Abstract:
An applicator for a lip cosmetic having a reservoir for a lip cosmetic and consisting of foamed plastic, is provided to have two spherical, outwardly rounded end portions and a concave central portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to an applicator for a lip cosmetic consisting of foamed plastic. 
         [0003]    2. Background Art 
         [0004]    Such an applicator of the generic type is known from EP 0 728 426. This known applicator has a substantially conical basic shape with a tip and a curved central longitudinal axis. The tip enables the applicator to be used for outlining the contours of the lips. 
         [0005]    A lip applicator which is provided with a flock coating and may be curved or bent when seen in the longitudinal direction is known from EP 1 053 695 B1. 
         [0006]    EP 0 663 161 B1 and EP 0 792 603 B2 describe mascara brushes with a concave central part corresponding to the shape of a lash arrangement on an eyelid. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is the object of the invention to provide an applicator by means of which a reservoir for a lip cosmetic is provided which is not wiped off when the applicator is removed from the receptacle and when passing a wiping device whilst ensuring that the applicator is optimally matched to the contours of the lips. 
         [0008]    This object is attained by the applicator having two spherical, outwardly rounded end portions and a concave central portion. 
         [0009]    Thus, the applicator has approximately the shape of a peanut shell. 
         [0010]    When removing the applicator, which is traditionally attached to a wand, from the mass of lip cosmetic, at least part of the concave central portion is not wiped off, a defined amount of cosmetic thus remaining to be applied on the lips. This amount of cosmetic is then applied on the lips by moving the applicator wand along the lips in a substantially perpendicular fashion so that the concave central portion follows the contours of the lip, thus ensuring that the entire lip between the spherical end portions is evenly covered with cosmetic. 
         [0011]    The applicator preferably consists of a foamed plastic, in particular a polyurethane foam. 
         [0012]    It may be provided that the applicator has a core which is manufactured in an injection moulding process and consists in particular of polyamide, said core stabilizing the structure and providing for a wand socket. 
         [0013]    The foamed material advantageously adheres to the outside of the core, the edges of the former being heat-bonded thereto. 
         [0014]    The peanut-shell-shaped body of the core may be adjoined by a frustoconical portion. 
         [0015]    Moreover, it may be provided that the core protrudes out of the foam body in the vicinity of the tip of the foam body so as to provide for optimal lining. 
         [0016]    This goal may also be attained by providing a smaller diameter at the distal end portion than at the proximal end portion. 
         [0017]    The applicator may be flattened, thus enabling the flat side to be used for application, and the narrow side for lining. 
         [0018]    Advantageously, it may also be provided that the applicator is composed of at least two different kinds of foamed plastic which are interconnected but differ in colour and/or thickness and/or number of pores and/or pore size. 
         [0019]    The foamed plastic may be retreated (reticulated) in order to open the pores. 
         [0020]    Moreover, the invention relates to a cosmetic unit comprising a receptacle, a cover, with a wand being fixed thereto which carries an applicator, and a wiper to wipe off excess cosmetic when removing the applicator from the receptacle, the wiper being intended to have a free opening whose dimensions are such as to wipe off the spherical end portions, but not the central portion, when removing the applicator. 
         [0021]    In the following, the invention is described in detail by means of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a lateral view of a first embodiment of an applicator according to the invention; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a longitudinal section and a lateral view of a second embodiment; 
           [0024]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show a longitudinal section and a lateral view of a third embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show a longitudinal section and a longitudinal section of a fourth embodiment, the latter staggered by 90°; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  shows a longitudinal section through a cosmetic unit comprising an applicator according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    An applicator  1  shown in the drawing is provided with a wand socket  2 . The wand socket  2 , which is manufactured in an injection moulding process, consists of polyamide (grilamid) and extends into the inside of the applicator  1 , thus forming a core. 
         [0028]    A polyurethane foam adheres to the outside of the core  3  and is heat-bonded therewith at the edges. 
         [0029]    The applicator  1  has a peanut-shell basic shape, thus comprising an inner, spherical end portion  4 , an outer, spherical end portion  5  which actually forms a rounded tip  6 , and a concave central portion  7 . 
         [0030]    The spherical portions  4 ,  5  are designed such that their external diameter D is about 1/10 mm smaller than the internal diameter of a wiper. 
         [0031]    Thus, when removing the applicator from a receptacle containing a lip cosmetic and through the wiper, the amount of cosmetic adhering to the concave central portion  7  substantially remains there. It is applied on the lips by moving the applicator along the lips, its central longitudinal axis being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lips. The rounded tip  6  of the applicator may serve to locally spread the cosmetic, if necessary, or to outline a contour. 
         [0032]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the tip  8  of the core  3  breaks through the rounded tip  6  of the foamed plastic, thus allowing for a particularly accurate contour lining. 
         [0033]    The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  has an end portion  5  whose diameter is smaller than that of the end portion  4 , thus also allowing for a more accurate application. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show an embodiment which is not rotationally symmetric, as illustrated in particular in  FIG. 7 , meaning that the applicator is flattened, with this side to be used to precisely apply the cosmetic, while the wide side may be used for blending. 
         [0035]      FIG. 8  shows an entire cosmetic unit  9  comprising a receptacle  10  which contains a cosmetic, and a receptacle cap  11  which can be screwed onto the neck  12  of the receptacle. 
         [0036]    A wand  13  is attached to the inside of the cap  11 , with an applicator  1  according to the invention disposed at a free end thereof. 
         [0037]    A wiper  14  comprising a through-opening for the applicator  1  is provided in an opening of the receptacle  10 , the dimensions of said through-opening being such that the end portions  4 ,  5 , but not the intermediate portion  7 , are wiped off to ensure that a sufficient amount of cosmetic remains there to be transferred.