Cosmetic Vial With Retractable Applicator and Elastic Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mascara bottles face challenges in maintaining a secure seal and preventing clogging, while allowing easy movement of the applicator element, due to precise dimensional requirements and potential wear of sealing components, which can affect the durability and sealing efficacy over time.
Innovation Solution
A bottle design featuring an elongated body with a movable reservoir and an elastically compressible guide device, incorporating a hollow guide track and a follower finger, along with an elastic insert element to maintain the reservoir's high position and ensure secure sealing, allowing independent axial dimension choices and minimizing clogging risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complementary sealing elements (protuberance and hooking claws) are used to ensure secure sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases and the risk of clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the complex claw-protuberance mechanism and relocates it to the wringer component. The wringer's constriction zone provides sealing through friction and compression against the rod, eliminating the need for separate complementary sealing elements and their associated complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The wringer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it wipes the applicator by compression, provides sealing through friction against the rod, and controls product flow. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sealing components, reducing device complexity while maintaining sealing reliability
2Ease of operation
If the cap protrudes sufficiently from the body to allow easy gripping, then ease of operation is improved, but the axial distance required increases the overall bottle length
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed to be movable relative to the body through the elastically compressible device. The cap can protrude during application for easy gripping, then automatically retract when not in use, providing both ease of operation and compact dimensions at different operational states
Solution Approach 2:
The elastically compressible device pre-positions the cap in a retracted state, and the user's gripping action automatically activates the mechanism to protrude the cap. This preliminary positioning allows the bottle to maintain compact dimensions while providing easy operation when needed
3Ease of operation
If the applicator element moves freely in the reservoir for easy application, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wringer acts as an intermediary component between the reservoir and the applicator element. It provides controlled interaction through friction and compression, allowing the applicator to move freely for easy application while the wringer's constriction zone prevents clogging by maintaining product flow control
Solution Approach 2:
The wringer changes the friction parameter dynamically through its constriction zone. During applicator movement, friction allows free motion, but during product flow, the same friction mechanism prevents clogging by controlling the product's passage, thus resolving the contradiction between movement ease and clogging prevention
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides a reliable, durable seal and easy movement of the applicator element, reducing the risk of clogging and maintaining sealing effectiveness over time, while allowing for flexible dimensioning and material choices based on the product and applicator resistance.
Implementation Method 1
un known elastically compressible guide device, having a stable retracted configuration determining the low rest position of the reservoir and a configuration of maximum extension determining the high working position of this reservoir
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vial for a liquid or pasty cosmetic product, comprising an elongate body having a base area (11) and a free edge (12), a vessel (20) containing said product and which is translatably movable in the body between a bottom rest position and a top working position, an elastically compressible guide device with a stable retracted configuration determining the bottom position and a maximum extension configuration determining the top position, comprising a hollow guide track in which a guide pin is inserted at least in the maximum extension configuration, as well as an application element (30) comprising a cap (40) suitable for being inserted inside the body and, in the opposite direction, for being at least partially extracted from said body by the elastically compressible guide device. An elastic insert (67) is provided next to said guide track to slow the movement of the guide pin when the elastically compressible guide device exits the maximum extension configuration thereof due to the cap being pushed into the body.