Applicator for applying a cosmetic product to keratinous materials

Abstract

An applicator (3) for applying a cosmetic product to human keratinous materials, comprises a stem (4) and an applicator member (6) fixed to the stem (4), the applicator member (6) comprising a body comprising a first and a second branch each extending away from the stem obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem and diverging outward from one another and being connected by a third branch at their end, this third branch extending obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of the stem (4), the first, second and third branches between them forming a cavity (28).

Claims

1. An application device for applying a cosmetic product to human keratinous materials, comprising: a container containing a product to be applied, an applicator, comprising: a stem, and a molded applicator member fixed to the stem and able to be dipped into the container, the applicator member comprising: an end piece for fixing to the stem and an applicator head comprising a first and a second branch extending from one end of the endpiece, each first and second branch extending away from the stem obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem and diverging outward from one another and being connected by a third branch at their end, this third branch extending obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem, the first, second and third branches between them forming a cavity, the angle formed by the first branch with the longitudinal axis of the stem differing from the angle formed by the second branch with the longitudinal axis of the stem.

2. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second branch each have a width that decreases toward the third branch.

3. The applicator as claimed claim 1, wherein the first and the second branch each have a thickness that decreases toward their distal end.

4. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, the first, second and third branches being flexible.

5. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body has a maximum width K.sub.max greater than the diameter of the stem.

6. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third branch forms an angle α of between 1° and 890, with the longitudinal axis of the stem.

7. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third branch defines a substantially planar application surface.

8. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity is of triangular shape.

9. The applicator as claimed in claim 8, wherein an obtuse angle δ of the cavity is between 90° and 150°.

10. The applicator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cavity has three sides of different sizes.

11. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corners of the cavity when the cavity is viewed face-on, are rounded.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container comprising a wiping member is designed to wipe the stem and the applicator member, the applicator member becoming deformed as it passes through the wiping member.

13. A method for applying makeup to an eyelid, comprising: drawing a line of cosmetic product on the skin using the applicator as claimed in claim 1.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the line obtained by applying the third branch to the skin while moving the applicator member parallel to the third branch is a fine line, and the line obtained by applying the third branch to the skin while moving the applicator member (6) perpendicular to the third branch is a thick line.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator member is produced in such a way that the third branch moves closer to the first or the second branch as the applicator member passes through the wiping member.

16. An applicator for applying a cosmetic product to human keratinous materials, comprising: a stem and an applicator member fixed to the stem, the applicator member comprising a body comprising a first and a second branch each extending away from the stem obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem and diverging outward from one another and being connected by a third branch at their end, this third branch extending obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem, the first, second and third branches between them forming a cavity, the first and the second branch each having a width and/or thickness that decreases toward the third branch.

17. The applicator as claimed in claim 16, wherein the angle formed by the first branch with the longitudinal axis of the stem is different from the angle formed by the second branch with the longitudinal axis of the stem.

18. A device for applying eyeliner, comprising: a reservoir containing a cosmetic product to be applied, and an applicator as claimed in claim 16.

Description

(1) Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting illustrative embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic and partial view, in longitudinal section, of an example of a packaging and application device produced in accordance with the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the application member of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 is a face-on view on III of FIG. 2,

(5) FIG. 4 is a view on IV of FIGS. 2 and 3,

(6) FIG. 5 is a view on V of FIGS. 2 to 4,

(7) FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate alternative ways of applying eyeliner to the eyelid,

(8) FIG. 8 is perspective view of an alternative form of applicator member, and

(9) FIG. 9 is a view on IX of FIG. 8.

(10) The packaging and application device 1 depicted in FIG. 1 comprises a container 2 containing a product P to be applied, and an applicator 3 comprising a stem 4 of longitudinal axis X, provided at a first end with a gripping member 5 that also constitutes a cap for sealed closure of the container 2, and at the other end with an applicator member 6.

(11) The product P is an eyeliner in the example described, but it would not constitute a departure from the scope of the present invention if the product P were different, for example a care or makeup product for the lips or for the eyebrows, an eyeshadow or a nail varnish.

(12) In the example illustrated, the longitudinal axis X of the stem 4 is rectilinear, but as an alternative it could be curved.

(13) The container 2 is provided in the upper part with a neck 7 in which a wiping member 8 is engaged.

(14) The gripping member 5 screws onto the neck 7 but could as an alternative be attached in some other way, for example by clipping on.

(15) The wiping member 8 comprises a collar 9 resting against the upper edge face of the neck 7 and able to contribute to ensuring the sealed closure of the container 2, and a wiping lip 10 which in the example considered defines a wiping orifice 11 of circular cross section, of a diameter for example substantially equal to that of the stem 4.

(16) The wiping member 8 may have a wiping lip that may or may not be wavy, may or may not be split, and may or may not be adjustable.

(17) The user may load the applicator member 6 with product P by dipping it into the container 2 and then withdraw it by passing it through the wiping member 8.

(18) In the example illustrated, the applicator member 6 comprises, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 to 5, an end piece 15 for fixing to the stem, extending along a longitudinal axis Y, which corresponds to the longitudinal axis X of the stem 4 when assembled thereto, and a body 20 having a first branch 22 and a second branch 24 extending from one end 15a of the end piece 15 and connected to one another at their distal end by an oblique third branch 26.

(19) The body 20 has a maximum width K.sub.max greater than the width k of the end piece 15. The maximum width K.sub.max is preferably comprised between 1 mm and 8 mm, being here equal to approximately 4.5 mm.

(20) The body 20 has a length L preferably comprised between 5 mm and 15 mm, being here equal to approximately 10 mm.

(21) The first, the second and the third branch 22, 24 and 26 are rectilinear branches. As an alternative, the branches 22, 24 or 26 are curved, notably concave or outwardly convex.

(22) The applicator member 6 in the example considered is molded as a single piece from a flexible material, notably a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

(23) Because of the arrangement of the branches 22, 24 and 26, the applicator member 6 is asymmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis Y.

(24) As can be seen in FIG. 4, the applicator member is preferably symmetric with respect to the plane M defined by the three branches 22, 24 and 26.

(25) The third branch is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis Y. It preferably forms therewith an angle α of between 1° and 89°, better between 20° and 60°, here equal to approximately 45°.

(26) The first branch 22 forms an angle β that is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis Y, preferably of between 1° and 60°, here equal to approximately 30°.

(27) The second branch 24 forms an angle γ that is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis Y, preferably of between 1° and 60°, here equal to approximately 15°.

(28) The angles β and γ of the first and the second branch 22 and 24 are preferably different, notably the angle β of the first branch 22 is larger than the angle γ of the second branch 24. However, their relationship could be different, and in particular, the angles β and γ may be identical.

(29) The first and the second branch 22 and 24 are, in the example considered, of different lengths. As an alternative, the first and the second branch 22 and 24 are of the same length, but make different angles β and γ with the longitudinal axis Y.

(30) The third branch 26 may have a different length from the first and the second branch 22 and 24.

(31) The three branches 22, 24 and 26 between them create a cavity 28.

(32) The junction of, respectively, the first branch 22 and the second branch 24 with the third branch 26 may have a rounded portion 32, 34 respectively, improving comfort of application. The rounding 32 between the first branch 22 and the third branch 26 has a radius greater than that of the rounding 34 between the second branch 24 and the third branch 26. This makes it possible to combine both comfort of application and precision of application, notably by using the distal end formed by the rounded portion 34. In the example illustrated, the cavity 28 passes all the way through and has the shape of a triangle having an obtuse angle δ between the first branch 22 and the third branch 26 and having three sides of different sizes, each side being defined by one of the three branches 22, 24 and 26. The obtuse angle δ may be between 90° and 150°, preferably between 90° and 135°, here being equal to approximately 115°. The corners of the cavity 28 are rounded.

(33) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the first and second branches 22 and 24 each have a thickness that decreases toward their end connected to the third branch 26. The third branch 26 preferably has a constant thickness e of, for example, between 0.2 mm and 2 mm, and notably equal to approximately 0.6 mm.

(34) As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the first, the second and the third branch 22, 24 and 26 may have widths that decrease linearly toward the end of the applicator member 6.

(35) As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, the third branch 26 has a planar surface 30 allowing the cosmetic product to be applied to the skin. The planar surface 30 has a width l that decreases toward the distal end of the applicator. The maximum width l.sub.max of the planar surface 30 is for example between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, here being equal to approximately 1 mm. The planar surface 30 has rounded sides 36 for increased comfort of use and to prevent the edges of the planar surface 30 from removing cosmetic product at the same time as same is being applied.

(36) The length m of the planar surface 30 is, for example, between 1 mm and 10 mm, here being between 5 mm and 6 mm, in particular equal to approximately 5.8 mm.

(37) In the alternative form illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the planar surface 30 has a constant width l between the junctions of the third branch 26 with the first and second branches 22, 24. This width l is for example between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, and preferably between 0.1 mm and 1 mm, in particular between 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm. The length m of the planar surface 30 here is between 4 and 5 mm, in particular equal to approximately 4.5 mm.

(38) As the applicator member 6 is being withdrawn from the container 2, the first and third branches 22 and 26, particularly because of their flexibility, move closer to the second branch 24 and, in particular, the third branch presses against the second branch 24, through elastic deformation under the action of the wiping member 8, then return to their initial shape after they have passed through the wiping member 8.

(39) Such an applicator makes it possible to create lines of different thicknesses. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, it is possible to draw a fine line F having, as its thickness, the dimension l.sub.max of the surface 30 by orienting the plane M parallel to the movement of application to the eyelid. Because of the variable width of the surface 30 it is also possible to form a fine point at the edge of the eye by using the tapered free end of the body of the applicator.

(40) As illustrated in FIG. 7, it is possible to draw a thick line T having, as its maximum thickness, the length m of the surface 30 by orienting the plane M perpendicular to the direction of travel over the skin.

(41) It is also possible to obtain lines of variable thickness, by turning the applicator member 6 during application.

(42) The invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described.

(43) In particular, the cavity may have another shape.

(44) The surface 30 defined by the third branch 26 may bulge outward slightly.