U.S. patent application number 12/079509 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-09 for single fiber brush having multiple characteristics and method of manufacture.
Invention is credited to Volker Schrepf.
Application Number | 20080245385 12/079509 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39768990 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080245385 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schrepf; Volker |
October 9, 2008 |
Single fiber brush having multiple characteristics and method of
manufacture
Abstract
A brush for applying mascara or the like, having an array with
two visibly distinct portions, each portion made of the same type
of fiber wherein one portion has been subjected to a treatment
process and another has not; each portion for respectively
performing a different function.
Inventors: |
Schrepf; Volker; (East
Islip, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COOPER & DUNHAM, LLP
1185 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
10036
US
|
Family ID: |
39768990 |
Appl. No.: |
12/079509 |
Filed: |
March 27, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60921762 |
Apr 4, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
132/218 ;
15/207.2; 300/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 9/06 20130101; A46B
2200/1053 20130101; A46B 9/021 20130101; A45D 40/262 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/218 ;
15/207.2; 300/21 |
International
Class: |
A45D 40/26 20060101
A45D040/26; A46D 1/00 20060101 A46D001/00; A46D 3/04 20060101
A46D003/04 |
Claims
1. A brush comprising: an elongated core having a rectilinear axis;
and an array of bristles projecting away from the core and having
free tips, the array having: (1) a proximal end and a distal end
spaced along the rectilinear axis, (2) a first region of fibers
with a first characteristic, and (3) a second region of fibers with
a second characteristic, the second region of fibers being treated
fibers.
2. The brush of claim 1, wherein the first region of fibers and the
second region of fibers comprise the same type of fiber.
3. The brush of claim 1, wherein the treated fibers are
sand-blasted fibers.
4. The brush of claim 1, wherein the first characteristic and
second characteristic affect the application of a cosmetic material
by the brush.
5. The brush of claim 1, wherein the fibers of the first region are
stiffer than the fibers of the second region.
7. A method of making a brush having a first region of fibers with
a first characteristic and a second region of fibers with a second
characteristic comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the brush
for treatment of the second region to obtain the second
characteristic; and (b) treating the second region without treating
the first region.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the positioning step further
comprises the step of covering the first region with a mask.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the mask is a sleeve.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the sleeve comprises one or more
slots.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the treatment is
sand-blasting.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the sand-blasting comprises the
step of firing particles at a velocity sufficient to reduce the
rigidity of the fibers in the second region.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the particles comprise hollow
glass beads having a diameter of less than 0.0127 millimeters.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/921,762 filed Apr. 4, 2007, hereby incorporated
by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to brushes for applying mascara
wherein the properties of one or more of the fibers have been
altered so that the altered fibers are suited for different mascara
applying functions than the unaltered fibers.
[0003] The typical type of brush with which the invention is
specifically concerned is a mascara brush having an axially
elongated twisted wire core with a multiplicity of fibers such as
bristles clamped at their midpoints in the core and extending
radially outwardly therefrom to form a brush bristle array
surrounding the core over a substantial portion of the length of
the core, typically to the outer (distal) end of the core. The core
is constituted of two runs of wire, which may be initially
separate, twisted together into an axially rectilinear helix to
hold the bristles between them. This combination of a twisted wire
core and a radiating array of bristles clamped in the core provides
a simple, low-cost and effective brush structure for application of
mascara.
[0004] Such mascara brushes are well known and widely used in the
cosmetics industry. Commonly, the proximal end of the brush is
mounted within the threaded cap of a mascara container, so that the
brush projects into the container when the cap is in
container-closing position. Upon removal of the cap, the brush
carries a quantity of mascara out of the container, and is
manipulated to deliver and apply the mascara to the user's
eyelashes, the cap serving as a handle for the brush.
[0005] In many conventional mascara brushes of the described
twisted wire and bristle construction, the overall profile of the
brush bristle array (such profile being the notional envelope
defined by the bristle extremities) is cylindrical and/or smoothly
tapering, with progressively shorter bristles, toward the distal
end of the brush, although other bristle array profiles have been
proposed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,987, the entire
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. The
bristles within the profile may be arranged in discrete though
closely spaced helical rows corresponding to the helical turns of
the wire core, or they may be distributed substantially
uniformly.
[0006] While conventional brushes can be used to apply mascara, it
can be difficult to achieve a satisfactory comb-through, which
separates the lashes, without using a separate implement such as a
small plastic comb. Some mascara brushes, such as the one described
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,179, the entire disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by this reference, solve this problem by
combining soft bristles, for applying mascara, and stiff bristles,
for combing the applied mascara, in a single spiral mascara brush.
Hollow bristles such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,733,425, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
this reference, could also be used. The mix of soft and stiff
bristles can be either homogeneous throughout the length of the
brush or formed by placing different fibers into zones along the
length of the brush. However, if the different types of bristles
are blended homogeneously, optimal separation of the lashes may be
difficult to achieve. Further, if the bristles are arranged into
zones along the length of the brush, the location of the different
zones may not be readily apparent, thereby causing the consumer to
use the brush in an unintended, less efficient manner.
[0007] Additionally, blending fibers is costly and inconvenient in
part because the blended fibers are typically provided in hanks or
coils which do not work well with modern machinery, since modern
machinery is designed to use spools of fiber. Since ease of use is
a primary goal, the mascara brush must both provide an optimal
amount of separation and clearly delineate which portions of the
mascara brush are for applying mascara and which portions are for
combing of the lashes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a brush for
applying cosmetic material such as mascara or the like, which
combines diverse applicator characteristics using one type of
fiber. Each such characteristic is respectively suited to the
performance of a specific function in the application of the
cosmetic material. These characteristics are achieved by the
present invention by treating one or more of the fibers after the
brush is assembled to simulate a multi-fiber effect with only one
fiber type.
[0009] A further object is to provide a brush that has easily
identifiable distinct zones, such as vertical zones which run
transverse to the rectilinear axis of the core, which are
respectively suited for delivering mascara to a user's lashes and
combing delivered mascara through the lashes.
[0010] An additional object is to provide a way to manufacture
mascara brushes that have the characteristics of dual fiber or
multi-fiber brushes but only use a single type of fiber. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the cosmetic brushes can be
manufactured by selectively treating different regions of the brush
by a sand-blasting process so that different soft fiber arrays can
be formed. In one embodiment, the different regions can be selected
by employing a covering sleeve or mask during the
sand-blasting.
[0011] To these and other ends, the present invention broadly
contemplates the provision of a mascara brush having an elongated
core having a rectilinear axis and an array of bristles projecting
outwardly around the core, the array including a plurality of
bristles attached to the core and having opposed free tips
extending radially therefrom, the array having a proximal end and a
distal end spaced apart along the rectilinear axis and the tips of
the bristles of the array defining a notional envelope wherein one
or more of the fibers are selectively subjected to a treatment
process, the treated fibers having different cosmetic application
characteristics than the untreated fibers.
[0012] In one embodiment, the brush has a proximal end having
untreated `stiff` fibers, while the distal end has a `soft` fibers
created by sand-blasting or other treatment. Each end performs a
different mascara-applying function. Specifically, the soft fiber
portion can be used for delivering mascara from a container to a
user's lashes and the stiff fiber portion may be used for combing
delivered mascara through the lashes. Alternatively, the stiff
fiber portion can be used to deliver a light application of
mascara.
[0013] In another embodiment, the region of the brush located away
from the handle, the front end, will have the stiff fibers while
the region closest to the handle, the back end, will have the soft
fibers. Typically, the proximal end of the core engages an end of a
stem having an opposite end secured within a mascara container
cap.
[0014] Further, in accordance with the invention, the transverse
cross-section of the envelope can be substantially uniform in
dimensions along at least a major portion of the envelope. Also,
the envelope can taper toward the distal end of the array with the
major portion of the envelope having extended longitudinal edges
parallel to the rectilinear axis of the core.
[0015] In accordance with the invention, the covering sleeve used
to select which fibers to treat during the treatment process, can
have openings to define a pattern for defining the treated and
untreated regions. Examples of such openings are vertical,
horizontal or diagonal slots.
[0016] In yet another embodiment, different fibers may be subjected
to various degrees of treatment, such as sand-blasting, so that the
fibers of the brush have different levels of softness based on the
length of and/or type of treatment to which the fibers were
subjected. A single brush may therefore employ fibers of numerous
different levels of softness.
[0017] The brushes of the present invention offer the consumer the
quick and easy application that is demanded, yet no special skill
or newly-learned technique is involved in using this brush. The
mascara product builds up on the soft fiber portion and, to a far
lesser extent, on the stiff fiber portion, which gives clearly
recognizable heavily loaded and lightly loaded application zones.
Additionally, the stiff fiber portion, which is clearly
identifiable as such, allows the user to comb through the lashes to
separate them without needing to carry a separate combing device.
Furthermore, because the stiff fiber portion is stored within the
mascara container, there is no risk of damage to the comb or of
contamination of other objects with mascara. Finally, the use of
sleeves during the treatment process allows for the relatively
inexpensive creation of brushes with distinct regions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a side view of a mascara brush according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a side view of another mascara brush according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a side view of a sleeve placed over the brush
during the treatment process according to one embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0021] FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show side views of sleeves to cover
portions of the brush during the treatment process having vertical
slots, horizontal slots and diagonal slots respectively, according
to embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of the invention
is a brush 10 comprising an elongated, axially rectilinear core 12
constituted of two helically twisted-together runs of metal wire,
and a multiplicity of fibers or bristles 14, for example nylon
fibers, each clamped between the two runs of wire and having
opposed free tips extending radially outwardly to form a brush
bristle array surrounding the core over a substantial portion of
the length of the core. The manufacture and arrangement of such
structures are well known in the art, and accordingly need not be
further described. The two wire runs may be separate lengths of
wire or opposed legs of a single initially U-shaped wire. When the
bristles are initially mounted in the twisted wire core, their free
ends project for somewhat randomly unequal distances therefrom, and
accordingly the brush is subjected to a trimming step. To produce
brushes of conventional round, that is having a cylindrical and/or
tapering conical profile, brushes are typically rotated through
trimmer heads. The core has a proximal end 20 and a distal end 22
to which the bristle array 14 extends. The proximal end of the
bristle array is spaced distally from the proximal end 20 of the
core 12 so as to leave an exposed proximal length of the core for
mounting in the plastic stem 24 of a mascara container cap.
[0023] As thus far described, the brush array 14 can be
conventional. A conventional brush, however, typically has a
continuous, smoothly cylindrical and/or tapering bristle array
profile of either identical fibers having the same stiffness or a
random or homogeneous blend of different fiber types.
[0024] In contrast, in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention, one or more bristles 18 are selectively treated
to a process, such as sand-blasting, after initial assembly with
the wire core 12 so that the treated fibers `shatter`, that is
loose their rigidity, thereby becoming softened. These shattered
fibers 18 act like a softer fiber type.
[0025] By selectively subjecting different regions of the brush 10
to the treatment process, the fiber array 14 is divided into a
first region 16 in which the fibers are left untreated and a second
region 18 in which the fibers are shattered. Accordingly, the
fibers of the second region 18 are softened and thereby have
distinct cosmetic application properties compared with the
untreated fibers in the first region 16. In one embodiment, the
shattered fibers 18 are adapted to apply mascara whereas the
untreated bristles 16 remain stiff and are adapted to comb applied
mascara through a user's eyelashes.
[0026] When the treatment is sand-blasting, particles are shot at
the fibers to soften them during the sand-blasting process. In one
embodiment, the particles are very fine hollow glass beads having a
diameter of less than 0.0127 millimeters (0.0005 inches). These
beads are shot at high velocity inside a sand-blasting booth and
are aimed at the bristles 18 of the brush 10 for the purpose of
shattering the fibers, thereby giving the blasted fibers different
mascara-applying characteristics.
[0027] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to treat
only selected regions of the brush 10, a removable covering sleeve
28 is placed over a region of fibers before the treatment process
begins, so that these covered fibers 16 will not be subjected to
the sand-blasting process. Use of a sleeve 28 simplifies the
manufacturing process since the particles which are fired at the
brush 10 do not need to be precisely aimed and/or focused on a
particular region to be treated.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in one embodiment of the present
invention, the soft, treated region 18 is located at the distal end
of the brush, that is located furthest from the handle, while the
stiff, untreated region 16 is located at the proximal end of the
brush, that is located next to the handle. In this arrangement, the
distal end of the brush may be used for applying mascara while the
proximal end may be used to comb mascara through the lashes.
[0029] The covering sleeve 28 may be formed with different patterns
to expose different regions of fibers on brush 10 to the treatment
process. FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C show several embodiments of such
sleeves. Use of the sleeve 28A shown in FIG. 4A, produces
alternating vertical bands of soft and rigid fibers on a brush. Use
of the sleeve 28B shown in FIG. 4B produces alternating horizontal
bands of soft and rigid fibers. Use of the sleeve 28C, produces
alternating diagonal bands of soft and rigid fibers. These patterns
are exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of covering
sleeves 28 and the patterns produced by such sleeves that can be
employed.
[0030] In addition to treating one region 18 to the sand-blasting
process while leaving another region 16 untreated, different
portions of the brush 10 can be treated with different levels of
the treatment such that the brush contains fibers having more than
two levels of a desired characteristic, such as softness. In one
embodiment, instead of having a distinct sharp transition from soft
fibers 18 to rigid fibers 16, a transition region can be formed in
which the fibers become gradually softer with increasing distance
from the proximal end 20. This transition region can be achieved
by, for example, initially covering the entire bristle array with a
sleeve 28 when the treatment process, such as sand blasting, begins
and then gradually moving the distal end 22 of the brush out of the
covering sleeve 28 such that the further from the proximate end 20
that the fiber is, the longer the fiber will be exposed to the
treatment process. Alternatively, different regions of the brush
may be sand blasted to various degrees of softness using one or
more sleeves or other types of dividers, as desired.
[0031] A particular advantage of the brush of the present invention
is ease of control over the amount of mascara applied to the
lashes. When the brush has been withdrawn from the container for
transport of mascara to a user's lashes, the treated portion 18
bears a heavy load of mascara whereas the untreated portion 16
bears a comparatively smaller load of mascara because of the fiber
characteristics that result from treating or not treating the
fibers respectively. Thus the user can selectively apply a minimum
or maximum loading of mascara to one's lashes by using respectively
either untreated, stiff-fiber portion 16 or treated, soft-fiber
portion 18. When delivery/application of the mascara to the lashes
is complete, the user can employ the untreated, stiff-fibered
portion 16 of the brush to comb the delivered mascara through the
lashes. The untreated, stiff fibers of the combing portion 16
provide effective combing action and, because this portion does not
carry a large amount of mascara, the combing operation does not
overload the lashes with mascara.
[0032] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to
the features and embodiments hereinabove specifically set forth,
but may be carried out in other ways without departure from its
spirit. For example, flocked brushes or other brush constructions
in which the fibers are attached to a core differently than with a
twisted wire core, can be treated to have the diverse
characteristics described above. Also, different treatment methods
can be employed to achieve the diverse characteristics, such as for
example, coating the fibers with additional material/materials,
melting the fibers, etcetera.
* * * * *