The rocket science of lipsticks

Rockets and lipsticks: Both are slender and graceful to look at; both depend on a precision assembly of moving parts to function effectively and most importantly both trace a beautiful hyperbolic path when they move! To most people this perhaps may sound like a ridiculous comparison; but ask any packaging technologist who has worked with lipsticks and most would term it as no less than rocket science (with due apologies to the rocket scientists). Consider the following summary of an international patent application filed in Oct 2003 for the ‘invention’ of a lipstick device (or mechanism, or pack?): ‘This invention relates to a lipstick mechanism including an internal substantially tubular duct that rotates in an external substantially tubular duct, the ducts having longitudinal slots and helical slots that guide in translation studs of a lipstick-holder cup disposed in the internal tubular duct, the internal duct including a substantially cylindrical base with a restriction relief that bears elastically on a substantially cylindrical surface connected to the external duct, such that the surface connected to the external…

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