Device For Application Of Paste-like Or Liquid Products

Abstract

The invention relates to an application for paste-like or viscous products such as cosmetics, medical ointments, lipsticks and the like. The application includes a reservoir with a discharge opening therein which opens onto a surface formed as a basin, and a body having a reversible end cap mounting applying member. When not in use the body fits on to the reservoir and has a pin to engage within the discharge opening and close the reservoir, and the applying member is hermetically enclosed within the body. When in use the applying member extends from the body which is removed from the reservoir to open the discharge opening and allow the product to be discharged into the basin.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a device for applying paste-like or liquid products with a certain coefficient of viscosity, such as cosmetics, medical ointments, lipsticks, eyebrow colour, salves and the like.

More specifically, it has as its object an applicator which, when not in use, hermetically encloses an applicator member and the product to be applied, which is then protected from external impurities and evaporating, drying or oxygenising agents in the surrounding air, at the same time ensuring on each application very exact dosage of the product in terms of the quantity to be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an applicator for paste-like or viscous products, in which a sealed reservoir formed of a flexible material is arranged to contain the product to be applied, an extractor tube being provided in the reservoir and opening at one end into an axial duct which opens on to one end of the reservoir, the duct being normally, i.e., when not in use, closed by a pin of an applicator body which is separable from the reservoir.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an elevation of a first embodiment of an applicator according to the invention in partial longitudinal cross section;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of a second embodiment in the out-of-use position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the applicator in the in-use position; and

FIGS. 4 and 4a are partial views of two modifications of the applying member.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The same parts have been given the same reference numbers in the different figures.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1 there is provided a reservoir 1, moulded or extruded from a plastics material resistant to the product to be applied, and to the normal external agents, and whose plasticity corresponds to the product's coefficient of viscosity. This reservoir, generally cylindrical in shape has at the bottom, as viewed in FIG. 1, a hollow base 2 in which there engages the bottom end of an extractor tube 3, surrounded by the product stored in the reservoir. The top end of tube 3 is force-fitted in a central duct of an axial tip 4 and abuts on a circular seat 5 in this aperture approximately halfway along it. The tip 4 is pushed into a skirt 6 of a cap 7 which is screwed on to a threaded neck portion 8 of the reservoir 1.

The upper surfaces of tip 4 and cap 7 together constitute the base of a basin 9 at the centre of which the surface of the tip 4 is formed with a small circular bead 10 through which central duct 11 passes, to effectively axially extend the extractor tube 3. This duct, in the non-use position of the application (FIG. 1) is closed by a central pin 12 of a transverse wall 13 forming the base of a tubular chamber 14 in which is lodged an applying member to be described later.

Chamber 14 is defined by an applicator body 15 a skirt 16 of which covers the cap 7 and is in contact with the top of reservoir 1. At its top, the body 15 receives a reversible plug 17 of which an internal skirt 18 retains the applying member in the form of an axial body 19 with a brush 20. In the example described, a mounting plate 21 for the brush 20 is mounted obliquely so that the bristles form an obtuse angle relative to the general axis of the applicator. A collar 22 surrounding the plug 17 creates the shoulders necessary to reversibly mount the plug 17.

The wall 13 of body 15 has near its periphery an opening 13a equalising the air-pressure between chamber 14 and basin 9, thus preventing, in the space defined by the latter and the wall 13, excessive reduction in pressure when body 15 is removed from reservoir 1, or on the contrary excessive pressure when skirt 16 of body 15 is pressed on to the reservoir 1. In either case, if this opening 13a did not exist the reduction or excess of pressure in the basin 9 would cause an excess of product (sucked or expelled from the reservoir) during the part of the movement when the pin 12 does not close duct 11.

In order to apply the product contained in reservoir 1, the user inverts the position of plug 17, so that the assembly 19 - 20 - 21, extracted from the chamber 14, extends axially outwards from the top end of the body 15. The user separates the body 15 from reservoir 1, the skirt 16 sliding along cap 7 and the pin 12 uncovers duct 11. As the reservoir is kept in the vertical position (basin 9 turned upwards), the user exerts on the external wall of the reservoir 1 a brief and light pressure with the fingers, which causes a small quantity of the product to pass up tube 3, and to be expelled through the duct 11 around whose opening it spreads, being dispersed by bead 10 into basin 9. It only remains to collect the product on brush 20. Bead 10 also serves to prevent undesired return of the product into the reservoir through suction when the finger-pressure on the external wall of reservoir 1 is released.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a second embodiment which, with the structure described with reference to FIG. 1, has the following differences;

a. The base 2 of reservoir 1 is replaced by a removable plug 2a retained in the bottom end of the reservoir by a collar 2c. It is shaped into a basin 2b into which there opens the lower end of extractor tube 3. This removable plug facilitates filling of the reservoir through the base; it also enables the reservoir to be made in a single operation.

b. The tip 4 and the cap 6 are eliminated. A neck portion 8a of reservoir 1 is covered directly by the lower skirt 16 of the applicator body 15. Toward its top the neck 8a has a transverse wall 8b forming the top of reservoir 1, and having a skirt 6a which directly receives the top end of tube 3, the axial duct being closed by the pin 12 of the base 13 of body 15, in which there is the same aperture 13a as before. The top of neck 8a has the same bead 10 as before, and a raised edge 8c defines the same basin 9. The simplification is evident.

c. The skirt 18 of cap 17 receives a heel 20a of a tip 20b on which there is fitted a ferrule 20c angled at its end 20c in which ferrule there are set the bristles 20' of the brush. This modified assembly of the brush may be used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Also the brush assembly in FIG. 1 may be used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows, in elevation and in partial section, a modified applying member, in which an end 20d carries a chamfered portion 20e of foam rubber or equivalent material.

In FIG. 4a, the extremity of end 20d is angled at 20'd to form the flexible chamfered portion 20'e obliquely relative to the axis of the applicator.

Claims

I claim:

1. An applicator for paste-like or viscous products, comprising a sealed reservoir of flexible material for containing the product to be applied, said reservoir having opposed ends, means defining an axial duct in one of said opposed ends of the reservoir, an applicator body removably mounted on the reservoir, said body comprising a chamber having opposed ends, a transverse wall defining one of said opposed ends of the chamber, a pin on said transverse wall that closes said duct when the applicator is not in use, means reversibly mounted in the applicator body to define the other of said opposed ends of the chamber, and an applying member mounted on said reversible means, such that, in one position of said reversible means, regardless of whether the applicator body is mounted on the reservoir, the applying member is retained within said chamber, and in the reverse position of the reversible means, the applying member extends outward from said chamber for application of the product.

2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein said one end of the reservoir has an external face defining a basin into the center of which opens said axial duct of the reservoir, and into which the product to be applied, expelled from the reservoir by the pressure of the user's fingers on the flexible reservoir after separation of the reservoir and applicator body, flows in a controllable quantity.

3. An applicator according to claim 2, wherein a circular bead surrounds the central opening in said basin to disperse the product as the latter is expelled from the reservoir and prevent undesired return of the product to the reservoir.

4. An applicator according to claim 2, wherein the applicator body has means defining in said transverse wall an air-circulation aperture near the periphery of said wall to communicate between the chamber of the applicator body and the space defined by the said basin and the transverse wall, so as to counteract differences in pressure arising during relative movements of the reservoir and of the applicator body in order to apply the product.

5. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir has a neck portion at said one end, and the applicator body comprises a skirt axially aligned, and integral with, the chamber, such that, when the applicator is not in use, the skirt covers the reservoir neck portion.

6. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applying member includes a brush having bristles with tips thereon, and the applicator has a general axis, the bristles extending at an obtuse angle relative to the general axis of the applicator and to a plane in which said tips lie.

7. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applying member has a free end and a chamfered portion of foam rubber at said free end.

8. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applicator has a general axis and the applying member has an angled end portion and a chamfered portion of foam rubber mounted on said end portion at an angle relative to the general axis of the applicator.