FR3058874B1 - COSMETIC REFILL FOR THE APPLICATION OF A CAPILLARY PRODUCT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cosmetic refill (20) intended to be removably inserted into a housing of a hair treatment system (2), comprising: - a hair product reservoir, comprising an opening, - a porous applicator (26) extending partially into the reservoir through the opening, the applicator member (26) being fixed in the reservoir when the refill (20) is in use.

Description

The present invention relates to a cosmetic refill for the application of a hair product, for use in a hair treatment system. The invention also relates to a hair treatment system comprising such a refill and to a method of treating the hair using such a system.

Prior art

US Pat. No. 8,561,620 discloses a cosmetic refill comprising a porous application member impregnated with product. Such a refill does not allow hair product application to be as constant as desired during its use. Indeed, the amount of product deposited on the hair decreases very quickly with the number of uses of the refill.

International applications WO 2014/064660 and WO 2015/097625 are known for cosmetic refills enabling the application of a hair product and having a reservoir containing the product and a porous application member separated from the reservoir, the routing of the product from the reservoir to the applicator member being provided by a pump. Such refills are quite complex and expensive because of the presence of the pump.

It is also known from US patent application 2009/0025247 a capillary product refill comprising a reservoir and a porous application member, the latter being partially immersed in the reservoir and coming into contact with the hair during use of the device. The supply of product of the application member tends to vary depending on the orientation of the refill, which can affect the homogeneity of the result. There is a need to benefit from a hair product refill that is easy to manufacture and to use and that allows a relatively constant application quality of the hair product over time. SUMMARY The invention responds to this need with the help, according to a first aspect, of a cosmetic refill intended to be inserted removably into a housing of a hair treatment system, this refill comprising: a capillary product reservoir, having an opening, a porous applicator member extending partially into the reservoir through the opening, the applicator member being fixed in the reservoir during the use of the refill. The fact that the applicator member is stationary in the reservoir makes it possible to have an applicator member whose position in the reservoir is the same regardless of the level of capillary product in the reservoir and the pressure exerted on the reservoir. application member when applying the hair product to the hair. Thus, the amount of product delivered during the hair treatment is relatively independent of the orientation of the refill. The application of hair product by the application member is then more easily controllable and reproducible. In addition, the fact that the application member is immobile limits the risk of capillary product leakage at the opening of the tank.

Preferably, the applicator member extends into the reservoir over the entire height thereof, advantageously resting on the bottom of the reservoir. This allows that whatever the position of the refill, the applicator member is in contact with the capillary product contained in the reservoir and is fed with hair product permanently.

Preferably, the applicator member has at least two opposite sides extending at least partially in the reservoir and at least partially in contact with the capillary product contained in the reservoir. The fact that there are two opposite sides in contact with the capillary product makes it possible to have a greater contact area between the capillary product and the applicator member and a more uniform supply of the applicator member. The applicator member may be of any material capable of transporting the product by capillarity.

Preferably, the applicator member is rigid enough to retain its shape during application. This allows in particular to avoid a pump effect that is not desired.

Preferably, the applicator member is made of a sintered material, in particular a sintered plastic material, preferably a thermoplastic, for example a sintered polyolefin, especially PE, for example a sinter sold by the company POREX CORPORATION under the reference XS-49010.

Preferably, the applicator member is molded. This allows a wide variety of possible forms for the latter.

Preferably, the applicator member has a substantially prismatic shape, in particular a parallelepiped, in particular a right parallelepiped. Such a shape is easier to achieve.

Preferably, the applicator member has a rounded application surface to facilitate application to the hair.

The porosity of the applicator member, defined by the ratio of the pore volume to the total volume of the material, may be between 0.05 and 2, more preferably substantially equal to 0.4. The applicator member may have a density of between 0.11 and 0.25 g / cm3.

The average pore size may be from 5 to 100 μm, more preferably from 20 to 60 μm. Such porosity allows a good retention of the capillary product in the applicator member while allowing a good supply of capillary product, by capillarity, of the applicator member. Preferably, the porosity of the applicator member is chosen as a function of the viscosity of the capillary product so that when the applicator member is oriented head down, the applicator member is soaked with hair product. but that the latter does not flow by gravity from the application organ. The thickness of the applicator member may be less than or equal to 3 cm. Such a thickness allows the hair product to easily soak the application member between two applications. When the applicator member is engaged in an elongate opening, the thickness is measured perpendicularly to the axis of the opening, and to the longitudinal axis of the applicator member.

The hair product may be an anhydrous or aqueous composition.

Preferably, when the hair product is in oily form, the applicator member is hydrophobic. This allows a better diffusion in the applicator member of the hair product when it is in oily form.

Preferably, when the hair product is in aqueous form, the applicator member is hydrophilic. This allows a better diffusion in the applicator member of the hair product when it is in aqueous form.

Preferably, the applicator member has a section greater than or equal to that of the opening. This makes it possible to obtain a tightening of the applicator member in the opening and to prevent the capillary product from leaking at the level of the opening. This eliminates the presence of a reported seal between these two elements.

Preferably, the applicator member is integral with the reservoir. This ensures a better seal of the tank.

Alternatively, the applicator member is removably mounted in the reservoir. This allows, when desired, to easily replace a used application member without having to change the reservoir. The applicator member may simply be frictionally retained in the opening.

Preferably, the body of the reservoir is substantially cylindrical in shape, in particular with a polygonal base, for example rectangle, or preferably with a circular base. With a cylindrical tank with a circular base, it is possible to have a greater amount of capillary product while having a good contact between the product and the application member due to the funnel shape towards the body of application. Thus, the distribution of hair product in the application member is improved, which allows an optimization of the cost and the environmental impact of the refill.

The volume of capillary product contained in free form in the reservoir, that is to say outside that impregnating the applicator member, may be less than or equal to 100 ml.

The reservoir may comprise a filling orifice of capillary product closed by a removable cap.

Preferably, the tank is devoid of air intake port. Indeed, the applicator member is sufficiently porous to allow a return air. Alternatively, the tank has an air intake port. The invention also relates to a hair treatment system, comprising: - an apparatus for treating the hair, and - a refill according to the first aspect of the invention above, mounted on the apparatus.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises two arms movable relative to each other between a close configuration of treatment of the hair and a configuration apart from engagement between them of hair to be treated, one of the arms comprising a housing, the refill being removably disposed in the housing.

The opposite arm to that on which the refill is disposed may have a steam outlet, and preferably also a comb.

Preferably, especially when one seeks to smooth the hair, the apparatus comprises a heating element intended to come into contact with the hair, and better two heating elements each arranged on an arm. This or these heating elements may each comprise a plate of a good heat-conducting material, defining a hot surface of contact with the hair, whose temperature is for example greater than or equal to 95 ° C, better between 90 and 230 ° C.

Preferably, the application of product on the lock of hair introduced into the apparatus is done before the application of steam and / or smoothing by the heating element (s) and / or combing. Thus, the hair introduced between the arms can come into contact with the applicator member before being exposed to the steam and the heating elements during the movement of the wick between the arms of the apparatus.

Preferably, the hair treatment apparatus according to the invention is a straightener with flat heating elements, in particular coming into contact in close configuration of the arms. The invention also relates to a method of treating the hair comprising the step of applying a hair product to a lock of hair using a system according to the invention, as defined above.

Preferably, the amount of hair product deposited, in an application by exerting a pressure of 34N and moving the applicator at a speed of 2 cm / s on a standardized paper of 80 g / m2 having a length of 27 cm, is included between 0.005 g and 0.5 g.

The amount of hair product deposited with the refill, in one application in one application by exerting a pressure of 34N and moving the applicator at a speed of 2 cm / s on a standard paper of 80g / m2 having a length of 27 cm may be less than or equal to 50%, more preferably 35%, more preferably 20% of the amount of product deposited between the first and the 75th applications. The invention may be better understood on reading the following detailed description, non-limiting examples of implementation thereof, and on examining the appended drawing, in which: FIG. in perspective, an example of a treatment system of the hair, - Figure 2 is a sectional view along II-II of Figure 1, - Figure 3 is a perspective view of an example of charging, - the figure 4 is a view along IV of the refill example of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a graph showing the amount of hair product applied using a refill according to example 1 described below; FIG. 6 is a graph showing the amount of hair product applied according to example 2 described below using a refill according to FIGS. 3 and 4; FIG. 7 represents a refill variant, FIG. 8 is a graph showing the amount of hair product applied 3 according to Example 3 described below with the aid of a refill according to FIG. 7, FIG. 9 represents another refill variant, and FIG. 10 is a graph showing the amount of capillary product applied according to FIG. Example 4 described below using a refill according to Figure 9.

In the remainder of the description, identical or similar elements or identical or similar functions bear the same reference sign. At the end of brevity, their description is not repeated in all the figures, only the differences between the embodiments being indicated.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the handpiece 2 of an example of a hair treatment system according to the invention.

This handpiece 2 has two jaws 3 and 4 movable relative to each other between a spaced configuration (not shown) of introduction between them of a lock of hair and a close configuration of treatment.

The jaws 3 and 4 are carried by respective upper and lower arms 6, which are, in this example, interconnected at one end by a hinge 8, the handpiece 2 thus forming a clamp.

The upper and lower arms 6 each preferably have a total length of between 22 cm and 37 cm, preferably 31 cm, and define, between the hinge 8 and the jaws 3 and 4, respective half-handles 10 and 11 on which the user can press to bring the jaws 3 and 4 closer together.

An elastic return member (not shown) is preferably provided to return the jaws 3 and 4 in a spaced apart configuration, this resilient return member being for example a spring disposed about an axis of the hinge 8. The invention It is not limited to a particular way of connecting the upper and lower arms 6 to each other and the jaws 3 and 4 can be made mobile otherwise without departing from the scope of the present invention. However, the presence of a joint is widely preferred for the ergonomics it brings.

The jaws 3 and 4 define between them a hair treatment zone intended to receive a strand of hair to be treated, along which the handpiece 2 is moved during the treatment, for example in the direction from the root towards the tip of the hair.

In the example considered, the handpiece 2 is configured to apply a hair product, provide treatment of the hair with steam, and then heat treatment of the hair by contact with two hot surfaces 15 and 16.

The direction D of displacement of the handpiece 2 on the hair, illustrated in FIG. 4, is preferably substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower arms 6 and 6.

The handpiece 2 is connected by a cord, in the example considered, to a base station not shown, fixed during the treatment, connected to the sector.

This base station provides power to the handpiece 2 and its water supply for steam generation and can also perform ancillary functions for processing electrical signals received from the handpiece 2. The cord 18 which connects the handpiece 2 to the base station can thus include various electrical conductors and a water supply pipe.

A user interface, not shown in the figures, may be present on the handpiece 2 to allow the user for example to start or not certain components thereof. The application of the hair product is provided by a refill 20 carried by one of the two arms, 5 or 6, here, the upper arm 5 which comes into contact with a pressing element 21. The latter can be removable.

The refill 20, as seen more particularly in FIG. 2, comprises a body 30, a reservoir 25 of capillary product and a porous application member 26 arranged to come into contact with the hair extending through the treatment zone .

The refill 20 can be fixed on the arm 5 or 6 by any means, in particular, as illustrated in FIG. 2, no sliding of a rib of the body 23 in a groove of complementary shape.

The reservoir 30 opens outwards through an opening 31 in which, along an insertion axis X, the applicator member 26 is inserted during the manufacture of the refill.

Examples of bodies 23 are illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The body 23 may have the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped elongate along a longitudinal axis Z. In cross section, the body 23 may have, as illustrated in Figure 2, a rectangular shape partially open on one of its sides, including a from its short sides, to form an opening 31.

The body 23 has a front wall 38 and a rear wall 40 opposite, connected by two side walls 34 and 36 and a bottom 42. The walls 34 and 36 have inward returns defining between them an opening 31 for the passage of the application member 26.

The internal cavity of the body 23 forms the reservoir 30.

The reservoir 30 has for example a width K defined between the side walls 34 and 36 equal to about 10 mm, a length L along the longitudinal axis Z equal to about 90 mm and a height H defined between the bottom 42 and the opening 31 equals about 20 mm. The reservoir 30 contains a capillary product in liquid form. The applicator member 26 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The applicator member 26 extends into the reservoir 30 through the opening 31 over the entire height H of the latter, over a part of its width only and over its entire length.

The height p of the applicator member 26 is therefore greater than that H of the reservoir 30, its thickness e is smaller than the width K of the reservoir 30 and its length substantially equal to that L of the reservoir 30. The thickness e of the applicator member 26 is substantially equal to or even slightly greater than the width of the opening 31. The applicator member has a height k equal to about 21 mm and a thickness e equal to about 3 mm . The applicator member is in contact with the capillary product contained in the reservoir 30 by the portion whose large opposite lateral faces 27 and 28 extend into the reservoir 30. Its upper surface 29 is in contact with the bottom 42 of the body 23. The applicator member 26 extends out of the body 23 over a height m equal to approximately 1 mm.

The body 23 is made of thermoplastic material, for example polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polypropylene, copolyester, especially Tritan®, elastomer or a mixture thereof , in particular a mixture of PBT and PET. The applicator member 26 is made of a porous and hydrophobic sintered material, in particular PE, for example a POREX® As defined above. The pore size is preferably between 20 and 60 μm.

Preferably, the refill 20 is made in such a way that the applicator member 26 can be manually removed from the refill 23 through the opening 31.

The body 23 comprises a filling orifice 48 of capillary product closed by a stopper 46. Such an orifice 44 makes it possible to fill the reservoir 30 when it is empty without removing the applicator member.

In the variant illustrated in Figures 7 and 9, the body 23 is of substantially cylindrical shape with a circular base, the applicator member 26 being introduced into an opening 31 of the cylindrical side wall of the body 23, the circular walls of the ends. of the body forming the front and rear walls 38 and 40 of the refill 20. At least one of the circular walls 38 and 40 can be removable to allow the reservoir 30 to be filled.

In the variant illustrated in Figure 9, the applicator member 26 has a thickness e equal to about 5 mm and the refill 20 comprises a seal 50 in the opening 31 to ensure sealing between the application member 26 and the edges of the opening 31.

Example 1

In this example, the refill comprises a body having a cavity and a porous application member filling the cavity. The applicator member is a porous non-woven member with a density substantially equal to 0.13 g / cm 3, having a length of 90 mm, for a height of 21 mm and a thickness of 10 mm. The applicator member is soaked with saturated capillary product.

The hair product introduced into the refill 20 is a solution of anhydrous serum.

The refill is mounted on the system of Figures 1 and 2 described above.

The system is closed at the end of a standard lock of hair of length substantially equal to 27 cm and moved along the latter at a speed of 2 cm / s. This application operation of the hair product on a lock of hair is reproduced 75 times without changing or filling the refill between each operation and each time taking a new lock of standardized hair. Each lock of hair is weighed to determine the amount of hair product applied to it.

The graph according to FIG. 5 represents the amount of hair product applied to each operation as a function of the number of times the system has been used on the standard locks of hair.

The amount of capillary product applied varies greatly with the number of applications. The latter is 0.45 g at the 7th operation and less than 0.05 g at the 75th operation. The variation in the amount of capillary product measured per wick is greater than 85%.

Example 2

In this example, the refill 20 is as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The applicator member is a porous hydrophobic polyethylene material having an average pore size of 20 to 60 μm.

The hair product contained in the refill is the same as that of Example 1. The mass of hair product contained in the refill is about 7.2 g.

The refill 20 is mounted on a system identical to that of Example 1.

The hair product is applied to standardized locks identical to that of Example 1 according to the same procedure as that of Example 1.

The graph of Figure 6 represents the amount of hair product applied to each operation as a function of the number of times the system was used on the standard locks of hair.

The amount of hair product applied is substantially constant between the first and the seventh operation. There is no significant decrease observable unlike Example 1.

The amount of capillary product measured is 0.064 g +/- 0.02 g per mesh. The variation of amount of hair product deposited by wick is less than 35%.

Example 3

In this example, the refill 20 is as illustrated in Figure 7. The applicator member is identical to that of Example 2. The hair product contained in the refill is the same as that of Examples 1 and 2 .

The mass of hair product contained in the refill is about 3.8 g.

The refill 20 is mounted on a system identical to that of Examples 1 and 2.

The hair product is applied to a standard wick identical to that of Examples 1 and 2 and is carried out according to the same procedure.

The graph according to FIG. 8 represents the amount of hair product applied to each operation as a function of the number of times the system has been used on the normalized locks of hair.

The amount of hair product applied is substantially constant between the first and the seventh operation. There is no significant decrease observable unlike Example 1.

The amount of capillary product measured is 0.0126 g +/- 0.0025 g per strand. The variation of amount of hair product deposited by wick is less than 20%.

Example 4

In this example, the refill 20 is as illustrated in FIG. 9. The applicator member is a porous hydrophobic polyethylene material having an average pore size of 20 to 60 μm.

The hair product contained in the refill is the same as that of Examples 1 and 2.

The mass of hair product contained in the refill is approximately 3.4 g.

The refill 20 is mounted on a system identical to that of Examples 1 and 2.

The hair product is applied to a standardized wick identical to that of Examples 1 and 2 according to the same procedure.

Figure 10 shows the amount of hair product applied to each operation as a function of the number of times the system was used on the standard locks of hair.

The amount of capillary product measured is substantially constant between the first and the seventh operation. There is no significant decrease observable unlike Example 1.

The amount of capillary product measured is 0.0364 g +/- 0.0016 g per wick. The variation of amount of hair product deposited by wick is less than 5%.

It thus clearly appears from Examples 2 to 4 above that the invention makes it possible to obtain a substantially constant application of capillary product over time during at least 75 applications for treating locks. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

For example, the applicator member may have a shape other than rectangular parallelepiped.

Claims (13)

Cosmetic refill (20) intended to be inserted removably in a housing of a system (2) for treating the hair, characterized in that it comprises: a body (23) having an internal cavity forming a reservoir (30) of capillary product in liquid form, having an opening (31), - a porous applicator member (26) partially extending into the reservoir (30) through the opening (31), the applicator member (26) being stationary in the reservoir (30) when using the refill (20), the applicator member (26) extending over only a portion of the width of the reservoir (30), the applicator member (26) having at least two opposite sides (27, 28) extending at least partially in the reservoir (30) and at least partially in contact with the capillary product contained in the reservoir (30). 2. Refill according to claim 1, the applicator member (26) extending into the reservoir (30) over the entire height H thereof, being advantageously supported on the bottom of the reservoir (30). 3. Refill according to any one of the preceding claims, the applicator member (26) being made of a sintered material, in particular a sintered plastic material, preferably a thermoplastic, for example a sintered polyolefin, in particular of PE. 4. Refill according to any one of the preceding claims, the applicator member (26) being molded. 5. Refill according to any one of the preceding claims, the applicator member (26) having a section greater than or equal to that of the opening (31). 6. Refill according to any one of the preceding claims, the applicator member (26) being removably mounted in the reservoir (30). 7. Refill according to any one of the preceding claims, the thickness e of the applicator member (26) being less than or equal to 30 mm. 8. Refill according to any one of the preceding claims, the reservoir (30) being of substantially cylindrical shape, in particular polygonal base, for example rectangle, or circular. 9. Refill according to any one of the preceding claims, the reservoir (30) having a filling orifice (48) of capillary product closed by a cap (46) removable. 10. Hair treatment system (2), comprising: - a device for treating the hair, and - a refill (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, mounted on the apparatus. A method of treating the hair comprising the step of applying a hair product to a lock of hair using a system according to claim 10. 12. Method according to the preceding claim, the amount of hair product deposited, in an application by exerting a pressure of 34N and moving the applicator at a speed of 2 cm / s on a standardized paper of 80g / m2 having a length of 27 cm, being between 0.005 g and 0.5 g. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, the amount of hair product deposited with the refill, in one application in one application by exerting a pressure of 34N and moving the applicator at a speed of 2 cm / s on a standardized paper 80 g / m2 having a length of 27 cm, undergoing a variation less than or equal to 50%, better at 35%, more preferably at 20% of the amount of product deposited between the first and the 75th application.