FR3120504A1 - Applicator for picking up and applying a solid deodorant product and deodorant container - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an applicator (1) for the removal and application of a solid deodorant product (7), comprising a gripping zone (2) and at least one contact surface (3), the applicator (1 ) having a surface structure (4) at the contact surface (3), which structure is designed such that the contact surface (3) comprises raised areas (5) and recessed areas (6) opposite the protruding zones (5), so that a defined quantity of solid deodorant product (7) can be received between the protruding zones (5) and the recessed zones (6), coming from a separate reserve of solid deodorant product (7). The invention further relates to a deodorant container (10), comprising such an applicator (1) and containing a solid deodorant product (7). (Figure 1)

Description

Applicator for picking up and applying a solid deodorant product and deodorant container

The invention relates to an applicator for the removal and application of a solid deodorant product and a deodorant container which contains a solid deodorant product and includes such an applicator.

Deodorants are available in the market in different forms of administration. Liquid formulations are usually applied to the skin as a spray or using a deodorant roll-on applicator. Solid deodorants designed in the form of deodorant sticks or deodorant sticks are also known. When it comes to these, the slightly creamy, yet solid, deodorant product can be squeezed or peeled from an outer wrap like a glue stick. This type of deodorant stick is for example described in the invention DE 42 23 871 C1.

Users prefer deodorant sticks because of their compact configuration and popular performance. However, they have a number of drawbacks. Thus, with deodorant sticks, the removal of the product is done by spreading or rubbing the deodorant product removed from the stick on the skin. In addition to the simple removal of the product, there is the uniform distribution of the product and possibly a light massage of the skin by spreading the deodorizing product on it. The longer and more intensely the deodorant stick is passed over the skin for a better distribution of the product, the greater the quantity of product taken simultaneously.

In other words, this form of administration does not allow you to take a definite amount of the product, distribute it evenly on the skin and massage the skin. With the known deodorant sticks, the careful distribution of the deodorant product and the thorough massage of the skin always lead to an additional removal of the product. Therefore, too much deodorant product is usually applied to the skin, and due to insufficient massage of the skin with the product, this amount of product cannot produce the intended effect. The excess amount of product not absorbed by the skin also quickly causes unpleasant stains to appear on the clothes.

With a deodorant stick, if more deodorant product is inadvertently extracted from the outer envelope than is necessary, there is also the risk that very large quantities of the deodorant product will escape or be released of the deodorant stick and thus become unusable.

Another disadvantage of known deodorant sticks is that during their use, the deodorant product contained in the stick can easily be contaminated by contact with the skin, since particles of skin and hair can remain stuck to the surface of the product. deodorant and can only be removed with difficulty.

The present invention therefore aims to provide an applicator for the removal and application of a solid deodorant product, which makes it possible to remove a defined quantity of a solid deodorant product and to apply it to the skin, and to distribute the deodorant product evenly on the skin, then massaging it with the product. The invention further aims to provide a deodorant container which contains a solid deodorant product and includes such an applicator.

To this end, the objective of the invention is achieved through an applicator having the characteristics of claim 1, as well as a deodorant container having the characteristics of claim 10.

Concrete embodiments and improved versions of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to claim 1, the invention relates to an applicator for withdrawing and applying a solid deodorant product, comprising a gripping zone and at least one contact surface, the applicator having a surface structure at the level of the contact surface, which structure is designed so that the contact surface comprises protruding zones and recessed zones opposite the protruding zones, so that, during a pick-up operation, a defined quantity of solid deodorant product can be received between the projecting zones and the recessed zones, coming from a separate supply of solid deodorant product.

In other words, the invention provides an applicator with the aid of which the operation of withdrawing the solid deodorant product can be separated from the operation of applying the deodorant product to the skin. To do this, using the applicator according to the invention, a defined quantity of deodorant product can be initially taken from a separate reserve of deodorant product, which quantity is then applied to the skin by rubbing the applicator on this one, which is then massaged with the product.

The contact surface designates the surface of the applicator which comes into contact with the solid deodorant product during the removal operation and, during the application operation, with the part of the skin on which the deodorant product is to be applied. .

For the removal of a defined quantity of deodorant product, the applicator according to the invention has a surface structure at the level of the contact surface, which structure is designed so that the contact surface comprises projecting zones and recessed areas opposed to protruding areas. If this structured contact surface is brought into contact with the reserve of solid deodorant product and the applicator is easily moved back and forth, for example if it moves back and forth at a small angle around its longitudinal axis, then a quantity of solid air freshener is released from the air freshener supply through the surface structure of the contact surface, which quantity settles in the spaces between the protruding areas and the recessed areas of the contact surface . Due to the admittedly compact, but slightly creamy texture of the deodorant product, it remains stuck to the contact surface, trapped between its protruding and recessed areas. The contact surface charged with the deodorant product of the applicator can then be placed on the skin, and the quantity of deodorant product taken up can be distributed over the skin by rubbing the contact surface thereon, which is then massaged with the product. Thus, a user can walk the applicator over the skin, until a satisfactory distribution of the deodorant product is achieved. Unlike known deodorant sticks according to the state of the art, the maximum quantity of product that can be applied using the applicator according to the invention during an application operation is clearly limited to the quantity of product deodorant previously taken. This maximum quantity is therefore independent of the application operation, in particular of the duration of the application operation and of the pressure with which the applicator is passed over the skin.

The maximum quantity of deodorant product that can be taken from the reserve of deodorant product using the applicator according to the invention in a removal operation is delimited by the concrete embodiment of the contact surface. It is however possible to modify the quantity of deodorant product taken within these limits thanks to the pressure exerted on the applicator during the sampling operation. This is described in more detail below. The user can also immediately see the quantity picked up.

In addition, thanks to the surface structure produced on the contact surface, a massage effect is obtained when applied to the skin, which effect is perceived as pleasant and allows better and faster administration of the deodorant product on the affected parts of the skin.

Compared to the forms of administration known according to the state of the art, the applicator according to the invention also makes it possible to use substantially entirely a deodorant product present in a container. In comparison, with known deodorant sticks, for example, there generally always remains at the bottom of the stick a non-negligible residual quantity of product, which can no longer be removed easily. In this regard, the applicator according to the invention guarantees, independently of the level of the deodorant product in the container, a constant feeling of well-being in the skin after the application of the deodorant product. This feeling is also not guaranteed with classic deodorant sticks, because when the deodorant stick is almost used up, the outer shell comes into more and more contact with the skin, which is generally perceived as unpleasant.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the surface structure of the contact surface may comprise protuberances and/or ribs and/or grooves. The protuberances can for example have a circular cross-section; the ribs and the grooves, for their part, may have a longitudinal cross-section. Thus, to have a feeling of well-being at skin level, it is preferable for the edges of the structures produced on the contact surface to be rounded.

The area of the contact surface provided with the surface structure can be approximately 0.75 to 55 cm² depending on the field of application. The number of the various elements which constitute the surface structure, for example the protuberances and/or the ribs, can then vary. In particular, the surface structure on the contact surface can be produced with point and/or axial symmetry. For example, several protrusions, including protrusions of different sizes, can be arranged in concentric circles. The veins can for example be arranged in the shape of a star or a flower. Additional protrusions can also be arranged on slightly wider ribs. For the concrete configuration of the surface structure, it is essential that a defined quantity of solid deodorizing product can be introduced between the protruding areas and the recessed areas. In principle, it is also possible for the applicator to be made in two parts, so that differently shaped contact surfaces can be combined with the gripping area depending on the field of application. In this regard, a first applicator part can comprise the grip zone, while a second applicator part can comprise the contact surface provided with a surface structure. The first and second applicator parts can then be releasably connected to each other by a suitable connecting mechanism, for example by threading and/or by a snap mechanism, so that a replacement of the contact surfaces is very flexible and easy. Thus, depending on the concrete application case, for example depending on the desired massage effect, contact surfaces of different shapes can be used.

According to the invention, the difference in level between the projecting zones and the recessed zones is made in such a way that a sufficient quantity of deodorant product can get caught between the projecting zones and the recessed zones. This difference in level can be less than 1 mm, but it can also be greater than 1 mm depending on the application case. The maximum amount of deodorant product that can be received can systematically be defined by the difference in height between the projecting areas and the recessed areas and by the size of the area provided with the surface structure. However, the difference in level between the projecting zones and the recessed zones should not reach a threshold at which the deodorant product is deposited in the spaces and can no longer be released during the application operation.

For deodorant applications, the contact surface can therefore be made so that an average quantity of 0.15 to 0.35 g of solid deodorant product can be received between the projecting zones and the recessed zones. For other uses of the applicator, for example for the application of glues and/or for the application of body care products to be applied on a large surface, smaller or larger average doses can be provided. Within the limits defined by the concrete surface structure, the amount of product received can be controlled by the pressure with which the contact surface is moved over the surface of the solid deodorizing product during the picking operation. The greater the pressure exerted, the greater the quantity of deodorant product released through the surface structure from the supply of deodorant product, which quantity becomes trapped between the protruding zones and the recessed zones. In this way, it is also possible, after a first sampling and application operation, to sample another possibly smaller quantity of deodorant product, in the event that the quantity initially sampled and applied is deemed insufficient.

According to a variant of this invention, the contact surface has a convex curvature. Thus, the applicator is particularly suitable for the physiognomy of the armpits of a human, and facilitates the uniform distribution of the deodorant product in the armpits. Even independently of applications in the armpits, a convex curvature of the contact surface provides a particularly pleasant feeling of physical well-being during the application and massage operation.

According to one embodiment, the applicator can be cylindrical. In this respect, the contact surface forms a front surface of the cylinder, the grip zone by which the user can grasp the applicator is at the level of the outer surface of the cylinder. In principle, however, it is possible for the second end surface of the cylinder to also be designed as another contact surface, the second. The surface structures of the two contact surfaces can be produced differently, for example so as to allow the withdrawal of different quantities of the solid deodorant product.

In principle, the applicator can also have a shape different from the cylindrical shape. It can for example have the shape of a sphere or an ovoid or even be punch-shaped.

The applicator can be made massively or in the form of a hollow body.

The invention proposes, according to one embodiment, a metal as material for the applicator, in particular for the contact surface, for example stainless steel or anodized aluminum. This gives the applicator a high stability and thus guarantees durability. Alternatively or in combination with metal, other materials can be used, in particular durable and biodegradable materials, for example wood and/or a wood and fiber composite.

The gripping area of the applicator may have means to ensure better maneuverability and a certain resistance to slipping. To this end, the applicator may have a particular design at the level of the gripping zone, which design allows particularly satisfactory handling. For example, the applicator may include a peripheral bead at its end opposite the contact surface, which bead allows the user to hold the applicator more securely. Additionally or as a variant, the surface of the applicator can be particularly ergonomic at the level of the gripping zone, for example thanks to small recesses in which a user can place his phalanges. According to another embodiment, the applicator can be provided with an anti-slip coating in the grip zone, to allow a user to hold the applicator more securely and comfortably.

The applicator can be cleaned very easily and can therefore be freed of any residues of deodorant product after use. Thus, the applicator can also be used by several people in a household. This reduces the number of individual air freshener products in a home, helping to prevent the generation of packaging waste. The applicator can therefore be reused several times, so that only the solid deodorant product consumed must be replenished regularly.

The applicator according to the invention is compact so as to occupy little space and to allow a user to carry it easily, even on the move, such as during a trip. In a preferred embodiment in cylindrical form for deodorant applications, the applicator may for example have a height of approximately 8 cm and a diameter of approximately 3 to 5 cm. For other applications, however, it is possible to use smaller or larger diameters, for example between approximately 1 and 8 cm, as well as applicator heights adapted to the specific application case.

The invention also relates, according to claim 9, to a deodorant container which contains a solid deodorant product and comprises an applicator according to claims 1 to 8, the solid deodorant product being placed in a container, and the applicator playing the role of lid for the container.

In other words, the deodorant container provides a product, consisting of a solid deodorant product, and a particularly compact applicator, since it simultaneously acts as a lid for the container where the deodorant product is located. In a closed state, the contact surface of the applicator can be turned towards the deodorant product, so that the user only needs to grasp the applicator by its gripping area to use it and easily perform the movement back and forth, so that a certain quantity of the solid deodorant product is released from the reserve of deodorant product to become trapped at the level of the contact surface. In general, the movement of the applicator can be, also depending on the external shape of the applicator and of the container, a translational movement and/or a rotational movement. The applicator is then removed from the container, and the deodorizing product can be applied to the skin as described above. According to a preferred embodiment, the outer shape of the applicator and the shape of the container are harmonized so that the applicator can be movable inside the container for the release of the deodorant product. For example, both the applicator and the container are cylindrical in shape, so that the applicator can be rotated inside the container, slightly around its longitudinal axis, which allows a release of a certain amount of deodorizing product that is trapped at the contact surface.

In principle, the applicator according to the invention can also be used for the removal and application of products other than solid deodorant products, but having a texture similar to that of a solid deodorant product, for example for the removal and application of other cosmetic products, such as body ointment, or sticky products.

In the following, the invention is described in detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the appended drawings. Illustrations:

An embodiment of the applicator according to the invention in perspective side view;

Top view in different embodiments of the contact surface showing different surface structures in schematic representation;

An exemplary embodiment of an air freshener container in schematic cross-sectional representation.

The represents an applicator, designated as a whole by 1, for the removal and application of the solid deodorant product not represented in the and held separately. The applicator (1) is cylindrical in shape and made of aluminum. The applicator (1) comprises a gripping zone (2) as well as a contact surface (3). A user can hold the applicator (1) at the grip zone (2). At the contact surface (3), which forms a cylindrical end face of the applicator (1), the applicator (1) has a surface structure (4). This is made so that the contact surface (3) comprises projecting areas (5) and recessed areas (6) opposite the projecting areas (5). The protruding areas (5) are made in the form of protrusions with a circular cross section, which is clearer if we observe the .

For the removal of solid deodorant product from a reserve held separately, the contact surface (3) of the applicator (1) rests on the solid deodorant product, and the applicator moves back and forth at a small angle around its longitudinal axis. Thus, the protuberances rub or release a certain quantity of solid deodorant product which becomes trapped in the spaces between the projecting zones (5) and the recessed zones (6) of the contact surface (3). Due to the solid but creamy texture of the air freshener, the released air freshener sticks to the contact surface in the gaps when the applicator (1) is lifted. The applicator (1) thus loaded with a certain quantity of solid deodorant product is then brought into contact with a part of the skin, and the deodorant product applied to the skin by rubbing on the latter, which is subsequently massaged with the product.

When picking up the solid deodorant product through the to-and-fro movement of the applicator (1), the pressure exerted on the applicator (1) in the direction of the deodorant product may to some extent have an influence on the quantity of deodorizing product released during a sampling operation. The greater the pressure exerted on the applicator (1), the greater the quantity of deodorant product that can be sampled during a sampling operation. The maximum quantity per picking operation is however defined through the concrete surface structure (4) and the spaces between the protruding areas (5) and the recessed areas (6). If these spaces are completely filled with deodorant product, then the maximum quantity of deodorant product that can be taken for a sampling operation has been reached. Conversely, a smaller quantity of deodorant product can be taken up if a slight pressure is exerted on the applicator (1) during the back and forth movement.

Thanks to the particular embodiment of the applicator (1), the removal of deodorant product is separated from the application of the latter to the skin. During each sampling operation, a defined quantity of deodorant product held separately is sampled, and this defined quantity is then applied to the skin, then the latter is massaged with the product. Thus, it is possible to avoid accidental overdosing, as easily occurs with the deodorant sticks known from the state of the art. On the other hand, it is possible to ensure that substantially the same quantity of deodorant product is withdrawn and applied to the skin during each application operation. The user can immediately see this quantity.

Figures 2a to 2c show different embodiments of the contact surface (3). The shows an embodiment in which the protrusions (5) are made in the form of protuberances of circular cross-section, which are arranged in concentric circles. The protuberances located more outside have a larger cross-section than the protrusions located more inside. The height of the protrusions can be the same for all the protrusions, the contact surface can however also have protrusions of different heights.

The shows an embodiment in which the protruding areas (5) are made in the form of ribs, the individual ribs being arranged in the shape of a star or a flower. In this regard, a shorter rib is arranged between two longer ribs.

The shows an embodiment in which the protruding areas (5) are made in the form of wider ribs, on each of which six protruding protrusions are made. In this embodiment, larger amounts of deodorant may become trapped between the wider ribs, while smaller amounts of deodorant may become trapped between the protrusions.

The represents a deodorant container (10) which contains a solid deodorant product (7) and comprises an applicator (1). The solid deodorant product (7) is placed in a cylindrical container (8). The deodorant product (7) may for example have been introduced, initially in the form of a liquid product, by hot filling into the container (8) where it has solidified during cooling to form a solid deodorant product (7). The applicator (1), although represented in the with its contact surface (3), but without the surface structure (4) for the sake of clarity, acts as a lid for the container (8). Thanks to a slight back and forth movement of the applicator (1), a certain quantity of deodorant product (7) can be taken from the container (8) as described above, and applied to part of the skin. Once the application is complete, the applicator (1) can again, possibly after having been cleaned, be inserted into the container (8) as shown in the , thereby closing the container (8). The deodorizing product (7) is thus protected from external influences. It is possibly possible to arrange a mechanism making it possible to snap the applicator (1) with the container (8) in the closed position. Due to its compact configuration, the user can take the air freshener container (10) very easily and comfortably, for example when traveling.

The containers (8) which contain the solid deodorant product (7) can be in the form of a refill and be used in conjunction with an applicator (1) already available. In this case, the container (8) can initially be closed by means of a sealing film, for example. This film is detached during the first use and thereafter, the container (8) is closed by means of the applicator (1), as described above. The container (8) can particularly be made of durable materials, for example a paper-based material. The use of the applicator (1) according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the production of packaging waste, since the application device is independent of the reserve of deodorant product, and only the product must be replaced regularly. This characteristic distinguishes the solution according to the invention from known solutions such as deodorant sticks or roll-on deodorant applicators.

Claims (9)

Applicator (1) for withdrawing and applying a solid deodorant product (7), comprising a gripping zone (2) and at least one contact surface (3), characterized in that the applicator (1) has a surface structure (4) at the contact surface (3), which structure is designed such that the contact surface (3) comprises raised areas (5) and recessed areas (6) opposite to the protruding zones (5), so that a defined quantity of solid deodorant product (7) can be received between the protruding zones (5) and the recessed zones (6), coming from a separate supply of solid deodorant product (7). Applicator (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the surface structure (4) comprises protuberances and/or ribs and/or grooves. Applicator (1) according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the surface structure (4) is produced with point and/or axial symmetry on the contact surface (3). Applicator (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an average quantity of 0.15 to 0.35 g of solid deodorant product (7) can be received between the projecting zones (5) and recessed areas (6). Applicator (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact surface (3) has a convex curvature. Applicator (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the applicator (1) is cylindrical in shape. Applicator (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the applicator (1) is made of a metal. Applicator (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the applicator (1) has a diameter of 1 to 8 cm. Deodorant container (10), containing a solid deodorant product (7) and comprising an applicator (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the solid deodorant product (7) is placed in a container (8), and the applicator (1) acts as a cover for the container (8).