eyelash curler

Abstract

To provide an eyelash curling device capable of more appropriately curling eyelashes upward and preventing the eyelashes from falling out or becoming tangled. The rubber pad 5 is configured with a laminated structure having a first rubber portion 51 and a second rubber portion 52. The thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 are set to predetermined sizes.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to eyelash curlers. [Background technology]

[0002] There are eyelash curlers that push up and curl eyelashes. In eyelash curlers, a rubber pad is placed on the top end of a slider, which serves as the lower presser. The slider is moved relative to the press head, which serves as the upper presser, and the press head and rubber pad press down on the eyelashes, pushing them up. If a low-hardness rubber is used for the rubber pad, the eyelashes can be pushed up at a steep angle with little force, but the rubber may deform and cause the eyelashes to sink in too much, resulting in them falling out or becoming tangled. For this reason, Patent Document 1 proposes a rubber pad consisting of a first layer that elastically deforms to fit the upper presser and a second layer made of harder rubber than the first layer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4445910 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, it was found that simply using a rubber pad with a two-layer structure with different hardnesses was not enough to curl the eyelashes upwards in a suitable manner while preventing the eyelashes from falling out or becoming tangled.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an eyelash curling device that can more appropriately curl eyelashes upward and prevent the eyelashes from falling out or becoming tangled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The eyelash curling device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure comprises: an upper presser portion (6) that presses the eyelashes from above; a lower presser portion (4) that is movable relative to the upper presser portion, moves toward and away from the upper presser portion, and has a rubber pad (5) attached thereto that is pressed against the upper presser portion, and presses the eyelashes from below; an operating unit (3) that changes the distance between the upper presser unit and the lower presser unit and presses the rubber pad against the upper presser unit, The rubber pad has a laminated structure in which two layers having different hardnesses are laminated in a direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, and comprises a first rubber portion (51) located on the upper presser portion side, and a second rubber portion (52) located on the side of the first rubber portion away from the upper presser portion and having a higher hardness than the first rubber portion, In a direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, the thickness (T1) of the first rubber portion is set to 1.0 mm or more and 1.4 mm or less, and the thickness (T2) of the second rubber portion is set to 2.6 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, The hardness of the first rubber portion is 15 or more and 30 or less in Shore A hardness, The hardness of the second rubber portion is 70 or more and 85 or less in Shore A hardness. It is an eyelash curler.

[0007] In the eyelash curling device disclosed herein, the rubber pad is formed by a laminated structure having a first rubber portion and a second rubber portion, and the thickness and Shore A hardness of the first rubber portion and the second rubber portion are set as described above. By setting the first rubber portion to the above thickness, it is possible to achieve a thickness that can curl the eyelashes upward and prevent the eyelashes from sinking too far. Furthermore, by setting the second rubber portion to the above thickness, it is possible to achieve a thickness that allows the amount of curl of the eyelashes to change even after the first rubber portion has deformed to near its elastic limit. Furthermore, by setting the first rubber portion to an appropriate hardness, it is possible to prevent stickiness, making it hygienic and easy to fit into the eyelash curling device. Furthermore, since the user can feel the stopper function, it is possible to create an eyelash curling device that prevents eyelashes from falling out or becoming tangled.

[0008] In the above-mentioned eyelash curling device, preferably, an inflection point is provided on a characteristic line that indicates the relationship between the load applied to the operating unit and the length over which the eyelashes are pulled, within a load range that is expected to be applied to the operating unit when curling the eyelashes.

[0009] An eyelash curling device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes: an upper presser portion (6) that presses the eyelashes from above; a lower presser portion (4) that is movable relative to the upper presser portion, moves toward and away from the upper presser portion, and has a rubber pad (5) attached thereto that is pressed against the upper presser portion, and presses the eyelashes from below; an operating unit (3) that changes the distance between the upper presser unit and the lower presser unit and presses the rubber pad against the upper presser unit, The rubber pad has a laminated structure in which two or more layers having different hardnesses are laminated in a direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, and has a first rubber portion (51) located on the upper presser portion side, and a second rubber portion (52) located on the side away from the upper presser portion with respect to the first rubber portion and having a higher hardness than the first rubber portion, In the direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, the thickness of the first rubber portion is 1.0 mm or more and 1.4 mm or less, and the thickness of the second rubber portion is 2.6 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

[0010] In this way, the rubber pad is formed by a laminated structure having a first rubber portion and a second rubber portion, and the thicknesses of the first rubber portion and the second rubber portion are set within the above range. This allows the first rubber portion to have a thickness that achieves the effect of curling the eyelashes upward and preventing the eyelashes from sinking too much. Furthermore, the second rubber portion can have a thickness that allows the amount of curl to change even after the first rubber portion has deformed to near its elastic limit. This makes it possible to create an eyelash curling device that can more appropriately curl the eyelashes upward and prevent them from falling out or becoming tangled.

[0011] In the above eyelash curling device, preferably, the hardness of the first rubber portion is 15 or more and 30 or less in Shore A hardness; The second rubber portion has a hardness of 70 or more and 85 or less in Shore A hardness.

[0012] In the above eyelash curling device, preferably, The difference between the Shore A hardness of the first rubber portion and the Shore A hardness of the second rubber portion is set to 50 or more and 70 or less.

[0013] In the above eyelash curling device, preferably, Within a load range that is assumed to be applied to the operating part when curling the eyelashes, an inflection point is provided on a characteristic line that indicates the relationship between the load applied to the operating part and the length of the eyelashes pulled.

[0014] In the above eyelash curling device, preferably, The characteristic line has a first gradient (θ1) in a range where the load is lower than the load at the inflection point, and a second gradient (θ2) that is smaller than the first gradient in a range where the load is higher than the load at the inflection point, the first gradient being set based on the hardness of the first rubber portion, and the second gradient being set based on the hardness of the second rubber portion in addition to the hardness of the first rubber portion.

[0015] In the above eyelash curler, In a direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, The thickness of the first rubber portion is 0.5 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less, The second rubber portion may have a thickness of 1.5 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less.

[0016] In the above eyelash curler, In a direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, The thickness of the first rubber portion is 0.8 mm or more and 1.4 mm or less, The second rubber portion may have a thickness of 2.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

[0017] The reference symbols in parentheses attached to each component indicate an example of the correspondence between the component and the specific components described in the embodiments described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of the eyelash curler of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the eyelash curler shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an experimental instrument. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of investigating the relationship between the load and the amount of elongation of the string when the rubber pad has a two-layer structure and a comparative example in which the rubber pad has a single-layer structure and different hardnesses. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing changes in the characteristic curve when the thickness of a first rubber portion of a rubber pad is changed. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the evaluation results when the rubber pad has a two-layer structure and when the rubber pad has a single-layer structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, including other embodiments described below, identical or equivalent parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0020] (First embodiment) An eyelash curling device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 7. The drawings accompanying this specification indicate the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. As shown in Figure 1, the vertical direction when viewing the eyelash curling device 1 from the front, i.e., the longitudinal direction, is referred to as the X-axis; the left-right direction of the eyelash curling device 1, i.e., the width direction, which is perpendicular to the X-axis, is referred to as the Y-axis; and the depth direction of the eyelash curling device 1, which is perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis, is referred to as the Z-axis. The direction in which a load is applied to the eyelashes, i.e., the direction in which the eyelashes are pinched and pressed, is referred to as the X-axis direction.

[0021] [Configuration of eyelash curler 1] 1 and 2 includes a pair of support portions 2a and 2b, a pair of handle portions 3a and 3b, a slider 4, a rubber pad 5, and a press head 6. In this embodiment, all parts of the eyelash curler 1 except for the rubber pad 5 are made of metal. The support portion 2a and the handle portion 3a, and the support portion 2b and the handle portion 3b are each made of a single part manufactured by, for example, pressing or bending a line of metal.

[0022] The pair of support portions 2a, 2b support the press head 6 and hold the slider 4 so that it can move in the X-axis direction relative to the press head 6. The pair of support portions 2a, 2b have sliding portions 21a, 21b and connecting portions 22a, 22b.

[0023] The sliding parts 21a and 21b are a pair of rod-shaped parts extending parallel to the X-axis, with the press head 6 fixed to the tip of each sliding part 21a and 21b and the other end connected to the connecting parts 22a and 22b. The slider 4 is slidably held by the sliding parts 21a and 21b.

[0024] Connecting portions 22a and 22b are connected to the other ends of sliding portions 21a and 21b, respectively, and are bent in the Z-axis direction from the positions where they are connected to sliding portions 21a and 21b, or toward the front of the paper in Figure 1, and connected to handle portion 3a. Connecting portions 22a and 22b gradually increase the distance between them as they approach sliding portions 21a and 21b from the handle portion 3a side.

[0025] The pair of handle portions 3a, 3b are members corresponding to the operating portion. The pair of handle portions 3a, 3b includes handle portion 3a connected to connecting portions 22a, 22b, and handle portion 3b rotatably connected to handle portion 3a. Handle portions 3a, 3b are formed, for example, by bending a metal strip. Both ends of the metal strip constituting handle portion 3a are connected to connecting portions 22a, 22b. A gap is provided between the ends of handle portion 3a, and both ends of the metal strip constituting the other handle portion 3b are fitted into this gap. A rotation shaft 7 extending along the Y-axis direction penetrates both ends of handle portion 3a and both ends of handle portion 3b fitted into handle portion 3a. Handle portion 3a and handle portion 3b are rotatable relative to each other around this rotation shaft 7. The handles 3a, 3b are provided with finger holes 31a, 31b at the rear end thereof opposite the rotary shaft 7. The user inserts his or her fingers into the finger holes 31a, 31b to operate the eyelash curler 1.

[0026] Both tip ends of the handle portion 3b protrude beyond the rotary shaft 7 and form protrusions 32. A through hole 32a is formed in the protrusions 32, and a shaft portion 42 of the slider 4, which will be described later, is fitted into this through hole 32a.

[0027] The slider 4 is a member corresponding to the lower presser portion and includes a main body 41 and a shaft 42. The main body 41 has a generally arc-shaped configuration when viewed in the X-axis direction, with through-holes 41a and 41b formed at both ends in the Y-axis direction. The sliding portion 21a is inserted into one of the through-holes 41a, and the sliding portion 21b is inserted into the other through-hole 41b. The inner walls of the through-holes 41a and 41b slide against the sliding portions 21a and 21b, respectively, enabling the slider 4 to move along the X-axis. A rubber pad 5 is attached to the upper surface of the main body 41. A groove 41c is formed in the upper surface of the main body 41, and the rubber pad 5 is fitted into this groove 41c. A shaft 42 is connected to the lower surface of the main body 41. The shaft 42 is V-shaped, and its bent portion is fitted into the through-hole 32a of the protrusion 32 of the handle portion 3b. Both tip portions of the shaft portion 42 on the side opposite to the bent portion are joined to the lower surface of the slider 4.

[0028] The rubber pad 5 is a member that moves in the X-axis direction together with the slider 4. The rubber pad 5 sandwiches the eyelashes between itself and the press head 6 by moving toward and away from the press head 6, and applies a load to the eyelashes, thereby curling them. As shown in FIG. 3, the rubber pad 5 has an arc shape that fits the groove 41c of the main body 41 of the slider 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the rubber pad 5 has a laminated structure in which two or more layers are stacked in the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, the rubber pad 5 has a two-layer structure including a first rubber portion 51 and a second rubber portion 52. The first rubber portion 51, which moves toward and away from the press head 6, is made of a material with low hardness, making the rubber pad 5 more elastically deformable. The second rubber portion 52, located opposite the press head 6, is made of a material with higher hardness than the first rubber portion 51, preventing the eyelashes from sinking excessively. Details of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 will be described later.

[0029] The press head 6 is a member that corresponds to the upper presser portion. The press head 6 has a shape corresponding to that of the slider 4, and is substantially arc-shaped when viewed from the X-axis direction. Both ends of the press head 6 in the Y-axis direction are fixed to the sliding portions 21a and 21b, respectively.

[0030] The eyelash curling device 1 is configured as described above. With the eyelash curling device 1 configured as described above, eyelashes are curled by operating the pair of handle portions 3a, 3b with the eyelashes positioned between the press head 6 and the rubber pad 5. For example, when the lower end surface of the press head 6 is positioned above the eyelashes and a load is applied to grip the handle portions 3a, 3b, the slider 4 slides on the sliding portions 21a, 21b and moves upward along the X-axis direction. This allows the eyelashes to be sandwiched between the press head 6 and the rubber pad 5. Then, by increasing the load applied to the handle portions 3a, 3b, the eyelashes can be pressed and curled upward.

[0031] In this case, the rubber pad 5 has a laminated structure having a first rubber portion 51 with a relatively low hardness and a second rubber portion 52 with a relatively high hardness, and the thicknesses of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 are set to the thicknesses described below. This makes it possible to more suitably curl the eyelashes upward and prevent them from falling out or becoming tangled. The structure of the rubber pad 5 and the effects of the rubber pad 5 will be described below.

[0032] [Configuration and Function of Rubber Pad 5] 3, the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 constituting the rubber pad 5 are both arc-shaped when viewed from the X-axis direction. The width W and length (linear distance) L of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 can be any value as long as they correspond to the dimensions of the slider 4, but for example, the width W is approximately 2.9 mm and the length L is approximately 31.3 mm.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4 , the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 is uniform throughout, and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 is also uniform throughout. The thickness of the rubber pad 5 is 4.0 mm so that it can be attached to a standard-sized eyelash curling device 1. The thickness of the rubber pad 5 is preferably 3.6 mm to 4.4 mm so that it can be attached to a standard-sized eyelash curling device 1. The thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 is preferably 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm, and more preferably 1.0 mm to 1.4 mm. The thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 is preferably 2.4 mm to 3.2 mm, and more preferably 2.6 mm to 3.0 mm.

[0034] The first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 are configured with different hardnesses. When these hardnesses are defined in Shore A hardness, the first rubber portion 51 has a Shore A hardness of 15 or more and 30 or less, and the second rubber portion has a Shore A hardness of 70 or more and 85 or less. Note that Shore A hardness refers to hardness measured based on a durometer type A (Shore A) in accordance with JIS K 6253. The Shore A hardnesses of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 can be set individually, but it is preferable that the difference in Shore A hardness be 50 or more and 70 or less.

[0035] The inventors conducted experiments simulating eyelash curling by setting the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 to various thicknesses and hardnesses. In the experiments, rubber plates with thicknesses and areas several to several tens of times larger than the dimensions used in the actual eyelash curler 1 were prepared as the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52, forming a laminated structure similar to that of the rubber pad 5. A sticky note was placed on the first rubber portion 51, and the sticky note was pressed with a press part corresponding to the press head 6. The angle of bending of the sticky note after pressing is proportional to the height to which the eyelashes can be lifted upward, so the angle of bending of the sticky note was measured.

[0036] As a result, it was confirmed that the obtained effect differs depending on the thickness and hardness of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52.

[0037] First, we confirmed that if the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 is too thin, the bending angle of the sticky note is small, and the eyelashes cannot be lifted enough to create a wide, open look. This indicates that even if the rubber pad 5 has a multi-layer structure, if the first rubber portion 51 is too thin, the eyelashes cannot be lifted sufficiently. On the other hand, as the first rubber portion 51 becomes thicker, the angle of the sticky note increases as the amount of pressure applied increases. However, once the thickness exceeds a certain level, the angle of the sticky note does not increase even if the amount of pressure is increased. In other words, we found that making the first rubber portion 51 too thick does not improve the eyelash lifting effect. In fact, if the first rubber portion 51 is made thicker, the pressed parts will penetrate deeper, which may cause the eyelashes to sink in too deeply, resulting in them falling out or becoming tangled. For this reason, it is necessary to set the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 within an appropriate range.

[0038] Furthermore, if the thickness T2 of the second rubber part 52 is too thin, the change in the bending angle of the sticky note after the first rubber part 51 is deformed to near its elastic limit becomes small, and the state is the same as when there is no second rubber part 52. However, if the second rubber part 52 is made too thick, the overall thickness of the rubber pad 5 becomes thick, making it difficult to maintain an appropriate distance between the slider 4 and the press head 6, so it is not preferable to make the second rubber part 52 too thick.

[0039] Thus, the thickness T1 of the first rubber part 51 needs to be a value that achieves both the effect of curling the eyelashes upward and the effect of preventing the eyelashes from sinking in too much. After analyzing the results of the above experiment and conducting further experiments, it was confirmed that in order to achieve the effect of curling the eyelashes upward, the thickness T1 of the first rubber part 51 needs to be at least 0.5 mm or more, preferably 0.8 mm or more, and more preferably 1.0 mm or more.

[0040] However, the effectiveness of preventing eyelashes from sinking too much could not be fully confirmed by just changing the angle of the sticky note.

[0041] To confirm this effect, an experiment was conducted using an experimental device 100 shown in FIG. 5 to determine how much eyelashes sink in response to a load applied to the pressed part. Similar to the above experiment, this experiment was conducted with the first rubber part 51 and the second rubber part 52 set to thicknesses several to several tens of times larger than the dimensions actually used in the eyelash curler 1. This experiment estimated the amount of eyelash sinking by applying pressure to the first rubber part 51 with the pressed part 101. Specifically, support bases 102 and 103 were installed on both sides of the laminated structure of the first rubber part 51 and the second rubber part 52. A carabiner 104 with an extendable string 104a was mounted on the support base 102, and the string 104a of the carabiner 104 was fixed to the support base 103. The string 104a was then sandwiched between the first rubber part 51 and the pressed part 101. The position of the string 104a at the tip of the carabiner 104 before the load from the press part 101 is applied is set as the initial position, and the amount of extension of the string 104a from the initial position when the load from the press part 101 is applied is measured. In the experiment to measure the bending angle of the sticky note described above, the bending angle of the sticky note did not change much after a certain angle, making it difficult to estimate the relationship between the load applied to the eyelashes and the amount of sinking. However, by using the experimental device 100 shown in Figure 5, the amount of extension of the string 104a corresponds to the amount of sinking of the eyelashes, and therefore, by investigating the relationship between the load from the press part 101 and the amount of extension of the string 104a, the relationship between the load applied to the eyelashes and the amount of sinking can be determined.

[0042] Analysis of the results of this experiment confirmed that in order to ensure a sinking amount that does not damage the eyelashes, the thickness T1 of the first rubber part 51 needs to be 2.5 mm or less, preferably 2.0 mm or less, and more preferably 1.4 mm or less.

[0043] Therefore, the thickness of the first rubber portion 51 is preferably set to 0.8 mm or more and 1.6 mm or less, and more preferably 1.0 mm or more and 1.4 mm or less.

[0044] On the other hand, the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 must be such that it is not too thin so that the amount of curl of the eyelashes does not change after the first rubber portion 51 is deformed near its elastic limit, and yet it must be thick enough to maintain an appropriate distance between the slider 4 and the press head 6. The former can be determined using the experimental apparatus shown in Figure 5 from the relationship between the load applied by the press part 101 and the amount of elongation of the string 104a. The latter depends on the distance between the slider 4 and the press head 6 of the product to which the rubber pad 5 is applied. However, because the operation method involves the user moving the slider 4 by moving their finger, the distance between the slider 4 and the press head 6 does not vary much between products, and is generally close. As a result of these considerations, the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 is preferably set to be 2.0 mm or more and 3.2 mm or less, and more preferably 2.6 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

[0045] The thickness T1 of the first rubber part 51, which has a low hardness, and the thickness T2 of the second rubber part 52, which has a high hardness, are set in this way. Therefore, even with a light load, the first rubber part 51, which has a low hardness, sinks, making it easier to curl the eyelashes. In addition, when a certain amount of load is applied, the second rubber part 52, which has a high hardness, acts to prevent the eyelashes from sinking too much, thereby preventing the eyelashes from falling out or becoming tangled.

[0046] That is, in the load range used for curling eyelashes, it is possible to provide a load range where the first rubber portion 51 sinks to make it easier to curl the eyelashes, and a load range where the second rubber portion 52 acts to prevent the eyelashes from sinking too much. The second rubber portion 52 acts to increase the load when the user operates the handle portions 3a and 3b, which acts as a stopper, making the user aware that excessive load is being applied to the eyelashes. This allows the eyelashes to be curled upward more appropriately and prevents the eyelashes from sinking too much, making it possible to prevent the eyelashes from falling out or becoming tangled. This also allows for the eyelashes to be sufficiently curled, resulting in a wide-open look.

[0047] Furthermore, while the above effects can be basically achieved by setting the thicknesses T1 and T2 as described above while lowering the hardness of the first rubber portion 51 and setting the hardness of the second rubber portion 52 higher than that of the first rubber portion 51, it is preferable to set the hardness of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 to more appropriate hardness. For example, if the first rubber portion 51 is too soft, it will be difficult to curl the eyelashes, and the eyelashes will sink too much in response to a load. Conversely, if the hardness of the first rubber portion 51 is increased so that it approaches the hardness of the second rubber portion 52, it will be difficult to differentiate the roles of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52. Furthermore, the second rubber portion 52 needs to have a hardness that can suppress sinking of the eyelashes in response to a load. However, if it is too hard, the amount of curl of the eyelashes will not change after the first rubber portion 51 deforms to near its elastic limit.

[0048] For this purpose, the experimental apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 5 was used to examine the relationship between the load applied by the press part 101 and the elongation of the string 104a by varying the hardness of the rubber pad 5. FIG. 6 shows the results of an experiment using a comparative example in which the rubber pad 5 had a single-layer structure and Shore A hardnesses of 20 and 40, and an example of this embodiment in which the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 had Shore A hardnesses of 20 and 80, respectively. The rubber pad 5 had an overall thickness of 4.0 mm. For the two-layer structure, the first rubber portion 51 had a thickness T1 of 1.2 mm, and the second rubber portion 52 had a thickness T2 of 2.8 mm. The thicknesses of the two-layer structure were assumed to be 12.5 times larger than the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52, respectively. Furthermore, because the elongation of the string 104a corresponds to the length of the pulled eyelashes, the vertical axis in the figure also shows a scale converted into the length of the pulled eyelashes. Although only one plot is shown here for the amount of stretch of the string 104a for each load, in reality, experiments were conducted multiple times under the same conditions, and the average values ​​are plotted.

[0049] 6, when the rubber pad 5 has a single-layer structure, the relationship between the elongation of the string 104a and the load, as shown by the approximate lines indicated by the dashed dotted line and the dashed two dotted line, is simply a proportional characteristic line corresponding to the elastic modulus of the constituent material of the rubber pad 5. That is, in the case of a sample with a low hardness of 20 Shore A hardness, the change in elongation with respect to the applied load is large, while in the case of a sample with a higher hardness of 40 Shore A hardness, the change in elongation with respect to the applied load is small.

[0050] In contrast, when the rubber pad 5 has a two-layer structure, the characteristic line has an inflection point, as shown by the approximate line indicated by the thick dashed line. The characteristic line has a first gradient θ1 in a load range lower than the inflection point, and a second gradient θ2 that is smaller than the first gradient θ1 in a load range higher than the inflection point. The first gradient θ1 is set based on the hardness of the first rubber portion 51. The second gradient θ2 is set based on the hardness of the second rubber portion 52 in addition to the hardness of the first rubber portion 51, but because the first rubber portion 51 reaches its elastic limit, it is basically set based on the hardness of the second rubber portion 52. Therefore, the characteristic line can be adjusted by the hardness of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52.

[0051] For example, in the above experiment, when the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 of the two-layer structure is changed, the characteristic line changes as shown in FIG. 7. That is, when the thickness T1 is reduced, the amount by which the pressed part 101 is embedded in the first rubber portion 51 is reduced, and the load at which the inflection point occurs is smaller. Conversely, when the thickness T1 is increased, the pressed part 101 is able to embed more deeply in the first rubber portion 51, and the load at which the inflection point occurs is larger. In this way, the inflection point can be set depending on the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51.

[0052] Furthermore, the first gradient θ1 changes by changing the hardness of the first rubber portion 51, and the second gradient θ2 changes by changing the hardness of the second rubber portion 52. This makes it possible to adjust the relationship between the load and the length by which the eyelashes are pulled when the load is smaller or larger than the inflection point.

[0053] In the case of a typical eyelash curler, when the load applied to the handle is 20N to 60N, the load actually applied to the eyelashes is 100N to 300N, or about five times the load applied to the handle. While most people use eyelash curlers with a load of 100N to 200N on their eyelashes, some people use eyelash curlers to tightly clamp their eyelashes, exerting a force of over 300N. There are other eyelash curler structures, such as those shown in JP 2001-204535 A, and while the load applied to the handle when curling the eyelashes is different from that of a typical eyelash curler, the actual load applied to the eyelashes is the same as a typical eyelash curler, at 100N to 300N, and even more if the clamping force is strong.

[0054] The stopper function described above requires that an inflection point of the characteristic curve be located within the load range expected to be applied to the eyelashes when curling them. Generally, the expected load range is 0 N to 300 N, and even users who apply a considerable amount of force will only apply 500 N or less. Therefore, the inflection point is located at least in the load range of 0 N or more and 500 N or less. Furthermore, since a user feels as if their eyelashes are being pinched when curling their eyelashes at around 50 N, it is preferable to set the inflection point at a larger load, 100 N or more. Furthermore, the load applied to the eyelashes becomes so large that it begins to potentially damage them at around 350 N. Therefore, it is preferable to locate the inflection point within the load range of 100 N or more and 350 N or less.

[0055] Furthermore, when the first rubber portion 51 was tested with a Shore A hardness of 10, the surface became sticky and easily attracted to dust. In this case, dust would adhere to the first rubber portion 51 during storage, making it unsanitary. Furthermore, the eyelash curler would need to be stored in a storage case, which users would find cumbersome. Furthermore, the need for a storage case would increase costs. Furthermore, the rubber became less durable and more susceptible to breakage. Therefore, it is preferable that the Shore A hardness of the first rubber portion 51 be 15 or higher.

[0056] Additionally, it is difficult to mold rubber having a Shore A hardness of 90 or more. Furthermore, if the second rubber portion 52 has a Shore A hardness of 90, it will hardly undergo elastic deformation, making it difficult to fit the rubber pad 5 into the groove 41c of the main body 41 of the slider 4 of the eyelash curler 1. For this reason, it is preferable that the Shore A hardness of the second rubber portion 52 be 85 or less.

[0057] Therefore, the hardness of the first rubber part 51 and the second rubber part 52 is set so that an inflection point of the characteristic curve is set within the load range assumed to be applied to the eyelashes when curling them. Experiments and simulations have shown that an inflection point can be set within this load range by setting the Shore A hardness of the first rubber part 51 to 15 or more and 30 or less, and the Shore A hardness of the second rubber part to 70 or more and 85 or less.

[0058] Furthermore, in order to make the user feel the stopper function more clearly, it is desirable that the difference between the first gradient θ1 and the second gradient θ2 is large and that the relationship between the load and the length of the pulled eyelashes changes significantly at the inflection point. Taking these factors into consideration, it is preferable that the difference in Shore A hardness between the first rubber part 51 and the second rubber part 52 is 50 or more and 70 or less, because this allows the user to feel the stopper function.

[0059] As described above, in the eyelash curling device 1 of this embodiment, the rubber pad 5 is configured with a laminated structure having the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52, and the thicknesses of the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 are set within the above-mentioned ranges. This makes it possible to provide an eyelash curling device 1 that can more appropriately curl the eyelashes upward and prevent the eyelashes from falling out or becoming tangled.

[0060] We actually compared the eyelash curler 1 having the two-layer rubber pad 5 of this embodiment with a conventional single-layer rubber pad 5 to investigate which one was more preferred and how both felt when used. The survey was conducted with the cooperation of 13 test subjects. For the single-layer structure, the Shore A hardness of the rubber pad 5 was set to 40, and for the two-layer structure, the Shore A hardness of the first rubber portion 51 was set to 20 and the Shore A hardness of the second rubber portion 52 was set to 80. The overall thickness of the rubber pad 5 was set to 4.0 mm, and for the two-layer structure, the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 was set to 1.2 mm and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 was set to 2.8 mm.

[0061] Figure 8 shows the results of the survey regarding preference. As shown in this figure, five people preferred the two-layer structure, five people slightly preferred the two-layer structure, and three people slightly preferred the single-layer structure. None of these opinions were significantly different, or none preferred the single-layer structure. In other words, over 75% of respondents felt that the two-layer structure was better. Regarding the feel of the two-layer structure, the following comments were received: "It lifts my eyelashes well. The finish is two-layered." "The rubber has softer sections, so my eyelashes feel more curled." "It's softer than conventional products, so it takes some getting used to, but I feel like it lifts my eyelashes without any strain." "It lifts my eyelashes well with just a little pressure. It's easy to grab the base of the lashes." "I like that the rubber is soft." "It didn't hurt when it clamped my eyelashes. Perhaps the stopper stops them at just the right point, so it doesn't hurt." "It's cushioned and soft. It feels gentle on my eyelashes. It's easy to lift them all the way to the outer corners of my eyes." These results also show that the eyelash curler 1 according to this embodiment has the effect of reducing the feeling of pulling on the eyelashes even when trying to curl them more upward.

[0062] The eyelash curler 1 can be realized simply by modifying the configuration of the rubber pad 5 of an existing product. Therefore, the parts other than the rubber pad 5 can be used with the existing product. This also contributes to reducing waste, and corresponds to "SDG Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, Target 12.5: By 2030, significantly reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse." Furthermore, since anyone can easily curl their eyelashes using the eyelash curler 1, it also corresponds to "SDG Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities within and among Countries, Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote social, economic and political inclusion for all, regardless of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, economic status or other circumstances."

[0063] [Confirming the effect using a prototype] Furthermore, prototypes of the eyelash curler 1 were prepared with the rubber pad 5 set to a thickness of 4.0 mm and with the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 varied in seven different ways, and the usability of each was investigated. The results of the investigation were summarized regarding the ease with which the eyelashes are curled (the effect of curling the eyelashes upward), whether the rubber pad 5 digs into the eyelashes or pulls them too much (the effect of preventing the eyelashes from sinking too much), and whether the stopper functions properly. The conditions for the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 in the prototypes are as follows: (1) T1 = 0.5 mm, T2 = 3.5 mm (2) T1 = 0.8 mm, T2 = 3.2 mm (3) T1 = 1.0 mm, T2 = 3.0 mm (4) T1 = 1.2 mm, T2 = 2.8 mm (5) T1 = 1.4 mm, T2 = 2.6 mm (6) T1 = 1.6 mm, T2 = 2.4 mm (7) T1 = 2.0 mm, T2 = 2.0 mm The survey results for each prototype are as follows:

[0064] (1) T1 = 0.5 mm, T2 = 3.5 mm It's hard to curl your eyelashes. The handle gets stiff quickly, making it difficult to curl your eyelashes as you want.

[0065] (2) T1 = 0.8 mm, T2 = 3.2 mm It's hard to curl your eyelashes. The handle gets stiff quickly, making it difficult to curl your eyelashes as you want.

[0066] (3) T1 = 1.0 mm, T2 = 3.0 mm It lifts your eyelashes easily, but some people may want to lift them a little more. The handle is just the right amount of firm.

[0067] (4) T1 = 1.2 mm, T2 = 2.8 mm The handle is firm enough that it doesn't pull on your lashes.

[0068] (5) T1 = 1.4 mm, T2 = 2.6 mm Although it does have a slight pulling sensation, it does lift your lashes easily. The handle (stopper) is just the right amount of firm.

[0069] (6) T1 = 1.6 mm, T2 = 2.4 mm The handle (stopper) is not hard enough and pulls on the eyelashes.

[0070] (7) T1 = 2.0 mm, T2 = 2.0 mm The handle (stopper) is not hard enough and pulls on the eyelashes.

[0071] The results of this investigation showed that the most comfortable feel was achieved when the thickness of the rubber pad 5 was 4.0 mm, the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 was 1.2 mm, and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 was 2.8 mm. An excellent comfortable feel was also achieved when the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 was 1.0 mm or more and 1.4 mm or less, and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 was 2.6 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

[0072] When the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 was changed from 2.6 mm to 3.0 mm while the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 was kept between 1.0 mm and 1.4 mm, an excellent feel was obtained regardless of the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52. That is, when the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 was set between 1.0 mm and 1.4 mm and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 was set between 2.6 mm and 3.0 mm, an excellent feel was obtained even when the thickness of the rubber pad 5 was changed from 3.6 mm to 4.4 mm.

[0073] In the present invention, a specific example is given in which the thickness of the rubber pad 5 is 4.0 mm, and the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 are 1.2 mm and 2.8 mm, respectively, but it has been confirmed that these values ​​function without any problems even if they deviate by about 10% due to variations during manufacturing, etc. In other words, even in the case in which the thickness of the rubber pad 5 is 4.0 mm, the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 is 1.2 mm, and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 is 2.8 mm, the present invention includes a range of ±10% around these numerical values.

[0074] Furthermore, in the present invention, a specific example is given in which the Shore A hardness of the first rubber portion 51 is 20 and the Shore A hardness of the second rubber portion 52 is 80, but it has been confirmed that these values ​​also function without any problems even if the Shore A hardness varies by about 5 due to variations during manufacturing, etc. In other words, even in the case in which the Shore A hardness of the first rubber portion 51 is 20 and the Shore A hardness of the second rubber portion 52 is 80, the present invention includes a range of ±5 around these Shore A hardness values.

[0075] (Other embodiments) The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims. In the above embodiments, it goes without saying that the elements constituting the embodiments are not necessarily essential unless they are specifically stated as essential or are clearly considered essential in principle. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, when numerical values ​​such as the number, value, amount, and range of components are mentioned, they are not limited to the specific number unless they are specifically stated as essential or are clearly limited to a specific number in principle. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, when the shape, positional relationship, etc. of components are mentioned, they are not limited to the shape, positional relationship, etc. unless they are specifically stated or are clearly limited to a specific shape, positional relationship, etc. in principle.

[0076] For example, in the above embodiment, the eyelash curling device 1 is exemplified as one in which the operating section is made up of the handles 3a and 3b, the upper presser section is made up of the press head 6, and the lower presser section is made up of the slider 4, and all parts are made of metal except for the rubber pad 5. However, this is merely one example, and the present invention can be applied to eyelash curling devices with various structures, such as the structure disclosed in JP 2001-204535 A.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52 have the same thickness throughout, but the thickness does not have to be the same throughout. For example, the cross-section of the first rubber portion 51 cut along an XZ plane parallel to the X-axis and Z-axis may be semicircular or trapezoidal. In this case, the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 may be considered as the distance from the boundary with the second rubber portion 52 to the position of the first rubber portion 51 that first contacts the press head 6. Furthermore, a groove may be formed on the surface of the second rubber portion 52 opposite the first rubber portion 51, i.e., the surface that contacts the slider 4, into which the joint between the main body portion 41 and the shaft portion 42 fits. In this case, the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 may be considered as the thickness at a position where no groove is formed.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the rubber pad 5 is configured with a two-layer structure having the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52, but it may also be configured with a laminated structure of three or more layers. In that case, another rubber portion will be disposed between the first rubber portion 51 and the second rubber portion 52, and the Shore A hardness of the rubber portion positioned therebetween should be gradually increased from the first rubber portion 51 toward the second rubber portion 52.

[0079] In the embodiment, the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 are each specified numerically relative to the thickness of the rubber pad 5. However, the ratio of each thickness relative to the thickness of the rubber pad 5 may also be specified. That is, as confirmed with a prototype, when the thickness of the rubber pad 5 is 4.0 mm and the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 is 1.0 mm and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 is 3.0 mm, the ratio of the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 to the entire thickness of the rubber pad 5 is 25%. On the other hand, when the thickness of the rubber pad 5 is 4.0 mm and the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 is 1.4 mm and the thickness T2 of the second rubber portion 52 is 2.6 mm, the ratio of the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 to the entire thickness of the rubber pad 5 is 35%. Therefore, good results can be obtained even when the thickness T1 of the first rubber portion 51 is 25% or more and 35% or less of the thickness of the rubber pad 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1...eyelash curler, 2a, 2b...supporting part, 3a, 3b...handle part, 4...slider, 5...rubber pad, 6...press head, 7...rotating shaft, 21a, 21b...sliding part, 22a, 22b...connecting part, 31a, 31b...finger insertion hole, 32...protruding part, 32a...through hole, 41...main body part, 41a, 41b...through hole, 41c...groove part, 42...shaft part, 51...first rubber part, 52...second rubber part, 100...laboratory equipment, 101...pressed part, 102, 103...support base, 104...carabiner, 104a...string

Claims

1. An upper pressing portion (6) that presses the eyelashes from above; a lower presser portion (4) that is movable relative to the upper presser portion, moves toward and away from the upper presser portion, and has a rubber pad (5) attached thereto that is pressed against the upper presser portion, and presses the eyelashes from below; an operating unit (3) that changes the distance between the upper presser unit and the lower presser unit and presses the rubber pad against the upper presser unit, The rubber pad has a laminated structure in which two layers having different hardnesses are laminated in a direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, and comprises a first rubber portion (51) located on the upper presser portion side, and a second rubber portion (52) located on the side away from the upper presser portion with respect to the first rubber portion and having a higher hardness than the first rubber portion, In a direction in which the rubber pad is pressed against the upper presser portion, the thickness (T1) of the first rubber portion is set to be 1.0 mm or more and 1.4 mm or less, and the thickness (T2) of the second rubber portion is set to be 2.6 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, the first rubber portion has a Shore A hardness of 15 or more and 30 or less; The hardness of the second rubber portion is 70 or more and 85 or less in Shore A hardness. Eyelash curler.

2. 2. The eyelash curling device according to claim 1, wherein an inflection point is provided on a characteristic line indicating the relationship between the load applied to the operating part and the length of the pulled eyelashes within a load range assumed to be applied to the operating part when curling the eyelashes.

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