EP2548468B1 - Adjustable wiper - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a cosmetic unit according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular in the form of a mascara unit.

Such cosmetic units typically include a reservoir containing the cosmetic. In this reservoir and thus also in the cosmetic typically enters an applicator. Most of this applicator is attached by means of a shaft to the cap of the cosmetic unit. As a rule, the applicator dips into the supply of the cosmetic, if and while it is in its stowed position.

To apply cosmetic by means of the applicator, the applicator is pulled through a wiper which is typically located in the neck or mouth of the cosmetic container. In this case, the applicator is freed from a good part of the cosmetic, which he has stored by his immersion in the cosmetics stock between his bristles, fingers or other order organs. Such a stripping is mandatory, otherwise the applicator would usually remain too heavily loaded with the cosmetic in order to achieve a clean cosmetic order hereby.

How strong the wiping effect is, which unfolds the respective wiper, is factory set by the manufacturer of the cosmetic unit. The relevant parameters are here in addition to the properties of the cosmetic composition (viscosity, etc.), especially the mass storage capacity of the stock of the applicator and of course the design of the scraper.

The difficulty or challenge lies in designing the wiping effect exactly so that the wiper result of the wiper finds the widest possible acceptance among the users. Even if this is successful, however, it is in many cases unsatisfactory that the wiping action of a normal wiper can not be easily adapted to the current needs of the respective user, which can change from case to case.

Because of this, it has been proposed to use adjustable scrapers, in which the user - for example, by rotating the scraper in a certain position - the diameter of the actual wiping effect inducing scraper lips can vary. However, such adjustable scrapers have disadvantages. For one, they are usually constructed in several parts and therefore expensive, on the other hand, they can stick over time, especially if the scraper is not adjusted for a long time. In addition, many of the adjustable scrapers are infinitely adjustable and therefore require that after the purchase of the product once closer to the possibilities of the adjustable scraper deal to determine which of the many adjustment positions in about a stripping effect that meets their own needs and how the wiping action changes when you adjust the adjustable scraper intended in one direction or the other.

As an alternative to the self-adjusting wipers this beats U.S. Patent 4,261,376 a solution in which the actual scraper is formed by a plate with different sized openings, each of which unfold a different strength wiping effect. The user has to turn the plate in order to determine which of the through openings is aligned with the remainder of the wiper body and thus forms the ready-to-use wiper. This is impractical for the user and also enforces an unnecessarily high installation effort, since a part of the scraper must be rotatably mounted in the cosmetic reservoir.

Because of this, it is the object of the invention to provide a cosmetic unit that allows it in a simple and inexpensive way to strip the cosmetics applicator depending on the needs of different levels.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1. According to the invention, therefore, a cosmetic unit, in particular a mascara unit, is provided, with a storage container for storing the cosmetic to be applied, an applicator immersed in its stowed position in the cosmetic, and a stripper device which scrapes off a portion of the cosmetic absorbed by the applicator when immersed, wherein the wiper device consists of a plurality of wipers which produce a different wiping action and through which the applicator can alternatively be passed.

Alternatively, to be passed means, in the broadest sense of the invention, that the applicator only has to be passed through any of the various wipers to extract it from the cosmetic supply. In this case, the user can re-close the cosmetic container By which the scraper through which it brings the scraper back to its stowed position.

In most cases (that is, preferred), however, the user will have to pass the applicator through a predetermined one of the different scrapers to bring it back to its stowed position. By the other scrapers, the applicator can then only be passed in each case to change its load, but not to finally close the cosmetic unit again.

The benefit of further or further stripping possibilities lies in the fact that after the applicator has been pulled out by the first scraper to be used mainly on the basis of the visual impression of the loading of the applicator, the user can decide to place the applicator in a next step before the actual scraper Application again pass through another scraper, which has a different, preferably stronger stripping effect.

In particular, it is also possible for the user to first apply a certain amount of the cosmetic mass after pulling out the applicator and only later, when the mass application is temporarily completed, pull the applicator through a different scraper, which due to its design, the applicator so far from the freed of him remaining cosmetic that he can now be used for example as a comb, such as for separating or shaping the eyelashes.

According to the invention, the plurality of scrapers are formed in a single, one-piece scraper body, which is manufacturing technology and cost considerations (disposable) of great advantage.

Furthermore, the one-piece scraper body according to the invention circumferentially bounds an atrium, in which a plurality of scrapers open with their distal end relative to the scraper lip. Such a courtyard prevents the formation of splashes when pulling out of the applicator by the scraper. In addition, such an atrium facilitates the reliable sealing, also in relation to the in the closed position not penetrated by an applicator handle and therefore having a large free cross-section and thus prone to leakage of the cosmetic scraper openings.

Preferably, the plurality of scrapers each rigid scraper whose Abstreifwirkung can not be changed and their stripping effect differs from each other, preferably in that the Abstreifwirkung generating wiper lips of the individual scrapers each have a different clear diameter. Such a design facilitates handling, the user can, without having to consider the function of the / the scraper closer consideration, easily achieve different stripping results.

Preferably, the scraper body in the area in which it bounds the forecourt, an increased wall thickness. This favors its sealing function, but usually also facilitates its reliable attachment in the mouth of the reservoir.

Ideally, the scraper body in the area in which it bounds the forecourt forms a sealing seat, against which a cover surface associated with the sealing surface can be brought into sealing contact. Particularly preferred is the design of this seal seat as a conical or wedge seat with a relative to the container longitudinal axis L by the angle W of 0.5 ° to 7 ° inclined sealing surface.

Protection is also claimed for a multiple wiper for insertion into a cosmetic unit as such, consisting of a one-piece wiper body with a plurality of wipers which produce a different wiping action and which are suitable and intended for alternatively performing an applicator, the one-piece wiper body circumferentially bounding an atrium in that several scrapers open with their distal end relative to the wiper lip.

• Figur 1 zeigt eine Schnittansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Kosmetikeinheit.
• Figur 2 zeigt eine Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Kosmetikeinheit.
• Figur 3 zeigt eine Draufsicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Mehrfachabstreifers.
• Figur 4 zeigt eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Mehrfachabstreifers, von der Breitseite her gesehen.
• Figur 5 zeigt eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Mehrfachabstreifers, von der Schmalseite her gesehen.
• Figur 6 zeigt einen Schnitt eines erfindungsgemäßen Mehrfachabstreifers parallel zur Breitseite des Mehrfachabstreifers durch dessen Mitte.

Further advantages, design possibilities and modes of operation of the invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiment of the invention described with reference to FIGS.

• FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a cosmetic unit according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 shows a side view of a cosmetic unit according to the invention.
• FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a Mehrfachabstreifers invention.
• FIG. 4 shows a side view of a Mehrfachabstreifers invention, seen from the broad side.
• FIG. 5 shows a side view of a Mehrfachabstreifers invention, seen from the narrow side.
• FIG. 6 shows a section of a multiple scraper according to the invention parallel to the broad side of the multiple scraper through the center.

How to get along well with the Figures 1 and 2 sees, the cosmetic unit 1 consists of a reservoir 2 and a lid. 3 In the cosmetic unit 1 is a so-called sales unit, so no container for laboratory purposes, but a shapely, yet reasonably priced disposable container, preferably made of plastic with a wall thickness between 0.3 and 1.5 mm.

As a rule, the lid 3, as soon as it is in its closed position, relative to the reservoir 2 is not rotatable, but it is locked to close the same stationary on the reservoir 2 and placed and preferably fixed by additional retaining clips 14 and holding means.

At the said cover a handle 4 is attached, the distal, d. H. the end facing away from the lid carries an applicator 5. For this purpose, the handle on its side facing away applicator expediently a pot-like sprue, by means of which it is connected to a shell 13, preferably locked or glued, with which he forms the lid 3.

In the opening 6 of the reservoir, a scraper body 7 is inserted and locked.

For this purpose, both the edge of the opening 6 and the Abstreiferkörper 7 are each provided with at least one corresponding latching member and a corresponding recess.

The scraper body 7 is embodied here as a one-piece plastic part which forms three individual scrapers, preferably of conventional design, which are arranged side by side along a line B-B, ie their scraper longitudinal axes 8 forming the respective center of the scraper all intersect the line B-B ,

The three wipers differ only or essentially by the stripping effective diameter of their wiper lip. However, the wiper opening can also have different geometries. As a rule, the in FIG. 3 to be recognized mainly to be used, because the insertion of the applicator in the cosmetic unit enabling scrapers, a wiper lip, whose clear diameter is the largest. The two other scrapers, which are preferably arranged on the left and right of the here in the middle, mainly to be used scraper, each have a wiper lip whose light diameter is slightly smaller. Thus, it has proven to be favorable to equip the middle scraper with a diameter R1 defining its radius and one of the adjacent scrapers with a corresponding radius R2 of at least 5%, better at least 7.5% smaller than the radius RI, and the other of the adjacent scrapers with a corresponding radius R3, which is at least 10%, better at least 15% smaller than the radius RI. However, it is also possible to use scrapers with different geometries of the scraper opening.

The opening 6 of the reservoir has for this purpose a clear cross section which is greater than the clear cross section of the adjoining the opening 6 of the rest of the reservoir. Which circumstances it has, will be explained in more detail.

The reservoir is not completely round, but has at least in the region of its opening 6 a cross section which is longer in a first direction Ri1 by at least a factor of 1.5, better even by at least a factor of 1.75 than in a second perpendicular thereto Direction Ri2. The side of the lid 3, which cooperates with the opening 6 of the reservoir, is corresponding designed.

To its side facing away from the opening 6, the cross section of the reservoir 2 preferably tapers so that the reservoir is slimmer in the direction of its side facing away from the opening 6, as already mentioned above.

Preferably, the reservoir 2 is tapered so that the applicator can be pushed so deep into the reservoir 2 only by the mainly to be used, here middle of the three scrapers that the lid 3 can be brought into its closed position. Ideally, it is also the case that the applicator can be pushed only so deep into the reservoir by the two left and right next to the middle scraper arranged further scraper, that it completely passes the respective further scraper, but then collides with the wall of the reservoir and is therefore haptically hindered from further movement before it dips into the stored cosmetic. Such a configuration is expedient, as it prevents the applicator, which is moved by the further scraper, in order to strip it off more strongly, but it suddenly dives back into the cosmetic mass, which would possibly impair the desired stronger stripping.

As based on the FIG. 6 can be seen quite well, the scraper body 7 consists of a one-piece plastic part. In this one-piece plastic part two or even three scrapers of conventional design are occasionally formed. The wiper body is preferably made by injection molding, ideally from a single plastic material in a single operation. A preferred material for such a scraper body is, for example, the type of plastic traded under the brand name Grilflex.

As can be seen, the one-piece stripper body forms an atrium 9 bounded by its wall in the circumferential direction. In this atrium 9 open several scrapers with their distal, d. H. the respective wiper lip 10 facing away from the end. This atrium captures cosmetic mass that may be squirting outwardly from the respective wiper when the applicator is withdrawn, for example, by having individual bristles snap into their unloaded position as soon as they have passed the narrow cross section of the respective wiper and are suddenly no longer exposed to any bending load.

In addition, this atrium preferably also serves to provide a sealing surface into which a corresponding counterpart of the lid or cup-like sprue forming part of the lid can be forced to thereby brace against the wall of the atrium to provide a tight connection , at least between the scraper and the lid or its pot-like sprue. For this purpose, the inner surface of the wall of the atrium 9 is advantageously slightly inclined by the angle W, for example by 0.3 ° -5 °, compare the FIG. 6 , Once the mating surface of the lid or pot-like sprue of the lid is also equipped with a corresponding slight slope, ultimately results in a conical seal, which seals even if the lid is lightly pressed against the reservoir and also the tailor-fit placement of the lid on facilitates the reservoir.

In view of this, it will also be readily understood why the wall of the wiper body 7 bounding the atrium is made thicker and it is ensured that the portion of the wall can be connected as firmly as possible to the opening of the storage container. The area sealing the cosmetic container must be be executed as dimensionally stable as possible, so that a reliable tightness is given even if the cosmetic container is exposed, for example, when transporting in a handbag bending or punctual pressure loads. The said scrapers consist, as can be seen, in each case of a preferably circular-cone-shaped passage, which forms a scraper lip 10 in each case on its container-inward side. The wiper lip 10 may be integrally made of the same material as the Abstreiferkörper 7. Alternatively, modern 2-component process can be used, ie of at least one of these scrapers, for example, the wiper lip made of a subsequently molded particularly soft or even rubber-elastic plastic.
The injection molding of such a wiper lip of a particularly soft material can make sense especially in a multiple wiper, as proposed here - this is why to equalize the wiping of the wiper lip and thus counteract the tendency that the wiper lip in the wall area , which is particularly thick because it separates two adjacent scrapers from each other (area B), is stiffer than in the real outer wall of the respective scraper.

In the region of the atrium 9, the wiper body has an annular peripheral region in which its wall thickness is increased. This area has an increased resistance to deformation and thus serves to hold the wiper body 7 securely in the opening 6 of the storage container 2, compare for example the Figures 4-6 ,

Preferably, in this reinforced area of the Abstreiferkörper 7 also additionally carries a plurality of retaining projections 11, so how best to use the FIGS. 4 and 5 can recognize.

How best to use the X for details FIG. 1 detects, these retaining projections 11 engage behind a projection of the wall, which defines the opening 6 of the reservoir.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

cosmetics unit

2

reservoir

3

cover

4

stalk

5

applicator

6

Opening of the reservoir

7

Abstreiferkörper

8th

Abstreiferlängsachse

9

forecourt

10

wiper lip

11

retaining projection

12

pot-like sprue

13

Bowl

14

retaining clip

W

angle

Ri1

first direction

Ri2

second direction

L

Longitudinal axis of the cosmetic container

Claims (5)

1. A cosmetic unit (1), in particular a mascara unit, having a reservoir (2) for storing the cosmetic to be applied, an applicator (5) that dips into the cosmetic in its stowed position, and a wiper device that wipes off part of the cosmetic that the applicator has picked up when dipped; the wiper device is composed of a plurality of wipers that each produce a different wiping action, through which the applicator (5) can be alternatively guided; and the plurality of wipers are embodied in a single, one-piece wiper body (7), characterized in that the one-piece wiper body (7) encompasses a frontal area (9) in the circumferential direction, into which area a plurality of wipers feed with their distal ends relative to the wiper lip (11).
2. The cosmetic unit according to 1, characterized in that the plurality of wipers are each embodied as rigid wipers whose wiping actions do not change and whose wiping actions differ from one another, preferably in that the wiper lips (10) of the individual wipers, which lips actually produce the wiping action, each have a different inside diameter.
3. The cosmetic unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wiper body (7) has an increased wall thickness in the region in which it encompasses the frontal area (9).
4. The cosmetic unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wiper body (7), in the region in which it encompasses the frontal area (9), forms a sealing seat that the one counterpart sealing surface associated with the cover can be brought into contact with.
5. A multiple wiper for insertion into a cosmetic unit (1), composed of a one-piece wiper body (7) with a plurality of wipers that each produce a different wiping action and that are suitable and intended for guiding an applicator through in different ways, characterized in that the one-piece wiper body (7) encompasses a frontal area (9) in the circumferential direction, into which area a plurality of wipers feed with their distal ends relative to the wiper lip (11).

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