AU592175B2 - Liquid applicator having flocked fabric covering - Google Patents

Description

UL _L FORM 10 5921 SPRUSON FERGUSON COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: -7/si6 Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: L ri te

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Priority: Related Art: ""DT This document cont -ins the amendments made ;CLr I Section 49 and is correct fou printing.

t t I I Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: t CHESEBROUGH-POND'S INC.

Nyala Farm Road, Westport, Connecticut 06881, United States of America WILLIAM GEORGE BLASIUS, Jr.

Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia I C Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "LIQUID APPLICATOR HAVING FLOCKED FABRIC COVERING" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us SBR:ALB:357T _1 J- r r IA LIUID APPLICATOR HAVING FLOCKED FABRIC COVERING

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Background of the Present Invention Field of the Present Invention The present invention relates to a liquid applicator having a flocked covering at its dispensing outlet.

Description of the Prior Art Various types of liquid applicators for substances, such as cosmetics, are known. For example, US Patent Nos. 4,050,826 and 4,384,589 each relate to liquid delivery systems which utilize an applicator which is formed from a porous plastic material. The plastic material through which the liquid is dispensed is non-flexible, non-deformable and is formed of a S sintered porous synthetic plastic resin having a controlled porosity and having omni-directional interconnecting pores. The pores in such materials are microscopic, subvlsual size (10-500 microns).

The device shown In US Patent No. 4,384,589 has an absorbent layer of material bonded to the inner top area of its cap, rather than to the porous plastic applicator to absorb an excess liquid from the surface of the applicator head.

Summary of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein an applicator for a liquid comprising: 25 a) a container for 'ne liquid having a wall with at least one 4 aperture therethrough to allow for passage of the liquid; b) a covering of flocked fibers adhesively bonded to at least that portion of the wall containing the aperture, said covering being adapted to wick the liquid from the container and dispense it therefrom.

Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper portion of a preferred applicator of the present invention; and Fig. 2 is an overhead view of the applicator shown in Fig. 1.

ii :19 KLN/15971 .h;ir -n LLI -2- Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment In a preferred embodiment the applicator of the present invention comprises a squeeze-tube applicator which can be utilized for dispensing for both high and low viscosity fluids. Non-limiting examples of fluids which can be dispensed from the applicator Include make-up, lip gloss, moisturizers, foot care products, antiperspirants, and the like. The applicator comprises a container body which, preferably, is of generally tubular shape and Is formed of a synthetic polymeric material which allows it to be squeezed. The wall of the container in which the aperture 12 Is formed Is preferably shaped like a dome is present at the upper end of the container body 11. The aperture must be of sufficiently large size to alow a sufficient volume of liquid to pass therethrough in accordance with C the present Invention over the microscopic, subvisual pores in the S previously described applicators would effectively block flow of liquid IS into and from the flock component. As shown r ce Ct

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CP-8 141 -3in Fig. 1, appropriate screw threads 13 can be formed in the container body 11 below the dome shaped end wall container aperture 12 to allow for closure of the container by means of an appropriate screw cap (not shown).

As mentioned~ before, the wall is provided with a suitable dispensing aperture which allows for egress of the materials to be dispensed from the container 11. This wall portion containing the aperture 12 is covered with a flock material 14 which functions by wicking liquid material away 1Q from the aperture 12 thereby dispersing the product more evenly over the surface of the flocked material 14. When the saturated flock material 14 is rubbed against a substrate, a uniform, unstreaked coating is left behind.

,'~The flocked material is softer, coats more efficiently, and tot* is more cost effective than certain other types of materials 4t 41 that are used in applicators, urethanie foams. The fI., flock material 14 can be a standard type of fabric material which is easily obtainable in the commercial market, if desired. Alternatively, chopped, synthetic fibers can be applied to the adhesively coated outer wall of the container over the aperture or apertures, if desired. The fibers which are to be chosen for use in forming the flock material can be low denier 1 to 1-1/2) short 0.025 to 0.036 inch), preferably, synthetic fibers. The diameter of the fiber controls the degree of abrasion that will be C;Sr generated upon use of the product with lower denier fibers being less abrasive. The length will determine the wicking rate and the degree of matting. When the fibers are adhesively bound, the thickness of the adhesive and the length of the fibers can total about 0.007 inch.

The foregoing represents certain embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of protection that is sorted is set forth in the claims which follow.

Claims (6)

1. An applicator for a liquid comprising: a) a container for the liquid having a wall with at least one aperture therethrough to allow for passage of the liquid; b) a covering of flocked fibers adhesively bonded to at least that portion of the wall containing the aperture said covering being adapted to wick the liquid from the container and dispense it therefrom.

2. An applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wall is the top wall of the container.

3. An applicator as claimed in claim 2 which has screw threads below the top wall.

4. An applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wall containing 0 the aperture is a dome-shaped top wall.

5. An applicator as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fibers have a *d denier of from about 1.0 to about 1.5 and a length of from 0.025 to about 0.035 inch.

6. An applicator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this ELEVENTH day of OCTOBER 1989 Chesebrough-Pond's Inc O i Patent Attorneys for the Applicant 0 0 SPRUSON FERGUSON a 0 -KLN/15971 KLN/15971 ir _i