WO2013080155A1

WO2013080155A1 - Applicator for applying a product to the eyelashes or eyebrows

Info

Publication number: WO2013080155A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/056826
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Louis Gueret
Original assignee: L'oreal
Priority date: 2011-11-29
Filing date: 2012-11-29
Publication date: 2013-06-06
Also published as: FR2983048A1; FR2983048B1

Abstract

Applicator comprising a wand and a brush disposed at the end of the wand, the brush (10) comprising a core (11) and bristles (12) held in the core, the bristles each having a free end, the free ends of the bristles defining an envelope surface E at least 20% wider than it is thick in at least one cross section, the envelope surface having at least one main face (15) having transverse notches (17) that extend across its entire width.

Description

APPLICATOR FOR APPLYING A PRODUCT TO THE EYELASHES OR EYEBROWS

The present invention relates to an applicator for applying a cosmetic product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, and also to a packaging and application device comprising such an applicator. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing such an applicator.

The invention relates more particularly to applicators comprising a wand and, at one end of the latter, a brush for applying the product.

Very many applicators of this type, in which the brush comprises a core formed from two arms of a metal wire that are twisted together and grip the bristles, are known. The product is taken from a container with is provided with a wiping member for removing excess product present on the wand and on the brush. This wiping member comprises for example a lip made from an elastomer, defining a wiping orifice having a circular section, for example, the diameter of which corresponds more or less to that of the wand.

Patent application FR 2 932 657, for example, discloses what are known as "flat" mascara brushes that have a largest transverse dimension of between 9 and 14 mm, the brush being at least 30% wider than it is thick in cross section. The eyelash curling power of such flat brushes is limited by straight edges. Moreover, on passing the wiping member, the product tends to be smoothed along the length of the brush.

There is a need to further improve applicators for applying a product, in particular mascara, to the eyelashes or eyebrows, in order in particular to improve their performance, in particular to give the brush greater curling power and to promote the creation of areas more heavily laden with product.

The invention aims in particular to meet this need and, according to a first of its aspects, relates to an applicator comprising a wand and a brush disposed at the end of the wand, the brush comprising a core and bristles held in the core, the bristles each having a free end, the free ends of the bristles defining an envelope surface at least 20% wider than it is thick in at least one cross section, or even at least 30% wider than it is thick, the envelope surface having at least one main face having transverse notches that extend across its entire width. By virtue of the invention, the applicator member has a progressive curling power on account of the edges which have a crenelated shape as a result of the notches. In addition, the product can collect in the notches, and areas which are more heavily laden with product after wiping and which make it possible to apply product to the eyelashes effectively are obtained.

The makeup result, for example in terms of elongation of the eyelashes, can be improved with respect to a conventional brush having an envelope surface in the form of a cylinder of revolution, for example 7.5 mm in diameter.

A lateral face of the brush can have a large amount of product wiped from it and can be used to separate the eyelashes.

The envelope surface is defined as being the surface which is based on the free ends of the bristles.

It is possible for the brush to comprise notches only on said main face.

The brush may have two opposite main faces, the spacing between which defines the maximum thickness of the applicator member. The brush has two opposite main faces, the spacing between which defines the maximum thickness / of the applicator member, the ratio L// preferably being between 1.2 and 5, where L is the greatest width of the envelope surface.

The notches do not extend all around the longitudinal axis of the brush, their presence being limited to the main face or the two main faces of the brush.

The brush may comprise transverse notches on each of the opposite main faces.

These main faces may be planar and parallel or have some other shape, in particular a concave or convex shape. At least one main face can thus be convex or concave toward the outside in cross section.

The lateral faces of the brush may be planar or have some other shape, in particular a concave or convex shape. At least one lateral face can thus be concave or convex toward the outside in cross section.

The notches may have a depth p of between 0.3 and 3 mm, or even of between 0.5 and 2 mm, preferably of around 1 mm.

The notches formed in a face may be parallel to one another. Alternatively, it is possible for the notches formed in a face not to be parallel to one another. The notches may extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the applicator member.

At least one notch may extend obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the applicator member, forming a non-zero angle a with the latter.

The notches formed in one of the main faces may intersect with the notches formed in the other of the main faces when the latter are seen in superposition.

The notches may be distributed regularly over the main face, being for example spaced apart at a constant spacing. Alternatively, it is possible for the spacing between the notches not to be constant, increasing for example in a regular manner.

The cross section through a notch, taken perpendicularly to the latter, has a shape chosen from the following list: square, rectangular, triangular, U-shaped, Ω-shaped, V-shaped, wave-shaped.

The brush is at least 20% wider than it is thick in cross section. The expression "at least 20% wider than it is thick in cross section" should be understood as meaning that in at least one cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the core of the brush, or even along more than half the length of the brush, the greatest width L of the envelope surface is at least 1.2 times the thickness / of the latter The greatest width L is furthermore the diameter of the largest circle circumscribed around the brush. The thickness / is measured in a direction perpendicular to the greatest width. The ratio L// may be between 1.2 and 5, preferably between 1.3 and 5.

The brush may be between 20 and 100% wider than it is thick, preferably between 30 and 50%> wider than it is thick, or even between 35 and 45%.

The cross section of the brush is for example polygonal, square, rectangular, oval, oblong, lozenge-shaped or kidney-shaped.

The largest transverse dimension of the brush may be between 8 and 16 mm. The largest transverse dimension may in particular be around 9 mm. The largest transverse dimension may be found at a distance from the proximal and/or distal ends greater than 1/4 of the overall length of the part of the brush that serves for application, namely the portion carrying the bristles.

The largest transverse dimension of the brush may be at least 3 mm greater than its thickness measured at the same location, in particular where the width of the brush is at a maximum. The maximum thickness of the brush may be between 2 and 8 mm, and is for example around 6 mm.

The brush may have a twisted portion. The twisted portion may have between its distal and proximal ends an angular offset which may be relatively small. The expression "angular offset" is understood to mean the angle by which the major axis of the cross section turns between these ends. This angular offset may be more or less equal to the angle by which the user turns the applicator about itself when applying makeup. By virtue of this small offset, the brush, by way of a slight pivoting of the hand, can progressively lift the row of eyelashes in a natural manner. The twisted portion may be in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

The core may be twisted from a 0.4 to 1 mm iron wire. The core may be twisted with a left-hand or right-hand thread, in particular a left-hand thread as described in French patent application FR-A-2 701 198. In a brush having a left-hand thread, the branches of the core are twisted by turning toward the left in order to form turns which, as seen along the axis of the core from the end fixed in the wand, turn in the clockwise direction from the wand toward the free end of the brush.

The brush may comprise between 5 and 70 bristles per turn.

The longitudinal axis of the core may be rectilinear, or alternatively not rectilinear, for example curved in a plane parallel to the greatest width of the applicator member or in a plane perpendicular to the greatest width.

The bristles may be natural or synthetic, and their ends may be subjected to any type of known treatment, in order for example to form rounded heads or forks. The brush may comprise a mixture of bristles. The bristles used may be of any nature, in particular bristles having a solid, circular section, or hollow bristles, having a capillary groove, which are flat or twisted, or else having a region of preferred deformation.

Some bristles of the brush may have a ball at their free end. These may be for example bristles that define the bottom of the notches.

The brush may be used to apply a product contained in a container comprising a wiping member. The container containing the product to be applied may comprise a wiping member that defines a wiping orifice through which the applicator member passes when the latter is withdrawn from the container, the diameter of the wiping orifice preferably being between 2.5 and 5.5 mm, for example around 4 mm. By virtue of the shape of the brush, the wiping member may be passed without excessive compression of the bristles around the entire periphery of the brush, and the brush may provide relatively little resistance in order to pass the wiping member.

In addition, the piston plunger phenomenon associated with the depression created by the withdrawal of the wand may have limited effects, on account of the air intake that can occur as a result of the shape of the applicator member.

The brush makes it possible to obtain non-uniform wiping, leading to regions unequally loaded with product. A large amount of product can be wiped from the longest bristles of the applicator member. The shortest bristles may be relatively loaded.

Thus, the user may have a larger amount of product on the brush, making it possible to add product locally to the eyelashes if this proves necessary during the application of makeup, without having to reinsert the brush into the container. Moreover, the user has bristles which are less loaded with product, and these can advantageously be used to separate the eyelashes, in particular the small eyelashes at the end of the eyelid.

The wand may have an elastically deformable distal portion. This distal portion is for example formed by an end piece attached to the rest of the wand, which can be made from a more rigid material. The end piece may have one or more annular grooves which give it more flexibility.

At a second end opposite the first end, the wand may have an applicator gripping member which may constitute a cap for closing the container in a sealed manner.

The brush may have an envelope surface having a cross section that decreases in size toward the proximal and distal ends of the applicator member. For example, the envelope surface is frustoconical at the proximal and distal ends.

Manufacturing process

The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a brush according to the invention, as defined above, said process comprising the following steps of:

i. producing a brush, preferably having a cylindrical envelope surface, in particular with a circular cross section, having a twisted core,

ii. machining the brush in order to obtain a blank having a flattened cross section, at least along a portion of its length,

iii. machining at least one notch extending transversely to the core. Steps ii) and iii) may be carried out simultaneously or in the order ii) then iii) or iii) then ii).

The diameter of the cylindrical brush in step i) may be between 8 and 14 mm. The starting brush may be larger than the final brush.

The blank obtained in step ii) may be at least 20% wider than it is thick in cross section. The cross section of the blank is for example rectangular, oval, oblong, lozenge-shaped or kidney-shaped.

The notches may be formed by trimming the bristles. Alternatively, the notches may be formed by melting the bristles.

Devices

The invention also relates to a packaging and application device comprising a container containing the product to be applied to the eyelashes or eyebrows and an applicator as defined above.

The device may comprise a member for wiping the brush as it leaves the container, said wiping member being disposed for example on a neck of the container defining a wiping orifice through which the brush passes when the latter is withdrawn from the container. The wiping member may be of any suitable type, being flexible or rigid, with one or two stages.

The wiping member may have an inlet diameter which is less than or equal to the largest transverse dimension of the brush. The inlet diameter is that through which the wiping member opens onto the outside of the container. The diameter of the wiping orifice may be between 2.5 and 5.5 mm, preferably between 2.5 and 4.5 mm. The expression "diameter of the wiping member" should be understood as meaning that of the largest circle inscribed in the wiping orifice. The wiping orifice may be circular or not circular. It may for example form waves or teeth or else comprise radial slots or slots which are at a tangent to the orifice.

The gripping member of the applicator may serve as a cap for closing the container. The container and the closure cap may be configured so as to ensure the leaktightness of the closure of the container. They may for example engage by screwing. According to another of its aspects, the invention also relates to a method for applying makeup to the eyelashes or eyebrows, comprising the step of applying a product to the eyelashes or eyebrows with the aid of an applicator as defined previously.

The product contained in the container is for example a product which tends not to load the eyelashes, for which it may be advantageous to brush the eyelashes as little as possible in order to avoid removing the product previously deposited. By virtue of the large contact surface which a main face of the brush has, the brush makes it possible to apply makeup to the eyelashes while reducing the risk of product being removed.

The presence of relatively long bristles may make it easier to pass the wiping orifice, since the long bristles are flexible. By virtue of the flattened shape of the brush, the wiping member may be passed without excessive compression of the bristles around the entire periphery of the brush, and the brush provides less resistance in order to pass the wiping member. The piston plunger phenomenon associated with the depression created by the withdrawal of the wand may have limited effects on account of the air intake that can occur as a result of the flattened section of the brush.

The invention may be better understood on reading the following detailed description of non-limiting illustrative embodiments thereof and on examining the appended drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows schematically, in longitudinal section, an example of a packaging and application device produced in accordance with the invention,

figure 2 shows a side view of the brush along II in figure 1 , figure 3 is a cross section along III-III in figure 2,

figure 4 illustrates the use of the brush to manipulate the eyelashes, figure 5 aims to illustrate a process for manufacturing the brush, figure 6 illustrates the passage through the wiping member, figure 7 shows, on its own, a brush according to one embodiment, wherein the wand is provided with a flexible distal portion,

figures 8 A to 8K are top views of the brush, illustrating various configurations of notches, inter alia,

figures 9A to 9R are side views illustrating various configurations of notches and the brush, and figures 10A and 10B are views similar to figure 3 of variant embodiments of the brush.

The packaging and application device 1 shown in figures 1 to 3 comprises a container 2 containing a product P to be applied to the eyelashes or eyebrows and an applicator 3 which may, in the example in question, be fixed removably to the container 2.

The applicator 3 comprises a wand 8 of longitudinal axis X, provided at one end with a brush 10 and at the other end with a gripping member 9 that likewise constitutes a cap for closing the container 2 in a sealed manner. The latter comprises a body 4 provided at the top with a threaded neck 5 onto which the gripping member 9 can be screwed in order to close the container 2 in a sealed manner. Alternatively, the applicator can be fixed to the container in some other way.

The neck 5 may accommodate, as illustrated, a wiping member 6 which is for example inserted into the neck 5. This wiping member 6 comprises for example a lip that defines a wiping orifice having a diameter adapted to that of the wand 8.

The brush 10 comprises a core 1 1, preferably a twisted core, and bristles 12, the free ends of which define the envelope surface E of the brush.

The brush 10 has a cross section having a flattened shape, having a thickness / less than its width L, preferably along at least half the length of the bristled part of the brush, and preferably along the entire length of the bristled part, as illustrated in figure 3.

The brush 10 has at least one main face 15, seen from the front in figure 1 , through which transverse notches 17 extend over the entire width of the main face 15.

These notches 17 are for example perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the brush, as illustrated in figure 2, but non-perpendicular orientations are possible, as explained below.

The number of notches 17 may vary between 2 and 8.

During the application, the eyelashes C can be inserted into the notches, as illustrated in figure 4.

The dimension d of a notch along the axis X is for example between 1 and 4 mm.

The depth p of a notch is for example between 0.3 and 3 mm. In order to produce the brush 10, it is possible to start from a blank in the form of a cylinder of revolution, as illustrated in figure 5, which is machined in order to define at least the main face 15 and the notches of depth p.

While the wiping member is being passed, as illustrated in figure 6, product P may remain in the notches 17 and the latter can thus hold reserves of product P that make it possible to load the eyelashes.

The brush 10 can be fitted to the wand 8 in various ways and, for example, as illustrated in figure 7, the wand 8 has a flexible distal portion 8a that may optionally be provided with an annular groove 8b.

The longitudinal axis X of the brush may form an angle with the longitudinal axis Y of the wand, the core being for example bent at its base, as illustrated in figure 7.

The arrangement of the notches 17 on the main face 15 may be varied, as illustrated in figures 8 A to 8F.

For example, as shown in figures 8 A and 8B, the notches 17 may be oriented obliquely along an axis Z which forms an angle a other than 90° with the axis X. The notches 17 may form a constant angle with the axis X or a variable angle, as illustrated in figure 8G.

The notches may have a constant dimension d or, alternatively, a dimension d which varies. By way of example, a brush comprising notches, the dimension d of which increases in the direction of the free end of the brush, is illustrated in figure 8C.

The envelope surface of the brush may extend along a longitudinal axis of the envelope surface that is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the core of the brush. Alternatively, the two axes may be different. By way of example, what is known as an eccentric brush is illustrated in figure 8D, the axis T of the envelope surface forming an angle β with the longitudinal axis X of the core.

As a further alternative, the longitudinal axis X of the brush may be inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis Y of the wand. In the embodiment illustrated in figure 8E, the axes X and Y extend in a single plane parallel to a plane containing the axes Z of the notches. In the embodiment in figure 9J, the axes X and Y extend in a single plane perpendicular to a plane containing the axes Z of the notches.

It is possible for the brush to have only one main face bearing the notches. Alternatively, the brush may have two opposite main faces, each bearing notches. The notches in the first main face may intersect the notches in the second main face when the main faces are seen in superposition. By way of example, notches in the form of a checkerboard are illustrated in figure 8F, the notches in one face extending along a longitudinal axis Z that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the core and the notches in the other face, shown by way of dotted lines, being inclined in the other direction.

The notches may have any desired shape in cross section. They may for example be in the form of an O, as illustrated in figure 9A, in the form of a wave, as illustrated in figures 9B and 9D, in the form of a V, as illustrated in figure 9C, or in the form of a crenelation, as illustrated in figures 9E and 9H. The notches in a single brush may also have different shapes, as illustrated in figure 9F, or different depths, as illustrated in figure 9Q, or even different widths, as illustrated in figure 9R. For a single brush, the shape, the depth and the width can all vary from one notch to another.

Alternatively, the brush may have two opposite main faces, each comprising notches, as illustrated in figure 9G.

The longitudinal axis of the brush may be rectilinear or, alternatively, curved. It may for example be curved about a single axis of curvature, as illustrated in figure 9B, or about a plurality of, for example two, axes of curvature, as illustrated in figure 9K. The brush may be curved, as illustrated in those two figures, in a plane perpendicular to the axes of the notches. Alternatively, the brush could be curved in a plane parallel to a plane containing the axes of the notches, as illustrated in figure 91.

In a variant embodiment, the envelope surface of the brush may have a generally frustoconical shape, as illustrated in figure 9L.

The main face having the notches may be planar, as illustrated in figure 90, or convex, as illustrated in figure 9P.

As a further alternative, the brush may have a concave main face opposite the main face comprising the notches, as illustrated in figure 9M.

The brush may have a variable general shape when seen perpendicularly to a main face, for example a lens shape, as illustrated in figure 8F, or a droplet shape, as illustrated in figure 8B, or else a frustoconical shape having a triangular end, as illustrated in figure 8D. As a further alternative, it may be rectangular with triangular ends, as illustrated in figure 8H, or else be in the form of a truncated droplet, as illustrated in figure 81, or of a peanut, as illustrated in figure 8J, or else have a ball at its free end, as illustrated in figure 8K.

The brush may comprise intersecting bristles. Alternatively or in addition, the brush may comprise bristles which have rounded heads at their free ends, as illustrated in figure 9N.

In the embodiments which have just been described, the main face of the brush bearing the notches is flattened, but this does not of course have to be the case and the latter could be convex, as illustrated in figure 10A, or concave, as illustrated in figure 10B. The other main face may have the same shape, as illustrated, or could have a different shape.

The brush may be set into vibration either by a generator fitted in the applicator, in particular on the gripping member, in a removable or non-removable manner, or by a external vibrating element fitted on a finger of the user, for example.

A vibration generator is described in French patent application FR 2 882 506. The vibrations may make it possible to obtain better separation of the eyelashes and, when a composition comprising fibers is used, better orientation of the latter and/or easier uptake. During the uptake, the application member may be subjected to the vibrations of the vibrating source, which may make it possible to obtain, where appropriate, more uniform loading of product onto the applicator member.

In one alternative, use can be made, to produce the core, of a double iron wire which is itself twisted in order to grip the bristles, thereby making it possible to make the distribution of the free ends of the bristles more random. It is also possible to form the brush by twisting together two twisted cores, each of which bears bristles.

When the brush is seen in cross section, the core may be central. Alternatively, the core may be off-center in the cross section of the brush.

Use may be made of a wiping member, the wiping orifice of which is defined by a wavy lip. In this case, the diameter of the orifice is that of the largest cylinder of revolution inscribed in the wiping orifice.

The term "between" is understood as including the limits, unless otherwise specified. The expression "comprising a" should be understood as being synonymous with "comprising at least".

Claims

1. An applicator for applying cosmetic product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, comprising a wand and a brush disposed at the end of the wand, the brush (10) comprising a core (1 1) and bristles (12) held in the core, the bristles each having a free end, the free ends of the bristles defining an envelope surface E at least 20% wider than it is thick in at least one cross section, the envelope surface having at least one main face (15) having transverse notches (17) that extend across its entire width.

2. The applicator as claimed in the preceding claim, comprising notches only on said main face.

3. The applicator as claimed in claim 1 , the brush having two opposite main faces (15), the spacing between which defines the maximum thickness ( ) of the applicator member, the ratio L// preferably being between 1.3 and 5, where L is the greatest width of the envelope surface.

4. The applicator as claimed in either one of the two preceding claims, comprising transverse notches (17) on each of the opposite main faces (15).

5. The applicator as claimed in claim 3 or 4, said opposite main faces (15) being planar and parallel.

6. The applicator as claimed in either of claims 3 and 4, at least one main face (15) being convex or concave toward the outside in cross section.

7. The applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the notches having a depth p of between 0.3 and 3 mm, preferably of around 1 mm.

8. The applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the notches (17) formed in a main face being parallel to one another.

9. The applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the notches (17) extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the applicator member.

10. The applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one notch (17) extends obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of the applicator member, forming a non-zero angle a with the latter.

11. The applicator as claimed in the preceding claim, in which the notches formed in one of the main faces intersect with the notches formed in the other of the main faces when the latter are seen in superposition.

12. The applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the cross section through a notch, taken perpendicularly to the latter, has a shape chosen from the following list: square, rectangular, triangular, U-shaped, Ω-shaped, V-shaped, wave- shaped.

A packaging and application device comprising an applicator (3) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and a container containing the product P to be applied, comprising a wiping member (16) defining a wiping orifice through which the brush (10) passes when the latter is withdrawn from the container (2).