EP0732273B1 - Pasty product applicator comprising a porous dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an applicator for a creamy, pasty product or in the form of a foam, having a rigid porous application member, serving as an applicator element for the product on the surface to receive the product, according to the first part of claim 1 (EP-A-0 155 349).

More specifically, the present invention relates to an applicator for paste, cream, foam or gel, in particular an applicator intended for the application, topically, to the skin of a user of a product with cosmetic or dermopharmaceutical action. , such as a deodorant, perfuming, slimming or depilatory cream, a face cream, or even a gel to treat the scalp.

In the particular case of deodorant or antiperspirant product, it has already been proposed to ensure the application of the product by means of a solid stick, called "grape", containing the active ingredient to be applied to the skin of the user; this grape is usually packaged in a case allowing it to be moved over the skin as it is consumed.

The disadvantages of such a presentation are, on the one hand, the need for packaging the product of special and expensive tools and, on the other hand, the conservation of the grape which is generally not perfectly ensured. Indeed, the solid composition used contains a large percentage of alcohol and the packaging is generally not sufficiently tight to prevent the evaporation of the alcohol, and therefore the drying of the product. There is therefore a degradation of the grapes which makes the product unusable, especially at the end of consumption. In addition, the comfort of use is not perfectly satisfactory due to the grape's lack of flexibility. In addition, especially on sensitive areas of the body such as the armpits, the known compositions give the impression of oily application. In summary, the user wants a gentle, non-greasy application of the deodorant product with a refreshing effect.

It has already been proposed to remedy these drawbacks by proposing an applicator of the bottle type, which contains a liquid composition, this bottle being surmounted by a dispensing head carrying a dispensing dome made of a rigid porous material serving as an applicator element. This type of applicator is described, for example, in documents EP-A-0 167 657 and FR-A-2 647 034.

According to document EP-A-0 155 349 the applicator comprises compression means assisting the passage of the product by capillary action.

The disadvantage of this type of packaging is twofold: firstly, to ensure the closure of the bottle when the product is not used, it is necessary to provide a relatively complicated dispensing head, which significantly increases the cost of packaging on the other hand, to apply the product to the skin, it is necessary to perform a prior action bringing the liquid into the porous dome. In these two previous documents, this action consists of a prior inversion of the bottle so that the product descends by gravity into the porous dome (upside down). In addition, this type of packaging requires a low-viscosity composition, as a rule to high alcohol content, which limits on the one hand the use of new raw materials for the formulator. Furthermore, alcoholic body compositions are not very "cosmetic" and risk being poorly supported by the consumer, in particular with sensitive skin. On the other hand, when this applicator is lying down, for example during a travel of the user, product leaks occur, especially when the protective cover is not closed properly, which is detrimental.

The present invention makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks mentioned above by proposing the new industrial product which consists of an applicator containing a viscous product, of very gentle application; this application can be carried out easily on all the places of the human body, and more especially on the armpits and the legs, with a regular and homogeneous spreading of the product. This applicator can even be used with a massage movement to promote the penetration of the product into the skin.

Thus, the present invention relates according to claim 1 to an applicator of a product of viscous consistency, comprising a reservoir of product and a rigid application member comprising pores communicating with each other in all directions characterized in that the porosity is such that the passage of the product through the pores by gravity and / or by capillarity is prevented for the product having a chosen viscosity, and in that it further comprises means for compressing the product capable of producing a sufficient pressure on the product to push it through the pores when dispensing a dose of product.

Advantageously, the compression means are mechanical in nature and comprise, according to a first alternative embodiment, a piston associated with a means for operating the piston. This operating means can be constituted by a rod movable in rotation, provided with a thread integral with an actuating element such as a knurling wheel, the thread of the rod cooperating with a complementary thread made in the piston.

In this case, the actuating element of the applicator assembly of the invention advantageously has an oval or elongated shape perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rod, so that this element forms a lever arm facilitating raising the piston during use.

The applicator member is advantageously a dome having a continuous application surface, substantially convex or planar, which may include a slight depression. This dispensing dome can be made of a rigid, non-deformable sintered material made of ceramic or plastic, obtained in particular by hot compression of particles of plastic or ceramic material. This frit has pores communicating with each other, in an omnidirectional manner, and has a porosity ranging from 1 μm to 500 μm, the preferred porosity range extending from 50 μm to 300 μm.

The choice of porosity is generally made taking into account three parameters: on the one hand, the desired flow rate for the product to be on the other hand, apply the surface condition of the porous dome, which must be compatible with the surface to be treated, and finally the viscosity of the product. To define the porosity, in a known manner, the flow rate of a product is measured through a given thickness of the frit under a predetermined pressure difference and the equivalent section of a pipe is deduced therefrom ensuring the same flow rate in the same conditions. This equivalent section thus allows the determination of the average diameter of a pore when we statistically know the number of pores per unit area of the dome.

When the dispensing dome is made of a plastic frit, it can be made of synthetic resins such as high or low density polyethylenes, polypropylenes or polyvinyl fluorides. Alternatively, the dome can also be made of a rigid synthetic foam with open cells.

In order to be able to apply the product smoothly, the dome advantageously has an application surface the average roughness of which is chosen from the range from 0.5 μm to 100 μm, and preferably from the range from 6 µm to 50 µm.

According to another interesting alternative embodiment, the compression means may comprise a propellant gas and a distribution valve cooperating with the distribution head. This valve is actuated by the user when the product is applied to the skin. Advantageously, it is possible to provide for this dispensing valve to be an opening valve by lateral tilting of its emerging rod. The product can be enclosed in a pocket disposed inside the tank, separating the product and the propellant. In this case, if the product is a foaming product, the bag also contains a foaming agent such as isobutane, for example.

According to this embodiment, the reservoir is a cylindrical container, the top of which carries a dispensing valve. A fixing means is provided on the container for fixing a hoop, the latter carrying the dispensing head.

To further increase the smoothness of application of the product, elastic suspension means can be provided, arranged, for example, between the application member and the product reservoir, and more particularly, between the application member and the fret.

In the propellant variant, the suspension means can advantageously connect the end of the hoop, which is furthest from its zone of attachment to the container, at the periphery of the support of the dispensing dome. In this case, the hoop and the suspension means may consist of a continuous wall surrounding the dispensing valve of the dispensing head fixed on the reservoir. Of course, these suspension means could also be produced discontinuously, by a plurality of successive sectors, for example in the form of tongues.

According to a particularly economical embodiment, the dispensing head is made in one piece by molding plastic material. Advantageously, the dispensing head is, apart from the means for suspending the dispensing dome, a part having an axis of revolution, which is generally the axis of the container.

According to yet another alternative embodiment, the compression means may comprise a dispensing pump cooperating with a lever arm articulated with the dispensing head. This pump is actuated by the user when the product is applied to the skin.

According to another variant, the pump can be an air pump, creating an overpressure in the tank, this overpressure acting on the product to cause its distribution.

The consistency of the product to be applied is viscous; advantageously this is chosen in the range going from 50 mPa · s to 7 Pa · s, and preferably in the range going from 90 mPa · s to 5 Pa · s.

The invention also relates to a deodorant according to claim 12 comprising a reservoir of a deodorant or antiperspirant product, a member for rigid application of the product provided with pores communicating with each other in all directions, the porosity is such that the passage of the product through the pores by gravity and / or capillarity is prevented for the product having a selected viscosity, and means for compressing the product capable of producing sufficient pressure on the product to ensure its passage through the pores, during the product application.

Advantageously, the applicator member has the shape of a dome.

To better understand the present invention, we will now describe, by way of purely illustrative and in no way limitative, two embodiments of applicators according to the invention, shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 represents an applicator, according to the invention, in axial section, according to a first embodiment of the invention, in the storage position.

FIG. 1a is a view in the direction Ia-Ia of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 represents, in axial section, a second embodiment of an applicator of the invention.

Thus, the applicator 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a reservoir 2 containing a product P, for example a deodorant cream and comprising a cylindrical body 9 having a longitudinal axis A. The section of the body perpendicular to the axis can be circular , but it is preferred, according to the present embodiment, an oval section, for reasons explained below.

In this figure, this cylindrical body 9 has at one of its ends a dispensing head 3 provided with a porous application member 4, rigid and non-deformable, dome-shaped. This head 3 further comprises a zone 28 of reduced diameter which constitutes the seat of a protective cover 29, the internal section of which corresponds to the external section of the zone 28. The second end of the body 9, opposite to the 'organ 4, comprises an actuating element 10 in the form of an elongated handle, of the same oval section as the reservoir, this handle being pivotally mounted about the axis A of the assembly.

The side wall 10a of the actuating element 10 constitutes a gripping surface which is accessible over the entire periphery of the element 10. A user can thus grasp the element 10 and rotate it around the axis A, as symbolized in Figure 1 by the arrow F.

In particular, the element 10 offers preferential bearing zones, identified in FIG. 1a, on which a force symbolized by two arrows F _a will be applied. It is understood that the couple of forces F _a that is exerted, may be a significant torque, due to the elongated shape of the element 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the body 9 internally comprises a piston 6, the cross section of which corresponds precisely to the internal section of the body 9. This piston 6 has at its center a tapped orifice 20a, crossed by a rod 8 provided with a thread 12. This rod 8 extends over almost the entire height of the body 9. The rod 8 is freely mounted in rotation about the axis A of the assembly, while being immobilized axially, by means of a frustoconical shoulder 8a of the bottom wall 22 of the body 9. This wall 22 has a shape adapted to receive the frustoconical head 13 of the threaded rod 8. In fact, the bottom wall 22 has an orifice 14 extended downwards by a frustoconical edge 15, forming a bearing for the frustoconical part of the head 13 of the rod 8. The frustoconical edge 15 is connected to a flat part 23 of the bottom wall 22. The shoulder 8a is surrounded by an elastic cuff 16, to ensure the the interior tank 2 vis-à-vis the outside, thus preventing any penetration of ambient air which could cause drying or degradation of the packaged product.

The head 13 of the rod 8 is integral with the actuating element 10. In fact, this head is connected to a plate 24 of oval shape of the same dimension as the section of the body 9. The edges of this plate 24 are connected to the side wall 10a of the actuating element 10. The bottom of the element 10 is closed by a plate 10b which has the same shape and the same dimension as the plate 24.

The flat part 23 of the bottom 22 and the plate 24 are provided with boss systems 25 / hollow part 26, arranged one opposite the other and cooperating with each other, this system allowing the user can easily reposition the actuating element 10 in the extension of the body 9.

In addition, the piston 6 has at its periphery a sealing lip 6a which bears strongly against the side wall of the body 9, and ensures a perfect seal between the tank 2 and the volume 2a defined between the piston 6 and the bottom 22.

In accordance with an interesting aspect of the invention, the thread of the rod 8 is chosen according to the viscosity of the product and the size of the pores 5 of the applicator member 4: for a product of high viscosity and a small pore size, the screw pitch must be small, and vice versa.

The applicator member may consist of a ceramic or plastic sintered material, in particular of a material obtained by hot compression of particles; for example, a frit obtained by compression of calibrated polyethylene beads can be used, this sinter having a porosity of between 1 μm and 200 μm. For this porosity range, the screw pitch must be low.

dans laquelle f(x) est la mesure de la distance de la surface réelle à la surface médiane en un point x de longueur l_m, mesurée à l'aide d'un appareil «SURFTEST 301» commercialisé par la société MITUTOYO.In the example considered, the applicator member 4 has a porosity of approximately 40 μm. Its external face 7 has a convex shape whose convexity is turned towards the outside. The roughness of the surface 7 of the dome 4 is such that the average R _has roughness differences is of the order of 15 μm; R _a is the arithmetic mean of the differences between the real surface and the median surface; this arithmetic mean is given by the formula: $${\text{R}}_{\text{at}}{\text{=}}^{\text{1}}{\text{/ l}}_{\text{m}}\int_{\text{0}}^{{\text{I}}_{\text{m}}} \text{| f (x) | dx}\,d$$

in which f (x) is the measurement of the distance from the real surface to the median surface at a point x of length l _m , measured using a “SURFTEST 301” device sold by the company MITUTOYO.

The product P contained in the tank 2 has a viscosity of approximately 120 mPa · s.

This applicator allows a soft and easy application on a wide area of the skin, for example on the armpits.

In FIG. 2, the product applicator of viscous consistency has been designated by the reference 101 according to another alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to this figure, it can be seen that the pressurized reservoir of the applicator has been designated by 102. This reservoir is a cylindrical container of circular cross section, the top of which is shaped like a warhead 110, which carries, at its upper part, a valve cup 112 secured to the container by a crimping bead 114. The valve cup carries, along its axis A, a distribution valve 120 comprising an emerging rod 122; the valve 120 is opened by lateral tilting of the emerging rod 122.

In the junction of the warhead 110 with the cylindrical wall of the reservoir 102, a peripheral snap groove 116 is seen.

In the reservoir 102, the product, for example a hair removal gel, is conditioned under pressure. This gel has a viscosity of around 300 mPa · s. The pressurization of the reservoir can be carried out either by bringing the product directly into contact with the propellant gas, or by separating the product and the propellant gas by a movable piston or by a flexible deformable pocket, which releases, in the latter case, the obligation to use the applicator in a determined position, either valve at the top or valve at the bottom.

On the reservoir is fixed a dispensing head 103, which comprises, on the one hand, a cylindrical hoop 118, and on the other hand, a second cup 124, which constitutes the support of the applicator member 104 in the form of dome, made of a material similar to that described in FIG. 1. This hoop internally comprises, at its base, an annular snap-on bead 117, which is intended to cooperate with the snap-on groove 116.

The dispensing head 103 further comprises a flexible element 130 which connects the cup 124 and the hoop 118. The flexible element 130 is formed by several regularly distributed tongues. The hoop-cup 124 connection is made according to a rounded zone 131, the convexity of which is turned towards the snap-on bead 117. The hoop 118 and the flexible element 130 have a generally cylindrical shape and are arranged coaxially. The hoop is connected to the flexible element at its free end 119. In addition, the flexible element 130 is connected to the cup 124 along its edge opposite the end 119. In its central zone, the cup 124 is integral with a hollow tip 126 of cylindrical shape. This end piece has a passage 128 along its axis, in which the free end of the emerging rod 122 of the valve 120 is engaged, in order to obtain a sealed connection between this rod and the end piece 126.

Channels 125 which are substantially radial are formed between the internal face of the support 124 and the underside of the distributor dome 104, said channels being able to be produced in the distributor dome itself and / or in the wall of the support: these channels have the advantage to ensure a good distribution of the product to be distributed. Thus, the external face 107 of the dispensing dome 104 uniformly delivers product.

A protective cover 129 is provided to protect the application member 104.

To use the above applicator, the user applies the external face 107 of the dome 104 against the surface to be treated, for example the skin to be depilated from one leg. He then moves the applicator laterally. This results in a friction force which results in the deformation of the flexible element 130, and, consequently, a substantially radial displacement of the cup 124, relative to the reservoir 102 and relative to the axis of the valve 120. It a changeover ensues lateral of the rod 122 and therefore an opening of the valve, with simultaneous ejection of the depilation gel conditioned under pressure in the reservoir 102. The gel arrives on the internal face 109 of the dispensing dome 104, then it is distributed over this whole face internal and, under the effect of the distribution pressure, it passes through the frit constituting the dome 104 to come flush with the external face 107 of this dome.

The gel is then distributed by friction on the leg; during an excess of product, the friction force decreases, which causes the valve 120 to close under the effect of the elastic return means, provided inside the valve.

The use of this applicator is particularly reliable, and there can be no leakage. In addition, the approval of a topical application by means of this applicator is very satisfactory, because the user feels a soft and non-greasy application with a freshness effect. Furthermore, the application can be carried out directly without prior turning over of the applicator.

Claims (13)

1. Applicator (1, 101) for a product (P) of viscous consistency, including a product reservoir (2, 102) and a rigid application element (4, 104) having pores (5, 105) which communicate with one another in all directions, characterized in that the porosity is such that passage of the product through the pores (5, 105) under gravity and/or capillary action is prevented for the product (P) having a chosen viscosity, and in that it furthermore comprises means (M₁, M₂) for compressing the product, which can produce a sufficient pressure on the product (P) to push it through the pores (5, 105) when a dose of product is dispensed.
2. Applicator according to Claim 1, characterized in that the compression means (M₁) include a piston (6) associated with a means (8, 10) for operating the piston.
3. Applicator according to Claim 2, characterized in that the operating means consists of a rod (8) provided with a screw thread (12) integral with an actuation element (10), the screw thread (12) of the rod (8) cooperating with a complementary screw thread (14) on the piston (6).
4. Applicator according to Claim 1, characterized in that the compression means (M₂) include a propellant gas and a dispensing valve (120) cooperating with the application element (4, 104).
5. Applicator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application element (4, 104) has a pore size chosen from the range of 1 µm to 500 µm.
6. Applicator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application element (4, 104) has a pore size chosen from the range of 50 µm to 300 µm.
7. Applicator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application element (4, 104) has a surface (7, 107) whose mean roughness R_a is chosen from the range of 0.5 µm to 100 µm.
8. Applicator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application element (4, 104) has a surface (7, 107) whose mean roughness R_a is chosen from the range of 6 µm to 50 µm.
9. Applicator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the viscosity of the product (P) is chosen from the range from 50 mPa·s to 7 Pa·s.
10. Applicator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the viscosity of the product (P) is chosen from the range from 90 mPa·s to 5 Pa·s.
11. Applicator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic suspension means (130) are furthermore arranged between the dispensing head (103) and the reservoir (102).
12. Deodorant including a reservoir (2, 102) for a deodorant product (P), a rigid product-application element (4, 104) provided with pores (5, 105) which communicate with one another in all directions, characterized in that the porosity is such that passage of the product through the pores under gravity and/or capillary action is prevented for the product having a chosen viscosity, and in that it furthermore comprises means (M₁, M₂) for compressing the product, which can produce a sufficient pressure on the product to make it pass through the pores, when the product is applied.
13. Deodorant according to Claim 12, characterized in that the application element (4, 104) has the shape of a dome.

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