Process for compacting a pulverulent mixture on a support and make-up applicator formed by a support provided with a pellet of compacted pulverulent mixture

#This invention relates to a process for compacting a pulverulent mixture on a support and a make-up applicator formed by the support provided with a pellet of compacted pulverulent mixture obtained by this process.

#French Patent Application 90 09327 filed on Jul. 20, 1990 by the Applicant describes a process for compacting a pulverulent mixture, in which a layer of pulverulent mixture is deposited at the bottom of an enclosure, a piston slides into this enclosure and applies pressure directly to the pulverulent mixture and, during the application of this pressure, the pulverulent mixture is subjected to the action of ultrasonic waves. According to the abovementioned application, the pulverulent mixture contains 5 to 80% of at least one thermoplastic pulverulent product, the remainder being formed by at least one non-thermoplastic product. The presence of a thermoplastic pulverulent product in the mixture to be compacted means that, as a result of the action of the ultrasonic waves, an inner and/or outer coating can be created in the pulverulent mixture, said coating holding the nonthermoplastic product.

#The applicant has attempted to use this process to prepare applicators, more particularly applicators of small dimensions used as samples, by compacting the pulverulent mixture on a support. It has been noted that although the presence of the thermoplastic substance allowed the compacted mixture to be fixed to the support, the crumbling of the compacted mixture was not satisfactory. The only method of increasing the quantity of crumbling powder was to increase the thickness of the layer of mixture compacted on the support However, the thickness required to obtain a satisfactory crumbling fraction then gives the applicator an unattractive appearance and results in a loss of product as the crumbling fraction is small with respect to the entire compacted layer.

#The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of one embodiment of the invention given by way of a non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an applicator according to the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the compacting enclosure prior to compacting;

#As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in order to effect compacting, a layer of pulverulent mixture P and a support 2 are introduced into a mould 1. Pressure is then applied to the pulverulent mixture P through the support 2 with the aid of a piston 3 formed by the sonotrode of an ultrasonic generator.

#In the embodiment shown, the support is in the form of a disc-shaped palette 21 provided with a handle for gripping the support. The palette 21 has a diameter of 8 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. It is completely flocked, i.e. on its two faces, with the aid of a rayon fibre flock having a length of 1 mm and a diameter of 0.06 mm.

#An enclosure 11 open towards the top and divided into two parts 12 and 13 is formed in the mould 1. The lower part 12 situated on the side of the bottom 14 has the shape and dimensions, except for the necessary clearance, of the palette 21, and the upper part 13 has the shape of the entire support 2, i.e. the palette 21 and the handle 22. The enclosure has a diameter of 10 mm in the part 12 and a depth of 4 mm in the deepest part. The bottom 14 of the enclosure is planar.