Applicator with application from the front

Abstract

The invention relates to a mascara applicator with a finger carrier which is permanently fixed relative to a handle and comprises a main finger covering consisting of at least one row of fingers, which are disposed in an aligned manner along an imaginary main covering axis or one behind the other with an offset along the main covering axis and are molded onto the finger carrier, and with a handle which itself comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the at least one main covering axis and the longitudinal axis of the handle extend at least substantially orthogonally relative to one another.

1 . A mascara applicator comprising:
 a finger carrier which is permanently fixed relative to a handle and comprises a main finger covering consisting of at least one row of fingers, which are disposed in an aligned manner along an imaginary main covering axis or one behind the other with an offset along the main covering axis and are molded on to the finger carrier; and   a handle which itself comprises a longitudinal axis;   wherein the at least one main covering axis and the longitudinal axis of the handle extend at least substantially orthogonally relative to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises only a single bristle carrier which is either formed integrally or consists of several parts, which from the standpoint of the user are permanently fixed relative to one another. 
     
     
         3 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the main covering axis is curved over a predominant part of its length, its radius of curvature being ≧10 mm; and the curvature being substantially constant. 
     
     
         4 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 3 , wherein the curvature is a concave curvature directed towards the handle which substantially corresponds to a curvature of eyelashes of a human eye. 
     
     
         5 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is substantially configured as a plate having a non-rotation-symmetrical body, which distally transitions integrally or via a distal end face into a finger carrier section and which has a proximally free end face as well as substantially two large and two small free side surfaces, wherein a surface area of the large side surfaces is larger than a surface area of the small side surfaces ( 6 ) by at least a factor of 4. 
     
     
         6 . The mascara applicator according  claim 5 , wherein the largest width of the handle configured as a plate is no more than four times a maximum length L max  of the applicator. 
     
     
         7 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 6 , wherein the maximum length L max  of the applicator is ≦75 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle and the main finger covering are arranged relative to one another in such a way that, when the applicator is used as intended, fingers of a user guiding the applicator are located in front of the user's eye, seen in the viewing direction, instead of laterally next to the eye. 
     
     
         9 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the finger carrier is substantially configured as a plate having a non-rotation-symmetrical body, which on its proximal side transitions integrally or via a proximal end face into the handle and which is distally equipped in such a way that the finger carrier comprises:
 a finger-covered end face; and   two large and two small free side surfaces, wherein a surface area of the large side surfaces is larger than a surface area of the small side surfaces; by at least a factor of 4.   
     
     
         10 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 9 , wherein the two small side surfaces include an angle α≦90°, with a straight connecting line (VB) between edges that the finger-covered end face forms towards the two small side surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 9 , wherein at least 30% of the main finger covering comprises fingers that protrude from the distal end face of the finger carrier, predominantly in a direction which is oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle. 
     
     
         12 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 11 , wherein the main finger covering comprises fingers in the form of bristles, which are bodies that are flexible to such an extent that their tip can be deflected by at least 15%, of their length from a base to a tip. 
     
     
         13 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 12 , wherein the bristles are injection-molded bristles, which are injection-molded in a single working step together with the bristle carrier, or in a single working step together with the bristle carrier and the handle, and which taper from their bases to their tips. 
     
     
         14 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein a jacket surface of the main finger covering grasps around the main covering axis at least over an angle (β) of 90°, wherein the finger covering comprises several first fingers whose longitudinal axis is perpendicular to a first main surface, and several second fingers, whose longitudinal axis is perpendicular to a second main surface. 
     
     
         15 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle of the mascara applicator consists essentially of a plate which is configured in such a way that two large surfaces of the plate lie between a user's thumb and index finger when the applicator is brought towards the user's eye. 
     
     
         16 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 12 , wherein the plate forming the finger carrier forms a contact surface with which a wiper, when the mascara applicator is a part of a sealed mascara unit, comes into engagement at rest without putting a load on the bristles; wherein this contact surface is constricted or recedes in relation to a plate section of the plate forming the finger carrier which is covered with the fingers, so that this configuration results in a positive engagement between the contact surface and lips of the wiper. 
     
     
         17 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 12 , wherein the plate forming the finger carrier forms a continuously circumferentially extending sealing surface which protrudes in a manner of a hilt and which, when the mascara applicator is part of a sealed mascara unit, sealingly comes into engagement with a complementary surface on a wiper or on a mascara container, wherein this sealing surface is configured in such a way that, when the mascara applicator is part of a sealed mascara unit, the sealing surface separates a part of the applicator wetted with mascara from a remaining part of the applicator. 
     
     
         18 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the finger carrier and the handle are two independent components separate from each other and the finger carrier comprises in an area of its proximal end face a connecting section for connection to the handle, wherein the connecting section comprises a latching projection or a latching recess for positive engagement of the finger carrier with a complementary latching component of the handle. 
     
     
         19 . The mascara applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the mascara applicator comprises at least one latching component with which a section forming the finger carrier and/or the handle can be fixed by positive fit directly on a container accommodating the mascara applicator in its ready position.