APPLYING MEMBER AND APPLICATOR

Abstract

An applying member (2) for directly or indirectly mounting to a container body (3) containing a cosmetic liquid and for applying the cosmetic liquid in the container body (3) on an application target is provided, the applying member (2) comprising: a head (12) formed with a toothed protrusion (17) including at least one middle protrusion (15) and at least one pair of side protrusions (16) arranged adjacent to the middle protrusion (15), wherein the protrusion amount of the middle protrusion (15) is larger than the protrusion amount of the side protrusions (16), and wherein the width of a front end of the middle protrusion (15) is larger or smaller than the width of a front end of the side protrusion (16) and/or larger or smaller than the thickness at the front end of the side protrusion (16).

Claims

1. An applying member for directly or indirectly mounting to a container body containing a cosmetic liquid and for applying the cosmetic liquid in the container body on an application target, comprising: a head formed with a toothed protrusion including at least one middle protrusion and at least one pair of side protrusions arranged adjacent to the middle protrusion, wherein the amount by which the middle protrusion protrudes is larger than the amount by which the side protrusions protrude, and wherein the width of a front end of the middle protrusion is larger or smaller than the width of a front end of the side protrusion and/or larger or smaller than the thickness at the front end of the side protrusion.

2. An applying member in claim 1, wherein the protrusion amount and the thickness of the pair of side protrusions are identical to each other.

3. An applying member in claim 1, wherein the width and the thickness of the side protrusion gradually decrease towards the front.

4. An applying member in claim 1, wherein the toothed portion protrudes forward along an axial direction of the applying member.

5. An applying member claim 1, wherein the toothed portion is arranged linearly symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the applying member.

6. An applying member in claim 1, wherein the toothed portion consists of three protrusions: the middle protrusion and the pair of side protrusions.

7. An applying member in claim 1, wherein the applying member is for applying eyebrow makeup or eyeliner as the cosmetic liquid.

8. An applicator comprising: the applying member in any one of the preceding claims; and a container body which contains cosmetic liquid, and to which the applying member is directly or indirectly mounted.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the applicator according to an embodiment of the present invention from the top.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the applying member of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the applying member of FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 4 schematically shows the applicator in use.

[0026] FIG. 5 also schematically shows the applicator in use.

[0027] FIG. 6 also schematically shows the applicator in use.

[0028] FIG. 7 also schematically shows the applicator in use.

[0029] FIG. 8 also schematically shows the applicator in use.

[0030] FIG. 9 also schematically shows the applicator in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the applicator according to the present invention will be described, based on the figures. In the figures used in the following description, each element is scaled accordingly in order to make each element recognizable.

[0032] The applicator 1 according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises: a round columnar applying member 2; and a container body 3 to which a cylindrical mounting member (not shown) is attached with the applying member 2; and a cylindrically-topped cap (not shown) which covers the applying member 2 and is removably mounted to the container body 3. The applying member 2, container body, and said cap are arranged along an applicator axis. Hereinafter, the direction toward said cap along the applicator axis O is referred to as a forward direction, and the opposing direction is referred as a rearward direction.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the applying member 2 is formed by Nylon (registered trademark), and comprises a round columnar shaft 11 and a head 12 extending forwardly from a front end of the shaft 11. Here, the central axis of the applying member 2 is aligned with the applicator axis O.

[0034] The outer diameter of the shaft 11 is substantially constant along the length of the shaft 11. In addition, a portion of the shaft protrudes from the container body 3, and is exposed from the container body 3.

[0035] The head 12 includes a round columnar narrowed portion 13 connected with the front end of the shaft 11, and an applying potion 14 connecting with the front end of the narrowed potion 13.

[0036] The outer diameter of the narrowed potion 13 gradually decreases from each of the front and rear ends of the narrowed portion 13 toward the middle portion in the forward-rearward direction of the narrowed portion 13. In addition, the outer diameter at the rear end of the narrowed potion 13 is larger than the outer diameter at the front end of the narrowed potion 13.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the width of the applying portion 14 in the lateral direction gradually decreases from its rear end toward its front end. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the thickness of the applying portion 14 in the vertical direction gradually decreases from its rear end toward its front end. Thus, an upper surface 14A of the applying portion 14 has a concave shape, and the applying portion 14 has enough flexibility.

[0038] Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the applying potion 14 is formed with a pair of slits 14B extending rearward from its front end along the applicator direction O, which are laterally spaced apart. Thus, in the applying portion 14, a middle protrusion 15 and a pair of side protrusions 16, which are arranged on either side of the middle protrusion 15 with a space, are shown. The middle protrusion 15 and a pair of side protrusions 16 constitute a toothed protrusion 17.

[0039] The middle protrusion 15 extends forwards more than the side protrusions 16. In addition, the width in the lateral direction and the thickness in the vertical direction of the middle protrusion 15 are substantially constant along the length of the middle protrusion 15. The amount by which the middle protrusion 15 protrudes is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, for example, and preferably, is 1.5 mm. The amount by which the middle protrusion 15 protrudes may be less than 0.5 mm, or more than 5 mm. The width in the lateral direction of the middle protrusion 15 is between 0.5 mm and 4 mm, for example, and preferably, is between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. The width in the lateral direction of the middle protrusion 15 may be less than 0.5 mm, or more than 4 mm.

[0040] The width in the lateral direction of the side protrusions 16 gradually decreases in the forwards direction. In addition, the thickness in the vertical direction of the side protrusion 16 gradually decreases in the forwards direction. Thus, the side protrusion 16 has sharp-pointed shape. The amount by which the side protrusion 16 protrudes is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, for example, and preferably, is 1 mm. The amount by which the side protrusion 16 protrudes may be less than 0.5 mm, or more than 5 mm. The width in the lateral direction of the side protrusion 16 is between 0.5 mm and 4 mm, for example, and preferably, is between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. The width in the lateral direction of the side protrusion 16 may be less than 0.5 mm, or more than 4 mm.

[0041] The applying member 2 has a shape linearly symmetrical with the applicator axis O in the top view. An angle between the linearly symmetrical axis of the toothed protrusion 17 and the applicator axis O may be between-40 degrees and 40 degrees, and preferably, is 0 degree. The angle between the linearly symmetrical axis of the toothed protrusion 17 and the applicator axis O may be less than-40 degrees, or more than 40 degrees.

[0042] The container body 3 contains a cosmetic liquid such as liquid eyebrow makeup or eyeliner. As shown in FIG. 1, the container body 3 comprises a cylindrically-bottomed base 21, and a cylindrical neck 22 extending forwards from the front end of the base 21. The base 21 and the neck 22 are arranged along the applicator axis O.

[0043] The inner diameter and the outer diameter of the neck 22 are smaller than the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the base 21, respectively, and a portion connecting the neck 22 and the base 21 is formed with a step. Said cap is fitted outside the neck 22.

[0044] Next, the method using the applicator 1 with the above structure will be explained.

[0045] First, as shown in FIG. 4, by contacting the total of three protrusions, of the middle protrusion 15 and the pair of side protrusions 16, with the application target such as skin of a user and drawing the applying member 2 of the applicator 1 in a direction of an arrow A1, three lines of the cosmetic liquid are drawn on the application target. This is used for drawing a portion from an inside end to a middle portion of an eyebrow. Although the direction of the arrow A1 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the arrangement of the middle protrusion 15 and the side protrusions 16, the direction of the arrow A1 can be a different direction. As a means for drawing the lines, the applying member 2 is supplied with the cosmetic liquid in the container body 3. The cosmetic liquid supplied to the applying member 2 is introduced forwards from the rear end of the applying member 2.

[0046] In addition, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, by contacting the middle protrusion 15 and a pair of side protrusions 16 with the application target and drawing the applying member 2 in a direction of an arrow A2 or an arrow A3, the three lines of the cosmetic liquid, between which, gaps are narrower than those shown in FIG. 4, or which are at least partially overlapped relative to each other, are drawn on the application target. This is used for drawing a portion from the middle portion of an eyebrow to an outer end of the eyebrow. Although the direction of the arrow A1 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of the middle protrusion 15 and the side protrusions 16, the direction of the arrow A1 can be a different direction.

[0047] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, by contacting the middle protrusion 15 and one of the pair of side protrusions 16 with the application target and dragging the applying member 2 in a direction of an arrow A4, two lines of the cosmetic liquid are drawn on the application target at the same time.

[0048] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, by contacting only the middle protrusion 15 with the application target and dragging the applying member 2 in a direction of an arrow A5, one line of the cosmetic liquid is drawn on the application target.

[0049] In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, by contacting only one of the pair of side protrusions 16 with the application target and drawing the applying member 2 in a direction of an arrow A6, one line can be drawn on the application target. The line drawn by the side protrusions 16 is finer than the line drawn by the middle protrusion 15.

[0050] In addition, the toothed protrusion 17 has a shape linearly symmetrical with respect to the applicator axis O in the top view. Thus, for example, in the case of drawing eyebrows, one of the pair of side protrusions 16 is used for drawing a right eyebrow, and other of the pair of side protrusions 16 is used for drawing a left eyebrow. Thus, when drawing eyebrows and checking the balance between a right eyebrow and a left eyebrow, it is possible to smoothly change the situation of drawing a right eyebrow to the other situation of drawing a left eyebrow without drastically changing the way of holding the applicator 1.

[0051] In this way, the applying member 2 and the applicator 1 provide five types of aspects for drawing lines of the cosmetic liquid. In particular, when drawing only one line of the cosmetic liquid, the middle protrusion 15 is used for drawing a thick line, and the side protrusions 16 are used for drawing a fine line.

[0052] After drawing lines, said cap is attached on the neck 22 of the container body 3.

[0053] The applying member 2 and the applicator 1 are used in the above way.

[0054] As described above, according to the applying member 2 and the applicator 1 of the present embodiment, depending on shapes of portions to be applied with the cosmetic liquid and requirements from users, lines can be easily drawn in various aspects. In particular, by making the middle protrusion 15 protrude forwards more than the side protrusions 16 and by making the width of the middle protrusion 15 at its front end larger than the width and the thickness of the side protrusions 16 at their front ends, one thick line can be drawn by only using the middle protrusion 15, and one fine line can be drawn by only using one of the side protrusions 16. Thus, for example, in the case that the cosmetic liquid is eyebrow makeup or eyeliner, a more natural appearance can be provided.

[0055] In addition, by making the protrusion amounts and the thicknesses of the pair of side protrusions 16 equal to each other, it is possible to easily draw each of the eyebrows in a similar way. Moreover, by making the width and the thickness of the applying member 2 gradually decrease in the forwards direction, the thickness of the lines can be adjusted depending on the degree to which the side protrusions 16 contact with the application target, and thus, it is possible to draw lines in more various aspects. Furthermore, by making the toothed portion 17 linearly symmetrical with respect to the applicator axis O, it is possible to easily change the position of the applying member 2 in order to switch from drawing a right eyebrow to a left eyebrow, without changing the way of handling the applicator 1, such as rotating the applicator 1 about the applicator axis O by 180 degrees. In addition, by limiting the number of protrusions to three, the number of the protrusions contacting with the application target can be more easily changed, and the applicator 1 would be more convenient.

[0056] The inventions of the present application are not limited to the above described embodiments, and various modifications to the above described embodiments may be made without departing from the concept of the inventions of the present application.

[0057] For example, although the applying member in the above embodiment is for applying cosmetic liquid for eyebrows, the applying member can be for applying other cosmetic liquid such as eyeliner. In the same way, although the applicator contains cosmetic liquid for eyebrows, the applicator can contain other cosmetic liquid such as eyeliner.

[0058] The shape of the applying member is not limited to a round columnar shape, and can be other shapes such as an elliptic columnar shape or a polygonal columnar shape. In the same way, the shape of the container body is not limited to a cylindrically-bottomed shape, and can be other shapes such as an elliptic cylindrically-bottomed shape or a polygonal cylindrically-bottomed shape.

[0059] The width of a front end of the middle protrusion may be larger than the width of a front end of the side protrusion and smaller than the thickness at the front end of the side protrusion, or may be smaller than the width of a front end of the side protrusion and larger than the thickness at the front end of the side protrusion. In other words, the width of a front end of the middle protrusion is different from at least one of the width and the thickness at the front end of the side protrusion.

[0060] It is not necessary for the width and the thickness of the middle protrusion to be constant. In addition, it is also not necessary for the width and the thickness of the side protrusion to gradually decrease forward from its rear end.

[0061] Although the middle protrusion and the pair of side protrusions protrude forward along the applicator axis, the middle protrusion and the pair of side protrusions can protrude forward along a direction other than the applicator axis, and can protrude in a direction intersecting with the applicator axis. In addition, it is not necessary for the toothed portion to be arranged linearly symmetrically with the applicator axis.

[0062] Although the applying member includes three protrusions, i.e. the middle protrusion and the pair of side protrusions, the applying member can include two or more middle protrusions, and can include two or more pairs of side protrusions.

[0063] Although the applying member is mounted to the container body by means of the mounting member, the applying member can be directly mounted to the container body without the mounting member.

[0064] The applicator can be provided with a valve for adjusting an amount of the cosmetic liquid to be supplied to the applying member from the container body.