Hair coloring appliance

The system includes a hair color packet assembly having several individual hair color packets and one developer packet, each packet having a pump for delivering selected amounts of material to a mixing assembly. A control assembly operable in response to a user's input controls each of the pumps to deliver selected amounts of color material and developer material to a mixing assembly which mixes the colors and the developer and delivers it to a brushhead/distributor, which has openings through which the selected hair color formulation is delivered. The brushhead/distributor is mountable in a handle having a motor which drives the brushhead/distributor in a linear oscillating manner.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to hair coloring appliances and methods, and more particularly concerns a hair coloring appliance which permits the user to select and control the particular hair color formulation to be provided by the appliance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Coloring of hair, particularly by a user at home, while it can produce satisfactory results, can be cumbersome and can sometimes lead to unpredictable or unsatisfactory results. It is also time-consuming and requires significant cleanup. The process usually involves a sequence of specific steps, including the user opening one or more containers and mixing the contents to produce the advertised color formulation. The formulation is then applied by the user to the hair, including rubbing it in to the hair area and then combing it in. The hairline is done first, then the hair roots, and then the remaining bulk of the hair. The tools must then be cleaned and put away. The overall process and particularly the unpredictability of the results leads to a general lack of confidence on the part of most users, particularly home users. Accordingly, a hair coloring system useful at home which provides reliable, predictable results and has the capability of a wide variety of coloring is desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in one arrangement, the hair coloring system comprises: a hair color packet assembly having at least one coloring material chamber and one or none developer material chamber; a pump for each of the coloring material chambers and the developer material chamber; a control assembly operable to control the pump members to produce a selected color following mixing; a mixing assembly operable to mix the color material or the color material and developer material; a brushhead/distributor connected to the mixer by a connecting line; and a handle for holding the brushhead/distributor.

Another arrangement is a single use hair color consumable assembly for use with a hair coloring system, comprising a hair color packet assembly having at least one chamber or packet for a hair coloring formulation and one or none chamber for a developer; a separate pump for each color and developer chamber, wherein the pump is responsive to a control signal for directing selected amounts from each color chamber and developer chamber into a mixing assembly, wherein the mixing assembly produces a formulation having a color selected by a user; and a brushhead/distributor member connected to the mixing assembly by a fluid directing element, the brushhead/distributor including openings through which the formulation is delivered.

In a further arrangement, the hair coloring system comprises a hair color packet assembly having at least one coloring chamber and one or none developer material chamber; a pump for each of the coloring chambers and the developer material chamber; a control assembly operable to control the pump members to produce a selected color following mixing; a mixing assembly operable to mix the coloring material or the coloring and developer material; a brushhead/distributor connected to the mixing assembly by a connecting line; a handle for holding the brushhead/distributor, wherein the brushhead/distributor is adapted to move in the handle; and a motor in the handle to move the brushhead back and forth in a linear oscillation.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a generalized view of the hair coloring system of the present invention at10. It includes a packet assembly12which includes a plurality, two inFIG. 1, of individual color packets, although a single hair coloring packet can be used. Also, a developer packet can be included. Use of a developer with the hair coloring provides a more lasting coloring effect, up to one month or so, referred to as permanent coloring, while without use of the developer, a semi-permanent coloring results, usually lasting approximately a week or so. The developer can be used with multiple coloring packets or a single coloring packet. Each of the hair coloring packets14and16, and the developer packet18, have their own individual pumps20,22and24. The individual pumps are controlled by a control assembly26which controls each pump to produce a desired color, as explained in more detail below. The outputs of the coloring packet pumps are applied to a color common tube or line28while the developer is applied to a developer line29. The two lines28and29merge into a mixer line30, which contains a mixing element31. The mixer line30is connected to a brushhead/distributor element32which is mounted in a handle or wand34.

The operation of the appliance is controlled by an on/off switch36which initiates the operation of the pumps, for dispensing the hair color formulation through the brushhead. The handle34also includes a driver motor37which provides a controlled movement of the brushhead to assist in the application of the color formulation to the hair. This action is controlled by switch38which can be separate from the on/off pumping switch36, although both functions can be controlled by a single switch. The movement of the brushhead can be synchronized with the pumping action of the color formulation.

FIGS. 2A and 2Bshow the hair color packet assembly in more detail. This portion of the system, along with the extended connecting tube56with the mixing element58therein and the brushhead, constitutes a consumable portion of the system. It is a completely closed arrangement, so there is no setup or cleanup involved. Each hair coloring event will typically have its own consumable, which is discarded following use.

FIG. 2Ashows in representational form a particular packet assembly40arrangement with three separate, individual color packets or chambers42,44,46. A developer packet47is also included in the assembly. Various structural arrangements, i.e. appliance housings, for containing the color chambers and their associated pumps and the mixing line are possible Each color packet or chamber or developer packet or chamber has its own separate associated pump48-51. The packet assembly is positionable in and removable from the appliance body. A connecting line63connects the packet assembly to the brushhead (not shown). In one embodiment, the color packets are made of flexible plastic having a volume of approximately 60 cc. The developer packet has a volume of approximately 60 cc. The pumps are conventional, as illustrated inFIG. 2B. The hair color or developer enters the pump at entry point53and exits at exit point line55. Details concerning pump action to produce related colors are set forth below. In one embodiment, the colors in the three packets include blond, red and dark brown. Typically, this is sufficient to provide a large number of different colors. The color formulations can be provided by various color hair dye manufacturers. One example is color dyes from L'Oreal SA. The exit line of each pump will be directed to a color packet connection line52and the developer pump will exit to a developer line54. The lines52and54will meet to a mixer line56in which is positioned a conventional mixing element58(FIG. 6). As the colors enter mixing line56, the mixer58combines them to produce the final desired color which is provided to a brushhead through a connecting tube63, which is described in more detail below. The mixer element is conventional, comprising a single member, non-movable, configured as shown, so that the fluid must follow a tortuous path and become thoroughly mixed.

The individual pumps48-51are separately controlled by a microprocessor and motor arrangement, also referred to as a control assembly, to produce the final desired color from the three color packets and the developer packet. This arrangement is shown at59in more detail inFIG. 3. A control microprocessor is shown at64. The microprocessor64controls a motor drive circuit66which in turn controls a series of motors68-71, one motor for each pump. The control assembly59is connectable to the packet assembly75and the individual pumps thereon via a gearbox and shaft coupling, shown generally at74, with the drive shaft for the packet pumps shown at74A. The packet outlet75A is shown with the output connecting line76extending to the brushhead/distributor.

The microprocessor can be controlled in various ways by a user to produce the desired color, shown at78inFIG. 3. One way is by means of a color card which is read optically at interface80. The information is then transmitted to the microprocessor. The color card is thus used in essence to program the microprocessor, which in turn controls the motors which drive their associated pumps, to produce the selected color on the card. The control information is stored in a table or the like in the microprocessor.

In operation, the preferred formulation flow rate in connecting line63inFIG. 2Ais 150 ml in two minutes, or 1.25 ml per second. Preferably, the combined flow rate from the color packets42,44and46inFIG. 2is approximately equal to the flow rate from the developer packet48, i.e. 0.625 ml per second. Each of the motors for the individual pumps in the embodiment shown is a gear motor with a maximum RPM of 200. If the gear:volume ratio is 0.25, it is possible to solve for gear diameter “d”, as set forth below. Each pump separately will produce 0.75 ml/sec max.

Referring toFIG. 2B, for one embodiment, to produce the desired flow rate, with a gear of diameter d and an unfilled gear cavity57ratio of Rv, one rotation will produce a volume of 2π (d/2)2·Rvt cm3/cm, where t is the thickness of the gear. Multiplying the volume by RPM will produce the gear flow rate. With a gear thickness of 3 mm and a gear cavity ratio of 0.25, 2π (d/2)2·Rv·t·RPM=0.75 cc/min); solving for d (gear diameter) equals 0.18 cm, or approximately 2 mm in diameter to produce the desired flow rate. It should be understood, however, that other pump arrangements can be used to produce other flow rates or the same flow rates. The pumps are controlled to produce a formulation flow rate in the connecting line in the range of 10 cc/min to 300 cc/min.

Each pump in the embodiment shown has 20 separate distinct steps in pumping rate. With three color packets, the various combinations of the three colors and the developer will result in a total of 210 different color combinations possible.

Other control/interface combinations can be used, including a bar code on a card and associated reader or an RFID tag and an associated reader, or by a wireless command. Also, it would be possible to program the microprocessor using voice commands, both for color and to control the pumping action, i.e. the flow rate. As discussed above, the individual pumps can be controlled to produce the desired flow rate, as well as the particular color composition.

The apparatus, in the embodiment shown, is powered by a battery, with a sealed closed-path construction so that the appliance can even be used safely in the shower. One advantage to a closed path is to protect the user from exposure to the coloring fluid, except on the hair. The disposable assembly portion of the system, shown inFIG. 9, includes the packet assembly and the associated pump/motor arrangement61, the mixing portion63and the dispensing brushhead/distributor65, as well as a connecting line67. The color communication element, such as the particular color card used to program the microprocessor, can also be a single-time consumable item.

FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 8show the brushhead/dispenser79for the system, both alone and in combination with an associated handle or wand.

FIGS. 7A and 7Bshow one brushhead arrangement. It includes an upper portion80to which a connecting line from the mixing assembly is attached at inlet81. Extending from the upper portion are two clips82and84which connect the brushhead to a handle86, shown inFIG. 8. Extending downwardly from the upper portion are a series of hollow tines88-88. In the embodiment shown, the tines are approximately 0.7 inches long and have an opening approximately 0.030 inches in diameter at the distal end thereof for exit of the hair color formulation. The tines are separated by a distance of approximately 0.25 inches in one embodiment to permit the positioning of intermediate nylon bristle tufts92-92. The bristles extend just past the lower end of the tines, contacting the scalp94, as shown inFIG. 4A. In the embodiment shown, the bristle tufts have approximately 15 individual bristle elements, in a tuft approximately 0.1 inches in diameter. As indicated above, in use, the bristles contact the scalp, while the tines are positioned slightly above the scalp, allowing the hair formulation to escape.

The handle86(FIG. 8) has an extended portion95which is easy to grasp by a user. The connecting line97from the color formulation mixer extends along the handle. The brushhead is snapped into place into the handle by clips82,84. The system can operate as described above by action of the on/off switch36which begins the pumping action for hair formulation at the desired flow rate. The pumping rate can be controlled by a slidable switch or by voice actuation to control the motor RPM for the pumps. The handle can also include a motor arrangement98, which is shown generally inFIG. 5, to provide a linear oscillating motion of the brushhead/distributor. The oscillation has a frequency in the range of approximately 15-60 Hz, with an amplitude which is greater than one-half the distance between adjacent tines but no more than 1.5 times that distance.FIG. 5shows a simplified drive arrangement for brushhead100which is snap-fitted via clips102,104to a slidable tray106on the handle. The slidable tray is moved back and forth linearly by a motor108with a connecting rod110. The motor is controlled by a switch38on the handle (FIG. 1) and has a separate power supply112. Other arrangements for controlling the linear oscillation movement of the brushhead can be used. The linear motion simulates the gloved finger rubbing of the formulation by the user into the root and hairline areas, resulting in a reliable and accurate control over the coloring for those hair areas.

When the hairline and roots coloring functions are completed, an optional coarser brushhead can be used with wider tine spacing to glide through the hair, with fluid being continually dispensed at a selected rate to coat the hair. An adjustment can be made to dispense fluid to each tine, thus conveniently providing fluid to the bulk of the hair. Fairly long strokes are used to dispense the formulation along the hair so that slight variation in color programmed into the mixing portion of the appliance can provide an improvement to the appearance of natural color variation verses single color systems.

It should be understood that natural color variation is important to a high quality coloring result. Since the color is mixed in real time in the present system, the color composition can be made to vary to any degree over time to produce color variation, by simply programming the microprocessor. For instance, each brush stroke through the bulk of the hair can produce a slightly different tint or shade. Further, a multi-tube connecting arrangement could be used for transfer of a different color to different tines of the brushhead, so that small individual hanks of hair can receive a different color when compared to the neighboring hanks. Conventionally, color variation requires coloring of small hanks of hair and protecting them by aluminum foil to prevent bleeding through from one hank to the next and to prevent premature drying of small hanks of hair with such a relatively unfavorable volume-to-volume ratio. With the present system, there are two ways of eliminating the foil process. One is to provide slight color variation as described above so that a bleed-through from one hank to the next is not noticeable. The results of using this method or technique will be less natural than a salon treatment, but an improvement over single color approaches. Another way is to provide separately fed tines in the brush so that the individual tines can dispense different color formulations, to permit meaningful color transfer from one hank of hair to the next.

Accordingly, the present invention is convenient to use, with high performance, providing significant confidence for the user in the results. With the closed fluid path, there is no need to pour and shake separate containers. The present system can be used in the shower, which enhances cleanliness and further eliminates the required care and time of cleaning components, gloves and the need for manual manipulation of the hair roots and hairline necessary with conventional hair coloring systems. The present system results in a significant improvement in both reliability and color variability of home use hair coloring systems.

Although a preferred embodiment has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in the preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow: