Artificial eyelash fan

Abstract

An eyelash fan may include a plurality of hair having a proximal end and a distal end. The plurality of hairs may be joined together at the joining region via an adhesive composition, thermal fusion, or may be integrally formed. The coupling region is located at a distance from the proximal end such that the artificial hairs at the proximal end are not coupled or bonded to each other. In this configuration, when the eyelash fan is applied to a single natural eyelash, the artificial hair may wind the natural eyelash at the proximal end, thereby increasing the surface area of the eyelash fan and prolonging the wearing time of the eyelash fan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments described herein relate to artificial eyelashes. Specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to eyelash fans and methods of making the same. Background Art

[0002] Cosmetics, such as artificial eyelashes, can improve or enhance the wearer's appearance without requiring invasive surgical procedures or other hormonal changes. Some conventional artificial eyelashes can be time-consuming to apply and may not meet user expectations for longevity. The articles and manufacturing methods described herein relate to eyelash fans that avoid the drawbacks associated with some conventional eyelash products. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The eyelash fan described herein can be configured to be applied to a single natural eyelash from a wearer's upper eyelashes. The eyelash fan can include a plurality of artificial hairs having a proximal end and a distal end. The plurality of artificial hairs can define a fan shape. The eyelash fan can also include an adhesive composition that bonds the plurality of artificial hairs at a distance from the proximal end. Each of the plurality of artificial hairs can be unbonded relative to each other at the proximal end, and the plurality of artificial hairs can be configured to at least partially wrap around the single natural eyelash at the proximal end.

[0004] In some cases, the eyelash fan may be the first eyelash fan in a set of eyelash fans. Each eyelash fan in the set can be attached to a different natural eyelash among the wearer's upper eyelashes, and two or more eyelash fans in the set can have different lengths. The plurality of artificial hairs may include 3 to 36 artificial hairs. In some examples, the plurality of artificial hairs includes 3 to 10 artificial hairs. The distance between the proximal ends of the plurality of artificial hairs and the adhesive composition may be between 1 mm and 6 mm. The adhesive composition may extend along a bonding length ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm. The portion of the plurality of artificial hairs between the proximal ends and the adhesive composition may be substantially free of adhesive. In some examples, the diameter of each artificial hair in the plurality of artificial hairs may be between 0.01 mm and 0.25 mm. For example, the diameter of each artificial hair may be between 0.03 mm and 0.07 mm. Each artificial hair in the plurality of artificial hairs may be formed from polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene isophthalate, polyamide, nylon, thermosetting polymer, polycarbonate, polyester, etc. In some cases, the plurality of artificial hairs does not exceed 36 artificial hairs.

[0005] In some examples, the area of ​​the eyelash fan having the adhesive composition defines the narrowest portion of the eyelash fan. In some cases, the adhesive composition is visually transparent.

[0006] According to some embodiments described herein, an eyelash fan system may include an eyelash fan having a plurality of artificial hairs. The plurality of artificial hairs may have a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the plurality of artificial hairs may widen from the proximal end to the distal end. The eyelash fan may also include a first adhesive composition that adheres the plurality of artificial hairs at a distance from the proximal end, and a second adhesive composition that is applied to the wearer's natural eyelashes. In some cases, the second adhesive composition is applied to at least a portion of each of the plurality of artificial hairs at or near the proximal end, and the at least a portion of each artificial hair at least partially circumferentially wraps around the natural eyelashes and is coupled to the natural eyelashes via the second adhesive composition.

[0007] In some examples, each eyelash fan is configured to be located on a natural eyelash. In some cases, the first adhesive composition is solidified before the eyelash fan is applied to the wearer's natural eyelashes. The first adhesive composition can be at a distance of 1 mm to 6 mm from the proximal end. In some cases, the second adhesive composition is an eye-safe adhesive applied in liquid form. Exemplary eye-safe adhesives include ethyl cyanoacrylate, other cyanoacrylates, formaldehyde-free adhesives, natural adhesives (such as starch-based or sugar-based adhesives), and other formulas stored for use near the wearer's eyes. The eyelash fan can be configured to be applied below the natural eyelashes. In some cases, each of the multiple artificial hairs defines a curvature.

[0008] Embodiments described herein include a method for manufacturing an eyelash fan. The method may include positioning a plurality of artificial hairs within a mold, the plurality of artificial hairs having at least three artificial hairs; wrapping the plurality of artificial hairs around a bending member, the bending member having a predetermined curvature; baking the plurality of artificial hairs with the bending member, the baking applying heat to the plurality of artificial hairs to form a curvature for each artificial hair; and after baking, applying an adhesive composition to a portion of the plurality of artificial hairs, the portion being located a distance from a proximal end of the plurality of artificial hairs, each of the plurality of artificial hairs being free of adhesive at the proximal end and configured to partially wrap around a wearer's natural eyelashes.

[0009] In some cases, the adhesive composition is applied at least 1 mm from the proximal end. The mold can be configured to hold a predetermined number of artificial hairs. Multiple artificial hairs can be manually placed in the mold. The multiple artificial hairs can define a distal end that fans out each of the multiple artificial hairs relative to adjacent artificial hairs in the multiple artificial hairs. In some examples, the multiple artificial hairs do not exceed 36 artificial hairs.

[0010] The eyelash fan system described herein may include an eyelash fan having a plurality of artificial hairs, the plurality of artificial hairs having a proximal end and a distal end. The plurality of artificial hairs may widen from the proximal end to the distal end. The eyelash fan may also include a first adhesive composition that adheres the plurality of artificial hairs at a distance from the proximal end, and a second adhesive composition that is applied to the wearer's natural eyelashes. The second adhesive composition may be applied to at least a portion of each of the plurality of artificial hairs at the proximal end, and at least a portion of each artificial hair may at least partially wrap circumferentially around the natural eyelashes and be coupled to the natural eyelashes via the second adhesive composition.

[0011] In some cases, the eyelash fan is the first eyelash fan in a group of eyelash fans, and each eyelash fan in the group of eyelash fans is attached to a corresponding natural eyelash in the upper eyelashes of the wearer. In other examples, the multiple artificial hairs include 3 to 36 hairs. For example, some eyelash fans may include 3 to 10 artificial hairs. The distance between the proximal ends of the multiple artificial hairs and the first adhesive composition may be between 1 mm and 6 mm. The eyelash fan may be configured to be applied below, above or to the side of the natural eyelashes. Each of the multiple artificial hairs may define its own curvature relative to the proximal end. In some embodiments, the first adhesive composition is positioned along the connection area of ​​the eyelash fan, and the multiple artificial hairs are arranged in a single row along the cross-section of the connection area.

[0012] In some examples, an eyelash fan is configured to be applied to a single natural eyelash of a wearer's natural eyelashes. The eyelash fan may include a plurality of artificial hairs having a fan proximal end and a fan distal end, the plurality of artificial hairs may define a fan-shaped area. The eyelash fan may also include a coupling area located between the fan-shaped area and the proximal end, the coupling area may bond the plurality of artificial hairs together at a distance from the proximal end. The eyelash fan may also include a base area extending from the coupling area to the proximal end, each of the plurality of artificial hairs may be unbonded relative to each other at the base area, and the plurality of artificial hairs may be configured to at least partially wrap around the single natural eyelash at the base area.

[0013] In some cases, the eyelash fan is the first eyelash fan in a set of eyelash fans, each eyelash fan in the set of eyelash fans is attached to a different natural eyelash of the wearer's natural eyelashes, and two or more eyelash fans in the set of eyelash fans have different lengths. In some examples, the plurality of artificial hairs may include 3 to 36 artificial hairs. For example, the eyelash fan may have 3 to 10 artificial hairs. The distance of the base area may be between 1 mm and 6 mm. The coupling area may include an adhesive composition extending longitudinally along the coupling area with a bonding length ranging between 1 mm and 5 mm. A portion of the plurality of artificial hairs at the base area may be substantially free of adhesive.

[0014] In some embodiments, the diameter of each artificial hair in the plurality of artificial hairs is between 0.03 mm and 0.07 mm, and each artificial hair in the plurality of artificial hairs is formed by polybutylene terephthalate. In some examples, the plurality of artificial hairs is no more than 36 artificial hairs.

[0015] The eyelash fan may be a unitary eyelash fan formed via a three-dimensional printing process.In some examples, the plurality of artificial hairs may be bonded at the coupling region via thermal fusion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The present invention will now be described with reference to the representative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the one embodiment included. On the contrary, the disclosure provided herein is intended to cover alternatives, variations and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments and defined by the appended claims.

[0017] Figure 1A Shown is a top view of an exemplary eyelash fan, such as described herein.

[0018] Figure 1B Shown are detailed views of the base and coupling regions of an exemplary eyelash fan, such as described herein.

[0019] Figure 1C Shown is a side view of an exemplary eyelash fan, such as described herein.

[0020] Figures 1D to 1E A corresponding exemplary cross-sectional view of a fan of eyelashes at the base region is shown.

[0021] Figures 2A to 2C An exemplary application of an eyelash fan such as described herein is shown.

[0022] Figure 2D A cross-section of an applied fan of eyelashes at the base region is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 An exemplary application of multiple fans of eyelashes to a wearer's eyelashes is shown.

[0024] Figure 4 An exemplary method for making an eyelash fan is shown.

[0025] Figures 5A to 5B Various examples of eyelash fans are shown.

[0026] Figure 6 A cross-section of an applied fan of eyelashes at the base region is shown.

[0027] The use of the same or similar reference numbers in different drawings indicates similar, related or identical items.

[0028] The use of cross-hatching or shading in the drawings is generally provided to indicate boundaries between adjacent elements and to facilitate legibility of the drawings. Thus, the presence or absence of cross-hatching or shading does not convey or indicate any preference or requirement for particular materials, material properties, element proportions, element dimensions, commonality of similarly illustrated elements, or any other feature, attribute, or characteristic of any element shown in the drawings.

[0029] In addition, it should be understood that the (relative or absolute) proportions and sizes of the various features and elements (and their collections and groupings) provided in the accompanying drawings, as well as the boundaries, spacing and positional relationships therebetween, are merely for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the various embodiments described herein and are therefore not necessarily presented or illustrated to scale, and are not intended to represent any preference or requirement for the illustrated embodiments to exclude the embodiments described with reference thereto. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Embodiments described herein relate to eyelash fans. Specifically, the examples described herein relate to pre-assembled eyelash fans that can be professionally applied. The eyelash fans described herein are formed from a set of artificial eyelashes that are bonded or attached to one another at a location offset from the ends of the set, resulting in a small portion of the artificial eyelashes at the ends being free of adhesive or other bonding agent before the artificial eyelashes are applied to the wearer. This small portion of the artificial eyelashes is free to move and slightly spread out when the artificial eyelashes are attached to the wearer's or user's natural eyelashes, which can result in an improved connection between the artificial eyelash fan and the user's natural eyelashes.

[0031] The artificial eyelashes that professional application is suitable for wanting lasting, full and natural-looking eyelashes without having to apply the wearer of strip artificial eyelashes every day.Usually, in order to apply each artificial eyelash, the eyelash artist applies the adhesive composition to one end of each artificial hair.As described herein, the application of the adhesive composition can be carried out by dipping the end of the artificial eyelash into the adhesive composition, or the adhesive composition can be applied to the end of the artificial eyelash using a brush or other applicators.The application of the adhesive composition may also be referred to as the end of "wetting" the artificial eyelashes in this article, which includes a variety of application techniques.After the end of the artificial eyelashes has been soaked with the adhesive composition, the artificial eyelashes are applied to a single natural eyelash or a group of natural eyelashes.In order to maintain the eyelashes after application, the wearer can regularly visit the eyelash artist to apply new artificial hair to solve the problem that the artificial hair falls off over time by the eyelash artist.

[0032] The disclosure described herein relates to a set of one or more eyelashes, which may also be referred to herein as a fan of eyelashes. This set of eyelashes includes multiple artificial eyelashes connected together and can be applied simultaneously (e.g., applied together to a single natural eyelash). The eyelash fan can be connected to more than one natural eyelash, but is typically applied to the wearer's upper or lower natural eyelashes as a series of eyelash fans. Because the eyelash fan is configured for application to a single natural eyelash, it differs from full artificial eyelashes, or sometimes referred to as segmented artificial eyelashes, in which groups of tufts or artificial eyelashes are applied to the wearer as a connected group or set.

[0033] As described herein, an eyelash fan includes structure that improves the connection between the artificial eyelash fan and the wearer's or user's natural eyelashes. The eyelash fan described herein can improve application time for professional eyelash application, while also improving wear time and maintenance for the wearer. Specifically, the eyelash fan described herein includes a plurality of hairs, each hair having a proximal end and a distal end. The plurality of hairs are attached between the proximal end and the distal end, at a first distance from the proximal end and a second distance from the distal end, the second distance being different from the first distance.

[0034] In some examples described herein, the artificial hairs are free of adhesive or other bonding agents at the proximal end of the eyelash fan (e.g., at the end that connects to the natural eyelashes). Because the artificial hairs are free of adhesive or other bonding agents at this proximal end, the portion of each artificial hair at this proximal end is free to bend and / or move relative to the other artificial hairs. In other words, the artificial hairs are not constrained relative to each other at the proximal end of the eyelash fan. In this configuration, during application of the eyelash fan, the artificial hairs can at least partially wrap around the natural eyelashes, thereby increasing the bonding surface area between the eyelash fan and the natural hairs. By increasing the bonding surface area, the wear time of the eyelash fan is increased.

[0035] Artificial hair can be bonded or coupled together at the coupling area, and this coupling area can be about 0.5mm to 6mm or larger away from the hair end. In some cases, the coupling area is 1mm to 6mm away from the end. In some cases, the coupling area is 1mm to 4mm away from the end. As described herein, artificial hair can use adhesive to bond in the coupling area, and can be referred to as adhesion area or bonding area. In other embodiments, artificial hair can use melting or thermal fusion process to couple, and this can also be referred to as adhesion area. In some cases, in the coupling area, use heating and adhesive (for example heat-activated or heat-cured adhesive) both. In other cases, artificial hair can use adhesive element to couple, and described adhesive element is for example sleeve, line or other element that at least partially surrounds the hair in the coupling area. In some cases, adhesive element is heat shrink sleeve or band, and it is wound around or otherwise bonded artificial hair at the coupling area.

[0036] The coupling region can define the narrowest portion of the lash fan. The artificial hairs fan outward from this region (e.g., fanning out relative to the coupling region) to create a natural and complete appearance. Due to their spacing relative to the ends, the hairs remain flexible enough to wrap around natural hairs, while the coupling region remains close to the waterline during application. Thus, during application, the majority of the weight of the lash fan is balanced relative to the coupling region at or near the base of the natural lashes, and the coupling region is less noticeable to others. While the offset or distance from the proximal end to the coupling region can vary depending on the overall design of the lash fan, in some cases, the coupling region is offset from the proximal end of the lash set by 0.5 mm or more. In some cases, the offset is 1 mm or more. In some cases, the offset is 2 mm or more. In some cases, the offset is 4 mm or more.

[0037] These and other embodiments will be referred to below. Figures 1A to 6 However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these drawings is for explanation only and should not be construed as limiting.

[0038] Figure 1AA top view or plan view of an eyelash fan is shown. As described herein, an eyelash fan can refer to a plurality of artificial hairs that are professionally applied permanently and / or semi-permanently. The eyelash fan described herein is applied to a single natural eyelash. The eyelash fan 100 may include a plurality of artificial hairs, such as artificial hairs 102a-f. In the example shown, the eyelash fan 100 has six artificial hairs (referred to herein as a 6D fan). In some examples of the eyelash fan 100, the eyelash fan 100 may have any number of artificial hairs from three artificial hairs (e.g., 3D) to twenty artificial hairs (e.g., 20D). In some cases, the eyelash fan 100 may have up to 36 artificial hairs (e.g., 36D). The illustrated 6D eyelash fan is for illustrative purposes and is not limited to a specific number of artificial hairs.

[0039] In addition, although the artificial hairs 102a-f are shown as having similar lengths, the length of each artificial hair can vary depending on the expected volume and design of the eyelash fan. For example, some eyelash fans can include longer hairs in the middle of the fan to add more dimension to the eyelashes to be applied. In some embodiments, the artificial hair can be made of a polymer, such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide (such as nylon), polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyester or other polymer materials. The artificial hair can also be made of a thermosetting polymer or other similar material. In some examples, other materials can be used, including other polymer-based synthetic or composite materials. Although the hairs are referred to as "artificial" in this article, they can include naturally occurring materials, including animal hair, natural fibers, natural colors, oils or other natural materials. Although the examples described herein may appear to have a uniform thickness, the eyelashes can have a tapering thickness or an uneven thickness.

[0040] The eyelash fan 100 can include a plurality of artificial hairs 102a-f in an elongated shape. The eyelash fan 100 defines a proximal end 104 and a distal end 106. The proximal end 104 can be used to refer to the end of the eyelash fan that is connected to or configured to be connected to natural eyelashes. The distal end 106 refers to the end of the eyelash fan opposite the proximal end, where the artificial hairs are spread out the greatest distance. In other words, the artificial hairs 102a-f disperse from the proximal end, and the eyelash fan 100 is widest at its distal end. The distal end 106 can be the end that is most easily visible to others when applying eyelashes. Each artificial hair 102a-f extends continuously from the proximal end 104 to the distal end 106.

[0041] The eyelash fan may include a coupling region 108, also referred to herein as a bonding region, adhesive region, crystallized portion, bonding location, or adhesive bond location. The coupling region 108 may be a portion of the eyelash fan where the artificial hairs 102a-f are coupled to one another using an adhesive, a thermal bonding process, coupling elements, or other techniques for binding or coupling hairs. The coupling region may include an adhesive portion having an adhesive composition that bonds the artificial hairs 102a-f. The adhesive portion may be a cured adhesive that forms a strong yet flexible bond. For example, the adhesive composition may be applied in liquid form and then cured into a solid. The adhesive composition may surround or at least partially encapsulate a portion of the artificial hairs and cure or solidify to bond the artificial hairs 102a-f together. In some examples, the cured or solidified adhesive may be a crystalline material. In some embodiments, the adhesive composition is self-curing and does not require heating to bond the artificial hairs together. In other examples, the adhesive composition may be a powder coating, gel coating, or other type of adhesive. More generally, an adhesive refers to a permanent adhesive that maintains the bond between the artificial hairs 102a-f during application to the user. Thus, during application, the artificial hairs 102a-f are handled as a unit (eg, an eyelash fan 100 unit) and remain coupled during and after application.

[0042] In some examples, the artificial hair 102a-f is coupled together via thermal fusion. For example, the artificial hair 102a-f can be melted or partially melted to adhere to each other at the coupling area 108, while the hair remaining at the base area 110 is not bonded. For example, the artificial hair 102a-f can be partially fused together by applying heat to the coupling area. In some cases, the artificial hair 102a-f can be pinched together to ensure that they are coupled to each other. In some cases, fusible thread, molten composite material or other adhesive material can be used to bond the hair together without melting the artificial hair 102a-f. Heat-activated adhesives or other adhesives can also be used alone or in combination with any coupling technology described herein. In some cases, the artificial hair 102a-f can be coupled together via a physical winding method. For example, a line, film, tape, shrink wrap or other coupling element can be used to couple the artificial hair at the coupling area 108.

[0043] In other examples, the eyelash fan 100 can be formed as a monolithic piece. For example, a three-dimensional printing process (e.g., micro-3D printing, micro-stereolithography, projection micro-stereolithography, two-photon polymerization, electrochemical deposition, etc.) can be used. In this process, the eyelash fan 100 can be formed in layers on the order of nanometers or millimeters (mm). A barrel polymerization process can be used, in which a barrel with a photopolymer resin is used and a UV-curable resin layer can be used. In such a configuration, the coupling region can be formed from the same material as the artificial hair. As described above, the artificial hair in the base region 110 can be unbonded to each other, thereby allowing the hair to at least partially wrap around the natural eyelashes at the base. Due to the 3D printing process, the cross-section of the eyelash fan can be U-shaped, circular, flat, etc., so as to more seamlessly couple to the hair.

[0044] In some cases, the coupling region 108 can have a length measured along the length of the artificial hair 102a-f. In some cases, the coupling region 108 is arranged on a fraction of the hair length to reduce the added weight of the eyelash fan (e.g., from adhesive composition or other adhesive elements). Although the use of adhesive has been described for this and other examples provided herein, other adhesive or coupling techniques can be used in conjunction with adhesive or in place of adhesive. More generally, the coupling region 108 is between 0.5mm and 10mm, between 1mm and 8mm, between 1mm and 6mm, between 1mm and 5mm, between 1mm and 4mm, or between 1mm and 3mm.

[0045] The edge of the coupling region 108 can be located at a distance "d" from the proximal end 104. In some embodiments, the distance "d" can be, for example, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, or 4 mm. For example, in some cases, the distance "d" can be in the range of 0.5-5 mm, 0.5-4 mm, 0.5-3 mm, 0.5-2 mm, 1-5 mm, 1-4 mm, 1-3 mm, or 1-2 mm. In some examples, the length of the coupling region is less than the distance d and / or the length of the base region 110. For example, the ratio between the length of the coupling region 108 and the length of the base region can be 1 / 3, 1 / 2, 1 / 4, or the like. In some examples, the ratio between the length of the coupling region 108 and the length of the base region 110 can be 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, or the like.

[0046] Eyelash fan 100 can comprise base area 110.As shown in the figure, base area 110 is the span (having distance d) of the artificial hair 102a-f from near end 104 to coupling area 108.At base area 110 place, artificial hair 102a-f does not have adhesive or other bonding agent.In this region, each artificial hair 102a-f is unconstrained (therefore free bending and / or moving relative to each other at this end) at near end 104.In some cases, artificial hair 102a-f is cantilevered at base area 110 place, and unrestricted part is positioned at near end.In such structure, the eyelash artist that applies eyelash fan can soak each artificial hair 108a-f with eye-safe adhesive and make them suitable for surrounding natural eyelashes.

[0047] As used herein, the term "adhesive-free" means that the artificial hair does not have an adhesive or other bonding agent that couples or bonds each artificial hair to adjacent artificial hairs. Thus, the hairs remain relatively unconstrained relative to each other at the proximal end 104 prior to application (e.g., in a shipping state). As previously described, the hairs can move freely relative to each other to allow the hairs to at least partially wrap around the wearer's or user's natural eyelashes when installed, thereby improving the connection of the artificial hair to the wearer's natural eyelashes. In some cases, the eyelash fan may be shipped on an adhesive tape that is removed prior to application.

[0048] The eyelash fan can also include a spread region 112. At the spread region 112, each artificial hair 102a-f can gradually spread outward from the coupling region 108 toward the distal end 106. In such a configuration, the width of the eyelash fan 100 can be widest at the distal end 106. Typically, at the spread region 112, the artificial hairs 102a-f are also free of the adhesive composition or other bonding agent from the coupling region.

[0049] Figure 1B A detailed view of the base region 110 and the connecting region 108 is shown. In some cases, as shown, the artificial hairs along the base region 110 may be straight or substantially straight in this portion. However, because each artificial hair is substantially unconstrained relative to the other artificial hairs in this region, each artificial hair (e.g., 102a) may be separated from each other. For example, a lash artist may use tweezers 114 to separate the artificial hairs when applying a lash fan so that the artificial hair 102a is wrapped around the natural eyelashes. Note that Figure 1B The tweezers shown are not necessarily drawn to scale relative to the elements of the eyelash fan.

[0050] In some cases, as described below Figure 4As explained in more detail, after the artificial hair has been curled, the adhesive composition in the coupling region 108 can be applied to the artificial hair. More specifically, each curled artificial hair can be combined to form an eyelash fan, and then adhered once the eyelash fan structure is set. By using this forming method, the adhesive composition can conform to at least a portion of the curvature of the artificial hair.

[0051] Figure 1C A front view or side view of an eyelash fan 100 is shown. This figure illustrates an example of how artificial hairs 102a-f may be spread relative to one another at a base region 110, and illustrates examples of eyelash curvature. As shown, at the base region 110, the artificial hairs may have a flat or slightly curved configuration. This flat or slightly curved configuration allows the eyelash fan to connect to natural hair at or near the lash line. Then, toward the distal end, at the spread region 112, the curvature of the hairs may gradually become more curved as they move away from the proximal end. In some examples, each artificial hair 102a-f may have a respective curvature k. Curvature k defines the angle at which the hairs extend upward from the base of the eyelashes. Typically, each artificial hair 102a-f has substantially the same curvature k. However, in some examples, the curvature k of each eyelash fan may vary to create more unique eyelashes. In some cases, the level of curvature may be indicated by a letter. For example, the eyelash curvature may have a designation of B, C, D, DD, etc., to indicate how much curvature each eyelash fan has.

[0052] Similarly, the thickness of the artificial hairs 102a-f can vary. For example, the diameter of the artificial hairs can range from 0.01mm to 0.07mm, 0.03mm to 0.05mm, 0.02mm to 0.1mm, 0.03mm to 0.06mm, 0.03mm to 0.07mm, 0.03mm to 0.12mm, 0.03mm to 0.15mm, 0.03mm to 0.20mm, 0.03mm to 0.25mm, 0.01mm to 0.25mm, or 0.03mm to 0.30mm. The length of the artificial hairs 102a-f can also vary (e.g., the hair length measured from the proximal end to the distal end). In some examples, the length of the hair can range from 3mm to 30mm. The combination of the number, curvature, thickness, and length of the artificial hairs can be based, at least in part, on the weight limit of the eyelash fan relative to the wearer's natural eyelashes.

[0053] More generally, if Figure 1A and Figure 1C As shown, the eyelash fan 100 can be moved from the coupling region 108 in a lateral direction (e.g., relative to Figure 1A horizontally) and vertically (e.g., relative to Figure 1CIn some embodiments, the connection area 108 is the narrowest cross section of the eyelash fan 100.

[0054] Figure 1D and Figure 1E An exemplary cross-sectional view of a fan of eyelashes at the base region 110 along line 1D-1D is shown. Figure 1D A first configuration of a cross-section of the eyelash fan 100 is shown, wherein the artificial hairs are arranged in a linear configuration. For example, the artificial hairs 102a-102e define a row of hairs arranged linearly. In such a configuration, the linear arrangement can provide a lash artist or eyelash technician with a stable or flat surface to hold the eyelash fan during application. Because the artificial hairs 102a-102e at the base region 110 are not coupled to each other before the eyelash fan is applied, each artificial hair 102a-102e can be wrapped around the natural eyelashes and thereby coupled to different portions of the natural eyelashes (see FIG. 1 along the cross-section) when the eyelash fan is applied. Figure 2C ).

[0055] Figure 1E Different cross-sectional configurations of the eyelash fan 100 are shown. In such configurations, the artificial hairs 102a-102e are stacked relative to one another. Depending on the number of artificial hairs and the manufacturing method, the artificial hairs can be stacked to form a circular cross-section, a triangular cross-section, or another arrangement. In this example, the cross-sectional shape of the eyelash fan 100 can be more compact, which can help to wrap the artificial hairs 102a-102e around the natural eyelashes.

[0056] Figures 2A-2D An exemplary application 200 of a fan of eyelashes is shown. Figure 2A As shown, the eyelash fan 202 can be applied to a single natural eyelash 204 of the wearer. To apply the eyelash fan 202, an eye-safe adhesive can be applied to the coupling region 202a and the base region 202b. In some cases, the eye-safe adhesive is used to coat the entire coupling region 202a and the base region 202b. The eyelash fan 202 can then be applied with the base region 202b toward the waterline of the upper lash line 206. Figure 2A While showing the eyelash fan applied to the upper lash line 206, Figure 2B The same method for applying the lash fan to the lower lash line 209 is shown.

[0057] In some examples, such as Figure 2A As shown, the eyelash fan 202 is applied to the base of the natural eyelashes (e.g., indicated by arrow 208a). In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. Figure 2B As shown, the eyelash fan 202 can be applied to the top of the natural eyelashes (eg, indicated by arrow 208b). In some examples, the eyelash fan 202 can be applied to the sides of the natural eyelashes.

[0058] Because the artificial hairs at the base region 202b of the eyelash fan 202 are free of adhesive (e.g., not attached to each other) in the shipping state, application to the top, bottom, and / or sides of the eyelash fan 202 is facilitated. To apply, the eyelash artist applies an eye-safe adhesive to the base region 202b (e.g., by soaking the eyelashes), so that the adhesive coats each artificial hair individually. Because the artificial hairs are not bonded together in region 202b, they can at least partially wrap around the natural eyelashes 204. In examples where the eyelash fan 202 is applied to the top, bottom, or sides of the natural eyelashes 204, the unbonded hairs at the base region 202b provide a larger surface area for adhesion to the natural eyelashes. Compared to some eyelash tufts that are bonded together at the base, the unbonded base of the eyelash fan 202 significantly increases the contact area between the natural eyelashes and the artificial hairs due to the number of hairs. Generally, a larger surface area results in longer wear of the eyelash fan.

[0059] Figure 2C The eyelash fan 202 is shown after being applied to the wearer's natural eyelashes 204. The base region 202b of the eyelash fan 202 curls the natural eyelashes 204 upward until the connection region 202a. At the connection region 202a, the eyelash fan 202 rests on a portion of the natural eyelashes 204 without curling them. Due to the curl and length of each artificial hair of the eyelash fan 202, each artificial hair spreads around the natural eyelashes 204 to create volume and add length.

[0060] Figure 2D A cross-sectional view of an eyelash fan 202 applied at a base area 202b is shown. As shown in this illustrative example, each artificial hair 210a-f (in this case a 6D eyelash fan) is adhered to a portion of the natural hair 204 via an eye-safe adhesive 212. The eye-safe adhesive 212 covers the natural hair 204 and a portion of the periphery of each artificial hair 210a-f. The artificial hairs 210a-f are distributed (e.g., curled) along the periphery of the natural hair 204, thereby allocating a bonding area thereto along the periphery multiplied by the length of the eyelash fan base area. In such a configuration, even if an artificial hair 210a detaches from the natural eyelashes 204, the remaining artificial hairs 210a-f remain bonded, thereby extending the wear time of the eyelash fan 202. In some cases, particularly for eyelash fans with more artificial hairs, the artificial hairs can curl around the natural eyelashes and bond to each other and to the natural eyelashes. Although Figure 2D The examples of FIG. 1 show simplified or idealized cross-sections, but depending on the application, the artificial hairs 210a may not be evenly distributed, and some of the artificial hairs 210a may not be directly bonded to the natural hair 204, see FIG. Figure 6 .

[0061] Figure 3 An exemplary application 300 of multiple eyelash fans to the natural hairs of the upper lash line is shown. As shown, each eyelash fan 302, 304, and 306 is positioned on a single natural eyelash 308. In some examples, each eyelash fan is positioned adjacent to each individual natural eyelash 308 such that at least some of the artificial hairs of the eyelash fans 302, 304, 306 overlap in the fan-shaped area of ​​the eyelash fan. This application method provides volume to the lash line and at least partially obscures the natural eyelashes so that the eyelash fans can appear more natural to the wearer. Similarly, Figure 3 The arrangement shows a simplified or idealized application of an eyelash fan, and in practice, an eyelash fan may be bonded to two or more natural eyelashes, or there may be eyelashes to which no eyelash fan is applied, depending on the type of eyelash installation or the skill of the technician.

[0062] Figure 4 An exemplary method 400 for manufacturing an exemplary eyelash fan is shown. Although the following method describes the process of manufacturing an exemplary eyelash fan, Figures 1A-1C The described eyelash fan may be a pre-made eyelash fan in which the adhesive is positioned a distance d from the proximal end without heat bonding.

[0063] In step 402, artificial hair can be placed in a mold. Artificial hair (for example, made of PBT or similar materials as described herein) can be straight or uncurled artificial hair. Some artificial hairs can have a pre-cut length for manufacture. The mold used can be dedicated to the size (for example, 3D, 6D, 20D, 36D etc.) of the final eyelash fan product. In certain embodiments, the artificial hair is measured and cut into the final length of the approximately eyelash fan. In some examples, the artificial hair is manually placed in the mold. Each mold can be aligned to form an artificial hair group.

[0064] At step 404, a number (e.g., 15, 30, or the like) of artificial hair strips of an eyelash fan are wound at least partially around a cylindrical surface of a rod, drum, or other tool. More generally, the artificial hair can be rolled into a heat-resistant sheet, which can help define the curvature of the artificial hair. In some examples, the cylindrical tool can be formed of a metal material and include a diameter corresponding to the desired curvature of the final product.

[0065] In step 406, the cylindrical tool comprising the artificial hair is heated in a baking process. The baking process can subject the artificial hair to a temperature that allows the polymer of the artificial hair to be deformed and not melted. In some cases, the range of the temperature can be between 50 and 220 degrees Celsius. In some cases, the range of the temperature can be from 80 to 200 degrees Celsius. The baking process forms curls and / or shapes in each artificial hair. Heating the artificial hair (for example, by the baking process) can form a permanent or lasting curl.

[0066] In step 408, the artificial hair groups are removed from the cylindrical tool. For quality control and subsequent steps, the individual artificial hair groups can be aligned in trays and strips. In this step, the artificial hair groups can retain the approximate shape from the mold and baking process.

[0067] In step 410, an adhesive composition is applied to the artificial hair assembly. The adhesive is applied at a distance d from the proximal end of each eyelash fan. In some embodiments, the adhesive can be applied with a brush or other precision tool to ensure that the adhesive does not flow to the ends of the fan. In some embodiments, a protective sheet can be placed at the base of the fan to prevent the adhesive from adhering to the ends. In other examples, a second mold can be used to precisely align the adhesive. Due to quality control in this step, the adhesive portion (distance d) can be, for example, 1 mm or more, 1.5 mm or more, 2 mm or more, 3 mm or more, 4 mm or more, etc., from the proximal end. Unlike pre-assembled fans handcrafted by eyelash artists, the method described herein reduces the amount of adhesive used, thereby reducing the weight of the fan. Furthermore, this technique prevents crystallization (where the ends of the fan adhere together), which in turn can prevent the pre-assembled fan from curling around the eyelashes. Optionally, during this step, the technician can further shape the fan by compressing the fan at the joining area to reduce its cross-sectional area. The adhesive composition applied at distance d can be allowed to solidify and / or cure.

[0068] As reference Figure 1B As mentioned, although adhesive compositions are described, in some cases the hair may be bonded via heat fusion or physical wrapping (eg, shrink wrap, thread, staple fibers, etc.).

[0069] At step 412, the individual eyelash fans are packaged for shipping. In some examples, the eyelash fans can be placed on a strip for shipping. The strip can include glue to hold the eyelash fans together. Once the eyelash fans are removed from the strip, the artificial hairs are not adhered to each other at the proximal ends (e.g., there is no adhesive).

[0070] The lash fan can then be bundled and shipped, ready for the lash artist to apply directly to the natural lashes.

[0071] Figure 1A-3 The above example in includes an eyelash fan with six artificial hairs. However, as mentioned above, the eyelash fan described in the present disclosure can include a range of artificial hairs, typically from three artificial hairs to as many as twenty artificial hairs. Figure 5A An exemplary eyelash fan 500a is shown having three artificial hairs (e.g., artificial hairs 502). As described above, the eyelash fan 500a can have a coupling region 508 that includes an adhesive that bonds each artificial hair relative to one another, and a base region 510 that is free of adhesive, i.e., where the artificial hairs 502 are not bonded relative to one another (e.g., at a distance d from the proximal end 504 of the eyelash fan). At the distal end 506, the artificial hairs 502 gradually curve upward and outward (e.g., widen and / or fan out), thereby adding volume to the wearer's lash line and providing a natural, dramatic look.

[0072] Figure 5B Another exemplary eyelash fan 500b is shown, which may have the same Figures 1A to 4 In such a configuration, the eyelash fan 500a has twenty artificial eyelashes 502 that are not bonded together at the base region 510, thereby allowing each eyelash to spread and / or unfold relative to each other.

[0073] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view 600 of an eyelash fan 500b applied to a natural eyelash 604 is shown. As shown in the figure, each artificial hair 602a-n is wrapped around a portion of the natural eyelash 604 and / or around a portion of the other artificial hairs 602a-n. Due to the number of artificial hairs and / or the thickness of each artificial hair, the circumference of the natural eyelash 604 may be smaller than the adhesion area of ​​the artificial hairs, resulting in the artificial hairs 602a-n overlapping relative to each other. Despite the overlap, each individual artificial hair 602a-n can be efficiently distributed, thereby including the surface area of ​​each artificial hair adhered to the natural eyelash (via adhesive 606).

[0074] As used herein, the phrase "at least one of" preceding a list of items and the terms "and" or "or" used to separate any items modify the list as a whole, not each member of the list. The phrase "at least one of" does not require selection of at least one of each listed item; rather, the phrase allows for meanings that include at least one of any plurality of items, and / or at least one of any combination of items, and / or at least one of each item. For example, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" each mean only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and / or one or more of each of A, B, and C. Similarly, it will be understood that the order in which the elements are presented with respect to a conjunction or disjunction list provided herein should not be construed to limit the disclosure to only the order provided.

[0075] It is understood that, although many embodiments are disclosed above, the operations and steps provided with respect to the methods and techniques described herein are exemplary and therefore not exhaustive. It is further understood that, for specific embodiments, alternative step sequences or fewer or more operations may be desirable or ideal.

[0076] Although the above disclosure has been described in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the specific embodiments for which they are described, but rather may be applied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of several embodiments of the present invention, whether or not such embodiments are described, and whether or not such features are provided as part of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments, but rather should be defined by the claims set forth herein.

Claims

1. An eyelash fan system, comprising: An eyelash fan, comprising: a plurality of artificial hairs having a proximal end and a distal end, the plurality of artificial hairs widening from the proximal end to the distal end; and a first adhesive composition that bonds the plurality of artificial hairs at a distance from the proximal end; a second adhesive composition, said second adhesive composition being applied to the wearer's natural eyelashes, wherein: the second adhesive composition is applied to at least a portion of each artificial hair of the plurality of artificial hairs at the proximal end; and The at least a portion of each artificial hair at least partially wraps around the natural eyelash and is coupled to the natural eyelash via the second adhesive composition.

2. The eyelash fan system according to claim 1, wherein: The eyelash fan is the first eyelash fan in a group of eyelash fans; and Each eyelash fan in the set of eyelash fans is attached to a corresponding natural eyelash of the wearer's upper eyelashes.

3. The eyelash fan system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of artificial hairs comprises 3 to 10 artificial hairs; and The distance between the proximal ends of the plurality of artificial hairs and the first adhesive composition is between 1 mm and 6 mm.

4. The eyelash fan system according to claim 1, wherein: The eyelash fan is configured to be applied over natural eyelashes.

5. The eyelash fan system according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of artificial hairs defines a respective curvature relative to the proximal end.

6. The eyelash fan system according to claim 1, wherein: The first adhesive composition is positioned along the coupling region of the eyelash fan; and The plurality of artificial hairs are arranged in a single row along a cross section of the coupling region.

7. An eyelash fan configured to be applied to a single one of a wearer's natural eyelashes, the eyelash fan comprising: a plurality of artificial hairs, the plurality of artificial hairs having an eyelash fan proximal end and an eyelash fan distal end, the plurality of artificial hairs defining a fan-shaped area; a coupling region between the fan-shaped region and the proximal end, the coupling region bonding the plurality of artificial hairs together at a distance from the proximal end; as well as Extending from the coupling region to a base region of the proximal end, each of the plurality of artificial hairs is an unbonded artificial hair relative to each other at the base region, and the plurality of artificial hairs are configured to at least partially wrap around the single natural eyelash at the base region.

8. The eyelash fan according to claim 7, wherein: The eyelash fan is the first eyelash fan in a group of eyelash fans; Each eyelash fan in the set of eyelash fans is attached to a different one of the wearer's natural eyelashes; and Two or more eyelash fans in the set of eyelash fans have different lengths.

9. The eyelash fan according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of artificial hairs include 3 to 10 artificial hairs; The distance of the base area is between 1 mm and 6 mm; The coupling region comprises an adhesive composition extending longitudinally along the coupling region with a bond length ranging between 1 mm and 5 mm; and A portion of the plurality of artificial hairs at the base region is substantially free of adhesive.

10. The eyelash fan according to claim 7, wherein: The diameter of each of the plurality of artificial hairs is between 0.03 mm and 0.07 mm; and Each of the plurality of artificial hairs is formed of polybutylene terephthalate.

11. The eyelash fan according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of artificial hairs does not exceed 36 artificial hairs.

12. The eyelash fan according to claim 7, wherein: The eyelash fan is an integral eyelash fan formed through a three-dimensional printing process.

13. The eyelash fan according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of artificial hairs are bonded at the coupling area via heat fusion.

14. An eyelash fan system comprising: An eyelash fan, comprising: a plurality of artificial hairs having a proximal end and a distal end, the plurality of artificial hairs widening from the proximal end to the distal end; and a first adhesive composition that bonds the plurality of artificial hairs at a distance from the proximal end; a second adhesive composition, said second adhesive composition being applied to the wearer's natural eyelashes, wherein: the second adhesive composition is applied to at least a portion of each of the plurality of artificial hairs at or near the proximal end; and The at least a portion of each artificial hair at least partially circumferentially wraps around the natural eyelash and is coupled to the natural eyelash via the second adhesive composition.

15. The eyelash fan system according to claim 14, wherein: The eyelash fan is configured to be positioned over one natural eyelash.

16. The eyelash fan system according to claim 14, wherein: The first adhesive composition is cured before the eyelash fan is applied to the wearer's natural eyelashes.

17. The eyelash fan system according to claim 14, wherein: The first adhesive composition is located at a distance of 1 mm to 6 mm from the proximal end.

18. The eyelash fan system according to claim 14, wherein: The second adhesive composition is an eye-safe adhesive applied in liquid form.

19. The eyelash fan system according to claim 14, wherein: The eyelash fan is configured to be applied underneath natural eyelashes.

20. The eyelash fan system according to claim 14, wherein: Each of the plurality of artificial hairs defines a curvature.

21. A method for manufacturing an eyelash fan, the method comprising: positioning a plurality of artificial hairs within the mold, the plurality of artificial hairs having at least three artificial hairs; winding the plurality of artificial hairs on a bending member, wherein the bending member has a predetermined curvature; baking the plurality of artificial hairs with the bending member, the baking applying heat to the plurality of artificial hairs to form a curvature for each artificial hair; as well as After baking, an adhesive composition is applied to a portion of the plurality of artificial hairs, the portion being located a distance from the proximal ends of the plurality of artificial hairs, each of the plurality of artificial hairs being free of adhesive at the proximal ends and being configured to partially curl around a wearer's natural eyelashes.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein The adhesive composition is applied at least 1 mm from the proximal end.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein The mold is configured to hold a predetermined number of artificial hairs.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein The plurality of artificial hairs are manually positioned in the mold.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein The plurality of artificial hairs further defines a distal end that fans each of the plurality of artificial hairs relative to adjacent artificial hairs of the plurality of artificial hairs.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein The plurality of artificial hairs does not exceed 36 artificial hairs.

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