GB2412858A - Depilatory scraper combined with a timer - Google Patents

Abstract

A depilatory composition is applied to skin from a container. After an interval a device 6 is used to remove the composition, and entrained hair. In order that a user can remove the composition at the optimum time, the device 6 includes a timer, for example a sand timer visible through the handle. The user knows that sufficient time has elapsed when all of the sand has passed from one compartment to the other. The device can be mounted in "up" and "down" positions on a container in which the depilatory composition is supplied.

Description

241 2858

APPARATUS AND METHOD

This invention relates to hair removing apparatus, to a method of removing hair and to a kit of parts for removing hair.

Depilatory compositions effect hair removal from skin by causing hair degradation by chemical action. A user applies the composition to the skin, leaves the lo composition for a predetermined interval to allow it to work, and then remove the composition and entrained hairs from the skin. Such removal is usually effected with an article which is provided. This can be a cloth, sponge, or a device such as an elastically flexible sheet. Where hairs have been weakened but not completely removed the device may break them off.

The predetermined interval required for a typical depilatory composition to work effectively, allowing hairs to be removed or sufficiently weakened to be broken off, is typically several minutes. It is desirable to remove the composition and entrained hairs at or only shortly after expiry of the predetermined interval.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided hair removing apparatus comprising a device for the removal from skin of a depilatory composition and entrained hair, and a timer to determine when the depilatory composition and entrained hair should be removed.

The device may have a leading edge which can be moved over the skin to remove the depilatory composition and entrained hairs. In so doing it may break hairs weakened by exposure to the depilatory composition. However it would not normally break intact hairs, untreated by a depilatory composition. Preferably it has a scraping action, acting in the manner of a strigil. Whilst the device may effect the breaking of some hairs which have been weakened by the depilatory composition it cannot be used as a shaving device. Accordingly it does not have a cutting blade.

Preferably the head of the device is wider than the handle. Preferably the average width of the head is at least 50% greater than the average width of the handle, preferably at least 80% greater. For the purpose of this definition the average width of the handle is determined by taking width measurements at lam intervals along the handle, starting lam from its distal (free) end, summating the measurements and dividing by the number of measurements; and the average width of the head is determined by taking width measurements at 0.5cm intervals along the head, starting 0.5cm from its distal (free) end, summating the measurements and dividing by the number of measurements.

Preferably the maximum width of the head exceeds the maximum width of the handle. Preferably the maximum width of the head is at least 50% greater than the maximum width of the handle, preferably at least 80% greater.

Preferably the maximum length of the handle exceeds the maximum length of the head, preferably by a factor of at least 3, more preferably by a factor of at least 5. The head will often be quite squat. Nevertheless it will be

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appreciated that what is meant by "length of the head" is its dimension in the same sense as the length of the handle.

Preferably then handle is slender. Preferably the head is not slender. Preferably it is broad.

Preferably the device has a stick-like or wand-like or rod-like handle, and a wider head or head part.

Preferably the head, even when it is removable in its entirety, is firmly carried by the handle when secured thereto; in the absence of a force or when merely touched there is preferably no tendency for it to be deflected.

In use when bearing upon the skin it may articulate against a resistance force.

Preferably the leading edge is a straight edge. When the head can articulate about the handle, the leading edge is preferably generally parallel to but maximally displaced from an articulation joint. By parallel to the joint we allude to an axis about which articulation takes place.

Thus the leading edge is preferably angular but not sharp, to the extent that it might effect cutting, either of skin or hair. Thus, by eye when viewed in magnification it can be seen to be radiused, in preferred embodiments.

Preferably the radius of such a leading edge is at least 0.25mm, more preferably at least 0.5mm, and most preferably at least 0. 65mm. Preferably the radius of such a leading edge is up to 1.5mm, more preferably up to lmm, and most preferably up to 0.85mm. It may be a compound radius, for example having a major radius in accordance with the definitions given above and a minor radius, smaller than the major radius, at the distal tip of the leading edge. Preferably such a minor radius is up to 0.5mm, more preferably up to 0.3mm, most preferably less than 0.25mm. Preferably it is at least O.lmm, more preferably at least 0.15mm.

Preferably the head is firmly carried by the handle; there is preferably no tendency for it to be deflected, merely lo under gravity or when merely touched. In use when bearing upon the skin it may articulate against a resistance force.

The timer may be a visual indication timer.

Alternatively or additionally the timer may be an audible timer.

The timer and device could be provided separately as components of a kit. Preferably, however, the timer is provided on the device.

The device may be detachably mounted on a container of the composition. 2s

The timer may be provided on a handle of the device. The timer may comprise part of the handle.

The timer may be an electronic timer.

The timer may be a material flow timer in which material takes a predetermined time to flow from one compartment to another through a narrow passage. The timer may be started by inverting the timer to locate the first compartment above a second, previously upper but now lower compartment, to allow the material to flow from the first to second compartment with sufficient time being noted when all of the material is in the second compartment.

The depilatory composition is preferably basic.

Preferably it has a pH of at least 9, more preferably at least 10, most preferably at least 11, and especially, at lo least 12. Preferably it has a pH which does not exceed 13, more preferably 12.7.

The depilatory composition is preferably a sulphur- containing compound, preferably a thioglycol compound.

Examples of suitable thioglycol compounds include thioglycol, thioglycerol, ammonium thioglycolate, glyceryl monothioglycolate, monoethanolamine thioglycolate, diammonium dithiodiglycolate, thioglycolamide, glycerylmonothioglycolate, thioglycolhydrazine, guanidine thioglycolate, thioglycolic acid and, especially, metal salts thereof, including alkali metal salts (especially potassium thioglycolate) and alkaline earth metal salts (especially calcium thioglycolate).

According to a second aspect of the present invention hair removing apparatus comprises a depilatory composition and a timer to determine when the composition should be removed from the skin.

The timer may be as described in relation to the first aspect.

Preferably the depilatory composition of the second aspect is as described in relation to the first aspect.

Preferably the apparatus of the second aspect comprises a device for removal from skin of the depilatory composition and entrained hair. Preferably such a device is as described in relation to the first aspect.

Such a device may be detachably mounted on a container of lo the composition in one of at least two possible orientations and, in one of those orientations, the handle of the device may extend upwardly from the scraping portion of the device and in a another orientation the handle may extend downwardly from the scraping portion.

The top portion of the device may extend to the same region of the container in both orientations. The device may include two spaced mounting portions, both of which can selectively cooperate with the same mounting portion on the container.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for removing a depilatory composition and entrained hair from skin, the device including a timer to determine when such removal should be effected.

This in this aspect the device, which may be as described above, and the timer, which may be as described above, are comprised in one part.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removing hair from skin, the method comprising: applying a depilatory composition to the skin and at substantially the same time starting a timer; and - removing the composition and entrained hair when noting from the timer that a predetermined time interval has passed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention a kit lo of parts is provided for removing hair from skin, the kit including a depilatory device and a timer; or a container of depilatory composition and a timer; or, most preferably, a depilatory device, a timer and a depilatory composition. The depilatory device, timer and depilatory composition may be as described above. The kit of parts may be used in a method as herein referred to or may constitute apparatus as herein referred to.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a depilatory pack 2 including a depilatory composition container 4 on which is mounted a device 6; Figure 2 is a perspective view of Figure 1 showing how the device 6 may be removed or attached to the container 4; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing an alternative method of mounting the device 6 to the pack; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device 6.

In the drawings shaded areas denote elastomeric material, soft to the touch, whereas areas shown unshaded (or uncoloured) denote plastics material, which is of higher modulus than the elastomeric material. In the following examples there is a difference in colour between the elastomeric and plastics materials. For example the elastomeric material may be coloured and plastics material lo white, or of a colour which contrasts with the colour of the elastomeric material. The attached informal drawings show these differences of material and colour by means of shading. When we later submit formal line drawings we reserve the right to describe in words the shaded and unshaded regions in the attached informal drawings as, respectively, regions of coloured elastomeric material and of plastics material of higher modulus, uncoloured or of a colour which contrasts with the colour of the elastomeric material.

In use, the pack 2 is sold with the device in place, with shrunk film holding the two together. Before use, the film is removed to allow the device 6 to be detached from the container. The device has a scraping head 10 at its proximal end, and a narrow, wand-like, handle 12 forming its distal end. The head 10 is wide, relative to the handle. The device 6 may be a snap fit on the container such as by means of a reduced neck area 8, between the scraping head 10 and the handle 12. This reduced neck area clips into a receiver 14 on the container.

Alternatively, the neck 8 may taper downwardly and inwardly, when viewed in Figure 1, such that the device can be lifted to allow a narrower portion to be present between the receiver 14 to allow outward removal of the device 6 by the narrow portion passing forwardly from the receiver. Adjacent to the terminus of the handle 12 there is a further neck 16 which allows the device to be stored in an upturned position, as shown in Figure 3.

With the device removed, the depilatory composition from the container can be applied. The composition may be a cream, lotion, gel or foam, for example. The container lo may comprise a jar or tube or a conventional aerosol canister or a multi- or bi- compartment aerosol product in which the composition and compressed gas are segregated, inside the container, with the compressed gas driving out the composition when a valve is operated.

The composition is applied in a conventional manner.

However, the device is provided internally, in this embodiment, with a sand timer. This works in the same manner as a traditional egg-timer and it comprises an enclosure having an upper region 18 (when viewed in Figure 1) and a lower region 20 connected to each other by a narrow passage 22. The sand is located in the enclosure and, when all of the sand is in one region 18 or 20, the sand takes a known time to pass completely through to the other region when the device is inverted.

Accordingly, if the device has been stored correctly as shown in Figure 1, sand will completely occupy the lower region 20 at the start of the depilation procedure. At the start of application of the depilatory composition to the skin, or after the application is complete (depending upon the manufacturer's instructions) the user will invert the device on the container, to adopt the position shown in Figure 3, allowing the sand to flow from the region 20 to what will now be the lower region 18. The user will know that when the sand has completely passed from one region to the other, the time will be optimal for applying the device in a conventional way to remove the composition and separated hairs, and to scrape off (by a non-shaving action) those hairs that are not completely separated but which have been weakened. The location of the device on the pack means that the user is unlikely to forget to use 0 the timer, and the user is unlikely to forget how to use it.

The device can remain stored in either position on the container. It can be seen that all that has to be done the next time the user comes to apply the composition is to remove the device in its particular orientation from the container and then to invert the device to ensure that sand is at the top again. Timing is thus started.

In some instances, the device may remain attached to the container whilst composition is being applied. In others it may be detached therefrom and maintained by the user in an upright orientation.

Whilst a sand timer is shown, any visual indication that the required interval has passed may be used. One example is an LED that lights or changes after a predetermined time has elapsed from a switch being activated. Whilst a visual indication is shown in the specific embodiment, it is also possible that an audible sound (possibly in addition to a visual indication) may be given. Such timers could be set by manual means such as by operating a switch. Such timers have an advantage over a sand timer, in that the device does not need to be kept in an upright orientation during the timing interval.

Whilst the specific embodiment shows a device being used to incorporate the timer, it will be appreciated that any timer referred to above may be incorporated into a composition container. For instance, after the container has been used, it may be inverted to allow a visual sand timer installed in the container to operate in the same lo way as that referred to in relation to the device.

Claims (15)

1. Hair removing apparatus comprising a device for the removal from skin of a depilatory composition and entrained hair, and a timer to determine when the depilatory composition and entrained hair should be removed.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the timer is lo provided on the device.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the timer is provided on a handle of the device.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the timer is a visual and/or audible timer.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the timer is an electronic timer.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim also comprising a container of depilatory composition.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the device is detachably mounted on the container and/or on packaging therefor.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the timer is a material flow timer.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the device is detachably mountable on the container in one of at least two possible orientations, one being with the handle of the device extending upwardly from a scraping portion of the device and the other being with the handle extending downwardly from the scraping portion; wherein the device includes a mounting portion, which can cooperate with a mounting portion on the container.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the device includes two spaced mounting portions, both of which can cooperate with the same mounting portion on the container.

11. A hair removing apparatus comprising a depilatory composition and a timer to determine when the composition should be removed from the skin.

12. A device for removing a depilatory composition and entrained hair from skin, the device including a timer to determine when such removal should be effected.

13. A method of removing hair from skin, the method comprising: applying a hair removing composition to the skin at substantially the same time as starting a timer; and - removing the composition and hair when noting from the timer that sufficient time has passed, for removal of the composition, and of entrained hair, to take place.

14. A kit of parts for removing hair from skin, the kit of parts including a timer, and one or both of a container of a depilatory composition and a device for the removal of the depilatory composition and entrained hair from the skin.

15. A method or apparatus or kit of parts substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.