Coating implements with material supply – Supply container and independent applicator – Applicator includes container closure or overlies material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-13
2003-09-23
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Supply container and independent applicator
Applicator includes container closure or overlies material
C401S126000, C401S122000, C015S207200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06623200
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an applicator device having a number of bristles for applying a product of liquid to pasty or pulverulent consistency, for example, a cosmetic or dermatological product. The device can be used to apply the product to a surface, such as the skin and its superficial body growths. The present invention also relates to an application system containing the product and equipped with such an application device.
The application system may include a reservoir containing the product. The reservoir includes an open end to which a handle of the device may be removably attached. The handle (i.e. grasping element) may be configured in the form of a stopper. The stopper may be secured to an applicator member, generally via a wand, so that when the assembly is closed, the applicator member may become impregnated with the said product.
The reservoir is, for example, intended to contain a make-up product or a dermatological product, such as a mascara, a liquid lipstick, an eyeliner, a powder of the blusher type, an eyeshadow, a nail varnish, or a hair treatment. A dose of this product is picked up on such an applicator and applied to the surface that is to be treated.
Numerous applicators have been proposed in the past with a view to applying mascara to the eyelashes, varnish to the nails, make-up powder to the cheeks or eyelids, or dye to the hair. With a view to increasing the amount of product retained on the applicator, it has been proposed that one or more longitudinal capillary grooves be made along the surface of the bristles embedded in the applicator.
Thus, FR-A-2 607 372 and FR-A-2 627 068 disclose mascara brushes including bristles which have, at their surface, at least one capillary groove extending in a straight line over the entire length of the bristles. Capillary grooves constitute reserves of mascara, allowing the mascara to be transferred quickly and efficiently to the eyelashes at the time of application, with a view to an even application of make-up.
Furthermore, FR-A-2 687 055 discloses a nail varnish applicator which has a tuft of roughly parallel bristles. This tuft may have two types of bristles having different diameters, wherein the bristles may have at least one longitudinal capillary groove.
In general, the bristles used for making most conventional applicators have smooth surfaces, because they are manufactured by extruding a thermoplastic material through a die. These applicators may give satisfactory results. However, particularly when loading them with a given product, it has become preferable to have an applicator which makes it possible to apply make-up which is both very heavy and very uniform, even for products of highly varying nature (hydrophilic-lipophilic).
Some conventional applicators, such as mascara applicators, may have the drawback of losing a good proportion of their load of product, particularly when the applicator member is subjected to a wringing-out operation prior to the application of the product. In the case of a mascara brush, if the free ends of the bristles are scraped by a wringing-out lip while the centre of the brush contains a mass of product, the mass of product may dry out between uses.
For some conventional nail varnish brushes, satisfactory loading of product may be obtained. However, for certain nail varnish compositions there is a poor affinity for the material of which the brush bristles are formed. In other words, if a bristle made of a given material gives good results, for example, when the varnish is of the water-based type, it may have a low retaining power when the varnish is one based on an organic solvent. It is therefore desirable to look for bristles made of another material, which has good affinity for this type of organic-solvent based varnish. When the affinity is inappropriate, the varnish runs too quickly and application to the nail is excessive and messy.
DE-A-195 34 368 describes a method for extruding fibres made of a mixture of a thermoplastic material and granules. These fibres can be used, in particular, for making toothbrushes or other devices which have an abrasive action. This document also mentions the use of the fibres for paintbrushes, so as to increase the paint retention.
One preferred object of the invention is to provide an assembly for applying a product, wherein the assembly includes an applicator having, particularly after wringing, a significant reserve of product. Another preferred object of the invention is aimed at an even distribution and controlled release of the product during application, regardless of the nature of the composition intended to be brought into contact with the surface that is to be treated. An applicator such as this may be suited, in particular, to applying make-up to the eyelashes or eyebrows, to the lips, to the skin, to the nails, or to hair, in addition, may be used for dermatological treatment.
Another preferred object of the invention is to provide universal means for an applicator assembly that makes it possible to master the amount of product picked up and the speed at which the product flows at the time of application, regardless of the nature of the product. The present invention preferably achieves this by modifying the surface finish of bristles included on an applicator. The product retention may be thus improved and appropriate affinity between the product and bristles may be created.
It should be understood that the invention could still be practiced without performing one or more of the objects and/or advantages described above. Still other objects will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.
To achieve those and other advantages, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as broadly described herein, the invention includes an application device for applying a cosmetic product, including a wand, and an applicator member on the wand. The applicator member includes a plurality of bristles configured to apply a cosmetic product. The plurality of bristles includes at least one bristle having a plurality of particles providing roughness on at least a portion of the outer surface of the bristle.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an application device where the plurality of particles comprise a material chosen from inorganic origin, vegetable origin, or synthetic origin.
A further aspect of the present invention provides an application device where the plurality of particles are chosen from globular particles, lamellar particles, or fibrous particles.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides an application device where the particles include a material chosen from mica, CaCo
3
, ZnO, TiO
2
, MgO, Al
2
O
3
, cotton, cellulose, silica, silicates, talc, clay, urea/formaldehyde, powdered wood, graphite, carbon, at least one metal, or mixtures thereof.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an application device where the size of each of said plurality of particles ranges from about 2 &mgr;m to about 500 &mgr;m. In a preferred embodiment the size of each of the plurality of particles ranges from about 5 &mgr;m to about 200 &mgr;m. In another preferred embodiment, the size of each of the plurality of particles ranges from about 10 &mgr;m to about 150 &mgr;m. Additionally, particles of different natures may be used where their mean sizes differ.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides an application device where the at least one bristle comprises a matrix and at least some of the plurality of particles are provided therein. Preferably, the matrix comprises a material chosen from polyamide, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polytetrafluroethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, thermoplastic elastomer, or vulcanized elastomer.
Through an arrangement such as this there is obtained a bristle surface with a coarseness, preferably one perceptible to the touch. Thus, for example, when a mascara brush is equipped with bristles as defined hereinabove, it preferably has a uniform and thick spread of product across the surface of the bristle
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
L'Oreal
Walczak David J.
LandOfFree
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