The present invention relates to an application device which makes it possible to deposit and distribute a cosmetic product on the skin in a homogeneous manner. The term "cosmetic product" is intended to mean a product as defined in Council Directive 93/35/EEC of 14 June 1993.

In the prior art there are conventionally known sponges, flocked end pieces and brushes for withdrawing and then spreading the product in a homogeneous manner. In particular, document FR-2744604 discloses a pad provided with reliefs for promoting the homogeneous distribution of the product on the skin. The disadvantage of these application members stems from the fact that they can only be cleaned with difficulty. Document US5388700 discloses an end piece which can be provided with various application end pieces, all respectively detachable and replaceable.

Also disclosed are massage members having reliefs, in particular from documents EP-1764019, FR-2626769 and FR2506579, such that when they are moved in contact with the skin, the dead skin is stripped off and a softness effect of the skin thus massaged is thus obtained.

The object of the invention is to provide an application device which is effective in the application of a product in a homogeneous layer and which is moreover able to be cleaned easily, and can thus be reused, for example. Another advantage of the invention is that of providing an application member which is inexpensive to produce but which has good technical performance irrespective of the manner in which this member is moved over the skin. Accordingly, the subject of the invention is an application device comprising an application member provided with microreliefs on the application surface. In particular, the subject of the invention is a device for applying a product to the skin, comprising an application member having an application surface intended to be brought into contact with the skin in order to deposit and/or spread a product on the skin, this surface being defined by a thermoplastic material, different from a foam, and having reliefs with a height of between 40 μιτι and 0.3 mm, preferably between 40 μιτι and 0.1 mm, these reliefs being integrally formed with the substrate from which they jut out and defining at least partially a non-rectilinear linear relief.

One advantage of the spaces created between the reliefs is, for example, that of being able to serve as a product reservoir. Furthermore, these reliefs contribute to better spreading and to a greater homogenization of the product deposited on the skin by means of such an application surface.

This type of applicator is more particularly suitable for the application of waterpack foundations or compacted powders. For example, the material may be flexible and have a Shore A hardness below 70.

The reliefs may each define a non-rectilinear linear relief. In this case, this linear relief may have a width of between 0.1 and 5 times its height. Advantageously, the reliefs may form a pattern corresponding to a fingerprint reproduced to actual size on this surface. Such a pattern has the advantage of reproducing a digital application sensation while preventing the user from getting dirty hands. Advantageously, the application surface may be chosen to be impermeable to the product. In this case, it is easier to clean it since the product does not penetrate the application member beyond the application surface. This characteristic also has the advantage of avoiding staining the user's fingers during charging with product and during the application. This impermeability of the application surface makes it possible to maintain a visually clean surface throughout the life of the application member since the surface can be easily cleaned with water, with soap or with a make-up remover. The application member may be detachable relative to a member for gripping the device. In particular, the application member may be mounted movably, for example rotatably, relative to a member for gripping the device. The application member may define a cavity, for example configured to receive a finger or a hand, such that the application surface defines the outer periphery of this cavity.

For example, the surface may be obtained by moulding.

Another subject of the invention is a packaging and application assembly comprising a device according to the invention such that the application member may be permanently mounted on a dispensing end piece of the assembly secured to a product container of this assembly.

Yet another subject of the invention is a method of producing a device according to the invention such that the application surface and its reliefs may be obtained by moulding in a mould, an inner periphery of the mould having been etched beforehand for this purpose, for example by chemical etching.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. These figures are presented only by way of illustration and without any limitation of the invention. In the figures:

- Figure 1 shows a view in longitudinal section of an application device according to the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a view in cross section of the application device of Figure 1 ;

- Figures 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b and 4c show perspective views of variant embodiments of an application device according to the invention;

- Figures 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f and 5g show plan views of pattern variants for reliefs to be formed on an application device according to the invention;

- Figure 6 shows a perspective view of part of the reliefs formed on an application device according to the invention; - Figure 7 shows a view in section, on a transverse section plane, of the reliefs of Figure 6.

Figure 1 shows an application device 1 forming an application member 2 with an application surface 3. The application member 2 here has a cavity 4 designed to receive a finger, for example the index finger. This inner cavity 4 may also receive another filling material such as a foam in order to obtain a flexible and soft applicator which is pleasant for the application. This cavity 4 may be completely filled such that it is no longer possible to insert a finger therein. In a variant which is not represented, the cavity cannot lead out at the application surface 3. In a variant which is not represented, the application member may also be solid and not have a cavity.

The application surface 3 is defined by the outer periphery of the member 2. The inner periphery of the cavity 4 does not form part of the application surface 3.

The member 2 is of elongate shape along an axis X and the application surface 3 has two mutually parallel, substantially planar faces 5 and 6, Figure 2. The faces 5 and 6 are parallel to the axis X. The cavity 4 is defined along the axis X. The faces 5 and 6 are respectively connected to one another by means of edges 7 and 8, one of which is defined so as to present a convex portion, while the other edge 8 is defined so as to present a concave portion.

Since the cavity 4 has a substantially frustoconical, or even cylindrical, inner volume, the member 2 has walls of variable thicknesses particularly at the edges 7 and 8. e ₇ and es are used to denote the maximum thicknesses of the edges 7 and 8, measured respectively perpendicular to the axis X, all along this axis X.

In the example, the member 2 is obtained as a single piece by moulding. It is non-porous. It may be produced from any thermoplastic material, for example SEBS, a silicone, latex, a natural rubber, a material with improved slip, butyl, EPDM, a nitrile, a thermoplastic elastomer, a polyester elastomer, a polyamide elastomer, a polyethylene elastomer or a vinyl elastomer, a polyolefin such as PE or PP, in particular low-density PE, PVC, EVA, PS, SIS, PET, POM, PU, SAM, PA, or PMMA. Such materials have rapid drying characteristics when they are wetted at the surface, owing in particular to adapted surface tension characteristics. Use can be made in particular of the materials known under the trade marks Teflon ^® , Hytrel ^® , Cariflex ^® , Alixine ^® , Santoprene ^® , Pebax ^® and Pollobas ^® , this list not being limiting. The material used to produce the application member may contain a softening agent and/or a bactericidal agent, such as silver ions, for example.

Throughout the remainder of the description, the same references are given to the equivalent elements of the different variants.

Figure 3a represents an application member 2 in the form of a glove. Figure 3b represents an application member in the form of a disc. For example, the disc is hollow and is filled from an open face by a filling material, such as a foam. In this embodiment, in an alternative which is not represented, the application member 2 may also be solid. This application member 2 may be designed to be mounted in a reversible manner on an applicator holder, a product reservoir cap or any other type of support which promotes gripping. In Figure 4a, the application member 2 is arranged on a dispensing end piece 9 provided with a dispensing orifice 10 mounted in fluid communication with a container 1 1 containing a product to be applied. In Figure 4b, the application member 2 takes the form of a roller mounted freely in rotation about a pivot 12 secured to a member 13 for gripping the device. In a variant, in Figure 4c, the application member 2 takes the form of a spatula secured to a gripping member 13, in the example in the form of a rod. For example, this rod may be secured to a member for closing a container in which is contained the product to be applied by means of the application member. The application member 2 is configured to aid the withdrawal and/or the spreading of a cosmetic product, such as, for example, a foundation, whether fluid, compact or pasty, or else a gloss to be applied to the lips, or alternatively a cleaning or scrubbing gel or a face cream. The application member 2 may also be useful for massaging or cleaning the body. The application member 2 according to the invention comprises reliefs 14, also termed "microreliefs", in a region 15, this region 15 representing at least part of the total application surface. The term "microreliefs" is intended to mean reliefs having a height of between 40 μιτι and 0.3 mm, and preferably between 40 μιτι and 0.1 mm, relative to the substrate from which they jut out.

For example, the region 15 has a surface area above 0.5 cm ² , better still above 3 cm ² . In this region 15, for example 50% of the surface state is represented by these reliefs. The reliefs form patterns. Variants of patterns formed by these reliefs are represented in Figures 5a to 5d. In Figure 5a, the region 15 has reliefs symbolizing a fingerprint of an end of a finger. In Figure 5b, the reliefs have substantially circular concentric rings, whereas in Figure 5c, the rings are ovoidal. In Figure 5d, the reliefs represent flattened annular rings placed side by side. In each of these figures, the patterns are non-rectilinear.

All types of patterns also form part of the invention. A pattern representing an arrangement of non-rectilinear microfibres substantially spread out so as to stretch quite substantially along the same axis is a pattern according to the invention, see Figure 5e. A pattern representing reliefs of the tanned leather type, such as, for example, from cow's skin, is represented in Figure 5f. Figure 5g represents another pattern according to the invention with an arrangement of reliefs representing an arrangement of microfibres which are non-rectilinear but substantially spread out so as to stretch quite substantially along the same axis.

The reliefs represented by way of illustration in Figures 1 , 2, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b and 4c are represented on a larger scale than the other elements represented, in order to make them locatable on the figures. However, these reliefs may be invisible to the naked eye.

As represented in Figure 6, the reliefs 14 have at least one and, in particular, a plurality of substantially linear segments jutting out from a main surface 16. The main surface 16 and the reliefs 14 together form the region 15 of the application surface 3. A relief 14a represented in Figure 6 stretches along a curve C. Each relief can stretch along its own curve. This relief 14a has a length L along this curve C of between 5 and 40 mm. The curve C may have concavities and/or convexities to the left and right when observed from above. The curve C may comprise a rectilinear portion, with the proviso that this portion does not represent the whole of the curve C. The curve C may form a closed loop, as in the examples of Figures 5b, 5c and 5d. Along a transverse sectional plane VII-VII, perpendicular to the curve C and perpendicular to the main surface 16, the relief 14a has a height h of between 40 μιτι and 0.3 mm, better still between 40 μιτι and 0.1 mm. This height may vary along the curve C. Not all the reliefs have the same height, as is represented in Figure 7, where the height of the relief 14b is less than that of the relief 14a. Preferably, however, all the reliefs have the same height h.

Still along this section plane VII-VII, the relief 14a has a trapezoidal cross section in which the width e of the top of the relief is between 10 μιτι and 0.3 mm. For example, the width e may be substantially equal to the height h. In a variant, in particular in the cases where the curve C is open, the width e may become more slender at the free ends of the curve C. This width e may vary along the curve C. Not all the reliefs have the same height, as is represented in Figure 7, where the width of the relief 14b is less than that of the relief 14a. In this section plane, the distance d between the relief 14a and the nearest relief 14b is, for example, between 40 μιτι and 1 mm. Along the curve C of the relief 14a, the distance d with the relief 14b can vary.

The region 15 is delimited by the perimeter surrounding the entire application surface 3 having such reliefs 14. In this region 15, the main surface 16 is substantially planar and the heights h of the reliefs 14 are measured relative to it.

For example, this region 15 is obtained by a technique of chemical etching of the mould in which thermoplastic material is cast so as to form said application surface 3. In particular, this material is shaped in an injection mould, a blow- moulding mould, a thermoforming mould, a thermocompression mould, a casting mould or else a roto-moulding mould.

Etching can be used in moulds made of aluminium or steel, provided that they are non-corrodible. To carry out this etching, in a first step, the mould is degreased with soapy water. Then, the regions of the mould which must not be etched are protected. Finally, a film on which a pattern is printed is deposited. After a number of acid baths with a duration defined as a function of the desired depth for the microreliefs, a step of rinsing with hydrogen peroxide is performed and the mould is then ready for moulding application devices having reliefs according to the invention. To complete the pattern, an operation of sand-blasting or micropeeing of the mould may also be carried out.

Throughout the description, the expression "comprising a" must be considered as being synonymous with "comprising at least one", unless specified otherwise.