Patent Publication Number: US-2005139224-A1

Title: Hair coloring tool

Description:
REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION  
      This patent application is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/249,823 filed on May 9, 2003. The disclosures in the prior patent application are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to cosmetic and beauty supplies. More particularly, the present invention concerns a hair coloring brush having an improved handle for facilitating foil highlighting of hair.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      There are several primary objectives in applying coloring agents to hair. For example, the coloring agent (typically in the form of a liquid, paste or gel) must be applied in a manner that creates a natural appearance. In other words, the application should have an appearance that resembles natural hair color, rather than the appearance of manual coloring. One way to enhance the natural appearance of hair coloring is to avoid lines that clearly demarcate colored hair from uncolored hair. It is also important that the coloring application be quick and inexpensive. Accordingly, the desired natural appearance should not be attained at the expense of time and money. However, conventional hair coloring tools have proven to be ineffective in applying coloring agents in a manner that provides the desired natural appearance, without sacrificing time and expense.  
      Conventional hair coloring tools have a row of substantially equal length bristles to form a brush, with a tapered handle that has no use other than as a handle.  
      One traditional type of hair coloring technique referred to as “foil highlighting” involves coloring of only portions of the hair. The highlighted or colored hair is typically separated from the rest of the hair by scaling out successive tufts of hair, and a coloring preparation is then applied to the tufts. Strips of metal foil are used to separate the treated tufts from the rest of the hair so as to avoid the highlighting preparation from coming into contact with the rest of the hair during the time that the highlighting preparation requires to take effect. After the highlighting preparation has taken effect the strips of metal foil are removed and the highlighting preparation rinsed off.  
      The conventional manner of carrying out foil highlighting is as follows. First, a section of hair is scaled out and held between the first and middle fingers of the hair stylist. The thin cylindrical tail of a metal tail comb (“rat tail comb”) is then woven through the section and lifted, thereby separating tufts of hair from the section. The remaining hair of the section is allowed to fall back onto the head of the person whose hair is being done. A strip of metal foil is now inserted underneath the separated tufts, with the foil being firmly advanced and pressed close to the scalp by use of the metal tail of the comb, whereupon the tufts are then released so that they fall back onto the foil. The tail comb is then set down, and a highlighting brush is picked up. A highlighting preparation is then applied to the separated tufts with the brush, using the head of the person whose hair is being done as a support.  
      The conventional technique is slow and cumbersome, because the tail comb must be put down and the highlighting brush picked up, and then reversed, in alternating use for each tuft. The comb section of the metal tail comb is not used frequently in the foil highlighting process, so the process is significantly hampered and encumbered by the provision of two separate tools for foiling and color application.  
      Therefore, there is a need in the art for a hair coloring brush with an improved handle for facilitating a foil highlighting and process and a hair color application process.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a hair coloring tool that is particularly effective and efficient in separating and foiling hair tufts, and applying hair coloring agents to hair tufts, in foil highlighting techniques.  
      In one advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the hair coloring tool of the present invention comprises an elongated body having opposite first and second ends. The first end comprises a thin metal rod for foil highlighting. The second end comprises a plurality of bristles projecting from the second end of the body for performing hair coloring. In one advantageous embodiment the bristles cooperatively present a brush edge, which is particularly effective in applying coloring agents to the hair in a manner that creates a natural appearance. The thin metal rod end is preferably located adjacent to a tapered handle portion of the body.  
      In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the hair coloring tool of the present invention comprises an elongated body having opposite first and second ends with a gripping handle located between the first and second ends. The first end comprises a thin metal rod for foil highlighting. The second end comprises a plurality of bristles projecting from the second end of the body for performing hair coloring. In one advantageous embodiment the bristles cooperatively present a brush edge, which is particularly effective in applying coloring agents to the hair in a manner that creates a natural appearance.  
      The gripping handle permits a user of hair coloring tool to obtain a firm grip on the central portion of hair coloring tool. As the user alternately uses the opposite ends of the hair coloring tool the user continuously rotates the hair coloring tool about an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hair coloring tool. The presence of the gripping handle facilitates the rotation of hair coloring tool by the user.  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair coloring tool that is effective and efficient in separating and foiling hair tufts, and applying hair coloring agents to hair tufts, in foil highlighting techniques.  
      It is also an object of the present invention to provide a hair coloring tool that has a gripping handle that facilitates the rotation of the hair coloring tool by a user.  
      It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a hair coloring tool that has a thin metal rod having a pointed terminus for efficiently separating tufts of hair during a foil highlighting procedure.  
      The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.  
      Before undertaking the Detailed Description of the Invention below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” 1  is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior uses, as well as future uses, of such defined words and phrases.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of an advantageous embodiment of a hair coloring tool constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side elevation of the hair coloring tool shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of another advantageous embodiment of a hair coloring tool constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a side elevation of the hair coloring tool shown in  FIG. 3 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIGS. 1 through 4  and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present invention may be implemented in any type of suitably arranged hair coloring tool.  
      Turning initially to  FIG. 1 , hair coloring tool  10  comprises an elongated body  12  having a first end  16  and a second end  14 . The second end  14  of body  12  is formed having portions that form a handle that tapers toward the first end  16 . The first end  16  comprises a thin metal rod that will be used for purposes that will subsequently be described.  
      The body  12  is relatively larger adjacent the opposite second end  14  and defines a substantially flat head  18 . Extending between the first end  16  and the head  18  is the handle portion of second end  14  for facilitating gripping by the user. It will also be appreciated that the body  12  presents a substantially central longitudinal axis extending from the first end  16  to the opposite second end  14 .  
      The thin metal rod of the first end  16  has a pointed terminus  20 , and preferably a length in the range from three and three fourths inches (3.75 inches) to five and one half inches (5.5 inches). The pointed terminus  20  facilitates the separation of individual tufts of hair. The diameter of the thin metal rod of the first end  16  is substantially constant along its length, and is preferably about one sixteenth of an inch. Steel is the preferred material for the thin metal rod of the first end  16 .  
      The second end  14  of body  12  is formed of any suitable material, such as injection molded plastic, wood, or metal. When a wood material is used, the body  12  may be stained or painted. On the other hand, when the body  12  is formed of a plastic material, a pigment may be added prior to molding for providing the desired coloring. It is noted that the flat head  18  is well suited for indicia, such as a trademark or advertising.  
      Projecting from the second end  14  of the body  12  is a plurality of flexible bristles  22  arranged in a single row of separate tufts spaced across the head  18 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bristles  22  cooperatively define an outermost brush  24  spaced from the head  18 . Each illustrated tuft of bristles has a proximate end (not shown) fixed by suitable means (e.g., glue) within a cylindrical opening (also not shown) extending into the head  18 . It is also noted that the preferred tufts have generally the same overall length.  
      In operation, the tool  10  is grasped along the handle portion  14  while using either the application brush  24  defined by the bristles  22  or the thin metal rod of the first end  16 . Function can be quickly alternated between foiling with the thin metal rod of the first end  16  and color application with the application brush  24  of the second end  14 , without having to set down and pick up separate tools. In these respects, the tool  10  is particularly useful in efficiently and effectively applying hair coloring agents to the hair and facilitating foil highlighting.  
       FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  illustrate another embodiment of the hair coloring tool of the present invention. The hair coloring tool shown in  FIG. 3  and in  FIG. 4  is designated with reference numeral  30 . The hair coloring tool  30  is generally similar in structure to the hair coloring tool  10 . Hair coloring tool  30  comprises an elongated body  32  having a first end  36  and a second end  34 . The first end  36  comprises a thin metal rod  36  to be used as previously described with respect to hair coloring tool  10 .  
      Hair coloring tool  30  also comprises a gripping handle  35  that is located between the first end  36  and the second end  24  of elongated body  32 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the thickness of the gripping handle  35  is thicker than the thickness of the second end  34  of hair coloring tool  30 . This permits a user of hair coloring tool  30  to obtain a firm grip on the central portion of hair coloring tool  30 . As the user alternately uses the opposite ends of the hair coloring tool  30  the user continuously rotates the hair coloring tool  30  about an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hair coloring tool  30 . The presence of the gripping handle  35  facilitates the rotation of hair coloring tool  30  by the user.  
      Gripping handle  35  is also formed having portions that form a plurality of gripping ridges  37  in the surface of gripping handle  35 . The gripping ridges  37  provide additional gripping surfaces for the user to contact when gripping the gripping handle  35 . The continuous alternate rotation of hair coloring tool  30  by the user is facilitated by the use of the gripping handle  35  and its gripping ridges  37 .  
      The body  32  is relatively larger adjacent the opposite second end  34  and defines a substantially flat head  38 . It will also be appreciated that the body  32  presents a substantially central longitudinal axis extending from the first end  36  to the opposite second end  34 .  
      The thin metal rod of the first end  36  has a pointed terminus  40 , and preferably a length in the range from three and three fourths inches (3.75 inches) to five and one half inches (5.5 inches). The pointed terminus  40  facilitates the separation of individual tufts of hair. The diameter of the thin metal rod of the first end  36  is substantially constant along its length, and is preferably about one sixteenth of an inch. Steel is the preferred material for the thin metal rod of the first end  36 .  
      The second end  34  of body  32  is formed of any suitable material, such as injection molded plastic, wood, or metal. When a wood material is used, the body  32  may be stained or painted. On the other hand, when the body  32  is formed of a plastic material, a pigment may be added prior to molding for providing the desired coloring. It is noted that the flat head  38  is well suited for indicia, such as a trademark or advertising.  
      Projecting from the second end  34  of the body  32  is a plurality of flexible bristles  42  arranged in a single row of separate tufts spaced across the head  38 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the bristles  42  cooperatively define an outermost brush  44  spaced from the head  38 . Each illustrated tuft of bristles has a proximate end (not shown) fixed by suitable means (e.g., glue) within a cylindrical opening (also not shown) extending into the head  38 . It is also noted that the preferred tufts have generally the same overall length.  
      In operation, the user grasps hair coloring tool  30  by the gripping handle  35  while using either the application brush  44  defined by the bristles  42  or the thin metal rod of the first end  36 . Function can be quickly alternated between foiling with the thin metal rod of the first end  36  and color application with the application brush  44  of the second end  34 , without having to set down and pick up separate tools. In these respects, hair coloring tool  30  is particularly useful in efficiently and effectively applying hair coloring agents to the hair and facilitating foil highlighting.  
      Although the present invention has been described using exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall with the scope of the appended claims.