Applicator

Abstract

The objective is to provide an applicator that allows the applicator to be easily stored inside the case, prevents contamination of the surroundings during storage, and facilitates the application of cosmetics and other substances. [Solution] The device comprises a case body 1 having an open end 11 on at least one of its upper or lower ends, a holder 2 slidably held within the case body 1, and a coating body 3 attached to the holder 2 and exposed from the open end 11 by the sliding of the holder 2, thereby being held in a usable state. The holder 2 is connected to the case body 1 via a weakened connecting piece 4 that can be broken when the holder slides at the start of use, and is made of a single molded product integrally formed together with the case body 1.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an applicator for applying cosmetics and the like.

[0002] When using cosmetics such as eyeshadow and blush, applicators such as brushes and tips are used to apply the cosmetics. Such applicators are stored in a compact case together with the cosmetics, and are also stored and used in a makeup box, a makeup pouch, or the like.

[0003] In addition, in Patent Document 1, as a convenient cosmetic applicator for carrying, there is disclosed an applicator comprising a storage case having a case base and a case lid, and a brush stored in the storage case, wherein the brush can be projected from or stored in the storage case by rotating the case lid.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When storing an applicator such as a brush in a makeup box or the like with the application body exposed after use, dust, dirt, etc. adhere to the application body that directly touches the face, which is very unhygienic. In addition, the makeup box or the like gets dirty because the cosmetics remaining on the brush or the like adhere to the surroundings. Therefore, it is desired to cover and store the application body with a cover or the like. However, it is very time-consuming to attach and detach a cover or the like to the application body every time the conventional applicator is used, and in many cases, the cover is lost and the applicator is stored in an exposed state.

[0006] Furthermore, while the portable cosmetic applicator described in Patent Document 1 allows the brush to be stored in a storage case, there was room for improvement in several aspects: the storage case consists of a case base and a case lid, requiring the user to assemble them; and the part to be held during use is arc-shaped, making it difficult to handle and preventing the application of cosmetics to narrow areas such as around the eyes as intended.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an applicator that allows the applicator to be easily stored inside the case body, prevents contamination of the surroundings during storage, and facilitates the application of cosmetics and the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The applicator of the present invention, developed to achieve the above objective, comprises a case body having an open end at at least one of its upper or lower ends, a holder slidably held within the case body, and an applicator mounted on the holder and exposed from the open end by sliding the holder, thereby being held in a usable state. The holder is connected to the case body via a weakening connecting piece that can be broken when the holder slides at the start of use, and is made of a single molded product integrally formed with the case body.

[0009] In the applicator of the present invention, the case body preferably comprises a pair of side plates facing each other on both sides of the holder, and a front plate and a back plate connected to the edges of the pair of side plates via hinges and facing the front and back of the holder, with at least one of the pair of side plates having a window opening that penetrates the side plate both inward and outward, and the holder being exposed through the window opening and having an operating projection that allows the user to place their fingers on the holder and slide it inside the case body to insert and remove the applicator.

[0010] Furthermore, in the applicator of the present invention, it is preferable that at least one of the pair of side plates is made of two plate materials that can be separated from each other or are inseparable when the plates are in an overlapping or butting position, and that the case body can be unfolded before the plates are placed in an overlapping or butting position.

[0011] Furthermore, in the applicator of the present invention, it is preferable that either the front plate or the back plate has an inner wall connected to the weakening connecting piece, and the other has an inner wall on which at least one rib is formed that slidably contacts the holder.

[0012] Furthermore, in the applicator of the present invention, it is preferable that the weakening connecting piece consists of a spring piece that elastically clamps the holder between itself and the rib when the weakening connecting piece is broken.

[0013] Furthermore, in the applicator of the present invention, it is preferable that the window opening has at least one positioning projection on its edge that is linked to the operating projection to position the holder at any position within the case body and change the amount of the applicator exposed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the applicator of the present invention, the holder on which the applicator is attached is slidably provided inside the case body, and the applicator can be easily exposed to the outside from the open end of the case body or stored inside the case body. For example, when carrying the applicator in a pouch or the like, dust and debris can be prevented from adhering to the applicator, and cosmetics remaining on the applicator after use can be prevented from adhering to the surroundings.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the case body and the holder are integrally molded via a weakening connecting piece (consisting of a single molded product), the number of parts is reduced, and the assembly of the case body and the holder can be easily performed.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the weakening connecting piece is provided on the inner wall of either the front panel or the back panel that constitutes the case body, and at least one rib is provided on the inner wall of the other panel. When the holder is slid to begin use, the weakening connecting piece is broken, and the weakening connecting piece becomes a spring, allowing the holder to be elastically clamped between it and the rib. As a result, the holder does not rattle inside the case body, preventing the holder from moving around inside the case body, making noise, and preventing any cosmetics remaining on the applicator from being shaken off by vibration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This figure schematically shows one embodiment of an applicator according to the present invention, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a top view, (c) is a bottom view, (d) is a left side view (applicator not shown), and (e) is a right side view (applicator not shown). [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows the applicator before assembly, with (a) being a top view and (b) being a front view. [Figure 3] Figure 2(b) illustrates the assembly method of the applicator shown in Figure 1, with a cross-sectional view at position BB. (a) shows the state before assembly, (b) shows the case body bent around the holder via the hinge, and (c) shows the state after assembly. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view at position AA in Figure 2(a). [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view at position CC in Figure 3(c). [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of how the applicator according to the present invention is used, where (a) shows the applicator exposed from the upper open end of the case body, and (b) shows the applicator exposed from the lower open end of the case body. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an embodiment of an applicator according to the present invention, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a plan view, (c) is a bottom view, (d) is a left side view (the coating body is not shown), and (e) is a right side view (the coating body is not shown). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the state of the applicator of FIG. 1 before assembly, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the method of assembling the applicator of FIG. 1 in a cross-sectional view taken at the B-B position in FIG. 2(b), where (a) is the state before assembly, (b) is the state where the case body is bent around the holder via a hinge, and (c) is the state after assembly. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at the A-A position in FIG. 2(a). FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at the C-C position in FIG. 3(c). FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the use state of the applicator according to the present invention, where (a) shows the state where the coating part is exposed from the upper open end of the case body, and (b) shows the state where the coating part is exposed from the lower open end of the case body.

[0019] In FIGS. 1 to 6, reference numeral V denotes an applicator according to the present invention, which includes a cylindrical case body 1 having open ends 11 at the top and bottom, a holder 2 slidably held within the case body 1, and a coating body 3 attached to the holder 2. The applicator according to the present invention is formed by using a material such as synthetic resin and applying an injection molding method.

[0020] The case body 1 includes a pair of left side plates 12 and right side plates 13 that face the side surfaces 21 and 22 of the holder 2 to be described later and face each other, and a front plate 15 and a rear plate 16 that are connected to the edges of the left side plates 12 and right side plates 13 via hinges 14 and face the front part 23 and the rear part 24 of the holder 2 and face each other. In the present embodiment, the plate material located on the front view side in FIG. 1(a) is taken as the front plate 15, and the opposite plate material on the opposite side is taken as the rear plate 16. However, in the case body 1, which of the front plate 15 and the rear plate 16 is used is arbitrary and is not particularly limited. Also, in the present embodiment, an example is shown where the case body 1 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape, but it can be in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape or an elliptical cylindrical shape.

[0021] Among the constituent members that make up the case body 1, as an example, the left side plate 12 is composed of two plate materials, the first left side plate 12a and the second left side plate 12b. The case body 1 is composed of a single plate material 10 in which the first left side plate 12a, the back plate 16, the right side plate 13, the front plate 15, and the second left side plate 12b are connected via hinges 14. On the inner wall of the back plate 16, as shown in FIG. 4 with its main part enlarged, a holder 2 is integrally provided via a weakened connecting piece 4. The weakened connecting piece 4 has a thin-walled part at the connecting portion with the back surface portion 24 of the holder 2. When the holder 2 is moved upward (downward) at the start of using the applicator as described later, the thin-walled part breaks, and the holder 2 becomes slidable up and down.

[0022] The applicator according to the present invention is held in a developed state as shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) at the time of molding the constituent members. However, as shown in FIGS. 3(a), 3(b), the plate material 10 is bent at the hinge 14 portion so as to surround the outer periphery of the holder 2. As shown in FIG. 3(c), the first left side plate 12a and the second left side plate 12b are overlapped, and the convex portion 12a1 of the first left side plate 12a is fitted into the opening 12b1 of the second left side plate 12b (undercut fitting), thereby assembling the case body 1 into a cylindrical shape as the left side plate 12 to obtain a finished product. In this embodiment, the first left side plate 12a and the second left side plate 12b are connected by fitting the convex portion 12a1 and the opening 12b1 at two locations, the upper and lower portions. However, they may be connected at least at one location.

[0023] Also, in this embodiment, the left side plate 12 is formed by overlapping the first left side plate 12a and the second left side plate 12b. However, the left side plate 12 may be formed by abutting the first left side plate 12a and the second left side plate 12b against each other. Further, the first left side plate 12a and the second left side plate 12b that constitute the left side plate 12 may be detachably connected to each other by fitting such as undercut as in this embodiment, or may be inseparably connected to each other by welding or the like.

[0024] The case body 1 has window openings 17a and 17b on the left side panel 12 and the right side panel 13, respectively, and is configured so that the operating projection 25 of the holder 2, which will be described later, is exposed through the window openings 17a and 17b.

[0025] The window opening 17a is formed by a recess 18a provided on the side edge of the first left side panel 12a and a recess 18b provided on the side edge of the second left side panel 12b when the first left side panel 12a and the second left side panel 12b are overlapped to form the left side panel 12. In this embodiment, window openings 17a and 17b are provided on the left side panel 12 and the right side panel 13, respectively, but the window openings 17a and 17b only need to be provided in at least one place on the case body 1 in accordance with the operating projection 25 of the holder 2, which will be described later, and the formation position is not particularly limited.

[0026] The window openings 17a and 17b are for exposing the operating projection 25 of the holder 2, which is located inside the case body 1 as will be described later, to the outside, and for moving the operating projection 25 up and down along the window openings 17a and 17b. This allows the coating part 32, such as the brush of the coating body 3 attached to the holder 2, to be exposed from the open end 11 of the case body 1 or to be housed inside the case body 1 as will be described later. Therefore, the length of the applicator V in the axial direction L of the window holes 17a and 17b is set to a length that allows the applicator portion 32 to be exposed from the upper and lower open ends 11 of the case body 1 by pushing up (or down) the operating projection 25.

[0027] Each of the window openings 17a and 17b is provided with a first pair of positioning protrusions 171 and a second pair of positioning protrusions 172 on its edge. By engaging the operating projection 25 with the positioning protrusions 171 and 172, the holder 2 can be held in the pushed-up position (the position where the coating portion 32 is exposed from the open end 11 at the top of the case body 1), the stored position, and the pushed-down position (the position where the coating portion 32 is exposed from the open end 11 at the bottom of the case body 1). In addition, multiple pairs of positioning protrusions may be provided in the window openings 17a and 17b to allow the holder 2 to slide in stages, thereby changing the amount of the coating portion 32 exposed from the open end 11 of the case body 1.

[0028] Furthermore, the inner wall of the front panel 15 has two ribs 19 extending in the direction of the axis L of the applicator V. The ribs 19 contact the front portion 23 of the holder 2 and, after use begins, clamp the holder 2 between the ribs and the broken weakened connecting piece 4, preventing the holder 2 from rattling inside the case body 1. This prevents the holder 2 from shaking and making noise due to vibration, and prevents cosmetics etc. attached to the applicator portion 32 (described later) of the applicator from shaking off and soiling the surroundings. Note that at least one rib 19 is sufficient on the inner wall of the front panel 15.

[0029] The holder 2 is a rectangular cylindrical body having a pair of side portions 21 and 22, a front portion 23, and a back portion 24, and is connected to the back plate 16 of the case body 1 via a weakening connecting piece 4 provided on the back portion 24. In this embodiment, the holder 2 is shown as a rectangular cylindrical shape as an example, but it is not limited to this, and can be cylindrical, elliptical, or various other shapes depending on the type and shape of the coating body 3 to be attached to the holder 2, which will be described later.

[0030] The holder 2 has open ends at the top and bottom and is divided into an upper mounting section 27 and a lower mounting section 28 by a partition 26 located approximately in the center in the axial direction L of the applicator V. The upper mounting section 27 and the lower mounting section 28 are configured to be fitted with the applicator 3 from their open ends. In this embodiment, the holder 2 is divided into an upper mounting section 27 and a lower mounting section 28 by the partition 26 and fitted with the applicator 3 in each section, but the holder 2 only needs to be configured so that at least one applicator 3 can be fitted.

[0031] Each of the pair of side portions 21 and 22 is provided with an operating projection 25 that protrudes outward. The operating projection 25 is exposed to the outside through the window holes 17a and 17b of the case body 1, and the holder 2 can be slid up and down by placing fingers on the upper and / or lower edges of the operating projection 25 and pushing it up (or down). It is preferable to provide a non-slip surface, such as a groove or rough surface, on the part of the operating projection 25 where the fingers are placed. In this embodiment, the operating projection 25 is provided on each of the pair of side portions 21 and 22, but it is sufficient to provide the operating projection 25 at least in one place on the outer circumferential surface of the holder 2, and the position of formation is not particularly limited.

[0032] The applicator 3 consists of a rectangular parallelepiped shaft portion 31 and an applicator portion 32 provided at the end of the shaft portion 31. The applicator 3 is attached to the upper mounting portion 27 and lower mounting portion 28 of the holder 2 by, for example, an undercut fitting. Preferably, the applicator 3 is detachably attached to the upper mounting portion 27 and lower mounting portion 28, which allows the applicator 3 to be replaced and used according to the type and application of the coating agent such as cosmetics.

[0033] The shaft portion 31 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin material, and the coating portion 32 can be a brush made of bristles, a tip made of polyurethane (sponge), etc. In this embodiment, as an example, an applicator 3 having a coating portion 32 made of a brush is mounted on the upper mounting portion 27, and an applicator 3 having a coating portion 32 made of a tip is mounted on the lower mounting portion 28. Furthermore, the shaft portion 31 can be rectangular, cylindrical, elliptical, etc., depending on the shape of the upper mounting portion 27 and lower mounting portion 28 of the holder 2, and the type and application of the coating portion 32.

[0034] In the applicator V having the above configuration, when starting use, placing a finger on the operating projection 25 of the holder 2 and pushing up (or down) the operating projection 25 causes the weakening connecting piece 4 connecting the back plate 16 of the case body and the back portion 24 of the holder 2 to break. As shown in Figure 5, the broken weakening connecting piece 4 becomes a spring piece and elastically presses against the back portion 24 of the holder 2, and the holder 2 is sandwiched between the weakening connecting piece 4 and the rib 19 provided on the front plate 15 of the case body.

[0035] When using the holder, pushing the operating projection 25 upward causes it to move over the first positioning projection pair 171 of the window holes 17a and 17b, raising the holder 2 and exposing the application part 32 (brush) of the applicator 3 mounted on the upper mounting part 27 from the upper open end 11 of the case body 1. This allows the applicator to be applied to the desired location by soaking the application part 32 with an applicator, such as eyeshadow or blush, and then applying the application part 32 to the cheek or above the eye. At that time, the holder 2 does not rattle, and the application can be performed as intended, as the front part 23 and the back part 24 are elastically held between the rib 19 provided on the front plate 15 of the case body 1 and the broken weakened connecting piece 4 provided on the back plate 16, as described above.

[0036] After use, pressing down the operating projection 25 causes the operating projection 25 to move over the first positioning projection pair 171 of the window holes 17a and 17b, and the holder 2 descends. The holder 2 is held in a state where the applicator 32 is stored inside the case body 1 when the lower part of the operating projection 25 abuts against the second positioning projection pair 172.

[0037] Furthermore, when the operating projection 25 is pressed down, the operating projection 25 overcomes the second positioning projection pair 172 of the window holes 17a and 17b, the holder 2 descends, and the coating portion 32 (tip) of the coating body 3 mounted on the lower mounting portion 28 is exposed from the lower open end 11 of the case body 1, making it ready for use.

[0038] The applicator V according to the present invention is formed by integrally molding the case body 1 and the holder 2 as shown in Figures 2(a) and (b), and the finished product can be assembled in the manner shown in Figure 3. Therefore, it has the advantage of not only requiring a small number of parts but also being very easy to assemble. [Industrial applicability]

[0039] The applicator according to the present invention can be suitably used not only for applying cosmetics, but also for applying pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and other coating agents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] V Applicator 1 Case body 10 Board material 11 Open end 12 Left side plate 12a 1st left side plate 12a1 Convex part 12b 2nd left side plate 12b1 Open hole 13 Right side plate 14 Hinge 15 Front plate 16 Back plate 17a, 17b Window holes 171 First positioning projection pair 172 Second positioning projection pair 18a, 18b recesses 19 Ribs 2 holders 21, 22 Side part 23 Front view 24 Rear part 25 Operating protrusion 26 Partition section 27 Upper mounting section 28 Lower mounting part 3. Coating 32 Coating area 31 Shaft 4 Weakening connection piece

Claims

1. A case body having an open end at at least one of its top or bottom, A holder that is slidably held inside the case body, The device comprises a coating body that is mounted in the holder and is exposed from the open end by sliding the holder, and is held in a usable state, The applicator is characterized in that the holder is connected to the case body via a weakened connecting piece that can be broken when the holder is slid at the start of use, and is made of a single molded product integrally formed together with the case body.

2. The case body comprises a pair of side panels facing each of the holder's sides, and a front panel and a back panel connected to the edges of the pair of side panels via hinges, facing the front and back of the holder, and at least one of the pair of side panels has a window opening that penetrates the side panel both internally and externally. The applicator according to claim 1, characterized in that the holder is exposed through the window opening and has an operating projection for sliding the holder within the case body by placing a finger on it to insert and remove the applicator within the case body.

3. The applicator according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the pair of side plates is connected to each other in a way that allows for separation or inseparability when the plates are overlapped or butted together, and consists of two plate materials that allow the case body to be unfolded before being placed in the overlapped or butted state.

4. The applicator according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that either the front plate or the back plate has an inner wall connected to the weakening connecting piece, and the other has an inner wall formed with at least one rib that slidably contacts the holder.

5. The applicator according to claim 4, characterized in that the weakening connecting piece consists of a spring piece that elastically clamps the holder between itself and the rib when the weakening connecting piece is broken.

6. The applicator according to claim 2, characterized in that the window opening has at least one positioning projection on its edge that is linked to the operating projection to position the holder at any position within the case body and change the amount of the applicator exposed.

Images