Coating implements with material supply – Supply container and independent applicator – With means for removing surplus material from tool
Utility Patent
1998-09-08
2001-01-02
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Supply container and independent applicator
With means for removing surplus material from tool
C401S121000
Utility Patent
active
06168334
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a material applicator assembly, more especially to an applicator assembly for a cosmetics material, for example, mascara, and to a device for use therein.
Such an assembly normally comprises a container for the cosmetic, a closure cap with a rod at the free end of which is an applicator, for example a brush, and located within the container a wiper having an orifice which, as the rod and applicator are withdrawn from the container, wipes clean the rod and removes excess material from the applicator, leaving a desired quantity of material on the applicator.
A conventional wiper is satisfactory to the extent that it removes excess material from the edge of the applicator and may control the quantity of material within it when, for example, as is frequently the case with a mascara applicator, the applicator is a brush in which the mascara lies on, between and even within the fibres of the bristles. Conventional wipers are, however, less satisfactory in that they allow to remain, or even form, a drop or thread of material at the free end of the applicator.
In International Application WO 95/26147 there is described, for use in such an assembly, a wiper device having, in addition to the conventional resilient portion with an orifice that is a close fit around the applicator rod, a plurality of resilient fingers extending inward from the material defining that orifice which close in on the free end of the applicator as it is drawn through the wiper and detach at least some of the material that is present on the free end of the wiper.
While the above-mentioned wiper device is effective, it does have some disadvantages. As will be appreciated, the relaxed diameter of the material defining the orifice is itself designed to be slightly less than the diameter of the rod, and the fingers extend inward from there. When the assembly is in its closed storage position, the material of the fingers is substantially deformed from its equilibrium configuration by the rod. Although in the referenced International Application it is proposed to alleviate this by providing the rod with an annular groove in the location contacted by the fingers, it has nonetheless been found that following prolonged storage the fingers do not close sufficiently onto the applicator as it is withdrawn through the wiper.
This tendency of the fingers to set in the deformed position (or, using other terminology, to lose their memory) is a significant disadvantage in that it restricts the shelf-life of the product and may inconvenience an infrequent user of a particular mascara unit.
The present invention provides a wiper device suitable for use in a cosmetics applicator assembly, which comprises an elongate hollow resilient body having a substantially circular orifice, and positioned around and extending directly from the periphery of the orifice a plurality of elongate resilient members, each having a free, distal, end portion, each member extending inward toward the axis of the orifice and away from the body, each member being at an angle within the range of from 900 to 1200 to the axis and tapering toward the distal end, the members being radially spaced apart at least at their distal ends, and occupying at most 50% of the area of the orifice as viewed axially.
It will be appreciated that the orientation of the members defined above is that adopted when the wiper device is in its relaxed or equilibrium configuration, i.e., in the absence of deformation by, for example, the rod of a cosmetics material applicator. When the wiper is in position about such a rod, the members will extend along the rod, bearing resiliently against it.
In operation, accordingly, as an applicator rod is withdrawn from a container in which a wiper according to the invention is fitted, with the end of the wiper carrying the members facing away from the container opening, the edge or face of the wiper orifice will remove viscous material from the rod, and control the quantity of material remaining on the applicator, the elongate members bearing resiliently against the rod as it passes by until, when the applicator begins to pass the members, they are drawn backward into the brush by the action of the fibres. As the free end of the applicator passes, the members spring out, removing at least part of the drop of material from the end of the applicator.
It will be appreciated that where the applicator is a brush the elongate members will recover toward their equilibrium configuration by intermingling with the brush to a greater or lesser extent as the brush passes them, the extent depending on the flexibility of the members and the nature of the brush, which advantageously is one having radially extending bristles.
The physical properties of the material of the members, and their mechanical properties resulting from the shape of the members, may be selected so that as the applicator passes the members their distal ends are drawn toward the body, intermingling with the bristles if the applicator is a brush. If as is typically the case the free end of the applicator is tapered, the free ends of the resilient members will tend to return toward their equilibrium configurations as the applicator end approaches, and will “flick” or snap back as this stage of withdrawal, assisting in removing the final drop from the applicator.
Advantageously, the wiper is provided with from three to five, preferably four, elongate members. The spacing between the members advantageously increases from their proximal to distal ends, i.e., the free end of each wiper will subtend a smaller angle viewed along the axis of the orifice than does the proximal end, and if desired the extremities of the proximal ends of the members may merge to be in contact. Advantageously, however, the proximal ends are spaced apart, and may occupy at most 50% of the circumferential length of the orifice. Advantageously, the distal ends of the members taper, i.e., are roughly triangular. The wider proximal portions provide an enhanced resistance to deformation set while the tapering distal end portions do not remove significant quantities of material from the length of the applicator as it is withdrawn, but are flexible so as to enhance removal from the free end of the applicator (which is normally tapered) any adherent blob of material as it is withdrawn past them.
Advantageously, when the wiper is viewed along the axis in its relaxed configuration, the elongate members occupy at most 50%, and preferably from 40 to 50%, most preferably about 45%, of the area of the wiper orifice. Also, advantageously, the distance between a pair of opposed distal ends is at most 25% of the diameter of the orifice, preferably at most 20%, and more preferably at most 10%. In principle, the distal ends of the members may be in contact but such a construction is not readily achieved by the presently preferred manufacturing process.
Referring again to the elongate members in their relaxed configuration, each advantageously comprises a proximal portion that tapers toward the distal end either as seen along the axis of the aperture, or as seen transverse to the axis, or, preferably, as seen in both such directions. Advantageously, the proximal portion of the member itself is of rectangular cross-section. The distal portion of each member advantageously tapers toward the distal end as seen along the axis of the aperture, or as seen transverse to the axis or, preferably, as seen in both such directions. Advantageously, the distal portion of the member is of rectangular cross-section, except for the distal end itself, which is advantageously triangular, as will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The member advantageously tapers regularly from one end to the other. Each member is advantageously generally straight in its undeformed configuration.
The device is advantageously formed of a thermoplastic, elastomeric, or thermoplastic elastomeric material, for example, a synthetic or natural rubber, a polyurethane, an olefinic homo- or co-polymer, e.g., polyethylene, especially
Geka Manufacturing Ltd.
Ohlandt Greeley Ruggiero & Perle L.L.P.
Walczak David J.
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