FR3077969A1 - COSMETIC PRODUCT APPLICATOR - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an applicator (1) for a cosmetic product, such as a mascara, comprising: - a gripping member (2); - a rod (3) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and having along said longitudinal axis (X) a first end (31) integral with the gripping member (2) and a second end (32) opposite ; - an applicator member (4) of the cosmetic product (P) integral with the second end (32) of the rod (3) and comprising: * a brush (40) comprising a core (41) and bristles (42) held by the core (41) in a portion (410) of the bristle-bearing core, the bristles (41) having free ends defining an envelope surface (S) and; a comb (50) comprising a plurality of application elements (51) carried by a support (52), in which the support (52) of the comb (50) is made in one piece with the rod (3); ).

Description

Cosmetic product applicator.

The present invention relates to an applicator for a cosmetic product, in particular an eyelash and / or eyebrow makeup product, such as a mascara, comprising:

- a gripping member;

- a rod extending along a longitudinal axis and having along said longitudinal axis a first end secured to the gripping member and a second opposite end;

- a body for applying the cosmetic product secured to the second end of the rod and comprising:

* a brush comprising a core and bristles held by the core in a portion of the core carrying the bristles, the bristles having free ends defining an envelope surface and;

* a comb comprising a plurality of application elements carried by a support.

The documents FR2916328 and EP1475013 describe such applicators, in which the comb and the brush are in the form of attached elements and each fixed via one of their ends to the free end of the rod. Furthermore, in the applicators according to these documents, the comb and the brush are assembled to each other at their ends opposite to those fixed on the free end of the rod.

Thus, in the applicators according to these documents, the assembly of the applicator member on the rod requires a step of assembling the brush and the comb, followed by a step of joint fixing of the brush and the comb forming the applicator member at the free end of the rod, which makes the method of assembling the applicator member on the rod relatively laborious and expensive.

Furthermore, in such applicators, there is a risk that a clearance remains between the comb and the rod after fixing of the applicator member, in particular due to the manufacturing tolerances of these elements, or that such a clearance appears over the uses of the applicator, and in particular after multiple passages of the applicator member through a wiper member provided in the neck of a container containing a cosmetic product and with which the applicator is associated.

The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these drawbacks and for this purpose proposes an applicator of the aforementioned type, in which the support for the comb is made in one piece with the rod.

Thanks to these provisions, the assembly of the applicator and in particular the fixing of the applicator member to the rod is simplified; in fact, the support of the comb of the applicator member having come integrally with the rod, the rod and the support of the comb being for example produced by molding, in particular by injection molding, of the same plastic material or two plastics co-injected or overmolded, the fixing of the applicator member on the applicator rod comes down to a simple step of fixing the brush on the rod.

Such a step of fixing a brush, in particular a brush with a twisted core enclosing fibers forming the bristles of the brush, at the end of a rod is well known in the field and mastered at the industrial level. Thus, thanks to the provisions of the invention, the industrial cost of the assembly step of the applicator and in particular the fixing of the applicator member on the rod is reduced.

Furthermore, thanks to the provisions of the invention, the robustness of the applicator, and in particular of the fixing of the application member to the rod is improved.

Finally, thanks to the provisions of the invention, there is an applicator making it possible to obtain new application results, in particular for making up the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows, allowing a good compromise between loading the eyelashes and / or eyebrows as a makeup product, typically in mascara, and separation of the eyelashes and / or eyebrows.

According to other advantageous aspects, the applicator according to the invention incorporates one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in any technically possible combination:

- the elements of application of the comb are teeth. In this embodiment, the loading of the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows with makeup product, typically in mascara, is essentially ensured by the brush of the applicator, and the separation of the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows is essentially ensured by the applicator comb. As a variant, the application elements carried by the comb may consist of fibers flocked on the support of the comb. In this embodiment, the loading of the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows with makeup product, typically in mascara, is ensured both by the brush and the flocked comb of the applicator, and the separation of the eyelashes and / or eyebrows is mainly provided by the brush of the applicator. In another variant, the application elements carried by the comb comprise both teeth and flocked fibers, the comb ensuring both the function of loading the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows with makeup product, typically in mascara , and the function of separating the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows.

- the core of the brush extends along a longitudinal axis, preferably corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the rod, and the support of the comb extends along a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the core. As a variant, the brush having along its longitudinal axis a first end integral with the rod and a second free end, the longitudinal axis of the support for the comb forms a non-zero angle with the longitudinal axis of the brush, these longitudinal axes converging towards the free end of the brush.

the rod has an external peripheral surface and the support for the comb has a face oriented towards the core of the brush and an opposite face carrying the application elements, the face of the support carrying the application elements being substantially flush with the peripheral surface outside of the rod.

- The core of the brush has a portion devoid of bristles received inside a housing provided at the second end of the rod to secure the brush on the rod. The portion of the brush devoid of bristles can advantageously be received with clamping or be crimped inside the housing of the rod.

- The support of the comb has a first end connected to the rod and a second opposite free end. The comb thus extends overhang from the free end of the rod and does not have direct attachment with the brush. The applicator member according to the invention is thus formed of a brush and a comb connected to each other only by means of the rod.

the core of the brush extends along a longitudinal axis, preferably corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the rod, and the portion of the core carrying the bristles has a length measured along its greater or equal longitudinal axis the length of the comb measured along this same longitudinal axis.

- the envelope surface has a longitudinal groove in which the support of the comb extends.

- the groove is continuous longitudinally and extends in cross section according to an angular range between 10 ° and 90 °, and preferably close to 60 °.

- The brush has an angular portion extending along the longitudinal axis, located to the right of the comb and in which the bristles are deflected by the comb so that the cross section of the brush has a higher density of bristles at level of the side edges of the comb as in the rest of its circumference. Thanks to these arrangements, two longitudinal zones are created at the lateral edges of the comb in which the bristles of the brush are denser, these zones favoring the combing of the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows.

the envelope surface having a cross section defining an external contour, the teeth of the comb each having a first end secured to the support and a second free end, the free ends of the teeth of the comb are located substantially on or protrude from the external contour of the cross section of the envelope surface at least over part of the portion of the core carrying the bristles.

The present invention also relates to a device for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, in particular an eyelash and / or eyebrow makeup product, such as a mascara, comprising:

- a container containing a product to be applied;

- an applicator as described above.

The invention also relates to a process for making up the eyelashes or eyebrows in which the brush of the applicator according to the invention is used in particular for loading the eyelashes or eyebrows and the comb in particular for separating them.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of nonlimiting examples of implementation thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates in longitudinal section a device for packaging and applying cosmetic product according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the applicator member used at the free end of the stem of the applicator according to the invention;

- Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the applicator of Figure 2;

- Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV of the application member of Figure 3.

FIG. 1 shows a device 10 for packaging and applying a cosmetic product using an applicator 1 according to the invention.

As visible in this FIG. 1, the device 10 comprises a container 6 intended to receive the cosmetic product and an applicator 1 of cosmetic product which can be selectively fixed on the container 6 to be loaded with cosmetic product and extracted outside the container 6 to produce applying a cosmetic product to a surface to be treated.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the cosmetic product is a mascara composition intended to be applied to the eyelashes and / or eyebrows of the eyes of a user.

The applicator 1 according to the invention comprises a gripping member 2 intended to be grasped and manipulated by the user to load the applicator 1 with product and apply the loaded product to the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows.

The gripping member 2 of the applicator 1 can constitute a closure cap for the container 6.

The applicator 1 further comprises a rod 3 extending along a longitudinal axis X and having along this longitudinal axis X a first end 31 secured to the gripping member 2 and a second end 32 opposite the first end 31 .

As can be seen more particularly in FIGS. 2 to 4, the applicator 1 finally comprises an application member 4 for the cosmetic product secured to the second end 32 of the rod 3.

The container 6 can be provided with a wiping member 7 for removing the excess product present on the rod 3 and on the application member 4. This wiping member 7 comprises for example a lip produced in a elastomeric material, defining a wiping orifice which is preferably of circular section, the diameter of which corresponds substantially to that of the rod 3.

The applicator member 4 of the applicator according to the invention, sometimes designated by the designation of hybrid applicator member, comprises a brush 40 and a comb 50, the association of these two elements of different natures conferring to the application body this hybrid character.

The brush 40 comprises a core 41 and bristles 42 held by the core 41 in a portion 410 of the core carrying the bristles 42.

The brush 40 can have between 100 and 300 bristles 42, better still between 150 and 250 bristles 42, for example around 200 bristles 42.

The core 41 of the brush 40 may consist of a wire folded into a U and twisted to form turns, the core 41 comprising between 10 and 30 turns, better still between 15 and 25 turns, for example about 17 turns.

When the core 41 is twisted, the number of hairs 42 per turn can thus be greater than 5, better between 10 and 30 hairs per turn, being for example of the order of 12 hairs 42 per turn of the core. By "number of bristles per turn" is meant the number of bristle ends counted for a rotation of 180 ° around the longitudinal axis X of the core 41.

Core 41 can be twisted left or right. The bristles 42 can extend from the core 41 in two helical plies. The number of turns corresponds to the sum of the revolutions around the core 41 of the two layers. The bristles 42 can be made of a natural or synthetic material, for example chosen from PP, PA, PET, PS, PE or PVC. The bristles 42 may include a magnetic charge or aimed at improving the sliding, for example graphite, PTFE or molybdenum disulfide.

As shown in particular in FIG. 2, the core 41 of the brush has a portion 410 carrying the bristles 42 and a portion 411 devoid of bristles 42.

The second end 32 of the rod 3 has a housing 33 opening at this second end 32 and adapted to receive, for example with clamping, the portion 411 of the core 41 of the brush 40 devoid of bristles 42 to ensure fixing of the brush 40 on the rod. As a variant or in addition, a portion 411 of the core 41 of the brush 40 can be crimped into the housing 33 provided at the second end 32 of the rod 3.

The comb 50 comprises a support 52 carrying a plurality of teeth 51. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the support 52 of the comb carries a single row of teeth 51 aligned along a longitudinal axis X1 of the support 52. As a variant, the support 52 of the comb 50 can carry a plurality of rows of teeth 51 and / or teeth 51 arranged in staggered rows along the longitudinal axis X1.

By "tooth" is meant an individualizable projecting element intended to come into engagement with the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows. The teeth 51 can be made of the same material as the support 52 of the comb 50 or of a different material.

One can in particular play, during the manufacture of the application member 4, on the height and the shape of the teeth 51 to adjust the level of product load of the applicator after spinning.

The distribution of the teeth 51 and in particular of the teeth 51 of a row of teeth can make it possible to obtain a good compromise between the possibility of accumulating product between the teeth 51 and thus creating reserves of product, and good performance in terms eyelash separation.

The height of at least one tooth, better of each tooth or of the majority of the teeth, measured from the support to the free end of the tooth, and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X1 of the support 52, can be between 0.5 mm and 4mm.

Preferably, the height of the teeth varies when one moves along the longitudinal axis X1 of the support 52.

The teeth 51 are advantageously conical in shape. In variants, the teeth 51 are of any other shape, in particular of semi-conical, cylindrical or tapered shape, frustoconical or pyramidal, in particular with a hexagonal base. The teeth 51 can be as described in application EP3010367. When the teeth 51 are of tapered shape, for example conical or semi-conical, the degree of convergence in the direction of the apex, that is to say the angle at the apex of the cone in the case of conical or semi-conical surfaces , can vary between two teeth 51 at least in the row.

All the teeth in the rows can have a similar shape, for example conical. As a variant, several teeth in at least one row have not similar shapes, with for example semi-conical teeth and conical teeth.

The cross section of the teeth 51 may be of substantially semi-circular (so-called half-moon), circular, elliptical or semi-elliptical shape, or may be yet other, for example polygonal, in particular hexagonal.

At least one tooth 51 may be terminated by a rounded free end, in particular hemispherical or semi-hemispherical, the radius of curvature of which is for example between 0.08 mm and 0.2 mm.

The teeth 51 can have a thickness of between 0.2 mm and 0.9 mm, better still between 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm. By "thickness of a tooth" is meant the largest transverse dimension of the tooth, in section, perpendicular to the axis of elongation of the tooth and to the longitudinal axis X1 of the support 52.

The teeth 51 can have a width of between 0.2 mm and 1.2 mm, better still between 0.3 mm and 1 mm. By "width of a tooth" is meant the largest transverse dimension of the tooth, in section, along the longitudinal axis X1 of the support 52.

The support 52 and / or the teeth 51 can be molded from the same material, or alternatively can be made from at least two different materials. In variants, the teeth 51 are overmolded on the support 52, or produced by bi-injection.

According to the invention, the support 52 of the comb 50 of the applicator member 4 is made in one piece / is in one piece with the rod 3 of the applicator 1.

The support 52 of the comb 50 and the rod 3 are advantageously made by injection molding of the same plastic material, in particular a thermoplastic material such as butylene polyterephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene (POM), glycolated polyethylene terephthalate (PETG). ), or Polypropylene (PP).

As a variant, the application elements 51 carried by the comb 50 may consist of fibers flocked on the support 52 of the comb 50.

Advantageously, the support 52 of the comb 50 has a first end 521 connected to the rod 3 and a second opposite end 522 which is free.

According to an arrangement of the invention, the core 41 of the brush 40 extends along a longitudinal axis X ’, preferably corresponding to the longitudinal axis X of the rod 3.

The support 52 of the comb extends along a longitudinal axis X1 parallel to the longitudinal axis X, X ’of the rod and of the core 41 of the brush 40.

As a variant, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the brush 40 having along its longitudinal axis X 'a first end 401 secured to the rod 3 and a second free end 402, the longitudinal axis X1 of the support 52 of the comb 50 forms a non-zero angle, for example of the order of 5 °, with the longitudinal axis X 'of the brush 40, these longitudinal axes X1, X' converging towards the free end of the brush.

According to an advantageous arrangement of the invention and visible in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rod 3 has an outer peripheral surface 30 and the support 52 of the comb 50 has a face 523 oriented towards the core 41 of the brush 40 and an opposite face 520 carrying the teeth 51, the face 520 of the support 52 carrying the teeth 51 substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface 30 of the rod 3. Thus, the support 52 of the comb 50 is presented as an extension, an appendage of the rod 3, and no detachment potentially dangerous for the user is formed between the outer peripheral surface 30 of the rod 3 and the face 520 of the support 52 of the comb 50 carrying the teeth 51

Furthermore, as visible in FIG. 3, the portion 410 of the core 41 carrying the bristles 42 has a length L measured along its longitudinal axis X ', and the comb 50 has between its first end 521 connected to the rod 3 and its second free opposite end 522 a length L1 projected onto this longitudinal axis X 'less than or equal to the length L.

Thus, there is an axial zone along the longitudinal axis X 'of the core 41 of the brush 40, here located in the vicinity of the free end of the applicator member 4, in which the member d 'application consists only of the brush 40. Such a zone can for example be used advantageously for the precise makeup of the eyelashes of the corner of the eye.

As shown in particular in FIGS. 2 to 4, the free ends of the bristles 42 define an envelope surface S of the brush 40. In the example shown, this envelope surface S is substantially cylindrical of revolution around the longitudinal axis X ' and has along this axis X ', from the end of the portion 410 of the brush 40 carrying the bristles 42 located on the side of the rod 3 towards the free end of this portion 410, a first frustoconical portion S1 whose small base is at the end of the portion 410 of the brush 40 carrying the bristles 42 located on the side of the rod 3, a second frustoconical portion S2 directly adjacent to the first frustoconical portion S1 and tapering towards the free end of the portion 410 of the core 41 carrying the bristles 42, and a third frustoconical portion S3 directly adjacent to the second frustoconical portion S2, tapering towards the e x free end of the portion 410 of the core 41 carrying the bristles 42 and with an angle at the top greater than that of the second frustoconical portion S2.

Furthermore, and as visible in FIG. 4, the envelope surface S of the brush 40 has a longitudinal groove 43 in which the support 52 of the comb 51 extends.

In this groove 43, the bristles 42 of the brush 40 have been shaved, flush with the core 41 or by having a length measured from the core in the order of 1 to 2 mm.

Thanks to these provisions, it is avoided that the comb is deformed, and in particular bent outwards in the radial direction by the bristles 42 of the brush crushed under the support 52 of the comb 50.

Advantageously, the groove 43 is continuous longitudinally along the longitudinal axis X 'of the core 41 of the brush 40 and extends in cross section according to an angular range β between 10 ° and 90 °, and preferably close 60 ° as shown in Figure 4.

In this embodiment of Figure 4, the comb 50, and more particularly the support 52 of the comb 50 may extend over an angular range less, equal to or greater than the angular range β of the longitudinal groove 43 formed in the brush 40 .

As a variant, and as shown in FIG. 5, the envelope surface S of the brush 40 may not have such a groove and the support 52 of the comb 50 comes to crush and / or deflect the bristles 42 of the brush 40 when the latter this is assembled to the rod 3.

Thus, the brush 40 has an angular portion β 'extending along the longitudinal axis X', located in line with the comb 50 and in which the bristles 42 are deflected by the comb 50 so that the cross section of the brush 40 has a higher density of bristles 42 at the lateral edges of the comb 50 than in the rest of its circumference. There are thus created at the lateral edges 524, 525 of the comb 50 in the circumferential direction two longitudinal zones in which the bristles 42 of the brush 40 are denser, these zones favoring the combing of the eyelashes and / or the eyebrows.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5 in particular, the envelope surface S of the brush 40 has a cross section defining an outer contour C and the teeth 51 of the comb 50 each having a first end 511 secured to the support 52 and a second end 512 free.

Advantageously, the free ends 512 of the teeth 51 of the comb 50 are located substantially on or protrude from the external contour C of the cross section of the envelope surface S at least over part of the portion 410 of the core 41 carrying the bristles 42 .

Thus, this part of the applicator member 4 in which the free ends 512 of the teeth 51 protrude / protrude from the external contour C of the envelope surface of the brush 40, will be particularly advantageous for achieving good combing / good separation eyelashes / eyebrows.

In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the free ends 512 of the teeth 51 carried by the support 52 of the comb protrude from the outer contour C of the cross section of the envelope surface S over the entire length L1 of the comb 50.

Although in the above description, the applicator 1 implements only a single comb 50, it can be provided that the application implements a plurality of combs 50, uniformly distributed around the longitudinal axis X of the rod 3 or not, without departing from the scope of the present invention. These combs 50 can advantageously carry elements of application of different natures, for example a comb carrying teeth and a comb carrying a flocking, or application elements of the same nature, for example teeth, but having different characteristics, for example different heights, cross sections of different teeth, different materials, etc.

Claims (12)

1. Applicator (1) of cosmetic product, in particular of eyelash and / or eyebrow makeup product, such as a mascara, comprising: - a gripping member (2); - a rod (3) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and having along said longitudinal axis (X) a first end (31) integral with the gripping member (2) and a second end (32) opposite ; - an application member (4) of the cosmetic product secured to the second end (32) of the rod (3) and comprising: * a brush (40) comprising a core (41) and bristles (42) held by the core (41) in a portion (410) of the core carrying the bristles, the bristles (41) having free ends defining an envelope surface (S) and; * a comb (50) comprising a plurality of application elements (51) carried by a support (52), characterized in that the support (52) of the comb (50) is made in one piece with the rod (3). 2. Applicator (1) according to claim 1, in which the elements for applying the comb (50) are teeth (51). 3. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the core (41) of the brush (40) extends along a longitudinal axis (X '), preferably corresponding to the axis longitudinal (X) of the rod (3), and the support (52) of the comb (50) extends along a longitudinal axis (X1) parallel to the longitudinal axis (X ') of the core (41). 4. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rod (3) has an outer peripheral surface (30) and the support (52) of the comb (50) has a face (523) oriented towards the core (41) of the brush (40) and an opposite face (520) carrying the application elements (51), the face (520) of the support (52) carrying the application elements (51) flush substantially the outer peripheral surface (30) of the rod (3). 5. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the core (41) of the brush (40) has a portion (411) devoid of bristles (42) received inside of a housing (33) provided at the second end (32) of the rod (3) to secure the brush (40) on the rod (3). 6. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support (52) of the comb (50) has a first end (521) connected to the rod (3) and a second end (522) opposite free. 7. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the core (41) of the brush (40) extends along a longitudinal axis (X '), preferably corresponding to the axis longitudinal (X) of the rod (3), and the portion (410) of the core (41) carrying the bristles (42) has a length (L) measured along its longitudinal axis (X ') greater than or equal to the length (L1) of the comb (50) measured along this same longitudinal axis (X '). 8. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the envelope surface (S) has a longitudinal groove (43) in which extends the support (52) of the comb (50). 9. Applicator (1) according to claim 8, wherein the groove (43) is continuous longitudinally and extends in cross section over an angular range (β) between 10 ° and 90 °, and preferably close to 60 °. 10. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the brush (40) has an angular portion (β ') extending along the longitudinal axis (X'), located at right of the comb (50) and in which the bristles (42) are deflected by the comb (50) so that the cross section of the brush (40) has a higher density of bristles (42) at the side edges (524 , 525) of the comb (50) than in the rest of its circumference. 11. Applicator (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein, the envelope surface (S) having a cross section defining an outer contour (C), the teeth (51) of the comb (50) each having a first end (511) secured to the support (52) and a second free end (512), the free ends (512) of the teeth (51) of the comb (50) lie substantially on or protrude from the outer contour (C) of the cross section of the envelope surface (S) at least over part of the portion 5 (410) of the core (41) carrying the bristles (42). 12. Device (10) for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, in particular an eyelash and / or eyebrow makeup product, such as a mascara, comprising: 10 - a container (6) containing a product to be applied; - an applicator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.