APPLIANCE

Abstract: A spatula for depilatory use comprises a generally S-section flexible plastics body (4), a straight elastomeric fin (10) at one end, and at the other end, an elastomeric fin of "fish-tail" shape. The straight fin can remove a depilatory preparation from most areas of the skin, and the other fin is able to remove the preparation from less accessible areas. The elastomeric fins give effective accessible areas. The elastomeric fins give effective hair removal whilst avoiding the deleterious effects of earlier scrapers.

Description: APPLIANCE This invention relates to a spatula for personal use, particularly for depilatory use. In a depilatory method a preparation is applied to the skin, in order to degrade the hair growing from the skin. The preparation and hair may be removed without any mechanical assistance, for example by showering. This method is kind to the skin but tends to be imperfect in respect of hair removal . An alternative method is to remove the preparation and hair by means of a spatula, used in the manner of a scraper or strigil. The scraping action of the spatula helps to remove those hairs which, have been incompletely- degraded by the preparation Thus, hair removal is very effective. However, the scraping action can lead to skin coarsening and roughness. Existing spatulas which have this effect are composed entirely of hard plastics materials, terminating in a scraper head. There is a need for a spatula for the purpose stated above, and which is able to achieve efficient removal of the ' hair-degrading preparation and hair, but which is less aggressive to the skin across which it is to be drawn . In accordance with the first aspect to the present invention there is provided a spatula adapted for the removal of a preparation applied to the skin, the spatula comprising a body portion to be held, in use, by a user, the body portion comprising a plastics sheet capable of being elastically flexed and a fin adapted to remove the preparation from the skin, the fin projecting beyond the body portion, and being of an elastomeric material. In principle the preparation to be removed could be any cosmetic preparation, but is preferably a preparation formulated for the weakening or removal of hair from human skin. Thus, the spatula of the invention preferably effects removal of a hair-degrading preparation applied to the skin, and of hair itself. By hair-degrading preparation we mean any composition - wax, gel, cream or other - which breaks, thins or otherwise weakens hair. Preferably the fin has a straight edge. Preferably the spatula is a generally elongate body, and the fin is located at one end thereof. The fin may have a plurality of parallel edges which make contact with the skin at spaced-apart positions. Thus, the fin may be stepped or ridged. Preferred is a fin with one skin-contacting edge, or a fin with two skin-contacting parallel edges. Preferably, in terms of the shape of the spatula the fin is a continuation of the body portion. The spatula is preferably manufactured by a co-moulding process. Preferably the thickness of the body portion is less than 3mm, more preferably less than 2mm. At the junction of the plastics material and the elastomeric material which constitutes the fin, the latter may be moulded around the former, or the former around the latter. The plastics material may thus provide some structural support to the fin. Alternatively it may be perfectly adequate if there is face-to-face contact between the plastics material and the elastomeric material which constitutes the fin. Preferably the fin extends not more than 5mm beyond the body portion, preferably not more than 4mm. When, as is preferred, the spatula is of elongate form and has a said fin at one end of it (hereinafter the "first fin", at the "first end"), it preferably has a second fin able to remove a preparation from the skin, at the other end (the "second end") of the spatula, the second fin also being of an elastomeric material. Preferably the body portion is substantially entirely constituted by the non-elastomeric plastics material. An elastomeric fin is only at one end, or at both ends. In an alternative embodiment the spatula has a sandwich structure, with an elastomeric sheet sandwiched between two sheets of a more rigid plastics material and extending beyond it at one or both ends, to provide a fin or fins. The two plastics sheets together define the flexural characteristics of the body portion. In another embodiment an elastomeric material surrounds a stiffer plastics sheet, which reinforces the elastomeric material . The elastomeric material may extend beyond the plastics sheet, forming a fin, at one end, or both ends, or all round the plastics sheet. The plastics sheet defines the flexural characteristics of the body portion in such an embodiment . The second fin may have a plurality of parallel edges which make contact with the skin at spaced-apart positions. Thus, the second fin may be stepped or ridged. Preferred is a second fin with one skin- contacting edge, or a fin with two skin-contacting edges. Preferably the second end of the spatula is of different shape to the first end. Preferably it is not of straight-line form. Preferably it is curved, preferably somewhat indented or convex. Most preferably it is of "fish-tail" shape. Preferably the "fish-tail" ends thereof are themselves curved. Thus, the second end may have two somewhat lobe-shaped portions which can be used for removing a preparation from an awkward location, such as an armpit . The elastomeric material of the second fin may be moulded around the plastics material of the body portion, or vice-versa, at their junction. The plastics material may thus provide some structural support to the second fin. Alternatively it may be perfectly adequate if there is face-to-face contact between the plastics material and the elastomeric material which constitutes the second fin. Preferably the second fin extends not more than 5mm beyond the body portion, preferably not more than 4mm, Preferably the spatula is not flat, but curves, at least in the region of the adjoining fin. Preferably it has a convex portion and, facing in the opposite direction, a complementary concave portion. In use, the user will usually orient the concave portion adjoining the fin to face the skin. Preferably the other end of the spatula curves in the opposite sense. Preferably, the spatula is a flattened S-shape, in longitudinal cross-section, in other words an S-shape notionally elongated in the direction from one end of the "S" to the other. Preferably, the or each concave portion of the spatula is formed with a transverse ridge, to aid grip and/or act as a barrier to the preparation and/or aid stacking of spatulas. Preferably the spatula is a small article not longer than 20cm, and more preferably not longer than 12cm, at its longest. Preferably it is not wider than 7cm, and more preferably not wider than 5.5cm, at its widest. Preferably the spatula does not have a handle projecting from the body portion; the body portion is itself held, in use. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removing a preparation from human skin, using a spatula of the first aspect of the present invention. Preferably the preparation is a hair-degrading preparation, and the method is a depilatory method. The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a spatula in accordance with the present invention, in plan view; Figure 2 shows the spatula of figure 1 in side view; Figure 3 shows in side sectional view one end of the spatula of figure 1, removing a hair-degrading preparation, and hair, from human skin; Figure 4 shows in side sectional view the corresponding end of a second embodiment of spatula removing a hair-degrading preparation, and hair, from human skin; Figure 5 shows in plan view a third embodiment of spatula; and Figure 6 shows in side view the spatula of Figure 5. With reference to figures 1 and 2, the spatula shown is of somewhat elongate shape. It has a body portion 4 of a plastics material, hard but sufficiently thin to be able to flex elastically. The body portion is made up of a head portion 6, a tail portion 8, and between them, a middle, waisted, region 9. The head portion 6 terminates in an elastomeric fin 10. The fin extends, straight, from one side of the spatula to the other. The tail portion of the spatula terminates in an elastomeric fin 12. The tail portion 8 is of "fish-tail" shape, and this shape is matched by the fin 12. The fin 12 may be seen as having distinct lobes 14, 16, and an inwardly curved region 18 between them. As will be seen in figure 2, the spatula is curved from one end to the other, first in one sense, then in the opposite sense. Accordingly its shape may be regarded as being like a flattened "S" in longitudinal cross-section. It is formed with two ridges 22, 24, one extending into each concave region, each ridge being transverse to the length of spatula. As will be seen in figures 2 and 3, in this embodiment the fins 10, 18 terminate in a plain end, and so each fin makes contact with the skin at one position, at any given time. -, • At its junction 26 with the body portion each fin makes face-to-face contact with the body portion. The spatulas of this invention may be made by a bi- injection moulding process. In another embodiment a sandwich structure could be employed, with an elastomeric sheet being sandwiched between two sheets of a more rigid plastics material, and extending beyond it, to provide a fin, or fins. In another embodiment an elastomeric material could be moulded around a plastics stiffener sheet, extending beyond it to provide a fin, or fins. In use a depilatory cream, shown as 28 in Figure 3, is applied to the skin from which it is desired to remove hair. The cream will generally degrade the hair to the extent that some hairs are broken, and the remainder weakened. A spatula described above is used to complete the process, removing cream from the skin, along with broken hairs, and at the same time breaking off weakened hairs, and removing those. Generally the straight fin 10 is used. It is drawn across the skin as shown in figure 3 with the adjacent concave portion facing towards the skin. The other end of the spatula is used to remove the cream and hair from places which are not well contacted by the straight fin 10, for example armpits, and the backs of knees . In the embodiment of Figure 4 each fin (of which one is shown) has two discrete steps 30, 32 able to make simultaneous contact with skin during the removal operation. A further difference is that in the Figure 4 embodiment each fin is moulded around the respective edge of the plastics material of the body portion, forming a tongue-and-groove junction 34. In Figures 5 and 6 a third embodiment is shown. This differs from the first embodiment in the following respects : Its curvature is greater - compare Figure 6 with Figure 2. Its elastomeric fins 38, 40 are thicker, and stiffer. They can only be bent over on application of a considerable force, whereas the fins of the first embodiment can be bent over much more easily. Each fin has a tongue 36 in a notch 38 in the adjoining edge of the body portion. This improves contact beneath the respective fin and the body portion, as well as having an aesthetic benefit. The trailing fin 40 is slightly convex but has a less pronounced "fish tail" shape that the corresponding fin of the first embodiment. Nevertheless the spatula of the third embodiment functions in the same way as the spatula of the first embodiment .

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A spatula adapted for the removal of a preparation applied to the skin, the spatula comprising a body portion to be held, in use, by a user, the body portion comprising a plastics sheet capable of being elastically flexed and a fin adapted to remove the preparation from the skin, the fin projecting beyond the body portion, and being of an elastomeric material . 2. A spatula as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spatula is curved. 3. A spatula as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spatula has a flattened S-shape in longitudinal cross-section. 4. A spatula as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body portion has first and second ends, wherein the fin projects beyond the first end of the body portion and a second fin projects beyond the second end of the body portion. 5. A spatula as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first fin is generally straight and the second fin is generally curved. 6. A spatula as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second fin is of "fish-tail" shape. 7. A method of removing a preparation from human skin, using a spatula as claimed in any preceding claim. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the preparation is a hair-degrading preparation, and the method is a depilatory method. 9. A spatula as hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings . 10. A depilatory method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .

Inventors: KELSEY STEVEN FREDERICK, MORRIS ANGELA CAROLINE, KELSEY, STEVEN, FREDERICK, MORRIS, ANGELA, CAROLINE
Applicants: KELSEY STEVEN FREDERICK, MORRIS ANGELA CAROLINE, RECKITT BENCKISER UK LTD, KELSEY, STEVEN, FREDERICK, MORRIS, ANGELA, CAROLINE, RECKITT BENCKISER (UK) LIMITED
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A45D26
IPC codes: A45D26, A45D27