EP3716813B1 - Refill for liquid makeup case and assembly comprising a case and such a refill - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of containers for liquid makeup. It relates in particular to the field of liquid make-up refills for make-up cases and cases for liquid make-up.

It concerns, for example, boxes intended to contain and deliver make-up in liquid form allowing the user to carry his or her make-up in a handbag or a pocket in order to apply make-up throughout the day. In the remainder of this document, the user will be designated by the term “user”.

Similarly, the term liquid make-up must be understood in a broad sense, and may designate, for example, a fluid foundation, make-up for the eye contour commonly designated by the English term "eyeliner", eye shadow, or a fluid lipstick. The term make-up can also refer to a liquid care formula, a liquid face or eye cream, a lotion.

These boxes are small in size in order to be easily transportable. They must be perfectly sealed against the product they contain when they are closed, and must be easy to use, in particular by allowing the easy delivery and application of liquid makeup.

Enclosures also have an important aesthetic function. They may be intended to be reused when empty.

To this end, the boxes known in the state of the art contain a refill. This refill is clipped into the bottom of the case and ensures protection, sealing, and distribution of the product for the user.

Such a refill is made with materials that are compatible with the products it contains. It comprises a tank which contains the liquid make-up and a cover allowing the leaktight closure of the tank.

A device allows the distribution or delivery of make-up.

Various types of devices allowing the delivery of make-up which is in liquid form have been envisaged in the state of the art.

Some refills include an absorbent complex, namely a sponge. In these refills, the product, that is to say the liquid make-up, is soaked in a sponge which is held in the bottom of the refill using a retaining ring.

This ring supports a protective label which is removed by the user on first use. Sealing is then ensured by the lid of the refill. The product is dispensed by soaking an applicator such as a powder puff or the user's finger by pressing on the sponge, so that it releases the product that it contains in its cells.

This first solution makes it possible to contain and deliver very fluid products.

Nevertheless, the sponge occupies a certain volume inside the refill, to the detriment of the storage capacity of the product contained. For a given volume of returnable product, the refill and the box must be larger than in the absence of a sponge. This goes against the transportability of the product.

A refill for liquid make-up comprising a sponge is disclosed in particular in the document JP2008178463 .

According to this same principle, the case for make-up may comprise, in addition to the container of the refill, secondary receptacles or refills for containing other cosmetic compositions. This is described in the document KR20120045146 . This does not solve, or imperfectly, the problem of the capacity of the returnable liquid make-up refill.

According to a second solution, the refills may have a sieve stretched over the tank containing the make-up. The screen is made of a stretch mesh or a perforated silicone membrane. This solution allows the product to pass through the meshes of the fabric forming the sieve or through the perforations of the silicone when it is stretched by pressing on it. Alternatively, the delivery of the product can be carried out thanks to a in pressure of the internal volume of the refill, by pressing on a deformable bottom that it comprises. This is described in the document FR2744602 . According to this second solution, as there is no sponge or other element in the tank, its entire volume is available to contain product. Nevertheless, the product cannot be very fluid because the sieve offers an imperfect maintenance of a very fluid product in the tank, and the product must not pass through the sieve in the absence of pressure on the latter.

According to a third solution, the product is distributed by a so-called "airless" pump (which can be translated as "airless", that is to say not using any propellant gas) through a plate, or through a central hole , or by a multitude of orifices arranged on the upper surface of the plate. According to this solution, the bottom of the refill consists of a piston which pushes the product under the action of the pump, or else of a flexible pocket which is crushed under the action of the pump. This solution is suitable for the storage and return of liquid products, even the most fluid, but has a high cost and has a large footprint due to the system comprising a piston and a pump.

The document KR 101 379 692 B1 discloses the subject matter of the preamble of claim 1.

Nevertheless, in the state of the art, there is no refill for liquid make-up case, nor any corresponding case, maximizing the storage volume of potentially very fluid liquid make-up, while allowing easy delivery and being inexpensive. to manufacture and compact in order to allow easy transport by the user.

The invention thus aims to propose a refill solving all or part of the aforementioned problems, as well as an assembly comprising a suitable case and such a refill.

Thus, the invention relates to a refill intended to be inserted into a make-up case. The refill according to the invention is defined by claim 1. The refill comprises a reservoir containing liquid makeup. The reservoir comprises a tank comprising an open upper face forming an opening for dispensing makeup, said tank being delimited by a side wall in line with the opening and a tank bottom. The refill contains an absorbent complex in the tank. The reservoir further comprises at least one additional volume outside the tank, in fluid communication with the interior of said tank.

The presence of an absorbent complex such as a sponge in the tank and therefore at the level of the product delivery opening allows, just as in the prior art, good retention of a product, even very fluid, and delivery easy release of the product by pressure on the absorbent complex.

Furthermore, the presence of additional volumes of the reservoir to the tank provides an additional capacity for containing liquid make-up, all the greater since the additional volumes do not contain any absorbent complex which would limit its storage capacity.

The capacity for retention of the product by the refill is not compromised, since the absorbent complex allows this retention at the level of the opening for issuing the liquid makeup. When make-up is taken from the refill by pressure on the absorbent complex, the latter is refilled with liquid make-up from the additional volumes, by gravity and/or capillarity.

The refill may have a substantially parallelepipedic shape with a substantially square base and a height less than half of one side of its base.

The tank may have a substantially cylindrical shape.

The refill comprises a first hollow part forming the external walls of the tank and of the refill, and the bottom of said tank and of the refill, and a second part forming the side wall of the tank and an upper wall of the tank comprising the opening of release of makeup.

The second part also forms a bottom of the tank.

According to a second embodiment, which does not form part of the invention, the first part forms a bottom of the tank.

The second part may form a hinge, the refill further comprising a flap connected to said hinge, the flap being able to switch between a closed position in which it closes the make-up delivery opening and an open position releasing said make-up delivery opening .

The refill includes passages made in the side wall of the tank which provide said fluidic connection of the additional volume(s) with the interior of said tank.

The refill may comprise a space between the side wall of the tank and the bottom of the tank which ensures said fluid communication of the additional volume(s) with the interior of said tank.

The refill may comprise a film hermetically sealing, before the first use of said refill, the delivery opening formed by the open face of the tank. In this case, the film can be fixed to a rigid ring linked to an upper edge of the side wall of the tank. Alternatively, the film can be attached to a return formed on an upper edge of the side wall of the tank.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a make-up case having a main body forming an interior volume for receiving a refill and a refill according to one of the claims of corresponding shape and inserted and fixed in said reception volume of the case . Such an assembly may further comprise a puff allowing the recovery of liquid make-up by pressure on the absorbent complex of the refill, and in which the case further comprises a cover forming a reception space for said puff when the case is closed by said cover.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear further in the description below.

• la figure 1 représente selon une vue tridimensionnelle un ensemble comportant un boîtier et une recharge de maquillage liquide selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente, selon une vue tridimensionnelle, l'ensemble de la figure 1 dans lequel la recharge est désolidarisée du boîtier ;
• la figure 3 présente selon une première vue en coupe un ensemble comportant un boîtier et une recharge de maquillage liquide selon l'invention ;
• la figure 4 représente selon une deuxième vue en coupe l'ensemble de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 représente selon une première vue en coupe un ensemble comportant un boîtier et une recharge de maquillage liquide selon un deuxième mode de réalisation qui ne fait pas partie de l'invention de l'invention ;
• la figure 6 représente selon une deuxième vue en coupe l'ensemble de la figure 5.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples:

• there figure 1 shows, in a three-dimensional view, an assembly comprising a case and a liquid makeup refill according to one embodiment of the invention;
• there picture 2 represents, in a three-dimensional view, the entire figure 1 in which the refill is detached from the case;
• there picture 3 shows, according to a first sectional view, an assembly comprising a case and a liquid makeup refill according to the invention;
• there figure 4 represents according to a second sectional view the whole of the picture 3 ;
• there figure 5 shows, in a first cross-sectional view, an assembly comprising a case and a liquid makeup refill according to a second embodiment which does not form part of the invention of the invention;
• there figure 6 represents according to a second sectional view the whole of the figure 5 .

There figure 1 represents a transportable or “nomadic” make-up set. The assembly comprises a case 1 which contains a refill 2, which contains liquid make-up. In the example shown here, the case has a so-called substantially square shape, that is to say a substantially parallelepipedal shape with a square base, "flattened", that is to say of low height compared to its sides, by example of height less than half of one side of the base. In the example shown in figure 1 , the base is not strictly square in that it has slightly rounded sides towards the outside, offering a rewarding appearance to the case.

The box can be closed using a cover 3. The cover 3 can be tiltable with respect to a main body 4 of the box 1. The cover 3 serves primarily for closing and opening the box in view of make-up delivery, but may have other functions. It can form an interior volume, above the refill 2, which can serve as a reception space in order to house therein a make-up application accessory, for example a powder puff. The cover 3 can also, at its bottom, be fitted with a mirror 5 enabling the user to apply makeup easily. The refill is provided with a tank 6 having an open upper face for dispensing makeup. The tank is central vis-à-vis the housing 1 and the refill 2. In the example shown, the tank 6 is cylindrical of revolution and the opening that it forms is thus round. The tank is defined in the refill by a side wall, which here is a peripheral wall, the tank being cylindrical. An absorbent complex 7 is placed in the tank. The absorbent complex fills the entire volume of the tank 6, and therefore has a shape corresponding substantially to the volume inside the tank 6. The dimensions of the absorbent complex can be slightly larger than those of the tank so that it is slightly compressed there. The absorbent complex 7 is conventionally a sponge, natural or synthetic, or any other type of open solid foam. The absorbent complex 7 can also be made, in a non-limiting manner, of non-woven materials or laminated fibers. The absorbent complex 7 has a high fluid absorption capacity, but must nevertheless allow the retention of the liquid make-up in the absence of external mechanical stresses other than gravity, for example.

In order to apply makeup, the user presses or dabs the puff (or other makeup application accessory, or a finger) on the absorbent complex 7. Under the effect of the pressure exerted, the absorbent complex restores at its compressed area part of the liquid makeup it contains. The surface of the powder puff is then covered with make-up, which allows the user to apply it easily.

The refill also includes a valve 8, which can also be called a tray. The valve 8 is linked to the edge of the tank 6 by a hinge 9. The valve typically has a general shape which corresponds to that of the opening formed by the open face of the tank 6.

The valve makes it possible to guarantee, when it is in a closed position, sealing against liquid make-up at the level of the open face of the tank 6 forming the opening for issuing the make-up. This avoids any leakage of make-up during transport, for example in a bag.

In an open position, shown in figure 1 , the refill delivery opening is released, allowing makeup to be collected in the tank.

The refill 2 has the particularity of having, in addition to the tank 6, an additional volume or several additional volumes for storing the liquid make-up, fluidly linked to the tank. The additional volume is thus defined outside the tank, typically between a side wall of said tank 6 and an outer wall of the refill. Typically, in the example shown in figure 1 , the four angles 10 of the square formed by the base of the case, and in correspondence by the refill inserted in the case, are used as additional volumes as detailed in references to figures 3 to 6 .

This is particularly visible in the figure 2 which represents the whole figure 1 , the refill 2 being detached from the main body 4 of the housing 1, for example for its replacement by a full refill. The refill 2 has an external shape which corresponds to the geometry of the interior volume of the main body 4. In the example represented here, the case 1 has a substantially square general shape, and the refill 2 has a corresponding substantially square shape. The refill thus has a volume that is as large as possible compared to the volume available in the main body 4 of the case 1.

When the refill 2 is inserted into the case 1, the refill 2 is held there by shape correspondence and/or clipping.

There picture 3 is a sectional view, along a median plane AA shown in figure 1 , of an assembly comprising a case 1 and a refill 2 such as that of the figure 1 . There figure 4 represents the same assembly according to a sectional view, according to a diagonal plane BB represented in figure 1 .

The box is shown in the closed position, that is to say that its cover 3 is closed.

A puff 11 is placed between the mirror 5 and the valve 8 of the refill 2.

To figures 3 to 6 , the valve 8 is in the closed position, and seals off the open face of the tank 6 forming the make-up delivery opening. Sealing is obtained by pinching a seal 12 carried by one face of the cover, as in the example represented here. Alternatively the seal 12 can be arranged on the upper edge of the tank 6.

The refill is made up as described below. The refill has a reservoir to hold liquid makeup. The tank comprises the tank 6, which contains a sponge, and the additional volume 13.

• une première pièce 14 creuse formant les parois externes 15 du réservoir et de la recharge, et le fond 16 dudit réservoir et de la recharge, et
• une deuxième pièce 17 formant la paroi latérale 18 de la cuve et une paroi supérieure 19 du réservoir comportant l'ouverture de délivrance du maquillage, c'est-à-dire la face ouverte de la cuve 6.

Refill 2 comprises, in order to form the reservoir:

• a first hollow part 14 forming the outer walls 15 of the reservoir and of the refill, and the bottom 16 of said reservoir and of the refill, and
• a second part 17 forming the side wall 18 of the tank and an upper wall 19 of the reservoir comprising the make-up delivery opening, that is to say the open face of the tank 6.

The second part 17 is fixed to the first part 16, for example by interlocking inside the latter.

The component parts of the tank can be made of plastic material, and be obtained for example by molding.

In the embodiment of figures 3 and 4 , a ring 20 is attached, for example by clipping, to the upper edge of the side wall 18 of the tank 6. The ring 20 supports a film 21 (or label), which seals the refill 2 in a liquid-tight and waterproof manner. the air before its first use for which the waterproof film 21 is removed.

The ring 20 can also form a slight restriction of the opening of the tank 6, which makes it possible to improve the retention of the absorbent complex 7 in the tank 6.

In order to allow the extraction of the refill 2 from the case 1, the latter can be provided, as in the example represented here, with an open bottom. The open bottom of the case allows the user to press on the bottom of the refill 2 in order to bring it out of said case 1. The bottom of the refill 2, formed by the first part 14 can advantageously comprise a recess coming from insert into the opening in the bottom of case 1, so that the assembly consisting of case 1 and refill 2 has a flat bottom.

In general, the extraction of the refill 2 from the case 1, preferably when the refill is empty of make-up, allows it to be replaced in the case by a full refill.

In the embodiment of figures 3 and 4 , the embodiment according to the invention, the second part 17 also forms a bottom 22 of the tank 6. The bottom 22 of the tank 6 comes to rest during the assembly of the refill 2 on the bottom of the refill constituted by the first piece 14.

In the embodiment of figures 3 and 4 , in which the second part 17 forms both the side wall 18 of the tank 6 and its bottom 22, the side walls 18 include passages 23 allowing makeup liquid contained in the additional volume 13 to pass into the tank 6 in order to soak or re-soak the absorbent complex 7. In other words, the passages 23 put the tank 6 in fluid communication with the additional volume 13.

As shown at figures 3 and 4 , the additional volume is mainly located in the corners 10, but nevertheless extends all around the tank 6. The additional volume is therefore, in the example shown, a single volume formed around the tank. If several additional volumes are provided, for example an independent additional volume in each corner of a refill, a passage must be provided between each additional volume and the tank 6.

The embodiment shown in figures 5 and 6 , which does not form part of the invention, essentially corresponds to that of figures 3 and 4 , optimized on two aspects. The above description made with reference to the figures 3 and 4 therefore applies, except for the differences detailed below, to the embodiment of the figures 5 and 6 .

There figure 5 is a sectional view, along a median plane AA shown in figure 1 ; there figure 6 is a sectional view, along a diagonal plane BB shown in figure 1 .

In the embodiment shown in figures 5 and 6 , a first difference is due to the fact that the second part 17 does not form a bottom for the tank 6. In this embodiment, the bottom of the tank 22' corresponds to the bottom of the refill. The bottom of the tank 22' is thus formed by the first part. This configuration has two advantages. On the one hand, the volume of the tank is enlarged. On the other hand, the fluid communication between the additional volume 13 and the tank 6 can be achieved in a simple way by providing a space 24 between the side wall of the tank (formed by the second part 17) and the bottom 22 'of the tank (formed by the first piece). The liquid make-up can thus flow freely between the additional volume 1 and the tank 6, over the entire periphery of the tank.

A second difference is due to the fact that there is no ring 20 in the embodiment shown in figures 5 and 6 . The functions of the ring 20 are ensured by a return 25 provided at the upper edge of the tank 6, towards the inside of its open face. The return 25 allows the fixing of the film 21. The return 25 also allows a good retention of the absorbent complex 7 in the tank 6.

Of course, each of the two differences mentioned above between the embodiment of the figures 3 and 4 and that of figures 5 and 6 can be adopted independently of each other, without departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims.

In all the embodiments represented, the additional volume is free of any element (typically, it does not contain any absorbent complex), which makes it possible to maximize the total capacity of the liquid makeup refill.

In an embodiment not shown, the side wall of the tank can be perforated with multiple orifices in order to facilitate fluid communication between the additional volume 13 and the tank 6.

The invention thus proposes a refill for a make-up case, containing a liquid make-up offering a performance unknown in the state of the art. Thanks to the configuration developed in the invention, the refill offers an optimized make-up storage volume, in a limited total volume allowing the case and its refill to be easily transported, while preserving ease of use compared to refills with sponges of the state of the art, and the advantage of being suitable for very fluid products.

For example, the refill proposed in the invention can contain and restore the order of 15 grams of a product, even very liquid, in a box for example substantially square having a very small size.

Claims (9)

1. A refill (2) intended to be inserted into a makeup case (1), said refill (2) comprising a vessel containing a liquid makeup, the vessel comprising a tank (6) comprising an open top face forming an opening for dispensing the makeup, said tank (6) being delimited by a side wall (18) in line with the opening and a bottom (22, 22') of the tank,

   the refill (2) comprising an absorbent complex (7) in the tank (6),

   the vessel further comprising at least one additional volume (13) outside the tank (6), in fluidic communication with the inside of said tank (6),

   said refill (2) being characterised in that it comprises a first hollow part (14) forming external walls (15) of the vessel and of the refill (2) and a bottom of said vessel and of the refill (2), and a second part (17) forming the side wall (18), the bottom of the tank (22), and a top wall (19) of the vessel comprising the makeup dispensing opening,

   the refill comprising passages (23) made in the side wall (18) of the tank (6) which ensure said fluidic communication.
2. The refill (2) according to claim 1, characterised in that it has a substantially parallelepipedic shape with a substantially square base and a height less than half of one side of its base.
3. The refill (2) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the tank (6) has a substantially cylindrical shape.
4. The refill (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second part (17) forms a hinge (9), the refill (2) further comprising a valve connected to said hinge (9), the valve (8) can switch between a closed position wherein it closes the makeup dispensing opening and an open position releasing said makeup dispensing opening.
5. The refill (2) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a film (21) hermetically sealing, before the first use of said refill (2), the dispensing opening formed by the open face of the tank.
6. The refill (2) according to claim 5, wherein the film is attached to a rigid ring (20) connected to a top edge of the side wall (18) of the tank (6).
7. The refill (2) according to claim 5, wherein the film (21) is attached to a return (25) formed on a top edge of the side wall (18) of the tank (6).
8. An assembly comprising a makeup case (1) having a main body (4) forming an interior volume for receiving a refill (2) and a refill (2) according to one of the preceding claims of matching shape, inserted and fixed in said receiving volume of the case.
9. The assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a powder puff (11) allowing the recovery of liquid makeup by pressure on the absorbent complex (7) of the refill (2), and wherein the case further comprises a cover (3) forming a receiving space for said powder puff (11) when the case (1) is closed by said cover (3).

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