Sealed cosmetic wiper

• US 7,374,358 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ELC Management LLC (The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ELC Management LLC (The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bickford, William, Neuner, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak; David J
• Application Number:
  US11/069,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20060198690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 401/121, 401/122, 401126-130
• US Class Current: 401/126
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/046 comprising a wiper
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/267 comprising a wiper

Abstract

A sealed wiper for a mascara bottle or other container that uses a wiper. The sealed wiper has novel venting features on its exterior to allow air that has been displaced from the container to escape to the outside. In this way, a sealed wiper may be seated on a container without the build up of pressure inside the container.

Claims

1. A cosmetic wiper comprising a hollow cylinder having an outer wall and comprising:

an upper section terminating in an upper orifice;

a tapered section located below the upper section and terminating in an a lower orifice;

a retention bead located on the upper section;

a wiper groove recessed into the outer wall of the cylinder such that a first portion of the wiper groove is located on the tapered section and a second portion is located on the upper section; and

a seal that forms an effective barrier affixed across the upper orifice, the seal comprising a membrane that spans the upper orifice of the wiper, covering the orifice completely.

2. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1 wherein the wiper groove comprises first and second ends.

3. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 2 wherein the first end is located on the tapered section and the second end is located on the upper section.

4. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 3 wherein the wiper groove is straight and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wiper.

5. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 3 wherein the wiper groove is helical.

6. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 2 wherein the wiper groove is U-shaped.

7. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1 wherein the wiper groove has no end.

8. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 7 wherein the wiper groove is sinusoidal.

9. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 7 wherein the wiper groove is saw-toothed.

10. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1 further comprising one or more additional wiper grooves recessed into the outer wall of the cylinder.

11. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1, wherein the seal is flexible.

12. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 11, wherein the seal is plastic, rubber or metal foil or a combination thereof.

13. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1 wherein the means of affixing the seal onto the wiper include adhesive, heat sealing, welding, integral molding and shrink wrapping.

14. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 13 wherein the affixed seal is manually peelable from the wiper so that a consumer may access the product.

15. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 14 wherein the seal can be repeatedly removed and replaced to again form an effective barrier.

16. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive means is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

17. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1 wherein the affixed seal comprises a grip surface, so that the seal may be more easily removed.

18. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 17 wherein the grip surface is in the form of a pull tab that extends from the seal.

19. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 18 wherein the pull tab is identical in composition to the seal or of different composition.

20. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 19 wherein the pull tab is made of a more heavy-duty composition than the seal.

21. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 20 wherein the pull tab is thicker than the seal, making a more effective grip for the user.

22. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1 further comprising text or graphics printed on the seal.

23. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 1 further comprising text or graphics that depend from the seal.

24. A cosmetic wiper according to claim 23 wherein the information is in the form a printed substrate.

34. A method of filling a container that employs a sealed wiper according to claim 1, the method comprising inserting a filling tube into the bottle neck, filling the bottle via the filling tube, removing the filling tube from the bottle and seating the sealed wiper on the bottle.

25. A consumer package comprising a container, a cosmetic wiper, and a product located in the container;

the container has a neck that has a retention groove;

the cosmetic wiper comprises;

a hollow cylinder having;

an outer wall;

an upper section terminating in an upper orifice;

a tapered section located below the upper section and terminating in an a lower orifice;

a retention bead located on the upper section;

a wiper groove recessed into the outer wall of the cylinder such that a first portion of the wiper groove is located in the tapered section and a second portion is located in the upper section; and

a seal that forms an effective barrier affixed across the upper orifice, the seal comprising a membrane that spans the upper orifice of the wiper, covering the orifice completely;

the retention bead of the wiper being located within the retention groove of the neck.

26. In combination, a consumer package according to claim 25 and an applicator.

27. A combination according to claim 26 wherein the consumer package and applicator are located in an outer package.

28. A consumer package according to claim 25 further comprising text or graphics printed on the seal.

29. A consumer package according to claim 28 wherein the text or graphics includes information specific to the product in the container.

30. A consumer package according to claim 25 further comprising text or graphics that depend from the seal.

31. A consumer package according to claim 30 wherein the information is in the form a printed substrate.

32. A consumer package according to claim 31 wherein the text or graphics includes any of the following:

ingredients, legal information or user instructions.

33. A consumer package according to claim 25 wherein the container displays information, the information being only generic, such that the same container may be used for different versions of the same product.