Cosmetic Applicator with Disparate Material Application Zones and Backwipe Return

Abstract

A cosmetic applicator with disparate material application zones and a backwipe return for permitting the achievement of multiple cosmetic material application effects with a single applicator and for permitting the return of backwiped cosmetic material to a cosmetic bottle. The applicator has a wire core formed from first and second wire segments twisted into a helical configuration to form a plurality of coils. A plurality of radially disposed bristles are retained by the wire core to form a brush head. Multiple distinct bristle zones of different bristle types exhibit distinct material application properties in a single cosmetic applicator. Backwiped cosmetic material can be returned to the cosmetic bottle by a sloped shoulder at a proximal end of an applicator rod in combination with a cosmetic material passageway in a sloped facing surface of a flexible inner ring of a wiper.

I claim as deserving the protection of Letters Patent: 
     
         1 . A cosmetic applicator with disparate material application zones for permitting the achievement of multiple cosmetic material application effects with the applicator, the cosmetic applicator comprising:
 a wire core formed from first and second wire segments twisted into a helical configuration to form a plurality of coils wherein the wire core has a proximal end, a distal end, and a body portion that defines a longitudinal axis;   a plurality of radially disposed bristles secured between the first and second wire segments of the wire core to form a brush head for being dipped into a volume of cosmetic material;   wherein the bristles of the brush head are disposed in at least first and second distinct bristle zones, wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone are of a first bristle type, and wherein the bristles of the second bristle zone are of a second bristle type different than the first bristle type;   whereby the first bristle zone can provide a first material application property and whereby the second bristle zone can provide a second material application property different from the first material application property.   
     
     
         2 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  wherein the first bristle zone is disposed over a first series of coils of the wire core and wherein the second bristle zone is disposed over a second series of coils of the wire core. 
     
     
         3 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 2  wherein the first bristle zone is round and of a generally consistent diameter from a proximal end of the brush head a proximal end of the second bristle zone and wherein the second bristle zone terminates in a frusto-conical distal portion. 
     
     
         4 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone have a first diameter and wherein the bristles of the second bristle zone have a second diameter different than the first diameter. 
     
     
         5 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone comprise hollow tubular filaments and wherein the bristles of the second bristle zone comprise solid round bristles. 
     
     
         6 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 5  wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone have an outer diameter of approximately 0.005 inches and wherein the bristles of the second bristle zone have an outer diameter of approximately 0.0004 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  wherein the first bristle zone has a unique bristle count relative to the second bristle zone. 
     
     
         8 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone are of a first color and wherein the bristles of the second bristle zone are of a second color different than the first color. 
     
     
         9 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  further comprising a third distinct bristle zone wherein the bristles of the third bristle zone are of a third bristle type different than the first and second bristle types. 
     
     
         10 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 9  wherein the first bristle zone is disposed over a proximal portion of the brush head, the second bristle zone is disposed over a mid-portion of the brush head, and the third bristle zone is disposed over a distal portion of the brush head. 
     
     
         11 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 10  wherein the first bristle zone comprises approximately 28 percent of the brush head, the second bristle zone comprises approximately 44 percent of the brush head, and the third bristle zone comprises approximately 28 percent of the brush head. 
     
     
         12 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 10  wherein the first bristle zone terminates in a frusto-conical proximal portion and wherein the third bristle zone terminates in a frusto-conical distal portion whereby the brush head has a double taper configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 9  wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone have a first diameter, the bristles of the second bristle zone have a second diameter different than the first diameter, and the bristles of the third bristle zone have a third diameter different than the first and second diameters. 
     
     
         14 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 13  wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone have a diameter of approximately 0.003 inches, the bristles of the second bristle zone have a diameter of approximately 0.005 inches, and the bristles of the third bristle zone have a diameter of approximately 0.004 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 9  wherein the bristles of the first bristle zone comprise solid rods and the bristles of the second bristle zone comprise hollow tubes. 
     
     
         16 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  further comprising an oversleeve with a proximal, tubular base portion, a distal tip portion, at least one base strip with a proximal end coupled to the base portion and a distal end coupled to the distal tip portion, at least one open channel between the at least one base strip, and a plurality of tines that project from the base strip, the oversleeve received over the brush head with the wire core disposed through the base portion of the oversleeve, the distal end of the wire core received into the tip portion, and the bristles of the first and second bristle zones passed through the at least one channel. 
     
     
         17 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 16  wherein the distal end of the wire core comprises a tip that extends distally beyond the bristle zones of the brush head and wherein the distal tip portion comprises a conical cap with a conical exterior and an inner receiving indentation that receives the tip of the wire core. 
     
     
         18 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 17  wherein the tip of the wire core comprises a longitudinally aligned straight portion of the wire segments where the wire segments are disposed in a generally parallel relationship and wherein the first helical coil of the wire core is disposed proximal to the straight portion. 
     
     
         19 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 16  wherein the oversleeve has first and second base strips separated by channels, each base strip with a row of tines that project therefrom. 
     
     
         20 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 19  wherein each row of tines approximately equals a number of coils over which the bristle zones of the brush head are disposed. 
     
     
         21 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 19  wherein the brush head and the rows of tine have double-taper profiles. 
     
     
         22 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 1  further comprising a rod with a proximal end and a distal end wherein the proximal end of the wire core is fixed to the distal end of the rod. 
     
     
         23 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 22  further comprising a cosmetic bottle wherein the cosmetic bottle has an open inner volume for retaining a volume of cosmetic material, an opening at a proximal end thereof for permitting an insertion and removal of the brush head and the rod, a wiper retained relative to the opening of the bottle for wiping excess cosmetic material from the brush head and the rod wherein the wiper has a flexible inner ring with an inner annular opening for permitting passage of the brush head and the rod, and a cosmetic material passageway in the flexible inner ring of the wiper wherein the cosmetic material passageway is supplemental to the inner annular opening of the flexible inner ring. 
     
     
         24 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 23  wherein the cosmetic material passageway comprises a lobe contiguous with the inner annular opening in the flexible inner ring. 
     
     
         25 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 23  wherein the wiper further comprises a cylindrical outer wall and further comprising an annular shoulder disposed at the proximal end of the applicator rod. 
     
     
         26 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 25  wherein the flexible inner ring of the wiper has a proximal surface sloped at an angle away from the opening of the cosmetic bottle and wherein the shoulder has a distal surface sloped at an angle away from the proximal end of the applicator rod. 
     
     
         27 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 26  wherein the angles at which the proximal surface of the flexible inner ring of the wiper and the distal surface of the shoulder are sloped are approximately equal. 
     
     
         28 . A cosmetic applicator with a backwipe return for permitting a return of backwiped cosmetic material, the cosmetic applicator comprising:
 a brush head with a plurality of radially communicating bristles;   an applicator rod with a proximal end and a distal end wherein the brush head is fixed to the distal end of the applicator rod;   a cosmetic bottle with an open inner volume for retaining a volume of cosmetic material, an opening at a proximal end thereof for permitting an insertion and removal of the brush head and the rod;   a wiper retained relative to the opening of the bottle for wiping excess cosmetic material from the brush head and the rod wherein the wiper has a flexible inner ring with an inner annular opening for permitting passage of the brush head and the rod; and   a cosmetic material passageway in the flexible inner ring of the wiper wherein the cosmetic material passageway is supplemental to the inner annular opening of the flexible inner ring.   
     
     
         29 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 28  wherein the cosmetic material passageway comprises a lobe contiguous with the inner annular opening in the flexible inner ring. 
     
     
         30 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 28  wherein the wiper further comprises a cylindrical outer wall and further comprising an annular shoulder fixed to the applicator rod adjacent to the proximal end thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 30  wherein the flexible inner ring of the wiper has a proximal surface sloped at an angle away from the opening of the cosmetic bottle and wherein the shoulder has a distal surface sloped at an angle away from the proximal end of the applicator rod. 
     
     
         32 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 31  wherein the angles at which the proximal surface of the flexible inner ring of the wiper and the distal surface of the shoulder are sloped are approximately equal. 
     
     
         33 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 31  wherein the cosmetic material passageway comprises a lobe contiguous with the inner annular opening in the flexible inner ring. 
     
     
         34 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 30  further comprising an annular base portion fixed to the annular shoulder wherein the annular base portion has a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the cylindrical outer wall of the wiper whereby the annular shoulder and the annular base portion can be received into the cylindrical outer wall of the wiper to press cosmetic material through the cosmetic material passageway. 
     
     
         35 . A cosmetic applicator with a backwipe return for permitting a return of backwiped cosmetic material, the cosmetic applicator comprising:
 a brush head with a plurality of radially communicating bristles;   an applicator rod with a proximal end and a distal end wherein the brush head is fixed to the distal end of the applicator rod;   a cosmetic bottle with an open inner volume for retaining a volume of cosmetic material, an opening at a proximal end thereof for permitting an insertion and removal of the brush head and the rod;   a wiper retained relative to the opening of the bottle for wiping excess cosmetic material from the brush head and the rod wherein the wiper has a cylindrical outer wall and a flexible inner ring with an inner annular opening for permitting passage of the brush head and the rod; and   an annular shoulder fixed to the applicator rod adjacent to the proximal end thereof wherein the flexible inner ring of the wiper has a proximal surface sloped at an angle away from the opening of the cosmetic bottle and wherein the shoulder has a distal surface sloped at an angle away from the proximal end of the applicator rod.   
     
     
         36 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 35  wherein the angles at which the proximal surface of the flexible inner ring of the wiper and the distal surface of the shoulder are sloped are approximately equal. 
     
     
         37 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 36  further comprising an annular base portion fixed to the annular shoulder wherein the annular base portion has a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the cylindrical outer wall of the wiper whereby the annular shoulder and the annular base portion can be received into the cylindrical outer wall of the wiper to press cosmetic material into the cosmetic bottle. 
     
     
         38 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 35  further comprising a cosmetic material passageway in the flexible inner ring of the wiper wherein the cosmetic material passageway is supplemental to the inner annular opening of the flexible inner ring. 
     
     
         39 . The cosmetic applicator of  claim 38  wherein the cosmetic material passageway comprises a lobe contiguous with the inner annular opening in the flexible inner ring.