WIRE CORE BRUSH WITH A PLURALITY OF LOOPS COMPOSED OF A SINGLE FILAMENT

Abstract

A wire core brush with a core composed of at least two wires or wire legs twisted together, between which a large number of application elements composed of filament are held in a clamped fashion, each being embodied in the form of a loop whose ends are both affixed to the wire core, in which a large number of application elements that are each composed of a loop are composed of a single filament, which is clamped in one piece between the wires that are twisted together.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a novel wire core brush whose application elements are composed of filament, but unlike the previously conventional bristles, do not have ends that each protrude from a respective side, which could prick, but are instead embodied in the form of a loop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Attempts have already been made to produce wire core brushes of this kind.

In actual practice and independent of the intellectual property rights situation, short, cut pieces of filaments were used for this purpose, which were folded together in a U shape and then subjected to the twisting procedure.

This achieves a wire core brush with loops that are arranged in a more or less irregular fashion because the loops produced in this way cannot be mounted so that they are all more or less oriented in parallel planes. Furthermore, this method cannot be used to produce wire core brushes that have circular loops. This method also cannot be used to produce wire core brushes whose loops form a well-defined helix between whose turns open spaces are left, into which no loops extend. In addition, the method previously used was laborious since the filament pieces had to be folded and then mounted between the wires, which is not easy and which also sometimes produced a “prickly” application behavior that was found to be unpleasant, since each folded filament has two free ends, which after the twisting, protrude out from the side of the twisted wires, opposite from the loop formed by the folded filament.

The object of the invention, therefore, is to describe a wire core brush that is easier to produce, making it possible to inexpensively produce a wire core brush whose application elements are loops composed of one filament, and a method for producing such a wire core brush.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a wire core brush with a core composed of at least two wires or wire legs twisted together, between which a large number of application elements composed of filament are held in a clamped fashion, each being embodied in the form of a loop that is preferably completely closed, whose ends are both affixed to the wire core. In this case, a large number of application elements that are each composed of a loop are composed of a single filament, which is clamped in one piece between the wires that are twisted together. Contrary to what one might imagine at first, the twisting of two or more wires, one of which supports a one-piece spiral composed of filament, does not result in a chaotic structure of spiral windings deformed any which way, but instead surprisingly produces a brush with very uniformly positioned and arranged application elements in the form of loops.

Preferably, the entire brush is composed of a single, continuous filament or at most two such filaments and no more.

Ideally, therefore, all of the application elements that form a loop are composed of a single filament, which is clamped in one continuous piece between the wires that are twisted together.

It can thus basically be said that in the embodiment according to the invention, a loop composed of the filament is immediately adjoined at the ends of the loop, on the respective opposite side of the wire core, by another loop that is composed of the same filament.

In this application, the term “filament” has a double meaning. On the one hand, it has a broad meaning and refers to any band-like material in the broader sense, such as a string, which has been formed from a foil. On the other hand, it preferably has a narrower meaning, namely the one it usually has in brush design. Then the term means an individual string that is manufactured so that it is endless.

The invention is a departure from the concept of the filament used for the production being cut into a large number of individual pieces that are then inserted between the two wires that are to be twisted together and, after the twisting, the large number of individual pieces of the filament are securely held in place.

Instead, in the simplest case, one uses a single filament, which is clamped as a whole—in one piece, not cut—between the wires that are twisted together and forms a large number of loops that protrude outward, preferably in the radial direction, from the wires that are twisted together.

For this purpose, before the twisting, the single filament is given a spiral shape that is preferably permanent. As a result, in comparison to a filament that is only temporarily laid into a spiral, a more uniform embodiment and alignment of the loops are achieved in the course of the twisting.

This can be achieved in that the filament is wound in a spiral shape onto a core and then heated so that after the subsequent cooling, it has the spiral shape that has been impinged on it by the core. Ideally, a cold core is used for this and the heat treatment is provided from the outside by subjecting the filament wound onto the core to hot air, hot steam, or another suitable flow of heat. Alternatively, a chemical treatment can be provided instead, for example similar to an acidic perm for hair, which permanently imparts the spiral shape onto the filament. The core used for this treatment can be the shape of a cylinder or cone or can have another cross-section that reproduces the desired shape of loops.

Alternatively, the filament can be extruded in a spiral shape.

Then the filament is threaded onto one of the wires that are to be twisted together, so that this wire then passes entirely or at least essentially entirely through the inner space encompassed by the spiral shape of the filament (if individual turns are not threaded, this is irrelevant from a patent law standpoint, but it produces an unattractive appearance).

Then the wires are twisted together.

As the twisting occurs, the individual spirals move in a regular fashion along the individual wire turns and in this way, are fanned out from one another so that the individual spirals spread out in the circumference direction and form a helix. Between the individual turns of the helix, a loop-free intermediate space remains, which is likewise embodied in the form of a helix.

Each turn forms a completely closed loop, which begins at the core composed of the wires and also ends there again. In this way, this one-piece, inherently uncut filament forms a large number of loops; preferably, this produces at least 10 loops or better still, at least 30 loops. Ideally, all of the loops of the applicator are formed in this way and in many cases, the applicator has no other application elements composed of filament.

If a denser set of bristles is desired, then not just a single spiral-shaped filament is provided, but for example two filaments, which are each given a spiral shape in the above-described way, preferably permanently. Each of these two filaments is threaded in the above-described way onto one of the wires that are to be twisted together, and then the two wires are twisted together. Here, too, each filament forms a large number of loops, preferably at least 10 loops or better still, at least 30 loops. Ideally, aside from the application elements composed of the above-mentioned filaments, the applicator has no other application elements composed of filament. In this case, special effects are produced when different-colored filaments are used.

If not only two wires, but three or four are twisted together, then a corresponding procedure can naturally be used and a filament, which has been previously provided with a spiral shape and subsequently forms a large number of loops, can be threaded onto each of the wires that are to be twisted together.

From a patent law standpoint, it would also be necessary to think of threading onto a single wire two filaments or a large number of filaments one after the other, each of which has a spiral shape, as explained above. Each of these filaments then forms a large number of loops. This embodiment, however, is only described for the sake of completeness in terms of patent law; it is not ideal since in this case, one is forced to accept an undefined position in the places where two filaments that are successively threaded onto a wire intersect with each other. Protection for such an embodiment is nevertheless claimed.

In a preferred embodiment, the filament has the shape of a spiral that is wound for a large number of turns, preferably at least 50 times, and that is slid onto one of the wires so that this wire passes through the inner space of the spiral and then the wires are twisted together. The expression “passes through” is understood to mean passing all the way through or passing at least essentially all the way through. In any case, the latter instance occurs only when individual turns in the sense mentioned above have not been threaded on along with the others.

Preferably, the individual loops are each at least essentially circular in shape. Optionally, it is possible for there to be diameter differences of +/−10% within a single loop.

Since the loops are arranged continuously one after another like scales so that in the direction of the twisting axis, immediately adjacent loops are oriented in essentially the same direction and the surfaces that are bounded by the immediately adjacent loops—viewed in the direction of the twisting axis—overlap each other by at least 50% or better still, by 70% and since immediately adjacent loops either touch each other or are situated so close to each other that a space no more than six times the filament diameter or better still, no more than four times the filament diameter remains free, the wire core brush according to the invention has a significantly increased substance storage capacity.

The labyrinth of loops of the helix situated one after another, which is essentially regular from a geometrical standpoint, is therefore also in a position to store a significant amount of relatively highly fluid liquids and to dispense them again at the application site, particularly as soon as the forces occurring during the application locally deform the loops. Preferably, the loops form a helix, between whose windings, a loop-free intermediate space remains, which is likewise embodied in the form of a helix.

In a preferred embodiment, the loops each lie in a plane that extends in the opposite direction from the slope of the wire core.

Preferably, after the twisting, each of these loops lies in a plane that is essentially perpendicular to the twisting axis (+/−20° or better still, only +/−15°).

According to a preferred embodiment, the wires that are twisted together also provide a clamped hold for cut filaments that form bristles with a radially protruding free end. This yields a very efficiently producible set of bristles that also—not least—has the capacity to favorably store highly fluid media and also provides a good combing action, which is superior to the combing action of a “loops-only bristle set.”

The above-described variant can be produced even more efficiently, not by inserting additionally cut filaments between the wire legs/wires that are to be twisted, but instead by at least part of the at first completely closed loops of the finished, twisted applicator being subsequently sliced open and/or subsequently ground and/or trimmed, preferably for the purpose of a trim that determines the contour of the bristle set.

In a particularly preferred variant, at least part of the at first completely closed loops of the finished, twisted applicator are subsequently subjected to a heat deforming process in order to change their shape and/or orientation relative to the twisting axis. It is thus possible to achieve previously unknown bristle set contours. The decisive point in this respect is that the closed loops composed of one filament can be heated more intensely for heat deformation than bristles that are composed of cut filaments with a free end. This is because the free ends overheat quickly, causing a ball of already molten material to form at the free ends of the bristles, as a result of which after cooling again, each of the bristles treated in this way resembles a pin with a head, which is unwanted in many cases. The closed filaments withstand higher temperatures without the occurrence of something similar, which offers greater latitude with regard to the heat deformation, i.e. the more powerfully heated loops can be deformed more intensively.

It has turned out to be particularly advantageous if the filament—or at least one of the filaments—which, in one piece, form(s) a large number of loops is/are composed of a shape memory polymer. Specifically with closed loops, the use of a shape memory polymer makes it possible to achieve very interesting effects, for example in that the cross-section of the loops (i.e. the cross-section enclosed by the loops) is almond-shaped at lower temperatures, while at higher temperatures, the shape memory polymer returns to a circular cross-section in each loop. In addition, a shape memory polymer that has been used to form loops can exert particularly powerful forces with its shape memory effect and these forces can also be used to deflect or deform other completely passive bristles in the vicinity.

Separate protection is also claimed for a cosmetic system composed of an applicator with a wire core brush according to the invention, a cosmetic container, and a stripper, which features the fact that the stripper is particularly soft, preferably flexible, and in particular, is composed of nitrile butadiene (NBR) or a comparable material.

Other advantages, effects, and possible embodiments ensue from the following description of an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a brush according to the invention, viewed in the direction parallel to the core composed of twisted wires.

FIG. 2 shows the filament wound into a spiral and the two wires 1 and 2 before the twisting.

FIG. 3 shows the same thing as FIG. 2, but in a side view.

FIG. 4 shows a variant in which two filaments wound into spirals independently of each other are used.

FIG. 5 schematically shows—preferably for all exemplary embodiments—that the loops each lie in a plane that extends in the opposite direction from the slope of the wire core.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a wire core brush 6 according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows the two wires 1 and 2 that are twisted together and also shows the pattern formed by the single spiral-shaped filament used here, when viewed parallel to the twisting axis D and when it has been threaded onto the wire 1, and the wires 1 and 2 have then been twisted. The figure shows very clearly that immediately adjacent loops 3, 4, viewed in the direction of the twisting axis D extending perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, overlap each other by at least 50% and as a rule, even by at least 70%. The loops in this case are circular, which was not possible before. Depending on the shape that was used for producing the spiral shape of the filament, the loops can also similarly be given a different shape in a selective, controlled way. It should be noted that this applicator is preferably embodied so that it is equipped with a succession of preferably at least 50, or better still at least 100 loops, all of which are arranged so that two immediately adjacent loops lie in respective planes that are not parallel to each other, also see FIG. 5 and the associated explanations. Angular differences of up to 1°, in some cases up to 2° can occur between the planes of two adjacent loops.

FIG. 2 shows the filament wound into a spiral and the two wires 1 and 2 before the twisting. It is clear here that only the wire 1 has been inserted into the spiral filament, whereas the wire 2 was placed to the side of it.

FIG. 3 shows the same thing, but in a side view. In this case, it is clear that the wires 1 and 2 are preferably not two loose, separate wires, but rather the two legs of a single wire that has been bent into a U shape. The twisting axis D is also visible here.

FIG. 4 shows a variant in which 2 filaments wound into spirals independently of each other are used, one of which has been threaded onto the wire 1 and the other of which has been threaded onto the wire 2 so that each of the two filaments has a different wire passing through it. Then the wires are twisted.

FIG. 5 schematically shows that the loops each lie in a plane that extends in the opposite direction from the slope of the wire core. This is clearly visible in FIG. 5 at the angles A and B. The slope of the wire core and the twisting axis enclose an angle A, which can be positive, then the plane in which the loops lie and the twisting axis D enclose an angle B, which is on the other hand negative. Naturally, this can be reversed, with the angle A being negative and the angle B being positive.

It should also be noted that the twisting can be done in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

A filament typically used for an applicator according to the invention has a thickness of between 2.5 and 7 mil, or better still, a thickness of between 4 and 6 mil.

In order to produce a wire core brush according to the invention, at least one filament with a spiral shape is produced and this spiral is threaded onto one of at least two wires so that this wire passes in the longitudinal direction all the way through the inner space enclosed by the spiral, after which the wires are twisted together, see FIG. 3.

It can thus be generally stated that protection is also claimed for the following embodiments:

A wire core brush with a core composed of at least two wires twisted together (wire legs) between which a large number of application elements composed of filament (filament: broad definition) are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a (completely closed) loop (whose ends are both affixed to the wire core), in which all of the application elements embodied in the form of a loop are composed of a single filament that is clamped in one piece between the wires that are twisted together.

A wire core brush with a core composed of at least two wires twisted together (wire legs) between which a large number of application elements composed of filament are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a (completely closed) loop (whose ends are both affixed to the wire core), in which a large number of application elements each embodied in the form of a loop are composed of a single filament that is clamped in one piece between the wires that are twisted together. (Preferably: the entire brush is composed of a single filament or at most two such filaments and no more.)

A wire core brush with a core composed of at least n wires twisted together (wire legs) between which a large number of application elements composed of filament are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a (completely closed) loop (whose ends are both affixed to the wire core), characterized in that all of the application elements embodied in the form of a loop are composed of a total of n−1 or n filaments that is/are clamped in one piece between the wires that are twisted together so that each filament forms a large number of application elements that are each embodied in the form of a respective loop.

A wire core brush preferably, but not exclusively according to one of the preceding paragraphs, composed of a core made up of at least two wires and at least one filament in the form of a spiral that is wound with a large number of turns, preferably at least 50 times, that is slid onto one of the wires so that this wire passes (completely/essentially) through the inner space of the spiral and then the wires are twisted together.

A wire core brush preferably, but not exclusively according to one of the preceding paragraphs, composed of a core made up of at least two wires that are twisted together (wire legs) between which a large number of application elements composed of filament (filament: broad definition) are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a (completely closed) loop (whose ends are both affixed to the wire core), characterized in that the loops are embodied as essentially circular in shape.

A wire core brush preferably, but not exclusively according to one of the preceding paragraphs, composed of a core made up of at least two wires that are twisted together (wire legs) between which a large number of application elements composed of filament (filament: broad definition) are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a (completely closed) loop (whose ends are both affixed to the wire core), characterized in that the loops are arranged continuously one after another like scales in such a way that immediately adjacent loops in the direction of the twisting axis are oriented in essentially the same direction and the surfaces that are bounded by the immediately adjacent loops—viewed in the direction of the twisting axis—overlap each other by at least 50% or better still, by at least 70%.

A wire core brush preferably, but not exclusively according to one of the preceding paragraphs, composed of a core made up of at least two wires that are twisted together (wire legs) between which a large number of application elements composed of filament (filament: broad definition) are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a (completely closed) loop (whose ends are both affixed to the wire core), characterized in that the loops form a helix between whose turns a loop-free intermediate space remains, which is likewise embodied in the form of a helix.

A wire core brush preferably, but not exclusively according to one of the preceding paragraphs, composed of a core made up of at least two wires that are twisted together (wire legs) between which a large number of application elements composed of filament (filament: broad definition) are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a (completely closed) loop (whose ends are both affixed to the wire core), characterized in that the loops each lie in a plane that extends in the opposite direction from the slope of the wire core.

A wire core brush according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the filament—or at least one of the filaments—which, in one piece, form(s) a large number of loops has/have a round, oval, polygonal, or irregular cross-section.

A wire core brush according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that at least one or all of the wires has/have a polygonal, in particular triangular, rectangular, or star-shaped cross-section and/or is/are encased, in particular with plastic.

A wire core brush according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that a foil or a textile strip is twisted together with the wires.

Protection is also claimed for a cosmetic system that has the claimed special stripper and that includes a cosmetic compound that is adjusted to be highly fluid, in the form of a mascara compound that has a viscosity of at most 120,000 mPas/sec and better still, of at most 80,000 mPas/sec, and ideally, of at most 60,000 mPas/sec (plate/plate rotation viscometer, room temperature).

Separate protection is also sought for a wire core brush that is equipped with a succession of preferably at least 50, or better still, at least 100 loops, which are arranged one after another along the twisting axis so that they overlap one another like a fan and the wire core brush is produced in that at least one filament with a spiral shape is produced and this spiral (5) is slid onto one of at least two wires (1 or 2) so that this wire passes in the longitudinal direction all the way through the inner space enclosed by the spiral (5), after which the wires (1, 2) are twisted together.

Separate protection is also sought for the use of a brush as part of a hook-and-loop closure.

Separate protection is also sought for the use of a filament in the form of a spiral (preferably permanently transformed into a spiral) in order to produce a wire core brush.

Claims

1. A wire core brush with a core, comprising:

at least two wires or wire legs twisted together, and a plurality of application elements composed of filament positioned between the at least two wires or wire legs and held in a clamped fashion, each application element being embodied in the form of a loop whose ends are both affixed to the wire core, wherein a plurality of application elements that are each composed of a loop are composed of a single filament, which is clamped in one piece between the wires that are twisted together.

2. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein all of the application elements that form a loop are composed of a single filament, which is clamped in one piece between the wires or wire legs that are twisted together.

3. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises at least n wires or wire legs twisted together, between which a plurality of application elements composed of filament are held in a clamped fashion, which are each embodied in the form of a loop whose ends are both affixed to the wire core, wherein all of the application elements embodied in the form of a loop are composed of a total of n−1 or n filaments, each of which is clamped in one piece between the wires that are twisted together so that each filament forms a plurality of application elements that are each embodied in the form of a respective loop.

4. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises at least two wires or wire legs and at least one filament in the form of a spiral that is wound at least 50 times, that is slid onto one of the wires so that this wire passes through the inner space of the spiral and then the wires are twisted together.

5. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein the loops each have an essentially circular shape.

6. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein the loops are arranged continuously one after another like scales so that in a direction of a twisting axis, immediately adjacent loops are oriented preferably in the same direction or in essentially the same direction and the surfaces that are bounded by the immediately adjacent loops—viewed in the direction of the twisting axis—overlap each other by at least 50%.

7. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein the loops form a helix, between whose windings, a loop-free intermediate space remains, which is likewise embodied in the form of a helix.

8. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein the loops each lie in a plane that extends in an opposite direction from a slope of the wire core.

9. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein the wires that are twisted together also provide a clamped hold of cut filaments that form bristles with a radially protruding free end.

10. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the at first completely closed loops of the finished, twisted wire core brush are subsequently sliced open.

11. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the at first completely closed loops of the finished, twisted wire core brush are subsequently ground.

12. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the at first completely closed loops of the finished, twisted wire core brush are subsequently trimmed.

13. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the at first completely closed loops of the finished, twisted wire core brush are subsequently subjected to a heat deformation in order to change their shape and/or orientation relative to the wire core.

14. The wire core brush according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the filaments which, in one piece, forms a plurality of loops is composed of a shape memory polymer.

15. A cosmetic system composed of an applicator with the wire core brush according to claim 1, a cosmetic container, and a stripper, wherein the stripper is soft, flexible, and is composed of nitrile butadiene (NBR) or a comparable material.

16. A method for producing the wire core brush according to claim 1, comprising producing at least one filament with a spiral shape and threading this spiral onto one of at least two wires so that this wire passes in a longitudinal direction all the way through an inner space enclosed by the spiral, after which the wires are twisted together.