EP2272392B1 - Dye applicator - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an applicator having an applicator element for applying a product directed from a separate supply of the application zone on a hair or comparable comparable fiber strand and a movable between a closed position and a released position strands gripper. This strand gripper serves at least to guide a strand by means of a guide surface provided for this purpose on it in the region of the application zone. In many cases, however, it is also used to select the strand and to bring the strand to the application zone.

Various concepts for applicators for applying products to hair or fiber strands are known in the prior art. US 2003/0131864 shows an applicator according to the preamble of claim 1.

That's how it works U.S. Patent 3,030,968 a pincer-like device that can be easily called strand tongs. In this trimmer, the applied product of the application zone is not supplied from a separate supply ago. Instead, the product to be applied is kept in stock directly in the application zone. For this purpose, one side of the trimmer has a depression in the manner of a shell into which the product is filled before the start of the application. The other side of the trimmer is equipped with a projection intended to dip into the recess.

The application takes place with this trimmer forceps such that one strand of hair is placed over the depression and then the trimmer forceps is closed. As a result, the projection dips the hair or the strand of hair into the depression and thus into the product stored there. The tress can now be pulled lengthwise through the product held stored in the recess and is thereby charged with the product.

It is clear that you must always hold the trimming forceps as horizontally as possible during application to prevent the product held in the deepening of the trimming forceps from escaping. It is clear that this trimmer is therefore relatively impractical. Because especially when dyeing hair in inaccessible places, such as the back of the head, it is difficult to keep the trimming forceps horizontally.

In addition, it is not possible with this trimmer in any form to dose how much of the product is applied to the respective strand of hair. Because the treated strand of hair is inevitably completely immersed in the product stored in the recess. As long as the product to be applied to the strand of hair has an aqueous consistency, this does not pose any great problem. The surplus of the product, which can no longer absorb the strand of hair, runs off unceremoniously - so that at the very least there is a problem in that draining product into the environment instead of getting back into the depression.

Serious problems arise when the product to be applied to the hair strand has a higher viscosity consistency, such as the more modern hair dyes, which are often adjusted as a paste or gel to prevent dripping of the product or uncontrolled wetting of the scalp by the product. From such a product is usually clearly applied too much on the strand of hair, if one uses for its application of such a Strähnenzange in which the strand of hair undifferentiated immersed in the supply of the product and is pulled through it.

Finally, the trimmer is also impractical, because it can not be worked continuously, but the work must be interrupted again and again to fill up the inevitably relatively small supply of the product to be applied again, although at the end of the application still in the depression befindliches, not consumed Product can only be disposed of because it has already come into intensive contact with the previously dyed strands of hair.

The American patent US 7,025,069 shows a similar applicator. In contrast to the trimming forceps described above, this is not a forceps-like device but a scissor-type, that is, a trimmer. From the operation and its disadvantages, however, the trimmer and the hair trimmer are very similar, so that the above-mentioned for the trimmer tongs also applies to the trimmer.

Various generic applicators are known from the German patent application DE 10 2006 053 401 known.

A first embodiment of this patent application proposes an applicator whose outer wall is elongated and serves as a so-called selection element. This selection element has a roughly C-shaped and therefore not self-contained cross section, which is why it is quite clunky.

With this selection element, a strand of hair can be grasped from the entirety of the hair and fed to the application area. The extended part of the outer wall is for this purpose designed so that it has an inclined sliding surface, which leads the gripped hair strand to a groove. In this groove, the hair strand to be dyed can be inserted to them on the brush-like Pass application element, which serves here for applying the product or the color. The groove cheeks and the groove bottom serve as a guide surface, which guide the hair strand and the applicator relative to each other when the hair strand slides through the application zone.

However, an operation with only one hand is not possible in this embodiment. Because of the fact that the groove is open, a hand is always required that tightens the strand and prevents it from slipping out of the groove, while the second hand is needed to pull the applicator along the strand.

In a second embodiment proposed by this patent application, the area provided with the guiding groove is made slidable, so that indeed one can speak of a strand gripper gripping a strand and actively in close contact with the strip-shaped one Applicator brings. Even in this embodiment, however, the groove is open to one side, so that the problems described above still exist.

The patent application also provides a third embodiment.

Also in this embodiment, the area provided with the groove is designed as a sliding strand gripper. This embodiment is improved insofar as it is possible here to push the groove of the strand gripper under a barb on the housing of the applicator, so that the gripped and supplied by means of the groove of the application zone hair strand is securely caught between the groove and the barb. The groove, along with the barb, performs a guiding function, thus guiding the strand of hair and the applicator relative to one another as the applicator is pulled along the strand.

The disadvantage here, however, that only a portion of the guide surface is formed on the movable strand gripper, while a not inconsiderable second part of the guide surface is formed on the rigidly attached to the housing barbs. The guide surface of the strand gripper thus only partially overlaps the application zone. Therefore, the strand gripper is able to hold only the part of the tress remaining in its groove in intimate contact with the application zone or to actively press on the application zone, while another, not insignificant part of the tress formed in spaced from the actual application zone Groove slips, which provides the barb. There, the relevant part of the strand comes clearly less intimately in contact with the application zone, as the part of the strand, which has remained in the groove of the strand gripper.

In view of this, in order to achieve a truly optimal result, the user is well advised to also guide this applicator along the strand as far as possible so that the strand almost completely slides in the groove of the stranded gripper on its way through the applicator and not upwards the groove formed by the barbs evades. Because of this, this applicator does not allow real one-handed operation, but requires increased attention in the application.

Apart from this, there is always the danger that when the strand is supplied to the application area or when the strand is re-released, some of the strand will involuntarily catch in the barb, which can lead to an unpleasant pulling on the hair and also makes the handling of the applicator uncomfortable.

In the context of a fourth embodiment, the German patent application proposes DE 10 2006 053 401 in front of the applicator with a curved hook that protrudes far beyond the application area. This curved hook should serve to grab the hair strand to be dyed and thread it into the application area by the user pushing it along the hook. The portion of this hook facing the application area and a barb opposite to it are additionally intended to guide the strand of hair during the application process in the application area.

However, the construction used for this embodiment is unable to hold the tress in direct contact with the application zone or even to press it onto the application zone. This is because the hook and its associated barbs are largely immobile, include in their rest position one of the application zone upstream space between them and therefore are not able to act on the hair strand in the vicinity of the application zone. The guidance realized by the hook and its associated barb is therefore more or less exhausted in preventing the strand from sliding off the side of the application area as the applicator is pulled along the strand.

However, to achieve a really good result, the user must also ensure that the applicator is always guided in such a way that the hair strand always remains in intimate contact with the brush, which serves as the application body.

It is the object of the invention to provide an applicator which avoids the disadvantages described.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1, in particular in that the strand gripper is designed so that its guide surface in its closed position substantially completely overlaps the application zone and keeps the strand in direct contact with the application zone, preferably even actively on or Press against the application zone.

As a rule, this embodiment of the strand gripper enables a true single-handed operation, at least following the proper introduction of the tress into the application zone. such that the applicator is held with one hand and guided so that the strand slides along its longitudinal direction through the application zone. Due to its further embodiment, the strand gripper which completely overlaps the application zone ensures that the tress always remains in direct contact with the application zone or even is actively pressed onto the application zone even without any special user intervention.

Such single-handed operation allows a very sensitive dosage of the product on the strand especially in generic applicators, which are used in conjunction with an associated reservoir for the product to be applied. In this case, the product dosage or dispensing takes place basically by pressure on the squeezable reservoir. As a result of the advantageous one-handed operation, the user can concentrate on pressing the need for the storage container to be just as strong that the desired amount of the product reaches the application zone almost continuously.

It is envisaged that the strand gripper has a one-piece in this integrated spring section. This is designed in such a way that it deforms under the influence of a pressure force applied by the user to the strands gripper in such a way that the strands gripper is transferred to its released position. In this way, it can be realized with simple means a partially automatic strands gripper working in places, preferably as a one-piece injection molded part, in particular made of plastic or metal.

It is envisaged that the spring section is designed such that it deforms under the influence of the pressure applied by the user such that the guide surface providing portion of the strand gripper to achieve the released position performs a substantially directed away from the application zone movement. Such a configuration makes it possible to grasp the next strand provided for the application in a particularly convenient manner, since the said section of the strand gripper can be pushed behind a strand of hair without the reservoir together with the applicator or the handle of the applicator supplied alternatively by means of a metering pump parallel to the head of the applicator Leading customers to be stained the streaks.

Preferably, the applicator carries in the region of its mouth guide elements or guide surfaces, which prevent a pulled in its longitudinal direction over the mouth tress slips into an area outside the mouth. These usually rigidly mounted baffles support the action of the guide surface of the strand gripper, because they complement each other in their effect with the strand gripper. This is because the strand gripper inherently has certain difficulties in preventing individual hair tufts of a strand from slipping out of its sphere of influence in the lateral direction. Here are now the baffles of use that prevent just this.

In the context of a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the applicator element has an orifice in the region of which it supports or is provided with support surfaces, against which the gripper section under the influence of frictional forces, which in the longitudinal direction over the mouth strand pulled can support him. Such a design makes it possible to make the guide surface providing section of Strähnengreifers particularly delicate so as to form an optimal manageable Strähnchennadel without fear of having to weaken this section so strong that it deforms when pulling the tress so strong that its function in question is provided.

According to a further alternative variant of the applicator, it is useful to provide an application body in fluid communication with the mouth in the region of the application zone. Such an application body ensures an improved, in particular more uniform, product application. For this purpose, the application body is preferably designed such that it is able to absorb and store certain amounts of product in order to apply them evenly to the hair or strands to be treated. In particular, the application body brush, brush, sponge-like, be designed in the form of a sintered element or in a similar manner porous, to easily record and store product.

Figur 1:

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels des erfindungsgemäßen Applikators;

Figur 2:

eine von der Seite des Strähnengreifers her gesehene Seitenansicht des Applikators gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 3:

eine Vorderansicht des Strähnengreifers gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 4:

eine von der dem Strähnengreifer gegenüberliegenden Seite her gesehene Seitenansicht des Applikators gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 5:

eine Detailansicht des Schnittes, der entlang der in Figur 4 markierten Linie geführt wurde;

Figur 6:

eine Detailansicht des Schnittes, der entlang der in Figur 3 markierten Linie geführt wurde;

Figur 7:

eine Vorderansicht des Applikatorelements in isolierter Darstellung, wie er für den Applikator gemäß Figur 1 verwendet wird;

Figur 8:

eine Seitenansicht des von der Figur 7 gezeigten Applikatorelements;

Figur 9:

einen Schnitt durch das von Figur 8 gezeigte Applikatorelement entlang der in Figur 8 markierten Schnittlinie A-A;

Figur 10:

einen Schnitt durch das von Figur 7 gezeigte Applikatorelement entlang der in Figur 7 markierten Schnittlinie B-B;

Figur 11:

das Detail X aus Figur 10;

Figur 12:

eine Draufsicht auf das von den Figuren 7 und 8 gezeigte Applikatorelement senkrecht von oben;

Figuren 13 bis 17a:

eine isolierte Darstellung des Strähnengreifers, wie er für das erste Ausführungsbeispiel verwendet wird, aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln gesehen;

Figuren 18 bis 20:

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung bei geschlossenem Strähnengreifer, aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln gesehen;

Figuren 21 bis 24:

das zweite Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung bei geöffnetem Strähnengreifer, aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln gesehen;

Figuren 25 bis 29:

eine isolierte Darstellung des Strähnengreifers, wie er für das zweite Ausführungsbeispiel verwendet wird, aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln gesehen.

Further preferred embodiments, advantages and modes of action will become apparent from the following made with reference to numerous figures description of two embodiments of the applicator according to the invention. Show it:

FIG. 1:

a perspective view of a first embodiment of the applicator according to the invention;

FIG. 2:

a seen from the side of the strand gripper ago side view of the applicator according to FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3:

a front view of the strand gripper according to FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4:

a side view of the applicator seen from the side opposite the strand gripper side FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5:

a detail view of the section along the in FIG. 4 marked line was led;

FIG. 6:

a detail view of the section along the in FIG. 3 marked line was led;

FIG. 7:

a front view of the applicator element in an isolated view, as for the applicator according to FIG. 1 is used;

FIG. 8:

a side view of the of FIG. 7 shown applicator element;

FIG. 9:

a section through the FIG. 8 shown applicator along the in FIG. 8 marked section line AA;

FIG. 10:

a section through the FIG. 7 shown applicator along the in FIG. 7 marked section line BB;

FIG. 11:

the detail X out FIG. 10 ;

FIG. 12:

a top view of that of the FIGS. 7 and 8 shown applicator element perpendicular from above;

FIGS. 13 to 17a:

an isolated view of the strand gripper, as used for the first embodiment, seen from different angles;

Figures 18 to 20:

a second embodiment of the invention with closed strand gripper, seen from different angles;

FIGS. 21 to 24:

the second embodiment of the invention with opened strand gripper, seen from different angles;

FIGS. 25 to 29:

an isolated view of the strand gripper, as used for the second embodiment, seen from different angles.

As already stated above shows the FIG. 1 , from which reference should now be made to the description, an applicator 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

The applicator 1 shown here is suitable for the dyeing of fine fiber or hair strands (or "strands of keratinic fibers") whose diameter is usually less than 1.5 millimeters and usually about 0.5 millimeters.

Such an applicator 1 is preferably in fluid communication with a reservoir, not shown here, usually made of plastic, wherein the of the FIG. 1 shown applicator 8 is placed on the usually bottle or tube-shaped reservoir. In the said reservoir is a larger supply of the hair strand to be applied product. In the application, the product to be applied is guided over the hollow applicator element 8, so that the applicator 1 can be operated continuously, ie without significant interruption.

The applicator 1 has on its side facing the reservoir on a connecting element 2, for releasably connecting the applicator 1 with the associated reservoir. The connecting element 2 preferably comprises a thread for screw connection with the reservoir. Instead of using a thread, the applicator can also be connected by means of a comparatively acting connection method, such as a snap or press connection, with the reservoir bottle.

The connecting element 2 is adjoined by a substantially tubular functional section of the applicator element 8, which forms a tubular spout 3. The hollow spout 3 preferably has a circular or elliptical cross section and thus forms an internal channel 6 for the product.

About this spout 3, the product stored in the reservoir product is passed within the applicator 8 and fed to a mouth 4, which is integrated into the free end of the spout 3.

The FIGS. 5 and 6 show a section through the region of the mouth 4 at the free end of the applicator element 8 and its spout 3 and illustrate in particular together with the Fig. 1-3 In this case, the mouth 4 is used in general for dispensing the product from the application element 8 into an application zone 5 adjoining the mouth 4 within the application element 8. Within the application zone 5, the actual application of the product to the hair or hair is effected Strands.

At the application zone 5, the product to be applied from the reservoir held ready in the reservoir is introduced via the inner channel 6, which then exits via the mouth 4 of the inner channel 6 in the application zone. As in particular on the hand of the FIGS. 5 and 6 can be seen, the mouth 4 of the inner channel 6 is located approximately in the middle of the sliding surface 28 - seen in the direction in which the respective strand of hair is pulled through the application zone. Here, the mouth 4 is designed here as a wide slot and has a relation to the adjacent section of the inner channel 6 reduced cross section. This prevents that at greater pressure on the reservoir immediately too much amount of the product is applied immediately.

The product to be applied exiting from the mouth 4 penetrates to a part immediately immediately after leaving the mouth 4 in the strand and is (assuming high viscosity) to another part of the surface of the strand in the direction of the sliding surface 28th dragged along and comes in the course of the strand in intimate contact. A further improvement, in particular in the sense of a more uniform product application, can additionally be achieved by the use of an application body (not shown) within the application zone 5.

The guide surface 13 of the strand gripper 12 engages over the application zone 5 in the direction transverse to the direction in which the tress is pulled through the applicator 1 and thus ensures that the tress remains in sufficient contact with the application zone 5. The guide surface 13 preferably presses the strand onto the application zone 5 or the mouth 4, via which the product to be applied emerges. In this case, the guide surface 13 of the strand gripper 12 of this exemplary embodiment extends in a direction substantially or almost exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the inner channel 6 and / or the spray nozzle 3, both with the strands gripper 12 and with the strands gripper 12 closed.

The free end of the applicator 1 and its injection nozzle 3 is - seen in the direction of flow - provided behind the mouth 4 with guide surfaces 10 and support surfaces 9. In the embodiment described here, the guide and support surfaces 9, 10 are on crenellated elements 11, which give the free end of the application element 8 the appearance of a tower hood. There are four pieces of these crenellated elements 11 are provided. These include in a first direction a first, usually large groove GN and - optionally - in a second direction, a second, usually smaller groove CN between them.

The first groove GN receives the hair strand to be pulled through the application zone 5. The strand of hair is held in contact with the application zone 5 by the strand gripper 12. The guide grooves 10 laterally delimiting the first groove GN reliably prevent parts of the hair strand from escaping the action of the guide surface 13 of the strand gripper 12 and slipping out of the application zone 5 laterally under the influence of the forces produced when pulling a strand of hair through the application zone 5 ,

In the second groove KN, the strand gripper 12 rests in its closed state. The second groove CN supports the strand gripper 12 by means of the support surfaces 9 delimiting it. In this way, even if the strand gripper 12 sake of better handling sake slender is executed, prevents the strand gripper 12 under the influence of the forces that arise when pulling a strand of hair through the application zone 5, undesirably entrained or bent in the longitudinal direction of the hair strand.

The strand gripper 12 used by this first embodiment consists of a first functional portion 14 an adjoining, not further explained transition portion 16 and in turn adjoining second functional portion 15 which is designed as a spring element.

This first functional section 14 forms a guide surface 13, which completely overlaps the application zone 5 transversely to the direction of passage of the strand in the closed position of the strand gripper 12 and, as already mentioned, ensures that the strand remains in sufficient contact with the application zone 5. Preferably, the guide surface 13 presses the strand onto the application zone 5 or the mouth 4 over which the product to be applied emerges, as in FIGS FIGS. 5 and 6 shown.

The first functional section 14, 24 is designed very slim - usually as slim as the material used, eg. As plastic or metal, and allow the expected during use forces without causing disturbing deformation of him. As a rule, it has a closed round or rectangular or polygonal cross section. Its largest diameter is usually smaller by a factor of 10 than its length in the direction of its longitudinal axis 18 and is usually below 10mm, ideally below 7mm. As the Fig. 1, 2 As well as 22 and 26 show, its width is also at least by a factor of 3 less than that of the second functional section 15. In the region of its free end, the first functional section 14, 24 carries a barb 17. The first functional section 14, 24 is thus designed as a Strähnchennadel ,

The longitudinal axis 18 of the first functional portion 14, 24 extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the applicator 1 and the spray nozzle 3. In this way, the particular bottle-shaped reservoir is in the intended use of the applicator 1 substantially perpendicular to the hair or the strand , on which the application is performed, and is the least objectionable. In this case, the region of the first functional section 14 coming to rest in the closed position above the application zone 5 is preferably curved in such a way that it adapts to the outer contour of the opposite sliding surface 28.

The second functional section 15 of the strand gripper 12 forms a spring element 30 integrated into the strand gripper 12. This spring element is supported here on the spout 3. In order to enable a true one-handed operation of the entire applicator 1, the spout is preferably dimensioned so that it forms an abutment which, under the influence of the regularly occurring, unilaterally acting forces not significantly deformed, so no further support by the user needs.

The integrated spring element 30 elongates under the influence of a compressive force acting on the spring element 30 and thereby lifts the first functional section 14 away from the application zone 5. For this purpose, two oppositely disposed leaf springs 30 are formed on the second functional portion 15, which are curved so that they lengthen together under the influence of a compressive force. These leaf springs 30 can be with a corresponding design, according to rigid design of the applicator 1 and ergonomic dimensioning of the reservoir with only a single finger of the entire applicator 1 holding hand squeeze, namely preferably with the thumb or forefinger. This allows the Strähnengreifer 12 a real one-handed operation.

As a result of this elongation, the first functional portion 14 is moved substantially transversely to its longitudinal axis 18 and thus away from the application zone 5. Its stroke length is selected to be preferably 1 to 3 cm so large that the first functional portion 14 is lifted so far from the application zone 5 that it can be conveniently used as Strähnchennadel, that is, that it can be used to behind a new, in a next step to take hair strand to be stained and to divide this. For this purpose, the correspondingly designed first functional portion 14 is used as a kind of hook, with which - based on its own longitudinal axis and the longitudinal axis of the hair strand to be taken - is taken approximately at an angle 70 ° to 130 ° behind the hair strand. The barb 17 facilitates the separation of a tress and subsequently prevents the hair tress caught by the first functional section 14 from unintentionally sliding off laterally beyond the free end of the first functional section 14.

As soon as the pressure on the spring element 30 is released, it retracts the first functional portion 14 to its closed position. The first functional portion 14 takes in this case the voltage applied to its guide surface 13 hair strand and brings them in direct contact with the application zone 5. In the concrete embodiment, the spring element 30 is designed so that it is still under a certain voltage, even if the of the guide surface 13 3 brought hair strand already comes to rest in the application zone 5. As a result, the hair tress is not only held substantially free of play in the application zone 5 but actively pressed into the application zone 5.

On its side facing away from the first functional section 14, the strand gripper 12 is equipped with a holding member 19, which is annularly configured here. This holding member 19 is pushed over the applicator 8 and its spout 3 and set there, preferably snapped, for example, on the purpose of the spray spout 3 provided bead 20. In this case, the holding member 19 and the spout 3 are preferably designed so that the Holding member 19 only in a correct orientation can be correctly attached to the spout 3. This ensures in the present embodiment, a kind of feather key 21. In any case, the retainer 19 9 can be rotationally fixed to the spout 3. In this way, it is possible to equip the spout 3, if necessary, with differently shaped strand grippers 12 or to decide to use the spout 3, without previously a strand gripper 12 is mounted. This increases acceptance, especially for applicators 1 that are intended for the average consumer, since the consumer can use the applicator 1 as best he can cope with it.

It should be noted that the applicator 1 need not necessarily be used in conjunction with a particular bottle-shaped reservoir. Instead, the of FIG. 1 shown applicator 1, for example, be screwed onto a handle that is supplied via a flexible supply line and by means of a metering pump with the product stored at a very different location - and then purely externally, for example, resembles an airbrush gun. This, however, with the difference that the supply of the product to be applied is not pneumatic according to the venturi principle, but by pumping the product to be applied.

Regardless of how the applicator 1 is used, it is usually convenient for reasons of hygiene and the simplest possible application, the applicator 1 as a disposable item, d. H. as a disposable product to carry out - the invention with its very simple design accommodates this.

The FIGS. 13 to 28 show a second embodiment of the applicator 1 of the invention, which is also designed for dyeing fine fiber or hair strands (or "strands of keratinic fibers"), the diameter is usually less than 1.5 millimeters and usually at about 0.5 Millimeters.

The applicator 1 described in the context of this second embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment only by its strand gripper 12. In contrast, the complete applicator element 8 substantially corresponds to that of the first embodiment, so that what has already been said applies in the context of the second embodiment.

How best on the basis of Fig. 22 In the closed position, one of these two gripping arms 29 has an inner first functional section 24, an adjoining transition section 25, and a second functional section 26, which in turn adjoins this second functional section 26 Spring training. The inner functional portion 24 forms the guide surface 13, which completely overlaps the application zone 5 in the closed position of the strand gripper 12 transversely to the direction of pulling the strand and the strand in immediate Contact with the application zone 5 stops. The longitudinal axis 18 of the inner first functional portion 24 or at least the guide surface 13 of the strand gripper (see. Fig. 27 ) runs with a closed strand gripper substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the applicator 1 and the injection nozzle 3.

The other of these two gripping arms 29 has a first functional section 27 which is disposed in the closed position, a transition section 25 closing thereon and a second functional section 26, which in turn adjoins this second functional section 26, which likewise forms a spring. The two springs of the second functional portions 26 are based on the corresponding spray nozzle 3, but are arranged relative to each other as a rule so that the forces exerted by them on the spray nozzle 3 forces F cancel each other, which makes a particularly powerful design of the spray nozzle 3 is unnecessary.

The two springs 26 are designed so that the two transitional portions 25 with their first functional portions 24 and 27 substantially butterfly-like pivot around the or in the area of the points P, when the two transition sections 25 in the area in which they superimpose second functional sections 26, in each case a compressive force F is exercised (see. Fig. 24 , Arrows F). The springs 26 or gripping arms 29 are preferably designed so that the gripping arms pivot outwards relative to the longitudinal axis of the applicator element or its grommet 3 at an angle W of approximately 5 ° to 15 °, cf. again Fig. 24 , The pressure forces indicated by the arrows F can be applied with suitable dimensioning of the strand gripper 12 and appropriately designed reservoir in that the thumb of the user the first and the index finger applies the second pressure force, while the rest of the user's hand holds the reservoir. Thus, a comfortable one-hand operation of the applicator 1 is ensured even in this embodiment.

In any case, the first, internal functional portion 24 is designed very slim - usually as slim as allow the material used and the forces expected during use, without causing any disturbing deformation of him. As a rule, it has a closed round or rectangular or polygonal cross section. As a rule, its largest diameter is smaller by a factor of 5 than its length in the direction of its longitudinal axis 18 (cf. Fig. 18, 20 . 23 or 25 ) or is usually below 10 mm, ideally below 7 mm. As the figures also illustrate, its width (in the direction transverse to its longitudinal axis 18) is at least 3 times lower than that of the transition section 25 or the rest of the arm. Conveniently, the first, inner functional portion 24 has a rectangular cross-section. In the region of its free end, the first, internal functional portion 24 carries a barb 17, cf. especially Fig. 23 ,

The first, internal functional portion 24 is thus configured again as a stub needle.

He is used as intended to take behind a new, to be dyed in a next step strand of hair and to divide this. For this purpose, the correspondingly designed first functional portion 24 is used as a kind of hook, with which - based on its own longitudinal axis and the longitudinal axis of the hair tress to be taken - is taken approximately at an angle of 70 ° to 130 ° behind the hair strand. The barb 17 facilitates the separation of a strand and subsequently prevents the hair strand caught by the first functional section 24 from unintentionally sliding off laterally beyond the free end of the first functional section 24.

As soon as the hair tress selected for the next application procedure is placed on the inner first functional section 24 used as a stretcher needle or abuts its guide surface 13, the user terminates the pressure on the transitional sections 25. Under the influence of the spring force, the gripping arms 29 now pivot back into their closed position back. In this case, the inner first functional portion 24 takes the selected strand of hair with it and places it in the application zone 5, bringing it into direct contact with the application zone 5. The inner functional portion 24 even distributes the hair or hair tufts of the strand even in a certain way over the application zone 5, as he progressively sweeps the application zone 5 from outside to inside until it reaches its fully closed position.

In all this, the outer first functional section 27 pivots over the inner functional section 24 and supports it on its side facing away from the strand - so that the inner first functional section 24 is not substantially bent even if in the course of using the applicator 1 larger forces in the direction the longitudinal axis of the applicator 1 or the spray nozzle 3 on the inner functional portion 24 and its guide surface 13 should attack. Preferably, the outer contact surface of the inner functional portion 24 is convex and the inner contact surface of the outer functional portion concave, so that due to the friction between the two functional portions 24 and 27 even results in a locking direction locking effect.

In this exemplary embodiment too, the strand gripper 12 is equipped on its side facing away from the first functional sections 24 and 27 with a holding member 19 which is annularly provided here. This holding member 19 is pushed over the applicator 8 and its spout 3 and fixed there.

The holding member of this second embodiment is designed as already above for the corresponding holding member of the first embodiment. Of course, this second variant of the applicator 1 can additionally be equipped in the application zone 5 with an already mentioned application body.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

applicator

2

connecting element

3

spout

4

muzzle

5

application zone

6

channel

7

metering constriction (eg slot die)

8th

applicator

9

support surface

10

baffle

11

crenellated elements

12

strands gripper

13

Guide surface of the strand gripper

14

first section of the strand gripper (first embodiment)

15

second, resilient portion of the strand gripper (first embodiment)

16

Transition section

17

barb

18

Longitudinal axis of the first section

19

holding member

20

bead

21

Adjusting spring

22

bristle

23

gap

24

first functional section (first arm of the second embodiment)

25

Transition section (first and second arm of the second embodiment)

26

second functional section (first and second arm of the second embodiment)

27

first functional section (second arm of the second embodiment)

28

sliding surface

29

claw arm

30

spring element

GN

big groove

KN

small groove

W

Aufschwenkwinkel

F

force

Claims (12)

1. An applicator (1) having an applicator member (8) for applying a product supplied from a separate source to the application zone (5) onto a hair or fibre strand, and a strand gripper (12) that can be moved backwards and forwards between a closed position and a ventilated position, which strand gripper serves at least for guiding a strand by means of a guiding surface (13) provided thereon for this purpose in the area of the application zone (5), which guiding surface (13) in the closed position of the gripper (12) completely spans the application zone (5) and holds the strand in contact with the application zone (5), preferably presses it onto the application zone (5), characterised in that the strand gripper (12) has at least one spring section (26,30) integrally integrated therein, which deforms under the effect of a compression force exerted on the gripper (12) by the user in such a way that the strand gripper (12) is transferred into its ventilated position, and in that the section (14, 24) of the strand gripper (12) that provides the guiding surface (13) carries a barb (17) in the region of the free end thereof and therefore forms a streaking needle, by means of which, in the ventilated position of the strand gripper (12), a single strand can be gripped in order to select it and to supply it to the application zone (5).
2. The applicator (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the at least one spring section (26, 30) and the strand gripper (12) as a whole are designed such that the compression force required for transferring the strand gripper (12) into the ventilated position can be exerted by the user using the same hand that also holds the applicator, preferably using no more than two fingers.
3. The applicator (1) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the spring section (26, 30) is designed such that it deforms under the effect of the compression force exerted by the user in such a way that the section (14, 24) of the strand gripper (12) that provides the guiding surface (13) carries out a movement for reaching the ventilated position that is substantially directed away from the application zone (5).
4. The applicator (1) as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the section (14, 24) of the strand gripper (12) that provides the guiding surface (13) is tapered in relation to the section (15, 25) of the strand gripper (12) adjoining it.
5. The applicator (1) as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the section (14, 24) of the strand gripper (12) that provides the guiding surface (13) is designed as a streaking needle, the maximum cross-sectional diameter of which is substantially smaller than the extension thereof in the direction of its longitudinal axis (18).
6. The applicator (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the strand gripper (12) has an annular retention collar (19), by means of which it can be pushed over a tubular section of the applicator member (8) and can be fixed there.
7. The applicator (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the applicator member (8) includes an outlet (4), through which the product supplied from a source exits, wherein the applicator member (8) has guiding surfaces (10) in the area of the outlet (4), which prevent a strand pulled in its longitudinal direction over the outlet (4) from sliding off into an area outside of the outlet (4).
8. The applicator (1) as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the applicator member (8) has an outlet (4), through which the product supplied from a source exits, wherein the applicator member (8) has support surfaces (9) in the area of the outlet between the guiding surfaces (10), against which support surfaces the strand gripper (12) can be supported under the effect of the forces exerted by a strand pulled in its longitudinal direction over the outlet (4).
9. The applicator (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the applicator member (8) has a preferably crowned sliding surface (28) that surrounds the outlet (4) on the outside, along which sliding surface the strand slides as it is pulled through the application zone (5).
10. The applicator (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the applicator member (8) has an internal channel (6), the outlet (4) of which is located in the sliding surface (28).
11. The applicator (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the applicator member (8) has an internal channel (6) via which the product to be applied is supplied from a source, wherein in the area of the outlet (4) of the channel (6), a narrowing (7) of the channel (6), which has a dosing effect, is formed, or the outlet (4) itself forms such a narrowing.
12. The applicator (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the application zone (5), the applicator member (8) has an application body in fluid communication with the outlet (4).

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