Patent Publication Number: US-8117708-B2

Title: Cosmetic brush

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a cosmetic brush which is used to apply make-up to lips, eyebrows, eyelids, and cheeks, and more particularly to a cosmetic brush having a pushing bar due to which a brush head protrudes and retracts, the cosmetic brush having advantages in that it is possible to prevent the brush head from being damaged when the brush head protrudes and retracts, it has a simple structure and is manipulated in a simple manner, resulting in a competitive price, it is easy to carry because it is short, and it is convenient for those who are not familiar with tools and machines to use. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     There are a number of kinds of cosmetic brushes. One kind of cosmetic brush has a structure in which a brush head is covered and uncovered by motions of opening and closing a cover. 
     Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0400077 (Oct. 25, 2005) discloses a cosmetic brush tool in which a brush head protrudes forward out of a handle bar so as to be disposed outside the handle bar and retracts backward into the handle bar so as to be received in the handle bar. 
     Korean Utility Model Publication No. 1982-0000865 (Apr. 26, 1982) discloses a cosmetic brush having a structure which is a slight modification of a general ballpoint pen structure. In this cosmetic brush, if a brush bar encased in a casing is pushed forward, a brush head is exposed as a coil spring contracts. Conversely, if a hook button is pressed, restricting force applied to the coil spring is lifted and thus the brush head retracts into the housing. 
     There is another disclosure relating to a ballpoint pen type cosmetic brush in addition to that of Korean Utility Model Publication No. 1982-0000865. Specifically, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0304043 (Jan. 30, 2003) discloses a cosmetic lip brush having a ballpoint pen structure invented by applying the ballpoint protruding and retracting mechanism adapted in general ballpoint pens to cosmetic brushes. 
     The above cosmetic brushes disclosed in the above-mentioned documents (Korean Utility Model Publications and Utility Model Registrations) have a structure in which a ballpoint portion of a ballpoint pen is replaced with a brush portion. Accordingly, hair on the outer side of the brush portion is easily cut or bent because of the friction between the hair and the coil spring. Thus, after a long period of use, the brush is damaged and the quality of the brush deteriorates. That is, the value of the brush as a product becomes low. 
     Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0310261 (Jun. 27, 2003) discloses a cosmetic brush assembly which is provided in order to overcome the problems of the cosmetic brush disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0304043. That is, in order to solve the problem in which a pusher retracts without any resistance from the state of being protruded, an additional coil spring, which can elastically support a back portion of the pusher, is employed. 
     However, this cosmetic brush still has a problem in that the hair on the outer side of the brush portion is damaged by the coil spring disposed in the lower position of the brush. 
     In order to solve the problems encountered in the use of the cosmetic brushes disclosed in the above two utility models, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0181122 (Feb. 24, 2000) discloses a cosmetic brush having a double spring structure. 
     In the cosmetic brush disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0181122, a spring is located at a back portion while the spring is located close to the brush portion in the disclosures of Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0304043 and Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0310261. 
     Further, according to the cosmetic brush disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0181122, a pusher is always elastically supported by an additional spring, and the pusher can protrude forward and retract backward without resistance. 
     However, the cosmetic brush disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0181122 has disadvantages in that it has a complex structure because it employs two springs, it has very limited design flexibility with respect to the appearance thereof, and it is difficult to employ a brush with a small diameter. 
     As a result, the manufacturing cost of the cosmetic brush is increased. 
     Reducing the manufacturing cost is a matter of life and death for brush manufacturers who supply brushes to large cosmetics companies, when considering the brush distribution condition that the brushes are generally provided to customers for free. Accordingly, any increase in the manufacturing cost is fatal to existence of the brush manufacturers. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     The present invention is made in view of the above mentioned problems, and thus there is provided a cosmetic brush that is easy to use, can be manufactured at low cost, and can reduce damage caused to a brush head thereof. The cosmetic brush overcomes problems generally encountered in ballpoint-type cosmetic brushes, related to a cost increase attributable to the complex structure and the damage of the brush head attributable to a spring. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a cosmetic brush in which the protrusion and retraction of an object member including a brush head are accomplished using a pushing bar coupled to a cover so that the cosmetic brush has a simple structure, operates reliably, and has a structure that makes it difficult to cause damage to the brush head. 
     The cosmetic brush includes a retracting unit which is used to draw back the brush head into the main body after the object member is pushed outward for the brush head to be exposed outside and used to apply make-up. 
     The retracting unit may be a coil spring connected between the back surface of the brush head and to the main body. 
     Alternatively, the retracting unit may be implemented as a pushing bar that pushes the back end of the brush head when the cover covers an exit of the main body. 
     In a further alternative manner, protrusion and retraction of the brush head can be accomplished in the following manner: an inserting protrusion having a narrow front portion and a wider back portion is pinched by an elastic hook member of a groove member formed in a guide block of the object member; when the pushing bar is drawn back, the brush head also retracts and the guide block is stopped by a back portion of the main body; and in this state, when the pushing bar is drawn back further, the elastic hook member opens so as release the inserting protrusion of the pushing bar. 
     The invention provides stopping means ensures the stability of both a state in which the brush head of the object member is exposed outside by protruding from the main body and a state in which the brush head is received in the main body. 
     The stopping means includes a stopping member that restricts the movement range of the object member and a stiffening member, which prevents the cover from being separated from the front side or the back side of the main body. 
     Technical Solution 
     In order to accomplish the above-mentioned objects of the invention, there is provided a cosmetic brush including a main body having an exit on a front side thereof and an insertion portion on a back side thereof, an object member including a brush head which protrudes from and retracts into the main body through the exit and which is disposed on the front side of the main body, a pushing bar enabling the brush head to protrude from the main body, and a cover usually serving as a cover when it is coupled to an exit side of the main body and enabling the brush head to protrude from the main body when it is coupled to an insertion portion side of the main body by the pushing bar. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the cosmetic brush further include a retracting unit for the brush head of the object member, which is exposed outside. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the retracting unit be a coil spring connected between the back surface of the brush head and the main body. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the retracting unit be implemented as the pushing bar, which pushes back the brush head when the cover covers the exit of the main body. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the retracting unit include a groove provided in the back surface of a guide block, which is an element of the object member and is connected to the brush head on the back side, and an inserting protrusion which is provided to an end of the pushing bar, which is engaged with the groove, and which has a shape having a wider front end portion and a narrower back end portion. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the cosmetic brush further include stopping means which ensures the stability of both a state in which the brush head of the object member is protruded from the main body through the exit and a state in which the brush head is received in the main body. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the stopping means include a stiffening member which prevents the cover, coupled to the front portion or the back portion, from being separated from the main body. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the stiffening member include an elastic pinching member provided to the main body or the cover, and a pinched member provided to the main body or the cover and engaged with the elastic pinching member. 
     In the cosmetic brush, it is preferable that the stiffening member be implemented in the shape of the cover, which has a narrower front portion and a wider back portion. 
     ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT 
     As described above, since the protrusion and retraction of the object member including the brush head, which is received in the main body and moves forward and backward, are accomplished using the pushing bar coupled to the cover, the cosmetic brush has a simple structure and performs reliable operations, and furthermore, the brush head is not damaged. 
     When retracting the brush head so as to receive it in the main body after the brush head is protruded from the main body and used to apply make-up, since the inserting protrusion, having a narrow front portion and a wider back portion, is pinched by the elastic hook member of the groove member formed in the guide block of the object member, protrusion and retraction of the brush head can be accomplished in the following manner: when the pushing bar is drawn back, the brush head also retracts and the guide block is stopped by a back portion of the main body, and in this state, when the pushing bar is forcefully drawn back further, the elastic hook member opens so as release the inserting protrusion of the pushing bar. 
     As a result, it is possible to realize a competitive price. Further the cosmetic brush is easy to carry thanks to its short length. 
     The cosmetic brush according to the invention is relatively convenient to use in comparison with known cosmetic brushes. The invention minimizes damage to the brush head. The invention overcomes the problems with known ballpoint pen-type cosmetic brushes, namely problems of the damage to the brush head attributable to the spring and the high manufacturing cost attributable to the structure complexity. Accordingly, the invention has high industrial value. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are sectional views illustrating a cosmetic brush according to one embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are sectional views illustrating a cosmetic brush according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF KEY ELEMENTS IN DRAWINGS 
     B: brush 
       10 : main body 
       11 : exit 
       13 : insertion portion 
       20 : object member 
       21 : brush head 
       23 : guide block 
       25 : groove member 
       25   a : elastic hook member 
       30 : pushing bar 
       31 : inserting protrusion 
       31 : coupling disk 
     S 1 : stopping member 
     S 2 : stiffening member 
       51 : ring-shaped protrusion 
       53 A: elastic pinching member 
       53 B: pinched member 
     BEST MODE 
     Hereinafter, the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In the drawings, references with like digits in the tens place and the units place are the same, or like digits in the tens place and the units place and like characters denote like elements having the same function. If there is no particular description, elements referenced by like references are to be understood based on such criteria. 
     In the description of a cosmetic brush B according to the invention, one direction is preliminarily specified first. With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exit  11 , through which a brush head  21  of an object member  20  protrudes and retracts back into a main body  10  of a brush B, is taken as the front side, and an insertion portion  13 , through which a pushing bar  30  is inserted into the main body  10  in order to make the brush head  21  protrude from the main body  10 , is taken as the back side. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the brush B according to the invention includes a main body  10 , a cover  40 , an object member  20  including a brush head  21 , and a pushing bar  30  which functions to push the brush head  21  to cause it to protrude from the main body  10  through the exit  11  and to make the brush head  21  retract so as to be received in the main body  10 . 
     Each of the main body  10  and the cover  40  has a cylindrical shape, but the invention is not limited thereto. That is, the main body  10  and the cover  40  may have arbitrary shapes. 
     The main body  10  has the exit  11  on the front side and the inserting portion  13  on the back side. The exit  11  is provided in order to allow the brush head  21  to move into and out of the main body  10 , and the insertion portion  13  is provided in order to allow the pushing bar  41 , which pushes the brush head  21  so as to expel it from the main body  10 , to be inserted into the main body  10 . 
     The object member received in the main body  10  is composed of the brush head  21  having a variety of sizes and shapes, and the guide block  23  disposed on the back side of the brush head  21 . 
     The cover  40  is usually coupled to the main body  10  on the exit side and thus usually serves as a cover. However, when the cover is coupled to the main body  10  on the insertion portion side, the cover functions to push the brush head  21  so that the brush head  21  is located outside the main body  10  using the pushing bar  30  disposed inside the cover  40 . 
     The front end  41  (opening) of the cover  40  is open but the back end (closed end)  43  of the cover  40  is closed. The front end and the back end are named following the convention in which the cover  40  is coupled to the insertion portion  13  side of the main body  10 . 
     One end of the pushing bar  30  is fixedly coupled to the inside surface of the closed end  43  of the cover  40  using a coupling disk and an adhesive so that the pushing bar  30  is arranged in the center of the cover  40 . 
     In the case in which the cover  40  is coupled to the back side of the main body  10 , the pushing bar  30  pushes the back surface of the guide block  23  of the object member  20 , so that the brush head  21 , disposed inside the main body  10 , is protruded from the main body  10 . 
     If the cover  40  is separated from the main body  10 , the pushing bar  30  does not push the brush head  21  any more. 
     There can be a retracting unit which allows the brush head  21  to retract so that the brush head  21  can be introduced into the main body  10  as the pushing bar  30  is moved backward. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the retracting unit is a coil spring connected between the back surface of the brush head  21  and the main body  10 . The brush head  21  is introduced into the main body  10  as the coil spring pulls the brush head  21  backwards. 
     Also needed is stopping means which ensures the stability of the brush head of the object member in the state in which the brush head  21  is disposed outside the main body  10  or in the state in which the brush head  21  is received in the main body  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A variety of types of stopping means are shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     The coil spring C serving as the retracting unit may be replaced with an inserting protrusion having a shape with a wider front end and a narrower back end and a groove member, which will be described below. 
     Next, a brush B according to another embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     In the brush B shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the retracting unit, which draws back the brush head  21 , which is disposed outside the main body  10 , is composed of the inserting protrusion  31 , having a wider front end and a narrower back end and being provided to the front end (referred to according to the convention in which the cover is coupled to the insertion portion side of the main body  10 ) of the pushing bar  30 , and a groove member  25  disposed on the back side of the guide block  23  of the object member  20  and engaged with the inserting protrusion  31 . 
     The inserting protrusion  31  provided to the front end of the pushing bar  3  includes an inclined portion (front portion)  31   a , the sectional area of which increases from the front side to the back side thereof, and a separation preventing portion  31   b  provided to the back end of the inclined portion  31 , the separation preventing portion having a slanted surface having a steep slope or being at a right angle to the direction of the pushing bar  30 . 
     The groove member  25 , into which the inserting protrusion  31 , provided to the front end of the pushing bar  30 , is inserted, is formed at the guide block  23  of the object member  20 . 
     The groove  25  must be provided with an elastic hook member  25   a  around a perimeter thereof in order to securely hold the inserting protrusion  31  and properly release the inserting protrusion  31 . The inserting protrusion  31  and the groove member  25  have corresponding shapes. 
     The elastic hook member  25   a  is formed by a cut portion  25   b  (indicated by a hidden line in  FIG. 1 ) (two or more cuts formed in a cylinder) formed around the groove member  25  of the guide block  23 . 
     The elastic hook member  25   a  has an elastic force like a leaf spring due to the intrinsic elasticity of the material (a general synthetic material) of the guide block  23 . 
     When the pushing bar  30  is engaged with the groove member  25  of the guide block  23  in order to protrude the brush head  21  of the object member  20  out of the main body  10 , as the inclined portion  31   a  of the inserting protrusion  31  advances into the groove member  25 , the elastic hook member  25   a  opens, and thus the inclined portion  31   a  can be easily inserted into the groove member  25 . 
     If the separation preventing portion  31   b  is received in the groove member  25  after the inclined portion  31   a  of the inserting protrusion  31  is inserted into the groove member  25 , the elastic hook member  25   a  tends to recover its original shape, thereby tightly pinching the inserting protrusion  31 . 
     The state in which the inserting protrusion  31  perfectly engages with the groove member  25  may be the state in which a ring-type jaw  23   a  of the guide block  23  of the object member  20  is hooked by a ring-shaped protrusion  51  formed at the front end of the main body  10 , which serves as a stopping member of the stopping means so the pushing bar  30  cannot advance any further but the pushing bar  30  is still pushed, after the object member  20  is fully pushed by the pushing bar  30  and thus the brush head  21  is completely pushed out of the main body  10 . 
     Accordingly, the elasticity of the elastic hook member  25   a  and the coupling structure between the inserting protrusion and the groove member  25  must be properly determined in a manner such that the retracting unit continues to hold the object member  20  until the brush head  21  retracts into and is received in the main body  10  when the pushing bar  21  is drawn back after the brush head  21  is used. 
     If the cover  40 , i.e. the pushing bar  30 , is continuously drawn back even after the brush head  21  is completely received in the main body  10  due to the motion of the pushing bar  30 , back ends of a plurality of elastic pieces  27 , which are sloped from the front side to the back side thereof, elastically supports the inside surface of the main body  10 , contributing to a stable fixing structure, and making the object member  20  stiffly move, are stopped by the stopping member (the elastic pinching member  53 A) and the object member  20  cannot move back any further. Accordingly, if the pushing bar  30  is continuously drawn back in such state, the elastic hook member  25   a  of the guide block  23  opens, and thus the inserting protrusion  31  of the pushing bar  30  can be released from the groove member  25 . 
     For easier separation of the inserting protrusion  31  from the groove member  25 , it is preferable that the separation preventing portion  31   b  of the inserting protrusion  31  of the pushing bar  30  have a tilted structure with a larger slope than the inclined portion  31   a . The separation preventing portion  31   b  is slanted in a manner such that the sectional area thereof decreases from the front side to the back side (according to the convention in which the cover is coupled to the insertion portion side of the main body) rather than having a right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the pushing bar  30 . 
     If the cover  40  is coupled to the exit side of the main body  10 , it is possible to prevent the brush head  21  from being damaged and contaminated by foreign matter introduced into the main body through the exit  10 . 
     According to this embodiment, the pushing bar  30  sticks into the center of the brush head  21  of the object member  20  in the case in which the hair is bunched in the brush head  21 . 
     However, in the case in which the hairs are attached to each other by an adhesive, the dimensions of the main body, the brush head, the pushing bar, and the cover are adjusted in a manner such that the pushing bar is not aligned with the brush head. 
     Hereinafter, the stopping means S, which maintains both the state in which the brush head  21  of the object member  20  is protruded from the main body  10  through the exit  11  and the state in which the brush head  21  of the object member  20  is received in the main body  10 , will now be described. 
     The stopping means S includes a stopping member S 1  which defines the boundaries of the range of forward and backward motion of the object member  20  protruding and retracting inside the main body  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the stopping member S 1 , which prevents the object member  20  from being separated from the front end of the main body  10  and restricts the protruding length of the brush head  21 , is composed of the ring-shaped protrusion  51  provided to the inside surface of the main body  10  near the exit  11  and the ring-shaped jaw  23   a  provided to the back end of the guide block  23  of the object member  20 . 
     The ring-shaped protrusion  51  is generally formed so as to be perpendicularly bent inward or slightly curved inward from the back end of the guide block  23  when processing the aluminum brush casing. 
     Leaf springs are provided to the inside surface of the main body  10  near the exit  11 , thereby reducing the inner diameter of the main body  10 . Accordingly, the guide block  23  of the object member  20  stiffly advances when it reaches the space in which the leaf springs are arranged. 
     As a result, it is possible to prevent the ring-shaped jaw  23  from colliding with the ring-shaped protrusion  51 , and thus it is possible to prevent the ring-shaped jaw  23  and the ring-shaped protrusion  51  from being damaged and noise from occurring. 
     The stopping member S 1 , which prevents the object member  20  from being separated from the back end of the main body  10  and helps the inserting protrusion  31 , associated with the groove  25 , be separated from the groove  25 , is composed of an elastic pinching member  53 A serving as a stiffening member S 2  preventing the cover  40 , coupled to the back end of the main body  10 , from being decoupled, and an elastic piece  27  of the guide block  23 , which is hooked by an outer sleeve of the elastic pinching member  53 A. 
     The stiffening member S 2  prevents the cover  40  from being decoupled from the front end or the back end of the main body  10 . Accordingly, the stiffening member S 2  can prevent the brush head  21  from being damaged or contaminated with foreign matter as the cover  40  is unintentionally separated from the main body while the brush B is not being used, or is being carried. The stiffening member S 2  can further prevent the brush head  21 , which is in the state of being outside the main body  10  and being used to apply make-up, from retracting into the main body  10 , thereby ensuring convenience and reliability of use. The stiffening member S 2  is composed of the elastic pinching member  53 A provided to the inside surface of the main body  10  near the back end of the main body  10  in order to prevent the cover  40  from being decoupled from the back end of the main body  10  by abrupt pressure and shocks, and a pinched member  53 B provided to the back end (referred under the condition in which the cover is coupled to the back end of the main body) of the cover  40 . 
     The pinching member  53 A has elasticity due to a plurality of cut portions  52   a ′ (preferably 3 or 4 cuts formed at equal intervals) and the intrinsic characteristic of a material, and has inward protrusions  53   a  at the end thereof. 
     The inward protrusions  53   a  are weakly engaged with outward protrusions  53   b  provided to the end of the pinched member  53 B inserted into an inserting portion  53 A′ of the pinching member  53 A, but the inward protrusions  53   a  and the outward protrusions  53   b  are not released from each other without the application of intentional force. 
     The pushing bar  30  is also inserted into the inserting portion  53 A′ of the pinching member  53 A. 
     Even though not shown, the stiffening member may be implemented by the shape of the cover  40 , i.e. the inner structure of the cover  40 , which has a wider front end portion and a narrower back end portion. 
     In greater detail, the stopping means can be implemented by the relative relationship between the outer profile of the main body and the inner profile of the cover, i.e. between the sectional area of the outer shape of the main body and the sectional are of the inner shape of the cover. By this relative relationship, the main body and the cover are coupled to each other in a forced insertion manner so as to provide a stiff feeling, and thus the cover can be fixed at the proper position. 
     That is, such a stopping means imparts resisting force to the cover so that the cover coupled to the exit side of the main body cannot move backward any further, and the cover coupled to the inserting portion side of the main body cannot advance any further, and thus the cover is not separated from the main body by unintentional external force. 
     In greater detail, both the outer shape of the main body and the inner shape of the cover have an almost cylindrical shape. The outer shape of the main body is tapered in a manner such that the sectional area thereof decreases as it becomes nearer the front end thereof. The inner shape of the cover is tapered in a manner such that the sectional area thereof decreases as it becomes nearer the front end (under the convention in which the cover is coupled to the front exit side of the main body) thereof. 
     When the cover is coupled to the front portion or the back portion of the main body, the cover cannot move any further in the state in which the cover receives a predetermined length of the main body therein because the main body  10  is stuck inside the cover at a predetermined position. 
     In addition, if the inside surface of the cover is provided with the leaf springs, the cover and the main body can be coupled in a forced inserting manner even if the shapes of the cover and the main body precisely correspond to each other. 
     That is, thanks to such stopping means, the cover and the main body can be coupled and fixed at a predetermined position, and may not be unintentionally decoupled from each other. 
     The stopping member S 1  and the stiffening member S 2  of the stopping means S can be modified in a variety of forms, and a variety of implementations can be used in combination. 
     Even though this is not shown, it is preferable that a clip be provided to the main body or the cover so that the cosmetic brush is easy to carry and does not roll. 
     The clip can be provided to the outer surface of the cover  40 . 
     In the brush B shown in the figures, the clip cannot be provided to the main body. 
     However, if the shape of the cover is modified in a manner such that the cover has a cut portion extending from the back end to the front portion (relative to the state in which the cover is coupled to the exit side of the main body), considering the state in which the cover is coupled to the back end of the main body, the clip can be provided to the back end of the main body. In this instance, the clip is received in the cut portion when the cover is coupled to the inserting portion side of the main body.