Patent Publication Number: US-2018028395-A1

Title: Face mask application tool

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/367,759, filed on Jul. 28, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNOLOGY FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a device that is intended to apply skin care product to an anatomical area to be treated. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently, the application of skin care products to the skin surface has varying techniques which may depend upon the skin care product composition and a user&#39;s preferences. For instance, the skin care product composition may be in liquid form or paste form. In addition, the method by which the product is uniformly applied and effectively used to treat the application areas varies. For example, the method of applying skin care product in paste form may simply require a user&#39;s fingers to gently massage the product onto the skin surface. This method however, because of the use of fingers, may cause the product to be contaminated for future subsequent use. Therefore, an appropriate application tool is desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a device for applying skin care product to an anatomical area to be treated, such as the face. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to a face mask application tool for a uniform and effective application of a product, such as a skin rejuvenation product for example, to the skin surface of the face. 
     In embodiments, the disclosure provides an application tool made of silicone material, which is resistant to microbial contamination. Skin care products are able to be placed on and removed from the silicone material when transferring the product from a product container to a treatment area, such as the face of the user. The silicone material may be effectively cleaned by rinsing the application tool with water. The application tool has a brush (or bristles) portion and a bottom portion having a wide and flat area. 
     In embodiments, the application tool may be used to scoop or otherwise remove skin care product from a product container. Having the product transferred directly on the application tool prevents contamination of the product for future use. Using an application area of the application tool, the product may be applied to the treatment areas. Once the product has been uniformly applied, the user may gently massage the product into the skin. The top portion of the application tool having a brush (or bristles) portion may be used to effectively massage the product into the treatment areas of the skin surface and/or subsurface of the face. The brush portion enhances the skin&#39;s ability to absorb active ingredients of the skin care product to the surface and/or subsurface, thereby maximizing the cosmetic formula effectiveness of the product. 
     The application tool, having soft silicone, contours to the skin profile to effectively and gently remove excess product from the skin. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, show certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, help explain some of the aspects with the disclosed implementations. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a face mask application tool, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view illustrating the face mask application tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view illustrating the silicone brush (or bristles) portion of the face mask application tool of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view illustrating a contoured bottom having a flat and wide portion of the face mask application tool of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure provides a device for applying skin care product to an anatomical area to be treated, such as the face. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to a face mask application tool for a uniform and effective application of a product, such as a skin rejuvenation product for example, to the skin surface of the face of a user. The skin care product for use with the disclosed application tool may be of various compositions and forms, such as liquid, gel, paste, or other form. 
       FIGS. 1-4  illustrate an embodiment of a face mask application tool  101  that includes a top-face  103  having a brush portion  105  (with bristles  105   a,    105   b ) and a bottom-face  115 , opposite the top-face  105 , having a flat and wide area. The top-face  103 , the bottom-face  115 , and/or the brush portion  105  may be comprised of a silicone material that is resistant to microbial contamination. The brush portion  105  has a plurality of bristles (for example  105   a,    105   b ). The face mask application tool  101  has, according to an embodiment, a flat or nearly flat top-face surface  103  with a tapered-edge  110  at a proximal end and the brush portion  105  at the distal end of the top-face surface  103 . 
     The face mask application tool  101  has a number of advantages over existing cosmetic tools. In particular, the face mask application tool  101  prevents contamination of skin care product, which traditionally results from multiple uses, by transferring the skin care product directly from a product container (or jar or the like) onto the surface of the skin. In addition, the use of the brush portion of the face mask application tool when applying the skin care product onto the skin ensures active ingredients of the product are absorbed onto the skin surface and sub-surface without contamination. Therefore, use of the application tool may ensure the effectiveness of the skin care product and its integrity for subsequent, future use. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the face mask application tool  101  of  FIG. 1 . The brush portion  105  on the top-face  103  is comprised of a plurality of bristles ( 105   a,    105   b ,  105   y,  and  105   z,  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). The brush portion  105  may have a variety of configurations. For example, the brush portion  105  may have an elliptical configuration (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). In an alternative embodiment, the brush portion  105  may for example have a rectangular, circular, or non-uniform configuration. In addition, the plurality of bristles ( 105   a ,  105   b  . . . ,  105   y,  and  105   z ) may have a variety of configurations. For example, the bristles shown in  FIG. 2  have a uniform height, h. In an alternative embodiment, the bristles may have varying heights such that the skin care product being applied to the skin surface of various portions of the face is optimally absorbed and effective in treating the anatomical area. 
     The bottom-face  115  of the face mask application tool  101  may be substantially flat. In an embodiment, the bottom-face  115  may have a contoured configuration having a flat and wide surface portion. Along a proximal edge, the bottom-face  115  may have an angled, tapered edge  110   b.  Along a distal edge, the bottom-face  115  may have a wide-angled edge  120 . Tapered edge  110   b  and wide-angled edge  120  may have a variety of angled surface configurations. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the angle of surface  110   b  is greater than the angle of wide-edge  120 . In an alternative embodiment, the angles of surface  110   b  may be less than or equal to the angle of surface  120 . Tapered-edge  110   a  may be a flat portion of the top-face  103  of the application tool  101 , opposite the edge  110   b.    
       FIG. 3  shows a top view of the face mask application tool  101  having a top-face surface  103  with brush portion  105  including a plurality of bristles ( 105   y,    105   z ) in an elliptical configuration. The top-face surface  103  may have a variety of configurations. As shown in  FIG. 3 , surface  103  is flat or nearly (i.e., substantially) flat. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the surface  103  may have a variety of contours composed of a variety of materials. Along a proximal portion of top-face surface  103  is tapered-edge  110   a.  The tapered-edge  110   a  is designed to provide transfer of skin care product from the product container directly onto the surface of the skin without any contamination of the remaining product in the product container. The tapered-edge  110   a  may have a variety of configurations. In an alternative embodiment, the tapered-edge  110   a  may include a contoured configuration, such as a divot or bowl, in order to efficiently obtain skin care product from the product container with minimal loss of product. 
       FIG. 4  shows a bottom view of the face mask application tool  101  having a bottom-face surface  115  with tapered surface  110   b  along the proximal edge and wide-edge  120  along the distal edge. The tapered surface  110   b  and wide-edge  120  is angled (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). In an alternative embodiment, the bottom-face surface  115  may have tapered-edge  110   b  and wide-edge  120  with different angles or no angles. The surface  115  is made of resilient material, such as silicone, and is designed for a user to grip the application tool  101  on the palm of the user. 
     In use, a user grasps the face mask application tool  101  with the bottom-face surface  115  facing the palm of the hand of the user. The user is able to obtain skin care product from the product container by placing the tapered-edge  110   a  into the product container. The tapered-edge  110   a  is designed to hold the skin care product on its surface. The user applies, for example uniformly, the skin care product onto the skin surface of their face, or the face or other skin surface of another person. The brush portion  105  is designed to massage at least one active ingredient of the skin care product into the skin. The brush portion may be further configured to provide a soothing sensation to the skin surface and/or a sub-surface of the user. 
     Upon distribution of the skin care product onto the skin and/or absorption of, for example, one or more active ingredients, excess skin care product may be removed from surface  103 , surface  110   b,  surface  115 , surface  120 , or any combination thereof. To maintain the integrity of the application tool  101 , excess skin care product may be removed by rinsing the tool  101  under running water in-between use. 
     The face mask application tool  101  is, according to an embodiment, composed of silicone material resistant to microbial contamination. The silicone material of the face mask application tool  101  is designed to ease the removal of residual skin care product or any residual dead skin (an epidermal layer) transferred onto the tool  101 . In an embodiment, the tapered-edge  110   a  may be configured to remove excess skin care product from the skin surface of the person&#39;s face (for example, through a gentle scraping motion or the like). 
     A person skilled in the art will appreciate the device disclosed herein can have a variety of configurations and can be used in varying manners. Many variation and modifications will be apparent. Each of the aspects and embodiments described herein are capable of being used together, unless excluded either explicitly or clearly from the context of the embodiment or aspect. 
     One skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the disclosure based on the above-described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described, except as indicated by the appended claims. All publications and references cited herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.