Applicator for applying materials to clean, care for and medicate the skin.

The present invention relates to an applicator for skin cleansers, skin care products and medical liniments.

For good and intensive facial care are three factors of paramount importance:<ul><li>1. thoroughly clean the skin,</li><li>2. circulation-promoting measures to stimulate the skin function,</li><li>3. Increase of skin absorbency of care agents.</li></ul>

At the time of blood circulation massages are performed and applied heat to promote. Both are costly and requires time.

As an applicator for the cleaning liquid cotton is currently often used. The care product is then applied by hand.

a device for applying remedies and cosmetics known to the skin from the German utility model G 80 23 733, which consists of a holder and a releasably attached thin sponge layer on a support layer attached to the holder and is connected to a handle. Sponge layer and support layer are preferably circular. The sponge layer is preferably attached with a clamping ring or a threaded ring, but it can also be provided on one side with an adhesive film. With this device it is possible to reach hard to reach parts of the body, but this device does not allow the required intensive facial care.

A similar device is known from US-A-2,995,768, but wherein the liquid to be applied agent can be sprayed from a reservoir in the sponge.

another device for applying cosmetics is known to the skin hard to reach body parts from German Utility Model G 84 06 460, which consists of an absorbent pad and a contract attached to both sides of drawstring. This, too, is not required intensive facial care possible. In practice, the Facial Care therefore will still be performed only by hand or with a cotton ball.

These are not ideal conditions to meet the above three factors for good and intensive facial care, so that the desired result is not or occurs only partially.

This problem is well known in cosmetics. But even with medical ointments it is very important that they are well absorbed into the skin.

The object the invention has set itself to develop an applicator which improves and simplifies the three factors mentioned above with simple means and in a relatively short time.

This object is achieved by an applicator for skin cleansers and / or skin care agents and / or medical liniments, consisting of a holding device (1) with a handle (2) and an optionally exchangeable, rounded support (5), characterized in that the support ( 5) made of closed cell polyethylene foam (6) which is optionally connected with one side of an absorbent layer (7) made of fabric or nonwoven fabric.

The carrier (5) preferably consists of a laminate of closed-cell foam on both sides with (6) covered aluminum foil (8). The aluminum foil acts mainly mechanical stability and as a vapor barrier for the case where volatile constituents of the skin cleansing agent, the skin care agent or medical liniment should penetrate into the foam.

The connection between the closed cell foam (6) and the layer (7) is carried out by gluing, welding or laminating.

A further embodiment of the applicator according to the invention is that the holding device (1) and the handle (2) made of the same material as the carrier (5) and bent-over from one to about 90 ° laterally to the carrier associated bracket (9) consist.

This embodiment can be particularly easily be prepared that even the material of the folding strap is stamped with from the material of the support (5) and in addition, a slot is punched through, which makes it possible to partially separate the bracket from the support and to fold.

If this simplified applicator to be used for a skin detergent, it preferably has an absorbent layer of tissue or nonwoven fabric. When this simplified applicator is to be used for applying a skin care agent or a medical liniment, so that the rubbing directly with the closed cell foam (6) is dispensed onto the layer (7), is carried out.

It is important for the cleaning step such that one side of the foam material is connected to an absorbent layer 7 made of fabric or nonwoven fabric. This layer 7 absorbs a sufficient amount of the cleaning liquid or cleaning cream without these penetrates deeper into the usable carrier. The closed cell foam also acts as a good thermal insulator, so that the cleaning liquid or cleaning cream comes under the influence of heat on the application. The cleaning step is carried out at an applicator with an exchangeable support (5) in such a way that with the absorbent layer (7) connected to the side of the foam (6) is visible. After the cleaning step, the carrier (5) from the holding device (1) is taken out and vice versa used again, so that now the closed-pore foam layer is visible. The skin care product is then massaged with this foam layer in the skin, which in turn heat is applied simultaneously. The heating of the skin leads to an opening of the pores and facilitates both the cleaning and massaging of the skin care agent. The skin care products has refatting constituents in most cases, but it is also fat-free skin care products are used.

Investigations with the applicator according to the invention have shown that a much lower cost and in less time optimal cleaning and optimum incorporation of skin care agent is possible. Already in the application of both steps you can feel that the treated skin parts heat up and thus enhance blood better. All Erproberinnen have spontaneously positive comments about the applicator and reported, among other things, that they have felt a warm prickle on the face after treatment for about half an hour.

Typical embodiments of the applicator according to the invention are shown in Figures 1 to 6th FIG. 1 is a side view partly in section, and FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an applicator with replaceable carrier. Figure 3 is a plan view of a simplified applicator. Figures 4 to 6 show schematic side views of this applicator, which is either suitable for cleaning with a skin cleansing agent or for rubbing a skin care agent or a medical liniment. Herein:<ul><li>1 = the holding device,</li><li>2 = a handle better is optionally substituted by undulating depressions or a hole in the hand,</li><li>3 = a rounded bracket plate,</li><li>4 = the increased outer edge, which is preferably bevelled to the inside,</li><li>5 = a carrier,</li><li>6 = the layers of closed cell foam,</li><li>7 = the absorbent layer of tissue or nonwoven,</li><li>8 = the aluminum foil,</li><li>9 = a strap made of the material of the carrier,</li><li>10 = a metal foil.</li></ul>

In Figures 1 and 2, the mounting plate is rectangular having two scheduled semicircles. Another preferred embodiment is oval. In principle, could also be circular in the support plate, but there is then the risk that the deployable support (5) sliding in the holding device and thus does not come to the optimal effect. Rounding out are the support and the support plate in order to prevent injuries and to critical parts of the face, such as around the eyes and the nose angle, can be treated well.

The fact that the outer edge (4) is chamfered, the applicable winner receives a tighter fit in the holder.

The handle (2) is generally perpendicular to the support plate (3) and allows the use of sufficient pressure on the applicator, and thus to the skin to be massaged.

3 shows an oval carrier is shown with attached foldable bracket (9). Figure 4 shows this applicator with tilted back strap. Figure 5 shows a section through a simple applicator for skin cleanser. Figure 6 shows a section through a simple applicator for skin care products and medical liniments, wherein in both cases on the skin-distal side, a preferably gold coated aluminum foil is laminated. The foil leads in particular to a mechanical stabilization of the carrier and of the bracket. Furthermore, it prevents direct contact between the fingertips through the foam passing solvents. The bracket (9) is so large, in general, that one, two or three fingers can be inserted and the sufficient pressure when you rub can be exercised with these fingers.

By the applicators according to the invention the consumer the opportunity is now given to compose a treatment session by. Despite these modifications, the same physical success as in the system with interchangeable carriers according to Figures 1 and 2 are also achieved with the simple embodiments of Figures 3 to 5, ie, the pores are opened and strengthened so that the skin cleaned better and deeper. Also by this embodiment can be reached up to 50% increased penetration of the cream or liniment of medical into the skin.

In practical testing of the applicators with interchangeable carriers has been found that sometimes after reversing the support remnants of the cleaning liquid are pressed out of the absorbent layer and emerge laterally at the outer edge of the holder. This can then lead to an undesirable mixing of the skin care product with the remains of the cleaning liquid. This undesirable effect can be avoided, that the inner surface of the holding device comprises parallel strip-shaped or concentric annular grooves, in which the pressed-out remnants can accumulate the cleaning liquid without being pushed out laterally. Preferably, the area of ​​the depressions is less than the area of ​​the remaining inner surface, so that there still remains sufficient support surface for the carrier used.

It is of course possible, the interchangeable support (5) also in such a way that it is either only be used for the cleaning step, or only the application of a skin care agent or a medical liniment. If the carrier (5), for example, only be used for the cleaning step, can be both sides of the foam (6) with the absorbent layer (7) coating, so that both sides are suitable for cleaning. If the carrier (5) are only used for applying a skin care agent or a medical liniment, one can, for example, in the Haltevorrichtigung (1) produced to be used side of the foam of a highly compressed material to a higher mechanical stability of the support ( 5) leads, while the skin-facing side may consist of a less dense material and is therefore softer and more pleasant to the touch. Finally, it is possible to bond the carrier (5) is fixed to the holding device (1).

Furthermore, it is possible to cut the skin-facing side of the support (5) made of foam at certain intervals up to a certain depth. For example, an 8 mm thick carrier (5) from a 3 mm thick, firmer layer and a firmly bonded 5 mm thick layer made softer. In the surface of the softer layer about 2 mm deep cuts are present at intervals of about 5 mm, so that a pattern of squares is present. These cuts or grooves, the medium to be applied to be better at first. During the rub-but it is almost completely released again and delivered to the skin. In another variant, uses a perforated at certain intervals softer layer. Here too, the einzureibende agent may initially accumulate in the small holes to be released again later in the rub-in.