Method and apparatus for moulding cosmetic products

Abstract

Apparatus for moulding a cosmetic product on a housing comprising a support structure having holding means for at least one housing and at least one shaped punch acting on the housing. The apparatus also comprises a mobile screening element, for the cosmetic product, which may be coupled, at least partially, to the outer side surface of the housing.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for moulding a cosmetic product on a housing, or upholding container, in order to give the cosmetic product a determined configuration inside the housing itself. [0002] In particular, the invention concerns a method and apparatus for the moulding on a containing / upholding surface of a housing, usually in terracotta, of a cosmetic product in paste form, or at any rate not yet in the solid state, before its subsequent processing of drying. PRIOR ART [0003] For the preparation of solid cosmetics on a terracotta housing, such as face powder and eye shadow, a known technique is to place a suitable quantity of a viscous cosmetic product, for example composed of powders and solvents and / or fats, on a housing which acts as the final container, and then compress the product, with a shaped punch, to give it the desired shape with relation to the housing. [0004] In particular, the cosmetic product is dosed on a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The screening element thus has the purpose of preventing the deposit of flashes, due to the moulding of the cosmetic product in paste form, and of any excess cosmetic product, along the outer side walls of the housing, or at any rate walls not intended to hold the cosmetic product, although it may be removed from the coupling with the housing itself, before the possible drying phase.

[0027] According to another aspect of the method according to the present invention, at the end of drying there may be a further phase of surface processing with chip-forming machining of finished product, in particular by milling of the visible surface of the cosmetic product itself. This makes it possible to obtain a surface with homogenous aesthetic characteristics and / or ones that are easily recognisable by the consumer, depending on the surface processing carried out.

[0028] Here and henceforth, the term “screening element” means any element impermeable to the cosmetic product which, having a suitable shape, is placed in such a way as to prevent the cosmetic product, during moulding, from depositing along the surface of the housing that is not intended to hold the cosmetic product. In particular, said screening element may be shaped in such a way as to present through openings which, by coupling with the top outer edge of the housings, are able to prevent the spreading of the cosmetic product outside the housings themselves, during the moulding operation.

Problems solved by technology

However, during the moulding phase the action of the punch on the cosmetic product normally causes the formation of flashes (or fins) which, at least partially, are deposited on the outer side surface of the housing itself, giving it an unattractive appearance.

The subsequent drying phase may also lead to the formation of encrustations of the cosmetic product on said outer side surface of the housing, which are difficult to remove.

This cleaning operation must allow an accurate removal of all the excess flashes deposited on the housing, without interfering with the shape that the cosmetic product has assumed after moulding, and without causing scoring or scratching of the housing; the operation is therefore particularly complex and is carried out by hand, by suitably trained personnel.

The necessary presence of this flash-removing phase, performed by hand, prevents the realisation of an automatic process for producing the cosmetic product, and is also particularly expensive in terms of both cost and time.

Images