Compact with lateral support base

Abstract

The compact has a bottom, a cover, a hinge fixing the cover to the bottom, the cover and the bottom defining an average opening plane P of the compact, and forming a junction defining a closed external contour C in the plane P. The compact includes at least one bearing surface A on a typically horizontal plane support H defining a support surface or polygon S with area S s , so as to have a compact with a “vertical” position. The contour C has a centre of gravity G forming a solid angle α with the support surface S, with a minimum angle α M typically varying from α 1 =15° to α 2 =60°, so as to simultaneously have a compact that is stable in the vertical position.

1 . Compact ( 1 ) for packaging cosmetics such as an agglomerated powder, that will be placed on a typically horizontal plane support H comprising a bottom ( 2 ), a cover ( 3 ), a hinge ( 4 ) fixing the said cover ( 3 ) to the said bottom ( 2 ), directly or through a inner frame fixed to the said bottom, so as to enable opening of the said compact by rotation of the said cover with respect to the said bottom, and a closing means typically consisting of a closer ( 5 ), the said cover ( 3 ) and the said bottom ( 2 ) defining an average opening plane P of the said compact ( 1 ), typically parallel to the said hinge ( 4 ), the said cover ( 3 ) and the said bottom ( 2 ) forming a junction defining a closed external contour C in the said plane P, the said cover being closed, and characterised in that: 
 a) the said compact ( 1 ) includes at least one bearing surface A on the said plane support H, defining a support surface or polygon S with area S s , typically perpendicular to the said plane P and the said contour C, so as to have a compact ( 1 ) with a so-called “vertical” position,    b) the said compact ( 1 ) has a height h measured along the vertical equal to at least 30 mm,    c) the said contour C has a centre of gravity G forming a solid angle α with the said support surface S, with a minimum angle α typically varying from α 1 =15° to α 2 =60°, so as to simultaneously have a compact ( 1 ) that is stable in the vertical position,    such that the said compact ( 1 ) has a surface R projected laterally onto a vertical plane V with a large area S R , the said area S R  typically being greater than the area S E  of the said support polygon, and possibly greater than the area S E  corresponding to the orthogonal projection E of the said compact on the said plane support H, and thus it has large side visibility typically when the said compact is placed on a shelf or a display unit.    
   
   
       2 . Compact ( 1 ) according to  claim 1  in which the said average contact plane P and the said contour C forms an angle β<9°±25° from the said support surface S.  
   
   
       3 . Compact according to  claim 2  in which the said angle β is equal to 90°±5°, and is preferably equal to 90°.  
   
   
       4 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said bearing surface A comprises the said hinge ( 4 ) or is typically parallel to the said hinge and at a small distance from the said hinge, typically less than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “back” bearing surface.  
   
   
       5 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said bearing surface A forms an angle with the said hinge ( 4 ) varying from 45° to 135° and typically close to 90°, so as to form a so-called “lateral” bearing surface.  
   
   
       6 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said bearing surface A comprises the said closing means ( 5 ) or at a small distance from the said closing means, typically less than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “front” bearing surface.  
   
   
       7 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said area S E  is greater than the said area S S .  
   
   
       8 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said area S E  is equal to the said area S s .  
   
   
       9 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said bearing surface A on the said plane support is formed by at least two bearing surfaces A 1  and A 2  with area S A1 +S A2  less than the said area of the said support surface S S .  
   
   
       10 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said support surface S and/or the said bearing surface A is typically a circle, or an ellipse, or a regular or irregular polygon.  
   
   
       11 . Compact according to  claim 1  with a profile or section in a horizontal plane parallel to the said bearing surface A or the said support polygon S, that is variable and typically reduces as the distance from the said bearing surface A or the said plane support H reduces, so as to increase the stability of the said compact.  
   
   
       12 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said contour C comprises or forms a combination of a straight line and typically an arc of a circle or an arc of an ellipse or a broken line, so as to have a variable profile or section in a plane perpendicular to the said plane P.  
   
   
       13 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said height h of the compact ( 1 ) typically varies from 40 mm to 70 mm.  
   
   
       14 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said height h of the said compact ( 1 ) in the so-called “vertical” position is typically the largest dimension of the said compact.  
   
   
       15 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said bottom and the said cover have plane or non-plane external surfaces.  
   
   
       16 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said area S R  is greater than the said area S E .  
   
   
       17 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said bearing surface A is a curved surface, the said compact acting like a weeble with an equilibrium position for which the said centre of gravity G is projected vertically inside the said support polygon S, the curvature of the said bearing surface being such that when the said compact moves away from its equilibrium position, the said centre of gravity G creates a torque tending to return the compact towards the said equilibrium position.  
   
   
       18 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which the said plane P is replaced by a regulated and curved surface P′.  
   
   
       19 . Compact according to  claim 1  in which an assembly formed by planes P 1  and P 2  with an angle γ between them varying between 120 to 170°, is substituted for the said plane P.