Patent Publication Number: US-6911013-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for regenerating hair growth

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to hair growth, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for promoting regeneration of hair growth. 
   Alopecia (i.e., balding and thinning of hair, especially on the scalp) is common among many people for a variety of known (e.g., heredity) and unknown and/or unrecognized reasons. For their appearance and/or a variety of other reasons, some people who are balding or have thinning hair on all or parts of their scalp would rather have hair on those areas. As a result, a variety of treatments have been tried to stop the loss of hair, and preferably to regenerate new hair growth where hair has been lost. 
   For example, Upjohn Company of Kalamazoo, Mich., USA, has obtained wide success with the topical dermatological for treatment of alopecia which it sells under its ROGAINE® trademark. However, even as successful as that treatment has been, there are still many, many people on whom the treatment does not work or does not work satisfactorily (e.g., the texture of the regenerated hair may be unsatisfactory), or to whom the treatment is too expensive. 
   In short, the reality is that despite the long felt need for adequate treatment, there is still no adequate treatment form many people who have, but do not want to have, balding or thinning hair. 
   The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for regenerating hair growth is disclosed, including a handle, a drive secured to the handle and reciprocating along an axis relative to the handle, and a flexible massage member secured to the reciprocating drive. The massage member has an axial portion aligned with the axis, and a massage portion extending laterally from the axial portion to a scalp engaging surface, with the massage portion being substantially flexible in the axial direction. 
   In one form of this aspect of the invention, the drive reciprocates at a rate of at least 1,500 strokes per minute and in another form the drive reciprocates at a rate on the order of 2,700 strokes per minute. 
   In another form of this aspect of the invention, the massage portion is silicone. 
   In still another form, the drive reciprocates through a stroke length of at least ½ inch, and in still another form the drive reciprocates at a rate on the order of 2,700 strokes per minute. 
   In yet another form of this aspect of the invention, the flexible massage member extends a lateral distance X and an axial distance Y, where X&gt;Y, and in another form the axial dimension of the flexible massage portion tapers from a maximum adjacent the axial portion to a minimum at the scalp engaging surface. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, a method of regenerating hair growth is disclosed, including the steps of massaging a scalp area with the above described apparatus, moving the apparatus to move the scalp engaging surface over a portion of the scalp area, and repeating the massaging and moving steps until hair regeneration begins. In the massaging step, the handle is held so that the scalp engaging surface of the flexible massage portion engages a portion of the scalp area with the axial reciprocation of the drive being in a direction generally parallel to tangential to the scalp area portion. 
   In one form of this aspect of the invention, the massaging and moving steps are repeated daily for at least thirty days and, in another form, the massaging and moving steps are performed at least fifteen minutes each day. In still another form, the massaging and moving steps are performed at least one minute on at least one day prior to the thirty day, fifteen minute repetitions of the massaging and moving steps. 
   In still another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for regenerating hair growth is disclosed, including a reciprocating drive operating at a rate of at least 1,500 strokes per minute with a stroke length of at least ½ inch along an axis, and a massage portion extending laterally from the axis to a scalp engaging surface, the massage portion being substantially flexible in the direction of the axis. 
   In one form of this aspect of the invention, the drive reciprocates at a rate on the order of 2,700 strokes per minute. In still other forms, the massage portion is silicone, the flexible massage member extends a lateral distance X and an axial distance Y, where X&gt;Y, and/or the axial dimension of the flexible massage portion tapers from a maximum adjacent the axis to a minimum at the scalp engaging surface. 
   In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of regenerating hair growth is disclosed, including the steps of massaging a scalp area with the immediately above described apparatus by holding the apparatus so that the scalp engaging surface engages a portion of the scalp area with the axial reciprocation of the drive being in a direction generally tangential to the scalp area portion, moving the apparatus to move the scalp engaging surface over the portion of the scalp area, and repeating the massaging and moving steps until hair regeneration begins. 
   Yet another aspect of the present invention comprises a method of regenerating hair growth, including the steps of engaging a scalp area with an edge of a flexible member, reciprocating a portion of the flexible member through a stroke length along an axis of at least ½ inch at a rate of at least 1,500 strokes per minute, with the flexible member portion being spaced from the scalp area and the axis being oriented in a direction parallel to tangential to the engaged scalp area, and repeating the engaging and reciprocating steps until hair regeneration begins. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus usable to regenerate hair growth according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of one attachment usable with the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of an alternate attachment usable with the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  in use to regenerate hair growth; 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of an apparatus usable to regenerate hair growth according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is a partial front view of the apparatus of FIG.  5 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   One apparatus  10  usable in regenerating hair growth is disclosed in  FIG. 1 , including a reciprocating drive  12  in a housing  14  defining a handle portion  16 . A suitable power source  20  is also provided, illustrated as a battery in FIG.  1 . Of course, other power sources suitable for the drive  12  could be used, including an electric cord which may be plugged into an outlet. However, a battery provides the convenience of being usable in virtually any location. A suitable power control  22  for the drive  12  is also provided, such as the illustrated trigger  22  conveniently located on the handle portion  16 . 
   In accordance with the present invention, the reciprocating drive  12  should reciprocate at a relatively high rate through a relatively long stroke length so as to do more than merely vibrate the scalp when used such as described below. Specifically, a stroke length of ½ inch or greater at a rate of 1500 stokes per minute or more will stretch and invigorate the scalp in a manner which should regenerate hair growth in the scalps of some people. For example, a reciprocation rate on the order of 2700 strokes per minute with a 15 mm ({fraction (9/16)}″) stroke length has been found to regenerate hair growth in bald scalp areas. 
   A massage member  30  is suitably secured to the drive  12  and includes a mounting shaft  32  which, when secured to the drive  12 , is generally axially aligned with the axis of reciprocation  36  of the drive  12 . A massage portion  40  is secured to the mounting shaft  32 , and includes a substantially flexible body which extends laterally (radially) from the mounting shaft  32  to an outer edge  42  adapted to engage the scalp where hair regeneration is desired. 
   The massage portion  40  may be made of a suitable material which will allow substantial flexibility in the axial direction so that, when contacting a scalp in use, it will not merely rub over the scalp, but will bend as shown at  46  in  FIG. 4  so as to push and pull the scalp as it reciprocates in use. Silicone have been found to be a suitable material for the massage portion  40  such as, for example, gasket sealer made of high temp RTV silicone. However, still other materials could be used within the scope of the invention where the flexibility such as described herein is provided. The massage portion  40  may also extending radially from the shaft  32  a distance greater than the massage portion  40  extends axially to ensure suitable flexibility of the massage portion  40 . 
   An alternate massage member  30 ′ usable with the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1  is illustrated in FIG.  3 . The alternate member  30 ′ includes a pair of axially spaced massage portions  40 ′,  40 ″, each of which may be similar to the massage portion  40  shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . Of course, still other configurations of flexible massage members could be used within the scope of the present invention as disclosed herein. 
   In use, the apparatus  10  is held by the user so that the axis of reciprocation  36  is generally tangential (parallel to tangential) to the portion of the scalp being engaged by the outer edge  42  of the massage portion  40 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 4 , when the drive  12  strokes to reciprocate into the apparatus  10 , the massage member  12  is moved with it so as to push or pull the massage portion  40  and also push or pull the scalp  50  of the user. Arrows  52  illustrates this action in one stroke direction (shown by arrow  54 ) of the drive  12 . Also, the flexible body of the massage portion  40  will bend, whereby the scalp  50  will be pulled in quickly changing directions rather than being severely rubbed (and irritated) by the outer edge  42  such as would occur without such flexibility. 
   It should now be understood that the combination of the flexibility of the massage portion  40  and the reciprocation rate of the drive  12  should be sufficient to sufficiently invigorate the scalp by stretching it back and forth without hurting the skin. The outer edge  42  of the massage portion  40  may still be slid over the scalp to a degree, as when the user moves the apparatus to massage different areas of the scalp, but still the flexibility of the massage portion  40  will prevent damaging the scalp. 
   Use of the apparatus  10 , in which the user moves the apparatus around his scalp  50  with the massage portion  40  engaging and moving over the scalp  50  with the drive  12  operating, should preferably be repeated daily for a selected period. For example, hair regeneration has been found to begin after using the apparatus  10  for a period of about 15 minutes each day for 30 days. A user may also work up to such a rate in order to prepare his scalp for such invigoration, such as by using the apparatus  10  for only a minute a first day, then a greater amount less than 15 minutes (e.g., 10 minutes) a next day, before beginning the 15 minute daily routine. 
     FIGS. 5-6  show an alternate embodiment of the present invention, in which the apparatus  60  includes an electric cord  62  for supplying power to the drive  64 , with a suitable manually operable power control  66  (again, illustrated as a trigger which may be easily manipulated by a user grasping the handle portion  68  of the apparatus  60 . In this alternate embodiment, the massage member  70  extends a single direction from its connection to the drive  64 , with the drive  64  reciprocating the massage member  70  back and forth in the direction of the arrow  72 . 
   It should now be appreciated that use of an apparatus such as disclosed herein will advantageously allow many people to regenerate hair rather than accept bald areas where they do not want to. Further, this can be easily and conveniently accomplished anywhere, including in the privacy of their home, at very little cost and effort. 
   Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained.