Apparatus and method for applying cosmetics

Claim 1

A cosmetic package for use in the application of mascara to eyelashes, comprising: a. a container having mascara therein, said container being provided with an access opening; b. an applicator including a comb portion, a handle portion, and a rod portion interconnecting said handle and comb portions, the rod portion including a major length of annular cross section and a minor transition length merging from annular cross section to a flattened cross section at the comb portion, the flattened cross section having a peripheral edge aligned with the periphery of the annular cross section, said comb portion and rod portions being removably inserted in said container through said opening to immerse said comb portion in said mascara, said comb portion having a plurality of elongated teeth extending from a base portion at one side to the tips of said teeth at the other side to define a cross-sectional configuration which is relatively elongated in one dimension and relatively thin in the other dimension, the comb portion having a cross section generally flatter than the annular cross section of the rod and corresponding in general to the flattened cross section of the transition length of the rod and its periphery being greater than that of the annular cross section of the rod; and c. wiper means mounted on said container adjacent said container opening for wiping the rod and comb portions of said applicator as they are withdrawn from said container to remove mascara from said applicator rod portion and remove excess mascara from said applicator comb portion, said wiper means including a frusto conical annular lip of a resilient, elastic and flexible material converging inwardly of the container with its terminal inner edge surface in complete contact encirclement of the rod when the applicator is in place in the container and defining a stretchable opening through which said applicator is inserted and withdrawn, said lip being axially reversible by withdrawal of the applicator to position the reversed surface of the lip in complete wiping encirclement of the transition length of the rod and being resiliently deformed and stretched by the latter to an elongated slot configuration conforming generally to the peripheral surface of the comb portion in contact wiping relationship with the base and tips of the teeth thereof and in general wiping relationship to the edges of the teeth as the comb portion passes outwardly through the wiper means, whereby excess mascara is removed from said comb portion, the tips of said teeth being aligned with the periphery of the major length of said rod and tHe aligned peripheral edge of the flattened cross section of the transition length thereof whereby said rod imitates the form of the slot configuration and tends to control the amount of flexing of the teeth when the applicator is withdrawn through said wiper means.