WO2015124789A1

WO2015124789A1 - Applicator for a cosmetic product and associated applicator assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2015124789A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/053793
Authority: WO
Inventors: Camille Schreiber
Original assignee: Albea Services
Priority date: 2014-02-24
Filing date: 2015-02-24
Publication date: 2015-08-27
Also published as: FR3017785A1; EP3110288A1; US20170065059A1; FR3017785B1; BR212016019420U2

Abstract

The invention concerns an applicator (10) for a cosmetic product, in particular for mascara, comprising a core (12) that extends in a main longitudinal extension direction, referred to as the main axis (X), said core (12) being obtained by moulding. Said applicator (10) comprises a valley region (20) extending along said main axis (X), so as to form a reservoir (20) capable of containing the cosmetic product, said reservoir (20) extending angularly between two separate edges (22, 22'), with a width l configured to allow a major portion of an eyelash to be flush with, or indeed immersed in, said valley region (20). The invention also relates to an associated applicator assembly.

Description

Applicator for cosmetic product and associated applicator assembly

The invention relates to an applicator for a cosmetic product and an associated applicator assembly.

Cosmetic product applicator assemblies are known, in particular for a cosmetic product intended to be applied to eyelashes such as mascara, comprising a container containing the cosmetic product and an applicator adapted to be removably attached to the container.

The container generally comprises a body, the body comprising walls delimiting a receptacle in which the cosmetic product is contained, and a neck defining an opening through which the cosmetic product can be extracted.

The applicator assembly generally comprises a cap adapted to be attached to the neck, a rod extending from the cap and an applicator attached to a free end of the shaft for loading the eyelashes with a cosmetic product and combing them.

When the cap is attached to the neck, the rod and the applicator extend inside the receptacle. The applicator is immersed in the cosmetic product contained in the receptacle.

To use the applicator, the user detaches the neck cap and extracts the applicator from the container. The applicator is dewatered during its extraction by a wiper arranged inside the receptacle at the neck. An object of the present invention is to provide an applicator that allows an optimized loading of eyelashes of a user in cosmetic product.

Thus, the invention relates to an applicator for a cosmetic product, especially for mascara, comprising a core extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, called the main axis, said core being obtained by molding.

According to the invention said applicator comprises a zone of depression extending along said main axis, so as to form a reservoir capable of containing the cosmetic product, said reservoir extending angularly between two edges distinct of a width l configured to allow a majority portion of an eyelash to be flush with said depressed area, or even to bathe in said area in depression. By this is meant that for a given angular position of the applicator, a majority portion of an eyelash is in contact with the product contained in the vacuum zone, without the user having to turn the brush. Said width 1 is measured in a transverse plane between the two points of the edges intersecting said plane.

The applicator of the invention is particularly advantageous because it comprises a reservoir which, when it contains cosmetic product, makes it possible to charge a large portion of the eyelashes in continuity. Indeed, said tank has a width that allows the eyelashes to be in contact with the product, in one piece.

Thus, the user of such an applicator will find it particularly advantageous to load a majority portion of his eyelashes in a single pass of the applicator without having to reload the applicator into its container.

In other words, the applicator according to the invention is configured to promote the return of the cosmetic product, which it is able to embark, on the eyelashes of a user. According to various embodiments of the invention, which may be taken together or separately:

- said width / respects the following formula: l≥ 3mm, at least at one point, or even all along said reservoir,

the zone in depression extends along a curve, in particular in a helix, the zone in depression is blind,

the zone in depression has an evolutionary depth, notably substantially equal to 1 mm in its maximum,

said applicator has an elongated shape comprising two large opposite faces connected to one another laterally, in particular by two edges, said lateral edges,

the zone in depression belongs to at least one of said two large faces, referred to as the load face,

said load face has a width L measured along said orthogonal direction, in particular between said two lateral edges, said widths / and L are linked by the following formula: 0.3 < ^L / _L ≤ 0.7 said widths / and L are linked by the formula: ί = 0.5 x L

said load face is substantially convex,

the applicator according to the invention comprises a plurality of protuberances projecting from the core, at least over an angular portion of its radial periphery,

the protuberances protrude from the depression zone, the protuberances project continuously from the depression zone and over at least part of the rest of the core,

the applicator comprises protuberances on a height H of its radial periphery, said height H being measured along the main axis,

the depression zone has a height h also measured along the main axis,

said two heights H and h are linked by the following formula:

0.5 ^<h / _H ≤ 0.9

said two heights H and h are linked by the formula: h = 0.7 x H the plurality of protuberances is a plurality of ribs projecting from the radial periphery of the core, transverse to the main axis, said ribs are axially distant,

the soul is made of plastic material,

said ribs are from matter of the soul,

said ribs are molded in continuity of material with the core, said ribs extend over the entire radial periphery of the core, the core has a cross section of elongated shape in a direction perpendicular to said main axis,

the cross section of the soul is an ellipse,

the soul is full,

the soul is rigid,

the applicator forms a brush.

The invention also relates to an applicator assembly for a cosmetic product comprising a container comprising a body forming a receptacle for contain the cosmetic product, and an applicator, as described above, adapted to be fixed on the container, so that the applicator is housed inside the receptacle. The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent in the following detailed explanatory description of at least one embodiment of the invention given to As a purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

On these drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view, slightly inclined, of an exemplary embodiment of an applicator according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a front view of the applicator of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view from above of the applicator illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2,

- Figure 4 is a side view of the applicator illustrated in the preceding figures.

The invention relates to an applicator 10 for a cosmetic product, especially for mascara, comprising a core 12 extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, called the main axis and marked X in FIGS. 2 to 4.

The core 12 is obtained by molding, preferably a plastic material, for example a material based on LDPE (low density polyethylene). Other materials may still be used, namely the "EXACT" material of ExxonMobil or the "HYTREL" material of Dupont, or a mixture of these materials.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the applicator 10 of the invention comprises a zone of depression 20 extending along said main axis X. This depression zone forms a reservoir 20 which advantageously makes it possible to embark a quantity significant amount of cosmetic product; for example when said applicator 10 is extracted from the receptacle inside which it is disposed between two uses. The core 1 2 of the applicator 1 0 according to the invention has a cross section in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main axis X, said orthogonal direction, which is elongated. The cross section of the soul 1 2 elongated, a cross section whose shape is longer than wide. The cross section of the core 1 2 is, for example, oval, without necessarily being an ellipse proper. However, said cross section is advantageously elliptical, or close to an ellipse which has a large radius of between 3mm and 5mm and a small radius of between 1mm and 3mm. In particular, said ellipse has a large radius substantially equal to 3.5 mm and a small radius substantially equal to 2 mm, at least at one point of the main axis X.

Preferably, notwithstanding the presence of the depression zone 20, the type of shape and / or the angular orientation of said cross section of the core 12 is substantially constant, from its proximal end 13 to its distal end 1 6. thereby, that although the cross section of the core 1 2 may have a variable size surface along the core 1 2, it keeps the same type of contour and / or the same angular orientation.

Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, the applicator 10 of the invention also has an elongated shape. In other words, said applicator 10 comprises two opposite large faces F1, F2 interconnected by two lateral edges L1, L2. Figures 1 and 2 advantageously illustrate one of said large faces F1, F2, while Figure 4 shows them both.

FIG. 4 allows, in particular, to show the presence of a reservoir 20, 20 'on each of the large faces F1, F2 that comprises the applicator 1 0 of the invention. In the following, we call the said large faces F1, F2, load faces F1, F2. It should be noted that each of the load faces F1, F2 has a width L. This width L is measured along said orthogonal direction, in particular between said two lateral edges L1, L2 which may, as here, be the edges of the envelope defined by the applicator. Said width L is thus between 6 mm and 10 mm, in particular substantially equal to 7 mm.

On the other hand, as is particularly visible in FIG. 2, the reservoir 20 extends angularly between two distinct edges 22, 22 'of a width 1, measured in a transverse plane between the two points of said edges cut by the plane. Said width l respects the following formula: /> 3mm, at least at one point, or even all along said reservoir 20. For example, said width l will be substantially equal to 3.5mm.

This means, with respect to the width L defined above, that a ratio can be established between said widths / and L, in particular by the following formula:

0.3 < ^l / _L ≤ 0.7. Advantageously, said widths / and L will be linked by the formula: l = 0.5 x L. The reservoir 20 may therefore be described as a wide reservoir relative to the dimensions of the applicator 10 of the invention.

Thus, the applicator 1 0 of the invention allows, during use, to flush, or even to bathe the eyelashes of a user in the large reservoir 20 and therefore, to load over a major part of their length, this without having to repeatedly press the applicator 10 on the eyelashes, the eyelashes being indeed properly loaded from the first passage of said applicator 1 0.

The reservoir 20 may extend along a curve 24 (see Figure 1), which has the advantage of promoting the return of the cosmetic product to the eyelashes of a user. Indeed, said curved shape 24 confers a helical groove shape to the reservoir 20, said shape contributing to plunge the eyelashes in said reservoir 20. In other words, the curve 24 along which the reservoir extends does not follow the axis longitudinal of the soul. This is, for example, a substantially helical shape curve.

It should be noted that the reservoir 20 is blind. In addition, it has an evolutionary depth along the main axis X. Said depth may be, for example, substantially equal to 1mm, including its maximum depth. As a reminder, the small diameter of the ellipsoidal shape of the cross section of the core 12 is between 2mm and 6mm; for example, substantially equal to 4mm. This means that the tank 20, at least at its maximum, has a substantial depth relative to the transverse dimensions of the core 12. This is why said tank 20 is able to carry a significant amount of cosmetic product. It should also be noted that the load faces F1, F2 are substantially convex, in particular in the embodiment illustrated here. Alternatively, said F1, F2 faces are flat, without this outside the scope of the invention (embodiment not shown). Indeed, the applicator 10 of the invention may have load faces F1, F2 and side faces L1, L2 connecting them, said load faces F1, F2 being flat, convex or concave, without this kind of frame of the invention, as long as at least one of the load faces F1, F2 comprises a reservoir 20 as described herein. The applicator 10 of the invention further comprises, here, a plurality of protuberances. These protuberances are, preferably, ribs 30 projecting from the radial periphery of the core 12, transversely to the main axis X, in particular on an angular portion of said radial periphery. Advantageously, said ribs 30 have a radial extension, that is to say a height measured in the direction orthogonal to the main axis X, between the radial periphery of the core 12 and the periphery of said ribs 30, which is included between 0.1mm and 0.7mm, or substantially equal to 0.3mm.

On the other hand, said ribs 30 are preferably axially distant. This means that they are distant from each other, along the main axis X, here a distance P between 0.3mm and 1.8mm (see Figure 4). Said distance P is, for example, substantially equal to 0.6 mm. In other words, said ribs 30 form grooves between them, said grooves being shallow relative to a cosmetic applicator. Such a feature has the advantage of further improving the loading of the eyelashes because it facilitates good access of the eyelashes to the product contained in the grooves. With deeper grooves, the product at the bottom of the grooves is more difficult to reach.

Advantageously, said ribs and / or said grooves are present at the level of said depression zone or zones.

Preferably, said ribs and / or said grooves have a constant dimension in height and width over their entire angular extent, even in the part or parts provided with a depression zone.

The exemplary embodiment illustrated here shows ribs 30 which extend over the entire radial periphery of the core 12 (see FIG. 1). In addition, FIG. 4 illustrates that said ribs 30 also project from the reservoir 20, 20 'of each faces of charges F1, F2. Thus, the applicator 10 has the advantage of guiding the eyelashes of a user while loading them into a cosmetic product, whether at the side edges L1, L2 of the applicator 10, the load faces F1, F2 and / or the reservoir (s) 20, 20 '.

Said ribs 30 are advantageously derived from material of the core 12 in order to facilitate manufacture.

Alternatively, the protuberances 30 are teeth or trays, also from material of the core 12 (non-illustrated embodiments). On the other hand, as is particularly visible in Figure 2, the applicator 10 of the invention comprises ribs 30 over a height H of its radial periphery, while the reservoir 20 extends over a height h, said heights H and h being measured along the main axis X. These two heights H and h are linked by the following formula: 0.5 < ^h / _H ≤ 0.9, and preferably by the formula: h = 0.7 x H. For example, the height H may be substantially equal to 25mm, while the height h will be substantially equal to 18mm.

It should be noted that the elongate shape of the section of the core 12 advantageously has a direction of elongation which is substantially the same direction as the direction of elongation of the elongate shape of the cross section of the applicator 10. Confer substantially the same direction of elongation to the core 12 and the applicator 10 provides ribs 30 whose stiffness is even better controlled.

In addition, this allows, by a simple inclination of the applicator 10 of the invention around its main axis X, to be able to approach said applicator 10 of the root of the eyelashes of a user.

Thus, the applicator 10 makes it possible, by means of a long part of its elongated shape (the faces of fillers F1, F2), to guide the eyelashes between the ribs 30 and to load the cosmetic product with them. bathing in at least one reservoir 20, 20 'and, secondly, using a thinner part of said elongated shape (the side faces L1, L2), an access to the roots of said eyelashes. As a reminder, the invention also relates to an applicator assembly for a cosmetic product, comprising a container (not shown) comprising a body forming a receptacle containing the cosmetic product, and an applicator 10 as previously described, adapted to be fixed on the container, so that the applicator is housed inside the receptacle. Said applicator 10 is fixed, for example, to the end of a rod (not shown), itself attached to a plug (not shown) advantageously screwed to the container. The core 12 has, in addition, a first end, said proximal end 13, and a second end, said distal end 16, opposite the proximal end 13 along the main axis X.

The proximal end 13 of the core 12 is adapted to be fixed to the applicator rod 10 by a sleeve 14 extending said core 12. After assembly, the sleeve 14 is located in the rod and the proximal end 13 of the The soul forms the visible proximal end of the applicator. Said sleeve 14 is devoid of ribs.

On the other hand, the ribs 30 form an envelope E, already mentioned, in particular defined by their periphery (see Figure 2). In addition, at the side edges L1, L2 of the applicator 10, said envelope E has at least one convex shape, in particular between said proximal end 13 and distal ends 1 6, and preferably an oval shape. This has the advantage of facilitating the passage through the wiper, both during the extraction of the applicator 10 from the reservoir, but also during its reinsertion in the container, in particular after use.

In addition, the core 12 of the applicator will advantageously be rigid. This means that a mechanical stress exerted by the fingers of a user on said core 12 will not cause deformation of the latter. In other words, the core 12 is not configured to bend around or along the main axis X, especially when a user exerts reasonable force on it, for example using his fingers.

It should be noted again that the applicator 10 here has a protrusion of material 18 at its distal end 1 6, particularly visible in Figure 1. This protrusion of material 18 protects the nose of the user when the distal end 1 6 of said applicator comes into contact with. This outgrowth of material 18 also makes it possible to limit the parasitic deposition of cosmetic product at the end of the applicator when it is extracted from the receptacle that houses it.

It should also be noted that the applicator forms a brush, advantageously a mascara brush.

It should be noted that alternative embodiments are of course possible. In particular, in a further exemplary embodiment (not shown), the ribs 30 extend only over an angular portion of the radial periphery of the core 12. This means that it is possible to provide, on the remaining angular portion protuberances protruding from the core 12. For example it is then possible to provide, on an angular portion of the radial periphery of the core 12, protuberances which are in the form of teeth, or trays, made of material of the core 12. It is also possible to provide protrusions in the form of fibers added to the core 12. The associated advantage lies mainly in the possibility of making additional makeup effects and / or complementary to those presented hereinafter. above.

Claims

claims

Applicator (10) for a cosmetic product, in particular for mascara, comprising a core (12) extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, called the main axis (X), said core (12) being obtained by molding, characterized by the said applicator (10) comprises a depression zone (20) extending along said main axis (X), so as to form a reservoir (20) capable of containing the cosmetic product, said reservoir (20) being extending angularly between two distinct edges (22, 22 ') of a width l configured to allow a majority portion of an eyelash to be flush with said depression zone (20).

Applicator (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein said width l respects the following formula: l≥ 3mm.

An applicator (10) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the depression zone (20) extends along a curve (24).

An applicator (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the depression zone (20) is blind.

Applicator (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, having an elongated shape comprising two large faces (F1, F2) opposite interconnected laterally by two edges (L1, L2), the depression zone (20, 20 ') belonging to at least one of the two large faces (F1, F2), said load face, said load face (F1, F2) having a width L, said widths / and L being linked by the following formula:

0.3 < ^l / _L ≤ 0.7

Applicator (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein said load face (F1, F2) is substantially convex.

An applicator (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of protuberances (30) protruding from the core (12), at least over an angular portion of its radial periphery.

8. Applicator (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the protuberances (30) project from the depression zone (20, 20 ').

9. Applicator (10) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the protuberances (30) protrude continuously from the depression zone (20, 20 ') and over at least part of the rest of the soul (12).

10. Applicator (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising protuberances (30), a height H of its radial periphery, said height H being measured along the main axis (X), and the depression zone (20) having a height h also measured along the main axis (X), said two heights H and h being linked by the following formula:

0.5 ^<h / _H ≤ 0.9

1 1. An applicator (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the plurality of protuberances (30) is a plurality of ribs (30) projecting from the radial periphery of the core (12), transversely to the main axis (X).

12. Applicator (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein said ribs (30) are spaced axially.

13. Applicator (10) according to any one of claims 1 1 or 12, wherein said ribs (30) are derived from material of the core (12).

14. Applicator assembly for a cosmetic product, comprising:

a container comprising a body forming a receptacle intended to contain the cosmetic product, and - An applicator (10) according to one of the preceding claims adapted to be fixed on the container, so that the applicator (10) is housed inside the receptacle.