Hair application tool

Abstract

To provide a user-friendly hair applicator that reliably switches the on / off valve in conjunction with the cap attachment / detachment operation. [Solution] The system includes a shaft 3 having a coating liquid storage chamber, a sliding shaft 6 mounted on the shaft so as to be movable in the axial direction, a coating body 7 housed along the longitudinal direction within the sliding shaft and partially exposed through an opening 6a formed in the side wall of the sliding shaft, a cap 4 covering the sliding shaft and the coating body and detachably attached to the front end of the shaft, a locking mechanism 9 that engages with a part of the cap to move the sliding shaft forward from the shaft when the cap is removed from the shaft, and moves the sliding shaft backward toward the shaft when the cap is attached to the shaft, and an on / off valve 8 that opens when the sliding shaft moves forward relative to the shaft, allowing the coating liquid in the coating liquid storage chamber to be supplied to the coating body, and closes when the sliding shaft moves backward toward the shaft, preventing the supply of coating liquid to the coating body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hair applicator suitable for reliably applying, for example, a hair dyeing material (a coating liquid such as for dyeing gray hair) over the entire length of relatively small amounts (about one to several) of hair.

Background Art

[0002] Regarding hair applicators for applying hair dyeing materials and the like to hair, many improvements have been proposed including their usability. As an example, a hair applicator disclosed in Patent Document 1 based on the proposal of the present applicant is known. According to the hair applicator described in this Patent Document 1, a porous coating portion having a hair sandwiching portion formed by a slit-like cut is disposed at the tip of a shaft cylinder constituting the applicator body. Then, by moving the porous coating portion along the length direction of the hair with the hair sandwiched in the slit-like hair sandwiching portion, a hair dyeing material (a coating liquid such as for dyeing gray hair) can be applied to the hair.

[0003] Also, as another hair applicator based on the proposal of the present applicant, a hair applicator disclosed in Patent Document 2 is known. In the hair applicator described in this Patent Document 2, a single multi-component coating body is disposed at the front end of the applicator body that functions as a gripping portion, and elastic rod-like hair sandwiching portions are disposed on both sides of this multi-component coating body with the multi-component coating body at the center. Therefore, according to the hair applicator described in Patent Document 2, by picking up the tip of the hair to be dyed and placing and sandwiching the hair between the multi-component coating body and the hair sandwiching portion, and reciprocating the coating body and the hair sandwiching portion from near the hair tip to near the hair root while pinching the tip of the hair, a hair dyeing material can be applied to the hair.

[0004] Also, as yet another hair applicator based on the proposal of the present applicant, a hair applicator disclosed in Patent Document 3 is known. The hair applicator described in Patent Document 3 has an applicator body positioned at the front end of the applicator body which functions as a gripping part, and is provided with a guide part in which the direction of the comb teeth are aligned in one direction in order to slide the hair along the surface of the applicator body. With this hair applicator, by aligning the direction of the comb teeth of the guide section with the direction of the hair to be dyed and smoothing it down, the hair dyeing process can be easily performed with one hand and with pinpoint accuracy. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-215320 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-223656 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-72432 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] By the way, as mentioned above, when applying hair dye (such as a gray hair dye solution) to a relatively small amount of hair (one to a few strands), it is desirable to supply a suitable amount of the dye solution generously to the target hair. However, in the hair applicators described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 mentioned above, cotton (storage material) is housed within the applicator body, such as a shaft, and the applicator liquid is impregnated into the cotton and stored therein. As a result, it is often not possible to supply sufficient applicator liquid to the target hair. This leads to insufficient application of the applicator liquid to the target hair, causing problems such as streaking on the hair.

[0007] To resolve the aforementioned problems, it is conceivable to adopt a liquid-type hair applicator that stores the coating solution in a storage chamber within the applicator body, without using the aforementioned cotton (storage material). However, this requires a switching operation of an on / off valve between the coating liquid storage chamber and the coating body. This valve is opened when using the coating tool and closed when storing the coating tool to prevent leakage of the coating liquid.

[0008] This invention focuses on the idea of ​​using a liquid-type hair applicator and performing the switching operation of the on / off valve in conjunction with the cap attachment / detachment operation. The objective is to provide a user-friendly hair applicator that ensures reliable switching of the on / off valve. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the aforementioned problems, the hair applicator according to this invention comprises: a shaft having an applicator liquid storage chamber; a sliding shaft mounted at the front end of the shaft so as to be axially movable relative to the shaft; an applicator body housed along the longitudinal direction within the sliding shaft and positioned so as to be partially exposed through an opening formed in the side wall of the sliding shaft; a cap covering the sliding shaft and the applicator body and detachably attached to the front end of the shaft; a locking mechanism provided on the cap and the sliding shaft, which engages with a part of the cap when the cap is removed from the shaft, thereby moving the sliding shaft forward from the shaft, and moves the sliding shaft backward toward the shaft when the cap is attached to the shaft; and an on / off valve that opens when the sliding shaft moves forward relative to the shaft, allowing the applicator liquid in the applicator liquid storage chamber to be supplied to the applicator, and closes when the sliding shaft moves backward toward the shaft, preventing the supply of the applicator liquid to the applicator.

[0010] In this case, it is desirable that a U-shaped opening is formed on the side wall of the sliding shaft, leaving a long clamping body along the axial direction, so as to surround both sides and the tip of the clamping body in the longitudinal direction, and that the hair to be coated can be inserted between the tip of the clamping body and the coating body.

[0011] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the on / off valve is formed between a valve member positioned at the outlet portion of the coating liquid storage chamber within the front end opening of the shaft cylinder and the rear end of the sliding shaft that contacts the valve member as the sliding shaft moves backward. The valve member is formed with a cylindrical projection whose top surface is closed and which protrudes toward the rear end opening of the sliding shaft, and a coating liquid supply opening that connects the inner and outer sides of the side wall of the projection. Furthermore, a seal body is formed within the rear end opening of the sliding shaft, which, when the sliding shaft moves backward, comes into contact with the cylindrical projection of the valve member, thereby preventing the supply of coating liquid to the coating body through the coating liquid supply opening.

[0012] Furthermore, the locking mechanism is preferably formed on the inner bottom of the cap and the tip of the sliding shaft, and consists of a fitting projection that protrudes in the axial direction and can be fitted together with the other, and a fitting recess into which the fitting projection is inserted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the hair applicator of this invention, a locking mechanism is formed between the cap and the sliding shaft that houses the applicator, which locks onto a part of the cap when the cap is removed, causing the sliding shaft to move forward from the shaft, and moves the sliding shaft backward toward the shaft when the cap is attached to the shaft. Furthermore, an on / off valve is provided that opens when the sliding shaft moves forward relative to the shaft, allowing the applicator liquid in the applicator liquid storage chamber to be supplied to the applicator liquid inside the sliding shaft, and closes when the sliding shaft moves backward toward the shaft, preventing the supply of the applicator liquid to the applicator liquid. Therefore, with the hair applicator according to this invention, the switching operation of the on / off valve located between the applicator liquid chamber and the applicator body is performed in conjunction with the operation of attaching or detaching the cap. This makes it possible to provide a user-friendly hair applicator that can reliably switch the on / off valve. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1]It is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the hair applicator with the cap removed according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Similarly, it shows the overall configuration with the cap attached, (A) is a front view, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction. [Figure 3] Similarly, it shows the overall configuration with the cap loosened, (A) is a front view, and (B) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction. [Figure 4] It shows the overall configuration of the applicator body with the cap removed, (A) is a top view, (B) is a front view, and (C) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction. [Figure 5] It is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view including an opening / closing valve, (A) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in FIG. 2 with the cap attached, and (B) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in FIG. 4 with the cap removed. [Figure 6] It is an exploded view of the components constituting the entire hair applicator. [Figure 7] It shows the single-piece configuration of the rear shaft, (A) is a front view, (B) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, (C) is a left side view, (D) is a right side view, (E) is a perspective view with the front end facing forward, and (F) is a perspective view with the rear end facing forward. [Figure 8] It shows the single-piece configuration of the front shaft, (A) is a top view, (B) is a front view, (C) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, (D) is a left side view, (E) is a right side view, (F) is a perspective view with the front end facing forward, and (G) is a perspective view with the rear end facing forward. [Figure 9] It shows the single-piece configuration of the cap, (A) is a front view, (B) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, (C) is a cross-sectional view in a state rotated 90 degrees axially with respect to (B), (D) is a left side view, (E) is a right side view, and (F) is a perspective view with the open end facing forward. [Figure 10] It shows the single-piece configuration of the valve member, (A) is a front view, (B) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, (C) is a cross-sectional view in a state rotated 90 degrees axially with respect to (B), (D) is a left side view, (E) is a right side view, (F) is a perspective view with the front end facing forward, (G) is a perspective view with the rear end facing forward, (H) is a perspective view with a changed viewpoint with respect to (F), and (I) is a perspective view with a changed viewpoint with respect to (G). [Figure 11] Shows the single-piece structure of the sliding shaft. (A) is a top view, (B) is a front view, (C) is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, (D) is a left side view, (E) is a right side view, (F) is a perspective view with the front end facing forward, (G) is a perspective view with a changed viewing point relative to (F), and (H) is a perspective view with the rear end facing forward.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0015] The hair applicator according to this invention will be described based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. In each of the following figures, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. However, in some drawings, for the convenience of the drawing, representative parts are denoted by reference numerals, and the details of each part will be described by referring to the reference numerals given in the single-piece component configuration diagram. And in the following description of the hair applicator, the side where the sliding shaft accommodating the application body is located is referred to as the "front end", and the opposite side is referred to as the "rear end".

[0016] Figs. 1 to 4 show the overall configuration of the hair applicator with the cap attached or the configuration of the applicator body with the cap removed. In this hair applicator, a front shaft 2 is attached to the front end of a rear shaft 1 whose outer shape is formed in a cylindrical shape to form a shaft cylinder 3. And a cap 4 with its front end closed is detachably attached to the front shaft 2 in the axial direction, so that the appearance of the hair applicator with the cap 4 attached is configured to form a cylinder with substantially equal diameters in the length direction (see Fig. 2).

[0017] In the first half of the front shaft 2, a diameter-reducing portion 2a is formed which gradually reduces in diameter in a stepped manner toward the front end, and a male thread 2b is formed on this diameter-reducing portion 2a. By screwing a female thread 4a formed in the opening of the cap 4 with respect to this male thread 2b, the cap 4 is detachably attached to the front shaft 2 as described above. Furthermore, a coating liquid storage chamber 1a is formed inside the rear shaft 1, and a valve member 5 is positioned at the outlet portion of the coating liquid storage chamber 1a at the front end of the rear shaft 1 so as to close the coating liquid storage chamber 1a. As will be explained later, an annular flange portion 5a is formed in the approximate center of the axial direction of this valve member 5, and when the front shaft 2 is attached to the rear shaft 1, the annular flange portion 5a abuts against the front end opening edge of the rear shaft 1, thereby positioning the valve member 5 at the outlet portion of the coating liquid storage chamber 1a.

[0018] Furthermore, a sliding shaft 6 containing the coating body 7 is mounted at the front end opening of the lead shaft 1 that constitutes the shaft cylinder 3, so as to be movable in the axial direction relative to the shaft cylinder 3. This sliding shaft 6 is made up of a cylindrical body with a closed front end and an opening 6a on its side wall that exposes a portion of the coating body 7. The rear end of the sliding shaft 6 is open, forming an on-off valve 8 with the valve member 5. This on-off valve 8 opens when the sliding shaft 6 moves forward relative to the shaft cylinder 3, allowing the coating liquid in the coating liquid storage chamber 1a to be supplied to the coating body 7, and closes when the sliding shaft 6 moves backward toward the shaft cylinder 3, preventing the supply of the coating liquid to the coating body 7. The opening and closing operations of this on-off valve 8 will be explained later based on Figure 5.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, a locking mechanism 9 is formed on the cap 4 and the sliding shaft 6, enabling their connection and separation. This locking mechanism 9 acts to lock onto a part of the cap 4 when removing the cap 4 from the shaft 3, causing the sliding shaft 6 to move forward from the shaft 3, and acts to move the sliding shaft 6 backward toward the shaft 3 when attaching the cap 4 to the shaft 3. In the illustrated example, the locking mechanism 9 is composed of a fitting projection 4b formed on the inner bottom of the cap 4 and a fitting recess 6c formed on the tip of the sliding shaft 6.

[0020] Figures 7 to 11 show the individual components that make up the hair application tool described above. Below, the individual components will be explained based on Figures 7 to 11. Figure 7 shows the individual components of the rear shaft 1 that make up the shaft cylinder 3. This rear shaft 1 has an outer cylinder 1b and an inner cylinder 1c, and the outer cylinder 1b is made up of a cylindrical body with openings at the front and rear ends. The inner cylinder 1c is closed at its rear end, and as previously described, a liquid coating chamber 1a is formed inside it. The front end portion of the inner cylinder 1c, that is, the outlet portion of the coating chamber 1a, is connected to the outer cylinder 1b by an annular connecting portion 1d [see Figure 7(B)]. As a result, the closed rear end of the inner cylinder 1c is surrounded by a continuous circumferential groove 1e between it and the outer cylinder 1b, and the bottom of the circumferential groove 1e is formed in an annular shape by the connecting portion 1d.

[0021] A short-axis cylindrical portion 1f is formed extending forward from the connecting portion 1d, and the outer diameter of this cylindrical portion 1f is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 1b. The rear cylindrical portion 5b of the valve member 5, which will be described later, is mounted inside the cylindrical portion 1f, and the flange portion 5a of the valve member 5 is in contact with the front end opening edge of the cylindrical portion 1f. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 2c, which constitutes the rear half of the front shaft 2 (explained later), is fitted to the outside of the cylindrical portion 1f. As a result, the valve member 5 is mounted at the outlet portion of the coating liquid storage chamber 1a at the front end of the shaft cylinder 3.

[0022] Figure 8 shows the individual components of the front shaft 2. As previously explained, the front shaft 2 has a reduced diameter section 2a that tapers slightly towards the front end, and a male screw 2b is formed on this reduced diameter section 2a, which screws into a female screw 4a formed on the cap 4, allowing the cap 4 to be attached and detached. The cylindrical section 2c that constitutes the rear half of the front shaft 2 is fitted to cover the front end cylindrical section 1f of the rear shaft 1, thereby forming the shaft cylinder 3.

[0023] A stepped portion 2d is formed approximately in the axial center of the front shaft 2, with the inner diameter decreasing towards the front. The flange portion 5a of the valve member 5, which will be described later, comes into contact with this stepped portion 2d, thereby positioning the valve member 5 within the shaft cylinder 3. Furthermore, the stepped portion 2e, which is formed to further reduce the inner diameter toward the front end opening of the front shaft 2, comes into contact with the annular projection 6d, which is formed on the sliding shaft 6 that slides axially at the front end opening of the front shaft 2 (details to be described later). As a result, the stepped portion 2e functions as a stopper to prevent the sliding shaft 6 from falling out of the shaft cylinder 3.

[0024] Figure 9 shows the individual components of the cap 4. As described above, a female thread 4a is formed inside the opening of the cap 4, and a fitting projection 4b, which constitutes one of the locking mechanisms 9 described above, is formed on the inner bottom of the cap 4. This fitting projection 4b is formed to protrude axially from the center of the inner bottom of the cap 4, and is composed of multiple (four in the illustrated example) slits 4c arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of a short-axis cylindrical body. In addition, a tapered portion (indicated by the same symbol 4b as the fitting projection) is formed on the tip side of the fitting projection 4b, with the diameter decreasing towards the tip.

[0025] By providing multiple slits 4c on the fitting projection 4b, flexibility can be given to the fitting projection 4b in the axial direction. This allows the fitting projection 4b to be fitted with the fitting recess 6c of the sliding shaft 6, which will be described later and constitutes the other part of the locking mechanism 9, with appropriate elasticity. Furthermore, by making the fitting projection 4b flexible, the fitted state of the locking mechanism 9 is maintained, allowing the sliding shaft 6 to be reliably moved forward from the shaft cylinder 3 when the cap 4 is removed. Additionally, by applying an appropriate pulling force, the cap 4 can be reliably removed from the sliding shaft 6 side.

[0026] Figure 10 shows the individual components of the valve member 5. As described above, the valve member 5 has an annular flange 5a formed approximately in the axial center, and the rear cylindrical portion 5b, separated by the flange 5a, is housed within the front cylindrical portion 1f of the rear shaft 1. The front cylindrical portion 5c has a smaller diameter compared to the rear cylindrical portion 5b and is housed within the space between the stepped portions 2d and 2e of the front shaft 2.

[0027] Within this valve member 5, a cylindrical projection 5e with a closed top surface is formed, projecting toward the rear end opening of the sliding shaft 6 via an annular partition wall 5d perpendicular to the shaft. Furthermore, a coating liquid supply opening 5f is formed in the cylindrical side wall of the projection 5e, connecting its inner and outer sides. In this embodiment, the coating liquid supply opening 5f is formed in a state that extends to the partition wall 5d as well [see Figures 10(C) and (G)]. In this valve member 5, a cylindrical projection 5e is formed inside, and an annular groove 5g surrounding the projection 5e is formed inside the valve member 5 [see Figures 10(B) and (C)].

[0028] Figure 11 shows the individual components of the sliding shaft 6. This sliding shaft 6 is made up of a cylindrical body with a closed front end and an opening 6a on its side wall that exposes a portion of the coated material 7 housed therein along the axial direction. As shown in Figure 11(A), the opening 6a is formed in a U-shape, leaving a long clamping body 6b along the axial direction. That is, the opening 6a is formed to surround both longitudinal sides 6b1, 6b2 of the clamping body 6b and the tip 6b3 of the clamping body 6b. This configuration allows the hair 11 to be coated to be inserted between the tip 6b3 of the clamping body 6b and the coating body 7 housed within the sliding shaft 6 (see Figure 1).

[0029] A fitting recess 6c formed at the front end of the sliding shaft 6, which constitutes the other side of the locking mechanism 9, has a funnel-shaped opening 6c1 that widens towards the front end. This ensures that the axis is properly aligned when fitted with the fitting projection 4b on the cap 4 side, which constitutes one side of the locking mechanism 9. Furthermore, the annular projection 6d formed on the outer circumferential surface near the rear end of the sliding shaft 6 abuts against the stepped portion 2e formed in the front end opening of the front shaft 2, thereby restricting the forward movement of the sliding shaft 6. In addition, the rear end of the sliding shaft 6 is open and housed in the annular groove 5g formed in the valve member 5, and the rear end of the sliding shaft 6 abuts against the inner bottom of the annular groove 5g, thereby restricting the backward movement of the sliding shaft 6. Furthermore, a first seal body 6e (see Figure 11(C)) is formed in an annular shape and protrudes toward the axis within the rear end opening of the sliding shaft 6, and a second seal body 6f is formed on the rear end opening edge of the sliding shaft 6, protruding outward in an annular shape.

[0030] Figure 5 illustrates the opening and closing operation of the on-off valve 8, which is composed of the valve member 5 shown in Figure 10 and the sliding shaft 6 shown in Figure 11, and is located inside the front end of the shaft cylinder 3. Figure 5(A) shows the state in which the on / off valve 8 is closed by attaching the cap 4 to the shaft cylinder 3 and retracting the sliding shaft 6, as shown in Figure 2. In this case, the first seal body 6e formed inside the sliding shaft 6 abuts against the circumferential surface of the cylindrical projection 5e formed on the valve member 5, whose top surface is closed. This prevents the supply of coating liquid from flowing from the coating liquid containment chamber 1a side to the coating body 7 inside the sliding shaft 6 through the coating liquid supply opening 5f of the valve member 5.

[0031] Figure 5(B) shows the state in which, as shown in Figure 4, the cap 4 is removed from the shaft cylinder 3, causing the sliding shaft 6 to move forward due to the traction action of the locking mechanism 9, and the on / off valve 8 to open. In this case, the first seal body 6e formed inside the sliding shaft 6 moves forward and separates from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical projection 5e formed on the valve member 5, creating a gap between the circumferential surface of the cylindrical projection 5e and the inner circumferential surface of the sliding shaft 6, resulting in an open valve state. As a result, the coating liquid from the coating liquid storage chamber 1a is supplied to the coating body 7 inside the sliding shaft 6 via the coating liquid supply opening 5f of the valve member 5, as indicated by the arrow.

[0032] Furthermore, the second seal body 6f, formed at the rear end of the sliding shaft 6, slides and contacts the outer circumferential surface of the annular groove 5g in the valve member 5, both when the on-off valve 8 is closed and open by the first seal body 6e as shown in Figure 5, and also when the sliding shaft 6 moves forward and backward. As a result, the second seal body 6f prevents the coating liquid from leaking out of the sliding shaft 6. Furthermore, while a felt core is preferably used as the applicator 7 for this hair applicator, other materials that can be impregnated with the coating liquid, such as sponges, sintered bodies, open-cell bodies, and natural or artificial fibers, can also be used.

[0033] The hair application tool configured as described above can be suitably used, for example, to dye partially gray hair. To dye hair using this hair applicator, take the tips of 2 to 5 strands of hair, including any gray hairs you have found, and sandwich the hair between the tip 6b3 of the clamping body 6b attached to the applicator's sliding shaft 6 and the applicator 7 exposed in the opening 6a.

[0034] Next, while holding the tip of the hair, slide the sliding shaft 6 along the hair from the root to the tip. By repeating this sliding motion 2 to 3 times, the selected hair can be dyed reliably. Finally, by releasing the hand holding the hair and pulling the hair to separate the sliding shaft 6, the hair can be dyed all the way to the ends without getting your hands dirty.

[0035] As described above, the hair application tool can be suitably used for dyeing partially present gray hair and other types of hair. The hair dye that can be used to color gray hair and the like is a cosmetic pigment dispersion containing water, a water-soluble organic solvent, carbon black, and (ethyl betaine methacrylate / acrylates) copolymer, preferably with a ratio of 30 to 95% by mass of water to the total solvent, and a histogram average particle size D50 of carbon black based on the scattered light intensity distribution at 25°C being less than 200 nm.

[0036] The carbon black content is preferably 1 to 32% by mass relative to the total amount of the cosmetic pigment dispersion, considering the stability after dispersion and the convenience of cosmetic manufacturing. By setting the carbon black content to 1% by mass or more, excellent productivity and excellent coloring properties when added to cosmetics are achieved. On the other hand, by setting it to less than 32% by mass and the histogram average particle size D50 of the carbon black based on the scattered light intensity distribution at 25°C to less than 200 nm, dispersibility and stability over time are further improved.

[0037] Water-soluble organic solvents are used as solvents for pigment dispersions for cosmetics, and examples include lower alcohols with 5 or fewer carbon atoms. In particular, ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is preferable in terms of safety and ease of handling. The content of the water-soluble organic solvent is preferably 1 to 60% by mass of the total amount of the pigment dispersion for cosmetics. By setting the content of this water-soluble organic solvent to 1% by mass or more, it can effectively prevent the solvent from freezing at low temperatures. On the other hand, by setting it to less than 60% by mass, the solubility of the (ethyl methacrylate betaine / acrylates) copolymer is further improved.

[0038] The (ethyl methacrylate betaine / acrylates) copolymer is an ingredient that improves the dispersibility of carbon black and its stability over time when used as a dispersion. Examples of commercially available (ethyl methacrylate betaine / acrylates) copolymers include RAM Resin-1000 (manufactured by Osaka Organic Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) and Plus Size L-440 (manufactured by Go-o Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). The content of (ethyl methacrylate betaine / acrylates) copolymer is preferably 3 to 15% by mass in terms of solid content, relative to the total amount of the cosmetic pigment dispersion.

[0039] By setting the content of this (ethyl betaine methacrylate / acrylates) copolymer to 3% by mass or more, the dispersion state of carbon black is stabilized, and the adhesion of pigments, etc., when incorporated into cosmetics is improved. On the other hand, by setting it to less than 15% by mass, the increase in viscosity is suppressed, further improving the convenience of cosmetic manufacturing. The ideal mixing ratio of carbon black to (ethyl betaine methacrylate / acrylates) copolymer is, by mass, 1:1 to 4:1, considering the dispersibility and long-term stability of carbon black.

[0040] Distilled water, deionized water, purified water, pure water, ultrapure water, etc., can be used as the solvent, and the ratio of water to the total solvent (water + water-soluble organic solvent) should be 30 to 95% by mass. If the ratio of water to the total solvent is less than 30% by mass, the stability over time will be unstable and the dispersion of carbon black will be impossible. On the other hand, if it exceeds 95% by mass, production will be difficult due to solvents other than water originally contained in each component. Furthermore, pH adjusters, surfactants, viscosity modifiers, chelating agents, etc., can be used as needed.

[0041] The pigment dispersion for cosmetics can be prepared by blending the above-mentioned water-soluble organic solvent, carbon black, (ethyl betaine methacrylate / acrylates) copolymer, water, and other components within the above-mentioned ranges of their respective contents, and then uniformly stirring and mixing them. The barrel body contains a liquid hair dye, which includes at least a cosmetic pigment dispersion containing carbon black, a resin, a lower alcohol, a hair dyeing aid, a pH adjuster, and water. The content of the cosmetic pigment dispersion containing carbon black is preferably 0.5 to 30.0% by mass relative to the total amount of hair dye, from the viewpoint of hair dyeing effect, solubility, and storage stability.

[0042] Examples of resins include those that are water-resistant and have film-forming properties. For example, (methacryloyloxyethyl carboxybetaine / alkyl methacrylate) copolymer is used. The content is preferably 0.1 to 10% in solid content relative to the total amount of hair dye, considering water resistance, texture after application to hair, and ease of application. The lower alcohol is preferably a lower alcohol with 5 or fewer carbon atoms, and the use of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is particularly desirable. The lower alcohol content is preferably 10 to 80% by mass relative to the total amount of hair dye.

[0043] Examples of hair dyeing aids that further improve the hair dyeing effect include propylene glycol, and the content is preferably 2-20% of the total amount of hair dye. pH adjusters such as lactic acid and triethanolamine are used to improve colorability, prevent skin irritation, and prevent skin staining problems, and it is preferable to adjust the pH of the hair dye to 2-5. Water is the remainder of the hair dye and is prepared using purified water, distilled water, deionized water, pure water, tap water, etc., and the ratio of water to the total solvent (water + water-soluble organic solvent) is preferably 30-95% by mass. If the ratio of water to the total solvent is less than 30% by mass, the stability over time will be poor, and the solubility when water-soluble components are added will also be poor. On the other hand, if it exceeds 95% by mass, there is a high possibility that the antibacterial activity will be poor.

[0044] The viscosity of hair dye should ideally be 1-200 mPa·s at 25°C (cone plate viscometer: 50 rpm) when applied to a cotton-filled container, considering factors such as appropriate viscosity and dye solubility, improved feel by imparting smoothness, suppleness, and moisture to the hair, improved water resistance, and further enhanced usability and application when used on a coating surface.

[0045] By setting the viscosity of this hair dye to 1 mPa·s or higher, leakage from containers becomes less likely, it becomes less likely to adhere to the scalp, and it does not stain clothing. On the other hand, by setting the viscosity to 200 mPa·s or lower, it becomes easier for the user to control the amount of liquid that gets caught in the applicator such as a brush, and it can be spread thinly and evenly on the hair. The viscosity range (1.0 to 200 mPa·s) can be adjusted by suitably adjusting the amounts of each of the above-mentioned components used, the preferred type of thickener used and its amount, etc. Furthermore, it can be prepared by conventional methods, appropriately containing other raw materials such as thickeners, various surfactants, preservatives, UV absorbers, antioxidants, reduction inhibitors, chelating agents, oily components, fragrances, and animal and plant extracts.

[0046] The following are specific examples of formulations for cosmetic pigment dispersions. Total amount: 100% by mass. Water (purified water) 54.1% by mass Ethanol 27.2% by mass Carbon Black 12.5% (Ethyl betaine methacrylate / acrylates) copolymer 6.2% by mass Particle size: 73 nm (measured at 25°C using a particle size distribution analyzer [FPAR-1000 (Otsuka Electronics Co., Ltd.)], based on histogram average particle size: D50 derived from scattered light intensity distribution).

[0047] Examples of hair dye formulations are listed below. Total amount is 100% by mass. The above-mentioned pigment dispersion for cosmetic products: 7% by mass Water (purified water) 52.36% by mass Ethanol 35.9% by mass (Ethyl betaine methacrylate / acrylates) copolymer 1.2% by mass propylene glycol 3% by mass Lactic acid 0.54% by mass Viscosity 5.7 mPa·s (25℃: cone-plate viscometer: 50 rpm) pH 4.6 Particle size 184 nm (measured at 25°C using a particle size distribution analyzer [FPAR-1000 (Otsuka Electronics Co., Ltd.)], based on histogram average particle size: D50 from scattered light intensity distribution).

[0048] As described above, with the hair applicator according to this invention, the switching operation of the on-off valve 8, which is located between the coating liquid storage chamber 1a and the applicator 7, is performed in conjunction with the operation of attaching or detaching the cap 4 to the shaft 3. As a result, it is possible to provide a hair applicator that is easy to use and can reliably switch the on-off valve 8, and thus obtain the effects and advantages described in the section on the effects of the invention above. In the above-described embodiment, a fitting projection 4b is formed on the inner bottom of the cap 4 as the locking mechanism 9, and a fitting recess 6c is formed on the tip of the sliding shaft 6. However, the same effect can be achieved even if these fitting projections and fitting recesses 6c are interchanged. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 1 rear axle 1a Coating solution storage chamber 1b Outer cylinder 1c inner cylinder 1f Cylindrical section 2 front axis 2a Reduced diameter part 2b Male screw 2c Cylindrical section 3 shaft cylinder 4 caps 4a Female thread 4b Fitting projection (tapered portion) 5 Valve member 5a Tsuba 5b Latter half cylindrical section 5c Front cylindrical section 5e protrusion 5f Coating liquid supply opening 6. Sliding shaft 6a aperture 6b Clamping body 6b3 Tip 6c Fitting recess 6e First seal 6f Second seal 7. Coating 8. Shut-off valves 9 Locking mechanism 11 Hair

Claims

1. A shaft having a coating liquid storage chamber, At the front end of the aforementioned shaft cylinder, a sliding shaft is mounted so as to be movable in the axial direction relative to the shaft cylinder, A coating body is housed along the longitudinal direction within the sliding shaft, with a portion of it exposed through an opening formed in the side wall of the sliding shaft, A cap that covers the sliding shaft and the coating body and is detachably attached to the front end of the shaft cylinder, A locking mechanism is provided on the cap and the sliding shaft, which engages with a part of the cap when the cap is removed from the shaft cylinder, causing the sliding shaft to move forward from the shaft cylinder, and moves the sliding shaft backward toward the shaft cylinder when the cap is attached to the shaft cylinder. An on / off valve that opens when the sliding shaft moves forward relative to the shaft cylinder, allowing the coating liquid in the coating liquid containment chamber to be supplied to the coating body, and closes when the sliding shaft moves backward toward the shaft cylinder, preventing the supply of the coating liquid to the coating body, A hair applicator characterized by having the following features.

2. The side wall of the sliding shaft is formed with a long clamping body in the axial direction, and a U-shaped opening is formed so as to surround both sides and the tip of the clamping body in the longitudinal direction. The hair applicator according to claim 1, characterized in that the hair to be applied can be inserted between the tip of the clamping body and the applicator body.

3. The on / off valve is formed between a valve member positioned at the outlet portion of the coating liquid storage chamber within the front end opening of the shaft cylinder and the rear end of the sliding shaft that contacts the valve member as the sliding shaft moves backward. The valve member is formed with a cylindrical projection whose top surface is closed and which protrudes toward the rear end opening of the sliding shaft, and a coating liquid supply opening that connects the inner and outer sides of the side wall of the projection. The hair applicator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a sealing body is formed in the rear end opening of the sliding shaft, which abuts against the cylindrical projection of the valve member when the sliding shaft moves backward, thereby preventing the supply of coating liquid to the applicator through the coating liquid supply opening.

4. The hair applicator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking mechanism comprises a fitting projection formed on the inner bottom of the cap and the tip of the sliding shaft, which protrudes in the axial direction and can be fitted together with the other, and a fitting recess into which the fitting projection is inserted.

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