Abstract:
An applicator assembly for cosmetic liquids, in particular a mascara tester, is provided with a container for holding the cosmetic liquid, a closure cap for the container and a wiper for the cosmetic liquid, which lodges in the neck of the container. In an intermediate stage of manufacture of the applicator assembly, the wiper is detachably mounted on the closure cap. In a subsequent stage of manufacture, upon insertion of the closure cap into the container neck, the wiper is durably fixed there.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to an applicator assembly for cosmetic liquids, in particular to a mascara tester, comprising  
           [0003]    a container for holding the cosmetic liquid, which has a main body and a neck;  
           [0004]    a closure cap, which is detachably insertable into the neck and comprises  
           [0005]    a handle member for handling the applicator assembly, which stays outside the neck,  
           [0006]    a closing member for closing the container, which is insertable into the neck, and  
           [0007]    an applicator holder to be positioned in the container;  
           [0008]    an applicator for the cosmetic liquid, which is disposed on the applicator holder, in particular a mascara brush; and  
           [0009]    a wiper for the cosmetic liquid, which lodges in the neck of the container.  
           [0010]    2. Background Art  
           [0011]    As everybody knows, applicator assemblies of the generic type comprise a container that holds the cosmetic liquid. The liquid is in the main body of the container. A neck on the container serves for the accommodation and mounting of a detachable closure cap, which can be tightly inserted therein and comprises a handle member that remains outside the neck for the applicator assembly to be handled, a closing member that can be inserted into the neck and serves for closing the container and a holder for the applicator which can be positioned in the container. An applicator for the respective cosmetic liquid and in particular a mascara brush is disposed on the holder. The applicator assembly according to the invention may however also be used for liquid lip gloss, eye shadow, eye liner, nail varnish and the like. The applicator is suited to the respective purpose.  
           [0012]    Finally, applicator assemblies of the species have a wiper for the cosmetic liquid, which is disposed in the neck of the container and, as a rule, has an orifice for the applicator to pass through, the inside diameter of this orifice being smaller than the outside diameter of the applicator. Thus any excess cosmetic liquid is stripped off when the applicator is withdrawn from the container, dropping back into the container.  
           [0013]    There is the fundamental requirement to have applicator assemblies which, as far as possible, can be filled and then closed automatically. The filling and closing job is desired to take place in as short a time as possible.  
           [0014]    In this context, the wiper and its narrow orifice pose a problem, because the cross-sectional area of the jet of filling compound and thus the filling rate are strongly restricted.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    It is an object of the invention to improve an applicator assembly for cosmetic liquids so that the processes of filling, of mounting the wiper and of closing the filled container can be strongly rationalized and may in particular take place rapidly on automatic fillers.  
           [0016]    This demands for a special design and manipulation of the wiper. The invention is reflected by a mixture of features in terms of apparatus and manufacturing engineering. For instance, in an intermediate stage of manufacture of the applicator assembly, the wiper is detachably mounted on the closure cap. In a subsequent stage of manufacture, when the closure cap is inserted into the neck of the filled container, the wiper is durably fixed in the neck of the container. This sequence implies that the container is first filled over the full cross-sectional area of the neck and then the wiper is fixed in the neck. This sequence is preferably ensured by the fact that on the one hand the wiper is fixed by press-fit on the closure cap and that on the other hand the wiper is provided outside with a locking projection, it being possible to engage the locking projection with a locking recess on the inside of the container neck for the wiper to be fixed. The design of the press-fit and locking engagement must respect that the locking force is greater than the force of press-fit disengagement. This ensures that the wiper is fixed when first inserted into the container neck, and that it stays where it is in the neck when the closure cap is removed for the first time.  
           [0017]    The stop construction preferably put into practice for the wiper and the neck aids in the fixing of the wiper in the container.  
           [0018]    Furthermore, the closure cap is fixable in its closed position on the container by corresponding locking engagement. In this regard, closing the cap is accompanied with very simple handling, which can very well be put into practice mechanically. The optional provision of a serrated or wave pattern on the edge of the container neck and of a corresponding counterpart pattern of serrations or waves on the closure cap enables the consumer to open the cap conventionally by rotation. This also helps in a gentle opening of the applicator assembly.  
           [0019]    The preferred embodiment of the handle member as a hollow handle that is open counter to the direction of insertion, having in particular a plane ring surface that encircles the opening of the handle member, serves for further improvement of the possibility of automatic mounting of the applicator assembly. Corresponding handling elements may reach into the opening of the handle member and provide for proper vertical press-fit of the cap in the container neck.  
           [0020]    Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of an exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention, taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a mascara tester in the closed position of the closure cap;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of the closure cap with a wiper disposed thereon in an intermediate stage of manufacture; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view of the container of the mascara tester prior to the insertion of the wiper.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 illustrates the main components of a test applicator for mascara. A substantially elongated cylindrical container  1  is provided. The main body  2  of this container  1  holds the mascara (not shown). A neck  3  is placed on the opening of the main body  2 , forming a single piece therewith; a closure cap, which is designated by  4  in its entirety, is detachably insertable into the neck  3 . The closure cap  4  consists of a handle member  5 , which remains outside the neck; a closing member  6 , which can be inserted and anchored in the container neck  3 , closing the container  1 ; and a shank  7  to be positioned in the container, serving for the mounting of the virtual applicator in the form of a mascara brush  8 . When the container  1  is filled and closed, the mascara brush  8  dips into mascara.  
         [0025]    In order for excess liquid to be removed that adheres to the brush  8  when it is withdrawn from the container  1 , provision is made for a stripping device  9 —a so-called “wiper”—which is located between the shank  7  of the closure cap  4  and the neck  3  of the container  1 . This wiper  9  is a substantially annular insert, which tapers in the direction of insertion E of the closure cap  4  and is equipped with a centrical orifice  10  for the mascara brush  8  and the shank  7 . The inside diameter of the orifice  10  is smaller than the outside diameter of the mascara brush  8  so that the mentioned mascara stripping effect is attained upon withdrawal of the brush  8 .  
         [0026]    For the closure cap  4  to be fixed in the container neck  3 , an encircling annular locking projection  12  is provided on the outer jacket  11  of the closing member  6  (FIG. 2), cooperating with an encircling annular locking recess  13  in the form of a complementary groove on the inside  14  of the container neck. Upon insertion of the closure cap  4  into the container neck  3 , the locking projection  12  and the locking recess  13  engage with each other, which ensures the container  1  to be safely mounted and tightly closed.  
         [0027]    As seen in particular in FIG. 3, the edge  16  which encircles the insertion hole  15  of the neck is designed as a peripherally encircling, more or less serrated wave pattern  17 , which cooperates with a complementarily serrated counterpart wave pattern  18  on the end, on the side of the container, of the handle member  5  of the closure cap  4 . The counterpart pattern  18  is roughly outlined by the noses  19  seen in a section in FIG. 2. The wave pattern  17  and the counterpart pattern  18  may be simplified to such an extent that only a slope and a counterpart slope will remain.  
         [0028]    In the position of interlocking of the locking projection  12  and the locking recess  13 , the wave pattern  17  and the counterpart wave pattern  18  rest within each other so that, upon rotation of the closure cap  14  about its axis of rotation  20 , the counterpart pattern  18  is lifted from the wave pattern  17 , which releases the interlocking. Opening the closure cap  4  takes place conveniently by rotation as the consumer is used to.  
         [0029]    Another special feature of the mascara tester resides in the attachment and mounting of the wiper  9 . In the intermediate stage of manufacture seen in FIG. 2, the wiper  9  is placed by gentle press-fit, and thus fixed, on an annular shoulder  21  of the closing member  6 . The shank  7  for the mascara brush  8  reaches through the orifice  10 . An annularly encircling locking projection  22  is provided outside on the wiper  9  approximately centrally of the longitudinal extension thereof and cooperates with a corresponding encircling locking recess  23  on the inside  14  of the container neck  3 . In the direction of insertion E, this locking recess  23  is located further inwards than the mentioned locking recess  13  that cooperates with the locking projection  12  of the closure cap  4 .  
         [0030]    On the edge of the wiper  9  that is turned away from the orifice  10 —i.e. after the locking projection  22  in the direction of insertion E—an encircling annular stop projection  24  that sticks out is molded on in a single piece, cooperating with an annular stop shoulder  25  on the container neck  3 . Counter to the direction of insertion E, the annular stop shoulder  25  is preceded by a flat, annularly encircling rear recess  26 , which ensures additional locking engagement of the wiper  9  via the annular stop projection  24 .  
         [0031]    As seen from the illustration of the handle member  5  of FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle member  5  has a concave shape externally, which gives a recessed grip  29  and is especially handy. The handle member  5  is hollow virtually over its entire length and open counter to the direction of insertion E. This opening  27  of the handle member  5  is encircled by a plane ring surface  28  so that the handle member  5  can be seized and manipulated in a defined way by means of a handling tool of an automatic assembly machine. Afterwards, the opening may be closed by a cap  30  (roughly outlined by dashes in FIG. 1).  
         [0032]    The process of mounting, filling and closing takes place mechanically by the closure cap  4  and the wiper  9  being pre-assembled as the unit seen in FIG. 2 and then supplied to the course of manufacture. The container  1  is filled in the completely opened condition via the neck  3  which, as seen in FIG. 3, has no constriction. Then the automatic handling machine presses the unit formed by the closure cap  4  and the wiper  9 —mascara brush  8  first—in the direction of insertion E into the container  1 . The locking projection  22  of the wiper  9  engages with the corresponding locking recess  23  on the container neck  3 , fixing the wiper  9 . The locking projection  12  on the closing member  6  engages with the corresponding locking recess  13  on the container neck  3 , as a result of which the closure cap  4  is reliably retained on the container  1 .  
         [0033]    When the mascara tester is opened for the first time, the press-fit of the wiper  9  on the closing member  6  is released as the closure cap  4  is withdrawn and the wiper  9  retained in the container  1  by the interlocking  22 / 23 .  
         [0034]    For the sake of completeness, it must be added that the container  1 , the closure cap  4  and the wiper  9  may consist of customary plastic materials such as PP, PE, PET, PVC or PA. As for the design of the handle member  5 , various cross-sectional shapes are conceivable; but, given the concavely recessed grip  29 , a round cross-sectional shape must be preferred for ergonomic reasons.