Wiper with resilient wiper lamellas

• US 8,783,987 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GEKA GmbH (Sulzer AG)
• Original Assignee: GEKA GmbH (Sulzer AG)
• Inventors: Kulik, Daniela
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILJANEN, JOSHUA R
• Application Number:
  US13/655,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20130101335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 220/229, 220/254.2, 401/121, 401/122
• US Class Current: 401/122
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/046 comprising a wiper
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/267 comprising a wiper

Abstract

The invention relates to a wiper for wiping off a cosmetics applicator, in particular a wiper for mascara mass applicators, that includes a retaining section for fixing the wiper on a cosmetics storage container. The wiper includes a number of wiper lamellas that shift in a more than just insubstantial extent in a circumferential direction solely under the influence of forces produced by withdrawal of the applicator.

Claims

1. A wiper for wiping off a cosmetics applicator comprising:

a retaining section for fixing the wiper on a cosmetics storage container, wherein the wiper comprises a plurality of wiper lamellas which shift in a more than just insubstantial extent in a circumferential direction solely under an influence of forces produced by withdrawal of the applicator, and wherein each wiper lamella, viewed in a direction of a projection of a longitudinal axis, takes on a shape of an arc along the circumference that is smaller or equal to an arc of a circle spanned by two legs that include and angle of 50°

between them.

2. The wiper according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wiper lamellas are each configured as rods whose extent in their longitudinal direction (EL) is greater by at least a factor of 5 than their maximum extent (EU) in the circumferential direction.

3. The wiper according to claim 2, wherein the rods respectively extend along a helical line, wherein a radial distance of the rods from an imaginary center line (L) of the wiper decreases from a proximal end of the wiper towards a distal end of the wiper.

4. The wiper according to claim 3, wherein tips of the wiper lamellas taper to a point in such a way that a local extent in a circumferential direction (EU), and also a local extent in a radial direction (ER), assumes very small values which are less than ¼

of the corresponding extent of the rod to be found at its proximal end.

5. The wiper according to claim 1, wherein each wiper lamella has an extent in a radial direction (ER) which is greater than its extent in the circumferential direction (EU), wherein the following applies:

ER≧

1.3×

EU.

6. The wiper according to claim 1, wherein tips of the wiper lamellas, viewed in the direction of the projection of the longitudinal axis, block a clear internal cross section of the retaining section substantially completely.

7. The wiper according to claim 1, wherein the wiper comprises six or eight wiper lamellas which are disposed uniformly distributed on a circumference of the retaining section.

8. The wiper according to claim 1, wherein the wiper lamellas are designed in such a way that, due to forces that the applicator, or its bristles, exert on the wiper lamellas during the withdrawal of the applicator, the wiper lamellas are elastically bent in a more than just insubstantial extent also in the circumferential direction and thus shift also in the circumferential direction and/or in a radially inward direction, in such a way that the wiper lamellas come to rest against the applicator more closely, wherein the shift is greater in each case than just 1/10 mm.

9. A cosmetics unit comprising a storage container for cosmetic mass and an applicator as well as a wiper according to claim 1.

10. A cosmetics unit comprising a wiper for wiping an associated cosmetics applicator, which has a retaining section for fixing the wiper on a cosmetics storage container, wherein the wiper comprises a plurality of wiper lamellas respectively configured in such a way that adjacent wiper lamellas, over at least 25% of their extent in a longitudinal direction (EL), have a distance from each other in a circumferential direction which corresponds to at least a maximum width of one of the wiper lamellas in the circumferential direction, wherein each of the wiper lamellas has a center line extending along a helical line.

11. The cosmetics unit according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of wiper lamellas are each configured in such a way that their extent in their longitudinal direction (EL) is greater by at least a factor of 5 than their maximum width in the circumferential direction.