Packaging and dispensing device including a screen through which a substance is dispensed

Abstract

A device for packaging and dispensing a substance having a housing containing the substance and a screen through which the substance is dispensed. The packaging device includes first and second elements capable, in a first state of the device prior to the filling with the substance, of enabling one of the elements to be positioned on a predetermined position relative to the other After filling, in a subsequent state of the device, one of the elements slides relative to the other element, to provide a corresponding decrease in the volume of the housing as the substance is used.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A device for packaging and dispensing a substance, in which the device includes a housing which holds said substance and a screen through which said substance is fed, the device comprising: 
 a first element;    a second element,    wherein said first and second elements can be moved relative to each other, and wherein in a first state of the device prior to the filling with said substance, one of said first and second elements is in a predetermined position relative to the other element, and further wherein in a second state of the device, one of said first and second elements is slidable relative to the other of said first and second elements to provide a decrease in a volume of the housing as the substance is dispensed from the housing.    
     
     
         2 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , including at least two co-operating portions to position one of the elements relative to the other in said predetermined position.  
     
     
         3 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said two elements are snap-coupled together in said predetermined position.  
     
     
         4 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first element includes an end wall of the housing, and the second element includes a side wall of the housing.  
     
     
         5 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said screen is carried by the second element.  
     
     
         6 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , further including sealing means carried by at least one of said first and second elements to provide a seal between said first and second elements.  
     
     
         7 . A device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said sealing means comprise a sealing lip formed integrally with a wall of the first element.  
     
     
         8 . A device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said sealing means comprise an O-ring housed in a groove formed in a wall of one of said elements.  
     
     
         9 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first element has an inner skirt and an outer skirt defining between them a groove in which the second element is slidably disposed.  
     
     
         10 . A device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said outer skirt is threaded on the outside and wherein the device includes a lid suitable for screwing onto said outer skirt.  
     
     
         11 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , including a lid which can be screwed onto at least one of said first and second elements when said first and second elements are in said predetermined position, and wherein while said lid is being screwed on said lid causes one of the elements to move relative to the other.  
     
     
         12 . A device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said lid has a shoulder which bears against an outer periphery of said screen when the second element is in said predetermined position relative to the first element.  
     
     
         13 . A device as recited in  claim 11 , including an applicator housed beneath the lid and above said screen.  
     
     
         14 . A device as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said applicator is a powder puff.  
     
     
         15 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said screen is held by a support molded onto said screen.  
     
     
         16 . A method of making a packaging and dispensing device including providing a housing having a substance therein and a screen through which said substance is fed with said device further including first and second elements capable of sliding relative to each other, with relative movement thereof being accompanied by a change in a volume of said housing, the method further comprising: 
 positioning said first and second elements in a predetermined position; and    filling said housing with the substance.    
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of putting said screen into place after said housing has been filled with the substance.  
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , further including causing one of the elements to move relative to the other by fitting a lid onto one of the first and second elements, with said lid bearing against the other of said first and second elements to move said other of said first and second elements on a first occasion said lid is put into place.  
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said lid is put into place by being screwed on.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 16 , further including bringing said first and second elements into said predetermined position by cooperating portions disposed on said first and second elements.  
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further including providing means on at least one of said first and second elements to hold said first and second elements in said predetermined during filling of said housing, the method further including causing relative movement of said first and second elements after completion of filling.  
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , further including causing said relative movement by mounting a lid onto at least one of said first and second elements.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said mounting of said lid includes abutting a portion of said lid against one of said first and second elements to move said one of said first and second elements relative to the other.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said lid is coupled to the other of said first and second elements during said mounting.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said lid is coupled to said other of said first and second elements by screwing said lid onto said other of said first and second elements.  
     
     
         26 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further including providing a lid to cover at least a portion of at least one of said first and second elements.  
     
     
         27 . A method as recited in  claim 26 , further including providing an applicator device upon said screen, and wherein said lid covers said applicator in a closed condition.  
     
     
         28 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , further including providing a powder puff as said applicator.  
     
     
         29 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further including dispensing said product from said housing, while one of said elements slides relative to the other of said elements.  
     
     
         30 . A method as recited in  claim 29 , further including mounting a portion of said second element on said substance such that as said substance is used said second element moves downwardly by gravity and as said second element moves downwardly by gravity said second element slides relative to said first element.  
     
     
         31 . A device for packaging and dispensing a substance comprising: 
 a first element having a top wall;    a second element having at least one side wall, wherein said device includes a housing having a volume which is at least partially defined by said top wall and said at least one side wall, and further wherein said housing contains said substance; and    wherein the second element is movably mounted with respect to said first element, and wherein said second element includes a portion which is coupled to said substance such that as said substance is used said second element moves relative to said first element and the volume of the housing is reduced.    
     
     
         32 . A device as recited in  claim 31 , wherein said second element moves downward by gravity as said substance in said housing is used.  
     
     
         33 . A device as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said substance is a cosmetic.  
     
     
         34 . A device as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said substance is a powder.  
     
     
         35 . A device as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said substance is a foundation.  
     
     
         36 . A device as recited in  claim 31 , wherein said second element is slidably movable upon said first element.  
     
     
         37 . A device as recited in  claim 36 , further including a seal between said first element and said at least one side wall of said second element.  
     
     
         38 . A device as recited in  claim 36 , wherein said second element includes a screen which sits upon a top surface of said substance such that as said substance is used a level of said screen is lowered to thereby lower said second element by gravity.  
     
     
         39 . A device as recited in  claim 38 , further including an applicator disposed above said screen.  
     
     
         40 . A device as recited in  claim 39 , wherein said substance is a cosmetic product.  
     
     
         41 . A device as recited in  claim 39 , wherein said substance is a powder and said applicator is a powder puff.  
     
     
         42 . A device as recited in  claim 41 , further including a lid for covering said applicator, the device further including means for coupling said lid to said first element.  
     
     
         43 . A device as recited in  claim 42 , wherein said means for coupling includes a screw coupling between said lid and said first element.  
     
     
         44 . A device as recited in  claim 43 , wherein said first element includes an inner skirt and an outer skirt, and wherein said lid can be selectively screwed onto said outer skirt, and further wherein said second element is received in a recess disposed between said inner skirt and said outer skirt.  
     
     
         45 . A device as recited in  claim 44 , further including means for holding said second element in a predetermined position with respect to said first element for filling said housing with said substance.  
     
     
         46 . A device as recited in  claim 45 , wherein said means for holding includes at least one of a projection and a recess disposed on one of said first and second elements.  
     
     
         47 . A device as recited in  claim 46 , wherein said lid includes a portion which abuts against said second element to move said second element from said predetermined position upon a first application of said lid after said housing is filled with said substance, wherein after said second element is moved from said predetermined position said second element moves relative to said first element as said product is used.  
     
     
         48 . A device as recited in  claim 31 , wherein said first element includes an inner skirt and an outer skirt, and further wherein said second element is slidably received in a recess disposed between said inner skirt and said outer skirt.  
     
     
         49 . A device as recited in  claim 48 , further including means for holding said second element in a predetermined position with respect to said first element for filling said housing with said substance.  
     
     
         50 . A device as recited in  claim 49 , wherein said means for holding includes at least one of a projection and a recess disposed on one of said first and second elements.  
     
     
         51 . A device as recited in  claim 50 , further including a lid, and wherein said lid includes a portion which abuts against said second element to move said second element from said predetermined position upon a first application of said lid after said housing is filled with said substance, wherein after said second element is moved from said predetermined position said second element moves relative to said first element as said substance is used.  
     
     
         52 . A device as recited in  claim 51 , wherein said lid can be selectively coupled to said first element.  
     
     
         53 . A device as recited in  claim 52 , wherein said lid can be selectively coupled to said first element with a screw coupling.  
     
     
         54 . A device as recited in  claim 31 , wherein said second element includes a screen which sits upon a top surface of said substance such that as said substance is used the level of said screen is lowered to thereby lower a level of said second element.  
     
     
         55 . A device as recited in  claim 54 , further including an applicator disposed above said screen.  
     
     
         56 . A device as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said substance is a powder and said applicator is a powder puff.  
     
     
         57 . A device as recited in  claim 54 , further including means for holding said second element in a predetermined position with respect to said first element for filling said housing with said substance.  
     
     
         58 . A device as recited in  claim 31 , further including means for holding said second element in a predetermined position with respect to said first element for filling said housing with said substance.  
     
     
         59 . A device as recited in  claim 31 , further including an applicator disposed above said second element.  
     
     
         60 . A device as recited in  claim 59 , wherein said substance is a cosmetic product and said applicator is a powder puff.