GB2187945A

GB2187945A - Device for applying to a base a substance having a liquid to pasty consistency

Info

Publication number: GB2187945A
Application number: GB08705480A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean-Louis Gueret
Original assignee: LOreal SA
Current assignee: LOreal SA
Priority date: 1986-03-12
Filing date: 1987-03-09
Publication date: 1987-09-23
Also published as: GB2187945B; FR2595587B1; GB8705480D0; IT1207380B; ES2004258A6; DE3708051A1; FR2595587A1; IT8767178A0

Abstract

The device (1) comprises a reservoir (3) which contains a quantity of the substance to be spread (2) and whose contents are insulated from the atmosphere by a foil (4) of a material capable of perforation. The reservoir (3) forms a handle allowing manipulation of an applicator means (the pad (6) and the massaging sole (7)) carried by the free end of the reservoir (3). Between the applicator means and the foil (4) is a perforator carrier element (5) whose perforator (21-22) is integral with an elastically deformable part (18). By depressing the applicator element before the first or only use, the user is able to tilt inwardly the deformable part (18) and hence perforate the foil (4) by means of the perforator, thereby allowing passage of the substance (2) towards the applicator means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for the application onto a base of a substance having a liquid to pasty consistency The present invention relates to an applicator for applying onto a base a substance having a liquid to pasty consistency.

This applicator is of the type comprising a reservoir, generally with a flexible wall, which performs the function of a handle and whose opening is fitted with an applicator means generally constituted by a pad of spongy material.

At the time of use, pressure is exerted on the reservoir wall to eject the contents into the applicator pad; for the application proper, the pad of the applicator is pressed against the base to be treated so as to compress the pad and to spread the dispensed substance in the best possible way.

The substances which can be applied in this way may originate from very diverse fields, and may, for example, be cosmetic compounds, cleansing compounds, waxes etc.

Moreover, depending on the size chosen for it, the applicator can be used for several applications or only for single use, its reservoir then only containing one dose of the substance to be dispensed.

In this type of applicator it is frequently useful for the contents to be protected from the atmosphere before use, irrespective as to whether one is concerned with a disposable applicator containing only a single product dose or, with the protection before first use, of an applicator allowing several successive uses of the substance. For this purpose, the outlet opening of the container on the inner side of the applicator pad may be closed by a foil or a diaphragm applied, in particular by heat sealing, to a zone bordering the outlet opening. At the time of the first use of the applicator device, the foil or diaphragm has to be pierced. French Patent 1477781 proposes for this purpose to drive a pin or another pointed implement into the pad and the foil or the diaphragm so that, after withdrawal of the pointed implement the substance can flow out to impregnate the pad.

This solution does not give complete satisfaction, inasmuch as the pointed implement is liable to damage the pad on passing through it, and/or it may also be necessary to cut several openings in the diaphragm or the foil to achieve a satisfactory discharge of the substance, thus increasing the risk of damaging the pad.

The present invention aims to solve this problem.

In accordance with the invention, between the foil or diaphragm and the rest of the appli cator there is an element carrying a perforator and disposed in such a way that, by pressure on the applicator means before first use, the perforator can be made to tear the foil or diaphragm. By a correct choice of the perforator and its positioning, it is possible to tear the diaphragm or foil over a considerable length, so as to allow the substance to arrive on the base under the most favourable conditions.

According to the invention, therefore, we provide a device for applying to a base a substance having a liquid to pasty consistency, said device comprising:- deformable applicator means; a reservoir for a quantity of the substance to be dispensed and for insulating the contents from the atmosphere before first use by a foil made of a material capable of being perforated, said reservoir constituting a handle allowing manipulation of the deformable applicator means on the free end of the said reservoir; and an element, between said applicator element and the said foil, carrying at least one perforator disposed opposite the foil but having a free end spaced from the foil when the applicator is in its state of rest, said element also comprising a fixed peripheral portion intended to bold it in said device and having joined thereto at least one elastically deformable part capable of displacement during pressure on the deformable applicator means to perforate the foil by means of the said at least one perforator; wherein said perforator carrier element has at least one opening through which the substance from the reservoir can pass towards the applicator means once the foil has been perforated; wherein said reservoir comprises in its upper portion, a wall zone which is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the reservoir and delimits the reservoir outlet opening, said wall zone being bent outwardly at right angles at its periphery from the body of the reservoir to constitute a cylindrical rim; wherein the fixed peripheral part of said perforator carrier element comprises a short cylindrical skirt coaxial with the fixed peripheral part and engaging the cylindrical rim of the reservoir; and wherein said at least one elastically deformable part comprises an arm or a tab having a median plane substantially parallel to that of the peripheral part.

The foil is in particular, fixed by its periphery to the wall zone.

In accordance with a first embodiment of the perforator carrier element, the elastic tab whose free end carries the perforator extends beyond the central zone of the said perforator carrier element.

In a second embodiment of the perforator carrier element, the elastically deformable part is constituted by a plurality of elastic arms connecting the fixed peripheral part of the perforator carrier element to a central stem form ing the perforator.

Moreover, the fixed peripheral part may comprise at least one inwardly directed fixed tongue constituting, with the movable part carrying the perforator or perforators, a perforated support of the applicator means.

The applicator means advantageously comprise a spongy pad projecting from the free end of the reservoir. Preferably this pad, made of a spongy material, is covered by a flexible massaging sole comprising at least one slot for the emergence of the substance to be applied. The sole may also comprise externally a plurality of beads promoting the massaging action.

In a first variant of the assembly, the flexible massaging sole comprises a peripheral bead accommodated in an external peripheral groove of the or each perforator carrier element, which is fixed to the free end of the reservoir, the applicator pad being accommodated in the space separating the sole and the perforator carrier element.

In a second variant of the assembly, the flexible massaging sole comprises a peripheral bead accommodated in a peripheral groove delimited by the free end wall of the reservoir and the applicator pad, the perforator carrier element being placed between the foil and the applicator pad.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood three embodiments thereof, represented in the accompanying drawings, will now be described by way of purely illustrative and non-restrictive examples.

In these drawings: FIGURE 1 is a perspective of an applicator device in a first embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 2 represents, on an enlarged scale, a longitudinal axial cross-sectional view of the applicator in the storage configuration; FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view along line Ill-Ill of Figure 2; FIGURE 4 is a top view of the applicator of Figure 1, taken along line IV-IV of Figure 2; FIGURE 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the perforator carrier element in the depressed position when the perforator has just perforated the aluminium foil obturating the reservoir for the substance to be dispensed before use;; FIGURE 6 is a view, similar to Figure 2, of a second embodiment of the applicator of the present invention, the reservoir of the applicator of Figure 6, which is identical with that of the first embodiment, being represented in profile rather than in a front view; FIGURE 7 is a top view of the device of Figure 6, the applicator pad and the flexible sole covering the pad having been removed; FIGURE 8 is a view, similar to Figure 6, of a third embodiment of an applicator in accordance with the invention; and FIGURE 9 is a top view of the applicator of Figure 8.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 5 there will be seen an applicator 1 which is intended to massage the cutaneous covering and to deposit a fluid treatment cream 2 during the massage. A dose of this treatment cream 2, for instance for facial care, is contained in a reservoir 3 which, before use, is closed by an aluminium foil 4 and with which are associated, disposed successively from the inside towards the outside, a perforator carrier element 5, an applicator pad 6, and a flexible massaging sole 7.

The reservoir 3 is made of a semi-flexible material such as polypropylene; it comprises a body 8 of an elongate shape whose lateral wall 9 is joined to a bottom 10 and whose upper portion flares outwardly slightly along a frusto-conical zone 11 which is bent outwardly to form a flange 12, disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the reservoir 3 and bent outwardly at right angles at its periphery from the body 3 to constitute a cylindrical rim 13.

The lateral wall 9 of the body 8 comprises two opposite wall zones 9a, symmetrical in relation to a plane passing through the axis of the reservoir 3, and shaped to enable the user to grip the applicator 1 easily by its reservoir 3 between the thumb and index finger. For this purpose, each wall zone 9a has a flat portion disposed parallel to the above-mentioned plane and delimited by:- two lateral edges 9b which are parallel to the axis of the reservoir 3, a rounded lower edge 9c constituting a separating edge with the bottom 10, and an upper outwardly flaring portion delimited by a rounded edge 9d.

The wall zones 9a are joined by elongate wall zones 9e which are situated directly in the extension of the bottom 10. The wall zones 9e delimited by the lateral edges 9b and by the bottom 10 of the reservoir 3 together have the shape of an elongate band bent to constitute a channel.

The aluminium foil 4 is fixed by heat sealing at its periphery to the internal annular wall zone of the flange 12.

The perforator carrier element 5, made of a semi-flexible plastic material such as polypropylene, is constituted by a flat annular ring 14 comprising a peripheral edge 15 bent up above the said ring 14 to constitute a peripheral groove 16 whose function will be indicated below. On the opposite side to the edge 15, the ring 14 comprises a short cylindrical skirt 17 coaxial with the ring 14 and having a chamfered free external edge 17a.

Moreover, as may more readily be seen in Figure 3, the annular ring 14 carries an elongate tab 18 and four radially directed tongues 19a to 19d which are joined to the internal edge of the annular ring 14.

The tab 18 has the shape of an elongate rectangular strip, comprising, starting from the internal edge of the ring 14, a slightly inwardly inclined portion 18a disposed in the half plane comprising the edge 15, (Figure 2), then a portion 18b substantially parallel to the ring 14 and extending beyond the centre of the said ring 14 in an element 18c disposed in a plane slightly inclined towards the latter and having the shape of a circular sector. The external edge of the said element 1 8c has the shape of a circular arc concentric with the ring 14, the internal edge of the said element 18c being perpendicular to the median line of the tab 18. Moreover, the element 18c has a centrally disposed kidney-shaped oblong opening 20 whose arcuate median line is concentric with the ring 14.Furthermore, the element 18tis bent inwardly along its external edge in the shape of a circular arc to constitute a skirt 21 directed towards the same side as the skirt 17 and comprising along its free edge a succession of teeth 22 whose function will be indicated below.

The tongues 19a to 19d, each having the shape of an elongate rectangle with a free rounded edge, also slope slightly in the half plane containing the edge 15 (Figure 2). They are disposed in pairs each of which is situated in the space within the ring 14 delimited by an edge of the portions 18a and 18b of the tongue 18 and by a rectilinear edge of the circular sector element 18c.

The flexible sole 7 which completes the applicator 1 is made of an elastomeric material.

The sole 7 comprises a short cylindrical skirt 23 joined to a top 24 in which, as may be seen in Figure 4, there are three slots 25 disposed over a circle concentric with the top 24 and whose diameter is approximately half that of the top 24. Moreover, the top 24 has, externally, a plurality of small beads 26 one of which is disposed at its centre and the others are regularly distributed at its periphery between the outer edge and the circle on which the three slots 25 are disposed.

Moreover, as may be seen in Figure 2, the skirt 23 of the flexible sole 7 is bent outwardly at right angles to constitute a rim 27, whose upwardly facing wall carries a periph eral bead 28.

The preparation and assembly of the applicator 1 described above are extremely simple because it suffices to fill the reservoir 3 with the treatment cream 2, approximately up to the plane delimited by the lower edge of the frusto-conical wall 11, and then to seal the aluminium foil 4 as indicated above. Then the perforator carrier element 5 is installed by force-fitting the element 5 at the upper end of the reservoir 3, with the skirt 17 placed against the rim 13 of the reservoir 3 and having its free lower edge bearing on the foil 4 in the assembled configuration of the element 5.

In this assembled position, the periphery of the ring 14 of the element 5 bears against the upper end of the rim 13, and the free end of the perforator constituted by the toothed skirt 21 is situated at a distance from the aluminium foil 4.

Having installed the perforator carrier element 5, the applicator pad 6 is placed on the perforated support constituted by the tab 18 and the tongues 19a to 19d; then the external flexible sole 7 whose rim 27 will abut the annular ring 14 is positioned by means of an appropriate tool, the bead 28 of the sole 7 being situated in the groove 16 of the element 5.

To use the applicator 1, one depresses the flexible sole 7 with the index finger, as outlined in Figure 5. The sole 7 and the applicator pad 6 are deformed as shown in Figure 5 and the tab 18 tilts inwardly until the teeth 22 of the perforator skirt 21 cut into the aluminium foil 4 and tear it. When the pressure on the flexible sole 7 and the applicator pad 6 is released the tab 18 returns to the position it occupies in Figure 2. The treatment cream 2 can then penetrate into the applicator pad via the interstices arranged between the tab 18 and the tongues 19a to 19d to impregnate the tab 6 with the cream 2. The massage of the cutaneous covering can then take place, with the said cream 2 emerging through the slots 25 of the flexible sole 7 whose external beads 26 promote the massaging effect.

The second embodiment, shown in Figures 6 and 7, is identical with the first except as regards the perforator carrier element. The elements which are identical to both embodiments have been represented by reference numerals increased by 100 in relation to those used for the first embodiment. Below, there will only be described the perforator carrier element 105.

This carrier element 105 comprises an annular ring 114 which, like the ring 14 of the first embodiment, carries on the one hand an identical edge 115 delimiting an identical groove 116 and on the other hand an identical skirt 117. However, as may more readily be seen in Figure 7, the annular ring 114 carries internally four arms 118a to 118d, disposed at 900 intervals and joined at the centre of the ring 114 to an axially disposed cylindrical stem 121 whose free end is notched with a bevel cut so as to constitute four teeth 122.

Each one of the arms 118a to 118d comprises a short section joining it to the ring 114 and substantially perpendicular to the ring, and a longer, slightly dished, section whose median plane is substantially parallel to that of the ring 114. This ring also carries four tongues 119a to 119d each of which is offset by 450 in relation to respective arms 118a to 118d. The tongues 119a to 119d have the same structure as the arms carrying the stem 121 except that they only extend to the vicinity of the connection between the stem 121 and the arms 118a to 118d. As in the first embodiment, a perforated support is thus constituted for the applicator pad 106.

The preparation and assembly of the appli cator device 101 are identical with those indicated with reference to the applicator device 1. Before first use the user, by depressing the flexible sole 107, displaces the stem 121 axially inwardly to tear the foil 104. The displacement of the stem 121 is made possible by the flexibility of the arms 118a to 118d, and more particularly of their longer sections.

The third embodiment, shown in Figures 8 and 9, differs from the first two essentially by the structure of the upper end of the reservoir and also by the simpler structure of the perforator carrier element. Again, identical elements are denoted by reference numerals increased by 100 in relation to those used for the second embodiment.

The reservoir 203 of the applicator 201 differs from the reservoirs 3 and 103 of the first embodiments in that the rim 213 is higher and that it has, at its free end, an inward fold back 215. The perforator carrier element 205 consists simply of a cylindrical ring 217 at the upper edge of which there is joined a radial arm 218 in the form of an elongate rectangular strip extending beyond the centre of the ring 217. The arm 218 has, moreover, a right angled inwardly directed bend constituting a tooth 222 whose function is similar to that of the teeth 22 and 122 of the earlier embodiments.

The applicator pad 206 differs from the applicator pads 6 and 106 of the earlier embodiments in that, on the one hand, it is much higher and, on the other hand, at its base it has a larger diameter portion to constitute an upper annular side 206a on which the rim 227 of the flexible sole 207 bears in the assembled configuration. The applicator pad 206 which simply bears on the ring 217 constituting the perforator carrier element 205 forms, in the assembled configuration, a groove 216 with the upper edge 215 of the reservoir 203, this groove 216 accommodating the bead 228 of the sole 207.

It will also be observed that the flexible sole 207 is a variant of the soles 7 and 107 in the sense that there are six slots 225 disposed in a star formation, as may be seen in Figure 9.

The functioning of the applicator 201 is based on the same principle as before. Thus, before first use, the flexible sole 207 is depressed, to deform it and the applicator pad 206 for tilting the arm 218 inwardly, thus piercing the foil 204 by the tooth 222 which constitutes a perforator.

Claims

1. A device for applying to a base a substance having a liquid to pasty consistency, said device comprising:- deformable applicator means; a reservoir for a quantity of the substance to be dispensed and for insulating the contents from the atmosphere before first use by a foil made of a material capable of being perforated, said reservoir constituting a handle allowing manipulation of the deformable applicator means on the free end of the said reservoir; and an element, between said applicator element and the said foil, carrying at least one perforator disposed opposite the foil but having a free end spaced from the foil when the applicator is in its state of rest, said element also comprising a fixed peripheral portion intended to hold it in said device and having joined thereto at least one elastically deformable part capable of displacement during pressure on the deformable applicator means to perforate the foil by means of the said at least one perforator; wherein said perforator carrier element has at least one opening through which the substance from the reservoir can pass towards the applicator means once the foil has been perforated; wherein said reservoir comprises in its upper portion, a wall zone which is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the reservoir and delimits the reservoir outlet opening, said wall zone being bent outwardly at right angles at its periphery from the body of the reservoir to constitute a cylindrical rim; wherein the fixed peripheral part of said perforator carrier element comprises a short cylindrical skirt coaxial with the fixed peripheral part and engaging the cylindrical rim of the reservoir; and wherein said at least one elastically deformable part comprises an arm or a tab having a median plane substantially parallel to that of the peripheral part.

2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein the foil is fixed at its periphery to said wall zone.

3. An applicator according to either of claims 1 and 2, wherein the elastic tab, whose free end carries the or a said perforator, extends beyond the central region of the perforator carrier element.

4. An applicator according to either of claims 1 and 2, wherein said at least one elastically deformable part is constituted by a plurality of elastic arms joining the peripheral fixed part of the perforator carrier element to a central stem forming the or a said perforator.

5. An applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said fixed peripheral part comprises at least one inwardly directed fixed tongue constituting, with the movable part carrying the at least one perforator, a perforated support for the applicator means.

6. An applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the applicator means is a pad of a spongy material projecting from the free end of the reservoir.

7. An applicator according to claim 6, wherein the pad of spongy material is covered by a flexible massaging sole having at least one slot for discharge of the substance to be applied.

8. An applicator according to claim 7, wherein the flexible massaging sole has a plu- rality of external beads promoting the massaging action.

9. An applicator according to either of claims 7 and 8, wherein the flexible massaging sole comprises a peripheral bead accommodated in an external peripheral groove of the perforator carrier element- on the free end of the reservoir, the applicator pad being accommodated in the space between the sole and the perforator carrier element.

10. An applicator according to either of claims 7 and 8, wherein the flexible massage sole has a peripheral bead accommodated in a peripheral groove delimited by the free end wall of the reservoir and the applicator pad, and wherein the perforator carrier element is placed between the foil and the applicator pad.

11. An applicator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.