Brush Applicator

Abstract

The bristles of a brush applicator for cosmetics are mounted in a centrally located bushing, which is mounted on radial ribs at the outlet from the barrel. The paste to be applied is forced by a lead screw and piston through the ribs into an ample annular space between a surrounding ferrule and the outside of the bushing. A shoulder on the ferrule compresses the tips of the bushing ribs against the outlet, and its outlet nozzle closely engages the bristles and directs the paste into their tip end. The lead screw is rotated by a knob secured to its rear end, which is snapped into the back end of the casing, to advance an octagon shaped piston through a correspondingly shaped barrel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Existing brush applicators force their stored paste or liquid internally through the length of the brush. This incurs considerable flow resistance and dislodging of loose bristles upon initial operation when substantial air must be expelled ahead of the paste. The restricted flow passages through the length of the bristles are also subject to caking and obstruction. An object of this invention is to provide an efficient, free flowing, simple and economical brush applicator for liquids or pastes, particularly cosmetics.

SUMMARY

The brush for applying paste dispensed from an applicator is centrally attached in front of the barrel outlet and within a ferrule terminating in a nozzle, which closely engages the tip of the brush extending through it. The paste freely flows through the ample annular space between the bushing and ferrule into the tip of the bristles at the nozzle. The brush may be advantageously mounted in a bushing suspended by radial ribs mounted in front of the outlet. The ribs may slant backwardly to facilitate attachment to the rim of the outlet under a shoulder on the ferrule. An ample annular flow area between the bushing and ferrule facilitates the flow through it and the deposit of the paste onto the tip of the brush promotes efficient application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view in elevation with cap broken away in cross-section of a brush applicator which is one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of the applicator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the cap end of the applicator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 4--4;

FIG. 4A is a brush end elevation of a modified form of the applicator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with cap removed;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 5--5;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 6--6;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 7--7;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 8--8;

FIG. 9 is a front end view of the brush-mounting bushing shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a side view in elevation of the piston shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a front end view of the piston shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the barrel shown in FIG. 2 with knob removed;

FIG. 13 is a side view in elevation partially broken away in cross section of the knob shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 13 along the line 14--14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1 is shown a brush applicator 10 for applying a fluid paste or viscous liquid stored in barrel 12 by brush 14 extending longitudinally outwardly through nozzle 16 at the terminal end of ferrule 18 attached to barrel 12 by skirt 20. Cap 22 covers brush 14 when applicator 10 is not being used. Applicator 10 is highly useful for applying cosmetic substances, such as lip coatings, by rotation of knob 24, which forces the paste out onto the tip end of brush 14 as later described in detail.

FIG. 2 and related cross sections show the octagonal interior cross section of barrel 12 within which cup-shaped piston 26 is traversed by rotation of lead screw 28. Knob 24 is attached to the rear end of lead screw 28 by engagement of ribbed end 30 within square socket 32 in knob 24, as shown in FIG. 2 and 8. Lead screw 28 is rotatably supported by the disposition of bearing disc 34 within cylindrical section 36 of barrel 12. The rest of lead screw 28 is axially supported within longitudinal cavity 38 of barrel 12 by engagement through piston 26.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the flanged front end 40 of piston 26 is octagonally shaped and engages the corresponding shaped inner wall of cavity 38. This maintains piston 26 rotatably fixed relative to barrel 12 to make it advance through it in response to rotation of knob 24 and lead screw 28. Knob 24 has its ridged front end 42 snapped into circular groove 44 within the rear end of barrel 12 and its ratchet tooth 46 engaged within circular pawl 48 in the extreme rear end of barrel 12 as shown in FIG. 12. Knob 24 has its smaller end 50 made compressible by slot 52 to facilitate insertion.

The parts previously described are conveniently made of plastics with the exception of the brush 14. The external parts and piston 26 are, for example, made of a strong shock resistant plastic, such as polypropylene, and the internal parts are made of a relatively flexible and self-lubricating plastic such as nylon. Other available materials such as metals may be utilized for the previously described parts with suitable revisions attributable to their different characteristics. Bushing 54 and ferrule 18 are conveniently made of an extruded metal, such as aluminum, suitably plated or anodized.

The functional front end of applicator 10 includes brush 14 centrally mounted in bushing 54 in front of and within outlet mouth 56 of barrel 12. Bushing 54 is slightly tapered from its mounting to terminal end and is mounted on radial ribs 58 whose tips are secured to mouth 56 by engagement under shoulder 60 of ferrule 18. Skirt 20 of ferrule 18 closely engages grooved outlet end 62 of barrel 12 to seal it and secure bushing 54 in place. Skirt 20 may include circular ridges (not shown) to engage circular grooves 63. Bell 64 of ferrule 18 surrounds bushing 54 and provides an ample annular flow passage 66 between it and bushing 54. Nozzle 16 of ferrule 18 closely engages near the tip of brush 14 to direct paste 68 flowing from barrel 12 onto the tip of brush 14. The deposit of the paste or viscous liquid in the tip of brush 14 highly promotes efficient painting application. This is highly superior to prior internal feeding which distorts and cakes the brush and interferes with accurate sharp-edged brushing, which is highly important in applying a lip coating cosmetic.

Ribs 58 are relatively narrow with ample openings 70 between them thus providing a free flow for paste 68 through mouth 56 of barrel 12 onto annular flow passage 66. Ribs 58 may be described as the portions of a flange remaining when outlets 70 are removed. Flats 72 on ferrule 18 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 facilitate forming the flat brush tip thereby forming cross section of nozzle 16. Nozzle 16A in FIG. 4A has a round cross section.

Claims

We claim:

1. A brush applicator comprising an elongated hollow barrel for storing a flowable substance, said barrel having an open outlet end, pressure-applying means in said barrel for forcing said substance to flow out of said outlet, a brush having a shank between tip and rear ends and a smaller cross-sectional area than said outlet, support means mounting said rear end of said brush centrally in front of said outlet, a ferrule attached to said outlet end of said casing and about said support means and said shank of said brush, said ferrule being spaced from said support means whereby an ample annular flow passage is provided between said ferrule and said support means and part of said shank, said ferrule having a smaller nozzle tip end, said brush tip extending longitudinally through said nozzle tip end of said ferrule, and said nozzle tip end of said ferrule being disposed closely adjacent said shank of said brush whereby said substance flowing in said annular flow passage is directed onto said shank and said tip of said brush for application by said tip.

2. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a bushing, said brush being inserted and secured within said bushing, radial ribs upon said bushing, and securing means attaching the ends of said ribs to the outlet end of said barrel.

3. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bushing is slightly tapered with its smaller end disposed adjacent said nozzle.

4. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 2 wherein said radial ribs are disposed on the end of said bushing adjacent said outlet.

5. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 2 wherein said radial ribs are inclined at an angle away from said brush toward said outlet end of said barrel.

6. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 5 wherein said ribs constitute portions of an inclined flange on the end of said bushing having cutouts through which said substance flows.

7. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 2 wherein said ferrule has a shoulder, and said shoulder secures the ends of said ribs to the mouth of said outlet.

8. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 7 wherein the portion of said ferrule remote from said nozzle comprises a skirt and said skirt engages the outside of said barrel adjacent said outlet.

9. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure-applying means comprises a lead screw and threaded piston assembly, a circular bearing in the end of said barrel remote from said outlet, a bearing disc on said lead screw rotatably engaging said bearing surface, a knob, and projection and socket means securing said knob to said lead screw whereby turning of said knob imparts rotational movement to said lead screw and advancement of said piston.

10. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 9 wherein said knob includes a central recess, and longitudinal ribs are disposed on the end of said lead screw to comprise said projection means which engage into said recess.

11. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 10 wherein resilient annular ridge and groove means removably attach said knob to said casing.

12. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said nozzle is substantially flat in cross section and imparts a corresponding shape to said brush.

13. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said nozzle is substantially round in cross section and imparts a corresponding shape to said brush.

14. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 9 wherein said threaded piston includes a cylindrical cavity in its end disposed adjacent said outlet.

15. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 9 wherein the inner surface of said casing and the contacting surface of said piston have corresponding polygonal shapes.

16. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 15 wherein said polygonal shape is an octagon.

17. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein an elongated cap is removably mounted upon said ferrule to cover said brush.

18. A brush applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ferrule is substantially bell shaped.