APPLICATOR FOR APPLYING A COSMETIC PRODUCT

Abstract

The present invention relates to an applicator for applying a cosmetic product to the skin, notably the eyelids, comprising an applicator member, the latter having, on its external surface, an indentation and a substantially flat main facet situated between the indentation and the distal end of the applicator member, the width of the main facet increasing with increasing distance from the indentation, at least along a major part of the length of the main facet.

Claims

1. Applicator for applying a cosmetic product to the skin; comprising an applicator member, the latter having, on its external surface, in side view, an indentation and a substantially flat main facet situated between the indentation and the distal end of the applicator member, the width of the main facet, in front view, increasing with increasing distance from the indentation, at least along a major part of the length of the main facet.

2. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the main facet extends as far as the distal end.

3. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the width of the main facet increases with increasing distance from the indentation along a first part of the length of the main facet and then decreases towards the distal end of the applicator member.

4. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the width of the main facet increases along the entire length of the latter with increasing distance from the indentation.

5. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applicator member extends along a longitudinal axis, the main facet extending along an axis inclined at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the angle being between 0 and 60.

6. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the main facet extends from the indentation.

7. Applicator according to claim 6, wherein the recess is connected to the main facet by a ridge or a point, the longitudinal axis of the main facet and the indentation forming an angle of between 30 and 145 between one another at their junction.

8. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the main facet extends from a non-zero distance from the indentation.

9. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the main facet has two substantially rectilinear edges in front view that diverge towards the distal end of the applicator and form angle of between 10 and 40 between one another.

10. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the indentation has a rounded shape along at least a part of its length in side view.

11. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applicator member has, on its face away from the main facet, a surface that forms the back of the applicator member.

12. Applicator according to claim 11, wherein the back surface has a recess.

13. Applicator according to claim 11, wherein the back surface comprises a secondary facet.

14. Applicator according to claim 11, wherein the applicator member comprises an end facet that at least partially connects the main facet to the back surface.

15. Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the width of the main facet is less than the width of the applicator member along the entire length of the main facet.

16. Applicator according to claim 1, comprising a handle that is provided at its end with the applicator member, wherein the handle is hollow and forms a reservoir containing the cosmetic product, the applicator member comprising, on its proximal side, a mounting end piece, the mounting end piece of the applicator member being inserted at least partially into an opening in the handle and extending at least partially into the reservoir.

17. Assembly comprising an applicator according to claim 1 and a container containing the product to be applied, the container notably being separate from the applicator.

18. Assembly according to claim 17, the container being separate from the app

Description

[0074] The invention may be better understood from reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting implementation examples thereof, and with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

[0075] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an applicator member according to the invention,

[0076] FIG. 2 is a front view along the arrow II of the applicator member from FIG. 1,

[0077] FIG. 3 is a side view along the arrow III of the applicator member from FIG. 2,

[0078] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a variant applicator member according to the invention,

[0079] FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIG. 3 of another variant applicator member according to the invention,

[0080] FIG. 6 is an axial view of the applicator member from FIG. 5 along the arrow VI,

[0081] FIG. 7 is a view of the applicator member from FIG. 5 along the arrow VII, and

[0082] FIGS. 8 and 9 are views similar to FIGS. 5 and 7 of a variant applicator member according to the invention.

[0083] It can be understood that a side view as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 8 refers to a view observed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the applicator member and parallel to the main facet thereof.

[0084] A front view as illustrated in in FIGS. 2, 7 and 9 refers to a view observed in a direction perpendicular to the direction according to which a side view of the applicator member is observed and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the applicator member and allows observing the main facet thereof.

[0085] FIG. 1 shows an applicator 2 according to the invention, comprising a handle 5 and an applicator member 10 extending along a longitudinal axis X.

[0086] Preferably, the handle 5 is rectilinear, but it may also be curved. The handle 5 may extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member.

[0087] The handle 5 may be hollow and contain the cosmetic product to be applied. The handle 5 thus acts as a reservoir.

[0088] The applicator member 10 may be porous so as to allow the cosmetic product to reach the surface used for application, in particular by capillary action.

[0089] In a variant, the applicator is moulded in one piece with the handle and used to pick up the cosmetic product to be applied from a reservoir separate from the applicator.

[0090] The applicator member 10 is made for example of a porous material, notably a felt.

[0091] The applicator member 10 may be made of a mixture of polyamide and polyurethane resin, or of polyolefin, notably of polyethylene.

[0092] The applicator may comprise a closure cap, not shown, that is attached to the handle 5 and thus covers the applicator member 10.

[0093] As illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 1 to 4, the applicator member 10 has, on its external surface, an indentation 12 and a main facet 20 extending from the indentation 12 as far as the distal end 25 of the applicator member 10.

[0094] The width l of the main facet 20 increases with increasing distance from the indentation and reaches a maximum l.sub.max before decreasing towards the distal end 25 of the applicator tip 15, as can be seen in FIG. 2. Starting from a given abscissa on the longitudinal axis X, the width l of the main facet 20 is equal to the width L of the applicator member 10.

[0095] The greatest width l.sub.max of the main facet 20 is preferably less than or equal to 10 mm, better still between 2 mm and 5 mm.

[0096] The length D of the main facet, measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member 10, is for example between 3 and 20 mm, better still between 5 mm and 15 mm.

[0097] Preferably, the main facet 20 is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis X. The main facet 20 extends along an axis Z that forms an angle of preferably between 0 and 60, better still between 0 and 45, even better still between 2 and 45, with the axis X.

[0098] The main facet 20 may be passed through by the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member, as illustrated in FIG. 3, or not, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 8.

[0099] Preferably, the main facet 20 is symmetrical with respect to its axis Z. The main facet 20 may be droplet-shaped, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0100] In the variants illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9, the main facet 20 has a substantially triangular shape, having two rectilinear main edges 35a and 35b that diverge towards the distal end 25 of the applicator member 10.

[0101] The indentation 12 and the main facet 20 form a ridge 13 between one another, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. Preferably, the ridge 13 is rectilinear, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

[0102] Preferably, the facet 20 and the indentation 12 form an angle of between 30 and 145, better still between 80 and 130, between one another at their junction, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0103] At a distance from its proximal and distal ends, the indentation 12 may comprise a ridge 16 that extends in a direction parallel to the ridge 13.

[0104] The indentation 30 may have, in side view, a shape that is at least partially rounded at the rear, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In the rear rounded part 17, the indentation 12 has for example a radius of curvature r of between 0.5 mm and 3 mm, better still between 1 mm and 2 mm.

[0105] As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the applicator member 10 comprises an end facet 42 connecting a part of the main facet 20 that is situated on the side of the distal end 25 of the applicator member 10 to a surface 43 that forms the back of the applicator member 10. The back surface 43 may comprise an indentation 24, the bottom 18 of which is offset with respect to that 19 of the indentation 12 along the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member.

[0106] In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 9, the main facet 20 extends from a non-zero distance m from the indentation 12. This distance m, measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member, is for example between 0.5 and 1.5mm.

[0107] The main facet 20 has a substantially triangular shape, having two rectilinear main edges 35a and 35b that start from the proximal end 34 of the main facet 20 and diverge towards the distal end 25 of the applicator member 10.

[0108] The main facet 20 also comprises an end edge 35c at the distal end 25 of the applicator member 10, which is rectilinear and has a length equal to l.sub.max.

[0109] The edges 35a and 35b form an angle of between 2 and 45, better still between 5 and 45, even better still between 15 and 30, between one another. Preferably, the edges 35a and 35b are symmetrical with respect to the axis Z.

[0110] Preferably, the main facet 20 has a rounded tip at its proximal end 34.

[0111] In one variant, the edges 35a and 35b form a parabola near the proximal end 34 of the main facet 20, as can be seen in FIG. 9.

[0112] The width L of the applicator member may be constant along the entire length D of the main facet 20, as illustrated in FIG. 7, or increase, as illustrated in FIG. 9. In these examples, the width l of the main facet 20 is strictly less than the width L of the applicator member 10 along the entire length D of the main facet 20. The spacing therebetween may, however, be very small at the end 25 of the applicator member 10, as illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0113] Towards its distal end, the applicator member 10 narrows in its thickness e. The thickness e of the applicator member 10 at the distal end 25 is for example between 0.1 mm and 1.5 mm, preferably between 0.8 and 1 mm.

[0114] The back face 43 of the applicator member 10 may comprise a secondary facet 41 that extends along a length S, preferably less than D, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0115] The secondary facet 41 may be symmetrical to the main facet 20 with respect to the plane containing the axis X and parallel to the edge of the end 35c of the main facet 20, as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0116] The secondary facet 41 forms, in side view as illustrated in FIG. 5, an angle with the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member 10. is equal to in the example illustrated. In a variant, the angles and may be different.

[0117] The angle (+) is preferably between 5 and 25.

[0118] The main facet 20 is connected to the secondary facet 41 by the end facet 42 via the end edge 35c of the main facet and an end edge 41c of the secondary facet 41, as can be seen in FIG. 6. The end facet 42 has a flat shape. The width h of the end facet 42 is substantially constant between the end edges 35c and 41c.

[0119] In this example, the indentation 12 extends all around the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member 10 and thus forms an annular groove which extends, inter alia, over the back surface 43 thereof.

[0120] In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the back surface 43 of the applicator member has, in side view, a change in concavity. The back surface has a recess 24.

[0121] The applicator member may comprise a mounting end piece 23, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 9.

[0122] The mounting end piece 23 preferably has a shape substantially in the form of a cylinder of revolution, preferably with a chamfer 50 at its end to make it easier to introduce into the opening in the handle 5.

[0123] The diameter E of the mounting end piece 23 is for example between 2 and 20 mm, notably between 2 and 10 mm.

[0124] The invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described, the characteristics of which can be combined with one another as parts of variants which are not illustrated.

[0125] It is possible in particular to have a curved handle containing the product to be applied, the applicator having an applicator member made of a porous material or an applicator comprising a feed duct for the product.