Applicator unit for a liquid or semi-liquid product

• US 6,033,142 A
• Filed: 09/10/1997
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Gueret, Jean-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Eloshway, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US08/926,689
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 401/122, 401/129, 132/218
• US Class Current: 401/122
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/046 comprising a wiper
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/267 comprising a wiper

Abstract

An applicator unit for a liquid or semi-liquid product that wipes excess product from the stem and applicator. The excess product is wiped by a sleeve through which the applicator charged with the product is caused to pass. The sleeve is open at its two ends, and having an internal surface capable of retaining a reserve of the product by the surface tension effect. The force of the surface tension exerted between the sleeve and the product contained therein is greater than the force of the surface tension exerted between the free end of the applicator and the product. Thus, excess product remains in the sleeve and not on the applicator.

Claims

1. An applicator unit for a liquid or semi-liquid product, comprising:

a reservoir for containing the product, said reservoir having an opening;

a stopper mountable to the reservoir for obturating said opening;

a stem joined to said stopper;

an applicator carried by said stem and mounted so as to be brought into contact with the product inside the reservoir when said stopper obturates said opening, said applicator having a diameter smaller than or equal to a diameter of the stem; and

a wiper situated in the vicinity of said opening configured to wipe substantially an entire length of said applicator by a surface tension, substantially an entire length of said applicator passing through said wiper without substantial friction with said wiper.

2. An applicator unit according to claim 1, wherein said wiper comprises a sleeve through which the applicator charged with the product is caused to pass, said sleeve having a minimum internal diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the applicator, said sleeve being open at its two ends and having an internal surface which retains a reserve of said product by the surface tension effect, and the surface tension force exerted between the internal surface of the sleeve and the product retained therein being greater than the surface tension force exerted between the free end of the applicator and said product.

3. An applicator unit according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve is made of a material selected from the group consisting of material, an elastomer, a thermoplastic, and a heat setting elastomer.

4. An applicator unit according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve has fins disposed parallel to the axis of the sleeve over at least a portion of the internal surface of the sleeve, so as to increase the surface tension force exerted on the product.

5. A packaging unit according to claim 4, wherein the fins have a radial depth of 1 mm to 2 mm.

6. An applicator unit according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve comprises at least one opening passing through a side of the sleeve.

7. An applicator unit according to claim 6, wherein said at least one slot is configured to allow the sleeve to be supplied with the product.

8. An applicator unit according to claim 7, wherein each of said at least one slot is oriented parallel to the axis of the sleeve.

9. An applicator unit according to claim 8, wherein the reservoir has a bottom, and each of said at least one slot opens out on an edge of the sleeve situated opposite the bottom of the reservoir.

10. An applicator unit according to claim 7, wherein each of said at least one slot is orientated perpendicularly to the axis of the sleeve.

11. An applicator unit according to claim 6, wherein the reservoir has a bottom, and the applicator is contained substantially inside the sleeve when the stopper obturates said opening.

12. An applicator unit according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve is formed by a neck of the reservoir.

13. An applicator unit according to claim 12, wherein the sleeve is delimited by upper and lower constrictions, said upper constriction formed by an annular element mounted in a leakproof manner on the neck of the reservoir, and said lower constriction formed in the neck of the reservoir, the product being held by the surface tension effect between the two constrictions, wherein one of the constrictions forms an element for wiping the stem by friction.

14. An applicator unit according to claim 12, further comprising an annular element mounted in a leakproof manner on the neck, said annular element configured to wipe the stem by friction.

15. An applicator unit according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve has a cloverleaf-shaped cross-section.

16. An applicator unit according to claim 1, wherein said wiper comprises a first end situated in the vicinity of said opening, and a second end on the opposite side to the first, said applicator unit further comprising a stem wiper configured to wipe the stem by friction.

17. An applicator unit according to claim 16, wherein the diameter of the applicator varies between a maximum value at its end joined to the stem, and a minimum value at its free end, and the internal diameter of the wiper is equal to 2 to 25 times the minimum value.

18. An applicator unit according to claim 16, wherein said stem wiper comprises a constricted zone arranged in an upper portion of said wiper and configured to wipe the stem during withdrawal of the applicator from the reservoir.

19. An applicator unit according to claim 16, wherein said stem wiper comprises an annular element mounted above said wiper and is configured to wipe said stem during its passage through the annular element.

20. An applicator unit according to claim 19, wherein the annular element is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic material and a thermoplastic elastomer.

21. An applicator unit according to claim 19, wherein said wiper and the annular element are obtained by duplex injection molding of two materials.

22. An applicator unit according to claim 16, wherein, for a product whose viscosity is from 1×

10^-3 Pa.s to 1 Pa.s, the internal diameter of said wiper is from 2 mm to 10 mm, and the height of said wiper up to said stem wiper is from 10 mm to 50 mm.

23. An applicator unit according to claim 22, wherein, for a product whose viscosity is from 1×

10^-3 Pa.s to 5×

10^-1 Pa.s, the internal diameter of said wiper is such that the annular space between the internal surface of said wiper and the stem has a radial width less than or equal to 1 mm, and the height of said wiper up to said stem wiper being from 10 mm to 20 mm.

24. An applicator unit according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir has a bottom, and the internal surface of said wiper has a frustoconical shape whose diameter decreases in the direction opposite to the bottom of the reservoir.

25. An applicator unit according to claim 1, wherein the applicator is held in position in the vicinity of the bottom of the reservoir when the stopper obturates said opening.

26. An applicator unit according to claim 1, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of a hair product, a liquid serum, a mascara, an eyeliner, eyeshadow, a liquid lip rouge, and a glue.