Patent Publication Number: US-2007095362-A1

Title: Brush and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This patent application is related to Provisional Patent Application having application No. 60/730,990, filed Oct. 28, 2005, and fully incorporated herein by reference thereto as if repeated verbatim immediately herein. Benefit of the Oct. 28, 2005 filing date for the Provisional Patent Application is claimed. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      Embodiments of the present invention are related to a brush and method. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an electrical hair brush and/or body washer, and method for washing.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Numerous hair and body washing electrical devices exist on the market. However, these devices do not provide the convenience of readily dispensing a plurality of fluids, particularly dispensing while simultaneously controlling the quantity of the plurality of fluids being dispensed.  
     SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for washing comprising providing an electrical vibrating device having a handle assembly coupled to a detachable head assembly, and dispensing at least one fluid from the head assembly for washing.  
      Embodiments of the present invention also provide an electrical vibrating device having a handle assembly coupled to a detachable head assembly. The head assembly includes a body, and a face secured to the body and having at least one dispensing cone assembly for dispensing fluid.  
      These provisions, together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the following description proceeds, are attained by the methods and assemblies of the present invention.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the head of a body massager.  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the head of a body massager, illustrating an arcuate shaped configuration.  
       FIG. 4  is an elevational view of another embodiment of the head of a body massager.  
       FIG. 5A  is a partial side sectional view of an embodiment of a dispensing cone assembly located in and/or on the head of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer.  
       FIG. 5B  is a partial side sectional view of another embodiment of the dispensing cone assembly located in and/or on the head of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer.  
       FIG. 5C  is a partial side sectional view of yet another embodiment of the dispensing cone assembly located in and/or on the head of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer.  
       FIG. 6A  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer, illustrating in dotted representation an electrical head vibrating assembly for vibrating and/or partial moving back and forth (like an electrical tooth brush) the head assembly of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer.  
       FIG. 6B  is a top plan view of another embodiment of the head assembly of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer.  
       FIG. 6C  is a top plan view of the embodiment of the head assembly of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer in  FIG. 6B  after the two compartment covers have been respectively removed from and/or off of the two compartments, exposing the insides of the two compartments including a plurality of holes or fluid dispensing cone assemblies where through fluid from the compartments exits.  
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of an embodiment of a fluid bag with the adhesive member pulled away and off of the plurality of holes where fluid exits the fluid bag.  
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of another embodiment of a fluid bag with the flap member having been pulled away and off of the adhesive member which has a hole where fluid exits the fluid bag.  
       FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the embodiment of the fluid bag in  FIG. 8 .  
       FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the embodiment of the head assembly of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer in  FIG. 6B  after the two compartment covers have been respectively removed from and/or off of the two compartments, exposing a fluid bag respectively disposed in each of the two compartments.  
       FIG. 11  is a vertical sectional view taken in direction of the arrows along the plane of line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 10  showing the adhesive member of a fluid bag engaged to and/or around a fluid dispensing cone assembly, so that after the flap member has been pulled off and/or away from the adhesive member, fluid from the bag may flow from the fluid bag and through the fluid dispensing cone assembly and into a well or cavern communicating with a plurality of dispensing apertures.  
       FIG. 12  is a vertical sectional view taken in direction of the arrows along the plane of line  12 - 12  in  FIG. 6B .  
       FIG. 13  is a vertical sectional view taken in direction of the arrows along the plane of line  13 - 13  in  FIG. 6C .  
       FIG. 14  is a sectional view of another embodiment of the head assembly of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer illustrating part of the wiring assembly engaged to a valve in each of the fluid dispensing cone assembly to control the flow of fluid from each of the compartments and through each the fluid dispensing cone assemblies.  
       FIG. 15  is a sectional view of another embodiment of the head assembly of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer, illustrating part of the wiring assembly of the electrical head vibrating assembly, disposed underneath each of the compartments and passing around each the fluid dispensing cone assemblies, to assist in the vibrating and/or partial moving back and forth (like an electrical tooth brush) of the head assembly of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer.  
       FIG. 16  is a partial side elevational view of the head assembly illustrating the face flexibly joined to the body of the head assembly so that only the face vibrates and/or partially moves back and forth.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.  
      Referring in detail now to the drawings, there is seen in  FIG. 1 a  perspective view of an embodiment of the electrical brush and/or body washer, generally illustrated as  10 . The electrical brush and/or body washer  10  includes a detachable head assembly, generally illustrated as  14 , and a handle assembly, generally illustrated as  18 . The head assembly  14  is detachable from the handle assembly  18  at releasing joint  22 . The electrical brush and/or body washer  10  includes an electrical head vibrating assembly, generally illustrated as  20 , as best shown  FIG. 6A  which is a top plan view of an embodiment of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer  10 , illustrating in dotted representation an electrical head vibrating assembly  20  for vibrating and/or partial moving back and forth (like an electrical tooth brush) the head assembly  10  of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer  10 . It is to be understood that the electrical head vibrating assembly  20  does not necessarily have to vibrate and/or partial move back and forth the entire head assembly  10 . The spirit and scope of the present invention includes vibrating and/or partial moving back and forth a portion of the head assembly  10 , such as the face (identified below as “ 50 ” below) when flexibly secured to the body (identified below as “ 54 ” below) of the head assembly  10 , as best show in  FIG. 16  which is a partial side elevational view of the head assembly  10  illustrating the face flexibly joined to the body of the head assembly  10  so that only the face vibrates and/or partially moves back and forth.  
      The handle assembly  18  includes a motor  28  coupled to a rechargeable battery  24  and to a linkage assembly  27  which couples to a coupling rod  29 . A fluctuating assembly  31  is coupled to the coupling rod  29 . The fluctuating assembly  31  includes fluctuating fingers  31   a ,  31   b , and  31   c . The fluctuating assembly  31  (including fluctuating fingers  31   a ,  31   b , and  31   c ) may vibrate and/or move the entire head  14 , or the fluctuating assembly  14  may be disposed such as to only vibrate and/or move a face  50  flexibly coupled to a hollow body  54  at flexible structure  55  (as best shown in  FIG. 16 ). Depending from the face  50  are nubs or knobs  58  which may support bristles  59 . In other embodiments of the inventions (see  FIG. 2 ), the knobs  58  may assist in massaging functions or actions, and does not necessarily have to support any bristles  59 . The head assembly  14  may include a base  15  supporting a depending neck  17  which may be coupled to the hand assembly  18  by any suitable means, such as by the releasing joint  22 .  
      The electrical head vibrating assembly  20  for vibrating and/or partial moving back and forth (like an electrical tooth brush) the head assembly  14  (or the face  50 ) of the electrical brush and/or body washer  10  may be any suitable electrical head vibrating assembly, such as that sold by Phillips Oral Healthcare, Inc. of Snoqualmie, Wash. 98065 in any of the Advance 4000 series sonic toothbrushes. These toothbrushes include a rechargeable battery, such as the battery  24  of the electrical head vibrating assembly  20 . A charger base (not shown) is provided and includes a cord (not shown) which is plugged into an outlet for receiving current for recharging the battery. The electrical brush and/or body washer  10  of the present invention may also have a charger base and a cord for recharging the battery  24 .  
      The face  50  may be formed with a plurality of dispensing aperture assemblies, generally illustrated as  60 , where through fluid passes to come in contact with a portion of a human body. The dispensing aperture assemblies  60  (see  FIGS. 5A-5C ) may be in the form of an upper dispensing cone  60   a , or a lower dispensing cone  60   b , or an aperture  60   c , or any combination of the foregoing, such as illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . In another embodiment of the invention, a support platform  96  may be disposed in the body  54  at a distance from the face  50  such as to form a cavern  99  between the face  50  and the support platform  96 . The support platform  96  may be formed with a plurality of dispensing aperture assemblies, generally illustrated as  96 , where through fluid  64  passes to enter the cavern  99  for subsequent dispensing through one or more of the dispensing aperture assemblies  60 . The dispensing aperture assemblies  98  (see  FIGS. 5A-5C ) may be in the form of any suitable dispensing aperture assemblies  98 , such as any of the previously mentioned dispensing aperture assemblies  60  (e.g., upper dispensing cone  60   a , or a lower dispensing cone  60   b , or an aperture  60   c , or any combination of the foregoing). Fluid  64  may be any suitable fluid, such as shampoo, conditioner, body soap or moisturizers. The fluid  64  may be placed in the hollow body  54  of the head assembly  14  in pure or free-flowing form (such as by pouring from a suitable container containing the fluid, such as a shampoo container) or the fluid  64  may be placed in the hollow body  54  through the use of replaceable bags, generally illustrated as  100 . The bag  100  has an adhesive section  102 . In one embodiment of the invention, the bag  100  has a plurality of apertures  106  which is normally releasably covered by the adhesive section  102  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . For this embodiment of the invention, after the adhesive section  102  is peeled back to expose the apertures  106 , the bag  100  is placed within the hollow body  54  with the apertures  106  faced towards the face  50  or towards the support platform  96 . Fluid  64  would leave the bag  100  through the apertures  106 . In another embodiment of the invention, the bag  100  has an adhesive section  110  which includes at least one aperture  114 . A flap  118  is releasably disposed on the adhesive section  110  to cover the aperture  114 . When the flap  118  is pulled off of the adhesive section  110  to expose the aperture  114 , a dispensing cone assembly (e.g., dispensing cone assembly  60   a ) dispensing cone assembly may be inserted through the aperture  114 , as best shown in  FIG. 11 . The adhesive section  110  may be used to firmly secure the bag  100  to the support platform  96  and/or around the dispensing cone assembly, as also best shown in  FIG. 11 . Fluid  64  flows out of bag  100 , through the dispensing cone assembly dispensing cone assembly supported by support platform  96 , and into the cavern  99  for subsequent dispensing through the dispensing aperture assemblies  60  in the face  50  of the head assembly  14 .  
      In another embodiment of the invention the body  54  is formed with two or more compartments, such as compartments  84  and  88 . A cover assembly, generally illustrated as  68 , covers the compartments  84  and  88 . Cover assembly  68  includes detachable (or pivotally connected compartments) compartment cover  68   a  and  68   b  for respectively covering compartments  84  and  88 . A partition member  74  is connected to the body  54  and to the face  50  (or to the support platform  96  for another embodiment) for support thereby. The partition member  74  separates compartments  84  and  88 . Compartment cover  68   a  and  68   b  releasably connect to each other. A recess  70  including recess parts  70   a  and  70   b  are conveniently situated between the compartment covers  68   a  and  68   b  for respectively providing openings for a human finger to lodge to pull apart releasably connected compartment covers  68   a  and  68   b  for allowing access to compartments  84  and  88 , as best shown in  FIG. 6 , which is a top plan view of the embodiment of the head assembly  14  of the electrical hair brush and/or body washer  10  in  FIG. 6B  after the two compartment cover  68   a  and  68   b  have been respectively removed from and/or off of the two compartments  84  and  88 , exposing the insides of the two compartments  84  and  88  including a plurality of holes or fluid dispensing cone assemblies  60  where through fluid  64  from the compartments exits.  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 14  for illustrating other embodiments of the invention, the handle assembly  18  includes two buttons, button  160  and button  170 . The latter button  170  controls the speed of movement and/or vibration of the head assembly  14  (and/or the face  50 ). Button  170  may operate as a rheostat such that as button  170  is slid in direction of the arrow in  FIG. 1 , the vibration/movement of the head assembly  14  is initially activated and then subsequently increases in vibration/movement as the button  170  continues to slide.  
      Button  160  has positions  1 ,  2  and  3 . When button  160  is in position  1 , after button  170  has activated movement and/or vibration of the head assembly  14 , valves  80  within dispensing cone assemblies  60  (see  FIG. 14 ) are opened to release fluid  64  from compartment  84 . As previously indicated, the dispensing cone assemblies  60  may be situated in the face  50  and/or in the support platform  96 . Valves  80  are controlled by current passing through wires  90  from the battery  24 . When button  160  is in position  2 , after button  170  has activated movement and/or vibration of the head assembly  14 , valves  82  within dispensing cone assemblies  60  (see  FIG. 14 ) are opened to release fluid  64  from compartment  88 . Valves  82  are controlled by current passing through wires  92  from the battery  24 . When button  160  is in position  3 , after button  170  has activated movement and/or vibration of the head assembly  14 , both valves  80  and  82  within dispensing cone assemblies  60  (see  FIG. 14 ) are opened to release fluid  64  from compartments  84  and  88 . As previously suggested, compartments  84  and  88  may each have different fluid. One of the compartments may have shampoo, while the other compartment has conditioner. For example, and as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , bags  100   a  and  100   b  respectively contain different fluids. It is understood and is readily apparent that between battery  24  and the respective valves  80  and  82  are the appropriate hardware (e.g., gates, etc) and/or software (e.g., source code, processor, etc) for opening and closing valves  80  and  82  as desired and in accordance with the lodged position of button  170 . The hardware and/or software would control the amount of current flowing through wires  90  and  92  from the battery  24  so the flow of fluid  64  through valves  80  and  82  is controlled.  
      Practice of various embodiments of the present invention provides an electrical hairbrush and body washer having ultrasonic movements, and a plurality of compartments for containing and releasing different fluids, such as shampoo, conditioner, body soap and moisturizers. An engine is located in a handle. The engine in the handle may operate off of a rechargeable battery. The electrical hairbrush and body washer functions similar to an ultrasonic toothbrush, which can be found over the counter. The handle may latch to different heads. Various buttons or switches are provided for controlling the speed of ultrasonic movements and control which fluids are being released from their associated compartments. Each head may have a different function and may come in different sizes. The electrical hairbrush and body washer may also come with disposable or reusable containers and/or bags for different fluids, such as shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and moisturizer. The head has a plurality of holes where the fluid(s) will be dispensed in accordance with the different buttons that may be used. The electrical hairbrush and body washer will be water resistance and may be used safely in the shower.  
      The operation of the ultrasonic hairbrush could be similar to the ultrasonic toothbrush in its engine, movement and quality of the bristles. In one embodiment of the invention, there will be no rotation of the bristles but instead there will be a gentle vibration or sonic movement so hair will not get strangled and pulled. One will use the brush in a normal manner with the various buttons having different functions. One of the buttons may conveniently control the speed of the movement of the bristles or the scrub, which may have different levels, fast, moderate or slow. The user may conveniently increase or decrease the motion of the bristles or the scrub force by the buttons. The heads of the brush are exchangeable with the body scrub and massage heads. Different heads will come in different sizes to serve their purposes according to the user&#39;s desire. The bags for being disposed in the various compartments may be disposable. The user can switch from one fluid to another, or can commingle fluids, by pressing the appropriate corresponding button and the holes (i.e., valves in the conical shaped fluid-dispensing assemblies) of that particular compartment will open.  
      Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all its embodiments. Therefore, the respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      Additionally, any arrows in the drawings/figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear.  
      As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.  
      The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      Therefore, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to the particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of the embodiments of the invention will be employed without the corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.