Disk-Style Mascara Brush with Spacers Between Disks

SUMMARY

[0001]This disclosure relates to disk-style mascara brushes having thin plastic sheets and/or molded plastic used as spacers inserted between the bristle-containing disks. The spacers precisely control and adjust the axial distance between each bristle-containing disk and the bristles so that the mascara brush is configured for optimal mascara deposit and eyelash separation. In an embodiment, the spacer thickness dimension (i.e., in the axial direction) could range from about 0.03 mm to about 0.15 or greater.

[0002]An embodiment relates to a method of making an applicator brush, comprises obtaining molded bristle-containing disks; obtaining spacers; and assembling the molded bristle-containing disks in an axially aligned manner while inserting one or more spacers between an adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0003]The method further comprises placing one or more of the spacers between the adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0004]The method further comprises prior to assembling the bristle-containing disks, determining a distance to be achieved between bristles of the adjacent two bristle-containing disks; selecting two or more spacers, wherein a total thickness of the one or more spacers is about equal to the distance; and inserting the two or more spacers to create the distance between the bristles of the adjacent two bristle-containing disks.

[0005]Two or more of the spacers have similar thicknesses.

[0006]Two or more of the spacers have different thicknesses.

[0007]The method further comprises prior to assembling the bristle-containing disks, determining a distance to be achieved between bristles of the adjacent two bristle-containing disks; selecting a spacer having a thickness about equal to the distance; and inserting the spacer to create the distance between the bristles of the adjacent two bristle-containing disks.

[0008]The method further comprises assembling a first brush with the bristle-containing disks, wherein the first brush has a first distance between bristles; assembling a second brush with the bristle-containing disks, wherein the second brush has bristle-containing disks having a thickness similar to the bristle-containing disks of the first brush, wherein the second brush has a second distance between bristles different than the first distance.

[0009]The second brush includes spacers between adjacent bristle-containing disks, and the first brush does not include spacers.

[0010]The first brush and the second brush include a different number or different thickness of spacers between the bristle-containing disks that result in different distances between bristles using the bristle-containing disks of similar thickness.

[0011]An embodiment relates to an applicator brush that comprises bristle-containing disks arranged axially to form a brush and at least one spacer is between an adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0012]The bristle-containing disks are molded from an elastomer.

[0013]The applicator brush further comprises a plurality of spacers, a spacer is located between every adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0014]The applicator brush further comprises more than one spacer between any adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0015]Each of the bristle-containing disks and each of the spacers is an individual component.

[0016]The thickness of the spacers is from 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0017]This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019]FIG. 1A is a diagrammatical illustration of a disk-style applicator brush without spacers;

[0020]FIG. 1B is a diagrammatical illustration of a disk-style applicator brush with spacers according to the disclosure;

[0021]FIG. 2A is a diagrammatical illustration of a side view of a bristle-containing disk;

[0022]FIG. 2B is a diagrammatical illustration of a plan view of a bristle-containing disk;

[0023]FIG. 3A is a diagrammatical illustration of a side view of a spacer;

[0024]FIG. 3B is a diagrammatical illustration of a plan view of the spacer of FIG. 3A; and

[0025]FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical illustration of a side view of two spacers of different thicknesses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026]There are generally two manufacturing methods for mascara brushes including twisted wire brushes and elastomeric brushes made from a single piece of elastomer. There is a third manufacturing method for mascara brushes, which is disk-style brushes made from stacking disks with bristles on the side. With the traditional elastomeric brushes, it is not possible to control the axial distance between each bristle after tooling; therefore, the axial distance is confined to what was initially developed on CAD and expertise, though ultimately there is some level of guessing to decide which bristle distance is optimal for a desired makeup effect. Once tooling of the molds is complete, modifications to the elastomeric brushes are limited to, for example, material hardness and changing few slides on the brush. The performances of the conventional elastomeric brushes were limited, and the ability to optimize performance was inferior to twisted wire brushes. Twisted wire brushes allow controlling the axial distance between bristle rows by adding or subtracting more or less twists which can make adjustments in the bristle axial distance to more or less 0.1 mm. However, this method is only applicable to twisted wire brushes which have other limitations due to the lack of different bristle shapes possible with molded brushes.

[0027]Therefore, there is a need to be able to adjust the axial distance between elastomeric brushes to perform at higher levels. Because traditional elastomeric brushes are on piece, this is not feasible to accomplish. This is where the third technology, using disk style brushes which stack bristle-containing disks made through an injection molding process can be utilized. This disclosure describes spacers or washers inserted between the bristle-containing disks in an applicator brush to adjust the axial distance between the bristle-containing disks, thereby affecting the axial distance between the bristles themselves.

[0028]Referring to FIG. 1A, a disk-style applicator brush 100a, such as for mascara application, is illustrated. In the mascara brush 100a, the wand or the central shaft 110 of the applicator brush 100a and the individual disks 102 are formed from a polymer or plastic, such as by molding. The mascara brush 100a of the disclosure includes a plurality of the disks 102 stacked coaxially or in line. The disks 102 can be molded with various overall diameters. An overall diameter is the diameter measure across from the bristle ends. The largest overall diameter disks 102 are provided at the proximal end 112 of the applicator brush 100a, and the smallest overall diameter disks 102 are at the distal end 114 of the brush 100a. Generally, disks having the same large overall diameter are used for a majority of the length of the applicator brush 100a and give the brush a constant overall diameter for the majority of the length. Any number of disks of intermediate overall diameter are inserted between the largest and smallest overall diameter disks in a manner to create a gradual taper from the end of the constant overall diameter section to the distal end 114.

[0029]In an embodiment, an applicator brush 100a uses disks of four different overall diameters. Using fewer disks of different diameters is economical, but, the taper suffers, while using more disks with many different diameters is costly.

[0030]Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, regardless of the overall diameter of an individual disk, a disk 102 includes a central core 104 having a first diameter. The central core 104 has a round cross-sectional shape. However, the cross-sectional shape can be oval, a polygon with at least 3 sides, or a combination of curves and flat sides.

[0031]The central core 104 includes a flat surface 116 on the proximal side, a flat surface 118 on the distal side, and a round side surface, such that the central core 104 includes a right circular cylinder. The central the axis of the disk 102 is normal to the flat surfaces 116, 118. The axial distance between the proximal flat surface 116 and the distal flat surface 118 can be referred as the thickness of the disk 104.

[0032]The flat surfaces 116, 118 may be provided with one or more openings, depressions and/or one or more bumps that help align the disks 102 to each other when assembling the disks 102 coaxially in a stacked manner. Adjacent disks 102 can be bonded to each other at the distal flat surface of one to the proximal flat surface of the adjacent disk 102. Additionally, or alternatively, the disks 102 can have one or more openings allowing the disks to be inserted on one or more rods (not shown) projecting from the end of the shaft 110. While two openings are shown in FIG. 2B, it should be understood that any number of openings may be included, including a single, central opening. In some embodiments, the openings may be polygonal, organic, or ovular. In some embodiments, the openings are a single, central square shaped opening.

[0033]The disks 102 include bristles 106. In an embodiment, the bristles 106 are cones, with a base of the cone attached to the central core 104 of the disk 102 such that the axial center of the cone is normal to the rounded side surface of the central core 104.

[0034]A plurality of the bristles 106 are arranged in a single row around the central core 104 making a single revolution around the core 104. The bristles 106 may be evenly spaced from each other.

[0035]In an embodiment, the length of each bristle 106 is about one diameter of the central core 104 of the disk 102. In an embodiment, the overall diameter of the disk 102 is about 7.8 mm.

[0036]In an embodiment, the thickest part of the bristle 106 is at the base attached to the central core 104. The base can be about one-third of the thickness of the disk 102. In an embodiment, the base thickness is about 0.46 mm.

[0037]In an embodiment, the bristles 106 are arranged around the central core 104 such that the center axis of each of the bristles 106 lies on the same plane, such plane being parallel to the flat surfaces 116, 118 and about halfway between flat surfaces 116, 118.

[0038]In an embodiment, the bristles 106 are arranged on a plane that is not parallel to the flat surfaces 116, 118. The plane can be angled with respect to the central axis of the disk 102.

[0039]FIG. 1B shows a of a disk-style applicator brush 100b in accordance with the disclosure. The brush 100b is made from the same bristle-containing disks, such as disk 102, as the mascara brush 100a. However, the brush 100b according to the disclosure includes one or more spacers 120 inserted between two adjacent disks 102 to create optimal bristle separation after the disks 102 have been molded and cannot be made thicker.

[0040]Spacers 120 may be inserted between any adjacent two of the disks 102, every adjacent two of the disks 102, or every other adjacent two disks in an alternating pattern. Spacers 120 can be included only between adjacent two disks 102 having the largest diameter, or spacers 120 can be included only between adjacent disks forming the tapered section of brush. The use of the spacers 120 between selected adjacent twos of the disks 102 provides a wide variety of possible brush combinations to provide the desired performance from each brush made with the same disks 102 after the disks have been molded.

[0041]Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a spacer 120 is illustrated. A spacer 120 can have the same cross-sectional shape (right circular cylinder) and diameter dimension of the disks 102. The spacer 120 includes a flat surface 122 on the proximal side and a flat surface 124 on the distal side. The flat surfaces 122, 124 can be parallel to each other. The flat surfaces 216, 218 may be provided with one or more openings, depressions and/or one or more bumps that help align the spacers 120 and the disks 102 to each other when assembling the disks 102 coaxially in a stacked manner. Spacers 120 can be bonded or secured in any manner between the disks 102.

[0042]While four openings are shown in FIG. 3B, it should be understood that any number of openings may be included, including a single, central opening. In some embodiments, the openings may be polygonal, organic, or ovular. In some embodiments, the openings are a single, central square shaped opening.

[0043]Referring to FIG. 4, two or more spacers 120a and 120b can be stacked to create a total thickness when one spacer does not have the adequate thickness. A method for making the brush 100b can comprise obtaining molded bristle-containing disks 102, obtaining spacers 120, and assembling the molded bristle-containing disks in an axially aligned manner while inserting one or more spacers between an adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0044]The spacers 120 may be a very thin layer of plastic made, for example, from a sheet of plastic that's been punched or die cut. Using one or more spacers 120 of different thickness, it is possible to create a range of different thicknesses in the axial direction to separate the disks 102. The various spacers of different thicknesses can be tested to determine the optimal axial distance between bristles 106. Once the appropriate axial distance between bristles 106 is achieved with one or more of the spacers 120, production of brushes can proceed by inserting the spacers 120 between adjacent bristle-containing disks 102 to achieve the final brush configuration with the desired performance.

[0045]Using spacers 120 to increase the axial distance between bristles of adjacent disks 102 has the advantage that new tooling of molds does not have to be undertaken to adjust the spacing, where such new tooling can take a few weeks. Mascara brushes with different spacing between bristle-containing disks 102 can be manufactured efficiently by only inserting the modular spacers 120. Both the bristle-containing disks 102 and the spacers 120 are individual components molded separately. Using the same disks and spacers can achieve different brush configurations by varying the number of spacers 120 inserted between the disks 102.

[0046]As an example, inserting a 0.05 mm spacer 120 (or two 0.025 mm spacers 120) between disks 102, it is possible to control the deposit of mascara by under 5%, where this deposit is not completely achievable by means of just the wipers on the mascara bottle. If there is a need to increase the deposit by a further 5%, then a 0.1 mm spacer 120 (or two 0.05 mm spacers 120) can be used.

[0047]One method can comprise, prior to assembling the bristle-containing disks, determining a distance to be achieved between bristles 106 of two bristle-containing disks 102; selecting two or more spacers 120, wherein a total thickness of the two or more spacers is about equal to the distance; and inserting the two or more spacers to create the distance between the bristles of the adjacent two bristle-containing disks.

[0048]Another method can comprise, prior to assembling the bristle-containing disks 102, determining a distance to be achieved between bristles 106 of the adjacent two bristle-containing disks; selecting a spacer 120 having a thickness about equal to the distance; and inserting the spacer to create the distance between the bristles of the adjacent two bristle-containing disks.

[0049]The method of using spacers 120 to adjust the bristle 106 spacing means that the spacing is not limited to the thickness of the disks 102 and the tooling that have been created. By using spacers 120, it becomes possible to optimize the mascara brush after the bristle-containing disks 102 have been molded.

[0050]This method increases the variety of brushes that are possible as well as increase the performance range by using the same bristle-containing disks and varying the number or thickness or location of the spacers 120. For example, a method can comprise assembling a first brush 100a with the bristle-containing disks 102, wherein the first brush has a first distance between bristles 106. Then, assembling a second brush 100b with the same bristle-containing disks 102, wherein the second brush 100b has bristle-containing disks having a thickness similar to the bristle-containing disks of the first brush 100a, wherein the second brush 100b has a second distance between bristles different than the first distance. The second brush 100b can include spacers 120 between adjacent bristle-containing disks, and the first brush 100a does not include spacers, or the first brush 100a and the second brush 100b include a different number or different thickness of spacers 120 between the bristle-containing disks that result in different distances between bristles using the bristle-containing disks of similar thickness.

[0051]The spacers 120 can be made in any thickness such as from 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm that allows to tune deposit and separation by controlling the axial distance between the bristles of any two, some, or all of adjacent bristle-containing disks 102.

[0052]Further, when inserting spacers between the adjacent bristle-containing disks 102, two or more of the spacers 120 can have similar thicknesses, or two or more of the spacers 120 can have different thicknesses.

[0053]Further, when inserting spacers between the adjacent bristle-containing disks 102, two or more of the spacers 120 can have similar thicknesses, or two or more of the spacers 120 can have different thicknesses.

[0054]An embodiment relates to an applicator brush 100b that comprises bristle-containing disks 102 arranged axially to form a brush and at least one spacer 120 is between an adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0055]The bristle-containing disks 102 are molded from an elastomer.

[0056]The applicator brush 100b further comprises a plurality of spacers 120, a spacer is located between every adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks.

[0057]The applicator brush 100b further comprises more than one spacer 120 between any adjacent two of the bristle-containing disks 102.

[0058]While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.