DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND APPLYING A SUBSTANCE, IN PARTICULAR A COSMETIC

• US 20010038769A1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: GUERET, JEAN-LOUIS
• Granted Patent: US 6,375,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 401/122
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/267 comprising a wiper

Abstract

A device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic, the device comprising a receptacle for containing said substance, an applicator provided with an applicator element, and a wiper member having an elastically deformable wall with at least one slot through which the applicator element can pass and defining wiper lips, wherein said elastically deformable wall is suitable, under the effect of axial stress exerted by the applicator, for taking up different first and second configurations respectively during insertion and withdrawal of the applicator, and wherein said elastically deformable wall is made to have an initial shape at rest and in the absence of the applicator that is not plane, said initial shape being selected in such a manner that the wiper lips press on the applicator with different amounts of force respectively while the applicator is being inserted and while it is being withdrawn because of the deformations to which said elastically deformable wall is subjected to make it pass from its initial shape to one of said configurations.

Claims

1. A device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic, the device comprising a receptacle for containing said substance, an applicator provided with an applicator element, and a wiper member having an elastically deformable wall with at least one slot through which the applicator element can pass and defining wiper lips, wherein said elastically deformable wall is suitable, under the effect of axial stress exerted by the applicator, for taking up different first and second configurations respectively during insertion and withdrawal of the applicator, and wherein said elastically deformable wall is made to have an initial shape at rest and in the absence of the applicator that is not plane, said initial shape being selected in such a manner that the wiper lips press on the applicator with different amounts of force respectively while the applicator is being inserted and while it is being withdrawn because of the deformations to which said elastically deformable wall is subjected to make it pass from its initial shape to one of said configurations:

2. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein, when the elastically deformable wall is in its initial shape, the wiper lips are substantially touching.

3. A device according to

claim 2

, wherein bringing said elastically deformable wall into one of the first and second configurations causes the wiper lips to take up a position in which they are no longer naturally touching.

4. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein there is only one slot.

5. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein the slot is made in the end wall of a generally concave portion of the elastically deformable wall.

6. A device according to

claim 5

, wherein, when the elastically deformable wall is in its initial shape, the concave side of said portion faces towards the inside of the receptacle.

7. A device according to

claim 5

, wherein, when the elastically deformable wall is in its initial shape, the concave side of said portion faces towards the mouth of the receptacle.

8. A device according to

claim 6

, wherein the concave side of said portion inverts substantially when the applicator passes therethrough.

9. A device according to

claim 1

, further including a limiter member for limiting deformation of the elastically deformable wall while the applicator is being withdrawn.

10. A device according to

claim 9

, wherein the limiter member is organized to limit the upward travel of the wiper lips while the applicator is being withdrawn.

11. A device according to

claim 9

, wherein the elastically deformable wall inverts during withdrawal of the applicator, and by the fact that the limiter member is organized to limit the extent of this inversion.

12. A device according to

claim 9

, wherein the limiter member is secured to a neck of the receptacle which serves to fix a closure cap.

13. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein the wiper member is fixed to the receptacle via an annular rib.

14. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein the applicator comprises a rod which is enlarged at its bottom end so as to form a housing for fixing the applicator element.

15. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein the thickness of the applicator element, at least during wiping, is less than the thickness of the rod measured in the region thereof which comes into contact with the wiper member while the applicator is in its storage position inside the receptacle.

16. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein the rod is flat.

17. A device according to

claim 16

, wherein the rod is open.

18. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein the elastically deformable wall of the wiper member is made of elastomer.

19. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein said slot is extended at its ends by cuts serving to make the wiper lips more mobile during insertion and withdrawal of the applicator.

20. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein at least one of the edges of the slot presents a chamfer.

21. A device according to

claim 1

, wherein the applicator element is flat.