EP0878146A1

EP0878146A1 - Equipment for the removal of cosmetics

Info

Publication number: EP0878146A1
Application number: EP98303653A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nicola Perkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-05-14
Filing date: 1998-05-11
Publication date: 1998-11-18
Also published as: GB2325156B; GB9709633D0; GB2325156A

Abstract

Equipment for the removal of cosmetics comprising an applicator [1], and a container [5] for storing said applicator, wherein said applicator comprises an elongated rod [2], having at its first end a pointed bulb [3] of semi-resilient absorbent material, and at its second end a flat member [4] of absorbent material, the axis of said rod lying substantially in the plane of said flat member, and the point of said bulb lying substantially on the axis of said rod, and wherein said container comprises a bottom portion [6] and a cap [7] engageable with said bottom portion for closing said container, the cross-sectional area of said bottom portion being such as to hold a plurality of said applicators with their axes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said cross-section, and the height of said container, when closed by said cap, being greater than the overall length of said applicators, and wherein the bottom portion has an absorbent member [8], extending upwards from its base, which member is arranged to contact the pointed bulbs of applicators when stored within said container.

Description

The present invention relates to equipment for the removal of cosmetics from portions of a wearer's face. More specifically, it relates to equipment for the removal of small quantities of cosmetics (otherwise known as make-up ), or for the retouching of such materials that have been too heavily applied or have been smudged.

It often happens that the initial application of make-up to the face of a wearer is too thick, or the area over which it has been applied is slightly too large. It occasionally also happens that make-up, having been initially applied in the desired manner, becomes smudged. This can happen as a consequence of fatigue, or of emotion, for instance, tears causing eye make-up to run, or rubbing the eyes may cause eye make-up to be smudged.

The purpose of this invention is to provide equipment for carrying out minor repairs (touching up) in order to restore the make-up to its originally-intended condition.

The present invention provides equipment for the removal of cosmetics which comprises an applicator, and a container for storing said applicator, wherein said applicator comprises an elongated rod, having at its first end a pointed bulb of semi-resilient absorbent material, and at its second end a flat member of absorbent material, the axis of said rod lying substantially in the plane of said flat member, and the point of said bulb lying substantially on the axis of said rod, and wherein said container comprises a bottom portion and a cap engageable with said bottom portion for closing said container, the cross-sectional area of said bottom portion being such as to hold a plurality of said applicators with their axes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said cross-section, and the height of said container, when closed by said cap, being greater than the overall length of said applicators, and wherein the bottom portion has an absorbent member, extending upwards from its base, which member is arranged to contact the pointed bulbs of applicators when stored within said container.

The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of one embodiment of an applicator according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a view of one embodiment of a container and cap according to the invention in the closed position, and

Figure 3 is a view of the container and cap in transparent form showing an applicator retained in the container.

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of an applicator according to the invention comprising a rod (2) having at one end a bulb (3) having an axis of symmetry which is substantially coaxial with the rod (2). The bulb terminates with a point at its end remote from the rod (2), and is made from an absorbent material. At the second end of the rod is a substantially flat member (4), also of absorbent material, with the axis of the rod (2) being substantially in the same plane as the flat member. In the Drawing, it is shown as having a substantially circular profile but can be made in other forms, if desired, for instance, with an oval or polygonal profile.

It will be seen that the applicator is somewhat similar in appearance to the widely-used items having a small bulb of cotton wool or similar material at each end of a thin rod. The applicator according to the invention, however, differs from such items by having the bulb and the flat member at its respective ends, rather than the identical balls of cotton wool, as is the case with the known item.

The material from which the rod is made, and the dimensions of the rod, are determined by practical considerations. It may conveniently be made from a slightly flexible plastics material of round or other desired cross section. Its cross section and length will be determined by practical conditions, such as ease of handling. Where the rod is made from a slightly flexible plastics material, a rod of round cross section will generally have a diameter of about 2mm and a length of about 5cm. The rod may, if desired, have a thicker or thinner cross section, and may, for instance, be oval or polygonal in cross section rather than circular. Similarly, it may be shorter or longer if desired.

The bulb (3) will be formed from a material which is absorbent and has sufficient rigidity to retain its substantially pointed shape, without being so rigid as to lead to possible injury to the user.

The flat member (4) at the other end of the rod is formed from any convenient absorbent material, such as a woven or non-woven fabric. In the embodiment illustrated, it is constituted by a cotton material, and is round with a diameter of about 7mm, but other absorbent materials may be used, and the member may have different dimensions. Similarly, the profile can have a different form rather than being substantially circular. It may, for instance, be oval or polygonal.
The function of the bulb is to dissolve or otherwise fluidize make-up, and in use it is impregnated with any convenient make-up remover. Its pointed shape makes it possible to remove very small areas or amounts of make-up that has been applied in excess, or which has run or has been smudged so as to cover undesired areas. Once this has been done, the liquidized excess material can be absorbed by the flat member at the other end of the rod.

The container (5) is intended for storage of a plurality of the applicators before they are used. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, it is a substantially cylindrical article having a bottom portion (6) and a cap (7), which slides over the bottom portion in the manner of a lipstick case, but other forms of cap for closure of the container may be employed if desired. The lower portion has, at the end nearest its base, an absorbent member (8) e.g. made from a porous sponge-life material of such a form as to enable a plurality of the applicators to be retained inside, with the bulbs of the applicators in contact with the absorbent member. In use, the absorbent member is impregnated with a suitable make-up remover in order to keep the bulbs themselves impregnated with the remover.

The nature of the make-up remover depends on the material to be removed or retouched. One form of liquid solvent sold for removing eye make-up comprises water, butylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, trisodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate, various alkylparabens and disodium cocoamphodiacetate. Creams are also available for various purposes, and are usually emulsions of various oils, with wetting agents, and buffering agents to adjust the pH.

In the embodiment shown, the container has a substantially cylindrical cross-section, but this is not critical and an oval or polygonal cross section may be employed if desired.

The dimensions of the container depend upon the number of applicators which are to be held within it. For instance, in one embodiment, intended to be carried around for use during the course of a day, the container will be of such size as to hold a relatively small number, such as 7, of the applicators. In such an instance, the container will generally, if of cylindrical form, have a width of about 10mm and a length of about 8cm, but may be made with a different length or width, depending on the dimensions of the applicators to be held. In another embodiment, intended to retain a larger number of the applicators, for instance, 50, 100 or some larger number, the length will be substantially the same as in the embodiment mentioned above, but the diameter will be correspondingly greater. For instance, a cylindrical container for holding 50 applicators of the preferred size will have a diameter of about _7cm.

Claims

Equipment for the removal of cosmetics which comprises an applicator, and a container for storing said applicator, wherein said applicator comprises an elongated rod, having at its first end a pointed bulb of semi-resilient absorbent material, and at its second end a flat member of absorbent material, the axis of said rod lying substantially in the plane of said flat member, and the point of said bulb lying substantially on the axis of said rod, and wherein said container comprises a bottom portion and a cap engageable with said bottom portion for closing said container, the cross-sectional area of said bottom portion being such as to hold a plurality of said applicators with their axes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said cross-section, and the height of said container, when closed by said cap, being greater than the overall length of said applicators, and wherein the bottom portion has an absorbent member, extending upwards from its base, which member is arranged to contact the pointed bulbs of applicators when stored within said container.
Equipment according to Claim 1 wherein the rod is made from a slightly flexible plastics material.
Equipment according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the flat member is formed from woven or non-woven fabric.
Equipment according to Claim 3 wherein the woven or non-woven fabric is a cotton fabric.