The present invention relates to packaging and applicator devices for applying a cosmetic or

dermatological composition, and more particularly, but not exclusively, a makeup, in particular to the skin.

More particularly, the invention seeks to improve devices comprising a container containing the

composition, a closure cap for closing the container, and an applicator comprising an applicator element and a handle member.

By way of example, JP 60-147306 discloses a device in the form of a compact including a first compartment containing the composition, and a second compartment containing an applicator element, e.g. in the form of a sponge, the second compartment not being in communication with the first. The ergonomics of handling the sponge makes applying makeup tricky, and, in addition, exposes the user's fingers to direct contact with the composition present on the sponge.

Devices are known comprising a container containing the composition, with a housing of the container

receiving an applicator element that is secured to a handle member. Such devices are suitable for fluid compositions that are capable of passing through one or more holes that put the housing into communication with the inside of the container. Such devices are not suitable for compositions that are not fluid, such as a pressed powder, a pressed cast cream, a pressed extruded cream, or a dispersible stick, for example.

Also known are packaging devices for cast

compositions, including containers having a movable bottom wall, and other devices provided with movable applicators to compensate for the composition being used up.

ΞΡ 1 382 541 discloses ah applicator that is provided with composition reservoirs, and that has an applicator element that is received in a housing of a cap mounted on the applicator.

There exists a need to benefit from a device that makes it possible, if so desired, to ensure that the container containing the composition is closed in

leaktight manner, while making it possible, if necessary, to dry the applicator element in ambient air, that is practical to use, that is compact, and that makes it possible to achieve application that is neat.

First exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a packaging and applicator device for applying a cosmetic or dermatological composition, the device comprising:

• a container including an inside space containing the composition;

• a closure cap for closing the container, and arranged to be fastened on the container, one of the container and of the closure cap defining a housing that is not in communication with the inside space containing the composition; and

• an applicator that does not have a composition reservoir, the applicator comprising an applicator element and a handle member, the applicator being capable of being mounted in a removable manner on the body of the closure cap or on the container, with the applicator element being received, at least in part, in the housing, and being situated, at least in part, between the handle member and the inside space of the container containing the composition.

In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the applicator is carried in removable manner by the closure cap. The housing is defined, at least in part, by the closure cap.

In variant exemplary embodiments, the applicator is carried in removable manner by the container. The housing is defined, at least in part, by the container.

The expression "not in communication" means a total and durable absence of communication, i.e. there is no valve or shutter member that is capable of taking up an open state and a closed state, enabling the housing to be put into communication with the container

The expression "does not have a reservoir" means that the applicator does not contain a reserve of composition for supplying the applicator element with a composition other than the composition contained in the container .

The expression "the applicator being capable of being mounted in a removable manner on the body of the closure cap or on the container" means that the

applicator is not free when the container and the closure cap are separated or in open configuration. A further action has to be made to separate the applicator from the body of the container or of the closure cap, for example by unscrewing the applicator.

The device may present various shapes, e.g. the general shape of a pot or of a pen.

By way of example, the composition is a makeup composition for the skin, such as a foundation, a blusher, an eyeshadow, or a lipstick. By way of example, the composition is a care-product or a makeup composition formed of a dispersible pressed powder.

In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the composition is a non-fluid composition, i.e. a

composition that does not flow immediately under the effect of its own weight when the container is tilted under atmospheric pressure and at 20°C. By way of example, the composition is a solid that is pressed or cast while hot and/or under pressure.

The term "non-liquid" should be understood to mean that the composition is not in the liquid state at 20 °C, and does not present the properties of a liquid.

The device of the invention may be made to be relatively compact, while being practical to use. As a result of the applicator element being secured to the handle member, applying and taking the composition is made easier and is more hygienic. The handle member eliminates any need for the user's hands to touch the composition .

The grip surface may be rigid or flexible, and, by way of example, it may be smooth or it may be provided with portions in relief making it easier to grip between the fingers.

The closure cap may close the container in leaktight manner, if so desired, the closure cap possibly housing a sealing gasket or presenting a sealing lip that bears in leaktight manner against a surface of the container. The composition may include one or more aqueous or organic volatile solvents, e.g. one or more hydrocarbon or silicone solvents. The composition may be received in a separate dish that is made of metal, glass, or

thermoplastic material.

In the case where the container has a base elongated along the longitudinal axis of the device, the closure cap may be in the form of an articulated lid extending along the whole length of the base of the container.

The housing receiving the applicator element may include at least one vent enabling said housing to communicate with the outside air, and that may make it easier for the applicator element to dry out even though the applicator has been put back on the closure cap. It may turn out to be desirable to enable the applicator element to dry out when the applicator element has been wetted, e.g. with water, by the user while taking the composition, when taking and/or applying the composition requires such wetting.

The invention is particularly suited to applying a pressed and/or cast composition that may be cast or pressed directly in the container or in a dish disposed in the container.

The container may be made of glass, of thermoplastic material, or of other natural or synthetic materials. The container may present a transparent wall enabling the user to see the color of the composition.

The container may be a single part, or it may be made with at least one movable element, e.g. a movable bottom wall that makes it possible to compensate for the composition being used up, and that makes it easier for the composition to be taken. The bottom wall may be movable in translation or in some other way.

The device may include a vibration source that may be disposed on the applicator in optionally-removable manner .

For example, the handle member includes a housing that receives a removable vibration source. The removable character of the vibration source may enable it to be used on another applicator, for example. The vibration is oriented longitudinally or transversally , for example.

The vibration source may be surrounded, at least in part, by the applicator element.

The movable character of the vibration source relative to the closure cap may advantageously be used to move the vibration source relative to the handle member, between a position in which the vibration source is inactive, and a position in which a surface of the housing actuates a switch that makes the vibration source active. For example, the housing may have a cross-section of shape that is not circularly symmetrical, and the vibration source may be turned by the user relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing, between an inactive position and an active position.

The handle member may comprise a projecting handle that may possibly be hollow, and that may define the above-mentioned reception housing for receiving the vibration source. The handle may be connected via a shoulder to a mounting skirt for mounting on the

container or the closure cap. In exemplary embodiments, the height of the handle may be greater than the height of the support portion of the applicator element and/or may be greater than the height of the applicator element. The closure cap may have any shape, e.g. elongate or flat.

The applicator may be fastened in various ways to the remainder of the device. For example, the applicator may include fastener means for fastening on the body of the closure cap, the fastener means including, for example, a thread that is capable of co-operating with a corresponding thread that is formed on the body of the closure cap. Alternatively, the applicator may be

fastened on the body of the closure cap by snap- fastening, or by bayonet-type fastening, or by friction.

The applicator may be fastened on the body of the closure cap by an element that is distinct from the applicator and from the body of the closure cap, e.g. a ring that is fastened on the body of the closure cap so as to retain the applicator thereon. By way of example, such a ring may be screw- fastened on a corresponding thread of the body of the closure cap. The applicator may include a support portion that is retained by the ring, and a handle that passes through the opening of the ring and that extends above the ring.

The applicator element may be mounted on a chimney that may include at least one vent, preferably a chimney that is made integrally with the handle member.

The applicator element may be a membrane that may be fastened in removable manner on the remainder of the applicator, e.g. on said chimney.

When the applicator includes fastener means for fastening on the body of the closure cap, the fastener means are, for example, present on a mounting skirt that may be made integrally with the handle member or with a support portion of the applicator element, by molding a plastics material. Where appropriate, the mounting skirt may define all or part of the handle member of the applicator . The handle member may comprise a handle that is elongate along the longitudinal axis of the device, which longitudinal axis may advantageously coincide with an axis about which the closure cap is screwed on or off for mounting it on the container or for removing it

therefrom .

The housing may present any shape that is suitable for receiving the applicator element.

In exemplary embodiments, a cross -section of the housing and a cross- section of the applicator element are of different shapes, so as to form at least one space that encourages the ventilation of the applicator element within the housing. For example, an inside cross-section of the housing may be polygonal, and a cross-section of the applicator element may be circular, the inside radius of the housing being greater than or equal to the radius of the circle that is circumscribed inside the housing.

The applicator element may be carried by a support that may be connected to the handle member via a hinge . By way of example, the hinge is an all-axes hinge, e.g. formed by an elastically-deformable zone that connects the handle member to the support .

The applicator element preferably has a greatest axial dimension along the longitudinal axis of the device smaller than its greatest transverse dimension

perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

The applicator element may be made in various ways, and may be anything other than a brush. The applicator element may comprise, for example: an optionally- flocked solid or hollowed-out foam; an optionally-flocked membrane; a felt; a sintered element; a flocked sintered element; a spring; amongst others. The surface that is used to apply the composition is suitable for contact with the skin, so as to smooth the composition. The applicator element may be constituted by a flocked elastomer membrane that is possibly fastened in removable manner on the remainder of the applicator. The membrane may include at least one vent, enabling air to pass between the outside and the space inside the membrane.

The surface from which the composition is to be taken may be free, or it may be covered by a mesh (also referred to as a grid) that may be movable so as to compensate for the composition being used up, and so as to make it easier to determine the amount of composition on the applicator.

The bottom of the housing receiving the applicator element may have a shape that is hemispherical, or it may have some other shape, e.g. a shape that matches the shape of the applicator element.

The applicator element may optionally come to bear against the bottom of the housing, when it is in place on the device. Preferably, in particular when the applicator element includes, or is constituted by, a foam or a membrane, axial compression of the applicator element against the bottom of the housing should be avoided, so as to avoid the applicator element being deformed permanently.

When the container is closed, the space in the container containing the composition does not contain any applicator element serving to apply the composition.

Prior to the device being used for the first time, the housing receiving the applicator does not contain any composition for application.

The smallest transverse dimension, i.e. the inside diameter for a circular opening, of the opening of the container may lie in the range 10 mm to 70 mm, for example. Preferably, the opening of the container is of section that is greater than the greatest cross -section of the applicator element.

The opening of the container may have an axis that is parallel or that coincides with the longitudinal axis of the device.

The depth of the container may lie in the range 2 mm to 20 mm, for example. Preferably, in the absence of a movable bottom wall, the applicator may be inserted into the container until the applicator element reaches the bottom wall of the container, once all of the composition has been taken. The bottom wall of the container may optionally have substantially the same shape as the applicator element, e.g. being plane or concave.

The closure cap may be completely detachable from the container, so as to make it possible to use the applicator to access the composition contained therein.

The applicator element may be removable and

cleanable .

The invention also provides a cosmetic treatment method for treating the skin or the lips, the method comprising the step consisting in applying a makeup or a care-product composition by means of an applicator of a device as defined above.

The invention can be better understood on reading the following detailed description of non- limiting embodiments thereof , and on examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation view of an example of a packaging and dispenser device made in accordance with the invention;

• Figure 2 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary longitudinal section of the Figure 1 device ;

• Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figure 2 showing variants of the device, with a vibration source ;

- Figure 3A is a plan view showing, in isolation, the housing of the applicator for receiving the vibration source;

• Figures 5A to 5C are fragmentary and diagrammatic views showing other examples of applicators;

• Figure 6 is an example, in cross-section, of possible shapes for the housing and the applicator element;

• Figure 7 is an elevation view of another example of an applicator; • Figures 8 to 11 are views similar to Figure 2 of variant embodiments;

• Figure 12 is a perspective view of another example of a packaging and dispenser device made in accordance with the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show a packaging and applicator device 1, made in accordance with the invention, that comprises a container 2 containing a composition P, a closure cap 3, and an applicator 4 that is used to take and to apply the composition P.

By way of example, the closure cap 3 is screw- fastened on a threaded neck 5 of the container 2, but the closure cap 3 may be fastened on the container in various other ways, e.g. by snap-fastening, by friction, or by bayonet-type fastening.

The closure cap 3 may include a mounting skirt 7 that is suitable for being fastened on the neck 5 of the container in various ways, e.g. by screw- fastening, as shown.

The cosmetic or dermatologxcal composition P may be contained in a metal dish that is not shown, in which dish the composition may have been cast and/or pressed. The composition P may also be contained directly in contact with the inside wall of the container, as shown, and it may then be advantageous for the container to present transparency, through which it is possible to see the color of the composition. The surface of the

composition P may be covered by a mesh 300, shown in Figure 2.

The container may be closed in leaktight manner by a sealing gasket 9 that is fastened in the bottom of the closure cap 3, the gasket 9 being flattened by the top end edge 10 of the neck 5 of the container when the cap 3 is fully fastened on the container 2.

The cap 3 may include a transverse wall 13 that extends generally perpendicularly to the axis X of the device, that supports the mounting skirt 7, and that may, as shown, define the bottom of a housing 15 for receiving an applicator element 20 of the applicator 4, as shown in Figure 2.

A its periphery, the transverse wall 13 is extended upwards by a tubular upright 21 that co-operates with the transverse wall 13 to define the housing 15 receiving the applicator element 20. The upright 21 may be surmounted by a threaded neck 28 that is used to fasten the

applicator 4 on the body 3.0 of the closure cap 3, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The applicator element 20 is carried by a support portion 35 that is secured to a handle member 40 that, as shown, upwardly extends the support portion 35, along the axis X.

The support portion 35 and the handle member 40 may be made integrally by molding thermoplastic material, e.g. a thermoplastic material selected from:

polyolefines ; polyamides; polyacetals ; polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ; and polystyrenes.

The applicator 4 may be fastened on the body 30 of the closure cap 3 in optionally- leaktight manner. When leaktight fastening is desired, the applicator 4 may include an annular sealing skirt (not shown) that comes to bear against an inside surface of the neck 28 of the closure cap.

It may be desirable for the applicator 4 to be fastened on the closure cap 3. in non- leaktight manner, so as to make it easier for the applicator to dry out.

Where appropriate, one or more vents 100, shown by dashed lines in Figures 1 and 2, are made through the applicator and the body of the closure cap, so as to enable communication between the inside of the housing 15 and the outside environment.

By way of example, the applicator element 20 may be in the form of a membrane, as shown in Figure 2, the membrane being capable of being fastened to a holding skirt 45 of the support portion 35, e.g. by being engaged by friction thereon. The membrane may be elastically deformable .

As shown in Figure 2, the housing 15 may be made so that the applicator element 20 does not come into contact with the bottom of the housing 15 when the applicator 4 is in place on the closure cap 3.

In the embodiment in Figures 1 and 2, the device 1 does not have a vibration source. The handle 40 may be hollow and closed at its top by an endpiece 48 that, for example, is adhesively-bonded, heat- sealed, or snap- fastened on the body of the handle 40, or is fastened thereon in some other way.

In order to use the device 1, the user may separate the closure cap 3 from the container 2, then separate the applicator 4 from the closure cap 3 and use the

applicator 4 to take the composition P from the container and apply it to the skin or the lips.

The greatest transverse dimension D of the

applicator element 20, e.g. its outside diameter when said applicator element presents a shape that is

circularly symmetrical around the axis X, is

advantageously less than the greatest transverse

dimension T of the inside space of the container

containing the composition P.

In a variant that is not shown, the greatest transverse dimension W of the mounting skirt 123 that enables the applicator 4 to be fastened on the body of the closure cap 3 is less than the dimension T, so as to enable the user to insert the applicator into the container until the applicator element 20 touches the bottom wall of the container 2, after the composition P has been used up.

In the variant shown in Figure 3, the applicator element 20 is also constituted by a membrane that, as shown, may be flocked, in particular being covered by flocking at least on its portion for coming into contact with the skin. By way of example, the gasket 9 is supported by a wall 110 that defines the bottom of the housing 15 receiving the applicator 20, and by the bottom end of an annular lip 53 that downwardly extends the side wall 116 that defines the housing 15 above the bottom wall 110.

The applicator 4 may include an outer skirt 120 that surrounds the mounting skirt 123 and that co-operates therewith to define an annular groove 126.

The support portion 35 includes a tubular holding skirt 45 that is connected to the top wall 133 of the applicator .

The outer skirt 120 defines a grip surface for the user .

A housing 136 is defined inside the applicator by a generally tubular wall 65, and is closed at its bottom end by a bottom wall 66.

In plan view, the housing 136 presents a flat 138, as can be seen in Figure 3A.

The vibration source 220 may include a casing 241, e.g. of shape that is elongate along the axis X, that may be inserted into the housing 136 until the bottom end of the vibration source comes into abutment against the wall 66 that closes the housing 136 internally.

The casing 241 may include a finger 222 that engages in a corresponding recess of the wall 66 of the housing 136, as shown.

The vibration source 220 may be surrounded, at least in part, by the applicator element 20, as shown in the embodiments of Figures 3, 4 and 10.

By way of example, the casing 241 of the vibration source is made of two portions that may be interconnected via a film hinge.

A lever 225 of a switch may be molded integrally with the casing.

The vibration source houses at least one optionally- rechargeable battery and a motor that drives an off- center fly-weight in rotation so as to produce vibration. By way of example, the axis of rotation of the flyweight may be parallel to the axis X of the device, i.e. parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing of the vibration source in the embodiment in Figures 3 and 4, or, in a variant, it may be perpendicular to said axis, or may be oriented in some other way.

An example of a vibration source is described in publication WO 2009/136083 A2.

The casing 241 of the vibration source 220 is engaged in the housing 136 in part, said casing possibly including a shoulder 243 that comes to bear against the top of the top wall 133, as shown.

The portion of the casing 241 of the vibration source that is situated above the top portion 133 may define a grip surface for the user that enables the user to turn the vibration source 220 relative to the

remainder of the applicator, between a position in which the vibration source is inactive, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, with the lever 225 not being depressed, and an active position in which the lever 225 bears against the flat 138 and is depressed.

Various applicator elements 20 may be used, the invention not being limited to an optionally- flocked membrane or to an optionally-flocked foam.

For example, as shown in Figure 5A, the applicator element 20 may include, or be. constituted by, a felt, or, as shown in Figure 5B, by a solid foam having open, semi- open, or closed cells, or, as shown in Figure 5C, by a sintered element that may possibly be flocked.

The greatest dimension H of the applicator element

20 along the longitudinal axis X may be smaller than its greatest transverse dimension D, as shown in Figure 5A.

In particular when the housing 15 that receives the applicator element 20 is not closed in leaktight manner, the cross-sections of the applicator element 20 and of the housing 15 that receives said applicator element may be of different shapes, as shown in Figure 6, so as to form one or more air channels 93 making it easier for the applicator element 20 to dry out .

In Figure 7, the handle is hollow and defines a reception housing for receiving the vibration source.

Where appropriate, as shown in Figure 7, the applicator 4 may be made with an elastically-deformable portion 145 that connects the top portion of the handle 40 and the support portion of the applicator element 20. That makes it possible to tilt the handle 40 relative to the support portion while using the applicator, and may increase comfort in use.

Figure 8 shows a device 1 that presents the general shape of a pen. By way of example, the device includes a vibration source 220 that may be engaged in the body of the applicator in part.

Figure 9 shows the possibility of the device 1 including a movable bottom wall 160 that makes it possible to compensate for the composition being taken and used up. By way of example, the movable bottom wall 160 is movable in translation in the container 2, said container possibly being configured to retain the movable bottom wall, and possibly including for this purpose a shoulder 163 that is used as a bottom abutment. The bottom wall 160 may also be movable in some other way in the container, and in particular may co-operate with said container by means of a mechanism that transforms turning of the bottom wall into an axial movement of said bottom wall, or may be as described in US application

No. 2003/0024545 Al .

Figure 9 also shows the possibility of the

applicator 4 being held on the body of the closure cap by a ring 180. that is screw-fastened on a neck 181 of the closure cap.

The ring 180 presents a central opening 183 through which the handle 40 of the applicator may pass. The user may separate the ring 180 from the body of the closure cap, and may then unscrew the closure cap from the container so as to access the composition.

Figure 10 shows a device 1 that differs from the Figure 3 device by the shape of the container and the shape of the closure cap.

In the embodiment in Figure 10, the grip surface is defined by the skirt 123 that is used to mount the closure cap on the container.

The inside space of the container, receiving the composition, is raised by means of a cylindrical upright 263.

In the embodiment in Figure 11, the closure cap 3 does not carry the applicator 4.

The applicator is fastened on the container on the side remote from the. closure cap.

As for the other embodiments shown, the applicator element 20 is received in a housing that is not in communication with the inside space of the container containing the composition. By way of example, the inside space is wider than the applicator, as shown.

The wall defining the end wall of the housing receiving the applicator may support the dish 251 containing the composition and fitted in the container.

In the embodiment in Figure 11, the applicator element is a membrane, but it may be replaced by a foam or by any other applicator element for coming into engagement with the skin.

A mirror may be fastened on the device, e.g. on the container on the side remote from the closure cap, e.g. in the recess defined by the upright 263, in the

embodiment in Figure 10, or the mirror may be part of the closure cap 3, as shown in the embodiment in Figure 12.

In the variant shown in Figure 12, the closure cap 3 is articulated on the container 2.

The container 2 defines an inside space containing the composition P and a housing 15. In the shown example, the closure cap 3 is hinged around a rotation axis that is parallel to the

longitudinal axis X of the device 1. An opening 303 enables the introduction of the applicator element 20 in the housing 15.

The housing 15 may have a cross-section that is similar to that of the applicator element 20.

In this embodiment, the handle member 40 comprises a vibration source 220. A mirror 302 is fastened on the closure cap 3.

The applicator element 20 is for example a foam, flocked or not.

The closure cap 3 {also called lid) is configured to be fastened on the container 2 thanks to any latch (not shown) that is for example snap- fastened on the base of the container 2 when the cap is in the closed position. The closure cap 3 extends in the disclosed embodiment along the whole length of the container 2.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

In particular, the various embodiment

characteristics of the above examples could be combined with one another. Thus, any one of the embodiments in Figures 1 to 10 could be provided with a movable bottom wall.

The composition may be used as is, or by being mixed with water.

The expression "comprising a" should be understood as being synonymous with "comprising at least one".