Applicator for applying a cosmetic product to keratinous materials
An applicator for a cosmetic product to keratinous materials, particularly to keratinous fibers, notably to the eyelashes, the eyebrows and/or the capillary fibers, includes a core that extends along a longitudinal axis, a cosmetic product application element having at least one block of a foam attached to the core, the foam being an open-cell polymer foam which on its outer surface has free strands formed by all or part of the edge corners of cells that have been cut through by the machining of the foam.
1. An applicator of cosmetic product to keratinous fibres, notably to eyelashes, eyebrows and/or capillary fibres, comprising at least:
a core that extends along a longitudinal axis,
a cosmetic product application element, comprising at least one block of foam attached to the core,
the foam being an open-cell polymer foam which on its outer surface has free strands formed by all or part of the edge corners of cells that have been cut through by machining of the foam,
the foam having a number of cells per unit length comprised between 10 and 80 PPI in order to gently comb, separate and/or lengthen keratinous fibers.
2. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which length of the free strands is comprised between approximately 0.1 mm and 4 mm.
3. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the foam is selected from cross-linked polymer foams.
4. The applicator according to claim 3 , in which the foam is selected from cross-linked thermoplastic polymer foams, cross-linked polyester, cross-linked polyether or cross-linked polyethylene.
5. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the foam has a density of between 15 kg/m 3 and 60 kg/m 3 .
6. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the block of foam at least partially surrounds the core in cross section.
7. The applicator according to claim 6 , in which the block of foam completely surrounds the core in cross section.
8. The applicator according to claim 6 , in which the block of foam partially surrounds the core over an angular extent, measured about the longitudinal axis of the core, comprised between 90° and 240°.
9. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the foam is machined by a punch, by a laser, by milling and/or by waterjet.
10. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the core is selected from a core having two arms twisted together, a rod made from a metallic material, a polymer-based core, and a combination of these.
11. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the foam is attached to the core by welding, by bonding and/or by mechanical fastening and/or the core comprising at least one retaining relief at least partially penetrating the foam and/or the core is provided with fibres at least partially passing through the foam.
12. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the application element comprises, along the longitudinal axis of the core, at least one zone with the block of foam and at least one zone provided with projecting elements or the application element is only formed by the said at least one block of foam.
13. The applicator according to claim 1 , comprising a stem, the core being attached to the stem, the core having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being attached to the stem, the distal end comprising a foam retaining end stop.
14. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the block of foam is fixed by means of a core having a distal portion onto which the block of foam is slipped, the distal portion being connected to a proximal portion of the core by an articulation such as a film hinge, the distal portion being folded back onto the proximal portion, complementary reliefs holding the distal portion on the proximal portion.
15. The applicator according to claim 1 , in which the block of foam is attached to the core by interacting hooks and loops, the hooks being provided on the core and the loops consisting of the cellular pockets of the foam.
16. A device for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, notably to the eyelashes or eyebrows or the capillary fibres, comprising:
an applicator according to claim 1 ,
a container containing the cosmetic product to be applied.
17. The device according to claim 16 , in which the applicator comprises a stern, the core being attached to the stem, the stem of the applicator being secured to a cap that closes the container.
18. The device according to claim 16 , in which the container comprises a wiping member for wiping at least the application element as the applicator is withdrawn from the container.
19. A method for manufacturing an applicator according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
machining the exterior surface of the foam,
attaching the core to the foam, the step of machining the foam taking place after or before the step of attaching the core to the foam.
20. A method according to claim 19 , in which the core comprises two arms, notably U-shaped metal arms, the step of attaching the core to the foam consisting in piercing the block of foam with the two arms and then in twisting the arms together,
or the core comprises two arms, twisted together and trapping fibres between them, the attachment step then consisting in making the core pass through the block of foam through a slot provided in the block of foam,
or the core having a distal portion connected to a proximal portion by an articulation such as a film hinge, the method then comprising the step that consists in slipping the block of foam onto the distal portion and then folding the distal portion back onto the proximal portion, complementary reliefs holding the distal portion on the proximal portion.
21. A method according to claim 19 , in which the step of securing the core to the foam involves bonding, welding and/or mechanical fastening.
22. An applicator of cosmetic product to keratinous materials, particularly to keratinous fibers, notably to eyelashes, eyebrows and/or capillary fibres, comprising at least:
a core that extends along a longitudinal axis,
a cosmetic product application element, comprising at least one block of foam attached to the core,
the foam being an open-cell polymer foam which on its outer surface has free strands formed by all or part of the edge corners of cells that have been cut through by machining of the foam,
wherein the applicator comprises a stem, the core being attached to the stem, the core having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being attached to the stem, the distal end including a foam retaining end stop, or
the block of foam is fixed by means of a core having a distal portion onto which the block of foam is slipped, the distal portion being connected to a proximal portion of the core by an articulation such as a film hinge, the distal portion being folded back onto the proximal portion, complementary reliefs holding the distal portion on the proximal portion, or
the block of foam is attached to the core by interacting hooks and loops, the hooks being provided on the core and the loops consisting of the cellular pockets of the foam.