Applicator member for cosmetic product applicator, said applicator member being obtained at least partially by moulding at least one thermoplastic elastomer material

Abstract

The present invention relates to an applicator member (8) for a cosmetic product applicator, in particular for applying cosmetic product to keratin fibres, and especially for applying mascara to eyelashes, said applicator member being obtained at least partially by moulding at least one thermoplastic elastomer material, characterized in that said material is a TPS having a tensile strength greater than or equal to 10 MPa, preferably greater than or equal to 15 MPa.

Claims

1. An application member for a cosmetic product applicator, for applying cosmetic product to keratin fibres, and for applying mascara to eyelashes, said applicator member being obtained at least partially by moulding at least one thermoplastic elastomer material, wherein said thermoplastic elastomer material is a thermoplastic styrene having a tensile strength greater than or equal to 10 MPa, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material contains at least 15% by weight of polyolefin filler, wherein the polyolefin filler comprises polyethylene, and wherein the thermoplastic styrene material comprises less than 20% by weight of a filler, the filler being selected from CaC03, aluminium and its mineral compounds, kaolin, and zinc and its mineral compounds.

2. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material has a tensile strength less than or equal to 25 MPa.

3. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material has an elongation at break greater than or equal to 500%.

4. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material has an elongation at break less than 800%.

5. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material has a tear strength greater than or equal to 30 N/mm.

6. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene is an SEBS.

7. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has a hardness greater than or equal to 60 Shore A.

8. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has a hardness less than or equal to 110 Shore A.

9. The application member according to any claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material contains at least 35% by weight of the polyolefin filler.

10. The application member according to claim 9, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material contains at most 70% by weight of polyolefin filler.

11. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material comprises less than 10% by weight of the filler.

12. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the application member includes a core bearing a set of protruding application elements.

13. The application member according to claim 12, wherein at least some of the application elements are made from the thermoplastic styrene material, in one piece with the core.

14. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene has a tensile strength greater than or equal to 15 MPa.

15. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material has an elongation at break greater than 600%.

16. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material has an elongation at break less than 700%.

17. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic styrene material has a tear strength greater than or equal to 60 N/mm.

18. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has a hardness greater than or equal to 85 Shore A.

19. The application member according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has a hardness less than or equal to 100 Shore A.

Description

(1) The present invention will be better understood in light of the following detailed description with reference to the appended drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of an assembly for packaging and applying a cosmetic product comprising an applicator bearing an applicator member moulded from at least one thermoplastic elastomer material according to the present application;

(3) FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic representation of a mascara brush serving as an applicator member in the assembly from FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows photos of the makeup result for the applicator from FIG. 2 made from various materials.

(5) FIG. 1 shows an assembly 1 for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, having an applicator 2 and an associated container 3 containing a product P to be applied to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, for example mascara or a care product.

(6) In a manner known per se, the container 3 has a threaded neck 4 and the applicator 2 has a closure cap 5 designed to be fixed on the neck 4 so as to close the container 3 in a sealed manner when it is not in use. The closure cap 5 also constitutes a gripping member for the applicator 2.

(7) The latter has a stem 7 of longitudinal axis Y, which is attached at its upper end to the closure cap 5 and at its lower end to an applicator member 8. The latter has a core 10 bearing application elements 18, extending from the core 10 and all around this core. The application elements 18 are in the shape of spikes but other application element shapes can of course be envisaged.

(8) As can be seen in FIG. 2, the core 10 is of general cylindrical shape.

(9) The container 3 also has a wiping member 6, inserted into the neck 4. This wiping member 6, which may be of any suitable type, has, in the example in question, a lip designed to wipe the stem 7 and the applicator member 8 when the applicator 2 is withdrawn from the container 3. The lip defines a wiping orifice 6a having a diameter adapted to that of the stem 7. The wiping member 6 may be made of elastomer. The wiping orifice 6a has for example a circular shape.

(10) As illustrated in FIG. 2, the applicator member 8 may have an end piece 9 for fixing it in a corresponding housing in the stem 7.

(11) The applicator member 8 may be fixed in this housing in the stem 7 by any means, and notably by force-fitting, snap-fastening, adhesive bonding, welding, stapling or crimping.

(12) With reference to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the core 10 has a shape that is elongate along a longitudinal axis X, which is rectilinear in the example described. The longitudinal axis X may be central, as illustrated.

(13) In the example illustrated, the application elements 18 each extend from the core 10 along an elongation axis substantially perpendicular to the surface of the core 10, at the point at which the application element 18 is attached to the core 10.

(14) In order to use the device 1, the user unscrews the closure cap 5 and withdraws the applicator member 8 from the container 3.

(15) Once the applicator member 8 has passed through the wiping member 6, a particular quantity of product P remains between the spikes 18, in the grooves in the reinforcing webs 13, and between the rows, the spikes 18 not bending at their base on passing through the wiping member 6, creating reservoirs of product P along the entire length of the core 10 and on all sides, making it possible to load the eyelashes and/or eyebrows with product P in a satisfactory manner.

(16) In accordance with the present application, the applicator member 8 is produced at least partially from a thermoplastic elastomer material from the TPS family, and in particular an SEBS.

(17) More specifically, the applicator member 8 is produced by moulding, in particular according to an injection moulding process, known to a person skilled in the art and described for example in application. US 2015/0020332 A1.

(18) Preferably, all or some of the application elements 18 are integrally moulded with the core 10. Alternatively, it is possible to overmould the application elements onto a central part that forms the core 10.

(19) The thermoplastic elastomer material used has a tensile strength greater than or equal to 10 MPa, preferably greater than or equal to 15 MPa.

(20) Preferentially, the TPS material has a tensile strength less than or equal to 25 MPa.

(21) The TPS material may also have an elongation at break greater than or equal to 500%, preferably greater than or equal to 600%. The elongation at break will preferably be less than 800%, preferably less than 700%.

(22) Additionally, the TPS material may have a tear strength greater than or equal to 30 N/mm, preferably greater than or equal to 60 N/mm.

(23) The TPS material chosen for the production of the applicator member 8 (mascara brush) advantageously has a hardness between 70 and 110 Shore A, preferably between 85 and 100 Shore A, in particular around 90 or 95 Shore A.

(24) The mechanical properties of the TPS material selected may be adjusted in various ways and in particular by the fillers.

(25) Thus, the TPS material contains at least 15% by weight of polyolefin filler, preferably at least 20%, or even at least 35%, or else at least 45%, up to more than 55%, the polyolefin filler preferably comprising polyethylene, or even being constituted of polyethylene.

(26) Preferably, the polyolefin, filler remains below 70% by weight, or even less than 60%.

(27) As indicated previously, the applicant believes that inert mineral fillers, unlike polyolefin fillers, have a negative effect on the desired mechanical properties.

(28) Thus, it is preferable for the TPS material selected to comprise less than 20% by weight of mineral filler, preferably less than 10%, or even less than 1%.

(29) More particularly, the mineral filler could be selected from CaCO.sub.3, aluminium and its compounds, kaolin, and zinc and its compounds. It could in particular be advantageous to select a mineral filler having additional properties, such as bactericidal properties.

(30) Such materials are commercially available from many manufacturers, in particular from Kraiburg or Mitsubishi Chemical.

(31) The table below gives in particular a list of references of available materials that may be suitable for the production of an applicator member 8 according to the present application. Table 1 also presents standard materials currently used and that are not completely satisfactory for the reasons expanded upon above. The latter are presented in italics.

(32) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Tensile Elongation Tear Hardness % mineral % PE strength at break strength Reference Sh A filler filler (MPa) (%) (N/mm) Hytrel Dupont 51 Sh D   0.4 0  TOFI 823 Mitsubishi 90 25  0 -  9.1 530 51 90A W001 minority (angular) amount TF9CGN Kraiburg 88 25  0  5-5.5 400-450 30 TF9 AAE Kraiburg 90 31  37.7 12   500 50 TF9 AAB Kraiburg 95   0.2 49.8 22   650 66 TM9 HET Kraiburg 108  0 59.8 18.5 750   73.5 TF9AAA Kraiburg 83 18.5 700 30 TF8 AAB Kraiburg 75 0 23   18.5 750 27 TF8 THT Kraiburg 77 0 22.8 23.5 600 27 TF8CGN Kraiburg 78 6-6.9 600-660 23 TOFI 823 Mitsubishi 70 20  0 -  5.4 540 29 70A W001 minority (angular) amount TF7 THT Kraiburg 68 2 18.4 15   600   24.5 HTF Kraiburg 53 Sh D 0 62.2 884850 (147 ShA) HTF Kraiburg 58 Sh D 20  64.2 890531 (160 ShA)

(33) The applicator member 8 was moulded from several materials in order to test their performances in makeup terms.

(34) The table below (Table 2) shows the result, evaluated by makeup sensory experts, after around 20 passes of the applicator member per eye with the same mascara formula.

(35) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Material Makeup comparison Hytrel 51 Sh D Reference Hytrel Non-prickly brush, slides, greater responsiveness than TOFI 823 90A. Slow loading, somewhat eyelash by eyelash even though some eyelashes are bonded to a point, not much loading. TOFI 823 90A Reference SEBS W001 Brush that lacks responsiveness, not prickly, slow loading but eyelash by eyelash deployment, softer than the reference Hytrel. TF9CGN Reference SEBS from another supplier Soft brush very similar to TOFI 823 90A. TM9HET Impression of a stiff brush, no increase in deposition, it is applied and what is applied is then removed. Harder than the reference Hytrel. HTF8848 Very prickly and stiff brush, more so than TM9HET and than the Hytrel, it is stiffer. TF9AAB Makeup results very similar to the reference Hytrel with the feeling that the brush is softer even though the spikes prick a little TF9AAE Makeup results very similar to the reference Hytrel. Impression that the brush is slightly less prickly.