Title of Invention

AN IMPROVED APPLICATOR FOR FOAMY SHAVING CREAM

Abstract Previously the foamy shaving cream was applied to skin surface manually which made the fingers messy,led to wastage of creame and,was unhygienic due to direct use of fingers.Applicators were designed particularly to avoid these disadvantages of direct use of hand just before shaving operation,but most of these did not enjoy consumer acceptance due to operational defects. The present invention attempts to overcome these drawbacks and provides an inexpensive,disposable applicator made from plastic materials which comprises of a broader portion (h) and a gradually narrowing portion(e).The broader portion has a semilunar plane area (i) between (h)and (j)for taking foamy cream onto it from a dispenser,and with a blunt edge of this portion (h)for application and spreading of the foamy mass over skin.At the other end,the gradually tapering portion(e),which helps one to hold the applicator at the time of application operation ,is comparatively longer ,little convex towards upper surface and ending at a samll fold approximately at right angle (d).In between these two protions and little towards the broader portion there is a semicircular guard(j) inclined from (i) to (e) which prevents spreading of foamy mass towards the narrower part during use.
Full Text The present invention relates to an improved applicator for foamy shaving cream. More particularly the article of this invention is for application and spreading of foamy shaving cream on the skin of part of human body, e.g. face, after taking delivery from a shaving cream dispenser, before starting actual shaving operation. The subject applicator is a disposable polymeric body having a shape that is convenient for application and spreading of foamy shaving cream.
Foamy shaving cream has its own advantages over the conventional shaving cream in paste form coming in collapsible tubes from which the shaving cream may be made to eject by application of manual pressure. For foamy shaving cream, application by fingers has been found to be messy leading to use of applicators, such as, for instance, bent applicators, brush-head or roller applicators. Some of the alternative devices like those disclosed in US Patents Nos. 3609050 and 3624856 had made their appearance in the market but did not enjoy consumer acceptance. People continue to apply foamy shaving cream by fingers even though the practice is cumbersome, unhygienic and led to wastage of cream.
The devices of the prior art also suffered from a number of disadvantages like:
i. these were not in convenient shape for easy and comfortable use, and
ii. most of the devices were not disposable in type and, therefore, after use over
long period could become unhygienic.
By experience, it has been found that the inherent advantages of foamy shaving cream over the creams in paste form arc two fold - (i) quick, and (ii) comfortable shaving operation, and to get satisfactory result, the cream has to be applied to the area of skin to be shaved just before the commencement of shaving operation.
The principle object of this invention is to provide an improved applicator which is convenient, hygienic and easy to use.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved applicator which is disposable and made from indigenously available polymeric material.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an applicator of a novel design capable of taking easy delivery of foamy shaving cream from the storage-dispenser and to apply the same neatly and promptly to the desired location with minimum or no wastage of foamy shaving cream.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved applicator which has an in-built grip for convenient holding of the device during application of foam and also a guard means to prevent trickling and spreading of the foamy mass towards the portion of the applicator held by hand in the course of use.
With the foregoing aims and objects in view, the present invention relates to an improved applicator for foamy shaving cream comprising a triangular body bent at an angle, with a guard in the middle region thereof having a narrow semicircular slope made progressively narrower at its two lateral ends, the said body is provided with a truncated narrow end, and a broader front surface having a semi lunar plain area and a blunt margin which comes in contact with skin.
The applicators of this invention are of disposable type, usually made from indigenously available polymeric bodies like HDP, polypropylene, nylon, PVC, etc. The improved applicators have been imparted such a shape which allows an easy, comfortable hold and convenient use to take delivery of foamy shaving cream from a dispenser to apply it over the area of skin to be shaved avoiding contact of the foamy mass with fingers.
The salient features of the improved applicators of this invention may be briefly outlined as follows:
i) a "bend" in the middle region of the applicator;
ii) the "tapered portion" with truncated narrow end at one side of the bend, optionally
with serrations, to afford an easy, convenient grip at the time of use; iii) at the other side of the bend, a "broader portion" for taking delivery of the foamy
shaving cream from a dispenser and for application of the foamy mass on skin, and iv) a "guard" at the intermediate portion which restricts the retro-movement of the
foamy mass, i.e. towards the portion held by fingers, at the time of application
operation.
The above and other features of the invention including the details of the construction along with the particulars of different parts of the applicator will now be more particularly described with reference to the drawings accompanying this specification, in which:
Fig. 1 represents an illustrative view of the disposable applicator as seen from the
upper surface, Fig.2 is the side view of the applicator, and
Fig.3 is the view of the applicator as seen from the lower surface.
Referring to the above drawing, in Fig.l the two comparatively longer lateral sides of similar or same lengths - "a" and "b" meet the side "c" to form the "tapered portion" (c) of the applicator which is meant to be held by fingers at the time of its use. The entire ce" part is bent towards its lower surface from the intermediate portion "j" resulting in a convexity towards the upper surface of the applicator.
Fig. 2 of the drawings gives a clear view of the convexity which makes the device more ergonomic to use and prevents direct contact of the site application with the fingers holding the device during the application operation. In Fig.3, "d" is constructed as a small downward fold at approximately right angle with "c". The two lateral ends of "d" join the two ends of "c" at "g" and "f to provide extra rigidity and a firm grip for holding the applicator with fingers at the time of its use. The other end of the applicator opposite to V is made "broader", as would be evident from Fig. 1 and 2 as well. The aforesaid "broader" portion comprises:
i) a semi lunar plane area (i) between "h" and "j" where the foamy shaving cream is field on being delivered from a dispenser just before actual application of the cream, and
ii) a margin (h) which comes in contact with skin in the course of application and spreading of foamy shaving cream on the surface of the skin.
The intermediate guard part denoted by "j", between portions V and "e" (see Figs.l and 3), is a narrow semicircular sloping shape, inclined from V towards V, constructed in such a manner as to restrict the movement of the foamy shaving cream towards the portion to be held by fingers. The narrow semicircular sloping part is made progressively narrower at its two lateral ends.
From a view of the lower surface as in Fig.3, the part "j" appears to be a narrow semicircular elevation between T and "e" The construction of the part "i" will be clearly visible from the side view in Fig. 2.
The device of this invention may be made from plastic materials by utilizing cutting, molding and shaping including heating to obtain necessary thickness (more or less approx. lmm.), curvatures, bends, convexities, and slopes to achieve desired shape, size and configuration.
I claim:
1. An improved applicator for foamy shaving cream comprising a triangular body bent at an angle, with a guard (j) in the middle region thereof having a narrow semicircular slope made progressively narrower at its two lateral ends, the said body is provided with a tapered portion (e) having truncated narrow end, and a broader front surface with a semi lunar plain area (i) and a blunt margin (h) which comes in contact with skin.
2. An improved applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein two comparatively longer lateral sides "a" and "b" meet side "c" to form the tapered portion (e) of the disposable applicator made from polymeric material.
3. An improved applicator as claim in claim 1 and 2, wherein the tapered portion is bent towards its lower surface form its intermediate portion (j), thereby providing a convexity towards the upper surface of the said applicator, optionally with serration, which affords a convenient grip for user.
4. An improved applicator as claimed in claim 1 to 3, wherein the other end of the applicator, opposite to "c", is made broader forming a semilunar plane area between "h" and "j", where the foamy shaving cream is taken from a dispenser before commencement of actual application operation.
5. An improved applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said guard part "j" between V and "e" is of a narrow semicircular sloping shape, inclined from "i" towards "c" and is constructed to restrict movement of foamy shaving cream towards the region held by fingers.
6. An improved applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semicircular slope part is made gradually narrower at its two lateral ends.
7. An improved applicator for foamy shaving cream, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to the accompanying drawing.
Previously the foamy shaving cream was applied to skin surface manually which made the
fingers messy, led to wastage of cream and, was unhygienic due to direct use of fingers. Applicators
were designed particularly to avoid these disadvantages of direct use of hand just before shaving
operation, but most of these did not enjoy consumer acceptance due to operational defects.
The present invention attempts to overcome these drawbacks and provides an inexpensive, disposable applicator made from plastic materials which comprises of a broader portion (h) and a gradually narrowing portion (e). The broader portion has a semilunar plane area (i) between (h) and (j) for taking foamy cream onto it from a dispenser, and with a blunt edge of this portion (h) for application and spreading of the foamy mass over skin. At the other end, the gradually tapering portion (e), which helps one to hold the applicator at the time of application operation, is comparatively longer, little convex towards upper surface and ending at a small fold approximately at right angle (d). In between these two portions and little towards the broader portion there is a semicircular guard (j) inclined from (i) to (e) which prevents spreading of foamy mass towards the narrower part during use.

Documents:

00968-cal-1998-abstract.pdf

00968-cal-1998-claims.pdf

00968-cal-1998-correspondence.pdf

00968-cal-1998-description (complete).pdf

00968-cal-1998-drawings.pdf

00968-cal-1998-form 1.pdf

00968-cal-1998-form 13.pdf

00968-cal-1998-form 2.pdf

00968-cal-1998-form 3.pdf

00968-cal-1998-letter patent.pdf

00968-cal-1998-others.pdf

00968-cal-1998-pa.pdf


Patent Number 201702
Indian Patent Application Number 968/CAL/1998
PG Journal Number 06/2007
Publication Date 09-Feb-2007
Grant Date 09-Feb-2007
Date of Filing 01-Jun-1998
Name of Patentee ALOKE RANJAN KOLEY
Applicant Address OF FLAT -A5,FC-34,NARAYANTALA WEST CALCUTTA-700059 WEST BENGAL
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 ALOKE RANJAN KOLEY OF FLAT -A5,FC-34,NARAYANTALA WEST CALCUTTA-700059 WEST BENGAL
PCT International Classification Number B05 C 17/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA