COSMETIC APPLICATOR HAVING FIBRES

Abstract

An applicator for applying a cosmetic product, having a stem, and an applicator member carried by the stem, having a plurality of fibres, each having a hollow cylindrical body, and at least one longitudinal rib attached to the body by its base, each fibre being without axial symmetry in cross section and being inscribed in a circle (C) of diameter D.sub.2, such that the ratio D.sub.2/D.sub.1 is less than or equal to 1.75, D.sub.1 being the greatest outside transverse dimension of the body.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. An applicator for applying a cosmetic product, having: a stem, and an applicator member carried by the stem, having a plurality of fibres, each having: a hollow cylindrical body, and at least one longitudinal rib attached to the body by its base, each fibre being without axial symmetry in cross section and being inscribed in a circle of diameter D.sub.2, such that the ratio D.sub.2/D.sub.1 is less than or equal to 1.75, D.sub.1 being the greatest outside transverse dimension of the body.

16. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein the ratio D.sub.2/D.sub.1 is less than or equal to 1.5.

17. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein each fibre has at least two ribs.

18. The applicator according to claim 17, wherein each fibre has at least three ribs.

19. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein the number of ribs is less than or equal to 10.

20. The applicator according to claim 19, wherein the number of ribs is less than or equal to 5.

21. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein at least one rib extends inside the body.

22. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein at least one rib extends outside the body.

23. The applicator according to claim 17, wherein the ribs are all the same shape.

24. Applicator according to claim 17, wherein at least one rib is a different shape from the others.

25. Applicator according to claim 15, wherein the ribs are evenly distributed angularly about the body.

26. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein the rib or ribs extend(s) along the entire length of the fibres.

27. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of the wall of the hollow body is constant.

28. The applicator according to claim 15, wherein the rib or ribs has/have a substantially polygonal shape in cross section, chosen in the group consisting of a triangular, rectangular and square shape, or has/have a rounded shape.

29. The applicator according to claim 28, wherein the rib or ribs has/have a rounded shape consisting in a semicircular shape.

30. The applicator according to claim 15, having a core formed by two strands of a metal wire that are twisted together, the fibres being clamped between the metal strands.

31. A packaging and application device having: a reservoir containing the cosmetic product to be applied, an applicator according to claim 15.

Description

[0044] The invention may be better understood from reading the following detailed description of non-limiting illustrative embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

[0045] FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a packaging and application device,

[0046] FIGS. 2 to 7 illustrate variants of fibres in cross section, and

[0047] FIG. 8 is an elevation view of another example of an applicator.

[0048] The packaging and application device 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a container 2 containing a cosmetic product P to be applied, in particular to the eyelashes or the eyebrows, for example mascara, and an applicator 3 having a stem 4 of longitudinal axis X, provided at one end 4a with an applicator member 5 and at the opposite end with a gripping member 6 that likewise serves to close the container 2. The latter has a neck 7 which is externally threaded so as to allow the gripping member 6 to be screwed on.

[0049] A wiping member 8 is fixed inside the neck 7 in order to wipe the stem. 4 and the applicator member 5 as they are withdrawn from the container 2. This wiping member 8 has a flexible lip 9 that defines a circular wiping orifice, the diameter of which corresponds more or less to that of the stem 4.

[0050] Of course, the invention is not limited to the use of a particular wiping member and further wiping members can be used, for example a wiping member with a wavy lip and/or having one or more slits.

[0051] In the example illustrated, the stem 4 is rectilinear but it could be curved without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0052] In the example in question, the applicator member 5 has a core 10 formed in a conventional manner by two twisted metal strands, this core 10 being fixed at one end in a housing in the stem 4, being for example force-fitted into this housing.

[0053] The applicator member 5 has fibres 11 which are held in a clamped manner between the twisted strands of the core 10.

[0054] As can be seen in FIG. 2 in particular, these fibres 11 each have a hollow body 13 with a cylindrical shape, through which a central cavity 15 passes longitudinally and which is provided with at least one longitudinal rib 17.

[0055] Each fibre 11 is inscribed in a circle C, the diameter D.sub.2 of which is such that the ratio D.sub.2/D.sub.1 is less than or equal to 1.75, better still less than or equal to 1.5, D.sub.1 being the greatest outside transverse dimension of the body 13.

[0056] In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the fibre 11 has a body 13 in the form of a cylinder of revolution and three identical ribs 17 with a substantially rectangular shape that are evenly distributed angularly on the outside of the body 13.

[0057] The cross section of the fibre 11 is not symmetric about its centre, but in the example illustrated the fibre is the image of itself by rotation through 120.

[0058] The body 13 has a closed circular section, with a constant thickness e between its outer surface 21 and inner surface 19, for example between 0.01 and 0.08 mm, and with an outside diameter D.sub.1 of between 0.07 and 0.25 mm.

[0059] The longitudinal ribs 17 extend along the entire length of the fibres 11 and are continuous.

[0060] The maximum thickness h of each rib 17 taken, in cross section, at its base 23 connected to the body 13 at its end 25 is between 0.01 and 0.08 mm.

[0061] The greatest width L of each rib 17, in cross section, is between 0.01 and 0.08 mm.

[0062] While they are being clamped between the metal strands of the core, the fibres 11 are oriented differently depending on the orientation of their section with respect to the strands. A random modification of the orientation of the fibres can thus be obtained, and the spiral effect that is detrimental to the performance of the applicator can be weakened.

[0063] The example in FIG. 3 differs from the one in FIG. 2 in that the ribs 17 are each substantially semicircular in shape.

[0064] The example in FIG. 4 differs from the one in FIG. 3 in that the body 13 of the fibre 11 has a polygonal cross section, in this case hexagonal. The ribs 17 are present for example on every other side, and are centred on their respective sides.

[0065] The example in FIG. 5 differs from the one in FIG. 2 in that the fibres 11 have ribs 17a and 17b with different shapes and in that the body 13 has a non-circular, in particular elliptical, shape in cross section. The rib 17a has a rounded, in particular semi-oval, shape and the ribs 17b have a substantially triangular shape, being situated away from the rib 17a. The ribs 17a and 17b can have different greatest widths L.sub.a and L.sub.b and different maximum thicknesses h.sub.a and h.sub.b.

[0066] The ribs 17a and 17b are positioned on either side of the major axis M of the body 13.

[0067] The example in FIG. 6 differs from the one in FIG. 2 in that the ribs 17 extend towards the inside of the body 13. The diameter D.sub.1 is equal to the diameter D.sub.2.

[0068] Such ribs 17 make it possible to modify the crushing of the fibre in some directions.

[0069] The example in FIG. 7 differs from the one in FIG. 2 in that it has both ribs 17e that extend towards the outside of the body 13 and ribs 17i that extend towards the inside of the body 13. The ribs 17i are different shapes, one having for example, as illustrated, a triangular section and the other having a rectangular section. Such a fibre makes it possible to combine the effects associated with the presence of the internal and external ribs, that is to say to allow good retention of product and to break the spiral effect.

[0070] FIG. 8 illustrates an applicator having a stem 4 of longitudinal axis X, provided at one end 4a with an applicator member 5 and at the opposite end with a gripping member 6, the applicator member 5 being formed by a bundle of substantially parallel fibres 11.

[0071] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which have just been described, and the characteristics of the various examples can be combined with one another within variants that are not illustrated.

[0072] The invention is not limited to the shapes of ribs illustrated.

[0073] The body of the fibres may have a circular, oval or polygonal shape, but is not limited to these shapes.

[0074] The expression having a should be understood as being synonymous with comprising at least one, unless specified to the contrary.