AU684666C - Applicator for applying a fluid - Google Patents

Description

APPLICATOR FOR APPLYING A FLUID

The present invention relates to an applicator for

applying various fluid products, for example for

applying colorants to hair.

The application of treatment fluids to hair

requires skill and practice if good results are to be

achieved. The quality of the result is often dependent

upon the skill and precision with which the treatment

is applied, and so an applicator which helps a

hairdresser to control the application of a fluid is

beneficial in achieving a desired result.

It is already known for a hairdresser to place a

prepared treatment fluid into a plastic container provided with a nozzle through which the fluid may be

squeezed on to the hair. Although this method of

application is convenient and less messy than applying

the fluid from a bowl using a brush, if a very fine nozzle is used to achieve a precise line of treatment, the rate at which fluid can be expelled from such a

nozzle makes the application slow. Also, it can be difficult to ensure that the treatment is applied to

the correct parts of the hair.

It would be desirable to be able to provide an

alternative form of fluid applicator which overcomes

some at least of the problems encountered with current

forms of applicator, and in particular which enables

accurate control in the application of the fluid to a

substrate.

According to the present invention, there is provided an applicator for applying a fluid to a

substrate comprising a reservoir for containing a

treatment fluid, at least two nozzles spaced apart from

and generally parallel to each other, and a passage

connecting each of said nozzles to said reservoir

whereby said fluid can be expelled from said reservoir.

The provision of at least two spaced apart nozzles

allows fluid to be applied to at least two separate

areas simultaneously, which has particular advantages when used to apply colour in the form of "highlights"

or "lowlights" to hair, because several narrow bands of colour usually give a more natural-looking result than

a single wider band. Although the invention is described in terms of

its suitability for use in applying hair treatments,

its advantages may be beneficial in other uses such as

in the application of decorative paint effects.

The reservoir may be an integral part of a

complete container such as a tube or bottle in which

the treatment fluid is contained. The reservoir is,

however, preferably readily detachable from such a

container so that it may be cleaned easily between

applications. Most preferably, it is attached to and

detachable from the container, for example by means of

a screw-threaded connection or by a ridge provided on

one of the reservoir and the container for engagement

in a groove provided on the other of the reservoir and the container.

The applicator may be used with a wide variety of

containers and fluid expulsion means. For example one

type of suitable container has a piston-like plate

which may be caused to move towards the nozzles to

force the fluid contained in the container out of the

nozzles by depressing a plunger to which the plate is

attached, as in a syringe, or by activation of a sprung mechanism by depressing a trigger, for example.

Alternatively, some form of pressurised container may

be used from which fluid may be expelled through the

nozzles by applying gas pressure within the container.

A preferred type of container is a flexible tube

or bottle from which fluid may be expelled by

squeezing.

The reservoir is connected to at least two nozzles

through which fluid may be expelled from the reservoir.

Preferably at least three nozzles are provided, and

most preferably six to ten nozzles, spaced apart from

each other in a direction transverse to the axes of the

nozzle exits. The nozzles may preferably each be

opened and closed, most preferably independently of one

another. The nozzles are preferably pivotal between

their open and closed positions i.e. of a type which

are joined to the reservoir by means of a pivotal connection whereby they may be closed by pivoting or

folding them towards the reservoir so that the fluid

passage therethrough is interrupted, or opened by being positioned to extend from the reservoir, so that the fluid passage between the reservoir and the nozzle becomes essentially linear and uninterrupted. By these

means, the amount of fluid applied and the width of a

section of hair to be treated may be controlled by

opening the required number of nozzles. Also, the

fluid may be applied in a number of narrow stripes

which may be required specifically when carrying out

certain types of treatment, for example putting

highlights in hair.

Preferably the applicator further comprises a

generally elongate spreader located transversely to the

axes of the nozzles and in ciose proximity to said

nozzles. The presence of a spreader allows the person

applying the fluid greater control over application of

the fluid, because the spreader may be braced against the part of the substrate which is being treated.

The elongate spreader may be a solid bar, optionally tapered away from the reservoir.

Preferably, however, the spreader comprises a comb

which has relatively fine teeth. In this form, the

comb and nozzles are preferably arranged so that the nozzles each discharge fluid between two adjacent teeth

of the comb. Alternatively, the spreader may comprise a brush, in which form it may be particularly suitable

for applying paint, especially for producing decorative

effects.

The spreader is preferably joined to an external

wall of the reservoir in such a way that it is inclined

towards the axes of the open nozzles preferably at an

angle of between 30° and 60° to the axes of the

nozzles. The spreader may touch the ends of the

nozzles. The spreader may, optionally, be adapted to

be readily detachable from and attachable to the

reservoir, so that it can be removed for cleaning or

for storage, for example. It may, for example, have a

tongue running along an edge which may frictionally

engage in a corresponding slot in the reservoir.

The applicator is preferably made from a suitable

plastics material, such as polypropylene. The

reservoir, nozzles and spreader, if present, are preferably relatively rigid. The container, reservoir

and nozzles are preferably transparent or translucent,

so that the amount and composition of the fluid

contained therein may be viewed from the outside.

The reservoir and/or a container to which it is secured may be marked to indicate the volume of fluid

contained therein. Preferably the markings are

graduated along a substantial part of the container or

reservoir and, most preferably, they are marked in such

a way that they may indicate the volume of fluid in the

container and/or reservoir both when the applicator is

uppermost and when it is pointing downwards, which

would normally be its position when in use.

The container may optionally contain a heavy bar,

bead or the like to agitate the treatment fluid on

shaking of the container.

One preferred form of the invention will now be

described, by way of example only, and with reference

to the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a hair treatment

applicator according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a reservoir of an applicator

according to the invention with the nozzles removed and a spreader attached; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through an

applicator according to the invention in its

operative position. The hair treatment applicator shown in Fig. 1

comprises a container 2 formed of a flexible

transparent plastics material, and a reservoir 4, also

transparent but more rigid than the container 2. The

reservoir 4 is secured to the container 2 by means of a

ridge 6 around the circumference of the container 2 the

underside of which is engaged by projections 8 formed

on the opposed inner walls of the reservoir. The

components 2 and 4 may be pushed together into positive

engagement and subsequently separated by pulling them

apart so as to disengage the projections 8 from the

ridge 6.

Alternatively the reservoir 4 may be secured to

the container 2 by means of an external screw-thread

provided on the container 2 co-operating with a corresponding internal screw-thread provided in the

reservoir 4.

The reservoir 4 is provided with six nozzles 10

each pivotal within an associated groove 12 in the reservoir 4 between an open position, in which the

nozzle extends longitudinally of the applicator and the bore 14 therethrough communicates with the interior of the reservoir 4, and a closed position in which the

nozzle 10 extends outwardly of the reservoir 4 and the

bore 14 is disconnected from the interior of the

reservoir 4.

A comb or spreader 16 is releasably mounted to the

reservoir 4, for example by means of a tongue 18 on the

comb 16 being slidably received in a corresponding

groove 20 in the reservoir 4, the plane of the comb 16

making an angle of about 40° to the axes of the

container 2 as best seen in Fig. 3.

Alternatively, the comb 16 may be mounted to the

reservoir 4 by means of a projection provided on the

comb 16 which is a friction push-fit into a

corresponding recess in the reservoir 4.

In use, a quantity of hair treatment fluid, such as a colorant, is placed into the container 2, and the reservoir 4 is secured over the end of the container 2 to close it. At least one nozzle 10 is opened, the

number of open nozzles 10 governing the width of the

strip of fluid which is applied. The section of hair

to be treated is then separated from the rest of the

hair, the applicator is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 and the comb 16 is drawn through the hair

section from above as the container 2 is squeezed

gently to expel fluid through the nozzles 10. The comb

16 both stabilises the section of hair, allowing the

even application of fluid along the section, and also

helps the fluid to spread evenly across the section

being treated.

As the treatment continues the user can easily

monitor the amount of fluid remaining in the container by referring to a graduated scale 22 upon the side.

There may be two graduated scales, one on each side of

the container, one for the applicator in an upright

position, and the other for the applicator in an

inverted position. When the treatment is finished, the reservoir 4

may be separated from the container 2 so that it can be

cleaned ready for a subsequent treatment or to allow the container to be refilled.

The reservoir 4 and/or the container 2 may,

however, be intended to be disposed of after one use only. It may, for example, be desirable to supply

standard pre-mixed treatments in a number of containers 2 which may be fitted to a reservoir 4 just before the

treatment is applied. Many treatments must, however be

mixed freshly shortly before application, in which case

a user would fill the container 2 when the treatment had been prepared.

As will be appreciated, the applicator according

to the invention improves the ability of the user to

apply a hair treatment in a controlled manner, to the

extent for example that colouring only a discrete

section of hair is made easier than with applicators

available hitherto. Using the applicators illustrated

in the drawings, it is possible to apply fine lines of

highlighting treatment relatively quickly and easily

compared with using existing applicators.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS -

1. An applicator for applying a fluid to a substrate

comprising a reservoir (4) for containing a treatment

fluid and characterised by at least two nozzles (10)

spaced apart from one another and generally parallel with one another, and a passage (14) connecting each

nozzle (10) to the reservoir (4) whereby said fluid can

be expelled from said reservoir (4) .

2. An applicator as claimed in claim 1 in which the

reservoir (4) is detachably mounted to a container (2) for the treatment fluid.

3. An applicator as claimed in claim 2 in which the

container (2) is of a flexible material, the fluid

being expelled from the reservoir (4) by squeezing of the container (2) .

4. An applicator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

3 in which there are at least three, and preferably six to ten, nozzles (10) spaced apart from one another in a

direction transverse to the axes of the nozzle exits.

5. An applicator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

4 in which the nozzles (10) are each movable between an

open position in which a bore (14) therethrough

communicates with the interior of the reservoir (4) ,

and a closed position in which flow of fluid

therethrough from the reservoir (4) is prevented.

6. An applicator as claimed in claim 5 in which the

nozzles (10) are movable independently of one another.

7. An applicator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

6 and further comprising a generally elongate spreader

(16) extending transversely of the axes of the nozzles

(10) and in close proximity to the exit ends of said

nozzles (10) .

8. An applicator as claimed in claim 7 in which the

spreader comprises a comb (16) .

9. An applicator as claimed in claim 8 in which the

comb (16) is detachably mounted to the reservoir (4) .

10. An applicator as claimed in any one of claims 7 to

9 in which the spreader (16) is mounted to the

reservoir (4) such that the plane thereof makes an

angle of between 30° and 60° with the axes of the

nozzles (10) in their open positions.

11. An applicator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

10 of a plastics material such as polypropylene.

12. An applicator as claimed in claim 11 in which the

container (2) , reservoir (4) and nozzles (10) are

transparent or translucent.

13. An applicator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

12 and including a container (2) , the container (2)

and/or the reservoir (4) being marked to indicate the

volume of fluid contained therein.

14. An applicator as claimed in claim 13 and provided with markings (15) indicating the volume of fluid

therein with the applicator in both an uppermost and inverted condition.