Mascara brush unit

In a brush, in particular for coloring eyelashes or hair, comprising a stem and a number of bristles standing out essentially radially therefrom, the stem being formed by a first leg of a tweezers- or scissors-like arrangement, and a second leg of this arrangement having, at its free end, an abutment for the bristles of the first leg such that in operation, the free outer ends of the two legs enclose between them the eyelashes or hair to be treated. At least one of the two legs (4, 5) being designed as a hollow tube connected with a supply container and having outlets leading to the outside.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Technical Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a brush, in particular for the coloring of 
eyelashes or hair, comprising a stem and a plurality of bristles standing 
out substantially radially therefrom. The stem is formed by a first leg of 
a tweezers- or scissors-like arrangement. The second leg of this 
arrangement has, at its free end, an abutment for the bristles of the 
first leg such that in operation, the free outer ends of the two legs 
enclose between them the eyelashes or hair to be treated. 
2. Prior Art 
Brushes of the generic type, for instance in the form of mascara brushes, 
serve to apply mascara to the eyelashes. The application must be such that 
the lashes are colored uniformly and prevent application of too much 
liquid, which would cause clotting or lashes sticking together. In order 
to prevent the lashes from sticking together partially or entirely, 
mascara brushes of the generic type exhibit a combing effect in addition 
to good retention and dispensing capacity. To this end, attempts have been 
made to equip mascara brushes with different fibers or fibers of different 
rigidity, part of these fibers excelling in favorable mascara transport 
properties and the other part of the fibers by advantageous combing 
effects. However, the properties which seem to be attainable theoretically 
by such a design do not prevail in practice. 
As for the dyeing or coloring of hair of the head, there is also the 
problem of uniform application, to which is added the fact that the dyeing 
or coloring agents are comparatively aggressive so that the application 
has to be accompanied by arrangements being made for the protection of the 
user's hands and surroundings. 
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the object of the invention to embody a brush of the type mentioned 
at the outset in such a way that the application of the dyeing agent or 
mascara will be optimized, simultaneously providing for a uniformly 
attractive appearance of the colored eyelashes or the dyed hair. 
According to the invention, this object is attained in that at least one of 
the two legs is a hollow tube connected with a supply container and 
provided with outlets that lead to the outside. 
Consequently, it is possible to realize a very compact applicator or 
mascara unit, in which the bristles need not be dipped into the supply 
container for humidification, but in which the mascara is supplied from 
within the brush. 
In keeping with an advantageous embodiment, it is further provided that a 
pumping operation is initiated by the two legs being moved relative to 
each other for liquid to be pumped from the supply container to the at 
least one brush. To this end, the outside wall of the supply container is 
at least partially elastic so that any actuation of the tweezers-like 
arrangement is accompanied by the pumping of liquid. It would also be 
conceivable to provide a separate pumping arrangement, a membrane or a 
piston of such a pumping arrangement being activated by the tweezers-like 
motion via an articulation. 
Provision can be made for mascara, make-up removing liquid or hair dyeing 
agents to be kept in the supply reservoir so that the clamping effect may 
also serve to make use of increased pressure for the removal of mascara 
while make-up is removed. 
In a very simple embodiment of the mascara brush or unit according to the 
invention, it can be provided that the two legs consist of wire of a 
certain intrinsic elasticity, preferably of a U-shaped wire, the legs 
being formed by the legs of the U. 
Finally, provision can be made for the fibers to be fixed in place between 
intertwisted wire segments in a manner known per se and for the legs to be 
formed by intertwisted wires. 
Favorably, it can be provided that the core of the brush formed by the 
intertwisted wire segments is again twisted on itself, in particular 
helically about a linear core available as a permanent component or as an 
auxiliary member only during manufacture. As a result, the volume is 
clearly increased and advantageous dispensing properties can be realized 
in case this embodiment is used as a mascara brush. 
It is further possible to provide the core with outlets that communicate 
with the supply container so that for instance hair dyeing agents can be 
led directly onto the twisted brush arrangement. 
Details of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description 
of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the 
drawing. The drawing shows diagrammatic illustrations of various 
embodiments of brushes according to the invention in the form of mascara 
brushes or mascara units equipped with such brushes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION 
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the mascara brush bristles 3 are fixed in 
place in a manner known per se between two intertwisted wires 1, 2 or wire 
segments, forming a brush at the free left end of the brush. 
No bristles 3 are provided at the rearward end of these wires 1, 2 thus 
forming a stem there that constitutes a first leg 4 of a tweezers-like 
arrangement. A second leg 5 is provided having a comb-type abutment 
element 6 at its free front end. Both legs 4, 5 are retained in a handle 
7. 
The legs 4, 5 exhibit a certain resilient intrinsic elasticity so that they 
can be moved toward or away from each other in the direction of the 
double-headed arrow 8 when held for example between the user's thumb and 
index finger. 
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a mascara unit with a brush 
according to the invention being used. The upper side of the mascara 
container 8 has two openings 9, 10, into each of which reaches a leg 4a, 
5a. Bristles 3a are disposed at the free outer ends of legs 4a, 5a. The 
two legs 4a and 5a are replaceably fixed to a handle 11 which serves 
simultaneously as a closure and is elastic, tending to spread--as outlined 
by the arrows 12--and being compressible between thumb and index fingers 
during use. A dividing wall 13 is shown by dashes in the drawing. The wall 
13 divides the container 8 into two compartments for different liquids to 
be stored therein, which may for instance serve to trigger a reaction only 
during application when the two liquids contact, or to avoid segregration. 
FIG. 3 shows a variant of the solution according to FIG. 2, the container 
8b being divided by an opening 14 in the central portion and split into 
two compartments, a leg 4b, 5b having bristles 3b, respectively, being 
disposed in each compartment. A dividing wall 13b may separate the two 
compartments in the lower portion. The handle 11b is elastically 
expansible and serves simultaneously as a closure for opening 16. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the bristles 3c are disposed on the 
intertwisted wire stems 7 replaceably fastened on legs 4c, 5c which are 
hollow tubes connected with a mascara supply 15 in a container 8c, the 
mascara being transported for instance by pressure exercised on the at 
least partially flexible container wall. It is possible to supply only one 
or both groups of bristles 3c with mascara. As in the embodiments of FIGS. 
1-3, at least leg 4c exhibits a certain resilient intrinsic elasticity so 
that it can be moved toward leg 5c when legs 4c and 5c are held between 
the user's thumb and index finger. If desirable, leg 5a can also have the 
same elasticity as leg 4c. 
Consequently, it is possible to realize a very compact applicator or 
mascara unit, in which the bristles need not be dipped into the supply 
container for humidification, but in which the mascara is supplied from 
within the brush. 
In keeping with this advantageous embodiment, it is further provided that a 
pumping operation is initiated by the two legs being moved relative to 
each other for liquid to be pumped from the supply container to the 
bristles. To this end, the outside wall of the supply container is at 
least partially elastic so that any actuation of the tweezers-like 
arrangement is accompanied by the pumping of the liquid. 
Further, either one or both of the two hollow legs 4c and 5c have an outlet 
6c to the outside and to bristles 3c wherein mascara make-up remover or 
hair dye from container 8c can be delivered to bristles 3c by placing 
pressure on the container 8c.