APPLICATOR ASSEMBLY FOR A COSMETIC PRODUCT

Abstract

An applicator assembly for a cosmetic product capable of occupying two positions including an opened position and a closed position is described herein. The applicator assembly includes a bottle without a neck, a wiper intended to scrape the excess cosmetic product from an applicator, and assembly means including at least one positioning means and at least one means for retaining the wiper in position on the bottle, the assembly means being intended to interact, at the proximal end of the bottle, so as to prevent a withdrawal movement of the wiper when the applicator passes into the bottle. As well, the inner surface of the wiper is designed to be in direct contact with the applicator when the applicator assembly passes from an opened position to a closed position and the wiper includes the assembly means.

Claims

1. An applicator assembly for a cosmetic product, said assembly being capable of occupying two positions, an opened position and a closed position, said applicator assembly comprising: a bottle without a neck, said bottle comprising a body intended to contain the cosmetic product, said body extending in a main direction of longitudinal extension, and comprising a first distal end, and an opposite second proximal end in the main direction, and comprising a side wall positioned between the distal end and the proximal end, said side wall having an outer surface and an inner surface, a wiper comprising a wiping hole, said wiper being intended to scrape the excess cosmetic product from an applicator via the wiping hole when the applicator assembly passes from the closed position to the opened position, said wiper having an outer surface and an inner surface, assembly means comprising at least one positioning means and at least one means for retaining said wiper in position on the bottle, said assembly means being intended to interact, at the proximal end of the bottle, so as to prevent a withdrawal movement of the wiper when the applicator passes into the bottle, said inner surface of the wiper being in direct contact with the applicator when the applicator assembly passes from an opened position to a closed position, and said wiper comprising the assembly means.

2. The applicator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means is a flange on the upper part of the wiper intended to interact with the proximal end of the bottle, and wherein the position-retaining means is in the form of at least two fins projecting in the region of the wiping hole, the two fins being intended to be folded over between the outer surface of the wiper and the inner surface of the bottle in order to ensure that the wiper is retained in position in the bottle.

3. The applicator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means is a flange on the upper part of the wiper intended to interact with the proximal end of the bottle, and wherein the position-retaining means has at least one technical shaping projecting on the outer surface of the wiper, this technical shaping being complementary to at least one aperture positioned on the top of the proximal end of the body of the bottle.

4. The applicator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means and the position-retaining means are in the form of a fin that both rests on the upper part of the wiper and comprises a curved end, said curved end being intended to interact with a complementary part provided in the region of the outer surface of the side wall of the body of the bottle.

5. The applicator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly means is a threaded/tapped assembly to allow the wiper to be screwed to the proximal end of the bottle.

6. The applicator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the position-retaining means is in the form of an intermediate part intended to press and wedge the wiper against the inner surface of the side wall of the body of the bottle.

7. The applicator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the body of the bottle is in two parts, said two parts, namely a head and a trunk, being separate parts that are joined together by welding or clipping.

8. The applicator assembly according to claim 7, wherein there is a seal between the two parts.

9. The applicator assembly according to claim 7, wherein the wiper is positioned in the region of the head of the bottle.

10. The applicator assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: an applicator, and a cap, intended to keep the cosmetic product applicator inside the body when the applicator assembly is in the closed position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1a is a longitudinal sectional view through a bottle body known from the prior art, the bottle body comprising a neck,

[0041] FIG. 1b is a longitudinal sectional view through a bottle body according to the invention, the bottle body not comprising a neck,

[0042] FIG. 1c is a longitudinal sectional view through an applicator assembly according to the invention, comprising a wiper as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, supplemented with an applicator and a cap,

[0043] FIG. 2a is a slightly inclined perspective isometric view of a first example of a wiper according to the invention, while FIG. 2b is a longitudinal sectional view through a first embodiment of the applicator assembly according to the invention,

[0044] FIGS. 3a to 9a are slightly inclined perspective isometric views of additional examples of a wiper according to the invention, while FIGS. 3b to 9b are longitudinal sectional views through additional embodiments of the applicator assembly according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0045] As regards the different structures and their reference signs in the drawings, the same reference numeral will be used for each identical structure. However, this reference sign will be preceded by a different multiple of one hundred depending on the embodiment. For example, the applicator assembly is denoted by 100 in FIG. 1b, 200 in FIG. 2b, 300 in FIG. 3b, and so on, and the same applies to all the structures and drawings.

[0046] FIG. 1a shows a bottle F from the prior art. In a general manner, this bottle F includes a body that is intended to contain a cosmetic product. This body extends in a main direction of longitudinal extension X.sub.1 and has a bottom wall at one of its ends, an opening (defined by what is known as a bottle throat) at the opposite end in the main direction, and a side wall positioned between the two ends. The body further includes shoulders E, i.e. a reduction in the dimensions of the in the region of the upper part thereof, so as to make it possible to form a neck G to which a cap (not shown) will be attached using opening and closing means located on the neck G and on the cap. In other words, the upper part of the body of the bottle F from the prior art is provided with a shoulder E that makes it possible to thus reduce the dimensions d.sub.1′ of the opening in the bottle F compared with the dimensions D.sub.1′ of the body and to thus form the neck G (d.sub.1′<D.sub.1′).

[0047] The invention itself relates to an applicator assembly 100 for a cosmetic product P that is capable of occupying two positions, an opened position and a closed position.

[0048] “Opened position” means the position that the applicator assembly occupies when a cap 90 is detached from a body 112 of the bottle 110 without a neck. In contrast, “closed position” means the position that the bottle occupies when the cap 90 is attached to the body 112 of the bottle 110 without a neck.

[0049] The applicator assembly 100 includes a bottle 110 without a neck.

[0050] A bottle 110 “without a neck” means that, by contrast with the standard, above-described bottles from the prior art, the body 112 of the bottle 110 without a neck does not include a shoulder in the region of the upper part, or in other words in the region of its throat Z.sub.c, as shown in FIG. 1b. Taking the specific example of a body 112 and throat 111 of a bottle without a neck that are each cylindrical in the main direction X.sub.3 and have a circular cross section, the diameter d.sub.1 of the throat 111 will have the same dimensions as the diameter D.sub.1 of the body 112 of the bottle 110 (d.sub.1=D.sub.1). In other words, the dimension of the circular cross section of the throat 111 will be constant and not narrowed over the entire upper part of the body 112, also referred to as the throat region Z.sub.c, of the bottle 110 without a neck. The bottle according to the invention advantageously does not include a neck.

[0051] According to the invention, the bottle 110 without a neck includes a body 112 that is generally intended to contain a cosmetic product P. As shown in FIG. 1b, the body 112 of the bottle 110 without a neck extends in a main direction of longitudinal extension, referred to as the main direction and denoted by X.sub.3 in FIG. 1b to 9b (the axis X.sub.2 merges with the axis X.sub.3 when the wiper is positioned so as to be mounted in the body of the bottle). In order to delimit the container (not shown), which, more precisely, contains the cosmetic product P, the body 112 has a bottom wall at a first end, referred to as a distal end 113, an opening (defined by the throat 111 of the bottle 110) at a second opposite end in the main direction, referred to as the proximal end 114, and a side wall 115 positioned between the distal end 113 and the proximal end 114, the side wall 115 having an outer surface 116 and an inner surface 117.

[0052] The body 112 is advantageously a rigid part. “Rigid” means unable to be deformed either by atmospheric pressure or by a force exerted by the fingers of a user. The cross section of the body can be of any shape, in particular polygonal or circular. Preferably, the cross section thereof is circular.

[0053] The body 112 is, for example, based on a plastics material, in particular polypropylene. The body is formed, in particular, by means of injection or injection blow moulding. The body can be decorated, in particular by means of metallisation or by other means.

[0054] Two general regions can be defined on the body 112 of the bottle 110 without a neck: a throat region Z.sub.c or upper part of the body or head, located closer to the proximal end of the body of the bottle, and a bottom region Z.sub.f or lower part of the body or trunk, located closer to the distal end of the body of the bottle. The throat region Z.sub.c generally includes opening and closing means 118 intended to interact with complementary means on a cap so as to open and close the bottle 110 without a neck, as shown in FIG. 1b. In a variant, the opening and closing means 119 on the body 112 of the bottle 110 without a neck may be located in the bottom region Z.sub.f of the bottle or, in other words, at a distance from the throat region Z.sub.c.

[0055] The throat region Z.sub.c and the bottom region Z.sub.f may be formed in one piece from plastics material (see FIGS. 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b and 6b). In a variant, the throat region Z.sub.c and the bottom region Z.sub.f may be formed by separate parts and then joined together by welding or clipping, with a seal being inserted between the two parts (see FIGS. 7b, 8b and 9b).

[0056] As shown in FIG. 1c, the applicator assembly 100 also includes a wiper 120 (shown here by the wiper from the embodiment in FIGS. 2a and 2b) comprising a wiping hole 122, the wiper 120 being intended to scrape the excess cosmetic product P from an applicator 80, via the wiping hole 122, when the bottle passes from the closed position to the opened position. Indeed, in order to prevent the applicator 80 from being overloaded with cosmetic product P, the applicator assembly 100 includes a wiper 120 that is attached to the proximal end 114 of the body 112 and extends towards the inside of the container.

[0057] When the user removes the applicator 80 from the container, the applicator 80 slides through the wiper 120. The wiper, via its wiping hole 122, scrapes excess cosmetic product P from the applicator, i.e. from a rod 82 and an applicator end piece 84 attached thereto. The wiper 120 thus makes it possible to control the amount of product which is present on the applicator end piece 84 and prevents an excessive amount of cosmetic product P from being applied to the application surface.

[0058] The wiper 120 has an outer surface 124 and an inner surface 126. According to the invention, the inner surface of the wiper 120 is designed to be in direct contact with the applicator when the bottle passes from the opened position to the closed position, or vice versa. In other words, the outer surface 124 and inner surface 126 are two faces of the same part, which has a single thickness, this being the thickness of the material that forms the wiper. In other words again, the wiper 120 is a single mechanical part, produced to have just one material thickness.

[0059] Advantageously, the wiper is “flexible”. “Flexible” means that the wiper is relatively malleable and can potentially fold and deform easily, whether this is before it is inserted into the throat region Z.sub.c of the bottle, at the point of insertion or when the applicator is passing therethrough. In contrast, the “rigid” wiper is inserted by force into the throat region Z.sub.c of the bottle such that it can no longer be deformed at all thereafter. Therefore, the present invention provides fewer advantages for the “rigid” wiper, given its nature.

[0060] The applicator assembly 100 also includes assembly means consisting of at least one positioning means and at least one means for retaining the wiper 120 in position on the bottle 110, the assembly means being intended to interact, at the proximal end 114 of the bottle 110, so as to prevent a withdrawal movement of the wiper 120 when the applicator 80 passes into the bottle 110.

[0061] The assembly means, in particular the positioning means and the means for retaining the wiper 120 in position, are integral parts of the wiper 120. In other words, the assembly means are integral with the structure of the wiper itself, and form just one single part with the wiper. In other words again, the assembly means are formed in one piece with the wiper. Again, in other words, the assembly means are not additional and separate parts of the wiper that need to be attached and/or bonded in order to ensure that the wiper is positioned and/or retained in position in the bottle 110 without a neck. Again, in other words, the wiper includes the assembly means. Since the assembly means are directly integrated in the wiper, this reduces the number of parts and the production costs of the applicator assembly.

[0062] The positioning means and the means for retaining the wiper in position may be separate from one another.

[0063] In a first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the positioning means is a flange 230 on the upper part of the wiper 220 intended to interact with the proximal end 214 of the bottle, and the position-retaining means is in the form of at least two fins 232 projecting in the region of the wiping hole 222, the two fins 232 being intended to be folded over between the outer surface 224 of the wiper and the inner surface 217 of the bottle in order to ensure that the wiper 220 is retained in position in the bottle 210.

[0064] As the position-retaining means, the number of fins 232 may vary. This number may be between two and eight. More preferably, this number is five, as shown in FIG. 2a.

[0065] At rest, the fins 232 extend radially relative to the main axis. The diameter formed by the fins 232 at rest is greater than that of the flange 230 of the wiper 220.

[0066] In a second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the position-retaining means is a flange 340 on the upper part of the wiper 320 intended to interact with the proximal end 314 of the bottle, and the position-retaining means has at least one technical shaping 342 projecting on the outer surface 324 of the wiper 320, this technical shaping 342 being complementary to at least one aperture 344 positioned on the top of the proximal end 314 of the body 312 of the bottle 310.

[0067] The technical shaping 342 is a bead of material. At the point at which the wiper 320 is inserted into the bottle 310, the bead of material is clipped by force into the aperture 344 positioned at the proximal end 314 of the body 312 of the bottle 310 such that the wiper 320 is retained in position and can no longer come out of the aperture 344 again.

[0068] Advantageously, the flange in the first and second embodiments is circular.

[0069] The positioning means and the means for retaining the wiper in position can also be combined. In other words, the positioning means and the means for retaining the wiper in position are the same part. In other words again, the same piece is used both as a positioning means and as a position-retaining means.

[0070] In a third embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the positioning means and the position-retaining means are in the form of a fin 450 that both rests on the upper part of the wiper 420 and includes a curved end 452, the curved end 452 being intended to interact with a complementary part 454 provided in the region of the outer surface 416 of the side wall of the body 412 of the bottle 410.

[0071] The curved end 452 is advantageously flexible so as to fit closely to the complementary part 454 or groove provided in the region of the outer surface 416 of the side wall of the body 412 of the bottle 410.

[0072] In a fourth embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the assembly means is a threaded/tapped assembly 560 to allow the wiper 520 to be screwed to the proximal end 514 of the bottle 510. Indeed, in this embodiment, the threading 562 is located on the outer surface 524 of the wiper 520 and is intended to interact with the tapping 564 located on the inner surface 517 of the side wall of the body of the bottle 510.

[0073] In a fifth embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the position-retaining means is in the form of an intermediate part 670 intended to press and wedge the wiper 620 against the inner surface 617 of the side wall of the body 612 of the bottle 610. More particularly, the wiper 620 is first positioned at the proximal end 614 of the body 612 of the bottle 610, or in other words in the throat region Zc. Indeed, a flange 630 makes it possible to seat the wiper 620 at the proximal end 614 of the body 612 of the bottle 610. Once the wiper 620 is positioned, it is retained in position by being wedged against the inner surface 617 of the bottle 610 by means of an intermediate part 670, the intermediate part being in contact with the inner surface 626 of the wiper 620.

[0074] The intermediate part 670 may be made of any type of material having a rigidity that allows the wiper 620 to be wedged against the inner surface 617 of the bottle 610. This material also has to be compatible with the cosmetic product P, since when the applicator 80 passes the part, this material is in contact with the cosmetic product P. In particular, the intermediate part 670 may be made of plastics material, such as polyoxymethylene (POM) or polypropylene (PP).

[0075] The present invention may also be adapted to bottles of which the body is designed in two parts. As shown in FIGS. 7b, 8b and 9b, the body 712, 812, 912 of the bottle 710, 810, 910 is in two parts; the two parts, a head Z.sub.c and a trunk Z.sub.f, are separate parts.

[0076] When the body of the bottle is in two parts, the two parts, namely a head and a trunk, may be made of different materials. Bi-injection may be used to manufacture bottles having this type of two-part design.

[0077] When the bottle 710, 810, 910 is in two parts, the two parts are joined together by welding or clipping. Advantageously, a seal (not shown) is provided between the two parts, i.e. between the head Z.sub.c and the trunk Z.sub.f.

[0078] When the bottle is in two parts, the wiper 720, 820, 920 is positioned in the region of the head Z.sub.c of the bottle.

[0079] More particularly, FIGS. 7a and 7b show an applicator assembly 700 in which the wiper 720 is positioned and retained in position in the region of the head Z.sub.c of the bottle 710 as a result of it being obtained by overmoulding or bi-injection. Once the overmoulding or bi-injection of the wiper 720 and the head Z.sub.c of the bottle has taken place, the head Z.sub.c is joined to the trunk Z.sub.f of the bottle 710 by welding or clipping, as described above.

[0080] FIGS. 8a and 8b show an applicator assembly 800 of which the positioning means is a flange 873 on the upper part of the wiper 820 intended to interact with the proximal end 814 of the bottle, and the position-retaining means has at least one circular groove 874 made in the outer surface 824 of the wiper 820, this groove 874 receiving a complementary circular protrusion 875 positioned on the inner surface 817 of the side wall 815 of the head Z.sub.c of the body 812 of the bottle, in order to thus ensure that the wiper 820 is retained in position in the bottle 810.

[0081] FIGS. 9a and 9b shown an applicator assembly 900 of which the positioning means is the interaction between at least one longitudinal groove 976 and at least one technical shaping 977. The longitudinal groove 976 extends in the main direction X.sub.3 on the inner surface 917 of the side wall 915 of the head Z.sub.c of the body of the bottle 910, while the technical shaping 977 projects on the outer surface 924 of the wiper 920. The groove 976 is therefore intended to interact with the technical shaping 977 in order to position the wiper 920 on the bottle. The position-retaining means is located in the end position of the technical shaping 977 in the groove 976. Indeed, in the end position, the wiper is manipulated in order to bring about rotation. This also results in rotation of the technical shaping 977, such that the shaping remains wedged against a stop 978, the stop 978 protruding from the extension of the inner surface 917 of the side wall 915 of the head Z.sub.c of the body of the bottle. Therefore, the interaction of the technical shaping 977 with the stop 978 ensures that the wiper 920 is retained in position in the bottle. In other words, this is a rotating bayonet system.

[0082] The wiper, which is in particular made of rubber, is also designed so as to interact with the cap 90 in order to ensure sealed closure of the bottle 110 in the closed position. More particularly, sealing of the bottle is ensured by the compression of the wiper between the proximal end 114 of the body 112 and the cap 90 in the closed position of the bottle 110.

[0083] The invention also relates to an applicator assembly 100 for cosmetic product P, further comprising an applicator 80, and a cap 90, intended to keep the cosmetic product applicator 80 inside the body 112 when the bottle 110 is in the closed position (FIG. 10).

[0084] The cap 90 can be manipulated by a user and is intended to keep a cosmetic product applicator 80 inside the body 112 when the bottle 110 is in the closed position.

[0085] The cap 90 is advantageously rigid. The cap has an inner surface 92, an outer surface 94 and a solid part 96 in its interior. The cross section of the cap can be of any shape, in particular polygonal or circular. Preferably, the cross section thereof is circular.

[0086] The cap 90 is, for example, based on a plastics material, in particular polypropylene. The cap is formed, in particular, by means of injection or injection blow moulding. The cap can be decorated, in particular by means of metallisation or by other means.

[0087] The bottle 110 further includes opening and closing means 98, 118 that are located on the cap 90 and on the body 112 of the bottle 110, the opening and closing means 98, 118 being designed to interact with one another so as to ensure that the bottle 110 is kept in the closed position.

[0088] More particularly, the opening and closing means 98, 118 are located on the inner surface 92 of the cap 90 and on the side wall 115 of the body 112 of the bottle 110. Even more particularly, the opening and closing means 118 are located on the outer surface 116 of the side wall 115 of the body 112 of the bottle 110.

[0089] The opening and closing means 98, 118 include a screw system, the screw system comprising a tapped part located on the inner surface 92 of the cap 90 and a threaded part located on the outer surface 116 of the side wall 115 of the body 112 of the bottle 110.

[0090] In a variant, the opening and closing means 98, 118 include a bayonet system (not shown). The cap 90 can in particular have a protrusion on the inner surface 92 thereof, which protrusion is inserted in a cam track (with or without rotation) located on the outer surface 116 of the side wall 115 of the body 112 of the bottle 110. In a variant, the protrusion and the cam track can be inverted, i.e. the protrusion would be located on the outer surface 116 of the side wall 115 of the body 112 of the bottle 110, and the cam track would be located on the inner surface 92 of the cap 90.

[0091] Alternatively, the opening and closing means 98, 118 include a clip system (not shown), also referred to as a snap system. For this purpose, the cap 90 can in particular include an annular groove on the inner surface 92 thereof, in which groove a ring located on the outer surface 116 of the side wall 115 of the body 112 of the bottle 110 is inserted. In a variant, teeth and/or slots may be used.

[0092] According to the invention, the sealing is also ensured both by the interaction of the closing means 118 located in region of the body 112 of the bottle with the complementary means located in the region of the cap 90 of the bottle, and, when the cap 90 has been attached to the body 112 of the bottle using the above-mentioned closing means, by the interaction of the cap 90 and the wiper 120.

[0093] The applicator 80 generally includes an axial rod 82 and an applicator end piece 84. The axial rod 82 extends in a main direction of longitudinal extension, in this case the main direction X.sub.3, and includes two opposing ends. On account of its end referred to as the upper end, the axial rod 82 is designed so as to rigidly connect the applicator to the cap 90. Moreover, by means of its lower end or free end, the axial rod 82 is designed to be attached to the applicator end piece 84. Since the applicator is generally rigidly connected to the cap 90, the applicator forms therewith a means for gripping the applicator. When the cap 90 is attached to the body 112 of the bottle 110, i.e. when the bottle 110 is in the closed position, the axial rod 82 and the applicator end piece 84 extend inside the body 112 of the bottle 110. The applicator is thus immersed in the cosmetic product P contained in the container. In order to use the applicator 80, the user detaches the cap 90 from the body 112 and removes the applicator from the container. The bottle is then in the opened position.

[0094] The rod 82 is advantageously rigid. The rod may be slightly deformed, in particular curved, under the effect of the forces applied while applying make-up, as a result of the elongate shape of the rod. The rod 82 is, for example, based on a plastics material, in particular polypropylene.

[0095] Depending on the intended uses, the applicator end piece 84 may be a mascara brush, a brush for applying eyeliner, a lip balm spatula, or something else. Indeed, although it is in particular provided for applying mascara or eyeliner, the invention can also be used for any other kind of cosmetic product, in particular lip balm.

[0096] The materials used for the applicator end piece 60 can be selected from the group comprising vegetable fibres (for example: cotton, rayon, cellulose), fibres made of a thermoplastic material (for example: polyamide, polyester, nylon), fibres made of an elastically deformable thermoplastic material (for example: elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers, vulcanised elastomers), a “sinter”, and a foam (for example: polyurethane, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyether, NBR (natural rubber), SBR (synthetic rubber)). A “sinter” means a product obtained by consolidation, under the action of heat, of a more or less compact granular agglomerate, with or without fusion of one or more of the components thereof. In particular, any type of applicator end piece 84 that forms a mascara brush can be used here, whether the end piece is moulded or twisted and whether it has a straight or curved core.

[0097] Moreover, the alternatives set out above can be combined without departing from the scope of the invention.