FR2744603A1 - APPLICATOR PAD FOR COSMETIC PRODUCTS IN PARTICULAR - Google Patents

Abstract

An applicator pad, particularly for cosmetics, is disclosed. The pad essentially includes a preferably flexible base (1) with an operative surface (2) having arbitrarily shaped projections (3) located in open recesses (4) that act as receptacles for collecting a material picked up by the projections (3) secured to the bottom (5) of the recesses (4) prior to application. Said pad may be used to apply skin cosmetics in the form of a powdery material or a relatively viscous liquid.

Description

 The present invention essentially relates to an applicator pad for products which are for example in the form of a pulverulent material, a more or less viscous liquid or a paste constituting for example a cosmetic product.

 Applicator pads have already been proposed, consisting of a more or less flexible support, the active face of which carries projecting elements such as bristles or more or less flexible, long and dense fibers.

 However, such tampons do not allow a homogeneous and controlled retention of the product on the tampon, when this product consists of compacted powder for example, and, consequently, the application to the skin of the product retained randomly by the tampon is not regular nor fully satisfactory.

 Applicator pads are also known which consist of a foam-like material, that is to say a cellular material capable of removing a product which is then applied to the skin using the pad. But, here again, there are the same drawbacks as above, namely that the "filling" of the tampon remains random, and that the application to the skin of the product retained by the tampon does not allow a uniform and controlled distribution of the product to apply.

 Also, the present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a new applicator pad whose structure is such that the distribution of the material which it receives and which is applied to the skin remains homogeneous, controlled and completely satisfactory for the user.

 To this end, the subject of the invention is an applicator pad for products for example in the form of a pulverulent material, a more or less viscous liquid or a paste constituting for example a cosmetic product, and of the type comprising a preferably flexible support, the active face of which carries projecting elements, characterized in that said projecting elements are housed in open cells capable of constituting as many reservoirs for collecting the product taken up by said elements integral with the bottom of the cells, before applying this product on a surface such as the skin for example.

 According to another characteristic of this applicator pad, the cells have a cylindrical or polygonal shape, such as for example hexagonal.

 It will also be specified here that the cells may or may not communicate through their side walls with the adjacent cells.

 In the case of communicating polygonal cells, the side walls of these cells are either interrupted at the vertices of the polygons connecting the cells together, or reduced to lugs or the like secured to the flexible support and materializing the tops of said polygons.

 According to yet another characteristic of the invention, at least certain side walls of the cells have different thicknesses.

 According to another characteristic of this applicator pad, the projecting elements housed in the aforementioned cells have the shape of a cone or a pyramid whose base is secured to the flexible support constituting the bottom of the cells.

 According to another embodiment, the projecting elements housed in the aforementioned cells have substantially the shape of a quarter sphere with two substantially orthogonal faces, one of which is integral with the flexible support constituting the bottom of the cells and the other of which constitutes an active face.

 The aforementioned quarter spheres are thus oriented in the cells that their active faces are either all parallel, or parallel for only some of them which are substantially orthogonal to the active faces of the other quarter spheres.

 According to yet another embodiment, the projecting elements housed in the abovementioned cells each have the form of a polyhedron secured to the flexible support.

 According to a preferred embodiment, each polyhedron comprises at least one face substantially orthogonal to the aforesaid flexible support and a free and high end, the most distant from said support, constituted by a vertex or an edge of the polyhedron.

 According to yet another embodiment of the applicator pad according to this invention, the projecting elements housed in the abovementioned cells each have the shape of a cylinder or a straight or oblique prism.

 It will also be specified that the cells may have a transverse dimension of between approximately 0.2 and 2 mm, a depth of between approximately 0.1 and 1 mm, and a wall thickness of between approximately 0.02 and 0.2 mm, while the height of the elements housed in the cells is between approximately 0.05 and 1.5 mm.

 According to yet another characteristic, the applicator pad of this invention is characterized in that it is produced by molding at least one elastomeric material and in that the flexibility of the flexible support and of the projecting elements is identical or different.

 This invention also relates to an applicator device of any type and the active part of which consists of an applicator pad which meets one and / or the other of the above characteristics.

However, other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and refers to the appended drawings, given solely by way of example, and in which
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an applicator pad according to the principles according to this invention
- Figures 2 and 3 respectively illustrate in perspective two variants of another embodiment of the applicator pad according to this invention;
- Figure 4 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the applicator pad according to the invention;
- Figure 5 illustrates in perspective an embodiment of an applicator pad which is similar to that of Figure 4 but whose side walls of the cells are communicating
- Figure 6 illustrates in perspective yet another embodiment of this applicator pad; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of yet another variant of this applicator pad, similar to that shown in FIG. 3.

 As it clearly appears in all the figures, a cosmetic product applicator pad according to this invention essentially comprises a support 1 preferably flexible, the active face 2 of which carries projecting elements 3 housed in open or through cells 4. The support more or less flexible 1 constitutes, as can be seen in the figures, the bottom 5 of the cells 4.

 These cells 4, in the embodiments visible in Figures 1 to 6 have a hexagonal shape. But they could very well, without departing from the scope of the invention, have a cylindrical shape or even a polygonal shape other than hexagonal, for example a quadrilateral shape, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 7.

 Thus, it is already understood from the above that the open cells 4 constitute as many adjacent reservoirs capable of receiving a “metered” quantity of product by simple passage or rubbing of the pad 1 by its active part 2 over a paste or a mass of powder. compacted for example. Of course one could just as easily pour a cosmetic product in the form of a more or less viscous fluid onto said active part 2. In the first case, it is important to observe that the projecting elements 3 may advantageously scrape the paste or the powder contained in a container (not shown), which will allow the introduction of this product into the open cells 4.

 The adjacent and open cells 4 have side walls 4a. These walls can be solid and non-communicating as seen in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 6, or else the cells 4 can communicate with the adjacent cells, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 7.

 In the latter case, and as can be seen in FIG. 5, the side walls 4a of the cells 4 are interrupted at the level of the vertices of the polygons constituting said cells and connecting them together, so as to produce a passage marked 6 between the adjacent cells 4. Such passages or communications between the cells 4 can obviously be provided in the embodiments shown in the other figures, in this form or in another form.

 Thus, in the variant illustrated in Figure 7, the side walls of the cells 4 are simply reduced to lugs, studs or the like 7 which are integral with the flexible support 1 and which somehow materialize the tops of the polygons constituting the cells 4 and here forming a quadrilateral, since four pins 7 surround each projecting element 3. Of course more or less than four pins such as 7 could be provided without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, in this case, maximum communication will be ensured between the cells 4, it being understood that the lugs 7 may in cooperation retain a certain amount of product in the polygonal space which they define.

 Returning to the other embodiments, the side walls or partitions 4a of the cells 4 may have identical thicknesses, or else different thicknesses.

Thus, as seen in Figure 4, each cell 4 has at least one or two side walls 8 which are thicker than the others. Consequently, the active face 2 of the support 1 constitutes a structure which can be described as dynamic, in the sense that it is isotropic upon removal of the product and anisotropic upon application of said product due to the differences in thickness of the partitions or side walls 4a.

 Generally, the applicator pad according to this invention may constitute a single and integral part obtained by molding an elastomeric material such as for example polyurethane, latex, silicone, or the like.

The suppleness or flexibility of the support 1 and of the projecting elements 3 may be identical or different. Also, the applicator pad according to this invention can be made of a single elastomeric material, or alternatively of two elastomeric materials respectively constituting the support 1 with its cells 4, and the projecting elements 3 contained in the cells 4, it being understood that the face active 2 of the support 1, with its projecting elements 3 and cells 4 containing them, will constitute a microstructure.

 Indeed, the cells 4 have a transverse dimension of between approximately 0.2 and 2 mm. Their depth will be between approximately 0.1 and 1 mm, while the thickness of the walls constituting each cell 4 will be between approximately 0.02 and 0.2 mm.

 As for the projecting elements 3 housed in the cells 4, their height may be equal to, less than or greater than the height of the cell 4 which contains them. Thus, this height may be between approximately 0.05 and 1.5 mm.

 Likewise, the projecting elements 3 may have various shapes or configurations which will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7 successively.

 In the embodiment of Figure 1, the projecting elements 3 each have the shape of a truncated or not truncated pyramid 10 whose base is secured to the flexible support 1 constituting the bottom 5 of the cells 4. The elements 3 could also be coated the shape of a truncated cone or not, without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the active face 2 of the support 1 will in this case constitute an isotropic dynamic structure which can be produced in a single or two materials as explained above. The walls 4a of the cells 4 are here solid and not communicating. But, as explained above, they could be interrupted by the absence of material at the vertices of the polygons connecting the cells 4 together, so as to always form a microstructure in honeycomb structure, but in which the walls 4a, due to the aforementioned interruptions, would be made more flexible, and in which the cells 4 would be communicating, as has already been described with reference to FIG. 5. The applicator pad of FIG. 1 could thus, in the latter case, provide better softness to the application and also a better distribution of the product applied to the skin due to the communication of the alveoli.

 In the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, we see that the projecting elements 3 each have substantially the shape of a quarter sphere with two substantially orthogonal faces, one of which 11 is integral with the flexible support 1 constituting the bottom 5 of the cells 4 and the other 12 of which constitutes an active face.

 In the variant illustrated in FIG. 2, it can be seen that the active faces 12 of the quarter spheres constituting the elements 3 are all substantially parallel to one another, it being understood that said quarter spheres are staggered. But it is perfectly possible, and once again without departing from the scope of the invention, to produce a microstructure in which the quarter spheres are distributed along a number of parallel lines which are orthogonal to other parallel lines of quarter spheres.

 Thus, in the variant of FIG. 3, it can be seen that the quarter spheres are thus oriented in the cells 4 that they form for example four lines L1, L2, L3, L4 of quarter spheres whose active faces 12 are parallel , and also three lines L5, L6, L7 of quarter-spheres whose active faces 12 are parallel to each other as well as to the active faces 12 of lines L1, L2, L3, L4, but inverted.

The active and parallel faces 12 of all these quarter spheres are, as can be seen in FIG. 3, substantially orthogonal to the active faces 12 of the other quarter spheres. It is of course possible to provide for the quarter-spheres a regular or even random distribution other than that shown in FIG. 3.

 An applicator pad microstructure according to FIG. 2 or 3 could constitute a dynamic and isotropic microstructure which can be produced in a single material or even in two materials as explained above.

 This also applies to the variant visible in FIG. 7 where the projecting elements 3 are constituted by quarter spheres each enclosed in a space delimited by the pins 7.

 In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen that the projecting elements 3 housed in the cells 4 each have the form of a polyhedron 13 secured to the flexible support 1.

 According to the embodiment shown, each polyhedron 13 has a face 14 substantially orthogonal to the flexible support 1, it being understood that said polyhedron may have several faces such as 14 orthogonal to said flexible support, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Also, each polyhedron 13 comprises, according to the embodiment shown, a free and high end, namely an end which is furthest from the support 1, which is constituted by a vertex 15 (FIG. 4) or an edge 16 ( Figure 5) of the polyhedron 13. Of course polyhedra with vertices such as 15 and edges such as 16 could be provided on a single applicator pad.

 Thus the vertices 15 and / or edges 16 of the polyhedra 13 will contribute to a homogeneous filling of cosmetic product in the cells 4 as well as a fully satisfactory application of this product on the skin. We are here in the presence of a dynamic microstructure which is isotropic when the product is removed and which is anisotropic when applied due to the different thicknesses of the walls of the cells 4 (for the embodiment of FIG. 4), as explained previously.

 In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the projecting elements 3 contained in the cells 4 each have the shape of a straight prism 17 originating on the bottom 5 of each cell 4 substantially at its center. We could perfectly foresee another shape for the elements 3, and such as the shape of a cylinder.

Also, the cylinder could be a straight or oblique cylinder, just as the prism 17 could be an oblique prism without departing from the scope of the invention.

 An applicator pad has therefore been produced according to the invention, the active face of which constitutes a particularly effective and satisfactory microstructure for the removal of any cosmetic product and its application to the skin with an optimal effect. Such a microstructure can be obtained by a microelectric erosion process for manufacturing a mold making it possible to obtain the tampon by molding, or by another process for shaping the mold, or by an adequate combination of processes allowing the production of extremely imprints. small corresponding to the structure of the molded pad.

 The applicator pad can of course be used on an applicator device of any type to carry out, for example, the application of the product to the skin of a human being, in any location.

 In this regard it should be noted that due to the flexibility or differential flexibility due to their structure, projecting elements and cells which contain them, the applicator pad of this invention has variable mechanical surface characteristics. Thus, depending on the pressure exerted on the tampon, its surface will be rough when the pressure is high, if one wants for example to take product thanks to the projecting elements, and the surface of the tampon will be soft when the pressure is lower, for example if the product is applied to a sensitive and delicate surface such as the skin, the walls of the cells not being, in this case, not or very little deformed contrary to the case where a strong pressure would be applied to the tampon, which would favor the action of the projecting elements.

 Of course, as explained above, the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given only by way of example.

 Thus one could provide small orifices in the tampon, that is to say in the bottom of the cells, to ensure the communication of these with a reservoir of product associated with the tampon. Furthermore, the pad can allow the application of any products such as paints for example.

 The invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if these fall within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims (14)

 1. Applicator pad for products in the form for example of a pulverulent material, a more or less viscous liquid, or a paste constituting for example a cosmetic product and of the type comprising a preferably flexible support (1) whose active face (2) carries projecting elements (3), characterized in that said projecting elements (3) are housed in open cells (4) capable of constituting as many reservoirs for collecting the product taken up by said elements (3) integral with the bottom (5) of the cells, before its application.  2. Applicator pad according to claim 1, characterized in that said cells (4) have a cylindrical or polygonal shape, such as for example hexagonal.  3. Applicator pad according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said cells (4) communicate or not by their side walls (4a) with the adjacent cells.  4. Applicator pad according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that in the case of communicating polygonal cells, the side walls (4a) of these cells are either interrupted (6) at the vertices of the polygons connecting the cells (4 ) between them, either reduced to pins or the like (7) integral with the flexible support (1) and materializing the vertices of said polygons.  5. Applicator pad according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that at least some side walls (4a, 8) of the cells (4) have different thicknesses.  6. Applicator pad according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the projecting elements housed in the aforementioned cells have the shape of a cone or a pyramid (10) whose base is secured to the flexible support (1) constituting the bottom (5) of the cells (4).  7. Applicator pad according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the projecting elements (3) housed in the abovementioned cells (4) have substantially the shape of a quarter sphere with two substantially orthogonal faces (11 , 12) one of which (11) is integral with the flexible support (1) constituting the bottom (5) of the cells (4) and the other (12) of which constitutes an active face.  8. Applicator pad according to claim 7, characterized in that the aforementioned quarter spheres are thus oriented in the cells (4) that their active faces (12) are either all parallel, or parallel for only some of them which are substantially orthogonal to the active faces (12) of the other quarters of the sphere.  9. Applicator pad according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the projecting elements (3) housed in the aforementioned cells (4) each have the form of a polyhedron (13) integral with the flexible support (1 ).  10. Applicator pad according to claim 9, characterized in that each polyhedron (13) comprises at least one face (14) substantially orthogonal to the aforesaid flexible support (1) and a free and high end, the most distant from said support, constituted by a vertex (15) or an edge (16) of the polyhedron (13).  11. Applicator pad according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the projecting elements (3) housed in the aforementioned cells (4) each have the shape of a cylinder or a straight or oblique prism ( 17).  12. Applicator pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abovementioned cells (4) have a transverse dimension of between approximately 0.2 and 2 mm, a depth of between approximately 0.1 and 1 mm, and a wall thickness between approximately 0.02 and 0.2 mm, while the height of the elements (3) housed in the cells (4) is between approximately 0.05 and 1.5 mm.  13. Applicator pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is produced by molding at least one elastomeric material and in that the flexibility of the support (1) and of the projecting elements (3) is substantially identical or different.  14. Applicator device of any type and the active part of which consists of an applicator pad according to any one of claims 1 to 13.