Closable container for personal items

Abstract

A container for storing personal items, such as toothbrushes, cotton swabs, make-up applicators, and the like, is disclosed. The container has a body made from at least two telescoping walls, and a lid for closing an open end of the body. The lid is connected to the telescoping walls in a manner which provides better access to the stored items when the lid is opened. The container may be embodied such that the innermost wall of the body is raised to expose the stored items, or such that the outermost wall of the body is retracted to expose the stored items.

1 . A holder for storing personal items comprising:
 a body having telescoping walls which define a cavity open on at least one end, the walls being capable of extension and retraction movement;   a lid hingably connected to a wall of the body, the lid being capable of moving between a first position covering an open end of the cavity, and a second position uncovering the open end of the cavity; and   a lift mechanism having first and second ends, wherein the first end connects to a telescoping wall of the body and the second end connects to the lid such that extension and retraction movement of the telescoping body walls operates to move the lid between the first position and the second position and vice versa.   
   
   
       2 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein extension movement of the telescoping walls operates to move the lid to the first position and vice versa. 
   
   
       3 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein retraction movement of the telescoping walls operates to move the lid to the first position and vice versa. 
   
   
       4 . The holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a divider for the cavity. 
   
   
       5 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the body is comprised of two telescoping walls. 
   
   
       6 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the body is comprised of at least two telescoping walls. 
   
   
       7 . The holder of  claim 3 , wherein the lid is connected to an innermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       8 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the lid is connected to an innermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       9 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the lift mechanism connects to an outermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       10 . The holder of  claim 6 , wherein the first end of the lift mechanism connects to an outermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       11 . The holder of  claim 6 , wherein the innermost telescoping wall comprises an extension, wherein the lid is hingably connected to the extension of the innermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       12 . The holder of  claim 9 , wherein the telescoping walls extend a length approximately equal to the extension of the innermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       13 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein an innermost telescoping wall moves upward within an outermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       14 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein an outermost telescoping wall moves downward about an innermost telescoping wall. 
   
   
       15 . A holder for personal items comprising:
 a first body having an outer wall defining a cavity;   a second body having an outer wall surrounding at least a portion of the first body and capable of sliding movement thereabout;   a lid hingably connected to the first body and capable of moving between a first open position and a second closed position; and   a lift mechanism having a first end connected to the second body and a second end connected to the lid, wherein movement of the second body moves the lid between the first open position and the second closed position.   
   
   
       16 . The holder of  claim 11 , further comprising an extension attached to the first body and wherein the lid is hingably connected to the extension. 
   
   
       17 . The holder of  claim 12 , wherein the extension is integral to the first body. 
   
   
       18 . The holder of  claim 11 , further comprising a divider within the cavity of the first body. 
   
   
       19 . The holder of  claim 14 , wherein the divider is removable from the cavity. 
   
   
       20 . The holder of  claim 11 , wherein the first body has a cross section selected from the group of geometric shapes consisting of circular, square, rectangular, oval, triangular, and variations thereof. 
   
   
       21 . The holder of  claim 16 , wherein the second body has a cross section similar to that of the first body.