Toilet – Hair device – Eyelash or eyebrow
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-02
2003-07-15
Robert, Eduardo C. (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Hair device
Eyelash or eyebrow
C132S317000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06591842
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a device for applying a product to keratinous fibers. The invention is particularly suited to the applying of a product used to make up and/or treat the eyelashes. For instance, depending upon the rheology of the product, the device of the present invention may be used for treating, coloring, thickening, lengthening or curling the eyelashes.
Devices are known in the form of combs comprising a row of teeth defining grooves between them, which grooves become laden with mascara when the comb is extracted from the container with which it is associated. To allow such combs to hold sufficient reserves of mascara, thereby giving the comb sufficient autonomy, the teeth are relatively widely spaced, the spacing between two successive teeth being markedly greater than the diameter of an eyelash. Thus, the eyelashes are not gripped or engaged between the teeth of the comb, and it is, therefore, very difficult to lengthen the eyelashes, smooth them or curl them.
Other devices, particularly in the form of brushes with bristles, used in conjunction with mascaras in the form of a solid brick, might provide more overall contact of the eyelashes that are to be treated. However, because of the excessive number of bristles, it is difficult to obtain a substantial deposit of mascara on the eyelashes.
Hence, one of the optional objects of the invention is to provide a device for applying a product to keratinous fibers, particularly the eyelashes or eyebrows, which both allows sufficient product to be deposited on the fibers and allows the fibers to be caught firmly when they are engaged with the applicator device.
Other optional objects of the invention are to allow good smoothing of the fibers, good curling of the fibers, and good lengthening of the fibers.
Another optional object of the invention is to provide a device that allows swift and uniform application of the product to the fibers to be treated.
Even another optional object of the invention is to provide an applicator device which is simple to use and economical to produce.
Yet another optional object of the invention is to provide a device, which can have numerous configurations to allow numerous different make-up looks to be obtained.
A further optional object of the invention is to provide an applicator device that can be manufactured using common industrial manufacturing techniques, such as molding, pressing, or casting.
It should be understood that the invention could still be practiced without performing one or more of the optional objects and/or advantages described above. Still other optional objects will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.
As broadly described herein, the present invention optionally relates to a device for applying a product to keratinous fibers. The device may comprise a plurality of applicator elements oriented substantially transversely to a longitudinal axis of the device. The plurality of applicator elements may comprise a first applicator element and a second applicator element consecutive with the first applicator element. A first portion of one of a peripheral rim and a peripheral edge of the first applicator element may be at a first longitudinal distance from a corresponding first portion of the second applicator element. A second portion of one of the peripheral rim and the peripheral edge of the first applicator element may be at a second longitudinal distance from a corresponding second portion of the second applicator element. The second longitudinal distance may be less than the first longitudinal distance so as to define at least one narrowed section configured to engage at least one keratinous fiber between the first and second applicator elements.
Thus, according to one optional aspect of the invention, the peripheral rim or edge of an applicator element defines, in combination with a corresponding portion of a neighboring applicator element, at least one narrowed section or zone of reduced distance between the applicator elements. This narrowed section may optionally be a V-shaped one. The profile of the branches forming the narrowed section may have any of numerous shapes, particularly straight or curved.
The narrowed section or zone of decreasing width separating two consecutive applicator elements may be defined at least in part by a peripheral rim or edge portion of an applicator element. The narrowed section may be located towards the outside of the applicator device, and therefore, may make it easier for the fibers that are to be treated to access this narrowed section. In turn, the fibers may more easily be caught or engaged by the narrowed section.
Locating the narrowed section towards the outside of the applicator device differs from known configurations of combs having teeth that are arranged alternately on each side of a separation surface, and which form grooves where the respective bases of the teeth meet. In these combs, the grooves are formed in the plane of the separation surface, i.e., within the comb device.
According to one optional aspect of the invention, when the applicator device is in use and in contact with keratinous fibers, the fibers enter into the reservoir spaces between the applicator elements. These spaces may be filled with product, which is intended to be applied to the fibers. In response to movement of the applicator device with respect to the fibers, the fibers may be guided or funneled towards a narrowed section delimited by two successive applicator elements. On reaching the bottom, or nearing the bottom of the narrowed section, the eyelashes may be engaged (e.g., gripped) between the two consecutive applicator elements. Such engagement or gripping plays a part in the correct spreading of the product over the fibers, and in lengthening, curling, and separating the fibers.
Optionally, the corresponding portion of the second applicator element may also include a peripheral rim or edge portion of the second applicator element. Thus, the narrowest portion of the narrowed section or zone generally lies in the outer or envelope surface of the applicator device. The fibers to be treated using the applicator device may be guided towards these narrowed zones by the peripheral rim or edge portions of two consecutive applicator elements. These peripheral rim or edge portions may be arranged so as to converge towards each other.
Because of the converging arrangement of the peripheral rim or edge portions of the two consecutive applicator elements, it may be easier to catch and guide or funnel the fibers to be treated, particularly in order to engage the fibers between the two consecutive applicator elements, for instance, to lengthen them or curl them. The amount of product that can be taken up by the device and deposited on the fibers is increased compared with conventional combs and brushes.
Optionally, two consecutive applicator elements converge towards each other at multple points on the periphery of the device. Thus, it may be possible to provide two, three or four zones of convergence, for instance, spaced uniformly around the periphery of the applicator device. The narrowed section of a first group of two consecutive applicator elements may have the same angular position (see
FIG. 12
) or different angular positions (see
FIGS. 11
,
13
,
14
) compared with the narrowed section of a second group of two consecutive applicator elements.
Also optionally, the portion or portions on which the peripheral rim or edge of the first element is at a decreasing distance from a corresponding portion of the second element may be followed by a portion on which the peripheral rim or edge of the first element is at a distance that increases from a corresponding portion of the second element. The decreasing distance and/or the increasing distance may follow a progressive profile. Thus, a two-entry narrowed section may be produced, i.e., a narrowed section that a fiber may enter and be guided into from two different directions. This increases the possibilities of a fiber being engaged by such a narrowed section. Moreo
Comstock David C.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
L'Oreal (S.A.)
Robert Eduardo C.
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