Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to hairbrushes. More particularly, the present invention relates to hairbrushes having rotatable bristles. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Hairbrushes are used for grooming and untangling hair. A conventional hairbrush includes a handle portion and a bristled portion having bristles thereon. The bristles may be generally on one side of the hairbrush or may be disposed about the periphery of the brush. Tangled hair is a common problem. The bristles are fixed on the brush and are used to untangle the hair as they move through the hair strands. Typically, a user moves the bristles through the hair strands until the bristles encounter a tangle. When a tangle is reached, the user may pull harder on the hair in hopes of untangling the hair. Alternatively, the user may withdraw the bristles from the hair and reposition the hairbrush in the hair in an attempt to brush around the tangle to loosen the hair. Brushing tangled hair can be painful and may cause hair loss because the bristles do not have any give when encountering a tangle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments allows a set of bristles to rotate in a direction opposite a direction of brushing. 
         [0004]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a brush for grooming hair which has a brush body having a handle portion and a bristle carrier portion. The bristle carrier portion has an outer periphery and defines a longitudinal axis. A plurality of brush elements have a plurality of bristles mounted thereon and are moveably mounted on the bristle carrier portion. The plurality of bristles extend generally radially outward from the longitudinal axis and the plurality of brush elements are arrayed generally longitudinally along a length of the bristle carrier portion. Each of the plurality of brush elements are configured to rotate independently from one another, and the plurality of bristles are configured so that when one of the plurality of bristles encounters a resistance from a hair, the respective brush element having the one of the plurality of bristles encountering the resistance will move in an opposite direction of brushing thereby causing the one of the plurality of bristles encountering the resistance to move out of engagement with the hair and another one of the bristles on the respective brush element to move into engagement with the hair at a location spaced from the location of the hair with caused the resistance. 
         [0005]    Another embodiment provides a method of removing a hair tangle with a hair brush containing bristles that includes moving the hair brush having a first bristle on a rotatable brush element through the hair above the tangle in a first direction, pivoting the first bristle on the rotatable brush element about a pivotal axis of the brush in a second direction if the hair tangle is encountered by the bristle, moving a second bristle on the rotatable brush element through the hair below the tangle, and moving additional bristles to a side of the tangle in order to release the hair tangle. 
         [0006]    Yet another embodiment provides a brush body having a handle portion and a bristle carrier portion. The bristle carrier portion defines a longitudinal axis. A plurality of brush elements having a plurality of bristles mounted thereon are moveably mounted on the bristle carrier portion. The plurality of bristles extend generally radially outward from the longitudinal axis, and the plurality of brush elements are arrayed generally longitudinally along a length of the bristle carrier portion. Each of the plurality of brush elements are configured to rotate independently from one another, and wherein the plurality of bristles are configured so that when one of the plurality of bristles encounters a resistance from a hair, the respective brush element having the one of the plurality of bristles encountering the resistance will move in an opposite direction of brushing thereby causing the one of the plurality of bristles encountering the resistance to move out of engagement with the hair and another one of the bristles on the respective brush element to move into engagement with the hair at a location spaced from the location of the hair with caused the resistance. An adjusting mechanism is located within the handle portion and is operatively engaged with the plurality of brush elements to adjust a rotational resistance applied to the plurality of brush elements. 
         [0007]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0008]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0009]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a hairbrush according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is atop plan view of the hairbrush of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded view of the hairbrush of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the hairbrush taken through the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of an embodiment of hair bristles. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides an apparatus and method to brush hair more quickly, with less pull, pain or hair loss than a conventional hairbrush. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a hairbrush  10  for grooming hair that includes a brush body  12  having a handle portion  14  configured to be gripped by a hand of a person brushing hair and a bristle carrier portion  16  on which a plurality of brush elements  18  are mounted. The bristle carrier portion  16  has an outer periphery and a generally longitudinally extending axis A′-A′ (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The brush elements  18  are moveably mounted on the bristle carrier portion  16  of the brush body  12  and provide a plurality of bristles  20 . The bristles  20  extend generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the bristle carrier portion  16  and the bristles  20  are arrayed generally longitudinally along a length of the bristle carrier portion  16 . 
         [0017]    When the brush body  12  moves along a length of hair being brushed, the bristles  20  move through the hair being brushed. Movement of the bristles  20  combs the hair. When a moving bristle  20  encounters a tangle, the tangle applies a force to the bristle  20  which resists the movement of the bristle  20  through the hair. Each brush element  18  rotates independently about the periphery of the bristle carrier portion  16 . When a force above a predetermined magnitude is applied to a bristle  20  by a tangle during a brushing motion, continued movement of the brush body causes the one bristle  20  encountering the resistance to move out of engagement with the tangled hair at the location of the resistance and causes another one of the bristles  20  on the particular brush element  18  to move into engagement with the hair at a location spaced from the location of the tangled hair with caused the resistance. 
         [0018]    The hairbrush  10  includes an adjusting mechanism  22  operatively engaged with the plurality of brush elements  18  and constructed and arranged to adjust the resistance applied to the plurality of brush elements  18  to adjust the amount of force required to induce rotational movement of the plurality of brush elements  18  about the longitudinal axis of the bristle carrier portion  16 . More specifically, the adjusting mechanism  22  can increase or decrease the amount of force required to be applied to each bristle  20  to rotate an individual bristle  20 . 
         [0019]    The construction of the hairbrush  10  can be appreciated from  FIG. 3 . The hairbrush  10  includes a brush core  24  which may be an integral structure constructed of a metal, a molded plastic, or of any other suitable material. The core  24  includes a bristle mounting section  26  and a handle section  28 . The bristle mounting section  26  includes a pair of integral ribs  30 . The handle section  28  includes an end wall  32 . 
         [0020]    Each brush element  18  is an integral structure which may be constructed of any suitable material such as a metal or a molded plastic. The bristles  20  are evenly spaced about a ring-shaped core structure  34  of each brush element  18 . There may, for example, be 6 or 8 evenly spaced bristles  20  around the brush element  18 . In addition, each bristle  20  may be formed to include an enlarged end portion  35  at the tip to protect the scalp. A wall section  36  is formed at the base of each bristle  20  to strengthen the bristles  20 . The wall section  36  is a raised portion arranged at the base of each of the bristles  20  and located about the ring-shaped core structure  34 . 
         [0021]    Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the ring-shaped core structure  34  may be optionally configured to provided elasticity or flexibility to each of the bristles  20 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a base of each bristle  20  may be configured with a generally wedge-shaped portion  37  to provide some give to each of the bristles when they are pressed against the scalp. Thus, during a brushing motion, as the bristles  20  are placed against the scalp, the cushioning provided by the flexing bristles  20  reduces discomfort to the user. 
         [0022]    The core structure  34  of each brush element  18  is mounted within a brush element housing  38 . Each housing  38  may be an integral structure constructed of any suitable material such as a metal or a molded plastic. Each housing  38  of each brush element  18  includes an inner rotation surface  40  and a series of slots  42 . Each brush element  18  is mounted in a brush element housing  38 . Each bristle  20  and the associated wall section  36  extend through a slot  42 . The wall sections  36  are essentially flush with the exterior surface of the housing  38 . Each brush element  18  and the associated brush element housing  38  is mounted on the bristle section  26  of the core  24 . Each brush element  18  is free to rotate about the core  24  in either rotational direction. 
         [0023]    A series of spacer elements  44  are mounted to the body portion  12  of the hairbrush  10  and arranged along the body portion  12  adjacent to the bristle carrier portion  16  of the hairbrush  10 . The spacer elements  44  are disposed between the brush elements  18 , and mounted to each side of a brush element  18  on the section  26  of core  24 . The spacer elements  44  provide a flat and even surface against which the spacer elements  44  can engage a respective flat surface of the brush elements  18  and the housing  38 . The engagement of the flat surface of the spacer elements  44  with the brush elements  18  allows for even and consistent pressure to be applied to all of the brush elements  18 , and for predictable and reliable frictional resistance to be applied to the brush elements  18 . The spacer elements  44  may be an integral structure constructed of any suitable material such as a metal or a molded plastic. 
         [0024]    The spacer elements  44  are non-rotatable elements. The rotation of the spacer elements  44  is prevented by engagement between each spacer slot  46  and a respective rib  30  on the core  24 , for example. The spacer elements  44  completely isolate the rotational effect of the brush elements  18  so that the movement of one of the brush elements  18  has no effect on any other of the brush elements  18 . Thus, for a respective spacer element  44  with a brush element  18  mounted to each side, the rotation of the brush element  18  on one side does not cause the brush element  18  on the other side to rotate. 
         [0025]    Each spacer element  44  includes a central opening having a pair of slots  46  and an outer perimeter wall section  48 . The outer perimeter wall section  48  of the spacer elements  44  define a recessed portion to either side of the spacer element  44  to receive and house the brush element housing  38 . This arrangement between the spacer element  44  and the brush element housing  38  serves at least in part to keep the components in alignment and to provide a seal between the brush elements  18  so that hair is not caught between the rotational brush elements  18 . 
         [0026]    A series of brush elements  18  and spacer elements  44  are mounted between an integral intermediate wall portion  50  formed on the core  24  and a free end  51  of the core  24 . The length of the hairbrush  10  between the intermediate wall portion  50  formed on the core  24  and the free end  51  may be about four inches in length, but may also be configured to be shorter or longer. One or more spacer elements are arranged along the bristle carrier portion adjacent to one or more of the brush elements  18 . The brush elements  18  and the spacer elements  44  are held on the core  24  by an end cap  52  in the assembled hairbrush  10 . The cap  52  held in place by a threaded fastener  54 . The fastener  54  threadedly engages an internally threaded member  56  which is fixedly mounted in an end of the core  24 . The cap  52  may be constructed of any suitable material such as a metal or a plastic. The threaded member  56  may be a metal structure constructed of any suitable material such as a brass. 
         [0027]    The handle portion  14  is an elongated handle portion configured with a gripping surface  58 . The gripping surface  58  may be an ergonomic gripping surface. The handle portion  14  is comprised of a pair of handle housing members  60 ,  62 . The housing  60  has an opening  64 . Each of the handle housing members  60 ,  62  may be an integral structure constructed of any suitable material such as a metal or a molded plastic. A material that provides cushioning to a gripping hand may be provided on portions of the handle housing members  60 ,  62 . The handle housing members  60 ,  62  are held together by threaded fasteners  64 , but any other suitable method or construction may be used to hold the members  60 ,  62  together. The assembled handle housing members  60 ,  62  are mounted about section  28  of the core  24 . The core  24  is moveable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the handle housing members  60 ,  62 . 
         [0028]    The adjusting mechanism  22  is disposed within the handle housing  60 ,  62 . The adjusting mechanism  22  includes a thumb wheel  70 , an externally threaded shaft  72 , an internally threaded spring engaging structure  74  and a coil spring  76 . The thumb wheel  70  is an integral structure which may be constructed of any suitable material such as a molded plastic or a metal. The threaded shaft  72  may be provided by a bolt having a hexagonal head  78  as in the illustrative embodiment. The spring engaging structure  74  in the illustrative embodiment is comprised of an integral spring engaging member  80  and an internally threaded member  82 . The member  80  may be constructed of a molded plastic or any other suitable material. The threaded member  82  is fixedly secured within the spring engaging member  80  and may be constructed of a suitable metal such as a brass. 
         [0029]    The construction of the adjusting mechanism  22  can be appreciated from  FIG. 4 . The thumb wheel  70  is mounted within the housing members  60 , 62  for bidirectional rotational movement. More specifically, and integral post  84  in the thumb wheel  70  is supported by wall structures  86 ,  88  on the respective handle housing members  60 ,  62 . The hexagonal head  78  of threaded member  72  is held within a hexagonal-shaped recess  90  in the thumb wheel  70 . The spring engaging structure  74  is threadedly engaged with the shaft of the threaded member  72 . The coil spring  76  is disposed between the spring engaging structure  74  and the back wall  32  of the core  24 . The thumb wheel  70  is accessible by a user through the opening  64  in the handle housing member  60  of the assembled hairbrush  10 . The thumb wheel  70  and the shaft are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hairbrush  10 . Therefore, the thumb wheel  70  is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the hairbrush  10 . 
         [0030]    Rotation of the thumb wheel  70  varies the resistance supplied to the hairbrush  10 . To increase bristle resistance, the thumb wheel  70  is rotated in a direction to compress the coil spring  76 . The coil spring  76  exerts a force on the core  24  which tends to move the core  24  toward and into the handle housings  60 , 62 . This movement of the core  24  causes the brush elements  18  and the spacer elements  44  to compress against one another which increases the force required to rotate the bristles  20  about the core  24 . Rotation of the thumb wheel  70  in the opposite direction decreases the force required to rotate the bristles  20 . Therefore, the adjusting mechanism  22  is configured to decrease or increase the resistance between the spacer elements  44  and the brush elements  18 . 
         [0031]    Thus, it can be understood that the adjusting mechanism  22  is a thumb wheel  70  coupled to a biasing coil spring  76 . It can also be understood that the adjusting mechanism  22  causes the core  24  to slide back and forth with respect to the housing members  60 ,  62 . Therefore the adjusting mechanism may be considered to be a sliding mechanism in some embodiments of the invention. The adjusting mechanism  22  is configured to press the spacer element  44  and one of the plurality of brush elements  18  together to increase a resistance between them. The increased resistance opposes the rotational movement of each of the brush elements  18  about the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the hairbrush  10 . It can also be understood that the adjusting mechanism  22  is configured to press the plurality of brush elements  18  together to increase a resistance between them. The increased resistance opposes the rotational movement of the brush elements  18  about the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the hairbrush  10 . Thus, the adjusting mechanism  22  can also be rotated in an opposite direction to decrease or release the resistance. Thus, the adjusting mechanism  22  is configured to increase or decrease the resistance between the brush elements  18 . 
         [0032]    When brushing hair with the hairbrush  10 , the user grips the handle portion of the body portion of the hairbrush  10  and moves the bristles  20  through the hair to be brushed. The bristles  20  of the brush elements  18  that do not encounter sufficiently high resistance in the hair continue to brush through the hair. If a brush element  18  encounters a resistance in the hair (for example, if the bristle encounters a tangle), the bristle  20  is configured to rotate in a direction opposite the brushing direction of the brushing motion to disengage from the resistance in the hair. Each brush element  18  rotates independently of the other brush elements  18  on the body portion of the hairbrush  10 . Thus, the movement of one brush element  18  is not dependent on the movement of another one of the brush elements  18 . Each brush element  18  is free to move around the longitudinal axis of the brush  10 , and thus capable of rotating through any amount of angular rotation from 0 degrees to more than 360 degrees. When one bristle  20  encounters a tangle or other resistance while moving through the hair, the bristle  20  that encounters the resistance rotates away from the tangle in a direction opposite the brushing direction. Another bristle  20  on the brush element  18  simultaneously moves into the hair in a position spaced form the tangle. The outer perimeter wall section  48  of each spacer element  44  overlaps the adjacent brush element  18  and prevents hair from being entangled between a spacer element  44  and a brush element  18  during brushing. 
         [0033]    The independent movement of the rotating brush elements  18  provides for maximum hair brushing efficiency because tangles can never impede the brushing motion. Each bristle  20  of the brush elements  18  brushes hair at every possible location in the hair including above a tangle, to the sides of the tangle, and below the tangle, with a continuous brushing motion. The rotating brush elements  18  also allow for maximum hair brushing speed by significantly shortening the time it takes to brush the hair. 
         [0034]    The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 1