Heating Applicator System For Products That May Be Degraded By Heat

• US 20120325235A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ELC Management LLC (The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ELC Management LLC (The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bouix, Herve F., Corbellini, Francis, Jacob, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 132/200
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/155 Heating or cooling means, i.e. for storing or applying cosmetic products at a predetermined temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/157 Heating means for mascara applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/265 connected to the cap of the container
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0003 containing only one dose of substance, e.g. single-use toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/003 Enhancing with heat
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1053 Cosmetics applicator specifically for mascara
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/04 interchangeably removable bristle carriers

Abstract

A system for sampling a heated product comprising a disposable first subassembly having an applicator head, and a physically separate reusable second subassembly having an electric heating circuit. Prior to use, the two subassemblies are able to form a rigid connection. As a result of forming this connection, the applicator head is transferred to the second subassembly such that a portion of the electric heating circuit is inserted into an interior space of the applicator head. In this configuration, the second subassembly is used to apply heated product.

Claims

1. A disposable first subassembly comprising:

a reservoir that has a top end in the form of a hollow neck, the neck having an upper orifice that provides access to the interior of the reservoir;

a hollow neck extension that is connected to the neck of reservoir in a detachable and reattachable manner, such that the upper orifice of the reservoir is surrounded by the neck extension; and

a means for connecting to a second subassembly; and

an applicator head that depends from the neck extension and passes through the upper orifice and into the reservoir, the applicator head comprising;

a hollow stem that has an opened proximal portion and a closed distal portion, wherein the closed distal portion supports a working surface;

such that, when the reservoir, neck extension and applicator head are assembled, the interior of the reservoir is sealed off from the ambient environment, and the working surface of the applicator head is immersed in the reservoir; and

a passage exists from the ambient environment, through the neck extension, and into the closed distal portion of the applicator head.

27. A disposable first subassembly according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir holds a product that comprises less than 10% water.

2. A reusable second subassembly, comprising:

a hollow handle having a proximal end and an opened distal end;

a power source located in the handle;

a hollow, electric heating circuit housing that has an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end of the housing is secured to the handle (4), and the lower end of the housing is able to form a rigid, detachable connection to a first subassembly;

an electric heating circuit that passes through the electric circuit housing, such that a heat generating portion of the heating circuit emerges from the lower end of the housing.

3. A heating applicator system comprising:

a disposable first subassembly that comprises;

a reservoir that has a top end in the form of a hollow neck, the neck having an upper orifice that provides access to the interior of the reservoir;

a hollow neck extension that is connected to the neck of reservoir in a detachable and reattachable manner, such that the upper orifice of the reservoir is surrounded by the neck extension; and

an applicator head that depends from the neck extension and passes through the upper orifice and into the reservoir, the applicator head comprising;

a hollow stem that has an opened proximal portion and a closed distal portion, wherein the closed distal portion supports a working surface;

such that, when the reservoir, neck extension and applicator head are assembled, the interior of the reservoir is sealed off from the ambient environment, and the working surface of the applicator head is immersed in the reservoir; and

a passage exists through the neck extension, and into the closed distal portion of the applicator head; and

a reusable second subassembly that comprises;

a hollow handle having a proximal end and an opened distal end;

a power source located in the handle;

a hollow, electric heating circuit housing that has an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end of the housing is secured to the handle, and the lower end of the housing is able to form a rigid, detachable connection to the neck extension; and

an electric heating circuit that passes through the electric circuit housing, such that a heat generating portion of the heating circuit emerges from the lower end of the housing;

wherein when the electric circuit housing is made to form a rigid connection to the neck extension, then the heat generating portion is disposed inside the applicator head.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a wiper element that is formed as a conically shaped down-turned portion that depends from the lower end of the neck.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the neck extension is connected to the neck of reservoir through cooperating threads.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the electric heating circuit comprises a printed circuit board, and the heat generating portion comprises a plurality of individual, discrete resistive heating elements supported on a lower portion of the printed circuit board, outside of the electric circuit housing.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a substrate that is non-conductive to electricity, and that supports electronic components and electrical leads that are effective to connect the heat generating portion to the power source.

8. The system of claim 7 that automatically turns off the heat generating portion about 2 to 5 minutes after the heat generating portion has reached a predetermined temperature.

9. The system of claim 8 which includes a voltage divider circuit and a thermistor.

10. The system of claim 9 which further comprises an operational amplifier and an N-channel MOSFET switch.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein the heating elements are a bank of fixed value resistors electronically arranged in series, parallel, or any combination thereof, and physically situated in two rows, one on both sides of the printed circuit board.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the fixed value resistors have rated resistances from 1 to 10 ohms.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the overall resistance of all the heating elements ranges from 1 to 10 ohms.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the resistive heating elements are metal oxide thick film, chip resistors, the largest dimension of which is 2.0 mm or less.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the resistive heating elements are discrete dots of a metal oxide thick film, provided as a silk screen deposit on the printed circuit board.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the metal oxide thick film is comprised of ruthenium oxide (RuO2), and each dot is 2.0 mm or less.

17. The system of claim 6 wherein the resistive heating elements are embedded in a continuous, solid mass of a heat transfer material.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the heat transfer material is one or more thermally conductive adhesives, one or more thermally conductive encapsulating epoxies or a combination of these.

19. The system of claim 3 wherein the rigid, detachable connection of the heating circuit housing to the neck extension is implemented as a lug style locking mechanism, wherein:

the neck extension comprises at least one transit groove and at least one locking groove that extends at an approximately right angle to the transit groove; and

the circuit housing comprises at least one cooperating lug that is able to travel down the transit groove, and enter into the locking groove.

20. The system of claim 3 wherein the power source can be accessed through a removable cap in the proximal end of the handle.

21. The system of claim 3 further comprising positive and negative recharging leads on the exterior of the handle, which are able to be electrically connected to an external power reservoir, such that when the external power reservoir is connected, a recharging circuit is completed that is effective to transmit power from the external power reservoir to the power source for storage.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the recharging leads wrap around the bottom edge of the handle.

23. The system of claim 21 further comprising a recharging base that has one or more ports that are capable of receiving the second subassembly, such that when the second subassembly is disposed therein, electrical contact is established between the recharging leads of the second subassembly and the external power reservoir.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the external power reservoir resides in the recharging base, and the recharging base has at least three ports, wherein each port is comprised of:

a threaded collar into which the printed circuit board is disposed; and

a container that depends from each port, down into the recharging base.

25. The system of claim 3 further comprising an on-off mechanism that has at least two positions, in at least one of the positions the mechanism effects electrical contact between the heat generating portion and the power source, and in at least one of the positions the mechanism interrupts electrical contact between the heat generating portion and the power source, wherein the mechanism is accessible from the outside of the dispenser, and can be engaged, either directly or indirectly, by a user.

26. The system of claim 3 further comprising a sliding sleeve that covers the heat generating portion when the first and second subassemblies are not attached, and that is retracted into the heating circuit housing as the heat generating portion is inserted into the applicator head.

28. A method of using a heating applicator system comprising the steps of:

providing a heating applicator system according to claim 3, wherein the first and second subassemblies are initially physically separated, and wherein the reservoir contains enough product for 1 to 14 applications;

inserting the heat generating portion into the hollow interior of the applicator head;

connecting the heating circuit housing to the neck extension;

turning on the electric heating circuit;

separating the neck extension from the reservoir;

raising the applicator head out of the reservoir.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising one or more of:

transferring heated product to the hair or skin;

reinserting the applicator head into the reservoir;

turning off the heating circuit;

separating the heated circuit housing from the neck extension;

removing the heat generating portion from the interior of the applicator head;

reconnecting the neck extension and reservoir;

disposing of the reservoir, applicator head, and neck extension; and

/or

reusing the second subassembly with another first subassembly.