COSMETIC UNIT MADE OF FOIL AND A BLISTERED TRAY

Abstract

A cosmetic unit having a cosmetic container that is composed of at least one film and/or at least one blistered tray and has a wet region and a dry region, having a cosmetic that is to be applied, which is kept stored in the wet region, and having a cosmetic applicator with a handle and an applying surface for applying the stored cosmetic, which applicator is preferably accommodated completely by the cosmetic container so that its applying surface is situated in the wet region and its handle is situated in the dry region; and the separation between the wet region and dry region is maintained by a means that at least essentially prevents the cosmetic from traveling from the wet region into the dry region until the cosmetic unit is opened, that the means includes a separating seal that separates the wet region and dry region from each other and that is embodied in the form of a contact seal and/or as a weld seam respectively situated between the cosmetic applicator and the cosmetic container and/or as a seal between a separate wiper or separate protective tube and the cosmetic container and/or as a contact seal or annular gap seal between the cosmetic applicator and a separate wiper or separate protective tube.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cosmetic unit having a cosmetic container that is composed of at least one film and/or at least one blistered tray and has a wet region and a dry region, having a cosmetic that is to be applied, which is kept stored in the wet region, and having a cosmetic applicator with a handle and an applying surface for applying the stored cosmetic, which applicator is preferably accommodated completely by the cosmetic container so that its applying surface is situated in the wet region and its handle is situated in the dry region; and the separation between the wet region and dry region is maintained by a means that at least essentially prevents the cosmetic from traveling from the wet region into the dry region until the cosmetic unit is opened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, cosmetics come in glass or plastic bottles and are drawn from them with the aid of an applicator. Typically, the applicator is mounted in a screw cap that can be fastened to the container and loosened from it in order to remove it from the container and in so doing, to withdraw the applicator, which is loaded with the cosmetic.

Cosmetic units of this kind are not suitable for single-use applications because they are too expensive for this.

On the other hand, there is a demand for advantageous cosmetic containers, which can be inexpensively manufactured in large quantities together with the applicator that is required for the application and are thus particularly suitable for use as samples that are discarded after a single use.

For this purpose, cosmetic applicators have already been considered that are completely sealed in a film that simultaneously also accommodates a certain supply of a cosmetic and thus functions as a cosmetic container.

It is correct that the use of a film as a cosmetic container is significantly more inexpensive than the use of a small bottle of the usual type. When a film is used as a cosmetic container, though, it is far more difficult to provide the necessary seal than when using a conventional, usually bottle-like cosmetic container. Even if the cosmetic applicator as a whole is sealed into the film so that no part of the cosmetic applicator protrudes from the film packet, it is necessary to provide a sufficient seal between the wet region, which accommodates the actual applicator element or bristle set and the cosmetic to be stored, and the dry region, which contains the handle of the applicator. The decisive factor is that after the cosmetic unit is opened, the applicator can be pulled out from it without the user's fingers coming into unwanted contact with the cosmetic.

In order to solve this problem, the idea has already been contemplated to embody the applicator shaft as thicker in the region that is supposed to separate the wet region from the dry region and to place the pieces of film snugly around this thickened section so that the sealing together of the pieces of film produces a sufficient pressure between the pieces of film and the thickened applicator section and thus a good seal between the wet region and the dry region.

The attempt to pull the pieces of film tautly around an applicator section and to maintain the tension through corresponding welding of the pieces of film, however, is quite complex from a production standpoint and has therefore turned out to be unsuitable for practical use.

Given this state of affairs, the object of the invention is to create a cosmetic unit with an innovative cosmetic container, which excels due to the effective seal it produces between the wet and the dry region.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a cosmetic unit is provided, whose cosmetic container is composed of at least one film and/or at least one blistered tray. It should be noted at this point that conventionally designed cosmetic bottles that one may occasionally run across whose neck may be closed by a sealing film until the cosmetic applicator is inserted for the first time, or other cosmetic containers that are made up of less than 5 wt. % of a film do not fall within the scope of the claim—in this regard, the decisive factor is that in such cosmetic containers, the film does not contribute in a relevant way to the formation of the cosmetic container; in other words, such cosmetic containers are not substantially composed of a film.

The cosmetic unit according to the invention has a wet region and a dry region. The wet region stores a certain—usually comparatively small—quantity of the cosmetic that is to be applied.

The cosmetic unit also includes a cosmetic applicator that has at least a handle and an applying surface for applying the stored cosmetic. The applying surface of the cosmetic applicator is situated in the wet region as long as the cosmetic applicator is in its stowed position when the cosmetic unit has not yet been opened. Its handle, by contrast, is situated in the dry region. The separation between the wet region and the dry region is maintained by a means that at least essentially prevents the cosmetic from traveling from the wet region into the dry region until the cosmetic unit is opened.

According to the invention, the means includes a separating seal that separates the wet region and dry region from each other and that is embodied in the form of a contact seal—in particular embodied with the involvement of a tray or in particular embodied as a part of the separating seal that is provided in addition to the involvement of the tray—and/or as a weld seam between the cosmetic applicator and the cosmetic container and/or as a seal between a separate wiper or separate protective tube and the cosmetic container and/or as a contact seal or annular gap seal between the cosmetic applicator and a separate wiper or separate protective tube.

In many cases, the separating seal, viewed as a whole, will be composed of a combination of the options mentioned above.

In cases in which the cosmetic container is essentially composed only of film, it is particularly preferable to weld the film or films in order to quickly produce a separating seal with the shaft section or applicator section that is involved in the formation of the separating seal. Naturally, this weld must be embodied as weak enough to allow the film to be torn from the applicator or its shaft section when the cosmetic unit is opened and to thus be able to at least partially break the separating seal between the wet and the dry regions.

In cases in which cosmetic units that are of higher quality, but nevertheless suitable for single usage are to be implemented, it is necessary to consider inserting a wiper that is produced as a separate component between the films. It is then advisable to weld the film or films to an outer surface of the wiper and thus to form a secondary seal so that the cosmetic is not able to bypass the wiper on the outside. The main seal is then suitably formed by the wiper and the shaft of the applicator that is inserted into it. This main seal can be embodied as a contact seal if the applicator rests against the wiper from the inside or can be embodied as an annular gap seal if some clearance still remains between the applicator and the inner surface of the wiper.

In basically the same way, a main seal and secondary seal can be achieved if no separate wiper is in fact used, but instead, a protective tube, which keeps the wet region stretched open and thus also under unfavorable circumstances, makes sure that the application section of the applicator, which can for example be provided with a sensitive sponge, a sensitive flocking, or a fine set of bristles, is not subjected to any damaging pressure and deformed by it.

The cosmetic unit according to the invention can be implemented particularly well by using a blistered tray. A blistered tray is understood to be a plastic plate that is preferably predominantly flat even if it is usually also thin, which is usually provided with cavities that transition into one another and accommodate respective parts of the applicator. These cavities are also referred to as “blisters.”

When a blistered tray is used, it is quite easy to produce a seal between the applicator and the cavity of the tray.

This is because the cavity of the tray fits snugly against the shaft section of the applicator in the region where it is supposed to produce a seal together with the shaft section of the applicator, and a contact seal is thus easily produced in this region.

In order to further improve the seal, a weld to the shaft section can be produced through the wall of the cavity if necessary.

On the top side where a film seals the blistered tray at the end, the still missing part of the separating seal can be produced quite effectively. This usually occurs in that the shaft section there is welded directly to the film so that an effective separating seal is now produced through interaction of the shaft section both with the tray and with the film that seals it.

It is particularly preferable, especially in addition, to provide a cosmetic holding means, which restricts the mobility of the cosmetic container inside the wet region.

This option is important specifically where relevant cosmetic unit is filled with mascara compound. As is known, mascara compound is relatively viscous. Because of this, it can be advantageous to use an applicator, which is provided with closely spaced bristles that are injection molded, for example, and which keeps the viscous cosmetic compound in the wet region separate and therefore does its part to prevent the cosmetic compound from coming out of the wet region and into the dry region. This solution is particularly advantageous if the wet region is embodied so that it is essentially filled by the application section, i.e. the bristle set of the applicator.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the cosmetic applicator has a shaft section that connects the applying surface of the applicator and the handle of the applicator to each other or else itself constitutes the handle.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the shaft section has a flat surface in at least some regions. When a tray is used, the flat surface is preferably embodied parallel to the plane of the tray in which it is sealed. This flat surface then permits an effective weld between the wiper and the film that seals the tray, thus forming part of the separating seal. This embodiment, however, can be advantageous even if the cosmetic container is essentially composed only of film. For example, the shaft section of the applicator can be embodied as triangular or square in some regions. The film that comprises the cosmetic container can be favorably welded to all flat surfaces of the thus-embodied shaft section in order to produce a separating seal in this way.

Ideally, the shaft section is profiled, at least in some regions, so that it completely fills the cavity of the tray accommodating it and in this way, forms a flat surface together with the surface of the tray. It is then unnecessary to separately press the film against the shaft section. Instead, an essentially straight welding seam can be used to weld the film that seals the tray to the tray and simultaneously to the shaft section of the applicator and to produce the separating seal in this way.

A tray that is used in a particularly preferable embodiment features the fact that the tray is blistered so that it has a first cavity, which completely accommodates the applying surface of the applicator. As a rule, this preferred tray has a second cavity at the same time, whose embodiment is adapted to the shaft section and possibly also to the handle. Ideally, a third cavity is also provided that is embodied as a handle cavity, facilitates the grasping of the handle and forces the user to grasp the applicator in a region that is far enough away from the separating seal and into which a slight leakage, which may have traveled from the wet region into the dry region, cannot penetrate. As before, the tray is ideally sealed by a film.

Alternatively, the cosmetic container can also be composed of two trays that are placed against each other and fastened or welded to each other. They accommodate the applicator and the supply of cosmetic between themselves. Ideally, both of the trays are blistered, thus providing a large enough cavity for accommodating the applicator.

It is particularly advantageous to completely accommodate the applicator inside the cosmetic container. Preferably, the cosmetic container—together with the applicator that is completely accommodated therein—is sealed in airtight fashion until the cosmetic container is opened, ideally by means of a film—regardless of the fact that even with a tight seal, straight plastic films, by nature, permit a certain amount of diffusion through the film material. This ensures that the separating seal between the wet region and dry region as such does not absolutely have to be completely tight. Certain gaps can definitely remain here as long as these do not result in an appreciable amount of the cosmetic from the wet region penetrating into the dry region. But because the cosmetic container as a whole is sealed in airtight fashion, the cosmetic compound is reliably protected from spoiling or drying up within the provided usage period. It is thus easily possible, for example, for the film that seals a tray to be welded to the tray in an airtight fashion, as long as particular attention does not have to be paid to the separating seal. The same thing basically applies when welding two films to each other.

In one embodiment, the cosmetic container is composed of at least two films that are placed against each other and fastened to each other. They accommodate the applicator and the supply of cosmetic between themselves. The separating seal between the film and the shaft section is preferably embodied in a region of the shaft section that is neither thickened nor constricted in comparison to the adjacent regions of the shaft section. The separating seal is therefore provided in a region of the shaft section in which the shaft section neither increases nor decreases in diameter, but instead passes through continuously, whether it is embodied as a smooth, cylindrical section or as a slightly conical section—regardless of the fact that a thickened region can be provided in the vicinity, which is used, for example, for the wedging-open of the separating seal that is explained in greater detail below.

Whenever the cosmetic container or the cosmetic unit is essentially comprised of only film, it is particularly advantageous if the separating seal is completely composed of a welding of the film to the shaft.

Specifically with a cosmetic container that is essentially composed of films that are placed against each other and fastened to each other, it is particularly advantageous if neither of the films is pre-shaped before the applicator is sealed inside. In this context, a pre-shaping is understood to mean a drawing of the film with the aid of a corresponding tool, which leaves behind a cavity in the film, in other words ideally giving it a permanent three-dimensional shape before the actual packing procedure.

In a particularly preferred embodiment type, the shaft section is provided with a thickened region, which is inserted into or spreads open the inner circumference of a wiper or protective tube that is inserted into the cosmetic container and thus constitutes at least a part of the separating seal, together with the wiper or protective tube.

In all variants of the invention, it is particularly advantageous if the shaft section has a spreading element that the user can use to tear the separating seal off from the wet region or can enlarge the size of its passage. The spreading element preferably has a wedge-shaped, conical, or tapered contour. This significantly facilitates the breaking-through of the welding seam that constitutes the separating seal until the package is opened. The welding seam can be “wedged open” from the inside, so to speak.

Separate protection is also sought for a cosmetic unit having a cosmetic container that is composed of at least one film and/or at least one blistered tray and has a wet region and a dry region and having a cosmetic that is to be applied, which is kept stored in the wet region. This cosmetic unit has a cosmetic container with a handle and an applying surface for applying the stored cosmetic, which applicator is preferably accommodated completely by the cosmetic container so that its applying surface is situated in the wet region and its handle is situated in the dry region. Ideally, the applicator that is accommodated in the cosmetic container is hermetically sealed in relation to the outside. A separating seal can be provided and is then preferably embodied as described above.

Other functions, advantages, and embodiment possibilities of the invention ensue from the following description of individual exemplary embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cosmetic unit, whose cosmetic container is composed of a blistered tray, which completely accommodates the applicator and which is sealed with a film on the other side, viewed from underneath.

FIG. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 viewed from above; the preferably welded surfaces are indicated with hatching lines.

FIG. 3 shows the cosmetic unit already shown in FIG. 1 after the foil has been pulled away from the dry region.

FIG. 4 shows the cosmetic unit according to FIG. 3 after the applicator has been pulled out.

FIG. 5 schematically shows how the separating seal can be produced in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, to be specific, partially by the contact of the shaft section with the inner surface of the cavity and partially by the welding of the film directly to the shaft section.

FIG. 6 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the invention with an applicator that has already been removed from the tray.

FIG. 7 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6, but with the applicator inserted in the tray.

FIG. 8 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6, viewed from above.

FIG. 9 shows how the separating seal in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6 can be produced, for example in that the shaft section rests against the inner surface of the cavity and its projection that is provided for sealing purposes is welded directly to the film.

FIG. 10 shows a third exemplary embodiment of the invention, viewed from above.

FIG. 11 shows a central longitudinal section through the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 10, with the applicator in its stowed position.

FIG. 12 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 11, with the film already removed from the dry region.

FIG. 13 shows the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 12, as the applicator is being pulled out.

FIG. 14 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention in which the cosmetic container is composed entirely of film.

FIG. 15 shows the exemplary embodiment according to 14, with the film already pulled off in the dry region.

FIG. 16 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 15, with the applicator pulled partway out.

FIG. 17 shows another exemplary embodiment of the invention with a protective tube, viewed from above.

FIG. 18 shows a central longitudinal section through the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 17, before it is welded into the film sections that form the cosmetic container.

FIG. 19 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 18, after the welding-in is complete.

FIG. 20 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 19, after the film along the dry region has been opened.

FIG. 21 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 20 after the applicator has been pulled out.

FIG. 22 shows a central longitudinal section through another exemplary embodiment with a bristle-protecting tube and separately inserted wiper, before they are welded into the film sections that form the cosmetic container.

FIG. 23 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 22, after the welding-in.

FIG. 24 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 23, after the film along the dry region has been pulled open.

FIG. 25 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 24, after the cosmetic applicator has been pulled out far enough that it has broken the separating seal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Initial Considerations

First of all, all exemplary embodiments of the invention are preferably used as single-use cosmetic units whose plastic consumption (without applicator) should preferably be less than 10 g, or better still below 5 g. The cosmetic units according to the invention are generally used as sample packets, which are only provided with a small supply of cosmetic of less than 25 ml and are to be discarded after opening.

As a rule, however, these cosmetic units are expected to have a usage and application behavior that is, if possible, not inferior to that of the cosmetic units that are regularly for sale and that are produced in a more material-intensive way since this is the only way to create the intended incentive to buy.

In all cases in which a tray and/or a film is welded to the shaft section and/or at least a part of the separating seal is produced by welding, materials are used that can be welded to each other.

The use of at least one tray makes it significantly easier to provide the supply of cosmetic.

In cases in which the cosmetic container is made entirely of film, the wet region should first of all not be completely welded shut in order to be able—after the production of the cosmetic container together with the inserted applicator is largely completed—to fill the wet region with the cosmetic, e.g. with the aid of a tube, a spout, or a nozzle. Only then can the wet region also be completely sealed so that now a complete seal is achieved.

This is different when using a tray that is stable enough in and of itself. The first cavity 3 to be described in greater detail below in this case constitutes a trough that can already be filled with the supply of cosmetic at an early stage without hindering the further handling, i.e. even before the sealing of the film has been started.

First Basic Type of the Invention, First Exemplary Embodiment

FIGS. 1 through 5 show a first basic type of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

In this case, the cosmetic unit 1 is entirely composed of a cosmetic container and an applicator 8, see FIG. 4. An additional wiper that constitutes a separate component could be included, but is not shown in this first exemplary embodiment and is also not present in order to reduce the number of components required.

The applicator 8 has an application section 11, which is preferably embodied in the form of a bristle set, but can also be embodied in the form of a sponge, a flocked section, or a smooth, hard applying surface like a spatula. Ideally, a set of injection-molded bristles is provided. It is particularly suitable if the application section 11 is equipped with bristles all the way around.

Preferably, the application section 11 transitions integrally into the shaft section 10 of the applicator. The latter in turn transitions into a handle 9. It is particularly advantageous if the shaft section and the handle are composed of the same shared rod, for example with a diameter that is essentially constant along the longitudinal axis and/or a diameter that changes in an essentially constant fashion, as shown in FIG. 4.

Looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, it is clear that the cosmetic container in this basic type of exemplary embodiment is for its part composed of a tray 2, which is preferably essentially rigid intrinsically, and the film 18 that completely seals the tray 2, together with the applicator 8 that is inserted therein, relative to the surroundings. The film 18 is usually welded to the tray and/or glued to it. In the following, the term “welded” is used exclusively by way of example, but a gluing can also be used everywhere, so that the terms “welding,” “weld,” etc. used throughout the application and even in the claims has a broad meaning that also includes gluing. That said, welding is clearly preferable so that the terms “welding,” etc. are preferably, but not exclusively, attached to their narrow, actual meaning, namely the unifying of two bodies by converting them into the pasty or liquid state at the contact point.

It is particularly preferable to use an ultrasonic welding method for the welding; it is also possible, however, to use conventional welding methods, e.g. those that function with an externally heated die, in particular one that produces the entire welding seam 6 between the film 18 and the tray 2 all at once.

Ideally, the applicator 8 is completely accommodated by the tray 2, making it possible to achieve a complete seal of the stored cosmetic and of the applicator 8 relative to the surroundings in a particularly easy, reliable fashion. In non-preferable, but conceivable individual cases, however, the tray 2 could also be embodied so that the handle 10 protrudes all the way or part way out of the tray 2, which can be referred to in catchword-like fashion as a “lollipop packet.”

The tray 2 is blistered, i.e. equipped with cavities 3, 4, and 5, which transition into one another and will also be explained in greater detail below.

The tray 2 is a plastic plate, which in any case wherever it is not blistered, preferably has a thickness D of between 0.25 mm and 1 mm, or better still between 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm, see FIG. 2. Ideally, the tray 2 is produced of an essentially opaque material in order to protect the stored cosmetic compound from being spoiled by light or UV radiation.

The cavities produced by the blistering can best be seen in FIG. 1. The first cavity 3 constitutes the greater part of the wet region. For this purpose, it accommodates the cosmetic to be stored as well as the entire application section 11 and usually also a part of the shaft section 10 of the applicator 8—provided that the latter is in its stowed position.

Preferably, the shape of this first cavity 3 essentially corresponds to the contour of the application section 11 so that ideally, the contour of the first cavity 3 largely corresponds to a cylinder that has been sectioned parallel to its longitudinal axis. In this way, the stored cosmetic compound is always kept in the vicinity of the application section 11 so that even if the cosmetic unit is only provided with a small supply of the cosmetic compound, the application section 11 is always kept wet and ready for use.

The first cavity 3 transitions into a second cavity 4, which as a rule accommodates the shaft section 10 and the handle 9 of the applicator.

Preferably, in the region that is at least 20 mm from the end of the first cavity, or better still at least 40 mm from it, the second cavity 4 is adjoined preferably on two sides by a third cavity 5, which is embodied as a grasping cavity and facilitates the lateral access to the handle 9.

FIG. 2 shows the longitudinal axis ML of the blister, which is predetermined by the first and second cavities 3 and 4 situated one after the other. FIG. 4 shows the longitudinal axis L of the applicator 8. FIG. 5 shows that when the applicator is stored in the tray, the longitudinal axis ML of the tray and the longitudinal axis L of the applicator are congruent, ML=L.

The cavities 3, 4, and 5 that transition into one another are divided into a wet region and a dry region with the aid of a separating seal 7, for example see FIG. 5.

The term “wet region” refers to the region to which the stored cosmetic already has access before the cosmetic unit 1 is opened. The term “dry region” refers to the region to which the stored cosmetic, with proper storage and handling of the cosmetic unit, at least essentially has no access before the cosmetic unit is opened. In particular, the dry region contains the handle 9, which until the last moment must be prevented from being wetted by the cosmetic, in order to prevent the user from coming into unwanted contact with the cosmetic and “getting her fingers dirty.”

At least in the region of the shaft section 10, in which the above-mentioned separating seal 7 is produced, the second cavity 4 is preferably adapted to the shaft section 10 so that it rests in snug contact with it over at least approximately half the circumference of the shaft section, see FIG. 5.

In the region of the open top side of the cavity, the film 18 is welded directly to the shaft section 10 of the applicator 8. This welding 7.1 is preferably produced only locally, preferably in a linear form as a welding seam or possibly also only in the form of spot welds. It is advantageous if in the course of being welded to the shaft section 10, the film 18 rests snugly against it in an arc shape; this is true even if only spot welds are produced; in this case, too, care is taken to make sure that even where it is not directly welded to the shaft section, the film rests snugly against the shaft section in an arc shape, in particular see FIG. 5.

The welding 7.1 of the film 18 to the shaft section 10 can occur through the use of a correspondingly profiled welding die 13, which is shown in FIG. 5 and lays the film 18 for a short distance “around the shaft section 10.” Ideally, this welding seam is only produced after the tray 2 is completely sealed with the film 18.

The above-mentioned welding 7.1 is usually a tack welding, whose sole purpose is to cooperate in the production of the separating seal 7. The welding 7.1 is in any case only carried out in a weak way so that when the film 18 is pulled off from the tray 2, as will also be described in greater detail below, it preferably also tears off from the applicator 8—as shown in FIG. 4, which shows the welding mark 14 that the torn-off welding seam has left behind on the film, the welding mark 15 that the torn-off welding seam has left behind on the shaft section 10, and the welding mark 15a that remains on the tray.

In order to achieve the above-explained quasi-inevitable tearing-off of the film 18 from the applicator 8 that occurs when the film is pulled off from the tray 2, it is particularly advantageous for the second cavity 4, which accommodates the shaft section 10 and preferably also the handle 9, to be embodied in at least some regions so that when the applicator 8 is inserted during the production of the cosmetic unit, it is elastically clamped or clipped into the second cavity 4. This has the large advantage that when the film 18 is pulled off, the applicator 8 remains in its place all by itself or in any case, without having to be held particularly firmly so that the weld 7.1 that forms a part of the separating seal 7 between the film 18 and the applicator 8 can be torn away—without having to hold the applicator 8 especially firmly with the fingers—in order to prevent it from being undesirably pulled out along with the film 18.

If the weld between the applicator 8 and the film 18 is not already torn off with the removal of the film, then at the very latest, it is torn off in the moment that the user grasps the handle 9 of the applicator 8 and pulls the applicator out of the tray 2. This is because in so doing, the user can easily exert the force required to do so since the tray 2 is usually strong enough and therefore can also be held securely, even when a somewhat stronger pull is exerted on the applicator 8, without potentially squeezing and thus exerting pressure on the cavity 3 containing the supply of cosmetic—contrary to a simple sack or tube package. In addition, the third cavity 5 facilitates a sufficiently firm grasp of the applicator 8 or its handle 9 from the outset.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the separating seal 7 is in many cases not “hermetically” sealed.

As explained in greater detail below, the separating seal in this case is formed by the weld 7.1 and by the seal 7.2, which is usually embodied as a contact seal, and possibly by the local seal gap 7.3.

Depending on how snugly the shaft section 10 locally rests against the surface of the second cavity 4, a seal 7.2 is produced between these two parts, which comprises a contact seal, a gap seal, or a mixed form thereof. The weld 7.1 between the film 18 and the shaft section 19 produces a largely sealed connection or a complete seal. As is clear from FIG. 5, though, depending on the intensity of the weld 7.1, local seal gaps 7.3 remain unclosed at the locations of the transitions between the film 18 that is sealed against the shaft section 10 and the wall of the cavity 4 that is sealed against the shaft section 10.

In most cases of the desired seal between the wet region and dry region, though, this is not a practically relevant detraction—to have recognized this and thus to have been able to do without a technically perfect and hermetic, but complex seal between the wet region and dry region is one of the benefits of the invention.

The reason for this lies primarily in the fact that only the separation between the wet region and the dry region is not completely sealed, while the system is hermetically sealed in relation to the outside due to the fact that the whole applicator is inserted into the tray and sealed by the film. This not only has hygienic advantages, it also prevents external fluctuations in air pressure or the effect of external compression forces (due to touching of the cosmetic unit that is used as a sample) from causing an appreciable quantity of air out to be continuously pumped of the wet region and into the dry region and, due to this “breathing,” causing a risk that in the course of this “pumping action,” a more than merely insignificant quantity of the stored cosmetic will be pushed out of the wet region and into the dry region. This is also accompanied by the fact that specifically when used as a “single-use mascara unit,” the viscosity of mascara compound is generally set so that even small seal gaps cannot be penetrated by the mascara compound as long as there is no pressure difference that pushes the mascara compound through the seal gap despite its viscosity.

In the event that the seal 7.2 is perfected, it should be noted that there is a possibility not only of placing the shaft section 10 against the inner surface of the second cavity 4, but also of optionally welding it to the latter, preferably only locally or in a linear fashion. As a rule, the weld is embodied so that it can be broken in the course of lifting the applicator 8 out of the tray 2 without exerting a particularly powerful force. Such a weld through the wall of the tray is preferably embodied as an ultrasonic weld.

At this point, let us return to the above-mentioned clamping or clipping-in of the applicator 8; ideally, the shaft section 10—specifically in the region in which it is involved in producing the separating seal—is clamped or clipped into its accommodating second cavity 4 so that its surface is pressed with a certain stress against the inner surface of the cavity 4, see FIG. 9. This not only improves “the holding in place” of the applicator 8 when the film 18 is torn off, but also improves the sealing action since the shaft section 10 and the inner surface of the cavity 4 at least locally come into particularly intensive contact or rest against each other with a pre-stressing force, which allows the seal 7.2 to be particularly effective.

A second region in which the applicator 8 is preferably clamped or clipped into the second cavity 4 is the end of the second cavity 4 that, viewed from the application section 11 of the applicator 8, is situated on the other side of the third cavity 5 that functions as a handle tray.

In all of the above, it is quite ideal if an applicator is used whose applying surface 11 is provided with bristles all the way around and (preferably) the first cavity 3 is geometrically adapted to this so that the interior of the first cavity 3 is predominantly or essentially completely occupied by bristles. The bristles then constitute a kind of labyrinth that can be considered a cosmetic-holding means. In cooperation with the correspondingly set viscosity of the cosmetic compound, this cosmetic-holding means keeps the cosmetic compound distributed more or less over the entire wet region even over the long term and thus prevents the cosmetic compound from collecting in the region of the separating seal 7 and from then escaping past the separating seal 7 to an appreciative extent, even with small fluctuations in pressure.

According to the invention, even when the tray 2 is welded with the aid of the film 18, it is necessary to take into account certain features that significantly increase the practical value of the cosmetic unit when they are optionally used.

It is advisable to embody the film 18 so that it forms a pull tab 12 that protrudes laterally from the tray 2 and is thus recognizable as such (see FIG. 2 merely as an example) or so that does in fact rest on the tray 2, but is not attached to the tray in this region.

Then the weld between the film 18 and the tray 2 is preferably embodied so that the film 18 can be easily pulled off from the tray 2 across at least the main part of the dry region and ideally in one piece. It is optimal if the film can also be pulled off all the way to the wet region or a certain distance into the wet region so that when the film 18 is pulled off, the weld 7.1, which is produced between the shaft section and the film and is involved in the production of the separating seal 7, can be easily torn open as well.

Ideally, the film 18 is attached to the tray 2 across the greater part of the wet region firmly enough that in this region, it is difficult or impossible to pull it off from the tray (without destroying the film). In other words, when the film is being pulled off, there is preferably a sudden perceptible “stop” that prompts the user essentially to not open the wet region, but rather to pull the applicator 8 out of the wet region that is still at least essentially covered by the film 18.

On the one hand, this prevents the cosmetic compound from coming out of the wet region into the surroundings in an undesirable fashion and on the other hand, also ensures that as a rule, the applicator 8 or its application section 11, is wiped first before it is removed from the wet region—regardless of whether a wiper produced as a separate component is built into the wet region or the wiping is simply carried out merely by the edges of the opening through which the applicator 8 or its application section 11 is pulled out of the supply of cosmetic.

It is advantageous to weld the film 18 in the dry region to the tray 2 in only a linear fashion, preferably in the vicinity around the edges of the second cavity 4 or of the second cavity 4 and third cavity 5, as indicated in FIG. 2. It is likewise advantageous to weld the film 18 and the tray 2 in the wet region or more precisely behind the separating seal in a particularly intensive and/or all-over fashion in order to prevent the film 18 from tearing off in this region, also see FIG. 2 in which the weld or seal that is not actually visible in this view is indicated by hatching lines.

Particularly in cosmetic units that are embodied without wipers, it is thus possible to achieve the fact that the first tearing open almost inevitably produces an opening with an essentially definite size, which exhibits a particular wiper action.

First Basic Type of the Invention, Second Exemplary Embodiment

FIGS. 6 through 9 show a second exemplary embodiment of this basic type of the invention. This second exemplary embodiment is essentially identical to the first exemplary embodiment described above and differs from it only in that the applicator 8, at least in the region of the shaft section 10 that is involved in embodying the separating seal 7, is provided with a special embodiment that significantly facilitates the production of the separating seal 7. Consequently, the descriptions given for the first exemplary embodiment also apply without restriction to this second exemplary embodiment, provided that nothing to the contrary is stated in conjunction with the differences explained below.

In this second exemplary embodiment, at least in the region in which it is involved in the production of the separating seal, the applicator 8 has a profile in the form of the sealing projection 16 in the present case.

With this sealing projection 16, the applicator 8 or more precisely its shaft section 10 completely fills the second cavity 4 at least locally, in particular see FIGS. 7 and 9; it should be noted that FIG. 9 shows a section through the location labeled A-A in FIG. 7. This filling preferably occurs so that when the applicator 8 is inserted into the cavity, the surface of the sealing projection 16 oriented away from the cavity 4, together with the edges of the tray surrounding the cavity 4 in this region, forms an essentially flat surface as shown in FIG. 9.

With regard to FIG. 9, it should be noted that wherever the shaft section 10 rests snugly against the inner surface of the second cavity that accommodates it, this produces a seal 7.2 that forms a part of the separating seal 7, as has been explained above in connection with FIG. 5. The only thing to note is that unlike in FIG. 5, it is clear in FIG. 9 what is meant by the statement that at least some parts of the shaft section (in this case in the region of the sealing projection 16) are to be clipped into the second cavity. As is clear from FIG. 9, the second cavity 4 tapers again by a certain amount, at least in its region associated with the sealing projection 16, in that its circumference surface extends over an angle of greater than 180° relative to the longitudinal axis ML of the cavity 4 so that in the course of being inserted, the applicator at least locally expands the second cavity 4 at first until its maximum diameter has passed the edges of the cavity and the cavity then closes again slightly. As a result of this, the shaft section 10—as a rule along its contact surface—is at least locally pressed against the inner surface of the cavity 4.

If a separate connection is not provided here, then the surface of the sealing section 16 oriented away from the inner surface of the cavity 4, together with the inner surface of the film 18, forms a similar gap seal, contact seal, or mixed form thereof, as has already been described above for the at least local interaction of the circumference surface of the shaft section 10 with the inner surface of the cavity 4.

Preferably, however, the film 18 is welded to the surface of the sealing section 16 oriented away from the cavity 4. To this end, preferably a linear welding seam is provided; the explanations above in connection with FIG. 6 also apply to the strength and tear-open properties of this linear welding seam.

In summary, it can therefore be said that in this second exemplary embodiment as well, the separating seal 7 is also preferably composed of a weld 7.1, which is provided directly between the applicator 8 and the film 18, and a seal 7.2, which is embodied according to the above description of the first exemplary embodiment.

First Basic Type of the Invention, Third Exemplary Embodiment

FIGS. 10 through 12 show a third exemplary embodiment of the invention. This third exemplary embodiment is essentially absolutely identical to the first and second exemplary embodiments explained above with regard to the embodiment of the blistered tray and the sealing film as well as the applicator so that all of the above statements relating to them apply here as well.

It should also be noted that there are three varieties of this third exemplary embodiment, which all feature the wiper 17 described in greater detail below, which is separately produced and is inserted as an initially loose part into the blistered tray.

In the first variety, the separating seal 7 is produced solely and exclusively by the wiper 17, as explained below.

In the second variety, a sole or additional separating seal is provided according to the pattern of the separating seal 7 described in the context of the first exemplary embodiment.

In the third variety, a sole or additional separating seal is provided according to the pattern of the separating seal 7 described in the context of the second exemplary embodiment.

All of the varieties of this exemplary embodiment feature the following design:

The cosmetic units include a wiper 17 with a wiping action that is precisely defined by its design. In order to achieve this, the wiper 17, in a fashion similar to the typical bottle-like cosmetic containers, is separately produced, preferably as a part that is intrinsically closed in the circumference direction, at least over a part of its length.

The wiper 17 is then inserted into the first cavity 3 of the tray 2. The first cavity 3 of the tray 2 is preferably dimensioned so that it can completely accommodate the wiper 17. Ideally, it is simultaneously embodied so that its inner surface rests snugly against the outer circumference of the wiper 17. The first cavity 3 of the tray, preferably at its transition to the second cavity 4, simultaneously forms a stop for the wiper, which is effective in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the wiper 17 and which, together with the film 18 that is at least not completely pulled into the region of the wiper 17, ensures that the wiper 17 remains in its proper place even when the applicator 8 is pulled out.

This classic wiper exhibits an optimal wiping action and thus decisively improves the application quality and application behavior of the single-use product—compared to the first two exemplary embodiments in which the wiping is simply performed only with the aid of an opening between the blister and the film.

At the same time, if the tray 2 is to be embodied as very thin-walled, the wiper 17 serves as a protection against the penetration of the first cavity 3 from the outside and the possibly resulting, absolutely undesirable deformation of the bristles or of the foam or flocking element of the applicator section 11. This is very useful not least when these cosmetic units are used as single-use packages, which are deposited in bulk, i.e. loosely, in large numbers, and in random fashion, on top of, underneath, and next to one another in a shipping box and transported from the production site to their usage site.

One decisive factor is that the wiper 17 can also be used to produce the separating seal 7.

For this purpose, the outer circumference of the wiper 17 is welded to the wall of the first cavity 3 and as a rule is also welded to the film 18 that seals the tray 2, see FIGS. 10 and 11 through 13, in which the weld is labeled with the reference numeral 7.4. Preferably, the wall of the wiper is embodied as thickened in this region so that the wiper can withstand the pressure that is to be exerted for the welding, for example see FIG. 11. It is not necessary to pay attention to the fact that the weld 7.4 may possibly be only a tacking weld, which can easily be torn open—to the contrary, a permanent weld is even preferred, in order to keep the wiper 17 in its place.

Regardless of whether the above-mentioned weld 7.4 is embodied as a continuous all-over or linear weld or only in the form of spot-welds, it is in any case embodied so that it produces a secondary seal, which prevents a significant portion of the cosmetic compound stored in the first cavity from being able to travel past the wiper 17 and into the dry region.

Alternatively, it is naturally also possible, in order to embody a secondary seal, to weld the annular end surface of the wiper oriented away from the wiper lip to the end surface of the cavity, see FIG. 12, indicated only schematically by the reference numeral 7.4*.

It is optionally possible to omit welding the separate wiper 17 along its outer circumference surface or end surface to the wall of the cavity 3 and/or the film 18. Instead, in some cases, it may be sufficient for the secondary seal to be produced solely by the snug contact of the wiper 17 with the wall of the cavity 3 and/or with the film 18.

It is particularly advantageous if the applicator 8 that has been slid into the wiper 17, in its stowed position, comes to rest with its shaft section 10 in the vicinity of the actual wiper lip 17a so that it rests as a contact seal 7.5 against the shaft section 10 that constitutes the main part of the separating seal 7 between the wet and the dry region, see FIGS. 11 through 13.

Alternatively, it is possible that the wiper lip 17a does not in fact rest against the shaft section 10, but instead together with it, forms an annular gap seal that at least essentially prevents cosmetic compound from coming out of the wet region into the dry region—as a rule, a certain, not very large leakage is not critical because the small quantity of leakage that has penetrated into the interior 17b of the wiper 17 generally remains there and is thus not able to travel along the shaft section 10 until it reaches the outlying region of the handle 9 that is grasped with the aid of the third cavity 5. Specifically in this case, it is naturally particularly advantageous for the application section 11 of the applicator 8 to be equipped with bristles, which in turn constitute a cosmetic retaining means and which preferably also partially obstruct the region that is immediately adjacent to the gap between the wiper lip 17a and the shaft section 10.

In this way, the separating seal can also be composed of a secondary seal, which is embodied, for example, in the form of the weld labeled 7.4 along the circumference surface or end surface of the wiper, and the main seal labeled 7.5, which is embodied in the form of a contact seal or gap seal between the shaft section and the wiper 17.

In order to further perfect this type of seal so that it also functions almost perfectly under adverse conditions (e.g. high outside temperatures, which have a very powerful influence on mascara compound that is inherently actually quite thick and viscous), one of the separating seals 7 that have been described in the context of the first and second exemplary embodiment can be provided as an alternative or even as an additional separating seal.

Second Basic Type of the Invention, Fourth Exemplary Embodiment

With regard to all of the exemplary embodiments discussed above, it should also be noted that all of the exemplary embodiments can also be varied as follows, in which case, everything that has been stated above for the one tray 2 can also apply for the second tray.

Instead of being sealed with the aid of a film, the tray 2 is sealed with the aid of a preferably essentially mirror-image second blistered tray, which is not depicted in the drawings here.

In many cases, the applicator in this variant is partially contained in the first and second cavities of the first tray and partially contained by the first and second cavities of the second tray. This greatly facilitates the production of a separating seal that includes the shaft section. A simple gap seal can be produced, with a narrow and usually also long seal gap by embodying the second cavities of both trays so that when they are welded, they each rest snugly against the shaft section. Alternatively, it is also possible to have a design in which the second cavities each rest with a certain prestressing force against most of the shaft section that is inserted into them, possibly because they have been pressed firmly against each other and against the shaft section before the welding. Naturally, it is also possible to weld each of the two trays to the shaft section of the applicator locally, preferably in a linear fashion, in order to thus form a separating seal.

Third Basic Type of the Invention, Fifth Exemplary Embodiment

FIGS. 14 through 21 show a first exemplary embodiment of a third basic type of the invention.

By contrast with the basic types of the invention described up to this point, in this third basic type of the invention, no blistered trays are used; in this case, the cosmetic container is instead predominantly or completely made of film. In this case, the film can be pre-shaped or pre-stretched, either in a hot state or by being stretched beyond the elastic limit, so that before the pieces of film are welded, it has the profiled contour shown in FIG. 14. Preferably, only one of the pieces of film is shaped or contoured while the other piece of film is welded against it in the form of a flat film. This simplifies the production process significantly.

Whenever the cosmetic container 1 is composed essentially completely out of film, it is particularly preferable to use a bristle protector 21, which is preferably embodied as an essentially rigid component that is inserted separately into the film package.

FIG. 17 shows what such a bristle protector 21 can specifically look like. In the simplest case, the bristle protector is a tube that is pulled like a quiver over the entire bristle set of the applicator or over at least a part of it, preferably over most of it. In a particularly preferred embodiment, it can have holes in order to permit the stored cosmetic compound to more readily approach the bristle set. The bristle protector 21 prevents the bristle set from being deformed under adverse circumstances before the cosmetic unit is opened and thus from becoming entirely or partially unusable. Such a danger exists particularly with the use of the applicators that are preferably used here, which are equipped with injection-molded bristles. When such a bristle protector 21 is used, even if these cosmetic units are transported to their usage site in bulk, i.e. in random fashion, on top of, underneath, and next to one another, there is no danger of locally excessive pressure being exerted on the bristle set of an applicator, thus causing its bristles to deform.

The use of such a bristle protector 21 here also offers the essential advantage that with an appropriate design and dimensions, this bristle protector can be used for evenly distributing the stored cosmetic compound in the bristle set. The user need only be instructed to turn the applicator in the bristle protector 21 a few times before the first use. Specifically with such a use of the bristle protector, its optional perforation on all sides is naturally its strong point.

In addition, under certain circumstances, the bristle protector 21 significantly facilitates the manufacture of the cosmetic container that is essentially composed of film. The quiver-like bristle protector 21 makes it unnecessary to shape the pieces of film 19, 20 and provide them with a recess before the actual packaging procedure. Instead, it is possible for the first time, e.g. with the aid of pressing dies coming from above and below, to weld a flat films to each other so that they surround the bristle protector and the applicator 8 that has already been inserted into it, without damaging the bristles or even adhering to the bristles, also see the image sequence in FIGS. 18 and 19.

The explanations above relating to the welding of parts of the film to each other also apply analogously.

Advantageously, the pieces of film 19, 20 on the other side of the outermost end of the shaft oriented away from the bristle set are not completely welded to each other. They can therefore be folded open from each other and offer a handle for pulling the films apart from each other, as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. In many cases, this can be referred to as a “banana-like” peel.

It is important that the pieces of film 19, 20 in the vicinity of the dry region are only welded to each other strongly enough that they do in fact maintain the seal, but the welding seam can nevertheless be peeled open as shown in FIG. 20.

In the wet region, however, the situation is different. Here, the pieces of film 19, 20 are preferably welded together over large areas, but in any case, strongly enough that they cannot be peeled apart from each other. This prevents the user, when using the cosmetic unit, from inadvertently tearing the pieces of film 19, 20 apart too far and causing spills due to the resulting, uncontrolled escape of cosmetic compound.

The peeling shown in FIG. 15 is therefore only possible until it reaches a region in which either the all-over welding begins or, for example, the pealing reaches a special weld 7.6, which is possibly embodied in the form of a welding line and simultaneously also produces the separating seal 7 between the pieces of film 19, 20 and the shaft section 10 of the applicator 8.

FIG. 15 shows a snapshot, in which the pieces of film have been peeled apart from each other until the above-mentioned separating seal 7 has been reached.

This weld 7.6 in the form of a welding line is clearly visible in FIGS. 16 and 17 and in this case, is indicated by two dashed lines; in this case, a somewhat wider “welding path” has been produced. FIG. 16 shows the weld in the already torn open state; the drawing clearly shows the welding marks that have remained behind on both pieces of film 19, 20 after they have been torn open.

One possibility for producing the separating seal 7 according to the invention between the shaft section 10 of the applicator 8 and both pieces of film 19, 20 is to weld each of the pieces of film 19, 20 directly to the shaft section 10, preferably only locally, along a line.

Care must be taken that the weld is not so strong that it causes problems during opening and when the applicator is being pulled out.

If this solution is chosen, then in many cases, it is advantageous to provide the applicator with a spreading element 22, as is shown, for example, in FIGS. 17 through 22. As a rule, this spreading element 22 is at least predominantly, preferably completely, situated in the wet region and therefore behind the weld 7.6 that produces the separating seal. The moment that the user has peeled open the cosmetic unit to the point shown in FIG. 20, namely until the weld 7.6 producing the separating seal has been reached, the function of this spreading element 22 comes into play. This occurs due to the fact that the user (see FIG. 20) pulls the handle 9 in the direction of the arrow P and at the same time holds firmly onto the wet region of the cosmetic unit, which e.g. due to the bristle protector 21, works very well because the bristle protector offers a firm gripping surface.

Due to the tension in the direction of the arrow P, also see FIG. 20, the spreading element “wedges open” the weld 7.6 that produces the separating seal and in this way, causes an opening with an approximately definite diameter. This opening simultaneously ensures a largely controlled wiping of the bristle set. As has already been mentioned above, FIGS. 20 and 21 show quite clearly how this “wedging-open” works.

It should also be noted that in some cases, it is not absolutely necessary to produce the separating seal by welding the pieces of film 19, 20 to the shaft section 10. It is also conceivable, for example, to alternatively use a so-called “shrink film.” This is a film composed of a material that shrinks when exposed to heat. It is then possible to weld the pieces of film 19, 20 to each other so that the applicator is completely sealed inside them. Then, or even during the welding, external heat is locally applied from above and below in the region of the shaft section to be sealed, causing the film in this region to shrink and to lie with a substantial prestressing force against the shaft section 10, which likewise produces a seal that can function as a separating seal 7.

Alternatively or in addition, it is also conceivable to pull the quiver-like bristle protector 21 on in order to produce the seal. To be specific, it is conceivable to embody the spreading element 22—even if it does not fulfill the function of “wedging open” a welding seam as originally intended—in such a way that it can be clamped in the inner cross-section of the bristle protector 21 in a sealed fashion. If the bristle protector 21 is then sealed along its outer circumference to the pieces of film 19, 20 at least locally or along a circumference line, then this produces a generally perfect secondary seal. Alternatively, the film can also be at least locally shrunk onto the outside of the bristle protector so that a secondary seal is produced. Thanks to this secondary seal, no cosmetic compound can escape past the outside of the bristle protector and travel out of the wet region and into the dry region.

The spreading element 22, which is clamped into the bristle protector 21 from the inside, simultaneously produces a main seal. This prevents cosmetic compound from escaping from the wet region to the dry region via the interior of the bristle protector.

This possibility is not shown in the drawings here, but will now be discussed in greater detail in the context of another exemplary embodiment and is also shown in the drawings that relate thereto.

Third Basic Type of the Invention, Sixth Exemplary Embodiment

FIGS. 22 through 25 show another exemplary embodiment, with a solution that is used in a cosmetic container that is predominantly composed of film, as has already been shown in FIGS. 14 through 16.

This additional exemplary embodiment is closely related to exemplary embodiment discussed in FIGS. 14 through 21 so that statements made in connection with the latter also apply to this exemplary embodiment, except for the factors that are naturally not present due to the differences of this last exemplary embodiment.

This last exemplary embodiment differs from the preceding one in that a separately produced wiper 17 is additionally used. This wiper, as is clear from FIGS. 22 and 23, is preferably inserted into the quiver-like bristle protector 21.

The secondary seal on the outer circumference of the bristle protector can then once again be produced in the same way as described above for the fifth exemplary embodiment. Naturally, however, it is alternatively also possible to omit the separate bristle protector 21 and to use the wiper 17 itself as a bristle protector that performs its function in at least some regions. Then the secondary seal is naturally produced by welding the outer surface of the wiper to the film in a corresponding fashion.

The wiper can cooperate with the shaft section 10 or more precisely its spreading element 22 to produce the main seal. For this purpose, the wiper lip 17a can rest against the shaft section 10 in an elastically prestressed fashion and produce a main seal in this way. Alternatively or in addition, it is possible for the spreading element 22 to be embodied as large enough that it can be brought into sealed engagement with the inner circumference of the wiper 17 as shown in FIGS. 22 through 25. This can already produce a very good separating seal.

In addition or alternatively, however, in this exemplary embodiment as well, a separating seal 7 can be produced by welding the films 19, 20 to the shaft or shrinking them around the shaft as has already been illustrated above for the last exemplary embodiment. Here, too, there is preferably a spreading element 22 that in this case as well, is situated in the wet region and, when the handle 9 of the applicator 8 is pulled, is able to wedge open the welding seam 7.6 that produces the separating seal.

It should also be noted that when properly placed onto the bristle set, the bristle protector 21 can also serve as a cosmetic holding means. The bristle protector 21 holds the stored cosmetic in the region close to the bristle set, which significantly restricts the mobility of the stored cosmetic and therefore at least contributes to preventing the cosmetic compound from escaping from the wet region into the dry region.

Finally, the following should also be noted: regardless of the claims stated above, separate protection is also claimed for a cosmetic unit that has all of the features mentioned below or that has the features mentioned below in combination with other features of this application, regardless of whether the latter are disclosed in the description or the claims.

The cosmetic unit, preferably according to one of the preceding claims, having a cosmetic container that is composed of at least one film and/or at least one blistered tray, which has a wet region and a dry region, having a cosmetic that is to be applied and that is stored in the wet region, and having a cosmetic container with a handle and an applying surface for applying the stored cosmetic, which surface is preferably completely accommodated by the cosmetic container so that its applying surface is contained in the wet region and its handle is contained in the dry region.

In addition, protection is also claimed for an applicator having the following features, in and of itself or in combination with other features of the description or the above-stated claims.

A cosmetic unit, which is characterized in that the cosmetic container is composed of two trays that are placed against each other and fastened to each other, which accommodate the applicator (8) and the supply of cosmetic between themselves and which are preferably both blistered and ideally have some or all of the features of the trays described in the preceding claims.

Claims

1. A cosmetic unit comprising:

a cosmetic container that is composed of at least one film and/or at least one blistered tray and has a wet region and a dry region, the cosmetic container having a cosmetic that is to be applied, which is kept stored in the wet region, and having a cosmetic applicator with a handle and an applying surface for applying the stored cosmetic, which applicator is accommodated completely by the cosmetic container so that the applying surface of the applicator is situated in the wet region and the handle of the applicator is situated in the dry region; and a separation between the wet region and dry region is maintained by a separating seal that separates the wet region and dry region from each other and that is embodied in the form of a contact seal and/or as a weld seam respectively situated between the cosmetic applicator and the cosmetic container and/or as a seal between a separate wiper or separate protective tube and the cosmetic container and/or as a contact seal or annular gap seal between the cosmetic applicator and a separate wiper or separate protective tube.

2. The cosmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein the separation between the wet region and dry region is maintained by a cosmetic holding device that restricts the mobility of the cosmetic container inside the wet region.

3. The cosmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein the cosmetic applicator has a shaft section that connects the applying surface of the applicator and the handle of the applicator to each other or else itself constitutes the handle.

4. The cosmetic unit according to claim 3, wherein the separating seal comprises a contact seal or a welding seam between a wall of a cavity of a tray, which forms a part of the cosmetic unit, and a shaft section of the applicator.

5. The cosmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein the separating seal includes a contact seal or a welding seam between a shaft section of the applicator and at least one film that forms a part of the cosmetic unit, and/or the separating seal is formed by a wiper lip or by an inner circumference of a wiper that is situated opposite from the wiper lip and is inserted as a separate part into the cosmetic container in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the wiper or by a protective tube that is inserted as a separate part into the cosmetic container, which rests against the shaft section or forms an annular gap with the shaft section; and another part of the separating seal is embodied as a contact seal or as a welding seam between an outside of the wiper that is inserted as a separate part into the cosmetic container or an outside of the protective tube and a film forming part of the cosmetic unit and/or a tray forming a part of the cosmetic unit.

6. The cosmetic container according to claim 3, wherein the shaft section has a flat surface in at least some regions and/or the shaft section is profiled so that the shaft section completely fills a cavity of a tray accommodating the shaft section.

7. The cosmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein the tray is blistered so that the tray has a first cavity, which completely accommodates the applying surface of the applicator, and a second cavity, whose embodiment is adapted to the shaft section and possibly also to the handle, and a third cavity, which is embodied as a grasping cavity, which makes it easier to grasp the handle; the tray is sealed by a film and/or characterized in that the first cavity transitions into the second cavity with a step that prevents a wiper that is inserted into the first cavity or a protective tube that is inserted into the first cavity from being pulled out of the tray together with the applicator.

8. The cosmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein the applicator is completely accommodated by the cosmetic container and the cosmetic container, together with the applicator that is completely accommodated therein, is sealed in airtight fashion with a film until the cosmetic container is opened.

9. The cosmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein the cosmetic container is composed of two films that are placed against each other and fastened to each other, which accommodate the applicator and the supply of cosmetic between themselves; the separating seal between the film and the shaft section is embodied so that the separating seal is situated in a region of the shaft section that is neither thickened nor constricted in comparison to adjacent regions of the shaft section, so that the separating seal is entirely composed of a weld of the film to the shaft section.

10. The cosmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein at a transition between the wet region and dry region, a retaining weld is provided in the form of an essentially linear welding seam, wherein the welding seam is only partially torn open in the course of opening the cosmetic unit or in the course of pulling the cosmetic applicator out of the cosmetic unit so that the cosmetic applicator can pass through, while the remaining sections of the welding seam restrain a wiper that is inserted as a separate part into the wet region against tension that is acted on the wiper by the cosmetic container in the wet region and/or the retaining weld and the separating seal are formed by a shared, linear weld, which extends essentially transversely to a longitudinal axis of the applicator and initially attaches two films that rest against each other to each other, then—in an essentially transitionless manner, and without a triangular leakage gap—extends across the shaft section of the applicator, and at this location, attaches each of the films to a respective circumference side of the shaft section in order to then attach the two films, which are resting against each other, once again in a transitionless manner in the above-mentioned sense.

11. The cosmetic unit according to claim 3, wherein the shaft section has an at least local thickened section, which is clamped into an inner circumference of a wiper or protective tube that is inserted into the cosmetic container and thus forms at least a part of the separating seal and/or the shaft section has a spreading element with which a user can tear out or widen the separating seal by pulling on the handle of the applicator in a direction away from the wet region; the spreading element has a wedge-shaped, conical, or tapered contour; and the spreading thus produced can be embodied in the form of a diaphragm-like wiper.

12. A method of using a blistered tray for producing the cosmetic unit according to claim 1, comprising forming the cosmetic container from the blistered tray to directly accommodate the cosmetic to be stored, together with a film or another tray, which is also blistered.

13. A method of using a grasping cavity in a blistered tray in the cosmetic unit according to claim 7, comprising accommodating an applicator in the blistered tray in such a way that when the unit is used, this tray forces the user to grasp the applicator in a region that is far enough away from the transition from the wet region to the dry region that a possible leakage, of up to 2 ml, of cosmetic stored in the wet region into the dry region, does not come into contact with the user's fingers.

14. A method for producing the cosmetic unit according to claim 1, comprising:

first filling the blistered tray with a cosmetic and then, partially or completely inserting an applicator into the tray, and sealing the blistered tray in an air-tight fashion, with the aid of at least one second—likewise blistered—tray and/or with the aid of at least one film.