Packaging and applicator device, and a refill element for such a device

• US 6,076,985 A
• Filed: 03/04/1999
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Gueret, Jean-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/262,014
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 401/122, 401/128, 401/130, 401/126, 401/121, 401/118
• US Class Current: 401/122
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1018 comprising a pad, i.e. a cushion-like mass of soft material, with or without gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/046 comprising a wiper
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/267 comprising a wiper

Abstract

This invention relates to a device for packaging and applying a substance that is in liquid, semiliquid, or powder form, in particular a cosmetic, the device comprising a receptacle that is open at one end and suitable for containing the substance, and an applicator comprising a stalk provided at one end with an applicator element and at its other end with a handle member, the applicator element being inserted into the receptacle and being withdrawn therefrom in contact with an elastically deformable wiper member. The wiper member is constituted at least in part by foam comprising at least 5% of open cells.

Claims

1. A device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic, the device comprising a receptacle that is open at one end and suitable for containing said substance, and an applicator comprising a stalk provided at one end with an applicator element and at its other end with a handle member, said receptacle having a neck, the applicator element being inserted into the receptacle and being withdrawn therefrom in contact with an elastically deformable wiper member constituted at least in part by a block of foam substantially closed at rest, wherein said block of foam has an upper face and wherein the applicator is designed so as to occupy substantially all of the inside of the neck when the applicator is in place in the receptacle thereby limiting the volume of air above said block of foam.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of said stalk and handle member comprises a wall coming flush with said upper face when the applicator is in place in the receptacle.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of said stalk and handle member is designed to fit tightly into said neck when the applicator is in place in the receptacle.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the upper face of the block of foam has a conical recess and wherein the stalk connects to the handle member by a flared portion designed to fit into said recess when the applicator element is in place into the receptacle.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam is cut through to define at least one slit that is at rest substantially closed and opens with the applicator element passes therethrough.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said elastically deformable wiper member is constituted entirely by a block of foam.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam comprises at least 5% of open cells.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam has a lower part being free inside the receptacle.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam is fixed by said upper face to the receptacle.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said block of foam is being fixed only by said upper face to the receptacle.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein said stalk has a narrow portion which is positioned in contact with at least a part of said block of foam when the applicator is in place in the receptacle, said part of the block of foam not being substantially compressed by said narrow portion of the stalk.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said narrow portion of said stalk flares at its bottom end to define a housing to which the applicator element is fixed, said housing having an outside diameter being greater than that of said narrow portion of said stalk.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the stalk is having at its upper end a flared portion connecting to the handle member, wherein said flared portion is integral with said housing.

14. A device according to claim 11, wherein said narrow portion has a diameter of less than 0.5 mm.

15. A device according to claim 11, wherein the length of said narrow portion is greater than the height of said block of foam and wherein said block of foam is in contact with said narrow portion over all its height when the applicator is in place in the receptacle.

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam is in direct communication with the substance contained in the receptacle.

17. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam has an upper face that is provided with a conical recess.

18. A device according to claim 1, wherein the applicator element is a brush.

19. A device according to claim 1, wherein said wiper member comprises a block of foam that is stiffened at its periphery and over at least a portion of its height.

20. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam occupies substantially the entire inside of the receptacle.

21. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam is impregnated with all of the substance contained in the receptacle.

22. A device according to claim 1, wherein said substance is a liquid.

23. A device according to claim 1, wherein said substance is a powder.

24. A device according to claim 1, wherein the stalk of the applicator is rectilinear and wherein the receptacle is elongate in shape, having a mouth with an opening of a width that is sufficiently large to enable said stalk to be tilted inside the receptacle through at least 10°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle.

25. A device according to claim 11, wherein the wiper member includes a disk suitable for being entrained by the applicator while being withdrawn.

26. A device according to claim 11, wherein the wiper member comprises a plurality of blocks of foam of different densities.

27. A device according to claim 11, wherein the wiper member is held axially inside the receptacle by a narrow portion constituted by an inwardly folded flexible annular wall integrally formed with the receptacle by molding.

28. A device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is formed by assembling two portions, the wiper member being held axially in one of said portion by the other portion.

29. A device according to claim 1, further including a wiper lip.

30. A device according to claim 29, wherein the wiper lip is situated at the outer mouth of the receptacle and wherein it is extended outwards by a wall that flares away from the foam.

31. A device according to claim 1, wherein the block of foam has a tapering hole.

32. A device according to claim 11, wherein the handle member is suitable for being screwed onto a thread of the receptacle, the diameter of the thread being greater than the diameter of the opening of the receptacle.

33. A device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle has a double wall.

34. A device according to claim 1, wherein the foam is situated in a housing of the receptacle of height h'"'"' that is smaller than the axial size h of the foam prior to being mounted in the receptacle.

35. A receptacle fitted with a wiper member as defined in claim 1, and provided with a closure capsule to form a refill element.

36. A device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic, the device comprising a receptacle that is open at one end and suitable for containing said substance, and an applicator comprising a stalk provided at one end with an applicator element and at its other end with a handle member, said receptacle having a neck, the applicator element being inserted into the receptacle and being withdrawn therefrom in contact with an elastically deformable wiper member constituted at least in part by a block of foam substantially closed at rest, wherein said block of foam has an upper face with an entry recess and wherein the applicator has a projecting portion and is designed so as to occupy substantially all of the inside of the neck when the applicator is in place in the receptacle, said projection being designed to fit into said entry recess, thereby limiting the volume of air above said block of foam.