Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/903,067 filed Feb. 23, 2007, hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a cosmetic applicator and dispenser having a rotating applicator head or tip constituted of a core having a surface for carrying cosmetic material and for applying the cosmetic material which is delivered from the dispenser. 
     For purposes of illustration, but without limitation, the invention will be particularly described with reference to applicators for lip gloss. 
     A typical applicator contains an elongated core with a multiplicity of fibers attached to the core such that the fibers extend outwardly therefrom to form a brush fiber array surrounding the core over a substantial portion of the length of the core. This combination of a core and array of fibers attached to the core provides a simple, low-cost and effective brush for the application of cosmetic materials. 
     Such applicators are well known and widely used in the cosmetics industry. Commonly, the proximal end of the brush is mounted in a receptacle in a threaded cap of a cosmetic material container, so that the brush projects into the container when the cap is in container-closing position. Upon removal of the cap, the brush carries a quantity of cosmetic material, such as lip gloss, out of the container, and is manipulated to deliver and apply the product to the user&#39;s body, for example the user&#39;s lips, the cap serving as a handle for the brush. Since the brush only carries a limited amount of the cosmetic material upon removal from the container, such brushes must be repeatedly dipped into the container during the application of cosmetic material to refill the brush with a sufficient amount of the cosmetic material. Thus the user must stop applying the cosmetic material to resupply the applicator with more cosmetic material as the cosmetic material on the brush is depleted. 
     Also, because existing applicators are fixed with respect to the handle, the majority of the cosmetic material contained on the surface is applied onto a small concentrated region of the user&#39;s body, and is subsequently moved around and spread out by the tip. Because of this, even distribution of cosmetic material can be difficult to obtain. Since ease of use and effective distribution of cosmetic material is important, a cosmetic brush desirably would apply even amounts of the cosmetic material to the user&#39;s body without using excess cosmetic material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide applicators for applying cosmetic material such as lip gloss that automatically transport and dispense an appropriate amount of cosmetic material as the applicator is used. In this manner, the user will not need to repeatedly dip the applicator into the cosmetic material container during the application process. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new type of lip gloss applicator that evenly distributes lip gloss to a wide region of the user&#39;s body without using excess cosmetic material. 
     To these and other ends, the present invention broadly contemplates the provision of a cosmetic brush having a core and an array of fibers projecting outwardly therefrom. In one embodiment, the fibers can be flocked to the core, for example by electrostatic delivery of fibers to an adhesive coating located on the core. However, other methods of attaching fibers may also be used. The core has holes which allow cosmetic material contained inside the core to flow to the outside surface. The core is rotatably fixed to the handle in such a manner that rotating the core against the user&#39;s body will cause additional cosmetic material to flow from the dispenser within the applicator through the core and onto the fibers, thereby ensuring that a proper amount of cosmetic material is located on the applicator tip and thus alleviating the need to repeatedly supply the applicator with cosmetic material by dipping the brush into the cosmetic material storage container or receptacle. 
     While the present invention will generally be described with a core having an array of fibers or flocked fibers, other surfaces can be employed to provide a surface that can both carry the cosmetic material and allow the carried cosmetic material to be applied by the user from the surface. Examples of such surfaces include the bare surface of the core formed with or modified to have indentations. The indentations can be dimples, grooves, etchings, and so forth. Other suitable surfaces can be applied as a layer or layers on the bare surface of the core, for example, foam, spongy materials and other ‘soft-touch’ materials. These applied surfaces can be layered onto the core by any of several methods including spray-coating, dipping, or over-molding. 
     The rotating design of the applicator of the present invention distributes cosmetic material evenly across a wide area by transporting the cosmetic material directly from the brush to the user&#39;s body, instead of applying a large amount of material to a small area and subsequently moving the material to other locations on the body with the brush fibers. In this way, a more even and efficient distribution of cosmetic material is provided. Accordingly, the applicators of the present invention offer the consumer the quick and easy application that the user demands, without requiring special skill or newly-learned technique for the user. Finally, the unique advancing mechanism to transport and dispense the cosmetic material ensures that a proper amount of cosmetic material is present on the applicator tip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form with a protective cap; 
         FIG. 2A  is a side view of the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing an applicator tip having a concave cone shape; 
         FIG. 2B  is a side view of the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing an applicator tip having a convex cone shape; 
         FIG. 2C  is a side view of the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing an applicator tip having an hour-glass shape; 
         FIG. 2D  is a side view of the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing an applicator tip having a blunt hour glass shape; 
         FIG. 2E  is a side view of the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing an applicator tip having a non-symmetric shape; 
         FIG. 2F  the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing an applicator tip having a non-symmetric shape; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing the advancing mechanism; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the advancing mechanism of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing an independent rotation mechanism; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing a ‘screw-on’ independent rotation mechanism; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing a ‘snap-on’ independent rotation mechanism; and 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a cosmetic applicator embodying the present invention in a particular form showing the connection between a tip and an advancing mechanism. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the invention provides a lip gloss applicator  10  comprising a tip  12  rotatably connected to a cosmetic material receptacle  14 , which can be constituted of plastic, metal or other suitable material. The tip  12  is connected to handle  16 . Unlike conventional lip gloss applicators, in which the tip  12  is stored within the cosmetic material receptacle, the tip  12  of the present invention is rotatably connected to the top of the cosmetic material receptacle  14 . To prevent the tip  12  from contamination, the tip can be inserted into a protective cap  18 . The protective cap  18  covers the tip  12  and preferably attaches to handle  16  so that the tip  12  and cosmetic material receptacle  14  do not rotate when the protective cap is in place. 
     In accordance with other embodiments of the present invention and as shown in  FIGS. 2A-2F , the tip  12  may have numerous other shapes depending on the type and quantity of cosmetic material that is to be dispensed, and/or the method of application. 
     Unlike conventional lip gloss applicators, the tip  12  of the present invention is not coated with cosmetic material by dipping the top into a container full of the appropriate cosmetic material. Instead, cosmetic material is stored inside of cosmetic material receptacle  14 , is forced upwards through the hollow interior  20  of tip  12 , and flows to the outside surface  22  of the tip. One or more holes or slits  24  connect the hollow interior  20  of the tip  12  to the outside surface  22 . This configuration continuously supplies the outside surface  22  of the tip  12  with cosmetic material and eliminates the need to repeatedly dip the tip into a cosmetic material receptacle during the application of cosmetic material to a user&#39;s body. 
     As the tip  12  moves across a user&#39;s body, the tip rotates freely instead of remaining fixed, as is typical of traditional cosmetic material applicators. This rotational motion or energy is tapped to dispense the cosmetic material by an advancing mechanism  26  which forces the cosmetic material upward in the cosmetic material receptacle  14 , through the holes  24 , and onto the outside surface  22  of the applicator tip  12 . 
     The advancing mechanism  26  has several parts. The tip  12  is rigidly attached to a hollow rotating pin  28  on the end adjacent to the cosmetic material receptacle  14 . This rotating pin  28  has an inner and an outer set of ratchet (sawtooth) teeth  30 ,  32 . Each tooth has a substantially vertical side  50  and a slanted side  52 . The inner teeth  30  and the outer teeth  32  are oriented in opposite directions to each other. The cosmetic material receptacle  14  has an inner wheel  34  and an outer barrel  36  which like the pin  28  have respective sides of teeth facing in opposite directions. The teeth  31  located on inner wheel  34  are oriented in the opposite direction of, and engage, inner teeth  30  of the pin  28 , while the teeth  33  on the outer barrel  36  face in the opposite direction of, and engage, outer teeth  32  of the pin  28 . The inner wheel  34  extends down towards the handle  16  and has threads  38  that engage threads on a plunger nut  40  so that the plunger nut, if prevented from rotating, will travel up the threads  38  in the receptacle  14  towards the tip  12  when the inner wheel  34  and, thus, the threads  38  of the inner wheel are rotated clockwise. Outer barrel  36  has alignment ribs  42  which engage alignment slots  44  of the plunger nut  40  so that the plunger nut will rotate simultaneously with the outer barrel. Thus, when the outer barrel  36  is rotated counter-clockwise, the plunger nut  40  will travel upwards along the threads  38  towards the tip  12 , provided that the inner wheel  34  and its threads  38  remain stationary. A switching spring (not shown) located toward the bottom end, that is the end opposite of tip  12 , of the cosmetic material receptacle  14  independently pushes both the inner wheel  34  and the outer barrel  36  against the rotating pin  28 . 
     More specifically, in operation, when the user rotates the tip  12  clockwise, as seen from the top, the inner teeth  30  of the pin  28  engage the teeth  31  of the inner wheel  34 , that is, the vertical side  50  of the teeth abut each other, causing the wheel  34  to rotate in the same clockwise direction. As the wheel  34  rotates, the threads  38  which are attached to the wheel  34  rotate clockwise causing the plunger nut  40  to rise since the threads  38  screw through the plunger nut  40  which is rotationally immobilized by the alignment ribs  42 . Also, in the clockwise direction, the outer teeth  32  of the pin  28  will not engage the teeth  33  of the outer barrel  36 , but instead the slanted sides  52  of the teeth  32 ,  33  will slide over each other. The outer barrel  36  will thus not rotate when the tip  12  moves clockwise. 
     When the user rotates the tip  12  in the counter-clockwise direction, as seen from the top, the outer teeth  32  of the pin  28  engage the teeth  33  of the outer barrel  36 , such that the vertical sides  50  of the teeth  32 ,  33  abut each other which causes the outer barrel  36  to rotate in the same counter-clockwise direction. As the outer barrel  36  rotates, the alignment ribs  42  interact with alignment slots  44  to rotate the plunger nut  40  counter-clockwise, causing the plunger nut  40  to rise since the threads  38 , which screw through the plunger nut  40 , are immobilized. In the counter-clockwise direction, the inner teeth  30  of the pin  28  will not engage the teeth  31  of the wheel  34 , but instead the slanted sides  52  of the teeth  30 ,  31  will slide over each other. Thus, the wheel  34  and its threads  38  of the wheel will not rotate when the tip  12  is moved counter-clockwise. 
     Thus, as explained above, no matter which way the tip  12  is rotated, plunger nut  40  will rise towards the tip  12 . By storing the cosmetic material above the plunger nut  40 , the rotation of the tip  12  will cause the plunger nut to rise, which will in turn push the cosmetic material up into the interior  20  of the tip, through holes  24  and onto the outer surface  22  of the tip  12 . In this manner, a supply of cosmetic material is transported to and dispensed to the tip  12  as the cosmetic material is applied by its tip, that is, simply by running the tip across the user&#39;s body. 
     Although the inner wheel  34  is described as turning only in a clockwise direction while the outer barrel  36  turns in a counter-clockwise direction, one should understand that these components can turn in either direction, so long as the teeth  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33  permit the plunger nut  40  to only move toward the tip. 
     Different rotating tips  12  can be provided for different user applications. For example, the embodiments of  FIGS. 2A-2D  are generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis. Because of this symmetry, each portion of the tip  12  which touches the application area has the same or similar surface shape as the tip  12  rotates through 360 degrees. Accordingly, no particular circumferential portion of the tip  12  will be preferred by the user. 
     However, when a tip  12  is not symmetrical about the longitudinal axis, a selected circumferential portion can be preferred. For example, the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 2E and 2F  have an indentation along only a circumferential portion of the tip  12 . Accordingly, when a user&#39;s lip is placed in the indentation and the tip  12  is rotated to apply material, the user will feel a change in the surface shape as the tip rotates to the edge of the indentation. The user will then tend to rotate the tip  12  in the opposite direction until the other end of the indentation is reached where the user will likely reverse the rotation again to cause a back and forth or ‘rocking’ movement across an application area. Such a non-symmetrical tip  12  is particularly useful for localized or ‘spot’ applications in comparison to the symmetrical tips which are useful for broader applications across a larger distance such as, for example, along an entire lip length. However, in either case, the plunger nut  40  will be pushed upward when the tip is rotated even if the rotation is back and forth. 
     In another embodiment, the advancing mechanism is independent of the rotating mechanism. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the applicator  100 ,  150  has a tip  102 ,  152  and a rotatable connection  103 ,  153  to a receptacle  104 ,  154  containing the material. The receptacle  104 ,  154  can be incorporated in or attached to a handle. The tip  102 ,  152  has a hollow interior  106 ,  156  and one or more holes or slits  108 ,  158  which connect the hollow interior to the outside surface  110 ,  160  of the tip. The rotatable connection  103 ,  153  provides a passage  112 ,  162  which allows cosmetic material to flow from the receptacle  104 ,  154  into the hollow interior  106 ,  156  of the tip  102 ,  152 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the rotatable connection  103  includes one or more protrusions  120  on the receptacle  104  which travel in a groove  122  formed on the end of the tip  102 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the protrusions  170  are formed on the tip  152  for traveling in a groove  172  which can be formed on an adapter  176  attached to the receptacle  154 . The ‘screw-on’ adapter  176  in  FIG. 6  includes screw-type threads  178  for engagement with the screw-type threads  179  on a neck  174  of the receptacle  154 . 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 7  is similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  except that an adapter is not required. Instead, the protrusions  190  are formed on the tip  192  for traveling in a groove  194  which can be formed as, or in, a neck  196  of the receptacle  198 . In this embodiment, the tip  192  can be made to be sufficiently flexible so as to allow the protrusions  190  to be snapped into the groove  194 . 
     In any of these embodiments, as the user rotates the tip  102 ,  152 ,  192  by rolling the tip across a surface, for example, the user&#39;s lips, the protrusions  120 ,  170 ,  190  will move around the groove  122 ,  172 ,  194  thereby causing the tip to rotate relative to the receptacle  104 ,  154 ,  198 . 
     The applicator  200  shown in  FIG. 8  illustrates how a tip  202  connects to the advancing mechanism  201  in the receptacle  204  according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, the receptacle  204  has an end wall  203  formed with, or attached to, a sleeve  205 . The end wall  203  also has an opening  207 . The sleeve  205  receives a connector  209  which has shaft  211  at one end and a wheel driver  213  at the other end. The tip  202  is formed with a recess  215  which faces opposite the distal end of the sleeve  205  when assembled. As in the other embodiments, the tip  202  has a hollow interior  206  and one or more holes or slits  208  which connect the hollow interior to the outside surface  210  of the tip  202 . When the applicator  200  is assembled, the shaft  211  of the connector  209  extends completely through the sleeve  205  such that the exposed end of the shaft attaches to the recess  215  of the tip  202 , and the wheel driver  213  is positioned within the receptacle  204  and attaches to a wheel of the advancing mechanism  201 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the attachments between the shaft  211  and the recess  215  and between the wheel driver  213  and the advancing mechanism  201  can be a ‘snap fit’ of a ring  217  formed on the shaft over a ring  219  formed in the recess, although other attaching mechanisms can be used, for example, glue. These attachments fixedly connect the tip  202  to the connector  209  at one end and fixedly connect a wheel of the advancing mechanism  201  to the connector  209  at the other end. In this way, as the tip  202  rotates so does the connector  209  and the wheel. Since as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the wheel  28  will cause the plunger nut  40  to rise independent of the direction of rotation, the cosmetic material also will be pushed up. As shown in  FIG. 8 , this pushed-up cosmetic material will then flow through one or more holes  212  in the wheel driver  213 , and through one or more openings  207  in the end wall  203  into the hollow interior  206  of the tip  202  and then out through the holes or slits  208  onto the outside surface  210  for application by the user. 
     In embodiments having an independent rotating mechanism, advancement of material from the receptacle into the hollow interior and then through the holes or slits onto the outer surface of the tip is not provided by the rotation of the tip, but instead is provided by activation of a separate pump. Almost any pump which moves material manually or automatically can be employed with these embodiments. Examples of such pumps include a squeeze tube receptacle, a receptacle having a rotatable threaded nut in the receptacle, a syringe plunger, and a spring loaded pump. Co-pending U.S. Application No. 60/854,494, which is incorporated herein by this reference, shows these and other such pumps. 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the features and embodiments hereinabove specifically set forth, but may be carried out in other ways without departure from its spirit.

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