Patent Publication Number: US-9839282-B1

Title: Cosmetic brush device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a novel and useful cosmetic brush device particularly useful to apply eyeliner about the eye of a human. 
     Cosmetics have been used since ancient times for esthetic purposes and to protect facial skin from the harmful rays of the sun. For example, eyeliner markings are believed to have been used at least as early as ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as is evidenced by art from this period. In the twentieth century, cosmetics, including eyeliners, have been very commonly used by women in the western world. 
     Eyeliner impressions can be softly applied or clearly defined. Also, eyeliners may take the form of a liquid, a powder-based material, a wax-based material, a cream or a gel. In general, the application of such eyeliner materials is effected with pencils, pens or brushes. 
     To properly apply eyeliner, a fair degree of skill is required. Prior art brushes for creating eyeliner applications have resulted in inconsistent appearances, requiring reapplications, which is time consuming and frustrating. 
     Many brushes and applicators have been devised to apply cosmetics to the skin of a user. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,345,644, 5,709,230, and 8,256,437 show cosmetic application brushes in which bristles are extended along a central core and extended therefrom in various configurations to apply cosmetics to the eyelashes or hair. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,987 and Japanese patent application 201029567 describe brushes for applying cosmetics that utilize a central shaft and bristles that extend therefrom in a discontinuous fashion. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,895,698 shows an applicator brush having two sets of bristles of varying lengths inside by side configuration and held by a ferrule. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,104,132 teaches an applicator brush which provides for a protruding tuft extending from companion bristles of shorter length than the tuft. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,779,532 and 7,950,402 illustrate cosmetic brushes which have curved end portions. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,998,315 and 5,450,865 describe brushes that include end portions that have sliced or scalped bristles. 
     A cosmetic brush which is particularly suitable for the application of eyeliner would be a notable advance in the field of cosmetics. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention a novel and useful cosmetic brush device is herein provided. 
     The cosmetic brush device of the present application includes a plurality of bristles mounted to a base holder which may be in the form of a collar or ferrule. The plurality of bristles include a first portion located adjacent the base holder. The first portion has a first part possessing a relatively narrow transverse dimension. Likewise, the first portion of the plurality of bristles also include a second part possessing a relatively wide transverse dimension. An intermediate part, positioned between the first part and second parts of the first portion of the plurality of bristles, possesses a transverse dimension having a value between the transverse dimension of the first and second parts. In other words, the first portion of the plurality of bristles located adjacent the base holder graduate between a narrow transverse dimension and a relatively wide transverse dimension. 
     A second portion of the plurality of bristles is located outwardly from the base holder at a greater distance than the first portion of the plurality of bristles. The second portion of the plurality of bristles terminate in free tips of the plurality of bristles to form a crest or peak. The crest may take the form of a curved crest that may be a symmetrical convex curved crest. The transverse dimension of the crest is less than the transverse dimension of first part of the first portion of the plurality of bristles. 
     Further, the cosmetic brush device of the present invention may include a lateral support to the first, second, and intermediate parts of the first portion of the plurality of bristles. The lateral support lies between the base holder and the first, second and intermediate parts of the first portion of the plurality of bristles. Such lateral support may graduate in width between the first and second parts of the first portion of the plurality of bristles. 
     It may be apparent that a novel and useful cosmetic brush device has been hereinabove provided. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic brush device that is particularly contoured to allow the user to apply cosmetic compounds to the body of the user. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a cosmetic brush device that is particularly useful for the application of eyeliner material. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a cosmetic brush device that may be employed with eyeliner material in the form of a liquid, powder, wax, or gel. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a cosmetic brush device that allows the user to accurately produce an eyeliner pattern above the upper lashes of the eye. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a cosmetic brush device which may be used to apply eyeliner material to create an esthetic appearance that draws attention to eye of the user. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cosmetic brush device for the application of eyeliner material which is easily used by persons of little or moderate skill in the cosmetology arts. 
     The invention possesses other objects and advantages especially as concerns particular characteristics and features thereof which will become apparent as the specification continues. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the cosmetic brush device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the cosmetic brush device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a left side elevational view of the cosmetic brush device of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a right side elevational view of the cosmetic brush device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an eyeliner pattern applied to an eye using the cosmetic brush device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an eyeliner pattern applied with a cosmetic brush of the prior art. 
     
    
    
     is For a better understanding of the invention reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which should be taken in conjunction with the above described drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Various aspects of the present cosmetic brush device may evolve from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof which will be referenced of the prior described drawings. 
     A cosmetic brush device of the present application is shown as a whole in the drawing by reference character  10 . Brush device  1 ,  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes as one of its elements, a plurality of bristles  12  that extend from and are held by a base holder or ferrule  14 . Ferrule  14  and plurality of bristles  12  generally lie and are oriented along axis  16 . It should be noted that ferrule  14  connects to a handle  18  which also generally lies along axis  16  and is partially shown in  FIG. 5  hereinafter. 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it may be observed that plurality of bristles  12  includes a first portion  20  located adjacent base holder or ferrule  14 . First portion is formed with a first part  22  that has a relatively narrow transverse dimension “A”,  FIG. 4 . Also, plurality of bristles  12  forms a second part  24  possessing relatively wide transverse dimension “B”,  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Intermediate part  26  lies between first narrow part  22  and second wide part  24  and possesses a transverse dimension having a value between the relatively narrow transverse dimension of first part  22  and the relatively wide transverse dimension of second part  24 . 
     First part  22 , second part  24 , and intermediate part  26  are created by the removal of bristles from segments  28  and  30  of plurality of bristles  12 ,  FIG. 2 . Of course, brush device  10  may be formed initially with shortened bristles in segments  28  and  30  rather than by removing bristle material from plurality of bristles  12 . In any case, segments  28  and  30  extend between first narrow part  22  and second wide part  24  of plurality of bristles  12 . The shortened bristles found in segments  28  and  30  decrease in width from first narrow part  22  toward second wide part  24  of first portion  20  of plurality of bristles  12 . In addition, the height if the shortened bristles in segments  28  and  30  increase from narrow first part  22  to wide second part  24  of plurality if bristles  12 , as is evidence by upwardly slanted schematic line  21  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Consequently, the bristles found in second relatively wide part  24  of plurality of bristles  12  are provided with a lateral support  31  of greater bulk that lateral support  33  adjacent first narrow part of plurality of bristles  12 .  FIGS. 1 and 4 . Lateral support  33  adjacent narrow first part  22  of plurality of bristles  12 , possesses lesser bulk than lateral support  31  due to the larger number of shortened bristles adjacent narrow first part  22 . 
     A second portion  34  of plurality of bristles  12  lies at a distance further outwardly from base holder  14  than first portion  20  of plurality of bristles  12 . Second portion  34  of plurality of bristle  12  terminates in a multiplicity of free tips  36  forming a peak or crest  38 . Crest  38  is curved and is generally symmetrically convex in configuration relative to base holder or ferrule  14 . 
     In operation, the user grasps handle  18  of brush device  10  and applies marking material such as eyeliner liquid, to the plurality of bristles  12 . Relatively wide part  24  of plurality of bristles  12  begins the marking of pattern  40 , commonly known as a “cat eye”, on the eyelid  41  of eye  42 . The brush device may be tilted to the right at the beginning of the marking stroke as shown in  FIG. 5 , or may be perpendicular to the eye  42  (not shown). Plurality of bristles of brush device  10  are then drawn over eyelid  41  and device  10  is tilted to the left ( FIG. 5 ) toward the end of the stroke, to press relatively narrow part  22  of plurality of bristles  12  against eyelid  41 . The result is a smooth double crescent, sharply define “cat eye” marking, as depicted in  FIG. 5 . It should be seen that prior art devices produce a marking  44 ,  FIG. 6 , which is not as smoothly curved as marking  40 , in  FIG. 5 . Noteably, sharp corners, such as corner  46 , of  FIG. 6  , are formed, which are deemed to be undesirable. 
     While in the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the invention, it may be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such detail without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.