Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1643FTE
IMPROVED MASCAR~ APPLICATOR
The present invention is an improved mascara
applicator capable of uniformly applying mascara to
eyelashes. Clumping and excess mascara on the
eyelashes is largely avoided. The eyelashes appear
naturally thicker and longer without sticking together.
During recent years mascara has become an
important make-up accessory. Numerous applicators and
application systems have been designed to apply mascara
for increasing curl, color and length of the
eyelashes. However many such applicators cannot
properly apply the mascara. They cause a build up of
excessive amounts of mascara on the lashes, so that the
lashes stick together, resulting in an unnatural lash
appearance. Quite often the eyelashes are merely
pushed back and clumped; they are not combed, uniformly
coated and separated.
The present invention provides for a mascara
applicator which uniformly applies mascara, while
simultaneously separating and combing the eyelashes.
The present invention comprises an applicator
for combing the eyelashes and uniformly coating mascara
thereon comprising: (a) a shaft having a longitudinal
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axis and first and second ends, (b) a handle at said
first end of said shaft, and (c) an elongated radial
bristle brush at said second end of said shaft, wherein
the bristles of said brush are arranged in alternating
longitudinal or spiral rows of relatively long and
short bristles. The rows of short bristles apply the
mascara, while the rows of long bristles simultaneously
comb and separate the lashes.
The invention is il:Lustrated by reference to
the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of an
applicator in accordance with the invention having
alternating longitudinal rows of long and short
bristles;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal view of an
applicator in accordance with the invention having
alternating spiral rows of long and short bristles;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal view of an
applicator that is not in accordance with the
invention;
Figure 4 is a sectional view of the
applicator of figure 1 taken along section 4-4;
Figure 5 is an end end view of the applicator
of Figure 1 taken along section 5-5;
Figure 6 is an end view similar to Figure 5
showing an alternate arrangement of the bristles;
F-gure 7 is an end view similar to Figure 5
showing another arrangement of the bristles; and
Figure 8 is a sectional view of a cosmetic
package in accordance with the invention.
Figures 1 and 5 illustrate a preferred
embodiment of the inventive mascara applicator. The
applicator has a shaft 10 with a longitudinal axis 11,
a first end 12 and second end 14. For easy application
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and control, a handle 15 is located at first end 12 of
shaft 10. For applying mascara to the eyelashes, an
elongated radial bris~le brush 16 is located on second
end 14 of shaft 10. Brush 16 has bristles arranged
radially around axis 11, as best seen in Figure 5. The
bristles are very thin hair or hair-like fibre made for
example, of natural hair, such as horse hair or
synthetic fibres, such as nylon. The thickness of the
individual fibres is preferably from 0.07 to 0.13 mm.
A key feature of the invention is that the
bristles of brush 16 are arranged in alternating
longitudinal or spiral rows of relatively long and
short bristles. In Figure 5, there are six rows of
long bristles 17 and six rows of short bristles 18.
These rows of long and short bristles alternate as
shown in Figure 5. The rows preferably are arranged
longitudinally around longitudinal axis 11, i.e., each
row of bristles is parallel to longitudinal axis 11, as
shown in Figure 1. Alternately the rows of bristles
may be spirally arranged around axis 11 as shown in
Figure 2.
With the arrangement of Figures 1 or 2, as
the user of the brush twirls it about axis 11 across
her lashes, the lashes alternately encounter rows of
short and long bristles. The short bristles 18, which
contain mascara, apply mascara to the lashes. The long
bristles, which contain very little mascara in those
parts extending beyond the short bristles,
simultaneously comb and separate the lashes, resuIting
in uniform coating and separation of the lashes for a
highly desirable, natural appearance. The manner in
which the short bristles are impregnated with mascara
without so impregnating the ends of the long bristles
will be discussed later. Notice, however, that if the
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alternating rows of long and short bristles are
arranged as shown in Figure 3, i.e., in other than
longitudinal or spiral form, this beneficial effect
will not be achieved.
The ends of the of long and of the short
bristles may form circular or elliptical arcs around
longitudinal axis 11. In Figure 5, they form circular
arcs. The arcs of the long bristles Sl and short
bristles S2 are preferably 20 to 75. Preferably
there are 3 to 8 rows of long bristles and 3 to 8 rows
of short bristles. More preferably there are six rows
of long and six rows of short bristles, and each arc is
30, as shown in Figure 5.
The length L (see Figure 5) of the long
bristles is preferably 3.2 mm to 9.4 mm, more
preferably 3.4 to 8.3 mm. The length S of the short
bristles is preferably 3.1 mm to 4.7 mm, more
preferably 3.4 to 4.1 mm. The length of the bristles
is measured radially from longitudinal axis ll to the
ends of the bristles, as shown in Figure 5. The
overall length A (see Figure 1) of the applicator is
preferably 19 to 25.4 mm; more preferably 19.7 to 21
mm.
The bristles in a row need not all be of the
same length. In Figure 6, the long bristles 17' have
decreasing length as they approach the short bristles
18. For this embodiment of the invention, the
measurements given above for the long bristles would
apply to the longest bristles in each row of long
bristles.
The inventive applicator is preferably
constructed by twisting the bristles in a wire loop
resulting in a spiral brush as shown in Figure 4. Here
the wire is denoted by reference numeral 19. A portion
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of the bristles may then be cut away to yield
alternating rows of long and short bristles.
The overall shape of the brush may be
cylindrical, but preferably the long bristles taper to
slightly shorter lengths toward the ends of the brush,
as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The bristles need not
radiate from axis 11 for a full 360. In Figure 7 the
bristles form a total arc of slightly more than 180.
The inventive mascara applicator may be
included in a cosmetic package as shown in Figure 8. A
bottle 20 has a reservoir for mascara 21. The bottle
is adapted to receive brush 16 and shaft 10 through its
neck 22. A wiper 23 having a small opening 24 is
disposed in neck 22. The mascara applicator handle 15
is adapted to close the opening. In Figure 8, wiper 23
has external threads 25 and handle 15 has mating
internal threads 26. Hence rotation of handle 15
causes internal threads 26 to overlap and mate with
external threads 25, thereby closing the neck of the
bottle, with part of shaft 10 and brush 16 disposed in
the reservoir containing the mascara.
The applicator package of Figure 8 functions
as follows. First the user unscrews handle 15, causing
threads 25 and 26 to disengage from each other. She
then pulls the handle away from the bottle, removing
shaft 10 and brush 16 from the bottle. As brush 16
passes through opening 24 in wiper 23, excess mascara
is removed from the parts of long bristles 17 that
extend beyond the short bristles, but mascara is
retained on shor~ bristles 18 and parts of the long
bristles that are closest to the axis the brush. The
user then twirls brush 16 across her eyelashes.
Mascara is deposited on to the lashes while the ends of
long bristles 17 comb and separate the lashes,
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resulting in even application of the mascara, and a
highly desirable natural look.
