Personal applicator

Abstract

A personal applicator for application of a cream, gel or lotion by a user has a flexible elongate member (18) coated and / or impregnated with the cream gel or lotion from within the body (12) of a container (14). The flexible elongate member can be a chord, and may Slave a solid or elasticated central core covered with an impregnatable or absorbent sheath or coating, such as a foam. The container can include a retraction mechanism (20), such as having a spool or bobbin which can be spring biased to retract the chord. Alternatively, the chord may be self retracting, such as by elastic or self coiling.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a personal applicator, such as an applicator for personal use in applying a cream, gel, liquid or lotion e.g. sunscreen, insect repellent and / or moisturiser or combinations of two or more thereof.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0002]Creams, gels, liquids or lotions for personal application to the skin are typically dispensed from simple tubes, sachets or bottles containing the cream, gel or lotion. After opening the tube, sachet or bottle, the cream, gel, liquid or lotion is dispensed by squeezing the cream, gel or lotion onto the skin or into the palm or onto the fingers of a user and rubbed into the relevant area of skin.[0003]Some dispensers also include a roller bailer applicator, such that the cream, gel, liquid or lotion is rubbed directly from the dispensing container onto the skin by coating the surface of the ball retained in the opening of the container.[0004]Moistened wipes are sometimes employed for personal applic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]Preferably, in use, the elongate member is extended between the hands of a user such that the user can use the cream, gel or lotion coated or impregnated flexible member to apply the cream, gel or lotion to their own body, and especially areas that are difficult or impossible to reach, such as their own back and rear shoulders, and more particularly their central spinal area between their shoulders. This ensures application of the cream, gel or lotion to such areas and thereby avoids or at least reduces the risk of insect bite, sunburn and other UV related skin damage, dryness form lack of miniaturisation etc.

[0022]A retraction mechanism may include a retraction member about which the chord winds during retraction for storage and recoating the chord within the body portion. Preferably the retraction member is a spool, bobbin or an axle. The retraction member may be arranged on an axis of rotation aligned across the body of the applicator. The retraction member may be conical, curved or bi conical (with the narrow ends of the cones facing or touching one another. This latter arrangement can be useful in preventing bunching of the chord at one end of the retraction member.

Problems solved by technology

Whilst such application using tubes, sachets, bottles, moist wipes and roller ball type dispensers is relatively straightforward for easy to reach areas of skin, such as the forearms, thighs, lower legs and chest, other areas of the body are not readily reached and may not receive any coverage unless another person is available to assist.

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