DE20311422U1 - Device for scraping off hair removal paste after use, comprising inclined rounded front area and ergonomically shaped handle - Google Patents

Abstract

The device is made all in one piece and has a semi-circular lower part (2) with a straight front edge (14). The edge (14) is slightly inclined and rounded for a smooth action. A v-shaped gap (6) between working area (2) and handle (4) facilitates the lower part (2) to be guided around curved and concave areas of the body. The handle (4) is provided with a wide upper end (16) and a ribbed thumb insertion area (22).

Description

RECKITT BENCKISER (UK) LIMITED
Case: 11243Pl
UZ: H 2214 GM-DE
5

Device for removing an agent from the skin

The present invention relates to a device for removing an agent from the skin. The invention particularly, but not exclusively, relates to a device suitable for use in a depilatory or epilation treatment.

Depilatory products are widely available. The user applies them to his skin, leaves them on the skin for a predetermined period of time to allow them to take effect, and then removes them from the skin, usually using a provided object. This object is typically a textile or fabric material, a sponge, or a resilient, flexible plastic sheet member. Such plastic sheet members may be curved to facilitate removal of the product and the hair entrained therein. However, some customers find using such a device uncomfortable or difficult. Many hold such devices near their front edge in contact with the skin, making it difficult for the user to keep his hand free from contact with the product and the depilated hair. In addition, it may be difficult to reach some areas using such devices, e.g., areas on the back of the thighs.

The present inventors have developed a different device for efficiently and cleanly removing agents, e.g. depilatories, from the skin.

According to the invention there is provided a device for removing an agent from the skin, the device comprising: a non-scraping or shearing head which, in use, is moved over the skin to remove the agent; a handle; and a joint between the head

and the handle, whereby the joint enables the head to pivot around the handle.

In this specification, terms such as "downward" and "bottom" refer to the side of the device facing the skin during use. Terms such as "upward" and "top" refer to the opposite direction. The head is considered to be the front part of the device and the handle end is considered to be the rear part of the device.

A preferred device is designed for removing hair and is drawn over skin to which a depilatory has been applied to remove hair and the depilatory after a prescribed period of time. Although the device may break some hairs weakened by the depilatory, it cannot be used as a shearing device because it does not have a cutting blade.

The head preferably has a front edge that comes into contact with the skin during use.

0 Preferably, this edge is a straight edge. The front edge is preferably arranged generally parallel to, but at a maximum distance from, the joint. "Parallel to the joint" refers here to an axis about which the pivoting movement takes place.

Preferably, the front edge is angled but not sharp, so that it cannot peel or cut off skin or hair. In an enlarged view, it can be seen that the front edge is rounded in preferred embodiments. Preferably, the radius of the front edge is at least 0.25 mm, more preferably at least 0.5 mm and most preferably at least 0.65 mm. Preferably, the radius of the front edge is up to 1.5 mm, more preferably up to 1 mm and most preferably up to 0.85 mm.

Preferably, the head is held firmly by the handle, and if no force is applied, or if it is only touched, it tends not to deflect. In

When in use, when it is in contact with the skin, it can exert a pivoting movement against a resistance force.

In use, the user holds the handle and places the front edge of the head on the skin. Typically the arrangement is such that the head and device as a whole are disposed at an acute angle to the skin when the device is positioned to be drawn in the rearward direction over the skin. The user applies a force to the handle which is transmitted through the hinge to the head and exerted through the head on the skin. Preferably the head can pivot upwards so that use is comfortable and not mechanically aggressive to the skin. The degree of pivoting or deflection preferably depends on the force exerted. Therefore the hinge is preferably designed such that when the head is in contact with the skin a force exerted downwards on the handle is always transmitted to the head regardless of the position to which the head is to be moved and the head experiences a resisting force from the hinge in any position.

Preferably, however, the pivoting movement of the head about the handle ends at an extreme position. This can be achieved by providing a stop device in the joint.

Preferably, the head performs a pivoting movement about its rear edge portion where it is connected to the joint, and preferably about its rear edge itself.

The head is preferably capable of pivoting through an angle of at least 1°, preferably at least 5°, and more preferably at least 10° relative to the handle (i.e. from its undeflected or rest position to its maximum deflected position in use). More preferably, the head is capable of pivoting through an angle of at least 25°, and most preferably at least 40° relative to the handle.

Preferably, the head is capable of pivoting relative to the handle through an angle of up to 120°, preferably up to 90°, and more preferably up to 75°. Most preferably, the head is capable of pivoting relative to the handle through an angle of up to 60°.

Preferably, when the head pivots about the handle, the front edge is capable of moving through an arc of at least 2 mm, preferably at least 3 mm, and more preferably at least 6 mm. Even more preferably, when the head pivots about the handle, the front edge is capable of moving through an arc of at least 10 mm, and most preferably at least 15 mm.

Preferably, when the head pivots about the handle, the front edge is capable of moving through an arc of at least 50 mm, preferably at least 40 mm, and most preferably up to 30 mm.

0 Preferably, the device has a memory property so that when the force applied to the head is reduced or removed, the head is able to assume its previous or resting position. Therefore, the device may be made of a resilient or elastomeric material.

Embodiments are conceivable in which the head is separate from the handle. Preferably, however, the device is unitary. A unitary device may be made from one material, or it may be made from more than one material which are joined together during manufacture but are subsequently inseparable unless the device is destroyed or damaged.

Typically, the front edge forms a line 20 - 60 mm, preferably 30-50 mm long.

The device is preferably curved overall and concave towards the bottom.

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Preferably, the device is made of a plastic material, in particular a thermoplastic material. Polyolefins are particularly suitable, e.g. polypropylene and polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE). Such materials enable the preferred resistive pivoting movement of the head about the handle, enable elastic recovery, are easily moldable and tough, and have a low tendency towards brittle fracture, which may otherwise occur in the joint.

Copolymers or polymer blends can be used.

The plastic material may contain one or more additives to improve its properties for the intended task. For example, a plasticizer may be added to improve its pliability or flexibility.

Preferably, the device is a unitary molded plastics part. The hinge is preferably formed by arranging a material between the handle and the head, which material is preferably thinner than these two elements.

Preferably, the handle is a substantially rigid member. Preferably, the head is also a substantially rigid member. Therefore, the pivotal movement of the head about the handle is substantially entirely due to the properties of the joint; there is substantially no tendency for deflection or bending elsewhere.

Preferably the device weighs less than 12 g and more preferably less than 8 g.

Preferably, the handle has a waisted shape with an extended distal portion and an extended proximal portion (near the joint) and a waist portion disposed therebetween. Preferably, the distal portion most preferably has a recess on its upper side to facilitate gripping. Preferably, the proximal end portion of the handle has

its top surface. In each of these cases, the recess could be replaced by a textured anti-slip surface that could be molded into it.

The handle could be a solid element, but it is more preferably a generally U-shaped element that is open at the bottom.

Preferably, the hinge is formed by a plastic material, preferably arranged at the base of an upwardly open groove. The groove could have a U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section. The walls of the groove can be formed by the end faces of the handle and the head.

Preferably, the head is bounded by the joint, the front edge, which is preferably wider than the joint, and by lateral edges therebetween. Preferably, the lateral edges of the head are convex. Preferably, the head has the appearance of a circle or ellipse truncated by the front edge.

The junctions between the front edge of the head and the adjacent edges may be rounded to reduce the risk of roughening and peeling the skin.

The device can in principle be used to remove any agent from the skin, e.g. a cleansing agent and a moisturizing body care product. However, from the above illustration it is clear that the main focus is on the removal of a depilatory agent together with any hair that has been carried along with it.

The device according to the invention is suitable for removing an agent from the skin, in particular a depilatory agent containing hair.

For example, a hair removal procedure includes the following steps:

Applying a depilatory to the skin;

5 Leaving the depilatory product on the skin for a prescribed period of time;

Removing the depilatory agent and the depilated hair by moving a device according to the invention over the skin; and

Rinse the skin.

The depilatory agent described herein may be, for example, a cream, a lotion, a gel or a foam.

The device could be sold separately. Preferably, however, it is sold in a package together with a container for the agent to be applied to the skin. The container may, for example, be a pot or tube, a conventional aerosol container, or an aerosol product with multiple or dual chambers (in which the agent and a pressurized gas are arranged within a container; the agent is expelled by the pressurized gas when a valve is operated). In the case of a depilatory, this is a preferred way of providing the agent.

A package containing a topical agent and a device according to the invention could be a carton in which the two components are arranged or a transparent plastic package enclosing the two components (blister pack or shrink pack). Alternatively, the device according to the invention could engage directly with the container containing the agent. For example, a container could have a modified lid to which the device is attached.

According to another aspect, there is provided a package containing the device as defined above and a depilatory agent.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device of Fig. 1;

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Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a third embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the device of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 a device connected to a container for a depilatory agent.

Each of the embodiments to be described is intended for use with a depilatory agent.

The first embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a head 2 and a handle 4 which are connected to one another by a joint 6 acting as a pivot so that the head, when a force is exerted thereon, can pivot about the handle against a resisting force. According to Figure 2 it can be seen that the head and the handle terminate in end faces which adjoin one another at their lower edges at the joint 6. The end faces actually define the joint in the form of a V-shaped groove which is open at the top.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the device is generally curved and concave downwards when viewed in side view.

The device is a one-piece molded polyolefin piece. The head 2 and the handle 4 are both generally rigid, while the joint 6 is thinner and flexible. Therefore, the head 2 can pivot or be deflected with respect to the handle 4, the pivoting or deflecting movement being made possible solely by the flexibility of the joint 6.

The head 2 has a front edge section 8 on its side opposite the joint 6. The front edge section 8 ends in a front edge 10 which is 44 mm long in this embodiment. The front edge 10 has a radius of 0.75 mm. This radius means that although material can be removed from the skin by wiping

can be cut and weakened hairs can be broken and removed, neither unweakened hairs nor skin can be cut, peeled off or broken. Between the front edge 10 and the joint 6, the head has outwardly curved side edges 12 so that the shape of the head as a whole, viewed from above, is approximately semicircular. On its upper side, the head has a bulbous section 14. This serves aesthetic purposes and to give the head rigidity.

The handle is made of solid or solid plastic material, is waisted and has a wide and thick rounded distal portion 16, a narrowed waist portion 18 and a proximal portion 20 which is wider than the waist portion. The upper surface of the proximal portion 20 has a textured anti-slip portion 22. This can be seen in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, this textured portion rises towards the hinge 6. The end result is that the textured portion 22 provides a comfortable location for a user's thumb 24 and facilitates the application of force during use. The user's fingers 26 are placed on the concave underside of the handle.

During use, a depilatory agent (e.g.

A depilatory product (e.g. a cream, lotion, foam or gel) is usually applied to the skin by hand and left there for a prescribed period of time. This period is typically five minutes, although it is preferred to use a depilatory product which is so mixed that it can be removed in as little as three minutes. The device described above is then used to remove the product together with depilated hair. The device is moved over the skin in a backwards pulling motion in the manner of a wet razor.

The force exerted by the user downwards on the handle is then transferred to the head, the front edge of which is in contact with the skin. The head is

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the force acting between the head and the front edge of the skin, the head is slightly deflected to the position shown in dashed lines in Fig. 2. If the user applies a greater downward force, the head is deflected more. The head is self-correcting with respect to the risk of pressing too hard against the skin. The pivoting movement of the head with respect to the handle occurs against the resistance in the joint. If there were no resistance, the head would hang loosely on the handle and the device would be useless.

If an extremely high downward force were applied to the head, it could potentially be deflected to its limit position where the V-shaped groove is closed so that the end face of the handle effectively acts as a stop device. However, this is not intended in this embodiment and is not a feature of any possible application.

The handle could be held in various positions. For example, it is designed so that it is comfortable for a user to hold the distal end of the handle between his thumb and fingers so that the front edge extends a suitable distance beyond the fingertips. This may be useful when removing material from hard to reach areas, e.g. the back of the thigh.

In the first embodiment, the polyolefin is polypropylene, but in other embodiments of similar construction, polyethylene, e.g. LDPE or HDPE, may be preferred.

0 The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 differs from the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 only in the provision of an elastomeric web or lugs 2 8 at the front edge. This can be made of any elastomeric material and formed according to any typical process, e.g. by a dual-shot molding process. Preferably it is relatively

firm or stable and/or narrow, so that the provision of the joint is still advantageous.

Figures 4 and 5 show a third embodiment which is also closely related to the first embodiment. Only the essential differences are described here. With regard to the other features, the description of the first embodiment also applies to the third embodiment.

A first difference is that the handle is not made of solid plastic, but is a downwardly concave molded piece. That is, its transverse cross-section is U-shaped. Fig. 5 shows a bottom view of the device and shows walls 30, 32 and a recess 34 formed between them. That is, the volume of plastic used in the device can be reduced from about 11 cm to about 7 cm.

A second difference is that a recess 36 is formed at the distal end 16 of the device. This recess helps to better hold the device at the distal end, as described in connection with Fig. 1. The outline of this recess is visible in the bottom view of Fig. 5 along with the underside of the textured portion 22.

A third difference is that the joint 6 does not have the shape of a V-shaped groove. The end face of the handle and the head do not meet, unlike in the first and second embodiments. Instead, they are connected to each other via a short bridge section 38. The joint therefore actually has the shape of a U-shaped groove. This gives good flexibility and because the position of the pivoting movement is more diffuse, the risk of damage under load is lower.

On the underside of the head near the joint 6, a sickle-shaped section 40 is formed, which increases the stability or rigidity of the head.

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Fig. 6 shows a device attached to a container for a depilatory product, generally corresponding to the three embodiments described above. The container is not a conventional aerosol container, but a dual chamber aerosol container. Between the removable cover 42 and the container body 44 is arranged a flexible plastic part 46 which is designed to hold a device according to the invention. The whole arrangement is enclosed in a plastic film, e.g. in the form of a skin pack. An advantage of this arrangement is that the arrangement cannot rotate before purchase. In an alternative arrangement in which these two parts are arranged within a package but in different compartments, there would be a risk that the container would rotate in the package due to its cylindrical shape. If this were the case, the product might not be suitably presented to the customer at the time of sale.

Claims (10)

1. A device for removing an agent from the skin, the device comprising: a non-scraping or shearing head which, in use, is moved over the skin to remove the agent; a handle; and a joint disposed between the head and the handle, the joint allowing the head to pivot about the handle. 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pivoting movement of the head is opposed by a resistance force, wherein the resistance force increases with increasing pivoting movement. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the head is capable of pivoting through an angle in the range of 10 to 40° around the handle. 4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein when a force causing a pivoting movement of the head is reduced or removed, the head is able to return to its previous or initial position. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is unitary. 6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the device is a one-piece plastic molded part. 7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the handle is substantially rigid, the head is substantially rigid and the joint is the only source of pivotal movement. 8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the hinge is formed by a plastics material at the base of an upwardly open groove between the handle and the head. 9. A package comprising a device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a depilatory agent. 10. A package according to claim 9, wherein the depilatory agent is provided in a two-chamber aerosol container.