Cosmetic container with moving sifter

Abstract

A cosmetic container may include a base defining a well and having a bottom. The cosmetic container may include a sifter having a sifter conical section fixedly attached to a collar. The collar may be coupled to the base, thereby coupling the sifter to the base. The cosmetic container may include a cap for coupling to the sifter. The cap, sifter, and collar may be rotatable relative to the base to provide an open or a closed configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cosmetic container comprising:
 a base defining a well and having a bottom, lower perimeter, and an upper opening, the upper opening defined by at least one upper sidewall having an inner side and an outer side, the outer side including one or more outer slots each having a lower end and an upper end, the bottom comprising a bump projecting into the well;   a sifter having a sifter conical section with a sifter lower end, the sifter lower end being open and shaped to engage the bump, the sifter further comprising an upper portion having an inner wall and an outer wall separated by a gap and joined by an upper rim, the outer wall comprising outer threads and at least one inner slot, the upper rim comprising one or more top slots, the gap sized to receive a portion of the upper sidewall of the base;   a collar adapted for placement between the sifter outer wall and the upper sidewall of the base, the collar comprising one or more inner protrusions sized to be received in the one or more outer slots of the base upper sidewall, and a tab sized to be received by the inner slot on the outer wall of the sifter; and   a cap having inner threads configured to interact with the outer threads of the sifter, and one or more projections configured to interact with the one or more top slots of the sifter;   wherein the cosmetic container defines a first, closed configuration, and a second, open configuration in which:   in the first, closed configuration, the sifter lower end abuts the bump thereby sealing the well, with the inner protrusion of the collar engaged in the lower end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall; and   in the second, open configuration, the sifter lower end is spaced from the bump to allow product to escape the well, with the inner protrusion of the collar engaged in the upper end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall.   
     
     
         2 . The cosmetic container of  claim 1 , configured such that a user can transition from the first, closed configuration to the second, open configuration by twisting the cap to turn the collar and sifter relative to the base to move the collar inner protrusion from the first end to the second end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall while the cap projections engage the one or more top slots of the upper rim of the sifter. 
     
     
         3 . The cosmetic container of  claim 1 , configured such that a user can transition from the second, open configuration to the first, closed configuration by twisting the cap onto the sifter until the cap inner threads engage the outer threads of the sifter outer wall until the cap protrusions engage the one or more top slots of the upper rim of the sifter and, thereafter, continuing to twist the cap relative to the base to cause the sifter and the collar to twist and move the collar inner protrusion from the second end to the first end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall, thereby moving the sifter lower end into sealing abutment with the bump. 
     
     
         4 . The cosmetic container of  claim 1 , wherein the base is a base assembly comprising a base housing having the upper opening defined by the at least one upper sidewall, and a base insert including the bump, the base insert being removable to allow filling of the base from below. 
     
     
         5 . The cosmetic container of  claim 1  further comprising a fill in the form of a loose powder cosmetic product contained within the well of the base. 
     
     
         6 . The cosmetic container of  claim 1 , wherein inner threads of the cap and the outer threads of the sifter are configured to interact fully at a lower limit, and further configured such that once the lower limit is reached, further twisting of the cap moves the collar inner protrusion within the outer slot of the base upper sidewall to the closed configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The cosmetic container of  claim 1  wherein the cap comprises an outer decorative cap and an inner cap, the inner cap sized and shaped to interact with the conical portion of the sifter when the cap is threaded onto the sifter. 
     
     
         8 . A cosmetic container comprising:
 a sifter having a lower end and an upper end comprising a first means for engaging a cap in a twisting manner, and a second means for engaging the cap in a non-twisting manner, the sifter comprising an inner protrusion;   a cap having a third means for engaging the first means and a fourth means for engaging the second means; and   a base having an upper opening portion for receiving the sifter and including a slanted slot for receiving the inner protrusion of the sifter, the base defining a well for receiving a cosmetic product and having an abutment means for abutting with the lower end of the sifter to effect a sealed configuration;   wherein the container has a sealed configuration and an unsealed configuration, and further wherein the sifter moves rotationally and vertically relative to the base in response to engagement of the second means by the fourth means.   
     
     
         9 . The cosmetic container of  claim 8 , wherein the sifter is a sifter assembly comprising a collar and a sifter funnel, the sifter funnel having a sifter conical section and an upper section that is adapted to engage the collar and the cap. 
     
     
         10 . The cosmetic container of  claim 8 , wherein the base is a base assembly comprising a base housing and a base insert, the base insert being removable to allow filling of the base from below. 
     
     
         11 . The cosmetic container of  claim 8 , wherein the third means comprises inner threads and the first means comprises outer threads, and the inner threads are configured to interact with the outer threads. 
     
     
         12 . The cosmetic container of  claim 8 , wherein the fourth means comprises one or more projections and the second means comprises one or more top slots and the one or more projections are adapted to engage with the one or more top slots. 
     
     
         13 . The cosmetic container of  claim 8 , wherein the abutment means comprises a bump projecting into the well. 
     
     
         14 . The cosmetic container of  claim 8 , configured such that a user can transition from the sealed configuration to the unsealed configuration by twisting the cap to turn the sifter relative to the base to move the sifter inner protrusion from a first end to a second end of the slanted slot of the base while the cap fourth means engages the second means of the sifter. 
     
     
         15 . The cosmetic container of  claim 14 , configured such that a user can transition from the unsealed configuration to the sealed configuration by twisting the cap onto the sifter until the cap third means engages the first means of the sifter until the cap fourth means engage the second means of the sifter and, thereafter, continuing to twist the cap relative to the base to cause the sifter to twist and move the inner protrusion from the second end to the first end of the slanted slot of the base, thereby moving the sifter lower end into sealing abutment with the abutment means. 
     
     
         16 . A cosmetic container comprising:
 a base container having a bottom surface and an upper opening, the upper opening defined by at least one upper sidewall having an inner side and an outer side, the outer side including one or more outer slots each having a lower end and an upper end;   a sifter having a sifter conical section with a sifter lower end and an upper portion having outer threads, an inner protrusion, and one or more top slots;   a cap having inner threads configured to interact with the outer threads of the sifter upper portion, and one or more projections configured to interact with the one or more top slots of the sifter; and   wherein the cosmetic container defines a first, closed configuration, and a second, open configuration in which:   in the first, closed configuration, the sifter lower end abuts the bottom surface thereby sealing the well, with the inner protrusion engaged in the lower end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall;   in the second, open configuration, the sifter lower end is spaced from the bottom surface to allow product to escape the well, with the inner protrusion engaged in the upper end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall.   
     
     
         17 . The cosmetic container of  claim 16 , further comprising a collar adapted for placement between the sifter upper portion and the upper sidewall of the base, the collar comprising one or more inner protrusions sized to be received in the one or more outer slots of the base upper sidewall, and a tab sized to be received by an inner slot of the sifter. 
     
     
         18 . The cosmetic container of  claim 17 , configured such that a user can transition from the first, closed configuration to the second, open configuration by twisting the cap to turn the collar and the sifter relative to the base container to move the collar inner protrusion from the first end to the second end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall while the cap projections engage the one or more top slots of the upper rim of the sifter. 
     
     
         19 . The cosmetic container of  claim 17 , configured such that a user can transition from the second, open configuration to the first, closed configuration by twisting the cap onto the sifter until the cap inner threads engage the outer threads of the sifter until the cap protrusions engage the one or more top slots of the sifter and, thereafter, continuing to twist the cap relative to the base container to cause the sifter and collar to twist and move the collar inner protrusion from the second end to the first end of the outer slot of the base upper sidewall, thereby moving the sifter lower end into sealing abutment with the bottom surface. 
     
     
         20 . The cosmetic container of  claim 16 , wherein the base container comprises an upper portion and a base insert, the base insert forming the bottom surface and being removable to allow filling of the base container from below.