Device for treating the hair and method of using such a device

Embodiments of a device for treating the hair includes: a receptacle containing a substance to be applied to at least one of the hair and the scalp; a lifter member for lifting the hair and comprising a comb secured to the receptacle and movable relative thereto; and at least one dispenser endpiece for dispensing the substance on at least one of the hair and the scalp after the hair has been lifted by the lifter member.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices and methods for treating the hair, and more particularly hair roots.

BACKGROUND

Devices for applying substance to the hair are known from French patent documents FR-A-2,828,999 and FR-A-2,805,442.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide devices and methods that give volume to the hair, for example, by applying substance to hair roots that hardens as the substance dries so as to cause the hair roots to be more upstanding on the scalp.

In various exemplary embodiments, the invention provides a novel device that enables such a substance to be applied.

In various exemplary embodiments, the invention provides a device comprising: a receptacle containing a substance for application to at least one of the hair and the scalp; a lifter member for lifting the hair, the lifter member being secured to the receptacle and movable relative thereto; and at least one dispenser endpiece for dispensing the substance on at least one of the hair and the scalp, after the hair has been lifted by the lifter member.

Various exemplary embodiments of the invention allow a user to easily apply a substance to the hair for the purpose of stiffening the root ends thereof while the hairs are upstanding on the scalp, thereby obtaining a desired volume effect.

Since the lifter member that lifts the hair is secured to the receptacle, in such embodiments the device is advantageously made in such a manner as to enable the user to actuate the lifter member using a same hand as is being used to hold the receptacle. Thus, the other hand of the user remains available, for example, for helping to obtain a desired hairstyle.

In exemplary embodiments, the receptacle preferably includes a substance dispenser valve which is actuated by moving the lifter member. This makes the device simpler to use.

Further, in exemplary embodiments, the device preferably includes a dispenser endpiece distinct from the lifter member. This makes it possible, for example, to spray substance in a direction substantially perpendicular to a portion of the hair that extends between the scalp and the lifter member.

In exemplary embodiments, the lifter member advantageously comprises a comb, for example, having at least one row of teeth, or indeed a single row of teeth. The teeth may have bases that are in alignment. For example, the comb may comprise two to forty teeth. Further, the comb may comprise five to twenty teeth. Free ends of the teeth may point in a direction that is substantially away from the receptacle, particularly while the lifter member is being actuated.

In exemplary embodiments, the hair lifter member may advantageously include an actuator portion defining a location on which the user can press in order to cause the lifter member to move relative to the receptacle.

In exemplary embodiments, the lifter member may be connected via at least one tab to a base portion fastened on the receptacle. The tab may include at least one film-hinge. For example, the lifter member may include two such tabs, each provided with a film-hinge and spaced apart from each other sufficiently to enable the dispenser endpiece to engage therebetween while dispensing the substance, after the lifter member has been moved to lift the hair.

In exemplary embodiments, the device may also include a portion for bearing against the scalp, which portion may be stationary relative to the receptacle. The bearing portion may rest on the scalp while the lifter member is being moved to lift the hair. The bearing portion may comprise, for example, two rods which may be parallel and situated at equal distances from the dispenser endpiece. For example, the rods may be of a length that is selected so that free ends thereof are at substantially a same level as the bases of the teeth of the comb, prior to the lifter member being actuated, and when the device is observed in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the receptacle.

In exemplary embodiments, the dispenser endpiece may include an abutment against which the lifter member can bear at an end of displacement thereof. The abutment can come into contact, for example, with the actuator portion of the lifter member.

In exemplary embodiments, the dispenser endpiece may be connected to the base portion via at least one film-hinge, and the abutment may be situated on a side of the dispenser valve that is opposite from the film-hinge.

The dispenser endpiece may be provided with a nozzle arranged to generate a spray.

The substance contained in the receptacle may contain polymers and may have a drying time that is relatively short, for example, less than 30 seconds.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a device for treating the hair, the device comprising: a receptacle containing a substance for application to at least one of the hair and the scalp; a lifter member for lifting the hair, the lifter member comprising a comb secured to the receptacle and movable relative thereto; and at least one dispenser endpiece for dispensing the substance on at least one of the hair and the scalp, after the hair has been lifted by the lifter member.

In exemplary embodiments, the comb may comprise at least one row of teeth, for example, a row of two to forty teeth. Free ends of the teeth may point in a direction going substantially away from the receptacle, for example, while the lifter member is being actuated.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a hair treatment device comprising: a receptacle containing a substance for application to at least one of the hair and the scalp, and including a substance dispenser valve; a lifter member for lifting the hair, the lifter member being secured to the receptacle and movable relative thereto, movement of the lifter member enabling the substance dispenser valve to be actuated; and at least one dispenser endpiece for dispensing the substance onto at least one of the hair and the scalp, after the hair has been lifted by the lifter member.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a hair treatment device comprising: a receptacle containing a substance for application to at least one of the hair and the scalp; a hair-lifter member secured to the receptacle and movable relative thereto; and at least one dispenser endpiece for dispensing the substance on at least one of the hair and the scalp, after the hair has been lifted by the hair-lifter member; the hair-lifter member being connected via at least one film-hinge to a base portion that is fastened to the receptacle.

In exemplary embodiments, the hair-lifter member may be connected to the base portion via at least one tab, for example, two tabs, each provided with a respective film-hinge, the tabs being spaced apart from each other sufficiently to allow the dispenser endpiece to engage therebetween while dispensing the substance, after the hair-lifter member has been displaced to lift the hair.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method of applying a substance to the hair, the method comprising: providing a device as defined above; lifting the hair with the hair-lifter member; and dispensing a substance onto the roots of the hair when lifted.

After the substance has been dispensed, the hair can be held in a desired lifted position for a length of time that is sufficient to allow the substance to dry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1show a device1comprising a receptacle2containing a substance pressurized by a propellant gas, for example, a substance rich in polymers and suitable for drying quickly, together with a dispenser head3fastened on the receptacle2via a base portion4. As shown inFIG. 3, the base portion4may comprise an assembly skirt5snap-fastened in an annular groove6near a top of the receptacle2. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the receptacle2includes a cup7that supports a dispenser valve8, the cup7being crimped to the body of the receptacle2.

In a conventional manner, the dispenser valve10may comprise a hollow control rod11, a body12held by the cup7and into which the rod11can be depressed, and a spring13for returning the rod11into a position in which the rod11bears via a sealing lip14against an annular gasket15. In this position, the lip14closes off communication between an inside of the body12and a lateral orifice16of the rod11, through which orifice16the substance can flow from the receptacle2when the rod11is depressed.

In embodiments of the invention, the dispenser head3also comprises a hair-lifter member20and a dispenser endpiece30.

The hair-lifter member20may comprise a comb21and an actuator portion22against which a user can press to move the comb21, thereby lifting the comb21.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the comb21and the actuator portion22are made integrally by molding a plastics material, together with two tabs23that connect to the base portion4, each having a thin portion24defining a film-hinge, thereby enabling the comb21and the actuator portion22to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the plane ofFIG. 3and to a longitudinal axis X of the receptacle2when the user presses on the actuator portion22. The base portion4may be made integrally, i.e., monolithically, with the tabs23. It should be understood that the thin portion24may be replaced by any other suitable hinge means, either known or hereafter developed.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the comb21comprises a row of teeth25having bases26that are in alignment, and free ends27of the teeth25that are directed generally away from the receptacle2.

The dispenser endpiece30and the comb21are offset along the axis X. Further, the endpiece30comprises a body31of generally frustoconical shape, in the exemplary embodiment shown, provided with an internal channel32whose bottom end opens into a housing33that receives an end of the control rod11. The house33is extended downward by a cone35that facilitates insertion of the rod11.

The body31of the dispenser endpiece30receives a nozzle36at a top end thereof and is connected to the base portion4by a tab37made integrally, i.e., monolithically, with the body31, the tab37including a thin zone38defining a film-hinge. Thus, the body31and the dispenser endpiece30can pivot about an axis that is substantially parallel to the axis about which the lifter member20can tilt. The tabs37can be made integrally, i.e., monolithically, with the base portion4. As sown inFIG. 3, the thin zones24and38are situated on a same side of the device1relative to the axis of the control rod11, which coincides with the axis X.

On a side remote from the tab37, the dispenser endpiece30is made to have an abutment39against which the actuator portion22can come to bear when the user presses thereon, for example, with an index finger I, as shown inFIGS. 4 to 6.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the device1further comprises two rods40that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the receptacle2and are connected to the base portion4in a vicinity of the assembly skirt5.

Free ends41of the rods40are rounded in shape and are situated substantially at a same level as the bases26of the teeth prior to the hair-lifter member20being actuated, as shown inFIG. 3.

The device1may be used as follows.

A user takes hold of the receptacle2in one hand, placing the index finger I on the actuator portion22, and slides the comb21tangentially to the scalp S so as to select a portion of the hair that is to be made to stand up, as shown inFIG. 4. The user can take advantage of the rods40which bear against the scalp S.

Once the device1is in place, the user can press on the actuator portion22until the actuator portion22comes into abutment with the abutment39on the dispenser endpiece30.

The pressure exerted by the index finger I lifts the comb21so that the comb21takes up an angle relative to an initial orientation of the comb21. The hair-lifter member20is made somewhat easier to move by the presence of the rods40.

The hair taken between the teeth25of the comb21follows the movement so the roots R of the hair extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scalp S, thereby exposing the hairs for subsequent operations, as shown inFIG. 5.

By pressing a little harder on the actuator portion22, the abutment39of the dispenser endpiece30is caused to move, thereby entraining the control rod11and opening the dispenser valve10, thus causing the spray to be released. The spray is deposited directly on the roots of the hair, between the scalp S and the portion of the hair that is engaged in the comb21, as shown inFIG. 6.

Once the desired quantity of substance has been deposited, the user can relax the pressure applied to the actuator portion22a little so as to cause dispensing of the substance to stop.

The user can hold the hair-lifter member20in this intermediate position for a length of time needed to allow the substance to dry, thus enabling the roots R to be fixed in a desired position so as to give the hair a desired volume. When the user releases the actuator portion20, the actuator portion can return to the initial position shown inFIG. 2, for example, because the thin zones24possess a certain amount of shape memory.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention contemplate that the shape of the hair-lifter member can be modified. For example, it is possible to use hair-holding elements of some other form. It is also possible to modify the shape of the dispenser endpiece and the shape of the actuator portion, amongst other possible modifications. Where appropriate, the hinge of the hair-lifter member and/or the means for possible return thereof to the initial position can be provided other than by a film-hinge.

Throughout the description, including in the claims, the term “comprising a” should be understood as being synonymous with “comprising at least one,” unless specified to the contrary.