A hairbrush and method of brushing are provided in which tangled hair may be brushed out at a better rate and with less pain. The hairbrush includes bristles that are mounted on revolving track portions so that when the bristles encounter a tangle or a resistance in the hair, the bristles are free to rotate. The hairbrush further includes a thumb button to adjust the resistance of the revolving track portion from a freely rotating position to a fixed position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a hairbrush. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hairbrush having rotatable bristles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional hairbrush comes in various sizes and shapes, including hairbrushes with bristles on all surfaces (round body) to hairbrushes with bristles on one side. A conventional hairbrush includes a handle portion attached to a body portion having bristles thereon. The bristles are fixed on the body portion and are used to untangle hair as it is brushed through the hair strands. The user moves the bristles through the hair strands until it reaches a tangle. When the tangle is reached, the user will pull hard on the tangle in hopes of untangling the hair. Alternatively, the user will reposition the hairbrush against the scalp and try to brush around the tangle to loosen the hair. The above described motions can result in pain and hair loss because the bristles move to a certain extent and thus do not have any give when encountering a tangle that is difficult to untangle on the first or second brushing.

Accordingly, it is desirable to have a brush that will untangle hair with considerable less pulling, hair loss and pain by having its bristles being more flexible when encountering a tangle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments allows a set of bristles to rotate in a direction opposite a direction of brushing.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a hair brush that includes a handle portion to move the hair brush through hair, a body portion coupled to the handle portion and having revolving track portions that rotate on a set of tracks, a set of bristles coupled to the revolving track portions to brush hair, and a slidable button that adjusts a resistance that is applied to the tracks through a clutch assembly and thereby adjusts the rotation of the revolving track portions.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of brushing is provided and can include brushing a hair in a first direction with a hairbrush having a set of bristles coupled to revolving track portions, engaging a tangle portion of the hair with the bristles; and rotating the revolving track portions in a second direction when the bristles engage the tangle of hair portion.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a hairbrush is provided and can include a handle portion to move the hair brush through hair, a body portion coupled to the handle portion, wherein the body portion includes revolving track portions that rotates on a set of tracks and non-revolving portion, a set of bristles coupled to the revolving track portion to brush hair, and a slidable button that adjusts a rotation of the revolving track portion through a clutch assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides an apparatus and method to brush hair more quickly, with less pull, pain or hair loss than conventional hair brush.

FIG. 1is a perspective of a hair brush100according to an embodiment of the invention. The hair brush100includes a handle portion102coupled to a body portion104. The handle portion102is designed to be gripped by a hand and is used to maneuver the hair brush through the hair. The handle portion102can be made of any material including natural (wood) and synthetic (polymer, resin, etc.). The handle portion102, however, should not bend as the user brushes through the hair. Additionally, the handle portion102and the body portion can be integrally manufactured or can be coupled together. The handle portion102includes an adjustable thumb button114on a top surface. A person skilled in the art would recognize that the thumb button114can be on any surface of the handle portion102. The thumb button114is designed to receive a thumb or any other parts of the hand and is slidable in a first and a second direction depending on the resistance desired on a revolving track portion having mounted bristle (discussed below).

The body portion104includes t revolving track portion112and a non-revolving portion110. The non-revolving portion110does not rotate on tracks but remain stationary. Additionally, the non-revolving portion110may or may not include bristles thereon. The revolving track portion112is constructed and arranged to rotate on tracks106(SeeFIG. 2). In one embodiment, the track may have grooves on its surface to receive the revolving track portion112and help to keep the revolving track portion112on the track during use. The revolving track portion112may be provided the entire length of the body portion. However, the number of revolving track portion112can vary and thus the revolving track portion112may be the entire length of the body portion or only on certain parts of the body portion. The revolving track portion112rotates in one direction or in both directions depending on the needs of the user (such as left-handed and right-handed). The revolving track portion112can rotate in conjunction with each other, or independent of each other. The revolving track portion112includes thereon a set of bristles108. In one embodiment, the bristles are attached to the revolving track portion112instead of being attached to the non-revolving portion110.

The number of bristles on the revolving track portion112can vary depending on the hair of the user and other factors. The bristles can be made of various materials such as animal products (boar, etc.) or synthetic materials such as plastic, nylon or other polymers. Additionally, the spacing between the individual bristles varies depending on the needs of the user. The bristles can be positioned perpendicular to the revolving track portion112or at any other angle desired. The bristles can be integrated with the revolving track portion112or be coupled thereto.

FIG. 2is a perspective view of the hair brush100with its cover partially removed. As shown inFIG. 2, the revolving track portions112are rotatable on tracks106. The revolving track portions112during brushing can remain stationary until a tangle of hair is met by the bristles108. As the user continues brushing, the revolving track portions112that do not meet the tangle of hair or other resistance by the hair (gum, dirt, etc.) remain stationary, while the revolving track portions that meet the tangle or other resistance can rotate in the opposite direction of the brushing.

Positioned between the tracks106are friction elements118that can engage the surface or surfaces of the tracks. As discussed below, the friction elements are designed to engage the tracks in order to provide resistance to the tracks' rotation during use.

FIG. 3is a perspective view of the hair brush100showing a clutch assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. The handle portion102includes the thumb button114that is slidable along the handle portion. As shown below, when the thumb button114is moved in a first direction, there can be less resistant on the tracks106and thus, the revolving track portion112can rotate easily. Conversely, when the thumb button114is moved in a second direction, there can be more resistant and the revolving track portion112will rotate with greater resistance or even be in a “locked” position. The thumb button114is coupled to a clutch assembly that includes clutch tensioning arms116and friction elements118. Shafts (not shown) are coupled or integrated with clutch tensioning arms116and extend from the arms116. The shafts are received by the friction elements118and the tracks106.

The clutch tensioning arms116are constructed and arranged to be responsive to the movements of the thumb button114and act on the tracks106in order for the tracks to engage the friction elements. The friction elements are positioned between a pair of tracks106in order to provide the necessary resistance to the rotation of the tracks, depending on the tension desired by the user. The friction elements may be made of any material, such as a synthetic resin, rubber, semi-metallic, metallic and other elements. The friction elements can include friction material on one side or both sides to engage one or both surfaces of the track depending on the needs of the user.

In operation, the user using the handle102moves the brush in one direction. Typically brushing from the top of the user's head to the bottom. Before the bristles encounter a tangle, the revolving track portions should not rotate. As noted above, the revolving track portions can rotate in conjunction with each other or independent of each other. The bristles108are mounted on the revolving track portions112allowing them to rotate away (or in the opposite direction of brushing) when the bristles come in contact with a tangle of hair or other resistance. Once the brush encounters a tangle of hair, the bristles and their respective revolving track portions that do not encounter tangles should not rotate and thus, the user can continue to brush the hair without having to stop and reposition the brush. Conversely, the bristles and their respective revolving track portions that encounter the tangles can rotate in their tracks in a direction opposite of the direction of brushing. Because the bristles are allowed to rotate in the direction opposite of the brushing upon reaching the tangle, this decreases the chance of pain that can be caused by brushing a tangle with a brush having fixed bristles. As the user continues to brush the hair through the tangle portion, the other bristles that did not rotate will continuously comb the hair or hairs from the tangle, thereby reducing the tangle's size, and leaving neatly brushed hair.

The rotation of the tracks can be adjusted by using the thumb button on the handle. By sliding the thumb button114in a first direction, less resistance is created and by sliding the thumb button in a second direction, more resistance is created. Sliding the thumb button114in the first direction, the clutch assembly is not engaged or minimally engaged and thus, the tracks106and the revolving track portions112rotate freely. As the thumb button is slid in the second direction, the resistance on the tracks106and the revolving track portions112increases. This is due to the response of the clutch tensioning arms116to the movement of the thumb button. As the thumb button is moved in the second direction, the clutch tensioning arms act on the nearest set of tracks pushing it closer to the friction element that is positioned between the nearest set of tracks and the next set of tracks. This causes a cascading effect, which causes similar resistance to the other set of tracks and their corresponding friction elements. As the clutch tensioning arms apply more force on the nearest set of tracks, then the friction elements are able to act on their respective set of tracks thereby decreasing their rotation. Thus, the bristles can be adjusted from being able to rotate freely to being locked in position.

By being able to adjust the resistance of the tracks and thus the revolving track portions, the bristles can rotate more for very tangled hair or rotate less as the hair starts to become less tangled. The resistant adjustable feature allows the user to adjust the resistance of the bristles depending on hair type and conditions of the hair.