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The field of the invention is compact brushes, such as pop up brushes.
Pop up brushes are known that can be deployed by pressing the opposite face of the brush to expose a surface having a plurality of bristles. In one design the bristles extend from the a flexible membrane, which makes it easily manufacturable.
Compacts are known that have a hinged top and bottom section, which allow the compact to be opened in a clam shell fashion. In one section, a mirror is present and in the other section a cosmetics composition is present and room is provided for an applicator. The mirror may be used to assist in applying the cosmetic composition to the face.
Sewing kits are know that can be placed in small container suitable for placement in a pocket or a purse. However, the sewing kits often are misplaced or simply lost in the jumble of a typical purse or other bag used to carry the sewing kit from place to place.
A compact device comprises a pop up brush in one section of a compact and a mirror in another section of a compact. The mirror is hingedly attached to the pop up brush section such that a user may simultaneously brush the users hair, while viewing, either directly or indirectly in a second stationery mirror, the hair being brushed. The reverse side of the mirrored section of the compact device there is a removable cover. Inside the removable cover is a storage compartment.
In one embodiment, the storage compartment is used for the storage of a sewing kit which may include a needle, thread, buttons, safety pins, a threading tool and other useful sewing items that may be needed in an emergency.
One advantage of the present invention is that the sewing kit may be easily found merely by locating the compact device.
Another advantage is that the mirror and brush may be used with only one hand, while touching up a person's hair. Yet another advantage is that the combination of a flexible, pop up brush with a mirror and a compact device makes the entire compact device comparatively thin and easy to carry even in a pocket rather than a bag.
In yet another embodiment, the storage compartment comprises a container for prescription and non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements or other types of pills. For example, the container may hold pills in individual compartments to be dispensed on a given day of the week. In one embodiment, the cover is rotatably attached to the mirror section such that a dispensing slot is capable of being rotated by the user to the correct day of the week. Then, the user can dispense a pill or pills from the container associated with that day of the week. Alternatively, the cover is removably attached to the mirror section, which allows access to a pill storage container enclosed within the storage compartment.
This detailed description provide specific examples of the invention, but the invention should not be limited merely to the examples disclosed. Instead, the invention should be limited only by the claims that may eventually issue. Many variations in the system, changes in specific components of the system and uses of the system will be readily apparent to those familiar with the area of remote sensing based on the drawings and description provided.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an opened compact device with a flexible pop up brush deployed.
FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a closed compact device.
FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of an opened compact device with a flexible pop up brush in the stored position.
FIG. 3 shows a front plan view of one embodiment.
FIG. 4 shows a rear plan view of the embodiment in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 shows a side plan view of the embodiment in FIG. 3.
FIGS. 6a-6c show the cover on the mirror section being opened to reveal a sewing kit.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a flexible brush comprises a flexible membrane 12 and bristles 24 integrally attached to the flexible membrane 12. Other embodiments of a pop up brush are known and may be used in alternative embodiments. The flexible member 12 is attached to an annular flange of a top section 16 of the compact device 10. The top section may take forms other than a circular flange. For example, the top section 16 may be square or rectangular or oval or a polygonal shape having more than four sides. In the examples shown in FIG. 1, the flexible pop up brush is deployed by pressing as indicated by the arrow labelled A. The top section 16 is attached to a mirrored section 18 by a hinge 14. The hinge may be any type of connector that permits the unfolding of the two sections as a clam shell such as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B and by the arrow labelled B in FIG. 2B. For example, the hinge in FIG. 1 is a pin hinge. However, the hinge may be a flexible hinge integrally cast from a flexible material during the production of the brush section 16 an the mirror section 22.
The mirror section 18 comprises a mirrored surface 22 disposed in the inside portion of the mirror section, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2B and 4. On the opposite side of the mirrored section, as shown in FIG. 3, there is a cover 19. The cover 19 is removably attached to the mirrored section 18 such that a volume in enclosed, as shown in FIGS. 6A-6C.
In FIG. 6B a sewing kit is disposed in a compartment of the mirror section defined by a bottom 69, a side wall extending outward from the bottom 69, and the cover 19, which is removably attached to the side wall 67. For example, the sewing kit may comprises a needle 61 and thread 62. The sewing kit may further comprise a needle threader 68, buttons 64, and pins, such as the safety pin 66 shown in FIG. 6B. As shown in FIG. 6A, the cover 19 may be attached and detached using a rotational movement indicated by the arrow labelled C. In the example of FIG. 6B, indented portions 63 are shown that are capable of mating with tabs (not shown) on cover 19. By inserting the tabs in the indents 63, pressing and turning the cover 19 to the closed position in the direction opposite of arrow C, the cover 19 is closed and locked in position. In alternative embodiments, the wall 67 and the cover 19 may be threaded, such that the cover 19 is removably threadable on the mirror section 18.
An alternative embodiment, the sewing kit is replaced by a contact lens receptor molded into the compartment formed by the wall 67, bottom 69 and cover 19 of the mirror section 18. A container of sterile contact lens storage solution may be included in the compartment.
In alternative examples, the container of contact lens solution may be refillable or disposable.
Other variations and uses for the storage compartment will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on this disclosure, and these additional variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.