Abstract
The present invention relates to an device for applying a flowing or paste-like product to keratin fibers, comprising an elongate central core (1) extending along a longitudinal axis XX, at least one row of elongate bristles (2) comprising a first end (20) embedded on the core and a second, free end (21), the bristles (2) and the core (1) being made in one piece. According to the invention, at least one of bristles has a flattened shape in a plane substantially perpendicular to axis XX, said at least one bristle being defined in a front view by a first ridge (25) that is continuously convex or concave from the base (20) thereof embedded in the core (1) up to the second end (21), and by a second ridge (26) consecutively concave and convex from the base (20) thereof embedded in the core up to the second end (21), the first and second ridges meeting at the free end (21). The bristles have a slit (24) in the body thereof for defining a first (22) and a second (23) side flank arranged opposite one another. Two bristles consecutively rooted along the length of the applicator may form at least one distal opening (30) between one another.
Claims
1. A device for applying a product of fluid or past-like type to keratin fibres, comprising an elongate shaped central core that extends along a longitudinal axis (XX), at least one row of elongate bristles, each of the elongate bristles comprising a first end situated on the elongate shaped central core and a second free end, the elongate bristles and the elongate shaped central core being integral with each other in order to form a single piece, characterised in that at least one of the elongate bristles has a flattened shape in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (XX), said at least one of the elongate bristles being defined in the perpendicular plane by a first ridge continuously convex or concave curvature from the first end to the second free end, wherein the curvature bears on a circle that intersects the longitudinal axis in the perpendicular plane, and by a second ridge having at least two curvatures separated by a point of inflection from the first end to the second free end, the first and second ridges joining at the second free end, and in that said bristles have a slot in their thickness able to define first and second lateral flanks disposed facing each other.
2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that said slot is provided over an entire height of the bristle concerned.
3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the first and second lateral flanks overlap with each other more than 5% according to the perpendicular plane.
4. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that said first or second lateral flanks have in the perpendicular plane a first cutout in the form of a semicircle, the diameter of which corresponds to a part of said second ridge.
5. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the centroid of said first cutout is situated between one tenth and nine tenths of a total height al) of the bristle measured over a direction radial to the longitudinal axis (XX).
6. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the first and second lateral flanks each have a second cutout defined from the second ridge and placed at a different height of the bristle.
7. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the shape and/or arrangement of two adjacent elongate bristles of said at least one row of elongate bristles is able to create at least one distal opening between them.
8. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the elongate bristles comprises at least one protrusion issuing from a bulge and/or from a convexity.
9. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that all of said elongate bristles have dimensions and/or orientations able to create a cylindrical external shape.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
(1) Other features, details and advantages of the invention will emerge from a reading of the following description, with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate;
(2) FIG. 1, a perspective view of the applicator device according to a first embodiment of the invention;
(3) FIG. 1A, an enlarged view of a set of bristles disposed in a proximal zone of the application device;
(4) FIG. 2, a side view, along the thickness, of a bristle;
(5) FIG. 2A, a cross section along AA in FIG. 2;
(6) FIG. 3, a front view of a bristle according to a first embodiment of the invention, showing a first lateral flank;
(7) FIG. 4, a view of the other face of a bristle according to the first embodiment of the invention, showing a second lateral flank;
(8) FIG. 5, a first perspective of a bristle according to the invention, seen from its embedding on the core, in relation to the first embodiment;
(9) FIG. 6, a second perspective of a bristle according to a first embodiment of the invention;
(10) FIG. 7, a side view, along the thickness, of a bristle;
(11) FIG. 7A, a view from below of a bristle according to a second embodiment of the invention;
(12) FIG. 8, a front view of a bristle according to the second embodiment of the invention showing a first lateral flank;
(13) FIG. 9, a view of the other face of a bristle according to the second embodiment of the invention, showing a second lateral flank;
(14) FIG. 10, a perspective view of a bristle, substantially from the side;
(15) FIG. 11, a side view, along the thickness, of a bristle according to a third embodiment of the invention;
(16) FIG. 11A, a cross section of the bristle according to FIG. 11 along BB;
(17) FIG. 11B, a plan view of the bristle of FIG. 11;
(18) FIG. 12, a front view of a bristle according to the third embodiment of the invention, showing a first lateral flank;
(19) FIG. 13, a view of the other face of a bristle according to the third embodiment of the invention, showing a second lateral flank;
(20) FIG. 14, a perspective view from below of the bristle according to the third embodiment of the invention;
(21) FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 relate respectively to a front view of the device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, side and front views of the bristles, and a view in perspective of the second device;
(22) FIG. 18 illustrates bristles according to the fourth embodiment of the invention, provided with a lug;
(23) FIG. 19 is a front view of a fifth embodiment of the invention;
(24) FIG. 20 is a side view of the embodiment in FIG. 19;
(25) FIG. 20A is an enlarged view of the arrangement of the bristles on the device of FIGS. 19 and 20;
(26) FIG. 21 is a front view of a sixth embodiment of the invention;
(27) FIG. 22 is a perspective of the device according to the sixth embodiment of the invention;
(28) FIGS. 23 and 24 are diagrams for displaying in particular the curvature plane carrying the first ridges of the bristles;
(29) FIG. 25 is a front view highlighting one of the features of the invention.
(30) For more clarity, the identical or similar elements are marked by identical reference signs in all the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
(31) FIG. 1 shows a perspective of a device for applying cosmetic product, in particular mascara; this applicator comprises an elongate shaped central core 1 that extends along an axis XX. The cross section of the core 1 may be constant or not over the length thereof; it may be circular, oval, polygonal or other. From the core 1, a set of elongate bristles 2 or positive reliefs are erected. According to a preferred embodiment, the core 1 and the bristles 2 are moulded together. The bristles 2 preferentially extend substantially radially around the core 1 and are disposed in rows parallel to the longitudinal axis XX, although this arrangement is in no way limitative. FIG. 1A shows in more detail the implantation of the bristles 2 on the core 1, an implantation of the embedding type. The bristles are therefore embedded on the core at their base 20, while their second end 21 is free. The bristles are therefore flexible; the flexibility thereof is determined by several parameters, including in particular their size, their shape and their material.
(32) The present invention proposes an advantageous and characteristic shape of the bristles 2, in several embodiments.
(33) The bristles 2 have a flattened shape in a plane that is generally substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XX. Flattened means that the bristles have a dimension along an axis of the trihedron that is appreciably less that the other two. Thus FIG. 2 and the cross section 2A show a bristle in its thickness e, of around 1 mm; FIGS. 3 and 4 show the same bristle, to the same scale, in front view, and it can be seen clearly that the dimensions are several times greater. The height H of this bristle may be 1 mm.
(34) In front view, that is to say from the end of the applicator, the bristle is defined by a first ridge 25 that is continuously convex from the base 20 of the bristle as far as its free end 21. The first ridge corresponds favourably to a portion of a circle. Furthermore, the bristle 2 comprises a second ridge 26 successively concave and convex from the base 20 of the bristle as far as its end 21. The first ridge 25 and the second ridge 26 join at the free end 21. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate this characteristic shape. Furthermore, the bristles have a slot 24 situated at their thickness e so as to define two flanks, themselves flattened. The cross section AA shows clearly the slot 24 that delimits the two flanks 22, 23 in the thickness e of the bristle. It will be noted that the thickness e is here not constant: it is large at the base of the two flanks and smaller at the end of the flanks. A person skilled in the art is able to finely define these dimensions. The two flanks 22, 23 are referred to as lateral flanks in the remainder of this text. They have good flexibility, in particular close to their convex ridge 26 and/or the free end 21. The slot 24 therefore constitutes a space in which the cosmetic product is retained; the volume of product actually retained varies according the pressure exerted on the lateral flanks 22, 23, as will be explained below.
(35) FIG. 5 shows, by means of a perspective view from the embedding 20 of the bristle, the characteristic shape thereof, according to a first embodiment of the invention. The first flank 22 can be seen more precisely therein. FIG. 6 shows more particularly the second flank 23, which has here a shape similar to the first flank. Symmetry along a plane P is therefore provided in this embodiment of the invention. Thus the first and second flanks have here 100% of their respective internal surfaces facing each other.
(36) With regard to the total height H of the bristle 2, the height of the slot 24, that is to say its largest dimension, measured substantially along a radius of the applicator device, corresponds to the total height H of the bristle. Without departing from the scope of the invention, the height of the slot 24 could be less than the total height H of the slot.
(37) FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention that differs from the first through the form of one of the lateral flanks 22 or 23. The first 22 or second 23 flank has here a cutout 27 substantially in the form of a semicircle, the diameter of which corresponds substantially to a part of the second ridge 26 of the bristle. The cutout 27 therefore issues from the second ridge 26 of the bristle; its form is substantially semicircular, but any similar form falls within the scope of the invention. The volume of product enclosed in the slot 24 is less great than in the first embodiment of the invention, but the bristle is more flexible, which may be advantageous. In addition the eyelash C, as shown in FIG. 10, is directly in contact with the surface corresponding to cutout 27 so that it is more easily loaded with product at this level; this constitutes an advantageous feature of the invention.
(38) According to the second embodiment of the invention, the first 22 and second 23 flanks have approximately 50% of their solid surfaces facing each other.
(39) FIGS. 11 to 13 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention according to which each flank 22, 23 has a cutout. More precisely, and as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, the cutout 27 is defined from a second ridge 26. The cutout 27 on one of the flanks is placed at a height H1 while the cutout provided on the other flank is situated at a height H2 different from the height H1. The height H1 or H2 of the cutout may be defined as the difference between the embedding of the bristle on the core and the centroid of this cutout, a distance measured radially to the longitudinal axis XX. This embodiment of the invention allows a greater loading with cosmetic product since the eyelash comes into contact with the cosmetic product present on the internal face of the bristle 2 on both of its flattened faces. In comparison, the embodiment in FIGS. 7 to 10 allows loading via one of the faces of the bristle.
(40) In general terms, the centroid of the cutout 27 is situated between one tenth and nine tenths of the total height H of the bristle, measured in a direction radial to the axis XX.
(41) FIG. 14 illustrates, by a perspective view from the embedding zone of the bristle, a bristle according the third embodiment of the invention.
(42) By way of illustration, the applicator may have a length of between A mm and B mm; the bristles have a height of between C mm and D mm; the thickness e of the bristles is around E mm; the width or third dimension of the bristles may be between F mm and G mm.
(43) Preferentially, the first ridges 25 of the bristles are all oriented in the same direction, facing, as illustrated by FIG. 1A.
(44) FIG. 15 illustrates a device in front view of a fourth embodiment of the invention; bristles 2 can be seen aligned along the length of the device. The bristles each have a first curved ridge 25 and a second ridge 26 successively convex and then concave, from a first embedded end 20 as far as their second free end 21. A slight overlap at the bases 20 of the bristles is made possible by the angular offset between two successive bristles over the length of the device. FIG. 16 specifies the form of the bristles, in space; these bristles, while being flattened, that is to say with a small dimension in a side view, do however have a slight curvature visible on the side view. A relief is thus created, assisting the capture of cosmetic product.
(45) FIG. 17 shows, by a general perspective view, the implantation of the bristles, organised in rows, with a slight offset along the length, allowing the offset of the bases 20 visible in FIG. 15.
(46) FIG. 18 shows various views of bristles, which differ from those shown in FIG. 16 through the additional presence of lugs 29 oriented along their thickness. The lug 29 increases the surface area of capture of cosmetic product, and improves the contact with the eyelashes. Although the geometry of these lugs is more sophisticated than the previous ones, manufacture thereof by moulding is still possible.
(47) FIGS. 19, 20 and 20A illustrate an embodiment where the bristles are aligned over the length of the device, with bristles the first ridge 25 of which is curved in the same direction of curvature in front view. The bristles 2 are grouped in pairs in order to form, in front view, a kind of curved petals, characteristic of the invention. In side view and as can be seen more precisely in FIGS. 20 and 20A, the bristles have a curvature such that two longitudinally juxtaposed bristles form together a loop 30. Such a loop 30 represents a reservoir of cosmetic product, moreover flexible because of the dimensions and shapes envisaged. This aspect corresponds perfectly to the objective of the invention: sponge effect, able to capture a maximum amount of product, to trap it when passing through the wiper, and then to restore it at the time of contact with the eyelashes.
(48) FIGS. 21 and 22 illustrate an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 15 but which differs therefrom through the implantation of the bristles 2 on the core 1: the alignments of bristles 2 (along the longitudinal axis XX) consist of an alternation of bristles, the first ridge 25 of which is curved in one direction and then in the other, with the same curvature. These alignments are more especially visible in FIG. 21; FIG. 22 illustrates the same alignments, in perspective.
(49) FIGS. 23 to 25 emphasise the continuous curvature Co of the first ridge 25 of the bristles. The circle associated with the front view in FIG. 25 clearly marks a curvature in which the first ridge 25 of the bristles fits. In FIG. 24, the bristles are not shown precisely but it is important to see the circle Co on which the first ridges 25 of the bristles bear.
(50) Highly advantageously, the profile of the bristles 2 allows specific wiping and a restoration of the load of cosmetic product
(51) Naturally, other modifications of the invention can be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
