portion and the first edge portion are aligned with each other, the plurality of throttle portions are connected in series, so the central axes of the plurality of throttle portions are all continuous and form the central axis of the cosmetic container holder. And each throttle portion operates like a diaphragm mechanism of a camera. Thereby, by inserting the cosmetic container into the cosmetic container holder and twisting the cosmetic container holder, the cosmetic container can be held in a state where its central axis coincides with the central axis of the cosmetic container holder.

[0030] The eighth invention is in the cosmetic container according to the seventh invention, where the plurality of throttle portions are (1) The lengths of all the throttle portions are the same, and the inner diameters of all the throttle portions are the same, (2) The length of at least one throttle portion is different from the lengths of the other throttle portions, and the inner diameters of all the throttle portions are the same, (3) The lengths of all the throttle portions are the same, and the inner diameter of at least one throttle portion is different from the inner diameters of the other throttle portions, or (4) The length of at least one aperture is different from the length of the other apertures, and the inner diameter of at least one aperture is different from the inner diameter of the other apertures. The characteristic feature is that it is set to any of (1) to (4) above.

[0031] This configuration allows for the use of cosmetic containers with diverse external shapes, such as those with a uniform thickness along their length or those with partially different thicknesses.

[0032] The ninth invention is characterized in that, in the cosmetic container according to the seventh invention, two of the aforementioned squeezing portions are formed by connecting them in series.

[0033] With this configuration, the cosmetic container inserted into the cosmetic container holder can be firmly held by the two constricting parts. At this time, the alignment of the central axis of the cosmetic container and the central axis of the cosmetic container holder can be maintained.

[0034] The tenth invention is a cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism, comprising a cosmetic container holder according to any of the first to ninth inventions, and an expandable / contractable mechanism for expanding and contracting the cosmetic container holder, wherein the expandable / contractable mechanism has a fixing part that can fix the cosmetic container holder upright, an operating part having a container insertion opening into the cosmetic container holder and facing the fixing part across the cosmetic container holder, and a connecting part that connects the operating part and the fixing part and makes the operating part movable in the longitudinal direction of the cosmetic container holder.

[0035] With this configuration, the cosmetic container can be inserted into the cosmetic container holder, which is fixed upright to the fixed part, through the container insertion opening of the operating part of the telescopic mechanism. In this state, when the operating part is moved in the longitudinal direction of the cosmetic container holder, for example, towards the fixed part, the cosmetic container holder is pushed down and contracted by the operating part, and holds the cosmetic container. At this time, as long as the operating part is not moved, the holding state of the cosmetic container by the cosmetic container holder is maintained by the connecting part.

[0036] The eleventh invention relates to the tenth invention, a cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism, wherein the fixing portion is a cylindrical body with at least one end open, the operating portion is a cylindrical body inserted into the fixing portion so as to be able to move in and out from the opening, and the connecting portion is composed of a screw groove formed on the inner circumference of the fixing portion and a screw groove formed on the outer circumference of the operating portion that engages with the screw groove of the fixing portion.

[0037] With this configuration, by rotating the operating part of the telescopic mechanism in one direction or in the opposite direction, the cosmetic container holder within the fixed part can be extended or retracted, thereby holding or releasing the cosmetic container within the cosmetic container holder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0038] As explained in detail above, the present invention has the effect of being able to hold cosmetic containers of many different designs. Furthermore, since the cosmetic container holder can be manufactured using a thin and flexible material, it also has the effect of improving work costs, work time, and ease of work. In addition, since the central axis of the cosmetic container can be aligned with the central axis of the cosmetic container holder, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of defective products during the filling process.

[0039] In particular, the eighth invention has the excellent effect of being able to accommodate cosmetic containers with a variety of external shapes, such as cosmetic containers with a uniform thickness along their length and cosmetic containers with partially different thicknesses. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0040] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a cosmetic container holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an exploded view of a cosmetic container holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a diagram of the unfolded section of a regular n-gonal aperture. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between angles and lengths in a parallelogram. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing the inner diameter of the aperture in its initial state; (a) is a diagram showing the side view of the aperture, and (b) is a diagram showing the top view of the aperture. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing the inner diameter of the aperture when it is stopped down; (a) is a diagram showing the side view of the aperture, and (b) is a diagram showing the top view of the aperture. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing the inner diameter of the aperture in its final state; (a) is a diagram showing the side view of the aperture, and (b) is a diagram showing the top view of the aperture. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view showing the folded state of the cosmetic container holder. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the initial state of the cosmetic container holder; (a) is a perspective view of the initial state, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the initial state. [Figure 10] This is a plan view of the initial state of the cosmetic container holder. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the holding state of a cosmetic container holder; (a) is a perspective view of the holding state, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the holding state. [Figure 12] This is a plan view of the holding state of the cosmetic container holder. [Figure 13] This is a plan view showing a cosmetic container holder holding a tube container with an elliptical cross-section. [Figure 14] This is an exploded view of a cosmetic container holder according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] These are schematic diagrams illustrating modified forms, where (a) shows a cross-section of the cosmetic container holder of the first embodiment, and (b) shows a cross-section of the cosmetic container holder of the modified form. [Figure 16] These are schematic diagrams illustrating the change in holding position; (a) shows the holding state by the cosmetic container holder of the first embodiment, and (b) shows the holding state by the cosmetic container holder of a modified example. [Figure 17] This is a perspective view of a cosmetic container holder according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the function of a cosmetic container holder. (a) shows the initial state of the cosmetic container holder, and (b) shows the holding state of the cosmetic container holder. [Figure 19] This is an exploded perspective view of a cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view showing the cosmetic container holder in its upright and fixed position. [Figure 21] This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the structure of a cosmetic container holder with an extendable mechanism. [Figure 22] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the usage of a cosmetic container holder with an extendable mechanism. (a) shows the initial state, and (b) shows the holding state. [Figure 23] This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional cosmetic container holder, where (a) shows the method of inserting the cosmetic container and (b) shows the state in which the cosmetic container is held. [Figure 24] These are plan views showing the internal chambers of a conventional tube holder; (a) shows a circular internal chamber, and (b) shows an elliptical internal chamber. [Figure 25] This is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a conventional tube holder. [Figure 26]Figure 25 is a plan view of the tube holder, where (a) shows the state without the tube container inserted, and (b) shows the state in which the inserted tube container is held. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0041] The best mode of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0042] (Example 1) In this embodiment, for ease of understanding, the configuration, operation, and effects will be explained using the case of manufacturing a tube product using the cosmetic container holder according to the present invention as an example. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a cosmetic container holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is an exploded view of the cosmetic container holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] As shown in Figure 1, the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of this embodiment is composed of two constricted sections 2 and 3 arranged in a straight line vertically, and three regular hexagonal frames 4 to 6 attached to the inside of the edges of the two constricted sections 2 and 3, respectively.

[0044] As shown in Figure 2, the constricted sections 2 and 3 are made from a single flexible material. In this embodiment, a thin, soft material used for vinyl bags and the like is used as the flexible material.

[0045] In the aperture section 2, the first edge portion 21 is provided at the top of the aperture section 2, and the second edge portion 22 is provided at the bottom of the aperture section 2. In the aperture section 3, the first edge portion 31 is provided at the bottom of the aperture section 3, and the second edge portion 32 is provided at the top of the aperture section 3.

[0046] In this embodiment, the central part of a single material is virtually divided into upper and lower halves by the dashed line H, with the upper part designated as the second edge portion 22 and the lower part as the second edge portion 32.

[0047] Frames 4-6 are regular hexagons formed from a rigid material, and all frames 4-6 are congruent.

[0048] The lengths of the first edge portions 21, 31 and the second edge portions 22, 32 of the constricted portions 2 and 3 (lengths in the left-right direction in Figure 2) are set to be the same as the circumference of the frames 4 to 6. The first edge portion 21 is attached to the circumferential surface of frame 4, the second edge portions 22, 32 are attached to the circumferential surface of frame 6, and the first edge portion 31 is attached to the circumferential surface of frame 5.

[0049] In other words, as shown in Figure 1, in the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of this embodiment, the cylindrical constricted sections 2 and 3 are connected in series with their second end edges 22 and 32 aligned. Furthermore, the central axes of the constricted sections 2 and 3 and the central axes of the frames 4 to 6 overlap to form the central axis M of the cosmetic container holder 1-1 itself. Therefore, the first end edges 21 and 31 and the second end edges 22 and 32 of the constricted sections 2 and 3 are concentric with this central axis M and can be rotated around this central axis M.

[0050] The aperture sections 2 and 3 described above have a twisted folding structure that allows for adjustment of the inner diameter. Here, an example of the twisted folding structure of aperture section 2 will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is an unfolded view of a regular n-gon aperture section.

[0051] For example, if the constricted portion 2 is a cylindrical body having congruent and concentric first and second edge portions 21 and 22 of a regular n-gon, then its unfolded state will be a horizontally elongated strip with a length L equal to the circumference of the frames 4 to 6, as shown in Figure 3. This strip is assumed to have n parallelograms. Each parallelogram has parallel and horizontal first opposite sides 23, 24, parallel and inclined second opposite sides 25, 26, and a diagonal 27.

[0052] In each parallelogram, the second opposite sides 25 and 26 are formed as mountain folds that can be folded outward, and the diagonal 27 is formed as a valley fold that can be folded inward.

[0053] As a result, as shown in Figure 1, when the strip-shaped aperture portion 2 is returned to a cylindrical shape and one of the first end edge 21 or the second end edge 22 is rotated in a predetermined direction around the central axis M of the aperture portion 2, the second opposite sides 25 and 26 tilt in the direction of rotation. Along with the tilting of the second opposite sides 25 and 26, the diagonal 27 moves in the direction of the central axis M of the aperture portion 2, and the faces of each parallelogram fold inward. In other words, when either the first end edge 21 or the second end edge 22 is twisted, each face is gradually folded, the aperture portion 2 collapses, and its inner diameter decreases.

[0054] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between angles and lengths in a parallelogram. Generally, in a parallelogram like the one described above, the number of angles n, the length L of the first edge 21 (second edge 22), the angle α between the first opposite side 24 and the diagonal 27, and the length t between the first edge 21 and the second edge 22 are related as shown in Figure 4.

[0055] By the way, the angle β between the second opposite side 25 and the diagonal 27 is not arbitrary. This angle β is set to "180° / n". This is to allow the constricted part 2 to collapse smoothly (be pushed down) when twisting and folding.

[0056] Furthermore, if we simply perform a twist fold and fold the aperture section 2, theoretically this is possible with "angle α = 30° to 60°" and "angle β = 180° / n". However, if we set "angle α > 55°", the inner diameter of the aperture section 2 becomes too narrow, and there is a risk of it getting stuck when extending or retracting. For this reason, it is desirable to set it to "30° ≤ angle α ≤ 55°".

[0057] Therefore, in order to create the aperture section 2 so that it folds smoothly and reliably, it is desirable to set "30° ≤ angle α ≤ 55°" and "angle β = 180° / n". In this embodiment, since "number of angles n = 6, length L = circumference of frame 4 to 6", "angle β = 30°" and "30° ≤ angle α ≤ 55°" were set.

[0058] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the inner diameter of the aperture 2 in the initial state, where (a) is a side view of the aperture 2 and (b) is a top view of the aperture 2. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the inner diameter of the aperture 2 in the aperture state, where (a) is a side view of the aperture 2 and (b) is a top view of the aperture 2. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the inner diameter of the aperture 2 in the final state, where (a) is a side view of the aperture 2 and (b) is a top view of the aperture 2.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5(a), in the initial state, the aperture sections 2 and 3 are slightly twisted. In this state, the mountain fold lines 25 and 26, which are the second opposite sides 25 and 26 of each parallelogram, are slightly inclined, and the valley fold line 27, which is the diagonal 27, is slightly positioned towards the central axis M. Therefore, as shown in Figure 5(b), a through-hole 20, which is a regular hexagon in plan view, is formed in the center of the aperture section 2 by the edges formed by the six valley fold lines 27. This through-hole 20 penetrates the aperture section 2 vertically.

[0060] As the aperture portion 2 is twisted and compressed from this initial state, the mountain fold lines 25 and 26 become inclined, as shown in Figure 6(a), and the edge formed by the valley fold line 27 penetrates deeply into the interior of the aperture portion 2. As a result, as shown in Figure 6(b), a through-hole 20 with a smaller diameter than the through-hole 20 in the initial state is formed.

[0061] As the aperture portion 2 is twisted further, in the final state, as shown in Figure 7(a), the aperture portion 2 is completely flattened, and as shown in Figure 7(b), the smallest diameter through hole 20 is formed.

[0062] Furthermore, if the aperture section 2 is twisted in the opposite direction and pushed upward from the final state shown in Figure 7, the diameter of the through-hole 20 gradually increases, as shown in Figure 6, until finally, as shown in Figure 5, the aperture section 2 returns to its initial state and the diameter of the through-hole 20 reaches its maximum.

[0063] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 1, the aperture section 3 also has the same twisted folding structure as the aperture section 2. However, as shown in Figure 2, the aperture section 3 is in a positional relationship with the aperture section 2 that is symmetrical with respect to the dashed line H.

[0064] By the way, if we let the length of the aperture sections 2 and 3 described above be "t", then as shown in Figure 4, this length t depends on the number of angles n, the length L, and the angles α and β. However, in this embodiment, the number of angles n, the length L, and the angle β (=30°) are predetermined, so the length t depends only on the angle α. Therefore, by appropriately setting the angle α of each parallelogram of aperture sections 2 and 3, the lengths of aperture sections 2 and 3 can be set to be the same or different. In this embodiment, aperture section 3 and aperture section 2 were set to the same length.

[0065] Furthermore, by setting the degree of twist of the aperture section 2 and the degree of twist of the aperture section 3 to be the same or different in the initial state, the diameter of the through hole 20 of the aperture section 2 and the diameter of the through hole 30 of the aperture section 3 can be made the same or different.

[0066] As shown in Figure 2, the degree of twist of the aperture portion 2 depends on the amount of displacement d1 between the first edge portion 21 and the second edge portion 22, and the degree of twist of the aperture portion 3 depends on the amount of displacement d2 between the first edge portion 31 and the second edge portion 32. In this embodiment, the degree of twist of the aperture portion 2 and the degree of twist of the aperture portion 3 are set to be the same in the initial state, so that the diameter of the through hole 20 of the aperture portion 2 and the diameter of the through hole 30 of the aperture portion 3 are the same.

[0067] Next, an example of using the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 12. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the folded state of the cosmetic container holder 1-1, Figure 9 shows the initial state of the cosmetic container holder 1-1, where (a) is a perspective view of the initial state and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the initial state, Figure 10 is a plan view of the initial state of the cosmetic container holder 1-1, Figure 11 shows the holding state of the cosmetic container holder 1-1, where (a) is a perspective view of the holding state and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the holding state, and Figure 12 is a plan view of the holding state. In these figures, the mountain fold lines of the constricted portion 3 are indicated as "mountain fold lines 35, 36", and the valley fold lines are indicated as "valley fold line 37".

[0068] When using the cosmetic container holder 1-1, extend the folded cosmetic container holder 1-1 shown in Figure 8 to its initial state as shown in Figure 9. In this initial state, insert the tube container 100 into the cosmetic container holder 1-1 with the cap 101 attached facing downwards and the rear end opening 102a of the empty tube body 102 facing upwards, and then invert the holder.

[0069] Here, the tube container 100 consists of a tube body 102 and a cap 101. The tube body 102 consists of a cylindrical sleeve made of a soft resin material and a head made of a harder resin material than the sleeve. The head is integrally provided with the sleeve so as to close the end of the sleeve and is generally configured to have an outlet for the cosmetic contents and a screw that can fasten the cap 101.

[0070] In this state, as shown in Figure 10, the diameters of the through holes 20 and 30 in the constricted sections 2 and 3 are larger than the outer diameter of the tube container 100, so the tube container 100 is not held by the cosmetic container holder 1-1.

[0071] As shown in Figure 11, with the frame 5 fixed, the frame 4 of the cosmetic container holder 1-1 is pushed down from the position shown in Figure 9. As a result, the frame 6 descends together with the frame 4 and rotates clockwise in plan view, causing the constricted sections 2 and 3 to narrow so that the diameters of the through holes 20 and 30 become smaller. Finally, the edges formed by the six valley fold lines 27 in the constricted section 2 make point contact with the upper part of the tube container 100, and the edges formed by the six valley fold lines 37 in the constricted section 3 make point contact with the lower part of the tube container 100. As a result, as shown in Figure 12, the tube container 100 is held by the through holes 20 and 30 of the constricted sections 2 and 3.

[0072] The edges formed by the valley fold lines 27 and 37 are formed by folding the material of the constricted sections 2 and 3. Therefore, even if the material is thin and soft, the strength of the edges formed by the valley fold lines 27 and 37 is high. Consequently, the tube container 100 is securely and firmly held by the constricted sections 2 and 3.

[0073] Then, by pushing up the frame 4 of the cosmetic container holder 1-1 from the position shown in Figure 11 to the position shown in Figure 9, the tube container 100 is released, and the tube container 100 can be removed from the cosmetic container holder 1-1.

[0074] As described above, the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of this embodiment functions like the aperture mechanism of a camera, so that various tube containers 100 with different outer diameters can be held by a single cosmetic container holder 1-1.

[0075] Figure 13 is a plan view showing the state in which the tube container 100 with an elliptical cross-section is held. Although the above example shows the use when holding a tube container 100 with a circular cross-section, the tube container 100 with an elliptical cross-section can also be held securely and firmly.

[0076] In other words, by inserting the elliptical cross-section tube container 100 into the cosmetic container holder 1-1 and twisting the constricted parts 2 and 3, as shown in Figure 13, the edges formed by four of the six valley fold lines 27(37) in each constricted part 2(3) make point contact with the tube container 100. As a result, the tube container 100 is held in a four-point support state by each constricted part 2(3). Similarly, the cosmetic container holder 1-1 can hold not only tube containers with a circular cross-section but also tube containers with various other cross-sectional shapes.

[0077] In the tube container 100 with an elliptical cross-section, the head and cap 101, which are made of a rigid material, are formed in an elliptical cross-section within the tube body 102. Therefore, the sleeve, which is made of a flexible material and extends integrally from the head, has an elliptical cross-section near the head and cap 101, but may become circular in cross-section as it approaches the rear end opening 102a. In this case, according to the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of the present invention, the edges formed by the six valley fold lines 27 in the constricted portion 2 make point contact with the upper part of the circular cross-section of the tube container 100, and the edges formed by the four valley fold lines 37 of the four valley fold lines 37 in the constricted portion 3 make point contact with the lower part of the elliptical cross-section of the tube container 100. Thus, the tube container 100 with an elliptical cross-section as described above can be held securely and firmly.

[0078] (Variation 1) Modifications of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. Figure 14 is an exploded view of a cosmetic container holder according to a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 15 is a schematic diagram for explaining the modification, where (a) is a diagram showing a cross-section of the cosmetic container holder of the first embodiment, and (b) is a diagram showing a cross-section of the cosmetic container holder of the modification.

[0079] As shown in Figure 14, in the modified cosmetic container holder 1-2, the length t1 of the squeezing portion 2 and the length t2 of the squeezing portion 3 are set to be different.

[0080] In the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 15(a), the length t1 of the constricted portion 2 and the length t2 of the constricted portion 3 are set to be the same. Furthermore, by setting the diameter of the through hole 20 of the constricted portion 2 and the diameter of the through hole 30 of the constricted portion 3 to be the same, a single cosmetic container holder can accommodate tube containers of various thicknesses.

[0081] However, depending on the length of the tube container, a cosmetic container holder with a different holding position relative to the tube container may be required. The cosmetic container holder 1-2 in this modified example addresses this need, and as shown in Figure 15(b), the length t2 of the constricting portion 3 is set to be greater than the length t1 of the constricting portion 2.

[0082] This configuration allows for changes in the holding position. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating the change in the holding position, where (a) shows the holding state by the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of the first embodiment, and (b) shows the holding state by the modified cosmetic container holder 1-2.

[0083] In the cosmetic container holder 1-1 of the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 16(a), the holding position P1 of the squeezing part 2 relative to the tube container 100 is at a height h1, and the holding position P2 of the squeezing part 3 is at a height h2. In contrast, in the cosmetic container holder 1-2 according to the modified example, as shown in Figure 16(b), the holding position P1 of the squeezing part 2 relative to the tube container 100 is at a height h3, and the holding position P2 of the squeezing part 3 is at a height h4. In other words, by using the cosmetic container holder 1-2, the tube container 100 can be held at a higher position.

[0084] (Example 2) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 17 and 18. Figure 17 is a perspective view of a cosmetic container holder according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 18 is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of the cosmetic container holder, where (a) shows the initial state of the cosmetic container holder and (b) shows the holding state of the cosmetic container holder.

[0085] In the cosmetic container holder 1-3 according to the second embodiment, the lengths of the constricted portion 2 and the constricted portion 3 are set to be the same, and the diameter of the through hole 20 of the constricted portion 2 and the diameter of the through hole 30 of the constricted portion 3 are set to be different.

[0086] Specifically, as shown in Figure 17, the degree of twist of the constricted portion 3 of the cosmetic container holder 1-3 is set to be smaller than the degree of twist of the constricted portion 2, and the through hole 30 of the constricted portion 3 is made larger than the through hole 20 of the constricted portion 2, thereby enabling the holder to accommodate tube containers in which the outer diameter of the cap is larger than the outer diameter of the tube body.

[0087] As a result, after inserting the tube container 100 into the cosmetic container holder 1-3 in its initial state as shown in Figure 18(a) with the cap 101 facing downwards, and then pushing down the frame 4, the through holes 20 and 30 of the constricting sections 2 and 3 are constricted. Finally, as shown in Figure 18(b), the cap 101 of the tube container 100 is held by the constricting section 3, and the tube body 102 is held by the constricting section 2.

[0088] In other words, by using the cosmetic container holder 1-3 of the second embodiment, the cap 101 can reliably hold a tube container 100 that is larger than the tube body 102. It goes without saying that by setting the through hole 30 of the constriction part 3 to be smaller than the through hole 20 of the constriction part 2, the cap 101 can reliably hold a tube container 100 that is smaller than the tube body 102.

[0089] Furthermore, in the cosmetic container holder 1-3 of the second embodiment, the aperture parts 2 and 3 function like the aperture mechanism of a camera, so that the central axis M of the cosmetic container holder 1-3 and the central axis of the tube container 100 always coincide when the container is held. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of defective products due to misalignment of the center, which was a problem with the conventional tube holder 200-3 shown in Figure 25.

[0090] Other components, functions, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, so their description is omitted.

[0091] (Modification 2) When creating a cosmetic container holder having different holding positions from those of the cosmetic container holders 1-3 in the second embodiment described above, the lengths of the constricting portions 2 and 3 are made different, similar to the modified example of the first embodiment described above (see Figure 14, etc.).

[0092] (Example 3) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 19 to 21. Figure 19 is an exploded perspective view of a cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism according to the third embodiment of the present invention, Figure 20 is a perspective view showing the cosmetic container holder in an upright and fixed state, and Figure 21 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism in cross-section. In this embodiment, a cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism comprising a cosmetic container holder and an expandable / contractable mechanism will be described.

[0093] In this embodiment, the cosmetic container holder 1-1 exemplified in the first embodiment above is used as the cosmetic container holder. Any cosmetic container holder that can be used as a cosmetic container holder is one that has a cylindrical constricted portion whose inner diameter can be adjusted by expanding or contracting, and the constricted portion is made of a flexible material and has a twisted fold structure composed of mountain fold lines and valley fold lines.

[0094] The telescopic mechanism is a mechanism for extending and retracting the cosmetic container holder 1-1, and as shown in Figure 19, it consists of a fixing part 7, an operating part 8, and a connecting part 9.

[0095] The fixing part 7 is the part that fixes the cosmetic container holder 1-1 in an upright position. Specifically, the fixing part 7 is a cylindrical body with a larger diameter than the cosmetic container holder 1-1 and has an opening 70 at its upper end.

[0096] As a result, as shown in Figure 20, the cosmetic container holder 1-1 can be placed inside the fixing part 7 and stood upright on the bottom part 71. Furthermore, by screwing the frame 5 to the bottom part 71, the cosmetic container holder 1-1 can be detachably erected and fixed to the bottom part 71.

[0097] The operating section 8 is the part used to operate the extension and retraction of the cosmetic container holder 1-1. Specifically, the operating section 8 is cylindrical, with its upper and lower ends both open and communicating with each other. Its outer diameter is set to be approximately the same as the inner diameter of the fixing section 7, and it can be freely inserted into and out of the fixing section 7 via the function of the connecting section 9, which will be described later. At the upper end of this operating section 8, a wide, disc-shaped handle 81 with a circular container insertion opening 80 is formed.

[0098] As a result, when the operating unit 8 is inserted into the fixed unit 7, the operating unit 8 faces the fixed unit 7 with the cosmetic container holder 1-1 in between, as shown in Figure 21. Furthermore, by rotating the handle 81, the operating unit 8 can be moved up and down within the fixed unit 7 by the function of the connecting unit 9, which will be described later.

[0099] The connecting portion 9 connects the operating portion 8 and the fixing portion 7, and also allows the operating portion 8 to move along the length of the cosmetic container holder 1-1. Specifically, a screw groove 91 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the fixing portion 7, and a screw groove 92 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the operating portion 8. These screw grooves 91 and 92 are screwed together to form the connecting portion 9.

[0100] Next, the method of using the holder with an expandable mechanism in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 22. Figure 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating the method of using the cosmetic container holder with an expandable mechanism, where (a) shows the initial state and (b) shows the holding state.

[0101] As shown in Figure 22(a), in order to hold the tube container 100, first insert the tube container 100 into the cosmetic container holder 1-1 in its initial state through the container insertion port 80 of the operating unit 8. Then, by rotating the handle 81 and lowering the operating unit 8, the handle 81 presses against the frame 4 and twists the cosmetic container holder 1-1.

[0102] Then, as the handle 81 is rotated further and the operating unit 8 is lowered, the cosmetic container holder 1-1 shrinks, and the inner diameter of the through holes 20 and 30 narrows. Therefore, as shown in Figure 22(b), once the inner diameter of the through holes 20 and 30 is narrowed until the cosmetic container holder 1-1 makes secure point contact (or surface contact) with the tube container 100, the tube container 100 is held by the cosmetic container holder 1-1. After the desired holding state is achieved, the handle rotation operation of the operating unit 8 is stopped.

[0103] At this time, the operating part 8 attempts to move slightly upward due to the upward elastic force from the retracted cosmetic container holder 1-1, but this movement is prevented by the screwing force of the connecting part 9 and the screw grooves 91 and 92. Therefore, unless the operating part 8 is moved, the desired holding state with respect to the tube container 100 is maintained by the connecting part 9. Then, from this state, the operating part 8 is moved upward by rotating the handle 81 in the reverse direction, thereby releasing the pressing force of the operating part 8 on the container holder. The other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, so their description is omitted.

[0104] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

[0105] For example, in the above embodiment, cosmetic container holders 1-1 to 1-3 in which a regular hexagonal through-hole is formed were illustrated, but the number of sides n is not limited to "6", and the present invention includes all cosmetic container holders in which a regular polygonal through-hole of "3" or more sides is formed within the scope of the invention.

[0106] Furthermore, while the above embodiments illustrate cosmetic container holders 1-1 to 1-3 in which the constricted portion is formed by two constricted portions 2 and 3, the number of constricted portions is not limited to two, and cosmetic container holders composed of one constricted portion or three or more constricted portions are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0107] Furthermore, although the above embodiments illustrate cosmetic container holders 1-1 to 1-3 in which two constricted sections 2 and 3 are formed from a single material, a cosmetic container holder may also be constructed by connecting multiple constricted sections formed from a single material in series.

[0108] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the hexagonal frame 4(5,6) is attached to the inside of the edge of the constricted portion 2(3), so the first edge 21(31) and the second edge 22(32) are shown as strip-shaped with width in the vertical direction of the figure. However, in a cosmetic container holder made without using the hexagonal frame 4(5,6), the first edge 21(31) and the second edge 22(32) become linear. In other words, not only strip-shaped edges but also linear edges are included in the scope of the present invention as "first edge" and "second edge".

[0109] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example in which a tube container is held in the cosmetic container holder for ease of understanding, it goes without saying that the cosmetic container holder of the present invention can also be applied to cosmetic containers other than tube containers, such as jar containers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 1-1~1-3, 200, 200-1~200-3… Cosmetic container holder 2,3…Aperture section 4~6…Frame 7…Fixed part 8...Connection part 20, 30… through holes 21,31...first edge part 22,32...Second edge 23, 24… First opposite side 25, 26, 35, 36... mountain fold lines (second opposite side) 27, 37... Valley fold lines (diagonal lines) 70…Aperture 71...Bottom 80...Container insertion opening 81... Handle 91, 92… Screw grooves 100... Tube container 101... Cap 102... Tube body 102a...Rear end opening 201…Inner room 202…hole 300... rings 300a... Claws L, t, t1, t2… Length M…Center axis d1, d2... amount of displacement h1~h42...height P1,P2…Holding position

Claims

1. A cosmetic container holder having a cylindrical constriction section whose inner diameter can be adjusted by extending or retracting, The aforementioned constricted portion is made of a flexible material and has a twisted fold structure composed of mountain folds and valley folds. A cosmetic container holder featuring the following characteristics.

2. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the constricted portion has a first edge portion of a regular n-gon (where n is a positive integer of 3 or more) provided at one end, and a second edge portion provided at the other end that is congruent and concentric with the first edge portion.

3. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 2, characterized in that the twisted folding structure, in the unfolded state of the constricted portion, defines n parallelograms with one side of the first edge and one side of the second edge as the first pair of sides and the other side as the second pair of sides, the second pair of sides of each parallelogram being the mountain fold line and the diagonal line inclined in the same direction as the mountain fold line being the valley fold line.

4. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 3, characterized in that the angle β between the diagonal of the parallelogram and one side of the second opposite side is set to "180° / n".

5. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 3, characterized in that the flexible material forming the constricted portion is a thin, soft material, and the first edge portion and the second edge portion are regular hexagons with n=6.

6. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 5, characterized in that the angle β between the diagonal of the parallelogram and one side of the second opposite side is set to "30°", and the angle α between the diagonal and one side of the first opposite side is set to "30° or more and 55° or less".

7. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 3, characterized in that a plurality of the aforementioned constricted portions are arranged in a straight line, and these plurality of constricted portions are connected in series with the second end edges aligned with each other or with the second end and the first end edge aligned.

8. The plurality of aperture sections are (1) All aperture sections have the same length, and all aperture sections have the same inner diameter. (2) The length of at least one aperture is different from the length of the other apertures, and the inner diameter of all apertures is the same. (3) All aperture sections are the same length, and the inner diameter of at least one aperture section is different from the inner diameter of the other aperture sections, (4) The length of at least one aperture is different from the length of the other apertures, and the inner diameter of at least one aperture is different from the inner diameter of the other apertures. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 7, characterized in that it is set to any of (1) to (4) above.

9. The cosmetic container holder according to claim 7, characterized in that it is formed by connecting two of the aforementioned constricting portions in series.

10. A cosmetic container holder with an expandable mechanism, comprising a cosmetic container holder according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and an expandable mechanism for expanding and contracting the cosmetic container holder, The aforementioned telescoping mechanism is A fixing part that allows the cosmetic container holder to be fixed upright, An operating section having a container insertion opening into the cosmetic container holder and facing the fixing section on either side of the cosmetic container holder, The operating part and the fixing part are connected, and the operating part is made movable in the longitudinal direction of the cosmetic container holder. A cosmetic container holder with an expandable mechanism, featuring the following characteristics.

11. The fixing part is a cylindrical body with at least one end open, The operating part is a cylindrical body inserted into the fixed part from the opening so as to be able to move in and out. The connecting portion is composed of a screw groove formed on the inner circumference of the fixing portion and a screw groove formed on the outer circumference of the operating portion that engages with the screw groove of the fixing portion. A cosmetic container holder with an expandable / contractable mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that...

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