Adjustable curve mascara brush

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIGS.
1 and 2, a mascara applicator comprises a combination cap and handle 1 from which extends a wand 2, the outer end of which carries brush 3.
In the case of the present invention, cap 1 houses adjustment means as depicted in FIGS.
9 and 10 for effecting adjustment of the brush curvature.
For the embodiment depicted in FIGS.
1 and 9, such adjustment is achieved by the twisting of rotatable button 4 relative to cap 1, alignment of indicia 5 on button 4 with indicia 6 on cap 1 being indicative of the degree of curvature achieved.
FIGS.
3 and 4 are partial longitudinal cross sections of one embodiment of the present invention taken along lines A--A and B--B of FIGS.
1 and 2, respectively, and illustrate the relationship of wand 2, brush 3 and curvature adjusting rod 7.
Wand 2 and brush 3 have contiguous longitudinal bores 8 and 9, respectively, through their lengths.
Curvature adjusting rod 7 is adapted for longitudinally slidable movement within these bores so as to be extendable into and retractable from bore 9 of brush 3.
In the embodiment of FIGS.
3 and 4, brush 3 is pre-formed to have a maximum curvature when rod 7 is retracted (see FIG.
4).
In conjunction, rod 7 is formed so as to be straight when extended into bore 9 of brush 3 (FIG.
3).
In this manner, complete retraction of rod 7 within wand 2 will provide a user with a deeply curved mascara application brush.
To adjust the curvature of brush 3, a user will twist button 4 to extend rod 7 into bore 9 of brush 3.
Rod 7 has sufficient rigidity to overcome the set-in curve of brush 3 thereby causing brush 3 to straighten.
The degree of straightening, and hence curvature, of brush 3 will be dependent on the amount of rod 7 that is extended into bore 9, partial extension of rod 7 providing a shallower curve to brush 3.
Because the outer end of rod 7 is not connected to anything, rod 7 is freely slidable within brush 3 and its extension and retraction will affect only the longitudinal curvature of brush 3 and not its overall diameter