Dispenser Applicator With Integrated Wiper And Process Of Manufacture

Abstract

The dispenser applicator ( 1 ) for a cosmetic product, typically a mascara, has an axial direction ( 10 ) and comprises a body ( 2 ) comprising a typically threaded neck ( 20 ) and a container ( 21 ) for said cosmetic product, said neck ( 20 ) being unitary with a wiper ( 3 ), and an applicator ( 4 ) comprising: a) a) a manual prehension means ( 40 ), b) an axial rod ( 4 ) which is oriented along said axial direction ( 10 ), c) an application means 42 ), said axial rod ( 41 ) being unitary with said manual prehension means ( 40 ) at is its so-called upper end ( 410 ), and with said application means ( 42 ) at its so-called lower end ( 411 ). It is characterized in that said wiper ( 3 ) is a so-called single-piece wiper ( 3 ′) defining with said body ( 2 ) a single-piece member ( 5 ) which is molded with plastic material. Said wiper ( 3 ) constitutes with said body ( 2 ) a single-piece member ( 5 ) which is molded with plastic material and in that said wiper comprises a plurality of N radial tongues ( 30 ), said radial tongues ( 30 ) being typically identical and regularly disposed around said axial direction ( 10 ), two consecutive radial tongues defining an angle of 360°/N between one another.

1 . Dispenser applicator ( 1 ) for a cosmetic product, having an axial direction ( 10 ) and comprising a body ( 2 ) comprising a neck ( 20 ) and a container ( 21 ) for said cosmetic product, said neck ( 20 ) being unitary with a wiper ( 3 ), and an applicator ( 4 ) comprising: 
 a) a manual prehension means ( 40 ),    b) an axial rod ( 41 ) oriented according to said axial direction ( 10 ),    c) an application means ( 42 ),    said axial rod ( 41 ) being unitary with said manual prehension means ( 40 ) at its so-called upper extremity ( 410 ), and with said application means ( 42 ) at its so-called lower extremity ( 411 );    said wiper ( 3 ) defines with said body ( 2 ) a single-piece member ( 5 ) which is molded of plastic material; and    said wiper comprises a plurality of N radial tongues ( 30 ), said radial tongues ( 30 ) being identical and regularly disposed around said axial direction ( 10 ), two consecutive radial tongues define therebetween an angle of 360°/N.    
     
     
         2 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 1  in which the number N of radial tongues ( 30 ) ranges from 2 to 10, and typically from 3 to 8, and is preferably 6.  
     
     
         3 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 1  in which said radial tongues ( 30 ) define a substantially truncated wall ( 31 ) with a top angle equal to 2.β ranging from 50° to 140°, said truncated wall ( 31 ) defining at its lower part an orifice ( 310 ) of diameter D 1  and connecting to said neck ( 20 ) at its lower part by means of its base ( 311 ) of diameter D 2 >D 1 , diameter D 2  typically corresponding to the interior diameter of said neck ( 20 ).  
     
     
         4 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 3  in which the diameter D 2  is comprised between 0.3.D 2  and 0.8.D 2 , and typically between 0.4.D 2  and 0.7.D 2 .  
     
     
         5 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 3  in which said radial tongues ( 30 ) are connected to said neck ( 20 ) through said base ( 311 ) of said truncated wall ( 31 ).  
     
     
         6 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 5  in which said radial tongues ( 30 ) are connected to said neck ( 20 ) through its lower extremity ( 200 ).  
     
     
         7 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 1  in which said radial tongues ( 30 ) are at least in part butt-jointed, at the level of said orifice ( 310 ), so as to provide a self-blocking of said radial tongues ( 30 ) between one another and thereby preventing any risk of turnaround of said tongues towards the exterior of said body when said applicator ( 4 ) is separated from said body ( 2 ), said means of manual prehension ( 40 ) of said applicator ( 4 ) defining a cap adapted to seal said body ( 2 ) by screwing it onto said threaded neck ( 20 ).  
     
     
         8 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 7  in which said radial tongues ( 30 ) are radial tongues that are butt-jointed along their entire radial length.  
     
     
         9 . Dispenser applicator according to  claim 1  in which said single-piece wiper ( 3 ) is flexible with respect to said axial direction ( 10 ), typically it is resiliently flexible, said radial tongues ( 30 ) being adapted to move away from said axial direction ( 10 ) under a constraint when said application means ( 42 ) of said applicator ( 4 ) is introduced in said body ( 2 ) and acts jointly with said wiper ( 3 ′), so as to constitute a pseudo truncated wall with a top angle of 2.β′<2.β. said tongues reverting back to their position and defining said substantially truncated wall ( 31 ) with a top angle of 2.β when said constraint stops.  
     
     
         10 . Process for manufacturing a body ( 2 ) of a dispenser applicator ( 1 ) according to  claim 1  in which, by means of a molding device ( 8 ), and in order to make said single-piece molded member ( 5 ): 
 a) a so-called first outline body ( 6 ) comprising an outline container ( 60 ) and a typically threaded neck ( 61 ) comprising a plurality of N outline tongues ( 62 ) disposed inside said neck ( 61 ) and outwardly oriented with respect to said outline container ( 60 ), is made by compression molding of a thermoplastic material in cooperation with an outline mold ( 80 ) made of two parts ( 80   a ,  80   b ) and a molding nucleus or punch ( 81 ) typically comprising a plurality of N axial cavities ( 812 ) adapted to constitute by molding said plurality of N outline tongues ( 62 ),    b) a so-called second body outline ( 7 ) comprising said container ( 21 ) of said body ( 2 ) is made by blowing in a finishing mold, said first outline body ( 6 ), said container ( 21 ) of said body ( 2 ) typically comprising a bottom ( 210 ), a lateral skirt ( 211 ) and a shoulder ( 212 ) connecting said lateral skirt ( 211 ) to said neck ( 20 ),    c) then, typically by means of a turnaround device ( 9 ), said plurality of N outline tongue ( 62 ) are caused to be pivoted towards the interior of said container ( 212 ), in order to orient said N outline tongues ( 62 ) towards the interior of said body ( 2 ), said body ( 2 ) then being at a so-called inversion temperature, which is lower than the molding temperature of said outline, and is chosen to be low enough so that said tongues remain unitary with said neck and high enough so that said plurality of tongues are sufficiently flexible with respect to said neck to allow said outline tongues ( 62 ) to pivot, so as to constitute said single-piece member ( 5 ) provided with said single-piece wiper ( 3 ′) comprising said plurality of N radial tongues ( 30 ) typically defining said truncated wall ( 31 ).    
     
     
         11 . Process according to  claim 10  in which said plurality of N axial cavities ( 812 ) is disposed in a manner that said plurality of N radial tongues ( 30 ) are connected to the neck ( 20 ) at its lower end ( 200 ) by means of an annular connecting zone ( 22 ).  
     
     
         12 . Process according to  claim 10  in which said plurality of outline tongues ( 62 ) is allowed to pivot by introducing in said neck ( 20 ) a punch ( 9 ′) constituting said turnaround device ( 9 ), in a manner to cause said plurality of outline tongues ( 62 ) to tip over towards the interior of said body ( 2 ).  
     
     
         13 . Process according to  claim 12  in which said turnaround punch ( 9 ′) comprises an annular member ( 90 ) and a central member ( 91 ) adapted to slide in said annular member ( 90 ).  
     
     
         14 . Process according to  claim 13  in which said annular member ( 90 ) comprises an exterior crown ( 900 ) adapted to come into abutment against said neck ( 20 ) and an interior crown ( 901 ) having a lower extremity ( 902 ) defining a bevel forming an angle α which typically ranges from 10° to 70°, so that said lower extremity ( 902 ) direct said plurality of outline tongues ( 62 ) towards the interior of said body ( 2 ).  
     
     
         15 . Process according to  claim 13  in which, to operate said turnaround device ( 9 ), said annular member ( 90 ) is first introduced into said neck ( 20 ), said interior crown ( 901 ) of said annular member ( 90 ) having an axial height that is greater than the distance d between said connecting zone ( 22 ) of said tongues and the upper extremity ( 201 ) of said neck, in a manner that, when said exterior crown ( 900 ) comes into abutment against said neck ( 20 ), said interior crown ( 901 ) acts jointly with said outline tongues ( 62 ) by turning them over towards the interior of said body ( 2 ), then said central member ( 91 ) is allowed to slide in said annular member ( 90 ) so as to constitute a plurality of outline tongues ( 62   b ) having pivoted by an angle γ near 180°, and so that, after retraction of said turnaround device ( 9 ), said radial tongues ( 30 ) are formed, said outline tongues ( 62   b ), especially through the elastic memory, revert back in reverse direction until reaching their angular blocking point formed by their lateral edge to edge contact, by forming said truncated wall having an angle 2.β ranging from 50° to 140°.  
     
     
         16 . Process according to  claim 10  in which said single-piece member ( 5 ) is made of a plastic material typically selected from a polyolefin, for example PE or PP.