The present invention relates to a combination of a holder and a breakable rod, such as in an eyeliner pencil in which a crayon is secured to a driver, and, in particular, to improvements in the attachment of such a combination in which breakage of the rod is avoided and the attachment is maintained.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART AND BACKGROUND CONSIDERATIONS

This invention arose from particular problems relating to eyeliner pencils in which the pencil, or crayon, was subject to breaking away or otherwise separating from its attachment with a support, called a driver. It is to be understood, however, that similar problems occur in other cosmetic devices and, therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited specifically to eyeliner pencils.

In a popular form of eyeliner pencil, the combined crayon and driver are housed within a tubular barrel and a tubular tip rotatably journalled thereto. Typi- cally, the driver has a threaded connection with threads on the interior of the barrel and the tip has a splined connection with the driver so that, by a rotation of the tip, the driver and the crayon are extended from the tip or retracted therefrom when the eyeliner pencil is used. A cap is placeable over the tip for storage of the eyeliner pencil, for example, in the user's pocketbook.

Conventionally, the crayon is bonded at one end to the driver so that the two, in combination, act as a single piece. One method of attachment places an end

of the crayon within a socket formed at the end of the driver. The socket is tapered towards its opening and is also provided with three splines. The crayon end is placed under compression by an interference fit with the socket and the splines press into the crayon to prevent its rotation with respect to the driver. This construction forms a rigid attachment between the crayon and the driver; however, its rigidity does not allow flexing of the crayon with respect to the driver. In addition, the compression weakens the crayon at the 'point of compression. Therefore, the crayon often breaks from the driver at the socket. Specifically, the crayon is relatively brittle with respect to the driver and other portions of the eyeliner pencil, and it can thus easily break away from the driver during use, such as when applied to the user's eyes, or when roughly handled, which may occur if the eyeliner is accidentally dropped. One attempt to avoid this problem has been to extend the socket depth in order to provide increased surface attachment; however, this attempt only increased the rigidity and likelihood of breakage.

Another problem arises if the crayon should shrink. The attachment no longer holds the crayon in the driver and the crayon falls out of the eyeliner pencil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes and avoids these and other problems by providing resilient bonding of the crayon at its end to the driver to ensure flexibi¬ lity in the crayon's attachment to the driver.

In its preferred embodiment, the crayon end and the recess are so dimensioned that the breadth or width of the recess is larger than that of the crayon end to

form an annular space between them. An elastomeric adhesive is placed within the annular space and bonded to the crayon and the recess. It is also preferred that the depth of the recess be less than its width for enabling limited angular movement of the crayon with respect to the driver.

Several advantages are derived from such a construction. Because the adhesive is of elastomeric material, it provides a resilient connection between the crayon and the driver; therefore, the crayon is no 'longer rigidly affixed to the driver, as with past methods of attachment, but can move slightly with respect to the driver. Thus, shocks to the crayon or ordinary use of the crayon do not overly stress the crayon and its attachment to the driver. Furthermore, the small depth of the recess permits greater angular movement of the crayon with respect to the driver, as further permitted by the resiliency of the elastomeric adhesive. Accordingly, mechanical stresses on the crayon are substantially avoided, any effects of crayon shrinkage are overcome, and damaging shock to the crayon is minimized.

Other aims and advantages, as well as a more complete understanding of the present invention, will appear from the following explanation of an exemplary embodiment and the accompanying drawings thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view partially in section of an eyeliner pencil embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the attached driver and crayon combination of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the attachment between the crayon end and a recess within the driver; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the driver and the crayon taken through the attachment there¬ between, viewed along their common axis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1, an eyeliner pencil 10 comprises a barrel 12 in which a tip 14 is journalled by any suitable means for enabling the tip to rotate with but not be separated from the barrel. The barrel is provided with an internal thread 16, and is closed at its end 18 by conventional cap 19 or other closures which may also include a crayon sharpener. The tip is has an internal polygonally configured surface 20 and terminates at its end 22 in an opening 24.

A combination of a driver 26 and a crayon 28 is housed within the barrel, as shown also in FIG. 2. The driver includes an end 30 which threadedly engages threads 16 of barrel 12. The driver has a polygonally- shaped exterior surface 32 (see also FIG. 4) which is configured similarly as polygonal surface 20 of tip 14. Thus, when tip 14 is rotated with respect to barrel 12, the interengagement of interior and exterior surfaces 20 and 32 cooperate to rotate driver 26 with respect to barrel 28, and to enable the engagement of thread-engagi end 30 with thread 16 to reciprocate the driver in and out of the barrel and crayon 28 in and out of tip 14 through opening 24.

When eyeliner pencil 10 is not in use, a protecti cap 34 may be positioned over tip 14.

The inventive securement of crayon 28 to driver 26 is best illustrated in FIG. 3. A socket or cup 42 is formed at an end 40 of driver 26 and defines a recess 44. Crayon 28 at its end 46 resides within recess 44. It is an important aspect of the present

invention that crayon 28 has a diameter, denoted by indicium 4'8, which is less than the internal dimension, denoted by. indicium 50, of driver 26, to provide an annular space, denoted by indicium 52, between the crayon and the recess. It is preferred that there also be .a space between end surface 54 of the crayon and the base 56 of the recess. Within these spaces is an elastomeric adhesive 58. A small depression 59 in base 56 also forms an additional space for the adhesive. The adhesive is any elastic material that will adhere to the crayon and to the inner walls of the recess and will remain elastic and not harden. One suitable elastomeric adhesive comprises an aqueous acrylic emulsion. If it is desired, recess 44 may have a depth 60 which is less than its internal width or breadth 50 to permit the crayon to rock or angularly move within the recess. _. ..

A preferred assembly of the crayon in the driver is as follows. Driver 26 is already in place within barrel 12, and its socket 42 is extended from the end of the barrel. Tip 14 has not yet been secured to the barrel. Adhesive 58 is then placed into recess 44. Only sufficient adhesive is placed within the recess so that none will extrude out of it when the crayon is inserted therein. Tip 14 is then placed over the driver and engaged with the barrel. The crayon is inserted through opening 24 of the tip and within the socket and bonded thereto by the adhesive. Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be realized that various changes and modifica¬ tions may be made therein without departing the spirit and scope of the invention.