PARTIALLY TREATED COSMETIC PRODUCT APPLICATOR

Abstract

An applicator for applying a cosmetic substance includes an applicator body and an applicator head. The applicator head is operably coupled with a first end of the applicator body via a body coupling member. The applicator head includes a first member and a second member. The first member has a first outer surface adapted to collect and/or apply a cosmetic substance. The second member is operably coupled with the first member and has a second outer surface adapted to collect and/or apply a cosmetic substance. At least one of the first outer surface and the second outer surface has a surface treatment applied thereto.

Claims

1. An applicator for applying a cosmetic substance, the applicator comprising: an applicator body including a first end having a body coupling member, a second end, and an elongated portion extending therebetween; an applicator head operably coupled with the first end of the applicator body via the body coupling member, the applicator head including: a first member having a first outer surface adapted to collect and/or apply a cosmetic substance; a second member being operably coupled with the first member, the second member having a second outer surface adapted to collect and/or apply the cosmetic substance; wherein at least one of the first outer surface or the second outer surface has a surface treatment applied thereto.

2. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the body coupling member includes an opening to receive a portion of the applicator head.

3. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the second member of the applicator head is at least partially insertable within the first member of the applicator head.

4. The applicator of claim 3, wherein the first member of the applicator head includes a channel and the second portion of the applicator head includes a tab adapted to be inserted into the channel of the first member of the applicator head.

5. The applicator of claim 3, wherein the first member of the applicator head includes a proximal end and the second member of the applicator head includes a proximal end, wherein the proximal ends of the first member and the second member cooperate to form a head coupling member adapted to be insertable within the body coupling member of the applicator body.

6. The applicator of claim 3, wherein the first member of the applicator head includes a countersunk region adapted to receive a corresponding portion of the second member of the applicator head.

7. The applicator of claim 3, wherein the first member of the applicator head includes a neck portion and a main portion, the neck portion adapted to couple with the body coupling member.

8. The applicator of claim 7, wherein the main portion of the first member includes a first curved region and the second member includes a second curved region adapted to mate with the first curved region.

9. The applicator of claim 3, wherein the second member of the applicator head includes a neck portion and a main portion, the neck portion adapted to couple with the first member of the applicator head.

10. The applicator of claim 9, wherein the neck portion of the second member causes the main portion of the second member to protrude outwardly from the first outer surface of the first member.

11. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the first and second members of the applicator head are discrete components.

12. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the surface treatment includes at least one of a flocking material, a soft-touch material, a surface finishing material, or a pigmentation.

13. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the first member of the applicator head is formed from a first material having a first hardness value and the second member of the applicator head is formed from a second material having a second hardness value that is different than the first hardness value.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above needs are at least partially met through provision of one, more than one, or any combination of the approaches for partially treated cosmetic product applicators described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a first example applicator system in accordance with various examples.

[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the applicator head of the first example applicator system of FIG. 1.

[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a second example applicator system in accordance with various examples.

[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the applicator head of the second example applicator system of FIG. 3.

[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a third example applicator system in accordance with various examples.

[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the applicator head of the third example applicator system of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a fourth example applicator system in accordance with various examples.

[0025] FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the applicator head of the fourth example applicator system of FIG. 7.

[0026] FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of a fifth example applicator system in accordance with various examples.

[0027] FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of the applicator head of the fifth example applicator system of FIG. 9.

[0028] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various examples. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible examples are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various examples. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Generally speaking, pursuant to these various approaches, an applicator for applying a cosmetic substance is provided that may be efficiently manufactured to allow for desired surface treatments to be applied to desired regions. The product applicator may accommodate any number of regions having varying shapes, sizes, or other configurations as desired to allow a user to precisely dispense and apply a quantity of a cosmetic, a hair care, a body care, a skincare, and/or any other product such as, for example, a lip gloss product, a concealer formula, and the like, and allows the product to be applied and blended in an ergonomic and even manner. By including both a first member and a second member, a surface treatment can be applied to a portion of the applicator prior to assembly that is otherwise inaccessible for such a surface treatment after assembly. In this way, the surface treatment can be utilized on areas of an applicator that could not have the surface treatment if the applicator was constructed from a unitary piece. Moreover, the first and second member can be molded or otherwise manufactured separately, thereby allowing complex designs that could not be easily manufactured as a unitary piece.

[0030] All of the five example applicator systems contained herein, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, are directed to an applicator 100 for applying a cosmetic substance. Common features in each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth arrangements are identified by the same reference number. After their initial introduction, common features are not described in substantial detail for subsequent arrangements. Unique features are identified by unique reference numbers. Any combination or sub-combination of features described in regard to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth arrangements may be incorporated into another of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth arrangements, and vice-versa.

[0031] In all five example applicator systems, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, the applicator 100 includes an applicator body 102 including a first end 104 having a body coupling member 106 and a second end 108. An elongated portion 110 extends between the first end 104 and the second end 108. The elongated portion 110 may be configured as a handle for the user to hold while using the applicator 100. For example, the elongated portion 110 may be sufficiently long to enable a user to hold the applicator 100 with the same grip used to hold a pencil or pen.

[0032] In all five example applicator systems, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, an applicator head 112 is operably coupled with the first end of the applicator body 102 via the body coupling member 106. In the five example applicator systems shown, the body coupling member 106 includes an opening 114 to receive a portion 116 of the applicator head 112. (In FIG. 10, the opening 114 and the portion 116 are already assembled and thus not visible.) The body coupling member 106 may connect to the applicator head 112 by heat-staking or may include routine fastening mechanisms, such as screw ridges or valleys, that cooperate with the portion 116 of the applicator head 112 to secure the applicator head 112 in place.

[0033] In all five example applicator systems, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, the applicator head 112 includes a first member 118 having a first outer surface 120 adapted to collect and/or apply a cosmetic substance. The applicator head 112 further includes a second member 122 that is operably coupled with the first member 118. The second member 122 has a second outer surface 124 adapted to collect and/or apply the cosmetic substance. The first member 118 and the second member 122 of the applicator head 112 are discrete components. Put another way, the first member 118 and the second member 122 are not formed integrally with one another as a unitary piece but must be connected during assembly of the applicator 100.

[0034] In all five example applicator systems, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, at least one of the first outer surface 120 and the second outer surface 124 has a surface treatment applied thereto. The surface treatment may include at least one of a flocking material, a soft-touch material, a surface finishing material, or a pigmentation. For example, at least one of the first outer surface 120 and the second outer surface 124 may be flocked to have a different texture than the other of the first outer surface 120 and the second outer surface 124, thereby providing an applicator head 112 having at least two different textures for retaining and applying a cosmetic substance. The first member 118 of the applicator head 112 is formed from a first material having a first hardness value and the second member 122 of the applicator head 112 is formed from a second material having a second hardness value that is different than the first hardness value. The different hardness values contribute to the applicator head 112 having different textures for retaining and applying a cosmetic substance.

[0035] In each of the five example applicator systems, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, the second member 122 of the applicator head 112 is at least partially insertable within the first member 118 of the applicator head 112. In other exemplary applicator systems, the first member 118 of the applicator head 112 may be at least partially insertable within the second member 122 of the applicator head 112, or the first member 118 and the second member 122 may be adhered together or otherwise connected without either being inserted into the other.

[0036] In the first example applicator system shown in FIG. 2, the third example applicator system shown in FIG. 6, and the fourth example applicator system shown in FIG. 8, the first member 118 of the applicator head 112 includes a channel 126. The second member 122 of the applicator head 112 includes a tab 128 adapted to be inserted into the channel 126 of the first member 118 of the applicator head 112. In the first and fourth example applicator systems shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, the tab 128 can be inserted into the channel 126 from above, whereas in the third example applicator system shown in FIG. 6, the tab 128 must be inserted into the channel 126 at an end and then must slide along the channel 126 to a final position.

[0037] In the first example applicator system shown in FIG. 2, the third example applicator system shown in FIG. 6, and the fourth example applicator system shown in FIG. 8, the first member 118 of the applicator head 112 includes a proximal end 130 and the second member 122 of the applicator head 112 includes a proximal end 132, wherein the proximal ends 130, 132 of the first member 118 and the second member 122 cooperate to form a head coupling member 134 adapted to be insertable within the body coupling member 106 of the applicator body 102. When the proximal ends 130,132 of the first member 118 and the second member 122 are both inserted within the body coupling member 106 of the applicator body 102, the body coupling member 106 contributes to keeping the first member 118 and the second member 122 secured to one another.

[0038] In the first example applicator system shown in FIG. 2, the third example applicator system shown in FIG. 6, and the fourth example applicator system shown in FIG. 8, the first member 118 of the applicator head includes a neck portion 136 and a main portion 138. The neck portion 136 is adapted to couple with the body coupling member 106. The second member 122 of the applicator head includes a neck portion 140 and a main portion 142. The neck portion 140 is adapted to couple with the first member 118 of the applicator head 112.

[0039] In the first example applicator system shown in FIG. 2 and the fourth example applicator system shown in FIG. 8, the main portion 138 of the first member 118 includes a first curved region 144 and the second member 122 includes a second curved region 146 adapted to mate with the first curved region 144. That is, the first curved region 144 and the second curved region 146 together form a dual-member surface that can be used to apply a cosmetic substance. In the first example applicator system shown in FIG. 2, the first curved region 144 and the second curved region 146 are concave. In the fourth example applicator system shown in FIG. 8, the first curved region 144 and the second curved region 146 are convex.

[0040] In the third example applicator system of FIGS. 5 and 6, the fourth example applicator system of FIGS. 7 and 8, and the fifth example applicator system of FIGS. 9 and 10, the neck portion 140 of the second member 122 causes the main portion 142 of the second member 122 to protrude outwardly from the first outer surface 120 of the first member 118. The main portion 142 of the second member 122 protrudes outwardly from the first outer surface 120 of the first member 118 along a longitudinal axis A of the applicator 100. The main portion 142 includes a point 148 that extends beyond the first outer surface 120.

[0041] In the second example applicator system shown in FIG. 4, the first member 118 of the applicator head 112 includes a countersunk region 150 adapted to receive a corresponding portion 152 of the second member 122 of the applicator head 112. As shown, the corresponding surface provides the second outer surface 124, which is slightly concave. The first outer surface 120, located opposite the second outer surface 124, is also slightly concave.

[0042] In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings. Additionally, the described embodiments/examples/implementations should not be interpreted as mutually exclusive, and should instead be understood as potentially combinable if such combinations are permissive in any way. In other words, any feature disclosed in any of the aforementioned embodiments/examples/implementations may be included in any of the other aforementioned embodiments/examples/implementations.

[0043] The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The claimed invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.

[0044] Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms comprises, comprising, has, having. includes, including. contains, containing or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by comprises . . . a, has . . . a, includes . . . a, contains . . . a does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms a and an are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms substantially, essentially, approximately, about or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term coupled as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is configured in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.

[0045] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0046] The patent claims at the end of this patent application are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. 112 (f) unless traditional means-plus-function language is expressly recited, such as means for or step for language being explicitly recited in the claim(s).