Patent Application
20120163897
The present invention relates to cosmetic applicator devices and to the use of such devices.
More particularly, the invention relates to an applicator device for applying a cosmetic, the device comprising:
a reservoir that is adapted to contain a liquid cosmetic (that is viscous to a greater or lesser extent); and
an applicator comprising a stem that is terminated by an applicator head that is adapted to apply the cosmetic to a part of a user's body (in particular for applying makeup to keratinous fibers, such as the eyelashes, the eyebrows, and the hair), said stem being adapted to penetrate into said reservoir so as to dip said applicator head into the cosmetic.
In known applicator devices of this type, the applicator head is a brush that enables the cosmetic to be applied exclusively by direct contact with the user's body.
A particular object of the present invention is to improve applicator devices of this type, so as to provide a novel method of applying the cosmetic to the user's body that is almost instantaneous, with much more rapid drying, and requiring less contact, if any, between the applicator head and the user's body.
To this end, in the invention, in an applicator device of the type in question, the stem of the applicator includes an internal duct that opens out sideways via at least one vent that is formed in the applicator head, and the applicator further comprises a (permanent or removable) gas generator that is connected to said duct and that is adapted to inject gas into said duct so as to cause the gas to be expelled via said at least one vent.
By means of these provisions, the gas that is injected by the gas generator may form at least one bubble of cosmetic at the applicator head. The bubble of cosmetic may burst on coming into contact with the user's body, thereby enabling the cosmetic to be deposited almost instantaneously in a single step, without any contact between the applicator head and the user's body. In such conditions, the applicator head may possibly be used only to perfect the distribution of cosmetic that has already been applied to the user's body. Almost-instantaneous application of the cosmetic is thus made possible, and that is a first advantage compared to applicators devices of the prior art. In addition, repeated direct contact between the applicator head and the user's body is effectively limited. As a result of passing via a step consisting in forming a bubble, it is possible to create a thinner film, having a drying speed that is increased considerably. In practice, it is thus possible, in a single step, to deposit a continuous film having improved glossiness, and it is also possible to limit the cosmetic-transfer phenomena that are associated essentially with the sticky characteristic of the cosmetic during the drying period. In addition, during an application to the skin, the rapid-drying properties make it possible to obtain an immediate tightening effect, making it possible to smooth the surface of the skin so as to reduce the imperfections of its surface relief.
In various embodiments of the device of the invention, one or more of the following provisions may also be used:
the gas generator is actuatable by the user and is designed to generate a (fixed or adjustable) predetermined volume of gas on each actuation;
the gas generator includes an outlet valve that enables gas from the gas generator to be expelled towards the duct, but not the reverse.
the gas generator is an air pump comprising a variable-volume air chamber that communicates with the duct via said outlet valve, and with the atmosphere via an inlet valve that enables air from the atmosphere to be let into the air chamber, but not the reverse;
the gas generator comprises a flexible bulb that is adapted to be squeezed by the user and that defines said air chamber;
the gas generator comprises a pusher that is actuatable by the user, that is adapted to compress the air chamber, and that is slidably mounted in a guide that forms part of the applicator;
the pusher is adapted to bear against a flexible wall that defines the air chamber;
the gas generator comprises an electric air compressor that is controlled by a control member that is actuatable by the user;
the gas generator comprises a compressed-gas reservoir that is connected to the duct via a valve that is actuatable by the user;
the applicator head includes a dish that opens outwards and that forms a reservoir for the cosmetic, said dish surrounding said at least one vent that opens out into said dish;
the applicator head includes a plurality of vents and a plurality of dishes that open outwards and that form reservoirs for the cosmetic, each dish surrounding at least one of said vents;
the applicator head further includes teeth;
at least some of said teeth are disposed on either side of the dish;
the applicator further includes a cap that is adapted to close the reservoir, the stem extending longitudinally from said cap as far as the applicator head, and being adapted to penetrate into the reservoir when the cap closes said reservoir, the gas generator being mounted on the cap (the gas generator may be fastened in permanent or removable manner, and it may either be incorporated in the cap, or may form an external part that is fitted on the cap);
the reservoir contains a mascara that constitutes said liquid cosmetic.
In addition, the invention also provides the use of an applicator device as defined above for applying a cosmetic, in particular a mascara.
Finally, the invention provides a method of applying a cosmetic, said method comprising at least one step consisting in generating, by means of a device as defined above, at least one bubble of cosmetic, then in bursting said at least one bubble on coming into contact with a region of the body so as to apply said cosmetic to said region.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear from the following description of four embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
In the various figures, the same references designate elements that are identical or similar.
The reservoir 3 contains a mascara C that, by way of example, is considered throughout the description to be a liquid cosmetic. By way of example, said reservoir may include an annular side wall 4 that extends longitudinally between a bottom wall 5 and a neck 6 that is generally provided with an internal wiper 6a (shown very diagrammatically).
Clearly visible in
The applicator head 9 may possibly be widened sideways relative to the stem 8.
By way of example, the applicator head 9 may include a dish 10 that is open along a normal direction X that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Z, the dish extending in a plane YZ, in which Y is a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the above-mentioned directions X and Z. The dish 10 may advantageously present an oblong shape that is elongate along the direction Z.
The applicator head 9 further includes a vent 11 that opens out into the bottom of the dish 10 along the axis X. In the embodiment under consideration, the vent 11 may be in the form of a slot that is parallel to the longitudinal direction Z.
In addition, and where appropriate, the applicator head 9 may be provided with teeth 9a that project along the normal direction X, and that surround the dish 10, or at the very least that are disposed on either side of the dish 10 in the transverse direction Y.
The above-mentioned vent 11 communicates with a duct 12 that is formed in the stem 8. In the embodiment shown, the duct 12 extends inside the stem 8 along the longitudinal direction Z, along the entire length of said stem 8 as far as the cap 7 where said duct communicates with a gas generator 13. In this embodiment, the gas generator 13 is secured to the cap 7 and is adapted to inject air into the duct 12.
In general, the gas generator may be of any known type: a manual pump (taking the form of a piston pump, a bellows, or a bulb); an electrically-controlled pump; a reservoir of compressed gas (air or other gas) associated with an outlet valve; etc.; the gas generator preferably being designed to inject a predetermined volume of gas into the duct 12 on each actuation by a user.
In particular, the gas generator 13 may be an air pump that comprises a variable-volume air chamber that communicates:
with the duct 12 via an outlet valve 15 that enables air from the air chamber to be expelled towards the duct 12, but not the reverse; and
with the atmosphere via an inlet valve 16 that enables air from the atmosphere to be let into the air chamber, but not the reverse.
The inlet and outlet valves 15, 16 may be of any type known to the person skilled in the art: a ball valve; a floating-diaphragm valve; a slot diaphragm; etc.
In the embodiment in
When a user removes the applicator 2 from the reservoir 3, the wiper 6a of the reservoir eliminates any excess mascara on the stem 8 and the applicator head 9 in manner known per se, but leaves a certain quantity of mascara behind in the dish 10. The user may thus squeeze manually on the bulb 14, as shown in
In another variant of the invention, the applicator device 1 may include an applicator head 9 that is formed with a plurality of dishes 10, each dish 10 including at least one vent 11. In general, by means of such arrangements, it is possible to individualize the characteristics of each bubble that is formed, by changing the size of each dish (quantity of cosmetic), and the flowrate of each vent (diameter and number) for a given dish 10. A bubble will have a greater loading effect if it is small in size for a given region of the body. Where appropriate, the applicator head 9 may also be provided with teeth 9a on either side of each of the dishes 10, in the transverse direction Y. Thus, it is possible to choose to form bubbles that are all identical or that are all different, so as to adapt to the characteristics of the region of the body under consideration, and so as to adapt to the result desired for a given region of the body.
In this variant, the applicator device 1, shown in
In the second embodiment of the invention, shown in
The third and fourth embodiments of the invention, shown in
in the embodiment in
in the embodiment in
In these third and fourth embodiments, the volume of air that is injected into the duct 12 so as to form one or more bubbles may be adjusted more finely and in more reproducible manner. The predetermined volume of air that is injected into the duct 12 on each actuation of the gas generator may either be adjusted once when the applicator is designed, or it may be adjusted by the user by means of an adjustable knurled wheel (not shown) or by some other means.
It should also be observed that in all of the embodiments of the invention, the gas generator may either be mounted in permanent manner on the applicator, or it may be removable.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 61272 | Dec 2010 | FR | national |
