U.S. patent application number 12/459020 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-18 for retractable mascara brush.
Invention is credited to Charlotte Wynne.
Application Number | 20100065080 12/459020 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42006143 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100065080 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wynne; Charlotte |
March 18, 2010 |
Retractable mascara brush
Abstract
A retractable mascara applicator that can be operated with one
hand. The applicator has a pen-like housing containing a mascara
reservoir. An applicator rod is reciprocable in the housing and
extends into the reservoir from a rearward end. A brush on a
forward end of the rod is positioned in the reservoir when the rod
is in a retracted position and projects beyond the housing when the
rod is extended. A finger operated slide outside of the housing is
connected directly with the applicator rod to retract it and extend
it. In a preferred embodiment at least a portion of the housing is
pliable and can be pressed inwardly to squeeze the reservoir and
press the mascara paste against the brush.
Inventors: |
Wynne; Charlotte; (Topanga,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Dennis H. Lambert;Attorney At Law
7000 View Park Drive
Burke
VA
22015
US
|
Family ID: |
42006143 |
Appl. No.: |
12/459020 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61133108 |
Jun 25, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
132/218 ;
401/122; 401/129 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 40/267 20130101;
A46B 7/023 20130101; A46B 2200/1053 20130101; A45D 40/20 20130101;
A46B 11/001 20130101; A45D 40/262 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/218 ;
401/122; 401/129 |
International
Class: |
A45D 40/26 20060101
A45D040/26; A46B 11/00 20060101 A46B011/00 |
Claims
1. A retractable mascara applicator that can be operated with one
hand, comprising: a pen-like housing containing a mascara reservoir
with mascara paste in it; an applicator rod reciprocable in the
housing and extending into the reservoir from a rearward end
thereof; a brush on a forward end of the rod positioned in the
reservoir when the rod is in a retracted position and projecting
beyond the housing when the rod is extended; a finger operated
slide outside of the housing connected directly with the applicator
rod to extend it and retract it; and at least a portion of the
housing being pliable so that it can be pressed inwardly to squeeze
the reservoir and press the mascara paste against the brush.
2. A retractable mascara applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
wiper elements are at a forward end of the reservoir for wiping
excess mascara from the brush as it is extended forwardly out of
the reservoir and housing.
3. A retractable mascara applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the applicator rod has a spirally twisted shape and rotates the
brush as the applicator rod is extended and retracted relative to
the housing.
4. A retractable mascara applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
the pen-like housing is tubular and has a closed end and an open
end, said reservoir being adjacent said open end and said
applicator rod extending into a chamber adjacent said closed end;
and a seal is disposed between said reservoir and said chamber to
prevent said mascara paste from moving from the reservoir into the
chamber, said applicator rod extending through said seal.
5. A retractable mascara applicator as claimed in claim 4, wherein:
a longitudinally extending slot is formed in a side of said housing
in communication with said chamber; and a web is connected at an
inner end thereof with a rearward end of said applicator rod and
extends radially outwardly through said slot and is connected at an
outer end thereof with said slide.
6. A retractable mascara applicator as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
wipers are positioned at a forward end of said reservoir and
adjacent said open end of said housing to wipe excess mascara paste
from the brush as the brush is moved outwardly of the housing
through the open end thereof.
7. A retractable mascara applicator as claimed in claim 6, wherein:
a removable and replaceable cap is on the open end of the housing
to close it until the applicator is ready for use.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/131,108, filed Jun. 25, 2008.
[0002] This invention relates generally to cosmetics, and
particularly to a brush for applying cosmetics, especially
mascara.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Mascara typically is applied with a brush applicator that is
inserted into a container to pick up a quantity of the mascara and
is then withdrawn from the container past a wiper that wipes excess
mascara from the brush. The brush is then used to apply mascara to
the eyelashes, and reinserted into the container to pick up a fresh
supply of mascara. This usually requires the use of both hands: one
to hold the container and one to hold the applicator.
[0004] The applicator disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,990 is
designed so that only one hand is required to operate it, but the
structure is relatively complex. In the '990 patent a retractable
applicator brush is reciprocated into and out of a mascara
reservoir by a slide mechanism that comprises a knob or thumbwheel
26 connected through a drive belt or cable 22 to an applicator rod
20 on which the brush 18 is mounted. The drive belt and cable are
described as flexible, and it is apparent how movement of the knob
in a forward direction will pull through the cable or belt and
retract the brush into the housing, but it is not apparent how
movement of the knob in a rearward direction can "push" the cable
or belt and extend the brush from the housing.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is a simple and inexpensive
retractable mascara applicator that can be operated with one hand.
The applicator of the invention comprises a pen-like housing
containing a mascara reservoir. An applicator rod is reciprocable
in the housing and extends into the reservoir from a rearward end.
A brush on a forward end of the rod is positioned in the reservoir
when the rod is in a retracted position and projects beyond the
housing when the rod is extended. A finger operated slide outside
of the housing is connected directly with the applicator rod to
retract it and extend it. In a preferred embodiment a portion of
the housing can be pressed inwardly to squeeze the reservoir and
press the mascara paste against the brush.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of
the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts
throughout the several views, and wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of the retractable
mascara applicator of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the applicator of
FIG. 1, with the closure cap removed and showing the applicator in
a retracted position in the applicator housing.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the applicator of
FIG. 1, with the closure cap removed and showing the applicator in
an extended position with the brush outside the applicator
housing.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 2,
showing in dot-and-dash lines how the sides of the housing and
reservoir can be squeezed inwardly to press the mascara against the
brush.
[0011] FIG. 4A is a transverse sectional view taken along line
4A-4A in FIG. 4.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of an alternate form of
applicator rod, wherein the rod is helically grooved to cause it
and the brush to rotate as they are reciprocated in and out of the
housing.
[0013] FIG. 6 depicts the closure cap being removed from the
housing.
[0014] FIG. 7 depicts the slide being pushed forwardly and the
brush beginning to extend out of the housing.
[0015] FIG. 8 depicts the slide and brush in a further forward or
extended position.
[0016] FIG. 9 depicts the slide and brush fully extended.
[0017] FIG. 10 depicts the brush being used to apply mascara to the
eyelashes.
[0018] FIGS. 11-13 depict the slide and brush in various stages of
retraction.
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0019] The retractable mascara applicator of the invention is
indicated generally at 10 in FIGS. 1-4A and 6-13. The applicator
has an elongate, cylindrical, pen-like housing 11 with a closed end
12 and an open end 13. A removable cap 14 is releasably engaged on
the open end by a threaded connection or snap fit or other suitable
means. A wiper 15 is formed within the housing near the open end,
and a seal 16 is formed within the housing in spaced relationship
to the wiper, defining a mascara reservoir 17 between them. An
applicator rod 18 extends longitudinally in the housing and in a
retracted position has a rearward end positioned near the rearward
closed end of the housing. The applicator rod slidably extends
through the seal 16 and into the reservoir, and has a mascara brush
19 on its forward end, which is positioned in the mascara reservoir
when the rod is in its retracted position as shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] A longitudinally extending slot 20 in one side of the
housing (see FIG. 4A) extends over most of the length of the
housing from near the closed end to near the open end, and a slide
actuator 21 on the outside of the housing is connected to the
rearward end of the applicator rod by an arm 22 extending
longitudinally of the housing and a web 23 extended through the
slot.
[0021] At least a portion 30 of the housing near the open end is
pliable and preferably made of an elastomeric material such as
plastic or the like so that it may be squeezed inwardly, as
indicated in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 4, to compress the
reservoir and urge the mascara paste against the applicator brush
to load it with mascara when the brush is positioned in the
reservoir. The wiper 15 can be of conventional construction to wipe
excess mascara off the brush in a known way, and the seal 16 is
constructed to wipe mascara from the actuator rod as it is
retracted through the seal.
[0022] Rather than the straight push-pull actuation described
above, the applicator rod may be spirally shaped similar to a drill
bit as depicted at 40 in FIG. 4A, and an interior portion of the
housing shaped to cooperate with the applicator rod so that it
rotates as it is reciprocated in the housing, whereby the brush
rotates as it moves in and out of the housing. In this
configuration, the web would have to be attached to an annular
groove or channel (not shown), or other suitable structure, in the
rearward end of the rod so that the rod could rotate relative to
the web.
[0023] The user may extend and retract the brush one or more times
to load it with a desired amount of mascara prior to application of
the mascara to the eyelashes. Following use of the applicator, the
cap is replaced.
[0024] Although particular embodiments of the invention are
illustrated and described in detail herein, it is to be understood
that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention
without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention as
defined by the scope of the appended claims.
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