Non-Contact Process For Decorating Dye-Permeable Fibres Of A Cosmetic Applicator

Abstract

The present invention provides a non-contact process for decorating dye-permeable fibres of a cosmetic applicator. The process comprises heating a dye-carrying surface of a carrier medium to a temperature sufficient to cause a dye plume to be released from said dye-carrying surface. The process further comprises placing said dye-permeable fibres of the cosmetic applicator at a distance from said dye-carrying surface in the path of the released dye plume, thereby allowing said dye to penetrate and decorate said dye-permeable fibres. The dimensions and the density of the dye plume can be optimised by controlled air flow. In an embodiment, the process comprises decorating all of the dye-permeable fibres simultaneously. Alternatively, the process comprises decorating only a portion of the fibres, the portion being either radial sections around a core to which the fibres are fitted, or longitudinal sections along the length of the core. In an embodiment, the distance between the free ends of the dye-permeable fibres and the dye-carrying surface is at least approximately 0.1 mm.

1 . A non-contact process for decorating dye-permeable fibres of a cosmetic applicator, the process comprising:
 heating a dye-carrying surface of a carrier medium to a temperature sufficient to cause a dye plume to be released from said dye-carrying surface; and   placing said dye-permeable fibres of the cosmetic applicator at a distance from said dye-carrying surface in the path of the released dye plume, thereby allowing said dye to penetrate and decorate said dye-permeable fibres.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , which comprises decorating all of the dye-permeable fibres simultaneously. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , which comprises decorating only a portion of the fibres, the portion being either radial sections around a core to which the fibres are fitted, or longitudinal sections along the length of the core. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the free ends of said dye-permeable fibres and the dye-carrying surface is at least approximately 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said cosmetic applicator is a brush applicator. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said cosmetic applicator is a flocked applicator. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of heating said carrier medium comprises providing at least one heated surface placed in contact with said carrier medium, proximate which the dye-permeable fibres of the cosmetic applicator can be positioned. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the dye-permeable fibres are positioned either above or below the heated surface. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the dye-permeable fibres are positioned between a pair of heated surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the step of heating said carrier medium comprises providing a plurality of heated surfaces that at least partially surrounds the dye-permeable fibres of the cosmetic applicator. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the step of heating said carrier medium comprises providing a cylindrical heated surface that encloses the dye-permeable fibres of the cosmetic applicator. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of heating said carrier medium comprises providing a laser source to sweep said carrier medium. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the process comprises providing an aspiration source, wherein said aspiration source increases said dye plume flow towards said dye-permeable fibres of said cosmetic applicator. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , which comprises heating the carrier medium to about 180 to 220° C., as measured at the dye-carrying surface, with the dye-permeable fibres being held in position, and at a distance, relative to the dye-carrying surface for between 60 and 240 seconds, depending on the degree of decoration transfer required. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , which comprises rotating the said dye-permeable fibres of the cosmetic applicator relative to the dye-carrying surface of the carrier medium. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the step of rotating the dye-permeable fibre can be done either continuously or in a stepped manner. 
     
     
         17 . A cosmetic applicator decorated using the process defined in  claim 1 .