Application brush for cosmetic formula

Abstract

An application brush for a cosmetic formula comprising: i) a base having a central axis and including a top surface that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the central axis and a bottom that is spaced apart from the top surface along the central axis; and ii) a bundle of bristles that is mounted on the bottom of the base. Tips of bristles forming the bundle of bristles cooperate to define a virtual plane that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the central axis, and the virtual plane has an oval shape.

Claims

1. An application brush for a cosmetic formula, comprising: a base having a central axis and including a top surface that is perpendicular to the central axis and a bottom that is spaced apart from the top surface along the central axis, wherein the top surface of the base has a hexagonal shape, and the bottom of the base has an oval shape, the top surface lies within a contour line of the bottom when viewed from the direction of the central axis, and the top surface and the bottom are connected to each other by first to sixth side surfaces that are connected in a ring around the central axis; and a bundle of bristles that is mounted on the bottom of the base, wherein tips of bristles forming the bundle of bristles cooperate to define a virtual plane that is perpendicular to the central axis, and the virtual plane has an oval shape.

2. The application brush according to claim 1, wherein the bundle of bristles has the shape of an oval frustum, and an area of a cross section of the oval frustum that is parallel with the virtual plane increases toward the virtual plane.

3. The application brush according to claim 1, wherein the first and fourth side surfaces opposed to each other are positioned to intersect with a major axis of the virtual plane of the bundle of bristles, and the areas of the first and fourth side surfaces are smaller than the areas of the second and fifth side surfaces opposed to each other and than the areas of the third and sixth side surfaces opposed to each other.

4. The application brush according to claim 1, wherein when the application brush is placed on a horizontal surface in such a manner that the first side surface or the fourth side surface is in contact with the horizontal surface, the center of gravity of the application brush lies within a region corresponding to the first side surface or the fourth side surface and above the region.

5. The application brush according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first to sixth side surfaces is provided with a recess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Non-limiting and representative embodiment of the present invention will now be explained in detail below referring to the attached drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an application brush according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a plan view of the application brush shown in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the application brush shown in FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the application brush shown in FIG. 1.

(6) FIG. 5 shows the application brush shown in FIG. 1 placed on a horizontal surface in an inclined position.

(7) FIGS. 6 and 7 show the application brush shown in FIG. 1 held in a hand of a user.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(8) With reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, an application brush according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Without limitation, the application brush described below is intended to be used for applying a cosmetic formula, such as a fluid foundation, to the face of a user.

(9) As can be seen from FIG. 1, the application brush denoted by reference numeral 1 in the drawings includes a base 10 that serves as a grip during use of the application brush and a bundle of bristles 20 fixedly mounted on the base 10.

(10) The base 10 has a central axis X and includes a top surface 100 that is perpendicular to the central axis X and a bottom 110 that is spaced apart from the top surface 100 along the central axis X and positioned in parallel with the top surface 100. The bundle of bristles 20 is mounted on the bottom 110. The base 10 further includes first to sixth side surfaces 120a to 120f, which connect the top surface 100 and the bottom 110 to each other. Although not specifically shown in the drawings, according to this embodiment, the base 10 is composed of an inner part in which the roots of the bristles of the bundle of bristles 20 are implanted and an outer part, referred to also as a cover, that houses the inner part. According to another embodiment, the top surface 100 may be inclined with respect to the central axis X to some extent.

(11) As can be seen from FIG. 2, the top surface 100 of the base 10 has a hexagonal shape, while the bottom 110 of the base 10 has an oval shape. Viewed from the direction of the central axis X, the top surface 100 lies within the contour line P of the bottom 110. Furthermore, the first to sixth side surfaces 120a to 120f extending from the six sides of the top surface 100 are connected in a circle around the central axis X. As a result, the base 10 excluding a part thereof close to the bottom 110 has the shape of a truncated hexagonal pyramid that tapers from the bottom 110 toward the top surface 100.

(12) More specifically, the first and fourth side surfaces 120a and 120d opposed to each other are disposed to intersect with a major axis Y (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of a virtual plane 210 of the bundle of bristles 20 described later. The areas of the first and fourth side surfaces 120a and 120d are smaller than the areas of the second and fifth side surfaces 120b and 120e opposed to each other. Similarly, the areas of the first and fourth side surfaces 120a and 120d are smaller than the areas of the third and sixth side surfaces 120c and 120f opposed to each other.

(13) According to this embodiment, all of the first to sixth side surfaces 120a to 120f have a recess 130. The recess 130 is intended to receive a fingertip of the user. Thus, the base 10 serves as a “finger fitting grip”.

(14) The bundle of bristles 20 is formed by bundling a large number of soft and delicate bristles 200, such as synthetic fibers, with an ultra-high density. The bundle of bristles 20 is mounted on the bottom 110 of the base 10, or more strictly, on the inner part described above in an appropriate manner.

(15) The tips of the bristles 200 forming the bundle of bristles 20 cooperate to define the virtual plane 210 that is perpendicular to the central axis X. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the virtual plane 210 has the shape of an oval having the major axis Y. According to another embodiment, the virtual plane 210 may be inclined with respect to the central axis X to some extent.

(16) As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 as well as FIG. 4, the bundle of bristles 20 has the shape of an oval frustum. The area of a cross section (denoted by S in FIG. 1) of the oval frustum that is parallel with the virtual plane 210 increases toward the virtual plane 210 from the bottom 110 of the base 10. According to another embodiment, the area of the cross section of the bundle of bristles 20 may be constant.

(17) The end regions D of the virtual plane 210 intersecting with the major axis Y of the virtual plane 210, which are crosshatched in FIG. 3, can be used for applying a foundation to a small application target area, such as surroundings of the eyes or the nose, in particular. On the other hand, the remaining central region or the whole of the virtual plane 210 of the bundle of bristles 20 can be used for applying the foundation to a large application target area, such as the cheeks or the chin.

(18) FIG. 5 shows the application brush 1 that is placed on a horizontal surface H, such as a surface of a table, in such a manner that the first side surface 120a is in contact with the horizontal surface H. The application brush 1 is configured so that, in this state, the center of gravity CG thereof lies within a region A corresponding to the first side surface 120a that is in contact with the horizontal surface H and above the region A. Thus, the application brush 1 can stay inclined on the horizontal surface H. The same holds true for the fourth side surface 120d. Since the application brush 1 is configured in this way, when the application brush 1 is cleaned after use, the application brush 1 can be placed on a horizontal surface, such as a surface of a table, in such a manner that the bundle of bristles 20 does not come into contact with the horizontal surface. This facilitates quick drying of the brush 1. In addition, the application brush 1 placed on the horizontal surface in this way can be easily picked up by the user.

(19) Application of a cosmetic formula, such as a fluid foundation, with the application brush 1 described above is performed as described below, for example. To apply the cosmetic formula to a large area, such as the cheeks, the chin, the forehead or the neck of the user, the bristles of the bundle of bristles 20 in the whole or the central region of the virtual plane 210 are used as described above. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the user holds the base 10 of the application brush 1 with all or four, including the thumb, of the fingers of the user, for example. In this way, the cosmetic formula can be uniformly and quickly applied.

(20) On the other hand, to apply the cosmetic formula to a small area, such as surroundings of the eyes or the nose, the bristles of the bundle of bristles 20 in the end regions D of the virtual plane 210 are used as described above. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the user holds the base 10 of the application brush 1 with three of the fingers of the user, the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger, for example. In this way, the cosmetic formula can be precisely and gently applied.

(21) Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes may be made to the above-described embodiments without deviating from the gist and scope of the present invention, and such modifications and changes are included in the scope of the present invention.