Hair coloring or cosmetic unit, in particular mascara unit

Details Hair coloring or cosmetic unit, in particular mascara unit Hair coloring or cosmetic unit, in particular mascara unit

1999-10-15

2002-02-05

Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)

Coating implements with material supply

Supply container and independent applicator

Applicator includes container closure or overlies material

C401S016000, C401S126000, C401S122000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06343887

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hair coloring or cosmetic unit, in particular a mascara unit, comprising a receptacle for liquid take-up, which has a basic body and a neck of tapered diameter as compared to the basic body, and a closing cap to be placed on the neck, a rod with an applicator being fixable on the inside of the closing cap, and a stripper being provided in the vicinity of the neck, stripping the applicator upon withdrawal from the receptacle.
2. Background Art
Hair coloring or cosmetic units of the generic type, in particular mascara units, come in numerous designs which are published for instance in DE 44 05 335 A1, DE 197 44 181.5° A1 and U.S. Ser. No. 09/350,161.
Usually, brushes are provided as applicators in these hair coloring or cosmetic units, in particular mascara units, numerous modifications of these brushes being known for the transfer properties of mascara to be optimized during transport from the receptacle on to the lashes of the user and for the combing properties during application to be optimized. However, a fundamental drawback of such hair coloring or cosmetic units, in particular mascara units, resides in that the user can obtain a certain mascara for example of a preferred producer only along with a certain mascara brush or applicator, there being a variety of hair coloring or cosmetic units, in particular mascara units, which may have varying brushes, without however the possibility of individual selection of the brush or applicator for a certain mascara.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to embody a hair coloring or cosmetic unit, in particular mascara unit, of the type mentioned at the outset so that the user is able to use an applicator out of a variety of applicators which complies with the user's special preferences, habits of application and structure of lashes.
According to the invention, this object is attained by the applicator being connectable to the rod or the rod to the closing cap by the user after she has selected a preferred sample from a plurality of available applicators or rods.
The prior art teaches to attach a plastic member to the end of the rod of a mascara brush and to snap-engage it in the closing cap during the assembly at works of the hair coloring and cosmetic unit, in particular mascara unit, after which mascara is filled into the receptacle by the same or another producer and the receptacle is completed by the cap being closed, constituting a finished hair coloring or cosmetic unit, in particular mascara unit.
By contrast, the solution according to the invention provides that such a possibility of connection is ensured, that the user purchases for instance an assortment of varying mascara brushes and carries out experiments. In this regard, it is of special advantage that the applicator is connectable to the rod or the rod is connectable to the closing cap by locking engagement which is favorably releasable. Then the user may exchange the applicator as she pleases.
By alternative it can also be provided that the user is offered an assortment of mascara brushes for selection, that she selects a brush and connects same possibly non-releasably to the closing cap.
This offers entirely new possibilities, it being no longer necessary to orient the design and the properties of these applicators on the supposed wishes of the average user; by contrast, a wide range of mascara brushes can be offered so that the user, to her own taste, may select for instance brushes that have especially soft or very hard, very thick, regular or helical bristles.
In keeping with another preferred embodiment, it is provided that locking engagement of the rod and cap takes place within the closing cap or at the lower edge of the closing cap.
In this embodiment, a locking sleeve with an internally encircling locking groove extends preferably from a cover section of the closing cap in the direction towards the inside of the receptacle, it being possible to snapengage a locking bead of the rod in the locking groove. Consequently, simplicity of construction is accompanied with the possibility of very easy and rapid connection of high flexural strength.
By advantage, the locking bead is formed on a locking section that is tapered as compared to the diameter of the rod, constituting a stop collar for the locking sleeve.
The locking sleeve may be slit laterally for the required snap-in flexibility to be obtained.
By advantage, a flat handling section extends from the cover section centrically away from the inside of the receptacle, i.e. on the upper side of the closing cap. In the way of a fly nut, such a flat handling section enables high turning moments to be transmitted and facilitates opening even if the cap is stuck especially tightly because of rests of dried mascara.
For this embodiment to be put into practice at a low cost and in a simple way in terms of injection technology, it is provided that the cover section has recesses on both sides of the handling section, these recesses enabling a mold slide to be withdrawn prior to the injection of the closing cap so that easy removal from the mold is ensured.
This technique of removal from the mold also ensures that two opposite naps can be disposed on the inside of the closing cap, the naps engaging with slide-lock-type guides on the outer wall of the neck, along which they are guided. As a result of this closing technique, opening and closing can be carried out rapidly, there being no need of changing the hold; therefore, this closing technique is of special advantage in connection with the flat handling section mentioned above.
Preferably, the slide-lock-type guides are formed by two sections opposing each other by 180°, each guide comprising a slope leading from the upper edge of the neck downwards and a rear recess for effective locking, and the two sections passing into each other via approximately triangular tips seen in an unwound view. This helps attain that a defined stop position is obtained upon unscrewing regardless of the position in which the user places the closing cap on the receptacle relative to the basic body thereof
In another embodiment the connection by locking engagement takes place in a portion inside the receptacle below the neck and the stripper. Instead of a connection by locking engagement, provision may also be made for a connection by plug-in, clamping, press-fit or snap-in engagement or by a screw thread.
By alternative, the area of connection constituted by the locking engagement or some other type of connection may be disposed within the receptacle, above the stripper lip or precisely on the stripper lip.
The joint may have a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the rod. The diameter of the drilled hole or the free passage of the stripper lips can be smaller than the diameter of the rod, and the joint can have a correspondingly reduced diameter so that the stripper lips adjoin stressfree in the closed condition.
By advantage, the rod has a longitudinal recess with a locking groove and a rod holder of axial extension is fixed in the closing cap, a locking projection with a locking bead being formed on the free end, projecting into the receptacle, of the rod holder. A simple and safe connection can be put into practice in this way too.
In another embodiment it is provided that a rod holder is disposed in the closing cap, having a retaining sleeve which extends axially through the stripper and into which the rod of the applicator can be inserted. In this case again, locking engagement or insertion only by positive fit are conceivable.
Finally, it can be provided that the closing cap has a cylindrical or approximately conical handling section, which is open upwards and extends upwardly away from the cover section, and that an attachment for the rod extends downwards from the cover section integrally therewith. This design helps obtain an attractive appearance on the one hand and on the other hand a production in a single piece and at a low cost which can be realized by injection tech

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