US20040155046A1

US20040155046A1 - Nail polish container

Info

Publication number: US20040155046A1
Application number: US10/771,303
Authority: US
Inventors: Robin Gibson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-02-10
Filing date: 2004-02-05
Publication date: 2004-08-12
Also published as: CA2427069A1

Abstract

A container for nail care articles comprising: the lower container portion that includes a door and a rotating shelf unit mounted inside the lower container portion for rotating therein, the rotating shelf unit including at least one shelf, the at least one shelf being disposed within the lower container portion to support a plurality of articles including nail polish bottles; wherein by manually opening the door a user is enabled to manually rotate the rotating shelf unit thereby permitting easy access to the plurality of nail polish bottles from the rotating shelf unit.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to a container having a rotating shelf. This invention relates more particularly to a container for holding articles related to nail care.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nail care articles such as nail polish, nail polish remover, cotton swabs for removing nail polish and the like are commonly used, most often by women. Nail polish in particular is generally packaged in smaller bottles. Nail polish generally comes in a variety of colors and shades. Vendors of nail polish tend to carry multiple colors and shades. Users of nail polish also generally have multiple nail polish bottles.

Storage of multiple nail polish bottles in manner that provides ready access to selected nail polish bottles is a problem. Users of nail polish at home, for example, tend to store nail polish bottles in cabinets or drawers. Trays for storing nail polish bottles have been devised. Notwithstanding such trays, maintaining the various articles used in nail care in an organized fashion can be difficult. In addition, where there is limited cabinet or drawer space a counter top container for nail polish care related articles is desirable.

A number of different nail polish display articles are known. For example,

There is a need for a container for nail polish care articles including nail polish bottles that provides storage of multiple nail polish bottles. There is a further need for a container for nail polish care articles that stores nail polish care articles, preferably on a countertop. There is a further need for a container for nail polish articles that is easy to manufacture and use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of this invention to provide a container for nail care articles that provides efficient storage for articles.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container for nail care articles having an upper container portion and lower container portion including a rotating shelf assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of particular embodiments are provided herein below by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings, in which: [0008]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container of the present invention showing representative nail care articles stored in the container, in one embodiment thereof; [0009]
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container of the present invention showing the various components thereof, in one embodiment thereof; [0010]
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the container of the present invention.[0011]
In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. [0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container [0013] 10 of the present invention, in one particular embodiment thereof. The container 10 consists generally of an upper container portion 12 and a lower container portion 14.
The lower container portion [0014] 14 includes a rotating shelf assembly 16 that receives a plurality of nail polish bottles 18. The lower container portion 14 also includes a door 20 for accessing the contents of the rotating shelf assembly 16. The rotating shelf assembly 16 is received by the lower container portion 14 such that it is adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the lower container portion 14, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
In the particular embodiment of the present invention, the rotating shelf assembly [0015] 16 includes two shelves, namely a lower shelf and an upper shelf. The present invention also contemplates the use of three or more shelves, provided that space between any two adjacent shelves is sufficient to permit storage of nail care items such as nail polish bottles. The present invention contemplates, for example, an embodiment where an uppermost shelf does not in fact provide enough clearance to store nail polish bottles, but does provide enough space to store nail clippers, scissors or the like.
It should be understood that the door [0016] 20 is preferably disposed such that it permits access to each of the shelves of the rotating shelf assembly 16.
As shown in FIG. 1, the upper container portion [0017] 12 is suited for storing nail care items such as cotton swabs (as particularly illustrated in FIG. 1) or other items such as nail clippers, for example.
As shown in FIG. 2, the upper container portion [0018] 12 consists generally of a receptacle 24 having a receptacle body defining an interior for holding the referred to nail care items. The receptacle defines an interior circumference.
The embodiment of the upper container portion [0019] 12 illustrated further includes a cap 22. The cap is attached to the body of the upper container portion as shown in FIG. 2 by means of a suitable attachment. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the cap 22 is attached to the receptacle 24 using a flexible plastic web. The flexible plastic web enable closure of the cap 22 over the interior of the receptacle 24.
The cap [0020] 22 includes an annular wall 26. The annular wall 26 has an outer circumference that is marginally larger than the interior circumference of the receptacle 24 whereby when the cap 22 is closed over the interior of the receptacle 24, the annular wall 26 frictionally engages the interior wall of the receptacle 24. The outer circumference of the cap 22 is preferably marginally larger than the outer circumference of the receptacle 24 such that the resultant lip when the cap 22 is closed over the interior of the receptacle 24 permits the cap 22 to be manually removed from the receptacle 24 thereby opening the top of the receptacle 24.
The container [0021] 10 described provides ready means for storing nail care items, for example, on a countertop.
Another particular aspect of the present invention is a nail care kit that includes the container [0022] 10 of the present invention, and various nail care items such as the nail polish bottles 18. These nail care items may accompany the container 10 or already be stored in the container 10.
A variety of different particular structures can provide the rotating shelf assembly described above. A particular embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. [0023]
The various components of the present invention may be made of a variety of suitable materials. The components illustrated in FIG. 2 can be made of a plastic such as PVC or alternatively wood or metal. The particular components illustrated in FIG. 2 can be extruded, as may be required. Modifications to the door [0024] 20 and cap 22, obvious to a person skilled in the art, may be required to fashion the container of the present invention in such alternate materials as wood or metal.
It should also be understood that the present invention is not limited to a container [0025] 10 having specific dimensions. This is despite the fact that the Figures illustrate the present invention in relation to nail polish bottles 18 which generally have a standard size. Again, vending embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated whereby a larger number of shelves and/or shelves with greater clearance between each other but having the rotating shelf assembly of the present invention are also contemplated.
Similarly, the dimensions of the container [0026] 10 are not part of the present invention.
The container [0027] 10 may be made of transparent or opaque material, as is desired.
The present invention also contemplates the branding of the container [0028] 10 whether by applying labels or incorporating branding elements in the components of the container 10 during manufacturing.

Claims

1) A container for nail care articles comprising:

a) A lower container portion that includes a door and a rotating shelf unit mounted inside the lower container portion for rotating therein, the rotating shelf unit including at least one shelf, the at least one shelf being disposed within the lower container portion to support a plurality of articles including nail polish bottles;

Wherein by manually opening the door a user is enabled to manually rotate the rotating shelf unit thereby permitting easy access to the plurality of nail polish bottles from the rotating shelf unit.

2) A container as claimed in claim 1, the container further comprising:

a) An upper container portion including a lid;

Wherein the upper container portion is adapted to receive nail care articles including nail files or cotton swabs.

3) A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper container portion includes a receptacle having a top opening and a lid that is adapted to cover the top opening, and wherein the lid includes an opening disposed substantially centrally along a vertical axis thereof.

4) A container as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

a) the rotating shelf unit includes a shaft member that is adapted to rest on the bottom wall of the lower container portion, and rotate on the bottom wall;

b) the lower container portion has a length, and the shaft member is longer than the length of the lower container portion; and

c) the shaft member includes a connecting portion adjacent to the top of the shaft member, wherein the threaded portion is sized to fit through the top opening of the lid when the lid covers the top opening.

5) A container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the upper container portion includes a connecting portion disposed adjacent to the bottom of the upper container portion, wherein the connecting portion of the upper container portion corresponds to the connecting portion of the shaft member such that the upper container portion is mountable on the shaft member, thereby enabling the rotating shelf unit to be manually rotated by manually rotating the upper container portion.

6) A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein rotating shelf unit includes two shelves mounted on the staff member and adapted to rotate inside the lower container portion.

7) The container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bottom wall of the lower container portion also includes a guide member that is adapted to retain the bottom of the shaft member in a rotating position on the bottom wall.