JP7300466B2 - Relay core, brush tip unit and liquid applicator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a relay core and a brush tip unit used in liquid applicators such as writing instruments and cosmetic tools, and a liquid applicator using the brush tip unit. In particular, it relates to a relay core, a brush tip unit, and a liquid applicator for applying liquid containing particles.

2. Description of the Related Art A type of liquid applicator capable of supplying a liquid to the tip of the brush without immersing the tip in the liquid has been widely used as an essential tool for writing instruments, cosmetic tools, and the like. In addition, various structures and materials of brush tips, liquid supply methods, structures of supply parts, types of liquids to be supplied, and the like have been developed in accordance with diversified applications of applicators and market needs.

The liquid applicator supplies a certain amount of the contained liquid to the brush tip for application by the capillary force of the relay core. The relay core used in a conventional liquid applicator is generally formed by hardening a synthetic fiber bundle such as acrylic fiber, polyester fiber, or nylon fiber with urethane resin or the like (see Patent Document 1, etc.).

Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 59-125314

However, when the liquid to be applied contains particles such as lame or pearl pigments, conventional relay cores form intricate liquid flow paths with the fibers intertwined intricately with each other. However, there is a problem that clogging tends to occur in the relay core due to the filtering effect. In addition, such clogging also caused a problem that the liquid itself could not be supplied to the tip of the brush.

Furthermore, in order to improve the passageability, which is the ease with which a liquid containing particles such as lame or pearl pigments can pass through the relay core, if the channel width or the channel cross-sectional area of the relay core is increased, There is also a problem that the capillary force and liquid holding power of the core are weakened, and liquid leakage occurs from the liquid applicator.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a liquid applicator in which a liquid containing particles is applied without clogging the relay core while the relay core has capillary force and liquid holding power. The object is to supply a certain amount to the tip of the brush for use.

In order to solve the above problems, the relay core of the present invention is a relay core that supplies a liquid containing particles to a brush tip, the relay core having a flow path extending along the axial direction, The longitudinal section of the flow path is substantially linear from the rear end portion to the tip portion of the relay core, and the cross section of the flow path includes a portion having a shape capable of holding the liquid by capillary force, and the particles. characterized by having a shape with a portion having a shape that can pass through.

Further, the brush tip unit and the liquid applicator of the present invention are characterized by using the relay core described above.

According to the relay core of the present invention, a certain amount of liquid containing particles is supplied to the brush tip for application without causing clogging in the relay core after the relay core has capillary force and liquid retention force. be able to.
In other words, the liquid flow path extends substantially straight along the axial direction of the relay core and has a cross-sectional shape with a width and area that allows particles to pass through. Particles inside are hard to clog. In addition, since the cross section has a portion of a shape that can hold liquid by capillary force, the liquid can be smoothly supplied from the liquid containing portion to the brush tip, and the liquid can be prevented from leaking from the liquid applicator due to the liquid not being held. can be prevented.

(a) and (b) show an example of the appearance of the relay core. (1) to (24) show examples of cross-sectional views of the relay core. (a) to (c) show examples of cross-sectional views of conventional relay cores. (a) and (b) show vertical cross-sectional views of an example of a brush tip unit. (a) and (b) show vertical cross-sectional views of an example of a liquid applicator. (a) shows the rectangular parallelepiped circumscribing the particle, and (b) shows the projected cross section of the particle. (a) shows a cross section of a relay core having a small core diameter (sample (1)), and (b) shows the relationship between the cross section of the relay core and the brush tip. (a) shows a cross section of a relay core having a large core diameter (sample (21)), and (b) shows the relationship between the cross section of the relay core and the brush tip.

A liquid applicator 1 of the present invention uses a brush tip unit 20 having a relay core 2, a brush tip 3, a relay space forming member 7, and a shaft tube 8, and is shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). ) shows an example. Below, the relay core 2, the brush tip unit 20, and the liquid applicator 1 of the present invention will be described in detail. In the following description, reference numerals are assigned, but the content of the invention is not limited.
In the specification of the present application, the “tip” refers to the tip (position) of the tip of the liquid applicator in each component, and the “rear end” refers to the end of the tip of the liquid applicator on the opposite side of the tip of each component. "Front end" refers to the part near the front end of each part, "Rear end" refers to the part near the rear end of each part, and "Center part" refers to the part near the front end of each part. It generally refers to the vicinity of the central portion other than the leading end portion and the trailing end portion. In addition, the "front end side" refers to the brush tip side, and the "rear end side" refers to the opposite side to the brush tip.

(Structure of relay core)
The relay wick 2 is a wick provided to supply the liquid 5 to the brush tip 3 , that is, to “relay” the liquid 5 to the brush tip 3 . The rear end portion of the relay core 2 is immersed in the liquid 5, and the liquid 5 is sucked up to the front end side by the capillary force of the relay core 2. - 特許庁The tip part of the relay core 2 including the tip part is covered with the brush tip 3, and the liquid 5 sucked up by the capillary force can be supplied to the brush tip 3 from the inside of the rear end part of the brush tip 3. .

Examples of the liquid 5 supplied to the brush tip 3 using the relay core 2 include various inks, liquid cosmetics, chemical liquids, correction liquids, and the like. The liquid 5 may contain particles such as pigments such as glitter and pearls.
The shape of the particles includes, but is not limited to, flaky, spherical, plate-like, thread-like, granular, and the like. The size of the particles is not particularly limited as long as it can pass through the channel 2b of the relay core. It is desirable that the length l is approximately 5 μm or less, the length l is approximately 590 μm or less, and it is more desirable that the width b is 62 μm or less, the thickness t is 3.7 μm or less, and the length (particle size) l is 80 μm or less.
In addition, the liquid 5 may contain a plurality of types of the above-described particles having a shape suitable for the purpose of the liquid applicator 1 .

In order to supply the liquid 5 containing the particles to the brush tip 3, the relay core 2 has one or more channels 2b extending along its axial direction. That is, the longitudinal section of the flow path 2b is substantially straight from the rear end portion to the front end portion of the relay core 2, and the flow path 2b for the liquid 5 is substantially straight from the rear end portion to the front end portion of the relay core 2. Therefore, even if the liquid 5 contains particles, the particles sucked up by the flow path 2b having a cross section larger than the particle projection cross section can pass through the relay core 2 without causing clogging. and supplied to the brush tip 3.
In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the flow path 2b of the relay core 2 has a portion having a shape that allows the particles in the liquid 5 to pass therethrough, as well as a portion having a shape that can retain the liquid 5 by capillary force. . Examples of shapes that can hold the liquid 5 by the capillary force include grooves, recesses, corners, folds, and the like. The liquid retention force depends on the spacing, width, depth, number, angle, etc. of those shapes.

Here, the "particle projection cross section" in the specification of the present application means the projection from the surface side represented by b×t, where l is the length of the rectangular parallelepiped circumscribing the particle, b is the width, and t is the thickness. The size and shape of the cross section. A circumscribed rectangular parallelepiped is a rectangular parallelepiped with the smallest volume that accommodates one particle, where l≧b≧t. The projected cross section of a spherical particle with a radius r is a circle with a size of ^πr2 , and the projected cross section of a flaky particle with a length l x width b x thickness t is a rectangle with a size b x t, and a radius r The projected cross-section of a filamentous particle with cross-section and length l is a circle of size πr ² . FIG. 5 shows (a) a rectangular parallelepiped circumscribing a particle and (b) a projected cross-section of the particle in an example of an amorphous particle.
The phrase "channel 2b having a cross-sectional shape larger than the particle projection cross section" means that the cross section of the channel 2b includes a portion larger than the particle projection cross section. That is, when the particle projection cross section is superimposed on the cross section of the channel 2b, there is a portion that can cover the entire particle projection cross section in the cross section of the channel 2b. When such a relationship is established, the particles contained in the liquid 5 can pass through the flow path 2b of the relay core 2.

If the particles are flaky, such as lame, or if the particle size is small, the thickness t of the particles is small. Whether or not the maximum width of the cross section of the flow path 2b is larger than the width b of the particle projection section can be used as one of the indicators for determination. That is, the longest straight line in the cross section of the channel 2b of the relay core 2 is defined as the "maximum channel width", and the maximum channel width is compared with the width b of the particle projection cross section to evaluate the permeability of the particles through the relay core. can do.

FIG. 1 shows an appearance of an example of the relay core 2. As shown in FIG.
The material of the relay core 2 is synthetic resin polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate, polyacetal, polyamide such as nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic resin, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, polyurethane, Teflon (registered trademark). ), ABS resin, AS resin, polyphenylene sulfide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyetheretherketone, various elastomers such as polyimide and polyester elastomer, and thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate. As for the material of the relay core, it is desirable to select a material having formaldehyde countermeasures and abrasiveness, and polyester elastomer and the like are exemplified. In addition, fillers, various additives, and the like may be blended depending on the purpose.
The method of manufacturing the relay core 2 is not particularly limited as long as it is molded so that the flow path 2b extends along the axial direction. After that, it is cut to a predetermined length, the rear end portion is polished, and the tip portion is sharpened or rounded according to the shape of the brush tip 3 and the purpose of application, and the shape is adjusted by shaving to obtain the relay core 2. methods and other known methods are exemplified.

FIGS. 2A(1) to 2A(24) show examples of cross-sectional views of central portions of the relay cores 2 of the samples (1) to (24).
Samples (1) to (12) shown in FIGS. 2A(1) to 2A(12) are round bar-shaped relay cores 2 having a synthetic resin outer shell 2a on the outer periphery of the cross section. The shell portion 2a is configured to surround the entire outer circumference of the cross section. Since the entire flow path 2b is surrounded and closed by the outer shell portion 2a, almost all of the liquid 5 supplied to the brush tip 3 flows through the outer shell portion 2a of the relay core 2.
Samples (13) to (16) shown in FIGS. 2A(13) to 2A(16) are rectangular relay cores 2 having a synthetic resin outer shell 2a on the outer circumference of the cross section. The shell portion 2a is configured to surround the entire outer circumference of the cross section. Since the entire flow path 2b is surrounded and closed by the outer shell portion 2a, almost all of the liquid 5 supplied to the brush tip 3 flows through the outer shell portion 2a of the relay core 2.

Samples (17) to (22) shown in FIGS. 2A(17) to 2A(22) are relay cores 2 in the shape of a substantially round bar, and do not have an outer shell 2a surrounding the entire outer circumference of the cross section. have. Therefore, the flow path 2b is open radially outward of the relay core 2 . Due to the capillary force, most of the liquid 5 supplied to the brush tip 3 is held in the channel 2b of the relay core 2, which has grooves, recesses, corners, folds, and other shapes. It is stored between the direction outer side and the intermediate space forming member 7, or is pulled by the capillary force of the intermediate core 2, so that the outer side of the intermediate core 2 is diverted.
The sample (23) shown in FIG. 2A (23) is a relay core 2 having a substantially round bar shape, having a shape without an outer shell 2a surrounding the entire outer periphery of its cross section, and closed inside. has a flow path 2b.
A sample (24) shown in FIG. 2A (24) is a substantially round bar-shaped relay core 2, and the flow path 2b is a portion that opens to the outside of the relay core 2 and is closed inside the relay core 2. It has a part.

Moreover, it can also be classified according to the presence or absence of the central core 2c at the central portion of the relay core 2 and the size thereof.
The center of the cross section of the relay core 2 of (1) to (9) and (17) to (24) (samples (1) to (9) and (17) to (24)) in FIG. 2A is made of synthetic resin or the like. is shaped to have a central core 2c of
On the other hand, the center of the cross section of (10) to (12) (samples (10) to (12)) in FIG. 2A is the channel 2b.

In the specification of the present application, the central core 2c of the relay core 2 refers to a core whose radius is the shortest distance connecting the center of the cross section of the relay core 2 to the flow path 2b, and the central core diameter is twice the radius. It is.

Table 1 shows the outer diameters, central core diameters, and maximum channel widths of the relay cores 2 of approximately round bar-shaped samples (1) to (12) and (17) to (24). In Table 1, the maximum channel width is rounded to the nearest 10 μm, and the central core diameter is rounded to the first decimal place.

FIGS. 2B(a) to 2B(c) show cross-sectional views of central portions of relay cores of comparative samples (a) to (c) as conventional examples.
Comparative samples (a) to (c) are all relay cores formed by solidifying polyester fiber bundles with urethane resin, and comparative samples (b) and (c) have more gaps than comparative sample (a). is large. In all of the comparative samples (a) to (c), the longitudinal cross-section of the channel is not substantially straight, but has a complicated shape.

The relay cores 2 (samples (1) to (24)) exemplified above are compared with the comparative samples (a) to (c) in that the liquid 5 containing the particles is controlled by the capillary force of the relay core 2 and A constant amount of liquid can be supplied to the brush tip 3 for application while suppressing clogging of the relay core 2 while maintaining the liquid holding power.
However, the shape and size of the particles, the viscosity and properties of the liquid 5, the thickness and length of the relay core 2, the cross-sectional shape of the relay core 2, the shape, material, size, etc. Therefore, it is preferable to optimize the cross-sectional shape of the relay core 2 for each liquid applicator 1 from the viewpoint described below.

First, the permeability of the particles contained in the liquid 5 depends on whether or not the channel 2b has a cross-sectional shape larger than the particle projection cross-section of the particles. It is preferable to design the cross-sectional shape of the relay core 2 so that the cross-sectional shape of the flow path 2b has an appropriate size in consideration of the particle size distribution, swelling in liquid, and the like. Further, as described above, the maximum flow path width of the relay core 2 can be used as one of the indices for the particle permeability. That is, when the maximum channel width of the relay core 2 is larger than the width b of the projected cross section of the particles contained in the liquid 5, the particle permeability is improved.
At the same time, the capillary force of the relay core 2 depends on the shape, size, number, etc. of the grooves, recesses, corners, folds, etc. of the flow path 2b of the relay core 2 . In order to improve the capillary force and liquid holding power, the intervals and widths of the grooves, recesses, corners, folds, etc. of the flow path 2b are appropriately narrowed, the depth is increased, the number is increased, and the angle is made acute. It is preferred to design two cross-sectional shapes.
In other words, it is preferable to design the cross-sectional shape of the relay core 2 so as to provide both a wide channel portion having particle permeability and a narrow channel portion having capillary force.

Next, in the relay core 2 having the outer shell portion 2a in the cross section, almost all of the liquid 5 supplied to the brush tip 3 flows through the outer shell portion 2a of the relay core 2, so that it is stored outside the relay core 2 and divided. Since there is almost no portion where the liquid 5 is drawn, the efficiency of supplying the liquid 5 to the brush tip 3 is likely to be improved.
Further, when the outer shell portion 2a is provided, it is easy to finely adjust the thickness and shape of the radially outer peripheral portion of the relay core 2 when manufacturing the relay core 2, and it is easy to adjust the variation in the outer diameter. This is because it can be adjusted by, for example, cutting the outer shell portion 2a. Further, even when the target value of the diameter of the relay space forming member 7 is changed within a certain range, the relay core 2 having the outer shell portion 2a can be similarly cut without preparing a new mold or the like. etc. can be adjusted.

On the other hand, in the relay core 2 that does not have the outer shell portion 2a in the cross section, all or part of the flow path 2b is open radially outward of the relay core 2 . Due to the capillary force, most of the liquid 5 supplied to the brush tip 3 is held in the flow paths 2b formed in the grooves, recesses, etc. stored and diverted between
The relay core 2 without the outer shell portion 2a has the advantage that clogging is less likely to occur because particles in the liquid 5 can flow into the gap between the relay space forming member 7 and the relay core 2 . In addition, since the resin portion forming the flow path 2b can move slightly to the left and right in the radial direction, even if the outer diameter of the relay core 2 is somewhat large, the insertability of the relay core 2 into the relay space forming member 7 is lowered. can be suppressed.
In some cases, the relay core 2 without the outer shell portion 2a needs to be produced so as to avoid foreign matter other than the liquid 5 from entering from the relay space forming member 7 or peripheral members. In addition, when the outer shell portion 2a is not provided, when manufacturing the relay core 2, a slightly advanced technique may be required for fine adjustment of the size and shape of the radial outer peripheral portion of the relay core 2. This is because, in the case of a cross-sectional shape having the ridge portion of the member on the radially outer side, the mechanical strength is lowered and processing becomes difficult.

In the relay core 2 having the central core 2c at the center of the cross section, the smaller the size (diameter) of the central core 2c, the easier it is to improve the efficiency of supplying the liquid 5 to the tip 3 of the brush.
FIG. 6A(a) shows a cross section of the relay core 2 of the sample (1) having a small core diameter of the core 2c. The relay core 2 had an outer diameter of 1.43 mm and a core diameter of 0.1 mm.
FIG. 6A(b) shows an example in which the tip of the relay core 2 of the sample (1) is sharpened and attached to the tip of the brush. When the tip of the relay core 2 is sharpened, the outer shell portion 2a of the sample (1) is scraped off, and the flow path 2b contacts with the tip of the brush tip 3 with a wide area, so that the liquid 5 containing the particles efficiently reaches the tip of the brush. 3 can be moved.

On the other hand, FIG. 6B(a) shows a cross section of the relay core 2 of the sample (21) having a large core diameter of the core 2c. The relay core 2 had an outer diameter of 1.43 mm and a core diameter of 1.1 mm.
FIG. 6B(b) shows an example in which the tip of the relay core 2 of the sample (21) is sharpened and attached to the tip of the brush. When the tip of the relay core 2 is sharpened, the channel 2b that opens to the outside in the radial direction of the sample (21) is scraped off, leaving the central core 2c, and the channel 2b cannot contact the tip of the brush tip 3 with a wide area. Therefore, it is difficult to efficiently transfer the liquid 5 containing particles to the tip of the brush.

Note that FIGS. 6A and 6B describe the transferability of the liquid 5 to the brush tip when the tip of the relay core 2 is sharpened in accordance with the shape of the brush tip 3 tapered toward the tip. Different shapes of 3 have different transitions.
Further, samples (10) to (12) shown in (10) to (12) of FIG. 2A do not have a central core, and the center of the relay core 2 is the channel 2b. Such a cross-sectional shape is excellent from the viewpoint that the flow path 2b is in contact with the tip of the brush tip 3 over a wide area, and the liquid 5 containing particles can be supplied efficiently. However, in the process of sharpening the tip portion of the relay core 2, a technique that considers mechanical strength may be required.

Examples of the cross-sectional shape of the relay core 2 include a substantially circular shape, a rectangular shape, an elliptical shape, and the like. If the shape of the brush tip 3 is made similar, the supply efficiency of the liquid 5 can be easily improved. Also, the size (diameter, etc.) of the relay core 2 is adjusted according to the size of the brush tip 3 and the supply amount of the liquid 5 during use. For eyeliner applications, the diameter of the relay core 2 is exemplified in the range of 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm, but is not limited to this.

The cross-sectional shape of the relay core 2 is determined for each liquid applicator 1 by comprehensively combining the above points of view.

Evaluation examples of the relay core 2 include (1) occurrence of clogging of particles in the relay core 2, (2) migration of particles from the relay core 2 to the brush tip 3, and (3) particle discoloration of handwriting written with the brush tip 3. (4) presence or absence of liquid leakage from the brush tip 3;
(1) The generation of clogging of particles in the relay core 2 is determined by sucking the liquid 5 containing particles from the rear end of the molded relay core 2 and measuring the particle size distribution of the liquid coming out from the tip that is lowered. and compare. (2) Transfer of particles from the relay core 2 to the brush tip 3 is determined by assembling the molded relay core 2 to the brush tip 3 and measuring and comparing the particle size distribution of the liquid 5 before supply and the liquid supplied to the brush tip 3. is. (3) The presence or absence of particles in the handwriting written with the brush tip 3 was visually evaluated for the presence or absence of particles in the handwriting written with the molded relay core 2 attached to the brush tip 3 . (4) The presence or absence of liquid leakage from the brush tip 3 is determined by assembling the brush tip 3 with the relay core 2 assembled into the liquid applicator 1 containing the liquid 5, capping it, and leaving it facing downward in an atmosphere of 40°C for a certain period of time. After the passage of time, the presence or absence of liquid leakage in the cap is checked.
For samples (1), (3), (17), (21), and comparative sample (a), lame particles with a thickness of 3.7 μm, a width of 62 μm, and a length of 80 μm, which are silica-coated aluminum substrates, are used. , and the results of evaluation with a liquid having a viscosity of 2.6 cps are shown in Table 2.

From the evaluation results shown in Table 2, it was found that in the conventional comparative sample (a), the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the relay core was not substantially straight, so that the lamé did not pass through. In the case of the present evaluation conditions, the sample (21) has a narrower maximum channel width of the channel 2b than the other samples, so the lame permeability is low even in the relay core, and the center of the central core 2c It was found that since the nucleus diameter was larger than that of the other samples and the contact area between the channel 2b and the brush tip 3 was small, the migration of lame to the brush tip 3 was also low.
That is, the passageability of the particles contained in the liquid 5 through the relay core 2 and the migration to the brush tip 3 are determined as shown in Table 1 on the premise that the relay core 2 has a cross-sectional shape having a capillary force. It was found that by controlling the maximum channel width of 2b, the core diameter of the core 2c, and the outer diameter of the relay core 2, it is possible to increase it.

The length of the relay core 2 is adjusted according to the size of the liquid applicator 1, the application, and the like. For eyeliner applications, a range of 10 mm to 80 mm is exemplified, but not limited to.

(Composition of brush tip)
The brush tip 3 is provided for writing with the tip portion of the brush tip 3 using a liquid 5 supplied by a relay core from the rear end of the brush tip 3 .
The brush tip 3 is made of a bundle of threads made of a synthetic resin material such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a bundle of synthetic fibers such as acrylic fiber, polyester fiber, or nylon fiber that is hardened with urethane resin or the like, or PBT ( Polybutylene terephthalate (polybutylene terephthalate) tapered filament, nylon tapered filament, etc. with tapered ends, three-dimensional mesh structure with interconnecting continuous pores, shape retention and moderate flexibility Thermoplastic products such as polyolefin-based foams having properties, thermoplastic resin granular particles are partially fused to each other, and interconnecting continuous pores are formed between the granular particles. Examples include those molded by a forming sintering method, and porous bodies molded into required cross-sectional shapes and dimensions by melt extrusion molding of thermoplastic resin.

Further, the rear end of the brush tip 3 is appropriately provided with a hole or a groove so that the front end of the relay core 2 can be surrounded by insertion or the like inside the rear end of the brush tip 3 .

(Structure of Intermediate Space Forming Member)
The relay space forming member 7 is provided between the relay core 2 and the shaft cylinder 8 so as to surround the central portion of the relay core 2 . The central portion of the relay core 2 is the portion other than the tip portion surrounded by the brush tip 3 and the rear end portion immersed in the liquid containing portion 4 .
The relay space forming member 7 fills the space between the relay core 2 and the barrel 8 and is provided for the purpose of storing and diverting part of the liquid 5 that has flowed out from the relay core 2 due to the shape of the relay core 2 .

Examples of the shape of the relay space forming member 7 include those having vertical grooves and a number of annular lateral grooves toward the relay core 2 in order to provide capillary force, and those having a bellows shape. It is not limited to this as long as it has a function of temporarily retaining the liquid pushed out from the liquid containing portion 4 when it expands due to temperature rise or the like so as not to drip from the brush tip 3 or air holes.
Materials for the intermediate space forming member 7 include synthetic resin polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate, polyacetal, polyamide such as nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic resin, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, polyurethane, and Teflon. (registered trademark), ABS resin, AS resin, polyphenylene sulfide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyetheretherketone, polyimide, and the like. Depending on the purpose, fillers, various additives and the like may be blended.

(Structure of barrel)
The shaft cylinder 8 is provided so as to hold and cover the assembled rear end portion of the brush tip 3 , the relay core 2 and the relay space forming member 7 .
The tip of the shaft cylinder 8 presses and holds the rear end of the brush tip 3, thereby stabilizing the operation of writing and application, preventing the interior of the relay core 2 and the relay space forming member 7 from drying out, and preventing foreign matter from entering. It is provided for the purpose of packing so that the brush tip 3, the relay core 2, and the relay space forming member 7 which are assembled are not misaligned.
Further, the shaft cylinder 8 may extend to the liquid storage portion 4 and be formed integrally with the liquid storage portion 4 .

(Composition of brush tip unit)
The brush tip unit 20 of the present invention is formed by assembling the above-described relay core 2, the brush tip 3 provided for writing with the liquid 5 supplied from the relay core 2, the relay space forming member 7, and the barrel 8. Configured. In this assembly, the tip portion of the relay core 2 is provided inside the rear end portion of the brush tip 3, the central portion of the relay core 2 is provided so as to be surrounded by the relay space forming member 7, and the rear end portion of the relay core 2 is provided. The end portion extends toward the liquid containing portion 4 side. An example is shown in FIG. 3(a) and FIG. 3(b).
In the brush tip unit 20, a brush tip holder 9 may be arranged between the barrel 8 and the brush tip 3 to improve the unity of the brush tip 3. - 特許庁Further, the barrel 8 may be provided with a barrel flange 8a in the range of the relay space forming member 7 in order to define the positions of the gripping barrel 11 and the cap 12 of the liquid applicator 1 .

The brush tip unit 20 has a structure that supplies the liquid 5 containing particles from the inside of the brush tip 3 toward the surface of the brush tip 3 . Compared to a structure in which liquid is supplied from the outside of the brush tip, particles are supplied to the entire brush tip 3, and particle unevenness can be reduced in writing or application, and a large brush tip 3 can be handled.

(Structure of liquid applicator)
The liquid applicator 1 of the present invention includes the above-described relay core 2 or brush tip unit 20 in its configuration.
Further, a liquid containing portion 4 configured to contain the liquid 5, a stirrer 6 provided inside the liquid containing portion 4 so as to stir the liquid 5 and particles contained in the liquid 5, and the liquid containing portion 4 are provided. A tail plug 10 for sealing, a grip cylinder 11 for the user to grip during application, a cap 12 for preventing the tip 3 from drying out and foreign matter from entering, and a hole for venting air can be appropriately provided. An example is shown in FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4(b).

The liquid applicator 1 can be used for various purposes.
For example, it can be applied to cosmetic liquid applicators such as eyeliners, eyeshadows, eyebrows, lipliners, lip glosses, concealers, nail care products, eyelash care products, and the like.
As an example of lame eyeliner, there is a liquid applicator in which lame obtained by silica-coating aluminum is contained in a liquid 5 having a viscosity of 2.6 cps and stored in a liquid storage portion 4 (see FIG. 4(a)).

Also, for example, it can be applied to oil-based markers, water-based markers, board markers, line markers, paint markers, correction pens, writing liquid applicators for medical markers, medical liquid applicators, and the like.

(Example 1)
Using relay cores made of polyester elastomer (Samples (3), (4), and (5)), the passage state of the particles was confirmed according to the viscosity of the liquid and the particle size of the particles.
Samples (3), (4), and (5) of the relay core have the same maximum channel width, core diameter, and outer diameter of the relay core, but different cross-sectional shapes.
The particle size of particles (lame) in the liquid was set to 30 μm and 70 μm, and the viscosity of the liquid was set between 3 and 15 cps. Viscosity was adjusted by the content of PEG.
The lower part of the relay core cut to a length of 30 mm is immersed in the liquid, the liquid is moved to the upper surface of the relay core by capillary force, and the upper surface is used to write, and the amount of glitter contained in the handwriting (presence and degree) was visually evaluated. At this time, the amount of glitter contained in the handwriting when a liquid with a viscosity of 9 cps is immersed in the sample (5) is used as the standard for each particle size of the glitter. When there were many, it evaluated as (double-circle).
Table 3 shows the evaluation results.

From Table 3, even when the particle size of the lame is 70 μm, both the sample (5) with a large amount of irregularities in the cross-sectional shape and the sample (3) with a small amount of lame are included in the handwriting under the conditions of this implementation. was confirmed. Furthermore, when the particle size of glitter was 30 μm, the handwriting contained an amount of glitter equal to or greater than the standard under the conditions of this implementation, and it was confirmed that a larger amount of glitter was included in the handwriting especially when the viscosity of the liquid was lowered.

(Example 2)
A SEM image of a relay core (sample (3), sample (4), sample (5)) made of polyester elastomer and immersed in a liquid with a viscosity of 9 cps containing particles (lame) with a particle size of 30 μm. Observed.
Samples (3), (4), and (5) of the relay core have the same maximum channel width, core diameter, and outer diameter of the relay core, but different cross-sectional shapes. As a comparative example, a relay core composed of a bundle of 5 denier polyester fibers and a resin and having a porosity of 62% was also evaluated.
The lower part of the relay core cut to a length of 30 mm is immersed in the liquid, the liquid is moved to the upper surface of the relay core by capillary force, and the upper surface is used to write on a membrane filter (0.2 μm), without vapor deposition. Images were taken with a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope).
SEM images of three locations are shown in Table 4.

Samples (3), (4), and (5) were all found to supply the same amount of lame to the upper surface of the relay core.
On the other hand, in a relay core made of a fiber bundle and a resin, large lamé is caught in the gaps between polyester fibers due to the filter effect, so it was found that large-sized lamé did not pass through the relay core and was not supplied to the upper surface of the relay core. rice field.

(Example 3)
A SEM image when using a relay core (sample (3), sample (4), sample (5)) made of polyester elastomer and immersed in a liquid with a viscosity of 9 cps containing particles (lame) with a particle size of 70 μm. Observed.
Samples (3), (4), and (5) of the relay core have the same maximum channel width, core diameter, and outer diameter of the relay core, but different cross-sectional shapes. As a comparative example, a relay core composed of a bundle of 5 denier polyester fibers and a resin and having a porosity of 62% was also evaluated.
The lower part of the relay core cut to a length of 30 mm is immersed in the liquid, the liquid is moved to the upper surface of the relay core by capillary force, and the upper surface is used to write on a membrane filter (0.2 μm), without vapor deposition. Images were taken with a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope).
SEM images of three locations are shown in Table 5.

In samples (3), (4), and (5), it was confirmed that lamé with a particle size of 70 μm was supplied to the upper surface of the relay core. It was found that the relay core having a cross-sectional shape like sample (3) has a slightly high particle permeability.
On the other hand, in a relay core made of a fiber bundle and a resin, large lamé is caught in the gaps between the polyester fibers due to the filter effect. Do you get it.

(Example 4)
Using relay cores made of polyester elastomer (Samples (3), (4), and (5)), the amount of liquid flow was confirmed.
Samples (3), (4), and (5) of the relay core have the same maximum channel width, core diameter, and outer diameter of the relay core, but different cross-sectional shapes.
The particle size of particles (lame) in the liquid was set to 30 μm and 70 μm, and the viscosity of the liquid was set between 3 and 15 cps. Viscosity was adjusted by the content of PEG.
The relay core and the liquid were incorporated into the tip unit, and the upper surface was used to write 1 m on plain paper at a speed of 10 cm/5 seconds, and the weight (mg) of the liquid used for writing was measured. That is, the weight of the liquid can be used to evaluate the outflow of the liquid.
Table 6 shows the evaluation results.

From Table 6, it was confirmed that the sample (5) and the sample (3) having a large number of irregularities in the cross-sectional shape and the sample (3) having a small number of irregularities can ensure the same flow if the composition of the liquid is the same under the conditions of this embodiment.

As described above, regarding the cross section of the relay core that supplies the liquid containing the particles to the brush tip, the cross section of the flow channel has a portion that has a shape that can hold the liquid by capillary force and a cross section that can pass the particles. Since the relay core has a capillary force and a liquid holding power, a constant amount of liquid is smoothly and evenly supplied to the brush tip without clogging the relay core. be able to.
For this reason, the liquid applicator including this relay core is a cosmetic tool or writing instrument that meets the needs of users who want to cleanly apply a liquid containing particles such as glitter and pearl pigments. Since particles such as pigments can be used for a long time without causing clogging, it is expected to be widely applied.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 liquid applicator 2 relay core 2a outer shell 2b flow path 2c central core 3 brush tip 3a brush tip collar 4 liquid container 5 liquid 6 stirrer 7 relay space forming member 8 barrel 8a barrel collar 9 brush tip holder 10 tail plug 11 grip cylinder 12 cap 20 brush tip unit

Claims (7)

A relay core for supplying a liquid containing particles to a brush tip, the relay core having a channel extending along the axial direction,
the longitudinal section of the flow path is substantially linear from the rear end portion to the front end portion of the relay core;
The cross section of the flow channel has a shape including a portion having a shape capable of holding the liquid by capillary force and a portion having a shape allowing the particles to pass through,
A relay core, wherein in the cross section of the central portion of the relay core, all of the flow paths are surrounded by the outer shell of the relay core and are arranged inside the outer shell. The relay core according to claim 1, wherein the maximum channel width of the cross section of the channel is larger than the width of the projected cross section of the particles. 3. The relay core according to claim 1, wherein, in the cross section of the central portion of the relay core, the center core is provided at the center of the cross section. 3. The relay core according to claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the central portion of the relay core has a flow path at the center of the cross section. 5. The relay core according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein a material containing synthetic resin as a main component is used. a relay core according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ;
a brush tip provided for writing with the liquid supplied from the relay core;
a relay space forming member;
a shaft tube provided to cover the rear end portion of the brush tip, the relay core, and the relay space forming member;
with
The tip portion of the relay core is provided inside the rear end portion of the brush tip,
A central portion of the relay core is provided so as to be surrounded by the relay space forming member,
A brush tip unit, wherein the rear end portion of the relay core extends toward the liquid container. A liquid applicator using the relay core according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or the brush tip unit according to claim 6 .

Images