FR2930875A1 - APPLICATOR DEVICE OF A COSMETIC FLUID OR PASTY PRODUCT, TYPICALLY MASCARA - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an applicator device (1) for a fluid or pasty cosmetic product, typically mascara, comprising: - a core (4) consisting of a flexible, elongated plastic body having a longitudinal axis and two ends (2 , 3) one of which is intended to be fixed to a manual gripping means, - a plurality of pins (5), preferably having a flat face (7), and arranged in radial projection from said core (4), said pins (5) being distributed in at least one row (6) parallel to the longitudinal axis (X, X ') of said core (4) .The invention consists in that within one and the same row ( 6), the pins (5) are positioned alternately on either side of a central line (9) of said row (6), with their plane face (7) aligned on said central line (9), said faces planes (7) of the pins (5) of the same row (6) thus being oriented in both gyratory directions around the core (4) .Application to the app cations of mascara.

Description

Applicator device for a fluid or pasty cosmetic product, typically mascara

The present invention relates to the field of applicators of fluid or pasty cosmetic product and more particularly of mascara. The invention is concerned with the application means in the form of a brush or a comb.

A large number of mascara applicators are already known in the prior art. These applicators comprise, in a conventional manner, a body whose one end is intended to be attached to a manual gripping means and whose other end has an application means. Said application means may be a brush comprising a plurality of pins or be a molded piece of plastic material having disks as described in WO 2006/095973, FR 2 895 887, US 2007/0034223.

Said applicator forms with a mascara reservoir in which it is insertable, a mascara dispenser, said manual gripping means of the body serving as a cap for the reservoir by means of cooperation means located on the one hand on said cap and on the other hand share on the mascara tank.

The disadvantages of the brushes of the prior art, including spikes, are that the spikes do not make it possible to perform both the transfer of the mascara from the reservoir to the spikes and the application of mascara to the eyelashes (to lengthen and thicken them). and / or separate them) satisfactorily.

A solution provided by the patent application US 2008/0011317 is a brush whose distribution of the pins is no longer made in uniform rows but is made in rows spaced laterally around the body of the brush at unequal angles of a row to the other, different pin densities, as well as different diameters and pin lengths. However, this solution is relatively complex and does not guarantee a regular load of mascara on the eyelashes and / or on the spikes while keeping a sufficient separation of the eyelashes.

A solution envisaged in the prior art for improving the mascara load of the brushes is the use of spikes having a flat face to collect the mascara while their non-planar face participates in the separation of the eyelashes. Such an applicator is especially described in EP 1 872 682. These pins are arranged in rows parallel to the longitudinal axis of the brush, all the pins of a row having their flat face on the same side, that is to say say that they are aligned and that their non-planar faces are on the same side with respect to this line. When a user wishes to apply mascara to his eyelashes, it prints a movement of the brush on his eyelashes in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the brush, at the same time as it rotates said brush.

Consequently, the brushes of this type do not have maximum efficiency since the rows of spikes comprising only the flat faces of the spikes on one side, do not participate in the separation of the eyelashes and the rows of spikes having only the non-contact faces. Plane eyelashes do not participate in the mascara load. With this type of brush, the user is therefore forced to make several passes on his eyelashes while reversing the movement of the brush to ensure that a sufficient load of mascara is recovered.

In the document EP 1 611 817 there is described a device for applying a product to the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows comprising: a support extending along a longitudinal axis, a first row and a second row of teeth made monolithically with the support, being connected on the same side of the support and extending over at least a quarter of the length of the support, at least one of the rows comprising two teeth extending at least partially from on either side of a geometric separation surface extending along this row, at least two teeth extending in non-parallel directions. Indeed, such a support is shown as always having at least one planar face 25 from which protrude the teeth of two rows. Each row of teeth has staggered teeth on either side of a separation surface so that the teeth may have planar faces opposite one another, that is to say that when applying a product with such a comb, the back and forth movement printed with the comb may thus have teeth faces in both directions, adjacent teeth having an axis arranged in different directions.

Or, when the flat faces are on both sides, the teeth have different directions, which does not allow either, a distribution of the mascara load and optimal separation of eyelashes.

The invention therefore proposes to solve these drawbacks; thanks to a brush allowing a simpler deposit, more regular and with a sufficient load. The invention therefore relates to an applicator device for a fluid or pasty cosmetic product, typically mascara comprising: a core consisting of a plastic body of circular, flexible, elongated section, having a longitudinal axis and two ends of which one is intended to be fixed to a manual gripping means, a plurality of spikes, preferably having a planar face, and arranged in radial projection from said core, said spikes being distributed in at least one row parallel to the axis longitudinal of said core and such that in the same row, the pins are positioned alternately on either side of a central line of said row, with their flat face turned towards the inside of the row , characterized in that said planar faces of the pins of the same row normally extend to the core and aligned along the central line, the planar faces thus being oriented in the There are two roundabouts around the soul. Thus, advantageously, the planar face of a pin aligned with the central line of the row is aligned opposite the flat faces of the two adjacent pins with a greater or lesser offset, which allows a better load of mascara while the non-planar faces of the pins make it possible to separate the eyelashes. The configuration of the pins of the invention makes it possible to have, in the same row and on the same side relative to the central line of alignment of the planar faces, an alternation of planar faces and of non-planar faces, the plane faces of two adjacent dots being further in the same plane normal to the core. Therefore, between at least two adjacent pins, there is no angle between the peaks of said pins relative to said normal plane.

According to a first embodiment, the axes of the pins of the same row are all parallel, this axis being the axis of symmetry or line forming the center of gravity of the projection of the shape of the pin. The pins are therefore all oriented in the same direction relative to the soul.

According to another embodiment, the pins of the pins on the same side of the central line of the row are parallel to each other while the pins of the pins located on the other side of the center line of the row are parallel between them, according to a different direction. In the case where there are from one to four rows of pins on the core, the applicator device is a comb and beyond four rows of pins, the applicator device is a brush.

The density of rows of pins that are distributed angularly in a regular manner around the core makes it possible to modulate the properties of the brush, namely its accuracy, its separation capacity and its load capacity in product. Keep a sufficient and regular load height undisturbed by the spin.

When a person uses the brush of the invention to apply mascara to their eyelashes and imparts a movement of the brush on the eyelashes, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the brush body, due to the presence , in a row of pins, an alternation of flat faces and non-planar faces, according to the two gyratory directions around the soul, there will be obligatorily, facing the eyelashes and for each row, flat faces loaded with mascara and non-planar faces for the separation of the eyelashes. The brush object of the invention allows, while keeping a good separation of the eyelashes through the non-planar faces, to have a good load of mascara deposited on the eyelashes and whatever the skill of the person using the brush .

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the flat faces of two adjacent pins of the same row overlap at least partially. This overlap makes it possible to increase the stiffness of the pin without increasing the attack profile in contact with the eyelash. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the pins of the same row are non-uniformly distributed along said row. Thus, several configurations are possible as to group in the same row two adjacent pins separated by a space, another group of two adjacent pins. Depending on the desired function of the brush, the spacing between the groups of pins and the number of pins per group may vary. One can also consider a group of pins with the same configuration, non-flat face on the same side of the center line of the row, then a group of pins with the non-planar face on the other side of the center line.

Similarly, it is conceivable that within a row, on the same side of the central separation line, two adjacent pins have a parallel axis and at least one other pin has a different axis of direction.

Thus, the implantation of the pins in the same row can be performed in a uniform and regular manner, the space between the pins being always the same whether they overlap or not. This implantation can also be regular but not uniform.

Advantageously, on an applicator device according to the invention, it is also possible to provide that certain rows have pins whose planar faces are oriented in the two gyratory directions around the core and the rows of which all the pins have planar faces oriented in a single gyrating direction around the soul.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the core or plastic body has a conical shape whose largest diameter is located on the side of the end intended to be attached to a manual gripping means.

The conical shape of the body of the brush allows with a flexible material to have anyway, a certain rigidity. In one embodiment of the invention, the pins have a different height relative to the body and the tips of said aligned pins define an envelope surface of the brush.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the spikes are formed conically from the core, with a circular, polygonal cross-section such as triangular, always at least with a plane face which will be aligned with the central line of the spine. the row.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the pins are formed of two distinct materials, the first material forming the core of the pin and the second material forming the bark around said core.

The advantage of using two different materials is to provide two different flexibilities and two different touch sensations on the same applicator, which can be identified by, for example, two different shades. According to another embodiment, it is provided that its flat face, a pin has a hollow constituting an additional reservoir to retain the product and promote the charging of the applicator.

In one embodiment, the pins have different diameters at their implantation on the core which allows to vary the load and flexibility.

The invention also relates to a cosmetic product applicator comprising: - said applicator device according to the invention, and - a manual gripping means adapted to be attached to one end of the body of said brush.

Finally, the invention relates to a cosmetic product dispenser comprising a reservoir adapted to contain said cosmetic product and the applicator according to the invention, the manual gripping means of said applicator serving as a cap for closing the reservoir.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal schematic, partial view of a brush according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the brush of Figure 1;

Figures 3a and 3b are respectively a diagram showing an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3c shows schematically the various possible overlaps between 30 pins;

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c are diagrams respectively showing an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 5a to 5g show alternative embodiments of the brush cover surfaces according to the invention; Figures 6a to 6f respectively show sectional views of brushes according to the invention; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a device according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a brush according to an alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a brush according to another embodiment of the invention; FIGS. 11a, 11b and 11c respectively show a plan view, a perspective view and a sectional view of a variant of the invention; Figures 12a, 12b and 12c show a plan view, a perspective view and a sectional view of a variant of the invention, respectively; Figures 13a and 13b respectively show a plan view and a perspective view of a variant of the invention; and Figures 14a and 14b show respectively a plan view and a perspective view of a variant of the invention. Figure 1 shows a mascara applicator such as a brush 1 having two ends 2 and 3. The end 3 is intended to be fixed on a manual gripping means (not shown) and the end 2 is the one that penetrates first in the mascara tank (not shown). The brush 1 comprises a core or tubular body 4 of circular, elongated, flexible section, which may be of plastics material. This body 4 has a longitudinal axis X-X '. A plurality of pins 5 are formed in radial projection from the body 4 and are distributed over the entire circumference of the body 4 (see 1a Figure 2). These pins 5 are arranged in rows 6 extending parallel to the axis X-X 'on the core 4. Each pin 5 has a flat face 7 and a non-planar face, for example rounded 8 so that the pins 5 have an outer half-cone shape. The pins 5 of the same row 6 have their flat faces aligned on the same central line 9 of the row 6, and extending normally to said central line, the rounded faces 8 being located on either side of said line 9, successively on one side then the other. In this way, in the same row 6, plane faces 7 are in the same plane normal to the core, in the two gyratory directions around the core 4. The axes of the pins 5 of the same row 6 are all parallel, this axis being the axis of symmetry or line forming the center of gravity of the projection of the shape of the pin 5. The pins 5 are therefore all oriented in the same directions with respect to the core 4, this direction In practice, the applicator formed of the brush 1 and the manual gripping means (not shown) is placed in a mascara reservoir (not shown) forming a product dispenser. closed cosmetic (the manual gripping means also generally serving as a cap for closing said reservoir).

Then, when a person wishes to use the applicator, the brush 1 is taken out of the reservoir, the flat faces 7 of each pin 5 being provided with a certain amount of mascara much larger than the amount retained by them. 8. The person then applies the brush 1 on his eyelashes by placing the longitudinal axis XX 'of the brush 1 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the eyelashes and then making movements of the brush 1 along the longitudinal axis of the eyelashes while applying a rotational movement to said brush 1 about its longitudinal axis X-X '.

It is understood that the flat faces 7 which are on the eyelashes side allow a good load of mascara on the eyelashes while the rounded faces 8 which are on the eyelashes side allow a good separation of the same eyelashes. Due to the distribution of the rounded faces 8 on one side and then the other of the line 9, there will necessarily be a part, for example, half of the pins 5 of the same row 6 which have, facing the eyelashes, 5 a flat face 7 loaded with mascara and the other part, so for example the other half, spikes 5 which have, facing the eyelashes, a rounded face.

Thus, whatever the direction of rotation and / or translation of the brush 1 printed by the user, to apply the mascara to the eyelashes, each row 6 participates in both the mascara load and the separation of the mascara. lashes.

Figure 3a is a first embodiment of the brush 1 of the invention. In this embodiment, the pins 5 are evenly distributed along the center line 9 of the row 6. Uniformly here means that the pins 5 are alternated one by one and all side by side.

In a particular embodiment of this first embodiment, the faces 7 of two adjacent pins 5 may overlap at least partially as can be seen in Figure 3c for the group of two pins C. This overlap allows increase the stiffness of the pins 5 without increasing the attack profile in contact with the eyelash. In some rows 6, it is possible to insert two completely overlapping pins 5 (group D of FIG. 3c).

Figure 3b shows a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the pins 5 are adjacent in groups of 2 and a gap separates each group from the next group.

In Figures 4a, 4b and 4c are shown different possible cross sections 25 to achieve the pins 5. Thus in Figure 4a, the pins 5 have a semi-circular section and the pins 5 ', a triangular section. In FIG. 4b, the row 6 has the same pins 5 alternating with pins 5 "with a different radius of curvature In FIG 4c, the row 6 has an alternation of pins 5 and pins 5" semi section -circular but of different diameter. The set of pin vertices 5 of a brush 1 defines a surface shape of the brush which is called the envelope surface. As can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pins 5 may themselves have different shapes and dimensions within the same row 6. FIGS. 5a to 5g show several brushes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d , 1c and 1g respectively having a different envelope surface shape (shown in dashed lines) defined by the alignment of the peaks of the pins 5.

These different forms of envelope surface can modulate the properties of the brush with regard to its precision, its power of separation of the eyelashes or the load.

Similarly, as can be seen in FIGS. 6a to 6f, the cross-sectional shape of said brush may also be varied depending on the organization of the spike lengths 5 of each row 6 and the density of the rows 6 also .

Figure 9 shows a brush 1 with a high row density 6, each row 6 being provided with regularly spaced pegs 5. The rows 6 of pins 5 are distributed angularly regularly around the core 4. In FIG. 10, the brush 1 has a lower row density 6, but each row 6 is provided with associated pins 5 in groups of two, the interval between each group being greater than the interval between the pins of the same group. In one embodiment, the pins of the pins 5 on the same side of the center line of the row 6 are parallel to each other while the pins of the pins 5 'are on the other side of the center line of FIG. row 6 are parallel to each other in a different direction.

Such embodiments are shown in Figures 11a, 11b and 11c, 12a, 12b and 12e, 13a and 13b, 14a and 14b.

It can be seen that the flat faces of each pin 5, 5 'are well aligned on the center line of the row 6 in the same plane normal to the core 4 but that the pin axes 5 extend parallel between them, but in a direction different from that of the pins 5 'also parallel to each other.

This direction may also be normal to the core 4 but it may also form an angle with it. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown.

Claims (14)

Revendications1. Applicator device (1) of a fluid or pasty cosmetic product, typically mascara, comprising: - a core (4) consisting of a plastic body of circular, flexible, elongate section, having a longitudinal axis and two ends (2, 3 ), one of which is intended to be fixed to a manual gripping means, - a plurality of pins (5), preferably having a flat face (7), and arranged in radial projection from said core (4), said pins (5) being distributed in at least one row (6) parallel to the longitudinal axis (X, X ') of said core (4) and so that within one and the same row (6), the pins (5) are positioned alternately on either side of a central line (9) of said row (6), with their planar face (7) facing towards the inside of the row, characterized in that said planar faces (7) pins (5) of the same row (6) normally extend to the core and aligned along the center line and planar aces being thus oriented in both gyratory directions around the soul (4). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the planar faces (7) of two adjacent pins (5) of the same row (6) overlap at least partially. 3. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said pins (5) of the same row (6) are distributed non-uniformly along said row (6). 4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pins of the pins of the same row are all parallel, this axis being the axis of symmetry or line forming the center of gravity of the projection of the form. pico, the pins are all oriented in the same direction relative to the soul. 30 5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the axes of the pins on the same side of the central line of the row are parallel to each other while the pins of the pins being on the other The side of the central line of the row is parallel to each other in a different direction. 6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plastic body (4) is conical in shape, the widest diameter of which is on the side of the end intended to be fixed to the manual gripping means. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the pins (5) have a different height relative to the body (4) and the tips of said pins (5) aligned define an envelope surface of the applicator device. 8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pins (5) are formed conically from the core, with a circular cross section, polygonal such as triangular, always at least with a flat face (7). ). 9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pins (5) are formed of two materials, the first material forming the core of the pin and the second material forming the bark around said core. 10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, on its planar face (7), a pin (5) comprises a recess constituting an additional reservoir for retaining the product and favoring the charge of the applicator. . 11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pins (5) have different diameters at their implantation on the core (4). 12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the rows of pins (6) are distributed angularly in a regular manner around the core (4). Cosmetic product applicator, comprising: said applicator device according to any of the preceding claims, and a manual gripping means adapted to be attached to one end of the body of said brush. 14. Cosmetic product dispenser comprising a reservoir adapted to contain said cosmetic product and the applicator according to claim 13, the manual gripping means of said applicator serving as a cap for closing the reservoir.