Movable applicator provided with a means for removablly mounting same in a cap

Abstract

The invention relates to a movable applicator (1) for a product to be applied, intended to be mounted in a cap having an internal bore, the applicator comprising a rod (30), a tubular portion (32) and a peripheral stop (33), as well as an application member (40), the applicator further comprising a hollow head (10) slidably mounted so as to move longitudinally on the tubular portion (32) of the rod (30), wherein an elastic part (20) extends partially between the hollow head (10) and the tubular portion (32) of the rod (30), and wherein the elastic part (20) is configured to oppose the spontaneous movement of the hollow head towards the tubular portion along the longitudinal axis of the rod, and means for removably mounting the hollow head in a cap so as to enable the movable applicator to be mounted in / removed from a cap.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE OF THE INVENTION: MOBILE APPLICATOR EQUIPPED WITH A REMOVABLE MOUNTING MEANS IN A CAP

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to an applicator that allows the collection of a product contained in a container. More specifically, the invention relates to a mobile applicator equipped with a removable mounting means in a cap of a container containing a product to be applied. The invention also relates to a cap of a bottle comprising such a mobile applicator and a bottle comprising such a cap.

[0005] Technological background

[0006] Currently, there are many applicators that allow the application of a product contained in a container. In the cosmetics field, for example, the product can be a nail polish composition, a nail care composition, or even mascara. In the industrial field, the product to be applied can be glue, oil, etc.

[0007] When it comes to a cosmetic product, we generally find an application assembly comprising a reservoir for the product to be applied and an applicator for said product, such as a brush comprising a tuft of bristles, or a brush, fixed to a first end of a rod, the rod being permanently fixed by its other end in a cap intended to close the reservoir, so that the tuft of bristles or the brush are immersed in this product when the application assembly is closed.

[0008] To ensure proper closure of the assembly, the reservoir has a neck provided with a first thread which cooperates with a second thread provided in the cap. The rod is held in the cap by a support which includes a sealing plate. This sealing plate is in contact with the neck seal when the application assembly is closed. The thread is formed over the entire height of the neck and is flush with the upper end of the neck.

[0009] During application, it is necessary to limit the loss of products remaining at the bottom of the bottle and to consume as much product as possible. To this end, the prior art describes devices in which elastic parts are arranged allowing the end of the rod or brush to be in contact with the product contained in the bottle regardless of the open or closed position of the cap or stopper.

[0010] Also known from the prior art are applicators equipped with a spring so as to allow the brush to reach the container even when the cap is unscrewed.

[0011] These known applicators are, however, permanently fixed and sealed in the bottle caps and all have threads on the part holding the spring.

[0012] As a result, after the product is consumed, the applicator-bottle assembly is discarded and the applicator cannot be reused on another cap. In addition, the design of the applicator must be reviewed for each cap model and / or bottle model designed, which results in significant design costs.

[0013] Therefore, there is a need to provide a mobile applicator, equipped with a removable mounting means in a cap of a bottle, capable of being reused after use, on other caps, and allowing optimal consumption of the product contained in the container.

[0014] Objectives of the invention

[0015] The invention aims to provide a mobile applicator making it possible to collect all of a product at the bottom of a container without having to screw the cap back onto the container.

[0016] The invention aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, an applicator not sealed in a cap and reusable for a new product to be applied.

[0017] The invention aims to provide a mobile applicator equipped with a removable mounting means in a cap.

[0018] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, a mobile applicator reusable after first use in a cap.

[0019] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, a mobile applicator which can replace the fixed applicator of a stopper.

[0020] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, a stopper containing a mobile applicator which can be inserted into or extracted from said stopper.

[0021] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, a mobile applicator of simple design and economical to manufacture.

[0022] Statement of the invention

[0023] For these purposes, the invention relates to a mobile applicator for a product to be applied intended to be mounted in a cap having an internal bore, said applicator comprising a rod extending along a longitudinal axis, said rod comprising a tubular portion and a peripheral stopper at its proximal end as well as a member for applying said product to be applied arranged at its distal end, characterized in that said applicator further comprises: a hollow head mounted so as to slide longitudinally on the tubular portion of the rod, between a position, called the deployed position, in which the head is spaced from said tubular portion and a position, called the retracted position, in which the hollow head abuts against said peripheral stopper, an elastic part extending partially between said hollow head and said tubular portion of the rod,said elastic part being configured to oppose the spontaneous movement of said hollow head towards the tubular portion, along the longitudinal axis of the rod, means for removable mounting of said hollow head in said internal bore of said plug adapted to allow the mounting / dismounting of the mobile applicator in the plug.,

[0024] For the purposes of the invention, the term "mobile applicator" means an applicator equipped with a rod, at least one of the elements of said rod of which is capable of being mobilized by means of an elastic part or other means in order to cause a translational movement along the longitudinal axis defined by the rod of the applicator. It is understood for the purposes of the present invention that the mobile applicator also comprises a means for removable mounting of said applicator in a cap. In this way, the applicator of the invention is capable of being mounted in a cap, or removed from it. In other words, it should be understood that the mobile applicator according to the invention is a nomadic applicator which can be secured to a cap, said applicator is thus capable of being inserted into or extracted from a cap in which it is fixed by fitting or embedding by a tensile force applied to the rod or to the cap by a user in particular.Furthermore, the applicator can thus be used in a plurality of different caps, in particular in place of an existing applicator and allows on the one hand to benefit from an applicator adaptable from one cap to another, and, on the other hand, to optimize the consumption of a cosmetic product contained in a bottle.

[0025] It should be defined that the terms "stoppers" are equivalent within the meaning of the invention and that they relate to a means of closing a bottle conventionally used by those skilled in the art.

[0026] Throughout the text, the term "product to be applied" is defined as the products that can be applied by the mobile applicator of the invention. These products are liquid products, preferably cosmetic products known to those skilled in the art such as varnish or, without limitation, any other non-cosmetic product that can be applied using such an applicator such as paints or glues, for example.

[0027] According to the invention, the application member is defined as being a member located at one end of the rod of the applicator. According to the invention, the rod of the applicator defines a main direction comparable to a longitudinal axis. The rod therefore extends along this longitudinal axis and comprises two distinct ends. There is thus a proximal end comprising a tubular portion and a peripheral stopper, and a distal end which comprises an application member. When using the applicator according to the invention, the distal end of the rod can be defined as being the part closest to the bottom of the bottle and the proximal end of the rod can be defined as the part furthest from the bottom of the bottle or as the part of the applicator likely to be in contact with the stopper of the bottle.

[0028] The application member that can be used for the applicator according to the invention may be a brush, a spatula, a paintbrush, or even bristles or any other application member known to those skilled in the art. The application member may be fixed or inserted in a known manner at the distal end of the rod of the applicator.

[0029] The proximal end of the rod of the applicator according to the invention comprises a tubular portion mounted on a peripheral stopper. It should be noted, for the purposes of the invention, that the peripheral stopper and the tubular portion of the rod may be an integral part of the rod, although a rod made up of several parts could be envisaged. The term "integral part" may be defined as referring to the fact that these parts are not an arrangement of parts external to the rod, but structural shapes integral and formed on the rod itself.

[0030] The tubular portion of the rod is hollow and can be likened in certain cases to a cylinder open at its upper base. Said tubular portion is delimited at its lower base by a flat bottom which can correspond to at least a portion of the peripheral stop on which the tubular portion of the rod is located. Preferably, the peripheral stop is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod, and forms a solid and circular member around the rod which defines the bottom of the tubular conduit. By circular, it is meant that the stop extends radially around the rod along the longitudinal axis of the rod of the applicator according to the invention.

[0031] According to the invention, the applicator further comprises a hollow head mounted so as to slide longitudinally on the tubular portion of the rod. Said hollow head thus has a cross-sectional diameter substantially greater than the cross-sectional diameter of the tubular portion of the rod and the stopper according to the invention can in this case also serve as a stopper for said head. The hollow head is therefore a movable part located on the proximal end of the rod. Preferably, the head of the applicator according to the invention has a cylindrical wall. Preferably, the hollow head of the applicator according to the invention has a shape configured for fitting into a stopper having an internal bore. The head of the applicator according to the invention thus allows the insertion of said applicator into a stopper.

[0032] It should be specified within the meaning of the invention that the arrangement according to which the head is mounted to slide on the tubular portion of the rod makes it possible to obtain a housing capable of containing an elastic part.

[0033] Furthermore, the mobile applicator of the invention comprises an elastic part arranged between the head and the tubular portion of the rod, said elastic part being configured to move the head away from the tubular portion, along the longitudinal axis of the rod. It should be specified for the purposes of the invention that the elastic part is configured to oppose the spontaneous movement of the hollow head towards the tubular portion. Preferably, the elastic part is a compression spring which extends partially between the head and the tubular portion of the rod.

[0034] The applicator thus comprises a movable head located on the proximal end of the rod.

[0035] The rod according to the invention may be a single-piece rod formed in one piece according to conventional techniques applied in the field of the invention.

[0036] Furthermore, all of the elements of the invention can be made from materials known and used by those skilled in the art, said assembly being capable of being formed by the various techniques of molding and injection of a thermoplastic material, the material being for example chosen from polyvinyl chlorides, polypropylenes, polyethylenes or polystyrenes, etc.

[0037] The mobile applicator according to the invention therefore has the particularity of having an elastic part connected to both the rod and the head, said head being configured to be inserted into a stopper and allow longitudinal movement of the head relative to the rod. The applicator according to the invention therefore allows on the one hand for the application member to be immersed in the bottom of the bottle depending on whether the stopper is free or arranged on said bottle, and on the other hand to be able to be inserted or extracted from a stopper in order to be reused and fixed on other stoppers. In addition, the longitudinal sliding of the hollow head on the tubular part of the rod also allows the sliding of a stopper in which the applicator is inserted. In this way, the applicator allows the longitudinal movement of the stopper on a bottle while maintaining the application member at the bottom of the bottle.

[0038] Advantageously and according to the invention, the applicator further comprises means for guiding the longitudinal sliding of the head relative to the rod, said means being respectively arranged on a wall of said head and on said tubular portion of the rod.

[0039] Thus and according to this advantageous variant, the guide means make it possible to optimize the connection and the longitudinal sliding of the head relative to the tubular portion of the rod. As a result, cooperation between the guide means located at two different locations on the rod is permitted. Preferably, the guide means are arranged parallel to each other and opposite each other along the longitudinal axis, in other words, said elements are diametrically opposed along this axis.

[0040] Advantageously and according to the invention, the guide means are formed by lugs arranged on the tubular portion of the rod and by lateral openings formed in the wall of the hollow head of said applicator, said lugs being configured to be embedded in the lateral openings.

[0041] Thus, and according to this advantageous variant, said lugs protrude outside the tubular portion of the applicator rod and are embedded in the lateral openings of the wall in order to prevent the hollow head from rotating on itself once mounted on the tubular part. In this way, the lugs allow the entire rod to pivot while maintaining a lock through the lateral openings of the head. The embedding of the lugs in the lateral openings also makes it possible to prevent accidental rotation of the head when it slides on the tubular part.

[0042] Advantageously and according to the invention, the lateral openings of the hollow head are delimited by longitudinal edges forming stops limiting the longitudinal sliding of the head relative to the rod.

[0043] Thus, and according to this advantageous variant, the lateral openings make it possible to maintain the connection and the mobile sliding assembly of the head when the elastic part relaxes after compression. The lugs thus come into abutment against the upper edges of the lateral openings which retain the spacing induced, by the elastic part, of the head relative to the rod. The lateral openings thus serve as a means of abutment when the hollow head is in the deployed position.

[0044] Advantageously and according to the invention, the elastic part is a compression spring extending between at least a part of the tubular portion of the rod, said part defining a first bottom, and at least a portion of the head, said portion defining a second bottom.

[0045] Thus and according to this advantageous variant the elastic part is optimally held in a retaining chamber and can thus better restore the energy stored during its compression to push back and move the head away from the tubular part of the rod. Still according to this advantageous variant, the application member of the applicator can thus be held at the bottom of a bottle on which the applicator is arranged when the bottle is opened or closed in order to optimize the consumption of a product contained in the bottle and prevent the impromptu hardening of the application member which after use is likely to dry out in the open air.

[0046] Advantageously and according to the invention, the hollow head has a shape and dimensions conformed and combined with an internal bore formed in a plug, thus forming said removable mounting means by embedding said hollow head in this plug.

[0047] Thus and according to the invention, the mobile applicator can be adapted to several types of caps.

[0048] The invention also relates to a bottle cap intended to contain a product to be applied, said cap comprising an internal bore configured to receive the head of an applicator and an applicator, said internal bore allowing the insertion and extraction of said applicator, characterized in that the applicator is a mobile applicator according to all or part of a combination of the characteristics mentioned above or below.

[0049] In a preferred variant according to the invention, the cap further comprises a thread shaped like a thread formed in a bottle to be able to screw / unscrew said cap onto said bottle.

[0050] Thus and according to this advantageous variant, the application member of the mobile applicator according to the invention will be permanently in contact with the bottom of the bottle whether the cap is screwed or unscrewed onto said bottle.

[0051] The invention also relates to a bottle comprising such a stopper.

[0052] List of figures

[0053] Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description given solely for non-limiting purposes and which refers to the appended figures in which:

[0054] - figure 1 is a schematic view of a profile of F mobile applicator according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0055] - figure 2 is an exploded schematic view of the mobile applicator according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0056] - figure 3 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of a stopper equipped with a movable applicator according to a second embodiment of the invention, said stopper being arranged on a bottle in the closed position.

[0057] - figure 4 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of a stopper equipped with a movable applicator according to the second embodiment of the invention, said stopper being arranged on a bottle in the open position.

[0058] Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention In the figures, the scales and proportions are not strictly respected, for the purposes of illustration and clarity. Throughout the detailed description which follows with reference to the figures, unless otherwise indicated, each element of the mobile applicator is described as it is arranged when used in a cap of a bottle on a flat support. This configuration is notably shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0059] Identical, similar or analogous elements are designated by the same references in all figures.

[0060] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a mobile applicator according to an embodiment of the invention where the peripheral stopper 33 has a truncated cone shape.

[0061] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a mobile applicator according to another variant of the invention where the peripheral stopper 33 has the shape of a washer.

[0062] The mobile applicator 1 comprises a hollow head 10, an elastic part 20 and a rod 30 equipped with an application member 40. More precisely, the mobile applicator 1 comprises a rod 30 extending in a main direction comparable to a longitudinal axis. The rod 30 is a rod which comprises two ends 30P and 30D which correspond respectively to a proximal end 30P and to a distal end 30D. The distal end 30D of the rod 30 is equipped with an application member 40 configured to apply a product when using the mobile applicator 1. The rod 30 comprises at its proximal end 30P a peripheral stopper 33 surmounted by a tubular portion 32. In this embodiment, the peripheral stopper 33 is an integral part of the rod 30 and is circular in shape in order to constitute a stop means when the head 10 moves relative to the rod 30.

[0063] The hollow head 10 of the mobile applicator 1 comprises a pair of lateral openings 11 of long ob shapes in which the lugs 31 of the tubular portion 32 located on the proximal end 30P of the rod 30 are embedded, the lateral openings 11 and the lugs 31 thus define means for longitudinally guiding the head 10 relative to the rod 30. The tubular portion 32 of the rod 30 comprises a pair of lugs 31 projecting from the wall of said tubular portion 32 and arranged laterally on its wall. The head 10 of the applicator 1 is mounted to move in longitudinal sliding on the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30 and is located at the proximal end 30P of the rod 30.In the figures, the lugs 31 are diametrically opposite along the axis of the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30 and the lateral openings 11 of the head 10 are diametrically opposite along the axis of the head 10 of the rod 30 given that the lugs 31 and the openings 11 are respectively arranged opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis defined by the rod 30.

[0064] The mobile applicator 1 also comprises an elastic part 20 arranged between the head 10 and the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30.

[0065] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the invention, the elastic part 20 is a compression spring.

[0066] The elastic part 20 is arranged so as to extend between at least a part of the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30, said at least one part defining a first bottom 34, and at least a portion of the hollow head 10 defining a second bottom 12. The elastic part 20 is thus in respective contact with the bottoms 34 and 12.

[0067] The elastic part 20 is configured to be able to be compressed during the longitudinal movement of the head 10 relative to the rod 30 under the effect of a force exerted by the operator, in particular during the insertion of the applicator 1 into a cap. The arrangement of the mobile applicator 1 according to the invention allows the sliding of the head 10 on the tubular portion 32, the head 10 can thus slide via the lateral openings 11 in which the lugs 31 of the tubular portion are embedded. The hollow head 10 is thus mounted to move in longitudinal sliding on the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30.

[0068] Each of the lateral openings 11 is delimited by stops 11a and 11b corresponding respectively to the upper end and the lower end of said opening 11. The lateral openings 11 thus have longitudinal edges delimited by the stops 11a and 11b. In this way, the extent of the longitudinal sliding of the hollow head 10 of the mobile applicator 1 relative to the rod 30 is limited by the length of said lateral openings 11.

[0069] When the head 10 slides downwards in the longitudinal direction of the rod 30, the edges 11a are likely to come into abutment against the lugs 31 of the tubular part 32. On the other hand, when the pressure exerted on the head 10 of the mobile applicator 1 is released, the elastic part 20 which is supported on the bottoms 12 and 34 allows the head 10 to move away from the rod 30 when it is relaxed. This relaxation of the elastic part allows the head 10 to slide longitudinally upwards relative to the rod 30, the lugs 31 then come into abutment against the edges 11b of the lateral openings 11 of the head 10.

[0070] Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the mobile applicator 1, in which the elastic part 20 arranged between the hollow head 10 and the tubular portion 32 is compressed. The mobile applicator 1 comprises lateral openings 11 of oblong shapes in which the lugs 31 of the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30 are arranged. In this embodiment, the head 10 comes into abutment against the peripheral stopper 33 of truncated cone shape and the lugs do not bear on the edges 11a of the lateral openings 11.

[0071] Figure 2 illustrates the arrangement in exploded view of the different elements of the mobile applicator 1 according to the invention.

[0072] Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of a mobile applicator 1 according to the invention, in which said applicator 1 is removably mounted in a cap 50, said cap 50 itself being arranged on a bottle 60 in the closed position, said bottle 60 containing a product to be applied.

[0073] In this figure, the cap 50 is screwed onto the bottle 60 and comprises an internal bore 51 in which the mobile applicator 1 is fitted. More precisely, the cap 50 comprises an internal bore 51 configured to receive the head of the applicator, the latter being shaped to this internal bore 51. Thus, the combination of the shape of the hollow head and the bore of the cap forms means which allow the insertion and extraction of said mobile applicator 1. The cap 50 also comprises a thread 52 configured to cooperate with the thread 61 of the bottle 60 and thus allow the closure by screwing of said bottle 60.

[0074] According to this figure, the elastic part 20 is kept compressed between the bottom 12 of the head 10 and the bottom 34 of the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30 so that the lugs 31 of the tubular portion 32 are in abutment against the edges 11a of the lateral openings on the one hand and the edges 11b of the lateral openings 11 are in abutment against the peripheral stopper 33 on the other hand. The application member 40 is thus immersed in the bottom of the bottle 60. In this closed position, the peripheral stopper 33 of the rod 30 also serves as a sealing plate.

[0075] Figure 4 illustrates the same embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 of the mobile applicator 1 of the invention, but said applicator 1 is this time arranged in a stopper 50 and on a bottle 60 in the open position.

[0076] In the open position according to Figure 4, the thread 52 of the cap 50 is not screwed onto the thread 61 of the bottle 60. The elastic part 20 is relaxed and maintains the gap between the bottom 12 of the head 10 and the bottom 34 of the tubular portion 32 of the rod 30. The elastic part is thus configured to allow the application member to be permanently immersed in the bottom of the bottle 60 containing the product to be applied. In this configuration, the lugs 31 are thus in abutment on the stops 11b of the lateral openings 11 of the head 10.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Mobile applicator (1) of product to be applied intended to be mounted in a cap having an internal bore, said applicator comprising a rod (30) extending along a longitudinal axis, said rod (30) comprising a tubular portion (32) and a peripheral stopper (33) at its proximal end (30P) as well as an application member (40) of the product to be applied arranged at its distal end (30D), characterized in that said applicator (1) further comprises: - a hollow head (10) mounted to slide longitudinally on the tubular portion (32) of the rod (30), between a position, called the deployed position, in which the head is spaced from said tubular portion (32) and a position, called the retracted position, in which the hollow head (10) comes into abutment against said peripheral stopper (33), - an elastic part (20) extending partially in said hollow head (10) and in said tubular portion (32), said elastic part (20) being configured to oppose the spontaneous movement of said hollow head (10) towards the tubular portion (32), along the longitudinal axis of the rod (30), - means for removable mounting of said hollow head (10) in said internal bore of said cap adapted to allow the mounting / dismounting of the mobile applicator (1) in the cap.

2. Applicator according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means for guiding the longitudinal sliding of the head (10) relative to the rod (30), said guide means being respectively arranged on a wall of said hollow head and on said tubular portion (32) of the rod.

3. Applicator according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide means are formed by lugs (31) arranged on the tubular portion (32) of the rod (30) and by lateral openings (11) formed in the wall of the hollow head (10), said lugs (31) being configured to be embedded in the lateral openings (11).

4. Applicator according to claim 3, characterized in that the lateral openings (11) of the hollow head (10) are delimited by longitudinal edges forming stops (11a, 11b) limiting the longitudinal sliding of the head (10). relative to the rod (30).

5. Applicator according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the elastic part (20) is a compression spring extending between at least a part of the tubular portion (32) of the rod (30), said part defining a first bottom (34), and at least a portion of the head (10), said portion defining a second bottom (12).

6. Applicator according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said hollow head has a shape and dimensions conformed and combined with said internal bore of said cap, thus forming said removable mounting means by embedding said hollow head in this cap.

7. Cap (50) for a bottle (60) intended to contain a product to be applied, said cap comprising an internal bore (51) configured to receive the head of an applicator and an applicator, said bore (51) allowing the insertion and extraction of said applicator characterized in that the applicator is a mobile applicator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Cap according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises a thread (52) shaped like a thread formed in a bottle to be able to screw / unscrew said cap (50) onto said bottle (60).

9. Bottle (60) intended to contain a product, characterized in that it comprises a stopper according to claims 7 or 8.

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