Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02766508 2011-12-22
Applicator for Applying a Product to Hair
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to an applicator for applying a product
to hair as well as to the use of an applicator for applying a
delousing agent based on dimethicone. The invention further
relates to a delousing agent based on dimethicone as a
product, which is stable when stored and which is ready for
use in a container comprising an applicator for applying the
delousing agent to hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Head lice are annoying and persistent. Chemical insecticides,
which become effective relatively quickly, but which also
harm the affected persons or animals, are used to date in the
fight against head lice. Common over the counter medicines
contain toxins, which are also used in agriculture against
pests. However, a certain tendency towards a resistance of
the head lice against such substances can be determined.
For example, alternative and rather nontoxic agents are
washing-active substances based on coconut oil or gels
comprising coconut oil, which leads to an encasing of the
head lice, so that they suffocate. However, there is no
direct success with such agents, but a very long reaction
time is necessary as well as multiple applications, because
nits often survive such a treatment. However, this also means
that nits must be combed out repeatedly.
A different approach is pursued with delousing agents based
on dimethicone, which has extraordinary flow and spreading
properties. The dimethicone encases the lice and their
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larvae, penetrates deep into their respiratory system
(tracheae), displaces the oxygen at that location and closes
it irreversibly. Accordingly, the head lice and their larvae
suffocate dependably, as well as their prestage, the nits. A
comparative clinical trial proved the extraordinarily high
effectiveness of Nyda .
The above-mentioned "spreading behavior" describes a feature
of substances of spreading on a solid body, for example the
skin. The spreading value is calculated from a surface, which
a substance covers within a certain time. Essential factors
for good spreading properties of a substance are viscosity
and surface tension. Substances having a low viscosity or
average viscosity, respectively, spread quicker on a support
than substances having a high viscosity.
On the one hand, bottles, from which the liquid preparation
is poured directly onto the head, are used for applying
delousing agents. This is associated with the danger that a
lot of product remains on some areas of the hair and very
little on other areas. The product can furthermore run out of
the hair and can drip onto clothing and the floor. On the
other hand, spray devices are used. However, these must be
operated several times and the procedure is time-consuming.
It is a further disadvantage that a part of the atomized
spray, which is created, does not strike the hair or the
scalp, respectively. On the one hand, this represents a loss
of the agent. On the other hand, this can also lead to a
contamination of pieces of clothing or of the floor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention could accordingly be to propose a
device for applying a delousing agent, in particular a
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delousing agent based on dimethicone, to hair, which is able
to reduce or to completely eliminate the above-mentioned
disadvantages. In particular, it can be seen to be the object
of the invention to propose an applicator or the like, by
means of which a delousing agent based on dimethicone can be
applied to hair quickly and reliably, without the appearance
of individual areas, in which the product is not applied,
because of a lack of experience or lack of patience.
The object is solved by means of an applicator comprising the
features of independent claim 1.
The applicator according to the invention comprises a housing
comprising an application side and a connection side, a
plurality of application bodies, each comprising an
application channel extending therein, an outlet opening
connected thereto and at least two comb teeth. The
application body extends from the application side of the
housing. The comb teeth are disposed spaced apart from each
other on an end of the application bodies facing away from
the application side of the housing and forming at least one
intermediate space. The outlet opening is disposed in the
intermediate space. The connection side of the housing
comprises an inlet for introducing the product into the at
least one application body as well as a connection device for
connecting the housing to a product container.
With the applicator according to the invention, provision is
accordingly made for a row of comb teeth, which can be moved
through the hair, which is to be treated, whereby the product
is applied to strands of hair, which are separated from each
other, through the outlet openings between the comb teeth. An
even application of the product in response to a systematic
combing of all of the hair is ensured, due to the fact that
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the hair, which is to be treated, is oriented and is
simultaneously saturated or at least wetted with the product
when moving the applicator according to the invention through
the hair.
It is made possible by means of an accordingly shaped
connection side to attach an applicator to a container, for
example a bottle, such that an operational device, which can
do without the pump devices, suction lines or the like, which
are common in the state of the art, is already created by
connecting the product container to the applicator.
In a particularly preferred manner, the applicator according
to the invention is adapted to apply a product having an
average viscosity, which lies in a range of 2-200 mPas.
Particularly advantageous flow and spreading properties,
which provide for a highly effective distribution of the
product in the hair, can be attained by means of products
having such a viscosity. This means that flow cross sections
within the applicator must be dimensioned such that the
product having the corresponding viscosity can flow out of
the applicator without large manual exertion.
In an advantageous further development of the applicator
according to the invention, the effective distribution of the
product in the hair can be increased in that the applicator
according to the invention is adapted to apply a product
having a viscosity in a range of 5-20 mPas, in particular in
a range of 13-15 mPas.
In the instant application, the specified viscosities always
refer to the values measured in response to a temperature of
25 C.
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A particularly advantageous embodiment of the applicator
according to the invention is adapted to apply a delousing
agent based on dimethicone. Due to the combination of
particularly advantageous flow and spreading properties as
well as due to the mode of operation of a delousing agent
based on dimethicone, a particularly good application to hair
and thus a particularly effective fight against head lice,
can be attained by means of the applicator according to the
invention, even in the case of a one-time use and short
reaction time.
In a preferred embodiment of the applicator according to the
invention, the connection side of the housing comprises a
threaded portion, which is cylindrical at least area by area,
comprising an internal thread for connecting to a neck of the
product container, which comprises a corresponding external
thread. Due to the fact that the application bodies are
disposed directly on an application side of the housing and
the housing can be connected to the product container via a
screw connection, a simple design is possible, which can be
realized in one piece, for example, by means of an injection
molding process.
In the case of an advantageous further development of the
applicator according to the invention, the quality of the
connection of the applicator according to the invention to a
product container can be increased in that the connection
side comprises a substantially ring-shaped nozzle section,
which is adapted to be inserted into a neck of the product
container when connecting the housing to the product
container. A functional separation between sealing connection
for guiding a product and a mechanical connection for holding
the applicator is carried out through this. The connection
device does accordingly not need to be designed for
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tightness. Accordingly, it is also not important, which
radial extension the connection section per se comprises.
In the case of a particularly preferred embodiment of the
applicator according to the invention, the outlet opening
between the comb teeth is substantially round and comprises a
diameter or an equivalent diameter in a range between 0.4 mm
and 1.2 mm. In particular the application of liquid having an
average viscosity with a viscosity in a range between 5 mPas
and 20 mPas is facilitated through this. Likewise, the outlet
opening between the comb teeth can comprise an elongated or
gap-like shape, the smallest extension of which comprises a
measure in a range between 0.4 mm and 1.2 mm.
In a preferred embodiment according to the invention of the
applicator according to the invention, the application
channel, which extends in an application body to the
respective outlet opening, comprises a shape, which
corresponds to the shape of the outlet opening and the
smallest extension of which comprises a measure in a range
between 0.6 mm and 1.6 mm. The application channel could
accordingly comprise a slightly larger cross section than the
outlet opening per se, whereby an already low spilling
tendency of the applicator according to the invention is
reduced even further.
A particularly preferred further development of the
applicator according to the invention comprises two, three,
four, five, six, seven, eight or more application bodies,
which are disposed spaced apart from each other on the
application side of the housing. By attaching such a number
of application bodies next to each other, more hair can be
brought into contact with the product, which is to be
applied, by means of the applicator according to the
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invention in response to each combing process, that is, when
moving through one area of the hair. This is opposed to
commonly used contact applicators, in the case of which only
individual nozzle-like application bodies are used.
Similarly, an advantageous further development of the
applicator according to the invention comprises two, three,
four, five, six, seven, eight or more comb teeth, which are
spaced apart from each other, comprising at least one outlet
opening, which is disposed in an intermediate space, at each
application body. An improved application of the product by
means of a finer combability could be attained through this.
A further advantageous embodiment of the applicator according
to the invention comprises two end bodies, each comprising at
least one comb tooth, wherein the end bodies surround the at
least one application body and wherein the design thereof
corresponds to that of an application body without the
corresponding application channel. Due to the fact that it
must be expected that the areas, which are combed through,
overlap when combing through the hair, these overlap areas
can be considered by means of corresponding end bodies, so
that no additional product is applied to the hair in this
area. An more effective application of the product to the
hair is realized through this.
In addition, the object is solved by a use of an above-
described applicator for applying a delousing agent based on
dimethicone according to a further independent claim.
The object is furthermore solved by means of a delousing
agent based on dimethicone as ready to use product in a
container comprising an applicator for applying the delousing
agent to hair according to a further independent claim. The
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applicator thereby comprises a housing comprising an
application side and a connection side, a plurality of
application bodies, each comprising an application channel
extending therein, an outlet opening connected thereto and at
least two comb teeth. The application bodies extend from the
application side of the housing. The at least two comb teeth
are disposed spaced apart from each other on an end of the
receptive application body facing away from the application
side of the housing and forming an intermediate space, in
which the outlet opening is disposed. The connection side
comprises an inlet for introducing the product into the
application bodies as well as a connection device for
connecting the housing to the container. Head lice can be
fought reliably by means of this delousing agent, because the
application of the delousing agent is simplified to a
particularly high extent due to the advantageous applicator
and because the reliability increases simultaneously.
The object is furthermore solved by means of a kit for
treating a head lice attack, which comprises a product
container comprising an opening, a composition based on
dimethicone for treating a head lice attack and an
applicator, which can be attached to the opening of the
product container, for applying the composition to hair,
having the above-described features and advantages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features, advantages and application possibilities of
the instant invention result from the following description
of the exemplary embodiments and the figures. All of the
features, which are described and/or which are depicted,
alone and in any combination thereby form the subject matter
of the invention even independent on their composition in the
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individual claims or the dependencies thereof. The same
reference numerals in the figures further represent the same
or similar objects.
Figures la to le show an applicator according to the
invention in sectional views, a top view and a three-
dimensional view.
Figure 2 shows an applicator according to the invention on a
product container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
Figures la to le clearly show the exemplary design of an
applicator 2 according to the invention. The applicator 2
according to the invention substantially consists of a
housing 4 comprising an application side 6 and a connection
side 8, which is located at an end of the housing 4 located
opposite the application side. Exemplarily, four application
bodies 10, each of which comprise an application channel 12,
extend from the application side 6. The application channel
12 is to be understood as a continuous bore or as a
continuous recess, respectively, which extends from the
application side 6 of the housing 4 to a respective outlet
opening 14. Exemplarily, two comb teeth 16, which are
embodied such that they continuously supplement the shape of
the application bodies 10 in the extension direction thereof,
are disposed on the end of a respective application body 10,
which faces away from the application side 6.
The comb teeth 16 are spaced apart from each other, wherein
two comb teeth 16 of each application body 10 enclose a
respective outlet opening 14.
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The connection side 8 of the housing 4 comprises an inlet 18
for introducing the product into the application bodies 10.
This is carried out in that a continuous connection exists
between the inlet 18 and the application channels 12.
The connection side 8 of the housing 4 further comprises a
connection device 20, which is realized in the shape of an
internal thread 22 in a substantially cylindrical section 24.
It is made possible through this to screw the housing 4 onto
a product container, for example, which comprises a
correspondingly shaped corresponding external thread.
In addition, the housing 4 comprises a bell-shaped closure
26, which is suitable for applying a torque from the outside
for screwing together the applicator 2 according to the
invention. Likewise, the closure 26 can provide for an
overall shape, which is harmonic and optionally brand-
oriented as well with a product container, which is to be
screwed together.
Finally, just underneath the application side 6, the housing
4 comprises a substantially ring-shaped nozzle section 28,
which is adapted to be inserted into a neck of the product
container when connecting the housing 4 to a product
container. Through this, a particularly well-sealing
connection can be established between the applicator 2
according to the invention and the product container, without
the connection device 20 having to provide the mechanical
object of connecting as well as a sealing function. The
intermediate space between the ring-shaped nozzle section 28
and the connection device 20 should be dimensioned such that
a bottle neck can be screwed to the applicator 2 according to
the invention, if possible without play. On an end facing the
application side 6, the ring-shaped nozzle section 28 can
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comprise a recess 30, which firmly limits the screw-in depth
of the neck of the product container, so as to reach a
defined end position.
As can be seen in particular in Figures lb, id and le, the
application bodies 10 and the comb teeth 16 attached thereon
comprise a substantially triangular design, wherein the tip
is rounded. It further becomes clear that the application
bodies 10 and the corresponding comb teeth 16 form a
longitudinal grouping, that is, all of the application bodies
and comb teeth 16 form one row.
The application bodies 10 are surrounded on the outside by
end bodies 32, which are equipped with comb teeth 16, but not
with application channels 12. These end bodies are
particularly useful, because the product, which is to be
applied, is not applied twice to the overlapping areas of
combing paths.
It becomes clear from Figure is that an application channel
12 comprises a larger width than a corresponding outlet
opening 14. The illustration in the partial section in Figure
lc is not to suggest that the outlet opening 14 is a circular
opening, just like the application channel 12 must not be
circular. Due to the triangular design of the application
bodies 10 and the comb teeth 16, rectangular or slit-shaped
application channels 12, respectively, are also possible. The
ability of the applicator 2 according to the invention to be
free from spills can be improved by means of the graduation
of the width of the outlet opening 14 as compared to the
width of the application channel 12.
A possible advantageous embodiment of the closure 26 could be
visible from Figure ld. Trough-shaped depressions 34, which
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improve an application of a torque for screwing together the
applicator 2 according to the invention, are illustrated
therein.
As can clearly be seen by a person of skill in the art from
the combination of Figures la to ld, the applicator 2
according to the invention can be produced as a one-piece
component, for example by means of an injection molding
process. For instance, the use of a plastic, such as
polypropylene, polyethylene or other polyolefin plastics, for
example, lend themselves hereby. This plastic must not be
embodied to be rigid or semi-rigid, it could just as well
comprise a sufficiently high elasticity, so that bothersome
pressure or scratch stresses to the scalp of the test person
do not occur in response to the application of a product to
human hair.
An overall view of an applicator 2 according to the invention
and of a product container 36, which is screwed to the
applicator 2 according to the invention, is shown in Figure
2. There, an applicator 2 according to the invention is
screwed to a neck 40 via the internal thread 22 with a
correspondingly shaped external thread 38. The ring-shaped
nozzle section 28 hereby penetrates into the neck 40 and
forms a sealing connection between the applicator 2 according
to the invention and the product container 36.
In the case of a sufficient elasticity of the product
container 36, the delousing agent (or a different product),
which is located in the product container 36, can be pushed
into the applicator 2 according to the invention by applying
pressure with a hand of an operator, where it then escapes
from the outlet openings 14 between the corresponding comb
teeth 16. In response to a simultaneous combing movement,
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individual strands of hair are guided between the respective
comb teeth 16 and can be wetted with the product, which
escapes from the respective outlet opening 14. By
systematically combing the hair, all of the hair of the test
person is wetted with the product from the product container
36, which is to be applied, if possible.
By using a delousing agent based on dimethicone comprising
the particularly advantageous flow and spreading properties,
which is also favored by the viscosity in a range between 5
mPas and 20 mPas, a particularly advantageous distribution of
the delousing agent is attained by means of the applicator 2
according to the invention. It must then be expected that a
complete killing of the lice is attained after a one-time use
of the delousing agent based on dimethicone and after a very
short reaction time, compared to other products on the
market.
It is to be emphasized at this point that the applicator
according to the invention is not limited to a use for
applying a delousing agent. Instead, it is also possible to
apply other substances or products, respectively, with the
applicator according to the invention, in particular such
substances, which comprise an average viscosity in a range
between 5 mPas and 20 mPas.
In addition, it must be pointed out that "comprising" does
not exclude any other elements or steps and "a" or "an" does
not exclude a plurality. It must furthermore be pointed out
that features, which have been described with reference to
one of the above exemplary embodiments, can also be used in
combination with other features of other above-described
exemplary embodiments. Reference numerals in the claims are
not to be considered to be a limitation.
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REFERENCE NUMERALS
2 applicator
4 housing
6 application side
8 connection side
application body
12 application channel
14 outlet opening
16 comb tooth
18 inlet
connection device
22 internal thread
24 cylindrical section
26 closure
28 nozzle section
recess
32 end body
34 depression
36 product container
38 external thread
neck
