Patent Publication Number: US-2007119471-A1

Title: Dreadlock comb

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates to devices used in the hairstyling industry.  
      The term dreadlock refers to a group of hairs extending from a braid sized part on the scalp which have been entangled and or matted together. Dreadlock size depends on the number of hairs entangled and or matted together. Dreadlock density depends on how tightly the individual hair shafts are packed.  
      One method of creating dreadlocks involves sectioning the individual&#39;s natural hair and twisting or braiding sections. The sections are then allowed to matt or tangle. Another method of creating dreadlocks involves sectioning the individual&#39;s natural hair and back-combing, which is the process of combing hair towards the scalp, beginning with the hair near the scalp and working towards the tip. This process will tease and tangle the hair. As the hair grows it becomes loose at the scalp, requiring maintenance of the dreadlock. Various devices are known in the art to assist in the formation and maintenance of dreadlocks.  
      As defined in Webster&#39;s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, a comb is an instrument with teeth, for straightening, cleansing and adjusting the hair, or for keeping it in place. Combs have been devised in a multitude of sizes, shapes and materials. In the most typical case, the standard comb consists of a spine, or a thin strip, from which a plurality of parallel teeth extend.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,603 to Rush discloses a latch hook that has been used for twisting or looping new growth in the formation of dreadlocks.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,825 to Smith discloses a device for disentangling hair styled in plats, such as braids, dreadlocks and cornrows, having a handle portion and a tapered parting member with at least one traverse tooth.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,699 to McGriff, III discloses a device having a first and second elongated open channel disposed to engage the axial extent of dreadlock in order to apply heat, pack, smooth, polish and reduce friziness of dreadlocks.  
      US Appl. No. 2003/0037794 to Shannon discloses a combination comb and hair pick comprising a comb section, a pick section and an intervening body section which allows for rapidly switching between comb and pick operations without releasing or radically reorienting the device.  
      U.S. Appl. No. 2004/0134509 to Belton discloses a dreadlock styling device having an end with a bulb and pinch section for threading and holding a dreadlock in place and an end having a thin, smooth and round section for manipulating the size and of position dreadlock loops.  
      The comb section of Shannon, as well as other conventional combs, have end structures that protrude only as far as free ends of the teeth and spines that are substantially parallel to the free ends of the teeth which result in a flattened appearance of the hair if used for back-combing in the formation of dreadlocks. Additionally, the teeth of conventional combs interfere with other dreadlocks around the dread that is being back-combed.  
      In view of the above, there is a need, met by the present invention for a comb advantageously adapted for guiding and shaping hair that is being back-combed into the style of dreadlocks. There is also a need for a comb advantageously adapted for selectively back-combing only the desired dread.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a comb advantageously adapted for guiding and shaping hair that is being back-combed into the style of dreadlocks.  
      To achieve the above object the invention includes a device with two framing structures, having substantially curved inner combing edges, disposed on each side of a set of combing teeth that protrude from a body and extend beyond the free end of the combing teeth. The device allows for improved guiding and shaping of hair in the formation of dreadlocks.  
      In preferred embodiments of the invention includes devices with removable teeth bases having one or more sets of teeth with different thickness and or spacing, which may slide or rotate into combing position are described. These devices allow for improved guiding and shaping of hair having a variety of different dreadlock sizes and dreadlock densities.  
      In another preferred embodiment an adapter for a conventional comb is provided. The adapter includes two framing structures, having substantially curved inner combing edges, which clamp to a conventional comb allowing for improved guiding and shaping of hair in the formation of dreadlocks. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein the teethbase is permanently affixed to the comb body;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein multiple teethbases, having a single plurality of teeth, are interchangeable through a slot in the comb body;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein a teethbase, having two pluralities of teeth, are interchangeable through a slot in the comb body and an additional slot in the comb base serves as storage for a teethbase that is not in use;  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view an embodiment of the invention wherein a teethbase, having two pluralities of teeth, are interchangeable through a slot in the comb body;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein a teethbase having four pluralities of teeth is rotably attached to the comb body;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein a teethbase, having a single plurality of teeth, is interchangeable through a slot in the comb body;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein an upper and lower adapter bodies each having two framing structures and two substantially rounded inner edges define an upper and lower horizontal plane;  
       FIG. 8  is a side view of an embodiment of the invention wherein the upper and lower adapter bodies of  FIG. 7  are connected in a manner that allows the upper and lower bodies to clamp unto a conventional comb;  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein the adapter of  FIG. 7  is clamped to a conventional comb;  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a conventional comb typical of the prior art.  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein  4  pluralities of teeth are rotable about a common pivot.  
       FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13  are perspective views of  FIG. 11  in which only one set of teeth are in operable position.  
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in wherein the comb body comprises two halves connected by a hinge, exposing a cavity for the storage of teeth in open position and a cavity for holding a single set of teeth.  
       FIG. 15  is a cross section side view of  FIG. 14 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The present invention provides for a comb adapted for the formation of dreadlocks. When describing the present invention, all terms not defined herein have their common art-recognized meanings. To the extent that the following description is of a specific embodiment or a particular use of the invention, it is intended to be illustrative only, and not limiting of the claimed invention. The following description is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents that are included in the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.  
       FIG. 10  (Prior Art) illustrates a conventional comb typical of the prior art having end structures on each side of a plurality of teeth which extend from the body of the comb only as far as the free end of the teeth and an inner combing edge that is substantially parallel to the teeth. Such conventional combs are not advantageously designed to guide and shape hair during back-combing in the formation of dreadlocks.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of a comb body  1  has two ends. The first end has a handle  2  which may be contiguous with the body of the comb. The second end of the comb body  1  has a first framing structure  3  which extends beyond the free ends of a plurality of teeth  7   a  and has a substantially rounded inner combing edge  4  which faces towards the teeth, and a second framing structure  5  which extend beyond the plurality of teeth  7   a  and has a substantially rounded inner combing edge  6  which faces toward the teeth. As used to describe the inner combing edges ( 4 ,  6 ), “substantially rounded” shall mean that the framing structures ( 3 ,  5 ) curve towards each other, creating a substantially circular shape between them.  
      A set of teeth  7   a  extend from the spine  11  of a teeth base  8 . The teethbase  8  may be contiguous with the comb body  1 . The spine  11  may also be substantially rounded such that the inner combing edge  4  of the first framing structure  3 , the inner combing edge  6  of the second framing structure  5  and the spine  11  are substantially circular. The thickness of the teeth  7   a  and spacing between the teeth  7   a  are generally uniform and accommodative to back-combing hair in the formation of dreadlocks having a particular size and density. The body  1 , handle  2  and teeth  7   a  of the comb may be made of any suitable material known to the prior art such as plastic, metal, wood or bone.  
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 6  illustrate preferred embodiments in which the comb of  FIG. 1  has a slot  12  in the comb body  1  which allows a removable teethbase  9  having a plurality of teeth  7   a  of a specific tooth thickness and teeth spacing to be interchangable with other removable teethbases  9  having a plurality of teeth  7   b ,  7   c ,  7   d , etc., which have a distinct tooth thickness and or tooth spacing tailored to a distinct dreadlock size and density.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a preferred embodiment in which the comb of  FIG. 2  has an additional slot  12  in the handle  2  of the comb body  1  for the storage of removable teeth bases  9  that are not in use. Teethbases  9  may have two pluralites of teeth  7  having a distinct tooth thickness and or tooth spacing tailored to a distinct dreadlock size and density. For example teeth  7   a  are shown operationally disposed between the first framing structure  3  and second framing structure  5 , while teeth  7   b  are stored in the slot  12  of the second end of comb body  1 , and teeth  7   c  and  7   d  are stored in the slot  12  of handle  2 .  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a preferred embodiment in which a comb similar to  FIG. 3  has a removable teethbase  9  that has two pluralites of teeth  7   a  and  7   b  which extend from straight spines  11  and that a substantially rounded portion of the comb body  1  forms a substantially circular edge and is contiguous with the inner combing edge  4  and the inner combing edge  6 .  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a preferred embodiment in which a comb of  FIG. 1  has a rotable teethbase  10  having 4 pluralities of teeth  7   a ,  7   b ,  7   c  and  7   d  affixed in the comb body  1  by a pivitol attachment means  13 .  
       FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  illustrate another preferred embodiment, which provides an adapter for a conventional comb. The adapter is formed from two bodies, an upper body  1  and a lower body  1 , each of which includes two framing structures  3  and  5 , having substantially curved inner combing edges  4  and  6  that define a an upper and lower horizontal plane respectively. The upper and lower horizonal planes stack along the vertical axis and are attached by connecting means  14  between the first framing structure  3  of the upper adapter body  1  and the first framing structure  3  of the lower adapter body  1  and a connecting means  14  between the second framing structure  5  of the upper adapter body  1  and the second framing structure  5  of the lower adapter body  1 . The connecting means  14  holds the upper and lower adapter bodies  1  and  1  at a distance and tension that allows a conventional comb to be held tightly between the upper and lower adapter bodies  1  and  1  with the teeth of the conventional comb lying in a horizonal plane substantially between the horizonal planes defined by the upper and lower adapter bodies  1  and  1 .  
       FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13  illustrate another preferred embodiment, which provides a pivot  15  in the comb body  1  about which multiple pluralities of teeth having different spacings  7   a ,  7   b ,  7   c  and  7   d  may be rotated between an operable and inoperable position using the tab  16  on teeth base  8 . Any pivotal means is contemplated. Two to four pluralities of teeth are preferred.  
       FIG. 14  illustrates another preferred embodiment, which provides a hinge  21  in the handle  2  or body  1  allowing the comb body  1  and handle  1  to open approximately in half. The two inside surfaces, that face each other when closed as illustrated by  FIG. 15 , each have a cavity in handle  19  for holding pluralities of teeth  7   b ,  7   c  and  7   d  while not in use and a cavity in the body  20  shaped to receive and hold a plurality of teeth  7   a  in position for use. Preferably, one of the inside surfaces of the body  1  will have protrusions  17  that align with indents  18  on the other inside surface of the body  1  for increasing the stability of body in closed position.  
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS  
     
         
           1 —Body  
           2 —Handle  
           3 —First framing structure  
           4 —First inner combing edge  
           5 —Second framing structure  
           6 —Second inner combing edge  
           7   a —Set of teeth  
           7   b —Set of teeth, spaced different from  7   a    
           7   c —Set of teeth, spaced different from  7   a  and  7   b    
           7   d —Set of teeth, spaced different from  7   a ,  7   b  and  7   c    
           8 —Teeth base  
           9 —Removable teeth base and set of teeth  
           10 —Rotable teeth base and multiple sets teeth  
           11 —Spine  
           12 —Slot  
           13 —Pivotal attachment  
           14 —Connector between upper and lower portions of a comb adapter  
           15 —Pivot  
           16 —Tab  
           17 —Protrusion  
           18 —Indent  
           19 —Cavity for storing teethbases when not in use  
           20 —Cavity for holding a teethbase in operable position  
           21 —Hinge