FR2842440A1 - Applicator for hair care product has comb with hollow teeth and lateral outlets adjacent to tips, fitted over container opening - Google Patents

Abstract

The applicator (14), designed to be fitted to a container (12) holding a hair care product, has an arrangement of teeth in a row comprising end (22) and intermediate (16) teeth. The latter are hollow, having inner channels leading to lateral outlets (20) adjacent to their tips (18). The outlets are connected to the tips by grooves (26) in the tooth sides. The applicator is moulded in one piece from a polymer material and is shaped to prevent any escape of the applied product beyond the end teeth (22). When not in use it is covered by a matching cap.

Description

B990, b i "Product packaging and application package

  The invention relates to a set of packaging and application of a cosmetic product comprising an applicator tip intended to allow the application of a product.

cosmetic in a hair.

  The invention relates more particularly to a nozzle-applicator intended to be mounted on a container containing a cosmetic product 1o to be applied to the hair, said tip comprising a) means for fixing the tip on the container b) an arrangement at least two teeth arranged in at least one row comprising first and second end teeth, at least one of the teeth being traversed by a longitudinal channel capable of communicating with the product contained in the container, said channel opening laterally via the minus one outlet oriented towards at least one tooth

adjacent.

  Many examples of applicator tips are known

of that type.

  According to a first known design, it has been proposed a tip consisting of several molded parts, in particular at least a first part comprising two longitudinal teeth transverse end and means for fixing the container, and at least a second intermediate piece, intended for to be assembled to the previous one, which has teeth

  hollow intermediaries provided with lateral outlet orifices.

  This design is an expensive implementation, because on the one hand it requires the use of two sets of separate molds, one for the first part and the other for the second intermediate part, and because of other share the first and

B990 -,

  second pieces must be assembled together, which

  increases the manufacturing costs of such an applicator tip.

  According to a second known design, it has been proposed a tip consisting of a single molded part. The molded part is obtained using a mold intended to form the outer wall of the applicator tip and a first core intended to form the channels of the hollow teeth, a second removable core transversely traversing the entire mold and the first core for --forrner side outlets. The result is an applicator tip 1o whose end teeth, necessarily traversed by the second core during molding, have lateral outlet orifices on their side flanks. As a result, such an applicator tip is of imprecise use, even dirty, because the cosmetic product flows by slipping on the flanks.

  outer side of the transverse end teeth.

  The invention overcomes all these drawbacks by proposing a set of packaging and application of a cosmetic product whose applicator tip has lateral outlet orifices only on its intermediate teeth and which can advantageously be obtained by a method molding from

in one piece.

  For this purpose, the invention proposes an applicator tip of the type described above, characterized in that said arrangement is formed integrally from one piece and configured so as to prevent any flow of product from said outlet orifice. , according to the direction of this

  last, beyond said first and second end teeth.

  According to other features of the invention: - the arrangement comprises at least one intermediate tooth disposed between said first and second end teeth, said intermediate tooth being traversed by a channel opening laterally via at least one outlet orifice oriented in direction of an adjacent tooth; B990 r - the (or the) tooth (s) intermediate (s) is (are) crossed (s) by a longitudinal channel opening through two outlets oriented opposite from one another; - The end teeth have no outlet openings opening in a direction outside said arrangement - the end teeth are devoid of exit ports; - the longitudinal end teeth are full:. said outlet orifice is arranged close to the free end of the tooth, which means that the outlet orifice is arranged closer to the free end of the tooth than to its base; the outlet orifice opens into a groove extending longitudinally to the tooth from the outlet orifice, to the free end of the tooth; the fastening means consist of a thread and are intended to cooperate with a corresponding thread provided on

a neck of the container.

  The invention also relates to a set of packaging and application of a cosmetic product, characterized in that it comprises a container equipped with such a

applicator tip.

  The invention also relates to a mold for molding an applicator tip as described above, characterized in that it comprises: - a female element which comprises: a first portion, intended to form at least partly the fixing means at least a second portion extending from the first portion, which is intended to form at least one tooth, a male element forming a core, a first portion of which is received with clearance in the first portion of the female element for forming the fastening means, and of which at least one second part B990 is received with clearance in the second portion of the female element to form the longitudinal channel of a hollow tooth, the second part of the male element and the second portion of the female member being shaped to cooperate to form the outlet port of a hollow tooth. According to other features of the mold: at least one internal lateral flank of a second portion of the female element comprises a longitudinal orientation boss projecting inside the second portion of the female element; and extending longitudinally between an intermediate portion of the second portion of the female member and its end to form a portion of an outlet port of a hollow tooth, - an end of a second portion of the male member s associated with said second portion of the female element is intended to concide without play with the end of the boss located in the intermediate portion of said second portion of the female element to form the other portion of the outlet orifice of said hollow tooth; the female element comprises: two second end portions, which extend from the first portion of the female element, and which are intended to form the solid end teeth of the applicator tip, and at least one second intermediate portion, arranged between the second end portions of the female element, which extends from the first portion of the female element, and intended to form at least one intermediate hollow tooth, of which the opposite inner lateral flanks comprise bosses to form a part of two opposite outlet ports of said intermediate hollow tooth, B990 - and one end of each second part of the male element associated with a second intermediate portion of the female element is intended to fit without play between the ends of the bosses located in the intermediate portion of each second intermediate portion of the female element for fo rmer the other part of the orifices of said intermediate hollow tooth; the section of each boss, taken in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second portion of the associated female element, is constant, or is minimal in the vicinity of its lower end located in the intermediate portion of each second portion of the female element, to allow demolding of the associated hollow tooth - the female element and the male element each comprise centering means which are intended to cooperate with each other at the same time; mold assembly; - The centering means comprise at least three longitudinal orientation guide columns, which are integral with one of the male / female elements, and on which the other female / male element is slidable during

the assembly of the mold.

  The invention finally relates to a method of molding an applicator tip for a set of packaging and application of a cosmetic product using a mold as previously described characterized in that it comprises: - a first step during which the female element is fitted on the male element; a second step during which a polymeric material is injected between the female and male elements; a third stage of polymerization of the polymer material; fourth step during which the female element is dislodged from the male element and during which

  the applicator tip is ejected from the mold.

  B990 Other features and advantages of the invention

  will appear on reading the detailed description that follows for the

  understanding of which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of a set of packaging and application of a cosmetic product comprising a container and an applicator tip according to the invention ; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an applicator tip, in the transverse direction of the row of teeth of the applicator tip according to FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view broken away by a longitudinal plane and transverse of a mold according to the invention; FIG. 4 is a detail view in section through a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction of a mold according to the invention; FIG. 5 is a detail view in section through a plane;

  longitudinal and transverse of a mold according to the invention.

  In the following description, reference numerals

  identical designates identical parts or have similar functions. By convention, the terms "front", "rear", "upper", "lower" respectively refer to elements or positions respectively oriented to the left, right,

top, or bottom of Figures 1 to 5.

  FIG. 1 shows a set 10 for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, for example a cosmetic product that is intended to be applied

  in a hair such as a dye product.

  In known manner, the assembly 10 comprises a container 12 containing the cosmetic product and an applicator tip 14,

  attached to the container 12 by means of fixing means.

  B990 The container 12 is for example a flexible or deformable container, such as a tube, it is sufficient to press to bring the cosmetic product to move in the inner channel and out

through the outlet port 20.

  A nonlimiting example of embodiment of a mouthpiece

  Applicator 14 will now be described with reference to FIG.

  The tip 14 has an arrangement of longitudinal teeth arranged in a transverse row. La-rang.ée comprises - at its transverse ends, at least two full longitudinal teeth 22, and - between the full teeth 22, at least one intermediate hollow longitudinal tooth 16 which is traversed by an internal channel 28 which communicates with the product contained in the container 12 and which opens near the longitudinal end 18 of the tooth 16 through at least one

outlet side port 20.

  According to the invention, the arrangement of teeth is configured to prevent any flow of product from the outlet port 20, in the direction thereof, beyond said first and second end teeth 22. Thus, substantially all of the product to be applied flows into the space delimited by the first and second end teeth 22, guaranteeing a precision in the application of the product. For this, the first and second end teeth 22 are devoid of outlet orifices 20 on their outer flanks,

  that is to say on their flanks opposed to the intermediate teeth 16.

  As a result, the product leaving the orifices 20 does not flow in the direction of the orifices 20 beyond the first and second end teeth 22. Thus, only the product that has already been applied to the hair that comes from in contact with

  outer flanks of the end teeth then flow on the flanks.

  B990 According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the first and second end teeth 22 are also devoid of outlet orifices 20 on their inner flanks turned towards the intermediate teeth 16, that is to say that they have no outlet openings 20. Thus, the product does not flow from the first and second end teeth 22, so it can not

  run on their outer flanks.

  Moreover, since the product does not flow from the first and second end teeth 22, they are full, 1o which also makes it possible to avoid any accumulation of product in

the channel 28.

  Thus, outlets 20 are at least arranged on the intermediate teeth 16, in particular on each side facing the associated full longitudinal tooth 22. A longitudinal groove 26 extends from each lateral orifice 20 up to the end 18 of the tooth 16, in particular to allow a

  uniform application of the cosmetic product.

  In the embodiment of the invention which has been shown in FIG. 1, the applicator tip 14 comprises six intermediate hollow teeth 16 which are arranged transversely between its two end teeth 22, so as to allow wide application of the cosmetic product in the hair to be treated. This provision is not limiting of the invention, and the applicator tip could comprise a

  upper or lower number of hollow teeth.

  Advantageously, the applicator tip 14 is made from a single piece by a molding process. A mold for carrying out this molding process and the steps of this process will be described in more detail in the following.

this description.

  The applicator tip 14 has been shown in more detail in FIG. 2. As can be seen, each hollow tooth 16 has an internal channel 28 which extends between the base 30 of the tooth 16 and an intermediate portion of the tooth arranged BYYU recessed from its end 18, and which communicates with two outlet orifices 20 arranged on each side 24 of the tooth. Each outlet orifice 20 communicating outside the tooth with an associated groove 26, this configuration makes it possible to reserve a length of groove suitable for ensuring optimum dispersion of the hair product between two adjacent teeth 16, so that hair which is intercalated between two adjacent teeth 16 may be largely covered with said cosmetic product, the cosmetic product having in fact viscosity characteristics there-which tend to form a film of cosmetic product stretched between the

  -rainures 26 opposite two adjacent teeth 16.

  By way of example, each tooth 16, 22 measures 25 mm, the teeth 16, 22 are spaced 2 mm below the orifices 20, and each orifice 20 of the hollow teeth 16, arranged at the lower end of the groove 26, is 5mm distant from the end of

  said tooth. Groove 26 is 0.5mm deep.

  As illustrated in Figure 1, the applicator tip 14 further comprises a substantially cylindrical female portion 32 from which the hollow teeth 16 and 22 extend and which comprises the means for fixing to a neck (not shown) 12. As is more particularly illustrated in FIG. 2, an internal cavity 34 of the cylindrical portion 32 communicates with the internal channels 28 of the hollow intermediate teeth 16 and is intended to coincide with the neck (not shown) of the container 12 previously represented at

figure 1.

  In the preferred embodiment of the invention the internal cavity 34 is, like the lower part 32, cylindrical, and it comprises a thread 36 which is intended to cooperate with a thread (not shown) carried by the periphery of the neck of the container 12 to form the fastening means. This configuration makes it easy to assemble the applicator tip

14 to the container 12.

  B990 1 * It will be noted that this provision is not limiting of the invention. The applicator tip 14 could be fixed by all

  known means to the container 12, for example by interlocking.

  Figures 3 to 5 show a mold 40 for molding an applicator tip 14 as described above. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the mold 40 comprises a monobloc female element 42 and a monobloc male element 43.

forming a nucleus.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the monobloc female element 42 comprises: a first lower portion intended to form the substantially cylindrical portion of the applicator tip, two upper portions, which extend to from the lower portion 44, and which are intended to form the teeth 22 full arranged at the transverse ends of the applicator tip 14, and - at least a second intermediate upper portion 48, arranged between the upper portions 46, which extends from the lower portion 44, which is intended to form the hollow teeth 16, whose inner lateral flanks 50 comprise projections 52 of longitudinal orientation projecting inside the intermediate upper portion 48 and extending longitudinally between an intermediate portion of the intermediate upper portion 48 and its end

  upper 54 to form the groove 26.

  The monobloc male member 43 forming a core comprises a lower portion 56, which is received with play in the lower portion 44 of the female member to form the internal cavity 34 of the cylindrical portion 32, and at least one upper portion 58 is received with clearance in the upper intermediate portion 48 of *, -; -. -. .., T.

B990 Y

  the female element to form the internal channel 28 of the tooth

intermediate 16.

  In addition, the second intermediate upper portion 48 of the female element 42 and the intermediate upper portion 58 of the male element 43 are shaped to form the outlet orifice

  of the intermediate tooth 16 by cooperation.

  More particularly, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, an end 60 of each upper portion 58 of the 43-mala element is. intended to-fit without play between the ends 62 of bosses.52 located in the intermediate portion of each intermediate upper portion 48 of the female element 42 for

  forming the outlet orifices 20 of the intermediate tooth 16.

  Advantageously, the section of each boss 52, taken in a plane "P" perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the upper intermediate portion 48 of the associated female element, is constant, or is minimal in the vicinity of its lower end 62 located in the intermediate portion of each upper intermediate portion 48 of the female element, to allow, as will be seen later, the demolding of the associated intermediate tooth 16 by a vertical translational movement

  up the 42 female element.

  It will be understood that the monobloc female element 42 and the monoblock male element 43 each comprise centering means which are intended to cooperate with each other during

the assembly of the mold 40.

  These means consist at least of the upper end 60 of each upper portion 58 of the male element 43 cooperating with the ends 62 of the bosses 52 located in the intermediate portion of each upper intermediate portion 48 of the female element, but they are also consist of centering means outside the portions of the female element 42. In particular, the centering means comprise at least three longitudinally oriented longitudinal guide guiding columns (not shown), which are integral with one of the one-piece male / female elements 42, 43, and on which the other element 42, 43 female / monobloc male is likely to slide during

the assembly of the mold 40.

  In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mold 40 making it possible to produce a large number of applicator tips 14 in a single molding operation and thus comprising monoblock male / female elements 42, 43 defining a large number of imprints, the centering means comprise 1o four columns arranged at the four corners of one of the elements 42, 43 male / female monobloc, and on which the other element 42, 43 female / male monobloc is slidable during

the assembly of the 40 mble.

  In this configuration, a method of molding an applicator tip 14 as described previously using a mold 40 as described above successively comprises a first step during which the female element 42 is fitted longitudinally, and preferably vertically, on the male element 43, a second step during which a polymeric material is injected into the impression defined by the female and male elements 42, 43, a third polymerization step of the polymer material, and a fourth step during which the female element 42 is disengaged longitudinally from the male element 43 and during which the

  or applicator tips 14 are ejected from the mold.

  All the known means can be used to cause the ejection or applicator tips to be ejected. In particular, methods of ejection by vibration or not blowing compressed air can be used in order to rapidly eject the

applicator tips 14.

  The invention therefore makes it possible to propose a set of packaging and application suitable for effectively ensuring the application of a cosmetic product in hair, which is of greater ease of manufacture within the scope of the invention. 'a

mass production.

  Throughout the description, including the claims, there is

  will be understood that the phrase "comprising a" is synonymous with "comprising at least one", unless the opposite is specified. B990

Claims (16)

  An applicator tip (14) for mounting on a container (12) containing a product to be applied to the hair, said tip comprising: a) means for attaching the tip (14) to the container (12); ); b) an arrangement of at least two teeth (16, 22) arranged in at least one row comprising first and second end teeth (22), at least one of the teeth (16) being traversed by a channel ( 28) longitudinally adapted to communicate with the product contained in the container (12), said channel (28) opening out laterally via at least one outlet orifice (20) oriented in the direction of at least one adjacent tooth (16, 22), characterized in that said arrangement is i) formed integrally from one piece; and ii) configured to impede any product flow from said outlet port (20), in the direction thereof, past said first and second teeth ends (22).   2. Applicator tip according to claim 1, characterized in that the arrangement comprises at least one intermediate tooth (16) disposed between said first and second end teeth (22), said intermediate tooth (16) being traversed by a channel (28) opening laterally via at least one outlet port (20) oriented towards an adjacent tooth (16, 22). 3. applicator tip according to claim 2, characterized in that the (or) intermediate tooth (s) (16) is (are) 3o crossed (s) by a channel (28) opening through two longitudinal   exit ports (20) facing away from each other.   4. Applicator tip (14) according to one of the claims   preceding, characterized in that the end teeth (22) are - - .. - ..   1.. I.1 -. 1. , - l. -   B990 without outlet orifices (20) opening out according to a   outside direction to said arrangement.   5. applicator tip (14) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the teeth (22) end are   s without outlet orifices (20).   6. applicator tip (14) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the teeth (22) end are full. 7. Applicator tip (14) according to any one of   1o claims, previous, -characterized in that said orifice   (20) is arranged near the free end of the tooth (16).   8. Applicator tip (14) according to any one of   preceding claims, characterized in that the orifice of   outlet (20) opens into a groove (36) extending longitudinally of the tooth (16) from the orifice (20) to   the free end of the tooth (16).   9. Applicator tip (14) according to any one of   preceding claims, characterized in that the means for   fasteners are constituted by a thread (36) and are intended to cooperate with a corresponding thread provided on a neck of the container (12).   10. Set of packaging and application of a cosmetic product, characterized in that it comprises a container (12) equipped with an applicator tip (14) according to any one Claims 1 to 9.   11. Mold (40) for molding an applicator tip   (14) according to claims 1 to 9, characterized in that   comprises: - a female element (42) which comprises: a first portion (44) intended to form at least part of the fixing means, B990 r 2842440 * at least a second portion (46, 48) which extends to from the first portion (44), and intended to form at least one tooth (16,22), - a male element (43) forming a core, a first portion (56) is received with clearance in the first portion (44). ) of the female element to form the fixing means, and of which at least a second portion (58) is received with clearance in the second portion (48) of the female element to form the longitudinal channel (28) of a hollow tooth (16), the second portion (58) of the male member (43) and the second portion (48) of the female member being shaped to cooperate to form   the outlet orifice (20) of a hollow tooth (16).   12. Mold (40) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that: - at least one sidewall (50) internal side of a second portion (48) of the female element comprises a boss (52) of longitudinal orientation protruding within the second portion (48) of the female member and extending longitudinally between an intermediate portion of the second portion (48) of the female member and its end (54) to form a portion of an outlet orifice (20) for a hollow tooth (16), an end (60) of a second portion (58) of the male element (43) associated with said second portion (48) of the element female is intended to concide without play with the end (62) of the boss (52) located in the intermediate portion of said second portion (48) of the female element (42) to form the other portion of   the outlet orifice (20) of said hollow tooth (16).   13. Mold (40) according to one of claims 11 or 12   for molding an applicator tip (14) for application   3o of a cosmetic product according to claims 5 to 9,   characterized in that: - the female element (42) comprises: * two second end portions (46), which extend from the first portion (44) of B990 the female element, and which are intended forming the full end teeth (22) of the applicator tip (14), and * at least a second intermediate portion (48), arranged between the second end portions (46) of the female member, which extends from the first portion (44) of the female member, which is intended to form at least one intermediate hollow tooth (16), the opposite inner lateral flanks (50) of which comprise bosses (52) to form a portion of two opposite outlets (20) of said intermediate hollow tooth (16); and that one end (60) of each second portion (58) of the male member (43) associated with a second portion intermediate (48) of the female element is intended to fit without play between the ends (62) bosses (52) located in the intermediate portion of each second intermediate portion (48) of the female member (42) to form the other   part of the orifices (20) of said intermediate hollow tooth (16).   14. Mold (40) according to any one of the claims   12 or 13, characterized in that the section of each boss (52), taken in a plane (P) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second portion (48) associated with the female element, is constant, or is minimal near its end (62) located in the intermediate portion of each second portion (48) of the female element, to allow the   demolding the associated hollow tooth (16).   15. Mold (40) according to one of claims 11 to 14,   characterized in that the female element (42) and the male element (43) each comprise centering means which are intended for   cooperate with each other during assembly of the mold (40).   16. Mold (40) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the centering means comprise at least three longitudinal orientation guide columns, which are integral with one of the elements (42, 43) male / female, and on which the other female / male element (42, 43) is capable of   slide when assembling the mold (40).   17. Method of molding an applicator tip (14)   according to claims 1 to 9 using a mold (40) according to one of   claims 11 to 16, characterized in that it comprises:   a first step during which the female element (42) is fitted on the male element (43); - a second step during which a polymer material is injected between the female elements (42, 43) and male, - a third polymerization step of the polymer material, - a fourth step in which the female element (42) is dislodged from the male element (43) and during which   the applicator tip (14) is ejected from the mold (40).