Brush for applying a product to the eyelashes or eyebrows

Abstract

The present invention relates to a brush for applying a product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, that includes a core that extends along a longitudinal axis, and bristles held by the core, the core comprising a bristle-carrying portion with a proximal end, intended to be fixed to a stem, and a distal end, the bristles having free ends defining an envelope surface, the envelope surface having at least one cross section with a not entirely polygonal shape, the envelope surface defining at least one facet which extends longitudinally and is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the core in the direction of the distal end, the facet having a width which increases in the direction towards the distal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core, over at least a portion of the length of the facet.

Claims

1. A brush for applying a product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, comprising: a core, that extends along a longitudinal axis; and bristles held by the core, the core comprising a bristle-carrying portion with a proximal end, intended to be fixed to a stem, and a distal end, the bristles having free ends defining an envelope surface, the envelope surface having at least one cross section having curved and straight portions or with an at least partially circular shape, the envelope surface defining several facets which extend longitudinally and are inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the core in the direction of the distal end, each facet having a width which increases in the direction towards the distal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core, over at least a portion of the length of the facet, each facet being delimited by an edge oriented perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the core at the distal free end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core, and a widest part of each facet being situated at the distal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core.

2. The brush according to claim 1, wherein each facet is delimited by an edge oriented perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem at the distal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core.

3. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the width of each facet decreases in the direction towards the proximal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core.

4. The brush according to claim 1, wherein each facet is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem by an angle α of between 5 and 35 degrees.

5. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the envelope surface has a truncated portion with a cross section that decreases towards the free end of the core.

6. The brush according to claim 5, wherein an angle β of the truncated portion with respect to the longitudinal axis of the core is less than an angle α of the at least one facet with respect to the longitudinal axis.

7. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the envelope surface has at least one cross section of circular shape situated at the proximal end.

8. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the core is curved.

9. The brush according to claim 8, wherein the distal end of the core is situated on the longitudinal axis of a stem to which it is attached.

10. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the several facets extend longitudinally and are each inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem, said facets having a width which increases in the direction towards the distal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core.

11. The brush according to claim 10, wherein the facets are distributed equally about the longitudinal axis of the core.

12. The brush according to claim 1, having at least one cross section of a generally prismatic shape.

13. The brush according claim 1, having a truncated portion near its proximal end, the truncated portion being oriented such that it widens in the direction away from the proximal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core.

14. The brush according to claim 13, wherein each facet is not superposed with the truncated portion.

15. The brush according to claim 1, wherein the core is fixed by its proximal end to a stem.

16. A packaging and application device comprising a container containing a product to be applied and the brush according to claim 1.

17. A brush for applying a product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, comprising: a core, that extends along a longitudinal axis; and bristles held by the core, the core comprising a bristle-carrying portion with a proximal end, intended to be fixed to a stem, and a distal end, the bristles having free ends defining an envelope surface, the envelope surface having at least one cross section having cured and straight portions or with an at least partially circular shape, the envelope surface defining several facets which extend longitudinally and are inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the core in the direction of the distal end, each facet having a width which increases in the direction towards the distal free end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core, over at least a portion of the length of the facet, each facet extending in a plane, a widest part of each facet being situated closer to the distal end than the proximal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core, the facets being not contiguous at their distal end.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(1) The invention may be better understood from reading the following detailed description of non-limiting illustrative embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an example of a packaging and application device according to the invention, in schematic and partial longitudinal section,

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of an example of a brush according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 is a view along the arrow III,

(5) FIGS. 4 and 5 are views, similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, of a blank for the brush from FIGS. 2 and 3,

(6) FIGS. 6 and 7 are views, similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, of an alternative embodiment,

(7) FIGS. 8 to 11 are views, similar to FIGS. 2 to 5, of an alternative embodiment,

(8) FIGS. 12 and 13 are views, similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, of an alternative embodiment,

(9) FIGS. 14 to 17 are views, similar to FIGS. 2 to 5, of an alternative embodiment,

(10) FIG. 14A is a view of the brush along the arrow A in FIGS. 14 and 15,

(11) FIG. 18 is a view, similar to FIG. 2, of an alternative brush according to the invention.

(12) In the rest of the description, identical elements or elements having identical functions bear the same reference sign. Their description is not repeated for each of the figures, only the main differences between the embodiments being mentioned.

(13) The packaging and application device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a container 2 containing a product P to be applied to the eyelashes or eyebrows and an applicator 3 which can be fixed removably to the container 2 in the example in question. The product P comprises, for example, one or more pigments, in particular an iron oxide. It is, for example, a mascara.

(14) The applicator 3 has a stem 5 of longitudinal axis Y, which stem is provided at a distal end 5a with a brush 10 according to the invention and is provided at the other end with a gripping member 11, which likewise forms a cap for closing the container 2 in a sealed manner. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 1, the latter comprises a body 13 which is provided at the top with a threaded neck 14 onto which the gripping member 11 can be screwed in order to close the container 2 in a sealed manner. In a variant, the applicator can be fixed to the container in some other way.

(15) The neck 14 may accommodate, as illustrated, a wiping member 20 which is, for example, inserted into the neck 14. This wiping member 20 comprises a lip 26 that defines a wiping orifice having a diameter adapted to that of the stem 5.

(16) The brush 10 can be fixed, in a conventional manner, in a seat provided at the distal end 5a of the stem 5, which is advantageously made of a thermoplastic material. The brush 10 has a twisted metal core 40 having a portion 43 carrying bristles 41. The core is fixed at a proximal end 40a in the corresponding seat of the stem 5 by a portion that does not have bristles, it being possible for said portion to have a length of the order of 8 mm. The bristle-carrying portion 43 of the core has a free end 40b.

(17) As is illustrated in FIG. 2, the free ends of the bristles 41 define an envelope surface S of the brush 10. As is illustrated in FIG. 2, the bristles 41 extend along a length L of the core of preferably between 25 mm and 35 mm, for example equal to 30 mm.

(18) The core 40 is formed conventionally by two arms of a metal wire folded in a U-shape, the bristles 41 being held between the turns of the core 40. The diameter of the metal wire is, for example, between 0.1 and 1 mm. The diameter of the bristles is, for example, between 0.06 and 0.35 mm.

(19) The envelope surface S has at least one cross section of circular shape. In the example described, this circular cross section is situated near the proximal end 40a.

(20) Moreover, as is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the envelope surface S has three facets 45 extending longitudinally and being inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the core 40. In the example described, the facets 45 are plane and each extend in a plane P forming an angle α with the longitudinal axis X of the core. Each facet has a directrix D which is rectilinear and inclined by said angle α with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the stem. The angle α is, for example, between 5° and 35°.

(21) The three facets are preferably distributed equally about the longitudinal axis X of the core, as illustrated. Each facet 45 extends along a length L.sub.2 which corresponds to approximately 90% of the length L of the bristle-carrying portion 43 of the core.

(22) The facets 45 have a width l which increases in the direction towards the distal end 40b of the bristle-carrying portion 43 of the core.

(23) The width l of each facet can increase along the entire length L.sub.2 of the facet, measured along the longitudinal axis X of the core, or along only a portion thereof. The width l of the facet can increase and then decrease, then increase again, or else decrease and then increase, in the direction towards the distal end of the bristle-carrying portion of the core.

(24) In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the width l of the facet decreases in the direction towards the proximal end 40a of the bristle-carrying portion of the core, along the entire length L.sub.2 of the facet 45. In addition, the width reaches its maximum at the distal end 40b.

(25) The facets 45 is thus delimited in part by an edge 50 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the core and situated at the distal end 40b. In the example described, the facets are not contiguous at their distal end. The cross section of the brush is of substantially triangular shape at the distal end of the brush.

(26) The envelope surface S has a truncated portion 49 with a cross section that decreases in the direction towards the free end 40b of the core. The angle β of the cone with respect to the longitudinal axis X can have a value of the order of 15°. This angle β is less than the angle α of the facet 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis X. The cross section of the brush is of circular shape at the proximal end of the brush.

(27) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a brush blank in which the aforementioned truncated portion 49 is produced before the formation of the facets 45. It will thus be seen that the envelope surface S, apart from the facets 45, has substantially the shape of a cylinder of revolution. The maximum radius R of the envelope surface S, corresponding to the radius of the smallest cylinder of revolution in which the brush is inscribed, is between 3 mm and 6 mm, for example 4.5 mm.

(28) In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the core 40 is rectilinear. It extends in the continuation of the longitudinal axis Y of the stem to which it is attached.

(29) In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the core is curved. It is curved in a plane Q which, in the example described, is a plane containing the longitudinal axis X and perpendicular to one of the facets. This plane Q is a plane of symmetry for the brush. The brush is curved along the entire length of the portion 43, and the distal end 40b of the core is situated on the longitudinal axis X and also on the longitudinal axis Y of the stem.

(30) The alternative embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 12 differ from those illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 7 in terms of the presence of a truncated portion 55 near the proximal end 40a of the bristle-carrying portion 43. This truncated portion widens in the direction away from the proximal end 40a.

(31) The facet 45 stops a little before or at the same level as the truncated portion, near the proximal end.

(32) The alternative embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 14 to 18 differ from the preceding ones in terms of the presence of two diametrically opposite facets 45, and one facet 60 situated at 45° from the facets 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis X. The facet 60 does not have a width increasing in the direction towards the distal end 40b of the bristle-carrying portion 43 of the core. On the contrary, the width of the facet 60 decreases in the direction towards the distal end 40b of the bristle-carrying portion of the core. The cross section of the distal end 40b is flattened on one side at least on account of the facet 45.

(33) Generally, the envelope surface can comprise a different number of facets, and it is possible for the latter not to be identical to one another and/or not to be distributed evenly around the core 40.

(34) In addition, the brush in FIGS. 14 to 15 has a general shape which, apart from the facets 45 and 60, has a convex profile. It will be seen that the blank for this brush has an ogival shape before the formation of the facets, which is illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17.

(35) The ends 52 of the envelope surface S can be chamfered. This can make it easier for the brush 3 to pass through the wiping member 20. The chamfer at the distal end and the chamfer at the proximal end can be different. The chamfer at the distal end can in particular be less inclined than that at the proximal end.

(36) 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.

(37) The expression “comprising a” is to be understood as being synonymous with “comprising at least one”.