Abstract:
An improved type of eyelash curler with a single pivot and direct connection between the handles and the pressing parts allowing the user to curl the eyelashes without causing the parts other than the pressing parts to touch the user&#39;s face. The shape and structure of the curler as well as the pressing parts enable a more effective curling of the eyelashes as the structural parts are kept away from the user&#39;s sensitive facial skin.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to eyelash curling and more particularly to an improved type of eyelash curler that curls the eyelashes in a more discrete manner. Conventional eyelash-curler designs make it unavoidable that the structural parts touch the facial skin of the user besides the eyelashes being curled as they incorporate moving mechanism with rails, frames or other structural parts to activate the pressing to crimp and curl the eyelashes. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    An eyelash curler is used to curl a user&#39;s eyelashes where the user positions the eyelashes within the operative parts of the eyelash curler. The eyelash curler curls the eyelashes between two members of the operative parts that crimp and press the eyelashes so that they take on a desired shape. 
         [0003]    In a typical use, the user will use the eyelash curler with makeup already on the user&#39;s face and eyes. Further, the eyelash curler may incorporate heat for aiding the curling function. Thus avoiding the contact from the eyelash curler with any part of the user&#39;s face other than the eyelashes themselves being curled, is a desired quality. The precise control, in addition to avoiding contact with the user&#39;s face beyond the eyelashes being curled is also one of the most desired qualities of a good eyelash curler. 
         [0004]    An embodiment of the current eyelash curler comprises of an operative part comprising of a first member and a second member, which press and curl the eyelashes, and which are movably connected to one another by structural part comprising of a single pivot, scissor-like handles. The single-pivot action allowing direct attachment of the members, which curl the eyelashes, to finger-controlled handles in the current embodiment is designed to avoid the contact of the structural parts of the curler with the user&#39;s facial skin, as opposed to the currently prevalent designs, which generally utilizes sliding mechanism for the eyelash-pressing parts, with the side rails on which one of the pressing members move. 
         [0005]    The embodiment of the new design also enables the first member and the second member to move exactly as intended by the user with relation to the other, in full control of the exact amount of pressure between the first and second members to curl the eyelashes between them. 
         [0006]    The current embodiment also incorporates new designs of the members, which press and curl the eyelashes, to avoid or minimize the contact of the structural parts where the members are attached with the facial skin. The shape of the two members engaged in the curling the eyelashes, the first member generally in blade-shape, and the second member with a softer pad to allow the pressure of the first member over the eyelashes between the two members to bend and curl the eyelashes, as well as the configuration of the connection between the softer material and the structural part, are devised to minimalize or avoid contact of the structural part, usually metallic and may have been heated, with the user&#39;s skin. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, an eyelash curler can comprise of a first member, and a second member, joined by a pivot and finger-controlled handles, where the parts that touch the user&#39;s fingers are insulated, to allow the heating of the two members that actually press the eyelashes for curling. 
         [0008]    According to certain embodiments, an eyelash curler can comprise a first member and a second member, where a segment of or the entire structural part may be made of different material from metal, the conventionally-used material in eyelash curler. 
         [0009]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, appended claims, and the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described below. 
           [0011]    Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that, in the following description, terms “upper”, “lower”, “above”, and “below” refer to “upper”, “lower”, “above”, and “below” in the drawings, respectively, and the terms “right”, “left”, “rightward, and “leftward” refer to “right”, “left”, “rightward, and “leftward” refer to “right”, “left”, “rightward, and “leftward” in the drawings, respectively. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are perspective views of an eyelash curler. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the eyelash curler of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a back view of the eyelash curler of  FIG. 1  as seen from the handles. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the eyelash curler of  FIG. 1  as seen from the operative, eyelashes-pressing-parts. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the eyelash curler of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show a method of curling eyelashes with an eyelash curler. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  shows a method of curling eyelashes with an eyelash curler in relation to the finger grip of the handles. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  are detail view and cross-section of a part of the eyelash curler of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  shows another embodiment of an eyelash curler. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    An eyelash curler can be used to curl a user&#39;s eyelashes to enhance the open look of the eyes. The user can position the eyelashes within the eyelash curler to then act on the eyelashes causing them to take on a desired shape or configuration. Generally this is done on the eyelashes of the upper eyelid. 
         [0022]    An eyelash curler  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . As will be described in more detail below, the eyelash curler can use press forming, the application of pressure by squeezing, to shape the eyelashes to the desired configuration. To press form the eyelashes, one or more of at least two members  12 ,  14  can move relative to the other to squeeze the eyelashes between the two members. The two members  12 ,  14  can be moved in one of many different manners. As shown, a scissors-like structure can be used, but it will be understood that any structure can be used such as mechanical or electromechanical structures configured to move two objects closer together. 
         [0023]    The illustrated scissors-like structure includes two pivotally connected handles  16 ,  18 . A pin, rivet, screw, bar, or other structure  20  can be used to secure the handles  16 ,  18  together and allow them to rotate with respect to one another. The upper end of one of the handles  16  can have one or more upwardly extending support arms  24  and  25 . The other handle  18  can be pivotally connected to one or more support arms  22  and  23 . 
         [0024]    As shown, member  12  is fixedly attached to support arms  22 ,  23  and member  14  is fixedly attached to support arms  24 ,  25 . The arms  22 ,  23  and  24 ,  25  are connected to the handles  18  and  16 , respectively, and these arms and handle are pivotally joined at  20 . This also allows the blade  12  and the pad  14  to engage one another and to crimp, press to curl, when the handles  16  and  18  are squeezed, to any object between the members  12 ,  14  such as eyelashes. The difference in the material quality of  12  and  14 , the blade  12 , being metallic or ceramic, and the pad  14 , being soft material such as silicon, rubber or plastic, the pressure of  12  over  14  will result in curling of the eyelashes placed between them. 
         [0025]    The structural part of the eyelash curler  10  can be made of one or more different materials. For example, the eyelash curler  10  can be made entirely of metal or combination of metal and plastic as in the example of  FIG. 10 . In addition, portions of the eyelash curler  10  may be made of different materials. For example, either of members  12 ,  14  can be made of one or more materials and may include a powder coat finish to enhance durability and reduce smudging on the surface of the various assembly parts. Though the member  12  is shown as one solid piece of material, it will be understood that the member could include multiple layers of material that are the same or different. For example, the blade  12  could be made up of 3, 4, 5 or more layers of material that range from metal, ceramic or combination of both. Each layer could have a bottom surface that when combined can form a type of rounded surface as will be described below. 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 1  the members  12 ,  14  are shown in a first position spaced away from one another and in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in a second position wherein member  14  has been moved closer to member  12 . It can be seen that the member  14  is made up of separate material from member  13  which holds member  14 . The holder  13  can be made of metal and the pad  14  can be made of plastic, synthetic or natural rubber, silicone, etc. a material that is softer, more malleable, and/or more flexible than member  12 . The pad  14  can also be a resilient material. This can allow the eyelash to be pressed into engagement with member  12  by the pad  14 . The pad  14  may also surround the eyelash forcing it into engagement with member  12 . 
         [0027]    The shape of the members  12 ,  14  in relation to one another also affect the effect of avoiding contact with the user&#39;s face. The shape of member  14  in contrast to standard curlers that use shorter and narrower surfaces that expose the frame holding the member, make it possible to protect the user&#39;s facial skin from being touched by the frame holding the member  14 . 
         [0028]    It will be understood that multiple eyelash curlers of different sizes can be provided. Each eyelash curler can be shaped and sized to fit eyelashes of a particular length or eyelash lengths within a particular range. For example, two different sized eyelash curlers maybe sold. As another example, small, medium, large, and extra-large; or small and regular; or regular and large, etc. sized eyelash curlers may be provided. 
         [0029]    As another example, where two different sized eyelash curlers are provided, the width of the member  12  can be shorter on one curler than the other, while the width of the member  14  can remain the same. In some embodiments the width of member  12  can stay the same but there may be additional surfaces or some of the surfaces may be smaller to create a curve that starts closer to the pad  13  as compared to the member  12  of the other curler. 
         [0030]    In this way, the number of different parts can be reduced while producing two different sized eyelash curlers. Preferably, there can be two different parts for member  12 , and the rest of the parts can be interchangeable for the two different sized eyelash curlers. Positioning the member  14  at an angle can also facilitate this arrangement where the different sized members  12  can fully engage the member  14  in a desired manner. In some embodiments, the member  14  can also be specific to the size of the eyelash curler. 
         [0031]    Turning now to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , a method of curling an eyelash with an eyelash curler is shown. First,  7 A shows a conventional eyelash curler which when placed close to the eye of the user, the moving mechanisms and frames around the actual part pressing the eyelash will inevitably touch the user&#39;s face. As in the  FIG. 7B , the current embodiment of the eyelash curler will allow the user to engage the active pressing of the eyelashes without making the parts other than the eyelash press themselves touch the user&#39;s face. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  illustrates the eyelash curler  10  being used with the fingers in the handles  18  and  16  with accurate control and without making the curler touch the user&#39;s face with makeup on. 
         [0033]    As has been mentioned the eyelash curler can also be heated. Heat can assist in the shaping of the eyelashes. 
         [0034]    Particularly in the heated condition, the ability to avoid touching the user&#39;s face will be a crucial element in using the curler without accidental burning. 
         [0035]    Looking now to  FIGS. 9A and 9B , a portion of the eyelash curler comprising the lower part of the operative members, the pad is shown.  FIG. 9A  shows a pad with members  13  and  14 . Though shown schematically in  FIG. 9B , the top portion of  14  covers over and above  13  allowing the silicon or soft plastic part on the top of the  13  to allow the user to accomplish pressing the eyelashes without being touched by a metal part. 
         [0036]    Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof In addition, while a number of variations of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. 
         [0037]    Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed invention. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow. 
         [0038]    Similarly, this method of disclosure, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than are expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.