Longitudinal applicator with articulated shaft

Abstract

A cosmetic product applicator includes a cap, an application means, typically a brush, and an axial shaft anchoring said cap and said application means, said axial shaft being an articulated shaft including an upper arm attached to said cap, and a lower arm attached to application means, said upper arm engaging by its lower end with the upper end of said lower arm forming a hinge by engagement of a male element forming an axle with a female element forming a hub, so as to be able to orientate said lower arm relative to said upper arm according to at least an angle α different from 0°. The male element and/or said female element includes or include a plurality of N M first flexible radial elements forming said axle and/or a plurality of N F second flexible radial elements forming said hub, so as to be able to allow radial engagement of said male and female elements, and to ensure, during said application of said cosmetic product, a stable angular position for any typically pre-set angle α formed by said upper and lower arms. The applicator with pre-set and stable angular values improves the ease of assembly of the applicator.

1 . An applicator for a cosmetic product, typically mascara, of axial direction, intended to engage with a container fitted with a typically threaded neck and containing said cosmetic product, for the purpose of forming a dispenser of said cosmetic product, comprising: 
 a) a manual gripping means typically forming a cap used to seal up said neck,    b) a means of applying said cosmetic product, typically a brush, and    c) an axial shaft anchoring said manual gripping means and said application means, said axial shaft being a shaft articulated in an axial plane, including an upper arm attached at its upper end to said manual gripping means, and a lower arm attached at its lower end to said application means, said upper arm engaging by its lower end with the upper end of said lower arm forming a hinge having a radial axis perpendicular to said axial direction, by engagement of a male element forming an axle at one end of one of the two arms with a female element forming a hub at one end of the other arm, said hinge being formed by engagement of an upper part attached to said upper arm at its lower end and with a lower part attached to said lower arm at its upper end, so as to be able, for the purpose of applying said cosmetic product, to manually orientate said lower arm relative to said upper arm according to at least an angle α different from 0°, said angle α being equal to approximately 0° when said applicator seals said container,    and characterized in that either of said male element includes a plurality of N M  first flexible radial elements forming said axle or said female element includes a plurality of N F  second flexible radial elements forming said hub, said flexible radial elements having, relative to said radial axis, resilient elasticity with resilient return, so as to be able to allow radial engagement, typically by snapping on radially, of said male and female elements, and to ensure, during said application of said cosmetic product, a stable angular position for any pre-set angle α formed by said upper and lower arms.    
   
   
       2 . The applicator according to  claim 1  wherein said male element includes said plurality of N M  first flexible radial elements forming said axle, and wherein said hub of said female element is a rigid hub.  
   
   
       3 . The applicator according to  claim 1  wherein said female element includes said plurality of N F  second flexible radial elements forming said hub, and wherein said axle of said male element is a rigid axle.  
   
   
       4 . The applicator according to  claim 1  wherein said male element includes said plurality of N M  first flexible radial elements forming said axle, and wherein said female element includes said plurality of N F  second flexible radial elements forming said hub.  
   
   
       5 . The applicator according to  claim 4  wherein the number N M  of first flexible radial elements of said plurality forming said axle is between 2 and 8.  
   
   
       6 . The applicator according to  claim 5  wherein the number N F , of second flexible radial elements of said plurality forming said hub is between 3 and 12.  
   
   
       7 . The applicator according to  claim 6  wherein said male element includes a first axial projection typically including a first axial plane perpendicular to said radial axis of said hinge, said axle of said male element, formed by said plurality of N M  flexible radial elements or by said rigid axle, being orientated perpendicular to said first axial plane, said axle typically forming with said first axial projection a first component molded in one piece.  
   
   
       8 . The applicator according to  claim 7  wherein said female element includes a second axial projection typically including a second axial plane perpendicular to said radial axis of said hinge, said hub of said female element, formed by said plurality of N F  flexible radial elements or by said rigid hub, being orientated perpendicular to said second axial plane, said hub typically forming with said second axial projection a second component molded in one piece.  
   
   
       9 . The applicator according to  claim 8  wherein said hub of said female element forms a cavity orientated according to said radial axis, said cavity forming either a blind hole having a front orifice, or a cavity open on both sides having a front orifice and a rear orifice in communication.  
   
   
       10 . The applicator according to  claim 9  wherein said axle includes a radial locking means, so as to allow said axle to be snapped radially into said hub.  
   
   
       11 . The applicator according to  claim 10  wherein said axle includes an outer part, typically forming an external flange, of cross-section greater than that of said hub, so as to form said locking means.  
   
   
       12 . The applicator according to  claim 10  wherein said axle includes a typically central part, of minimum or maximum cross-section, said hub having a homothetic cross-section, so as to form said locking means.  
   
   
       13 . The applicator according to  claim 12  wherein said axle has an outer surface forming a first polygon and said hub has an inner surface forming a second polygon homothetic with said first polygon, in such a way that said angle α is able to assume at least two adjacent discrete angular values α I  and αj, such that |α I -αj| is equal to 360°/p, with p a whole number between 3 and 12.  
   
   
       14 . The applicator according to  claim 13  wherein said upper and lower arms have the same transverse, typically circular, cross-section, said transverse cross-section being perpendicular to said axial direction.  
   
   
       15 . The applicator according to  claim 14  wherein said first axial projection of said male element and said second axial projection of said female element engage in said hinge in such a way that, with said first axial plane adjoining said second axial plane, said hinge has said transverse cross-section, particularly when said upper and lower arms are aligned, and between them make an angle α amounting to 0°.  
   
   
       16 . The applicator according to  claim 15  wherein said upper arm carries at its lower end said male element, said lower arm carrying at its upper end said female element.  
   
   
       17 . The applicator according to  claim 15  wherein said upper arm carries at its lower end said female element, said lower arm carrying at its upper end said male element.  
   
   
       18 . The applicator according to  claim 17  wherein said upper and lower arms have a length L S  and L I  respectively, such that L S +L I  is between approximately 20 mm and 100 mm, and L S /L I  is between approximately 1 and 10.  
   
   
       19 . The applicator according to  claim 18  wherein said lower end of said lower arm includes a threaded end.  
   
   
       20 . The applicator according to  claim 19  wherein said lower end of said lower arm includes a means for anchoring said application means.  
   
   
       21 . The applicator according to  claim 20  wherein said anchoring means is an axial channel forming a blind hole able to engage with a support portion of said application means.  
   
   
       22 . The applicator according to  claim 21  wherein, p being a whole number between 3 and 12, said discrete angular values may be between 30° and 120° depending on the value of p.  
   
   
       23 . The applicator according to  claim 22  wherein said manual gripping means is constituted by said cap, said cap typically including an outer shell typically including a lower part fitted with an inner thread and an inner insert attached to said upper arm and able to engage with said neck of said container, said neck being fitted with an outer thread.  
   
   
       24 . The applicator according to  claim 23  wherein said inner inset and said upper arm form a component molded in one piece.  
   
   
       25 . The applicator according to  claim 18  wherein said application means and said lower arm form a component molded in one piece.  
   
   
       26 . The applicator according to  claim 25  wherein said upper part of said hinge forms a component molded in one piece with said upper arm, said upper part forming either of said male element or said female element.  
   
   
       27 . The applicator according to  claim 25  wherein said upper part of said hinge forms a part anchored by being snapped on axially to said upper arm.  
   
   
       28 . The applicator according to  claim 27  wherein said lower part of said hinge forms a component molded in one piece with said lower arm, said upper part forming either of said male element or said female element.  
   
   
       29 . The applicator according to  claim 27  wherein said lower part of said hinge forms a part anchored by being snapped on axially to said lower arm.  
   
   
       30 . The applicator according to  claim 29  wherein said application means is formed by a means for applying the mascara.