Abstract:
A substance applying apparatus is provided for applying a substance to an application location. An application element having a wetting body is partially received in an inner tube and the inner tube is received in an outer tube. A fluid connection between the inner space of the inner tube and the inner space of the outer tube is produced by the application of pressure on the substance applying apparatus. The inner tube is comprised of a softer material than the outer tube and at least the bottom of the inner tube is cut upon the application of pressure on the substance applying apparatus.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part application which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 from U.S. parent application Ser. No. 10/114,203 filed on Apr. 2, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,767, which in turn claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) from German patent application Ser. No. 101 19 480.3-24 filed Apr. 20, 2001. In addition, this application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of US provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/315,564 filed Aug. 29, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a substance applying apparatus. It has long been known, with respect to the application of substances, to hold in readiness a first component of the substance in a first chamber and an additional component of the substance in a second chamber and to effect mixing of the two components in the two chambers by applying a pressure such that a structure adapted to maintain the two components separate from one another is broken through to thereby permit mixing of the two components within the two chambers. An example of such an arrangement is disclosed in DE-AS 2 024 402. 
     Substance applying apparatus having application elements have, in any event, long been known, whereby, for example, such a device is disclosed in DE-GM 92 189 49. Via side holes in an inner tube, a fluid connection between the inner space of the inner tube and the inner space of the outer tube is produced. This arrangement is suitable for cosmetic products. If the application scenario requires storage of the substance component in the inner space of the inner tube separate from the substance component in the inner space of the outer tube, however, this solution is less suitable. 
     It is further known in DE-OS 44 158 54 to provide a mixing and application capsule for dental purposes. With this arrangement, the substance components are united with one another by the puncture, with a sharp element, of a film between the substance components. 
     Numerous other substance applying apparatus are known. Thus, for example, it has been proposed to maintain an application element in a submerged condition in a fluid, whereupon, upon application of a downward pressure on the fluid retaining container, an additional fluid is permitted to flow thereinto in the manner of an overspill action, in order to thereby place in readiness the substance which is to be applied. This arrangement requires, in any event, two separate sealing off systems so that a not inconsiderable effort is required to configure the arrangement. A plurality of sealing locations brings with it, in any event, a correspondingly large susceptibility to damage and storage instability. 
     It has further been proposed, in German Patent Application 199 56 705.0, to dispose an application element with a wetting body partially in an inner tube and to dispose the inner tube in an outer tube. By means of an application of pressure on the application element, a fluid connection between the inner space of the inner tube and the inner space of the outer tube is produced. The arrangement basically offers a good and simple sealing off of the two substance components to be held in readiness for eventual combination together to form the substance to be applied. To be sure, the outer tube must be produced with a somewhat elastic material in preparation for the deployment of a sealing lip, in order to ensure a fluid tight disposition of the sealing lip between the inner tube and the outer tube. On the other hand, it is important that the substance to be received in the inner space of the outer tube can also be stored therein in a secure manner for a long time. In order to achieve this goal, a substantially large wall thickness must be provided. 
     In certain applications, additionally, solvents such as acetone, ethyl alcohol and so forth are deployed as the substance components. Such solvents exhibit an exceptionally high vapor pressure and diffuse through the outer tube, even if the walls thereof have a substantially large wall thickness. 
     To be sure, it has become conventionally known to limit a high vapor pressure by the addition of additional coatings such as, for example, a metallic coating. The problem with this arrangement is that double-coated materials are problematic due to the processing and disposal issues involved therewith and, moreover, a complete blocking off of the vapor pressure is not possible. To be sure, the metallic coating can also be applied on an interior surface. In that event, however, the metallic coating extends over the sealing lips disposed therein so that the sealing effect is thereby reduced. At the same time, the application of a metallic coating adds to the production expense of the substance applying apparatus, whereby the production costs of such devices in connection with the realization of a single dose unit is of particular importance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention offers a solution to the challenge of providing a substance applying apparatus which is cost favorable in its production and which is operable to apply a substance, with the substance applying apparatus being suitable as well for storing the to be applied substance components therein for more than one year and for applying substances having a high vapor pressure. 
     In accordance with the present invention, it is especially advantageous that the formation of the inner tube of a soft material permits the sealing off function to be ensured solely by the inner tube itself and permits the formation of the outer tube from a non-yielding and highly non-porous material. This arrangement is cost favorable for the reason that the wall thickness of the outer tube can be reduced while, however, storage stability is available due to the improved vapor pressure sealing off ability. 
     The desired softness and deformability of the inner tube, in accordance with the present invention, permits flexibility in the material choices as well as the configuration choices of the inner tube. If a deformation element exerts a one-sided radial force on the bottom of the inner tube or on a region adjacent to the bottom of the inner tube, the inner tube collapses thereat, at least partially, so that the sealing off between the inner tube and the outer tube is lost in the desired manner. 
     In accordance with the present invention, it is preferable if the sealing lip is formed in an annular shape in the region adjacent the bottom of the inner tube and extends outwardly. The wall of the outer tube can thereby be formed, in the interior of the outer tube, with a completely smooth surface up to the location of the deformation element. 
     In accordance with the present invention, it is particularly advantageous if the bottom of the inner tube is configured to be significantly thin. Due to a one-sided and massive wedge, which forms the deformation element, a correspondingly thin bottom of the inner tube can be deformed in the application operation, even if the material properties of the substance components in the inner tube and the outer tube differ only slightly from one another. To this extent, the formulation of a tube to be “softer” is also to be understood to include the concept of being “more yielding” and, as required, the inner tube can alternatively be comprised of a substantially hard material, it being understood that the prerequisite therefor is that the desired sealing off function must still be ensured. 
     In accordance with a particularly favorable embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of the present invention, the deformation element or the deformation body is disposed on the side of the inner wall of the outer tube and extends in a progressively sharper manner in the direction toward the bottom of the inner tube. The radial depth of the deformation element increases continuously in a direction toward the bottom of the outer tube and, in the region of the inner tube, approaches substantially zero radial depth. In this manner, the resistance of the inner tube to insertion along the deformation element is substantially small and the deformation of the inner tube occurs in a gradual manner as the inner tube is inserted downwardly. 
     The deformation element, on its outer side can either be ball shaped or have a cutting portion. In the configuration of the deformation element with a cutting portion, it is also possible to exploit the hard material properties of the outer tube such that the bottom of the inner tube, or especially, one or more sealing rings, are normally cut. In this arrangement, the openings in the inner tube can be dispensed with, whereby it is to be understood that suitable desired deformation elements can be deployed in order to produce a fluid connection between the inner space of the inner tube and the inner space of the outer tube. 
     It is also possible to configure the sealing ring as an O-ring which is disposed in a groove on the inner tube. In this arrangement, the cutting portion can cut the O-ring. The O-ring retracts along its longitudinal extent and thereby makes available for fluid passage therethrough a region in which the fluid can flow through the openings into the inner space of the inner tube. 
     It is to be understood that the groove should be so configured that the cutting operation of the cutting portion is not hindered but, instead, is facilitated. 
     Even in the event that an asymmetric deformation element is preferred, it is possible without additional structure to provide two deformation bodies disposed in opposed arrangement to one another and cooperating together to pinch the inner tube and thereby produce a space or gap in the form of an overflow channel between the inner space of the inner tube and the inner space of the outer tube. It is additionally further possible, without additional structure, to configure the deformation body in a suitable desired configuration, whereby it is preferred that an inner corner extends immediately adjacent the deformation body which permits an overflow to flow therealong toward the bottom of the inner tube. 
     The application element comprises a wetting body which, as required, is either already provided with a reaction substance, or is provided with a reaction substance before the application operation. The wetting body can be configured in a suitably desired manner as, for example, a brush or a foam body which is connected or coupled to a stock of the application element. 
     It is also possible that the application element is itself separately deployed and thus a different combination of substance components can be placed in readiness for subsequent mixing together to form the substance to be applied, whereby advantage can be taken of the fact that the substance applying apparatus can also be sealed off without an application element therein. 
    
    
     Further advantages, details and features are described in the hereinafter-following description of an embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of the present invention taken in connection with the figures of the drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The object and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a generally schematic view of one embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of the present invention whereby the application element has been omitted and whereby the inner tube is disposed in an outward condition relative to the outer tube; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the one embodiment of the substance applying apparatus shown in FIG. 1, whereby the application element has been inserted into the tube; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the one embodiment of the substance applying apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, whereby a pressure has already been exerted on the application element and the inner tube has been inserted into the outer tube, the inner tube being asymmetrically deformed at least to the openings; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the one embodiment of the substance applying apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-3, whereby the inner tube has been completely inserted into the outer tube and the wetting body of the application element has been wetted with the substance; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan sectional view of a deformation element in the arrangement of the outer tube; 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a generally schematic view of a further embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of the present invention whereby the application element has been omitted and whereby the inner tube is disposed in an outward condition relative to the outer tube, and whereby the inner tube is provided with an O-ring, and the outer tube is provided with a cutting element suitable for cutting the O-ring and the inner tube when the inner tube is moved from its outward condition to a completely inserted condition; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, whereby the inner tube has been completely inserted into the outer tube, and the O-ring and inner tube have been cut by the cutting element; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a portion of FIG. 7, this view showing the channel which receives the O-ring; and 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken generally along the line  10 — 10  in FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As seen in FIG. 1, one embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of the present invention, hereinafter, the substance applying apparatus  10 , comprises an outer tube  12  which forms a housing. An inner tube  14  is guided within the substantially flask or bucket-shaped outer tube and is configured in a special manner in accordance with the present invention. The inner tube  14  is particularly configured to receive therein an application element  16 , which can be seen in FIG. 2, and which is provided with a wetting body  18 . 
     The outer tube  12  is longer than the inner tube  14  and is provided, in its bottom region, with a fluid  20  which is available for the preparation of the substance to be applied. 
     The inner tube  14  seals off an area or region of the outer tube  12 —namely, the inner space of the outer tube. The inner tube  14  comprises in this connection a sealing lip  24  (see FIG. 6) which extends in an annular manner and is disposed adjacent the bottom  26  of the inner tube  14 . The inner tube  14  is, in the illustrated embodiment, comprised of plastic and the outer tube  12  is comprised of glass. The sealing lip  24  can seal off the smooth inner wall of the outer tube  12  in a good seal-tight manner. 
     The inner tube  14  comprises two relatively large openings  28  and  30  which extend in a side-wise manner along the wall of the inner tube to a location adjacent the bottom  26  of the inner tube. These openings permit the easy and rapid through flow of the fluid  20  upon the insertion of the inner tube  14  into the outer tube  12 . 
     A deformation element  34  is provided to effect a fluid connection between the inner space of the inner tube  14  and the inner space of the outer tube  12 . The deformation element  34  is, in the illustrated embodiment, configured as wedges and has the configuration as shown in FIG.  5 . The wedges extends from the bottom  26  of the inner tube  14 , in the condition thereof shown in FIG. 1, to the bottom  36  of the outer tube  12 . 
     While FIG. 2 shows the manner in which the application element  16  with the wetting body  18  is inserted into the inner tube, FIG. 3 shows the overflow of the fluid  20  into the inner tube  14 . The inner tube  14  is moved at the same time into the outer tube  12  due to the application of pressure on the application element  16  in the direction of the wedge  36  as shown in FIG.  3 . In this connection, the inner tube comprises an engagement shoulder  56 , which has a diameter which is somewhat less than the diameter of a sealing periphery  58  of the application element  16 . It is thus possible to exert pressure in this manner on the inner tube  14  without the necessity for a pointed element  54  to contact the bottom  26  of the inner tube. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 4, the wetting body  18  is intensively wetted with the substance  20  and the substance  20  is applied via the application element  16 . In this operational condition, the substance applying apparatus  10  forms a bucket configuration for the application of the substance, whereby multiple immersions of the wetting body  18  are possible without further structure. 
     FIG. 5 shows the particular manner in which the deformation element can be configured. In the illustrated embodiment, the deformation element  34  has two substantially wedge-shaped portions with two points or apexes  35  and  37 , which makes possible a reduced sliding resistance upon the sliding thereover of the bottom  26  of the inner tube  14  along the deformation element  34 . It can be seen that the deformation element is provided along its sides with inner corners  39  and  41 , which make possible an easy flow through of a substance through the gap between the outer wall of the inner tube and the inner wall of the outer tube, and then into the inner space of inner tube  14 . 
     In FIG. 6, another embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the inner tube  14  comprises a sealing off ring  38 , from which a projection  40  extends outwardly. A sealing lip is formed thereat such that a sealing off is ensured upon the disposition of the application element  16  therein. 
     The application element  16  includes a grip  42 . The grip  42  extends into a thickened portion  58 , which is connected with a shaft  44 . In this embodiment, the wetting body is configured as a micro-brush  50 . The micro-brush  50  comprises a flocked portion so that numerous tousled brush hairs  52  extend outwardly. 
     The micro-brush  50  terminates in a substantially blunt end  54 . This permits, as well, a force transmission or carryover of force to the bottom  26  of the narrow tube  14  and, thus, an insertion of the inner tube  14  to effect activation of the substance applying apparatus, if an engagement shoulder  56  is not provided. 
     As required, a reaction substance can be provided on the micro-brush  50 , preferably in the manner of a salt deposited on the micro-brush. In this embodiment, a taper  60  or notch is provided underneath the engagement shoulder  56 , which offers the possibility to bend the shaft  44  relative to the grip  42 . In this configuration of the application element a plastic or permanent deformation is possible. It is also possible in this configuration to deform the bottom  26  of the inner tube via the deformation element  34  in order to initiate the wetting of the micro-brush  50  with the substance  20 . 
     In FIGS. 7-10 a further embodiment of the substance applying apparatus of this invention is shown. As previously noted, the deformation element  34 ; which is formed integrally with the outer tube  12 , can have a cutting portion on its outer side. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 7-10, the deformation element, or cutting element,  68  is provided with a cutting edge. In this configuration, it is also possible to exploit the hard material properties of the outer tube  12  such that the bottom of the modified inner tube  14   a , and a sealing ring  62 , which is disposed in a groove  64  of the modified inner tube  14   a , are cut. In this embodiment, the openings  28  and  30  in the inner tube can be dispensed with. It is to be understood that the cutting element  68  will produce a fluid connection between the inner space of the inner tube  14   a  and in inner space of the outer tube  12 . Thus, as the inner tube  14   a  is moved downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8, the cutting element  68  will cut through the O-ring  62  and the inner tube  14   a . Then the fluid  20  will be pressurized as the inner tube  14   a  continues its downward movement after the lowermost end of the tube  14   a  has been cut. This pressurized fluid will then flow into the inner tube  14   a  through the cut portion of the inner tube  14   a . Also, when the O-ring  62  is cut, it will retract along its longitudinal extent and thereby will not interfere with fluid flow from the inner space of the outer tube  12  to inner space of the inner tube  14   a . Prior to the downward movement of the inner tube from the position shown in FIG. 7, the O-ring  62  safely seals the interior of the inner tube  14   a  against the fluid  20 . To this end, the O-ring is sized to allow sealing. 
     The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.