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Connecting part for applicatorsRelated Patent Categories: Brushing, Scrubbing, And General Cleaning, Implements, Brush Or Broom, Tuft SocketConnecting part for applicators description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070017049, Connecting part for applicators. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present invention relates to a connecting arrangement for applicators, particularly for applicators which are used for applying liquid or pasty media, and to a special connecting part. [0002] From the prior art, applicators are known which comprise a head and a stem. While the head (which may advantageously be flocked) is used for the actual application of the media, the stem arranged on the head serves to hold the head or to fix it to a carrier. In the prior art, a carrier of this kind, which may be arranged inside the screw cap of a phial for cosmetics, for example, comprises a sleeve-shaped end section into which the stem of the connecting part with the head arranged on it may be inserted and, as the case may be, fixed. [0003] Various kinds of connecting parts are known from the prior art, in which the different profile of the respective stem for attachment in the associated holding portion is to be taken into account individually. This results in the disadvantage that different requirements are to be taken into account in order to fix the different stems in the sleeves of the holding portions, which leads to increased technical complexity in view of a large diversity of connecting parts or heads. [0004] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a simple and sufficiently strong connection between the connecting part and the sleeve. Another object is to provide a connecting part for applicators which makes the connection with the associated holding portions particularly easy. [0005] This object is achieved with an arrangement according to claim 1 and a connecting part according to claim 7. [0006] The invention is based on the idea that particularly simple and secure fixing of the stem in the holding portion is guaranteed by the fact that the stem and the holding portion comprise at least one locking element, respectively, which locking elements cooperate when the stem is inserted into the holding portion to obtain a connection therebetween in such a way that pulling out the stem from the holding portion is made more difficult. The respective locking elements may engage one behind the other or may cooperate in any other positive-locking way so that a relative movement between the holding portion and the stem is made more difficult or even prevented entirely. [0007] According to the invention, the locking elements cooperating with each other may have different shapes. For example, a projection inside the mostly tubular holding portion, which is approximately pin-shaped, may engage a corresponding groove or recess in the stem. In this case, the locking element or elements of the stem has/have a different shape than that of the locking element or elements of the holding portion. Inversely, the locking elements cooperating, respectively, may have principally the same shape, so a substantially triangular projection on the stem may cooperate with a triangular projection of the same kind inside the holding portion, for example. Advantageously, the possible cooperation of differently shaped locking elements on the stem or the holding portion allows to use a particularly large diversity of locking elements, and optimum, fast and cost-efficient manufacture thereof may serve as a criterion of choice here. [0008] The locking elements on the stem and/or in the holding portion may be configured to fully extend along the periphery in the circumferential direction. Alternatively, individual locking elements may also be distributed over the periphery, which is preferably done at equal distances in the circumferential direction. For example, four projections which are displaced by 90 degrees, respectively, and which only have a small width, respectively, may be formed on the stem. This makes it possible to push the stem (perhaps with partial plastic deformation of the projections) through beneath a locking element inside the holding portion. This associated locking element inside the holding portion may be bead extending towards the inner side and over the entire periphery, for example, behind which the four locking elements of the stem engage when the stem has been inserted. What is also conceivable, however, is to use four recesses on the inner side of the holding portion which are distributed in the same way and in which one of the locking elements of the stem may engage, respectively. This will also guarantee a non-rotative connection between the stem and the holding portion. [0009] Several locking elements arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction are conceivable both on the stem and on the holding portion, too. For example, a profile of several peripheral grooves formed one behind the other in the stem in the axial direction may cooperate with one or several knobs which project from the inner side of the holding portion. The knobs may engage in one of the peripheral grooves of the stem when the stem is pushed into the holding portion. Here, the depth of insertion may be chosen freely, and depending on the depth of insertion the knobs formed in the holding portion may engage in a different groove of the stem. [0010] Principally, both the locking elements of the stem and those of the holding portion may extend entirely around the respective axis or may be uniformly or non-uniformly distributed over the periphery. [0011] According to a particularly simple and effective embodiment of the connecting arrangement according to the invention, elevations and impressions are provided as locking elements on the stem and in the receiving portion which have wedge-shaped, partially circular, knob-shaped, triangular, polygonal or irregular cross-sections. Depending on the shape, particularly effective engagement portions can be achieved, which optionally make it easier, more difficult or not possible at all to pull the stem and the holding portion apart. [0012] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, a fixture between the stem and the receiving portion which is variable regarding the depth of insertion and yet stable is achieved by providing peripherally extending impressions or elevations as convolutions, parallel, axially spaced grooves, or portions of the stem or the receiving portion with a larger or smaller cross-section which extend in the form of waves, as a locking element on the stem and/or a locking element in the receiving portion. Such peripherally extending impressions or elevations may cooperate with other locking elements which engage in the impressions. The locking elements cooperating with each other, respectively, may be configured to be complementary to each other so that, in the state in which they engage, the respective cross-sections of the locking elements supplement each other to a large extent or even completely to form a continuous surface. A stem, for example, whose locking element is chosen to be a wave-shaped profile, and a correspondingly complementary, wave-shaped inner profile of the receiving portion may be assigned to each other. This results in multiple positive locking and thus in a particularly stable connection. In order to facilitate the action of inserting the stem, it is also possible to provide only one circumferentially extending groove or only one locking element which is not configured to extend circumferentially and which cooperates with a locking element that is configured to be complementary thereto. [0013] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is intended that at least one locking element comprises an insertion slope so as to facilitate the action of inserting the stem and so that a locking element can engage behind it after the stem has been inserted. For this purpose, a profile with a triangular cross-section is particularly suitable, with one side of the triangle rising from the surface of the stem or the inner wall of the receiving portion in an inclination and then abruptly falling back again towards the original diameter. An insertion slope of this kind facilitates the insertion of the stem into the receiving portion (potentially with a slight deformation of the stem or the receiving portion). As soon as the two cooperating locking elements are pushed past one another, they engage one behind the other, whereby it is made difficult to pull the stem and the holding portion apart. Here, the process of engagement of one element behind the other may be supported by the material of the stem or the holding portion jerking back elastically as soon as the locking elements are locked in their position forming the engagement portion. [0014] Furthermore, the invention deals with the specific configuration of a connecting part which can be used for the arrangement described above or independently of it. The invention is based on the idea that a simple and standardized connection between the connecting part and the holding portion can be achieved if the stem has the shape of a peg at least along a section of the stem, which peg comprises impressions at regular distances in the radial direction along the axis of the stem although the maximum outer diameter remains substantially constant. [0015] With such a shape, the stem may be introduced into the sleeve of every holding portion and may be fixed in such a way that the potentially variable depth of the respective sleeve is of minor importance only. [0016] The stem of the connecting part according to the invention can be fixed in the sleeve particularly in such a way that, once the stem has been introduced into the sleeve, it is achieved that the stem gets stuck in the sleeve as a result of the sleeve being compressed from outside by a specific amount in at least one predetermined place. In case of a permanent deformation of the sleeve in the area in which it is compressed, at least a frictional connection is created between the sleeve and the stem. [0017] It is particularly advantageous if the stem gets stuck in a place in which the stem inside the sleeve comprises one of the aforesaid impressions. In this case, the material of the sleeve can be partially pushed into the impression of the stem in such a way that, apart from a frictional connection, a positive-locking connection, too, is created between the stem and the sleeve, which results in a particularly firm connection. [0018] Alternatively, fixing can also be effected if the sleeve comprises, on its inner side, at least one projection, peg, nipple or the like projecting inside, which will rest in one of its aforesaid impressions when the stem is inserted. The projection then exerts a positive-locking resistance against an axial relative movement of the stem and the sleeve so that the stem will be safely and sufficiently fixedly locked inside the sleeve. Thus, the stem is pressed into the sleeve and is pushed along or past the projection inside the sleeve with one or several of its radial impressions. In this situation, the sleeve may be temporarily widened and/or the at least one projection may give at least to such an extent that inserting and locking of the stem in the depth of the sleeve chosen is possible without jeopardizing the desired stability and strength of the connection. [0019] As compared to the first variant of a connection mentioned, it is possible here to refrain from allowing the sleeve and the stem to get stuck by exerting an external clamping force onto the sleeve, which saves time and money. [0020] The at least one projection inside the sleeve may also be configured as a continuous or periodically discontinuous, ring-shaped bead on the inner wall of the sleeve. However, only a few projections or even only a single projection, which may be dot-shaped, for example, may be sufficient, as well. Furthermore, several projections may be spaced apart from one another along the inner wall of the sleeve in the axial direction in such a way that their distance corresponds to the distance of the regular impressions of the stem. This increases the strength of the connection since, in this case, several projections may engage in different impressions and together achieve an increased holding effect. [0021] Advantageously, the regular distances of the impressions according to the invention make it possible to variably fix the stems in the sleeves as far as the depth of insertion is concerned. Namely, the above-mentioned stable fixture can be made by clamping the sleeve or by engagement using inner sleeve projections in the area of one or several arbitrary impressions of the stem, which principally makes different depths of insertion of the stem in the sleeve of the holding portion possible. Thus, according to the invention, the stem--which in this respect may be called standardized--makes it possible to fix different heads in sleeves of different depths largely irrespective of the respective depth of the sleeve or the length of the head arranged on the stem, whereby a large number of different shapes of the stem known from the prior art can advantageously be avoided and manufacturing different applicators can be simplified to a large extent. The standardized shape of the stem according to the invention makes it possible for different heads and different depths of the sleeve to flexibly adjust to a desired overall length of the applicator into which the stem of the connecting part in the sleeve can be inserted with substantially variable depth. [0022] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the impressions are provided as troughs of an imaginary wave which is directed in parallel to the axis of the stem and extends peripherally about the axis. Thus, the stem has the shape of a peg which, in the axial direction, periodically varies between a maximum and a minimum as far as its outer diameter is concerned. The wave shape is particularly advantageous in that the transition between an impression and a corresponding elevation is smoother or has a gradient that can be chosen. The sharp edges in the transition area between the impression and the elevation which are avoided thereby advantageously make it possible to obtain a particularly firm connection between the stem and the surrounding sleeve since the sleeve compressed from the outside can be pressed into such a wave-shaped impression more easily than in case of a sharp-edged groove, for example. Furthermore, it is easier to press the sleeve into a trough of a wave than to actually deform the sleeve, whereas pressing the sleeve into a sharp-edged groove rather has the character of a deep-drawing process in which the flow of material inside the sleeve is necessary and the connection is thereby rather weakened. In case of projections arranged inside the sleeve, the wave shape also simplifies the process of engagement since there are no sharp edges on the transitions. [0023] Furthermore, with the wave shape, the existing material of the stem can be utilized optimally, while sharp-edged transitions and thus zones which are likely to break can advantageously be avoided. [0024] The peg which comprises the radial impressions or the wave shape may have--perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis--a substantially rotationally symmetrical cross-section, which has the effect of a particularly good inner stability of the stem. Principally, however, all bodies which are substantially longish are conceivable whose cross-sectional shape it not necessarily circular or rotationally symmetrical. In particular, as cross-sectional shapes, rectangular, square, triangular or principally every polygonal shape are to be mentioned here, which may also be irregular, i.e. with sides of different lengths. Also, a body having a cross-section in the form of a star (ridges extending outwardly from a center) constitutes a suitable cross-section, just like elliptical shapes. Not entirely symmetrical cross-sections are conceivable, as well, such as U-shaped or Z-shaped cross-sections. Furthermore, a polygonal cross-section does not have to be filled and can be hollow inside. What is always decisive in the substantially free or arbitrary cross-sectional shape of the peg is that it has the impressions according to the invention in its longitudinal direction and that the stability connected with the material required and with the weight is chosen to be optimal. Continue reading about Connecting part for applicators... Full patent description for Connecting part for applicators Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Connecting part for applicators patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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