Applicator for applying cosmetic and / or medical liquid or semi-solid preparations

Abstract

The invention relates to an applicator (1) for applying cosmetic and / or medical liquid or semi-solid preparations, comprising a hand-held housing (10) having an applicator tip (11) which can be exchangeably secured to one end of the housing (10), and having a receiving means (12) for an exchangeable storage container (2), which can be filled with the preparation to be applied and can be exchangeably inserted into the receiving means (12) of the housing (10), as well as a conveying device for conveying the preparation from the storage container (2) inserted into the receiving means (12) to the applicator tip (11), wherein the conveying device comprises a motor-driven metering device (13) having a voltage source (17) and an associated control device (14), wherein the control device (14) is designed to convey a predetermined amount of the preparation from the storage container (2) to the applicator tip (11).

Description

[0001]

[0002] Thomas Kalman

[0003] 60322 Frankfurt am Main (DE)

[0004] Applicator for the application of cosmetic and / or medical liquid or semi-solid preparations

[0005] Description:

[0006] The invention relates to an applicator for the application of cosmetic and / or medical liquid or semi-solid preparations, comprising a handheld housing with an applicator tip that can be interchangeably attached to one end of the housing and a receptacle for an interchangeable reservoir that can be filled with the preparation to be applied and can be interchangeably inserted into the receptacle of the housing, as well as a conveying device for conveying the preparation from the reservoir inserted into the receptacle to the applicator tip.

[0007] In the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, the development and marketing of liquid or semi-solid preparations, which according to the invention include creams, liquids, and pastes, is standard practice in large volumes, resulting in a correspondingly large market supply. These preparations are typically packaged in jars, bottles, or tubes and made available to the user. While application is simple, precise dosing while avoiding applying too much or too little is difficult. This can be particularly problematic with therapeutically effective preparations, when adhering to a treatment plan, or when using preparations specifically tailored to a particular skin type. Furthermore, transporting a large number of such preparations, for example, in luggage, is often cumbersome, as they require considerable space and, for example,These products may be subject to volume restrictions during air travel security checks. Since preparations, especially those packaged in jars or bottles, inevitably come into contact with the user's fingers during removal, contamination is almost unavoidable, and use by multiple users does not meet the relevant hygiene requirements.

[0008] US patent 2015 / 0164201 A1 discloses a generic applicator with which preparations of various kinds, packaged in small, interchangeable reservoirs, can be dispensed by a mechanical pumping motion to an applicator tip and from there, for example, onto the skin. However, with this applicator, the precise dosage remains dependent on the user's attention and skill and is manually controlled.

[0009] The object of the invention is to propose an applicator of the type mentioned above which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0010] To solve the problem posed, an applicator according to the features of claim 1 is proposed.

[0011] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description.

[0012] To solve the problem posed, the invention provides that the conveying device comprises a motor-driven dosing device with a voltage source and an associated control device, wherein the control device is configured to convey a predetermined quantity of the preparation from the storage container to the applicator tip.

[0013] According to the invention, the preparation, which is stored in a reservoir integrated into the applicator, is dispensed by the applicator as needed, without any contact between the preparation in the reservoir and the environment, thus effectively preventing contamination. Furthermore, the interchangeable applicator tips ensure that the application is always hygienically clean and safe, making it suitable for use by multiple users. The motor-driven dosing unit, used as the conveying device, ensures, through demand-based control via the control unit, that only the appropriate predetermined quantity of preparation is conveyed from the reservoir to the applicator tip and dispensed by the user. This prevents over- and under-dosing and ensures optimal, economical application.Furthermore, since the storage containers can be designed with a small internal volume to hold the preparation, a large number of them can be taken along in luggage, for example, without exceeding the applicable security restrictions for hand luggage on air travel.

[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the control unit can be connected to a database containing a multitude of preparations and their respective application quantities. The corresponding application quantity can be read from the database, depending on the preparation in the reservoir inserted into the applicator, and transmitted to the control unit. Therefore, depending on the specific reservoir inserted into the applicator and the preparation it contains and which is to be dispensed to the applicator, the control unit can be programmed with the individually specified predetermined application quantity, and the dispensing device can be controlled accordingly. The applicator according to the invention thus applies the optimal predetermined application quantity for each preparation contained in the corresponding reservoir.

[0015] According to a further aspect of the invention, the database is implemented as a software application on a mobile device, and the applicator is connected to the mobile device via a wireless radio protocol. The control unit accesses a corresponding radio module, which preferably establishes a bidirectional connection to the software application running on the mobile device. Suitable wireless radio protocols include, for example, Bluetooth or WLAN. The software application can be installed as an app, for example, on a mobile phone or tablet.

[0016] In addition to transmitting the predetermined order quantity for preparation, such a software application can also provide a variety of other functionalities. For example, it can offer support for the user's specific skin type by providing specific treatments, including the preparations to be used, as well as application suggestions, particularly regarding frequency of application and reminders for upcoming applications. Furthermore, the software application can also handle the purchase of new supply containers with the preparations, monitor and display the fill level, and guide the user on the correct handling of the applicator.

[0017] According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit of the applicator according to the invention is also configured to determine the type of preparation in the storage container inserted into the holder. This enables the control unit to automatically retrieve the required predetermined order quantity from the database and also to instruct the software application to display additional information tailored to the type of preparation.

[0018] Determining the type of preparation in the reservoir inserted into the receptacle can be achieved, for example, by providing each reservoir with a readable code and by having a reader for this code, integrated into the housing of the applicator, that communicates with the control unit. Such a code can be implemented, for example, as an optically readable barcode or as a radio-frequency readable RFID chip, by means of which the control unit receives information corresponding to the liquid contained in the inserted reservoir. Furthermore, reading the code ensures that the applicator according to the invention can only be operated with a reservoir inserted into the receptacle.Furthermore, the control unit or a software application communicating with it can be configured so that if a code not present in the database or not authorized is read, the commissioning of the dosing unit is prevented or blocked.

[0019] According to a further aspect of the invention, the application quantity specified for the respective preparation and conveyed by the applicator according to the invention via the dosing device to the applicator tip is stored as a fixed default value, for example, in the database and can be retrieved from there. Alternatively, an individually configurable variable value is defined as the application quantity and stored in the database. This is particularly advantageous for medically effective preparations within the framework of an individual treatment plan, since in this way the applicator according to the invention can be configured so that it delivers exactly the application quantity specified, for example, by a physician, to the applicator tip for each application. The accuracy of such treatment using a medical preparation is thus greatly increased and simplified.

[0020] The individual applicator tips, which can be attached to the applicator for easy replacement, can be designed, for example, as a brush or pipette, depending on the type of preparation to be dispensed from the reservoir. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that this list is merely exemplary and not exhaustive. The design of the applicator tip is not subject to any restrictions, as long as the dispensing of the preparation conveyed to the applicator tip is ensured.

[0021] According to a further aspect of the invention, the applicator is designed to be disassembled into several sections for cleaning purposes, for example by dividing the housing into an upper and a lower housing section. This allows the applicator tips to be attached to the upper housing section in an interchangeable manner, while the lower housing section houses, for example, the power supply, dosing unit, control unit, and the reservoir for the storage container. After disassembling the applicator into its sections, these can be easily cleaned mechanically, particularly in the area of ​​the lines conveying the preparation, as they are then more easily accessible.

[0022] Furthermore, instead of a storage container, a cleaning container filled with a cleaning fluid may be provided, which can be inserted into the applicator to rinse it with a suitable cleaning fluid as needed or periodically. This can be achieved, for example, by the dosing device, provided that its motor drive enables it to draw the preparation from the storage container and deliver it to the applicator tip. In this case, the cleaning fluid can also be delivered at appropriate pressure through all parts of the applicator that come into contact with the preparation to remove residues. The pipe or hose sections used to convey the preparation through the applicator can also be made of an easily cleanable material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, and are easily replaceable if necessary.

[0023] The motor-driven dosing device is not limited to an embodiment capable of drawing in the preparation or cleaning fluid and delivering it to the applicator tip. Rather, the dosing device can also be configured so that its motor drive merely opens or closes a flow cross-section, for example, when the preparation or cleaning fluid introduced into the receiving or cleaning container is under pressure and, upon opening the dosing device, automatically flows into the applicator up to the applicator tip. The cleaning process can be initiated, for example, via a corresponding button on the applicator or through the associated software application.According to a further proposal of the invention, the voltage source of the applicator according to the invention can comprise a rechargeable battery, in particular one that can be charged via a commercially available suitable charging port, for example a USB-C socket on a commercially available charger.

[0024] It is understood that the applicator according to the invention may also have corresponding indicators for the charging status of the voltage source and / or indicators for the fill level of the storage or cleaning container inserted into the receptacle.

[0025] In addition to dispensing a preparation taken from the interchangeable reservoir, it is also conceivable to equip the applicator according to the invention with further functionalities by replacing the applicator tip with a corresponding processing head. These functionalities could, for example, include the generation of electromagnetic waves or the emission of light pulses, for example for facial treatments.

[0026] The invention further relates to a storage container with an internal volume enclosed by a container wall for receiving a cosmetic and / or medicinal liquid or semi-solid preparation, wherein the storage container has a connection area that is configured so that it can be interchangeably inserted into the receptacle of an applicator as described above in order to supply the preparation to the dosing device. Such storage containers can, for example, be filled industrially by manufacturers of cosmetics or pharmaceutical preparations with the respective preparations or with a cleaning fluid and provided with a corresponding code that can be read by the control unit. Further embodiments and details of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawing illustrating an exemplary embodiment. The drawing shows:

[0027] Figure 1 shows the side view of an applicator according to the invention;

[0028] Figure 2 shows a section of the back of the applicator according to Figure 1;

[0029] Figure 3 shows a block diagram of the applicator according to the invention as shown in Figure 1;

[0030] Figure 4 shows the side view of a storage container;

[0031] Figure 5 shows the top view of the storage container as shown in Figure 4.

[0032] Figure 1 shows an exemplary schematic side view of an applicator 1, which can be used for the application of cosmetic and / or medical liquid or semi-solid preparations, for example a cream.

[0033] The applicator 1 comprises a housing 10 divided into an upper housing part 100 and a lower housing part 101, which are detachably connected to the housing 10, for example, by a screw or bayonet fitting. The upper housing part 100 has an angled section at its free end to which an applicator tip 11 can be attached, interchangeably, for example, also by means of a screw or bayonet fitting. In the illustrated embodiment, the applicator tip has a brush 110.

[0034] The dimensions of the applicator 1 are chosen so that it can be easily held in one hand with its housing 10 and can be switched on via a switch 16 in the manner described below.

[0035] On the rear side of the lower housing part 101, which is not visible in Figure 1 but shown in Figure 2, a receptacle 12 is provided, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a bayonet fitting 120 and a central entry opening 121. The receptacle 12 can be open, as shown, or closable with a flap (not shown here).

[0036] A storage container 2, designed to correspond with the receptacle shown in Figure 2 and shown in Figures 4 and 5, can be interchangeably inserted into the receptacle 12 shown in Figure 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the storage container 2 is provided with a connection area 24 that corresponds to the receptacle 12 and the bayonet 120. Adjacent to this connection area, the storage container 2 comprises a container wall 20 that encloses an internal volume 21, which can be filled with a liquid or semi-solid cosmetic and / or medical preparation to be applied.

[0037] As soon as the reservoir 2 with its connection area 24 is inserted into the receptacle 12 of the applicator 1 and fixed there, the reservoir 2 communicates with the inlet opening 121 of the receptacle 12 via an openable closure 22 formed in the connection area 24, i.e. the closure 22 is opened when the reservoir 2 is inserted into the receptacle 12 and a fluid connection is established.

[0038] Inside the applicator 1, for example in the area of ​​the lower part of the housing 101, the further components shown schematically in Figure 3 are arranged.

[0039] Starting from the inlet opening 121, a suction line 130 leads to a motor-driven metering device 13, which is connected to a control unit 14 and controlled by it as soon as the switch 16 is activated.

[0040] The control unit 14 initially accesses a reading device 122 via a signal line. The reading device 122 is arranged in the area of ​​the receptacle 12 for the storage container 2, as shown in Figure 2. The reading device 122 is configured to read a code 23 attached to the storage container in the connection area 24, which identifies the specific preparation introduced into the storage container 2 inserted into the receptacle 12. The code 23 can, for example, be a barcode, and the reading device 122 can be an optical sensor, or the code 23 can be an RFID chip, and the reading device 122 can be a corresponding RFID receiver. Other embodiments of the code 23 and the associated reading device 122 are also possible.

[0041] Based on the preparation type identified by the reading device 122, the control unit 14 then determines the required order quantity for the preparation by accessing a corresponding database 3. Access to the database 3 can be either direct, as the database 3 is stored on a memory chip integrated into the applicator 1, or the control unit 14 can use a radio module 15 to establish a wireless connection to a database located on an external server, either stored in a corresponding software application on a mobile device or accessed by the application. The radio module 15 can communicate with the mobile device, for example, via Bluetooth.

[0042] Once the control unit 14 has determined the required quantity for the preparation, it controls the dosing unit 13 such that precisely this specified quantity is dispensed from the reservoir 2 via the inlet opening 121 and the suction line 130 into a discharge line 131 and from there to the brush 110 of the applicator tip 11, from where the user of the applicator 1 applies the dosed preparation, for example, to their skin. It is understood that the applicator tip 11 can also be equipped with a pipette or a similar application device instead of a brush 110.

[0043] By exchanging the reservoir 2 inserted into the receptacle 12 as well as the applicator tip 11, the applicator 1 described above can be easily adapted to different applications and for different applications of preparations.

[0044] If the coding 23 determined by the reading device 122 is not present in the database or is marked as unauthorized, the commissioning of the applicator may be blocked.

[0045] At regular intervals and after changing the preparation to be applied, the applicator 1 must be cleaned, particularly in the area of ​​its preparation-carrying parts, i.e., inlet opening 121, suction line 130, metering device 13, and discharge line 131, of any residues of the previously applied preparation. For this purpose, a reservoir 2 filled with a cleaning fluid, for example, water, or a cleaning container larger than the reservoir 13, is inserted into the receptacle 12, and a cleaning program is started. This program causes the metering device 13 to pump a predetermined quantity of cleaning fluid under high pressure through the preparation-carrying parts described above.Furthermore, the housing 10 can be disassembled into upper housing part 100 and lower housing part 101, allowing the pipe sections arranged in these, in particular suction pipe 130 and discharge pipe 131, to be mechanically cleaned and, if necessary, replaced.

[0046] The motor-driven dosing device 13 can, for example, be designed as a roller pump, jet pump, or piston pump, whereby the intended flow direction can be determined by integrating one-way valves (not shown here). Furthermore, the dosing device 13 can also be designed as a valve that can only be opened and closed by a motor, for example, if the preparation or cleaning fluid held in the storage container 2 or cleaning container is under pressure.

[0047] The electrical energy required for the motor drive of the dosing unit 13 and the control unit 14 is supplied by a rechargeable battery also located in the housing 10, which can be recharged as needed via a charging port 170 using an external charger. The charging port 170 can, for example, be a USB-C socket. Reference numeral list:

[0048] 1: Applicator

[0049] 2: Storage container 3: Database

[0050] 4: mobile device 10: casing

[0051] 11: Applicator tip 12: Intake

[0052] 13: Dosing unit 14: Control unit 15: Radio module

[0053] 16: Switch

[0054] 17: Power source 20: Container wall 21: Internal volume 22: Closure

[0055] 23: Coding

[0056] 24: Connection area 100: Housing top 101: Housing bottom 110: Brush

[0057] 120: Bayonet

[0058] 121: Inlet opening 122: Reading device 130: Suction line 131: Discharge line 170: Charging socket

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Applicator (1) for the application of cosmetic and / or medical liquid or semi-solid preparations, comprising a handheld housing (10) with an applicator tip (11) that can be interchangeably attached to one end of the housing (10) and a receptacle (12) for an interchangeable reservoir (2) that can be filled with the preparation to be applied and can be interchangeably inserted into the receptacle (12) of the housing (10), and a conveying device for conveying the preparation from the reservoir (2) inserted into the receptacle (12) to the applicator tip (11), characterized in that the conveying device comprises a motor-driven dosing device (13) with a voltage source (17) and an associated control device (14), wherein the control device (14) is configured to convey a predetermined quantity of the preparation from the reservoir (2) to the applicator tip (11).

2. Applicator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (14) can be connected to a database (3) in which a plurality of preparations and the respective associated order quantity are stored and the corresponding order quantity can be read from the database (3) depending on the preparation in the storage container (2) inserted into the receptacle (12) and transmitted to the control unit (14).

3. Applicator (1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the database (3) is designed as a software application on a mobile device (4) and the applicator (1 ) can be connected to the mobile device (4) via a wireless radio protocol.

4. Applicator (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device (14) is configured to determine the type of preparation in the storage container (2) inserted into the receptacle (12).

5. Applicator(l ) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each storage container (2) comprises a readable coding (23) and the applicator (1 ) has a reading device (122) for the coding (23) associated with the receptacle (12) in the housing (10) and communicating with the control unit (14).

6. Applicator (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the application quantity can be determined as a fixed preset value or as an individually configurable variable value.

7. Applicator (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the applicator tip (11 ) is designed as a brush or pipette.

8. Applicator (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it can be disassembled into several sections (100, 101 ) for cleaning purposes.

9. Applicator (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a cleaning container which can be filled with a cleaning fluid is provided, which can be inserted into the receptacle (12) in place of a storage container (2) in order to rinse the applicator (1 ) with cleaning fluid.

10. Applicator according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the voltage source (17) comprises a rechargeable battery.

11. Storage container (2) with an internal volume (21) enclosed by a container wall (20) for receiving a cosmetic and / or medical liquid or semi-solid preparation, wherein the storage container has a connection area which is arranged so that it can be interchangeably inserted into the receptacle (12) of an applicator (1) according to one of the preceding claims in order to supply the preparation to the dosing device (13).

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