EP3897289A1

EP3897289A1 - Device for applying a cosmetic product and method for manufacturing such a device for applying a cosmetic product

Info

Publication number: EP3897289A1
Application number: EP19842869.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Benoît FUCHS; Noël AUTIE
Original assignee: Parfums Christian Dior SA
Current assignee: Parfums Christian Dior SA
Priority date: 2018-12-18
Filing date: 2019-12-10
Publication date: 2021-10-27
Also published as: WO2020128219A1; FR3089767B1; FR3089767A1; US20220071369A1; CN113365530A; JP2022514744A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for applying a cosmetic product (16), comprising a gripping member (20) and an applicator element (22) rigidly secured to the gripping member (20). The applicator element (22) is at least partially made of foamed plastic. The applicator device may be part of an assembly (10) for packaging and application of a cosmetic product.

Description

COSMETIC APPLICATION DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF SUCH COSMETIC APPLICATION DEVICE

Technical area

The present description relates to a device for applying a cosmetic product, to a packaging and application unit comprising such an application device and to methods of manufacturing such a product application device. cosmetic and such a set of packaging and application.

Presentation of the prior art

Numerous cosmetic product application devices have already been described.

DE 20 2007 014 474 U1 describes, for example, an application device, the applicator element of which is made of two materials, a harder material and a softer material, molded around the harder material. The softer material is overmolded onto the harder material to form an anchor in the harder material. The applicator element described in DE 20 2007 014 474 U1 thus has satisfactory mechanical resistance, due to the part made of harder material, to ensure the precision of the application of cosmetic product, while maintaining good comfort of use. , due to the softer material part, which is intended to be in contact with the skin of the user.

[0004] Furthermore, EP 2 647 479 A1 describes a method of injection molding of a plastic material making it possible to obtain a piece of foamed thermoplastic material. According to this document, such a part can in particular be implemented in the automotive field.

Summary of the invention

An object of this description is to provide an application device having better comfort for the user, while retaining high precision of use. Another object of the present description is to provide a process for manufacturing such an applicator device, requiring as few steps as possible while allowing an aesthetic result to be obtained.

To this end, there is described a device for applying a cosmetic product comprising a gripping member and an applicator element integral with the gripping member, in which the applicator element is at least partly made of foamed plastic.

[0007] Thus, the applicator element is wholly or partly made of foamed plastic, a material which has a feel felt to be particularly pleasant by users.

According to preferred embodiments, the cosmetic product application device has one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination:

- the applicator element is connected to the gripping member by a rod;

- The applicator element comprises a rigid head on which is molded a foam plastic application part;

- the rigid head and the application part are fixed to each other by complementarity of form and / or by bonding;

- The rigid head has an internal connection zone receiving an anchoring portion of the application part;

the internal connection zone of the rigid head comprises at least one channel, preferably two channels, the or each channel preferably extending further along a first longitudinal section opening out at a longitudinal end of the rigid head and along a second section radial, opening on a lateral side of the rigid head;

- the rigid head came integrally with the rod;

- the foamed plastic is chosen from:

o the Versaflex ™ CL30 thermoplastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation;

o the TM3 ADT thermoplastic elastomer from KRAIBURG TPE;

o the Versaflex ™ CL 2000x thermo-plastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation; o the Versaflex ™ PKG4365 thermoplastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation;

o the TF5 FMA thermoplastic elastomer from KRAIBURG TPE; and o any thermoplastic which may exhibit chemical bonding with the rigid head, if applicable; and

- the application device is chosen from:

o a gloss applicator;

o a mascara applicator; and

o an eyeshadow applicator.

In another aspect, there is described a set of packaging and application of cosmetic product comprising an application device as described above in all of its combinations, and a container intended to contain the cosmetic product to be applied. by means of the application device, the application device preferably being capable of being fixed on the container so that the applicator element is received inside the container.

Preferably, the container contains cosmetic product, the cosmetic product preferably being chosen from:

- gloss;

- mascara; and

- eyeshadow.

The container may have an opening, preferably a single opening, and the gripping member may be adapted to be fixed to the container to close the opening of the container, preferably in a position of the application device such that the the applicator element is in contact with the cosmetic product contained in the container.

Furthermore, there is described a method of manufacturing an application device as described above in all of its combinations, comprising: i) the supply of a gripping member;

ii) realization of the applicator element; and

iii) the attachment of the applicator element to the gripping member,

process in which the production of the applicator element comprises: a) injecting liquid plastic and gas into a mold to produce foamed plastic; and

b) after cooling, removing the mold from the foamed plastic part made in step a), the part forming all or part of the applicator element.

In step a), the mold can be heated, in particular a face of the mold can be heated, which defines an application surface of the applicator element or of the application part, if applicable.

During step a), part of the gas present in the mold can be evacuated.

The foam plastic application part can be molded onto the rigid head.

In step a), one can inject an amount of material less than the volume of the mold to be filled with said material, the ratio between the amount of material injected and the volume of the mold to be filled preferably being between 90% and 95%.

The method may include after the injection step, a step of maintaining the mold in the closed state, during a rest time at least greater than the duration of the injection step, the rest time advantageously being greater than 5 seconds.

The gas can be chosen from:

- nitrogen; and

- carbon dioxide.

A method for producing a set of packaging and applying a cosmetic product as described above in all of its combinations, comprises:

- the manufacture of an application device by implementing a method as described above in all its combinations; and

- the supply of a container suitable for containing cosmetic product.

This method may further comprise fixing the application device on the container. Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be better understood from the description which follows, given with regard to the attached drawings, among which:

Figure 1 is a partially broken away view of a device for packaging and applying a cosmetic product with a device for applying a cosmetic product;

Figure 2 is a side view of the applicator element of the cosmetic product application device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the applicator element of Figure 2, along the cutting plane III-III;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the applicator element of Figure 2, along the section plane IV-IV;

FIG. 5 illustrates a first step in a process for manufacturing an applicator element according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 illustrates a second step in a process for manufacturing an applicator element according to FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a third step in a process for manufacturing an applicator element according to FIG. 2.

detailed description

In the following description, identical elements or identical functions bear the same reference sign. For the sake of brevity of this description, these elements are not described in the context of each embodiment. On the contrary, only the differences between the embodiments are described.

Figure 1 illustrates a device 10 for packaging and applying a cosmetic product 12. The cosmetic product 12 is for example eyeshadow. Alternatively, the cosmetic product 12 is chosen from:

- gloss;

- mascara;

- a powder;

- a care.

This packaging and application device 10 essentially comprises a container 14 containing the cosmetic product 12 to be applied and an application device 16 (or applicator device).

The application device 16 is for example one of:

- a gloss applicator;

- a mascara applicator;

- an eye shadow applicator;

- a powder applicator;

- a care applicator.

The application device 16 comprises a rod 18, having a first 18a and a second end 18b. The rod 18 extends in a longitudinal direction X ₀ between the first end 18a and the second end 18b of the rod 18. In FIG. 1, the longitudinal direction X ₀ of the rod is common to the longitudinal direction X of the container 14 , of a gripping member 20 of the application device 16, and to the longitudinal direction X ₁ of an applicator element 22 of the application device16. The gripping member 20 is fixed at the first end 18a of the rod 18. The applicator element 22 is mounted at the second end 18b of the rod 18, that is to say in the vicinity of this second end 18b of the rod 18. Here, the gripping member 20 is substantially cylindrical. The cross section of the gripping member 20 may in particular be oval, round or polygonal, for example triangular, square or rectangular. The gripping member 20 allows, in addition to gripping the application device 16, the fixing of this application device 16 on the container 14. To do this, the container 14, for example of tubular shape with axis X, has at a neck 24 adapted to allow the passage of the applicator element 22 and the rod 18, a threaded neck 26. The gripping 20 is provided with a threaded skirt 27, adapted to be screwed onto the threaded neck 26. This fixing thus also makes it possible to close the neck 24. In this position of the gripping member 20 on the container 14, the rod 18 allows the applicator element 22 to be received in the cosmetic product 12, thus making it possible to extract a part of it during the withdrawal of the application device 16.

In the example illustrated, the container 14 also comprises, in the neck 24, a wiping ring 28, mounted here clamped in the neck 24. This wiping ring 28 is intended to come into contact with the applicator element 22 when the latter is removed from the interior of the container 14, in order to eliminate the surplus of cosmetic product 12, the applicator element 22 of which could be soaked or covered.

This wring ring 28 is however optional. Similarly, the method of fixing the application device 16 by screwing the gripping member 20 onto a threaded neck 26 of the container 14 is only one example among other embodiments that can be envisaged by man job. Alternatively, the application device 16 can for example be resiliently fitted (or "clipped") onto the container 14.

However, Figures 2 to 4 illustrate in more detail the applicator element 22 of the cosmetic product application device 16.

Remarkably, this applicator element 22 is at least partly made of foamed plastic.

Here, by way of example, the applicator element 22 comprises a rigid head 30 (or core) on which is molded an application portion 32 of foamed plastic.

By foamed plastic is meant here a material comprising, preferably consisting of, a gas phase dispersed in a solid plastic phase. The solid plastic element constitutes the matrix. The gas phase is contained in cavities or cells (cells). The cavities or cells can be opened or closed. In foamed plastics with closed cells, each cell is completely enclosed by a thin wall or membrane in plastic. In contrast, in foamed plastics with open cells, the individual cells are interconnected.

The foamed plastic in which the application part 32 is made is for example a thermoplastic elastomer. Foamed plastic is chosen in particular from:

- the Versaflex ™ CL30 thermoplastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation;

- the TM3 ADT thermoplastic elastomer from KRAIBURG TPE;

-the Versaflex ™ CL 2000x thermo-plastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation;

- the Versaflex ™ PKG4365 thermoplastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation;

- the TF5 FMA thermoplastic elastomer from KRAIBURG TPE; and

more generally, any thermoplastic which may have chemical bonding with the rigid head 30.

The rigid head 30 is for example made of Versaflex ™ CL30 from the company PolyOne ™ Corporation. More generally, the rigid head 30 can be made of any thermoplastic which may have chemical bonding with the application part 32.

For example, the rigid head 30 has a hardness of 60 Shore A or more while the application portion 32 has a hardness greater than 10 Shore A, preferably greater than 30 Shore A, and / or less than 40 Shore A. A basic structure of the applicator element 22 is thus produced having a hardness sufficient to ensure an acceptable mechanical resistance of the applicator element, while having good comfort of use by a user.

The application part 32 may define one or more separate application surfaces 34, 36, more particularly adapted to the application of cosmetic product. In the example illustrated, the application part 32 is bevelled so as to define two application surfaces 34, 36 produced at the same end of the applicator element 22. A first application surface 34 is concave, while the second application surface 36 is convex. The first and second application surfaces 34, 36 meet here at an extreme edge 38, which allows for example the production of particularly fine lines of cosmetic product.

The application portion 32 as a whole can be covered with a flocking. Alternatively, only the application surfaces 34, 36 are covered with such a flocking.

The application part 32 is fixed to the rigid head 30. This fixing can be carried out by complementary shapes and / or using an adhesive. Better fixing is obtained when an adhesive and a complementarity of shapes are used.

In the example illustrated, the complementarity of shapes is notably obtained by the fact that the rigid head 30 defines a radial channel 40 opening onto the lateral surface of the rigid head 30, which radial channel receives a pin 42 formed by the part 32. The rigid head 30 also defines a longitudinal channel 44 receiving a portion 46 here substantially cylindrical of the application part. The radial channel 40 opens into the longitudinal channel 44 of the rigid head 30.

The channels 40, 44 in the rigid head 30 thus form an internal connection zone receiving an anchoring portion of the application part 32, formed by the pin 42 and the cylindrical portion 46.

In practice, the channels 40, 44 also allow the molding of the application part 32 on the rigid head 30, the foamed plastic forming the application part being molded through these channels 40, 44.

Also, in the example illustrated, the rigid head 30 defines a tongue 48 of material which extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the applicator element 22, which tongue 48 being received in a complementary housing 50 formed by the application part 32. Here again, the complementary shape between the tongue 48 and the complementary housing 50 ensures even better fixing of the rigid head 30 and of the application part 22.

In the example illustrated, it can be noted that the rigid head 30 forms a stud 52 for fixing the applicator element 22 on the rod 18 of the application device 16. For example, the stud 52 is received clamped in the hollow rod 18. According to a preferred embodiment, the rod 18 is deformed, in particular pinched, after the insertion of the stud 52 to further improve the mechanical strength of the fixing of the applicator element 22 in the rod 18.

However, according to a variant not shown, the rigid head 30 came integrally with the rod 18. In this case, the rigid head 30 and the rod 18 are in one piece.

We will now describe an example of a method of manufacturing an application device 16 as described above, with reference to Figures 5 to 7 which illustrate more particularly successive stages of production of the applicator element 22 .

Firstly, a gripping member 20 is provided. This gripping member can be produced by any means accessible to those skilled in the art. For example, the gripping member can be produced by molding.

The applicator element 22 is then produced. This applicator element 22 can in particular be produced as follows.

We first provide a rigid head 30 as described above and as shown in Figure 5. Such a rigid head 30 can for example be made by molding plastic.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the rigid head 30 is placed in a mold 100 allowing the injection of foamed plastic material into the mold 100, through the radial duct 40. The mold 100 has a receiving imprint of the rigid head 32 allowing overmolding of the application part 22. A foam plastic injection device 102 is arranged opposite the radial duct 40.

The foamed plastic injection device 102 allows the injection of a mixture of liquid plastic 106 and gas 108 into the mold 100.

The gas is for example chosen from:

- nitrogen; and

- carbon dioxide.

Advantageously, an inert gas is used at this stage. The injection step may in particular last between one and two seconds. The gas injection can be carried out concomitantly with the injection of liquid plastic, but during only part of the injection of liquid plastic. For example, gas is injected into the mold during a time between 1 / 10th of a second and half a second, for example during 1/4 of a second.

The amount of foamed plastic injected into the mold can correspond to only part of the volume to be filled with said foamed plastic. Indeed, it has been found that the injected foamed plastic tends to continue to swell in the mold, after its injection. This quantity of foamed plastic is for example between 90 and 95% of the volume of the mold 100 to be filled with the foamed plastic. This ensures a better surface condition of the applicator element 22, in particular a better appearance of the surface of the applicator element 22.

During the foamed plastic injection step, the mold 100 can be heated, in particular on one or more faces of the mold which define one of the application surface 34, 36 of the applicator element 22 or of the application part 32, if applicable. It has indeed been found that it was thus possible to obtain a better surface condition of these application surfaces 34, 36.

Also during the injection step, part of the gas present in the mold 100 can be removed to facilitate / improve the dispersion of the foamed plastic in the mold 100. This gives a more homogeneous distribution of the foamed plastic in the mold 100 and therefore a more homogeneous application part 32 also.

Preferably, also, after the step of injecting foamed plastic into the mold 100, the mold 100 is kept in the closed position for a predetermined time, called the rest time. This rest time is for example between 1 to 10 seconds, depending on the size of the application part. Preferably, this rest time is greater than 5 seconds. Surprisingly, it has been found that this maintenance of the mold in the closed position limits the appearance of deformations on the molded application part 22. After cooling and resting, if necessary, the applicator element 22 is removed from the mold 100.

We can then attach the applicator element 22 to the gripping member 20, via a rod 18, if necessary.

We can then complete the process for manufacturing a packaging and application assembly by providing a container suitable for containing cosmetic product and, preferably, containing cosmetic product. The application device can then be fixed to the container, in particular by screwing or by elastic fitting, for example.

The invention is not limited to the single embodiments described above with reference to the figures, but is, on the contrary, capable of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art.

In particular, in the example illustrated, the rigid head 30 defines a single radial conduit 40. Alternatively, however, the rigid head 30 defines two radial conduits 40, in particular symmetrical, extending from the same longitudinal conduit 44 or from two separate longitudinal conduits 44, for example symmetrical.

Also, in the example illustrated, the entire application portion 32 is made of foamed plastic. Alternatively, however, only a portion of the application portion 32 is made of foamed plastic.

Claims

1. Device for applying a cosmetic product (16) comprising a gripping member (20) and an applicator element (22) integral with the gripping member (20), in which the applicator element (22) is at least partly in foamed plastic.

2. Application device according to claim 1, wherein the applicator element (22) is connected to the gripping member by a rod (18).

3. Application device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the applicator element (22) comprises a rigid head (30) on which is molded an application portion (32) of foamed plastic.

4. Application device according to claim 3, wherein the rigid head (30) and the application part (22) are fixed to each other by complementarity of form and / or by bonding.

5. Application device according to claim 4, in which the rigid head (30) has an internal connection zone (40, 44) receiving an anchoring portion (42, 46) of the application part (32) .

6. Application device according to claim 5, in which the internal connection zone of the rigid head (30) comprises at least one channel (40; 44), preferably two channels, the or each channel (40, 44). preferably further extending along a first longitudinal section (44) opening at a longitudinal end of the rigid head (32) and along a second radial section (40), opening on a lateral side of the rigid head (32).

7. Application device according to one of claims 3 to 6, claim 2 applying, wherein the rigid head (32) came integrally with the rod (18).

8. Application device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the foamed plastic is chosen from:

- the Versaflex ™ CL30 thermoplastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation;

- the thermoplastic elastomer TM3 ADT from the company KRAIBURG TPE; - the Versaflex ™ CL 2000x thermo-plastic elastomer from PolyOne ™ Corporation;

- the TF5 FMA thermoplastic elastomer from KRAIBURG TPE; and

- Any thermoplastic that may have chemical bonding with the rigid head (30), if applicable.

9. Application device according to any one of the preceding claims, chosen from:

- a gloss applicator;

- a mascara applicator; and

- an eye shadow applicator.

10. Cosmetic product packaging and application assembly comprising an application device (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, and a container (14) intended to contain the cosmetic product (12) to be applied by means of the application device (16), the application device (16) preferably being capable of being fixed on the container (14) so that the applicator element (22) is received inside the container (14) .

11. Cosmetic product packaging and application assembly according to claim 10, in which the container (14) contains cosmetic product (12), the cosmetic product (12) being preferably chosen from:

- gloss;

- mascara;

- eyeshadow.

12. Cosmetic product packaging and application assembly according to claim 10 or 11, in which the container (14) has an opening, preferably unique, and the gripping member (20) is adapted to be fixed on the container (14) for closing the opening of the container (14), preferably in a position of the application device (16) such that the applicator element (22) is in contact with the cosmetic product (12) contained in the container (14).

13. Method for manufacturing an application device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising:

i) the supply of a gripping member (20);

ii) making the applicator element (22); and

iii) fixing the applicator element (22) to the gripping member (20), method in which the production of the applicator element (22) comprises:

a) injection into a mold (100) of liquid plastic and gas to produce foamed plastic; and

b) after cooling, removal of the mold (100) from the foamed plastic part produced in step a), the part forming all or part of the applicator element (22).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein in step a), the mold (100) is heated, in particular a face of the mold (100) is heated which defines an application surface (32; 34) of the applicator element (22) or the application part (32), if applicable.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein, during step a), part of the gas present in the mold (100) is removed.

16. Method according to one of claims 13 to 15, claim 3 applying, wherein the application portion (32) of foamed plastic is molded onto the rigid head (30).

17. Method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, in which in step a) an amount of material is injected less than the volume of the mold to be filled with said material, the ratio between the amount of material injected and the volume of the mold to be filled preferably being between 90% and 95%.

18. Method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, comprising after the injection step, a step of maintaining the mold in the closed state, during a rest time at least greater than the duration of the step injection, the rest time being advantageously greater than 5 seconds.

19. Method according to any one of claims 13 to 18, in which the gas is chosen from: - nitrogen; and

- carbon dioxide.

20. Method for producing a cosmetic product packaging and application unit according to one of claims 10 to 12, comprising - the manufacture of an application device (16) by implementing a method according to the any of claims 13 to 19;

- the supply of a container (14) adapted to contain cosmetic product (12).

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising attaching the application device (16) to the container (14).