WO2005096880A1

WO2005096880A1 - Device and method

Info

Publication number: WO2005096880A1
Application number: PCT/GB2005/001336
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: GB0407985D0; GB2412860A

Abstract

A depilatory method involves the application of a depilatory composition to skin. The depilatory composition on the skin may be contacted by a fin. The fin is part of a device (2), also having a handle and an opening (16) defined between the fin and the arms (22), and in front of the handle. In use the fin is moved over the skin and break weakened hairs, while the depilatory composition passes through the opening. The effective length of the fin may be adjustable .

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD

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.

According to a first aspect of the present invention a device for removing a composition from the skin, the device comprising:

a handle and a head having a fin which, in use, is moved over the skin to effect removal of the composition, the device including an opening between the fin and the handle through which, in use, the composition may pass. The opening may be generally three-sided.

The opening may be at least partly defined by portions (hereinafter "bifurcate portions") that extend from the handle to the respective end regions of the fin.

The opening may be at least partly defined by the fin. In such an embodiment the ratio of the width of the opening to the length of the fin is preferably at least 0.5, more preferably at least 0.8.

The opening may terminate before reaching the handle.

The device may include an actuator arranged to alter the effective length of the fin, the actuator being located between the handle and the fin. When the opening is at least partly defined by bifurcate portions the actuator preferably acts to move them towards and away from each other. Hence the effective length of the fin is adjustable.

The effective length of the fin corresponds to the width of the fin's traverse; that is the width of composition which is swept in a pass of the device. Thus if the fin is bowed into an arc, the effective length is the length of the chord of the arc .

The fin, instead of bowing or arcing, may comprise two parts moveable relative to each other. One part may be telescopically slidable relative to the other, to allow adjustment of the effective length of the fin.

The fin may be flexible. In one embodiment the fin may be flexible, and bendable in use (for example on application to it of a lengthwise compression force, so that it undergoes Euler buckling) , to present a different effective length.

The fin may be elastically flexible and may be stretched in use (on application to it of a lengthwise tensile force) , to adjust its effective length. In this embodiment the fin is preferably under tension at all fin lengths.

The fin may be flexible, and at one end of its effective length it may pass over a part which in use can be moved lengthwise relative to the fin (e.g. in the manner of a tape running over a capstan) . Movement of the part brings a given portion of the fin material into or out of operation i.e. as part of the effective length of the fin. In effect the position of the part determines whether that given portion is on one side of the part, at the front of the device as part of the effective length, or on the other side of the part, withdrawn from operation.

The fin may extend between the free ends of two arms and, when the effective length of the fin is adjusted, relative movement of the free ends of the arms towards or away from each other may occur. Adjustment of the effective length of the fin may be effected by relative movement of the free ends of the arms towards or away from each other. In at least one relative position of the arms, the free ends may be biased away from each other such as by resilient means or, alternatively or additionally, as a result of the natural flexure of the integrally formed arms. The fin may be flexible and one end of the fin may extend past the free end of one arm such that, when an actuator is operated, the fin is caused to move relative to that one free arm to increase or decrease the effective length of the fin. The fin may co-operate with said one free end to constrain the movement of the fin, to be sliding movement. An actuator may be connected such as directly or indirectly to the fin such that movement of the actuator effects movement of the fin past the one free end. Movement of the actuator in one direction may be arranged to pull the fin in one direction with that pulling movement, in use, causing the free ends of the arms to move relative to each other towards each other.

The arms may be pivotally connected together with the actuator and the arms co-operating with guide portions whereby movement of the actuator is arranged to cause relative movement of the arms about the pivot. The guide portions may include at least one projection being arranged to slide in a groove upon movement of the actuator.

The actuator may be movable between at least three positions in each of which a different effective length of the fin is provided.

The actuator may be arranged to co-operate with the device to remain in at least one pre- selected position.

The actuator may be slidably mounted on the device. The actuator may be arranged to be moved and retained in position against a friction force. The free ends of the arms may be caused to move relative to each other in at least one direction by an actuator. Movement of the free ends of the arms may be assisted as a result of a scissor type action being exerted by an actuator. The actuator may be slidably mounted on the device. The fin may include at least two sections that are slidable relative to each other in the region of the fin whereby the effective length of the fin is adjustable. The sections may include co-operating portions that constrain the sections to remain together but permit relative movement in one direction. The sections may be biased, relative to each other, to increase the effective length of the fin.

In another embodiment the device may be such that the effective length of the fin cannot be altered. In a preferred embodiment having bifurcate portions and a fin, these parts are thus in fixed relation.

Preferably the fin is a flexible fin. It may be a plastics fin. Preferably it is an elastomeric fin.

There may suitably be provided a plurality of fins, preferably 3-10, carried on the head, which is carried in turn by the handle. Preferably each such fin may be a fin as defined or described herein. Preferably there is the opening between all such fins and the handle.

The device is preferably suitable for removing a depilatory composition. Whilst the device may effect the breaking of some hairs which have been weakened by a depilatory composition it cannot be used as a shaving device. Preferably the head is a non-shaving head. 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 1cm intervals along the handle, starting 1cm 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, with the head in its widest configuration, 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 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 is firmly carried by the handle; 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 fin has a straight edge.

Preferably the free (or leading) edge of the fin is 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 the free edge is at least 0.25mm, more preferably at least 0.5mm, and most preferably at least 0.65mm. Preferably the radius of the free 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 free 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.

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. According to a second 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 period of time;

removing the composition using a device having a fin and a handle, and an opening between the fin and the handle; and

causing the composition to move through the opening as the fin is moved over the skin.

The device is preferably moved over the skin in a direction with the fin trailing the handle.

The method may comprise using a device to remove composition from the skin using the fin, allow the composition to pass through the opening, and back onto the skin which the fin has just passed over. This operation may cause weakened hairs to be broken without the need for a start-stop-start-stop operation in which composition must frequently be washed from the device. The method of the invention can be carried out swiftly over the entire area being depilated, and the area can be showered to remove the composition and depilated hair.

The present invention also includes a method of effecting depilation using a device in accordance with the first aspect and the use of a devices as described hereinbefore for scraping skin treated with a depilatory composition in a method of depilation. 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 material;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the device 2;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the head 4 of the device 2, in greater detail; and

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3, but with the device 2 in a different configuration.

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 device 2 includes a handle 6 to be gripped by a user with the thumb projecting forwardly to bear against a slant thumb locator 8. The proximal end of the handle is connected to the head via an extension 10. The extension 10 and the proximal end of the handle meet at a kink 12. The kink is at the terminus of the thumb locator 8. The handle, including the extension 10, is moulded from plastics 14. Also integrally moulded with the plastics are elastomeric material sections 15 which can assist in obtaining good grip on the handle.

The head includes two outwardly extending arms 22 which, at their free distal ends, carry the fin 18 between them. The fin 18 is of an elastomeric material. The arms 22 bifurcate from a common point 26 at the proximal end of the handle. It will be seen that the arms have first portions that are straight and second portions, towards their distal ends, that are straight but are at an angle of about 135° to the first portions. The first portions are at an angle of about 45° to the fin and the second portions are at an angle of about 90° to the fin. It is the distal ends of those second portions which carry the fin. The arms and fin together define what may be seen, in overall terms, as a triangular opening 16.

In use, depilatory composition 17, in the form of a gel, cream lotion or foam, for instance, is applied to the skin. The composition is left on the skin for an optimum period of time of, for instance 3 to 5 minutes. During this time some hairs become detached by the depilatory composition and others become weakened.

The composition is detached from the skin by a user holding the handle and applying a force to hold the fin 18 against the skin. The device may flex somewhat about the kink 12. The handle is inclined away from the body in the direction 20 that the device is moved in. The surface of the fin that faces the skin is inclined relative to the direction of movement at an angle of less than 90° and is typically 45°. That surface removes the composition and free hairs with the edge of the fin detaching from the skin hairs which have only been weakened by the depilatory composition, not wholly removed.

Removed composition and hair gather in the space between the arms and may spill over the advancing fin into the region just scraped to reduce the accumulation of composition beneath the extension and head thereby allowing an extensive region to be scraped without having to clear away the gathered composition. The composition may be rinsed away, for example in the shower. An important benefit of using this device is that it can be drawn over the depilated areas - achieving removal of weakened hairs - very rapidly, without producing messy accumulations. The procedure does not have the start- stop-start-stop nature of earlier devices, in which there is a need to repeatedly wash built-up composition and hair from the device.

The fin may comprise two sections 18A and 18B which comprise the telescopically mounted sections which include cooperating surfaces such as one section sliding with another allowing them to slide relative to each other to increase or decrease the overall length of the fin 18. In this instance, the scraping edge 18A may be slightly in advance of the scraping edge 18B. Resilient means such as a small compression spring may, optionally, be provided to act between facing surfaces from each of the sections to urge the sections away from each other to tend to increase the effective length of the fin 18. The sections may be made from relatively hard plastics. The spring may not necessarily be present and telescopic movement in both directions may be effected by relative movement of the distal ends of the arms 22. Alternatively, the fin may be flexible. If the distal ends of the arms are urged towards each other the fin may flex from being straight, as shown, to being convex. In another embodiment the fin is under tension in all positions. hen the arms are widened the fin simply accommodates that movement by stretching.

The head extension 10 includes an actuator 24 slidably mounted between the positions shown in Figures 3 and 4. The actuator may completely surround the extension. Alternatively the actuator may surround the top and sides of the extension with inwardly distal ends of the actuator extending partly beneath each bottom surface of the extension allowing the actuator to be a snap fit onto the extension. The arms 22 act in a scissor type motion and they are able to pivot at point 26. The arms cross over at the pivot point and the ends of each arm that are not visible include upwardly facing lugs that are caused to slide relative to the actuator in grooves (not shown) in the actuator 24. These grooves are shaped such that, when the actuator is moved towards the handle, as shown in Figure 4 , the opposed ends of the arms carrying the fin are caused to move towards each other. In this embodiment this causes one section 18B to slide within the other section 18A to maintain a straight fin but of reduced length (35mm to 25mm for instance) or to bend the fin to reduce the effective scraping width of the fin by the same amount. The wide sweep shown in Figure 3 is for use on a relatively accessible area of the body, such as the thigh. Figure 4, with the reduced width, is suitable for areas where the body curves more such as the armpit . When the actuator is moved back to the position shown in Figure 4, the spring between the sections 18A and 18B may act to extend the width or the natural flexure of the fin may return the fin to extend in a straight line. In either case, the free ends of the arms 22 may cause or assist in the return movement of the fin.

The head 28 shown in Figures 5 and 6 also scrapes and acts to detach weakened hairs. It also permits flow between two arms 30 generally in the manner previously described.

The arms 30 are linked to the extension on which the actuator 34 is mounted by pivots 31 at each side of the extension. Torsion springs, not shown, may urge the distal ends of the arms 30 away from each other. Alternatively, the arms 30 may comprise an integral plastics moulding that is able to move about their connection to the extension. The natural flexure of the plastics tends to urge the free ends of the arms away from each other to the position shown in Figure 5 or further apart than that position. Alternatively, or additionally, a spring (not shown) may be included between the arms to urge them apart. Alternatively or additionally the arms may comprise a scissor type mechanism as previously described. In the scissor type arrangement the arms 30 may or may not be integral .

Figure 5 shows a fin 18 having a wide scraping edge. One end of the fin is secured to the right hand arm 30. The fin passes over the free end of the other, left hand arm and is connected to an actuator 34. The fin may be slidably retained in the left hand arm by a U-section at the end of the arm, defined by the free edge of the arm and by upstanding posts 35.

When the actuator 34 is moved to the position shown in Figure 6, towards the handle, it pulls the left hand end of the fin with it to cause the fin to slide past the left hand end of the arm and to pull the free ends of the arms towards each other. This shortens the effective length of the fin. It will be appreciated that in another embodiment only the free end of one arm may move back but, in the embodiment shown, both will move. Movement of the arms may be against the natural resilience of the arms, or against a resilient member such as a spring or by virtue of a scissor type arrangement as particularly described or any combination thereof. The effective width of the fin is increased again by sliding the actuator back to the position shown in Figure 5.

Whilst, in the embodiments described, the actuators 24 and 34 are shown having one of two positions only, it will be appreciated that the actuators could have three or more possible positions thereby affording three or more effective fin lengths. Indeed, the actuators may be a friction fit on the extensions thereby affording any fin length between the two extremes. Alternatively, the actuators may be arranged to flex over a protrusion 36 (shown in Figure 5) which then resides in a recess in the interior wall of the actuator (not shown) to hold the actuator in place. More than one such recess may be provided in either embodiment to hold the actuator in a variety of positions. In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the arms may be fixed such that no movement occurs between the free ends. In such an embodiment, the composition is still able to pass through a gap in the device to avoid excessive accumulation of material being removed.

Claims

1. A device for removing a composition from the skin, the device comprising a handle and a head having a fin which, in use, is moved over the skin to effect removal of the composition, the device including an opening between the fin and the handle through which, in use, the composition may pass .

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the opening is at least partly defined by portions that extend from the respective end regions of the fin towards the handle.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the opening is partly defined by the fin.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the ratio of the width of the opening to the length of the fin is at least 0.5, preferably at least 0.8.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, the effective length of the fin being adjustable.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which the fin extends between the free ends of two arms and when the effective length of the fin is adjusted, relative movement of the free ends of the arms towards or away from each other occurs .

7. 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 period of time; removing the composition using a device according to any of claims 1 to 6 and causing the composition to move at least partly through the opening as the fin is moved over the skin.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein as it is drawn over the skin the fin breaks hairs which have been weakened by the depilatory composition, wherein composition is caused to move over the fin, through the opening and back onto the skin which the fin has just passed over.

9. The use of a device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 for scraping skin treated with a depilatory composition in a method of depilation.