Cosmetic product application tip including beads spiralling over an axisymmetric main body

Abstract

A cosmetic-product application tip including a main body having an axisymmetric general shape around a main axis defining a longitudinal direction. In the application tip, beads are formed at the surface of said main body from which each of the beads projects extending while spiralling around the main axis. In addition to the foregoing, an applicator includes such a tip and a set including such an applicator and a bottle.

Claims

1. A cosmetic product application tip comprising: a main body having an axisymmetric general shape around a main axis defining a longitudinal direction; beads are formed at a surface of said main body from which each of said beads projects extending while spiraling around the main axis; and the beads being elongate elements having a length, the beads being formed at the surface of the main body and projecting from said surface over an entire length of the beads.

2. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: a furrow is formed over the main body in each space between two beads.

3. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: the main body is metallic, made of a ceramic, or of wood.

4. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: the main body is made of a plastic material.

5. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: the beads are formed integrally in one-piece with the main body.

6. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: the beads are formed of an elastomeric material.

7. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: each of said beads is configured to turn around the main axis over an angle comprised between 90 and 720.

8. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: each of said beads is configured to turn around the main axis by an angle in a range of 180.

9. The application tip according to claim 7, wherein: the beads have a section whose dimensions are variable along each bead.

10. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: said beads include exactly three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten beads.

11. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: each bead has a rounded section with no sharp edges.

12. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: the beads have a roughness different from a roughness of the main body.

13. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: the main body has a so-called bud-like shape in a form of an elongate axisymmetric shape flaring progressively and terminating in a rounded tip.

14. The application tip according to claim 1, wherein: the main body has a spherical, axisymmetric cylindrical, or ogive-like shape.

15. A cosmetic product applicator including an application tip according to claim 1, further comprising: a gripper and a longitudinal rigid stick linking the gripper to the application tip.

16. The cosmetic product applicator according to claim 15, wherein: the application tip is rotatably mounted, around the main axis, in relation to the gripper.

17. A set including a bottle and an applicator according to claim 15, wherein: the bottle contains the cosmetic product, the bottle including a neck configured to be sealed off by the gripper, so that, when the bottle is sealed off by said gripper, the application tip is in contact with the cosmetic product.

18. The set according to claim 17, wherein: the bottle includes a squeegee, the squeegee allowing wiping the application tip upon passage thereof, so that a definite amount of product is carried by the application tip after extraction of the applicator from the bottle.

Description

(1) In the appended drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples:

(2) FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional schematic view of a cosmetic product application tip in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is another three-dimensional schematic view of an application tip in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an application tip according to an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an application tip according to an embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional view of an applicator in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a set including the applicator of FIG. 5 and a cosmetic product bottle.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a cosmetic product application tip 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. This application tip 1 is intended to be joined end-to-end to a stick 2 to form a cosmetic product applicator.

(9) The application tip 1 includes a main body 3. The main body 3 has an axisymmetric shape around a main axis A. Thus, any cross-section of the main body 3, in any plane orthogonal to the main axis A, is circular.

(10) The main axis A defines the longitudinal direction.

(11) The main body 3 is a solid element, which could be formed of various materials. The main body 3 may be metallic, for example made of stainless steel. The main body 3 may be made of ceramic. The main body 3 may be made of plastic material.

(12) The application tip further includes beads 4. The beads 4 are formed at the surface of the main body 3. The beads 4 are elongate elements, which project from the surface of the main body 3. The beads 4 may have various cross-sections. Preferably, they are rounded. In the example that is shown herein, the beads 4 have a substantially semi-circular section.

(13) Each bead 4 extends at the surface of the main body 3 while spiralling around the main axis A. Thus, each bead may, for example, form a helix portion at the surface of the main body 3.

(14) The main body 3 includes a first end 5, intended to be joined end-to-end to the stick 2, and a second end 6, which is a free end.

(15) Each bead 4 extends between the first end 5 and the second end 6. While spiralling, each bead forms between a quarter-turn ad a turn around the main axis, namely between 90 and 360. In particular, winding over about 180 is possible. Winding over up to two turns (720) is also possible.

(16) The application tip includes at least two beads 4. Advantageously, it includes between three and ten beads 4. In the shown example, the application tip includes eight beads.

(17) Advantageously, the beads 4 are evenly distributed at the periphery of the main body. One could talk about a distribution according to a radial symmetry. In other words, in any cross-section of the application tip, each bead is at the same distance from two beads that surround it (or are diametrically opposite if there are only two beads).

(18) In the illustrated example, the tip is rounded at its second end 6, and the beads 4 meet together at said second end 6.

(19) The beads 4 may be formed of the same material as the main body 3. For example, they may be formed integrally in one-piece with the main body 3. Alternatively, they may be affixed on the main body.

(20) According to one embodiment, the beads 4 are formed of an elastomeric material. This includes any polymer having elastic properties, in particular organic polymers, such as rubbers, and mineral polymers such as silicones. In particular, the beads 4 may be overmoulded over the main body 3.

(21) The space 7 formed between two successive beads (by successive, it should be understood that no other bead is interposed between the two considered beads, along the surface of the main body 3) forms a volume adapted to receive the cosmetic product and to retain it. The bottom of this space 7, i.e. the surface of the main body 3 between the beads 4, may have a texture, which, by increasing the roughness of the surface, improves the retention of the cosmetic product on the application tip 1.

(22) As illustrated in FIG. 2, to obtain a greater loading, it is possible to form furrows 8 between the beads 4. Except this difference, detailed hereinafter, the application tip of FIG. 2 is identical to that of FIG. 1 and reference may be made to the description of FIG. 1 for the embodiment of FIG. 2.

(23) The furrows 8 are elongate cavities, formed in the main body 3, between two beads 4. More specifically, a furrow 8 is advantageously formed between any pair of successive beads. Each furrow 8 may be formed over the entire width separating two beads 4 (i.e. over the entire width of each space 7), or only over a portion of this width. In this case, several furrows may be formed, where appropriate, between two beads.

(24) Thus, the furrows 8 may have a substantial depth. The furrows 8 do not communicate with each other, so that during the application of the cosmetic product, the dose carried by the application tip is progressively applied. Thus, the cosmetic product dose portion present between two beads is deposited only when the space 7 between the two considered beads is in contact with the skin.

(25) The bottom of the furrows may have a texture promoting retention of the cosmetic product, or, on the contrary, facilitating deposition thereof during application.

(26) In the embodiments of FIG. 1 and of FIG. 2, the main body has a so-called bud-like axisymmetric shape. A bud-like shape refers to an elongate axisymmetric shape flaring progressively (from the first end 5 towards the second end 6) and terminating in a rounded tip.

(27) Nevertheless, any axisymmetric shape may be considered to form the main body of an application tip in accordance with the present invention.

(28) FIG. 3 shows an example of an application tip 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The main body 3 of this application tip has an oval oblong shape, which could be described as ruby ball like shape. Except the shape of the main body, the aspects of the application tip described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 apply to this embodiment.

(29) FIG. 4 shows another example of an application tip 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The main body 3 of this application tip has a cylindrical shape. In the illustrated example, a furrow 8 is formed between each pair of successive beads 4. In this example, the furrow 8 is barely wide. Alternatively, it could cover the entire width present between two successive beads 4. Except the shape of the main body, the aspects of the application tip described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 apply to this embodiment.

(30) Other shapes of the main body 3 may be considered. In particular, the main body may narrow progressively in the direction of the second end 6, so as to have, for example, an ogive-like shape.

(31) FIG. 5 shows an applicator including an application tip 1 as described before. The applicator includes a gripping element 9 herein formed by a cap adapted to be screwed onto a cosmetic product bottle including an adapted neck. To this end, the cap may be provided with a tapping. According to other embodiments, the cap could be adapted to be attached to the bottle by snapping on.

(32) The gripping element 9 is adapted to be gripped by hand by a user wishing to use the applicator.

(33) The applicator extends according to a longitudinal general direction of extension, which therefore corresponds to the main axis A of the application tip 1.

(34) The application tip 1 is joined end-to-end to the stick 2. The stick 2 is, itself, fastened to the gripping element 9.

(35) The application tip 1 may be rigidly fastened, without any degree of freedom, to the stick 2 and the stick 2 may be rigidly fastened, without any degree of freedom, to the gripping element 9. Nevertheless, according to a preferred embodiment, the application tip is rotatably mounted, around the main axis A, relative to the gripping element 9. This may be achieved by mounting the application tip 1 freely rotatable relative to the stick 2, or by mounting the stick 2 freely rotatable relative to the gripping element 9.

(36) FIG. 6 shows a set including the applicator of FIG. 5 and a cosmetic product bottle 10.

(37) In this example, the application tip 1 is rigidly fastened to the stick 2. The stick 2 is hollow, and rotatably mounted on a rigid and longitudinal core 11, which is rigidly fastened to the gripping element 9.

(38) However, the stick 2 is fixed in translation along the core 11.

(39) The bottle 7 forms an inner volume containing a liquid, viscous or pasty, for example semi-liquid, cosmetic product 12.

(40) When the applicator is affixed on the bottle 10 (the gripping element 9 forming a suitable cap), the application tip 1 is in contact with the cosmetic product 12. For example, the application tip 1 is immersed in the cosmetic product 12. Thus, the application tip 1 is loaded with the cosmetic product, at its surface in particular in the spaces formed between the beads of the applicator 1.

(41) The bottle 10 includes a squeegee 13. The squeegee 13 is a flexible device located proximate to the neck of the bottle 10 or in the latter. The squeegee 13 forms a passage calibrated for the insertion and removal of the application tip 1. The squeegee 13 allows pulling the excess cosmetic product off the application tip 1 upon removal thereof from the bottle 10. Yet, to avoid all of the cosmetic product or almost all of the cosmetic product being wiped and pulled off the application tip 1 upon passage of the application tip 1, the beads it bears protects, thanks to their spiralling configuration, the spaces 7 located between the beads from excessive wiping.

(42) Thus, whenever it is extracted from the bottle 10, the application tip 1 is loaded with a precise quantity of cosmetic product. Depending on the configuration of the application tip 1 and depending on the physical-chemical properties of the cosmetic product 12, the application tip 1 is loaded after passage in the squeegee 13 with a predetermined, accurate, regular and optimum amount of cosmetic product, for application over a given area of the body of the user. For example, the applicator can be loaded with a predetermined dose of cosmetic product that is precise, even and optimum for applying under or around an eye.

(43) The squeegee 13 may be of the so-called turning-over squeegee type. Such a squeegee 13 has a frustoconical shape and tends to turn over when the application tip 1 passes.

(44) Advantageously, the squeegee may also include an orifice allowing balancing the pressure between the inner volume of the bottle and the outside of said bottle (i.e. the atmosphere, or ambient air). This avoids creating a mechanical resistance upon extraction of the applicator from the bottle, or insertion of the applicator into the bottle, and avoids the generation of a Venturi effect upon extraction of the applicator from the bottle.

(45) The cosmetic product application tip, including the care product, thus developed according to the invention enables an even application, in a thin and even film, of an accurate amount of product throughout rotation over the skin of the user. The beads formed at the surface of the main body of the applicator accompany the application movement, and allows for an even adhesion, without jerking, over the skin of the user. They also promote the massage effect during application of the product.