COSMETIC APPLICATOR

Abstract

The present invention relates to an applicator of a cosmetic, makeup or care product, on human keratin materials, comprising: an application point made from felt, defining an application surface of the product, extending along a longitudinal axis and having at least one oblique groove extending along an axis that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the application point and does not lie in a plane containing the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. An applicator for a cosmetic, makeup or care, product to human keratin materials, having: an applicator tip made of felt, defining an application surface of the product, extending along a longitudinal axis and having at least one oblique groove extending along an axis not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the applicator tip and not contained in a plane containing the longitudinal axis.

2. An applicator for a cosmetic, makeup or care, product to human keratin materials, having: an applicator tip made of felt, defining an application surface of the product, extending along a longitudinal axis and having at least three longitudinal grooves each extending along an axis contained in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the applicator tip.

3. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oblique groove or grooves optionally extend to the distal end of the applicator tip.

4. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oblique groove or grooves extend over one portion only or over the entire length of the application surface.

5. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator tip has a mounting end piece and at least one oblique groove extends over the mounting end piece.

6. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oblique groove or grooves each extend over less than one revolution around the longitudinal axis of the applicator tip.

7. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oblique groove or grooves form one or more annular grooves extending all around the longitudinal axis of the applicator tip.

8. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator tip has at least two oblique grooves forming annular grooves that intersect.

9. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one oblique groove follows the path of a helix around the longitudinal axis of the applicator tip.

10. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator tip has two oblique grooves that follow the path of two reverse helices that cross one other around the longitudinal axis of the applicator tip.

11. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal grooves are equally distributed around the longitudinal axis of the applicator tip.

12. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove or grooves are continuous.

13. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove or grooves are discontinuous, each forming a succession of cells or oblong indentations.

14. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the maximum depth of a groove, measured between its bottom and its edge, perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis, is between 0.1 mm and 3 mm.

15. The applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application surface has a variable cross section, decreasing in the direction of the distal end of the applicator tip.

16. A device for packaging and applying a cosmetic, makeup or care, product to human keratin materials, having: a reservoir containing the product to be applied, and an applicator as claimed in claim 1.

17. A method for manufacturing an applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein: an applicator tip made of felt is produced, and oblique grooves are made in the applicator tip.

18. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal groove or grooves optionally extend to the distal end of the applicator tip.

19. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal groove or grooves extend over one portion only or over the entire length of the application surface.

20. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the applicator tip has a mounting end piece and at least one longitudinal groove extends over the mounting end piece.

21. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the groove or grooves are continuous.

22. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the groove or grooves are discontinuous, each forming a succession of cells or oblong indentations.

23. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the maximum depth of a groove, measured between its bottom and its edge, perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis, is between 0.1 mm and 3 mm.

24. The applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the application surface has a variable cross section, decreasing in the direction of the distal end of the applicator tip.

25. The device according to claim 16, the applicator tip being supplied with product from its proximal end.

26. A device for packaging and applying a cosmetic, makeup or care, product to human keratin materials, having: a reservoir containing the product to be applied, and an applicator as claimed in claim 2.

27. The device according to claim 26, the applicator tip being supplied with product from its proximal end.

28. A method for manufacturing an applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein: an applicator tip made of felt is produced, and longitudinal grooves are made in the applicator tip.

Description

[0063] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting illustrative embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a schematic elevation view of an example of a packaging and application device according to the invention, in the form of an applicator pen,

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a schematic and perspective view of the applicator tip of the pen from FIG. 1 on its own,

[0066] FIGS. 3 to 7 show variant applicator tips according to the invention, shown on their own as schematic perspective views,

[0067] FIG. 8 is a transverse cross section along VIII-VIII from FIG. 7,

[0068] FIGS. 9 to 14 and 16 show variant applicator tips according to the invention, shown on their own as schematic perspective views, and

[0069] FIG. 15 shows a transverse cross-sectional view of a variant applicator tip according to the invention.

[0070] The packaging and application device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is in the form of an applicator pen comprising a body 11 with an elongate shape along an axis X, which defines a reservoir containing the makeup product to be applied, in this case eyeliner. The latter contains for example water, one or more pigments, notably iron oxide, and/or one or more colorants, and polymers.

[0071] The capacity of the reservoir is for example between 1 and 6 ml.

[0072] The device 10 may also comprise, as illustrated, a closure cap 12 which is fixed on the body 11 for example by snap-fastening, screwing or friction.

[0073] The body 11 bears an applicator tip 20 according to the invention, examples of which are shown on their own in FIGS. 2 to 14, which may be fixed to the body 11 by any suitable means and which is for example force-fitted into a corresponding housing provided at the upper end of the body 11, communicating with the reservoir.

[0074] This applicator tip 20 is preferably made entirely of felt, notably of synthetic or natural fibres that are all oriented substantially in the same direction, notably along the longitudinal axis X of the tip 20, and assembled to form a felt.

[0075] The applicator tip 20 has a mounting end piece 21 which serves to fix it in the body 11, and an applicator part 22 which serves for application by coming into contact with the skin in order to deposit thereon eyeliner which impregnates the felt.

[0076] The end piece 21 may have a chamfered proximal part 70, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11.

[0077] The applicator tip 20 extends along a longitudinal axis Y which, in the examples described, is coincident with the longitudinal axis X of the body 11 of the device 10.

[0078] The applicator tip 20 is supplied with product through its proximal end 23 and the product can diffuse longitudinally therein, along the axis Y, until it reaches the applicator part 22 intended to come into contact with the skin.

[0079] The mounting end piece 21 has, in the examples described, a rotationally symmetrical shape about the axis Y, with a circular cross section. The largest diameter of the mounting end piece 21 is for example between 4 and 6 mm and is for example equal to 5 mm.

[0080] The applicator part 22 defines an application surface 25 having, in the example from FIGS. 1 and 2, an oblique groove 31 extending along an axis T not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis Y of the applicator tip 20 and not contained in a plane containing the longitudinal axis Y.

[0081] In the example considered, the oblique groove forms an annular groove that extends all around the longitudinal axis Y of the applicator tip 20.

[0082] In the variant from FIG. 3, the application surface 25 has two oblique grooves 31 and 32 each forming an annular groove.

[0083] In a further variant, shown in FIG. 4, the application surface 25 has two grooves 31 and 32 forming annular grooves that intersect.

[0084] In the examples from FIGS. 1 to 4, the edges of the grooves 31 and 32 are parallel to one another. In the variant from FIG. 5, the edges of the grooves 31 and 32 follow undulations, for example regular undulations. In this example, a tangent T.sub.t to one edge 43 of the groove 31 or 32 is oriented obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis Y of the applicator tip 20, at at least one point thereof.

[0085] In the example from FIG. 5, the end piece 21 for mounting the applicator tip 20 also has an oblique groove 32. The presence of one or more grooves on the mounting end piece 21 may have the advantage of giving greater suppleness to the applicator during application, of making the tip bend in order to incline it, and is esthetically pleasing owing to the continuity with the applicator part 22.

[0086] In the variant represented in FIG. 6, the oblique groove 34 follows a helical path around the longitudinal axis Y, with a path that decreases on approaching the distal end.

[0087] In the variant from FIG. 9, the application surface 25 of the applicator part 22 has two grooves 34 and 36 that follow the path of two helices that cross one other around the longitudinal axis Y of the applicator tip 20.

[0088] In the example from FIGS. 7 and 8, the oblique groove 31 of the applicator part 22 extends over less than one revolution around the longitudinal axis Y.

[0089] As represented in FIG. 8, the maximum depth P.sub.r of the groove 31, measured between its bottom 41 and its edges 42, perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis T, is for example between 0.1 mm and 3 mm.

[0090] In the examples from FIGS. 10 to 14, the application surface 25 of the applicator part 22 has at least three longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39, each extending along an axis T contained in a plane M.sub.1 containing the longitudinal axis Y of the applicator tip 20.

[0091] The presence of longitudinal grooves may make it possible to interrupt the fibers forming the felt over a greater length than the oblique grooves. Furthermore, this may make it possible to preserve zones on the application surface that are defined by uninterrupted fibers, capable of providing more product.

[0092] In the example from FIG. 10, the longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39 are made in the applicator tip 20 starting from its distal end 35.

[0093] In the variant represented in FIG. 12, the longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39 are made in the applicator tip 20 starting from a non-zero distance d.sub.d from its distal end 35.

[0094] In the examples from FIGS. 10, 12 and 13, the longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39 extend over one portion only of the length L.sub.p of the application surface 25.

[0095] In the variants from FIGS. 11 and 14, the longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39 extend over the entire length L.sub.p of the application surface 25. In these examples, the longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39 continue on the mounting end piece.

[0096] In the examples from FIGS. 1 to 12 and 14, the grooves are continuous.

[0097] In the examples from FIGS. 13 and 16, the longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39 are discontinuous, forming oblong indentations in the example from FIG. 13 and cells in the example from FIG. 16.

[0098] In the variant represented in FIG. 15, the applicator tip 20 has four longitudinal grooves 37, 38, 39, equally distributed around the longitudinal axis Y.

[0099] The applicator part 22 is, especially in the examples from FIGS. 4 and 5, symmetrical with respect to a median plane M that passes through the longitudinal axis Y.

[0100] Generally, the length L.sub.p of the applicator part 22 is for example between 4 and 15 mm. The largest transverse dimension w of the applicator part 22 is for example between 4 and 6 mm.

[0101] The application surface 25 is preferably of tapered shape, with a cross section that decreases in the direction of the distal end 35.

[0102] In the examples from FIGS. 1 to 13, the applicator part 22 is of conical shape, apart from the grooves. In the variants from FIG. 14, the applicator part 22 has an outwardly concave generatrix.

[0103] The invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described. Notably, it is possible to further modify the shape of the applicator tip without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0104] The applicator tip may be covered with a coating of flocking, where appropriate.

[0105] The applicator tip is not necessarily fixed to a reservoir body during application. It may be mounted at the end of a stem of an applicator which can be fixed to the body 11 of a container containing the product when it is not in use.

[0106] The expression comprising a should be understood as being synonymous with comprising at least one.