FR2967334A1 - Device for applying e.g. indirect hair coloring product on lock of hair, has absorbent structure attached to face of support and extending on two sides of folding axle, where structure is non-woven fabric having specific mass per unit area - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a product absorbent structure (3) i.e. non-woven fabric, attached to a face (4) of a support (2) of the device, where mass per unit area of the non-woven fabric ranges from 100 to 130 gram per square meter. Thickness of the support is about 200-300 micrometer. The absorbent structure extends on two sides of a preferential folding axle (13) of the support. An adhesive retains the absorbent structure on the support, where the absorbent structure comprises surface reliefs in the form of stripes. An independent claim is also included for a product conditioning and applying assembly comprising a sachet.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for the wicking application of a cosmetic product. It is particularly interesting in the application of hair coloring product, wick by lock on the hair. The hair coloring product may be a direct or indirect coloring product or a decolorization product.

"Cosmetic product" generally means a product as defined in Council Directive 93/35 / EEC of 14 June 1993.

In the state of the art US-5860431 discloses a hair dye product applicator, pre-loaded product. The product is a composition deposited on a plastic film previously glued to retain the product. The composition is desiccated to allow its storage. The use of such an applicator requires rehydrating the bonded composition on the film, which is done during application, in contact with previously moistened hair.

Also known from EP-1897459 a foam structure for isolating at least one strand of hair and allow its product coating.

This document makes it possible to coat bits of any length. The structure is tight to the product, so that all the product is distributed on the locks. Although satisfactory, such a device nevertheless poses a problem when the size of the wick inserted in the device is not calibrated. Indeed, if the wick is too thin, then there will be a risk that the product flows out of the device, and if the wick is too thick, the coating will not be optimal over the entire length of the wick.

There is a need for a device which is easy to use, even by a user on its own locks and which allows homogeneous coating of the locks from roots to tips.

An object of the present invention is still to provide an application device which is simple to manufacture and implement, having a low cost. There is also a need for this application device to be of low weight, does not dirty the fingers of the user during the application of product.

There is a need for calibrated application devices, and in particular calibrated with regard to the rheological characteristics of the product to be applied.

There is a need for a reusable application device whose functionality does not deteriorate after several applications on several separate locks, and possibly reusable after washing.

The present invention also aims to provide a device and a method that the user can use himself, without having to appeal to a third person, while ensuring a particularly uniform coloring or fading result. In particular, there is a need for the amount of product deposited on the hair, caught together, to be homogeneous from root to tip.

The invention relates to a device for applying a product to a hair strand comprising a support and an absorbent structure of said product, the absorbent structure being contiguous to one side of the support, characterized in that the absorbent structure is a nonwoven having a basis weight between 40 and 300 g / m2. The grammage identified makes it possible to confer good absorption and restitution of the product by the nonwoven when it is brought into contact with hair.

More particularly, the basis weight may be between 80 and 150 g / m 2, and more particularly between 100 and 130 g / m 2.

For example, the support has a thickness of between 50 μm and 1000 μm, preferably between 200 μm and 300 μm, for example of the order of 250 μm. Such a support can then have the flexibility necessary for its deformation around a hair strand, which is tubular of variable section depending on the stress exerted on either side of the wick. The support is preferably configured to allow more or less crushing the wick between two parts of said support.

For example, the support can be made of PET. This material has good elastic memory at the fold. One can alternatively consider making the support PE, PP, polystyrene or ABS, or mixture thereof.

In particular, the support may comprise a preferential folding axis. This axis helps to identify two parts in the support, on either side of this axis. The axis can be formed in such a way that the two parts are exactly superimposable. The axis can be rectilinear or also curved.

For example, the absorbent structure extends on either side of the preferred bending axis of the support. Generally, the user tends to push the locks in the hollow formed between the two parts, at this fold axis.

The absorbent structure may cover all or part of one of the faces of the support. Since the support is preferably plane, the absorbent structure is preferably provided on a single face of the support.

In particular, the support may comprise a creasing on a face opposite to that on which the absorbent structure is contiguous. This creasing may be of a depth of the order of half the thickness of the support. In this case the preferred fold axis is formed at this crease.

For example, the device comprises glue for retaining the absorbent structure on the support. For example, the chosen glue may be a water-based adhesive which has good evaporation property. The glue can be chosen to have a contrasting color compared to the nonwoven, in order to allow visual verification of the good gluing of the entire nonwoven on the support. For example, the glue is translucent pink in color.

According to a particular embodiment, the absorbent structure may have surface reliefs, for example in the form of ridges. The streaks are substantially parallel to each other. They may be parallel to the preferred fold axis for better guidance of the device along the hair strand. Alternatively, they may be perpendicular to this preferred bending axis for better wicking of the wick as it is coated.

The invention also relates to a packaging and application assembly comprising a device according to the invention, the product being stored either in a bottle separately from the application device, or by being impregnated into the absorbent structure, the assembly then comprising a bag to contain the device and the impregnated product and possibly a surplus of non-impregnated product.

The product may be a cosmetic composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, one or more hydrophobic film-forming polymers, one or more pigments and one or more volatile solvents. Such a product may be of the type described in the patent application EP-2168633.

In particular, the product may comprise pigments dispersed in a liquid. The nonwoven may be chosen so that it does not filter pigments from the rest of the liquid, the pores formed in this absorbent structure may be smaller in size than the diameter of a pigment if the latter is spherical. The pore size may be smaller than the smallest cross section observed on a pigment, if the latter has an axis of elongation, and in this case the cross section is evaluated along the elongation axis of the pigment.

The product may comprise at least one volatile component.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. These are presented only as an indication and in no way limitative of the invention. The figures show: FIG. 1: a cross-sectional view of a device according to the invention; - Figures 2a, 2b, and 2c: top views of a device according to different embodiments of the invention; - Figures 3a and 3b: top views of a device according to other embodiments of the invention; - Figures 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d: a perspective view of a device according to the invention in engagement with a lock of hair at 4 distinct stages of its handling relative to the wick to be coated; - Figure 5: a schematic view of a method for the manufacture of a device according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention. The device 1 comprises a support 2 and an absorbent structure 3. According to the view of Figure 1, the absorbent structure 3 is contiguous to a face 4 of the support 2. The absorbent structure and the support 2 are retained one on the other by gluing. Preferably the bonding is performed on the entire surface of the support opposite the absorbent structure.

The support is a fine structure with a thickness of the order of 250 μm to plus or minus 200%.

The support 2 is preferably rigid. It is for example obtained from a sheet of thermoplastic material extruded continuously. In the example shown, the support 2 is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

The absorbent structure 3 is a nonwoven. It is for example obtained from a mixture of fibers of various natures, vegetable or mineral, such as bamboo fiber or fiberglass, but also fibers of viscose, cellulose, or other polymers such as polyethylene and or polypropylene.

In particular the nonwoven according to the invention shown is made exclusively from viscose. This nonwoven has a hydrophilic character.

In particular, it is possible to choose a nonwoven having a grammage of the order of 110 g / m 2. Such a structure gives a good compromise between the absorption capacity of the product and the ability to restore this product when it is brought into contact with a lock of hair.

Absorbent structures such as open-cell cellular structures, or micro-fibrous structures or porous structures which exhibit characteristics of absorption of the product and non-filtration of the pigments it contains, similar to those of the previously described non-woven fabric are part of the present invention.

The support 2 and the nonwoven 3 are assembled by sizing and pressing continuously or discontinuously. Batch pressing is shown in Figure 5. It has the advantage of keeping the support 2 a perfectly flat structure. Upstream of a production line of a device according to the invention, there is a charger 5 for progressively feeding a belt 6 with plates 7 intended to form the supports 2. The format of these plates 7 may be width and or length significantly greater than those of the support of a device.

The nonwoven 3 is provided by a roll 8 of nonwoven, for example several tens of meters in length, disposed on a reel 9. Preferably, the width of the width of this roll 8 is at most equal to the width of the carpet 6 on which the plates 7 are conveyed. Upstream of contacting the plates 7 with the roller 8, there is a glue sprayer 10 to cover the plates 7 to the rights of the desired nonwoven retention areas.

Then, if the device according to the invention has a size smaller than that of the plates 7, the support 2 covered with nonwoven is cut with the desired geometry. For example, Figure 2a, the device is cut so that it has a substantially rectangular shape, with a main axis of extension X. For example, the edges of this shape are slightly rounded to avoid injury. Alternatively, Figure 2b, the device is cut to have a substantially triangular shape, the edges also rounded. In another variant, Figure 2c, the device can be in the form of disk. In the examples of FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c, the support 2 is covered at 1000/0 by the nonwoven 3.20

But, while remaining within the scope of the invention, cover variants of the face 4 of the support 2 by the nonwoven 3 can be realized. For example, if the face 4 defines a surface having a main axis of elongation, the nonwoven blanket may be provided to extend over the entire length and only a portion of the width, transverse to that length. Alternatively, this face 4 which has a main axis of elongation may be covered by the nonwoven 3 over the entire width and only part of the length, transverse to this width.

In Figures 3a and 3b, the devices shown have a substantially rectangular shape, and having a main axis of elongation X. For example, the edges are slightly rounded to avoid injury.

In Figure 3a, the face 4 is covered with 20% nonwoven. In this example, the nonwoven 3 extends on the face 4 along the entire length of the X axis. The nonwoven 3 forms a strip 11 on the face 4. This strip 11 is substantially rectangular. Alternatively it could have any other type of geometry. The strip 11 is in the example situated along a border 12 of the support 2. In FIG. 3b, a strip 11 'of nonwoven 3 covers approximately 40% of the face 4. This strip 11' extends through perpendicular example to the X axis. In the example, the strip 11 'is centered in the middle of the face 4 relative to the axis X.

Preferably, upstream or downstream of the cutting operation, there is provided a creasing step of the device, for example by punch. To limit the handling operations, the creasing is performed downstream on the carpet 6, after gluing the nonwoven 3 on the face 4. In this case, the nonwoven 3 and a portion of the thickness of the support 2 are notched. The purpose of the creasing operation is to favor a crease zone 13 on the device. The creasing may be continuous or discontinuous, depending on the desired crease capacity. The fold zone may be straight. In this case, we speak of fold axis.

Preferably, in the cases where the face 4 is not completely covered with nonwoven 3, the fold zone 13 is formed such that the nonwoven 3 extends on either side of this fold zone , and in equal proportions on both sides of this fold zone 13. Naturally, the user begins to fold the support before even placing a wick and when he places it, he it disposes it to the fold zone 13. Thus there is a non-woven continuity on both sides of the fold, where the hair to be coated is located.

Indeed, such a device is useful for coating wicks product. For this purpose, several solutions are possible. Either the nonwoven is pre-impregnated or it must be impregnated in situ. In the first case, the device is stored for transport until its marketing in a package preserving the composition. The packaging may for example be a sealed waterproof bag.

It is also possible, preferably, to provide the user with a container containing one or more applicator, together with one or more bottles containing the composition or compositions to be applied successively or in extemporaneous mixing. Advantageously, the bottle is equipped with a device facilitating the transfer of the composition of the bottle to the nonwoven, such as a flow reducer.

Advantageously, the user places the wick as flat as possible on the nonwoven, and also ready for the root as desired, see Figure 4a. Next, FIGS. 4b and 4c, the user closes the support 2, by folding it back on itself at the level of the folding zone 13. And then, he slides, FIG. 4d, the device from the root towards the ends of the wick.

Due to its manufacturing process, the nonwoven 3 may have on its surface micro-striations substantially parallel to each other. These micro-striations may correspond to the direction of elongation of the fibers when they are assembled to form this nonwoven. The user can optionally color several locks with the same device, but can also change to change color, depending on the desired effect. The device according to the invention is washable. Indeed, the glue used is preferably resistant to water.

Throughout the description, the phrase "having one" should be considered synonymous with "having at least one", unless the contrary is specified.5

Claims (10)

CLAIMS1 - Device (1) for applying a product to a hair strand comprising a support (2) and an absorbent structure (3) of said product, the absorbent structure being contiguous to a face (4) of the support, characterized in that the absorbent structure is a nonwoven having a basis weight of between 40 and 300 g / m2. 2 - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the basis weight is between 80 and 150 g / m2, and more particularly between 100 and 130 g / m2. 3 - Device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the support has a thickness between 50 pm and 1000 pm, preferably between 200 pm and 300 pm, for example of the order of 250pm. 4 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the support is made of PET. 5 - Device according to any preceding claim characterized in that the support comprises a preferred bending axis (13). 6 - Device according to the preceding claim characterized in that the absorbent structure extends on either side of the preferred bending axis of the support. 25 7 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the support comprises a creasing, on the opposite side to that on which is joined the absorbent structure. 8 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises glue for retaining the absorbent structure on the support. 9 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the absorbent structure has surface reliefs, for example in the form of streaks. 15 Packaging assembly and application comprising a device according to any one of the preceding claims, the product being stored either in a bottle separately from the application device, or by being impregnated in the absorbent structure, the assembly then comprising a bag to contain the device and the impregnated product and possibly a surplus of non-impregnated product.