EP2670278A1

EP2670278A1 - Dosing brush for targeted local application

Info

Publication number: EP2670278A1
Application number: EP12704014.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Karl Hartstock; Gudrun Thierer; Dieter Wolfsgruber; Christina Zech; Rainer Kemnitzer
Original assignee: Geka GmbH
Current assignee: Geka GmbH
Priority date: 2011-02-02
Filing date: 2012-02-01
Publication date: 2013-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-01
Also published as: EP2670278B1; CL2013002218A1; SG192059A1; WO2012104357A1; DE202011002272U9; BR112013019234A2; CN103369986A; JP2014504531A; CA2825112A1; MX2013008529A; US20140037364A1; DE202011002272U1

Abstract

The invention concerns a brush for metered application of a cosmetic or pharmaceutical liquid with a configuration from a number of at least essentially parallel-arranged bristles, which are grouped around a configuration center, in which the bristles are molded onto a bristle support, the configuration having an outer configuration area enclosing the configuration center in the peripheral direction, in which the bristle density is higher than in the inner configuration area enclosed by the outer configuration area and/or whose bristles are finer than the bristles of the inner configuration area.

Description

Dosing brush for targeted local application

The invention relates to a brush according to the preamble of claim 1.

Brushes are known in the art in very different forms. Brushes for applying liquids typically have a stocking of bristles of the most diverse materials, which are arranged in total or in tufts very close to one another or directly adjoining one another. Due to the fact that the bristles are close to each other or touch, the bristle stock unfolds a considerable capillary action. He can therefore take a considerable amount of the liquid to be applied.

The liquid taken up by the bristle stock is discharged from it again by brushing over the surface to be treated with the bristle stock, so that the portions of the bristles which come into contact with the area deliver the liquid enveloping them to the surface to be treated. From the region of the bristle lining located further inwards, liquid flows into the region of the bristles which has been stripped off at the surface to be treated. The longer the bristle coating is spread over the surface to be treated, the more liquid the bristle coating deposits on the surface to be treated - until the storage capacity of the bristle stock has been exhausted. Then, the user must rewet the bristle heel with the liquid intended for treatment, if he wants to apply more liquid. In the case of the conventional brushes, although the quantity of liquid absorbed can be set relatively well (in particular via the number of bristles, the bristle thickness and the bristle length), structurally only little influence can be exerted on how much of the quantity of liquid the brush absorbs in a certain time unit , Because the amount of liquid dispensed per unit of time, as already described, depends heavily on the user, ie on how the user performs the brush.

In addition, the very close together in the prior art bristles are also disadvantageous because after a short time between them, a part of the liquid to be applied settles, which is not released again, which is economical and hygienic on cosmetic and pharmaceutical brushes on the one hand is problematic.

In view of this, it is the object of the invention to provide a brush with a bristle stock, with the aid of which the amount of liquid to be applied is better metered.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

The brush according to the invention has a trimming of a number of bristles arranged at least substantially parallel to one another. In any case, an essentially parallel arrangement is used when the longitudinal axis of the bristles encloses an angle of less than 10 °, better still less than 5 °. Ideally, even with the exception of the unavoidable manufacturing tolerances, the bristles are arranged completely parallel to one another.

Preferably, the Bostenbesatz of the brush according to the invention - as a whole - is completely or at least substantially round. This favors the dosing behavior according to the invention decisively or even makes it possible in the first place - in a Bostenbesatz, which has a rectangular or square base area, runs the dosed applied liquid "wide" and then can not be discharged sufficiently controlled, so that the dosage is usually no longer ansatzweise controllable.

The bristles, which are preferably circular, possibly longitudinally conical, are grouped around a trimming center, ideally circular. It is best if the individual bristles each form rows that have the shape of a circular ring.

Adjacent circumferentially adjacent bristles, ideally along a circular line, are at least 1/5, more preferably at least Ή, and ideally at least 1/3 of their respective, in their foot region, above the fillet, with which they may pass into the bristle carrier Diameter spaced apart. Ideally, however, the maximum distance between two such adjacent bristles is at least 25%, and more preferably at least 40%, smaller than the maximum bristle diameter that the bristles have in said foot region.

Bristles adjacent in the radial direction, ideally along adjacent circular lines, are at least 1/5, more preferably at least Ή, and ideally at least 1/3 of their respective, in their foot region, above the fillet, with which they may pass into the bristle carrier Diameter spaced apart. Again, the maximum distance between two such adjacent bristles is ideally at least 25%, and more preferably at least 40% smaller than the maximum bristle diameter that the bristles have in said foot region.

The length of the bristles used is preferably 2 mm to 10 mm, ideally 2 mm to 5 mm.

The bristles are molded one or two-component on a bristle carrier, which may be an independent component or an integral part of a handle. Preferably, the bristles are injection-molded one-component, so they are produced together with the bristle carrier in a "shot". The stocking has an outer garniture area completely enclosing the inner garniture area including the garniture center in the circumferential direction. In this outer garnish area, the bristle density is higher than in the inner garniture area enclosed by the outer garniture area. The term bristle density refers to the number of bristles per unit area.

Alternatively or additionally, the outer garniture area is designed such that its bristles are finer than the bristles of the inner garniture area.

The bristle arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to design the bristle field s that due to its surface tension the liquid to be applied forms a single drop in the central region of the applicator, which is held to its intended application by the surrounding bristles.

The invention is therefore to provide a bristle set that can be adjusted so that after the actual dripping of a possibly excess amount of liquid - which may have recorded the bristle field when immersing the brush first and the bristle field because of "supersaturation" not longer term stored can hold - one last time forms a drop. However, this drop does not drip off soon. Instead, it is stored in the bristle stock and only released from the bristle stock again when the application has started and as a result has come into contact with the surface to be treated.

In this way, a deviating from the previously known order principle of the brush application principle can be realized because the teaching of the invention makes it possible to design the brush so that the liquid to be applied is no longer continuously, but delivered in an undefined amount, but interpret it in that the predominant part of the liquid stored by the bristle field is instantaneously discharged when in contact with the area to be treated. Ideally, this is instantaneous at least 75% and better at least 85% of the liquid stored by the bristle field.

The fact that the bristles are injection molded and thus can be provided with a well-defined distance from each other contributes significantly to this. Of great importance is the fact that the production by injection molding allows the targeted use of materials that are substantially resistant to the ingress of liquid. Where the targeted choice of the bristle spacings and the material of the bristles is not sufficient to achieve the required degree of emptying (see above), the sprayed bristles are provided in a targeted manner with hydrophobizing or hydrophilizing additives and / or surface structures acting in this way.

By means of these measures, it is possible, with a corresponding design of the bristle field, to specify comparatively precisely which volume of the part of the liquid dispensed in this way has.

Understandably, no general rule can be given for the exact design of the bristle field, because it depends greatly on the individual circumstances of the specific case, ie, among other things, the viscosity and the surface tension of the liquid to be applied, as well as the bristle density, the bristle diameter and bristle length. The concrete values of these parameters, which are to be complied with in an individual case for the realization of the invention, however, can be easily determined by the person skilled in the art by tests which are usual in the art, if he considers the principle of the invention which is described in more detail below. In his experiments, the expert expediently uses a 3-D pattern printing. With his help, he CAD-based very fast test brushes with different bristles or with systematically varied bristles produce to study the respective Abtropfverhalten the respective bristle trim, which this shows against the liquid to be processed with the brush. The principle of the invention is based on providing an outer garnish region which realizes an edge which engages the liquid picked up by the bristle stock and deflects it towards the center of the bristle stock. The principle of the invention is further based on providing an inner garnish area within which the bristle density is reduced to such an extent that the liquid absorbed by the bristle stock is no longer completely retained in this area but only retained by the capillary action between the bristles. As a result of this, the liquid picked up by the bristle stock and finally left in the bristle stock after the dripping of the brush as intended drains off to form a final drop in the inner stocking area. In the process, the bristles still present in the inner covering area prevent the drop from being accidentally lost, ie even during the dripping phase, which at least goes through each brush loaded by dipping.

Instead, the droplet is kept labile in the bristle stock, at least for a time dictated by the design of the bristle stock, which exceeds the time frame of the dripping phase. As soon as the bristles holding this drop and / or the outer skin of the drop itself come into contact with the surface to be treated, the forces which are unstable in the bristle setting are overcome and the drop is substantially completely released to the surface to be treated.

As a result, a much better dosage of liquid applied with the brush can be achieved than in the prior art.

This effect can be achieved not only by varying the bristle density, but similarly by controlling the fineness of the bristles, i. H. about the diameter that the bristles of the different stocking areas have.

In many cases, it is ideal if the bristle density and the fineness of the bristles varies at the same time. This succeeds from case to case Case a particularly good adaptation to the needs of the individual case.

Crucial to the successful realization of the invention is that the invention is implemented by means of injection-molded bristles. Because only when the bristles are made by injection molding, both the distance of the bristles, and the fineness of the bristles in the desired manner and with the necessary accuracy can be controlled.

Within the scope of a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the inner garniture area comprises a central area which is only part of its area and which is completely bristle-free. In individual cases (namely with a correspondingly high viscosity or surface tension of the liquid to be applied), it is conceivable to make the inner lining region completely bristle-free, which is not preferred.

In a further development of the preferred embodiment just described, provision is made for the inner garniture area-preferably along an imaginary circular line-to have boundary bristles that delimit a bristle-free volume of space in the center of the garniture. This volume of space forms a very precisely definable drop space in which at least a first part of the said "last" liquid drop can accumulate, which is so large that it triggers the immediate delivery of a major part of the liquid to be applied in the form of a drop when the surface to be treated is touched. Such a bristle-free area in the center of the bristle lining promotes the formation of the desired, henceforth labile by the bristle stock held drop.

This happens because in the central area unobstructed by bristles or the capillary forces generated by them, a first drop of liquid can agglomerate, which optionally attracts more liquid from the surrounding bristle trim with its surface tension. In this way, the invention differs from traditional brushes with a narrow bristle trim. Because the known, narrow bristle stock develops so high capillary forces that from the outset, a drop formation is prevented. This corresponds to the goal, which is based on the known in the prior art brushes, which are usually designed to be as non-dripping as possible.

Again, it is true that no general formula can be given, how large the volume of the space in the drop must be in each individual case. Instead, it is also the case here that the volume of space of the drop space must be determined for each specific individual case as a function of the bristle density, the bristle diameter, the bristle length, the viscosity and the surface tension of the liquid to be applied by conventional experiments, if necessary again with the aid of a pattern printer (Rapid Prototyping). This is possible with the above given hints but without too much effort.

The aforementioned embodiment can be further developed to the extent that the volume of the droplet space is indeed chosen so large that forms a last drop, but at the same time is chosen so small that the droplets (at a standstill, with its hanging in the space bristle facing vertically down aligned brush whose dripping phase has ended) may be held for at least 15 seconds, more preferably at least 30 seconds, and ideally at least 150 seconds, from the bristle stock before it drips off by itself, ie without him or the bristles in advance with the surface to which the drop is to be applied, come into contact.

The bristle-free central area preferably has a bristle-free base area which is at least 3 times, or at least 3.5 times, and more preferably at least 4.5 times, ideally even at least 5.5 times, the cross-sectional area of one of the delimiting bristles in the foot area corresponds. Ideally, however, it is the case that the bristle-free base area of the bristle-free central area has a base area that is at most 15 times and better still at most 12.5 times the cross-sectional area. corresponds to one of the boundary bristles (in the foot area, above the actual rounding, with which the respective boundary bristle merges into the bristle carrier). Otherwise, the amount of liquid stored in the bristle-free central area tends to widen within the bristle stocking rather than being stored "suspended" in the bristle-free central area or in the droplet space associated with it and thereby be able to be triggered in a targeted manner, eg in which the boundary bristles The foot region which is decisive here is the region of the bristle immediately above the beginning of the rounding, with which the bristle passes into the bristle carrier the base surface of the bristle-free central region is understood to mean that surface which has an imaginary circle which is inscribed in the boundary bristles in such a way that it touches it on its radially inward side.

In another preferred embodiment, it is provided that the distal (i.e., the brush handle facing away) ends of the bristles of the inner region protrude beyond the distal ends of the bristles of the outer region. Such a design of the bristles promotes the formation of droplets in the central region of the bristle lining and, as a rule, also the holding of the droplet in the central region.

Preferably, the distal ends of the perimeter bristles project beyond the distal ends of all the other bristles of the bristle trim. This, too, in most cases advantageously influences the drop formation or the holding of the drop. Above all, however, the triggering of the drop during the first sustained contact with the surface, to which the liquid is to be applied, is influenced extremely positively. Because the long boundary bristles hold the drop or at least a substantial part of the drop between them. At the latest, as soon as the distal ends of one or more of the delimiting bristles projecting beyond the rest of the bristle facing are deformed when the brush strikes the surface, the delivery of the droplet is triggered. These are Only very small forces are required, because only one or more of the quasi-single limiter bristles in the region of their distal end have to be "actuated".

In the context of an advantageous development, it is provided that the distal end of the bristle facing is conically tapered - preferably such that the imaginary surface, which spans the distal bristle ends in their entirety as the envelope surface, is essentially a conical jacket with a point angle oc, for which applies: 35 ° <α <55 °.

Such centering of the ends of the bristle facing towards the central region of the bristle facing promotes droplet formation.

Advantageously, the boundary bristles are arranged in a single row (preferably along a circular line) and the row of boundary bristles is surrounded on its side facing away from the droplet space by at least one further bristle row whose bristles are separated from each other by a greater bristle distance than the maximum distance Ab _max , the two Observe immediately adjacent boundary bristles from each other.

An important aspect of the invention is the use of the brush according to the invention for applying an aqueous cosmetic and / or medicament to the skin of the eyelid. There is a need in practice to stimulate the growth activity of the eyelashes. For this purpose, a suitably influencing agent or stimulant must be applied to the eyelash roots near the skin area of the eyelid, preferably in particular the upper eyelid. The corresponding funds are either the high-quality cosmetic or already attributable to the medical field and very expensive to manufacture. In addition, correspondingly effective means may be applied only very sparingly anyway, since the otherwise in or around the eye circulating excess can trigger unwanted side effects. This makes the previously proposed application with the help of a fine pipette very disadvantageous. The theoretically conceivable (but so far not yet proposed) application of such funds using a kind of "classic mascara brush", which is brought up to the eyelash extension or the adjacent skin area, would have serious disadvantages, namely in particular that by dipping the relatively bulky Mascarabrüstchens an unreasonable amount of the agent is consumed, which also threatens to drip uncontrollably in the course of the application to a substantial extent.

These difficulties and disadvantages of the inventive use of presented and claimed within the scope of this invention Dosierpinsels helps. This dosing brush is able to store in its extra drip space provided for this purpose substantially the amount of agent that is really needed at the application site. The amount stored in the drip chamber can be returned in a controlled manner. This applies in particular when the bristles bounding the drip space are the bristles which project furthest outward in the longitudinal direction and therefore project beyond the other bristles of the bristle field.

The use according to the invention is preferably carried out for the application of agents which have a low-viscosity consistency, as specified in more detail below.

Accordingly, also an applicator system consisting of egg ^¬ nem Brush according to one of the preceding claims and a to be applied, means, preferably in the form of a Wim ^¬ pernwachstumsserums whose surface tension OBFS lower than that of pure water, subject of the invention, wherein the number and / or arrangement of the bristles relative to each other and / or the bristle length on the one hand and the flow or dripping obtained the agent determining parameters on the other hand are coordinated so that the bristle stocking a predetermined amount of the agent - preferably predominantly or essentially - keep stored in his drip space and can give off again on contact with the skin area to be treated ^¬ .

Preferably, the brush has 6 to 12 boundary bristles, which define the drop space and thereby define.

Ideally, the boundary bristles have a bristle length LB, for which 2.75 mm -S LB -S 5.5 mm applies.

It has proven to be preferable that the bristles, ideally at least the boundary bristles, in the foot region (immediately above the beginning of the fillet, with which they pass into the bristle carrier) have a bristle foot diameter DF for which DF -S 0.06 mm, resp Ideally DF-S 0,04 mm.

Preferably, the bristle stocking is generally round or substantially round and comprises a total of between 30 and 90 bristles, more preferably between 50 and 70 bristles.

Preferably, the agent to be applied at 20 ° C has a surface tension OBFS, which is in the range 15 mN / m <OBFS ^ 60 mN / m and ideally in the range 20 mN / m <OBFS ^ 40 mN / m - measured with the so-called "Capillary effect", or one of the commercially available, according to this method surface tension measuring devices.

Preferably, the agent to be applied has a specific gravity of 0, 6 to 1.5 g / ml, ideally even only a specific gravity of 0.6 to 0.9 g / ml, each measured at 20 ° C. ,

Preferably, the agent to be applied at 20 ° C has a viscosity between about 1 mPas to about 100 mPas (in individual cases up to 150 mPas, not preferred), ideally between about 1 mPas and about 50 mPas, each measured with one of the customary Viskosime- ter, preferably an Engler viscosimeter. Thus, the agent to be applied is thin liquid.

Further embodiments, advantages and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of three embodiments with reference to the figurative representation.

Show it:

Figure 1: a first embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in side view;

2 shows a first embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in longitudinal section;

3 shows a first embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in a perspective view;

Figure 4 shows a first embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in a front view; the model of a single bristle corresponding to those bristles with which the applicator is occupied for the erfindungsge MAESSEN brush;

Figure 6: a first embodiment of the applicator for the brush according to the invention in an enlarged front view;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of a second exemplary embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention;

FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in longitudinal section; A second embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in a perspective view; a second embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in a front view; a second embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in an enlarged front view; a third embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in side view; a third embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in longitudinal section; a third embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in a perspective view; a third embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in a front view; a third embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in an enlarged front view; a fourth, independently of the other embodiments claimed as protected embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in the middle section; the fourth embodiment of the applicator according to FIG. 17 in a perspective view; a fourth embodiment of an applicator for a brush according to the invention in an enlarged front view; FIG. 20 shows a fifth exemplary embodiment claimed for a brush according to the invention, independently of the first three embodiments, in a side view;

Figure 21: the fifth embodiment of the applicator according to the invention in a perspective view from the front;

FIG. 22 shows a fifth exemplary embodiment of the applicator for a brush according to the invention in an enlarged frontal view.

Figs. 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the invention.

The brush to be explained in more detail with reference to this exemplary embodiment consists of a handle (not shown here) and a bristle carrier 1 which can be fastened in this handle or handle.

The figures just shown each show greatly enlarged views, approximately on a scale of 7.5: 1. The brushes according to the invention are very delicate and preferably have head diameters KD in the range between 2.5 mm and 6 mm, in the exemplary embodiments shown 4 mm.

The bristle carrier 1 has a longitudinal axis L, which generally coincides with the longitudinal axis of the stem, not shown. The bristle carrier 1 is provided with a bristle carrier base surface 2 which extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. To the bristle carrier base 2 bristles are integrally molded in this embodiment. These form a bristle field whose bristles are arranged substantially parallel to one another and whose respective bristle longitudinal axis BL runs essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the bristle carrier or of the entire brush.

The bristle carrier 1 with its bristle carrier base surface 2 has been injection-molded in this embodiment in a single operation ("single shot") with the bristles, which is why all the components mentioned here consist of the same plastic. This is From a hygienic point of view, because unlike the use of a "bristle dummy" or inserted bristle tufts, no gaps can form in which a portion of the liquid to be applied remains.

The bristles of the bristle field are highly elastic bristles. The distal end of these bristles can be deflected orthogonally out of the position by the length AL of at least 1.25 mm, better still even by at least 2 mm, and ideally by at least 2.75 mm, under the influence of the forces occurring during normal application. which occupies the center line of the respective bristle in the unloaded state, cf. Fig. 5.

The bristles each have a conical lateral surface which extends at an angle β of approximately 1 ° to the longitudinal axis of the bristle, see FIG. 5.

It is also noteworthy that the bristles of the bristle facing all keep a defined distance from each other, d. H. the individual bristles do not come into contact with the respective neighboring bristles in the unloaded state.

As best seen with reference to FIG. 6, the bristle stocking 7 is subdivided into an outer stocking region 3 and an inner stocking region 4 (in FIG. 6, only a single bristle of an annularly arranged bristle series is identified by a reference numeral representative of the other similar bristles and the imaginary boundary line GR between the outer garnish area 3 and the inner garniture area 4 is illustrated as a black solid line).

In the outer trimming area 3, the bristle density, ie the number of bristles per area, is on average higher than the bristle density BDI in the inner trimming area 4 enclosed by the outer trimming area 3. It applies as a function of the liquid BDA / BDI ^ 1 to be applied in the individual case. 3 and preferably BDA / BDI ^ 1.5. For certain cases BDA / BDI> 3 is ideal. In this specific embodiment that FIGS. 1 to 6 show, BDA / BDI is just above 1.3.

At the same time, the bristles of the outer trimming area 3 are finer on average (i.e., averaged over the number of bristles belonging to each area). Namely, all or at least, on average, the bristles of the outer trimming area 3 have a bristle diameter which is at least 25% smaller than the bristles of the inner trimming area 4.

This exemplary embodiment is a preferred embodiment, in which the outer trimming area 3 comprises at least two rows of bristles arranged in each case along a circular line, which are each designed as a locking row 8 and a locking row 9, which cooperate. These two rows of notches 8 and 9 are in fact positioned so that the bristles of a lock row in radially outward direction seen cover the spaces between the bristles of the other row of blocks, creating an annular, locally particularly dense bristle stock. The bristle stocking of the outer garniture area 3 is thus designed so that it limits the liquid absorbed by the bristle stock altogether, provides its hold and deflects it towards the center 7 of the bristle stocking.

The inner garnish area 4 in this exemplary embodiment consists of a bristle field that has a lower average bristle density per unit area compared to the outer garniture area 3.

In this case, this embodiment realizes that preferred embodiment in which the central region 7 has a bristle-free base. This bristle-free base area here corresponds to slightly more than 4.5 times the cross-sectional area in the above-defined foot region of one of the boundary bristles 10.

As can be well seen with reference to FIG. 6, this embodiment realizes that preferred embodiment in which, within the inner etching region 4, a number of times along a circular path ring surface 10 is provided which surround a bristle-free surface in the center of the bristle facing and thereby form a so-called drop space 11, which is illustrated in Fig. Through the imaginary, close to the center black solid line.

This droplet space 11 defines the center of the droplet which forms during loading and dropped bristle stocking determination and thus also the heaviest area of the droplet.

The boundary bristles 10 here are those bristles of the bristle facing which have the largest bristle diameter in their foot region. The Begrenzungsborsten 10 are at the same time the bristles of the bristle trim, the length of which is the largest and the bristles, which project with its distal end all other bristles of the bristle facing outward, see. in particular Figure 2.

The boundary bristles are arranged in spite of their large bristle diameter at a very small distance from each other. Thus, the foot distance between two immediately adjacently placed Begrenzungsbor th is less than half of the Borstenfußdurchmessers the Begrenzungsborsten. Decisive is the foot area, which is unaffected even before the rounding, with which the bristle merges into the bristle carrier base area.

As can best be seen with reference to FIG. 4, the bristle field, which here forms the inner bristle covering area, is made up in its entirety of bristles whose bristle foot diameter decreases in the radial direction from the inside to the outside.

The innermost bristle row of the inner garnish area 4 forms a row of the said border bristles 10. In the radial outward direction, this is followed by a row of middle bristles 12 whose root diameter is preferably smaller by more than 15% and ideally by more than 20% Preferably, the bristles of this row of bristles have approximately the same distance from one another as the boundary bristles (up to + 15% greater distance). This row of bristles 12 is adjoined, in turn, in the radial direction, by a row of outer bristles 13, which forms the boundary of the inner bristle area 4 with respect to the outer bristle area 3. This series of outer bristles 13 preferably consists respectively of bristles whose foot diameter is smaller by more than 30% and ideally more than 40% smaller than the foot diameter of the limiting bristles 10.

As can be seen well from Figure 2, the bristle carrier has a convex curved bristle base surface 2, to which the bristles are attached and from which the bristles rise. This bristle base surface is designed in the present embodiment as a spherical cap whose deepest point T coincides with the brush longitudinal axis when the brush is held so that the bristle facing points vertically downwards.

It is also noteworthy that all the bristle trimmings are arranged in circular rows concentrically around the center of the bristle trimmings.

Figs. 7 to 11 show a second embodiment of the invention. Except for the deviations mentioned below, it corresponds to the first-mentioned exemplary embodiment, so that what is said there also applies identically to this second exemplary embodiment (cf., in particular, also the side views of the exemplary embodiments which are virtually identical in the relevant points).

In this embodiment, the bristle carrier base surface 2 has an unoccupied edge which is not to be added to the outer garniture region 3, cf. Fig. 10.

The outer trimming area 3 is executed here less densely occupied and consists in this embodiment only of the rows of locks 8 and 9th

The inner trim area 4 is also significantly less tight sets executed. It comprises a series of boundary bristles 10. On the outside, a thinned series of auxiliary bristles 14 connects. Their bristle diameter is preferably more than 15% and ideally more than 20% smaller than that of the limiting bristles 10. The bristle spacing of two spaced-apart auxiliary bristles 14 is preferably more than three times the auxiliary bristle foot diameter.

Following the auxiliary bristles, the bristle stock passes into the outer stocking area. The bristle foot diameter of the bristles 8 and 9 of the outer trimming area is preferably smaller than the bristle diameters of the bristles of the inner trimming area.

It is noteworthy that the boundary bristles 10 are further spaced apart here than in the previous Ausführungsbei- game.

In this concrete exemplary embodiment, that FIGS. 7 to 11 show, BDA / BDI lies just above the value 4.

Figs. 12 to 16 show a third embodiment of the invention, which conceptually relies much more on the first than on the second embodiment. Except for the deviations mentioned below, it corresponds to the first-mentioned exemplary embodiment, so that what is said there applies identically to this third exemplary embodiment, cf. in particular also the side views of the exemplary embodiments which are virtually identical in the relevant points.

The innermost bristle row of the inner garnish area 4 in turn forms a row of the said border bristles 10, which surround a drip area 11, which is illustrated by the imaginary black solid line. In the radial direction on the outside, this is followed by a row of middle bristles 12 whose mean diameter is preferably insignificantly smaller (up to about 15%) than that of the limiting bristles 10. The bristle spacing of two immediately adjacent middle bristles preferably also corresponds approximately that of the delimiting bristles (up to about + 15%). A row of outer bristles 13, which forms the boundary of the inner bristle region 4 with respect to the outer bristle region 3 and whose diameter is preferably approximately 50% (+ 10%) smaller than the latter, in turn adjoin this bristle row 12, in the radial direction Diameter of the boundary bristles 10. Immediately adjacent bristles of this bristle row preferably have a bristle spacing which is at least equal to twice the bristle base diameter of these bristles.

In this concrete exemplary embodiment, which are shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, BDA / BDI is just above the value 1.5.

With the brushes according to the invention, a whole series of possible embodiments can be realized.

Thus, both reusable packaging and hygienically advantageous disposable packaging can be equipped (for example, comparable to commercially available liquid eyeliner). The applicators according to the invention can be embodied as loose applicators, the loading of which is effected by dropping or injecting (through an internally fed central outlet opening in the bristle carrier base surface) from a metering bottle, immersion in a storage bottle or by picking up from a separate carrier onto which has previously been dropped.

In the disposable area, a single-dose packaging can advantageously be realized, which contains an applicator and the liquid for an application.

The brush according to the invention is of great advantage, in particular in the case of pharmaceutical liquids, since precise metering (in the range of ± 0.01 ml) can be achieved, which can also be achieved with skilful design in accordance with the invention. Precise metering opens up new areas of application in competition with other metering systems that have been used to ensure that no waste of the expensive active fluid is lost - which is why brushes are used because of their wasteful use. have not yet come into question.

For cosmetics, a defined absorption of the amount necessary to achieve the desired make-up result is also advantageous.

The inventively provided injection-molded bristles show considerable advantages.

Since all the essential bristle parameters (length, diameter, positioning, set-up density) are precisely adjustable bar with injection-molded bristles, brushes can be realized which enable a substantially complete delivery of the liquid absorbed by them to the skin, hair or hairline (at least 80%; 90% to 95%). In addition, the injection molding allows a soft execution of Bors th, free of burrs, edges and tips to prevent injury. The latter is often not the case with cut filament bristles. Injection-molded bristles allow a very exact application, there are no on the basis of accidental buckling protruding brush hairs on. A bristle lining injection molded in one piece with the base of the bristle carrier has no cavities / cavities which favor the settling of bacteria, etc.

In addition, brushes with injection-molded bristles have the great advantage that the wetted area can be made entirely from a single material, for which it is ensured that this material does not undergo a reaction of any kind with the active substance of the liquid to be applied. In particular, no adhesives are needed for attachment of the bristles, which may be extremely critical from the standpoint of the occurrence of undesirable reactions.

Moreover, such injected bristles are much easier to produce sterile than brushes with a regular trimming of traditional bristles. Because the plastic material as such is so far heated in the course of injection molding that it is sterile, so After injection molding, it is only necessary to ensure that no contamination is applied from the outside (clean room technology).

In addition, injection molding makes it possible to set further advantageous properties of the bristles. Thus, it is very easy to add antibacterial additives (eg silver ions), which make the bristles per se bacteria-resistant to a great extent.

In addition, hydrophilic or hydrophobic properties of the bristles can be generated by additives and / or the production with appropriately treated tool surfaces, which are reflected in the plastic surfaces formed by them and cause the required effect.

Round brushes are preferred, but according to the invention it is also possible, for example, to produce oval brushes.

To conclude, the preferred embodiment of the invention can again be shortened as follows:

A small number of bristles in the core is surrounded by a ring of a plurality of bristles, which can become finer towards the outside, if necessary, the core or the narrowest core region is bristle-free.

The volume of space bounded by the outer rest area corresponds to the dose to be applied. Due to its surface tension, the liquid to be applied forms a drop in the center of the applicator, which is held by the surrounding bristles.

Upon contact of the brush or the droplet therein with the skin / hair / the hairline, the drop completely dissolves from the brush by moving the bristles and possibly slightly spreading them. With the outside of the applicator, the liquid can then, if necessary, further distributed and incorporated into the surface to be treated.

For the sake of order, it should be noted that the above descriptions make provisions for the so-called "dosage-relevant part of the bristle stock", ie. H. for the part of the total existing bristle stock, which decides on the size of each applied to the surface to be treated drop. In addition, additional bristles may be present in the edge region of the bristle lining which is essentially irrelevant for the dosage, which do not satisfy the requirements previously set for the bristles, for example because these bristles project laterally, transversely to the bristle longitudinal axis of the dosage-relevant bristles that are relevant to the invention.

In the context of this application, protection is additionally and independently claimed for a brush, which is described by the following features and also shown by the figures, without necessarily referring back to other claims:

Brush for metered application with injection-molded bristles, which are injection-molded in one piece or form-fitting manner to a bristle carrier base surface, wherein the trim has boundary bristles 10, which directly surround a substantially bristle-free volume in the center 7 of the stocking and delimit the remaining bristle stock. The volume of space preferably forms a droplet space 11, in which a dose of the liquid to be applied can accumulate, which is so great that it triggers the preferably ad hoc delivery of most of the liquid to be applied in the form of a droplet, if the surface to be treated is touched.

Of course, such a brush may have other features as recited in the claims of this application or as discussed in the description above. Such, alternatively claimed fourth embodiment show the figures 17 to 19.

For the bristle stocking of this embodiment, all that has already been said for the other exemplary embodiments applies with the difference that it is not absolutely necessary to distinguish between an outer stocking area in which the bristle density is higher than in the inner stocking area enclosed by the outer stocking area and an inner stocking area. However, this embodiment corresponds to the previous one insofar as, on closer inspection, an outer facing area 3 is present whose bristles are finer than the bristles of the inner facing area 4.

This is because the inside bristles have a slightly larger diameter than the radially outward bristles, cf. Fig. 19.

Crucial here is that a central area is present, which is completely bristle-free. This central region is delimited from the rest of the bristle field by six boundary bristles 10, preferably arranged along a circular line, cf. Fig. 19. In this way results in the center of this bristle trim here, a droplet space 11, with the aid of a defined amount of the agent to be applied can be stored. The boundary bristles 10 delimiting the droplet space 11 are the longest bristles of the bristle field, so that the delivery of the stored agent can be triggered by bringing the boundary bristles projecting beyond the rest of the bristle set into contact with the surface to be applied and moving them. Explicitly, it should again be pointed out that all the parameters mentioned above for the other exemplary embodiments, which are decisive for the size of the droplet space, also apply to this exemplary embodiment.

As can best be seen with reference to FIG. 17, a brush in the sense of this exemplary embodiment may also have the special feature that it is sprayed with several components. For this purpose, a support consisting of different cylindrical or conical sections, injected. At this distal end, ie the handle facing away from the end, a cylindrical or conical section is molded, which serves as a bristle carrier 1, from which protrude the bristles, preferably in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Figures 20 to 22 show a fifth embodiment, which substantially corresponds to the aforementioned fourth embodiment, with the only difference that the brush in this embodiment is preferably molded one-component and the area of the brush is designed slightly different beyond the actual bristle carrier section. However, the bristle stocking corresponds to that of the fourth exemplary embodiment, therefore the statements made there also apply here.

Finally, it is stated that not least protection is claimed for such a brush, having the features of the first claim and additional additional features, as described in several, independent stages below. The brush as claimed above is thus characterized by

- that the bristles of the bristle trim (3, 4), which have the largest bristle base diameter, belonging to the Begrenzungsborsten (10),

- And / or that the bristle carrier has a convex, preferably substantially a dome or spherical cap corresponding bristle carrier base surface (2) on which the bristles are mounted and from which protrude the bristles, and / or that the lateral surface of the individual bristles is formed conically , preferably with a cone angle ß of 0.5 ° to 3 ° relative to the bristle longitudinal axis. bristle carrier

Borstenträgerbasisfläc

outer trimming area

inner trimming area

7 center of the bristle trim

8 lock row

9 blocked row

10 boundary bristles

11 drop room

12 medium bristles

13 outer bristles

14 auxiliary bristles

L longitudinal axis

KD head diameter of the brush

BL bristle longitudinal axis

GR Borderline to the outer and inner trim areas

LB bristle length

BDA bristle density in the outer trimming area

BDI bristle density in the inner trimming area

T lowest point of the bristle carrier base surface

Oi cone angle

ß inclination of the bristle shell surface

Claims

claims

Brush for the metered application of a cosmetic or pharmaceutical liquid with a stocking of a number of bristles arranged at least substantially parallel to one another, which are grouped around a stocking center (7), characterized in that the bristles are injection-molded onto a bristle carrier (1) in which the stocking has an outer stocking region (3) enclosing the stocking center in the circumferential direction, in which the bristle density is higher than in the inner stocking region (4) enclosed by the outer stocking region (3) and / or whose bristles are finer than the bristles of the bristle inner trimming area (4).

Brush for metered application according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner garnish area (4) comprises a central area which is completely bristle-free.

Brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner garnish region (4) has boundary bristles (10) which in the center (7) of the garnish surround a substantially bristle-free volume which forms a droplet space (11) which can accumulate a dose of the liquid to be applied, which is so great that it triggers the sudden release of most of the liquid to be applied in the form of a drop when the surface to be treated is touched.

Brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume of the drop space (11) (depending on the bristle length, the density of the surrounding bristles, the dripping behavior and the surface tension of the liquid to be applied) is chosen so small that the drop can be held for at least 5 seconds, better 10 seconds, and more preferably at least 150 seconds, before it drips off essentially as a whole.

Brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the droplet space (11) has a bristle-free base which is at least 3.5 times and ideally at least 5.5 times the cross-sectional area of one of the delimiting bristles ( 10), wherein the bristle-free base surface is preferably substantially rotationally symmetrical.

Brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the droplet space (11) has a bristle-free base surface, which corresponds to a maximum of 15 times and more preferably at most 12.5 times the cross-sectional area of one of the Begrenzungsborsten and in the individual case even only 10 times the cross-sectional area of one of the boundary bristles.

Dosed applicator brush according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distal ends of the bristles of the inner region (4) project beyond the distal ends of the bristles of the outer region (3).

Brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the boundary bristles (10) project beyond the distal ends of all the other bristles of the bristle trimming (3).

Brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distal end of the bristle trim (3, 4) is configured conically tapered as a whole, preferably so that the imaginary surface, which spans the distal bristle ends (envelope surface), substantially is a cone shroud with a point angle oc, for which applies: 35 ° ^ oc -S 55 °.

Brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the boundary bristles (10) are arranged in a single row and the row of the Begren- is surrounded on its side facing away from the droplet space (11) by at least one further bristle row (12) whose bristles are separated from each other by a larger bristle spacing than the maximum distance Ab _{max of} the Begrenzungsborsten.

11. brush for metered application according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristles in the foot region (immediately above the beginning of the rounding, with which they pass into the bristle carrier) have a bristle foot diameter DF, for which applies DF -S 0.06 mm, or ideally DF-S 0,04 mm.

12. brush for metered application according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Begrenzungsborsten have a bristle length LB, for which applies: 2.75 mm -S LB ^ 5.5 mm.

13. Brush for metered application of a cosmetic or pharmaceutical liquid with a stocking of a number of at least substantially parallel to each other arranged bristles, which are grouped around a stocking center (7), characterized in that the bristles to a bristle carrier (1) are sprayed, wherein the trim boundary bristles 10, which directly surround a bristle-free volume of space in the center 7 of the stocking and delimit from the rest of bristle stocking.

14. application system consisting of a brush according to one of the preceding claims and an agent to be applied, preferably in the form of an eyelash growth serum whose surface tension is lower than that of pure water, wherein the arrangement of the bristles relative to each other and / or the bristle length on the one hand and the ^¬ flow or dripping behavior of the agent parameters determining are adapted on the other hand to one another so that the boron ^¬ tenbesatz a predetermined amount of the agent - preferential as predominantly or substantially - keep stored in his drip space and can give off again in contact with the to be behan ^¬ delnden skin area. ,

Use of a brush or applicator system according to one of the preceding claims for applying a thin liquid cosmetic and / or pharmaceutical to the human or animal skin, in particular to the skin of the eyelid.