Mascara brush

Abstract

Mascara brush includes (a) a core formed by a helicoidal twist of a wire having a succession of turns, (b) a plurality of bristles, with N bristles per turn, extending radially with respect to the said core. The plurality of bristles is formed by a mixture of at least one multitubular fiber, the multitubular fiber being a typically cylindrical fiber having internally t distinct tubes with t typically 2-6, and at least one other non-tubular fiber.

1 . Mascara brush ( 1 ) comprising (a) a core ( 2 ) formed by a helicoidal twist of a wire comprising a succession of turns ( 20 ), (b) a plurality of bristles ( 3 ), with N bristles per turn, extending radially with respect to the said core ( 2 ), characterized in that the said plurality of bristles ( 3 ) is formed by a mixture of at least one multitubular fiber ( 5 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  55 ), the said multitubular fiber ( 5 ) being a typically cylindrical fiber comprising internally t distinct tubes ( 50 ) with t typically 2-6, and at least one other non-tubular fiber ( 4 ).  
   
   
       2 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said plurality of bristles ( 3 ) is formed by a succession of at least two zones ( 11 ,  11 ′,  11 ″) distinguished by the said plurality of bristles ( 3 ,  3 ′,  3 ″), at least one zone comprising a plurality of bristles ( 3 ′) distinct from another plurality of bristles ( 3 ″) of another contiguous zone ( 11 ′), at least one of the said plurality of bristles ( 3 ′) and ( 3 ″) comprising the said multitubular fiber.  
   
   
       3 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said multitubular fiber ( 5 ) is a quadri-tubular fiber ( 54 ) with t=4.  
   
   
       4 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said mixture comprises at least two fibers F 1  and F 2 , typically of different respective diameters D 1  and D 2 , one of these two fibers being a multitubular fiber ( 5 ), the other fiber being a non-multitubular fiber ( 4 ).  
   
   
       5 . Brush according to  claim 4 , wherein the said mixture comprises at least three distinct fibers F 1 , F 2  and F 3  of mean diameters respectively denoted by D 1 , D 2  and D 3 , at least one of these three fibers being formed by the said multitubular fiber ( 5 ), at least one of these fibers being formed by the said other non-multitubular fiber ( 4 ).  
   
   
       6 . Brush according to  claim 5  wherein D 1 <D 2 <D 3 , with the ratios D 2 /D 1 >1.3 and D 3 /D 2 >1.2, the diameter D 1  being the said “small diameter”, the diameter D 2  being the said “medium diameter”, and the diameter D 3  being the said “large diameter”.  
   
   
       7 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein the fiber F 1  has a small diameter D 1  less than 0.127 mm, the fiber F 2  has a medium diameter D 2  of 0.127-0.178 mm, and the fiber F 3  has a large diameter D 3  greater than 0.178 mm.  
   
   
       8 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein the said small diameter is greater than 0.05 mm.  
   
   
       9 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein the said large diameter is less than 0.3 mm.  
   
   
       10 . Brush according to  claim 5 , wherein the said mixture is a mixture formed by the three fibers F 1 , F 2  and F 3 .  
   
   
       11 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein the said small diameter is 0.076-0.127 mm.  
   
   
       12 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein the said medium diameter D 2  is 0.127-0.178 mm.  
   
   
       13 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein the said large diameter is 0.178-0.229 mm.  
   
   
       14 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein two of the three fibers F 1 , F 2  and F 3  are formed by the said multitubular fibers ( 5 ) or preferably by the said tetra-tubular fibers ( 54 ).  
   
   
       15 . Brush according to  claim 14 , wherein the said fibers F 2  of medium diameter and F 3  of large diameter are constituted by the said multitubular fibers ( 5 ) or preferably by the said tetra-tubular fibers ( 54 ).  
   
   
       16 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said non-multitubular fibers ( 4 ) are chosen from: solid fibers ( 40 ), hollow fibers ( 41 ), and grooved-surface fibers ( 43 ).  
   
   
       17 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said mixture comprises at least one wavy fiber ( 6 ,  60 ), the said other, non-tubular fiber ( 4 ), typically the solid fiber ( 40 ) and/or the multitubular fiber ( 5 ) being wavy.  
   
   
       18 . Brush according to  claim 17 , wherein the wavy fiber ( 6 ,  60 ) comprises undulations of amplitude A of 0.3 mm-0.8 mm and a length or pitch of 3-10 mm.  
   
   
       19 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said non-multitubular fiber ( 4 ) is a wavy fiber ( 6 ), typically a solid wavy fiber ( 60 ).  
   
   
       20 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said multitubular fiber ( 5 ), and particularly the said quadri-tubular fiber ( 54 ) are formed of a thermoplastic, typically chosen from polyamide, PET, polyolefins, and preferably of polyamide 6-12.  
   
   
       21 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said other non-multitubular fiber ( 4 ) is formed of a thermoplastic chosen from polyamide, PET, and polyolefins.  
   
   
       22 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said multitubular fiber ( 5 ) and/or the said non-multitubular fiber ( 4 ) are a fiber formed of elastomer.  
   
   
       23 . Brush according to  claim 22 , wherein the said fiber formed of elastomer is typically the said fiber F 3  of large diameter D 3 .  
   
   
       24 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the number N of bristles per turn is 8-60 bristles per turn.  
   
   
       25 . Brush according to  claim 1 , wherein the said succession of n turns ( 20 ) comprises 10-24 turns.  
   
   
       26 . Brush according to  claim 6 , wherein the said small diameter fiber F 3  is present in the mixture in a concentration by weight of 40-80%, the said fiber F 2  is present in the mixture in a concentration by weight of 10-30%, and the said fiber F 3  is present in the said mixture in a concentration by weight of 10-30%.  
   
   
       27 . Brush according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 (a) the number of bristles is equal to n.N±10%,    (b) n=11±1,    (c) the said fiber F 1  is a non-multitubular fiber ( 4 ) of polyamide 6-12, of 0.102 mm nominal diameter,    (d) the said fiber F 2  is a tetra-tubular fiber of nominal diameter 0.152 mm,    (e) the said fiber F 3  is a tetra-tubular fiber of nominal diameter 0.203 mm.    
   
   
       28 . Brush according to  claim 27 , wherein the said non-multitubular fiber ( 4 ) is a solid wavy fiber ( 60 ).  
   
   
       29 . Brush according to  claim 27 , wherein the said mixture has a composition by weight of 70% of fiber F 1 , 15% of fiber F 2  and 15% of fiber F 3 .  
   
   
       30 . Brush according to  claim 27 , wherein the said mixture has a composition by weight of 50% of fiber F 1 , 20% of fiber F 2  and 30% of fiber F 3 .  
   
   
       31 . Cosmetic product applicator ( 7 ), typically for mascara, comprising a brush ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       32 . Cosmetic product distributor ( 8 ), typically for mascara, comprising an applicator ( 7 ) according to  claim 31 .  
   
   
       33 . Cosmetic product applicator ( 8 ), typically for nail varnish, comprising a cap ( 80 ), an axial rod ( 51 ) fixed at one of its ends to the said cap, and at its other end to a tuft of bristles ( 82 ), characterized in that the said tuft of bristles ( 82 ) is wholly or partially formed by a multitubular fiber ( 5 ), the said multitubular fiber being a typically cylindrical fiber comprising internally t distinct internal tubes ( 50 ), with t typically 2-6.  
   
   
       34 . Cosmetic product distributor, typically for nail varnish, comprising the applicator ( 8 ) according to  claim 33.