Hingeless compact

Claim 2

A hingeless compact for cosmetic articles comprising: a generally rectangular plate member having front, rear and two opposed side edges with the upper surface of said plate member being configured to hold cosmetic articles, said plate member including a continuous flange formed integrally therewith and circumscribing said front and side edges, said flange extending above and below the plane of the upper and lower surfaces of said plate member respectively, said upper and lower surfaces each including a pair of opposed shelves extending along the length of said side edges with each said shelf being spaced from the free end of the adjacent flange and extending perpendicular thereto; and a generally U-shaped resilient cover member adapted to slidably encase said plate member and having a configuration complimentary thereto, with the perimeter of said flange defining the dimensions of said cover member such that in the closed condition of said compact a smooth surfaced enclosure is defined, said U-shaped resilient cover member cooperating with said plate member to frictionally maintain said compact in a closed condition and whereby when said compact is opened said cover member is slidably moved in a direction towards the rear of said plate member guided by said flange, with the side edges of said cover member slidably moving along said shelves.

Claim 3

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 1 wherein said cover member includes upper and lower rails disposed adjacent the side edges thereof, said rails being formed on the inner surfaces of said cover member, projecting toward each other, said rails being adapted to slidably move along the associated shelves when said cover member is moved relative to said plate member.

Claim 4

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 2 further including a locking means for maintaining said compact in a closed condition.

Claim 5

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 3 wherein said locking means is defined by cooperating structures formed integrally with said plate and cover members, with each shelf of said plate member including an outwardly extending detent disposed adjacent to, but spaced from said front edge of said plate member and with said cover member including a cooperating detent associated with each detent of said plate member, each said cooperating detent formed integrally with the inner surface of said cover member and extending inwardly therefrom, each said cooperating detent being disposed such that in the closed condition of said compact, said cooperating detent is located between the opposed detent and said front edge of said plate member thereby aiding in maintaining said compact in the closed condition.

Claim 6

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 4 wherein the side edges of each said detent are angled to provide a cammed sliding action between opposed detents during the movement of the cover member relative to the plate member.

Claim 7

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 4 wherein each said detent formed on said plate member is spaced from the adjacent side edge thereof such that said rails are slidably received in the space defined between said detent and the adjacent flange of the plate member.

Claim 8

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 4 further including a stop means for inhibiting the inadvertent removal of said cover member from said plate member.

Claim 9

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 7 wherein each said shelf further includes a stop rib defining said stop means, each said stop rib formed integrally with said shelf and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the rear edge of said plate member whereby when said compact is opened with said cover member being moved towards the rear of said plate member, each said cooperating detent of said cover member engages with the associated stop rib to inhibit the inadvertent removal of said cover member from said plate member.

Claim 10

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 8, wherein each said stop rib is spaced from the adjacent side edge of said plate member, such that the associated rail of said cover member is slidably received in the space defined between said stop rib and the adjacent flange of said plate member.

Claim 11

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 8 wherein the surface of each said stop rib which engages the associated detent of said cover member is planar in configuration and disposed perpendicular to the associated shelf.

Claim 12

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 1 wherein each said shelf further includes a longitudinally extending channel and wherein said cover member further includes a guiding detent associated with each channel in said cover member, said guiding detents being formed integrally with the inner surface of said cover member and extending inwardly therefrom, each said guiding detent being receivable in the associated channel in said plate member and adapted to be slidably movable therein when said cover member is moved relative to said plate member.

Claim 13

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 11 further including a locking means for maintaining said compact in a closed condition.

Claim 14

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 12 wherein each shelf of said plate member further includes an outwardly extending locking detent disposed within the associated channel thereof, adjacent to but spaced from said front edge of said plate member, said locking and guiding detents cooperating to define said locking means, with each said guiding detent being disposed such that in the closed condition of said compact, said guiding detent is located between the opposed locking detent and said front edge of said plate member thereby aiding in maintaining the compact in a closed condition.

Claim 15

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 13 wherein the side edges of each said detent are angled to provide a cam sliding action between opposed detents during the movement of the cover member relative to the plate member.

Claim 16

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 13 further including a stop means for inhibiting the inadvertent removal of said cover member from said plate member.

Claim 17

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 15 wherein each said shelf further includes a stop rib defining said stop means, each said stop rib being formed within said channel and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the rear edge of said plate member, whereby when said compact is opened, with said cover member being moved towards the rear of said plate member, each said guiding detent of said cover member engages the associated stop rib to inhibit the inadvertent removal of said cover member from said plate member.

Claim 18

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 16 wherein the surface of each said stop rib which engages the associated guiding detent of said cover member is planar in configuration and disposed perpendicular to the associated shelf.

Claim 19

A hingeless compact for cosmetic articles including improved locking means comprising: a generally rectangular plate member having front, rear and two opposed side edges with the upper surface of said plate member being configured to hold cosmetic articles, said plate member including a continuous flange formed integrally therewith and circumscribing said front and side edges, said flange extending above and below the plane of the upper and lower surfaces of said plate member respectively, said upper and lower surfaces each including a pair of opposed shelves, said shelves extending along the length of said edges, with each said shelf being spaced from the free end of the adjacent flange and extending perpendicular thereto, with each said shelf including an outwardly extending detent disposed adjacent to but spaced from said front edge of said plate member; and a generally U-shaped cover member adapted to encase said plate member and having a configuration complimentary thereto, with the perimeter of said flange defining the dimensions of said cover member such that in the closed condition of said compact a smooth surfaced enclosure is defined, with said cover member further including a cooperating detent associated with each detent of said plate member, each said cooperating detent formed integrally with the inner surface of said cover member and extending inwardly therefrom, each said cooperating detent being disposed such that in the closed condition of the compact, said cooperating detent is located between said opposed detent and the front edge of the plate member thereby aiding in maintaining said compact in the closed condition, and whereby when said compact is opened, said cover member is moved in a direction towards the rear of said plate member with the side edges of said cover member slidably moving along said shelves.

Claim 20

A hingeless compact for cosmetic articles including improved locking means comprising: a generally rectangular plate member having front, rear and two opposed side edges with the upper surface of said plate member being configured to hold cosmetic articles, said plate member including a continuous flange formed integrally therewith and circumscribing said front and side edges, said flange extending above and below the plane of the upper and lower surfaces of said plate member respectively, said upper and lower surfaces each including a pair of opposed shelves, said shelves extending along the length of said edges, with each said shelf being spaced from the free end of the adjacent flange and extending perpendicular thereto, with each said shelf including an outwardly extending detent disposed adjacent to but spaced from said front edge of said plate member; and a generally U-shaped cover member adapted to encase said plate member and having a configuration complimentary thereto, with the perimeter of said flange defining the dimensions of said cover member such that in the closed condition of said compact a smooth surfaced enclosure is defined, with said cover member further including a cooperating detent associated with each detent of said plate member, each said cooperating detent formed integrally with the inner surface of said cover member and extending inwardly therefrom, each said cooperating detent being disposed such that in the closed condition of the compact, said cooperating detent is located between said opposed detent and the front edge of the plate member thereby aiding in maintaining said compact in the closed condition, and whereby when said compact is opened, said cover member is moved in a direction towards the rear of said plate member with the side edges of said cover member slidably moving along said shelves.

Claim 21

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 18 wherein the side edges of each said detent are angled to provide a cam sliding action between the opposed detents during the movement of the cover member relative to the plate member.

Claim 22

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 18 wherein each said shelf further includes a stop rib, each said stop rib being formed integrally with said shelf and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the rear edge of said plate member whereby when said compact is opened, with said cover member being moved towards the rear of said plate member, each said cooperating detent of said cover member engages with the associated stop rib to inhibit the inadvertent removal of said cover member from said plate member.

Claim 23

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 18 wherein said cover member further includes upper and lower rails disposed adjacent the side edges thereof, said ribs being formed on the inner surface of said cover member projecting towards each other, said rails being adapted to slidably move along the associated shelves when said cover member is moved relative to said plate member.

Claim 24

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 21 wherein each said detent formed on said plate member is spaced from the adjacent side edge thereof such that said rails are slidably received in the space defined between said detent and the adjacent flange of the plate member.

Claim 25

A hingeless compact as recited in claim 18 wherein each said shelf further includes a longitudinally extending channel with said cooperating detent of said cover member being receivable therein such that when said cover member is moved relative to said plate member, said cooperating detent travels along the associated channel.