GB2548083A

GB2548083A - Guide device, cosmetic device and cosmetic method

Info

Publication number: GB2548083A
Application number: GB1603349.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Betts Karen
Original assignee: Nouveau Beauty Group Ltd
Current assignee: Nouveau Beauty Group Ltd
Priority date: 2016-02-26
Filing date: 2016-02-26
Publication date: 2017-09-13
Also published as: GB201603349D0

Abstract

Device 10 has an elongate cylindrical body 12 with a rear handle portion 14, a blade 20 mounted at a front end of the device and an insertion guide which partially covers the blade to limit the depth of cut. Preferably the blade is a microblade having channels 60 in its body which facilitate the flow of pigment to the cutting edge. The blade may be mounted in a cartridge which is releasably secured to the handle by a bayonet attachment or screw thread. The guide itself is also claimed and is preferably a hollow, substantially frustoconical body releasably attached to the cylindrical body by a bayonet attachment or screw thread. The guide may be formed from transparent material. Also claimed is a cosmetic method of contacting the blade with a pigment and then creating an incision in the skin to deposit the pigment. The method may be used in the tattooing of eyebrows.

Description

GUIDE DEVICE, COSMETIC DEVICE AND COSMETIC METHOD

The present invention relates to a guide device for the blade of a cosmetic pigment applicator, a cosmetic pigment applicator and a cosmetic method of depositing a cosmetic pigment.

The use of permanent dyes in cosmetic treatment has steadily risen in recent years. One such treatment is eyebrow tattooing which is a skin colouring procedure involving depositing pigment within the layers of skin in the eyebrow area of a subject to form a stable coloured area.

Technique has evolved to using a machine carrying an array of needles arranged into a row which operate in unison during a procedure to provide quicker cosmetic treatment and a more natural look.

Such machines are extensively used in the field to produce more natural-looking eyebrow tattoos. Eyebrow tattoo machines typically include a powered mechanism to drive the needle array carrying pigment in a reciprocating up-and-down motion along the central axis of the eyebrow tattoo machine. Thus, the operator tattooist can apply eyebrow tattoos to a client's face creating the desired shape, colour and effect.

However, requiring the needles to be driven by a machine requires regular maintenance, significant cost and the reciprocating motion creates vibration which can deflect the operators hand and can be transmitted to the client's face which may cause them undue alarm or discomfort.

More recently, a technique known as microblading has garnered interest in the industry as it avoids the requirement for there to be a machine and power source as the technique relies on a hand tool. The technique requires the operator to create small incisions in the upper layers of skin of a client into which a pigment is drawn. By drawing the microblade across the client's face a single eyebrow hair can be imitated using a pigment. Making a plurality of such incisions allows the user to imitate a full brow in the desired colour, shade and thickness.

However, for inexperienced users the use of a microblade can pose a risk to both them and to a client as the technique requires the user to avoid cutting too deep causing pain, unnecessary damage to the skin and causing pigment to bleed (spread out) by cutting through the layers of skin on the face.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a guide for a cosmetic device, the device comprising a blade and a handle, wherein said guide comprises a body beyond which at least a portion of the blade may extend.

Creating natural looking hair strokes, the user must be able to mimic the natural direction and lengths of hairs in the eyebrows, even if the client has damaged or missing hair. This entails drawing hair strokes in a number of directions over the uneven surface of a client's skin, applying exactly the right pressure at all times to ensure the depth is just right for implanting the pigments: too light and the hair strokes will fade prematurely, too deep and the pigment will 'bleed' causing the line to blur and spread. The present invention provides a guide which may function as a depth gauge and/or guard to prevent the blade sinking too far into a client's skin and through the dermis to cause bleeding (as described above) whilst providing a user with the comfort that the blade is deep enough to ensure that an appropriate amount of pigment is deposited to create right effect.

The cosmetic device may be a microblade.

The guide may be integrally formed with the handle or may be a separate component mountable on the handle.

The guide may comprise a hollow substantially frustoconical body having an aperture through which at least a portion of the blade may extend.

The guide may comprise a transparent material to enable a user to see all of the blade through the guide.

The guide may be releasably securable to the device.

The guide and device may comprise mating means to enable the guide to mate with the device.

The mating means may comprise a male member and a female member. The male member may be disposed on the guide whilst the female member may be disposed on the device.

The mating means may comprise a bayonet arrangement, screw thread or the like.

The blade may comprise a blade body and a cutting edge.

The blade may comprise one or more channels for receiving pigments. The channels may be disposed on at least one side of the blade body and communicate with the cutting edge to enable pigment to flow along the channel to the cutting edge. The channels may be disposed on either side of the blade body. The blade body have substantially planar first and second sides. The channels may act as reservoirs for pigment to be applied.

The blade body may comprise a through aperture to better facilitate attachment of the blade to the handle.

The cartridges may be releasably secured to the handle by any suitable means including bayonet attachment, screw thread or the like.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a cosmetic device having a blade, a handle and a guide, wherein said guide comprises a body beyond which at least a portion of the blade may extend.

The handle may be manufactured from plastics material, metal, wood, alloy or any other suitable material.

The guide may be manufactured from plastics material.

The blade may be manufactured from steel and/or ceramics. The steel may be surgical grade steel.

The device may be modular having a handle to which blades mounted in cartridges may be releasably secured.

The cartridge may comprise a cartridge body to which a blade is mounted.

The device may comprise cartridge mating means. The mating means may comprise a male member and a female member. One of the members may be disposed on the cartridge whilst the other disposed on the device handle. Thus cartridges may be changed during a procedure. The blades mounted on different cartridges may have differently shaped cutting edges to permit a user to create pigmented marks of differing shapes and/or thicknesses.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit of parts comprising a guide and a cosmetic device as described hereinabove.

The kit may comprise a guide, a handle and at least one cartridge as described hereinabove.

The kit may further comprise a plurality of cartridges. The cartridges may comprise blades having differently shaped cutting edges.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a cosmetic method of applying a cosmetic pigment comprising the use of a device as described hereinabove, said method comprising the following steps: a) contacting the blade of the device with a cosmetic pigment; b) contacting the blade of the device with the skin of a subject in the area in which the pigment is to be deposited; and c) creating an incision in the skin of a subject and depositing the pigment.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Fig. 1 shows a cosmetic device in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a cross section along its longitudinal axis of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a blade in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the blade of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 shows the guide separated from the device of Fig. 1.

Device 10 has an elongate cylindrical body 12 comprising a handle 14 and formed from two generally semi-circular body members 16, 18.

At the anterior end of the device 10 and disposed distally to the handle 14 is blade 20 around which is guide 22; a portion of the blade 20 extends beyond guide 22.

Disposed along the ventral side of the device 10 is a grip portion 24 manufactured from a different material to the device body or may be a single piece having grip elements formed therein, to provide better purchase for a user's hand to help prevent the device slipping form the desired position in the hand during use.

The blade 20 has a generally planar body 50 having first and second planar sides 52, 54 respectively. The blade 20 has a cutting edge 58 disposed at its anterior end and securing means disposed in the tang 56 at its posterior end. The securing means comprises a substantially rectangular through aperture extending between first and second sides through which a securing pin or other suitable means may extend to secure the blade in place. The blade may be moulded into the handle during manufacture and the material form which the handle is made may flow through the aperture and solidify to secure the blade in position.

Extending along the first and second sides from the cutting edge and terminating at the tang are channels 60. The channels are substantially V-shaped and organised in a tiered arrangement. The channels receive pigment and act as pigment reservoirs from which the pigment is drawn during a cosmetic procedure.

The guide 22 has a generally hollow frustoconical body 70 open at both ends having an angular blade aperture 72 at its anterior end on its ventral side which permits a portion of the blade to extend therethrough. The guide will prevent the blade from being able to sink deeper into a substrate, here a subject's skin, as the lip 74 of the aperture 72 will abut the surface of the skin of a subject preventing a deeper incision by the blade.

Distally disposed to the blade aperture 72 at the anterior end of the guide 22 is a circular aperture 80 around which is a flange 82. Flange 82 has bayonet male members disposed around its circumference which engage with complementarily shaped recesses, female members, disposed in the anterior end of the device body 12. When the guide 22 is desired to be used, it can be connected to the device body by cooperation between the mating members.

In use the blade of the device is dipped into a liquid pigment. The blade is then drawn across the area of the subject's skin where the pigment is intended to be deposited. By making an incision that does not cut too deeply into the subject's skin pigment can be deposited without cutting too deep causing pain, unnecessary damage to the skin and causing pigment to bleed (spread out). An inexperienced user may not know how deep to make the incision and so might favour using the device with the guide in place and secured to the handle. The guide would then prevent the blade from being capable of cutting too deeply by abutting the surface of the skin once the blade has reached the predetermined depth dictated by the degree to which the blade extends beyond the guide. The blade may extend 0.5mm beyond the guide.

Claims

1. A guide for a cosmetic device, the device comprising a blade and a handle, wherein said guide comprises a body beyond which at least a portion of the blade may extend.

2. A guide as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cosmetic device is a microblade.

3. A guide as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the guide is integrally formed with the handle or is separate component mountable on the handle.

4. A guide as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims comprising a hollowsubstantially frustoconical body having an aperture through which at least a portion of the blade may extend.

5. A guide as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the guide comprises a transparent material.

6. A guide as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the guide is releasably securable to the device.

7. A guide as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising mating means to enable the guide to mate with the device.

8. A guide as claimed in claim 7 wherein the mating means may comprises a bayonet arrangement, screw thread or the like.

9. A cosmetic device having a blade, a handle and a guide, wherein said guide comprises a body beyond which at least a portion of the blade may extend.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the blade comprises a blade body, a cutting edge and one or more channels for receiving pigment.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the blade has first and second sides and the channels are disposed on at least one side of the blade body and communicate with the cutting edge to facilitate pigment to flow along the channel to the cutting edge.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein channels are disposed on either side of the blade body. The blade body have substantially planar first and second sides.

13. A device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the device is modular having a handle to which blades mounted in cartridges may be secured.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cartridges are releasably secured.

15. A device as claimed in claim 13 or 14 wherein the cartridge comprises a cartridge body to which a blade is mounted.

16. A device as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein the device and cartridge comprise mating means to enable them to mate with one another.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the mating means comprises a male member and a female member.

18. A device as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein differently shaped blades are mounted on different cartridge bodies.

19. A device as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 18 wherein the cartridges are releasably secured to the handle by bayonet attachment, screw thread or the like.

20. A kit of parts comprising a guide and a cosmetic device as described hereinabove.

21. A kit as claimed in claim 20 comprising a guide, a handle and at least one cartridge as described hereinabove.

22. A kit as claimed in claim 21 comprising a plurality of cartridges.

23. A cosmetic method of applying a cosmetic pigment comprising the use of a device as described hereinabove, said method comprising the following steps: a) contacting the blade of the device with a cosmetic pigment; b) contacting the blade of the device with the skin of a subject in the area in which the pigment is to be deposited; and c) creating an incision in the skin of a subject and depositing the pigment.