Patent Application
20150053233
Systems having tweezers disposed in a handle of a pencil exist for cosmetic purposes. For example, brow powder pencils exist that have an opening in an end of a handle of the brow powder pencil for housing tweezers.
While these systems may have tweezers housed in a handle of a brow pencil, the tweezers may be loosely housed in the handle, which make them susceptible to damage. For example, because the tweezers may be loosely housed in the handle, the tweezers may be allowed to move freely in the handle. Because the tweezers may be allowed to move freely in the handle, the tweezers may come in contact with an inside surface of the handle, which may cause damage to the pinching tip of the tweezers. In addition to the tweezers being loosely housed in the handle, the pinching tip of the tweezers may be housed in the handle in an open position. Because the pinching tip of the tweezers may be in an open position, the pinching tip is susceptible to damage. For example, because the pinching tips may be housed in the handle in an open position, the sharp edges of the pinching tips may become dull or less sharp from coming in contact with the inside surface of the handle.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for improved cosmetic systems that protect the pinching tips of tweezers until a time of use.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.
This application describes two-in-one cosmetic systems having a tweezer removably disposed in a handle of the applicator such that when the tweezer is removably disposed in the handle, the tweezer is restrained and a pinching tip of the tweezer is in a closed position. By virtue of having the tweezer restrained and the pinching tip of the tweezer in the closed position when removably disposed in the handle, two-in-one cosmetic systems according to this disclosure are adaptable to keep the pinching tip sharp and undamaged until a time of use. For example, because the tweezer is restrained and the pinching tip of the tweezer in a closed position when removably disposed in the handle, the tweezer is prevented from being displaced and the cooperating edges of the pinching tip remain in contact with each other. Consequently, the cooperating edges do not come in contact with other surfaces when disposed in the handle, helping to keep the pinching tips sharp and undamaged until a time of use.
In one example, the two-in-one cosmetic system may comprise a tweezer having a pinching tip (i.e., the jaws of the tweezer), where when the tweezer is removably disposed in an cavity of a handle. The pinching tip is displaced from an open position to a closed position to keep cooperating edges of the pinching tip (i.e., sharp-edges arranged at the opening of the jaws of the tweezers) undamaged and sharp to provide a high level of precision while grooming a portion of a user's body.
In another example, the two-in-one cosmetic system may comprise an applicator fixed to a first end of a handle. When the tweezers are removably disposed in the handle, the pinching tip and a fulcrum of the tweezers and the applicator form a substantially straight line.
In various embodiments, the tweezers described herein may comprise lever arms connected to each other at an interior of a cap. The cap may removably couple with an open end of the handle and form at least a portion of the handle. The cap may provide a larger handle for the user to grasp then a traditional tweezer.
While the two-in-one cosmetic systems are described in various embodiments herein in the context of tweezer and brow brush systems for cosmetic grooming, the two-in-one cosmetic systems may also be used and adapted for other purposes. For example, the two-in-one cosmetic systems may be used and adapted for use in other cosmetic and/or grooming operations.
While the applicators are described in various embodiments herein as having a substantially flat rectangular shape, the applicators may be other shapes. For example, the applicator may be substantially cylindrical, tapered, conical, oval, flat-triangular, or the like.
While the pinching tip 110 of the tweezer 104 is illustrated as having a flat pinching tip 110, the pinching tip 110 may be any other shape. For example, the pinching tip 110 may have a flat broad pinching tip, a flat blunt angled pinching tip, a flat broad angled pinching tip, a flat square pinching tip, a flat round pinching tip, a flat bent broad pinching tip, a blunt round pinching tip, a long needle pinching tip, a pointed pinching tip, or any other conventional tweezer pinching tip.
The handle 106 may include an cavity 118 for removably receiving the tweezer 104. For example, the brush 108 may be fixed to a first end 120(A) of the handle 106 opposite a second end 120(B), and the cavity 118 may be arranged in the second end 120(B) of the handle 106. The cavity 118 may extend from the second end 120(B) of the handle 106 towards the first end 120(A) of the handle 106. Moreover, the pinching tip 110 is held stationary and spaced from the interior walls of the cavity 118 in the handle 106, thereby preventing the pinching tip 110 from being damaged by contacting the sides and end of the cavity 118.
The cavity 118 may have an inside diameter 122 arranged to interface with the tweezer 104 when the tweezer 104 is removably disposed in the handle 106. For example, the tweezer 104 may have a pair of lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) extending from the pinching tip 110 to a fulcrum 126, and the inside diameter 122 may be arranged to interface with each of an outside surface of each lever arm 124(A) and 124(B) to displace the pinching tip 110 in to the closed position 112. Moreover, the inside diameter 122 may be arranged to interface with each lever arm 124(A) and 124(B), such that the inside diameter displaces each lever arm 124(A) and 124(B) a distance that is substantially the same as a distance between the cooperating edges 116(A) and 116(B) when the pinching tip 110 is in an open position. For example, when the tweezer 104 is inserted into the handle 106, the inside diameter 122 interferes with the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) and displaces or squeezes the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) towards each other until the cooperating edges 116(A) and 116(B) come in contact with each other. Moreover, the cavity 118 may have receiving features that cooperate with the outside surfaces of the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) to hold the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) in the handle 106. For example, the inside surface of the cavity 118 may include guides, grooves, rails, springs or the like that are arranged on the inside surface of the cavity 118 that cooperatively interface with the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) to displace the pinching tip 110 in to the closed position 112 and to secure the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) in the handle 106.
The cap 128 may removably couple with the second end 120(B) of the handle 106 and seal the cavity 118. For example, the cap 128 may removably couple with the second end 120(B) of the handle 106 via a press fit, snap fit, interference fit, screw threads, bayonet fastener(s) etc. Moreover, when the cap 128 removably couples with the second end 120(B) of the handle 106, the cap 128 may structurally support or fix the tweezer 104 in the handle 106. For example, the cap 128 may fix the fulcrum 126 end of the tweezer 104 proximate to the second end 120(B) of the handle 106 such that the tweezer 104 is prevented from being displaced when housed in the handle 106. Because the cap 128 prevents the tweezer 104 from being displaced in the handle 106, the pinching tip 110 is prevented from coming in contact with an inside surface of the handle 106, keeping the pinching tip 110 undamaged.
The pair of lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) may or may not be connected to each other in an interior of the cap 128. For example, each of the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) may be individually fixed to the cap 128 in the interior of the cap 128. For example, the pair of lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) may be fixed in the interior of the cap 128 via a compression fit, a press fit, or a snap fit. The cap 128 may be molded directly onto the pair of lever arms 124(A) and 124(B). For example, the cap 128 may provide sufficient force on the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) to compress the pair of lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) together, forming the fulcrum 126. Additionally or alternatively, the pair of lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) may be fixed in the interior of the cap 128 via an adhesive or a fastener, forming the fulcrum 126. The handle 106, the lever arms 124(A) and 124(B), and/or the cap 128 may be formed of metal, plastic, composite, and/or wood. In one specific example, the pair of lever arms 124(A) and 124(B) may be formed of spring steel.
Because the applicator 132 is arranged substantially straight along the linear axis 130 and in line with the tweezer 104 removably disposed in the handle 106, a user may wield the applicator 132 with precision. For example, because the applicator 132, the handle 106, and the tweezer 104 are in line with each other, a user may grip the handle 106 and groom a portion of the body at a generally perpendicular orientation (i.e., much like holding a writing utensil). For example, a user may grip the handle 106 and groom the eyebrows where the linear axis 130 of the two-in-one cosmetic system 102 is at a generally perpendicular orientation to the user's face rather than at a generally horizontal orientation to the user's face. The generally perpendicular orientation may range from at least about 30 degrees to at most about 120 degrees relative to a users face, which provides for accurate grooming of a user's eyebrows. For example, a user may wield the two-in-one cosmetic system 102 at a generally perpendicular orientation to groom the eyebrows by following the arch of the eyebrow with small, feather-like strokes.
While the two-in-one cosmetic system 102 is illustrated as having a tweezer 104 removably disposed in the handle 106 of the brush 108, other implements are contemplated that may be removably disposed in the handle 106 of the brush 108. For example implements including lipstick, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, nail polish or the like may be removably disposed in the handle 106 of the brush 108. By way of example and not limitation, several alternative implements are shown in
While the applicator 132 is illustrated as having a square shaped surface for grooming a portion of a body, the applicator 132 may be any other shape for grooming a portion of the body and/or applying a product to a portion of a body. For example, the applicator 132 may have a triangular shaped surface, a convex shaped surface, a cone shaped surface, or the like for grooming a portion of a body and/or applying product to a portion of a body. Further, while the applicator 132 is illustrated as being a group of bristles, the applicator 132 may additionally or alternatively comprise a sponge, a flocking, a paddle, a comb, a combination of any of the foregoing, or the like. The bristles may be formed of natural fibers (e.g., animal hair) or synthetic fibers (e.g., plastic or rubber), or the like. By way of example and not limitation, several alternative applicator shapes are shown in
Although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. For example, in various embodiments, any of the structural features and/or methodological acts described herein may be rearranged, modified, or omitted entirely. For example, the shape, size, and configuration of the tweezer, brush, and applicator may be varied.
