Toilet – Hair device – Eyelash or eyebrow
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-24
2001-05-29
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Hair device
Eyelash or eyebrow
C132S320000, C132S317000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237609
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein relates to a curved longitudinal profile mascara brush, the orientation of the bristles with respect to the curve adapting the brush for application of lighter, quick drying curling and building mascara products or to heavier high prominence mascara products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Mascara is formulated for a wide variety of effects when applied to a user's eyelashes. One mascara is known as a curling or building formula. It is generally of lighter viscosity and is quick drying on the eyelashes, having a setup time generally in the range of three to five seconds. Such mascara is ideally applied in several coats, and the mascara brush used to make the application must first deposit the mascara on the eyelashes and then comb the eyelashes into an uplifted curved configuration as the mascara dries, so that the mascara can hold the eyelashes in that desired position. Thereafter, one or more additional coats of the mascara may be applied, until the eyelashes are sufficiently stiffened in their uplifted curled position.
Mascara brushes generally comprise a twisted wire core that secures bristles therebetween, the bristles extending radially outwardly to bristle ends. The mascara brush is preferably capable of both applying the mascara product and combing the mascara product after it has been applied. Many different types of bristles and configurations of brushes have been brought forward in an effort to satisfy those two, often inconsistent goals. None of these brushes has achieved a desired level of success in applying the curling or building products.
On the other hand, some mascara products are heavier and are designed with slower drying times, on the order of seven and even ten or more seconds. These products are used to enhance the appearance of thin or light colored eyelashes where a thick coat of the mascara is required. Successful application involves placing a substantial amount of the heavier mascara on the eyelashes, followed by combing the eyelashes to separate them and evenly distribute the mascara product. Again, mascara brushes with many bristle types and configurations have been proposed for such mascaras with some success, but improvement is still awaited in the industry.
One of the prior configurations is a curved mascara brush. The curve permits contact of the brush with more eyelashes along a correspondingly curved eyelid. Another configuration is the longitudinal profile brush, in which the brush is trimmed to an asymmetric cross sectional shape. The shape typically has some longer and some shorter bristles and is accomplished in a straight wire brush. None of these brushes excelled at applying the curling or building mascaras, and also do not provide a brush for the heavier mascaras either.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the invention herein to provide an improved mascara brush.
It is an additional object of the invention herein to provide a mascara brush that is well adapted to applying curling or building mascaras.
It is an another object to the invention herein to provide a mascara brush that is well adapted to applying heavier coating mascaras.
It is a further object of the invention herein to provide a mascara brush that maximizes application and combing functions, especially when used with mascaras at the ends of the mascara product range.
It is yet another object of the invention herein to provide a mascara brush which is convenient and efficient to the user.
It is an additional object of the invention herein to provide a mascara container including a mascara brush of the above character, wherein the container and mascara brush cooperate to provide an appropriate amount of mascara on the brush as it is removed for use.
In carrying out these and other objects of the invention, a mascara brush is provided including a twisted wire core for securing bristles extending generally radially therefrom. The bristles are trimmed to define applicator bristles and longer bristles extending in an asymmetric profile comb deployed along the wire core. The applicator bristles have a substantially uniform length and the bristles defining the profile comb have a different, longer substantially uniform length. The core is curved in a plane passing through the profile comb, whereby the bristles extending from the convex side of the curved core diverge and separate toward their tips and the bristles extending from the concave side of the curved core converge and close together toward their tips.
According to one aspect of the invention, the profile comb extends from the concave side of the curved core, adapting the brush for application of curling or building mascaras. According to another aspect of the invention, the profile comb extends from the convex side of the curved core, adapting the mascara brush to application of heavier coating mascaras. The curve is generally arcuate, to deploy the ends of the bristles extending from the concave side of the curved core in a curved configuration generally matching the curve of an eyelid.
According to further aspects of the invention, the profile comb has a substantially flat comb surface, enhancing the engagement of the comb with the eyelashes. The profile comb may be angularly truncated adjacent the tip end of the brush to provide a detail combing surface.
According to an additional aspect of the invention, the comb end surface has less width than the diameter of the brush in its applicator bristle portion. Alternatively the comb end surface is wider than the brush in its applicator bristle portion, providing a fan shaped asymmetric profile.
In also carrying out the objects of the invention herein, a mascara container is provided having a body with an elongated product cavity, the body including a threaded neck. A wiper is positioned in the neck and defines a wiper orifice. A cap is internally threaded for removable securement on the threaded neck of the body, and the cap mounts an applicator rod extending through the wiper orifice when the cap is on the body. A mascara brush including a curved twisted wire core having applicator bristles and bristles extending in an asymmetric profile comb is mounted at the end of the applicator rod. Mascara contained in the product cavity transfers to the brush and is partially wiped from the brush as the brush is withdrawn for application of the mascara. The wiper removes more mascara from the bristles of the extending profile comb than from the applicator bristles.
According to additional aspects of the invention, the brush has a shank inserted into the applicator rod and a tip at the distal end of the brush, the core of the brush is curved in an arc therebetween. According to a more particular aspect of the invention, the tip and the shank of the brush are disposed on the axis of the applicator rod.
According still further aspects of the invention, the bristles of the brush are dimensioned such that the brush generally self-centers in the wiper orifice as it passes therethrough, within approximately 25% of the radius of the wiper orifice from the center of the wiper orifice. According to a more particular aspect of the invention, the wiper is formed as a descending truncated cone having the wiper orifice at the truncation. The wiper is formed of a semi-rigid plastic, and the applicator rod is sized to seal to the wiper to contain the mascara between uses. Alternatively, the wiper may be fabricated of more flexible materials, such as urethanes.
Other and more specific objects and features of the invention herein will in part be understood by those skilled in the art and will in part appear in the following description of the preferred embodiments taken together with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5067195 (1991-11-01), Sussman
patent: 5137038 (1992-08-01), Kingsford
patent: 5309929 (1994-05-01), Toll
patent: 5492136 (1996-02-01), Edmonds
patent: 5860432 (1999-01-01), Gueret
patent: 5873669 (1999-02-01), Poore et al.
patent: 5876138 (1999-03-01), Gueret
patent: 5894847 (1999-04-01), Gueret
patent: 5934292 (1999-08-
Doan Robyn Kieu
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
The Bridgeport Metal Goods Manufacturing Company
Wake, Fressola, Van Der Sluys & Adolphson LLP
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