Two-part cosmetic wiping device with nested skirts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wiping devices for cosmetic or care product packaging face challenges in achieving reliable mounting and wiping performance while ensuring leaktightness, often due to poor positioning and deformation of multi-piece components during assembly.

Innovation Solution

A wiping device design where the wiping part is preassembled with the fastening part to ensure reliable fastening, utilizing a deformable outer skirt that radially deforms upon mounting, providing a strong mechanical hold and easy assembly, with features like a bulge and groove system to immobilize the mounting skirt, ensuring precise positioning and leaktightness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the wiping device is made from multiple pieces of different rigidities, then the flexibility and rigidity requirements are met, but the positioning reliability deteriorates due to movement between pieces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility and rigidity adaptationVSAvoidpositioning reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wiping device is divided into two distinct pieces: a more rigid fastening piece and a more flexible wiping piece. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the fastening piece provides structural stability while the wiping piece provides flexibility for effective wiping action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible wiping piece is nested within the rigid fastening piece, with the wiping piece positioned inside the fastening piece structure. This nested arrangement allows the two pieces of different rigidities to work together while maintaining compact integration and preventing relative movement that would compromise positioning reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If the wiping device is preassembled before mounting, then the handling ease improves, but the fastening reliability may deteriorate if positioning is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling easeVSAvoidfastening reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wiping piece and fastening piece are preassembled before mounting onto the container neck. This preliminary assembly allows the components to be positioned and secured to each other in advance, simplifying the final installation process while maintaining fastening reliability through the nested design that prevents movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If a radial clearance is made around the wiping part, then the ease of assembly improves, but the leaktightness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidleaktightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wiping piece is made from a flexible material that can deform to seal against the container neck. This flexible wiping piece maintains leaktightness by conforming to the neck surface while still allowing for easy assembly, eliminating the need for radial clearances that would compromise sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution ensures reliable fastening and leaktightness of the container, simplifies handling by allowing single-operation mounting, and allows for the use of softer materials with secure fastening, while detecting poor preassembly through deformation impediment.

Implementation Method 1

The fact that the outer skirt is deformed radially inward by the neck while the device is being mounted in the neck ensures reliable fastening of the wiping part in the container

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

said relief being formed by a protruding bulge on the inner surface of the outer skirt which makes it possible, during final assembly, to immobilize the mounting skirt in the fastening part by deformation of the outer skirt

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical constraint: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 3

The two pieces are preassembled before the assembly is mounted in the neck of the container. The more flexible piece has a mounting skirt fitted in an annular groove formed in the more rigid piece, the two pieces being held together by friction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3525614B1Two-part wiping device
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 SOCIETE INDUSTRIELLE DE MATIERES PLASTIQUES
  • EP3525614B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3525614B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3525614B1 patent drawingFigure 6~9

AI summary

The present invention relates to a device for applying a product, comprising a wiping device (4) made up of a wiping part (6) for wiping off an applicator member and a stem as they leave a container, and a fastening part (5) for fastening the wiping device (4) in the neck of the container, one of the fastening part (5) and the wiping part having an outer skirt (55) and an inner skirt (54) that define an annular groove (56) between one another, the other of the fastening part and the wiping part (6) having a mounting skirt (65) fitted in said groove (56), at least one of the outer skirt (55) and inner skirt (54) being pressed against the mounting skirt (65) at least when the wiping device (4) is in a configuration mounted in the neck, and at least one of the pressing skirts (54, 55) having a relief that engages with the other skirt (65) in this configuration in order to prevent any detachment of the fastening part (5) and the wiping part (6).