Partially treated cosmetic product applicator

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an applicator and a corresponding applicator for applying a cosmetic substance may include forming an applicator body, an applicator head, and a removable shield. The applicator body includes a first end and a second end. The applicator head is operably coupled with the first end of the applicator body and includes an outer surface. A removable shield is removably coupled with the applicator head. The outer surface of the applicator head is segmented into an exposed portion located outside the removable shield and a shielded portion located inside the removable shield. The method further includes applying a surface treatment to an outer surface of the applicator head; and removing the removable shield from the applicator head. After the removable shield is removed, the shield portion is free of a surface treatment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to cosmetic, hair care, body care and / or skin care products, and more particularly to product applicators and methods for making such products. Background Art

[0002] Makeup, hair care, body care, and / or skin care products may be applied using any number of different methods and / or styles via a number of applicator products. As an example, a concealer product may be applied using a user's fingers, an applicator brush, and / or a sponge product, among other options. When applying such products, it may be desirable for a user to accurately apply the product to provide coverage of the desired area and then use the same tool to blend and / or perform other application steps. While some applicators may include surface treatments (such as flocking) that may assist with blending and / or other steps, it may be desirable for an applicator to include multiple areas with different surface treatments as a way to perform other application steps.

[0003] Existing manufacturing methods may incorporate a surface treatment application step, wherein the surface treatment is applied to a portion of the applicator. However, such processes can be time consuming and often only allow for a linear cutoff region between the treated and untreated portions of the applicator. In addition, the complex geometry of certain applicators can result in significant design limitations and create undesirable surface treatment areas. In addition, some existing applicators incorporate multiple components made of different materials as a way to provide applicators with different surface treatments. However, such components of these applicators may experience deformation at different rates, which in turn may cause unsightly and / or other undesirable gaps on the applicator that may affect performance. Although adhesives (such as glue) may be used to ensure that the components do not separate, this process may result in additional costs, processes, and waste.

[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for improved accessories having improved functionality. Summary of the invention

[0005] Examples within the scope of the present disclosure relate to methods for making an applicator and a corresponding applicator for applying a cosmetic substance. Such methods may include forming an applicator body, an applicator head, and a removable shield. The applicator body includes a first end and a second end. The applicator head is operably coupled to the first end of the applicator body and includes an outer surface. The removable shield is removably coupled to the applicator head. The outer surface of the applicator head is segmented into an exposed portion located outside the removable shield and a shielded portion located within the removable shield. The method further includes: applying a surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head; and removing the removable shield from the applicator head. After removing the removable shield, the shield does not contain the surface treatment.

[0006] In some examples, the step of applying the surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head includes applying a flocking material. In some examples, the method may further include the step of applying an adhesive to an exposed portion of the outer surface of the applicator head prior to applying the flocking material.

[0007] In these and other methods, the step of applying the surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head includes at least one of applying a soft touch material, applying a glossy material, applying a matte material, or applying a pigment. In some forms, the method may further include the step of closing the distal end of the removable shield to prevent the surface treatment from contacting the shielded portion of the outer surface of the applicator head. In these and other examples, the step of contacting the applicator head with the surface treatment further includes maintaining a portion of the removable shield above the upper surface of the surface treatment to prevent the surface treatment from contacting the shielded portion of the outer surface of the applicator head.

[0008] In some methods, the applicator body, the applicator head, and the removable shield are formed via a molding process. In some of these examples, the step of forming the removable shield may include forming a weakened seam in a portion of the removable shield.

[0009] According to a second aspect, an applicator for applying a cosmetic substance is provided, the applicator comprising: an applicator body having a first end, a second end, and an elongated portion extending between the first end and the second end; an applicator head operably coupled to the first end of the applicator body; a removable shield; and a surface treatment. The applicator head comprises an outer surface adapted to collect and apply the cosmetic substance. The removable shield is removably coupled to the applicator head such that the outer surface of the applicator head is segmented into an exposed portion located outside the removable shield and a shielded portion located within the removable shield. The surface treatment is adapted to cover the exposed portion of the applicator head. After the removable shield is removed from the applicator head, the shield does not contain the surface treatment.

[0010] According to a third aspect, a method for manufacturing an applicator and a corresponding applicator for applying a cosmetic substance. Such a method may include forming an applicator head and a removable shield. The applicator head includes an outer surface. The removable shield is removably coupled to the applicator head. The outer surface of the applicator head is segmented into an exposed portion located outside the removable shield and a shielded portion located inside the removable shield. The method further includes: applying a surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head; and removing the removable shield from the applicator head. After removing the removable shield, the shield is free of the surface treatment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The above requirements are achieved by providing one, more than one or any combination of the following embodiments (especially in conjunction with the attached Figure 1The method of a partially treated cosmetic product applicator according to the present invention is at least partially satisfied by:

[0012] Figure 1 showing a front perspective view of an example product applicator according to various examples;

[0013] Figure 2 Showing various examples Figure 1 A rear perspective view of an example product applicator;

[0014] Figure 3 Showing various examples Figure 1 and Figure 2 A right side elevation view of an example product applicator;

[0015] Figure 4 Showing various examples Figures 1 to 3 A front elevation view of an example product applicator;

[0016] Figure 5 Showing various examples Figures 1 to 4 A rear elevation view of an example product applicator;

[0017] Figure 6 Showing various examples Figures 1 to 5 A right side elevational cross-sectional view of an example product applicator;

[0018] Figure 7 Showing various examples Figures 1 to 6 a right side elevational cross-sectional view of an example product applicator having an example surface treatment applied thereto;

[0019] Figure 8 Showing various examples Figures 1 to 7 a right side elevational cross-sectional view of an example product applicator having an example surface treatment applied thereto and decoupled from an example shield;

[0020] Fig. 9 Showing various examples Figures 1 to 8 A perspective view of an example product applicator in an assembled state;

[0021] Fig.10 Showing various examples Figures 1 to 10 A perspective view of an example product applicator in an assembled state;

[0022] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the size and / or relative positioning of certain elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of various examples. In addition, common but well-known elements that are useful and necessary in commercially available examples are generally not depicted to facilitate reducing the obstruction of vision for these various examples. It will be further understood that certain actions and / or steps may be described or depicted in a specific order of occurrence, however, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that such specificity regarding order is not actually required. It will also be understood that unless different specific meanings have been proposed herein, the terms and expressions used herein have the common technical meanings given to such terms and expressions by those skilled in the art, as described above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Generally speaking, according to these various methods, a product applicator is provided that can be effectively manufactured to allow a desired surface treatment to be applied to a desired area. The product applicator can be adapted to any number of areas having different shapes, sizes or other configurations as desired to allow a user to accurately dispense and apply a certain amount of makeup, hair care, body care and / or any other product, such as, for example, lip gloss products, concealer formulas and the like, and to allow the product to be applied and blended in an ergonomic and uniform manner.

[0024] Referring to the accompanying drawings, an applicator 100 is provided for applying a product, such as, for example, a cosmetic substance. The applicator 100 includes an applicator head 102, a removable shield 110, and an applicator body 120. The applicator head 102 has an upper portion 103a and a lower portion 103b that cooperate to define an outer surface 104. The upper portion 103a and the lower portion 103b may have any number of desired shapes, geometries, and / or configurations to assist in applying the product in an ergonomic manner. The applicator head 102 further includes a neck 106 operably coupled thereto. In some examples, the neck 106 may include any number of body retaining features 107 ( Figures 6 to 8 ) to assist in connecting the applicator head 102 to the applicator body 120.

[0025] The removable shield 110 is removably coupled to the applicator head 102. In the example shown, the removable shield 110 is disposed at the upper portion 103a of the applicator head 102, but other arrangements are possible. The removable shield 110 includes: a proximal end 110a positioned adjacent to the applicator head 102; a distal end 110b; and an elongated length 110c extending between the proximal and distal ends. Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, the removable shield 110 can be in the form of a generally tubular member defining any desired cross-sectional shape or arrangement. More specifically, while the illustrated example depicts the removable shield 110 as having a generally oval cross-sectional shape, any desired shape, form, and / or configuration can be used.

[0026] In some examples, the removable shield 110 is formed together with the applicator head 102 via a single forming (e.g., molding, injection molding, additive manufacturing, etc.) process to reduce overall production costs. In some examples, the proximal end 110a of the removable shield 110 may include a weakened seam 112 to assist in decoupling or removing the removable shield 110 from the applicator head 102. During the forming process, any number of suitable methods may also be used to create such a weakened seam 112.

[0027] In the example shown, the removable shield 110 is generally hollow and has an interior cavity 114 defined by an elongated length 110c. The removable shield 110 creates a shield, a barrier, and / or a perimeter that segments the exterior surface 104 into an exposed portion 104a (i.e., a portion located outside the removable shield 110) and a shielded portion 104b (i.e., a portion located inside the removable shield 110). In other words, the removable shield 110 prevents or otherwise limits material from contacting the shielded portion 104b of the exterior surface 104.

[0028] In some examples, the distal end 110b of the removable shield 110 can be sealed or otherwise closed. More specifically, a seal 118 can be positioned at or near the distal end 110b of the removable shield 110 to seal the cavity 114. In some examples, the seal 118 can be in the form of a fastener or plug. In other examples, the seal 118 can be in the form of a seam formed via heat sealing and the like. Other examples are possible.

[0029] It should be appreciated that in other examples (not shown), the removable shield 110 may be partially or completely solid, and therefore, the use of the seal 118 to further restrict matter from contacting the shield portion 104 b of the exterior surface 104 may not be required.

[0030] The applicator body 120 includes a first end 120a, a second end 120b, and an elongated portion 120c between the first end and the second end. When applying a product, the user can use the applicator body 120 as a handle by holding the elongated portion 120c of the applicator body 120. Fig. 9 and Fig.10, the applicator head 102 (e.g., the body retaining feature 107) can be operably coupled to the first end 120a of the applicator body 120 via any number of suitable methods, such as, for example, a friction fit coupling, a threaded coupling, and the like. Other examples are possible. In some approaches, the applicator body 120 can be integrally formed with the applicator head 102 and the removable shield 120 during a single forming process, such as, for example, one or more of the previously described forming processes. Other examples are possible.

[0031] Reference Figures 6 to 10 , the outer surface 104 of the applicator head 102 may have a surface treatment 130 applied thereto. In some examples, the surface treatment 130 may be in the form of a flocking material. In other examples, the surface treatment 130 may be in the form of a soft touch material, a glossy material, a matte material, and / or a pigment. Any combination of these surface treatments 130 may be applied to the outer surface 104 of the applicator head. Figure 6 As shown, the applicator head 102 and the removable shield 110 are operably coupled together prior to applying the surface treatment 130. Figure 7 As shown, the surface treatment 130 can be applied to the entire applicator head 102 via any number of suitable methods. For example, in one method, the surface treatment 130 can be in the form of a submersible material such that the applicator head 102 and the removable shield 110 can be submerged therein. In examples where the distal end 110b of the removable shield 110 is closed or otherwise sealed, the entire removable shield 110 can also be submerged in the surface treatment 130. However, in examples where the distal end 110b of the removable shield 110 is open, the removable shield 110 can include an upper extension area (not shown) that can remain outside the surface treatment 130 after the applicator head 102 is contacted with the surface treatment 130. This configuration can be similar to a vent or similar arrangement.

[0032] In other examples, the surface treatment 130 (e.g., flocking material or fiber) may be electrically and / or magnetically precharged, and the application head 102 may be disposed in an environment while being electrically and / or magnetically precharged with an opposite polarity or charge. The surface treatment 130 may then be dripped or otherwise dispensed on or around the application head 102, wherein the opposite polarity and / or charge may cause the surface treatment 130 to become coupled to the exposed portion 104a of the outer surface 104 of the application head 102 while extending or protruding vertically from the outer surface 104. In some of these examples, before applying the surface treatment 130, an adhesive or other deposited layer 132 may be applied to the outer surface 104 to assist adhesion. In these and other examples, the application head 102 may be disposed in a housing that forms a vacuum to draw the surface treatment 130 to the application head 102.

[0033] like Figure 7 As shown, after applying the surface treatment 130 to the outer surface 104 of the applicator head 102, the exposed portion 104a will become at least partially covered by the surface treatment 130. In some examples, a portion of the surface treatment 130 may contact or otherwise adhere to the removable shield 110. However, the removable shield 110 prevents the surface treatment 130 from contacting the shield portion 104b of the outer surface 104, and therefore, the shield portion 104b will remain free of the surface treatment 130. Figure 8 and Fig.10 As shown in , the removable shield 110 can be removed from the applicator head 102 so that the shield portion 104 b can become exposed and free of the surface treatment 130 .

[0034] During use, the user can collect a certain amount of product on the applicator head 102 (e.g., by immersing the applicator head 102 in a container or similar reservoir containing the product), so that the product can temporarily adhere to the outer surface 104 of the applicator head. In some examples, the different surface treatments of the exposed portion 104a and the shielded portion 104b can selectively assist in applying, blending, mixing, and / or performing any other desired application steps. Therefore, these areas can be incorporated into the user's regimen to perform different application steps that may or may not benefit from the use of the surface treatment 130.

[0035] In examples where the applicator head 102 is not formed with the applicator head 120 , these components may be operably coupled to one another for a final assembly.

[0036] So configured, the system provides an efficient manufacturing process that does not require additional protection to achieve treated and untreated areas. In addition, the methods described herein are not constrained by conventional design limitations and restrictions on their application to various areas of the applicator. The applicator can be constructed from a single material during a single manufacturing process, thereby reducing production costs and time.

[0037] It should be appreciated that any number of alternative arrangements and / or designs incorporating the teachings of the present disclosure may be provided. As an example, several removable shields 110 may be provided to form multiple untreated portions of the outer surface 104. In addition, while the removable shield 110 is positioned at the upper portion 103a in the illustrated example, one or more removable shields may be positioned at any other location along the applicator head 102 as desired.

[0038] It should be understood that although the example cosmetic products and cosmetic product containers shown in the figures are in the form of lipstick or lip gloss products, the methods described herein can be applied to any number of products, including cosmetic products, hair care products, body care products, skin care products and the like. In addition, in some examples, steps for forming any kind of components or objects can be incorporated into the teachings of the present disclosure. For example, any suitable method (e.g., via molding, additive manufacturing, etc.) can be used to form an object or body with any desired form or use. During this forming process, a removable shield having any desired configuration or arrangement can be formed therebetween (or in some examples, operably connected to the object). The desired surface treatment can be applied to a specific exposed area or surface (e.g., an outer surface, an inner surface, or any surface or area), and the removable shield can prevent the desired surface treatment from contacting the shielded area of ​​the object. The removable shield can then be removed from the object to expose the shielded area that does not contain the desired surface treatment. Other examples are possible.

[0039] In the foregoing description, specific embodiments have been described. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the description and the accompanying drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this teaching. In addition, the described embodiments / examples / implementations should not be interpreted as mutually exclusive, but should be understood as potentially combinable if such combinations are permitted in any way. In other words, any feature disclosed in any of the foregoing embodiments / examples / implementations may be included in any of the other foregoing embodiments / examples / implementations.

[0040] Benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more apparent are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The claimed invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.

[0041] In addition, in this document, relational terms (such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like) may be used only to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises / comprising," "has / having," "includes / including," "containing," or any other variation thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes, has, includes, or contains a list of elements includes not only those elements, but may also include other elements that are not explicitly listed or inherent in such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element preceded by the modifier "comprises ... a," "has ... a," "includes ... a," "contains ... a" does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes, has, includes, or contains the element. Unless expressly stated otherwise herein, the terms "a" or "an" are defined as one or more. The terms "substantially," "essentially," "approximately," "about," or any other version thereof, are defined as approximately as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment, are defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment to be within 5%, in another embodiment to be within 1%, and in another embodiment to be within 0.5%. As used herein, the term "coupled" is defined to be connected, but not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is "configured" in a certain manner is configured in at least that manner, but may also be configured in ways not listed.

[0042] The abstract of the present disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the essence of the present technical disclosure. The abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the aforementioned detailed description, it can be seen that various features are combined together in various embodiments for the purpose of simplifying the present disclosure. The method of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than those explicitly set forth in the claims. Instead, as reflected in the appended claims, the subject matter of the present invention may be present in less than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the appended claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim independently serving as a subject matter of separate claims.

[0043] Unless conventional means-plus-function language is explicitly set forth (such as “means for” or “step for” language explicitly recited in a claim), the patent claims appended to this patent application are not intended to be interpreted pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §112(f).

Claims

1. A method of making an applicator for applying a cosmetic substance, the method comprising: forming an applicator body, an applicator head, and a removable shield, the applicator body including a first end and a second end, the applicator head operably coupled to the first end of the applicator body and including an outer surface, the removable shield removably coupled to the applicator head; wherein the outer surface of the applicator head is segmented into an exposed portion located outside the removable shielding member and a shielding portion located inside the removable shielding member; applying a surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head; as well as The removable shield is removed from the applicator head, wherein the shield portion is free of the surface treatment after the removable shield is removed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying a surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head comprises applying a flocking material.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of applying an adhesive to the exposed portion of the outer surface of the applicator head prior to applying the flocking material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying a surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head comprises at least one of: applying a soft touch material, applying a glossy material, applying a matte material, or applying a pigment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of closing a distal end of the removable shield to prevent the surface treatment from contacting the shield portion of the outer surface of the applicator head.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the applicator head with the surface treatment further comprises: A portion of the removable shield is maintained above the surface of the surface treatment to prevent the surface treatment from contacting the shield portion of the outer surface of the applicator head.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the applicator body, the applicator head, and the removable shield are formed via a molding process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of forming the removable shield comprises: A weakened seam is formed in a portion of the removable shield.

9. An applicator for applying a cosmetic substance, the applicator comprising: an applicator body including a first end, a second end, and an elongated portion extending between the first end and the second end; an applicator head operably coupled to the first end of the applicator body, the applicator head comprising an outer surface adapted to collect and apply the cosmetic substance; a detachable shield removably coupled to the applicator head such that the outer surface of the applicator head is segmented into an exposed portion located outside the detachable shield and a shielded portion located inside the detachable shield; and a surface treatment adapted to cover the exposed portion of the applicator head; wherein after the removable shield is removed from the applicator head, the shield portion is free of the surface treatment.

10. The applicator of claim 9, wherein the surface treatment comprises a flocking material.

11. The applicator of claim 10, wherein the flocking material is adapted to cover the exposed portion of the applicator head by immersing at least a portion of the applicator head in the flocking material.

12. The applicator of claim 9, further comprising a deposition layer adapted to cover the outer surface of the applicator head to retain the surface treatment on the applicator head.

13. The applicator of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the removable shield is adapted to be contacted by the surface treatment after the surface treatment is applied to the applicator head.

14. The applicator of claim 13, wherein the removable shield comprises a tube having an elongated length and a distal end.

15. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the extended length of the removable shield includes an upper extension region adapted to remain outside of the surface treatment after contacting the applicator head with the surface treatment.

16. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the distal end of the tube is closed via a seal. 17 . The applicator according to claim 9 , wherein the shielding portion of the outer surface of the applicator head is formed on an upper surface of the applicator head at or near a distal end thereof.

18. The applicator of claim 9, wherein the surface treatment comprises at least one of: a soft touch material, a glossy material, a matte material, or a pigment.

19. A method of making an applicator for applying a cosmetic substance, the method comprising: forming an applicator head including an outer surface and a removable shield removably coupled to the applicator head; wherein the outer surface of the applicator head is segmented into an exposed portion located outside the removable shielding member and a shielding portion located inside the removable shielding member; applying a surface treatment to the outer surface of the applicator head; as well as The removable shield is removed from the applicator head, wherein the shield portion is free of the surface treatment after the removable shield is removed.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of coupling the applicator head to the first end of the applicator body.

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