Compact Case With Cake Retention Pan

摘要

A cosmetic compact has a pan made from an elastomeric material. The pan is elastically biased to a size that is smaller than a pre-formed cake of cosmetic product. The empty pan is temporarily expanded by applying vacuum to a bottom and sidewalls of the pan. The cake of cosmetic is inserted in the expanded pan and the pan is released from the vacuum. The pan contracts toward the smaller size and thus traps and holds the cake in the compact.

主权项

1. A method for securing a cake cosmetic in a compact case having a frame defining a chamber, the cake having a predetermined size, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a pan made from a shape memory polymer, the pan having a floor and a sidewall defining an upwardly opening cake retention reservoir, the pan having a predetermined contracted configuration in which the reservoir has a volume that is smaller than the predetermined size of the cake; programming the pan to have an expanded configuration in which the reservoir has a volume that is large enough to allow insertion of the cake having the predetermined size; inserting the cake into the reservoir when the pan is in the expanded configuration; applying an external stimulus to the expanded configuration of the pan to cause the pan to revert toward the predetermined contracted configuration wherein the inserted cake is securely grasped and retained in the reservoir by the contracted configuration of the pan; providing means for securing the pan in the chamber; and securing the pan in the chamber.