Eye cosmetic applicator

Abstract

An eye liner and/or eye brow cosmetic applicator device comprises a cylindrical handle segment and one or preferably two angled eye liner and eye brow cosmetic holding containers and applicators having a roller ball, tip, nib or a brush in communication with eye liner and eye brow cosmetic material contained within the containers at the angled ends of the device. The containers are removably connected to the handle for selective replacement. Caps or coverings are provided to the working tips of the containers and, in one embodiment, a smudger cap is provided, too. The caps are frictionally retained. The handle segments are preferably rotatably secured to one another for providing flexibility in rotation of each handle segment with respect to the other handle segment.

Claims

1. An eye makeup applicator comprising a handle having two opposed ends and two eye liner or eyebrow cosmetic treatment ends, each comprising a container for eye makeup material, said eye liner or eyebrow cosmetic treatment ends projecting outwardly from the ends of said handle at an angle, wherein each of the ends of said handle are connected to a first treatment end at a first end of said handle and a second treatment end at a second end of said handle that is opposite the first end of said handle, each treatment end projecting from said handle at an adjustable angle with respect to said handle wherein said handle is comprised of two handle segments, and said handle segments are rotatably secured to one another so that each handle segment can rotate about its longitudinal axis with respect to the longitudinal axis of the other handle segment.

2. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said treatment ends is adjustable with respect to said angle in the range of about 90 degrees to about 170 degrees.

3. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 2 wherein said angle is in the range of about 135 degrees.

4. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said handle is sufficiently wide to accommodate a full four fingers of a hand.

5. An eye liner makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said angle defined by a longitudinal axis passing through said handle and the longitudinal axis passing through at least one of said eye liner cosmetic treatment ends is in the range of is about 135 degrees.

6. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end of said eye liner or eye brow cosmetic treatment ends are provided with an applicator comprising any one of either a brush, tip, nib or a roller ball.

7. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said handle and said container are circular in cross section.

8. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said eye liner or eye brow cosmetic treatment ends of said applicator are incrementally adjustably angularly secured to said handle.

9. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said containers are replaceably secured to the ends of said handle by complementary male and female mechanical connections.

10. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 6 wherein said eye liner or eye brow cosmetic treatment end(s) are provided with a smudger end which is frictionally received over at least one of said eye liner or eye brow cosmetic treatment end.

11. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said applicator extends from the first cosmetic treatment end or the second treatment end by a span distance of only about 4 inches.

12. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein relative rotation of said container or a component mechanically connected to said container about a longitudinal axis of said containers results in the eye makeup material contents of said container being advanced toward at least one of said cosmetic treatment ends.

13. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said handle segments are rotatably secured to one another by a male pin extending from one of said handle segments and a blind bore in the other of said handle segments.

14. An eye makeup applicator as claimed in claim 13 wherein said handle segments are held together by a detent mechanism.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view of another and more streamlined embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is an enlarged and partial view of another embodiment of the central area of the handle and shows a simple male plug or pin insertable into and rotatable about a female socket of the other segment of the handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(4) As seen in FIG. 1, an eye liner and eye brow fill in cosmetic applicator is provided. It is generally of a round cross section although other shapes, (triangular, square, rectangular, hexagon, oval, etc.) are also within the scope of the present invention. From the top or a side, the eye liner applicator 10 appears like an elongated S shape, comprised of a central handle section 12 and two outwardly extending cosmetic, container-holding segments, 14 and 16. The ends 18 and 20 of the segments 14 and 16 extend away from one another and, preferably, the lengths 22 and 24 of the segments 14 and 16 are somewhat parallel to one another. Of course, the ends 18 and 20 of the segments 14 and 16 could extend away from one another (like a U shape) and, yet, the lengths 22 and 24 might be non-parallel to one another, i.e., the longitudinal axis passing through the segments could cross one another, if extended beyond the handle section 12. In the embodiment shown, the segments 14 and 16 are parallel but directed away from one another so that, if the device were laid upon a grid with an X-Y axis, with the Y axis beneath the longitudinal axis of the handle 12, the segment 14 would lie in the I quadrant of the grid, where X and Y are positive, while the segment 16 lies in the III quadrant, where both X and Y are negative.

(5) The two ends 18 and 20 of the eye liner and eye brow cosmetic applicator 10 are preferably provided with working ends which are related but different from one another to provide versatility to the device for use in cosmetic make-up, specifically, eye liner and eye brow filler, application to a human facethe emphasis being the eyes. One end could be provided with a roller ball 31, for example, or a fine brush, for application of eye liner, while the opposite end could be provided with, for example, a roller ball of a different diameter for the same or a different color of eye liner or eye brow fill in cosmetic, a brush with a different width, a smudging sponge, a roller ball of the same diameter as the first but for application of a different color eye liner or eye brow, or a pencil or pen nib 33. Preferably, the two ends of the eye liner applicator 10 are coordinated in some manner to one another to provide an eye liner and eye brow cosmetic applicator with great utility for the user in a coordinated and fashionable manner.

(6) The lengths 22 and 24 of the applicator 10 are preferably the same diameter as the handle and cylindrical (as is the handle), but could be other cross sectional diameters and shapes. In any shape, however, the lengths are holding compartments, vessels, or containers for a reasonable (at least one application to each eye is considered the minimum) number of applications. The compartments for holding the eye liner and eye brow cosmetic material are closed on their proximal ends (near to the handle) and the roller ball or brushes, in fluid or material communication with the contents of the compartments of the lengths, are located at the distal ends. Conventional eye liner and other cosmetic applicators currently exist which use roller balls for application of the same, brushes are available, too, as are pencil liners and pen nibs, etc. Thus the technology for the compartments, the sealing of the same, the capture, release, obtaining smooth material to the roller ball and/or the brush(es) is all well known.

(7) The handle section of the eye liner applicator is sufficiently long so as to allow for either a hand (four fingers and the thumb on the other side) to be gripped around it and/or for at least the thumb and forefinger, all to allow for ease of application of the eye liner and eye brow filler of cosmetics onto the water line and skin adjacent the eyes of the wearer.

(8) In the preferred embodiment, the containers 30 and 32 for the cosmetic eye liner and eye brow cosmetic material are removable and replaceable onto the handle. In this way, the user/consumer could replace spent containers of the eye liner and cosmetic eye brow material with new ones, mix the applicator's brushes with roller ball applicators, change the color of the eye liner or eye brow filler being carried by the device, the width of the brush tips, the type of eye liner, etc. In this regard, the proximal ends of the containers can be provided with a set of male screw threads 41, 43 which can be selectively screwed into suitable female screw threads 45, 47 or receivers in the ends of the handle. Other male and female mechanical connectors can be provided, too, (snaps and snap retainers) to allow for the containers to be swapped for other containers 30 and 32 to be held on the opposed ends of the applicator handle 12. In an alternate embodiment, of course, the containers are integral with the central handle and the entire device is disposable when one or both containers are spent or otherwise desired, or when one or the other container can be selectively replaceable when spent.

(9) As can be appreciated, in the preferred embodiment the overall length of the device is generally desirably in the range of about 41 inches, measured between parallel vertical lines passing through each of the ends 18 and 20 of the device 10. In the preferred embodiment, the short lengths 22 and 24 are only about 1 inches in length but, surely, other dimensions are within the scope of the invention. The cylindrical containers or compartments 30 and 32 for holding the eye lining and eye brow cosmetics material are generally in the range of about to of an inch in diameter. Also, the angle defined by the longitudinal axis passing through the handle section 12 and a longitudinal axis passing through the short lengths or segments 22 and 24, respectively, is defined by angle alpha, and preferably is about 135 degrees. Each of those angles between the length or container and the handle need not be the same and can be different. Indeed, it is within the contemplation of the present invention that the angle defined between the axis of the short segments and the longitudinal axis of the handle be in the range from about 90 degrees (forming a U shape) to about 170 degrees. In one embodiment of the invention the connections between the containers and the handle are accomplished by elliptical planes at the ends of the containers sliding on one another. This thus defines a hard angle between the longitudinal axis of the handle and that of each container. In one alternate embodiment of the device the longitudinal axis passing through the handle and the longitudinal axis of the attached containers define a sharp and obtuse angle. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the longitudinal axis of the handle and that of the containers are sharp obtuse angles but the connections define smooth curves, like a slithering snake. A radius of curvature is provided at the connections between the end of the handle and the non-working ends of the containers so that the handle gradually and gracefully becomes the containers.

(10) A first end of the device is preferably provided with a roller ball applicator 31 for allowing ease of transfer and uniform application of the eye liner and/or eye brow cosmetic material from the container 32 to the water line and/or skin adjacent the eye of the user. The roller ball will pick up material when that side of the sphere is in contact with the contents of the container and then transfer the same to the water line or skin adjacent the eye of the user when it comes into contact with the same. Preferably, the roller ball is about 5-10 mm in diameter but other dimensions can be appropriate, extending down to even about 1 mm and up to about 15 mm in diameter. The other end 18 of the device 10 can be provided with another roller ball (same or different diameter), with a different color eye liner or eye brow cosmetic material. Alternatively, one end can be provided with a roller ball applicator and the other end provided with a thin liner brush, ranging in width from about 1 mm to 5 mm, and even up to about 15 mm. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the end 18 is provided with a pen-like nib 33 for defining a fine line of eye liner to the water line of the eye and to the adjacent skin of the eye for eye brow cosmetic material.

(11) According to the present invention, each of the ends of the device are preferably covered with a covering cap or device for protecting the roller balls, pencil tips, nibs or brush applicators from accidentally coming into contact with clothes, other body parts, other people, etc. In one embodiment, the covers 38 are merely friction fit caps which slide over the exposed ends of the application surface (roller ball or brush) and frictionally grip the sides of the device, just behind (closer to the handle) the roller ball or brush. In another embodiment, an intermediate smudger cap, 40 is provided. Smudger cap 40 is also a friction fit over the end of the roller ball or brush or nib and presents a soft, smooth, preferably foam surface for easily smudging (a common practice in smoothing the transition of color applied by the eye liner to the surrounding skin of the eye). This surface can be sponge-like on the outside application surface but is sufficiently rigid, on its concave end, to allow the same to be easily and securely placed on the working tip or end of the applicator and removed, as desired. In another embodiment of the present invention, the smudger cap 40 is removably secured to the application end 20 of the device and then the protective cap 38, preferably transparent, is frictionally secured over the smudger cap 40. This protects the smudger cap from contact with another person or object. Then, when desirably used, the cap 38 can be removed to expose the smudger cap. Then, if it is desired to remove the smudger cap 40, it can be removed by first replacing the cap 38 and squeezing the resilent sides of the cap 38 so that it and the smudger cap are simultaneously removed, exposing the roller ball, tip or nib, or the brush. Alternate mechanical arrangements can be used for providing a smudger cap to the roller ball (or brush) and providing an overall cap for the smudger cap which overall cap also can be placed upon and securely held to the end of the device, protecting the roller ball, tip, nib or the brush, in the event that no smudger cap is used.

(12) The present invention, in its preferred embodiment, contemplates, as mentioned, that the handle can selectively receive a material container (preferably cylindrical) which when spent can be selectively replaced by a new container with the same or a different applicator, eye liner or eye brow cosmetic material, or color of eye liner as used or, of course, for versatility, a new color, type of or size applicator, or material (matte finish, gloss, glitter entrained, etc.). Alternatively, of course, the device can be disposable such that a single container either on one or both ends, when spent by application, results in the user throwing the entire applicator away and replacing the same, as needed.

(13) In an alternate embodiment the end(s) 18 and 20 and the segments or lengths 14 and 16 are secured to the outside ends of the handle 12 by a ball and resilient capturing socket joint to permit the adjustment of the angle of the applicator's ends with respect to the handle.

(14) In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the central segment of the handle is provided with a rotatable mechanical connection to allow the two handle segments with their cosmetic containers and applicators to rotate with respect to one another so that the applicators can actually be rotated to be near one another and distal from one another. This type of connection is shown in FIG. 3. There, it should be appreciated, the two handle segments are connected together by a projecting center pin 201 in the middle of the overall device, but on one end of the handle segment not provided with a cosmetic container, sliding into a central blind bore 203, opposing the pin 201, and on the end of the other handle segment, also on the end thereof not provided with a cosmetic container. The center 116 of FIG. 2 can be replaced by a small outwardly extending post or pin 201 (aligned with the handle segment's longitudinal axis) as a male component and it will frictionally be held in a female blind bore 203 in the opposed end of the other handle segment. In one embodiment of the invention, the pin and the bore are maintained in rotatable contact by a small dtente ball with a back spring and a corresponding hole of the blind bore, or vice versa, similar to the manner of the manner by which a telescopic handle of a collapsible umbrella is held together. With the male pin 201 and female bore 203 of the opposed handle segments, the two ends can rotate, one around the other, so that both ends with cosmetic containers and applicators can have their application tips or ends proximal or distal to one another. In this embodiment, the longitudinal axis of one handle segment is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the other handle segment and, yet, the handle segments rotate about their longitudinal axis, and about the other handle segment's axis. This provides the cosmetic applicator with great geometric versatility.

(15) In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the container's material contents are advanced and pushed towards the working end of the device (brush or roller ball) as a material advancing wheel is rotated about the axis of the container. This can operate in a manner similar to current mechanisms now in use for lipstick applications, lip balm, deodorant rollers, etc.

(16) In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the cosmetic applicator 100 is provided with opposed ends 102 and 104 which are gradually tapered toward their working tips 106 and 108 and provided with simple, rubber caps 110, which are frictional held over the working tips until desirably removed for use. After use, the rubber caps 110 are replaced and held over to close the working tips 106 and 108 of the opposed ends 102 and 104. Here, as in the other embodiment, the central section 112 of the cosmetic applicator, the handle, is preferably cylindrical (circular in cross section) from the opposed ends 102 and 104 inwardly. Of course, the central section 112 can have a square, rectangular, hexagon, octagon, or other cross sectional shape. At the middle 114 of the applicator 100 shown in FIG. 2, a hinge or pivot feature 116 is provided. This can be a ball and socket like joint, or an extended ear of one end of the middle 114 captured by a pair of spaced ears on the other end of the middle 114, with aligned apertures for a pivot pin passing therethrough. Other mechanical hinges would work and are within the scope of the present invention. The hinge allows one of the opposed ends, say 102 with its working end 106 to rotate with respect to the other and opposed end, 104, with its working tip 108, so that the device is bent upon itself and is thus more compact for travel and storage. Then, when one or the other end of the cosmetic applicator is desired to be used on one's face, the device is unfolded by rotating one end about the hinge with respect to the other end. With the two opposed ends 102 and 104 separated, the working tips 106 and 108 can be used (after removal of the rubber covering tip(s) 110 for the end sought to be used on one's face. Of course, the hinge 116 allows for infinite variation and flexibility of the angle of one of the axis of a first end with respect to the axis of the second end, as the device need not be fully opened for use. The hinge allows for flexibility of the device and for compact storage in one's purse or drawere. As will be appreciated, when one end is rotated above the hinge 116, 180 degrees, because the working tips are oppositely directed (one pointing to the 2.sup.nd quadrant and the other toward a 4.sup.th quadrant of a set of Cartesian coordinates of a graph, the two working tips will point together, separated by the thickness of the middle section of the applicator and the variation allowed by the hinge. The hinge components can have various detents or stops to hold the respective working ends with respect to one another, as desired.