Cosmetic Applicator Surface Roughness for Release and Hygiene
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cosmetic applicators accumulate cosmetic material on their surface, reducing the amount available for application and leading to bacterial growth, and require multiple applicators for different types of cosmetics, resulting in hygiene issues and a bulky kit.
Innovation Solution
A cosmetic applicator with a surface layer having an arithmetic average surface roughness of 10 µm or less and a maximum height of 100 µm or less, achieved through processing or using a sheet-like material with specified roughness, to prevent material accumulation and ensure reliable release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a normal tip with embossed patterns or porous irregularity is used, then cosmetic material can be held on the surface, but the material enters the concaved parts and prevents favorable release onto the skin surface
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface roughness parameters by limiting the arithmetic average surface roughness Ra to 10 µm or less and the maximum height Rz to 100 µm or less. This parameter optimization ensures that the surface can hold sufficient cosmetic material while preventing material from entering deep concaved parts, thereby enabling favorable release onto the skin surface during makeup application.
2Quantity of substance
If cosmetic material is allowed to accumulate on the application face, then the surface can hold more material, but the amount of cosmetic material that can be picked up and released is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By optimizing the surface roughness parameters (Ra ≤ 10 µm, Rz ≤ 100 µm), the invention creates a surface that holds an appropriate amount of cosmetic material without excessive accumulation. This ensures that sufficient material is available for pickup while maintaining high release efficiency, thereby improving overall application productivity.
3Device complexity
If one cosmetic applicator is used for cosmetic materials of different types and colors, then the kit size is reduced, but different cosmetic materials mix and rise to the surface causing unwanted mixture
Solution Approach 1:
The controlled surface roughness parameters (Ra ≤ 10 µm, Rz ≤ 100 µm) create a surface that does not deeply absorb or retain cosmetic materials. This prevents previous cosmetic materials from remaining on the surface and mixing with subsequent applications, thereby eliminating contamination issues while allowing single applicator use for multiple cosmetic types and colors.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface properties of the applicator are designed to prevent material retention, effectively creating a 'clean slate' after each use. This allows the applicator to function as if renewed after each application, preventing cross-contamination between different cosmetic products without requiring multiple dedicated applicators.
4Quantity of substance
If liquid cosmetic material permeates into the applicator, then the applicator can hold material, but bacteria grow easily inside the applicator
Solution Approach 1:
By limiting the surface roughness parameters (Ra ≤ 10 µm, Rz ≤ 100 µm), the invention reduces the depth and volume of surface irregularities where liquid cosmetic material can permeate and accumulate. This minimizes the environment available for bacterial growth while still allowing sufficient material holding capacity for effective makeup application.
Data Source
AI summary
A cosmetic applicator whose application part has an arithmetic average surface roughness Ra of 10 µm or less is provided, based on a study of the surface roughness of the application part of the cosmetic applicator, to further reduce the amount of cosmetic material accumulating on the surface of the application part, and to more reliably release onto the skin surface the cosmetic material that has been picked up onto the surface of the application part.