APPLICATION SYSTEM FOR APPLYING A PRODUCT TO HAIR

Abstract

An applicator for applying a product to hair, especially a hair colouring product, including: at least one first row of teeth extending longitudinally over a distance l.sub.1, from a first application face of the applicator; and a plurality of second rows of teeth, extending longitudinally over a distance l.sub.1, from a second application face of the applicator, which is arranged opposite the first application face, the ratio l.sub.1/l.sub.2 being lower than or equal to 0.75.

Claims

1. An applicator for applying a product to the hair, notably a dyeing product, comprising: at least one first row of teeth extending longitudinally over a distance l.sub.1 from a first application face of the applicator, a plurality of second rows of teeth, this plurality extending longitudinally over a distance l.sub.2 from a second application face of the applicator that is situated on the opposite side from the first application face, the ratio l.sub.1/l.sub.2 being less than or equal to 0.75.

2. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio l.sub.1/l.sub.2 is less than or equal to 0.6.

3. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second application face are flat.

4. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second application face have parallel longitudinal axes.

5. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, which comprises at least two first rows of teeth, preferably at least three first rows of teeth.

6. The applicator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first rows of teeth are parallel.

7. The applicator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the teeth of the first rows of teeth are not aligned along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first application face.

8. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, which comprises at least three first rows of teeth, the first row(s) not being equidistant from one another.

9. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the teeth of the first rows have a pyramid shape with a triangular base, the teeth of the outermost first rows (12a, 12c) having, notably, a ridge that is oriented outward.

10. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the teeth of the first row(s) each have a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first application face.

11. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the teeth of the second rows each have a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the second application face.

12. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the teeth of the first row(s) are longer than the teeth of the second rows, the ratio L.sub.2/L.sub.1 being between 0.5 and 1.5, better still between 0.8 and 1, L.sub.1 being the length of the teeth of the first row(s) and L.sub.2 being the greatest length of the teeth of the second rows.

13. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second rows of teeth comprise: at least two external rows of teeth, at least one internal row of teeth disposed between the two external rows, the teeth of the external rows being more flexible than the teeth of the internal rows.

14. The applicator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the teeth of the external rows have a pyramid shape, notably with a triangular base, the teeth of the external rows having, notably, a ridge that is oriented laterally outward.

15. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, which comprises a handle that is notably moulded with the rest of the applicator.

16. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, which has an overall T shape in cross section, at least in its part bearing the first and second application faces.

17. A system for applying a product to the hair, notably a dyeing product, comprising an applicator as claimed in claim 1 and a container containing the product to be applied, the container comprising a cannula for depositing the product between the teeth of the applicator.

Description

[0043] The invention may be better understood from reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting exemplary embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a system according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 2 is a side view along the arrow II of the applicator in FIG. 1,

[0046] FIG. 3 is a top view along the arrow III of the applicator in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0047] FIG. 4 is a bottom view along the arrow IV of the applicator in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0048] FIG. 5 shows the first application face in FIGS. 1 to 4,

[0049] FIG. 6 shows the second application face in FIGS. 1 to 4,

[0050] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view on VII-VII of the applicator in FIGS. 2 to 4,

[0051] FIG. 8 shows a top view of a variant applicator according to the invention, and

[0052] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the applicator in FIG. 8.

[0053] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a system 1 comprising an applicator 2 and a container 4.

[0054] The container 4 comprises a body containing the product to be applied and a cannula 9 for applying the product to the hair and/or the applicator 2. The outside outlet diameter c of the cannula 9 is advantageously between 0.5 mm and 10 mm.

[0055] The applicator 2 may comprise a handle 5 that allows the applicator 2 to be gripped, and a body 8 for applying a product to the hair, notably a dyeing product.

[0056] The body 8 has a first application face 10 from which at least one first row 12 of teeth 15 extends, and a second application face 20 from which a plurality of second rows 22 of teeth 25 extend.

[0057] The first and the second application faces 10 and 20 are, as illustrated, opposite faces of the body 8 of the applicator 2.

[0058] The first and second application faces 10 and 20 can extend along respective longitudinal axes P and Q that are or are not parallel.

[0059] Preferably, the first and second application faces 10 and 20 are flat.

[0060] The first and the second application face 10 and 20 can be parallel and separated by a distance p that is less than or equal to 50 mm, better still between 10 mm and 30 mm.

[0061] The first application face 10 is preferably less wide than the second application face 20.

[0062] Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the body 8 of the applicator 2 has substantially a T-shaped section, the cross bar of the T defining the second application face 20.

[0063] Preferably, the second rows 20 of teeth 25 comprise two external rows 40 of teeth 25 and at least one internal row 50 of teeth 25, the teeth of the external rows 40 being more flexible than the teeth of the internal row(s) 50.

[0064] In the examples illustrated, the first application face 10 bears three first rows 12a to 12c of teeth 15 and the second application face 20 bears seven second rows 22 of teeth 25, including five internal rows 50, but this does not have to be the case.

[0065] The first rows 12 extend along a length shorter than that of the second rows 22. The ratio of the lengths l.sub.1/l.sub.2 is less than or equal to 0.75, better still less than or equal to 0.6, l.sub.1 being the distance between the most distant points of the first and last tooth 15 of the longest first row 12, and l.sub.2 being the distance between the most distant points of the first and last tooth 25 of the longest second row 22.

[0066] The first and second rows 12 and 22 of teeth can comprise more than 5 teeth each, better still more than 10 teeth each. Preferably, the first rows 12 and the external rows 40 comprise more teeth than the internal rows 50.

[0067] The width of the first application face 10 can be substantially equal to the distance D.sub.1 between the outermost first rows of teeth 12a and 12c, this distance D.sub.1 being defined between the outermost points, notably, as illustrated, between the outer ridges 30 of the teeth 15. The distance D.sub.1 is preferably between 3 and 15 mm.

[0068] The width of the second application face 20 can be substantially equal to the distance D.sub.2 between the external rows of teeth 40, this distance D.sub.2 being defined between the outermost points, notably, as illustrated, between the outer ridges 45 of the teeth 25. The distance D.sub.2 is preferably between 5 and 40 mm.

[0069] The teeth 15 of the first rows of teeth 12 and the teeth 25 of the external rows 40 preferably have a pyramid shape with a triangular base, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, and narrow toward their free end 32, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The teeth 15 of the first rows of teeth 12 and the teeth 25 of the external rows 40 have a base 31, that is to say a cross section at their junction with the corresponding application face 10 or 20, which is preferably triangular and inscribed in a circle with a diameter of between 1.2 mm and 1.4 mm.

[0070] The teeth 15 of the first rows of teeth 12 and the teeth 25 of the external rows 40 preferably have a height of between 1.3 and 10 mm.

[0071] Preferably, the teeth 15 of the outermost first rows of teeth 12a and 12c and the teeth 25 of the external rows 40 each have a ridge 30 toward the outside of the corresponding application face 10 or 20.

[0072] The teeth 25 of the internal rows 50 are preferably conical.

[0073] The first rows of teeth 12 can, as illustrated in FIG. 5, be at different distances from one another. The internal row of teeth 12b is notably at different distances from the external first rows of teeth 12a and 12c. It is oriented in the same direction as one of the two external first rows 12a and 12c.

[0074] The teeth 25 of the first rows of teeth 12 and of the external rows 40 can be spaced apart by a distance q of between 0.2 mm and 5 mm, better still between 0.2 mm and 2 mm.

[0075] Preferably, the teeth 15 of the same rank in the adjacent first rows 12 are offset with respect to the others, notably by a distance q/2.

[0076] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the teeth 15 of the first rows of teeth 12 preferably all have the same length L.sub.1 of between 5 mm and 30 mm, better still between 10 mm and 15 mm.

[0077] As illustrated, the applicator can comprise elements 60 for retaining the cosmetic product on the first face 10, said elements 60 being disposed longitudinally between the teeth 15 of the outermost first rows 12a and 12c. The applicator can comprise elements 65 for retaining the cosmetic product on the first face 10, said elements 65 being disposed laterally between the first and last teeth 15 of the outermost first rows 12a and 12c. The retaining elements 60 and 65 are preferably in the form of walls that are concave toward the outside, are disposed in the spaces 62 between the teeth 15 and connect two adjacent teeth 15 together. The retaining elements 60 and 65 define a space of closed contour on the first application face 10, in which the cosmetic product can be accommodated.

[0078] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the maximum height h of the retaining elements 60 and 65 can be less than or equal to 0.5 times the length L.sub.1 of the teeth 15, better still less than or equal to 0.3 times the length L.sub.1 of the teeth 15.

[0079] Preferably, the second application face 20 and the second rows of teeth 22 are symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal plane M passing through the axis Q and perpendicular to the second face 20. In the variant illustrated, the second application face comprises, from the outside toward the plane M: [0080] two external rows 40, [0081] two identical internal rows 50a, [0082] two identical internal rows 50b, and [0083] a central internal row 50c.

[0084] Preferably, the two rows 22 of teeth are also symmetrical with respect to a transverse plane N perpendicular to the plane M.

[0085] The internal rows 50 can be spaced apart from the external rows 40 by a distance d of between 0.3 mm and 15 mm, better still between 1 mm and 5 mm, defined between the longitudinal axes of the external rows 40.

[0086] The teeth 25 of the internal rows 50 can have diameters that are different or the same in cross section. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the teeth 25 of the central internal row 50c all have the same diameter.

[0087] The teeth 25 of the internal rows 50 are preferably disposed in staggered rows with respect to one another.

[0088] The internal rows 50 can be spaced apart by a distance r of between 1 mm and 6 mm, defined between the longitudinal axes of the adjacent internal rows 50.

[0089] The teeth 25 of each internal row 50 can be spaced apart by a distance s of between 1 mm and 6 mm.

[0090] The first and second teeth 52 and 54 of the central internal row 50c and the internal rows 50b which are adjacent to the latter can be aligned along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the second application face 20.

[0091] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the teeth 25 of the second rows 22 can have different heights, notably the teeth of the external rows 40 are the longest and are all the same height. The first and the last teeth 25 in each row are the longest teeth 25 in said row. The greatest length L.sub.2 of the teeth 25 of the second rows may be between 2 mm and 30 mm, better still between 5 mm and 15 mm.

[0092] Preferably, the ratio of the lengths L.sub.2/L.sub.1 is between 0.5 and 1.5, better still between 0.8 and 1.

[0093] The handle 5 of the applicator 2 can extend, as illustrated in the figures, substantially along the axis P of the first application face 10. The handle 5 can comprise an upper part 70 in continuation of the first face 10.

[0094] The handle 5 preferably has reinforcements 80 for improving the strength of the applicator and making the hand movements more precise. The thickness e of the reinforcements 80 can be between 0.1 mm and 5 mm.

[0095] The reinforcements 80 can extend over the entire upper part 70 of the handle 5 and at least partially over the lower part 75 and be inclined relative to the axis P at an angle α of between 0° and 179°.

[0096] The body of the applicator 8 can comprise reliefs 90, illustrated in FIG. 7, that represent a pattern.

[0097] Preferably, the handle 5 narrows toward its end 85. This narrowing makes it possible to part the hair.

[0098] In a variant, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the end 85 of the handle 5 forms a point 92 that makes it possible notably to separate the hair.

[0099] In variants that are not illustrated, the first and/or the second application face may be curved, notably concave or convex toward the outside. The longitudinal rows of teeth may have a non-rectilinear longitudinal axis, notably one that is slightly curved.

[0100] The invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments which have just been described, the characteristics of which may be combined with one another as parts of variants which are not illustrated.

[0101] The first application face can comprise more than three first rows of teeth.

[0102] The second application face can comprise an even number of second rows of teeth, the second rows of teeth not comprising central rows of teeth.

[0103] The handle can be in continuation of the second application face.

[0104] The expression “comprising a” should be understood as being synonymous with “comprising at least one”.