Applicator with bristles of particle-filled plastic

Abstract

A mascara brush with a core comprising at least two sections of wire twisted together along a wire core longitudinal axis and a set of bristles comprising bristles of plastic formed by filaments, which are respectively clamped between the two sections of wire and are formed at their free ends with a wedge-shaped bristle tip or without a wedge-shaped bristle tip. The mascara brush provides an increased storage capacity for the mascara composition to be applied with improved delivery of stored mascara composition to the lashes. This is achieved by the bristles being formed from a plastic material extruded into a fibre, to which outwardly protruding particles are added and/or which is provided with punctiform depressions (indentations), which roughen the bristle surface, wherein the bristles that have a wedge-shaped bristle tip at their free ends comprise at least one cut surface that forms a wedge and the surface roughness of which lies between 0.2 m and 6.3 m, in particular between 2.9 m and 6.3 m.

Claims

1. A mascara brush, comprising: an inner core of at least two wire portions twisted together along a longitudinal wire core axis (LD); and a bristle covering of bristles of plastic formed by filaments that are each held clamped between the two wire portions and that are configured at their free ends with a wedge-shaped or without a wedge-shaped bristle tip, wherein the bristles are formed from a plastic material that is extruded to form a fiber and to which outwardly protruding particles are added, and/or that is equipped with point-shaped depressions (indentations) that roughen the bristle surface, wherein the bristles having at their free ends a wedge-shaped bristle tip comprise at least one cut face which forms a wedge and whose surface roughness (Rz) is between 0.2 m and 6.3 m.

2. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein the surface roughness (Rz) is produced by grinding the bristle ends with a grinding disk.

3. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein the surface roughness (Rz) of the respective cut face is greater than a surface roughness of an undisturbed bristle shaft surface comprising the outwardly protruding particles and/or point-shaped depressions (indentations).

4. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein each of the bristles has, for a predominant part, a wedge-shaped tip with at least one cut face.

5. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein some of the bristles have a wedge-shaped tip, which is formed by an oblique cut, with a cut face.

6. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein some of the bristles have a wedge-shaped tip formed by a double oblique cut, which has two cut faces running towards each other which, or the imaginary extensions of which, intersect at or in a area of a free end of a respective bristle.

7. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cut face is orientated transversely to the longitudinal wire core axis (LD).

8. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein the cut faces of the bristles with a cut face are, in part, orientated in a direction towards a brush tip and, in part, towards a brush end opposite the brush tip.

9. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein the bristle covering has a plurality of areas, sectors or zones, which are orientated to extend, in a circumferential direction of the bristle covering, transversely to the longitudinal wire core axis (LD), or, in the circumferential direction of the bristle covering, spiral-shaped to the longitudinal wire core axis (LD), or, in a longitudinal direction of the bristle covering, alongside of the longitudinal wire core axis (LD), and which respectively comprise at least one bristle row consisting of a plurality of adjacent bristles that each have an identically configured bristle tip, or are formed by such a bristle row, and which, in the circumferential direction and/or in the longitudinal direction of the bristle covering, are respectively disposed adjacent to one area or sector or zone which comprises a plurality of bristles each having a differently configured bristle tip.

10. The mascara brush according to any claim 1, wherein the bristle covering has a plurality of areas, sectors or zones, which are orientated to extend, in a circumferential direction of the bristle covering, transversely to the longitudinal wire core axis (LD), or, in the circumferential direction of the bristle covering, spiral-shaped to the longitudinal wire core axis (LD), or, in a longitudinal direction of the bristle covering, alongside of the longitudinal wire core axis (LD), and which respectively comprise at least one bristle row which consists of a plurality of adjacent bristles and whose adjacent bristles each have a differently configured bristle tip.

11. The mascara brush according to claim 9, wherein the a plurality of areas, sectors or zones, in the circumferential direction, transversely or longitudinally to the longitudinal wire core axis (LD), sweep over the circumference or a partial area of the circumference of the bristle covering once.

12. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein the bristle covering consists of bristles or filaments with a wedge-shaped pointed portion and of further bristles or filaments without a wedge-shaped pointed portion, wherein the bristles or filaments with a wedge-shaped pointed portion form one or more sector(s) of the bristle covering and the further bristles or filaments form one or more further sector(s), the sector(s) and the further sector(s) following each other alternately in a circumferential direction.

13. The mascara brush according to claim 12, wherein between 1 and 8 sectors and between 1 and 8 further sectors are provided.

14. The mascara brush according to claim 12, wherein the bristles or filaments with the wedge-shaped pointed portion are disposed in such a way, in the bristle covering that otherwise consists of further bristles or filaments, that the bristles or filaments with the wedge-shaped pointed portion form a track extending in a spiral shape on a circumferential enveloping surface of the bristle covering.

15. The mascara brush according to claim 12, wherein the further bristles or filaments are made of the same material as the bristles or filaments with a wedge-shaped pointed portion.

16. The mascara brush according to claim 14, wherein chisel faces of the bristles or filaments with a wedge-shaped pointed portion, neglecting their wedge angle, are orientated perpendicularly to a course of an imaginary longitudinal axis of the spiral-shaped track.

17. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein, for an angle () by which the cut face(s) formed by an oblique cut or a double oblique cut is/are inclined relative to a longitudinal bristle axis (L), 55.

18. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein the bristles or filaments are tube-shaped and internally hollow, as well as continuously slit in a direction along their longitudinal axis.

19. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the bristles with a circular configuration is 115 m and 320 m.

20. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein an outer enveloping circle of bristles configured to be non-circular has an enveloping circle diameter which is 100 m and 340 m.

21. The mascara brush according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the bristles is produced by co-extrusion from a first plastic material and a second plastic material different from the first plastic material, wherein the two plastic materials differ with regard to a modulus of elasticity and/or a Shore D hardness, and wherein the first plastic material has a Shore D hardness 80 and/or the second plastic material has a modulus of elasticity of at least 1300 N/mm.sup.2, and after a grinding process of the areas respectively consisting of one of the first and second plastic materials, namely the bristle core and the bristle jacket, with one and the same grinding disk, which is carried out for producing the respective cut face, different roughnesses are produced in an area of the bristle core and in an area of the bristle jacket that respectively have a surface roughness (Rz) between 0.2 m and 6.3 m.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further mechanisms of action, advantages and optional embodiments are apparent from the following description of some exemplary embodiments with reference to the Figures. The invention is explained below in more detail by way of example with reference to a drawing. The latter shows in:

(2) FIG. 1 a bristle configured in accordance with the invention in a top view onto its (single) oblique cut,

(3) FIG. 2 the bristles according to FIG. 1 in a side view,

(4) FIG. 3 the bristle according to FIG. 2 shortly after penetrating the eyelash covering,

(5) FIG. 4 the bristle according to FIG. 2 shortly before the eyelash reaches the bristle stem from the cut face,

(6) FIG. 5 a second exemplary embodiment of a bristle whose bristle tip has a double oblique cut,

(7) FIG. 6 a third exemplary embodiment of a bristle configured to be hollow and provided with a longitudinal slit,

(8) FIG. 7 a sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal bristle axis, in the area of the bristle shaft underneath the oblique cut in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6,

(9) FIG. 8 an alternative embodiment of an oblique cut,

(10) FIG. 9 a mascara brush equipped in accordance with the invention,

(11) FIG. 10 a bristle arrangement with alternately pointed and non-pointed bristles, in a partial detail of a cross section through the bristle covering in the viewing direction onto the brush tip,

(12) FIG. 11 an enlarged detail from FIG. 10, and in

(13) FIG. 12 a detail of the bristle variant shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, seen frontally froth the front.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) The mascara brush designated as a whole with the number 18, which is illustrated in FIG. 9 with its front region comprising the brush tip 15, is produced by placing a plurality of, at first, mostly straight filaments 1 between at least one wire clamp 11 with two straight wire portions 12, 13. Preferably, a portion of a continuously extruded fiber is referred to as a filament 1 in the sense of the invention. Generally, the filaments 1 are placed between the wire sections 12, 13 of the wire clamp 11 in such a way that they protrude to a substantially equal extent (preferably maximally +/10%) on both sides of the wire clamp 11 or of its wire portions 12, 13.

(15) The wire portions 12, 13 are then twisted together, whereby the filaments 1 are distributed and then firmly clamped between the wire portions 12, 13. Generally, each filament 1 forms two bristles 1. Thus, it is only different sides of the same coin that are addressed within the context of this description when the term filament is used at one time and the term bristle at another time.

(16) After twisting, while the brush 18 is rotating, the brush contour, i.e. the enveloping jacket surrounding the bristle covering 26 of the mascara brush 18, is cut by means of a milling cutter and a counter blade in such a way that the plurality of the radially protruding bristles 1 corresponds to a predetermined brush body, exactly according to the drawing. In a next step, the bristles are then beveled according to the invention, in particular by grinding.

(17) FIGS. 1 and 2 show the details of an exemplary embodiment of a bristle 1a, 1c cut obliquely.

(18) It is possible to see the particles 19 that have been added to the plastic mass that is extruded to form the thread or fiber from which the filaments 1 forming the bristles 1, 1a, 1c are cut. Which particles 19 can be used and how the preparation of a corresponding plastic mass works from which such threads, which are later to be cut into filaments 1, can be extruded, is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,359, whose content of disclosure is included in the subject matter of this application by reference. In particular, protection is sought within the context of this application also for the substances described therein as a suitable material for producing the particles.

(19) In the area close to the surface, the particles 19 are only partially embedded into the plastic matrix forming the filament 1 and in part protrude towards the outside, over the surface 20 surrounding them. Thus, they create a significantly increased surface roughness. In the broadest sense, the surface 20 is easier to wet for the mascara mass.

(20) Because of the roughness being increased in this manner, the mascara mass has a much better purchase on the surface 20 of the bristle shaft 2, so that a thicker film of mascara mass adheres to the surface 20 of the bristle shaft 2 after wiping than to the almost totally smooth surface of the bristle shaft of a bristle extruded from a plastic mass to which no plastic particles have been added.

(21) As is easily recognizable, the bristle 1, 1a, 1c has at its free end an oblique cut 3, which here forms a cut face 4 that forms a wedge, which will be addressed in detail later.

(22) In the case of such an oblique cut 3, the cut face 4 is preferably orientated in such a way that, looking along the longitudinal wire core axis LD, one looks frontally at the cut face 4, as is shown in FIG. 1, whereas one does not, or not to any noteworthy extent, look at the cut face 4 if one looks in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, however, a part of the cut faces 4 is orientated in the direction towards the brush tip 15, i.e. the cut faces 4 formed in the bristles 1c, and a part of the cut faces 4 is orientated towards the brush end 16, i.e., the cut faces 4 formed in the bristles 1a.

(23) The aspect crucial for the invention is the surprising synergistic cooperation between the wedge formed by the oblique cut 3 and the bristle shaft 2, which are able to store a particularly thick film of mascara mass due to their increased roughness.

(24) To the extent it is understood in detail so far, the effect obtained with the invention can best be explained with reference to FIG. 3.

(25) The applicator covered, according to the invention, with the bristles 1, 1a-1f, i.e. the mascara brush 18, is generally brought up to the curve of the eyelashes in such a way that the bristles 1, 1a-1f are moved in a direction that extends approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes of the eyelashes W, see FIG. 3, where the direction in which the bristle 1, 1a-1f approximately moves is illustrated by a first vertical arrow 21. Together with the remaining material, the oblique cut 3 forms a kind of wedge in the obliquely cut bristles 1a, 1c-1f that pushes itself between adjacent bristles and that, in any case, pushes the eyelash W, which comes, to rest on the cut face 4 formed by the oblique cut 3, more and more towards the side the deeper the wedge is pushed between the eyelashes. The direction in which the eyelash W is pushed aside is illustrated in FIG. 3 by a second horizontal arrow 22.

(26) The eyelash W put up increasing resistance against being pushed aside by tending to attempt to spring back into its original position. Thus, it abuts the cut face 4 with a certain bias, whereby a permanent contact between the eyelash W and the cut face 4 is ensured.

(27) The crucial point is now that, though not in all cases but in many cases, said bias between the eyelash W and the bristle 1, 1a, 1c-1f remains beyond the moment at which the eyelash W has reached the inward end 23 of the cut face 4 and now slips along the surface 20 of the bristle shaft 2, deeper into the interspace between the bristles of the bristle covering, see FIG. 4. Thus, the eyelash W does not disengage from the bristle 1 that has pushed it aside in order to fall or snap, more or less freely, into the interspace between adjacent bristles. Instead, it slides further along the bristle shaft 2 to which a thicker mascara film adheres due to its increased roughness. Thus, the eyelash W is coated particularly well with the mascara mass while sliding along the bristle shaft 2.

(28) This surprisingly simple measure solves the previously exiting problem, namely that, though the bristle known from the paintbrush with its increased surface roughness also exhibits a significantly higher storage capacity also when used as a bristle for a mascara applicator, it has only a poor capacity for discharging the stored mass because the bristle covering in a mascara applicator or a mascara brush 18, unlike a paintbrush, is not squeezed out at the location where the paint is to be applied.

(29) Having thus illustrated the operating principle that the invention is to utilize, the details of the bristle design must still be addressed.

(30) In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bristle 1, 1a, 1c has a circular cross section. At its radially outward free end distal relative to the longitudinal wire core axis, the bristle 1, 1a, 1c has an oblique cut 3 like a simple wedge. This means that a first side of the bristle 1, 1a, 1c concerned, seen in the direction along the longitudinal bristle axis L, has a maximum longitudinal extent L.sub.MAX and the second side diametrically opposite to it has a minimum longitudinal extent L.sub.MIN . Thus, one side or one strip of the surface 20 of the bristle 1, 1a, 1c is longer than the side diametrically opposite to it or a strip of the surface 20 diametrically opposite to it, see FIG. 2.

(31) In this case, the bristle 1, 1a, 1c is, in any case, not only slightly obliquely cut, but exhibits a clearly recognizable oblique cut 3. Preferably, the angle by which the cut face 4 formed by the oblique cut 3 is inclined relative to the longitudinal bristle axis L complies with the relationship 55, and ideally even 35. It is ensured in this manner that the cut face 4 is sufficiently large to obtain the effect intended by the invention, once again see FIG. 2. Bristles 1, 1d with 20 can also be produced particularly by double grinding, as was explained above, during which two cut faces 4 opposite to each other are produced, as is shown in FIG. 5.

(32) Not only because of this, the result is a very pronounced cut face 4, which preferably has such a length that it extends over at least 1/10, better yet over at least of the total length of a bristle 1, 1a-1f. In other words, it can be said that it is particularly beneficial for many cases of application if the following relationship is complied with:

(33) L.sub.MAXL.sub.MIN+filament diameter or bristle diameter 9, D to L.sub.MIN+2filament diameter or bristle diameter 9, D. With said additional grinding, this can be increased to up to L.sub.MAXL.sub.MIN+4filament diameter or bristle diameter 9, Das can be seen in FIG. 2, which in this respect is not drawn to scale, referring to the cut face length AFL dimensioned there.

(34) It is ensured in this manner that the respective cut face 4 is sufficiently large to obtain the effect intended by the invention.

(35) However, the effect utilized by the invention for improving the contact between the eyelashes and the respective bristle shaft 2 can not only be obtained by means of a simple oblique cut 3, even if that is preferred due to its particularly long wedge surface.

(36) At least in less problematic cases, a double oblique cut 3* may also be used, as it is shown in FIG. 5. Such a double oblique cut 3* is formed of two cut faces 4 which run towards each other and which, or the extensions of which, intersect at the free end of the bristle 1, 1d and there. form a type of chisel cutting edge 4a, i.e. a generally substantially straight edge 24except for tolerance deviationsthat constitutes the outermost end of the bristle 1d. Thus, such a double oblique cut 3* provides the free end of a bristle 1, 1d with a chisel-like or roof-like appearance.

(37) Otherwise, such a bristle 1d corresponds to the exemplary embodiment described by the FIGS. 1 and 2 as regards its body and its action, so that the statements there also apply to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5. This applies particularly to the angle by which the two cut faces 4 are inclined relative to the longitudinal bristle axis L.

(38) It must be noted that FIGS. 1 and 2 show an optional exemplary embodiment whose cut face 4 is substantially planar, i.e. level in itself. Another embodiment optionally preferred for certain cases of application is illustrated in FIG. 8, which, in addition, shows a bristle 1f produced from two different plastic materials. The cut face 4 of this bristle 1f is convexly curved in two mutually perpendicular directions, for example like a pocket watch glass. Surprisingly, tests have shown that such a convex curvature significantly improves the discharge of the stored mascara mass and the wetting of the eyelashes sliding past even more.

(39) For the purpose of clarification, it is noted that the terms oblique cut or double oblique cut in the sense of the invention are not to be understood to mean that the wedge surface(s) need(s) to have been produced by a cutting process, i.e. by obliquely cutting the filament. Rather, each wedge surface may also have been produced by correspondingly grinding the bristle end, which is actually the preferred manufacturing method.

(40) If the, oblique cut 3 or the double oblique cut 3* are produced by grinding, this results in the particles 19 embedded into the plastic mass in the area of the cut faces 4 being liberated from their outer thin plastic sheath, which is present after extruding, and possibly also being ripped out of the plastic mass, so that point-shaped depressions or indentations are produced. This means the respective cut face 4 itself has an excellent surface roughness (Rz) that is between 0.2 m and 6.3 m, in particular between 2.9 m and 6.3 m, and that is capable of storing a sufficient amount of mascara mass, possibly even relatively, i.e. per unit area, more than the bristle shaft 2, which is rough due to the particles.

(41) In order to obtain a further improvement beyond this, two measures are basically conceivable that are in each case to be realized optionally.

(42) At the one hand, it may be useful, during the production of the oblique cut 3 or of the double oblique cut 3*, to select a grinding disk with a grit of such a type that the surface roughness of the respective cut face 4 produced by grinding (which, as such, actually is a fine surface treatment) is larger than that of the undisturbed bristle shaft surface 20, which respectively surrounds the outwardly protruding particles 19.

(43) On the other hand, it may be useful to configure the bristles 1 provided with the particles 19 as tube-like, internally hollow, preferably longitudinally slit bristles 1e, as is shown by the FIGS. 6 and 7. This internally hollow bristle 1e can have a circular cross section. Preferably, it has a non-round, ideally a polygonal cross section. Due to this special configuration as an internally hollow bristle 1e, the bristle 1e is capable of discharging mascara mass, which has previously been stored in the cavity 25 of the bristle 1e, towards the outside in the area of its oblique cut 3. This results in a synergistic effect, because the eyelash W is already pre-coated when the cut face 4 slides along it, i.e. already has received a certain amount of mascara mass when it slides from the cut face 4 into the area of the bristle shaft 2, which retains a thick film of mascara mass due to its roughness and then significantly intensifies the coating of the eyelash W.

(44) When realizing the bristles 1 as internally hollow bristles 1e to which particles 19 have been added, a (single) oblique cut is almost always, and preferably even mandatorily, carried out, and not a double oblique cut 3*.

(45) What the advantages are that an oblique cut has in internally hollow bristles 1e, why these advantages come to bear, and which mandatory or advantageous configuration options are to be implemented is explained in more detail above.

(46) FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate a variant of the mascara brush according to the invention, with an exceptionally advantageous application and separation action.

(47) As can be seen, the bristle covering 26 in this case consists of bristles 1a, 1c with a wedge-shaped pointed portion that are formed by filaments 1, and of further bristles 1b without a wedge-shaped pointed portion that are also formed from filaments 1, with the bristles 1a, 1c only differing with regard to the orientation of their cut face 4. The cut face 4 of each of the bristles 1a points towards the brush end 16, and the cut face 4 of each of the bristles 1c points towards the brush tip 15.

(48) In this case, the bristle covering 26 is configured in such a way that the bristles 1a with the wedge-shaped pointed portion, of which several are disposed adjacent to each other in a bristle row 17, form a sector 100 of the bristle covering 26, the bristles 1c with the wedge-shaped pointed portion, of which several are disposed adjacent to each other in a bristle row 17, form a sector 102 of the bristle covering 26, and the further bristles 1b, disposed in a bristle row 17, form a further sector 101 of the bristle covering 26. In the example illustrated in FIG. 12, the sectors 100 and 102 and the further sector 101 follow each other alternately in the circumferential direction. The sector 102 is followed again by a sector 101. The sequence of sectors is continued until an arc of a circle of 360 is completed over the circumference of the bristle covering 26.

(49) The number of the sectors depends on the individual case of use and the theological properties of the cosmetic used. Preferably, between 1 and 8 sectors 100, 102 and between 1 and 8 further sectors 101 are provided.

(50) Alternatively, there is the option of the filaments 1 or bristles 1a, 1c with the wedge-shaped pointed portion being disposed in such a way, in the bristle covering 26 that otherwise consists of further filaments 1 or bristles 1, 1b, that they form a track extending in a spiral shape on the circumferential enveloping surface of the bristle covering 26, which is not shown here in the Figures.

(51) Ideally, the further filaments 1 or bristles 1b are made of the same material as the filaments 1 or bristles 1a, 1c with a wedge-shaped pointed portion.

(52) In another variant of the mascara applicator previously explained with reference to the Figures, which is also inventive and therefore claimed, the covering is configured in such a way that the chisel faces 4a of the filaments 1 or bristles 1a, 1c, 1d with a wedge-shaped pointed portion, neglecting their wedge angle, are orientated perpendicularly to the course of the imaginary longitudinal axis of the spiral-shaped track.

(53) While all the bristles 1a, 1b, 1c of a respective bristle row 17, 17, 17 are identically configured with regard to the configuration of the bristle tip in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 12, a bristle row may of course also be formed of bristles that each have differently configured bristle tips. For example, it is possible that bristles 1a, 1b, 1c, or even combinations with bristles 1d, 1e, 1f, are formed next to one another and adjacently in a bristle row, which are disposed in a repeating pattern relative to each other, with the pattern forming a sector, an area or a zone. All logically possible combinations can be realized. Also, sectors, areas or zones may extend in a spiral shape over the circumference of the bristle covering 26 or be disposed, configured and orientated so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal wire core axis LD.