Mascara Applicator and Method of Applying Mascara
An applicator applies mascara to a user's eyelashes with a single push of a lever. The applicator has a housing with a front panel having an inwardly contoured surface. Within the contoured surface is an eyelash engagement opening which has a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface. A brush is contained within the housing, where the brush normally resides within a mascara reservoir. The brush has a plurality of radially extending bristles protruding from a shaft. The shaft has a curvature which generally conforms to the curvature of the opening in the housing in which the user inserts the user's eyelashes. Activation means, such as a combination of an extension member and an activation lever, are utilized for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening.
U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/353,809 for this invention was filed on Jun. 11, 2010 for which application this inventor claims domestic priority.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to makeup applicators, and more specifically to a device which applies mascara to eyelashes quickly and without mess.
Mascara is applied to eyelashes to enhance the appearance of the eyelashes to make the lashes fuller, longer and darker, thus making the eye lashes stand out and draw attention to the eye. Mascara applicators are known. One of the most common forms of device is the brush which is first dipped into a bottle of mascara, and then applied to the eyelashes. However, the process may require repeated applications of the brush to the eyelashes and the mascara may end up not being evenly applied to the lashes, such that the mascara may form clumps. In addition, applying the mascara requires the user to have a steady hand as they bring the small brush up within close proximity of the eye. For persons having unsteady hands, the process can be difficult, resulting in poor application of the makeup, repeated efforts to achieve the desired result, and the potential of poking one's eye with the mascara brush. Other known types of mascara applicator may require special refills for the applicator, such as a film or tape as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,640,938 (Okajima, et al.).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the disclosed apparatus provide an easy, fast, and reliable means of applying mascara to the eyelashes with a single press of an activation lever. The device comprises a handheld housing, having ergonomic features. The housing comprises a contoured eyelash engagement opening, which generally matches the curvature of the user's eyelashes and eyelid. This engagement opening is placed such that the eyelashes are contained within the opening. The portion of housing defining the opening is contoured to generally conform to the shape of the user's brow, such that proper placement of the device is facilitated. Within the housing, is a contoured brush, which normally sets within a storage chamber which contains mascara. Once the device is in position, the user depresses the activation lever, which raises the contoured brush into the opening, applying mascara to the lashes. Releasing the activation lever allows the brush to recede back into the storage chamber.
Referring now to the figures,
Adjacent to the top 16 is a contoured eyelash engagement opening 20 at the front 22 of the housing 12. The housing further comprises front 22
As shown in the figures, the front 22 of the housing 12 may be contoured adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening 20 to facilitate bringing the opening 20 up close to the eye, such that the user's eyelashes are accepted within the opening. As shown in
The housing 12 may comprise the gentle angle shown in the figures which has the upper portion in a forward position with respect to the portion being held by the hand, such that the lower portion is not in direct contact with the user's face when using the device. That is, as illustrated in
Contained within the housing 12 is a contoured brush 24. Contoured brush 24 is preferably shaped to generally conform to the gentle arc shape of the eyelashes, such that the shape of the contoured brush is generally the same as opening 20, as best shown in
Contoured brush 24 is attached to the upper end of extension member 30 which extends upwardly from the lower portion of housing 12. Extension member 30 is pivotally attached at its lower end to activation lever 14. Extension member 30 extends through lower reservoir opening 32, which opening is sealed against the outside of extension member 30 to prevent excessive migration of mascara from the mascara reservoir 26 into the lower portion of the housing 12. As schematically shown in
When the user has positioned their eye lashes into opening 20 and depresses the activation lever 14, the contoured brush 24 rises out of the mascara reservoir, through the upper reservoir opening 34, and the user's eyelashes are sandwiched between the contoured brush on the bottom and upper pad 36 on the top. In this process, a coating of mascara is evenly applied to all of the user's eye lashes in a single stroke. A biasing means, such as a spring or elastic band, may be utilized to return the contoured brush to the lowered position within the mascara reservoir 26, and return the activation lever 14 to the raised position.
A method of applying mascara to a user's eyelashes employs the invention described above. The disclosed invention is used by a user grasping the device and holding it close to the user's eye, and gently placing the eyelashes of one eye within the contoured eyelash engagement opening 20. Once the eyelashes are placed in the eyelash engagement opening, the user presses downward on activation lever 14, thus raising the contoured brush 24 from the mascara reservoir, through the upper reservoir opening 34, and the user's eyelashes are sandwiched between the contoured brush on the bottom and upper pad 36 on the top. In this process, a coating of mascara is evenly applied to all of the user's eye lashes in a single stroke. The user removes her eyelashes from the eyelash engagement opening. Upon release of the activation lever 14, the contoured brush 24 is returned to mascara reservoir 26 by biasing means. Alternatively, the user may manually manipulate activation lever 14 to return the contoured brush 24 to the mascara reservoir 26.
While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited according to these factors, but according to the claims to be filed in the following appended claims.
Claims
1. An applicator for applying mascara to a user's eyelashes comprising:
- a housing having a front panel, the front panel comprising an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising a eyelash engagement opening, the eyelash engagement opening having a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface;
- a brush contained with the housing, the brush comprising a plurality of bristles attached to a curved shaft, the curvature of the shaft generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured eyelash engagement opening;
- a mascara reservoir enclosed within the housing;
- activation means for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening.
2. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a top, a bottom, an upper portion, a lower portion, and a back panel, wherein a section of the front panel in the upper portion comprises an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising the eyelash engagement opening adjacent to the top.
3. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the bristles of the brush abut into an upper pad when the brush is in the second position.
4. The applicator of claim 2 wherein the eyelash engagement opening extends through from the front panel to the back panel.
5. The applicator of claim 2 wherein the portion of the front panel of the upper portion defines a first plane and the portion of the front panel of the lower portion defines a second plane, and an angle is defined by the position of the first plane with respect to the second plane.
6. The applicator of claim 5 wherein the angle comprises a range from 20 to 35 degrees.
7. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a port for filling the mascara reservoir.
8. An applicator for applying mascara to a user's eyelashes comprising:
- a housing having a front panel, a top, a bottom, an upper portion, a lower portion, and a back panel, the front panel of the upper portion comprising an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising a eyelash engagement opening adjacent to the top, the eyelash engagement opening having a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface;
- a brush contained with the housing, the brush comprising a plurality of bristles attached to a curved shaft, the curvature of the shaft generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured eyelash engagement opening;
- a mascara reservoir enclosed within the housing;
- an extension member attached to the curved shaft
- an activation lever attached to the extension member for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening.
9. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the bristles of the brush abut into an upper pad when the brush is in the second position.
10. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the eyelash engagement opening extends through from the front panel to the back panel.
11. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the portion of the front panel of the upper portion defines a first plane and the portion of the front panel of the lower portion defines a second plane, and an angle is defined by the position of the first plane with respect to the second plane.
12. The applicator of claim 11 wherein the angle comprises a range from 20 to 35 degrees.
13. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the housing comprises a port for filling the mascara reservoir.
14. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the activation lever extends through the back panel, and manipulated downwardly towards the bottom of the housing to move the brush to the second position.
15. A method of applying mascara to a user's eyelashes comprises the following steps:
- placing the eyelashes of a first of the user's eyes within an opening of a mascara applicator, the applicator comprising (1) a housing having a front panel, the front panel comprising an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising a eyelash engagement opening, the eyelash engagement opening having a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured surface; (2) a brush contained with the housing, the brush comprising a plurality of bristles attached to a curved shaft, the curvature of the shaft generally conforming to the curvature of the contoured eyelash engagement opening; (3) a mascara reservoir enclosed within the housing; and (4) activation means for selectively moving the brush from a first position disposed within the mascara reservoir to a second position where the bristles of the brush are adjacent to the eyelash engagement opening;
- activating the activation means causing the brush to move to the second position;
- removing the eyelashes of the first eye from the opening of the mascara applicator;
- releasing the activation means to cause the brush to move to the first position;
- placing the eyelashes of a second of the user's eyes within the opening of the mascara applicator;
- activating the activation means causing the brush to move to the second position; and
- removing the eyelashes of the second eye from the opening of the mascara applicator.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the housing comprises a top, a bottom, an upper portion, a lower portion, and a back panel, wherein a section of the front panel in the upper portion comprises an inwardly contoured surface, said inwardly contoured surface comprising the eyelash engagement opening adjacent to the top.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the bristles of the brush abut into an upper pad when the brush is in the second position.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the eyelash engagement opening extends through from the front panel to the back panel.
19. The applicator of claim 16 wherein the portion of the front panel of the upper portion defines a first plane and the portion of the front panel of the lower portion defines a second plane, and an angle is defined by the position of the first plane with respect to the second plane.
20. The applicator of claim 19 wherein the angle comprises a range from 20 to 35 degrees.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 1, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 15, 2011
Inventor: Christopher Bruff (Bakersfield, CA)
Application Number: 12/873,589
International Classification: A45D 40/26 (20060101);