Patent Publication Number: US-2019191842-A1

Title: Curler spoon

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention refers to the design of a spoon used to curl eyelashes. This new design refers to the use of an ergonomic spoon which purpose is to curl eyelashes. This design focuses its characteristics in the fact that it can easily and rapidly curl eyelashes without damaging them by means of an ergonomic and hygienic design because of its friendly use in different ways. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Within the market there are curlers which may damage the eyelashes or even cut them off, most of the customers who use spoons to curl their eyelashes seek a spoon that will adapt to their comfort, selecting amongst those which are used for tea and/or coffee, these spoons are not designed to curl eyelashes. 
     Some are integrated by two or more pieces, which is why they could be unhygienic because of the dirt stored in the pieces&#39; joints and in some cases the users modify them so that they can be used as an eyelash curler. 
     Currently there are spoons that are sold specifically as an eyelash curler, within which there are no special designs, not all users are comfortable using them, which results that these products don&#39;t properly curl their eyelashes. The existing products in the market that customers use to curl their eyelashes manage to have bevels in its contact surface with the eyelashes and/or the contact surface deforms, creating a bevel shape, damaging the eyelashes and even cutting them off. 
     Due to the requirements regarding the functionality, hygiene, esthetics and shape. The present invention is focused in the ergonomic design in shape and application of a curler spoon for eyelashes satisfying such requirements. 
     OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the objectives of the present invention is the possibility of making a curler spoon for eyelashes with the ergonomic characteristics that allow a more comfortable use of the spoon. 
     Another objective is that set curling spoon has a configuration in its edges that drastically reduce the wear down of the eyelashes with its use. 
     Yet another objective is that its design makes that such device is hygienic since it doesn&#39;t have corners which keeps any kind of residue that may decompose over the time of its use. 
     And all of these objectives and advantages that will be evident with the reading of the present disclosure, jointly with the figures that are enclosed for illustrative but not limitative purposes to integrate this description. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The design of the curling spoon is integrated by a single piece, since its more convenient to develop it this way, so that the product is hygienic and practical to clean avoiding the accumulation of dirt. Given the thickness of the handle the most convenient manufacturing is foundry or injection because for traditional spoons its elaboration is generally die-cutting since they have a small and uniform thickness. For its requirements the material used may be stainless steel and or a polymer which is not porous nor absorbent, resistant against impacts or scratches and which is easy to clean and sanitize. 
     Nevertheless, the continuous improvement and innovation in the industry and the adjustment to the current consumers market, the manufacturing process and the materials may be different in the future. Taking into consideration that due to its surface it may have engravings, cuts, impressions, laminated, adhesives and or decorative accessories without any problem. 
     To achieve this, the spoon, object of the present invention is integrated by three longitudinal sections. In the longitudinal end of the concave section, which will be in contact with the eyelashes, has a curve on the edge, inwards in the longitudinal plane which elongates almost reaching the endpoint vertex. This curvature presented both in the horizontal plane as the vertical plane when the spoon is in any position, whether its vertical or horizontal. It may go on the right or left side. This will allow an easy use even for left-handed users. 
     The concave ending of the spoon has four sections in its edges, the endpoint vertex with is described in the next paragraph, the section with an outward convex curve in the side of the edge with an outward concave section and the opposite section where the curvature is always outwards. 
     The endpoint vertex of the concave part is not completely acute but it&#39;s rounded to allow the curling of the eyelashes located in the corners of the lid. 
     Between the longitudinal concave ending and the opposite ending the spoon presents a neck that thins down in every way, the longitudinal ending opposite to the concavity in the other ending, to broaden out in the transversal plane. We may call this section the neck. This section is set in one of the fingers depending on the user&#39;s habits so it&#39;s comfortable to use the spoon. 
     The opposite longitudinal ending of the section with the concavity which we&#39;ll call handle also has a special configuration, with a greater amount of material than the other sections. This handle has a bulge in the center which vanishes towards the endings by the inferior, superior and lateral parts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  shows a frontal view of the spoon&#39;s proposals 
         FIG. 2  shows a frontal view of the spoon split by segments; head ( 2 A), neck ( 2 B) and handle ( 2 C). 
         FIG. 3  shows a left lateral view ( 3 B), superior ( 3 E), frontal ( 3 A), Inferior ( 3 F), right lateral view ( 3 C) and back view ( 3 D) of the spoon resulting in the four curvatures of the spoon&#39;s head (a), (b), (c), (d). 
         FIG. 4  shows a frontal view indicating a longitudinal cut of the spoon. 
         FIG. 5  shows a frontal view indicating a transversal cut of the spoon&#39;s head. 
         FIG. 6  shows a frontal view indicating a cut in the vertex of the curvatures that are located furthest from the head&#39;s axis of the spoon. 
         FIG. 7  shows an isometric render of the spoon. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The curling spoon for eyelashes referred in the present invention is an ergonomic spoon which application is to curl the eyelashes. The design of the spoon was obtained from an ergonomic study for users older than 12 years. 
       FIG. 1  shows the final design proposals of the spoon after executing various tests by means of three-dimensional impressions to study the use of the spoons through different prototypes in various proof sessions and discussion groups reviewing the design of the three essential segments of the spoon, head, neck and handle ( 1 A) ( 1 B) ( 1 C) ( 1 D). 
       FIG. 1  shows the definite proposal ( 1 D) and a spoon with an inverted head as a first modality ( 1 C), since it is suggested as an alternative use for customers that require an inverted head for its use. 
       FIG. 2  shows the segments of the spoon referred in the present invention characterized for the head ( 2 A), neck ( 2 B) and handle ( 2 C). The length of the spoon&#39;s head ( 2 A) represents the 32% of the total longitudinal dimension of the spoon, having in its widest point a maximum thickness of 22.36% and 6% respectively of the total longitudinal dimension of the spoon. 
     The length of the spoon&#39;s neck ( 2 B) represents the 18% of the total longitudinal dimension of the spoon having in its widest point a maximum thickness of 7.26% and 5% respectively of the total longitudinal dimension of the spoon. 
     The length of the spoon&#39;s handle ( 2 C) represents the 50% of the total longitudinal dimension of the spoon having in its widest point a maximum thickness of 1.4% and 1.05% respectively of the total longitudinal dimension of the spoon. 
     It may be that the users manipulate the spoon in different ways obtaining good results when curling their eyelashes. However, the suggested use of the curling spoon stablishes that each segment must interact particularly with a part of the hand. The spoon&#39;s head ( 2 A) interacts with the tip of the thumb moderately pressing the eyelashes over the concave side of the spoon&#39;s head in any of its four curvatures as shown in  FIG. 3 .-( a ) ( b ) ( c ) ( d ) and rotating the wrist of the hand to curl the eyelashes. 
     The use of the four curvatures of the head (a) (b) (c) (d) depends on how the user adapts to curl the different areas of the eyelashes.  FIG. 3  shows the curvatures of the spoon&#39;s head in different views of the spoon. The curvature (a) in the frontal view ( 3 A) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=−0.0138x 2 +0.6816x+0.5175”; the curvature (b) in the frontal view ( 3 A) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=−0.1058x 2 +1.3825x−0.2775”; the curvature (c) in the frontal view ( 3 A) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=0.0168x 2 +0.2793x+0.0263”; and the curvature (d) in the frontal view ( 3 A) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=−0.0178x 2 +0.7006x+0.0848”. 
     The curvature (a) in the left lateral view ( 3 B) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=−0.0016x 2 +0.0959x−0.3015”. The curvature (b) in the superior view ( 3 E) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=0.0003x 2 −0.003x+0.0039”, and the curvature (c) in the superior view ( 3 E) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=0.0105x 2 −0.1803x+0.7404”. The curvature (c) in the right lateral view ( 3 C) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=0.0041x 2 −0.1039x+0.6691” and the curvature (d) in the right lateral view ( 3 C) has been able to be represented by the equation “y=−0.0028x 2 +0.1239x−0.095”. 
     The head&#39;s curvatures have a rounding that may be appreciated in the cut of  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , which has contact with the tip of the thumb and the eyelashes when curling them without making any damage. The spoon&#39;s neck ( 2 B) interacts with the fluted area of interphalangeal flexion of the index finger as a support. The spoon&#39;s handle ( 2 C) interacts with the palm&#39;s gap and with the interphalangeal region of the middle, ring and little finger for holding the handle and give support. 
     With this configuration different manual and ergonomic configurations are established with the three segments of the spoon in which the spoon&#39;s handle ( 2 C) interacts with the palm&#39;s gap and with the interphalangeal region of the middle, ring and little finger for holding the handle and give support, the spoon&#39;s neck ( 2 B) interacts with the fluted area of interphalangeal flexion of the index finger as a support. 
     The spoon&#39;s head ( 2 A) with its four curvatures serve to be able to curl the different areas of the eyelashes by means of the interaction with the tip of the thumb, moderately pressing the eyelashes with the concave side of the spoon&#39;s head in any of its four curvatures as shown in  FIG. 3 ( a ) ( b ) ( c ) ( d )  and turning the wrist of the hand in order to curl the eyelashes. 
     The use of the four curvatures of the head (a) (b) (c) (d) depends on how does the customer adapts to curl the different areas of the eyelashes, although it is recommended that the curvatures (a) and (d) are used to curl the middle region where the biggest lashes are located, since these are the broader curvatures and with the curvatures (b) and (c) to be used to curl both endings of the lid, since these are the narrower curvatures and may manage to curl the smallest lashes, contrary to the products in the market that are not able to properly curl the small eyelashes. 
     The head&#39;s curvatures have a rounding that, which has contact with the tip of the thumb and the eyelashes can be curled them without making any damage, since the existing products in the market used by customers to curl eyelashes manage to have bevels in the contact surface with the eyelashes and/or the material used in the contact surface gets deformed creating a bevel shape that damages the eyelashes and even cutting them off. 
     The design is hygienic and practical to clean and sanitize since the surface of the spoon is smooth, without being porous, nor absorbent and is resistant to smashes and scratches, and therefore avoiding any dirt that may accumulate. This design focusses its characteristics in the fact that it may rapidly and easily curl the eyelashes without damaging them, by means of an ergonomic and hygienic design by the friendly use of the product in different ways. 
     The invention has been sufficiently described that a person with average knowledge in the subject may reproduce and obtain the mentioned results in the present invention. Nevertheless any skillful person in the field of technology corresponding to the present invention may be able to make non described modifications in the present application so that the implementation of those modifications in a determined structure or in its manufacturing process which is the matter claimed in the following demands, will be required, such structures must be comprehended within the scope of the invention.