Retractable cosmetic implement with multiple positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801460-B2
Application number	US-201314071420-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2013
Priority date	Nov 4, 2013
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A retractable cosmetic implement may be movable between multiple different use positions. In one example, the cosmetic implement may include a housing elongated along a longitudinal axis, a multi-stop positioning mechanism disposed within the housing, an applicator coupled to the positioning mechanism at a first end of the housing, and a push-button for engaging the positioning mechanism, the push-button disposed at a second end of the housing. By actuating the positioning mechanism, the applicator may move through an opening to a partially extended position and/or a fully extended position from a retracted position. The applicator may have a material characteristic, such as a density of bristles, affected by its position relative to a rim of the opening applying a force against the applicator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cosmetic implement comprising:
a housing extending a length along a longitudinal axis;
an applicator disposed at a first end of the housing; and
a multi-stop positioning mechanism disposed at least partially in the housing with a shaft extending along the longitudinal axis inside the housing, the shaft coupling to the applicator,
the applicator being positionable inside the housing, outside the housing, and partially outside the housing in response to a plurality of actuations of the multi-stop positioning mechanism configured to move the multi-stop positioning mechanism between a plurality of indexed positions, each indexed position of the plurality of indexed positions corresponding to a position of the applicator inside the housing, outside the housing or partially outside the housing
wherein the multi-stop positioning mechanism comprises a disk having a top surface and multiple teeth extending from a perimeter of the disk parallel to a central axis of the disk configured to engage a push-button.

2. The cosmetic implement of claim 1 , wherein the applicator is positionable outside the housing or partially outside the housing by extending in a direction along the longitudinal axis through an opening on the first end of the housing.

3. The cosmetic implement of claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises a characteristic that is dependent at least in part upon a position of the applicator relative to the housing.

4. The cosmetic implement of claim 3 , wherein the applicator comprises a plurality of bristles and the characteristic comprises a compactness or density of the plurality of bristles.

5. The cosmetic implement of claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises a characteristic that changes responsive to movement of the applicator from a first position relative to the housing to a second position relative to the housing.

6. The cosmetic implement of claim 1 , wherein the push-button extends from a second end of the housing opposite the first end.

7. The cosmetic implement of claim 1 , wherein the push-button is compressible a first length to move the applicator a second length, the first and second lengths being substantially equal.

8. A cosmetic implement comprising:
a housing extending a length along a longitudinal axis;
an applicator disposed at a first end of the housing; and
a multi-stop positioning mechanism disposed at least partially in the housing with a shaft extending along the longitudinal axis inside the housing, the shaft coupling to the applicator,
the applicator being positionable inside the housing, outside the housing, and partially outside the housing in response to a plurality of actuations of the multi-stop positioning mechanism configured to move the multi-stop positioning mechanism between a plurality of indexed positions, each indexed position of the plurality of indexed positions corresponding to a position of the applicator inside the housing, outside the housing or partially outside the housing
wherein the multi-stop positioning mechanism comprises a circular disk with a side surface disposed around a perimeter of the disk, the side surface having a plurality of channels extending parallel to a central axis of the disk configured to engage a plurality of guide rails disposed on an internal surface of the housing.

9. The cosmetic implement of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of channels comprises:
a first channel;
a second channel disposed opposite the first channel;
a third channel interposed between the first and second channels;
a fourth channel disposed opposite the third channel and interposed between the first and second channels;
a fifth channel interposed between the first and fourth channels; and
a sixth channel disposed opposite the fifth channel and interposed between the second and third channels.

10. The cosmetic implement of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of guide rails comprises a first set of rails and a second set of rails interposed between the first set of rails, the second set of rails having a length dimension different than a length dimension of the first set of rails.

11. The cosmetic implement of claim 8 , wherein the disk comprises a slanted shelf disposed on a top surface of the disk configured to receive an end of one of the plurality of guide rails when the multi-stop positioning mechanism is in an extended or partially extended position.

12. A retractable brush comprising:
an elongated housing with an opening at a first end; and
an applicator coupled to a positioning mechanism within the housing,
the applicator being movable to one of a plurality of predefined positions in response to an actuation of the positioning mechanism, the plurality of positions comprising:
a first position in which the applicator is retracted within the housing;
a second position in which the applicator is extended through the opening; and
a third position in which the applicator is extended through the opening,
the applicator extending a greater distance in the second position than in the third position

wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a click-pen mechanism having multiple indexed positions corresponding at least to the first position, second position, and third position of the applicator.

13. The retractable brush of claim 12 , wherein the positioning mechanism slides within the housing when actuated.

14. The retractable brush of claim 12 , wherein the applicator comprises a plurality of bristles with a compactness responsive to an extension of the applicator through the opening.

15. The retractable brush of claim 12 , wherein the applicator has a first width in the second position and a second width in the third position, the first width being greater than the second width.

16. A retractable brush comprising:
an elongated housing with an opening at a first end; and
an applicator coupled to a positioning mechanism within the housing,
the applicator being movable to one of a plurality of predefined positions in response to an actuation of the positioning mechanism, the plurality of positions comprising:
a first position in which the applicator is retracted within the housing;
a second position in which the applicator is extended through the opening; and
a third position in which the applicator is extended through the opening,
the applicator extending a greater distance in the second position than in the third position;

wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a button extending from a second end of the housing engaged with a top surface of a toothed disk coupled to the applicator via a shaft;
further comprising a spring in contact with the positioning mechanism to provide a resistance against the button during one of the plurality of actuations, the resistance returning the button to a resting position after each of the plurality of actuations.

17. A retractable cosmetic implement comprising:
a positioning mechanism including a disk coupled to a first end of a shaft and a ferrule coupled to a second end of the shaft;
a housing enclosing the positioning mechanism, the housing having an opening proximal to the second end of the shaft;
an applicator coupled to the ferrule that moves through the opening in response to an actuation of the positioning mechanism; and
a rim of the opening contacting and applying a pressure to an outer boundary of the applicator where the applicator exits the opening.

18. The retractable cosmetic implement of claim 17 , further comprising a button disposed at a distal end of the housing opposite the opening, the

Assignees

• Hct Group Holdings Ltd

Inventors

• Lim Cindy Sean Yuei

Classifications

• A46B7/026 Primary

  where the bristle carrier collapses · CPC title

• A46B17/04

  Protective covers for the bristles · CPC title

• A46B9/021

  arranged like in cosmetics brushes, e.g. mascara, nail polish, eye shadow · CPC title

• A46B7/023 Primary

  where the bristle carrier retracts or collapses, i.e. for storage · CPC title