Patent Publication Number: US-2015069263-A1

Title: Light Emitting Disconnectable Blow-Dry Brush

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority from and is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/608,123, filed 8 Mar. 2012, this U.S. Provisional Patent Application incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to hair grooming appliances and more particularly to blow-dry round hair brush having a light source. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Blow-drying is a common procedure performed by hairdressers, using a blow dryer and a round hair brush, such as hair brush  100  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Beginning at the roots, the hairdresser gently pulls the brush through the hair to the ends while blow-drying it. 
     The brush that comes in contact with many clients&#39; heads must be sterilized between uses. 
     Various hair-brush sterilizers are in use, such as Hair Salon UV Tool Sterilizer H6501, available from Xinhui Mingzhuo Salon &amp; Beauty Parlor Ambience Co., Ltd., China. 
     These sterilizers are stand-alone receptacles into which the brushes are inserted and which sterilize the brushes using UV light or other sterilizing agents. 
     While in the sterilizer, the brush is not available for use by the hairdresser, which sometimes leads to less meticulous use of the sterilizer, namely the brush is not being sterilized following each use session. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings. 
       With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a round hair-brush commonly used for blow-drying hair; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of yet another embodiment of the device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of yet another embodiment of the device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of yet another embodiment of the device according to the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8A through 8E  show a schematic representation of yet another embodiment of the device according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing of a standalone hairbrush sterilizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides new devices and methods for sterilizing round hollow hair brushes. The devices and methods may have additional uses, as will be apparent from the description below. 
     The device according to the present invention is a light generating system, driven by the blow-dryer&#39;s wind directed at the brush or operated manually. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention. 
     A round brush  200  comprises a hollow body  210  and a handle  220 . The holes and bristles on the circumference of the brush body (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) are not shown for clarity. According to the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , an electric generator e.g. dynamo generator  240  is attached to the end of the hollow body  210  near the handle  220 . Attaching the generator may be done for example by screwing or by gluing or by any attachment method known in the art. The generator may be any electric generator known in the art and capable of generating a current of up to 500 ma, such as for example, a small power generator, provided from Dongguan Yingyi Hardware Electric Technology Co., Ltd., China, or Hand Dynamo, provided from Shenzhen China Trader Strength Electronics Co., Ltd., China. 
     Two electric wires ( 270 ,  275 ) emerging from the generator  240  are connected respectively at their other ends to the anode  280  and cathode  285  pins of a LED (Light emitting Diode)  290 . Electric wires ( 270 ,  275 ) and all the electric wires described in the following embodiments are preferably heat resistant wires, such as available from Thermal Wire &amp; Cable Corp., www.thermalwire.com. 
     The LED may be any LED having a current consumption of 20 to 150 ma, depending on its size and color. The LED  290  may be, for example, 5 mm ultra violet blue led diode, available from Hubei Kento Electronic Co., Ltd., China, or 5 mm led, available from Tyki lighting technology co., ltd, China, or Infrared LED, available from Zhongshan Liguang Electronic Co., Ltd., China. 
     The LED color may be selected according to the function to be performed. For example, a UV LED with wavelength 240-260 nm may be used for sterilization purposes, an IR LED may be used for therapeutic purposes such as skin therapy and any other LED spectrum may be used for visually enhancing the blow-drying experience. 
     A propeller  250  is rotatably mounted on a shaft  260 , which is in turn connected to the generator  240  shaft (not shown). 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention. 
     A round brush  300  comprises a hollow body  210  and a handle  220 . The holes and bristles on the circumference of the brush body (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) are not shown. According to the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , an electric generator, such as a dynamo generator  240 , same as in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , is attached to the end of the hollow body  210  near the handle  220 . 
     Two electric wires ( 270 ,  275 ) emerging from the generator  240  are connected respectively at their other ends to the anode  310  and cathode  320  pins of two LEDs  330 ,  340 . LEDs  330  and  340  may be further connected to a chain of multiple LEDs, depending on the LEDs size and the brush size, 
     A propeller  250  is rotatably mounted on a shaft  260 . The propeller shaft  260  is rotatably connected to the generator shaft (not shown). 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention. The device of  FIG. 4  is similar to the device of  FIG. 2 , except that the generator and propeller may be installed anywhere along the cylindrical body  210  of the brush. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention. The device of  FIG. 5  comprises two electric generators ( 240 ,  510 ) attached respectively on both ends of hollow body  210 . Each electric generator is respectively connected to a propeller ( 250 ,  530 ) through a shaft ( 260 ,  520 ). Two electric wires ( 270 ,  275 ) emerging from electric generator  240  and two electric wires ( 525 ,  535 ) emerging from electric generator  510  are connected respectively at their other ends to the anode  580  and cathode  585  pins of a LED  590 . 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention. The device of  FIG. 6  comprises a single electric generator  645 , mounted substantially in the middle of hollow body  210 . The electric generator  645  is connected to two propellers ( 650 ,  640 ) on both sides thereof. Two electric wires ( 670 ,  675 ) emerging from the electric generator  645  are connected respectively at their other ends to the anode  680  and cathode  685  pins of a LED  690 , which are respectively connected to anode  655  and cathode  665  pins of a second LED  675 . 
     In operation, the hairdresser performing blow-drying pulls the brush through the hair and aims the blow-dryer at the brush. The air current from the blow-dryer impinges on the propeller(s) blades, causing them to rotate. The rotation is transferred to the respective electric generator(s) which transform the mechanical power into electric power, which is transferred by the generator(s) to the LED/LEDs, causing them to lighten up. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the present invention. The device of  FIG. 7  is similar to the device of  FIG. 3 , except that the power driving the LEDs is not generated by a propeller-driven electric generator, but rather by a battery  710  mounted in the hair brush handle  220  and operated by a switch  720 . The switch  720  may be installed on the far end of handle  220 , as depicted in  FIG. 7 , or at any other suitable location. The battery  710  may be a rechargeable battery. 
       FIGS. 8A through 8E  show a schematic representation of yet another embodiment of the device according to the present invention. 
     The device  800  comprises a round brush body  810  and a handle  820 . The handle  820  comprises a motor  830 , rotatably connected to a central shaft in the body  810  (not shown) and a battery  855  for supplying voltage to the motor  830  and to the LED/LEDs  875 , as explained above in conjunction with  FIG. 7  and as shown in  FIG. 8D . The battery  855  may be a rechargeable battery and charging contacts  840  may be mounted on the distal end of the handle  820 . The central shaft of the brush may be connected with a planetary gear (not shown) which reduces the motor speed and provides a greater moment to the brush body. 
     A LED/LEDs On/Off button  850  may be mounted on the handle  820 . 
     An On/Off button  860  may be mounted on the handle  820 , for controlling the motor  830  operation. With each push of the On/Off button  860  the motor performs an up to  360  degrees rotation, left or right, where the rotation degree and direction is predefined, causing the brush body  810  to rotate accordingly. The rotation is controlled by an electronic circuit. In a preferred embodiment, each rotation is predefined to 180 degrees, to best simulate a hairdresser&#39;s manual rotation of the brush. 
     The automatic controlled rotation of the brush has a number of advantages:
         Prevents joint diseases typical to hairdressers;   Stable and repeated rotation regardless of the hairdresser&#39;s state of alertness;   The preset rotation prevents uncontrolled automatic rotation that may cause entanglement of the brush in the hair;   Precise rolling for detaching the handle and leaving the roll in the hair.       

     When the brush is not turning, the handle  820  may be detached from the brush body  810 , leaving the hair wound around the brush body  810  so that the brush body functions as a roll in the client&#39;s hair and may be fastened thereto by a rubber band  815  attached to the brush body  810 . 
     The devices according to the present invention may be easily installed in conventional round hair brushes. Alternatively, hair brushes including the devices may be manufactured with different lighting and power generating capabilities, as described in the embodiments above. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, hairbrush sterilization by UV light is done when the brush is not in use. The hairbrush, similar to the hairbrush depicted in  FIG. 8 , comprises UV LEDs and is detachable from its handle. The detached rolls may be accommodated in an especially designed receptacle  900 , functioning as an internal sterilizer/sanitizer. Receptacle  900  comprises a plurality of carriers  910  connected to a power source  960 , internal (as shown) or external, such as a battery or an electric socket. When a roll  920  is mounted on a carrier  910 , the UV LEDs inside the roll are lit and sterilization of the roll takes place. 
     According to embodiments of the invention the brush includes both UV and IR LEDs, where during use of the brush only the IR LEDs are operated, and during sterilization in the sterilizer only the UV LEDs are operated. 
     In an alternative embodiment, roll  920  does not include UV LEDs, rather the UV LEDs  950  are mounted on the carrier and sterilize the roll/brush from within when it is inserted therein. 
     Internal sterilization of the roll/brush is important since it provides sterilization to areas otherwise difficult to reach with cleaning means, which may encourage growth of bacterial colonies. 
     Carriers  910  may be installed at varying distances, to accommodate rolls of different diameters, such as  920  and  930 . 
     Additional UV lamps  940  may be installed inside the hairbrush sterilizer to provide external sterilization of the roll/brush. 
     The hairbrush sterilizer receptacle  900  may additionally comprise separate carriers serving as chargers for the battery ( 710 ,  855 ). 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, a hair diffuser  1050  having protrusions  1080  as known in the art, additionally comprises at least one LED  1060  and is screwed  1070  into the front opening of a hair drier  1010  body. Hair dryer  1010  is connected to an electricity source (not shown) by an electric cable  1020  as known in the art. According to the embodiment of  FIG. 10 , electric cable  1020  comprises two additional heat resistant electric wires ( 1030 ,  1040 ), which pass electric power through the screwing  1070  to the one or more LEDs  1060 . Electric wires ( 1030 ,  1040 ) may be connected at their distal end to the operating button of the hair drier, or to a different operating button for turning the LEDs on. 
     Structural and operational details of the embodiment of  FIG. 10  are similar to the same details described in conjunction with the structure and operation of the embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
     According to embodiments of the invention, additional pairs of heat resistant electric wires may be provided in electric cable  1020 , where each pair may power LEDs of different wave length (e.g. UV, IR) mounted in the hair diffuser. The different LEDs may be operated together, using a single operating button, or a separate operating means may be provided for each griup of LEDs, e.g. a separate operating button or a digital operating panel. 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, a hair diffuser  1110  having protrusions  1130  as known in the art, additionally comprises at least one LED  1160  and is screwed  1120  into the front opening of a hair drier (not shown). Hair diffuser  1110  additionally comprises an electric generator  1150 , such as a dynamo generator and a propeller  1140  rotatably mounted on a shaft, which is in turn connected to the generator  1150  shaft (not shown). 
     Structural and operational details of the embodiment of  FIG. 11  are similar to the same details described in conjunction with the structure and operation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
       FIG. 12  is a schematic drawing of yet another embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, an air concentrator  1210  configured to be attached to a hair drier, as known in the art, comprises at least one LED  1260 . Air concentrator  1210  additionally comprises an electric generator  1250 , such as a dynamo generator and a propeller  1240  rotatably mounted on a shaft, which is in turn connected to the generator  1250  shaft (not shown). 
     Structural and operational details of the embodiment of  FIG. 12  are similar to the same details described in conjunction with the structure and operation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as are commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods are described herein. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as variations and modifications thereof which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.