The present invention relates to a method for filling a device for packaging cosmetic product powders, including the following steps:

- providing a hollow container delimiting an inner volume

- positioning a separation tool in the inner volume in order to delimit at least one first region and at least one second region separated from the first region in the inner volume;

- closing the inner volume with at least one obturation plate;

- filling the first region with a first precursor material of a first powder block, and filling the second region with a second precursor material of a second powder block;

- solidifying the first precursor material and the second precursor material in order to form the first powder block and the second powder block;

- withdrawing the separation tool out of the inner volume.

The cosmetic product powders are for example make-up or care products for a body surface of a user, such as foundation, blush, colors, eye shadows, make-up powders.

More generally, by « cosmetic product » is meant a product as defined in EC Regulation No.1223/2009 of the European Parliament and Council dated from November 30th 2009, relating to cosmetic products.

The packaging device generally comprises a container in which the powder is positioned. In order to fill the container with the powder, it is known how to inject it in liquid form into the container through an orifice made in the bottom of the container, and then simultaneously suck up the expansion space above the fluid in order to evaporate the liquid present in the powder. The powder is simultaneously compacted with a press.

This method is simple to apply when a single powder is injected into the container. However, in certain cases, for esthetical or practical reasons, it is desirable to inject several distinct powders into the same container.

To do this, TW M 370963 describes a container which comprises separation walls defining separate regions for injecting each powder. The presence of separation walls however is not very esthetical and not very practical for the user.

KR 20100040629 and KR 20100055299 describe methods in which different powders are added from the top one after the other. Such a method is long to apply and may lead to a non-reproducible and not very accurate pattern between the different powder blocks.

In order to find a remedy to this problem, US 6,245,341 , JP 201 132247, WO 201 1 1 18882 describe methods in which a removable separation tool is introduced into the container in order to separate the injection regions for the different powders. The removable tool is then withdrawn after injection.

These methods improve the situation but do not allow, in every case, well delimited blocks to be obtained with a particular geometry, notably considering the withdrawal of the separation tool.

An object of the invention is to obtain a method with which a container may be obtained having several cosmetic product powder blocks of different natures, the blocks being adjacent to each other without any physical separation from each other, while obtaining a particular satisfactory esthetical aspect.

For this purpose, the object of the invention is a method of the aforementioned type, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

- interposition of a flexible material layer between the separation tool and the container;

- deformation of the flexible material layer by the first precursor material and by the second precursor material upon filling the first region and the second region;

- withdrawal of the flexible material layer out of the inner volume after solidification of the first precursor material and of the second precursor material.

The method according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taking individually or according to all the technically possible combinations:

- the flexible material layer is a textile, advantageously selected from woven and non- woven;

- the thickness of the flexible material layer is less than 500 μηι, notably less than 150 μΓη ;

- the flexible material layer is elastically deformable with an extension comprised between 10% and 1 ,000%, notably between 50% and 30%, preferably between 100% and

200% when it is stretched according to the EDANA WSP 1 10.4 (05) standard.

- it comprises a step for sucking up the expansion space located in the inner volume and/or above the inner volume through the obturation plate, the deformation of the flexible material layer being at least generated by suction through the obturation plate;

- the flexible material layer is guided on the obturation plate and totally covers the separation tool, when the separation tool is positioned in the inner volume;

- the separation tool is movably mounted on the obturation plate between a retracted position in the obturation plate and a deployed position relatively to the obturation plate, the withdrawal of the separation tool out of the inner volume including the passing of the separation tool from its deployed position to its retracted position while maintaining the obturation plate in position relatively to the hollow container;

- the flexible material layer is deformable between a rest configuration applied on the obturation plate, and a configuration elastically deformed by the separation tool in the inner volume, the flexible material layer spontaneously resuming its rest configuration after withdrawing the separation tool and the flexible material layer out of the inner volume;

- after withdrawing the separation tool and the flexible material layer, a crack extends between the first block and the second block, the method including a step for closing the crack by compressing the first block and the second block.

The object of the invention is also a facility for filling a device for packaging cosmetic product powders comprising:

- an assembly for supporting a hollow container delimiting an inner volume;

- an assembly for covering the inner volume including at least one obturation plate;

- a separation tool able to be positioned in the inner volume in order to delimit in the inner volume at least one first region and one second region separate from the first region;

- an injection assembly able to fill the first region with a first precursor material of a first powder block, and able to fill the second region with a second precursor material of a second powder block;

- a mechanism for withdrawing the separation tool out of the inner volume;

wherein the facility comprises:

- a flexible material layer able to be interposed between the separation tool and the hollow container, and able to deform upon filling the first region and the second region with the first precursor material and with the second precursor material.

The facility according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features taken individually or according to all the technically possible combinations:

- the flexible material layer is a textile, advantageously selected from a woven, or a non-woven;

- the flexible material layer is elastically deformable with an extension comprised between 10% and 1 ,000%, notably between 50% and 30%, preferably between 100% and 200% when it is stretched according to the EDANA WSP 1 10.4 (05) standard.

- it comprises an assembly for sucking up the expansion space located in the inner volume and/or above the inner volume through the obturation plate.

- the flexible material layer is attached onto the obturation plate and totally covers the separation tool; - the separation tool is movably mounted on the obturation plate between a retracted position in the obturation plate and a deployed position relatively to the obturation plate, the displacement of the separation tool between the retracted position and the deployed position causing deformation of the flexible material layer.

The invention will be better understood upon reading the description which follows, only given as example, and made with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

- Fig. 1 is a top view of a first packaging device obtained by a filling method according to the invention;

- Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a first press of a filling facility according to the invention for applying the method;

- Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along a median plan of a detail of the apparatus of Fig. 2, during a first step for applying the method according to the invention;

- Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3, during a second step for applying the invention;

- Fig. 5 illustrates a second press for compacting powder blocks contained in the packaging device at the end of the second step;

- Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative of a hollow container for a packaging device intended to be filled by the method according to the invention.

A first cosmetic product packaging device 10 according to the invention is illustrated by Fig. 1 .

The device 10 includes a hollow container 12, containing a first solid block 14 of a first cosmetic product powder and a second solid block 16 of a second cosmetic product powder, distinct from the first cosmetic product powder.

The second block 16 is positioned adjacent to the first block 14, in contact with the latter, without any physical separation between the first block 14 and the second block 16.

As this will be seen further on, each block 14, 16 is obtained in a method according to the invention, by injecting into the container 12 a fluid including the powder and a liquid able to evaporate.

Each powder is advantageously intended for make-up or care of a body surface of a user. The powder is for example a foundation, a blush, a color, an eye shadow, a make-up powder.

The powder is for example intended to be applied on the face of the user, notably on his/her cheeks, on his/her eyebrows or on his/her eyelids.

Each thereby obtained cosmetic powder is for example of the « Facefinity », « wet beauty », « wet with water », or « wet solvent » type. Examples of powder of the « wet solvent » and « wet with water » type are described in the applications EP2640342 and EP2640343 of the applicant.

The first powder is distinct from the second powder for example by its composition and/or color, so that the first block 14 and the second block 16 advantageously have distinct colors, which are separately visible in the container 12.

In the particular example illustrated in Fig. 1 , the first block 14 totally surrounds the second block 16.

The container 12 is formed by a cup opening upwards. It includes a side wall 18 and a bottom wall 20 visible in Fig. 3.

The container 12 thus delimits, between its walls 18, 20, an inner volume 22 containing the first block 14 and the second block bloc 16.

For applying the method, the bottom wall 20 defines at least two through-orifices 24, 26 for injecting the product. Each orifice 24, 26 is intended for the respective injection of a first fluid precursor product intended to form the first block 14 and a second fluid precursor product intended to form the second block 16.

The injection orifices for the product 24, 26 open upwards in the inner volume 22.

The packaging device 10 is elaborated in a filling facility 30 including a first press 32 for injecting and forming powder blocks 14, 16 visible in Fig. 2, and comprising a second press 34 for compacting powder blocks 14, 16 partially visible in Fig. 5.

With reference to Fig. 2, the first press 32 includes a lower assembly 36 for supporting the container 12, and an assembly 38 for injecting product into the container 12, at least partly housed in the lower assembly 36.

The first press 32 further comprises an upper assembly 40 for covering the lower assembly 36, a suction assembly 42 housed in the upper assembly 40, and a separation assembly 44, which may be deployed in the inner volume 22 of the container 12 relatively to the upper assembly 40, by means of a deployment mechanism 46.

The lower assembly 36 includes a support 50 delimiting a housing 52 for inserting the container 12. The insertion house 52 has dimensions which match those of the container 12. It opens upwards.

The injection assembly 38 includes a first reservoir 54, receiving the first precursor material of the first block 14, and a second reservoir 56 receiving the second precursor material of the second block 16, advantageously distinct from the first precursor material.

It includes a first nozzle 58 for introducing the first precursor material into the container 12, intended to open upwards facing a first orifice 24 and a second nozzle 60 for introducing the second precursor material into the container 12, intended to open upwards facing a second orifice 26.

Each precursor material is a fluid which includes the powder, and a liquid intended to be sucked up by the suction assembly 42. The liquid is for example a non-aqueous solvent or water.

The upper assembly 40 includes a peripheral flange 62 and at least one obturation plate 64, 66 positioned on the flange 62 facing the insertion housing 52.

In this example, the upper assembly 40 includes a lower obturation plate 64, intended to come to contact with the support 50 in order to cover the insertion housing 52 and an upper obturation plate 66 positioned above the lower obturation plate 64.

The obturation plates 64, 66 are attached on the flange 62 and are movable together with it.

The obturation plate 64 defines a passage 68 for circulation and retraction of the separation assembly 44 in order to allow its deployment in the inner volume 22 of the container 12, and for allowing its retraction out of the inner volume 22.

The passage 68 opens downwards, facing the insertion housing 52.

The suction assembly 42 includes a plurality of suction through-holes 70 made through each plate 64, 66 and a suction apparatus (not shown) connected upstream to each through-hole 70.

Each suction hole 70 of the obturation plate 64 opens downwards facing the support

50, certain holes 70 in particular opening, facing the insertion housing 52.

The upper assembly 40 is movable together with the suction assembly 42 relatively to the lower assembly 36, between an open position, visible in Fig. 4, and a closed position, visible in Fig. 3.

In the open position, with reference to Fig. 4, the lower obturation plate 64 is positioned away from the upper surface of the support 50. An intermediate space 72 for insertion and withdrawal of the container 12 in the insertion housing 52 is delimited between the lower assembly 36 and the upper assembly 40.

In the closed position, with reference to Fig. 3, the lower obturation plate 64 is positioned in contact with the upper surface of the support 50. It obturates upwards the insertion housing 52, preventing extraction of the container 12 out of the insertion housing 52.

In this position, at least one portion of the suction holes 70 and the passage 68 open into the insertion housing 52, facing the inner volume 22 of the container 12, when the container 12 is received in the insertion housing 52. The separation assembly 44 includes a separation tool 80 which may be deployed, and, according to the invention, a flexible material layer 82 intended to be interposed between the tool 80 and the container 12 when the tool 80 is inserted into the inner volume 22.

The separation tool 80 includes at least one separation partition intended to be inserted into the inner volume 22 in contact with the bottom wall 20, in order to sealably delimit in the inner volume 22, a first region 84 for forming the first block 14 and a second region 86 for forming the second block 16.

The separation tool 80 is thus movable via the mechanism 46 between a retracted position in the obturation plate 64, and a deployed position in the inner volume 22.

In the retracted position, visible in Fig. 4, the separation tool 80 is received substantially totally in the passage 68. It is totally extracted out of the inner volume 22 of the container 12.

In the deployed position, visible in Fig. 3, the separation tool 80 protrudes downwards into the insertion housing 52 from the obturation plate 64. It is applied, through its lower edge, onto the bottom wall 20 of the container 12 in order to produce the seal between the regions 84, 86, with interposition of the flexible material layer 82.

According to the invention, the flexible material layer 82 is attached under the lower plate 64. It has a greater area than that of the insertion housing 52, in order to totally cover the insertion housing 52 in the closed position.

Advantageously, the flexible material layer 82 covers the whole lower plate 64 downwards.

The flexible material layer 82 is attached to it periphery on the lower plate 64. It is totally free at least in its central region located facing the insertion housing 52 relatively to the lower plate 64. This allows its elastic deformation in the insertion housing 52 when the separation tool 80 is deployed in the insertion housing 52.

The flexible material layer 82 is advantageously formed by a textile, such as a woven and a non-woven

By « non-woven », in the sense of the present invention, is meant a substrate comprising fibers in which individual fibers of filaments are positioned in a disordered way in a sheet-like structure and which are neither woven nor knitted. The fibers of the non-woven body are generally bound together, either under the effect of mechanical action (for example needling, air jet, water jet, etc..) or under the effect of thermal action, or by adding a binder.

Such a non-woven is for example defined by the ISO 9092 standard as a web or sheet of directionally or randomly oriented fibers, bound by friction and/or cohesion and/or adhesion, except for paper and products obtained by weaving, knitting, tufting or sewing incorporating binding yarns or filaments.

A non-woven differs from a paper by the length of the fibers used. In paper, the fibers are shorter. However, there exist non-wovens based on cellulose fibers which are made via a wet route and having short fibers like in paper. The difference between a non-woven and a paper is generally the absence of a hydrogen bound between the fibers in a non-woven.

The non-woven is made on a basis of fibers. The non-woven is advantageously formed from one or several consolidated fiber webs.

A "woven" is a textile obtained by weaving, knitting, tufting, sewing incorporating binding yarns or filaments or felted by wet-milling.

The fibers forming the flexible material layer 82 are for example synthetic fibers from petroleum derivatives, natural fibers from plants/animals, and/or modified natural fibers, for example from treatment or regeneration methods for forming fibers.

Among synthetic fibers from petroleum derivates, it is possible to include polyolefin fibers, such as polyethylene fibers (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers or acrylic fibers, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) fibers, fibers of polyurethanes or fibers of the following thermoplastics: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), styrene polymers (for example polystyrene PS, expansible polystyrene EPS, acrylonitrile-butadiene- styrene terpolymer ABS, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer SAN, styrene-butadiene copolymer SB), fibers of polyamides (PA), polycarbonates (PC), saturated polyesters (for example polyethylene terephthalate glycol PET, polybutylene terephtale glycol PBT), polyacetals (for example polyoxymethylene POM copolymer trioxane ethylene oxide), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), or further fluorinated polymers (for example polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE, polyvinylidene fluoride PVDF, polychlorotrifluoroethylene PCTFE).

Advantageously the layer of elastic material 82 includes at least polyamide fibers, and fibers of at least one derivative of polyurethane, such as elasthane. Elasthane is advantageously obtained by mixing a macrogycol with a diisocyanate, in order to form a prepolymer, and then by reacting the prepolymer with a diamine in a solvent, in order to form fibers.

An example of elasthane is marketed by Dupont de Nemours under the SPANDEX brand.

The mass percentage of polyamide in the elastic material layer 82 is for example greater than 50 %, notably greater than 70 %, and is advantageously less than 90 %.

The mass percentage of elasthane in the elastic material layer 82 is for example less than 50 %, notably less than 30 %, and is advantageously greater than 10 %. The flexible material 82 is porous. It delimits interstices for letting through gas between the fibers which make it up.

The thickness of the flexible material 82 is less than 500 μηι, notably less than 150 μηι, or even less than 50 μηι. For example, it is comprised between 80 μηι and 120 μηι, or between 25 μηι and 45 μηι.

The surface mass of the flexible material 82 is less than 200 g/m ² , and notably less than 150 g/m ² , or even less than 80 g/m ² .

It is for example comprised between 1 10 g/m ² and 130 g/m ² or between 60 g/m ² and 80 g/m ² .

The flexible material layer is elastic. It is elastically deformable with an extension comprised between 10% and 1 ,000%, notably between 50% and 30%, preferably between 100% and 200%, when it is stretched according to the EDANA WSP 1 10.4 (05) standard.

The flexible material layer 82 is thus elastically and reversibly deformable, between a rest configuration, visible in Fig. 4, in which it is flattened against the lower obturation plate 64, and a deformed configuration, in which it fits the shape of the tool 80.

The flexible material layer 82 spontaneously passes from its deformed configuration to its rest position by elastic return.

With reference to Fig. 5, the second press 34 includes a support 90 delimiting a housing 92 for receiving a container 12, and a compression member 94 which is movable relatively to the support 90.

The compression member 94 is able to compact the contents of the inner volume 22 when a container 12 is received into the housing 92.

A method for filling a packaging device 10, by means of a facility 30 according the invention will now described.

Initially, the upper assembly 40 is placed in the open position.

The tool 80 occupies is retracted position in the passage 68. The elastic material layer 82 is positioned in its rest configuration, applied against the obturation plate 64, at least around the passage 68.

A container 12, having an empty inner volume 22, is then inserted into the insertion housing 52. Each through-orifice 24, 26 is positioned at the outlet of a respective nozzle 58, 60.

Next, the upper assembly 40 is moved towards the closed position. The obturation plate 64 is applied against the upper surface of the support 50 and closes upwards the insertion housing 52 and the inner volume 22. Subsequently, the separation tool 80 is passed from its retracted position to its deployed position in the inner volume 22, by maneuvering the mechanism 46.

During this passage, it deforms the flexible material layer 82 which also penetrates into the inner volume 22 and is totally interposed between the separation tool 80 and the container 12, and advantageously between the obturation place 64 and the container 12.

The separation tool 80 and the flexible material layer 82 are applied in a substantially sealed way against the bottom wall 20 of the container 12, at the lower edge of the separation tool 80.

They sealably separate the first region 84 and the second region 86, intended to respectively receive the first block 14 and the second block 16.

Next, the injection assembly 38 and the suction assembly 42 are activated.

The first precursor material contained in the reservoir 54 flows through the first nozzle 58 and through the orifice 24 in order to penetrate from bottom to top into the first region 84 of the inner volume 22.

The second precursor material contained in the reservoir 56 flows through the second nozzle 60 and through the orifice 26 in order to penetrate from bottom to top into the second region 86 of the inner volume 22.

The suction generated upstream by the suction apparatus (not shown) is imparted to the inner volume 22 via suction holes 70. The expansion space located above the precursor materials in the inner volume 22 or above the latter is therefore sucked up. It causes gradual evaporation of the liquid contained in the precursor material.

The injection of each material precursor into the inner volume 22, combined with the suction through the holes 70, pushes the flexible material layer 82 upwards against the obturation plate 64 and sideways against the partition of the separation tool 80.

When each region 84, 86 is filled with a respective precursor material, the elastic material layer 82 then occupies its totally deformed configuration, in which it fits the shape of the separation tool 80.

The precursor materials do not mix, considering the seal between the regions 84, 86 defined by the separation tool 80 and by the flexible material layer 82 applied on this tool 80.

Subsequently, the separation tool 80 is retracted into its retracted position, while maintaining the obturation plate 64 in position.

The upper assembly 40 is then passed into the open position, driving together the obturation plate 64 and the flexible material layer 82.

During this displacement, the flexible material layer 82 resumes its rest configuration, as illustrated by Fig. 4. The presence of the flexible material layer 82 suppresses the adherence between the separation tool 80 and each precursor material. The removal from the mold is therefore much more accurate.

Further, the flexible material layer 82 guarantees the property of the separation tool 80 all along the production, and gives the possibility of sequencing the production of devices 10 comprising different powders, without requiring cleaning of the separation tool 80.

Once the upper assembly 40 is in its open position, the first block 14 and the second block 16 are solid and self-supporting. They have a specific mechanical strength on a horizontal support, without being retained laterally.

The first block 14 and the second block 16 are nevertheless separated by a crack 96, with a shape mating that of the tool 80.

The container 12 containing the first block 14 and the second block 16 is then extracted from the support 50 of the first press 32 so as to be introduced into the receiving housing 92 of the support 90 of the second press 34, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The compression member 94 is then applied on the blocks 14, 16 for compressing them and filling the cracks 96.

The obtained packaging device 10 thus has improved esthetical aspect, since the frontier between the first block 14 and the second block 16 is particularly fine and clear.

No physical separation is present between the first block 14 and the second block 16, which facilitates the use of the device 10 and makes its esthetical aspect satisfactory.

Alternatively, the method may be applied in a similar way with a container 12 containing a number of blocks 14, 16 greater than two, or/and with diverse shapes and/or compositions.

In an alternative illustrated in Fig. 6, the bottom wall 20 of the container 12 delimits a groove 100 opening upwards, located in the separation between the first region 84 and the second region 86.

Before the filling, the lower edge of the separation tool 80, covered by the flexible material layer 82, penetrates into the groove 100 for improving the seal between the regions 84, 86.