AIRTIGHT APPLICATOR DISPENSER FOR A PRODUCT IN POWDER FORM
An applicator dispenser (1) comprises a) a container (2) forming a reservoir (25) for powder product, the container (2) comprising a side wall (20), an upper wall (22) perforated like a sifter with at least one orifice (220) or a plurality of orifices (221) so as to allow the powder to pass through it so that it can be used, and typically a base (21), b) a lid or cover (3) comprising a head (30) and a lateral skirt (31) co-operating with the container (2), when the applicator dispenser (1) is closed, so as to seal the container (2), and c) an application means (4) of the powder housed between the head (30) and the wall (22), characterised in that: 1) the application means (4) is attached to the lid (3) to form an applicator (9), by means of an attachment means, so that the lid (3) acts as a manual way of gripping the application means (4), without the risk of getting product on the hands, 2) the container (2) comprises a closure means (8) that is typically airtight for the orifice (220) or the plurality of orifices (221). Advantages include an airtight dispenser and no risk of getting product on the hands.
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This application claims priority to French Application No. 0504907, filed May 17, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to the field of applicator dispensers of a product in powder form, typically of a cosmetic product in powder form designed for applying make up to the face.
BACKGROUND ARTMany applicator dispensers for products in powder form are already known. Typically, these applicator dispensers comprise a powder reservoir with an applicator mounted on top of it, as for example in the patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,119, EP 0 364 667, FR 2 802 069, and FR 2 823 081.
Furthermore, many dispensers of products in powder form are also known comprising an application means in the form of a powder puff. When the powder is in the form of an agglomerated block these dispensers are then traditional make up compacts.
Finally, in the patent FR 2 848 392 in the applicant's name, there is disclosed a dispenser of non-agglomerated powder comprising an application means which functions similarly to a powder puff in a traditional housing.
On the one hand, many applicator dispensers of the state of the art are relatively large in size, such that they are designed to be placed on a bathroom shelf. There is consequently a need for “mobile” applicator dispensers that are relatively compact, in order to be carried in a handbag for example.
On the other hand, it is important that these applicator dispensers are ergonomic to use, and that they allow the users to avoid getting product on their fingers.
Furthermore, there is a need for dispensers that are easy to handle when applying the powder and that moreover have an elongated shape which is, for example, similar to that of a tube of lipstick.
Moreover, in the field of cosmetic products, there is a need for permanent renewal of the products and packaging.
Finally, given the development of the powder formulas, it may be useful in certain cases that these applicator dispensers are relatively airtight, in order to avoid any evaporation of a volatile constituent of the powder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONAccording to the invention, the applicator dispenser of a product in powder form, typically of a cosmetic product forming a powder, has an axial direction and comprises a) a container forming a reservoir designed to contain the product in powder form, the container featuring a side wall, a perforated upper wall in the form of a sifter with at least one orifice or a plurality of orifices so as to allow the powder to pass through it so that it can be used, and typically a base, b) a lid or cover comprising a head and a lateral skirt co-operating with the container, when the applicator dispenser is closed, so as to close off the container, and c) an application means of the powder housed between the head and the wall. The dispenser is characterized in that:
-
- 1) the application means is attached to the lid to form an applicator, by means of an attachment means, so that the lid acts as a manual means of gripping the application means, without the risk of getting product on the hands,
- 2) the container comprises a typically airtight means of sealing the orifice or the plurality of orifices.
The applicator dispensers of the invention overcome the problems raised. In fact, these applicator dispensers are “mobile” applicator dispensers that are relatively compact in size and that are capable of being carried in a handbag for example. Furthermore, with the lid acting as a manual means of gripping the application means, there is no longer any risk of getting product on the hands when applying the product. Moreover, it is easier to handle a relatively light lid, than to handle the body of the dispenser containing the product, which is obviously heavier and more voluminous. Furthermore, given its elongated form, the applicator dispenser of the invention has a shape similar to that of a tube of lipstick. Finally, the applicator dispenser of the invention entirely renews the shape of powder dispensers, which is very advantageous from a commercial point of view.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURESAll of the figures concern applicator dispensers (1) or applicator dispensers elements (1) according to the invention.
According to the invention, the applicator dispenser (1) may have a H/D shape factor at least equal to 1.5, for example at least equal to 2, and preferably at least equal to 3, in order to obtain a longitudinal applicator dispenser (1′) with an axial direction (10), H designating the height of the applicator dispenser (1′) along the axial direction (10), and D designating its maximum transversal dimension or its diameter in the case of an applicator dispenser (1′) with a constant circular section on the entire said height H.
Consequently, the applicator dispenser (1′) of
As illustrated especially in
In this case, the internal wall (51) of the inner body (5) may comprise a lower part (52) forming a lower skirt that attaches, typically by axially clipping, the inner body (5) to the external body (4), so that in particular, a rotation of the external body (4) causes a corresponding rotation of the inner body (5).
As illustrated in
The internal wall (51) of the inner body (5) may comprise an upper part (53) forming an upper skirt that surrounds, at its base, the side wall (61) of the upper part (6).
As illustrated in
According to the invention, and as illustrated in
In general, the application means (32) may form a longitudinal application block (320) of height HA ranging from 10 mm to 60 mm, and preferably from 20 mm to 50 mm.
Advantageously, the lid (3) may comprise an axial projection (34) attached, by its upper end, to the head (30) of the lid (3), or possibly an insert assembled onto the lid (3), the axial projection (34) forming the attachment means of the application means (32), as shown in
The axial projection (34) may typically form a portion of tube (35) forming a sheath gripping an upper part (321) of the application means (32), so as to attach the application means (32) to the lid (3), but other types of axial projections are possible, for example a central projection forming a harpoon to attach the application means (32) to the lid (3).
The axial projection (34) may have an axial length ranging from 0.8. HJC to 1.1. HJC, where HJC is the axial length of the lateral skirt (31) of the lid (3), as shown in
The application means (32) or the application block (320) may comprise or be formed by an application material in a divided or fibrous or alveolar condition, for example alveolar foam or felt, capable of retaining a fraction of the powder so that it may subsequently be applied typically to the face.
When the applicator dispenser (1, 1′) is closed, the application means (32) may have a lower surface (323) typically in contact with the base (60) of the upper part (6) equipped with the orifice (600) or the plurality of orifices (601), so that a fraction SO/S of the lower surface (323) aligned with the orifice(s) is in contact with the powder, the fraction SO/S ranging typically from 0.05 to 0.4, where SO corresponds to the zone of the orifice(s) and S corresponds to the total zone of the base (60).
Preferably, all or part of the application means (32) may be resilient or axially elastic, so that they are in a state of slight axial compression between the head (30) and the base (60), when the applicator dispenser (1, 1′) is closed, the slight axial compression corresponding to a reduction in height of the application means typically ranging from 2% to 20%.
As illustrated in
The side wall (61) of the upper part (6), or the upper part (53) of the inner body (5), may co-operate with the lateral skirt (31) of the lid (3) by screwing by way of a screw thread (11) when the container (2) is closed, the thread comprising at least one helicoidal groove (111), either total or partial, co-operating with at least one helicoidal rib (110), either total or partial.
In this way, the lateral skirt (31) of the lid comprises on its inner surface a plurality of helicoidal grooves (111′) designed to co-operate when the dispenser (1, 1′) is closed, with a plurality of helicoidal ribs (110′) located on the side wall (61) or on the upper part (53), on its external surface, so that the lid (3) is capable of sealing the container (2) by screwing.
The plurality of ribs (110′) may comprise 3 ribs orientated at 120° with respect to one another and running at an angle α ranging from 40° to 120°, and preferably from 50° to 80°, so as to close/open the dispenser by a relative rotation of low amplitude.
According to another embodiment of applicator dispenser shown in
According to yet another embodiment of applicator dispenser shown in
With these two last embodiments, and as illustrated in
Regardless of the embodiments of the invention, the means of axial co-operation (12) may be chosen from a central clipping means (120), as illustrated in
According to the invention, and as illustrated in
The position “F” is shown in
The position “O” is shown in
In a first variant of closure means (8) illustrated in
The internal radial groove (530) may comprise a convex element (531) providing the separation between the positions “O” and “F” so that the passage from a position “O” or “F” to the other position “F” or “O” requires a manual rotational effort.
In a second variant of closure means (8) illustrated in
Advantageously, screwing of the lid on the container (2) may automatically cause the relative rotation of the upper part (6) with respect to the inner body (5, 5′) or to the external body (4, 4′), so as to obtain the extreme angular position marked “F” corresponding to a closure of the applicator dispenser, due in particular to a driving effect of the longitudinal block (320) on the base (60).
According to the invention, the applicator dispenser may have symmetry of revolution.
In this applicator dispenser, the reservoir (25) may have an internal capacity or volume typically ranging from 5 to 200 cm3 and preferably from 10 cm3 to 100 cm3.
EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTSAll of the figures are examples of embodiments.
1) The applicator dispenser of
the cover (3),
the external body (4),
the inner body (5),
and the upper part (6).
The material forming the application means (32) was procured and a longitudinal block (320) was cut out that was attached by force in the axial projection (34) of the cover (3).
The following were assembled by axial clipping: the external body (4), the inner body (5) and the upper part (6).
2) The applicator dispenser of
3) The applicator dispenser of
4) The 4 applicator dispensers of
4a) in the variant of
4b) in the variant of
4c) in the variant of
4d) in the variant of
5) The 2 applicator dispensers of
5a) the first is analogous to the variant of
5b) the second is analogous to the variant of
Claims
1. Applicator dispenser (1) of a product in powder form, typically of a cosmetic product forming a powder, disposing of an axial direction (10) and comprising a) a container (2) forming a reservoir (25) designed to contain the product in powder form, the container (2) comprising a side wall (20), an upper wall (22) perforated like a sifter with at least one orifice (220) or a plurality of orifices (221) so as to allow the powder to pass through it so that it can be used, and typically a base (21), b) a lid or cover (3) comprising a head (30) and a lateral skirt (31) co-operating with the container (2), when the applicator dispenser (1) is closed, so as to seal the container (2), and c) an application means (4) of the powder housed between the head (30) and the wall (22), characterised in that:
- 1) the application means (4) is attached to the lid (3) to form an applicator (9), by means of an attachment means, so that the lid (3) acts as a manual means of gripping the application means (4), without the risk of getting product on the hands
- 2) the container (2) comprises a closure means (8) that is typically air tight for the orifice (220) or the plurality of orifices (221)
- and in which the container (2) comprises a) an external body (4) comprising an external wall (41), b) an inner body (5) comprising an upper wall (50) equipped with at least one orifice (500) or a plurality of orifices (501) and a so-called internal wall (51), and c) an upper part (6) comprising a base (60) equipped with at least one orifice (600) or a plurality of orifices (601), the upper part (6) co-operating with the external body (4) or the inner body (5) so that it can turn in the axial direction (10) with respect to the external body (4) or to the inner body (5) in order to align/offset angularly the orifice (500) or the plurality of orifices (501) of the inner body (5) with respect to the orifice (600) or to the plurality of orifices (601) of the upper part (6).
2. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1 with a H/D shape factor at least equal to 1.5, for example at least equal to 2, and preferably at least equal to 3, in order to obtain a longitudinal applicator dispenser (1, 1′) with an axial direction (10), H designating the height of the applicator dispenser (1′) along the axial direction (10), and D designating its maximum transversal dimension or its diameter in the case of an applicator dispenser (1′) with a constant circular section on the entire said height H.
3. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1, in which the external body (4) comprises the external wall (41) and a base (40), and in which the upper part (6) comprises the base (60) a side wall (61).
4. Applicator dispenser according to claim 3, in which the internal wall (51) of the inner body (5) comprises a lower part (52) forming a lower skirt attaching, typically by axially clipping, the inner body (5) to the external body (4), so that in particular, a rotation of the external body (4) causes a corresponding rotation of the inner body (5).
5. Applicator dispenser according to claim 4, in which the lower part (52) forms a long skirt co-operating by its lower end (520) with an internal crown (400) attached to the base (40), so that the lower end (520) enters into an annular cavity (42) formed between the internal crown (400) and the external wall (41) at its lower end (410).
6. Applicator dispenser according to claim 3 in which the internal wall (51) of the inner body (5) comprises a upper part (53) forming an upper skirt surrounding, at its base, the side wall (61) of the upper part (6).
7. Applicator dispenser according to claim 6 in which the upper part (53) comprises an external radial projection or radial shoulder (54), forming an axial stop for the external wall (41) and/or the side wall (31), and which has an external diameter typically equal to that of the external wall (41) at its upper end (410) and/or to that of the side wall (31) at its lower end (310).
8. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1, in which the application means (32) is attached to the head (30) of the lid (3) to form the applicator (9), and, in which preferably, the application means (32) may have a section in a transversal plane selected so as to form an annular space (33) between the lateral skirt (31) of the lid (3) and the application means (32).
9. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1, in which the application means (32) forms a longitudinal application block (320) of height HA ranging from 10 mm to 60 mm, and preferably from 20 mm to 50 mm.
10. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1, in which the lid (3) comprises an axial projection (34) attached, by its upper end, to the head (30) of the lid (3), or possibly an insert assembled onto the lid (3), the axial projection (34) forming the attachment means.
11. Applicator dispenser according to claim 10, in which the axial projection (34) typically forms a portion of tube (35) forming a sheath gripping an upper part (321) of the application means (32), so as to attach the application means (32) to the lid (3).
12. Applicator dispenser according to claim 10 in which the axial projection has an axial length ranging from 0.8. HJC to 1.1. HJC, where HJC is the axial length of the lateral skirt (31) of the lid (3).
13. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1, in which the application means (32) or the application block (320) comprises or is formed by an application material in a divided or fibrous or alveolar condition, for example alveolar foam or felt, capable of retaining a fraction of the powder so that it may subsequently be applied typically to the face.
14. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1 in which the application means (32) has a lower surface (323) typically in contact with the base (60) of the upper part (6) equipped with the orifice (600) or the plurality of orifices (601), so that a fraction SO/S of the lower surface (323) aligned with the orifice (s) is in contact with the powder, the fraction SO/S ranging typically from 0.05 to 0.4, where SO corresponds to the zone of the orifice (s) and S corresponds to the total zone of the base (60).
15. Applicator dispenser according to claim 14 in which all or part of the application means (32) are resilient or axially elastic, so that they are in a state of slight axial compression between the head (30) and the base (60), when the applicator dispenser (1, 1′) is closed, the slight axial compression corresponding to a reduction in height of the application means typically ranging from 2% to 20%.
16. Applicator dispenser according to claim 10 in which the side wall (61) of the upper part (6) is coaxial to the axial projection (34), typically to the portion of tube (35), the side wall (61) comprising an upper portion (610) externally covering a lower portion (340) of the axial projection (34) on an axial distance ΔH ranging up to 0.8. HS, where HS is the height of the side wall (61).
17. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1 in which the side wall (61) of the upper part (6), or the upper part (53) of the inner body (5), co-operates with the lateral skirt (31) of the lid (3) by screwing by means of a screw thread (11) when the container (2) is closed, the thread comprising at least one helicoidal groove (111), either total or partial, co-operating with at least one helicoidal rib (110), either total or partial.
18. Applicator dispenser according to claim 17 in which the lateral skirt (31) of the lid comprises on its inner surface a plurality of helicoidal grooves (111′) designed to co-operate when the dispenser (1, 1′) is closed, with a plurality of helicoidal ribs (110′) located on the side wall (61) or on the upper part (53), on its external surface, so that the lid (3) is capable of closing off the container (2) by screwing.
19. Applicator dispenser according to claim 18 in which the plurality of ribs comprises 3 ribs orientated at 120° with respect to one another and running at an angle α ranging from 40° to 120°, and preferably from 50° to 80°, so as to close/open the dispenser by a relative rotation of low amplitude.
20. Applicator dispenser according to claim 3 in which the inner body (5) is an inner body (5′) equipped with an internal wall (51′) that only comprises one lower wall (52), and in which the inner body (5′) is attached to the upper part (6) by a means of axial co-operation permitting a relative rotation of the upper part (6) with respect to the inner body (5) or with respect to the external body (4) attached in rotation to the inner body (5).
21. Applicator dispenser according to claim 20 in which the external body (4) is an external body (4′) equipped with an external wall (41′) comprising the internal wall (51′) and in which the base (40) of the external body (4) comprises a lower orifice (401) for filling it and a stopper (44) to close off the lower orifice (401).
22. Applicator dispenser according to claim 20 in which the external body (4) is an external body (4″) forming a tube that may be filled by the base and equipped with an external wall (41″) with a lower end (410″) capable of being fixed by forming a lower edge that is typically heat sealed.
23. Applicator dispenser according to claim 20 in which the means of co-operation axial (12) is selected from a central clipping means (120) or a peripheral clipping means (121).
24. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1 in which, the orifice (220) is formed by the alignment of the orifices (500) and (600) or by the alignment of the plurality of orifices (501) and (601) by relative rotation of the upper part (6) with respect to the inner body (5, 5′) or to the external body (4, 4′), the closure means (8) comprises a co-operation of convex elements (80) and concave elements (81), between the upper part (6) and the inner body (5, 5′) or the external body (4, 4′, 4″) or the peripheral clipping means (121), so as to have two extreme angular positions “F” and “O” obtained by the relative rotation along an angular path β, an extreme angular position marked “F” corresponding to a closure of the applicator dispenser, the other extreme angular position marked “O” corresponding to an opening of the applicator dispenser.
25. Applicator dispenser according to claim 24 in which the side wall (61) of the upper part (6) comprises an external radial projection (611) forming the convex element (80) typically co-operating with a internal radial groove (530) of the upper part (53) forming the concave element (81), so as to form the closure means (8).
26. Applicator dispenser according to claim 25 in which the internal radial groove (530) comprises a relief (531) providing the separation between the positions “O” and “F” so that the passage from a position “O” or “F” to the other position “F” or “O” requires a manual rotational effort.
27. Applicator dispenser according to claim 24 in which the base (60) of the upper part (6) comprises an axial projection (62) forming the convex element (80), co-operating with a cavity axial (450, 502) formed in the wall (45, 50) forming the concave element (81).
28. Applicator dispenser according to claim 18 in which the screwing of the lid on the container (2) automatically causes the relative rotation of the upper part (6) with respect to the inner body (5, 5′) or to the external body (4, 4′), so as to obtain the extreme angular position marked “F” corresponding to a closure of the applicator dispenser, due in particular to a driving effect of the longitudinal block (320) on the base (60).
29. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1 having a symmetry of revolution.
30. Applicator dispenser according to claim 1 in which the reservoir (25) has an internal capacity or volume typically ranging from 5 to 200 cm3 and preferably from 10 cm3 to 100 cm3.
Type: Application
Filed: May 16, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 25, 2007
Applicant: ALCAN PACKAGING BEAUTY SERVICES (Chevilly-Larue)
Inventor: Fabrice Dieudonat (Fosses)
Application Number: 11/383,706
International Classification: A45D 33/00 (20060101); A46B 11/00 (20060101);