WO2005096877A1

WO2005096877A1 - Device and method for removing a composition from the skin

Info

Publication number: WO2005096877A1
Application number: PCT/GB2005/001320
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Barraclough; Carl Dibnah; Michael Wu
Original assignee: Reckitt Benckiser (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2004-04-08
Filing date: 2005-04-06
Publication date: 2005-10-20
Also published as: GB2412859A; GB0407976D0

Abstract

A device (2) is provided for the removal of depilatory composition. The device includes a handle (15) which is gripped by the user and an operative edge (14) which is used to remove depilatory composition. The edge (14) is provided on a head (6) which is rotatably mounted on the device. Rotation of the head allows other edges (8, 10 and 12) to become the operative edge. In this way the user can select the optimum edge for removal of composition from a particular skin area.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REMOVING A COMPOSITION FROM THE SKIN

This invention relates to a device for removing a composition from the skin and to a method therefor. The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, relevant to a device for use in a depilatory method.

Depilatory compositions are widely available. The user applies such compositions to their skin, leaves them for a predetermined interval to allow them to work, and then removes them from the skin, usually using an article which is provided. This is typically a cloth, sponge or elastically flexible plastics sheet. Such a plastics sheet may be formed with a curvature so as to facilitate removal of the composition and the hair entrained in it.

However, some consumers find such a device messy or difficult to use. Many hold the devices close to the edge which contacts the skin and consequently it is difficult for them to keep their hand clear of the composition and hair being removed. In addition, the skin-contacting edge is not suitable for all parts of the body as some parts are sharp in their curvature such as the ankle and shin area. Consequently, if the skin-contacting edge is shaped to cope with those parts and is therefore fairly narrow in width, hair removal from other parts can take a considerable time as the path removed in a single pass is relatively narrow. Conversely, if the skin-contacting edge is made very broad, it would not be well adapted for use in areas where precise movement is required. According to one aspect of the present invention a device for removing a composition from the skin comprises a head which, in use, is moved over the skin to effect removal of the composition, and a handle to effect the movement of the head, the head including a plurality of alternative edges which can be used to effect removal of the composition.

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 and so is a non-shaving device.

Preferably the head of the device, measured in any operative position, is wider than the handle. Preferably the width of the head, measured in any operative position, 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 1cm intervals along the handle, starting 1cm from its distal (free) end, sum ating 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 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 head is firmly carried by the handle; in the absence of a force or when merely touched there is no tendency for it to be deflected. In use when bearing upon the skin it may articulate against a resistance force.

At least one edge may be straight or convex or other than straight surface curved outwardly, for example convex or curved inwardly, for example concave and any of the edges may have any of these slopes. The head may include at least two edges of different lengths .

Preferably each of the edges is angular but not sharp, to the extent that it might effect cutting of undegraded hair. Thus, by eye when viewed in magnification each edge can be seen to be radiused, in preferred embodiments. Preferably the radius of such an edge is at least 0.25mm, more preferably at least 0.5mm, and most preferably at least 0.65mm. Preferably the radius of such an edge is up to 1.5mm, more preferably up to 1mm, 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 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 0.1mm, more preferably at least 0.15mm.

The head may be movable relative to the handle in order to select the required edge and the head may be pivotally mounted on the device for such movement. The device may provide a retaining force which must be overcome in order to alter the edge to be used. Such a retaining force may urge the selected head into the position in which it is used.

The head may be a snap fit onto the handle.

The material of at least one edge may be plastics (including elastomeric) . The head may comprise a resilient material (for example elastomeric material) connected to the plastics material and the resilient material may extend around the periphery of the head, about the plastics material .

The head may be mounted on the device at a location spaced from the handle. The head may be mounted on a head support which is connected to the handle. The head support may be movable relative to the handle. The head support and the head may be integrally moulded. The head support may be movable relative to the head in at least one direction against a resilient force and the resilient force may be at least partly provided by the connection between the handle and the head support and, alternatively or additionally, may be at least partly provided by a resilient member located between the handle and the head support .

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of effecting depilation comprises the steps of:

applying a depilatory composition to the skin;

allowing the composition to remain on the skin for a predetermined interval ;

selecting, as the operative edge, one of a plurality of alternative edges provided on a skin-contacting head of a removal device, and

removing the composition and depilated hair from the skin, using the selected edge of the removal device.

The method may comprise changing the edge of the head whilst removing a composition that has previously been applied.

The present invention also includes a method of effecting depilation as referred to herein when using a device as referred to herein. The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device 2 for the removal of depilatory composition;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device, and

Figures 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D are plan views showing different operating modes for the device 2 showing where on a body the modes may be used.

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 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. The device 2 includes a handle 3 connected, at its proximal end, to a head support 4 to which a head 6 is pivotally mounted.

The head 6 has a periphery, which includes four removal edges 8, 10, 12 and 14. The head can be rotated such that any of these edges is the operative edge of the device. A depilatory composition is applied to the skin for an predetermined period of time. The handle 15 of the device is then gripped by a user with the head held against the user's skin, such that the selected operative edge only is urged against the skin. The user can then pull the device in the direction shown by arrows 16 in Figures 3A-3D. This movement causes the operative edge to perform a scraping action on the skin to clear the depilatory composition and the hair removed by the depilatory action, and to remove hairs weakened but not completely removed by the depilatory action.

The edge 8 as shown in Figure 3A is around 10mm in length and is straight. This edge is particularly suitable for intricate, non-flexible parts of the body such as the ankle 18. The edge 10 in Figure 3B is around 25mm in length and is slightly convex. This edge is particularly suitable for concave areas, for example the armpit 20 and bikini-line 22. The edge 12 in Figure 3C is the same length as the edge 10 but is curved in the opposite direction - slightly concave. This edge is particularly suitable for the lower leg and shin 24 area where the body is firm and relatively sharply convex. The final edge 14 is the longest at around 35mm in length. This edge is straight and is particularly suitable for the upper and outer thigh area 26 where the muscle is compliant. As the head is mounted on the head support 4, beyond the handle 3, the handle does not become soiled with the composition and hair being removed.

The head 6 is generally planar, extending radially from its pivot axis mounting 28 on the head support 4. In use, as shown in Figure 2, the plane of the head is inclined at around 15 to 25° relative to the skin 36 to ensure that the operative edge effects the required scraping.

In use, the user will grip the handle 3 with one hand, with fingers holding and partly surrounding the handle and with the thumb projecting forwards and pressing against a recess 30 formed in the upper region of the handle. Thus the operative edge is urged against the skin. In addition, the head support will flex about a hinge 32 against a resilient force. Part of that force arises from the integrally formed handle 3 - on one side of the hinge - and head support 4 - on the other side of the hinge. These portions are of injection moulded plastics. However, most of the resilient force is provided by a resilient insert 34 located in and filling an upwardly facing valley defined between the integrally moulded handle and head support. The insert 34 is compressed upon flexure exerted by the user.

Although not shown in detail, the head support includes a stub axle. The head is pushed onto the axle with the axle entering a round socket of the head. The inner end of the socket includes a groove of slightly greater diameter than the socket. The axle includes radially compressible projections which snap out into the groove to hold the head firmly and rotatably on the support. Whilst the axle and socket have been described as round, they may have slight cooperating flats that extend axially on their outer surfaces. These flats cooperate with axially extending flats on the inwardly facing surface of the head. When the head is rotated slight compression of the flats occurs until different flats cooperate with each other whereupon the flexure of the flats is relieved and the head is held at the required orientation.

The edges 8, 10, 12 and 14 are defined by a plastics (including elastomeric) member that surrounds and is fixed to or moulded to or moulded with the periphery of the remainder of the head.

Claims

1. A non-shaving device for removing a composition from the skin, the device comprising: a head which, in use, is moved over the skin to effect removal of the composition, and a handle to effect the movement of the head, the head including a plurality of alternative edges, one of which can be selected to effect removal of the composition.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 including at least one straight edge .

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including at least one convex edge .

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim including at least one concave edge.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim including at least two edges of different lengths.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the head is movable relative to the handle in order to select the required edge .

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 in which the head is pivotally mounted on the device.

8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which when each alternative edge is located so as to effect removal of the composition, it is positively retained in that position by a restraining force which must be overcome, in order for a different alternative edge to be so located.

9. A method of effecting depilation comprising the steps of: applying a depilatory composition to the skin; allowing the composition to remain on the skin for a predetermined interval; selecting, as the operative edge, one of a plurality of alternative edges provided on a skin-contacting head of a removal device, and removing depilatory composition and depilated hair from the skin using the selected edge of the removal device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising changing the operative edge of the head during a procedure to remove a depilatory composition that has been previously applied.

11. A method of effecting depilation as claimed in claim 9 or 10 when using a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.