Universal docking station compact

• US 8,522,795 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ELC Management LLC (The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ELC Management LLC (The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bouix, Herve F., Jacob, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): ELGART, VANITHA M
• Application Number:
  US13/100,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20120279516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 132/301, 132/218, 132/212, 132/333, 132/271, 132/269, 132/286, 132/287, 132/288, 132/290, 132/291, 132/293, 132/294, 132/304, 132/312, 132/314, 132315-318, 132/320, 132/295, 132/297, D28/78, D28/82, D28/83, D28/91, 206/349, 206/581, 206/823, 206/235, 206/701, 206/562, 206/564, 206/38, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/573, 710/303, 219/209, 320/114, 320/116, 320/166, 361/679.4, 36167941-67945
• US Class Current: 132/301
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/155 Heating or cooling means, i.e. for storing or applying cosmetic products at a predetermined temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/157 Heating means for mascara applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/207 Vibration, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/25 Kits
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 33/008 comprising a mirror hand or pocket mirrors A45D42/00; handbags or purses with mirrors A45C15/04
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 33/26 combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/045 connected to the cap of the container
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/18 Casings combined with other objects A45D40/24, A45D42/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/265 connected to the cap of the container
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A cosmetic compact that is capable of serving as a docking station for an assortment of power transfer, data transfer, and signal transfer connections. In general, power, data, and signal transfer connections will be of the input and output type, with respect to the compact. The compact docking station is able to provide power on an as needed basis or may be used to recharge one or more portable devices. A Universal Docking Station Compact according to the present invention is characterized by an assortment of power and data interfaces.

Claims

1. A cosmetic compact comprising:

a base, wherein one or more portions of the base are adapted for holding one or more personal care products;

a cover that is moveable with respect to the base, between an opened position and a closed position, such that in the closed position, the personal care product is not accessible, and in the opened position, the personal care product is accessible;

a rechargeable electric charge storage device;

at least one output electric power connector that is electrically connected to the charge storage device, and that is accessible at a surface of the compact, such that power flows from the charge storage device to the output power connector;

at least one digital or analog signal connector accessible at a surface of the compact, selected from the group consisting of RF, such as BNC, C, F, GR, N, SC, TNC, UHF, TV aerial plug, miniature, subminiature and micro types of these, D-subminiature, DVI, mini-DVI, micro-DVI, DIN, Mini-DIN, SCART, D-Terminal, VGA/Mini-VGA, Banana, RCA, TS, TRS, TRRS, such as the 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm, and 6.35 mm versions, AV Multi, memory card slot, APPLE™

Attachment Unit Interface, HDMI, PDMI, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, DMS-59, FIREWIRE™

, USB-A, USB-B, parallel ATA, serial ATA, XLR, and Registered Jack-type connectors; and

an electronic personal care device selected from a vibrating mascara, rotating mascara, heated mascara, and heated lip gloss, having an input power connector that is able to interface with one or more of the output electrical power connectors, wherein the electronic personal care device comprises an electric double-layer capacitor that is able to be recharged by the rechargeable electric charge storage device.

2. The compact of claim 1 further comprising an input electric power connector that is electrically connected to the charge storage device, and that is accessible at a surface of the compact.

3. The compact of claim 2 further comprising at least one output power connector that is accessible only when the cover is in an opened position.

4. The compact of claim 3 further comprising an electronic personal care device having an input power connector that is able to interface with that output power connector that is accessible only when the cover is in an opened position.

5. The compact of claim 2 further comprising at least one power or data connector that is able to assume at least two positions with respect to the compact.

6. The compact of claim 2 wherein the rechargeable electric charge storage device is a lithium-ion battery having nominal voltage of at least 3.7 VDC and at least 2,800 mA, and the input electric power connector can be used to recharge the battery.

7. The compact of claim 6 further comprising at least one CPU, at least one volatile memory register, at least one non-volatile memory register or any combination thereof.

8. The compact of claim 7 further comprising programming code stored in volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or both.

9. The compact of claim 8 wherein the programming code is written in one or more of ACTIONSCRIPT™

, OBJECTIVE-C™

, JAVA™

, JAVASCRIPT™

, PHP/MySQL™

, and any of the MICROSOFT™

.NET family of languages, HTML, XML or XHTML.

10. The compact of claim 7 that is able to interface with a computer to exchange power and/or data.

11. The compact of claim 10 wherein the compact instructs the computer to launch a web browser and open a particular web page.

12. The compact of claim 7 having a wireless capability that allows the compact to receive email and/or surf the worldwide web.

13. The compact according to claim 2 further comprising a receptacle filled with product located in the base, and a Peltier solid state device placed under the receptacle.

14. The compact of claim 2 further comprising any of the following:

a mirror, a display screen, one or more LEDs, one or more audio speakers, an audio capture capability, and a storage area.