Pull-up tray container

Abstract

A cosmetic brush container has a cylindrical sidewall, a closed bottom, and an open top. A tray is carried within the container for axial movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the container from a lower storage position. A lid releasably fits over the top of the container. A lifting member, preferably an elongated telescoping assembly, extends between the tray and the lid. Brushes are carried in the container, with lower ends supported on the tray and bristles supported by the sidewall of the container. Lifting the lid causes the tray to move upward and the bristles of the brushes to move above the top of the container for access by a user.

1 . An apparatus for storing articles, comprising: 
 a container having a sidewall, a closed bottom, and an open top;    a tray carried within the container for axial movement along a longitudinal axis of the container; and    a lifting member secured to the tray and extending upward to at least the top of the container, wherein articles placed on the tray may be accessed by lifting the lifting member and the tray.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lid that releasably fits on the top of the container and is secured to the lifting member for movement therewith.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for releasably retainining the tray in an upper position relative to the container.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifting member comprises an elongated telescoping assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , the sidewall of the container is cylindrical, and the tray has a circular periphery.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tray has a lower self-supporting position above the closed bottom and an upper self-supporting position below the open top.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifting member comprises: 
 an elongated mandrel having a lower end mounted to the base; and    a sleeve telescopingly received over the mandrel, the tray being mounted to the sleeve.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tray has plurality of perforations and the apparatus further comprises: 
 a lower compartment in the container spaced below the tray;    a quantity of a chemical treatment material located in the compartment for communicating with the articles via the perforations in the tray.    
   
   
       9 . An apparatus for applying cosmetics, comprising: 
 a container having a cylindrical sidewall, a closed bottom, and an open top;    a tray carried within the container for axial movement along a longitudinal axis of the container from a lower position;    a lid that releasably fits over the top;    a lifting member secured to the tray and to the lid; and    a plurality of brushes removably carried in the container, each brush having a handle with an end that is supported on the tray and a set of bristles that is supported by the sidewall of the container while the tray is in the lower position, whereby lifting the lid causes the lifting member to lift the tray, pushing the bristles of the brushes above the top of the container for access by a user.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the lifting member comprises: 
 an elongated telescoping assembly having a contracted and an extended position, the telescoping assembly having inner and outer wall surfaces that frictionally engage each other to retain the tray in an upper position within the container.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the lifting member comprises: 
 an elongated mandrel having a lower end mounted to the base;    a sleeve telescopingly received over the mandrel for movement between contracted and extended positions, the tray being mounted to a lower portion of the sleeve and the lid being mounted to an upper portion of the sleeve; and    wherein the mandrel and the sleeve frictionally engage each other to retain the tray at any desired elevation relative to the container.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 mating stop shoulders on the sleeve and the mandrel for defining a fully extended position, the tray being at an elevation below the open top and above the closed bottom while the sleeve is in the fully extended position.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the sleeve has a length less than a distance from the closed bottom to the open top of the container.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of perforations in the tray;    an anti-microbial agent located between the bottom of the container and tray while the tray is in the lower position for communicating with the brushes via the perforations in the tray.    
   
   
       15 . A method of storing articles, comprising: 
 (a) providing a container having a sidewall, a closed bottom, and an open top;    (b) securing an elongated lifting member to a tray;    (c) placing articles on the tray and lowering the tray into the container with the lifting member to a lower position; and to access the articles,    (d) lifting the tray with the lifting member.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein step (d) further comprises supporting the tray within the container in an upper position above the lower position and releasing the lifting member.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 providing the tray with a plurality of perforations; and    placing a chemical material in the container below the tray while the tray is in the lower position, and treating the articles with the chemical material via the perforations in the tray.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 securing a lid to the lifting member; and wherein step (c) further comprises    landing the lid on the top of the container when the tray is in the lower position.