Cooling device for a product and a packaging and dispensing assembly for a corresponding product

• US 7,644,589 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Habatjou, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules; Frantz F
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUKE, EMMANUEL E
• Application Number:
  US11/608,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20070125097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 62/60, 623/71, 30/41, 304/36, 239/102.2, 239/124, 604/289, 604/291, 128/57, 128/44, 128/51, 128/52, 128/65, 601/19, 401/208, 401/190, 401/197, 132/317
• US Class Current: 62/60
• 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 34/041 using a roller, a disc or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/107 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

A device is provided to cool and apply a product. The device includes a pressurized container configured to hold a liquefied refrigerant product. The pressurized container includes a longitudinal axis and is provided with a refrigerant product dispensing element with a product coating surface. The device also includes cooling means with at least one refrigerant product vaporization conduit connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant product dispensing element. The device further includes an applicator coating element disposed adjacent to the vaporization conduit so as to exchange heat with the vaporization conduit while the refrigerant product is dispensed from the dispensing element into the vaporization conduit. The applicator coating element typically includes a surface complimentary to an applicator so that the applicator may be coated with product.

Claims

1. A device to cool and apply a product, the device comprising:

a pressurized container configured to hold a liquefied refrigerant product, the pressurized container including a longitudinal axis and provided with a refrigerant product dispensing element;

cooling means including at least one refrigerant product vaporization conduit connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant product dispensing element; and

an applicator coating element including an applicator coating surface configured to face an applicator mounted on the device, the applicator coating surface disposed adjacent to the vaporization conduit so as to exchange heat with the vaporization conduit while the refrigerant product is dispensed from the dispensing element into the vaporization conduit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vaporization conduit extends transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the pressurized container.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the applicator coating element includes two plates, and at least one of the two plates comprises a portion of the vaporization conduit.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the vaporization conduit is a stamped formation in at least one of the two plates.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the vaporization conduit is a machined portion of at least one of the two plates.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the vaporization conduit includes a multi-turn pathway.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerant product vaporization conduit is connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant product dispensing element via a fitting configured to be coupled to a hose.

26. The device according to claim 1, further comprising the applicator directly facing the applicator coating surface.

27. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vaporization conduit extends within the applicator coating element in a direction parallel to the applicator coating surface.

3. A device to cool and apply a product comprising:

a pressurized container configured to hold a liquefied refrigerant product, the pressurized container including a longitudinal axis and provided with a refrigerant product dispensing element;

cooling means including at least one refrigerant product vaporization conduit connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant product dispensing element; and

an applicator coating element including an applicator coating surface, the applicator coating surface disposed adjacent to the vaporization conduit so as to exchange heat with the vaporization conduit while the refrigerant product is dispensed from the dispensing element into the vaporization conduit,

wherein the applicator coating surface includes a concave surface, and the applicator coating element is mounted on the refrigerant product dispensing element transversely relative to the longitudinal axis.

9. A packaging and dispensing assembly for a product comprising:

a product storage container including an applicator and an applicator coating element with an applicator coating surface configured to coat the applicator with product fed from the product storage container; and

a product cooling device including

a pressurized container holding a liquefied refrigerant product, the pressurized container including a longitudinal axis and a refrigerant product dispensing element, and

cooling means including at least one refrigerant product vaporization conduit connected in fluid communication to the refrigerant product dispensing element and disposed proximate to the applicator coating surface so as to exchange heat with the applicator coating surface.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the applicator is a drum mounted so as to be rotatable relative to the applicator coating surface, and the applicator coating surface has a shape complimentary to a surface of the drum.

11. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein the drum has a convex shape and the applicator coating surface has a concave shape.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the drum comprises a manually deformable material and includes at least one external boss.

13. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein the drum includes a rotary cylindrical support and a manually deformable application surface mounted around a rotary cylinder.

14. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the cylindrical support is provided with an arrangement of at least one boss configured to produce a localized deformation of the application surface during application of the product.

15. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the application surface includes a median zone having a diameter greater than that of the cylindrical support such that when the cylindrical support rotates, the application surface is applied against a user'"'"'s skin, on one side, against the cylindrical support and, on the opposite side, is applied against the applicator coating surface.

16. The assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a drive motor coupled to the drum.

17. The assembly according to claim 16, further comprising a drum driving cylinder driven in rotation by the motor via a gear mechanism.

18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein the driving cylinder is driven in rotation by the motor via a gear-motor system.

19. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the driving cylinder is driven in rotation by the motor via an overdrive system.

20. The assembly according to claim 16, further comprising a switch controlling the operation of the motor, the switch being configured to simultaneously control the operation of the refrigerant product dispensing element so as to cause the cooling device to cool the applicator as the applicator rotates.

21. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the product storage container comprises a manually deformable material.

22. The assembly according to claim 21, further comprising a casing provided with a manually deformable zone at least partially enveloping the product storage container.

23. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein the casing includes a recess to receive power supply means for the assembly.

24. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the vaporization conduit includes a multi-turn pathway.

25. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the refrigerant product vaporization conduit is connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant product dispensing element via a fitting configured to be coupled to a hose.

28. The device according to claim 9, wherein the vaporization conduit extends within the applicator coating element in a direction parallel to the applicator coating surface.