INCLUDING MEANS SPRINKLING A SPECIFIC GEL.

The present invention belongs to the field of the cosmetic products and similar products for the make-up of a person. It is related essentially to a device for removal of mascara, that is a product usually applied to the eyelashes, by using a specific gel for removal and/or washing.

As known, the current state of the art comprises some devices that are widely used for application of cosmetic products, including mascara applicators, and these instruments are commonly used for the aesthetic make-up of a person in order to apply the mascara, it is widely used a stick having a brush at the distal end, that allows to distribute the mascara on eyelashes by contact and rotation of brush micro- bristels around the same eyelashes, either the upper ones and the lower ones in the eye. The applicator further comprises a small bottle, where the brush is immersed from time to time, so that the micro-bristels are wet and filled with constantly new quantity of product. Usually, the applicator can be inserted and screwed to the bottle, so that it represent a standard object that is practical, useful and ready to be used, that is a fundamental item in any beauty case commonly used for the make-up of a person. While a large quantity of different applicators are available, in all their different shapes and variations, for a quick application of the product on eyelashes, with reference instead to the opposite operation, that is the removal of product from eyelashes, there are just few solutions and available examples.

The actual method to remove the mascara requires just some single use cotton disks, applied together with specific removal products that are hypo-allergenic and used specifically for eyes. The main drawback of this method is given, first of all, by the required space for all this material, that of course can be used at home, at the end of the day, but results to be very uncomfortable to be transported to remove make-up during the day out at work, or going around in town. Furthermore, in order to remove the product properly, very precise actions are required, to be executed slowly and precisely, so that it is avoided to rub and irritate the surface of eye and create therefore damage and abrasions. In addition, usually the removal operations result to be not very effective, especially in reference to some existing types of mascara, such that water resisting, that require a larger number of successive applications of different cotton disks, with a consequent risk to spread the removed product on the surrounding area of the skin. It is known, from the state of the art, the document DE 29700309 U1 , that describes a device for application of mascara, that comprises an inner tank where the same mascara is contained; furthermore, the document WO 2014/027762 A1 describes a device for application of mascara, with an inner tank, and a mechanism to push the same mascara in direction of the micro-bristels, and consequently outside.

Therefore, the present invention overcomes all the above drawbacks, having as a main objective to propose a device for removing the mascara, that uses a specific gel for removing and/or washing, and that represents a portable item, occupying a small space, and very similar to the common applicators, with the brush in contact with the eyelashes, providing the sprinkling of said specific gel and the removing of mascara in a easy and effective way.

Another objective is that the used gel and the removed mascara could be easily expelled from the device, allowing in example a quick washing under a jet of water, and at the same time a mechanism collecting possible residual is installed, so that the best cleaning and hygiene of device is achieved, either with reference to the environment and with reference to a possible successive use by the same person.

Another further objective is that said removing gel, in addition to be compatible as a make-up remover and/or detergent for a use on persons and in the area close to the eyes, it is contained completely into a tank inside the device, and could be pushed out just by activation of a mechanism that is simple, quick and intuitive.

Therefore, it is specific subject of the present invention a device for removing mascara, including means sprinkling a specific gel, comprising:

- a basic structure, similar to that of the standard mascara applicators, composed of a stick having a cylindrical handle at the proximal end, and a cylindrical or conic brush at the distal end, having the same stick as axis, and having a multiple micro-bristels that extend themselves radially from it,

- means for sprinkling a specific gel for removing mascara, in turn comprising: a tank of gel inserted in the handle; a mechanism able to express a force into the tank, so that the gel is pressed towards a small tube, internal to the stick that is connected to the same tank; a series of holes from which respective gel goes out, placed at the distal end of said stick, between one layer and the following one of the respective said micro-bristles of the brush; so that a use of the device, in a similar way to that of the standard mascara applicators, with the brush in contact with the eyelashes, instead of releasing mascara on the eyelashes provides to sprinkle and wet the eyelashes with said specific gel, so that the mixture of gel and mascara, being accumulated on said micro-bristels of the brush, can be easily removed from the eyelashes; a following washing of the micro-bristels, i.e. under a jet of water, achieves a complete removal of said mixture of gel and mascara;

characterized in that further comprising:

- a housing-container, similar to that of the standard mascara applicators, composed of a hollow element having a cylindrical shape, where it is contained a tank of a specific gel, or a small sponge filled of said specific gel,

so that, after the device has been used to remove the mascara from eyelashes, and the mascara has been accumulated on the micro-bristels of said brush, and after the micro-bristels have been washed, the same device can be inserted inside said housing-container, placing the brush into said tank or small sponge of gel, then possible residual parts of the remaining mascara can be collected.

The present invention will now be described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front-lateral perspective view of a mascara applicator, with related housing-container, according to the prior art;

Figure 2 is a front view of a mascara applicator during its use and application to eyelashes of a person;

Figure 3 is a top view of the same mascara applicator with related housing- container of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a front view of the same mascara applicator with related housing- container of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a lateral view of a device for removing the mascara according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a lateral view of a particular of the same device for removing the mascara of Figure 5, where it is represented the brush and the holes from which a specific gel goes out through the layers of micro-bristels;

Figure 7 is a front-lateral perspective views of the same device for removing the mascara of Figure 5, where the external elements are shown in transparency, so that the mechanism of sprinkling the specific gel, through the layers of micro-bristels, is clearly visualized;

Figure 8 is a lateral view of the same device for removing the mascara of Figure 5, represented during the step of insertion into its housing-container; Figure 9 is a lateral view of the same device for removing the mascara of Figure 5, represented in its position where it is inserted into its housing-container;

Figure 10 is a front-lateral view of the same device for removing the mascara of Figure 9, where the external elements are shown in transparency, so that the position of the brush inside its housing-container is clearly visualized;

Figure 11 is a front view of the handle part of a device for removing the mascara, according to the present invention, in a first embodiment where the mechanism for pushing the gel outside is given by a pressure button;

Figure 12 is a front view of the handle part of a device for removing the mascara, according to the present invention, in a second embodiment where the mechanism for pushing the gel outside is given by a rotary spring;

Figure 13 is a front view of the handle part of a device for removing the mascara, according to the present invention, in a third embodiment where the mechanism for pushing the gel outside is given by a lateral pressure.

It is here underlined that only few of the many conceivable embodiments of the present invention are described, which are just some specific non-limiting examples, having the possibility to describe many other embodiments based on the disclosed technical solutions of the present invention.

Figures 1 , 3 and 4 show different views of a mascara applicator 100, with a respective housing-container 101 , according to the prior art. A mascara applicator 100 comprises essentially a basic structure composed of a stick 105 having a cylindrical handle 102 at the proximal end, and a cylindrical or conic brush 106 at the distal end, having the same stick 105 as axis, and having a multiple micro-bristels that extend themselves radially from it. Figure 2 shows, instead, a mascara applicator during itsuse and application to eyelashes of a person.

The present invention, represented in Figures 5, 6 and 7, regards a device 200 for removing mascara, including means sprinkling a specific gel.

The device 200 comprises essentially the same basic structure of a standard mascara applicator 100, having in addition some means for sprinkling a specific gel in order to remove the mascara.

Said means in turn comprise: a tank 202 of gel 209 inserted in the handle 201 ; a mechanism 203 able to express a force into the tank 202 so that the gel 209 is pressed towards a small tube 205, internal to the stick 204 that is connected to the same tank 202; a series of holes 210a, 210b, 210n from which respective gel

208a, 208b, 208n goes out, placed at the distal end of said stick 204, between one layer and the following one of the respective said micro-bristles of the brush 206.

In such a way it is achieved a use of the device 200 in a similar way to that of the standard mascara applicators, with the brush in contact with the eyelashes 109, where instead of releasing mascara on the eyelashes 109 it is provided to sprinkle and wet the eyelashes 109 with said specific gel.

Therefore, the mixture of gel and mascara, being accumulated on said micro-bristels of the brush 206, can be easily removed from the eyelashes 109; a following washing of the micro-bristels, i.e. under a jet of water, achieves a complete removal of said mixture of gel and mascara.

An embodiment of the invention, represented in Figures 8, 9 and 10, is characterized by a device 200 for removing mascara that further comprises a housing- container 250, similar to that of the standard mascara applicators, composed of a hollow element having a cylindrical shape 251 , where it is contained a tank 254 of a specific gel 255, or a small sponge filled of said specific gel 255.

In such a way, after the device 200 has been used to remove the mascara from eyelashes 109, and the mascara has been accumulated on the micro-bristels of said brush 206, and after the micro-bristels have been washed, the same device 200 can be inserted inside said housing-container 250, placing the brush 206 into said tank or small sponge of gel 255, then possible residual parts of the remaining mascara can be collected.

It can be used, as a specific gel, any available remover gel that is compatible as a make-up remover and/or detergent for a use on persons and in the area close to the eyes. Preferably, as a specific gel, it can be used xanthane gum, that is a polymer having a natural origin, a complex carbohydrate, a polysaccharide having high molecular weight. Otherwise it can be used BlefActive Lipogel, that is a detergent based on: liposomes, tea tree oil, alpha Bisabolol, xanthane gum, and vitamin A.

With reference to said mechanism of gel sprinkling through the micro-bristels, the present invention discloses three possible solutions. They are reported here following, just as examples, but it is clear that anyother type of mechanism, leading to the same result, can be applied without departing from the relevant scope of the present invention.

With reference to Figure 11 , said mechanism 203, able to express a force into the tank 202, is based on some pressure of button means 270. Said means 270 comprise a button 272 that is placed on the back of the device 200 that, when activated, expresses a longitudinal force inside said tank 271, so that the contained gel is pushed to the front part 273, to which said small tube 205 is connected, and in turn transmits the gel to the brush 206.

With reference to Figure 12, said mechanism 203, able to express a force into the tank 202, is based on some screw rotation means 280. Said means 280 comprise a ring 282 that is placed on the back of the device 200 connected to an endless screw that, when activated, causes a front surface to move forward, and therefore expresses a longitudinal force inside said tank 281 , so that the contained gel is pushed to the front part 283, to which said small tube 205 is connected, and in turn transmits the gel to the brush 206.

With reference to Figure 13, said mechanism 203, able to express a force into the tank 202, is based on some lateral pressure means 290. Said means 290 comprise a flexible shell 291 where the tank 202 of device 200 is placed inside. When a lateral pressure 292a, 292b is provided on said flexible shell 291 , the contained gel is pushed to the front part 293, to which said small tube 205 is connected, and in turn transmits the gel to the brush 206.

Therefore, the above examples show that the present invention reaches all the expected objectives. In particular, it permits to achieve a device for removing the mascara, that uses a specific gel for removing and/or washing, and that represents a portable item, occupying a small space, and very similar to the common applicators, with the brush in contact with the eyelashes, providing the sprinkling of said specific gel and the removing of mascara in a easy and effective way.

Furthermore, the invention allows that the used gel and the removed mascara can be easily expelled from the device, allowing in example a quick washing under a jet of water, and at the same time a mechanism collecting possible residual is installed, so that the best cleaning and hygiene of device is achieved, either with reference to the environment and with reference to a possible successive use by the same person.

Further according to the invention, said removing gel, in addition to be compatible as a make-up remover and/or detergent for a use on persons and in the area close to the eyes, it is contained completely into a tank inside the device, and can be pushed out just by activation of a mechanism that is simple, quick and intuitive.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is clear that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope, as defined in the enclosed claims.