MASCARA APPLICATOR FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CURLING AND APPLYING MASCARA TO EYELASHES AND A STORAGE SYSTEM

Abstract

A mascara applicator system for simultaneously separating, curling and applying mascara, stored in the system, to eyelashes having a first applicator arm with a brush on one end and a second applicator arm with a circular cylinder comb on one end with some embodiments rotateably connected to a circular U-shaped member to provide articulating surfaces for a human hand with a spring functionally mounted between for bringing the brush and circular cylinder comb on the first and second applicator arms into parallel relationship for being closed on an eyelash and being pull upward from 0-180° and away from the eye to simultaneously apply mascara and curl eyelash. The applicator arm with the brush on it being hinged to move out to 90° for use as a touch up mascara brush and returned back to its position as a first applicator arm in mascara applicator system.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This present invention relates generally to mascara applicators for simultaneously curling and separating eyelashes and homogeneously applying mascara to the eyelashes without clumping of the mascara on the eyelashes. It also relates to and allows for additional refinement of the mascara by having an adjustable arm for movement out to a position for allowing additional refinements to the mascara on the upper and lower eye lashes and return of the adjustable arm back to its original position. The invention also provides a storage system for the applicators and mascara.

2. Background of the Invention

In the application of mascara to eyelashes there have been huge improvements in the new mascara formulations. However, while there have been numerous new brush designs or applicators that have improved the application of the new mascara products, allowing for better lash separation and mascara application, the curling effect has been typically left to or provided by a separate tool, the lash curler. Thus far the prior art has made few attempts at simultaneously enhancing the curling function and simultaneously applying mascara to eyelashes. Most of the eyelash curlers just curled the eye lashes. The rest of the applicators just applied and touched up the eyelashes with mascara without providing much curling effects. Those applicators that just applied mascara have generally been the applicators that had storage compartments for the mascara that they applied. Those that curled eyelashes were separate instruments that were specialized for just curling the eye lashes and then mascara was applied. These eyelash curling instruments generally did not have mascara storage provided with the eyelash curling applicators because they were separate instruments apart from the mascara storage containers.

While there have been many new applicator brush designs for applying new eyelash makeup formulas, little design and development has been directed toward attempts at the development to enhance the curling function while simultaneously applying the mascara. The curling applicators generally were comprised of a brush on an applicator arm or device and had an opposing device, such as a teethed comb on another applicator arm. The teeth of the comb were flat and in opposing surface position on the opposing applicator arm or device to the brush. In some prior art cases the opposing applicator arms had double rows of flat teeth on it to allow the brush bristles to pass through the comb when the opposing applicator arms of the two applicator arms were engaged with each other about the eyelashes. Once the eyelashes were engaged the brush and comb were then gently pulled away by the apparatus from the eyelashes to spread the mascara but it still left clumps of mascara by the brush on the eyelashes and clumps of mascara on the comb.

The applicator arms used in curling and applying mascara generally either were “V” shaped tong apparatus or configured as a pair of pliers or scissors with surfaces in opposition to each other. One end of the “V” shaped tongs apparatus was configured for being griped by the fingers of a human hand but did not provide a large rounded smooth gripping surfaces for the fingers of a human hand to grip the device for good finger dexterity in the human hand. Also the opposing applicator arms which were configured as pliers or scissors were hinged or pivoted at their own crossing over points by a pin, hinge or bolt but did not provide a gentle means for manipulation of the device in a roll direction opposed to the axis of the opposing arms and in direction that would curl the eyelashes over a 180° of rotation by a hand and provide good finger gripping throughout this 180° rotation. The emphasis was on the brush and comb forming a curled eyelash based on the driving of the two opposing brush and comb surfaces together for the curl and the application of the mascara by the moving them off the eyelashes trapped between them.

The brushes of the prior art were simply twisted wire with bristles trapped at random angles between to create a brush to catch and pick up mascara and apply it to the eyelashes proximate to it. However, an eyelash is soft or not stiff and they will keep moving away from a brush thus the brush will just coat a small portion of the lash for each time the mascara is applied. This thus required multiple passes by the brush over the eyelash to get a proper coating which took a great amount of effort and time because it was not held or kept by a comb or opposing surface in place for the brush to apply the mascara over the comb or opposing surface area because the comb or opposing surfaces had limited planar surfaces.

The combs or opposing surfaces which were used in some of the prior art had combs made of planar teeth but in two rows of planar teeth such as in (U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,701) for the separation of the individual eyelash hairs and trying to hold them while they are being coated with mascara but because the surface area of a planar comb was a small surface area for holding the individual eyelash hairs of the eyelash these applicators required many applications of mascara to coat the eyelashes. Also since the brush passes over the eyelash and against the comb the mascara is wiped on to the teeth of the comb after it passes over the eyelash and comb which will cause clumping on the teeth of the comb and rendered it ineffective and “clumped up”.

The applicator arms of the prior art were generally fixed into one position with the brush being fixed in one position to be in opposition with an applicator arm of a toothed comb. The toothed comb was in a fixed position in opposition with the brush and could not be moved or rotated if a surface became “clumped up” with mascara. This meant the prior art applicators thus had to be either thrown away or cleaned to continue to use them. Also their applicator arms were fixed in one position and their operable surfaces were fixed into one position that would only allow them to be used in that one position or orientation because of the operable surfaces of the brush and comb were set up to only operate in one orientation with each other. Thus the useful life of these prior art applicators was limited in use and degraded rapidly over a short period of time to become useless because of clumping on the comb because they could not be rotated or changed to provide additional comb teeth or new surface areas in a position for acting with the brush of the applicator.

The brush applicator arms and comb teeth applicator arms of the prior art did not provide enough surface area for “swiping” the brush applicator over a continuous surface area of a teethed comb to coat the eyelash hairs because the teeth of the combs were not formed into continuous teeth surfaces which allowed bristles of the brush applicator to fully cover and “swipe” over the full length of the hair of the eyelash while the eyelash hairs were held against the linear surface of the comb.

Since eyelash curling applicators or tools were generally multiple armed applicators they where not provided with their own reservoirs for mascara because of sealing problems associated with the multiple armed applicators. The multiple armed applicators created problems of forming a sealed surface for the applicator arms in the mascara by being inserted into multiple storage areas for the brush and comb because of multiple arm movement. Thus the use of mascara storage with single arm mascara applicators became the norm because it allowed the formation of a seal on the containers that also stored the mascara in the container. The two armed applicators created problems of forming seals for the two movable arms when they were inserted into the mascara storage compartments. The prior art which used two armed applicators in storage chambers for mascara tried to use springs, from the pivot point to force the two arms or rods to open and form a seal in the single opening of the dispenser and insure tight sealing to prevent their drying out. The two applicator arms were in general formed as to half round elongated shapes, but when they were in a closed position the rods became cylindrical for insertion into a single opening of a dispenser for the mascara. In other cases when two armed applicators have been used many of them just provided storage chambers only for the mascara and brush and left the comb or other applicator on the out side of the storage chambers. While this provided protection for the mascara and brush applicator, the comb or other applicator was left out side to the ambient atmosphere and the residual mascara on this applicator would dry out and leave hardened residue which would interfere with the application of the mascara in later applications and shorten the life of the instrument.

The multiple armed applicators of the prior art for curling eyelashes had springs or resilient means which were designed to move the applicator arms apart, and have the human hand for driving them to engagement with the eyelashes, but generally not into parallel position for separating the eye lashes and engaging them for mascara application. The springs were attached to both applicator arms and dynamically drove the applicator arms forcibly passed a parallel relationship of arms to prevent them from being parallel which created storage problems and engagement problems for the opposing applicators in engaging the eyelashes evenly. Also by the spring being engaged with both arms of the applicator there was no way for one arm of the applicator to be free to rotate to 90° and act as a single arm mascara applicator and then be returned back to the applicator to again be in a parallel relationship for performing the curling function.

The brushes of the prior art were also randomly configured such that some of the bristles of the brushes of the prior art while picking up mascara in great quantities created problems, because of there random configuration some of the bristles of the brush actually interfered with the application of the mascara to the eyelashes. This interference was caused by the angle of the bristles of the brush which were either so flat as to be under 30° in relation to the comb of the opposing surface or which were so steep as to be greater than 60° in relation to the comb of the bristles of the brush, that they were not effective in applying mascara to the eyelashes but simply smearing it over the comb or opposing surface. These bristles under 30° and greater than 60° actually interfered with the other bristles of the brush and comb.

The nature of the spring mechanisms used with the multiple arm applicators was such that it made it very difficult for the multiple arm applicators to be inserted into multiple ports on the storage device which contained the mascara chamber and also a chamber for storing the comb in a sealed environment for the prevention of drying out of the comb. The spring mechanisms tended to create problems by pushing the applicator arms beyond horizontal position which would allow for easy insertion into ports on the storage mechanism. This was especially true where the ports were located in parallel position to each other as the applicator arms and the spring mechanisms would cause misalignment because they proceeded to push applicator arms beyond a horizontal position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of the present invention has been developed for the purpose of providing a single universal device for simultaneously curling and separating eyelashes and homogeneously applying mascara to eyelashes and further providing a storage system for the mascara and the applicators. It also provides an adjustable arm for movement out to a position for allowing its use for additional refinements of the mascara on the eyelashes and standard application of mascara like a single applicator and then for being returned back to its original position for reinsertion into the storage reservoir for mascara or more eyelash curling.

The mascara applicator of this invention provides for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to the eyelashes simultaneously and also for applying maraca to eyelashes in conventional ways by providing an adjustable arm for movement out to a position for allowing refinements to the eyelashes on the upper and lower eyelashes. The mascara applicator of this invention can then be reinserted in its storage system for storage or to re-wet the mascara applicator for any other way to apply the mascara to the eyelashes of the person having the mascara applied.

The mascara applicator of this invention has a circular U-shaped member formed for providing a sufficient gripping and articulating surface for a human hand to allow the circular U-shaped member to be easily rolled between the fingers for manipulating the circular U-shaped member. Connected to one arm of the U-shaped member is a first applicator arm having a circular spiral brush at its opposite end and connected to the other of the circular U-shaped members is a second applicator arm having a circular cylinder comb for providing an eyelash separator for acting with the circular spiral brush to apply the mascara evenly and smoothly over the eyelashes. The first applicator arm with a circular spiral bristle brush on one end for applying mascara is connected at its other end to the first applicator arm of the U-shaped arms to allow rotation of the circular spiral bristle brush. The second applicator arm with a circular cylinder comb for acting against the circular spiral brush is connected at its other end to second applicator arm of the U-shaped arms to allow rotation of the circular cylinder comb.

The teeth of the circular cylinder comb of this invention are provided as circular teeth that wrap 360° around the applicator arm and provide a circular cylinder comb formed on a shaft with circular teeth mounted at right angles to the shaft of the comb on one end for separating the eyelashes when the comb comes into engagement with the eyelashes as the mascara brush with mascara is “swiped” against the eyelashes which are up against the 360° comb over at least 180° of the circular cylinder comb surface to smoothly “swipe” the mascara on the eyelash and over the 180° of the 360° comb to evenly apply the mascara and wipe the teeth of the comb relatively clean.

The applicator arms of this invention are U-shaped with one end being circular and formed to provide gripping surfaces and articulating surfaces for a human hand to allow the applicator instrument to be easily rotated 180° for curling the eyelashes and applying the mascara over the lashes as it is moved from the beginning point of the eyelashes at the eye and is moved to the tips of the eyelash. The U-shaped arms are in parallel relationship and provide means of attachment for movably attaching the applicator arms with the brush and comb on them to bring them into parallel relationship so that the brush and comb are in opposition to each other. The movably attached arms of the brush and comb are attached so that they may be rotated through 360° to allow the brush and comb to be in operationally opposing relationship through 360° of rotation of the brush and comb to allow them to be rotated as needed to keep a functional surface of the brush and comb in operation and provide new surfaces as needed.

The applicator arm that is attached to the circular brush is sectioned and provided with an articulating connection which can be bent out to 90° from its position on the first arm of the circular U-shaped member for being used to apply mascara with out using the circular cylinder comb and be returned back to the first position for operation as a curling and mascara applicator or for the storage of the two applicators in the storage members.

The connectors for allowing rotation of the first applicator arm and circular spiral brush and circular cylinder comb, at least in one embodiment, are formed by a shaft of the arm of the circular spiral brush and the circular cylinder comb being formed for insertion into a tubular shaft of the U-shaped arms for forming a frictional connection that can be easily broken and then the circular spiral brush and the circular cylinder comb rotate to provide new facing clean surfaces toward each other and then reinserted for frictional engagement to allow the eyelash curler to be operated again with clean fresh faces in opposition to each other. In some embodiments they may be connected by providing a metal tip which engages with a magnet in the hollowed out shaft of the U-shaped arms of the U-shaped members. In others the connection may be just plastic snap together connections to allow easy disconnection and reconnection for the continued operation of the eyelash curler.

A spring or resilient member, which in one embodiment is a leaf spring, is functionally connected between the two first and second applicator arms for allowing the first applicator arm to be moved by the fingers of a human hand to engagement with the second applicator arm which results in the engagement of the circular spiral brush and circular cylinder comb about the eyelashes and returning the two first and second applicator arms back to parallel spaced apart relationship upon release. In some embodiments the leaf spring is only connected to the first applicator arm which has the circular spiral brush on it and provides an unattached end of the leaf spring to push against the second applicator arm with the circular cylinder comb but is not connected to the arm of the circular cylinder comb. In this embodiment of the spring between the first and second arms the first arm is free to be articulated for rotation to 90° for use as a simple mascara brush to enhance the application of the upper or lower lashes of the eye and then be returned back to a parallel position on the device for use as a curling device.

The first applicator arm in some embodiments is made into two parts and attached back together by a hinge which allows the first applicator arm to be bent to 90° and then returned back to a linear position to act as an applicator arm to be in parallel position with the second applicator arm. In this configuration the first applicator arm may be bent to 90° and function as an independent applicator arm much like a single mascara arm applicator to apply mascara to eyelashes and then be returned back to its parallel position to be used in the eye lash curling application in parallel relationship with the second applicator arm. Thus allowing the device to serve as a curling and mascara applicator and a single arm applicator for mascara for applying mascara to eyelashes.

The storage chambers of this invention are designed for providing a separate chamber for mascara and a separate chamber for the circular cylinder comb. The separate chamber for the mascara is provided such that the applicator arm when stored or inserted into the mascara chamber, the circular spiral brush is immersed in the mascara so that when it is removed it will be charged with new supply mascara. The separate chamber for a circular cylinder comb provides a storage area which can be sealed off from the atmosphere to help control the drying of the circular cylinder comb while the comb is being stored in the storage chamber. Both the entrances to the mascara chamber and the circular cylinder comb chamber are provided with sealing grommets, which engage raised surfaces on the shafts of the applicator arms on both circular spiral brush and the circular cylinder comb to form a seal. The parallel alignment of the applicator arms and the pressure from the spring which pushes the two applicator arms into parallel position and not beyond parallel position allow for easy insertion of the applicator arms of the U-shaped hand piece into sealing engagement in the storage chambers.

The bristles of the circular axial brush of this invention are arranged in the preferred embodiment such that the bristles maintain a critical angle of interface between the hairs of the eyelash and the circular cylindrical comb which does not exceed a spread of 30-60° which eliminates bristles which would either push eyelashes away from the circular cylindrical comb or pull eyelashes away from the circular cylinder comb. This critical angle of from 30-60° to the incident of the bristles of the circular axial brush with the circular cylindrical comb also provide maximum “swiping” effect of the mascara over the eyelashes and comb with the removal of excess mascara both from the eyelashes and the surface of the circular cylinder comb.

A variety of additional advantage of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particular pointed out in the claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. A brief description of the drawings is as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mascara applicator for both applying mascara and curling eye lashes simultaneously with first and second applicator arms shown being moved into position for engagement of human eyelashes by a human hand and starting compression of a spring member functionally mounted between the first and second applicator arms.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the mascara applicator with first and second applicator arms for both applying mascara and curling eye lashes simultaneously and for being inserted into a storage system for holding the applicators with the spring member located on a different side from the spring member of FIG. 1 and compressed and showing the storage member.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the storage member for holding the first and second applicators arms, not shown, and mascara to be applied showing the at least two separate compartments one for a first applicator arm with a brush and with mascara being held and another for the storage of a second applicator arm with a comb.

FIG. 3A is a top view of the storage member which show the entry ports for holding the applicator arms for the at least two separate compartments one for an applicator arm with a brush and with mascara being held and one for a applicator arm with a comb.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the mascara applicator for both applying mascara and curling eye lashes simultaneously with the two applicator arms being inserted into the at least two separate compartments of the storage member and closed to the ambient environment and not visible.

FIG. 5 is a side view of mascara applicator showing a first applicator arm having a brush on one end and a second applicator arm having circular cylinder comb on one end showing the parallel engagement and interface between the brush on one end and the circular cylinder comb and these first and second applicator arms joined to a circular U-shaped member formed to provide rounded gripping and articulating surfaces for a human hand and compression of the spring member functionally mounted between the first and second applicator arms of the U-shaped member.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the circular U-shaped member for providing rounded gripping and articulating surfaces for a human hand showing that the one arm of the circular U-shaped member connected to the first applicator arm having a brush on it is segmented and not connected to the spring member on one side of the arm of the circular U-shaped member and has a hinge formed at the segment to allow the brush and segmented portion to be moved to 90° for acting just as a mascara brush and be returned back to its original position as part of the circular U-shaped member with engagement with the spring member.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the circular cylinder comb formed on one end of the second applicator arm connected to the circular U-shaped member showing circular cylinder comb teeth which are at right angles to the applicator arm for separating the eyelash hairs apart from each other in the curling and applying of mascara to the eyelashes, in conjunction with the applicator arm with the brush, having common dimensional outer edge teeth and disk surfaces between the circular spaced apart disk teeth.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the circular cylinder comb formed on one end of the second applicator arm connected to the circular U-shaped member showing the circular cylinder comb teeth which are at right angles to the applicator arm of FIG. 8 but being sloped both directions from the center edge of the circular teeth of the comb to the full width of the teeth of the comb at the shaft of the comb.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the circular cylinder comb formed on one end of the second applicator arm connected to the circular U-shaped member showing the circular cylinder comb teeth which are at right angles to the applicator arm of FIG. 9 but being sloped one direction from the edge of the circular teeth of the comb to the full width of the teeth of the comb at the shaft of the comb.

FIG. 10 is diagrammatic side view of the interface between the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb teeth showing the critical angle interface of from 30-60° of the circular spiral bristles of the brush to the circular cylinder comb teeth and that the bristles of the circular spiral bristles of the brush penetrate the circular cylinder comb all the way to the shaft of the comb.

FIG. 11A is a cross section of the first and second applicator arms taken through the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb just before engagement with the eyelash of a human eye.

FIG. 11B is a cross section of the first and second applicator arms taken through the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb after the first engagement of the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb with the eyelash of a human eye for showing the staring process of applying mascara and curling the eyelashes simultaneously and showing the large surface area of engagement between the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb.

FIG. 11C is a cross section of the first and second applicator arms taken through the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb after the first engagement of the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb with the eyelashes of a human eye and moving the engaged circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb away from the eye and with a turn upward from the eye at an angle of about 30° for showing the process of starting to apply mascara and curling the eyelashes simultaneously and showing the large surface area of engagement between the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb.

FIG. 11D is a cross section of the first and second applicator arms taken through the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb after the first engagement of the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb with the eyelashes of a human eye and moving the engaged circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb away from the eye and with a turn upward from the eye at an angle of about 90° for showing the process of applying mascara and curling the eyelashes simultaneously and showing the large surface area of engagement between the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb.

FIG. 11E is a cross section of the first and second applicator arms taken through the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb after the first engagement of the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb with the eyelashes of a human eye and moving the engaged circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb away from the eye and with a turn upward from the eye at an angle of about 180° for showing the process of applying mascara and curling the eyelashes simultaneously and showing the large surface area of engagement between the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb.

FIG. 11F is a cross section of the first and second applicator arms taken through the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb after the circular spiral bristles of the brush and the circular cylinder comb have fully curled the eyelashes of a human eye and applied the mascara and have been moved to a new starting position for reapplication and re-curling the eyelashes simultaneously.

FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of one embodiment which shows the U-shaped member and two applicator arms, one with a brush and the other with a comb, having detachable connector arms with the U-shaped member for rotating the brush and comb surfaces to new engaging parallel surface relationships but still having the same functional engaging surfaces between the brush and comb after rotation but just new and clean surfaces for applying mascara and simultaneously curling the eye lashes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to some of the present preferred embodiments which illustrate some of the concepts of this invention without limitation but to teach the broad concepts of this invention as applied.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the applicator 100 for simultaneously curling and applying mascara to the eyelashes is shown with a first applicator arm 110 and a second applicator arm 120 being connected to a circular U-shaped member 130 held by the fingers 10 of a human hand and is moving the applicator 100 toward a human eye 11 which shows the human eye 11 surrounded by upper eye lashes 12 and lower eye lashes 13 for the purpose of engaging the eyelashes for simultaneously curling and separating the eyelashes and applying mascara to the eyelashes as they are rendered into a curled state.

The applicator 100 is generally formed in this embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 as being composed of first applicator arm 110 formed by a first arm 14 having a brush 15 on one end and a second applicator arm 120 formed by a second arm 16 having a circular cylinder comb 17 on one end. The other ends 18 and 19 of first arm 14 and second arm 16 are connected to the circular U-shaped member 130 at the open ends 20 and 21 of the U-shaped arms 22 and 23 of the circular U-shaped member 130 to bring the brush 15 on the first arm 14 and the circular cylinder comb 17 on the second arm 16 into parallel spaced apart relationship with each other.

A spring 24 is functionally mounted between the circular U-shaped member 130 on one of either of the U-shaped arms 22 or 23, which in FIG. 1 it is mounted at point 26 on U-shaped arm 23, but in another embodiment in FIG. 2 it is mounted at point 26 on U-shaped arm 22. For example, the mounting of spring 24 on U-shaped arm 23 in FIG. 1 is to bring the first applicator arm 110 with a first arm 14 having a brush 15 on it and second applicator arm 120 with a second arm 16 having a circular cylinder comb 17 on it into parallel relationship with each other. While for example the mounting the spring 24 at point 26 on U-shaped arm 22 in FIG. 2 is also to bring the second applicator arm 120 with second arm 16 having a circular cylinder comb 17 on it and first applicator arm 110 with a first arm 14 having a brush on it into parallel relationship with each other. The spring 24 is also mounted between circular U-shaped member 130 on one of either of the U-shaped arms 22 and 23 for allowing compression of the spring 24 and driving of the brush 15 on the first arm 14 of the first applicator arms 110 of U-shaped arm 22 of the U-shaped member 130 into engagement with the circular cylinder comb 17 on the second arm 16 of the applicator arm 120 of the U-shaped arm 23. The other common feature is to have the spring 24 only attached at one point 26 no matter to which arm it is attached, as will be further discussed in the description of FIG. 6. It is important for the brush 15 and the circular cylinder comb 17 to be in parallel relationship as the applicator 100 is moved into position to be closed about, for example, the eye lash 12 to be both curled and have mascara applied to them. The application of mascara and curling of the eye lash, such as eyelash 12, is achieved in this invention by the unique and novel structures and interface of the applicator's 100 parts, when it is closed on the eyelash 12 and then pulled over the eyelash 12 away from the eye 11 and with a turn upward, on the upper eyelash 12, from the eye at an angle starting at 0° and progressing to up to about 180°, as will be further discussed later in FIGS. 11A-11F.

The circular U-shaped member 130 is provided with rounded gripping and articulating surfaces 25 which allow for the fingers 10 of a human hand to hold the applicator 100 and compress the spring 24 and allow intricate manipulation of the applicator 100. This intricate manipulation of the applicator in one form is necessary when it is closed on the eyelash 12 and then pulled over the eyelash 12 away from the eye 11 and with a turn upward, on the upper eyelash 12, from the eye 11 at an angle starting at 0° and progressing to up to about 180° to both curl the eyelash and simultaneously apply the mascara evenly.

In some embodiments of the applicator 100, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 12 a portion of the U-shaped arm 22 is sectioned at a point 27 and attached back to the U-shaped arm 22 by a hinge pin 28 which is put through a hinge member 28a half of which is shown around the hinge pin 28, for movement of the U-shaped arm 22 out to 90° from its position at the sectioned point 27 at the hinge pin 28 and hinge member 28a on the Applicator 100, as best seen in FIG. 6, and then be returned back to its position, although sectioned, as part of the U-shaped arm 22. The use of this feature will be further discussed later in the detailed specification in discussions of FIG. 6.

The applicator 100 of this invention is also provided with and incorporates a storage member 140, as can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 3A and 4. The storage member 140 is provided for storage of mascara 29, as shown in FIG. 3, and for receiving and storage of the applicator 100 with its first applicator arm 110 and second applicator arm 120 in a respective compartment 30 and compartment 31, as shown in FIG. 3, in an environment which can be sealed to the ambient atmosphere. The storage member 140 in some embodiments requires the first and second applicator arms 110 and 120 to be pushed into close parallel position as shown in FIG. 2 for insertion into the storage member 140 through ports 34 and 35 as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 3A. Sealing rings 32 and 33 are provided on first applicator arm 110 and second applicator arm 120 of applicator 100 at their other ends 18 and 19 for mating with circular recessed surfaces 36 and 37 located near the ports 34 and 35 of storage member 140 to create a sealed environment from the ambient air.

Internal of the compartment 30 in storage member 140, as shown in FIG. 3, is provided with a mascara scraping circular surface 38 proximate to the circular recessed surface 36 for controlled removal of excess mascara from the brush 15 located on the first applicator arm 110 as it is removed from the compartment 30 for use. This mascara scraping circular surface 38 may also be used to evenly spread the mascara 29 over the brush 15 before using the applicator 100 to apply the mascara 29 to the eyelashes.

As shown in FIG. 4 once the circular U-shaped member 130 with first applicator arm 110 and second applicator arm 120 are inserted into the storage member 140 all the functional parts such as the brush 15 and circular cylinder comb 17 are stored out of the ambient environment to prevent drying out and contamination of the mascara to the users environment. Even the spring 24 which is only attached at point 26 on U-shaped arm 22 of applicator 100, as shown in FIG. 4 is pushed to a flat position out of the way and from being caught on something in a user's purse.

In FIG. 5 is shown the applicator 100 and its U-shaped arms 22 and 23 compressed together at their opens ends 20 and 21 which drives the brush 15 and circular cylinder comb 17 into penetrating engagement with each other. This penetrating engagement is substantially simultaneous and substantially over large surface areas of the brush 15 and the circular cylinder comb 17, the importance of which will be discussed in more detail in FIG. 10.

The applicator 100 as shown in the positioned embodiment of FIG. 6 allows the mascara applicator 100 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to be used just as a regular eye lash mascara brush to touch up the eyelashes and refine them and then be returned back for use as an eyelash curler and mascara applicator. This is achieved by the U-shaped arm 22 being sectioned at a point 27 and attached back to the U-shaped arm 22 by a hinge pin 28 being inserted in a hinge member 28a only partially shown about the hinge pin 28 for movement of the U-shaped arm 22 out to about 90° from its position on the Applicator 100 and then be returned back to its position as part of the U-shaped arm 22. It should be observed that the spring 24 is only attached at point 26 on the U-shaped arm 23 which leaves U-shaped arm 22 and first applicator arm 110 free for movement at its hinge pin 28 and hinge 28a at its sectioned point 27 out to 90° but still allows the spring 24 to serve its resilient function when the U-shaped arm 22 and first applicator arm 110 are returned back to a parallel position. It should further be understood that the U-shaped arm 22 is connected to first applicator arm 110 which has the brush 15 on it, so when the U-shaped arm 22 with the brush 15 on it is turned out to about 90° it can function like a regular mascara brush to touch up eyelashes and correct specific problems on the eyelashes but then be turned back to its position as part of the applicator 100 with the brush 15 on the first applicator arm 110 being brought into parallel relationship with the circular cylinder comb 17 on second applicator arm 120. Thus the applicator 100 of this invention can serve the function of curling and simultaneously applying mascara to eyelashes and serve the function of a regular mascara eyelash applicator brush which eliminates the need for two instruments and allows the applicator 100 of this invention to serve both functions.

The circular cylinder comb 17 connected to second arm 16 of second applicator arm 120 is designed to separate the individual or groups of hairs of the eyelashes into which mascara is to be applied by the brush 15 and this is achieved in some embodiments as shown in FIGS. 7-9 by the use of teeth 39a, 39b, and 39c being provided on circular cylindrical comb 17.

In FIG. 7 circular cylinder teeth 39a of the circular cylinder comb 17 are formed on a shaft 40 of the second arm 16, not fully shown, like circular washer mounted to the shaft 40 with spaces left in between for separating the hair or groups of hairs into the chambered spaces created between the individual circular teeth 39a of the circular cylinder comb 17 as the circular cylinder comb 17 is engaged in closing parallel relationship with the brush 15 on first arm 14 not shown in FIG. 7 to create a “smeshing” effect with the brush 15.

In FIG. 8 the circular teeth 39b of the circular cylinder comb 17 as shown also provide substantial surfaces of circular teeth 39b of the circular cylinder comb 17 as the teeth 39a did in FIG. 7, but the circular teeth 39b of circular cylinder comb 17 in the embodiment of FIG. 8 are sloped both directions from the center of the edge of the circular teeth 39b of the circular cylinder comb 17 to the full width of the teeth 39b of the circular cylinder comb 17 at the shaft 40 of the circular cylinder comb 17.

The circular teeth 39c of the circular cylinder comb 17 as shown in FIG. 9 also provide substantial surfaces of circular teeth 39c of the circular cylinder comb 17 as the teeth 39a did in FIG. 7, but the circular teeth 39c of circular cylinder comb 17 in the embodiment of FIG. 9 are sloped one direction from the outer edges of the circular teeth 39c of the curricular cylinder comb 17 to the full width of circular teeth 39c of the circular cylinder comb 17 at the shaft 40 of the circular cylinder comb 17.

While many brushes have been used in applying mascara in the prior art and some have even used forward spiral bristle brushes there has been found in this invention a critical relationship between the brush bristles of the current invention with the circular cylinder comb 17 and its teeth 39a, 39b, and 39c, to achieve “smeshing” of the hairs of the eyelash between the axial spiral bristles of the brush 15 and circular cylindrical teeth of the comb 17. “Smeshing” means the “smearing” and “pressing” of the eyelash hairs between the bristles of the brush 15 and the teeth 39a, 39b, and 39c of the circular cylinder comb 17 over a sustained surface area interface to apply a smooth coat of mascara to the eyelash and to cause it to form and hold a curl created by the movement of the applicator in a desired direction. The critical relationship to achieve the “Smeshing” with the circular cylinder comb 17 of this invention is shown in FIG. 10 where the brush 15 has spiral bristles 41 that interface at between 30-60° with the teeth of the circular cylinder comb 17 and some of the bristles 41 penetrate to shaft 40 of the circular cylinder comb 17. This “Smeshing” thus holds the eyelash against the large surface areas of teeth 39a, 39b, and 39c of the circular cylinder comb 17 as the spiral bristles 41 of the brush 15 are moved over some distance through the at least 0-180° of rotation of the applicator 100.

To achieve both the simultaneous curling and applying of mascara to the eye lash, such as eyelash 12, is achieved in this invention by the unique and novel structures and interface of the applicators 100 parts, when it is closed on the eyelash and then pulled over the eyelash away from the eye and with a turn upward, on the upper eyelashes, from the eye at an angle starting at 0° and progressing to up to about 180°. The applicator 100 is provided with a circular U-shaped member 130 which has a rounded gripping and articulating surfaces 25 which allow for the fingers 10 of a human hand to hold the applicator 100 and compress the spring 24 and allow intricate manipulation of the applicator 100. This intricate manipulation of the applicator 100 is necessary for it to be closed on the eyelash 12 and then pulled over the eyelash 12 away from the eye and turned upward, on the upper eyelash 12, from the eye 11 at an angle starting at 0° and progressing to up to about 180° to both curl the eyelash 12 and simultaneously apply the mascara. This can best be seen in FIGS. 11A-11F.

In FIG. 11A the brush 15 and comb 17 are being held in parallel relationship about the eyelash 12 to bring the brush 15 and circular cylinder comb 17 into place before applying pressure to begin operation of the applicator 100. Once in place the fingers of a human hand not shown compress the first applicator arm 110 and second applicator arm 120 connected to the circular U-shaped member 130 to engage the eyelash 12 and separate the eyelashes as shown in FIG. 11B. Once closed on the eyelash 12 the applicator 100 is then pulled, as shown in FIG. 11C away from the eye 11 and with a turn upward from the eye 11 which in FIG. 11C is at about 45°. This pulling away and turning upward continues as shown in FIG. 11D to have progressed to about 90° and progresses until it is moved to up to about 180° at FIG. 11E to both curl the eyelash 12 and simultaneously apply the mascara evenly over the eyelash 12. Once this process has been performed, it may be started over again as indicated at FIG. 11F to thicken the mascara and reinforce the curl of the eyelash 12.

In some embodiments of this invention as shown in FIG. 12 the applicator 100 is provided with connector members 42 and 43 for allowing rotation of the first applicator arm 110 which is formed by a first arm 14 having an axial spiral brush 15 on one end and for allowing rotation of the second applicator arm 120 which is formed by a second arm 16 having a circular cylinder comb 17 on one end for providing new and clean surfaces of the axial spiral brush 15 and circular cylinder comb 17 to be presented to each other in parallel relationship if the old parallel surfaces of the axial spiral brush 15 and circular cylinder comb 17 are dirtied and rendered no longer useful.

These connector members are formed, in one embodiment, by providing a removable insert members 44 and 45 on the other ends 18 and 19 of first arm 14 and second arm 16. These removable insert members 44 and 45 are provided with male locking projections 46 and 47 which in this embodiment are comprised of four such with male locking projections 46 and 47, however only two male locking projections 46 and 47 are shown in FIG. 12. The circular U-shaped member 130 at the open ends 20 and 21 have provided cavity mating channels 48 and 49 and four female locking cavities 50 and 51 in the open ends 20 and 21 for removably receiving removable insert members 44 and 45 with the male locking projections 46 and 47 to lock the first applicator arm 110 and the second applicator arm 120 into place on the circular U-shaped member 130. It should be understood that by pulling the first applicator arm 110 and the second applicator arm 120 out of the cavity mating channels 48 and 49 they can then be rotated to provide clean parallel surfaces of the circular cylinder comb 17 and the axial spiral brush 15 to each other and then have the first applicator arm 110 and the second applicator arm 120 reinserted into place in the cavity mating channels 48 and 49 on the circular U-shaped member 130 for continued use of the applicator 100. This novel feature is made possible not only by the removable insert members 44 and 45 mating with the cavity mating channels 48 and 49 but by the fact that the circular cylinder comb 17 and axial spiral brush 15 have the same surfaces in 360° and thus are functional in parallel relationship with each other at any position in the 360° of rotation of the first applicator arm 110 and the second applicator arm 120 into place on the circular U-shaped member 130.

In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention, provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A mascara applicator for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicators and mascara comprising;

a. a first applicator arm having a brush on one end for applying mascara, and connector means on the other end,

b. a second applicator arm having a circular cylinder comb formed on one end for separating said eyelashes and connector means on the other end,

c. a storage member having at least two separate compartments one for mascara storage and storage of said first applicator arm having said brush on one end and another for storage of said second applicator arm with said circular cylinder comb on one end in said other compartment,

d. a circular U-shaped member formed to provide rounded gripping and articulating surfaces for a human hand and for providing a first arm for connection on said other end of said first applicator arm and a second arm for connection on said other end of said second applicator arm for bringing said first applicator arm having said brush and said second applicator arm having said circular cylinder comb into parallel spaced apart relationship, and

e. a spring means functionally mounted between said first arm of said circular U-shaped member and connector means on said other end of said first applicator arm and said second arm of said circular U-shaped member and connector means on said other end of said second applicator arm for being compressed by a human hand holding said rounded gripping and articulating surface for driving said brush and circular cylinder comb into engagement about said eyelashes at the eye lid and holding said eyelashes separated between said brush and said circular cylinder comb as said gripping surface is moved up and back on said eyelashes for simultaneously curling and applying mascara to said eyelashes and upon being released by said human hand said spring means drives said first and second applicator arms and first and second arms of said U-shaped member back into parallel relationship for use in reapplying mascara or for reinsertion in said storage member having at least two separate compartments.

2. A mascara applicator of claim 1 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara further comprising;

a. a section of said first arm of said circular U-shaped member connected to said first applicator having said brush on said one end of said first applicator arm is sectioned and connected for articulating as an arm which can be bent to 90° from its position on said first arm of circular U-shaped member for applying mascara without using said circular cylinder comb and be returned 90° back to said first arm of circular U-shaped member for allowing operation of said first and second applicator arms in parallel spaced apart relationship as part of said mascara applicator for both curling and separating eyelashes and for storage in said storage member.

3. A mascara applicator of claim 2 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicators and mascara having a spring means functionally mounted between said first arm of said circular U-shaped member and connector means on said other end of said first applicator arm and said second arm of said circular U-shaped member and connector means on said other end of said second applicator arm further compressing;

a. said spring means being mounted on only one of said circular U-shaped member and connector means on said other end and is unmounted for allowing free movement of said other section of said circular U-shaped member and connector means on said other end.

4. A mascara applicator of claim 3 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicators and mascara having a brush on one end for applying mascara and connector means on the other end and circular cylinder comb on one end for acting with said brush and connector means on the other end further comprising;

a. a brush having circular spiral bristle for applying mascara to eyelashes in conjunction with interfacing with said circular cylinder comb on said second applicator arm, and

b. a circular cylinder comb formed on a shaft of said second applicator arm with said circular teeth mounted at right angles to said shaft of said circular cylinder comb for separating said eyelashes and has a connector means on the other end on said second applicator arm.

5. A mascara applicator of claim 4 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said means for connection on said other end of said first and second applicator arms further comprises;

a. a connector means for allowing rotation of said first applicator arm and circular spiral bristle brush to position different surfaces of said circular spiral bristle brush for parallel relationship with said circular cylinder comb, and

b. a connector means for allowing rotation of said second applicator arm and circular cylinder comb to position different surfaces of said circular cylinder comb for parallel relationship with said circular spiral bristle brush.

6. A mascara applicator of claim 5 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein circular cylinder comb formed on a shaft with circular teeth mounted at right angles to said shaft of said comb on one end for separating said eyelashes further comprises;

a. circular spaced apart disk teeth on said shaft having common dimensional outer edges and disk surfaces between said circular spaced apart disk teeth being at right angles to said shaft.

7. A mascara applicator of claim 6 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said connector means on said other end of said second applicator arm with said circular cylinder comb with circular teeth further comprises;

a. circular teeth sloped one direction from the outer edges of said circular teeth of said comb to said full width of said teeth of said comb at said shaft of said comb.

8. A mascara applicator of claim 7 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said circular cylinder comb with circular teeth further comprises;

a. circular teeth sloped both directions from said center of said edge of said circular teeth of said comb to said full width of said teeth of said comb at said shaft of said comb.

9. A mascara applicator of claim 8 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said storage member further comprises;

a. Parallel ports for receiving said first and second applicators arms in parallel relationship through said parallel ports for storage of said first and second applicators arms in said storage member or reloading mascara on said first applicator arm with said circular spiral bristle brush for removal and for application to eyelashes, and

b. parallel passageways connecting said parallel ports to said at least two separate compartments one for mascara storage and storage of said first applicator arm having said circular spiral brush on one end and another for storage of said second applicator arm having said circular cylinder comb on one end.

10. A mascara applicator of claim 9 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said parallel passages connecting said parallel ports to said at least two separate compartments of said storage member further comprises;

a. push in clip means in said parallel passageways of said storage member for receiving said parallel arms and removably holding said first and second applicator arms in said storage member.

11. A mascara applicator of claim 10 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said first and second applicator arms at said connector means on said other ends of said first and second applicator arms and said first and second arms of said U-shaped member with circular tubular gripping surfaces meet at said parallel passageways connecting said parallel ports further comprises;

a. compression seals on said first and second applicator arms at said connection on said other end, and

b. compression seal receiving ports on said parallel passageways for receiving said compression seals on said first and second applicator arms for sealing said storage member from drying out.

12. A mascara applicator of claim 11 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said circular spiral bristle brush on one end of said first applicator arm further comprises;

a. an advancing spiral of bristles in said brush at an angle from 30-60° to said axis of said first applicator arm.

13. A mascara applicator of claim 12 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein an advancing spiral of bristles in said brush at an angle from 30-60° to said axis of said first applicator arm further comprises;

a. an advancing spiral of said bristles of said brush having an angle from 30-60° to said axis of said comb on said second applicator arm for providing meshing with said teeth of said circular Cylindrical comb for forming optimum holding forces of said eyelash between said teeth of said circular cylindrical comb and said bristles of said brush and allowing optimum spreading forces to distribute said mascara over said eyelash and curling of said eyelash.

14. A mascara applicator of claim 13 for both curling and separating eyelashes and applying mascara to said eyelashes simultaneously and for forming a storage system for applicator and mascara wherein said circular spiral bristle brush on one end of said first applicator arm further comprises;

a. advancing bristles of said spiral bristle brush that penetrate said circular cylinder comb from said edges of said circular teeth of said circular cylinder comb to said shaft of said comb.