Abstract:
A mascara container has an elongated bottle with a continuous sidewall defining a product reservoir. The bottle has a threaded neck with an apertured wiper mounted thereon, providing access to the product reservoir. A cap is removably threaded onto the neck of the bottle, and a rod extends from the cap through the apertured wiper when the cap is secured on the bottle. The rod has a distal end positioned generally centrally with respect to the continuous sidewall, and a brush is mounted at the distal end of the rod. The brush has a first portion extending outwardly toward the continuous sidewall, and a second portion extending downwardly along the continuous side wall, at least said second portion of the brush having bristles deployed for sweeping product from the continuous sidewall of the elongated bottle as the threaded cap is removed from and replaced on the threaded neck of the bottle.

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to my provisional patent application serial No. 60/249,588, filed Nov. 17, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention herein relates to a cosmetics brush for use in an elongated mascara container, the brush adapted to accumulate mascara from sidewall of the container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Mascara containers generally have an elongated bottle defining a reservoir with mascara product therein, and a cap with an applicator rod and brush on the end thereof. The bottle has a threaded neck and wiper. To close the container, the rod and brush are inserted through the wiper and the cap is screwed onto the threaded neck of the bottle. The brush picks up mascara in the reservoir when the cap is on the bottle. 
     To apply the mascara, the cap is unscrewed and the rod and brush are withdrawn through the wiper. The wiper removes excess mascara, and leaves the desired amount on the brush for application. 
     Between uses, the bottle may be in a horizontal orientation, such as in a purse or a makeup bag. The mascara may then accumulate along one side of the reservoir, and load the brush along that side. Also, because the brush is generally inserted along the axis of the elongated bottle, mascara may accumulate on all of the sidewalls and not contact the brush for loading. 
     Italian patent 1,263,206 shows a mascara container in which the brush is placed on the end of a bent rod, so that the brush contacts the sidewall of the container. While this causes contact between the brush and the container wall, the configuration does not maximize the ease of construction, flexibility, brush loading or application possibilities described below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved mascara container wherein the brush is configured to load mascara from the sidewalls of the product reservoir. 
     According to the invention herein, a mascara container comprises an elongated bottle having a continuous sidewall defining a product reservoir. The bottle has a threaded neck and wiper providing access to the product reservoir. The mascara container also has a cap removably threaded onto the neck of the bottle, the cap having a rod extending through the wiper into the product reservoir, and a brush deployed on the distal end of the rod. The rod is generally axially received in the elongated bottle, and the brush at the distal end of the rod extends outwardly toward the continuous sidewall of the bottle and thereafter downwardly along the continuous sidewall of the bottle. Rotation of the cap in unscrewing it from the neck of the bottle also revolves the brush about the axis of the bottle, with the brush thereby sweeping or wiping the continuous sidewall of the bottle. 
     Other objects and features of the invention will in part be readily understood by those skilled in the art and will in part appear from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the claims, taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a cosmetics container according to the invention herein; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of another cosmetics container according to the invention herein, similar to FIG. 1 but with an alternate brush; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of another cosmetics container according to the invention herein, similar to FIG. 1 but with another alternate brush; and 
     FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of another cosmetics container according to the invention herein, similar to FIG. 1 but with another alternate brush. 
    
    
     The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout various figures. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a mascara container  10  having an elongated bottle  12  with a continuous sidewall  14 . The bottle has a threaded neck  16  in which a wiper  18  is positioned. The wiper  18  defines a wiper orifice  20 . The bottle  12  defines a reservoir  22 , in which mascara (not shown) is contained. The sidewall  14  is cylindrical with an axis A. In the embodiment shown, the bottle has an outside diameter of about 0.510 inches and an inside diameter Di of about 0.450 inches. Bottles with inside diameters in the range of about 0.500 inches to about 0.800 inches may be used. The wiper orifice  20  is centered on the axis A, so that the axis of the rod is also designated at A. 
     The mascara container  10  further includes a cap  24  which is threadably received on the neck  16 . The cap  24  has a rod  26  extending downwardly therefrom through the wiper orifice  20  and into the product reservoir  22 , along the axis A. A brush  30  is secured to the distal end  28  of the rod  26 . The brush  30  has a twisted wire stem  32  and a plurality of radially extending bristles  34 . The brush  30  is characterized in that the twisted wire stem  32  is bent into a first portion  32   a  which extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis A of the rod  26  and bottle  12  at an angle F of approximately 15 degrees, and a second portion  32   b  which extends downwardly and is substantially parallel to and offset from the axis A. The bristles  34  extending from stem portion  32   b  have sufficient length that their tips either touch or lie closely adjacent to the sidewall  14  of the bottle  12 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the portion of brush  30  including stem  32   b  has a diameter B of about 0.250 inches, and just touches the sidewall  14 . Thus, the twisted wire stem  32   b  is offset from the axis A by about 0.100 inches. It will be appreciated that these dimensions are subject to manufacturing tolerances in trimming the brush and in bending the brush and attaching it to the rod. It is satisfactory that the brush either lightly engage and wipe the sidewall, or that it come close to the sidewall, as the result of manufacturing tolerances. Also, different dimensions may be used that place the outer surface of the brush at or near the sidewall, e.g. a somewhat larger diameter brush with less offset. Brushes with diameters in the range of about 0.200 inches to about 0.400 inches may be used with the appropriate offset. 
     The upper stem portion  32   a  also preferably has bristles, which may be shorter than the bristles extending from portion  32   b  of the twisted wire stem. 
     When the cap  24  is unscrewed from the threaded neck  16  of bottle  12 , the applicator rod  26  is also rotated. This causes portion  32   b  of the twisted wire stem  32  being offset from the axis A to revolve about the axis A, with the bristles extending from stem portion  32   b  adjacent the continuous sidewall  14  of the bottle  12 . Thus, these bristles of the brush  30  pick up mascara from the entire inside circumference of the sidewall  14  of the bottle  12 , and also mix and stir mascara lying against the sidewall  14 , keeping pigments well dispersed and preventing drying and caking of the surface of the mascara. After the cap is unscrewed, the applicator and brush are withdrawn for use. Because of the offset in brush  30 , it also tends to wipe and stir mascara in the upper portion of bottle  12  as the brush is withdrawn and inserted. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates another mascara container  40  according to the invention herein. The bottle  12 , wiper and cap (not shown), and applicator rod  26  are the same as those described above with respect to a mascara container  10 . The mascara container  40  is characterized by a brush  42  having a twisted wire stem  44  which is bent into three portions  44   a,    44   b  and  44   c.  Stem portion  44   a  extends downwardly from the rod  26  along the axis A of the bottle  12 . Stem portion  44   b  extends at an angle F 2  of approximately 30 degrees from the axis A, and stem portion  44   c  extends parallel to and offset from the axis A. Portion  44   c  has bristles  46  extending therefrom, and portions  44   a  and  44   b  has shorter bristles  48  extending therefrom. 
     In the mascara container  40 , the bristles  46  define a diameter B 2  of approximately 0.250 inches; however, the portion  44   c  of the twisted wire stem  44  is offset from the axis A by about 0.130 inches, so that the outer 0.030 inches of the bristles  44  engage the sidewall  14 , and are somewhat bent as they lie against it. This provides a better wiping action with respect to mascara on the sidewall. The length of the bristle portions placed against the sidewall is preferably limited, so as not to greatly distort the brush or result in a permanent “bend” of some of the bristles  46  if stored for a period of time. It is believed that no more than about 0.050 to 0.060 inches of bristle length should engage the sidewall if long storage time is anticipated. Therefore, the portion of the bristles engaging the sidewall may be in the range of about 0.030 inches to about 0.060 inches. 
     When the cap of mascara container  40  is rotated to unthread it from the bottle  12 , the portion  44   c  of the twisted wire stem  44  revolves about the axis A, and the bristles  46  extending therefrom sweep the sidewall  14  of the bottle  12  to load mascara onto the brush and to mix and stir the mascara. 
     In FIGS. 1 and 2, the shorter bristles on the portions  32   a,    44   a  and  44   b  of the stems  32  and  44 , respectively, also accumulate mascara product, and by virtue of the shortness of the bristles, carry a substantial amount of product with them as the brush is withdrawn from the bottle through wiper orifice  20 . These areas of the stem with their shorter bristles and greater product concentration can be used to transfer mascara to eyelashes, with the longer bristles providing a combing function. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates another cosmetics container  50  according to the invention herein, having a bottle  52  with sidewall  54  and a cap (not shown but similar to cap  24  and sized for bottle  52 ) with depending rod  26 . A brush  60  is secured to the distal end  28  of the rod  26 . 
     The brush  60  has a twisted wire stem  62  including a portion  62   a  extending outwardly from the rod at an angle F 3  of about 60 degrees from the axis A of the rod, and a portion of  62   b  extending parallel to and offset from the axis A. Longer bristles  66  are secured to the portion  62   b  of the twisted wire stem, and shorter bristles  68  are secured to the portion  62   a  of the twisted wire stem  62 . The sharper angle of divergence from the rod provides a shoulder at  69 , which may cooperate with various wiper configurations and also provides an additional application area for the mascara. 
     The bottle  52  has an outside diameter of 0.844 inches and an inside diameter D 3  of approximately 0.764 inches. The bristles  66  extending from portion  62   b  of the twisted wire them have a diameter B 3  of about 0.350 inches and are deployed with their tips closely adjacent to or just touching the sidewall  52 . Thus, the offset between axis A and the portion  62   b  of the twisted wire stem is about 0.207 inches, which is achieved with the portion  62   a  of the twisted wire stem. Again, the dimensions given are design dimensions which are expected to vary by manufacturing tolerances. However, even given that the dimensions will vary somewhat, the brush  60  will sweep the sidewall  54  as the cap is twisted on and off, to utilize and stir the mascara collected there. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates another mascara container  70  according to the invention, which has a bottle  72  with sidewall  74 , and a cap (not shown) with a depending rod  26 . A brush  76  is secured to the distal end  28  of the rod, and has a twisted wire stem  78  with a first portion  78   a  extending at angle F 4  of approximately 45 degrees from the axis A of the rod and a second portion  78   b  parallel to and offset from the axis A of the rod. The portion  78   b  of the twisted wire stem has longer bristles  80 , and the portion  78   a  also has bristles  82 , which may be trimmed to taper into the bristles  80 . 
     Bottle  72  has an outside diameter of 0.640 inches and an inside diameter D 4  of about 0.570 inches. The portion of the brush formed about stem portion  78   b  has a diameter of about 0.300 inches and stem portion  78   b  is offset from axis A by about 0.150 inches, so that the distance between stem  78   b  and the sidewall  74  is about 0.135 inches, i.e., about 0.015 inches less than the radius of the brush. Thus, the bristles positively but lightly sweep the sidewall as the cap of the mascara container  70  is twisted on and off. 
     The use of a twisted wire brush permits fabricating the mascara containers  10 ,  40 ,  50  and  70  with standard componentry rods and caps, with the offsets being provided by bending the twisted wire brushes. The amount and angles of the bends are easily achieved and can also be easily varied for different desired characteristics of the overall mascara container. 
     All of the mascara containers  10 ,  40 ,  50  and  70  therefore have brushes which pick up mascara from adjacent the sidewalls  14  of their respective bottles, with the benefits discussed above and other benefits apparent to those skilled in the art, including ease of manufacture and flexibility of configuration and use. It will be appreciated that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative, and that the scope of the invention is limited only by the following claims.