The present application claims priority to French Patent Application No. 1558763 filed Sep. 17, 2015. The present application claims priority to and the benefit the above-identified application, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The invention relates to an applicator for cosmetic product and to an associated applicator assembly.
Applicator assemblies for cosmetic product are known, in particular for cosmetic product which is intended to be applied to eyelashes such as mascara, comprising a receptacle containing the cosmetic product, and an applicator which is capable of being detachably attached to the receptacle.
The receptacle generally comprises a body, the body comprising walls defining a container 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 which is capable of being attached to the neck, a rod extending from the cap, and an applicator which is attached to a free end of the rod. The applicator comprises a core and a plurality of protrusions extending from the core for loading the eyelashes with mascara and combing them.
When the cap is attached to the neck, the rod and the applicator extend inside the container. The applicator is immersed in the cosmetic product contained in the container.
In order to use the applicator, the user detaches the cap from the neck and extracts the applicator from the receptacle. The neck generally comprises a wiper which is intended to scrape off the excess cosmetic product picked up by the applicator. Said wiper has, for this purpose, an opening having a diameter which is less than that of the envelope formed by the free ends of the protrusions of the applicator. The user is thus, sometimes, led to force the applicator to pass through the wiping opening. Removing the applicator from the receptacle can thus cause damage to the protrusions of the applicator, in particular when said protrusions are in the form of plates.
The present invention is intended to solve the following problem: proposing an applicator which comprises at least one protrusion in the form of a plate which is not at risk of being damaged during the use of said applicator.
Thus, aspects of the invention relate to an applicator for cosmetic product comprising a core and a plurality of protrusions projecting from the core, at least one of said protrusions being in the form of a plate.
According to aspects of the invention, said plate is connected to the core by a reinforcing region having a radius of curvature which is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm.
Said reinforcing region forms a reinforced connection between the plate and the core so as to rigidly connect the plate to the core. Thus, the protrusion in the form of a plate of the applicator from the invention is not at risk of being damaged during the use thereof, in particular because the connection thereof to the core is a reinforced connection.
According to different embodiments of the invention, which can be taken together or separately:
Aspects of the invention also relate, advantageously, to an applicator assembly for cosmetic product, comprising a receptacle comprising a body forming a container which is intended to contain the cosmetic product, and an applicator of the type described above, which is capable of being fixed to the receptacle in such a way that the applicator is accommodated inside the container.
The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, features and advantages thereof will become clearer throughout the following detailed explanatory description of at least one embodiment of the invention given by way of purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:
As shown in the drawings, aspects of the invention relate to an applicator 10 for cosmetic product, comprising a core 12 and a plurality of protrusions 30 projecting from the core 12. “Protrusions 30 projecting from the core 12” is understood to mean protrusions of which the base is located in the region of the core 12 and which extend towards an opposite, free end.
It should be noted that the free ends of said protrusions 30 outline an envelope E, in particular when the applicator 10 from the invention is viewed from the front (see
As shown in the drawings, the core 12 extends in a main longitudinal extension direction, which is referred to as the main direction and labelled X. In this case, the core 12 is shown as being solid. Said core can also be hollow without departing from the scope of the invention. The core 12 advantageously has a circular cross section, which is substantially constant along said main direction X. Said core can also have a polygonal cross section without departing from the scope of the invention. By way of example, the core 12 has a diameter d12 of between 3 and 4 mm; in this case, the core which is shown has a diameter d12 of approximately 3.40 mm (see
The dimensions of the cross section of the core 12 can also vary along said main direction X without departing from the scope of the invention.
It should be noted that said protrusions 30 preferably project in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to said main direction X and which is referred to as the radial direction and labelled Y in
At least one of said protrusions 30 is in the form of a plate 31. A “plate” is understood to mean a substantially planar protrusion, that is to say a protrusion which extends radially from the core 12 whilst having a width in a given plane which is radial to said main direction X, and two opposing faces on either side of said plane, said two faces being spaced apart by a thickness e31 (see
In other words, the plate 31 has a base which occupies an angular space of the periphery of the core 12 which is between 10 and 80 degrees. The plate 31 can be in the shape of a petal (see
In other words again, the plate 31 is a protrusion having a cross section which is in the shape of an oblong, that is to say longer than it is wide (cross section not shown here).
According to aspects of the invention relate, said plate 31 is connected to the core 12 by a reinforcing region 32 having a radius of curvature r32 which is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm. A “reinforcing region” is understood to mean a region acting as a root between the core 12 and the plate 31. In other words, the reinforcing region 32 corresponds to an addition of material which makes it possible to rigidify the connection between the core 12 and the plate 31, in particular in the region of the base of said plate 31 (see
A “radius of curvature” is understood to mean the radius of the circle, also referred to as the osculating circle, which is “most tangent” to a curve. The radius of curvature of the reinforcing region is therefore the radius of the osculating circle of a curve formed by the reinforcing region. A “radius of curvature r32 which is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm” is understood to mean a radius of curvature which is substantially approximately, for example, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm or any other value between 0.3 and 2 mm. Said reinforcing region 32 is thus rounded and has a slight, tilted slope which can be used to pick up and retain a substantial amount of cosmetic product, in particular during a passage of said applicator 10 through a wiper as mentioned in the preamble.
Secondly, the radius of curvature r32 of said reinforcing region 32 is measured in a plane comprising said main direction X. This means that the radius of curvature r32 of said reinforcing region can be seen in particular when the applicator from the invention is viewed from the front (see
It should be noted that the core 12 is advantageously a moulded core, in particular made of plastics material. The core 12 and the protrusions 30 are advantageously moulded together, in particular having the reinforcing regions 32 which are specific to each plate 31. This means that the protrusions and/or the reinforcing regions 32 can be overmoulded on the core 12, or formed so as to be integral with the core 12. For example, the core 12, the protrusions 30 and the reinforcing regions 32 can be moulded from an LDPE (low-density polyethylene)-based material. Other materials can also be used, namely the material “EXACT” from ExxonMobil or the material “HYTREL” from Dupont, or a mixture of said materials.
It should be noted in this case that there are two reinforcing regions 32 for the same plate 31, said two reinforcing regions 32 being positioned, along said main direction X, on either side of said plate 31 (see in particular
In other words, the reinforcing region 32 makes the connection between the core 12 and the plate 31, and this region can be considered to be double; i.e. there is a reinforcing region 32 which has two opposing radii of curvature on either side of a plane containing the plate 31.
The plates 31, thus reinforced, have an increased rigidity, in particular with respect to the plates 31 which would be connected to the core 12 by means of a single reinforcement 32.
In other words again, the reinforcing region 32 has at least one radius of curvature in the case in which the plate 31 is connected to the core 12 by a radius of curvature on one side and a right angle on the other side, or by two opposing radii of curvature, as mentioned above.
Said protrusions 30 are composed of a plurality of plates 31 and a plurality of tapered teeth 33. A “tapered tooth 33” is understood to be a protrusion having a thin base. In other words, a tooth referred to as a tapered tooth has a base which occupies an angular space of the periphery of the core 12 that is a unit, or even a few units, of degrees. Said teeth 33 are provided so as to be rectilinear and each have a semi-circular cross section, thus forming a planar surface, which is labelled F33 in
Furthermore, in this case, said plates 31 are distributed in a plurality of circumferential rows of plates 31, each of said plates 31 being connected to the core 12 by at least one of said reinforcing regions 32. Said circumferential rows of plates succeed one another along the main direction X.
By way of example, each plate 31 can be in the shape of a petal having a width 131 of between 1 and 2 mm, for example of approximately 1.5 mm (see
The circumferential rows of plates 31 which succeed one another along the main direction X form an envelope E1 with the free ends of said plates 31 (see
The applicator 10 from the invention further has a proximal end 13 which is extended by a cylindrical coupling 15 with no protrusions. Said cylindrical coupling 15 is intended to cooperate with a rod (not shown). The end opposite said proximal end 13, along the main direction X, is referred to as the distal end 14.
The envelope E1 has a frustoconical shape in the vicinity of said distal end 14, in particular to allow precise make-up application in regions which are difficult to access, such as the corner of a user's eyes. The frustoconical shape of the envelope E1 is provided by the free ends of the plates 31 belonging to the circumferential rows labelled R1-R3 in
It should be noted that, as can be seen in particular in
Said angular offset has the advantage of creating loading regions, between said circumferential rows of plates 31, along the main direction X, which enhance the possible make-up applications provided by the applicator 10 from the invention.
Advantageously, the teeth 33 are also distributed in a plurality of circumferential rows of teeth 33. Said rows succeed one another along the main direction X. In particular, the circumferential rows of teeth 33 succeed one another along the main direction X whilst being angularly offset, in particular from one of the circumferential rows of teeth to the next.
By way of example, the teeth 33 are spaced apart, within the same circumferential row, by an angle β of approximately 60 degrees (see
The free ends of said circumferential rows of teeth 33 form an envelope E2 (see
The envelope E2 further has a frustoconical shape in the vicinity of said distal end 14, in particular to allow precise make-up application in regions which are difficult to access, such as the corner of a user's eyes. Said frustoconical shape of the envelope E2 is provided by the free ends of the teeth 33 belonging to the circumferential rows near said distal end 14.
In the context of the example shown here, the envelope E1, which is formed by the circumferential rows of plates 31, and the envelope E2, which is formed by the circumferential rows of teeth 33, are combined to form the same envelope E.
The respective diameters of said two envelopes E1, E2 can also be provided with different values without departing from the scope of the invention, so as to achieve additional make-up application effects due to the interlocking of two envelopes E1, E2 one inside the other.
Advantageously, in this case, the teeth 33 are positioned in such a way that the planar surfaces F33 of two consecutive teeth 33 from the same circumferential row are oriented in the same direction of rotation in order to facilitate moulding.
It should be noted that the circumferential rows of plates 31 alternate, along the main direction X, with the circumferential rows of teeth 33. It can be provided to alternate a circumferential row of each type, regularly, one after the other, along said main direction X. It can also be provided to alternate said rows irregularly along said main direction X without departing from the scope of the invention.
In this case, the circumferential rows of plates 31 alternate, along the main direction X, with the circumferential rows of teeth 33.
The alternation of the patterns M1, m2, M3 and m4, which is shown in detail in
It should also be noted that the applicator 10 advantageously forms a brush.
It should also be noted that aspects of the invention also relate to an applicator assembly for cosmetic product, comprising a receptacle (not shown) comprising a body forming a container which is intended to contain the cosmetic product, and an applicator 10 of the type described above which is capable of being fixed to the receptacle in such a way that the applicator 10 is accommodated inside the container.
It should also be noted that variants are of course possible. In particular, it is also conceivable, in additional embodiments, for the circumferential rows of plates and/or teeth to occupy only a portion of the angular periphery of the core.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1558763 | Sep 2015 | FR | national |