Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D34/00—Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes
  • A45D34/04—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
  • A45D34/041—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball using a roller, a disc or a ball
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D34/00—Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes
  • A45D34/04—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D34/00—Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes
  • A45D34/04—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
  • A45D34/042—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball using a brush or the like
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D40/00—Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks
  • A45D40/18—Casings combined with other objects
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D40/00—Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks
  • A45D40/24—Casings for two or more cosmetics
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C2200/00—Details not otherwise provided for in A45C
  • A45C2200/10—Transparent walls
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D2200/00—Details not otherwise provided for in A45D
  • A45D2200/10—Details of applicators
  • A45D2200/1009—Applicators comprising a pad, tissue, sponge, or the like
  • A45D2200/1018—Applicators comprising a pad, tissue, sponge, or the like comprising a pad, i.e. a cushion-like mass of soft material, with or without gripping means

Definitions

• the present invention is directed to an improved package for applying a liquid personal care product to the skin of a user.
• Liquid personal care products are available in a wide variety of packages, including bottles, jars, tubes, and cans. Few liquid personal care products on the market have built-in applicators wherein the product flows through the applicator. Some products on the market, such as certain deodorants, employ a roller-ball applicator technique to deliver product. However, other personal care products such as cosmetics foundations and lotions are traditionally dispensed out of a container into the hand or onto a sponge, and then applied to the skin. This application method however can be unsanitary, wasteful, and messy, and may lead to undesirable post- application hand washing.
• Conventional applicators are typically not suitable for desirably applying cosmetic foundations or lotions to the entire face.
• at least some conventional applicators are ergonomically designed to apply product onto larger areas of the face such as the cheeks and forehead, but not onto smaller skin areas such as the area between the lips and nose.
• ergonomic packages may not provide intuitive applicator positioning commonly associated with cylindrical containers and/or applicators.
• cylinder-shaped applicators may not provide a suitable means to apply product to the smaller areas of the face.
• a package for applying a personal care product to the skin of a user comprises a body for storing and dispensing the personal care product.
• the body has a first cross-sectional shape and is graspable by the user's hand.
• the package also comprises an applicator joined to the body.
• the applicator includes a cylinder-shaped skin-contacting portion.
• the skin-contacting portion has a second cross-sectional shape and a surface pattern.
• Each of the first cross-sectional shape and the second cross-sectional shape has a major dimension oriented along a first axis and a minor dimension oriented along a second axis. The major dimensions are greater than the minor dimensions.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a package.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the package shown in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 a is a front elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3b is a side elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3c is a front elevation view of an embodiment of a package.
• FIGS. 4a-g are examples of cross-sectional shapes..
• FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the bottom portion of the package shown in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of a package.
• FIGS. 7A-R are examples of patterns suitable for the skin-contacting portion.
• FIGS. 8a-d are examples of patterns and zones on the skin-contacting portion
• FIGS. 9a-d are further exemplary embodiments of a package for use herein.
• Packages suitable for use herein include a body portion with personal care product disposed therein.
• the personal care product is in the form a liquid or liquid-like substance.
• Flexible, resilient packages are known in the art and are typically deformable by applying pressure to the body of the package (e.g., by squeezing), which urges a volume of personal care product to an applicator or skin-contacting portion.
• the package may include a one-way valve to enable a user to control the flow of the personal care product.
• the packages herein may include additional or alternative mechanisms for dispensing the personal care product.
• Nonlimiting examples of known dispensing mechanisms include electronic pumps; manual pumps; screw-driven pistons or rods; pressurized gasses such aerosols and the like; and trigger pumps.
• the package may include an applicator for receiving personal care product dispensed from the body of the package and applying it to the skin of a user. All or a portion of the applicator may be fixed or movable (e.g., pivotable, rotatable, detachable, and/or reattachable).
• the applicator includes a skin-contacting portion for desirably transferring the personal care product to the skin of a user.
• the skin-contacting portion may be fixed or movable depending on the desired use.
• the skin-contacting portion is configured to apply the personal care product onto the skin in a desirable manner (e.g., evenly, smoothly, and/or natural looking).
• the skin-contacting portion of the applicator may include a roller, which applies the personal care product while rotating about an axis.
• the skin- contacting portion receives the personal care product on its surface (e.g., passively via a discrete reservoir which is positioned in close proximity to the roller such that the personal care composition comes into contact with the surface of the roller as the roller rotates; through apertures in the surface of the roller fed by a channel in liquid communication with the body; and/or by actively urging the personal care composition directly onto the surface of the roller from the body) and, by rotation, deposits the personal care product onto the skin.
• the applicator may include a dosing system wherein the personal care product is dosed through the center of a fixed skin-contacting portion and exits apertures (whether through a porous foam or sponge skin-contacting portion, or via a solid skin-contacting portion with holes fed through an axle).
• the skin-contacting portion may includes a surface with a pattern thereon. The pattern may be formed by one or more of the same or different surface features.
• the surface features may be the same or different size, type (e.g., protrusion versus recess versus aperture), or shape (e.g., elliptical, circular, diamond, square).
• the surface features may be selected to configured to facilitate the transfer and/or application of the personal care product onto the skin of a user. Particularly suitable examples of surface features for use herein are described in more detail below.
• the package may be configured for dual-ended or single-ended dispensing. Dual-ended dispensing applicators may be suitable for circumstances in which a small skin-contacting portion on one end and a larger skin-contacting portion on the other end is desired. Dual-ended dispens, it may be desirable to provide packages that include two or more personal-care products (e.g., a cosmetic primer and a foundation or a skin cleaner and a skin moisturizer) which can be dispensed through dual-ended dispensing applicators.
• the body of the package may include a first end and a second end opposed thereto. The first end may include an applicator and associated skin-contacting portion, while the opposing second end includes a blending tool joined thereto. The blending tool may be used to blend, distribute, or spread the personal care product over the skin.
• FIGS. 1-4 show an exemplary embodiment of a package 100 suitable for use herein.
• the package 100 includes a body 102 for receiving, storing and/or dispensing a personal care product 180 (e.g., skin care composition, cosmetic composition such as primer or foundation, and/or a combination of these).
• the body 102 of the package 100 includes a reservoir or similar storage space storing the personal care product.
• the body 102 of the package 100 is configured to facilitate grasping with a user's hand, for example, by having an ergonomic shape.
• the body 102 of the package 100 has a cross-sectional shape 104 defined at least in part by a major dimension 106 oriented along a first axis and a co-planar minor dimension 108 oriented along a second axis. While the shape of the cross-section of the body 102 shown in FIG. 1 appears substantially elliptical, it is to be understood that any suitable cross-section shape may be used as long as it is readily graspable by a user's hand.
• the body 102 of the package 100 may be formed from a suitable natural or synthetic material such as, for example, high density polyethylene (“HDPE”), low density polyethylene (“LDPE”), polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”), polypropylene (“PP”), polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, nylon, and fluorinated ethylene propylene.
• HDPE high density polyethylene
• LDPE low density polyethylene
• PET polyethylene terephthalate
• PP polypropylene
• polyvinyl chloride polycarbonate
• nylon polycarbonate
• fluorinated ethylene propylene fluorinated ethylene propylene.
• the body 102 may be made via a number of processes known in the art, such as blow molding, injection molding, and the like.
• the body 102 may be transparent, translucent, or opaque, as desired. Alternatively or additionally, the body 102 may be formed from a combination of such materials.
• the body 102 may include a transparent portion to display a particular feature of the personal care product stored therein.
• the package 100 may include an applicator 124 and a blending tool 154.
• the applicator 124 may be attached to body 102 by any suitable means known in the art (e.g., with screw- threads, a snap-fit collar, or the like).
• the applicator 124 may be integral with body 102 (i.e., the applicator is assembled with the body during manufacturing and is not intended to be removed by a consumer during the product lifetime).
• the applicator 124 may be removably attached to body 102, (i.e., the applicator may or may not be assembled with the body during manufacturing and is intended to be removable by a consumer during the product lifetime without causing damage to the package which would impair its intended function), e.g., for cleaning or replacement with another applicator 124.
• the applicator 124 may be removed to enable user to dispense bulk product directly from body 102.
• the applicator 124 may be fixed or pivotable, relative to body 102. If in a fixed position, the package 100 desirably includes a suitable opening and closing mechanism (e.g., lever, switch, or valve) to start and stop product dispensing.
• the position of the applicator 102 may be changed to permit a user to start and stop the dispensing of product.
• the applicator 102 may be configured to pivot in a plane parallel to the plane of the cross-section 104 such that when the applicator 102 is pivoted a particular amount (e.g., between 1 and 360 degrees or between 1 and 180 degrees), an opening is provided through which the personal care product 180 may be dispensed.
• a particular amount e.g., between 1 and 360 degrees or between 1 and 180 degrees
• the opening is closed.
• the applicator may be configured to pivot to other positions to change the size and/or shape of the opening, thereby controlling the rate at which the personal care product is dispensed.
• the package may include a one-way valve made from rubber or similar material, which is substantially impermeable to the personal care composition 180.
• the one-way valve may be positioned, for example, between the storage space in the body 102 and the skin contacting portion of the applicator 124.
• the one-way valve may be configured to be opened by squeezing the body 102 of the package 100, thereby permitting the personal care product 180 to flow through one-way valve, and closed when the squeezing pressure is removed.
• the applicator 124 includes a skin-contacting portion 126 having a cross-sectional shape 128.
• the cross-sectional shape 128 of the skin-contacting portion is at least partially defined by a major dimension 130 oriented along a first axis and a co-planar minor dimension 132 oriented along a second axis.
• the applicator 102 may be configured to control the amount and spacing of applied product.
• at least a portion of the skin-contacting portion 126 may be designed to fit between a user's nose and upper lip.
• the minor dimension 132 of the skin-contacting portion 126 may be less than or equal to 1.9 cm or even 1.25 cm.
• the major dimension 130 of skin-contacting portion 126 may be less than or equal to 3.8 cm.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 may be in the shape of a cylinder, sphere, or other suitable shape, as desired. Suitable materials for the skin-contacting portion 126 include rubber, sponge, felt, cloth, wicking fibers, flocking, and combinations thereof.
• the skin-contacting portion may be configured as a cylindrical roller formed from a soft, pliable material such as a commonly known thermoplastic elastomer ("TPE").
• the package 100 may optionally include a blending tool 154 for manipulating the personal care composition after it has been applied to the skin (e.g., smoothing, spreading, and/or blending the personal care composition with the same or different personal care composition) .
• the blending tool 154 may be attached to body 102 opposite the applicator 124 by any suitable means known in the art, such as with screw-threads, a snap-fit collar, or the like.
• the blending tool 154 may be removably attached to body 102 so that a user can remove the blending tool 154 to clean it or replace it with a new or different blending tool 154.
• the blending tool 154 may be removed to permit bulk dispensing of the personal care product from the package 100.
• the blending tool 154 may include a plurality of bristles, a paintbrush, a sponge, a loofah, a shower puff, a massager, or other like utensil suitable for blending, distributing, or spreading a liquid personal care product.
• the blending tool 154 may be made from flexible and/or soft materials such as rubber, TPE, sponge, combinations thereof and the like. It may be desirable to form the blending tool from a material that is rinsable with a suitable solvent such as water, isopropyl alcohol, or acetone.
• FIGS. 3a and 3b show the major dimension 106 and minor dimension 108 of the body 102 substantially aligned with the respective major dimension 130 and minor dimension 132 of the skin-contacting portion 126.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the cross-sectional shape 104 of the body 102 and the cross-sectional shape 128 of the skin-contacting portion 126 aligned vertically, but it is to be appreciated that the cross-sectional shapes 104 and 128 need not necessarily be in vertical alignment.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 may be offset from the body 102 such that the skin-contacting portion 126 is not positioned vertically above the body 102, but rather extends outwardly from the side of the body 102.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 may be fixed at a particular angle relative to the longitudinal dimension of the body or it may be adjustable.
• the cross-sectional shapes 104 and/or 128 of the body 102 and/or the applicator 124, respectively, may take a variety of different shapes, as shown in FIGS. 4a-g.
• the shapes 104 and 128 may be substantially the same or different.
• the cross-sectional shape 104 of the body 102 may resemble an oval shape while the cross-sectional shape 128 of skin-contacting portion may be more of a teardrop shape.
• the package 100 may include more than two distinct cross-sectional shapes.
• FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of an applicator 124.
• the skin- contacting portion 126 includes a first portion spaced away from the applicator base 138 by a first distance 134, and a second portion spaced away from the applicator base 138 by a second distance 136. It may be desirable to configure the first distance 134 to be greater than the second distance 136 or vice versa.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 may include three or more portions in various zones spaced away from the applicator base 138 by three different distances.
• the applicator 124 may include two or more arms 140, which extend downwardly from the body 102 of the package 100.
• the arms 140 may be configured to house skin-contacting portion 126 therebetween, and join the skin-contacting portion 126 to other portions of the package 100 (e.g., the body 102).
• the arms 140 may be rounded to form a divot as shown in FIG. 5, or may be flush with body 102, as shown in FIGS. 8a-8c.
• the skin- contacting portion 126 may be joined to one or both of the arms 140 via an axle, one or more pins, or any other known means suitable for joining a roller to two or more arms.
• the arms 140 and, optionally, the axle or other joining means, may include a channel or the like to place the body 102 in liquid communication with the skin-contacting portion 126.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 includes a pattern 144 on its surface.
• the pattern 144 may be in the form of discontinuous dots, lines, and/or shapes; a continuous matrix; and/or a combination of these.
• the pattern on the skin-contacting portion 126 produces a corresponding pattern on skin when the personal care product 180 is applied thereto.
• the pattern 144 may be configured to deliver a discontinuous film of product to the skin, resulting in natural looking coverage.
• the pattern 144 may be formed by providing apertures that extend through the surface of the skin-contacting portion 126. Alternatively or additionally, the pattern 144 may be formed from recessed and/or raised portions disposed on the surface of the skin-contacting portion 126.
• the personal care product 180 disposed in the package 100 may flow through apertures of the pattern 144 onto the surface of the skin-contacting portion 126 during dispensing and application.
• the raised areas may be configured to pick up the personal care product 180 from, e.g., a trough or tray positioned in close proximity to the surface of the skin-contacting portion.
• the skin-contacting surface includes recessed portions disposed on its surface, the personal care product 180 may be deposited in the recessed portions and subsequently transferred to the skin of a user.
• Exemplary surface patterns 144 for use on the skin-contacting portion 126 are illustrated in FIGS. 7A-R and 8a-d.
• the shapes of the surface features on the skin-contacting portion 126 that form the pattern 144 may be selected from any suitable shape known in the art.
• the surface features may include donut-shaped dimples (i.e., recessed portions) which are shallow in the center and deeper around the outer circumference.
• Other exemplary shapes include star- shaped, square, etc.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 may configured to include two or more zones that include the same or different patterns and/or are formed from the same or different materials. Each zone may be further subdivided into two or more different sections based on the pattern and/or the material used to form the section.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 may include a first zone formed from a relatively soft, pliable material with a discontinuous dot pattern on the surface, and a second zone formed from a relatively soft, absorptive material with no pattern on the surface.
• the entire skin-contacting portion 126 may be formed from the same material, but have a first zone with recessed and/or protruding surface features and a second zone with apertures.
• the skin-contacting portion 126 may include a first zone with two differently shaped apertures spaced away from one another by a first distance, and a second zone with the same shaped apertures as the first zone but spaced apart by a second distance, which is greater than the first distance.
• the distance between two apertures is the shortest straight line distance between the centers of the two adjacent apertures.
• FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a package 100 that includes one or more caps 176 and 178.
• the caps 176 and/or 178 may be provided to cover the applicator 124 and/or the blending tool 154.
• the caps 176, 178 may prevent damage or disfigurement to the applicator 124 and/or blending tool 154; reduce the likelihood of contacting and/or contaminating surfaces other than those intended to receive the personal care product 180; and/or help prevent moisture loss from the personal care product 180.
• the caps 176, 178 may be provided as temporary covers, which are intended to be removed and discarded by the consumer after purchase.
• the caps 176 and/or 178 may be reattachable such that they can be reused over the intended life of the personal care product 180 and/or package 100.
• the personal care products suitable for use herein may be provided in a variety of product forms including brushable gels and creams, non-foaming liquids, mechanically pumpable liquids, non-aerosol gels, aerosol gels, aerosol foams, pastes, serums, and sprays.
• Example I a multichromatic, liquid foundation is prepared as follows:
• Colored gel comprising 10% pigments (titanium dioxide and iron oxides) having a 60 micron average particle size, approximately 12% polymer, and 78% cyclomethicone fluid.
• the water, glycerine, disodium EDTA and benzyl alcohol are added and mixed using conventional technology until a clear water phase is achieved.
• the water phase is clear add methylparabens and mix again until clear.
• the ammonium polyacrylate, titanium dioxide and iron oxides and mix to disperse.
• Mix the resultant phase with a Silverson SL2T or similar equipment on high speed (8,000 rpm, standard head) to fully deagglomerate the pigments.
• a Silverson SL2T or similar equipment on high speed (8,000 rpm, standard head) to fully deagglomerate the pigments.
• add the KSG21, hydrophobic titanium dioxide and iron oxides, DC245 and the parabens This mixture is milled using a Silverson on high speed until homogeneous.
• the colored water phase and the colored, silicone phase are combined and milled using a Silverson on high speed until the water is fully incorporated and an emulsion is formed.
• a colored gel is then chosen so as to be significantly different in colour to the blend of titanium dioxide and iron oxides. This is then added and the product is mixed again using a Silverson on high speed. The resulting multichromatic, finished product is then incorporated into the appropriate package.
• Example II a skin-care composition is prepared as follows:
• Anti-aging peptide solution from Sederma, Inc., Edison, NJ. *2 Acrylates/ClO-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer from Noveon Consumer Specialties, Cleveland, OH.
• Phase A materials are blended in a container.
• Phase B materials are blended in a separate container.
• Phase B is blended into Phase A.
• the platelet particulates are added after combining Phase A and Phase B.

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• Cosmetics (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-02-14 JP JP2012553071A patent/JP5635630B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-02-14 WO PCT/US2011/024719 patent/WO2011100664A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-02-14 CA CA2788305A patent/CA2788305C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-02-14 EP EP11705389A patent/EP2533665A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-02-14 CN CN201180009285.XA patent/CN102821647B/zh active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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