Coating implements with material supply – Including tool with blade-like – pad-like – or apertured... – With flow-regulator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-10-30
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Including tool with blade-like, pad-like, or apertured...
With flow-regulator
C401S263000, C401S266000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309128
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a device for applying a liquid, paste or gel product to the skin, with a reservoir for the product, an abutment connected to the reservoir by at least one feed channel, and an applicator element that is provided with a plurality of passages for the product and has an outside surface which forms the applicator surface.
An applicator device of the type defined in the preamble is known, for example, from German Patent No. 3,430,582 A1. With the known applicator device, the surface of the abutment facing the applicator element is convex. Therefore, the applicator element, which is provided in the form of a cover, is adjacent to the abutment in such a way that product supplied to the abutment through the feed channel goes directly from the feed channel into the applicator element and from there to its outside surface.
Since the product goes directly from the feed channel into the applicator element, it preferably reaches the outside surface of the applicator element in the area of the mouth of the feed channel. However, areas of the applicator element that are not in the immediate proximity of the mouth of the feed channel are supplied with an inadequate amount of product or none at all. As an expedient, it is proposed that the product be applied to the applicator element over an area using a small spatula.
French Patent No. 925,899 A describes an applicator device with an applicator surface which may be formed by a fine-meshed element.
German Patent No. 19,627,606 A1 describes an applicator device for semisolid powdered materials. Here again, a surface-permeable cover which is in direct contact with the material serves as the applicator surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,442,503 A describes an applicator device for lipstick, where delivery channels open directly into an applicator surface. Here again, there is the problem of lipstick accumulating in the area of the mouth of the delivery channels.
The object of this invention is to improve upon an applicator device of the type defined in the preamble so that there will be a uniform distribution of the product without having to use a spatula or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved according to this invention with an applicator device of the type defined in the preamble due to the fact that the applicator element is held flexibly and/or movably with respect to the abutment so that it can assume at least one operating position in which it together with the abutment boarders a space to accommodate a predetermined amount of the product, and where the space is reduced in size with deformation of the applicator element and/or movement of the applicator element with respect to the abutment.
If, with the applicator device according to this invention, the product is conveyed through the feed channel, it will not go directly through the applicator element to the applicator surface, but instead it will first be distributed in the space bordered by the applicator element and the abutment. This space forms an intermediate storage where, in the extreme case, all the product added may accumulate. Due to the (uniform) distribution of product in the intermediate storage, the product will escape uniformly through the passages with further delivery, regardless of whether the passages are in the vicinity of a feed channel opening or not. It is not necessary to “boost” the application with a spatula to achieve a more uniform distribution.
Additional delivery may be accomplished in two ways. First, the additional delivery may result from additional supply of product through the feed channel. However, additional delivery can also be accomplished by simply using the applicator device. In other words, if the applicator device with the applicator element is placed on the skin and pressed (lightly), pressure increases in the space bordered by the applicator element and the abutment or in the entire product container due to deformation of the applicator element and/or due to movement of the applicator element in the direction of the abutment, so that product escapes through the passages on the applicator surface. Of course, this escape of product takes place in a uniform manner distributed over the applicator surface (in accordance with the distribution of the passages) Furthermore, only a maximum quantity of product corresponding to the intermediate storage escapes.
The applicator element may have any desired shape. For example, it may be flat. However, the applicator element is preferably dome-shaped in the resting position, with the inside of the dome forming the receptacle space for the product. This dome-shaped design has the particular advantage that the product can be applied especially precisely.
The applicator element preferably has a cover whose outside surface forms the applicator surface. One advantage of this embodiment is that the applicator element therefore has a certain mechanical stability and also shows hardly any wear in use.
The cover according to the present invention is preferably made of a plastic, metal and/or ceramic material. These materials have proven suitable in cosmetics, not least of all because of their smooth application surface, but also with regard to cleaning and hygiene.
The cover preferably has a metal screen.
According to this invention, the cover may have an eroded, grainy and/or wavy outside surface. Corresponding concave structures serve as additional intermediate storage.
The applicator element preferably overlaps with an outside edge of the abutment. This achieves the result that the application areas are free of interfering fastening elements such as a fastening frame. Therefore, it is smooth and free of edges.
According to this invention, is it preferable for the cover to be elastic. Therefore, it will always resume its resting position after use.
According to this invention, the cover may be held displaceably with respect to the abutment in the direction parallel to the feed channel. If pressure is exerted on the cover during use in this embodiment, it will move in the direction of the abutment, so that the pressure increases in the space accommodating the product.
It is also preferable according to this invention for the applicator element to have a foam element which is designed to absorb the product and it again. This achieves an even more uniform distribution of product. Furthermore, it is also preferable according to this invention for the foam element to fill out the receiving space for the product at least partially. Therefore, product entering the space is bound.
In addition to or as an alternative to the foam element, a fabric element may also be provided according to this invention, said fabric element being designed to absorb the product and dispense it again.
The fabric element may also fill up the receiving space for the product at least in part.
The foam element and/or the fabric element may have flocking. This improves the application properties.
To further improve the applicator properties, fibers projecting outward beyond the application surface may also be provided according to this invention.
These fibers may extend through the passages. This further improves the application properties.
It is especially preferable according to this invention for the passages to be closed in the resting state and to open when the product is applied to them under pressure.
In other words, the passages act like a “Bunsen valve.” They open only when the product is conveyed from the space serving as the intermediate storage to the applicator surface, but otherwise they are closed so that then there is no danger of drying out when some of the product still remains in the receiving space which serves as interim storage for the product after use.
The surface of the abutment bordering the receiving space for the product may in principle be of any design. However, according to this invention it is preferably concave, which creates an especially large receiving space.
Finally, it is possible to provide according to this invention for the applicator surface o
Griebel Ulrich
Roeder Georg
Weiss Willy
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Schwan-STABILO Cosmetics GmbH & Co.
Walczak David J.
LandOfFree
Applicator device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Applicator device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Applicator device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2565949