JP7660271B2 - Mascara applicator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a mascara applicator.

Mascara applicators having applicator parts of various shapes have been proposed.
For example, Patent Document 1 below proposes a cosmetic applicator having a brush shape in which at least two or more convex parts each having a curved surface in the longitudinal direction are arranged symmetrically with respect to the shaft member. In this cosmetic applicator, the brush bristles have a curved surface such as a circular arc, an elliptical arc, or a parabola.

In addition, the following Patent Document 2 proposes a cosmetic applicator in which brush bristles are arranged on an arc-shaped core member to provide two or more convex portions each having a curved surface such as a circular arc, an elliptical arc, or a parabola. In this cosmetic applicator, the brush bristles are arranged on an arc-shaped core member, making it easier to bring the applicator part into contact with the eyelashes growing on the curved eyelid, reducing the need for complicated application work and enabling the cosmetic to be applied evenly to the entire eyelashes.

JP 2005-334094 A JP 2009-82554 A

However, conventional mascara applicators have a brush shape that allows mascara to be easily applied from the middle of the eyelashes to the tips. As a result, they are not adequate for eyelashes at any stage of growth, such as adult hairs and downy hairs that exist on the eyelids. Also, human eyelashes grow from within the mucous membrane of the eyelids, and applying mascara from the base of the eyelashes is difficult and time-consuming. It is particularly time-consuming to apply mascara to short eyelashes near the ends of the upper and lower eyelids on the nose side, or to the base of the eyelashes that exist within the mucous membrane.

The present invention aims to provide a mascara applicator that can easily apply mascara liquid from the base that is located inside the mucous membrane near the end of the eyelid on the nose side.

The mascara applicator of the present invention, which achieves the above-mentioned object, comprises a holding part held by a user with the fingers of a user, a shaft part extending in one axial direction from the holding part, and an applicator part provided at the tip of the shaft part, the applicator part having a core part extending from the tip of the shaft part and curved in an arc, and a large number of brush bristles arranged so as to protrude almost all around the entire curved core part, the applicator part being a mascara applicator arranged so that the tip of the core part coincides with an extension of the shaft part, the applicator part being a twisted brush formed by twisting a large number of brush bristles made of nylon bristles arranged continuously between a pair of core materials connected at their tips, the core part being made of fine metal wire, the core part being arranged so that the tip of the core part coincides with an extension of the shaft part, and the applicator part being arranged so that the tip of the core part coincides with an extension of the shaft part, the applicator part being a twisted brush formed by twisting a pair of core materials connected at their tips, the core part being arranged so that the tip of the core part coincides with an extension of the shaft part, the applicator part being arranged so that the tip of the core part coincides with an extension of the shaft part, the applicator part being a twisted brush formed by twisting a pair of core materials connected at their tips the contour of a three-dimensional shape consisting of the tips of a large number of brush bristles protruding radially on both sides in the perpendicular direction around almost the entire tip side of the core is a plurality of pyramidal shapes, the plurality of pyramidal shapes are formed from each convex portion arranged symmetrically with respect to the core, the length of the brush bristles constituting the convex portions becomes shorter toward the tip of the core, and the plurality of pyramidal shapes become smaller toward the tip of the core, tapering with a repeat of convex portions and concave portions , the three-dimensional shape at the tip of the core is a pyramidal shape, and the maximum width between the length of the brush bristles protruding maximally in the perpendicular direction from the core forming each of the convex portions and the length of the brush bristles protruding minimally in the perpendicular direction from the core forming each of the concave portions is 3.9 mm or less .

In the mascara applicator of the present invention, it is preferable that the three-dimensional shape formed by the tips of the numerous brush bristles arranged on the shaft portion excluding the tip side has a wavy outline with repeated convex portions and concave portions along the longitudinal direction of the core portion, and that a virtual curve connecting the tops of the multiple convex portions is formed to be the same as the curved shape of the core portion .

According to the mascara applicator of the present invention, the tip of the core is positioned so that it coincides with the extension of the shaft, so that when the user holds the holding part and brings the applicator part close to the edges of the upper and lower eyelids, the user can easily grasp the position of the tip of the applicator part, and even if the angle around the axis is shifted while the user is holding the holding part, the position of the tip of the applicator part does not change. Therefore, it is easy to bring the tip of the applicator part close to the ends of the upper and lower eyelids on the nose side.

Moreover, the three-dimensional shape consisting of the tips of the numerous brush bristles protruding around almost the entire circumference of the tip side of the core has a cone shape that tapers toward the tip of the core, so that the brush bristles near the tip become shorter toward the tip of the core and the tips are inclined at a constant gradient. Therefore, when the tip side of the applicator is brought close to the edge of the eyelid on the nose side, the tips of the brush bristles at the tip side of the applicator can be easily positioned along the edge of the eyelid near the edge.
It is therefore possible to provide a mascara applicator that can easily apply mascara liquid to the base portions of the eyelashes that are aligned within the mucous membrane near the end of the eyelid on the nose side.

1 is a side view showing a mascara applicator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing the tip side of the applicator part of the mascara applicator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a mascara applicator according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing the tip side of an applicator part of the mascara applicator.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mascara applicator 10 of this embodiment includes a holding portion 11 that is held by the user with the fingers of the hand, a shaft portion 12 that extends linearly from the holding portion 11 in the direction of the axis L, and an applicator portion 13 provided at the tip of the shaft portion 12.

The applicator 13 has a core 14 that extends from the tip of the shaft 12 in an arc shape, such as a circular arc, an elliptical arc, or a parabola, and a large number of brush bristles 15 arranged along the core 14 so as to protrude from the core 14 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the core 14.

The core 14 has a curved shape that roughly corresponds to the shape of the mucous membranes of the upper and lower eyelids of an adult, and the width of the curved portion is formed to be equal to the width of the mucous membranes of the upper and lower eyelids of an adult.
In this application part 13, the tip of the core part 14 is disposed on an extension of the shaft part 12, preferably on the axis L.

The application part 13 of this embodiment is composed of a twisted brush formed by twisting a large number of brush bristles 15 arranged continuously between a pair of core materials 14a, 14a made of thin metal wires or the like and connected at their tips.
In this application part 13, the brush bristles 15 are arranged so as to continue along the entire curved portion of the core 14, and each brush bristles 15 protrudes radially on both sides in a direction substantially perpendicular to the core 14. By twisting the core materials 14a, 14a, the numerous brush bristles 15 are arranged to protrude in a spiral shape substantially all around. Therefore, the tips of the numerous brush bristles 15 arranged substantially all around the periphery of the core 14 have a three-dimensional shape.

The three-dimensional shape formed by the tips of the numerous brush bristles 15 roughly has the shape of a solid of revolution with the core 14 as the center.
In this embodiment, the three-dimensional shape of the tips of the numerous brush bristles 15 arranged in a section in which the pair of core materials 14a, 14a are twisted multiple times or more around substantially the entire circumference of the tip side of the core portion 14 has a pyramidal shape that tapers toward the tip of the core portion 14. The pyramidal shape may be a circular cone shape or a polygonal pyramid shape, but in this embodiment, it is formed in a so-called pyramidal shape.

To form a pyramidal shape around the entire circumference of the tip of the core 14, it can be formed, for example, like a ceramic flower vase that is finished on a potter's wheel.

In the three-dimensional shape around the core 14, excluding the tip side, three to five convex portions 16 and concave portions 17 of approximately the same shape are repeatedly provided along the longitudinal direction of the core 14, and the outline shape seen from the periphery of the wave side has a wavy shape. The outline of each convex portion 16 is formed into a convex curve such as a circular arc, an elliptical arc, or a parabola, and the concave portions 17 between adjacent convex portions 16 are also formed into a convex curve such as a circular arc, an elliptical arc, or a parabola.

The brush bristles 15 used in this embodiment may be straight nylon bristles.
Although comb-type structures have existed in the past, in this embodiment, instead of a comb type, such nylon bristles are attached to the core material 14, which makes it easier to hold and retain a large amount of mascara liquid 18 and to apply it thoroughly to even newborn eyelashes, which are soft and fine like down. Also, because this is a mascara applicator that is particularly suited to mucous membrane structures, it is gentler on the skin and less likely to cause damage to the mucous membrane than a comb type.

The distance from the core 14 to the contour of the three-dimensional shape of this embodiment, i.e., the protruding length of the numerous brush bristles 15 protruding perpendicularly from the core 14, is preferably 0.1 mm to 4 mm. If the protruding length of the brush bristles from the core 14 is excessively long, it becomes difficult to bring the applicator 13 close to the base of the eyelashes when applying the mascara liquid 18. On the other hand, if it is excessively short, the ability to hold the mascara liquid 18 is weakened, making application more time-consuming. For this reason, an appropriate length is necessary.

In addition, in this embodiment, the maximum difference in height of the waveform in which the concave portions 17 and convex portions 16 of the contour of the three-dimensional shape are alternately repeated, specifically the maximum distance from the core portion 14 at each convex portion 16, i.e., the length of the brush bristles 15 that protrude maximally from the core portion 14 in the perpendicular direction, and the maximum distance from the core portion 14 at each concave portion 17, i.e., the length of the brush bristles 15 that protrude maximally from the core portion 14 in the perpendicular direction, are set to 3.9 mm or less.

If the maximum width of the waveform is excessively large, the curvature of the three-dimensional shape of each convex portion 16 will be large, resulting in a narrower area that can be brought close to the edge of the eyelid, and a narrower area in which mascara liquid 18 can be applied to the base of the eyelashes.
On the other hand, if the height difference of the waveform is excessively small, the amount of mascara liquid 18 that can be stored in the application part 13 when applying the mascara liquid 18 will be small, and the mascara liquid 18 contained in a container (not shown) will have to be frequently brought into contact with the mascara liquid 18, making the application operation more time-consuming.

Furthermore, the contour of the three-dimensional shape of the numerous brush bristles 15 that make up the application portion 13 has a waveform in which concave portions 17 and convex portions 16 are alternately repeated, but the imaginary curve C that connects the apex of each of the multiple convex portions 16 in the same phase around the core portion 14 is formed so as to be approximately parallel to the curved shape of the core portion 14.

According to the mascara applicator 10 of this embodiment as described above, the tip of the core 14 is positioned so that it coincides with the extension of the shaft 12. Therefore, when the user holds the holding part 11 and brings the applicator 13 close to the edges of the upper and lower eyelids, the user can easily grasp the position of the tip of the applicator 13, and even if the angle around the axis is shifted while the user is holding the holding part 11, the position of the tip of the applicator 13 does not change. Therefore, it is easy to bring the tip of the applicator 13 close to the ends of the upper and lower eyelids on the nose side.

In addition, the three-dimensional shape formed by the tips of the numerous brush bristles 15 arranged around almost the entire periphery of the tip side of the core 14 has a cone shape that tapers toward the tip of the core 14, so that the brush bristles 15 near the tip become shorter toward the tip side of the core 14 and the tips are inclined at a constant gradient. Therefore, when the tip side of the application part 13 is brought close to the vicinity of the ends on the nose side of the upper and lower eyelids, the tips of the brush bristles 15 on the tip side of the application part 13 can be easily positioned along the edge of the eyelid near the ends.
Therefore, the mascara liquid 18 can be easily applied to the roots of the eyelashes which are lined up in the mucous membranes near the ends of the upper and lower eyelids on the nose side.

The mascara applicator 10 of this embodiment is designed to fit the shape of the mucous membrane of the human eyelid, which is about 2 mm thick on average, and can apply mascara liquid 18 from the base of the eyelashes. In this embodiment, the applicator is shaped to fit the shape of the mucous membrane of the eyelid, and the brush bristles 15 are provided to fit the thickness of the mucous membrane, and the brush bristles 15 are given an uneven shape to make it easier to absorb mascara liquid 18. Moreover, the tip is tapered into a so-called pyramid shape, so it is designed to directly reach the downy hair at the inner corner of the eye, which was previously inaccessible. In other words, the applicator is designed to be as suitable as possible for the mucous membrane of the eyelid, and can be applied from the base of the eyelashes growing out from the mucous membrane.

In addition, in the mascara applicator 10 of this embodiment, the applicator 13 is made of a twisted brush in which the brush bristles 15 are arranged between a pair of core materials 14a, 14a and twisted, and the cone shape is formed by the brush bristles 15 arranged in a section in which the pair of core materials 14a, 14a are twisted multiple times or more. Therefore, at the tip of the cone shape of the applicator 13, a sufficient amount of brush bristles 15 can be protruded in all directions around the core materials 14a, 14a. As a result, even if the angle around the axis during application is slightly misaligned, the mascara liquid 18 can be easily applied to the roots of the eyelashes present in the mucous membrane near the end on the nose side of the upper and lower eyelids.

Furthermore, in the mascara applicator 10 of this embodiment, the contour of the three-dimensional shape formed by the tips of the numerous brush bristles 15 arranged in the applicator portion 13 has a corrugated shape with repeated concaves and convexes along the longitudinal direction of the core portion 14, making it easier to store mascara liquid 18 in the applicator portion 13 than when the three-dimensional shape of the applicator portion 13 is formed into a straight cylindrical shape. Moreover, because the imaginary curve C connecting the tops of the multiple convex portions 16 is set to be equivalent to the curved shape of the core portion 14, a wider area of the applicator portion 13 can come into contact with more eyelashes present on the edge of the eyelid, making it easier to apply the mascara all at once, and making it easier to reduce the effort required for applying the mascara to the eyelashes.

In particular, if the maximum width of the corrugated recesses 17 and protrusions 16 is set to 3.9 mm or less, it becomes easier to bring a wider area of the applicator 13 into contact with the roots of more eyelashes present within the mucous membrane of the eyelid margin, making it easier to apply the mascara liquid 18 to the roots of more eyelashes within the mucous membrane at the same time, further reducing the effort required for application.

10 Mascara applicator 11 Holding portion 12 Shaft portion 13 Application portion 14 Core portion 15 Brush bristles 16 Convex portion 17 Concave portion L Axis line C Virtual curve

Claims (2)

A mascara applicator comprising: a holder for being held by a user with the fingers of the hand; a shaft extending in one axial direction from the holder; and an applicator provided at the tip of the shaft, the applicator having a core extending from the tip of the shaft and curved in an arc; and a large number of brush bristles arranged so as to protrude substantially all around the entire periphery of the curved core,
a twisted brush formed by twisting a large number of nylon bristles between a pair of core materials connected at their tips and arranged in a continuous manner around the tip of the core material, the twisted brush having a plurality of cone-shaped three-dimensional shapes formed by the tips of the numerous bristles protruding radially on both sides in an orthogonal direction around substantially the entire circumference of the tip of the core material in a section where the pair of core materials are twisted a plurality of times, the contours of the three-dimensional shapes being formed by a plurality of convex portions arranged symmetrically with respect to the core material, the lengths of the bristles constituting the convex portions becoming shorter toward the tip of the core material, the plurality of cone shapes becoming smaller toward the tip of the core material, and the three-dimensional shapes at the tip of the core material being pyramidal, the three-dimensional shapes being formed by the maximum length of the bristles protruding in the orthogonal direction from the core material forming each of the convex portions and the minimum length of the bristles protruding in the orthogonal direction from the core material forming each of the concave portions being 3.9 mm or less . 2. The mascara applicator according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional shape of the tips of the numerous brush bristles arranged on the shaft portion excluding the tip side has a wavy outline with repeated convex and concave portions along the longitudinal direction of the core portion, and an imaginary curve connecting the tops of the multiple convex portions is formed in the same shape as the curved shape of the core portion.

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