JP7549568B2 - Trial applicator and manufacturing method for trial applicator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a trial applicator and a method for manufacturing the trial applicator.

Conventionally, there has been known a packaged cosmetic product in which a liquid or paste cosmetic product and an application part such as a brush for applying the cosmetic product are contained in the same package, and the cosmetic product is manufactured as, for example, a cosmetic sample for one-time or small number of uses. Various inventions have been made regarding such packaged cosmetic products (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Patent Document 1 discloses technology relating to a single-use cosmetic product package, which comprises a pouch having a front wall, a rear wall, and a periphery defined by a top end, a bottom end, a first side edge, and a second side edge, the periphery of the pouch being hermetically sealed by a lower seal, an upper seal, and a middle seal, the middle seal protruding inwardly and the gap therebetween forming a wiper opening, and a sealing structure in the middle of the applicator that forms a fluid-tight seal together with the wiper opening of the pouch. The technology of Patent Document 1 makes it possible to provide a single-use cosmetic product package having a simple configuration and relatively low-cost parts.

Patent Document 2 discloses technology relating to cosmetics in which an applicator having an applicator part for applying the cosmetic, a grip part that is gripped when applying the cosmetic, and a shaft part that connects the applicator part and the grip part, and the cosmetic are sandwiched between opposing films and the outer periphery is welded to package the applicator and the cosmetic together, and the grip part is welded to the film on the grip part. The technology in Patent Document 2 makes it easier to remove the applicator from the package when using the cosmetic, and allows the applicator to be firmly gripped when using the cosmetic, while preventing unnecessary cosmetic from adhering to the hand holding it.

Patent No. 5285771 JP 2021-087685 A

Meanwhile, so-called cosmetic samples manufactured for one-time use are generally used by consumers to test the effectiveness of a product when considering whether or not to actually purchase the product (hereinafter also referred to as "this product"). Therefore, particularly in cosmetics that use an applicator consisting of a brush and a handle, such as mascara, it is desirable for consumers that the applicator feel is the same in both the sample and the this product. Also, in cosmetic sample products manufactured for one-time use, for example, it is desirable from the perspective of reducing manufacturing costs to limit the amount of cosmetic material contained in each product to the amount required for one-time use (use up for trial use).

However, the above-mentioned problems were not taken into consideration in the trial cosmetics according to the above-mentioned prior art, namely, that the application sensation of the sample product and the present product should be the same, and that the amount of cosmetic material contained in each product should be the amount required for one-time use (disposable for trial use).

As a result, in order to test the effectiveness of a cosmetic product using an applicator that has the same feel as this product, consumers would need to go to a cosmetics store where they could try out the cosmetic product (this product) itself as a tester, which was not necessarily convenient for consumers.

In addition, in the case of trial products (hereinafter also referred to as miniature samples) which are produced by simply miniaturizing the cosmetic product (this product) for trial purposes, there is a problem that the amount of cosmetic contained is greater than the amount required for trial purposes, which increases production costs and allows the trial product to be used more times than intended.

On the other hand, in stores that offer the product itself as a tester, it is unhygienic to use the same tester repeatedly on an unspecified number of trial users, which is particularly problematic for cosmetics that are applied around mucous membranes, such as mascara. Also, in order to let more consumers know about the cosmetic product (this product), there was a demand for a trial product that would provide the same feel as this product and be hygienic.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a trial applicator and a method for manufacturing the trial applicator that has a simple configuration, provides the same feel as the product, is highly convenient, and is hygienic.

To achieve the above object, the trial applicator of the present invention is a trial applicator that includes an applicator body having an applicator section for applying the coating material and a shaft section for gripping, and a squeezing member for squeezing the coating material impregnated in the applicator section to an appropriate amount, and is characterized in that the inner specifications of the squeezing member are the same as those of the squeezing member used in the product applicator.

In order to achieve the above objective, the specifications of the applicator part are the same as those of the applicator part used in the present product applicator.

In order to achieve the above object, the device further includes a case body that houses the applicator body and the squeezing member, and the case body is characterized by having an applicator housing section that houses the applicator part, a squeezing member housing section that houses the squeezing member, and a shaft housing section that houses the shaft part.

To achieve the above object, the squeezing member storage section is characterized in that the squeezing member is fixed to the case body and stored therein.

To achieve the above object, the case body is characterized by having a sheet lid that closes the applicator part storage section, the squeezing member storage section, and the shaft part storage section when the applicator body and the squeezing member are stored in the case body.

To achieve the above object, the peripheral portion of the case body, around the shaft housing portion, is characterized by a seal portion that is easily openable.

To achieve the above object, the sheet cover is characterized by having a first marking that indicates the peeling start position and a second marking that indicates the peeling end position provided near the squeezing member storage section.

To achieve the above objective, the sheet lid is characterized by having a notch at the end near the squeezing member storage section.

To achieve the above object, the coating part is characterized in that the entire coating part is impregnated with the coating material.

In order to achieve the above object, the manufacturing method of the trial applicator according to the present invention is characterized by comprising the steps of: arranging a wiping member having the same inner specifications as the wiping member used in the product applicator, on the shaft of an applicator body having an applicator section for applying the coating material and a shaft section for gripping, and impregnating the entire applicator section with the coating material.

The present invention provides a trial applicator and a method for manufacturing the trial applicator that has a simple configuration and provides the same feel as the product, is highly convenient, and is hygienic.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a trial applicator according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a perspective view showing a case body, FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing an applicator body and a wiping member, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view showing a sheet lid. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the squeezing member taken along line AA in FIG. 2B , and FIG. 2B is a view of the squeezing member in FIG. 2B as viewed from the X direction. FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a trial applicator according to Modification 1 of the present invention. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a trial applicator according to a first modified example of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating trial applicators according to modified example 2 and modified example 3 of the present invention, in which (a) is a bottom view of the trial applicator according to modified example 2, and (b) is a bottom view of the trial applicator according to modified example 3.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention.

[Configuration of trial applicator]
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a trial applicator according to the present embodiment, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the trial applicator according to the present embodiment.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the trial applicator 1 broadly comprises an applicator body 2, a wiping member 3, a case body 4, and a sheet cover 5. This trial applicator 1 is a trial cosmetic product, such as mascara, manufactured for one-time use or a small number of uses.

As shown in FIG. 2(b), the applicator 2 is comprised of an applicator section 21 and a shaft section 22, and is a so-called applicator that is held by the user when applying mascara. The applicator section 21 is a brush section that comes into contact with the area to be applied, i.e., the user's eyelashes, and applies the applied material. The brush is impregnated with the applied material by dipping the applied material into the bulk of the applicator section 21 in advance or by dripping the bulk. The shaft section 22 is a rod-shaped member that is connected to the applicator section 21 and is held by the user. The applied material impregnated into the applicator section 21 is of the same configuration as the applied material used in a product that is actually mass-produced and sold as a commercial product (hereinafter, also referred to as the "product applicator" in contrast to the trial applicator).

According to this embodiment, the applicator 2 is configured so that the specifications of the applicator part 21, i.e., the shape, structure, dimensions, performance, material, amount of bristles, etc. of the brush part are the same as those of the brush part of the applicator used in this product applicator. This allows the user to try out the function of the applicator part 21 with the same feel as the product applicator.

As shown in FIG. 2(b), the squeezing member 3 has a through-hole 31 through which the applicator 21 and shaft 22 can be inserted, and is a member formed of an elastic body such as rubber for squeezing the coating material impregnated in the applicator 21 to an appropriate amount as described above. The through-hole 31 is roughly formed as a cylindrical hole, and by inserting the applicator 2 from the shaft 22 side, the squeezing member 3 is disposed between the applicator 21 and shaft 22 (see FIG. 1). The detailed shape of the inside of the through-hole 31 will be described later using FIG. 3.

When the user pulls on the shaft 22 while the squeezing member 3 is disposed and fixed between the applicator 21 and the shaft 22, the applicator 21 passes through the through-hole 31 and is removed from the squeezing member 3. During this passage, the squeezing member 3 squeezes the applicator 21 so that the amount of the coating material impregnated in the applicator 21 becomes an amount suitable for one use.

According to this embodiment, the internal specifications of the squeezing member 3, particularly the shape, structure, dimensions, etc. of the through hole portion 31 through which the applicator portion 21 passes, are configured to be identical to the specifications of the squeezing member used in the above-mentioned present product applicator. This allows the user to try out the action of the squeezing member 3 with the same feel as the present product applicator.

However, the external specifications of the squeezing member 3, particularly the external shape, structure, dimensions, etc., do not need to be the same as those of the squeezing member used in this product applicator, but are configured to have a shape, structure, dimensions, etc. that can be fitted and fixed into the squeezing member housing 42 described below. In the example shown in Figure 2(b), the bottom surface and front and rear surfaces of the squeezing member 3 are flat, and the side surfaces are tapered.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), the case body 4 is a housing that includes an applicator housing section 41, a squeezing member housing section 42, a shaft housing section 43, and a peripheral section 44, and houses the applicator body 2 to which the squeezing member 3 is attached. In this case body 4, the housing sections 41 to 43 are formed into a recessed shape by resin molding or the like on the inside surrounded by the peripheral section 44, which has a flat outer periphery.

The applicator housing 41 is formed to accommodate the applicator 21, the squeezing member housing 42 is formed to accommodate the squeezing member 3, and the shaft housing 43 is formed to accommodate the shaft 22. In particular, the squeezing member housing 42 is formed in a shape that corresponds to the above-mentioned external specifications of the squeezing member 3 so that the squeezing member 3 can be fitted and fixed.

As shown in FIG. 2(c), the sheet lid 5 is a rectangular sheet-like member having a strong seal portion 6 and a weak seal portion 7, and is formed of, for example, a thermoplastic resin material that can be thermally welded by heat sealing. The strong seal portion 6 is an area that surrounds the applicator housing portion 41 and the squeezing member housing portion 42, and is sealed with strong strength and is not easily openable. On the other hand, the weak seal portion 7 is an area that surrounds the shaft housing portion 43, and is sealed with weak strength and is easily openable.

The sheet lid 5 is heat-sealed at the strong seal portion 6 and the weak seal portion 7 to the back surface of the case body 4 in which the applicator 2 and the squeezing member 3 are housed. This closes the applicator housing portion 41, the squeezing member housing portion 42, and the shaft housing portion 43. Note that the strong seal portion 6 and the weak seal portion 7 may be adhered to the back surface of the case body 4 using a strong adhesive sealant and an easy-to-open sealant, respectively.

As described above, the trial applicator 1 has an applicator body 2 equipped with an applicator section 21 that has the same specifications as the product applicator, a wiping member 3, a case body 4, and a sheet lid 5 that have the same specifications as the product applicator. With this simple configuration, although it is a trial applicator manufactured for one-time use or a small number of uses, it can achieve high convenience by allowing users to try out the same effects as the product applicator with the same feel as the product applicator.

When using the trial applicator 1, the user peels off only the weak seal portion 7 of the sheet lid 5 that closes the case body 4. This makes it possible to grip the shaft portion 22 with the squeezing member 3 fixed in place. When the shaft portion 22 is then pulled, the applicator portion 21 passes through the through-hole portion 31 and is removed from the squeezing member 3. During this passage, the squeezing member 3 squeezes the applicator portion 21 so that the amount of the coating material impregnated in the applicator portion 21 is an amount suitable for one use.

[Example of the configuration of the ironing member]
3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the squeezing member according to the present embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

Figure 3(a) shows a cross-sectional view of the squeezing member 3 taken along line A-A in Figure 2(b). When the squeezing member 3 is attached to the applicator body 2, the lower part in the figure is disposed on the applicator part 21 side, and the upper part in the figure is disposed on the shaft part 22 side. Figure 3(b) shows the squeezing member 3 in Figure 2(b) as viewed from the X direction.

The inner surface 3a of the squeezing member 3 shown in Figure 3(a) forms the outer periphery of the through hole 31. On this inner surface 3a, a claw portion 3b extending diagonally toward the application part 21 is formed around the entire circumference (see Figure 3(b)). This claw portion 3b squeezes the application part 21 so that the amount of the application material impregnated in the application part 21 passing through the through hole 31 becomes an amount suitable for one use.

As mentioned above, the bottom surface and front and rear surfaces of the squeezing member 3 are flat, and the side surfaces are tapered. According to this embodiment, the external specifications of the squeezing member 3, particularly the external shape, structure, dimensions, etc., do not need to be the same as the specifications of the squeezing member used in this product applicator, but are configured to have a shape, structure, dimensions, etc. that can be fitted and fixed into the squeezing member housing 42.

On the other hand, the internal specifications of the squeezing member 3, particularly the shape, structure, dimensions, etc. of the through hole 31 through which the applicator 21 passes, are configured to be identical to the specifications of the squeezing member used in this product applicator. This allows the user to try out the action of the squeezing member 3 with the same feel as this product applicator.

[Modification 1]
Hereinafter, modified example 1 of the above embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is an exploded view of a trial applicator according to modified example 1 of the present invention, and Fig. 5 is a view for explaining the trial applicator according to modified example 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. In the following description, components similar to those described above are given the same reference numerals and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

The squeezing member 3 in the above embodiment has been described as having a configuration in which the bottom surface and front and rear surfaces of the squeezing member 3 are flat and the side surfaces are tapered. The present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in Figures 4 and 5, a squeezing member 3 having an approximately cylindrical shape as a whole can be used, similar to the specifications of the squeezing member used in this product applicator. In this case, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the squeezing member accommodation section 42 is capable of accommodating the cylindrical squeezing member 3, and is formed into a shape corresponding to the above-mentioned outer specifications of the squeezing member 3 so that the squeezing member 3 can be fitted and fixed.

This allows the squeezing member 3 used in the production of the trial applicator 1 to be used as is without redesigning it, thereby reducing the number of manufacturing steps and keeping manufacturing costs down.

As shown in FIG. 4, the squeezing member 3 has a through-hole formed in a roughly cylindrical shape as in the above embodiment, and is disposed between the applicator 21 and the shaft 22 by inserting the applicator 2 from the shaft 22 side. The applicator 2 with the squeezing member 3 disposed therein is housed in the case 4, and the sheet lid 5 is heat-sealed to the peripheral portion 44 of the case 4, and the applicator housing portion 41, the squeezing member housing portion 42, and the shaft housing portion 43 are closed.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 5(a), it is preferable that the seal area 8 between the case body 4 and the sheet lid 5 is set so that the seal area around the applicator housing 41 and the squeezing member housing 42 is large and the seal area around the shaft housing 43 is small. For example, the periphery of the applicator housing 41 and the squeezing member housing 42 is made into a seal area 8 extending to the edge of the case body 4, while the periphery of the shaft housing 43 is made into a narrow seal area 8 that borders the shaft housing 43, and the vicinity of the edge of the case 4 has a non-sealed area 9 that is not sealed.

This allows the user to easily pinch the sheet lid 5 in the non-sealed area 9 and easily begin peeling off the sheet lid 5. In addition, because the seal area around the shaft housing 43 is small, the sheet lid 5 can be easily peeled off up to the periphery of the shaft housing 43, while the seal area around the applicator housing 41 and the squeezing member housing 42 is large, making it difficult for the sheet lid 5 to be peeled off around the applicator housing 41 and the squeezing member housing 42. This makes it possible to provide an easily openable seal section around the shaft housing 43 without having to differentiate between the seal strengths of the strong seal section 6 and the weak seal section 7 in the above embodiment.

[Modifications 2 and 3]
Hereinafter, modified examples 2 and 3 of the above embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining trial applicators according to modified examples 2 and 3 of the present invention, in which (a) is a bottom view of the trial applicator according to modified example 2, and (b) is a bottom view of the trial applicator according to modified example 3.

In the above embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the case body 4 and the sheet lid 5 are heat sealed at the strong seal portion 6 and the weak seal portion 7, but the present invention is not limited to this case.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the sheet lid 5 may be provided with a first mark 5a indicating the peel start position near the shaft housing 43 (more specifically, near the end 51 of the peripheral portion 44 on the shaft housing 43 side), and a second mark 5b indicating the peel end position near the squeezing member housing 42 (more specifically, the portion corresponding to the boundary between the shaft housing 43 and the squeezing member housing 42). This can prevent the user from peeling the sheet lid 5 up to the vicinity of the applicator housing 41 and the squeezing member housing 42. The first mark 5a and the second mark 5b may be figures, lines, or explanations in words such as "open from here" and "up to here", and are not particularly limited.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6(b), a cut 5c may be provided in the end 52 of the sheet lid 5 near the squeezing member housing 42 (more specifically, the part corresponding to the boundary between the shaft housing 43 and the squeezing member housing 42) without providing a strong seal like the strong seal part 6 and the weak seal part 7, or in addition to providing the strong seal part 6 and the weak seal part 7. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6(b), a first mark 5a indicating the peeling start position may be provided near the cut 5c. This allows the user to peel off only the part of the sheet lid 5 that blocks the shaft housing 43 from the cut 5c toward the end 51 on the shaft housing 43 side of the peripheral part 44, and prevents the sheet lid 5 from being peeled off in the part that blocks the applicator housing 41 and the squeezing member housing 42.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment shows one application example of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configuration of the above embodiment.

For example, in the above description, the application unit 21 shown in Figs. 1 and 2(b) is described as a preferred case in which the entire brush is impregnated with the application material by dipping the application material into the bulk or by dripping the bulk in advance, but this is not limited to this case. For example, after a predetermined amount of application material is filled into the application unit storage section 41 (see Fig. 2(a)) before sealing, the application body 2 and the squeezing member 3 may be stored in the case body 4 and closed by the sheet lid 5. Alternatively, with the application body 2 and the squeezing member 3 stored in the case body 4, a predetermined amount of application material may be filled into the application unit storage section 41 (see Fig. 2(a)) before sealing, and then closed by the sheet lid 5.

In the above description, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the case body 4 formed into a recess by resin molding or the like is closed by a flat sheet lid 5, but the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, two case bodies each having a recess for accommodating and fixing the applicator body 2 and the squeezing member 3 may be bonded together.

In the above description, for example, the case where the applicator 2 and the squeezing member 3 are housed and closed by the case body 4 shown in FIG. 2(a) and the sheet lid 5 shown in FIG. 2(c) has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, two flexible films may be stacked and appropriately sealed together to form areas on the inside corresponding to the applicator housing 41, the squeezing member housing 42, and the shaft housing 43, and the applicator 2 and the squeezing member 3 may be enclosed within these areas.

In the above explanation, the specifications of the applicator 21, shaft 22, and wiping member 3 of the trial applicator 1 are the same as those of the applicator, shaft, and wiping member of the product applicator, respectively, but this is not limited to being completely identical, and slight differences are acceptable as long as they do not affect the feel of the applicator when used.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 trial applicator 2 applicator body 3 wiping member 3a inner surface 3b claw portion 4 case body 5 sheet lid 5a first mark 5b second mark 5c notch 6 strong seal portion 7 weak seal portion 8 sealed portion 9 non-sealed area 21 applicator portion 22 shaft portion 31 through hole portion 41 applicator portion housing portion 42 wiping member housing portion 43 shaft portion housing portion 44 peripheral portion 51 end portion 52 end portion

Claims (10)

A trial applicator for the product applicator that will be mass-produced and sold as a product.
The present invention is provided with an applicator body having an applicator section for applying a coating material and a shaft section for gripping, a squeezing member for squeezing the coating material impregnated in the applicator section to an appropriate amount, and a case body for accommodating the applicator body and the squeezing member ,
the shape, structure and dimensions of the through-hole portion of the squeezing member through which the applicator portion passes are the same as the shape, structure and dimensions of the through-hole portion of the squeezing member employed in the present product applicator;
The case body has an applicator housing portion that houses the applicator portion, a squeezing member housing portion that houses the squeezing member, and a shaft housing portion that houses the shaft portion,
The trial applicator, characterized in that the case body has a sheet lid that closes the applicator part accommodating section, the wiping member accommodating section, and the shaft part accommodating section when the applicator body and the wiping member are accommodated in the case body . The trial applicator according to claim 1, characterized in that the shape, structure, dimensions and material of the applicator part are the same as the shape, structure, dimensions and material of the applicator part used in the product applicator. 3. The trial applicator according to claim 1, wherein the squeezing member accommodation section accommodates the squeezing member while fixing it to the case body. 4. The trial applicator according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge of the case body, around the shaft housing portion, is a sealed portion that is easily openable. 5. The trial applicator according to claim 1, wherein the sheet lid has a first marking indicating a peeling start position and a second marking indicating a peeling end position provided in the vicinity of the squeezing member accommodating section. 6. The trial applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet lid has a notch at an end portion in the vicinity of the wiping member housing portion. 7. The trial applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applicator part is entirely impregnated with a substance to be applied. A trial applicator for the product applicator that will be mass-produced and sold as a product.
The present invention comprises an applicator body having an applicator section for applying a coating material and a shaft section for gripping, a squeezing member for squeezing the coating material impregnated in the applicator section to an appropriate amount, and a case body for accommodating the applicator body and the squeezing member,
The shape, structure and dimensions of the through-hole portion of the squeezing member through which the applicator portion passes are the same as the shape, structure and dimensions of the through-hole portion of the squeezing member employed in the present product applicator,
The case body is formed by bonding two case bodies each having a recess for accommodating and fixing the application part and the wiping member.
A trial applicator characterized by: A trial applicator for the product applicator that will be mass-produced and sold as a product.
The present invention is provided with an applicator having an applicator part for applying a coating material and a shaft part for gripping, and a squeezing member for squeezing the coating material impregnated in the applicator part to obtain an appropriate amount,
the shape, structure and dimensions of the through-hole portion of the squeezing member through which the applicator portion passes are the same as the shape, structure and dimensions of the through-hole portion of the squeezing member employed in the present product applicator;
The applicator body and the wiping member are enclosed in an area corresponding to an applicator part housing section, a wiping member housing section, and a shaft part housing section, which are formed by sealing two overlapping flexible films together.
A trial applicator characterized by: A method for manufacturing a trial applicator for a product applicator that is mass-produced and sold as a commercial product, comprising:
A step of disposing a wiping member on a shaft portion of an applicator body having an applicator portion for applying a coating material and a shaft portion for gripping, and a step of impregnating the entire applicator portion with the coating material;
and accommodating the applicator body and the wiping member in a case body having an applicator housing section that accommodates the applicator body, a wiping member housing section that accommodates the wiping member, and a shaft housing section that accommodates the shaft, and closing the applicator housing section, the wiping member housing section, and the shaft housing section with a sheet lid.
A method for manufacturing a trial applicator, characterized in that the shape, structure and dimensions of the through hole portion of the squeezing member through which the applicator portion passes are identical to the shape, structure and dimensions of the through hole portion of the squeezing member used in the product applicator.

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