Applicator unit
An applicator unit includes an applicator and a fluid in the form of a flowable cosmetic or pharmaceutical to be applied to skin or hair, with an applicator organ which stores the fluid in an interior and is configured to distribute the fluid after release thereof, the applicator organ being a hollow body with a wall which delimits the interior and which is formed by a network of locally interconnected ribs, the interconnected ribs being spaced apart from one another, the interior space or the network are matched to the fluid for which the applicator is to apply such that the network retains a certain amount of fluid in the interior after being immersed in and withdrawn from a fluid supply and releases the fluid retained therein to an outside via interstices of the network when the network is deformed on contact with a surface to be treated.
1 . An applicator unit comprising:
an applicator and a fluid in the form of a flowable cosmetic or pharmaceutical to be applied to skin or hair, with an applicator organ which stores the fluid in an interior and is configured to distribute the fluid after release thereof,
the applicator organ being a hollow body with a wall which delimits the interior and which is formed by a network of locally interconnected ribs,
the interconnected ribs being spaced apart from one another, the interior space or the network being matched to the fluid for which the applicator is to apply such that the network retains a certain amount of fluid in the interior after being immersed in and withdrawn from a fluid supply and releases the fluid retained therein to an outside via interstices of the network when the network is deformed on contact with a surface to be treated,
the network of locally interconnected ribs forming the applicator organ comprising:
main ribs extending at least in sections spirally or helically from a distal end toward a proximal end of the applicator organ, and
connecting ribs, the network of locally interconnected ribs forming a cage which is closed at the proximal end and the distal end, a center of the applicator organ being completely hollow and free from ribs and at least one of bristles and a core.
2 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the interconnected ribs of the applicator organ, outside nodal points where the interconnected ribs connect to one another, have a predominantly perpendicular cross section to a longitudinal axis thereof of less than or equal to 2.25 mm 2 .
3 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the network of interconnected ribs is configured to deform under bending load by each rib of the interconnected ribs pivoting elastically about a respective nodal point, which connects the respective interconnect rib to an adjacent rib of the interconnected ribs.
4 . The applicator unit according to claim 3 , wherein the network of interconnected ribs is configured such that, under bending load, the network is capable of being pushed together in an accordion-like manner on a pressure side and pulled lengthwise in an accordion-like manner on a tension side.
5 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the network extends at least in sections spirally from the distal end toward the proximal end of the applicator organ, and the interconnected ribs are configured to be elastically deformed by contact with the surface to be treated such that a spiral angle increases and changes a retention capacity of the applicator organ such that at least part of the fluid retained is discharged to the outside.
6 . The applicator unit according to claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the interconnected ribs forming the network have a longitudinal rib axis which has a spiral angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the applicator organ.
7 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the cage is closed at the distal end by the interconnected ribs converging towards a longitudinal axis of the applicator organ and merging with one another.
8 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the main ribs have a mean diameter that is greater than a mean diameter of connecting ribs of the interconnected ribs that extend only from a nodal point on a first main rib of the main ribs to a nodal point on a second main rib of the main ribs.
9 . The applicator unit according to claim 8 , wherein the main ribs bear bristles which protrude outwards in a substantially radial direction.
10 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , a surface of the interconnected ribs of the applicator organ has a roughness or texture which can be seen with a naked eye or felt with a fingernail in a cleaned state.
11 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the interconnected ribs bear bristles which protrude outwards in a substantially radial direction.
12 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the wall formed by the network of locally interconnected ribs has an outer diameter equal to or substantially equal to an outer diameter of an adjoining stem.
13 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the wall has a spherical shape.
14 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the network is one of a plurality of cage-like networks hydraulically substantially separated from one another.
15 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the interconnected ribs form circular rings, oval rings or polygonal rings, which are connected to one another at their outer circumference via nodal points.
16 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the interconnected ribs of the applicator organ, outside nodal points where the interconnected ribs connect to one another, have a predominantly perpendicular cross section to a longitudinal axis thereof of 1.44 mm 2 , the interconnected ribs being shaped so as to have a free length between nodal points that is greater than 2.5 times, a mean rib diameter, and openings located between the interconnected ribs being shaped to have a clear area that is greater than 4 mm 2 .
17 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the cage is closed at the distal end by the interconnected ribs converging towards a longitudinal axis of the applicator organ and merging with one another to form of a pointed basket having a release pin at a tip thereof, openings between the interconnected ribs decreasing in size towards the tip so that the fluid being discharged is capable of being controlled by how the applicator organ is held with respect to a longitudinal axis thereof when vertical or deviated more or less from vertical.
18 . The applicator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the network is first network of a plurality of cage-like networks hydraulically substantially separated from one another, the first network being an elongated cage having plum-like design and a second network of the plurality of cage-like networks is a cage of spherical design which adjoins the first network at the distal end.
19 . A cosmetic or pharmaceutic unit comprising:
the applicator unit according to claim 1 and the fluid to be applied; and
a container for storing the fluid to be applied and storing the applicator unit in an interior of the container, when the cosmetic or pharmaceutic unit is not in use.