Improved mascara brush

Abstract: A mascara brush comprises a plurality of radially exten­ ding bristle filaments (22) fastened in brush formation by a helically twisted metallic wire core (10). The bristles are tubular (24 - Figure 5) or hollow polyamide filaments, each crimped at the midpoint of its length by portions of the heli­ cally twisted wire so that the filament halves flare outward in various directions from the brush core. In an alternate em­ bodiment the filaments (26 - Figure 6) are non-circular in cross-section and include a plurality of longitudinal, radially extending flange portions (28).

Description: This invention relates to improved mascara brushes in which the bristle filaments are secured together in brush form by a helically twisted metallic wire core. Background of the invention A spiral mascara brush of conventional construction comprises a multiplicity of bristles usually consisting of nylon filaments gripped in a continuous spiral array, such that the free ends of the bristles generally follow a helical pattern much the same as the helix of the twisted wire core itself. Typically, the core of the brush consists of a unitary metallic wire reversibly folded in a generally U-shaped configuration. Filaments of approximately twice the length of final bristle heights are disposed between the legs of the U-shaped wire. The limbs of the wire are then twisted to form a helical core which holds the filaments at their midpoints so as to clamp them in a helical or spiral configuration. The filaments which usually form the bristles of such a brush are generally cylindrical in shape. The twisted wire is usually provided with a handle at its outer end which may also serve as the cap or closure for the mascara container. Brushes of this type are well known in the art and have been widely used up to the present time. The general purpose of a mascara brush is to pickup a supply of mascara or some other cosmetic medium, carry it from the container and then apply the mascara to the user's eyelashes. For this purpose, it is important to have a brush in which its bristle tips are uniformly distributed throughout the bristle face of the brush. It is also important that the bristles be capable of readily picking up an ample supply of mascara at one time and effectively carrying or holding the same until the mascara is transferred to the eye-lashes. It is also important that the bristles have sufficient flexural strength to comb the mascara through the eyelashes of the user. It has been known in the paintbrush art, to use bristles of tapered cruciform and other cross-sectional configurations Patent No. 3 344 457 discloses a number of such paintbrush filaments. But these filaments are merely incorporated into the brush by gluing them into the ferrule of the paint-brush in parallel relationship. Patent No. 4 561 456 discloses an injection molded mascara brush in which the bristles have hooked or enlarged tip portions to increase the cosmetic product retained by so-called capillarity. Of course, brushes of this type would require expensive and complicated tooling to effect such molding results. In accordance with this invention, in the spiral mascara brush of said conventional construction the bristle material used is a tubular filament The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved mascara brush which may be fabricated by a conventional twisted wire technique but which provides for more uniform radial distribution of the brush tips at the bristle face than was heretofore available. The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from a reading of the following description taken together in conjuction with the accompying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one step in the process of manufacturing brushes of the type embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in cross-section, illustrative of a prior art brush of the same general type as those embodying this invention: Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of one type of brush embodying this invention; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a greatly enlarged scale showing a portion of a filament of the type used in the brush of Fig. 3, In Fig. 2 is shown a cosmetic applicator or mascara brush 8 of the conventional type. The brush comprises a twisted metallic wire core 10 and a plurality of radially extending bristles 16 which make up the bristle portion 1 2 of the brush. The tips of the bristles define a generally cylindrical bristle face with a conically tapered end portion. The brush also includes a cylindrical handle 14 disposed on the outer end portion of the twisted wire core. Brushes of this type are fabricated by using a pliable metallic wire 9, reversibly folded back upon itself as depicted at 11 in Fig. 1. Of course, it would also be feasible to use two separate wires twisted together in the same manner. A plurality of cylindrical filaments 16, each having a length equal to the diameter of the bristle portion of the brush 8, are placed between the two legs or limbs of the core forming wire 9. The wire limbs are then twisted together to form a helix which grips the filaments at the midpoint of their length causing the filaments 1 6 to be folded in half. Because of their regular cross-section, the filaments are crimped so as to follow the helical pattern of the twisted wire core. This means that at the face of the bristle portion 12 of the brush 8, the bristle tips define helical loops or rings 18 having a substantial axial space, gap or void between each loop where there are no bristle tips. Such helically patterned brushes have a tendency of nonuniform media pickup and uneven application. In contrast with the prior art, brushes made in accordance with this invention, as shown at 20 in Fig. 3, are characterized by a uniform fibre or bristle distribution despite the fact that the bristle portion of the brush is still formed by using a twisted wire core 10. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the brush comprises the twisted, pliable, metallic core wire 10 and a plurality of tubular filaments 22. Because of their hollow construction, as shown at 24 in Fig. 4, the filaments, when gripped between the opposing limbs of the helically twisted wire, are crimped or substantially compressed at their mid-points. When this occurs, the two halves of each filament are caused to flare outwardly in a generally V-shaped pattern. Significantly, this flaring action is more or less random in the radial direction and results in uniform bristle tip distribution at the bristle face of the brush and not the helical pattern of bristles which characterized the prior art brushes of this type, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The filaments 22 being hollow in cross-section have relatively high longitudinal strength to weight ratio. While various types of synthetic materials may be used in carrying out this invention including polyamide, polyesters, polyolefins and the like, it has been found that 6-12 type nylon filament having an outer diameter of 3-8 mils (0.008 - 0,02 cm) performs in a highly effective manner. The uniform bristle orientation of the mascara brush embodying this invention, provides for more even application of the mascara to the eyelashes of the user. Thus, this invention provides a simple and yet highly effective brush construction for picking up, transporting and applying mascara. Moreover, the brush construction utilizes a twisted wire core construction of the type which has been widely used with nylon type filament of solid cylindrical cross-section.

Claims: A mascara brush comprising a core and a bristle portion forming a brush surface of generally cylindrical configuration, with, optionally, a conically tapered end portion, said core being formed by lengths of metallic wire helically twisted together, said brush surface being formed by a plurality of bristles extending radially from said core, said bristles having sufficient flexural strength to comb mascara through the eyelashes of a user, pairs of said bristles being formed by discrete synthetic plastic filaments that are tubular and which are gripped medially of their outer ends by the twisted lengths of wire, the cross-sectional configuration of said filaments being such that the gripping thereof will cause said filaments to be crimped so that the filaments flare outwardly in various directions from said core whereby the tip portions of said bristles are generally uniformly distributed throughout said brush surface. A mascara brush as set forth in claim 1 in which at least some of said filaments, except where crimped by the wire-core, are tubular in cross-section throughout their length. A mascara brush as set forth in claim 1, in which at least some of said filaments, except where crimped by the wire core, are generally cylindrical and hollow in cross-section and are of a polyamide material.

Inventors: HARTEL FRANKLIN JACOB, SANDERSON ERIC WILLIAM, HARTEL, FRANKLIN JACOB, SANDERSON, ERIC WILLIAM
Applicants: HENLOPEN MFG CO INC, HENLOPEN MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A46B3
IPC codes: A45D34, A46B3, A46D1, A45D40