Abstract:
In an applicator, especially for mascara, hair dye, or similar cosmetics, including an oblong main body connectable to a rod. The main body is made of a comparatively hard synthetic material. A tubular bristle body having bristle-like, radially outwardly projecting extensions made of a relatively soft synthetic material, is also included. In order to attain an advantageous producibility and sturdy handling properties, the bristle body is axially fixed relative to the main body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an applicator, especially for mascara, hair dye, or similar cosmetics, comprising an oblong main body that is connectable to a rod, said main body being made of a comparatively hard synthetic material, also a tubular bristle body having bristle-like, radially outwardly projecting extensions made of a relatively soft synthetic material. 
     The principal advantage of an applicator of this type lies in that it can be manufactured cost-effectively. The relatively hard synthetic material of the main body imparts the required stability, whereas the soft synthetic material of the bristle body permits the formation of correspondingly soft bristle-like extensions. 
     2. Background Art 
     An applicator of this type is known from EP 0 038 524 A 1 and DE 25 59 273 A1, or from WO 02/056 726 A. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is based on the object of further improving an applicator of this type in such a way that it provides for an advantageous producibility while exhibiting advantageous application properties. 
     To meet this object, provision is made for the bristle body to be axially fixed relative to the main body in such a way that the main body has formed on it, at the free distal end, a fixation cap overlapping the bristle body. 
     With an axial fixation of this kind it is achieved that, during handling, especially also during withdrawing and inserting of the applicator into a reservoir, e.g., in the case of a mascara unit, the position of the bristle body remains stable during passage through a wiper means. 
     In a further development of the invention, provision is made for the main body to have an annular bead that engages into a corresponding annular groove of the bristle body, thus producing the axial fixation. Within the framework of the invention, provision may also be made in a converse approach for the annular groove to be formed on the main body. 
     This fixation cap may advantageously have a rod extension that engages into a cavity of the main body, said rod extension being provided especially with an annular bead that is snappable into a annular groove in the cavity of the main body. 
     In another embodiment, the free distal end of the main body has a radially projecting fixation cap injection-molded in one piece therewith, whose out-side diameter, after thermal shaping with a stamp, approximately corresponds to the outside diameter of the bristle body, and which axially fixes the bristle body that may be attached by injection-molding in a 2-compound injection-molding process, or slipped on. 
     In a third embodiment, provision is made for the bristle body to have, in the region of the free distal end, a face wall resting against the face wall of the main body. 
     Furthermore, to provide for the axial fixation of the bristle body, provision may be made for the bristle body to be axially fixed relative to the main body in such a way that the rod extension has a conical cavity, the bristle body is provided with a gripper-like inner end, and when the rod extension is slipped on, the gripper arms of the gripper extension that are located at the end are pressed into a cavity of the main body. 
     The invention will be explained in more detail below based on preferred example embodiments in conjunction with the drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  shows a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of an inventive applicator, 
         FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal section through a second embodiment, 
         FIG. 3  shows a longitudinal section through a third embodiment, 
         FIG. 4  shows a longitudinal section through a fourth embodiment, 
         FIG. 5  shows a longitudinal section illustrating one possibility for implementing the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 6  shows a longitudinal section of an embodiment according to  FIG. 2  concerning the fixation of the brush on the rod, 
         FIG. 7  shows a longitudinal section according to  FIG. 6  concerning an additional fastening variant, and 
         FIG. 8  shows a longitudinal section according to the embodiment of FIG.  2 , to illustrate a third fastening variant. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An applicator  1  shown in the drawing comprises a main body  2  made of a relatively hard material and comparatively hard synthetic material, and a bristle body  3  made of a relatively soft synthetic material having injection-molded to it radially outwardly extending bristle-like extensions  4 . The main body  2  is injection molded in one piece with a rod extension  5  that is connectable to a rod. 
     The rod may be connected in a manner known per se to the inside of the cover of a screw cap, which, in turn, is screwed onto the external thread of a reservoir for the given cosmetic product, e.g., mascara. 
     For fixing the bristle body  3  in an axial direction relative to the main body  2 , especially during passage through a wiper means, the main body  2  has an annular bead  6  that engages into a corresponding circumferential groove  7  on the bristle body  3 . An additional fixation is provided such that on the distal end  8  of the main body  2  a fixation cap  9  is provided, whose outside diameter approximately corresponds to the outside diameter of the bristle body  3 . 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , which is essentially made out like the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , has provided on it, in lieu of the fixation cap  9 , a face wall  10  that is injection-molded integrally with the bristle body  3 , said face wall  10  resting against the front face  11  at the distal end  8  of the main body  2 . 
     The embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , in turn, has provided at the distal end  8  of the main body  2  a fixation cap  12  corresponding to the fixation cap  9  of the embodiment example in  FIG. 1 , which, however, is not formed integrally with the main body  2 , but instead has a rod extension  13  that engages into a cavity  14  in the main body  2  and is fixed there by means of an annular bead  15  and a corresponding annular groove  16  on the interior wall of the cavity  14 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the main body  2  has a plurality of collar-like projections  17  that have a frusto-conical shape such that the truncated cone tapers toward the free end. When the bristle body  3  is mounted on the main body  2  correspondingly, the projections  17  act like barbs and prevent the bristle body  3  from becoming detached. 
     In accordance with  FIG. 5 , provision is made for the main body  2  to be dimensioned such that a free outer end  18  projects beyond the bristle body  3 . By pressing-on a heated stamp  19  in the direction of the arrow  20 , this free end  18  is then deformed in such a way that a fixation cap is created, as it is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 6 , the bristle body  3  has a gripper-like inner end  21 . A rod extension  22  is provided with a conical cavity  23 . When the rod extension  22  is slipped on, the conical opening  23  overlaps the likewise conical region  24  of the gripper extension  21 , so that gripper arms  25  at the end are pressed into a bore  26  of the main body  2 , and a sturdy connection is created in this manner. 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 7 , the main body  2  has a longitudinally extending groove  27  that opens into a radial bore  28 . Via the groove  27  glue can be squeezed in, which exits via the radial bore  28  and reliably connects the bristle body  3  to the main body  2 . 
     Presented in  FIG. 8  is an embodiment wherein the main body  2  is formed in one piece with a rod extension  22 , which, in accordance with  FIG. 6 , has a conical cavity  23  implemented in the form of an annular groove, into which the likewise conical end  29  of the bristle body engages and is locked in place by means of a radial pin  30 . The inner end  31  of the bristle body  3  transitions conically aligned into the rod extension  22 . 
     As a result of this design, the wiper is prevented from getting caught in the transition region during the wiping process. The result is that the bending-slack bristle body  3  does not get pulled off the stiff main body  2 . 
     As is apparent especially from  FIG. 4 , the cavity in the mounting extension  22  may be dimensioned relative to the rod extension of the main body  2  such that an annular groove is created, in which an extension of the bristle body  3  is received. 
     The bristle body  2  may also have two extensions that extend at a distance from each other and have inwardly projecting pins at their ends. When the rod extension  22  is then slipped on, the extensions are pushed inward gripper-like by the interior wall of the conical cavity  23  of the rod extension  22  and then engage into corresponding cavities of the main body  2 , so as to become fixed. 
     The rod extension  2  may be implemented polygonal, e.g., pentagonal, in order to thus render it non-rotating. 
     The bristles are preferably conical, as drawn in the example embodiment, but they may also be round and have only a conical or chisel-shaped tip. 
     The cross-section of the bristles may be round or also deviate from a round geometry. The number of bristles may be between 30 and 600. The bristles may form a comb in the axial direction.