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

• US 6,283,659 B1
• Filed: 03/04/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• 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:
  US09/262,360
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 401/122, 401/128, 401/130, 401/127, 401/121, 401/126
• 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

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 The applicator element being inserted into the receptacle and withdrawn therefrom in contact with an elastically deformable wiper member.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

Claims

1. A device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic, said 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element and at its other end with a handle member, the applicator element being inserted into the receptacle and being withdrawn therefrom in contact with an elastically deformable wiper member constituted at least in part by a block of foam substantially closed at rest, wherein said stalk has a portion of reduced diameter 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 portion of reduced diameter of said stalk.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said portion of reduced diameter flares at its bottom end to define a housing to which the applicator element is fixed.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam is cut through to define at least one slit that is at rest substantialy cosed and opens when the applicator element passes therethrough.

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

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

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam has an upper part and a lower part, said lower part being free inside the receptable.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam has an upper face and is fixed by this upper face to the receptacle.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said block of foam is being fixed only by said upper face to the receptacle.

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

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle has a neck and wherein one of said stalk and handle member tightly fits into said neck when said applicator is in place in the receptacle.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle has a neck and wherein the applicator is designed 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.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said block of foam has an upper face and 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.

13. A device according to claim 11, wherein the block of foam has a upper face having a conical recess and wherein the stalk connects to the handle member by a flared portion desinged to fit into said recess when the applicator is in place in the receptacle.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the portion of reduced diameter of the stalk is having at its upper end a flared portion connecting to the handle member, wherein said portion of reduced diameter flares at its bottom end and wherein said flared portion connecting to the handle member is integral with said housing.

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

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein the length of said portion of reduced diameter is greater than the height of said block of foam and wherein said block of foam is in contact with said portion of reduced diameter over all its height when the applicator is in place in the receptacle.

17. 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.

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

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

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

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

22. A device according to claim 1, wherein the stalk of the applicator is rectilinear and wherein the receptacle is elongate in shape, having amouth 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.

23. A device according to claim 1, wherein the wiper member includes a disk suitable for being entrained by the applicator while being withdrawn.

24. A device according to claim 1, wherein the wiper member comprises a plurality of blocks of foam of different densities.

25. A device according to claim 1, 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.

26. 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 portions by the other portion.

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

28. A device according to claim 27, wherein the wipoer 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.

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

30. A device according to claim 1, wherein the handle member is suitable for closing the receptacle in sealed manner when it is in place thereon.

31. A device according to claim 1, wherein the handle member is suitable for being screwed onto a thread of the receptacle, the diameter of the thread being significantly greater than the diameter of the opening of the receptacle.

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

33. 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.

34. A device according to claim 1, wherein said block of foam has an upper part and the part of said block of foam in contact with the portion of reduced diameter of the stalk is made by said upper part.

35. A device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic, said 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, said stalk having a narrow portion, the applicator element being inserted into the receptacle and being withdrawn therefrom in contact with an elastically deformable wiper member constituted entirely by a block of foam having an upper part and a lower part, said block of foam comprising at least 5% open cells, wherein said narrow portion 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, wherein said block of foam is cut through to define at least one slit that is at rest substantially closed and opens when the applicator element passes therethrough, said lower part of said block of foam being free inside the receptacle, wherein said block of foam has an upper face and is fixed only by this upper face to the receptacle, wherein the length of said narrow portion of said stalk is greater than the height of said block o foam and wherein said block of foam is in contact with said narrow portion when the applicator is in place in the receptacle, said block of foam not being substantially compressed by said narrow portion of the stalk.

36. A device for packaging and applying a substance, in particular a cosmetic, said 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 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 stalk has a first portion connected to the handle member, a second portion connected to the applicator element and a third portion of a reduced diameter between said first and second portions, the diameter of said third portion being less than the diameter of said first and second portions, said third portion being 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 third portion of reduced diameter.