Patent Application
20200077763
The present invention relates to cosmetic product refills for hair treatment devices, and more particularly, but not exclusively, those for devices for shaping the hair, notably intended for straightening, curling or crimping the hair.
The invention also relates to devices provided with such a refill and to methods for treating the hair.
Usually, hair straighteners consist of two arms that are connected together with the aid of a hinge which makes it possible to open and close said arms, and of at least one heating element disposed on the arms. During operations of styling a lock of hair, said lock is introduced between the two arms in the open position and then the two arms are closed manually over the lock of hair. The latter is then subjected to the heat output by the heating element, until the two arms are opened and the lock of hair is removed.
The application WO 2009/078046 describes a hairstyling appliance comprising two arms that are connected together so as to allow the appliance to be opened and closed, at least one heating member and at least one seat for accommodating a hair treatment device, the latter allowing a haircare product to be dispensed during operation. The hair treatment device comprises a support material impregnated with a haircare product and suitable for a single use.
WO 2009/015027 and US 2009/0025247 disclose a hair straightening device that makes it possible to apply a haircare product by contact with the hair. The haircare product to be applied is contained in a removable refill for the application thereof. Said removable refill comprises a reservoir containing the haircare product in a gelled form, and orifices for dispensing and applying the product, said orifices being made directly through a wall of the reservoir. The refill is introduced into a housing disposed on one of the two arms of the hair straightener, by sliding.
The application WO 2013/045331 likewise discloses an applicator for applying a care substance to the hair, comprising a cartridge of care substance held in a housing of the applicator. The cartridge comprises a porous support saturated with the care substance.
The application WO 2013/090896 relates to a hair treatment appliance, in particular a hairstyling appliance, comprising a treatment agent holder, notably a saturated porous material, to be applied to the hair or the skin. The holder is fixed to an accessory, which is itself mounted in a removable manner on a hair treatment appliance. The holder is T-shaped, allowing it to be mounted in a complementary groove in the accessory.
There is a need to further improve devices for applying a haircare product so as to ensure adequate application of cosmetic product, notably when the latter is in the form of an aqueous composition.
A subject of the invention is thus a cosmetic product refill for a hair treatment device, comprising an applicator member saturated with an aqueous composition, wherein the applicator member has a density of between 0.11 and 0.25 g/cm3 and the aqueous composition has a viscosity of between 4 and 250 centipoise, preferably between 4 and 100 centipoise.
Such a pairing of density of the applicator member/viscosity of the aqueous composition makes it possible to have a quantity of cosmetic product on the hair which is both sufficient and sufficiently consistent during uses.
Preferably, the cosmetic product refill according to the invention has one or more of the following features, on their own or in combination:
According to another aspect, the invention relates to a cosmetic product refill article, comprising a closed package and at least one cosmetic product refill as described above, in the package.
The invention also relates to a hair treatment device, comprising:
Preferably, the device comprises at least one heating element.
Preferably, the refill is disposed in a removable manner in a housing of the arm.
The hair treatment device being a hair straightener, notably a straightening iron.
Preferably, the hair treatment device comprises two arms that are able to move relative to one another between a moved-together configuration for treating the hair and a spaced-apart configuration for inserting hair to be treated between said arms.
According to one variant, at least one of the arms, preferably each arm, comprises a heating element for the hair to be treated.
According to yet another aspect, the invention relates to a ready-to-assemble hair treatment assembly, comprising:
According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a method for treating the hair, comprising the step of applying a cosmetic product as described above to the hair with the aid of the device according to the invention.
Preferably, the treatment is carried out by moving the device along the lock of hair, the arms of said device being held in the moved-together configuration during said movement.
The invention may be understood better from reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting illustrative embodiments thereof and from studying the appended drawing, in which:
In the rest of the description, identical elements or elements having identical functions bear the same reference signs. In order to make the present description concise, they are not described for each of the figures, only the differences between the different examples being described.
This handpiece 2 has two jaws 3 and 4 that are able to move with respect to one another between a spaced-apart configuration (not shown) for the introduction of a lock of hair between said jaws, and a moved-together configuration for treating the lock of hair.
The jaws 3 and 4 are carried by an upper arm 5 and a lower arm 6, respectively, which, in the example in question, are connected together at one end by an articulation 8, the handpiece 2 thus forming tongs.
The upper arm 5 and lower arm 6 each preferably have a total length of between 22 cm and 37 cm, preferably 31 cm, and define, between the articulation 8 and the jaws 3 and 4, respective half-handles 10 and 11 on which the user can press in order to move the jaws 3 and 4 together.
An elastic return member (not visible) is preferably provided to return the jaws 3 and 4 to a spaced-apart configuration, this elastic return member being for example a spring disposed around a pin of the articulation 8.
The invention is not limited to a particular manner of connecting the upper arm 5 and lower arm 6 together and the jaws 3 and 4 may be rendered able to move in some other way without departing from the scope of the present invention. However, the presence of an articulation is largely preferred for the ergonomics it provides.
The jaws 3 and 4 define between them a region for treating the hair, said region being intended to receive a lock of hair to be treated, the handpiece 2 being moved along said lock during the treatment, for example in the direction from the root to the end of the hair.
In the example in question, the handpiece 2 is configured to apply a cosmetic product, to treat the hair by way of steam and then to carry out a heat treatment of the hair by contact with two hot surfaces of heating elements 15 and 16 that are carried by the upper arm 5 and the lower arm 6, respectively.
The direction D of movement of the handpiece 2 over the hair, illustrated in
The handpiece 2 is connected by a line, in the example in question, to a base station (not shown) that is fixed during the treatment and is connected to the mains.
This base station provides electric power to the handpiece 2 and also its supply of water for generating steam, and may also carry out additional functions of processing electrical signals received from the handpiece 2. The line 18 which connects the handpiece 2 to the base station may thus comprise various electrical conductors and a water supply pipe.
A user interface (not shown in the figures) may be present on the handpiece 2 so as to give the user the option for example of starting up certain components thereof.
The cosmetic product is applied by a refill 20 carried by one of the two arms, 5 or 6, in this case the upper arm 5, which comes into contact with a pressing element 21. The latter may be removable.
The refill 20 comprises a body 23 and an applicator member 26 disposed so as to come into contact with the hair extending through the treatment region.
The refill 20 may be fastened to the arm 5 or 6 by any means, notably, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
However,
The applicator member 20b for its part has, compared with the applicator member 26 in
The applicator member 26c has, in cross section, an ogival shape, the rounded end 58 of the give being intended to be oriented toward the hair 54.
The applicator member 26d has, compared with the applicator member 26b, a single bevel 56a. The applicator member 26d thus has a surface 60, intended to be in contact with the hair 54, that is parallel to the opposite surface 62 and has limited dimensions.
Finally, the applicator member 26e has two opposite bevels 56a, 56b that are connected by a central portion 60, intended to be in contact with the hair 54, which extends substantially parallel to the opposite surface 62 of the applicator member 26e.
Other applicator member shapes may also be envisioned, notably by combining the variants in
The applicator member may be made for example of polyethylene, of polypropylene or of a mixture of polyethylene and polypropylene. The mixture may notably comprise 50% polyethylene and 50% polypropylene.
The applicator member may be made of felt. A felt is, preferably, a nonwoven material obtained by agglutinating natural or synthetic fibers.
The fibers of the felt may be oriented parallel to the surface of the lock of hair 54 to be treated, the fibers preferably being oriented substantially in the direction D of passage over the hair. In one variant, the fibers of the felt of the applicator member are oriented perpendicularly to the surface of the lock of hair 54 to be treated, i.e. perpendicularly to the direction D and to the longitudinal direction of the applicator member 26.
The applicator member may comprise at least two parts having different fiber densities and/or fiber orientations. Notably, a part with a lower fiber density may act as a reservoir, while the other part, with a higher fiber density, allows more homogeneous application of cosmetic product to the lock of hair to be treated. In this way, the variation in quantity of product delivered onto one and the same lock is reduced, depending on the position on the lock.
The applicator member is for example initially saturated with a volume of cosmetic product greater than 6 ml, preferably greater than 10 ml and/or less than 14 ml, preferably less than 11 ml. The applicator member has for example a density greater than 0.11 g/cm3 and/or less than 0.25 g/cm3.
The cosmetic product is in this case an aqueous composition, notably in the form of an emulsion.
An aqueous composition is understood to be a composition comprising at least 5% by weight water.
Preferably, the composition comprises at least 20% by weight water, more preferably at least 50% by weight water, even more preferably at least 90% by weight water, relative to the total weight of the composition.
The emulsion is preferably direct.
The solids content of the emulsion is preferably less than 10% by weight.
The aqueous composition according to the invention preferably comprises one or more non-silicone surfactants and/or one or more silicone compounds.
The surfactants that are usable in the composition may be anionic, cationic, nonionic or amphoteric, and preferably cationic.
Non-silicone surfactants are understood to be surfactants that do not contain atoms of silicon in their structure.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the composition comprises one or more cationic surfactants chosen from quaternary ammonium salts.
When they are present, the non-silicone surfactants are preferably present in the aqueous composition in a content ranging from 0.01 to 10%, better still from 0.05 to 5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous composition.
Silicone is understood to mean compounds comprising one or more atoms of silicon in their structure.
The cosmetic composition according to the invention may comprise one or more silicones, which may be solid or liquid, and volatile or non-volatile.
The silicones that may be used may be soluble or insoluble in the composition according to the invention; they may be in the form of oil, wax, resin or gum; silicone oils and gums are preferred.
When they are present, the silicones are preferably present in the aqueous composition in a content ranging from 0.01 to 10%, better still from 0.05 to 5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous composition.
The aqueous composition according to the invention may also comprise one or more ingredients chosen from non-silicone fatty substances, non-silicone polymers, notably cationic, nonionic, anionic or amphoteric non-silicone polymers, UV-screening agents, colorants, pigments, preservatives and fragrances.
Preferably, the aqueous composition according to the invention comprises one or more non-silicone fatty substances and/or one or more non-silicone polymers. More preferably, the aqueous composition according to the invention comprises one or more non-silicone fatty substances chosen from fatty alcohols, natural or synthetic oils or plant waxes and/or one or more cationic non-silicone polymers.
If they are present, the non-silicone fatty substances and/or the non-silicone polymers are preferably present in a content ranging from 0.05 to 10%, better still from 0.1 to 5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous composition.
The aqueous composition has a viscosity greater than or equal to 4 centipoise, preferably greater than or equal to 5 centipoise.
The aqueous composition has a viscosity less than or equal to 500 centipoise, preferably less than or equal to 100 centipoise. The viscosity of the aqueous composition is measured at a pressure of 1.01325 105 Pa, at a temperature of 22° C. and at a shear rate of 1 s−1. This viscosity may be measured using a cone/plate viscometer, notably a Haake R600 rheometer or the like.
After numerous tests, the inventors have found, surprisingly, that the combination of a density of the applicator member as described above and a viscosity of the aqueous composition as described above makes it possible to deliver a satisfactory quantity of aqueous composition onto locks of hair to be treated, at least during the first passes of the applicator member over the locks of hair to be treated, in order to obtain a satisfactory cosmetic effect of the aqueous composition on the hair. This is true notably for the first 70 passes, preferably for the first 75 passes, of the applicator member over locks of hair to be treated, these numbers corresponding to the treatment of an entire head. The passes of the applicator member are understood here as being passes at a substantially constant speed of 15 s over locks with a length of 27 cm and a width of 10.5 cm, with a force of 3 N being applied to the applicator member in the direction of the lock of hair to be treated.
The initial quantity of cosmetic product present in the applicator member preferably corresponds to an initial degree of filling of the applicator member less than or equal to 90%, preferably less than or equal to 85%, and better still less than 80%, and greater than or equal to 40%, preferably greater than or equal to 50%, and better still greater than or equal to 60%. Specifically, the inventors have found, surprisingly, that, when the applicator member is not completely saturated with cosmetic product but rather has a degree of filling as indicated above, the quantity of cosmetic product delivered on each pass over the hair to be treated exhibits less significant variations. On account of the use of refills according to the invention, it is possible to obtain a more regular, notably more homogeneous cosmetic effect on all of a user's hair. Of course, the consistency of the quantity of cosmetic product implies that the conditions of application of the cosmetic product, notably the speed of passage and the force of application, are kept substantially constant over the entire period of use of the hair treatment device.
The “initial quantity” is understood here to be the quantity of cosmetic product present in the applicator member before the first pass over the hair to be treated.
The “degree of filling of the applicator member” is understood here to be the ratio between the mass of cosmetic product effectively present in the applicator member and the maximum mass of cosmetic product with which the applicator member can be saturated. This degree of filling is measured at atmospheric pressure of 1.01325 105 Pa and a temperature of 22° C.
By way of example,
The following compositions A, B and C were prepared from the ingredients indicated in the tables below. The concentrations are expressed as weight percentages of active material in the composition.
The viscosity of this aqueous composition A is 22 centipoise at 22° C.
The viscosity of this aqueous composition B is 280 centipoise at 22° C.
The viscosity of this aqueous composition C is 87 centipoise at 22° C.
The test to which the different samples of applicator members saturated with cosmetic product are subjected consists in:
It should be noted here that it is important to saturate the strips along their entire length. In other words, the applicator member is moved over the strip at a speed of around 1.8 cm/s.
In all cases, the applicator members tested have a parallelepipedal shape with fibers oriented substantially in a longitudinal direction of the applicator member, parallel to the surface to which the aqueous composition is applied. They are constituted of a mixture of 50% polyethylene and 50% polypropylene.
1st Sample Tested:
The first sample tested comprises an applicator member with a density of 0.1 g/cm3 saturated to 80% with Aqueous composition A described above.
2nd Sample Tested:
The second sample differs from the first only by way of the density of the applicator member. It is equal to 0.13 g/cm3.
3rd Sample Tested:
The third sample differs from the first and second only by way of the density of the applicator member, which is equal to 0.35 g/cm3.
4th Sample Tested:
The fourth sample comprises an applicator member with a density of 0.13 g/cm3 saturated to 80% with Aqueous composition B described above.
5th Sample Tested:
This final sample comprises an applicator member with a density of 0.10 g/cm3 saturated to 80% with Aqueous composition C described above.
Bars 102, 104, 106, 108 and 110 in
Bars 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120 in
It has been found that the best cosmetic results on hair, notably a better cosmetic feel and better homogeneity of deposition, were obtained when the two following criteria are met:
It was found that the first sample delivers too large a quantity of cosmetic product, while the third and fourth samples, for their part, deliver too small a quantity of cosmetic product. Therefore, these samples are unsuitable for the desired application.
By contrast, the quantities of cosmetic product delivered by the second and fifth samples are in the desired range. The difference between the first and second quantities of cosmetic product for these two samples is 0.24 g and 0.43 g, respectively. These two samples therefore meet the two sought-after criteria and can thus be employed in the scope of the desired application.
The invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments that have just been described, the features of which may be combined with one another within variants that are not illustrated.
Thus, the invention relates, for example, to a ready-to-assemble assembly 200 as illustrated schematically in
Moreover, other aqueous compositions can be employed, as long as their viscosity is between 5 and 250 centipoise, and preferably 4 to 100 centipoise, at 22° C. and 1.01325 105 Pa at a shear rate of 1 s−1.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1662518 | Dec 2016 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2017/082360 | 12/12/2017 | WO | 00 |
