Strap adjustment system for a cosmetic applicator configured for users with limited mobility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12396544-B2
Application number	US-202318362487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2023
Priority date	Jul 31, 2023
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A system that facilitates adjustment of a strap attached to a cosmetic applicator configured for users with limited mobility. The system allows adjustment via a single hand if needed, and can be used by users missing one or more digits. The strap adjustment system includes a housing cap, a strap, a locking feature, and a roller wheel, the locking feature disposed on a first side of a chamber formed by the housing cap and an end of the cosmetic applicator, the roller wheel disposed on a second side of the chamber, and the strap configured to pass through the chamber with the locking feature configured to contact a first side of the strap and lock the strap against locking edges of the chamber. The roller wheel is configured to unlock the strap and adjust the strap via rotation of the roller wheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A strap adjustment system for a cosmetic applicator configured for users with limited mobility, comprising:
a housing cap disposed at an end of the cosmetic applicator, the housing cap and the end of the cosmetic applicator forming a chamber including a first opening and a second opening;
a strap attached to the cosmetic applicator at a first end of the strap, a second end of the strap configured to pass through the first opening and the second opening;
a locking feature disposed on a first side of the chamber and configured to (i) contact a first side of the strap, (ii) bias the strap in a first direction away from the first side of the chamber via a locking force, and (iii) force a second side of the strap to abut a first locking edge and a second locking edge of the chamber formed, the first locking edge formed as part of the first opening of the chamber and second locking edge formed as part of the second opening of the chamber, the locking force preventing translation of the strap through the chamber; and
a roller wheel disposed on a second side of the chamber opposite the first side of the chamber, the roller wheel configured to (i) abut the second side of the strap when an unlocking force is applied in a second direction opposite the first direction to force the roller wheel into an engaged state, the unlocking force being sufficient to overcome the locking force applied by the locking feature and allow the strap to translate through the chamber, (ii) rotate in the engaged state to translate the strap through the chamber, and (iii) return to an unengaged state where the roller wheel does not provide sufficient unlocking force to overcome the locking force applied by the locking feature on the strap.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locking feature is a reversibly deformable structure configured to apply the locking force in the first direction via a spring force.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locking feature is a magnet configured to apply the locking force in the first direction via a magnetic force.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the strap is reversibly deformed in the chamber via the locking force applied by the locking feature, the deformation of the strap increasing a friction force between the strap at the first locking edge and the second locking edge.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the roller wheel is reversibly biased away from the strap in the first direction.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the roller wheel includes an axle disposed through a rotation axis of the roller wheel, a first end of the axle and a second end of the axle being disposed in a first axle housing and a second axle housing, respectively, formed as part of the second side of the chamber, the first axle housing and the second axle housing each including an elongated opening along the first and second direction through which the first end of the axle and the second end of the axle can travel between the engaged and unengaged states of the roller wheel.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the roller wheel is arranged on a swiveling platform formed as part of the second side of the chamber, the swiveling platformed configured to rotate about an axis orthogonal to a rotation axis of the roller wheel and rotate the roller wheel along a direction of an applied force applied to the roller wheel.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the strap includes friction features on the second side of the strap configured to provide additional resistance force against translation of the strap through the chamber.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the roller wheel includes complementary friction features as the friction features on the second side of the strap, the complementary friction features of the roller wheel being disposed on a surface of the roller wheel and configured to abut and mate with the friction features of the strap.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the roller wheel is configured to translate the strap to a first resistance checkpoint.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first end of the strap is attached to the cosmetic applicator via an adjustable strap attachment configured to reversibly translate in the first direction and the second direction.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein after reaching the first resistance check point, the roller wheel is configured to further translate the strap through the chamber and adjust an arrangement of the adjustable strap attachment along the first and second direction.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the roller wheel is configured to translate the strap to a second resistance checkpoint after which a tightness of the strap around an object disposed within a loop of the strap cannot be tightened further.

14. A method of adjusting a strap in a strap adjustment system for a cosmetic applicator configured for users with limited mobility, comprising:
applying an unlocking force towards a housing cap disposed at an end of the cosmetic applicator, the housing cap and the end of the cosmetic applicator forming a chamber including a first opening and a second opening, the strap attached to the cosmetic applicator at a first end of the strap, a second end of the strap configured to pass through the first opening and the second opening, the strap adjustment system additionally including
a locking feature disposed on a first side of the chamber and configured to (i) contact a first side of the strap, (ii) bias the strap in a first direction away from the first side of the chamber via a locking force, and (iii) force a second side of the strap to abut a first locking edge and a second locking edge of the chamber formed, the first locking edge formed as part of the first opening of the chamber and second locking edge formed as part of the second opening of the chamber, the locking force preventing translation of the strap through the chamber, and
a roller wheel disposed on a second side of the chamber opposite the first side of the chamber, the roller wheel configured to (i) abut the second side of the strap when the unlocking force is applied in a second direction opposite the first direction to force the roller wheel into an engaged state, the unlocking force being sufficient to overcome the locking force applied by the locking feature and allow the strap to translate through the chamber, (ii) rotate in the engaged state to translate the strap through the chamber, and (iii) return to an unengaged state where the roller wheel does not provide sufficient unlocking force to overcome the locking force applied by the locking feature on the strap; and

while applying the unlocking force towards the housing cap sufficient to overcome the locking force, applying a lateral force to rotate the roller wheel and translate the strap through the chamber.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the locking feature is a reversibly deformable structure configured to apply the locking force in the first direction via a spring force.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the locking feature is a magnet configured to apply the locking force in the first direction via a magnetic force.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the strap is reversibly deformed in the chamber via the locking force applied by the locking feature, the deformation of the strap increasing a friction force between the strap at the first locking edge and the second locking edge.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the roller wheel is arranged on a swiveling platform formed as part of the second side of the chamber, the swiveling platformed con

Assignees

• Oreal

Inventors

• Barbarino Casey

Classifications

• A45D34/00

  Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes · CPC title

• A45D40/00

  Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks (features common to containers for handling powdery or liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D33/00-A45D37/00; cosmetic or like preparations A61K8/00, A61Q; sample tables or the like G09F5/00) · CPC title

• A45F2003/006

  Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of straps passing around an arm or a leg · CPC title

• A45F3/00 Primary

  Travelling or camp articles (travelling rugs A47G9/06); Sacks or packs carried on the body (convertible into other articles A45F4/00) · CPC title