COSMETIC USE

DESCRIPTION

Field of Invention

The subject Invention is classifiable among applicators, especially those used in cosmetics. Classification can be further narrowed to applicators suitably designed for storing and application of invasive liquids to the surfaces of the human body by means of suitable extensions, as is the case with acetone-based mixtures for removing nail polish.

Technical problem

The technical problem addressed by the Invention is related to a new applicator design, especially a cosmetic applicator, which has two basic characteristics; first, it consists of a minimum number of parts, and second, it can be used for filling with invasive liquids, e.g. various solvents and their mixtures with other substances which are used for cosmetic purposes .

When it comes to the use of using volatile (mostly easily inflammable) liquids the safety aspect of application becomes very important. Owing to a special design of the valve system and the large sealing surface of this valve system, the Invention wholly solves the problem addressed by other similar technical solutions combined. Therefore, the subject applicator has a potential for multipurpose use with a possibility of changing the container and can be used with containers having only a compatible valve thread.

Prior art

Cosmetic applicators of various types and use have been available for quite some time now. Thus in prior art we can find various types of cosmetic applicators, but the two below discussed types seem to come nearest to illustrate prior art.

The first solution was published as a European patent application EP0210051 (CHESEBROUGH PONDS) in 1987, and the second was an international patent application WO01/01813 (RODIC, Bogdan) in 2001.

The document WO01/01813 shows a cosmetic applicator which apart from its broad applicability - as an advantage - features a relatively complicated valve system design. The valve assembly under the said technical solution consists of 6 or 7 parts (see Fig. 6) the formation and fabrication of which requires too many different tools and excessive manipulation in the manufacturing process. The Invention as presented here solves the same problem in a simpler way - with only 4 parts and with a significantly greater sealing surface, resulting in a safer design.

The document EP0210051 also shows a cosmetic applicator with the valve assembly composed of 5 parts (see the whole Figure 2 and item 29 on Figure 1) , unlike the mentioned 4 parts of the subject Invention. The spring is considered a separate element of the assembly, although shown fixed to a movable piston that executes the sealing. The valve system conceived in this invention is good for application of polish and denser substances, but its way of sealing makes it unreliable for use in the process of applying pure solvents or other volatile liquids .

The essence of the Invention

The main feature of the subject Invention is that with minimum parts it is possible to make an efficient cosmetic applicator.

The subject Invention presents an applicator for volatile liquids, especially suitable for cosmetic use, which consists of:

- threaded container of any shape,

- threaded valve system corresponding to the mentioned container thread;

- optional seal placed between the container and the valve system;

- exchangeable extension entering the valve system through an opening; and

- applicator cap protecting the mentioned exchangeable extension; with the valve system consisting of only 4 parts.

Description of Figures

The Invention is shown in the below described 13 Figures:

Figure IA shows the liquid container, Figure IB the container seal . Figure 2B shows the valve support cross-section, Figure 2A provides the left-side view, 2C the right-side view of the valve support.

Figure 3 shows the valve spring, Figure 4 the piston, and Figure 5 the valve lock.

Figure 6 shows the exchangeable applicator extension according to the proposed invention, and Figure 7 shows the extension cap.

Figure 8 shows the formation of the valve assembly, whereas Figures 9A, 9B and 9C show its functioning with the exchangeable extension.

Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 show how the applicator is formed from the main parts.

Detailed description of the Invention

As already mentioned, in the technical problem addressed by the Invention the idea is to make an application which is composed of a minimum number of parts and which, at the same time, can be used to apply various solvents and their mixtures with other substances occurring in cosmetic use.

In order to solve the specified technical problem, it is essential to form a reliable spring-type pressure-activated valve system which in idle state has a large sealing surface.

In the subject Invention the intention was to make such a valve assembly practically independent of the used container, as well as able to adopt any design in terms of aesthetic appearance.

One of possible applicator designs according to the Invention is given in the succeeding description.

Figure IA shows the container (1.1) that may be of any shape, provided that in one part it has a thread (1.2) like the thread (2.3) made in the body of the valve assembly. The used seal (1.3) shown in Figure IB must have such chemical characteristics that it does not react to the used liquid from the container (just like the container itself) , and such a diameter that it can be pulled over the thread (1.2) into the bearing between the thread and the container (1.1) .

The body shown in Figure 2B constitutes the base of the valve assembly. This body, as should be noted, is formed by injection moulding from a suitable material, such as plastic, and, which is crucial, in one piece. The body is cylindrical in shape, partly rotationally symmetric, and has a thickening (2.1) within which is a chamber (2.5) intended to receive the lock shown in Figure 5. Fixing of the lock is made possible by indents (2.4) in the body and protrusions (5.3) on the lock.

Continuing up to the thickening (2.1) is the rotationally symmetric part (2.2) - of a little larger outer diameter - which on the inside has the mentioned thread (2.3) to receive the container thread (1.2) . In the space of the thread is a cylinder (2.10) with ribs (2.8) coming out of the thickening (2.1) and with hollows (2.9) in between the ribs stretching from the thickening (2.1) to the ring-shaped tip of the cylinder base (2.7), where the ring (2.7) interconnects the ribs (2.8). The ring (2.7) has a central bore (2.6) for free passage of the narrowest diameter of the piston (4.1) shown in Figure 4.

The spring (3.1) must have a little greater diameter than the piston body (4.1) or the central bore (2.6) on the body, but also a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the ribbed cylinder (2.10) so that the valve assembly could operate smoothly.

The piston, shown in Figure 4, is wholly rotationally symmetric, consists of a part (4.1) carrying the spring (3.1), the thickening (4.2) serving as a footing for the spring, a guide (4.3) having the same diameter as the inner diameter of the ribbed cylinder (2.10), or just a little smaller, and a conical part (4.4) which performs the sealing function by adhering to the bearing (space) of the lock (5.4).

The lock, shown in Figure 5, consists of the main part (5.1) and a delimiter (5.2), with the protrusions (5.3) serving to provide bayonet-type connection between the lock and the main body in the way that the protrusions (5.3) slip into the envisaged space (2.4) . The mouth (5.5) is the space for receiving the exchangeable applicator extension shown in Figure 6.

The exchangeable extension shown in Figure 6 consists of a tube (6.1) whose outer diameter corresponds to the mouth (5.5), so that liquid can freely flow through the hollow (6.3) to the part with which a certain operation is performed with the applicator.

The Figures show an applicator used for nail polish removal. In that case, the tube (6.1) ends in a tip (6.2) made from cotton wool or a similar fibrous material suitable for nail polish removal.

Figure 7 shows the body of the applicator cap (7.1) which protects the exchangeable extension and the applicator from activation. According to one of possible designs, the cap body (7.1) has a hollow (7.4) sufficient to accommodate the tip (6.2), reinforcements (7.2) and a space (7.3) that can be slipped over/removed from the part (2.2), whereas the reinforcement (7.2) ends on the delimiter between (2.1) and (2.2).

The formation of the valve assembly is shown in Figure 8; the spring (3.1) is placed on the piston body (4.2), and with the lock (Figure 5) all is pressed into the valve assembly body (Figure 2B) in the way that the protrusions (5.3) slip into the envisaged places (2.4) and form an undetachable connection, whereas the piston body (4.1) is engaged and centered by the bore (2.6) through which it can freely move. The valve system thus obtained is sealing on relatively large contact surfaces (4.4) and (5.4).

The piston can move within the valve body, with the spring returning it to the sealing position. Thus the piston either lets or blocks the passage of liquid from the container to the exchangeable applicator extension in the way as shown in Figures 9A, 9B and 9C. With the insertion of the extension the applicator becomes operable (Figures 9A and 9B) , and by pressing the extension towards the container the piston is moved and the passage opened for liquid to flow to the exchangeable extension (Figure 9C) . When released, the force of the spring returns the system to the state as shown in Figure 9B. At this point it should be noted that the Figures are schematic presentations of action taking place; thus the exchangeable extension may have a beveled tip of the tube (6.1) entering the lock mouth (5.5) to facilitate the flow of liquid in the space (5.4) through the extension tube towards the tip (6.2) .

Figures 10-13 show the applicator assembly and the arrangement of parts in the already composed and above discussed applicator. It is important to note that the core of this applicator lies a simple and efficient valve system that can be connected to any threaded container compatible with the thread of the said valve system composed of only four parts.

Industrial applicability

The industrial applicability of the Invention is indisputable. The Invention can be used in any cases requiring a simple and easy application of volatile liquids and when the subject applicator can serve as an addition to the cosmetic kit usually placed in women' s handbags to serve as nail polish remover.