Abstract
The method for manufacturing a makeup brush includes: molding a ferrule and welding bristles to the ferrule. The ferrule includes a ferrule inner end; a ferrule outer end; a ferrule body; an interior; and a well. The well has a well base parallel to the ferrule outer end. The well base has an inner side and an outer side. The step of welding the bristles includes the steps of disposing the bristles in contact with the outer side of the well base and exposing the inner side of the well base to welding.
Claims
1. A makeup brush comprising: a handle with a ferrule end and a holding end; a ferrule comprising: a ferrule inner end connectable to said ferrule end of said handle; a ferrule outer end; an interior; a ferrule body with a ferrule length extending between said inner and outer ends and around said interior; and a well disposed at said ferrule outer end, wherein said well comprises a well base parallel to said ferrule outer end, wherein said well base comprises an inner side that faces toward said interior of said ferrule body and an outer side that faces away from said interior of said ferrule; and a plurality of bristles, wherein: each of said bristles comprises a bristle outer tip, a bristle inner tip, and a bristle length extending between said bristle outer and inner tips; said bristles extend out of said ferrule; and said inner tips of said bristles are integrally attached to said outer side of said well base of said ferrule; wherein: said ferrule inner end of said ferrule is releasably connected to said ferrule end of said handle; said ferrule comprises a ferrule snapping feature that releasably mates with a handle snapping feature disposed on said handle; said ferrule snapping feature is one of an indentation in or a protrusion from said ferrule body and said handle snapping feature is an other of a protrusion from or an indentation in said handle, wherein said indentation and said protrusion are releasably snapped with one another; said ferrule further comprises a ferrule disc disposed within said interior of said ferrule body parallel to said well base, wherein said ferrule disc comprises at least one ferrule disc guiding feature; said handle further comprises a handle disc disposed on said ferrule end of said handle, wherein said handle disc comprises at least one handle disc guiding feature; and said at least one ferrule disc guiding feature and said at least one handle disc guiding feature are sized and dimensioned to mate so as to guide said handle and said ferrule into proper alignment for connection.
2. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one ferrule disc guiding feature is at least one ferrule alignment tab protruding from said ferrule disc into said interior of said ferrule body toward said ferrule inner end and said at least one handle disc guiding feature is at least one handle alignment slot disposed through said handle disc, wherein said at least one ferrule alignment tab is sized and dimensioned to mate with said at least one handle alignment slot.
3. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one ferrule alignment tab is two ferrule alignment tabs of different sizes and said at least one handle alignment slot is two handle alignment slots of different sizes.
4. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one ferrule disc guiding feature is at least one ferrule alignment slot disposed through said ferrule disc and said at least one handle disc guiding feature is at least one handle alignment tab protruding from said handle disc away from said ferrule end of said handle, wherein said at least one ferrule alignment slot is sized and dimensioned to mate with said at least one handle alignment tab.
5. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one ferrule alignment slot is two ferrule alignment slots of different sizes and said at least one handle alignment tab is two handle alignment tabs of different sizes.
6. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferrule disc is integral to said ferrule within said interior of said ferrule.
7. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferrule disc is attached to said ferrule within said interior of said ferrule.
8. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle disc is integral to said ferrule end of said handle.
9. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle disc is glued to said ferrule end of said handle.
10. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle disc is welded to said ferrule end of said handle.
11. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said handle further comprises a barrel space disposed behind said ferrule end extending into said ferrule body; said barrel space comprises an inward-facing barrel wall; said barrel wall comprises at least one barrel guide; said handle disc comprises a disc perimeter; said disc perimeter comprises at least one disc guide; and said at least one barrel guide and said at least one disc guide are sized and dimensioned to mate such that said disc perimeter fits snugly within said barrel wall.
12. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one barrel guide is a protrusion extending inward from said barrel wall and said at least one disc guide is an indentation extending into said disc perimeter.
13. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said integral attachment of said inner tips of said bristles to said outer side of said well base of said ferrule is glue.
14. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said integral attachment of said inner tips of said bristles to said outer side of said well base of said ferrule is achieved through welding.
15. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a brush length extending between said ferrule outer end of said ferrule and said holding end of said handle, wherein said ferrule has a ferrule length and said ferrule length is less than or equal to 25% of said brush length.
16. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 15, wherein said ferrule length is less than or equal to 20% of said brush length.
17. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferrule inner end of said ferrule comprises a flat base.
18. A makeup brush comprising: a handle with a ferrule end and a holding end; a ferrule comprising: a ferrule inner end connectable to the ferrule end of the handle; a ferrule outer end; an interior; a ferrule body with a ferrule length extending between the inner and outer ends and around the interior; and a plurality of bristles, wherein: each of the bristles comprises a bristle outer tip, a bristle inner tip, and a bristle length extending between the bristle outer and inner tips; and the bristles extend out of the ferrule outer end of the ferrule;; wherein: the handle is substantially circular in cross section and tapers in diameter along at least a portion a length extending from the ferrule end to the holding end; the handle comprises a narrow portion at the ferrule end that is narrower in diameter than an immediately adjacent portion; the ferrule inner end of the ferrule is releasably connected to the ferrule end of the handle; the ferrule comprises a ferrule snapping feature configured to releasably mate with a handle snapping feature provided on the handle; and the ferrule snapping feature comprises an indentation in the ferrule and the handle snapping feature comprises a protrusion from the handle, wherein the indentation and the protrusion are configured to be releasably snapped with one another.
19. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 18, wherein the handle comprises at least two protrusions on the narrow portion of the handle.
20. The makeup brush as claimed in claim 18, wherein the handle comprises a protrusion extending around the narrow portion of the handle.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a makeup brush of the present invention.
(2) FIG. 2A is a side cutaway diagram of a ferrule of a makeup brush of the present invention.
(3) FIGS. 2B-2F are blown up views of several embodiments of connecting means on the ferrule shown in FIG. 2A.
(4) FIG. 3A is a partial side view of a handle of a makeup brush of the present invention.
(5) FIGS. 3B-3F are blown up views of several embodiments of connecting means on the handle shown in FIG. 3A, where the handle connecting means shown in FIGS. 3A-3F are releasably mateable with the ferrule connecting means shown in FIGS. 2A-2F, respectively.
(6) FIGS. 4A and 4B are side cutaway diagrams illustrating different ways that the ferrule and handle may fit together.
(7) FIGS. 5A and 5B are side views of the ferrule showing a well disposed within the ferrule interior and a well flush with the ferrule outer end, respectively.
(8) FIGS. 6A and 6B are top down views of the ferrule with circular and elliptical ferrule outer ends, respectively.
(9) FIGS. 7A-7C are various views of one embodiment of the makeup brush of the present invention.
(10) FIGS. 8A-8C are various views of a second embodiment of the makeup brush of the present invention.
(11) FIGS. 9A-9C are various views of a third embodiment of the makeup brush of the present invention.
(12) FIGS. 10A-10C are various views of a fourth embodiment of the makeup brush of the present invention.
(13) FIG. 11 is a flow chart identifying the steps of the method of the present invention.
(14) FIG. 12A is one side view of a disc of the present invention with an alignment tab.
(15) FIG. 12B is an alternate side view of a disc of the present invention with two alignment tabs.
(16) FIG. 12C is a top down view of a disc of the present invention with two different sized alignment tabs.
(17) FIG. 13A is a side cutaway view of a disc of the present invention with depth and an alignment slot.
(18) FIG. 13B is an alternate side cutaway view of a disc of the present invention with depth and two alignment slots.
(19) FIG. 13C is a top down view of a disc of the present invention with depth and two different sized alignment slots.
(20) FIG. 13D is a side view of an alternate disc of the present invention with an alignment slot.
(21) FIG. 13E is a side view of an alternate disc of the present invention with two alignment slots.
(22) FIG. 14A is a side cutaway view of an alternate version of a handle of the present invention, as compared with FIG. 3A.
(23) FIG. 14B is a top down view of the alternate version of the handle shown in FIG. 14A.
(24) FIG. 14C is a top down view of a handle disc that is mateable with the handle shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B.
(25) FIG. 15A is a side view of an embodiment of the handle of the present invention.
(26) FIG. 15B is a top down view of the embodiment of the handle as shown in FIG. 15A, along the view of the arrow.
(27) FIG. 15C is a side cutaway view of the embodiment of the handle as shown in FIG. 15B, along the dashed line.
(28) FIG. 16A is a side view of a makeup brush of the present invention with the handle and the ferrule separated.
(29) FIG. 16B is a side view of an alternate version of the makeup brush of the present invention with the handle and the ferrule separated.
(30) FIG. 17 is a side view of a ferrule of the present invention with a ferrule inner end that includes a flat base.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(31) Referring first to FIG. 1, a side view of a makeup brush 10 of the present invention is provided. Makeup brush 10 includes handle 12 and ferrule 18. Handle 12 has ferrule end 14, where handle 12 connects to ferrule 18, and holding end 16, where a user will hold handle 12. Handle 12 preferably tapers 62 from ferrule end 14 to holding end 16 so that ferrule end 14 is wider than holding end 16. It is understood, however, that handle 12 may be uniform in width. Handle 12 may include cap 74 that covers ferrule end 14. Ferrule 18 includes ferrule inner end 20, which connects with ferrule end 14 of handle 12, and ferrule outer end 22, which faces away from handle 12. Ferrule 18 also includes ferrule body 24. Although shown more clearly in FIG. 2A, it is understood that ferrule body 24 has an interior 68 and well 28. Bristles 38 with bristle outer tips 40 extend from ferrule outer end 22. Throughout these FIGS., the discussion focuses on handle 12 and ferrule 18 being separate pieces that may be releasably connected. It is understood, however, that in some embodiments, handle 12 and ferrule 18 are a single, permanently integrated makeup brush 10.
(32) Now referring to FIG. 2A, a side cutaway diagram of ferrule 18 is provided. Ferrule outer end 22 has diameter 58. Ferrule inner end 20 has diameter 60. As shown, and as preferred, diameter 58 of ferrule outer end 22 is less than diameter 60 of ferrule inner end 20. Ferrule 18 has ferrule length 26, extending between ferrule inner end 20 and ferrule outer end 22. Brush length 334 (shown in FIG. 8A) is the length of makeup brush 10 as measured from ferrule outer end 22 of ferrule 18 to holding end 16 of handle 12, when ferrule 18 and handle 12 are united. In most embodiments of makeup brush 10 of the present invention, the ratio of ferrule length 26 to brush length 334 is less than or equal to 1:5 or 20%. In some embodiments of makeup brush 10, the ratio is significantly less than 20%. As shown in FIG. 10A, for example, the ratio is approximately 1:6 or 17%. Some makeup brushes 10 have a slightly higher ratio of 1:4 or 25%.
(33) As mentioned above, in some embodiments, makeup brush 10 is an integrated brush where handle 12 is a single piece extending between holding end 16 and ferrule outer end 22 and not detachable. In such embodiments, ferrule 18 may include only well 28 with well sides 36 and bristles 38 extending out from well base 30, where 18 bristles 38 may be dropped into ferrule outer end 22 and secured thereto. This limited ferrule 18 is preferably formed by the method 100 of the present invention.
(34) Ferrule 18 is preferably made of recyclable material 70, such as PBT 72. In this view, we see well 28. Well 28 is disposed parallel to ferrule outer end 22. In the embodiment shown, well 28 extends into interior 68 of ferrule 18 and includes well sides 36 connecting ferrule outer end 22 to well base 30. In other embodiments, such as that shown in FIG. 5B, for example, well 28 is flush with ferrule outer end 22 and does not include well sides 36. Well base 30 includes inner side 32, which faces toward interior 68 of ferrule 18, and outer side 34, which faces away from interior 68. During the method of the present invention, bristle inner tips 42 (shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B) are disposed in contact with outer side 34 of well base 30 and welding is applied to inner side 32 of well base 30. This welding permanently integrates bristles 38 with ferrule 18. It is understood, however, that the bristles 38 may also be glued to well base 30.
(35) Still referring to FIG. 2A, on the right, we see an example of connecting means 46. Connecting means 46 are for connecting handle 12 and ferrule 18. In the preferred embodiment, as shown, the wall of the interior 68 of ferrule 18 includes an indentation 52, which is a ferrule snapping feature 48. Referring also to FIG. 3A, the remainder of the preferred connecting means 46 are shown in a partial side diagram of handle 12, in the form of handle snapping feature 50, which in this embodiment is protrusion 54, which releasably mates with indentation 52. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are several variations on this basic idea of ferrule and handle snapping features 48, 50. We now also refer to FIGS. 2B-2F and 3B-3F, which are exploded views of the sections of FIGS. 2A and 3A that are circled with dashed lines. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3B, ferrule snapping feature 48 may be protrusion 54 (as opposed to indentation 52 shown in FIG. 2B) and handle snapping feature 50 may be indentation 52.
(36) Referring now also to FIGS. 4A and 4B, side views of two versions of makeup brush 10 are shown. In FIG. 4A, ferrule 18 slips into handle 12, where dotted lines show where ferrule inner end 20 will set within handle 12. In FIG. 4B, handle 12 slips into ferrule 18, where dotted lines shown where ferrule end 14 of handle 12 will set within ferrule 18. In FIGS. 2A and 3A (together) and FIG. 4B, ferrule 18 and handle 12 are shown as preferred, where handle 12 will slip into ferrule 18, and, once unified, handle 12 and ferrule 18 will appear fairly flush with one another. As shown in FIG. 4A, however, another embodiment would have ferrule 18 slip into handle 12. In this embodiment, other variations of ferrule and handle snapping features 48, 50 are possible. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2D and 3D, as with FIGS. 2A and 3A, ferrule snapping feature 48 is indentation 52 and handle snapping feature 50 is protrusion 54, but unlike FIGS. 2A and 3A, indentation 52 is on the outside of ferrule 18 and protrusion 54 is on the inside of handle 12. Similarly, as shown in FIGS. 2E and 3E, like FIGS. 2B and 3B, ferrule snapping feature 48 is protrusion 54 and handle snapping feature 50 is indentation 52, but unlike FIGS. 2B and 3B, protrusion 54 is on the outside of ferrule 18 and indentation 52 is on the inside of handle 12.
(37) Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 2C, 2F, 3C, and 3F, coordinating threading 56 may be included on the inside or outside of ferrule 18 and/or handle 12, such that ferrule 18 and handle 12 may be releasably screwed together, whether they are disposed as shown in FIG. 4A or 4B. Although snapping features 48, 50 and threading 56 are illustrated as the preferred connecting means 46, one of at least ordinary skill in the art will recognize that ferrule 18 and handle 12 may be releasably connected in many different manners, and each of these is considered to be within the scope of the present invention.
(38) Now referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, side views of ferrule 18 showing well 28 disposed within ferrule interior 68, and well 28 flush with ferrule outer end 22 are provided, respectively. In FIG. 5A, well 28 has well sides 36 that extend well 28 into interior 68 of ferrule 18. In FIG. 5B, well 28 has no depth and no well sides 36. Instead, well 28 is disposed directly at ferrule outer end 22. In both of FIGS. 5A and 5B, bristles 38 are attached at their bristle inner tips 42 to outer side 34 of well base 30 (shown most clearly in FIG. 2A) and a bristle length 44 extends out therefrom to bristle outer tips 40. Although it is preferred that well 28 include depth, as shown in FIG. 5A, having bristles 38 extend directly out from ferrule outer end 22, may be preferable for certain types of brushes. In such embodiments, practically speaking, well base 30 and ferrule outer end 22 are the same feature, but the details discussed above concerning how bristle inner tips 42 are disposed in contact with the outer side 34 of well base 30 and welding is applied to the inner side 32 of well base 30 are applicable in either of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.
(39) Now referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, top down views of ferrule 18 with circular 64 and elliptical 66 ferrule outer ends 22 are provided, respectively. Ferrule inner end 20 is always the same shape and size as ferrule end 14 of handle 12, so that they may mate, and importantly, so that handle 12 may mate with any ferrule 18. Ferrule outer end 22 has no direct contact with handle 12, however, so it may accommodate different shapes, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. It is understood that ferrule outer ends 22 may be any shape and the round shapes illustrated herein are merely exemplary.
(40) Now referring to FIGS. 7A-10C, various views of various embodiments of makeup brush 10 of the present invention are provided. The handles 12 of each embodiment are similar in length and similar in that they include tapering 62. The main differences are, instead, in the respective ferrules 18, as discussed below. FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate an eye liner brush according to the present invention. Ferrule outer end diameter 58 is less than ferrule inner end diameter 60, and ferrule outer end 22 has circular shape 64. FIGS. 8A-8C illustrate a foundation brush according to the present invention. Ferrule outer end diameter 58 is less than ferrule inner end diameter 60, and ferrule outer end 22 has elliptical shape 66. FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate blush brush according to the present invention. Ferrule outer end diameter 58 is less than ferrule inner end diameter 60, but the difference in the diameters 58, 60 is not as great as the difference illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8C, for example. Also like the makeup brush 10 shown in FIGS. 8A-8C, the blush brush shown in FIGS. 9A-9C has a ferrule outer end 22 with an elliptical shape 66. The minor axis of the elliptical shape 66 shown in FIG. 9B, however, is greater than the minor axis of the elliptical shape 66 shown in FIG. 8B, making the elliptical shape 66 shown in FIG. 9B rounder, or closer to being circular, than that shown in FIG. 8C. FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate a powder brush according to the present invention. In this embodiment, ferrule outer end diameter 58 and ferrule inner end diameter 60 are equal, and ferrule outer end 22 has circular shape 64. The makeup brushes 10 shown in FIGS. 7A-10C illustrate some of the variations possible within the scope of the present invention.
(41) Now referring to FIG. 11, a flow chart of method 100 of the present invention is provided. Method 100 includes molding the ferrule 102 and welding the bristles to the ferrule 106. The first step is molding ferrule 102. This step includes molding all of the required features of ferrule 18, including ferrule inner end 20, ferrule outer end 22, ferrule body 24, ferrule interior 68, ferrule well 28, and connecting means 46, all of which are discussed at length above. Although not all features of ferrule 18 may be listed here, it is understood that all features of ferrule 18 are molded in step 102. It is preferred that the step of molding ferrule is accomplished through injection molding 104. This step 104 is shown as dashed lines from step 102 and in parentheses to indicate that it is not a separate step from step 102, but a preferred manner of accomplishing step 102. In this context, injection molding has its common meaning within the art and analogous arts. That is to say, injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts by injecting molten material into a mold. In the present case, the molten material is preferably PBT or other elastomers or thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, as discussed above.
(42) The second step is welding bristles to the ferrule 106. This step 106 includes the substeps of disposing bristle tips to outer wall 108 and welding inner wall 110. Step 108 includes disposing the bristle inner tips 42 in contact with the outer side 34 of base well 30 (as shown, for example in FIGS. 2A and 5A). Step 110 includes applying welding to the inner wall 32 of base well 30 (shown in FIG. 2A). Step 110 is preferably accomplished through infrared welding 112, ultrasonic welding 114, or laser welding 116. Again steps 112, 114, and 116 are shown as dashed lines from step 110 and in parentheses to indicate that they are examples of accomplishing step 110, rather than separate steps. In this context, infrared welding has its common meaning within the art and analogous arts. That is to say, infrared welding is a non-contact thermal welding technique that heats thermoplastic parts to molten temperatures so that they may be permanently joined together. In this context, ultrasonic welding has its common meaning within the art and analogous arts. That is to say, ultrasonic welding is an industrial technique whereby high-frequency ultrasonic acoustic vibrations are locally applied to workpieces being held together to create a solid-state weld. It is commonly used for plastics, such as the polymers preferred in the current invention and discussed elsewhere herein. In this context, laser welding has its common meaning within the art and analogous arts. That is to say, laser welding or laser beam welding or LBW is a welding technique used to join pieces of metal or thermoplastics through the use of a laser. The laser beam provides a concentrated heat source, allowing for robust welds and high welding rates. Although the welding techniques described herein are preferred, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other welding techniques common in the art may be substituted.
(43) Now referring to FIGS. 12A-12C, various views of a disc with alignment tabs are provided. Although labeled as ferrule disc 80 with ferrule guiding feature 82 that is ferrule alignment tabs 84, it is understood that this could also be a handle disc 88 with handle guiding feature 90 that is handle alignment tabs 92. In FIG. 12A, a side view of ferrule disc 80 is provided and the ferrule guiding feature 82 is ferrule alignment tab 84. This ferrule disc 80 may include only the single ferrule alignment tab 84. Alternatively, FIG. 12B provides an alternate side view of ferrule disc 80 if it included two ferrule alignment tabs 84 and were swiveled 90° from the position shown in FIG. 12A. In FIG. 12C, a top down view of ferrule disc 80 is provided and the ferrule alignment tabs 84 are shown to have different first and second sizes 96, 98. The different sizes 96, 98 ensure that the handle 12 and ferrule 18 may only be connected in one orientation.
(44) Now referring to FIGS. 13A-13E, various views of a disc with alignment slots are provided. Again, although labeled as handle disc 88 with handle guiding feature 90 that is handle alignment slots 94, it is understood that this could also be a ferrule disc 80 with ferrule guiding feature 82 and ferrule alignment slots 86. In FIGS. 13A-13B, handle disc 88 has disc depth 112. In such embodiments, the entire handle alignment slot 94 is molded into the handle disc 88. This is compared with FIGS. 13D-13E that show flat handle disc 88, where handle alignment slot 94 extends all the way through handle disc 88. (It is understood that this flat embodiment of handle disc 88 is not without depth, but its depth is less than disc depth 112, making this handle disc 88 more of a flat disc like a compact disc.) The handle alignment slots 94 shown in FIGS. 13A, 13B, 13D, and 13E are sized and dimensioned to mate with ferrule alignment tabs 84, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. In FIG. 13C, a top down view of handle disc 88 is provided, indicating the different sizes 96, 98 of handle alignment slots 94, similar to the ferrule alignment tabs 84 shown in FIG. 12C.
(45) Now referring to FIG. 14A, an alternate embodiment of handle 12 is provided and may be compared with FIG. 3A. Unlike in FIG. 3A, handle 12 does not include handle cap 74. Also unlike in FIG. 3A, handle 12 includes barrel space 200 behind ferrule end 14 extending a barrel depth 208 into handle body 214, which is the body of the handle 12 between ferrule end 14 and holding end 16. Barrel space 200 has barrel wall 202, which faces inward. It is preferred that barrel wall 202 include at least one barrel guide 204. Barrel guide 204 is preferably a protrusion extending slightly inward from the barrel wall 202, as shown. Now referring to FIG. 14B, a top down view of the handle 12 shown in FIG. 14A is provided, looking down on the handle 12 with ferrule end 14 facing up. In this view, the preferred three barrel guides 204 are shown extending into barrel space 200 from inward-facing barrel wall 202. Now referring to FIG. 14C, a top down view of handle disc 88 that would be attached to handle 12 shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B is provided. Handle disc 88 includes disc guides 206 extending inward from disc perimeter 210. Disc guides 206 are sized and dimensioned to mate with barrel guides 204 so that disc perimeter 210 is held snugly within barrel wall 202. Although handle alignment slots 94 are labeled in handle disc 88, it is understood that these could also be handle alignment tabs 92.
(46) Now referring to FIG. 15A, a side view of a preferred handle 12 is provided. Ferrule end 14 has narrow portion 236 with narrow portion diameter 238 and wide portion 240 with wide portion diameter 242. Narrow portion diameter 238 is less than wide portion diameter 242. Wide portion 240 forms handle lip 218. As shown in FIG. 16A below, ferrule 18 has ferrule lip 216 with ferrule lip diameter 246. Wide portion diameter 242 and ferrule lip diameter 246 are equal so that makeup brush 10 has a smooth, flush appearance and feeling when ferrule 18 and handle 14 are connected.
(47) Now referring to FIG. 15B, a top down view of handle 14 along the arrow in FIG. 15A is provided. It is understood that handle lip 218 is likely visible from this point of view, but has been eliminated in the illustration in order to clarify other features. In this view, we see narrow portion 236 from the top. Narrow portion 236 includes narrow portion wall 230. Protrusion 54 extends out from narrow portion wall 230 only at protrusion section 226, leaving empty section 228 along narrow portion wall 230 where protrusion 54 is not present. At this empty section 228, the narrow portion wall 230 has a thinning 232. The difference in thickness along the narrow portion wall 230 may be exaggerated in this view for illustrative purposes. Now referring to FIG. 15C, a cutaway view of narrow portion 236 along the dotted line shown in FIG. 15B is provided. On the left, narrow portion wall 230 is thicker at the protrusion section 226 from which protrusion 54 extends (again, the variation between the thick narrow portion wall 230 on the left and the thinning 232 on the right may be exaggerated for illustration). On the right, empty section 228 has the thinning 232. It also curves slightly inward along a radius 234. The lack of the protrusion 54 in the empty section 228; the thinning 232 of empty section 228; and the curving slightly inward along a radius 234 of the empty section 228 all aid in making it easier to separate the ferrule 18 and the handle 12 at the empty section 228.
(48) Now referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B, further features for easing the separation are provided. As shown in FIG. 16A, ferrule lip 216 includes cutout 222 with a certain shape 244. Handle lip 218 includes a similar disruption from its solid line with a coordinating filler 224 that is sized and dimensioned to mate with cutout 222. In embodiments that include the empty section 228 and thinning 232, as discussed above, the filler 224 of the handle lip is disposed proximate to the empty section 228 of the narrow portion 236. Although the thinning 232 of the empty section 228 occur on narrow portion 236 of ferrule end 14 of handle 12, and the filler 224 is disposed on the handle lip 218 that is the wide portion 240 of ferrule end 14 of the handle 12, as used herein, to say that the filler 224 is proximate to the empty section 228 is to say that the filler 224 is positioned on the perimeter of the handle lip 218 that is just below the position on the perimeter of the narrow portion 236 that has the thinning 232. Although shown as the words would imply, with cutout 222 being an indentation cutaway from ferrule lip 216 and filler 224 being an added shape that can fill the indentation, it is understood that these designations are arbitrary and the cutout 222 of the ferrule lip 216 may be the added shape that fills the indentation of the filler 224 of the handle lip 218. Cutout 222 and filler 224 guide handle 12 and ferrule 18 into a preferred orientation. Ferrule lip 216 also preferably includes a thumb eyebrow 220 just above the cutout 222. The thumb eyebrow 220 is a small protrusion out from the ferrule lip 216 and preferably follows a shape 244 of the cutout 222. As shown, for example, thumb eyebrow 220 is curved to follow the curved shape 244 of cutout 222. In FIG. 16B, an embodiment is shown that does not include cutout 222 and filler 224, but does include thumb eyebrow 220, which in this embodiment, is flat and parallel with the ferrule lip 216 above which the thumb eyebrow 220 is directly disposed.
(49) Now referring to FIG. 17, a side view of ferrule 18 with ferrule inner end 20 including flat base 288 is provided. Flat base 288 allows ferrule 18 to stand up on its own on a flat surface 300. The inclusion of cutout 222 does not interfere with this capability.
(50) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the description should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.
