EP3656249A1

EP3656249A1 - Brush for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails

Info

Publication number: EP3656249A1
Application number: EP19205361.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paolo Tarabotti
Original assignee: Sorini E Migliavacca SpA
Current assignee: Sorini E Migliavacca SpA
Priority date: 2018-11-21
Filing date: 2019-10-25
Publication date: 2020-05-27
Also published as: IT201800010476A1; US20200154872A1

Abstract

A brush (1) for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails, which comprises a brush handle (3) which is adapted to be coupled at one end to a head (2) and is provided, at the opposite end, with at least one tuft of bristles (4) for applying a cosmetic product, the at least one tuft of bristles being shaped asymmetrically with respect to an axis (10) of the handle.

Description

The present invention relates to a brush for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails.
As is known, a brush is usually used for applying a cosmetic product, such as a varnish, on nails. The brushes present on the market are made up of a handle and of one or more tufts which are axially fixed with respect to that handle, by way of one or more staples or strips or, optionally, by melting or overmolding.
The handle is provided, at one end, with a head that enables it to be connected with a capsule or closure stopper, which in turn is screwed or fixed to a container of the product, closing it.
The capsule or closure stopper enables the consumer to hold the brush. At the opposite end of the handle there are one or more seats or holes where the tuft or tufts of bristles are fixed.
The direction of the filaments that make up the tufts tends to be axial, i.e. in line with the handle of the brush, and especially it is symmetrical, with respect to the axis of the handle of the brush.
The foregoing applies both when the tuft of bristles has a round cross-section and also when it assumes a flat or fan-shaped configuration.
Considering in fact the cross-section of the tuft along any axial plane, the angles formed by the two sides of the tuft with respect to the axis are substantially equivalent and can present at most a difference of approximately 3°.
The user of the product grasps the brush by the capsule/stopper, dipping the brush itself into the product and applying the product on the nails of the hand that is not holding the brush.
Considering a brush as described above, the user in general has to direct the tuft of bristles axially parallel to the nail on which the product is to be applied. To do this, it is necessary to adapt the position of the hand that is holding the brush, twisting the hand slightly.
In particular, for right-handed users or users whose right hand is their dominant hand, this operation is easy when the brush is held with the right hand, in order to apply the product on the nail of the left hand.
By contrast, the opposite operation is not as easy since the left hand has to assume an unnatural position.
Obviously the above is also true for left-handed users or users whose left hand is their dominant hand. In fact, in this case, the operation is easy when the brush is held with the left hand in order to apply a product on the nails of the right hand. By contrast, the opposite operation is not as easy in that the right hand has to assume an unnatural position.
This is due to the natural tendency of most of the population to use the dominant hand with greater confidence, with better control of it.
Given that the application of varnish on the nails is an operation that requires a high level of precision in order to obtain a pleasing aesthetic effect, it is important to be able to use the hand in the position that is best suited to the task to be performed.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a brush for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails, that can be used by both right-handed and left-handed users with equal success of the aesthetic end result.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a brush for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails, that enables the user to apply the product on nails while minimizing the slightly forced posture of the hands which occurs with conventional brushes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a brush for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails, that can be used in product containers that are similar to those currently available.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a brush for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails, that is highly reliable, easily and practically implemented and low cost.
This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a brush for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails, which comprises a brush handle which is adapted to be coupled at one end to a head and is provided, at an opposite end, with at least one tuft of bristles for applying a cosmetic product, characterized in that said at least one tuft of bristles is shaped asymmetrically with respect to an axis of said handle.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the brush according to the invention, which are illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the brush according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a detail of the brush according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a detail of a second embodiment of the brush according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a partially cross-sectional view of a detail of the brush in Figures 1 to 3;
Figure 5 shows the use of the brush according to the invention with the right hand in order to apply the varnish on the nail of the left hand; and
Figure 6 shows the use of the brush according to the invention with the left hand in order to apply the varnish on the nail of the right hand.

With reference to the figures, the brush according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a head 2 which is connected to a handle 3 which has at one of its ends, opposite the end with the head 2, at least one tuft of bristles 4 which defines the region that enables the application of a varnish or other cosmetic product.
Conveniently, the at least one tuft of bristles 4 is made with an asymmetric shape, so that the angles formed on one side 5 of the tuft and the opposite side 6 of that tuft 4 differ by more than 3° up to a maximum of 45° with respect to the axis 10 of the handle 3.
In this manner, the axis of symmetry of the tuft, designated by the reference numeral 11, is inclined with respect to the axis of symmetry 10 of the handle 3.
In the figures, the angle designated with α defines the angle between the side 5 of the tuft 4 and the axis of symmetry 10 of the handle 3.
Similarly, the angle designated with β defines the angle existing between the side 6 of the tuft 4 and the axis of symmetry 10 of the handle 3.
Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the brush according to the invention, in which the at least one tuft is in reality constituted by two tufts 4a, 4b, which are optionally separated from each other by a space.
The two facing inner sides 12 and 13, respectively of the tuft 4a and of the tuft 4b, are parallel to the axis of symmetry 10 of the handle 3 of the brush. The angle α is still the angle between the side 5 of the tuft 4a and the axis of symmetry 10 of the handle 3 of the brush, while the angle β is defined as the angle between the side 6 of the tuft 4b and the axis of symmetry 10 of the handle 3 of the brush.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a detail of the coupling between the at least one tuft 4 and the handle 3. In this case, the tuft 4 is accommodated in a seat 20 which is defined at the opposite end of the handle 3 from the end for mating with the head 2.
The shape structure of the tuft with respect to the handle 3 of the brush enables a special use of the brush according to the invention.
In particular, the tip of the tuft 4 ensures that the user has the possibility, when holding the brush 3 at a suitable inclination, of adjusting the direction of the tuft 4 parallel to the nail 25 (see Figures 6 and 7), thus finding the most comfortable position for product application.
The symmetry of the tuft ensures that the user, simply by rotating the brush through 180°, passing from one hand to the other, will always find the optimal and least inconvenient position for the non-dominant hand for product application.
Figure 5 shows an example of application of a cosmetic product on the nail, holding the brush with the right hand and applying the product on a nail of the left hand, while Figure 6 shows the application of a cosmetic product with the left hand on a nail of the right hand, in this case rotating the brush through 180° as explained above.
In practice it has been found that the brush according to the invention fully achieves the set aim and objects, in that it can be used easily with both hands without having to twist the hands into unnatural positions when applying a cosmetic product using the user's non-dominant hand.
The brush thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102018000010476 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A brush (1) for applying a cosmetic product, in particular a varnish on nails, which comprises a brush handle (3) which is adapted to be coupled at one end to a head (2) and is provided, at an opposite end, with at least one tuft of bristles (4) for applying a cosmetic product, characterized in that said at least one tuft of bristles (4) is shaped asymmetrically with respect to the axis (10) of said handle.
The brush according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one tuft of bristles (4) is provided so that the opposite sides (5, 6) of the tuft are angled with respect to the axis (10) of said handle (3).
The brush according to claim 1, characterized in that the axis of symmetry (11) of said tuft (4) is angled with respect to the axis (10) of said handle (3).
The brush according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a pair of tufts of bristles (4a, 4b) which are arranged at the end of said handle (3) that is opposite to the end for coupling the handle (3) with said head (2).
The brush according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the angles (α, β) formed by the two mutually opposite sides (5, 6) of said at least one tuft (4) with respect to said axis (10) of the handle (3) differ by a value greater than 3° up to 45°.
The brush according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the facing inner sides (12, 13) of said two tufts of bristles (4a, 4b) are arranged parallel to the axis (10) of said handle (3).
A method for using a brush (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:
- gripping the brush (1) with the right hand in order to apply a cosmetic product to a nail (25) of a finger of the left hand; and

- rotating the brush (1) through 180° and gripping it with the left hand in order to apply the cosmetic product to a nail (25) of the right hand.