Patent Description:
There is a variety of hair brushes in the market to suit different needs in hair management.

<CIT> discloses a hairstyling accessory which permits a handle to be rotatably adjusted with respect to a head on the accessory, thus permitting the accessory to be tailored to the user's particular needs. The head has a downwardly extending shaft with a longitudinal axis. The handle is disposed about at least a portion of the shaft and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The accessory includes a lock for locking the handle to the shaft at one of a plurality of different rotational positions about the longitudinal axis. The lock has a locked position and an unlocked position. The accessory preferably includes a spring for biasing the lock against movement into the unlocked position. The accessory may be a hair brush, a comb or a mirror.

The document <CIT> shows a brush device adapted for grooming hair while distributing a substance to the hair or to a fabric while brushing, usually in a heated air environment. The brush body portion has an elongated cavity receiving a removable absorbent structure, which contains a grooming substance to be distributed such as in a vaporizable waxy semi-solid carrier material. The brush has a plurality of spaced transverse openings extending between the elongated cavity outwardly to the surface of the body and through which the vaporizable substance is distributed to the hair. Adjacent rows of bristles are provided firmly attached to the brush lower side in a zig-zag pattern between the spaced openings therein to facilitate lateral movement of hair strands during treatment. The distribution of the vaporizable substance from the brush cavity can be enhanced by heating the brush by using it in combination with a hot air hairdryer.

<CIT> relates to a hair brush particularly, but not exclusively, for use by professional hairdressers in blow-drying hair with a hand-held blower or dryer. Blowing and drying simultaneously is necessary to bring out the body of the hair to create or restore the style, which has been designed to suit an individual's own hair type and head shape. To achieve the drying, the brush comprises vent holes in the brush head.

<CIT> relates to liquid dispensing brushes and more specifically it relates to an ail improved hair shampoo stimulator device, which provides each bristle looking like a fingertip to safely stimulate the scalp of a person.

<CIT> discloses a toothbrush having a handle portion and a utility portion with a flexibly movable back member defining a longitudinal axis. The back member defines a first plane and a second plane perpendicularly intersecting the first plane. The back member is formed by parallel spaced apart rigid supporting elements carrying bristles. The supporting elements are aligned on two parallel spring members which are made of yieldable or flexible wire. The spring members run longitudinally along the length of the back member. By deflection of the two spines, the back member is free to flex up and down relative to the handle portion in the first plane and from left to right in the second plane.

One challenge in designing hair brushes is that one hair brush design would not be able address the needs of different users. For example, a hair brush design which would work satisfactorily on a user with relatively dense hair would not produce the same satisfactory styling effect on a user with thinner hair. Likewise, a hair brush design which would work satisfactorily on a user with relatively long hair would not produce the same satisfactory effect on a user with shorter hair. One approach for a hair brush designer to address this issue would be to produce many different hair brush designs to tailor to different user needs. However, this would be technically and commercially undesirable.

The present invention seeks to address the aforementioned issue, or at least to provide an alternative to the general public.

According to a an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hair brush comprising an elongate body including a utility portion and a handle portion at opposite ends thereof and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the utility portion includes a back member acting as a support from which brushing protections extend, and defines a first plane and a second plane perpendicularly intersecting the first plane, wherein the back member is flexibly movable with respect to the handle portion on the first plane and the second plane, wherein the utility portion further includes a pair of spines arranged at opposite sides of the back member for further controlling the flexible movement of the back member whereby the extent of control of movement of the back member by the spines are either limited to the movement on only the first plane or substantially more on the first plane than the second plane. The utility portion is configured to flex sideway departing from the longitudinal axis thereof, and wherein the degree of flexing ranges from substantially <NUM>° to <NUM>°. Either, the back member and the spines are integrally formed in one injection molding step and/or formed of one plastic(s) material; or alternatively, the back member is formed from a first injection molding step using a first plastic(s) material and is provided with two sets of channels arranged on the opposite lateral sides of the back member and running along the longitudinal length of the back member, and wherein the pair of spines is formed from a second injection molding step using a second plastic(s) material running through the two sets of channels.

With such a hair brush design, the flexibility of the back member on the first plane can be modulated by simply configuring the splines.

Preferably, the back member may have a plurality of repeating units linearly arranged to form a prolongated profile. The plurality of repeating units together may assume a zig-zag formation with the spines controlling longitudinal compression or expansion of the zig-zag formation and sideway flexing of the zig-zag formation on the first plane. The zig-zag formation may have a wider middle portion and narrower end portions along the longitudinal axis.

The first plastic(s) material may be more rigid than the second plastic(s) material, and wherein the second plastic(s) material may comprise or be an elastomer. The back member may be provided with a plurality of cylindrical openings from which the brushing projections extend, and wherein the cylindrical openings adjacent the two sets of channels are perpendicularly disposed in relation and connected to the channels, and the cylindrical openings adjacent the two sets of channels may be at least partly filled up by the second plastic(s) material. The back member may be covered by a layer made of the second plastic(s) material and resembling a jacket or blanket, the jacket or blanket and the spines may be integrally formed in one injection molding step, and wherein the second plastic(s) material may be an elastomer.

In yet another embodiment, the plurality of repeating units together may assume a spiral formation resembling a compression spring with the spines controlling longitudinal compression or expansion of the spiral formation and sideway flexing of the spiral formation.

In yet another embodiment, the back member includes a plurality of laterally extending ribs arranged parallel to each other, the ribs connected by a backbone extending from a lower portion of the utility portion to a distal end of the utility portion. For example, the repeating units may be formed from a plurality of members each resembling the English letter "T", the T-members are linearly arranged to form the prolongated profile. Alternatively, the repeating units may be formed from a plurality of members each resembling the symbol "π", the π-members are linearly arranged to form the prolongated profile.

A method of manufacture of a brush may comprise the steps of:-.

wherein said step a) includes forming a plurality of openings from which brushing projections are to be installed thereat.

Preferably, the movement of the back member on the first plane may resemble a sideway movement.

In one embodiment, the handle portion and the spines can be integrally formed in one injection molding step using a single plastics(s) material, or alternatively, the back member and the handle portion may be integrally formed in a first injection molding step using a first plastics(s) material, and the spines are formed in a second injection molding step using a second plastics(s) material subsequent the first injection molding step.

Suitably, the method in said step a) may include a step of forming two sets of channels arranged on the opposite lateral sides and running along the longitudinal length of the back member, wherein the openings have a cylindrical profile, and wherein the cylindrical openings adjacent the two sets of channels are perpendicularly disposed in relation and connected to the channels. The second plastic(s) material forming the spines may at least partly fill up the openings adjacent the two sets of channels.

Some embodiments of the present invention will now be explained, with reference to the accompanied drawings, in which:-.

The present invention is concerned with improved hair brush designs and is illustrated and explained by way of examples below.

<FIG> illustrate a first embodiment of a hair brush, generally designated <NUM>. The hair brush <NUM> has an elongate body including a utility portion <NUM> located at a front end for engaging with hair styling during use and a handle portion <NUM> located at a rear end. The handle portion <NUM> is the form of a stick from which a back member <NUM> extends. It can be envisaged that the elongate body generally defines a longitudinal axis designated as A-A'. Please see <FIG> and <FIG> for example. The back member <NUM> has a zig-zag formation <NUM> providing an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface. The meaning of "outwardly" and "inwardly" in the context of the present description refers to the relative position of the opposite surfaces of the back member <NUM>. Brushing projections <NUM> are provided and extend from the inwardly facing surface of the back member. In this embodiment, the brushing projections <NUM> include a plurality of tufts <NUM> with each tuft including both brushing filaments <NUM> which are relatively soft and one plastic(s) bristle <NUM>. Distal end of the bristles <NUM> are coated with round tips <NUM> for enhancing contact comfort when the brushing projections <NUM> engage the hair and the scalp of a user.

<FIG> shows that in each of the tuft <NUM>, the bristle <NUM> is slightly longer than the filaments <NUM>. It is also be noted that the bristles <NUM> are relatively stiff compared to the filaments <NUM>. It can thus be envisaged that during a hair styling exercise, the bristles <NUM> typically would tend to engage the hair or the scalp first, followed by the filaments <NUM>. Due to the relatively stiffer nature of the bristles <NUM>, they can penetrate deeper into the hair and would reach the scalp to achieve combing while the filaments <NUM> can achieve brushing.

The zig-zag formation is characterized in that it is generally formed of a relatively thin and continuous lengthened member <NUM> which extends from a proximal end of the handle portion <NUM> and in particular generally extends left and right alternately until reaching the upper end of the back member <NUM>. Please see <FIG>. By "relatively thin", it means the thickness, width or girth is, for example, smaller than that of the handle portion <NUM>. When considering the zig-zag formation <NUM> alone, it can thus be envisaged that this particularly formation would introduce resilience to the back member <NUM>, resembling a spring. For example, the zig-zig formation <NUM> can allow the back member <NUM> to compress or expand along longitudinal axis A-A' as indicated in <FIG> or <FIG>. In addition, at least a distal end of the zig-zag formation <NUM> can flex sideway and depart from the longitudinal axis A-A'. Please see flexing movement indicated by B-B' in <FIG>. The exact extent that the zig-zag formation <NUM> can compress or expand along the longitudinal axis A-A' depends on a number of factors including, for example, the length of the continuous member of the zig-zag formation <NUM>. If the continuous member <NUM> is relatively long, the extent by which the zig-zag formation <NUM> can compress or expand would be greater. If the continuous member <NUM> is made of a relatively soft material, the extent of compression and expansion would be larger.

The hair brush <NUM> is further provided with a tensioning means. In this embodiment, the tensioning means includes a pair of spines <NUM> which are disposed at opposite lateral sides of the back member <NUM>. The spines <NUM> extend from a lower end to an upper end of the zig-zag formation <NUM> of the back member <NUM>, or from a "hip" region to the upper end of the brush <NUM>. Due to the presence of the spines <NUM> on the opposite lateral sides, the extent of compression or expansion along the longitudinal axis A-A' is restricted. It can thus be understood that the tensioning means can modulate the longitudinal movement of the back member <NUM>. By way of the tensioning means, the extent of sideway flexing B-B' can also be controlled.

<FIG> is an exploded view of the hair brush <NUM>. It is shown that the inwardly facing surface of the back member <NUM> is provided with a plurality of openings <NUM> at which the brushing projections <NUM> are installed. In this embodiment, the openings <NUM> are lined up in a row along a path defined by the zig-zag formation <NUM>. Specifically, in this embodiment, there is provided with one single row of these openings.

<FIG> is a plan view showing the hair brush <NUM> at the side with brushing projections <NUM>. <FIG> is a cross section view taken at section C-C'. From <FIG>, it is to be understood that the back member <NUM> together with the spines are integrally formed. For sake of clarity, the meaning of "integrally formed" in the context of this invention is specific and refers to the back member <NUM> and the spines <NUM> formed in one injection molding step with one injection molding material. Despite the zig-zag member <NUM> and the spines <NUM> both formed from one plastic(s) material, due the thicker or wider profile of the zig-zag member, it is stiffer than the spines <NUM>.

<FIG> are schematic views showing the hair brush <NUM> being used in a hair styling exercise. In addition to the longitudinal expansion/compression of the back member <NUM> along axis A-A' and the sideway flexing (movement B-B', please see <FIG>), the hair brush <NUM> is also configured, when engaged, to flex backwardly away from the user, as indicated by movement D-D' in <FIG>. Thus, the hair brush <NUM> is configured with the back member <NUM> movable three-dimensionally, particularly with the movement A-A' and the movement B-B' modulated depending the physical characteristics of the spines <NUM>. The side-way flexing movement B-B' is performed on one plane. The backward-forward forward movement of D-D' is performed on a second, and different, plane. The two planes intersect with each other perpendicularly. Due the presence of the spines <NUM> on opposite lateral sides of the back member, the side-way flexing movement B-B' is modulated, while the backward-forward flexing movement is not. It can thus be envisaged that even with one single hair brush design of the present invention, for example, the use of different thickness for the spines can generate different hair brushes with back members with different expandability/compressibility and sideway flexibility. Thus, the different hair brushes according to the present invention although sharing the same hair brush design can thus suit the needs of different users, including users with denser hair and users within thinner hair. Accordingly, there would not need the provision of entirely different hair brush designs to address different user needs in this regard.

As explained, the hair brush <NUM> includes the tensioning means in the form of a pair of spines <NUM>. In one embodiment, as described above, the back member <NUM> including the zig-zag formation <NUM> and the spines <NUM> are integrally formed from one plastic(s) material in one molding step as a first step. Then brushing projections <NUM> are installed to the back member <NUM> as a second step. From a design level, a designer can use this same design to generate different hair brushes by modulating the configuration of the spines <NUM>. For example, a series of hair brushes from relatively less compressible back member to relatively expandable back member can be made by merely adjusting the stiffness or thickness of the spines, and not other portions of the back member <NUM>. Users can thus choose the suitable hair brushes with suitable springiness.

<FIG> illustrate a different embodiment of a hair brush <NUM> according to the present invention. Similar to the hair brush <NUM>, the hair brush <NUM> likewise includes a back member <NUM> with outwardly and inwardly facing surfaces arranged on opposite sides of the brush <NUM>. For brevity purpose, similarities of the brushes <NUM>, <NUM> are not repeated there. The brush <NUM> is however different in a number ways. Referring to <FIG>, it is to be noted that one difference is that a zig-zag member <NUM> and a tensioning means of the back member <NUM> are not formed integrally, i.e. not in one step from one plastic(s) material. Instead, they are formed in two separates steps from two different plastic(s) or polymeric materials. The back member <NUM> including the continuous zig-zag member <NUM> is firstly formed from a first injection molding step from a stiffer plastic(s) material. In this first step, the tensioning means or spines are not formed yet. Then after the first step, the tensioning means are subsequently formed as a second step. Specifically, a layer of softer plastic(s) material <NUM>, e.g. elastomer, including the spines, is injection-molded to an outwardly facing surface of the hair brush <NUM> in a subsequent single step. The elastomer layer <NUM> resembles a jacket which cover the outwardly facing surface. During the second injection molding step, the spines <NUM> are also formed. Please see and compare <FIG> in which the jacket-and-spine member is formed subsequently in a different material after the formation of the formation <NUM>. Please see cross section view <FIG> in particular.

In this embodiment, the back member <NUM> formed is provided with recesses in the form of cylindrical openings <NUM> at the inwardly facing surface from which brushing projections <NUM> are installed. The back member <NUM> is provided with further openings <NUM> (not shown) defining through-channels vertically extending along lateral sides of the zig-zag member <NUM>. The through-channels and the cylindrical openings <NUM> for the brushing projections adjacent the channels are fluid communicable. The cylindrical openings <NUM> adjacent the two sets of through-channels are perpendicularly disposed in relation and connected to the channels, and during formation of the jacket the openings of the through-channels are filled with, for example, elastomers and the cylindrical openings adjacent the two sets of through-channels are at least partly filled up. It can be envisaged that the spines are gripped at the channels and to some extent the recesses.

Due to difference of materials of the back member and the jacket/spines, this embodiment allows a greater flexibility in terms of control of springiness of the back member. For example, when a softer elastomer is used as the spines, the hair brush formed would have a greater flexibility, i.e. expandability and compressibility.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram showing the working of the brush (<NUM> or <NUM>). It is shown that the brush can flex sideway B-B' on one plane, and backward-forward D-D' on another plane. As explained above, the extent of control of sideway flexing B'B' is determined by the spines, while that of backward-forward D-D' is not. Despite the slight difference in construction of the brushes <NUM>, <NUM>, both designs share the characteristic of being able modulate the extent of control of sideway flexing only by way of the physical characteristics of the pair of spines, and not that of backward-forward flexing. The extent of sideway flexing of the back member is limited to <NUM>° to <NUM>°, The exact extent is determined by the tensioning means.

<FIG> are a plan view and a cross section view of a different embodiment of a hair brush according to the present invention. In this embodiment, instead of using a back member with a zig-zag formation, a different back member with a single backbone positioned in the center of the back member with laterally extending parallel ribs. In any event, both the brushes <NUM>, <NUM> and the brush <NUM> share a number of characteristics. First, the back member is formed from a plurality of repeating units, which together are configured to a continuous protonated profile. With regard to the brushes <NUM>, <NUM>, each repeating unit resembles the symbol "<" which when arranged together take the form of the zig-zag formation. With regard to the brush <NUM>, each repeating unit resembles the English letter "T" which when arranged together take the form of the back member of the brush <NUM>. Please see <FIG> in particular. Similarly, the extent of control of the sideway flexing of the back member of the brush <NUM> is determined by the spines.

<FIG> are a perspective view and a simplified cross section view of an alternative embodiment of a brush <NUM> according to the present invention. The brush <NUM> is similar to the brush <NUM> in that the back member is provided with a backbone extending along a longitudinal axis of the brush. There are however a number of differences. For example, the utility portion of the brush <NUM> generally takes the form of a roller. The back member is made of a backbone with a plurality level of discs arranged parallel with each other along the backbone. Brushing projections extend from the entire circumferential surface of the back member. Nevertheless, there is still provide the tensioning means in the form of a pair of spines arranged on opposite lateral sides of the utility portion. The brush <NUM> still shares the characteristics of the back member formed from a plurality of repeating units which together are configured to a continuous protonated profile. Specifically, with regard to the brush <NUM>, each repeating unit is made of a post with a disc, which when arranged together take the form of a prolongated structure. Similarly, the extent of control of the sideway flexing of the back member (but not backward-forward flexing) of the brush <NUM> is determined by the spines. Please see <FIG> which demonstrates the sideway flexing of the utility portion.

<FIG> are perspective views of an alternative embodiment of a brush <NUM> according to the present invention. The brush <NUM> is similar to the brushes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in that the back member is provided with a back member from which brushing projections extending. One difference is that the back member is in the form of zig-zag formation or a plurality of connected English letter "T"s continuously. Instead, the back member takes the form of a spiral formation. Nevertheless, there is still provided with the tensioning means in the form of a pair of spines arranged on opposite lateral sides of the utility portion. The brush <NUM> still shares the characteristics of the back member formed from a plurality of repeating units, which together are configured to a continuous protonated profile. Similarly, the extent of control of the sideway flexing of the back member (but not backward-forward flexing) of the brush <NUM> is determined by the spines. Please see <FIG> which demonstrates the sideway flexing of the utility portion.

Claim 1:
A hair brush (<NUM>) comprising an elongate body including a utility portion (<NUM>) and a handle portion (<NUM>) at opposite ends thereof and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the utility portion (<NUM>) includes a back member (<NUM>) acting as a support from which brushing projections (<NUM>) extend, and defines a first plane and a second plane perpendicularly intersecting the first plane, wherein the back member (<NUM>) is flexibly movable with respect to the handle portion (<NUM>) on the first plane and the second plane, characterized in that:
- the utility portion (<NUM>) further includes a pair of spines (<NUM>) arranged at opposite sides of the back member (<NUM>) for further controlling the flexible movement of the back member (<NUM>) whereby the extent of control of movement of the back member (<NUM>) by the spines (<NUM>) are either limited to the movement on only the first plane or substantially more on the first plane than the second plane; and
- the utility portion (<NUM>) is configured to flex sideways departing from the longitudinal axis thereof, and the degree of flexing ranges from substantially <NUM>° to <NUM>°,
- wherein
i) the back member (<NUM>) and the spines (<NUM>) are integrally formed in one injection molding step and/or formed of one plastic(s) material; or
ii) the back member (<NUM>) is formed from a first injection molding step using a first plastic(s) material and is provided with two sets of channels arranged on the opposite lateral sides of the back member (<NUM>) and running along the longitudinal length of the back member (<NUM>), and the pair of spines (<NUM>) is formed from a second injection molding step using a second plastic(s) material running through the two sets of channels.