Flexible cosmetic brushes and/or applicators

Abstract

An embodiment of a cosmetic brush or other applicator comprises a head, a handle, and a resiliently flexible section connecting the head to the handle. The resiliently flexible section may be a coil spring the ends of which are held in two ferrules attached to the head and to the handle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 011,941, filed Jan. 23, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The application of makeup requires the even distribution of cosmetics. To obtain a natural-looking application, while achieving the desired enhanced appearance of the wearer's eyes, cheek or face, the cosmetics are often applied using a variety of cosmetic brushes or applicators, each having a specific cosmetic application. Makeup can also be used to camouflage or hide certain undesired colors, blemishes, birthmarks, scars, or disfigurations on the face. It is also desirable that each brush have a handle of sufficient length to permit easy application of the cosmetics.[0003]Cosmetics are often applied to the face by a brush or other applicator. Cosmetic brushes comprise a variety of sizes and shapes, wherein each brush is designed for a specif...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention is directed to cosmetic brushes and other applicators, and sets of brushes or other applicators, that substantially eliminates or materially reduce disadvantages of the prior art.

[0012]In an embodiment, the flexible section may be resiliently flexible, for example, a coil spring. A coil spring can flex sideways by the turns of the coil opening on one side and resting against one another on the other side. It is preferred that, in a resting state, the turns of the spring are closed against one another. This both improves the esthetic appearance of the brush or other applicator, and ensures that it is not too floppy. In addition, by pre-stressing the spring, the applicator may be set so that the spring does not begin to flex until a certain level of sideways force is exerted. However, if an applicator that is resiliently compressible lengthways is desired, then the coils could be open in the resting state, to allow for such compression. The mechanics of coil springs are very well understood, and a manufacturer of such springs can easily provide springs with any desired properties within the ranges appropriate for the present invention.

[0013]In an embodiment, the ends of the coil spring may be fitted inside the first and second ferrules. This construction has the advantages of being simple and robust. The coil spring may then be secured in place by an in-turned lip at the free ends of the first and second ferrules. For esthetic reasons, the coil spring and the two ferrules may be made of, or finished with materials having the same or closely matched appearances. The choice of finishes for the spring may be more restricted, because any finish applied to the spring should survive the flexing of the underlying spring, and because any finishing process should not adversely affect the temper of the material of the spring. Therefore, once the material for the springs has been chosen, the finish for the ferrules may be chosen to match the appearance of the springs. An exact match is not always necessary. For example, stainless steel springs and a silvery satin-finished aluminum ferrules have been found to produce an esthetically satisfactory combination.

[0015]The flexible applicator allows the angle of the applicator head relative to the handle to change as pressure is applied in a way that can be selected simply by selecting the mechanical properties of the spring or other flexible section. By suitable selection, both the experience of applying cosmetics and the results achieved can be improved. A further advantage of the flexible applicator in some applications, for example, when applying eye-liner, the flexible section allows the brush head to track the edge of the eye, reducing the effect of any unsteadiness in the hand of the user.

Problems solved by technology

However, aluminum lacks the heft of brass for this purpose, and to avoid giving the appearance of being inexpensive a weight of steel, lead, or other inexpensive but heavy material may be included inside the ferrule, in the space left between the bristles and the handle affixed thereto.

However, if the bristles are too soft, they do not apply the cosmetic satisfactorily.

If the bristles are too stiff, they remain too nearly parallel to the length of the brush, and (depending on how the individual user holds the brush) at too steep an angle to the skin surface.

It has been found that, for at least some users with at least some brushes or other applicators, these two constraints conflict, and an entirely satisfactory brush or applicator, and an entirely satisfactory cosmetic-applying experience, are not available.

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