US3399020A - Eye cosmetic applicator - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1968 M MARGOLIS ET AL EYE COSMETIC APPLICATOR Filed Oct. 31, 1966 V1llllllll f/Illilillll i T N@ EQ 4 M m N A ABSTRACT OF- THE DISCLOSURE The present invention consists of a device by means of Which cosmetics, such as eyeliner material, maybe applied'to the eye to enhance its beauty. The device itself basically comprises a cartridge in which the cosmetic,

in. fluid form, is kept; a sturdy yet porous material, such as a compact felt material, that is tapered to a point for applying the cosmetic to the area of the eye; and various simple means for delivering the cosmetic to the porous ap: plicator material.

The, present invention relates generally to cosmetics and more particularly relates to an eye-cosmetic applicator having a replaceable cartridge. I

Eye-liner material is used by women to accentuate the beauty of the eye. At the present time, it is applied to the contours of the eye with the brush, if the material is in liquid form, or if it is in wax or crayon form, it is then used like a pencil. The undesirability ofeither arrangement is immediately apparent. Thus, in the case ofthe brush, aside from the factthat it involves an inherently cumbersome technique, it is necessary to frequently wet the brush with the eye-liner material, thereby greatly increasing the possibility not only of spillage, but also that the user and her clothing will be stained by it. Furthermore, it is diflicult to be accurate with a brush applicator until experience and skill in its handling have been acquired. As for the pencil-type of applicator, the problem here is that sufficient pressure must be applied if the-eyeliner material is to be deposited, and since the eye is a sensitive organ, irritation may result if theapplications are frequent and substantial pressure employed. Furthermore, it is difiicult to obtain a uniform distribution-of the eye-liner material when it is in wax or crayon form and, therefore, the same portions or areas around the eye must be gone over several times before a satisfactory andcomplimentary application is obtained. Moreover, it should not be overlooked that a pencil point becomes dull with continued use and has to be sharpened from time to time if the desired sharpness is to be obtained. Needless to say, human nature being what it is, it will be recognized that this requirement is often overlooked by the user, thereby making the pentcil-typeof applicator something less than'satisfactory. t

It is, therefore, an object of the present'invention to provide means for facilitating and expediting theapplication of liquid eye-liner material to the contours of the eye;

It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid eye-liner applicator device wherein the eye liner is supplied from a replaceable cartridge contained in the applicator; I

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simply constructed and inexpensive applicator for liquid eye-liner material;

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a liquid cosmetic applicator that is compact, selfd States Patent 3,399,020 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 ice contained, attractive in appearance, and that can be carried in a pocket or purse; and

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid eye-liner cosmetic applicator which is simple and convenient to operate, and which will give generally efficient, durable, and satisfactory service.

The novel features which are'believe'd to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation; together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which an embodiment of' the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only, and is not' intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a liquid eye-liner cosmetic applicator according to the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cap element in said applicator and illustrates a modification of the FIG. 1 embodiment. For a consideration of the invention in detail, reference is now made to the drawing wherein like or similar parts or elements are given like or similar designations. In FIG. 1, the embodiment is shown to include a tubular-shaped body member or case 10 which is preferably of a size such that it may readily be held and manipulated in the hand of the user, and toward this end the case is preferably relatively long and slender. The case 10 is hollowed and has connected to it at one of its ends a hollowed nose section having an elongated, tapered gripping portion readily engageable by the fingers of the user. More specifically, this nose section, generally designated 11, is, in turn, divided into three subsections designated 11a, 11b and 110, rear sub-section 11a being a tubular portion that extends into case 10 in a tight frictional fit. Accordingly,

I the outer diameter of sub-section 11a is substantially the same as the inner diameter of case 10. Center sub-section 11b, on the other hand, preferably has the same outer and inner diameters as case 10, with the result that a shoulder 11d is thereby provided at the juncture between sub-sections 11a and 111 against which the end of case 10 abuts. Hence, shoulder 11d limits the undue forward movement of case 10 onto nose section 11 which might otherwise occur with continued use. Finally, as to subsection 110, it is the forward portion of nose section 11 and is tapered for easy gripping, as previously mentioned. It should also be mentioned that the outer diameter of this forward sub-section at the point whereat it joins center sub-section 11b is preferably the same as that of rear sub-section 11a and, therefore, smaller than that of the center section. Accordingly, here again a shoulder He is provided. Nose section 11 is adapted to receive a hollowed closure cap 12 whose inner and outer diameters are preferably the same as those for case 10 and center sub-section 11b.

Accordingly, cap 12 fits snugly onto sub-section 11c and is frictionally held in place thereon, the rearward movement of the cap being limited by shoulder 11e against which the cap abuts, as shown in the figure.

Means are provided in the applicator for facilitating the coating of a liquid eye-liner cosmetic onto the contours ,or lines of the eyes and, as in this illustrative embodiment, such means may be composed of a body of porous material 13 that is pointed at its tip, as at 13a, to permit the user to exercise fine control over the area to which the cosmetic material is applied. Thus, porous body 13 is primarily tubular or cylindrical in its shape, but is tapered to a point at its forward end for the reasons mentioned. It will be apparent that any suitable porous material having the ability to carry and supply liquid material to the surface of the tip, such as a felt material, is appropriate as an applicator means. To help maintain the shape of body 13 and also to protect it, the porous material of which it is made is enclosed by a thin open-ended envelope or shell. 14 that extends from the very rear end of body 13 is approximately where tip 13a begins. Thus, tip 13a protrudes from the forward end of shell 14 which may be made of any cheap plastic or metal material that can easily and inexpensively be produced in the desired shape. Shell 14 and the porous body therein are mounted within both nose section 11 and case 10, the rear edge of the nose section being crimpcd against the shell to hold the combination in place. The tapering forward end of nose section 11 also helps to keep this combination in place so that the shell and its contents are thereby held rigidly in position. Tip 13a, which protrudes from shell 14, as previously mentioned, also protrudes from nose section 11 and, therefore, is free to be used upon removal of protective cap 12. For reasons that will become more apparent later, another cap is fitted over the rear end of shell 14, this cap 15 having a prong 15a protruding rearwardly from it, and through which an opening 15b axially runs or extends.

At the very rear of the applicator, there is mounted on case 10 what may be termed a cartridge holder cap, designated 16, the cap, as its name implies, holding a cartridge in a position behind cap 15 that will allow the eye cosmetic fluid contained therein, designated 18, to be fed to applicator means 13. More specifically, cartridge 17 is hollow and of a tubular or cylindrical configuration, the diameter of the cartridge being stepped down at the rear to a slightly smaller value to provide a shoulder 17a against which the cartridge holder cap abuts. This stepped-down portion is designated 17b in the figure. More specifically, the forward part of cap 16, designated 16a, preferably is hollow, like a hollow cylinder, and its inner diameter is substantially the same as the outer diameter of steppeddown portion 17 b of the cartridge, with the result that this portion of the cartridge fits snugly into element 16a, the forward end or edge of the element abutting against shoulder 1711, as previously mentioned. In this manner, cartridge 17 is held in position to the rear of applicator means 13. Finally, at the front end of cartridge 17, there is a small hole 170 through the bottom thereof, prong 15a extending through this hole into the reservoir of cosmetic fluid in the cartridge. The cartridge also includes a second hole 17d through it of pin hole size, preferably at the upper end thereof, this pin hole being included to let air into the hollow of the cartridge but being too small to allow any cosmetic fluid to escape out. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the pin hole is useful in maintaining the desired flow of cosmetic fluid through the opening 15b that leads to applicator means 13.

When used, closure cap 12 is tfirst removed to expose the point 13a of applicator means 13. The pointed portion is then put to the contours of the eye and the eye-liner cosmetic applied thereon. During the course of this application, point 13a is constantly kept in a moist or wetted condition by the fact that porous material 13 is filled with the cosmetic which flows forward to the pointed portion to replace the cosmetic already used up. Thus, there is a continuous supply of cosmetic at point 13a, the cosmetic housed in cartridge 17 flowing through opening 15b and into applicator means 13 to provide this continuous supply. When the cartridge has been emptied, it can be easily removed and a new cartridge inserted simply by removing or pulling out cap 16, removing the old cartridge, inserting the new one, and then replacing the cap. As previously explained, the cap 16 pushes the cartridge 17 forward, and as this is done, the prong 15:: moves into and through hole 170 into contact with cosmetic fluid 18. In the event hole 170 is initially covered or closed in a new cartridge, as would appear desirable to avoid the possibility of the cosmetic oozing out, prong 15a then pierces the bottom wall of the cartridge to form hole 170 therein.

In the FIG. 1 device, the cartridge 17 is shown to include a pin hole 17d for the purpose of allowing air to enter the cartridge and, therefore, to permit air pressure to be applied to the cosmetic fluid therein. Normally, this pin hole is too small to permit any cosmetic to escape, but it is conceivable that this may necessarily occur. To prevent this from happening, the device may be modified in the manner shown in FIG. 2 so that the cartridge may be fabricated without any pin hole at all. More specifically, in FIG. 2, cap 16 is now shown to include a pin 16!) that extends axially forward from the rear wall of element 16a, the pin only being long enough to pierce through the rear wall of cartridge 17. Thus, when a new cartridge is inserted, pin 16b will pierce the cartridge to provide the necessary pin hole when cap 16 is put back in position at the end of the applicator device. The rest of the construction and operation remains as previously described.

Although a particular arrangement of the invention has been illustrated and described above by way of example, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto. Accordingly, the invention should be considered to include any and all modifications, alterations, or equivalent arrangements falling within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A cosmetic fluid applicator device comprising: a hollow tubular shaped casing; a hollow tubular-shaped cartridge containing a supply of the cosmetic fluid mounted in said casing at the rear thereof, said cartridge normally being sealed at its upper and lower ends and having a pin hole through it near its upper end to let air into the hollow thereof; tubular-shaped applicator means mounted in said casing in front of said cartridge, said means, at the forward end thereof, being tapered to substantially a point that protrudes from the forward end of said casing, said applicator means including a porous material that can hold the cosmetic fluid and through which it can flow; an element capping said applicator means at the upper end thereof to supply the cosmetic fluid in said cartridge to said applicator means, said element including 2. prong piercing said cartridge at the lower end thereof that has a passageway extending axially therethrough to the cosmetic fluid; and a cap slidably mounted on the rear end of said casing.

2. A cosmetic fluid applicator device comprising: a hollow tubular-shaped casing; a hollow tubular-shaped cartridge containing a supply of the cosmetic fluid mounted in said casing at the rear thereof, the rear portion of said cartridge being smaller in diameter than the rest of the cartridge to form a shoulder at the border therebetween; tubular-shaped applicator means mounted in said casing in front of said cartridge, said means, at the forward end thereof, being tapered to substantially a point that protrudes from the forward end of said casing, said applicator means including a porous material that can hold the cosmetic fluid and through which it can flow; an element mounted between said applicator means and said cartridge to supply the cosmetic fluid in said cartridge to said applicator means, said element including a prong having an opening axially therethrough that extends through said cartridge and into contact with the cosmetic fluid therein; and a cap slidably mounted on the rear end of said casing, said cap including a hollow, cylindricallyshaped member at the forward end thereof into which said rear portion of the cartridge extends until said member abuts against said shoulder, said cap further including a 5 6 pin that axially extends into said cylindrically-shaped 2,642,065 6/1953 Negri 15-539 XR member for piercing said cartridge to provide a pin hole 3,048,879 8/1962 Rosenthal 15563 therethrough. 3,113,336 12/1963 Langnickel 15-539 XR References Cited 3,203,025 8/ 1965 Schreur 15-563 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,325,851 6/1967 ROHfil' 15-563 2,620,499 12/1952 Dressel- CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 2,623,227 12/1952 Moonert 15539 XR R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

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