U.S. patent application number 11/829567 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-11 for applicator device for applying a cosmetic and the use of such a device.
This patent application is currently assigned to LVMH Recherche. Invention is credited to Marc Chevalier, Jean-Francois Tranchant.
Application Number | 20080216857 11/829567 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38542944 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080216857 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tranchant; Jean-Francois ;
et al. |
September 11, 2008 |
Applicator Device for Applying a Cosmetic and the Use of Such a
Device
Abstract
An applicator device for applying a cosmetic, the applicator
device comprising a reservoir adapted to contain cosmetic in fluid
form, an applicator having a cap that closes the reservoir and that
is secured to a rod carrying an applicator head, a heater device
adapted to heat the applicator head and controlled by a control
circuits and a sensor adapted to detect the reservoir being opened
by the cap being removed, the control circuit being connected to
said sensor and being adapted to cause the heater device to operate
only when said sensor detects such opening.
Inventors: |
Tranchant; Jean-Francois;
(Marigny-les-Usages, FR) ; Chevalier; Marc;
(Franconville, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MILLER, MATTHIAS & HULL
ONE NORTH FRANKLIN STREET, SUITE 2350
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
LVMH Recherche
Saint Jean de Braye
FR
|
Family ID: |
38542944 |
Appl. No.: |
11/829567 |
Filed: |
July 27, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/218 ;
401/118; 401/126; 401/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 40/267 20130101;
A46B 2200/1053 20130101; A46B 11/08 20130101; A45D 2200/157
20130101; A46B 15/003 20130101; A46B 2200/106 20130101; A45D
2200/155 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/218 ;
401/118; 401/126; 401/2 |
International
Class: |
A45D 40/26 20060101
A45D040/26; A46B 11/00 20060101 A46B011/00; A46B 11/08 20060101
A46B011/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 5, 2007 |
FR |
FR 07 01581 |
Claims
1. An applicator device for applying a cosmetic, the applicator
device comprising: a reservoir adapted to contain cosmetic in fluid
form; an applicator having a cap that is adapted to close the
reservoir and that is secured to a rod adapted to penetrate into
said reservoir when the cap closes said reservoir, said rod
carrying an applicator head adapted to apply the cosmetic to a
portion of the body of a user; and a heater device adapted to heat
the applicator head and controlled by a control circuit; said
applicator device being provided with at least one sensor adapted
to detect the reservoir being opened by the cap being removed, the
control circuit being connected to said sensor and being adapted to
cause the heater device to operate only when said sensor detects
such opening.
2. An applicator device according to claim 1, in which the control
circuit is adapted to cause the heater device to operate for a
predetermined time each time the reservoir is opened.
3. An applicator device according to claim 2, in which said
predetermined time lies in the range 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
4. An applicator device according to claim 1, in which the sensor
comprises a contactor carried by the applicator and disposed such
that the reservoir presses on said contactor when the cap closes
the reservoir.
5. An applicator device according to claim 1, in which the heater
device is adapted to heat the applicator head to a temperature
lying in the range 35.degree. C. to 80.degree. C.
6. An applicator device according to claim 1, in which the heater
device comprises at least one resistive heater element.
7. An applicator device according to claim 1, in which the
applicator head is provided with at least one row of teeth aligned
in an alignment direction that is substantially parallel to the
rod, and the reservoir is provided with a wiper gasket adapted to
cause the cosmetic to penetrate between said teeth.
8. An applicator device according to claim 7, in which the
applicator head is provided with two rows of teeth disposed at
180.degree. relative to each other, and the reservoir is provided
with a neck provided with a wiper gasket which has a central
opening receiving the rod and two slots disposed at 180.degree.
relative to each other and opening out in said central opening,
said slots being adapted to receive the two rows of teeth while the
applicator head is passing through the wiper gasket.
9. An applicator device according to claim 8, in which each slot
has an enlarged end remote from the central opening.
10. An applicator device according to claim 1, in which the
applicator device has a fluid cosmetic disposed in the
reservoir.
11. An applicator device according to claim 8, in which the
cosmetic is mascara.
12. The use of an applicator device according to claim 1, for
applying a cosmetic.
13. The use according to claim 12, in which the cosmetic is
mascara.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to applicator devices for
applying cosmetics, and to uses of such devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to an applicator
device for applying a cosmetic, the applicator device comprising:
[0003] a reservoir adapted to contain cosmetic in fluid form (i.e.
in the form of a liquid that can be more or less viscous or
semi-liquid); [0004] an applicator having a cap that is adapted to
close the reservoir and that is secured to a rod adapted to
penetrate into said reservoir when the cap closes said reservoir,
said rod carrying an applicator head adapted to apply the cosmetic
to a portion of the body of a user (in particular for making up
keratinous fibers such as eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair); and
[0005] a heater device adapted to heat the applicator head and
controlled by a control circuit.
[0006] Document EP-A-1 466 541 describes an example of such an
applicator device, in which the heater device is essentially
adapted to heat the cosmetic contained in the reservoir. That
device suffers from the drawbacks of having high energy
consumption, insofar as it requires a relatively large quantity of
cosmetic contained in the reservoir to be heated unnecessarily, and
insofar as it is limited to one type of cosmetic composition having
a predefined thermal profile. In addition, repeated heating of the
cosmetic contained in the reservoir can, even with an appropriate
thermal profile, lead to the cosmetic losing some of its
physico-chemical properties with use.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A particular object of the present invention is to mitigate
those drawbacks.
[0008] To this end, according to the invention, an applicator
device of the type in question is being provided with at least one
sensor adapted to detect the reservoir being opened by the cap
being removed, the control circuit being connected to said sensor
and being adapted to cause the heater device to operate only when
said sensor detects such opening.
[0009] By means of these features, the applicator device of the
invention has lower energy consumption and avoids degrading the
cosmetic contained in the reservoir because only the cosmetic
carried by the applicator head once said head has been removed from
the reservoir is normally heated.
[0010] In various embodiments of the device of the invention, it is
optionally possible to use one or more of the following features:
[0011] the control circuit is adapted to cause the heater device to
operate for a predetermined time each time the reservoir is opened;
[0012] said predetermined time lies in the range 30 seconds to 2
minutes; [0013] the sensor comprises a contactor carried by the
applicator and disposed such that the reservoir presses on said
contactor when the cap closes the reservoir; [0014] the heater
device is adapted to heat the applicator head to a temperature
lying in the range 35.degree. C. to 80.degree. C.; [0015] the
heater device comprises at least one resistive heater element;
[0016] the applicator head is provided with at least one row of
teeth aligned substantially parallel to the rod, and the reservoir
is provided with a wiper gasket adapted to cause the cosmetic to
penetrate between said teeth; [0017] the applicator head is
provided with two rows of teeth disposed at 180.degree. relative to
each other, and the reservoir is provided with a neck provided with
a wiper gasket which has a central opening receiving the rod and
two slots disposed at 180.degree. relative to each other and
opening out in said central opening, said slots being adapted to
receive the two rows of teeth while the applicator head is passing
through the wiper gasket; [0018] each slot has an enlarged end
remote from the central opening; [0019] the applicator device has a
fluid cosmetic disposed in the reservoir; and [0020] the cosmetic
is mascara.
[0021] In addition, the invention further provides the use of an
applicator device as defined above, for applying a cosmetic (in
particular mascara).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear
from the following description of one of the embodiments thereof,
given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a
cosmetic applicator device of the invention in the stowage
position;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the applicator
device of FIG. 1, still in the stowage position;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view of the applicator
belonging the device of FIGS. 1 and 2, in the in-use position;
[0026] FIG. 4 is an enlarged section view of the applicator head
belonging to the applicator of FIG. 3;
[0027] FIG. 5 is an electrical circuit diagram of the heater system
of the applicator device of FIGS. 1 to 4.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1; and
[0029] FIG. 7 is a section view on line VII-VII of FIG. 6.
[0030] In the various figures, like references designate elements
that are identical or similar.
MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] FIG. 1 shows an applicator device 1 for applying a cosmetic,
in particular mascara, which applicator device comprises an
applicator 2 made, for example, of a plastics material or of some
other material, and a reservoir 3 also made of a plastics material
or of some other material.
[0032] The applicator 2 is provided with a cap 4 that closes the
reservoir 3 and enables a user to take hold of the applicator
2.
[0033] In the example shown herein, the cap 4 is provided with two
indicator lights 5, 6 for purposes that are explained below.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cap 4 can be screwed or
fastened in some other way onto the neck 7 of the reservoir 3,
which reservoir 3 contains the cosmetic 8 in fluid form, e.g.
mascara that is generally of more or less viscous or semi-liquid
consistency.
[0035] The cap 4 is extended by a rod 9 which extends from said cap
4 to an end provided with an applicator head 10 adapted to apply
the fluid 8 to a portion of the body of a user, in particular to
the eyelashes of the user when the cosmetic 8 is a mascara. In the
example shown herein, the applicator head 10 is provided with a one
or more combs 11, each of which has a row of teeth 12 extending in
a plane containing the central axis of the rod 9 (each tooth 12
extends radially relative to the rod 9, and the teeth 12 of the
same comb 11 are aligned one behind another in an alignment
direction that is substantially parallel to the rod 9). The
applicator head 10 can, for example, have from one to four combs 11
angularly distributed, optionally uniformly, around the rod 9. By
way of example, the applicator head 10 can have three combs 11
angularly distributed at 120.degree. from one another. In a
variant, the combs 11 could be replaced by flexible bristles
disposed around the applicator head 10, thereby forming a
brush.
[0036] In the stowage position shown in FIG. 2, the rod 9 passes
through a wiper gasket 13 made of elastomer or the like and adapted
to remove any mascara that might remain deposited on the rod 9 and
any surplus mascara carried by the applicator head 10 while the cap
4 is being removed from the reservoir 3.
[0037] When the applicator head is provided with a single comb or
with two combs disposed in the same plane, the wiper gasket 13 can
optionally be of the type described in Document FR-A-2 738 728 for
enabling each comb 11 to be wiped effectively, or a wiper as
described above but that is mounted to rotate (as described, for
example, in Document FR-A-2 732 869) or indeed a roller wiper (as
described, for example, in Document FR-A-2 777 431), those
documents being incorporated herein by reference.
[0038] By means of this wiping, the gaps between the teeth 12 axe
filled with cosmetic when a user takes off the cap 4 and withdraws
the applicator head 10 from the reservoir 3.
[0039] The cap 4 is also provided with a cavity 14 containing one
or more batteries 15. Optionally, the cavity 14 can be opened, e.g.
by means of a cover 16 screwed or fitted to the top end of the cap
4, so that it is possible to replace the batteries 15 when they are
flat. In a variant, the applicator device 1 could be provided with
a connector designed to recharge the battery(ies) 15.
[0040] The cap 4 is provided with a sensor 17, e.g. an electrical
contactor, disposed facing the neck 7 of the reservoir so that said
neck 7 presses on the sensor 17 when the cap 4 closes the reservoir
3, thereby making it possible to detect such closure.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 4, the applicator head 10 can also include
a resistive heater element 18 which is electrically powered by the
battery 15 by means of conductors 19 situated in the rod 9.
[0042] The heater element 20 can be an annular element disposed in
the applicator head 10 in the vicinity of the teeth 12, so as to
heat said teeth 12 to a temperature lying in the range 40.degree.
C. to 60.degree. C., so as to make the cosmetic carried by the
applicator head 10 more fluid. The heater element 20, can be
constituted by a wound metal wire, by a ceramic element, or by some
other element. The applicator head can advantageously be made, at
least in part, of a material that is a good heat conductor, e.g., a
metal or a plastics material filled with metal.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, the resistive heater element 18 is
electrically powered via a control circuit (CC) 20. The
above-mentioned indicator light 5 can, for example, be constituted
by a light-emitting diode (LED) 5, in particular by a green LED, or
by an LED of some other color, mounted in series with the resistive
heater element 18 at the outlet of the control circuit 20,
Similarly, the contactor 17 can also be mounted in series with the
resistive heater element 18. Finally, the above-mentioned indicator
light can be constituted by an LED 6 that is red or that is of some
other color, controlled by the control circuit 20 so that it is
switched on when said control circuit detects insufficient voltage
across the terminals of the battery 15, so as to indicate that said
battery is flat.
[0044] The above-described device operates as follows. When a user
unscrews the cap 3 and withdraws the applicator head 10 from the
reservoir, said applicator head carries a certain quantity of
mascara, in particular between the teeth 12 of the combs 11. During
this movement, the neck 7 of the reservoir 3 ceases to press on the
contactor 17, which thus closes the circuit between the control
circuit 20 and the resistive element 18. Such closure is detected
by the control circuit 20, which then triggers powering of the
resistive heater element 18.
[0045] After a few seconds, the mascara that, by the action of the
wiper, has accumulated between the teeth 12 of the comb, mainly at
the bases of said teeth, is made more fluid by the heat given off.
It is then spread by capillary action between the teeth of the comb
in uniform manner. The user can thus apply the mascara to the
eyelashes in the form of a film that is uniform and thus of
improved quality so as to obtain particularly fine and effective
coating of the eyelashes.
[0046] The time for which the resistive heater element 18 is
powered by the control circuit 20 is limited to a certain time,
lying, for example, in the range 30 seconds to 2 minutes. While the
resistive heater element 18 is being electrically powered, the
light indicator 5 remains on. In a variant, it is possible to
connect the two terminals of the LED 5 directly to the control
circuit 20 and to cause said LED to be controlled by said control
circuit so that it flashes for a few seconds while the applicator
head 10 is brought up to temperature, and so that it then remains
on continuously for the remainder of the time for which the
resistive heater element 18 is being heated.
[0047] When the user puts the cap 4 back in place on the reservoir
3, the neck 7 of the reservoir presses once again on the contactor
17 which opens and thus opens the circuit between the control
circuit 20 and the resistive heater element 18, thereby
guaranteeing absence of electrical power consumption that is
unnecessary and/or harmful to the cosmetic 8 while the cap 4 is in
place on the reservoir 3.
[0048] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is similar to the
embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, and is
thus not described in detail below. In the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7, the applicator head 10 has two rows of teeth 12
disposed at 180.degree. relative to each other, thereby forming a
double-edged flat comb. In this example, the neck 7 of the
reservoir 3 can be flattened, as shown in FIG. 7, and the cap 4 can
optionally be fastened to the neck by clipping.
[0049] In this example, the wiper gasket 13 can be a piece of
elastomer that is similar to the wiper gasket described in Document
FR-A-2 738 728, and that has: [0050] a central opening 13a
receiving the rod 9; and [0051] two slots 13b disposed at
180.degree. relative to each other and opening out in said central
opening 13a, said slots 13b being adapted to receive the two rows
of teeth 12 while the applicator head is passing through the wiper
gasket 13.
[0052] Each slot 13b can have an enlarged end 13c remote from the
central opening 13a.
* * * * *