Patent Publication Number: US-8118037-B2

Title: Ergonomic hair coloring brush

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of hair coloring brush applications and particularly to improving the color brushes used in hair salons. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The art of modern hair coloring has rapidly evolved as the demand has grown for more innovative looks in hair fashion. Many hair color services require not only more than one color to be used during an application, but even different developers of the same color, with more than one formula for a variety of reasons. Different colors such as for highlights and lowlights require multiple amounts of formulas. Often a hairstylist will use the same color on the hair but will use a variety of levels of hydrogen peroxide. An example of this is a desire for darker hair at the scalp, with lighter ends. If the hairstylist desires to brighten the ends without incurring damage to those ends, there is a need for a much lower level of peroxide and yet the same color would be used. The result of all these demands is a need for multiple formulations of hair color or bleach to be used on the same person during a color service. And for the hair to be in optimum condition following the color service, the application of the color or bleach needs to be as precise as possible. 
     This demand for speed and precision with more variety has put increased pressure on hair colorists to apply colors quickly and precisely without making color mistakes. Often hair color and bleach formulas look the same in their containers, especially after the hydrogen peroxide is added, causing the formula to oxidize and resemble the other formulas being used. This fast, precise work with conventional tint brushes also has led to stress on the wrist and on the hand muscle between the thumb and forefinger, caused by the pressure when gripping a conventional hair coloring brush. 
     The multitude of similar colors required has also led to an increased probability of color errors in the rush to complete a complex coloring job in a timely manner. A color stylist may often turn to many similar bowls, each with a different tint brush, and not remember which one was last used. 
     There is a need then for inventive designs in tint brush systems to both relieve the hand stress on colorists and aid them in avoiding mistakes in choosing the correct brush at the right time. 
     The present invention helps in these regards providing an ergonomically improved brush handle design and by both linking each brush color to the base of the color in the bowl and also signaling to the stylist which brush was last used. This innovative combination results in far fewer mistakes made by the hairstylist. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This need is met by a system of brushes for hair coloring with each brush including at least: a substantially flat brush head containing brush bristles; a first handle section contiguous to the substantially flat brush head and tapering down and joined to a second handle section shaped as a spherical bulge containing hemispherical dimples on the front and back; wherein the second handle section transitions to a third handle section contiguous to the second handle section and shaped approximately as a prolate spheroid that tapers down to a fourth spear-shaped handle section. 
     In another aspect the system of brushes each has at least a color change material applied around the first, second, or third handle sections that alerts the colorist to whether the brush has been recently used. 
     In another aspect of the system the outside surfaces of said first handle section and said second handle section comprise a continuous recessed valley that provides a continuous seat for finger pressure on said first or second handle sections. 
     In another aspect of the system the surface of said first handle section contiguous to said hemispherical dimples on second handle section comprises a recessed valley area that provides pressure points for fingers. 
     In another aspect the base brushes are each of different colors to facilitate identification with the hair coloring used. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  represents a typical tint brush of the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of the underlying base brushes of a color-coded brush system of the present invention to be used in a variety of different hair color bowls. 
         FIG. 3A  is an illustration of a prior art coloring brush and  FIG. 3B  is an illustration of the ergonomic coloring brush handle and overlay applied to each base brush handle structure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an ergonomic coloring brush of the inventive system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that illustrate embodiments of the present invention. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention without undue experimentation. It should be understood, however, that the embodiments and examples described herein are given by way of illustration only, and not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions, and rearrangements may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the description that follows is not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a typical hair-coloring tool  100  of the prior art. An elongated body  110  having opposite ends  120  and  130  is normally tapered toward end  120 . Body  110  is larger at the opposite end  130  and defines a substantially flat head  140 . Extending between the  110  and the head  140  is a handle portion  150  for gripping by the user. 
     Projecting from the large end  130  of body  110  are a plurality of flexible bristles  160  arranged in a single row of separate tufts across the head  140 . The number and arrangement of these tufts can vary by design and any combination is anticipated by this invention. 
     Of particular note in this prior art hair coloring tool is that the shape of handle  50  requires a continuous strong grip by the hair colorist while applying the pressure of the hair-coloring tool to the hair. This type of handle and the grip required creates stress on the wrist and on the hand muscle between the thumb and forefinger during work sessions. 
       FIG. 2 , represented generally by the numeral  200 , illustrates the underlying structure of a series of brushes of the instant invention. The underlying structure is quite similar to the brush of the prior art as shown in  FIG. 1 , with an elongated body and having a substantially flat head  315  with flexible bristles arranged in a row of separate tufts across the flat end. But this is not the final structure of the brushes of the instant invention. Each brush handle shown in  FIG. 2  is of a different color to facilitate identification with the hair coloring in the individual bowls in which the brushes reside. The colors are the base colors used in the industry. White  205 , violet  210 , yellow  215 , orange  220 , red  225 , green  230 , blue  235 , and mahogany  240 . Brush  250  is both black and designed for use in a technique called balayage or freeform color embellishment. A typical set may contain more than one special brush such as the balayage brush. 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates the ergonomic design of the instant invention. A tapered hair-coloring tool  310 , similar to prior art tools, is shown in  FIG. 3A  before the added overlay structure of the invention. The instant invention hair-coloring tool  320  has been designed with an ergonomic overlay shape in three sections to relieve the stress on a hair colorists hands and forearms by conforming to the shape of the hand so that the colorist can apply downward controlled pressure without having to grip it tightly. A first handle section, represented generally by the numeral  336 , is contiguous to the substantially flat head  315  of the brush and tapers down to join a second handle section  340 , which is shaped as a spherical bulge containing hemispherical dimples  342  on the front and back (not shown) of the brush. This second handle section  340  then expands and blends into a third section  350 , shaped as an extended prolate spheroid for comfortable resting in the palm of the hand. Finally third section  350  tapers down to the thinner spear shaped brush handle characteristic of prior art brushes. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the ergonomic hair coloring brush shown previously in  FIG. 3  and enables a better description of the unique aspects of the ergonomic design. Ergonomic hair coloring brush  410  again has an ergonomic shape in three sections to relieve the stress on a hair colorists hands and forearms by conforming to the shape of the hand so that the colorist can apply downward controlled pressure without having to grip it tightly. A first handle section, represented generally by the numeral  338 , is contiguous to the substantially flat head  315  of the brush and tapers down to join a second handle section  340 , which is shaped as a spherical bulge containing hemispherical dimples  342  on the front and back (not shown) of the brush. This second handle section then expands and blends into a third section  350 , shaped as an extended prolate spheroid for comfortable resting in the palm of the hand. Finally third section  350  tapers down to the fourth thinner spear shaped brush handle characteristic of prior art brushes. 
     In addition to the indentation dimples  342  in the second handle section of the hair coloring brush handle,  FIG. 4  exhibits that the area  338  in the first handle section has a recessed valley area that slopes down from the second handle section toward the broad brush bristle area section, providing a seat for light finger pressure on the brush. In addition a recessed valley area  344  on the outside surface of the second handle section creates a seat for finger pressure points rather than a flat slippery surface. This recessed valley extends from the outside surface of the second handle section of the handle continuously down the outside surface of the first handle section to the broad flat head of the brush. This recessed valley on the outside surface provides a seat for fingers on either side of the brush, reducing the pressure the colorist has to apply while applying brush strokes to the hair. In total all of the recessed valley areas  342 ,  338 ,  344 , provide seats for finger pressure points that reduce gripping pressure on the colorist&#39;s hands and forearms. 
     Tool  410  can be held in a more relaxed manner in a variety of positions depending on the particular type of color application being done. The hemispherical dimples  342  of second handle section  340  provide a center pressure balance point for placing the index finger for standard color application. Numerous pressure balance points in the recessed valley area  338  can be used with the fingers when using striping strokes in some hair painting techniques such as balayage. This recessed valley area also allows a comfortable pivot point from color application to sectioning of the hair. The broad section  350  rides comfortably against the heel of the hand. In none of these configurations is it necessary for the stylist to maintain the tight grip and resulting stress required by the use of prior art brushes. 
     Another aspect of the instant invention is a color change (thermo chromic) material (not shown) applied around any or all of the sections of tool  410 . The color change material will completely change in color when gripped by a human hand. Thermo chromic color changing materials can be prepared based on thermo-chromatic liquid crystals or by the use of leuco dyes and the instant invention anticipates either of these approaches. As a hair colorist moves quickly from one color bowl to another, each with it&#39;s matching color tool, one of the more common mistakes is to lose track of which brush/color combination was last used. With the color change handles on each brush in this system the colorist will instantly be able to see which brush was last used. 
     A number of methods, such as injection molding, could be used to fabricate the overlay over the underlying brush structure  310  (from  FIG. 3 ) and the invention anticipates any of these. It is also anticipated that the complete brush structure of brush  320 ,  410  could be manufactured in one piece without using a separate overlay. 
     Although certain embodiments of the present invention and their advantages have been described herein in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, means, methods, and steps described herein. As a person of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from this disclosure, other processes, machines, manufactures, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufactures, means, methods, or steps.