MAGNETIC COSMETICS APPLICATOR

Abstract

A cosmetics applicator made of plastic and having a bristle carrier and having bristles integrally bonded therewith as a single part, whereas the bristle carrier being a permanent magnet while the bristles as such are non-magnetic, characterized in that the bristle carrier comprises a core made of a first plastic filled with magnetic particles and forming an interface at least at the outer circumference thereof, said interface being enclosed by a layer of a second, non-magnetic plastic, wherein the first and the second plastic are preferably welded to each other and the second plastic is preferably harder than the first plastic, and wherein the second plastic is integrally connected to the bristles as a single piece.

Claims

1. A cosmetics applicator made of plastic and comprising: a bristle carrier; and a plurality of bristles integrally bonded with the bristle carrier as a single part, wherein the bristle carrier is a permanent magnet while the bristles are non-magnetic, and wherein the bristle carrier comprises a core made of a first plastic filled with magnetic particles and forming an interface at least at an outer circumference of the core, said interface being enclosed by a layer of a second, non-magnetic plastic, wherein the first and the second plastic are welded to each other and the second plastic is harder than the first plastic, and wherein the second plastic is integrally connected to the bristles as a single piece.

2. A cosmetics applicator made of plastic and comprising: a bristle carrier; and a plurality of bristles integrally bonded with the bristle carrier as a single part, wherein the bristle carrier is a permanent magnet while the bristles are substantially non-magnetic, and wherein the bristle carrier comprises a core made of a first plastic filled with magnetic particles, wherein the core has a hollow cylindrical shape and a center of the hollow cylindrical shape is filled or lined with a second or third non-magnetic plastic, wherein said bristles are made of the second or third plastic forming the center of the core and are connected thereto as an integral part, and said bristles pass through the tubular core and an optional coating layer enclosing said core at an outer circumference of the core in a radial direction, and protrude radially outward past the outer circumference.

3. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 1, wherein the core is made of a highly filled plastic comprising a proportion of magnetic particles of at least 70% by weight.

4. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles within the core are aligned and substantially form a magnetic field applied during injecting and prior to hardening of the plastic material.

5. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises a plurality of magnetic north poles and south poles, each made of a group of magnetic particles embedded in the plastic material of the core.

6. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises at least two different pole sections having a large outer diameter and connected to each other by a connecting section having a smaller outer diameter and each connected to a remainder of the applicator at an end face thereof facing away from each other by means of a connecting section having a smaller outer diameter.

7. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises a plurality of anchoring recesses or anchoring protrusions spaced apart from each other on a circumferential surface of the core.

8. A method for producing a cosmetics applicator, comprising injecting a second plastic material to form a tube having bristles integrally connected thereto, and then fully or partially injecting a center of the tube with a first plastic material having magnetic or magnetizable particles added thereto.

9. A method for producing a cosmetics applicator, comprising placing a magnet in a mold cavity, wherein the magnet is made of a first plastic material in which magnetic particles are embedded, and injecting a tube made of a second plastic material and having integrally connected bristles about said magnet.

10. A method for producing a cosmetics applicator, comprising first producing a tube made of a first plastic material in which magnetic particles are embedded, and then fully or partially injecting a center of the tube with a second plastic material having no magnetic or magnetizable particles added thereto and forming bristles penetrating through said tube in a radial direction, wherein the bristles are connected to the plastic material filling or lining the center of the tube.

11. The method according to claim 8, comprising hard-magnetizing the magnetic or magnetizable particles in the first plastic material forming the magnetic core by applying a corresponding external magnetic field only after the applicator has been completely produced.

12. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 2, wherein the core is made of a highly filled plastic comprising a proportion of magnetic particles of at least 70% by weight.

13. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic particles within the core are aligned and substantially form a magnetic field applied during injecting and prior to hardening of the plastic material.

14. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 2, wherein the core comprises a plurality of magnetic north poles and south poles, each made of a group of magnetic particles embedded in the plastic material of the core.

15. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 2, wherein the core comprises at least two different pole sections having a large outer diameter and connected to each other by a connecting section having a smaller outer diameter and each connected to a remainder of the applicator at an end face thereof facing away from each other by means of a connecting section having a smaller outer diameter.

16. The cosmetics applicator according to claim 2, wherein the core comprises a plurality of anchoring recesses or anchoring protrusions spaced apart from each other on a circumferential surface of the core.

17. The method according to claim 9, comprising hard-magnetizing the magnetic or magnetizable particles in the first plastic material forming the magnetic core by applying a corresponding external magnetic field only after the applicator has been completely produced.

18. The method according to claim 10, comprising hard-magnetizing the magnetic or magnetizable particles in the first plastic material forming the magnetic core by applying a corresponding external magnetic field only after the applicator has been completely produced.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a fundamental example of an applicator according to the invention.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows the production process of the applicator shown in FIG. 1.

[0034] FIG. 2a shows the production process according to FIG. 2 after pulling the core and injecting the plastic material comprising magnetic particles.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an applicator according to FIG. 1.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a center longitudinal section of the applicator according to FIG. 3.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows the production process of an alternative applicator wherein the magnetic core 3 is at the outside.

EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0038] FIG. 1 provides a good overview of the invention, showing a general example of the applicator 1 according to the invention.

[0039] As is evident, the applicator 1 comprises a bristle carrier 2. The bristle carrier 2 is made of a magnetic core 3. The magnetic core 3 in turn is made of a first plastic material filled with over 100 hard magnetic particles embedded in said first plastic material. The exterior of the magnetic core 3, preferably also the exposed end face thereof, by a second plastic material 10. The second plastic material is preferably a thermoplastic elastomer, that is, a TPE. Said second plastic material 10 is typically welded or at least laminarly glued to the first plastic material. On this basis, the bristle carrier can be said to be produced as a single part. Chemically compatible plastic materials are ideally used for this purpose.

[0040] The second plastic material 10 typically also forms the bristles 11 integrally as a single piece. This is done as can be seen well in FIG. 1. The bristle carrier 2 further preferably comprises a coupling section 4. The coupling section 4 is ideally produced from the same material as the bristles, cf. FIG. 1. For other applications, it is more favorable if the coupling section 4 is produced from the same material as the magnetic core, cf. FIG. 4.

[0041] As can be seen very well here, the hard magnetic particles embedded in the first plastic material have been magnetized so as to locally implement a plurality of different magnetic south poles and north poles. In this manner, a strong magnetic field can be achieved.

[0042] Various methods are used for producing such an applicator.

[0043] The applicator shown in FIG. 1 is preferably produced, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0044] The second plastic, shown here in heavy lines, is first injected into a corresponding injection mold 5 comprising a central cavity 6 for the bristle carrier and a plurality of cavities 7 emerging therefrom for molding the bristles. A mold core 8 is preferably used thereby and initially keeps the central region of the bristle carrier 2 free of material. In this manner, a typically dense, tubular shape is initially injection molded, from which the bristles extend integrally as a single material.

[0045] The core is then withdrawn, if said core has not remained free in any case even without the use of a mold core, as only a reduced quantity of plastic material has been injected. The cavity remaining in the central region is then injected with the first plastic, said plastic being filled with the magnetic particles 9 and embedding and retaining the magnetic particles, cf. FIG. 2. During injecting, the magnetic particles are preferably still non-magnetized, in order to avoid clumping or irregularities due to the magnetic fields.

[0046] Preferably, the production process is carried out in such a way that the later magnetic particles are mixed in a non-magnetised state with the “supporting” plastic material and then injected into the mould.

[0047] A magnetic field is already applied during or—better—immediately after the injection and before the immobilisation of the magnetic particles by solidification of the plastic carrying them. It is used to align the preferably needle-shaped magnetic particles in the plastic carrying them. The magnetic field is usually adjusted and/or applied at such a late stage that the magnetic particles can align themselves within the plastic material, but are not completely delocalized and separate or agglomerate.

[0048] The magnetic particles are often subsequently exposed to a magnetic field that demagnetizes them completely or essentially completely. This ensures that the applicators can be transported or processed in bulk without hindrance, without being magnetically attached to each other and difficult to separate.

[0049] The applicators are then, usually after further processing or assembly and fastening in the applicator handle, exposed to a magnetic field again. This magnetic field is so strong that it induces the hard magnetic particles to permanent magnetism in the desired form, i.e. with the field line progression determining the application properties.

[0050] The appearance of the applicator in the finished state produced in this manner is shown is FIGS. 3 and 4. The core 3 made of the first plastic and the second plastic 10 of the bristle carrier 2 fully enclosing the same are easily seen here. It is also easily seen, particularly in FIG. 4, that the bristles 11 are integrally connected to the tubular sleeve enclosing the magnetic core 3 and made of the second plastic 10 as a single piece.

[0051] It is noteworthy that the core 3 comprises a plurality of different pole segments 12 here having a large outer diameter. Said pole sections 12 are each connected to each other by means of a connecting section 13 having a smaller outer diameter. It can also be easily seen that each of the pole sections 12 are preferably connected to the remainder of the applicator at the end faces thereof facing away from each other by means of connecting section 13 having a smaller diameter.

[0052] As can be seen, the pole sections 12 and the connecting sections 13 can interact and form circumferential slots also leading to improved positive anchoring of the sleeve made of the second plastic on the core made of the first plastic and comprising the magnetic particles.

Example 2

[0053] FIG. 5 shows an alternative production method for an applicator according to the invention. In this case, a tubular shape 14 is first produced from the first plastic comprising the magnetic particles and serves here as the magnetic core. Said tubular shape can be additionally clad at the outer circumferential surface thereof by a film-like or a tube-like sealing layer 15 made of a second or third plastic. Said tubular shape 14 is then placed in an injection mold 5 having bristle cavities 7 at the outer circumference thereof. A second plastic material is then injected at high pressure into the high central region of the tubular shape 14 from the inside. Wherever the tubular shape 14 does not make full surface contact with the injection mold, but rather crosses the opening region of a bristle cavity 7, the tubular shape 14 is perforated by the second plastic material, said material then entering the bristle cavity 7 on the other side thereof. In this manner, bristles are produced as an integral single piece with the core made of the second plastic.

[0054] The central region indicated by cross-hatching in FIG. 5 can thus be fully injected, or, if using a corresponding mold core, can depict only a tubular cladding.

Further Detail about the Preferred Production Method

[0055] The injection-molded magnets according to the invention are typical composite materials arising from the embedding of hard ferrite or rare earth magnetic powder in thermoplastic plastics. The quantity proportions of the magnetic powder determine the magnetic and mechanical properties.

[0056] Fill levels preferably vary between 84% and 94% magnetic powder (mass percentage).

[0057] Polyamide 6 (PA 6), polyamide 12 (PA 12), and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) are preferably used as the plastic matrix.

[0058] In the production process for the plastic-bonded, injection-molded magnets, the magnetic compound is first produced. To this end, the plastic granulate and the magnetic powder are mixed in a thermal mixer or twin-screw extruder and then extruded and granulated. The next step is the processing of the compound in modified injection molding machines. When injection molding arbitrarily anisotropic magnets, a magnetic field can be additionally applied in the axial, radial, diametric, or multipolar direction during injecting or after the start of hardening while the magnetic particles still have some freedom of motion in the still pliable plastic material, and the preferred direction of the magnetic material can be generated parallel to the specified orientation. Otherwise a magnetic field is applied only after cooling, in order to impart hard magnetic properties, that is, permanent magnetism, to the magnetic particles.

[0059] Plastic-bonded, injection-molded magnets are more elastic in comparison with plastic-bonded, pressed magnets. Due to the high degree of filling, however, said magnets do not fully achieve the mechanical properties of engineering plastics.

General Embodiments

[0060] Protection is also claimed, independently of and/or together with the previously listed claims, for an applicator according to any one or more of the following paragraphs.

[0061] A cosmetics applicator forming an interface at least at the outer circumference thereof, the interface being enclosed by a layer made of a second, non-magnetic plastic, wherein the first and the second plastic are preferably welded to each other and the second plastic is preferably softer respectively more elastic than the first plastic (as such), and the second plastic is integrally connected to the bristles as a single piece.

[0062] The cosmetics applicator according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the core has a hollow cylindrical shape and the center thereof is filled or lined with a second or third non-magnetic plastic.

[0063] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the bristles are made of the second or third plastic forming the center of the magnetic region and connected integrally thereto as a single piece, in that said bristles penetrate the magnetic region and an optional coating layer enclosing the outer circumference thereof.

[0064] A cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, forming an interface at least at the outer circumference thereof, the interface being enclosed by a layer made of a second, non-magnetic plastic, preferably complete or substantially complete, wherein the first and the second plastic are preferably welded to each other and the second plastic is preferably harder than the first plastic, and the second plastic is integrally connected to the bristles as a single piece.

[0065] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the core has a hollow cylindrical shape and the center thereof is filled or lined with a second or third non-magnetic plastic.

[0066] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the bristles are made of the second or third plastic forming the center of the magnetic region and connected integrally thereto as a single piece, in that said bristles penetrate the magnetic region and an optional coating layer enclosing the outer circumference thereof.

[0067] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the bristle carrier comprises a core made of plastic filled with magnetic particles.

[0068] The cosmetic application according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the core is made of a highly filled plastic comprising a proportion of magnetic particles of at least 70% by weight and preferably at least 80% by weight.

[0069] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the core is made of a first plastic and forms an interface at least at the outer circumference thereof, the interface being enclosed by a layer made of a second, non-magnetic plastic, wherein the first and the second plastic are preferably welded to each other.

[0070] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the plastic coating layer is integrally connected to the bristles as a single piece.

[0071] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the core has a hollow cylindrical shape and the center thereof is filled or lined with a second or third non-magnetic plastic.

[0072] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the bristles are made of the second or third plastic forming the center of the magnetic region and connected integrally thereto as a single piece, in that said bristles penetrate the magnetic region and an optional coating layer enclosing the outer circumference thereof.

[0073] The cosmetics applicator according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, characterized in that the magnetic core is made of a plastic material, wherein the magnetic particles are pressed in the plastic rather than injected.

[0074] The cosmetics applicator, optionally according to the preceding paragraphs of the present section, but also uniquely, characterized in that the magnetic core is made of a first plastic material having the magnetic particles and having been injected into the center region of a second plastic while said second plastic material was still liquid or plasticized, said second plastic having been injected into the mold first in the production process, wherein the second plastic material forms the bristles, said bristles being integrally connected to the tube or the sleeve or the film-like sleeve formed by the second plastic material about the first plastic material having the embedded magnetic particles.

[0075] In general it is noted that the term “magnetic particles” should be read preferably throughout as “magnetizable particles,” as ferromagnetic particles are preferably used wherein the hard magnetic property thereof can be imparted by applying an external magnetic field only after the applicator has been produced.

REFERENCE LIST

[0076] 1 Applicator [0077] 2 Bristle carrier [0078] 3 Magnetic core [0079] 4 Coupling section [0080] 5 Injection mold [0081] 6 Central cavity of the injection mold [0082] 7 Bristle cavity of the injection mold [0083] 8 Mold core [0084] 9 Magnetic particle [0085] 10 Second plastic material [0086] 11 Bristle [0087] 12 Pole section [0088] 13 Connecting section [0089] 14 Tubular shape [0090] 15 Sealing layer [0091] L Center longitudinal axis [0092] S South pole [0093] N North pole