Device for displaying at least one object

Abstract

A device for displaying at least one object, includes a support, at least one through passage defined by the support, and at least one housing attached to the support and received at least partially within the passage. The housing includes a first portion extending from a first side of the support and a second portion having an opening accessible from a second side of the support, opposite to the first side. The opening is configured to receive an object for display. The housing includes a locking element configured to engage the object such that one portion of the object becomes reversibly locked in the housing and another portion of the object emerges from the second side of the support.

What is claimed is  
     
         1 . A device for displaying at least one object, the device comprising: 
 a support;    at least one through passage defined by the support; and    at least one housing attached to the support and received at least partially within the passage, the housing comprising a first portion extending from a first side of the support and a second portion including an opening accessible from a second side of the support, opposite to the first side, the opening being configured to receive an object for display,    wherein the housing comprises a locking element configured to engage the object such that one portion of the object becomes reversibly locked in the housing and another portion of the object emerges from the second side of the support.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is nonremovably mounted in the passage.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the housing is attached to the support by one of adhesive bonding and interference between the housing and the support.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one object for display.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the object defines a compartment containing at least a portion of the product, and a compartment opening through which the product is capable of emerging.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the product is in the form of a stick.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the product comprises lipstick.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the housing is configured in the form of a cap configured to removably cover the compartment opening.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the object comprises an object locking element configured to engage the locking element of the housing.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising a mechanism configured to move the product between a first position wherein the product is contained within the compartment and a second position wherein the product emerges out of the compartment via the compartment opening.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the housing is dimensioned such that the object is capable of being locked in the housing only when the product is in the first position.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the locking element is configured to engage the object by a snap engagement.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the locking element comprises at least one of a groove and a bead, and wherein the locking element is configured to engage with at least one of a groove and a bead provided on the object.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support defines a plurality of passages and the device comprises a plurality of housings associated with the passages so that a plurality of objects may be displayed.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is formed of transparent material.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the support is formed of transparent material.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the locking element is configured to engage the object so that a product associated with the object is maintained in a substantially airtight manner.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a mirror provided on the support.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the object comprises a cosmetic product.  
     
     
         20 . A device for displaying at least one object, the device comprising: 
 a support;    at least one through passage defined by the support;    at least one housing attached to the support and received at least partially within the passage, the housing having a locking element; and    at least one object received at least partially within the housing, the object having a locking element,    wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured to engage and lock the object to the housing.    
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured to engage and reversibly lock the object to the housing.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the housing is nonremovably mounted within the passage by one of adhesive bonding and interference fit.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the housing is removably locked to the support.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the housing is configured in the form of a cap supplied with an object offered for sale.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the housing is at least partially formed from a transparent material.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the support is at least partially formed from a transparent material.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the support comprises a plurality of passages and the device comprises a plurality of housings associated with the passages, each housing being configured to receive one of a plurality of objects.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of objects, wherein the plurality of objects comprises lipstick devices containing lipstick.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the object includes a compartment containing the product and a compartment opening through which the product emerges, the housing being configured in the form of a cap capable of removably covering the compartment opening.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein the object comprises a mechanism movable between a first position in which the product is substantially contained within the compartment and a second position in which the product emerges out of the compartment through the compartment opening, the housing being dimensioned so as to accept the object only when the mechanism is in the first position.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured so as to engage with each other by snap engagement in order to removably lock the object in the housing.  
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the locking element of the housing comprises one of a groove and a bead configured to engage with the corresponding other of a groove and a bead provided on the object.  
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the locking element of the housing and the locking element of the object are configured to engage to one another to maintain a product in the object in a substantially airtight manner.  
     
     
         34 . A method comprising: 
 providing the device of  claim 1;     inserting at least one object for display into the housing of the device at a site remote from a point of sale, the object containing a product for sampling;    transporting the device from the remote site to the point of sale; and    using the device to display the at least one object to consumers for purposes of testing the product.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the product comprises a lipstick product.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the object is removably locked to the housing prior to transporting the device, and wherein the object is removably locked to the housing during the using of the device to display.