APPLICATOR FOR HAIR-TREATING PRODUCTS
TECHNICAL FIELD
[01] This invention relates to the art of devices for applying liquid or foam products to hair. In particular, the invention relates to an applicator for applying hair-coloring foam to hair.
BACKGROUND ART
[02] Applicators for applying liquid or foam chemical products to hair are known. One such applicator, shown in United States Patent 5,152,305, receives a liquid or foam product from a container of the product and applies the product to hair for treating or coloring the hair. The applicator includes a body portion with a cavity that receives the product from the container and a comb-like portion that distributes the product on the hair. The comb is designed to apply the product to the hair in parallel rows to result in a streaked pattern on the hair.
[03] A problem with known applicators, particularly of the type shown in USP 5,152,305, is control of the fluid or foam coloring product. If dispensing the product is not properly controlled, the user, whether professional or amateur, might inadvertently allow the product to contact portions of the hair not intended to be colored. It is common for an inexperienced user to allow hair colorant to contact undesired parts of hair, resulting in unwanted splotches of colored hair, instead of the desired clean, professional appearance. One cause of this is the inability of the applicator device to restrict flow of fluid or foam to the desired parts of the applicator.
[04] Applicant has discovered that many less-experienced users of applicators for hair-colorants allow the colorants to accumulate in unintended locations on the applicator. Such accumulated product often inadvertently contacts the hair at unintended locations resulting in an undesired pattern. With reference to figure 1, for example, a known applicator 2 such as that shown in USP
5,152,305 comprises a body portion 4 and a comb portion 6. The body portion 4 forms a cavity 8 that is supplied with a colorant product 12 from a container 30 attached to an inlet connector 10. The colorant 12 flows into the cavity 8 through the inlet connector 10 and then onto hair 14 through openings in the body portion 4 between adjacent teeth in the comb portion 6. In use, the user pulls the applicator along and through hair 14 as illustrated in figure 1 in the direction of the arrow. Thus, the user typically holds the hair 14 in one hand and pulls the applicator with the other hand away from the scalp through hair engaged in the comb portion. The relative motion of the hair with respect to the applicator is from right to left in the view of figure 1.
[05] Applicant has found that the device shown in figure 1 allows colorant to flow out of the cavity 8 and accumulate on the side of the comb portion downstream with respect to the movement of the hair through the comb portion. The accumulation of colorant is illustrated at 16 in figure 1 and presents the problem illustrated in figure 2. As illustrated in figure 2, the accumulated colorant 16 can inadvertently be deposited on the opposite side of a part 18 in hair 14. This inadvertent deposit often results in a "splotch" of color that detracts from the desired clean application of color highlight.
[06] An additional problem in the prior art structure is that the operator may not be able to control accurately the dispensing of the chemicals, whereby they may be inadvertently forced out of a dispenser at a rate that is too great and thereby spill over onto areas of the dispenser not intended to be treated. A further problem with prior art devices is that the chemicals applied to the hair can contact the scalp.
Contact of these chemicals, such as hair relaxants, with the scalp is uncomfortable for the user or salon patron.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[07] In accordance with the invention, an improved applicator is provided with a distributor valve, which prevents the buildup of colorant at 16. The distributor valve is placed in the elongate cavity in the applicator and has a plurality of functions. The transverse size of valve is smaller than that of the cavity whereby it moves generally toward and away from the cavity inlet in response to engagement with the hair being treated. Thus, when the operator causes product to enter the applicator (e.g., by squeezing a tube of product attached to the applicator) and initially engages hair in the comb portion, the hair will urge the distributor valve toward the inlet. When the hair is disengaged, the distributor valve will drop down, away from the inlet. This motion away from the inlet creates empty space in the cavity into which incoming product can flow, which significantly reduces the tendency of the incoming product to spill out of the applicator into unwanted locations, such as that shown at 16 in figure 1.
[08] Further, the distributor valve rolls as the applicator is pulled through hair, which tends to move excess colorant toward the incoming hair and draw it away from the region of accumulation 16. Thus, the distributor valve also distributes product in the cavity to reduce further the potential for accumulation of colorant at 16.
[09] The distributor valve, by these combined functions, significantly reduces the potential for leaving "splotches" by an inexperienced user.
[10] The invention proposes also to control or reduce the spill-over of chemicals onto areas not intended to be treated by providing barriers (or dikes) between those regions where the chemical is dispensed for the desired application of the chemical to the hair and adjacent regions where the chemicals are not to be applied to the hair. The invention proposes further to provide a spacer on the hair treatment applicator to ensure that the applicator does not contact the scalp.
This assists in preventing direct contact between irritating chemicals and the scalp.
[11] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a hair treatment applicator that is easier to use.
[12] A further object of the invention is to provide an applicator that reduces accumulation of colorant or other hair treatment product.
[13] A still further object of this invention is to provide an applicator that efficiently applies a hair treating product to hair.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[14] Figure 1 is a cross section of a prior art applicator.
[15] Figure 2 is a schematic view of use of the applicator of figure 1 to apply a hair-treatment product to a person's head.
[16] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an applicator in accordance with the invention.
[17] Figure 4(a) is a transverse cross section of the applicator shown in figure 3 showing the position of the distributor valve as the applicator is being pulled through hair.
[18] Figure 4(b) is a transverse cross section of the applicator shown in figure 3 during an interval when it is not being pulled through hair.
[19] Figure 5 is a perspective of a hair treatment applicator in accordance with Figure 3 but modified to provide barriers in accordance with another aspect of the invention.
[20] Figure 6 is a side view of the applicator of figure 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[21] In accordance with the invention, an applicator shown in figure 3 includes a body portion 4, a comb portion 6 and a cavity 8 as described above in connection with figure 1. The comb portion 6 is comprised of individual teeth that extend away from the body portion and are positioned generally opposite the inlet 10. That is, the hair-treatment fluid flows into the chamber 8 from the container 30, across the chamber and out slots onto the comb. In a preferred embodiment, the teeth of the comb 6 extend in a direction that forms an angle of about 1351 with respect to the direction of the inlet.
[22] The applicator of the invention is further provided with a distributor valve 20 in the cavity 8. The distributor valve 20.generally comprises an elongate element 22 that extends along most of the length of the cavity 8. The element 22 is preferably cylindrical, or tubular to allow it to rotate about its longitudinal axis in response to engagement with hair being pulled through the applicator, but other shapes (e.g., square, oval, polygonal) that allow such motion may also be found to be useful. The transverse dimension (e.g., diameter) of element 22 is small enough relative to the transverse dimension of the cavity 8 such that it can move toward and away from the inlet 10 when the operator holds the tube 30 generally upright.
[23] When the diameter of element 22 is small enough that it may tend to assume a transverse orientation in the cavity, it is desirable to provide a flange 24 at each end to ensure that the element 22 remains generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the cavity. Otherwise, the distributor valve may become lodged in the cavity and unable to roll or move as desired.
[24] Operation of distributor valve 20 will be described with reference to figures 4(a) and 4(b). With reference to figure 4(a), the comb portion that applies the product to the hair includes slots 26 that extend into the body portion whereby hair 14 can enter the cavity 8 and push the distributor 20 toward the inlet as shown.
Adjacent slots 27 are not deep enough to engage the cavity and intended to engage and comb portions of the hair not to be treated. Engagement of the hair with the distributor produces two results. First, as the distributor valve is pushed upward by engagement with hair, it displaces some of the product in the cavity, which is applied to the hair as the hair moves through the applicator. The groove terminates at locations 32 in the body portion, which is deep enough to allow the hair to 14 to urge the distributor valve into an upper portion of the cavity. Preferably, the grooves terminate at a distance that is about the diameter of the roller element 22 or that of the flanges 24, when present.
[25] Secondly, the distributor revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow by engagement with the moving hair. This tends to draw the hair-treatment product from the upstream side of the applicator (i.e., the left in figure 4) and move it to the downstream side (i.e., the right in figure 4). The effect of these motions is to prevent accumulation of the product as shown at 16 in figure 1.
[26] Another function of the distributor valve is illustrated in figure 4(b).
When the operator reaches the end of a stroke through the hair, the hair is no longer in the cavity, which removes an upward force on the distributor valve and allows it to assume a position near the bottom of the cavity. This tends to create a space 28 in the cavity above the distribution valve 22, which accommodates any colorant that continues to flow into the cavity from the tube 30. This tends to reduce further the possibility that colorant will be expelled from the cavity into the region 16.
[27] In use, an operator grasps the tube 30 or inlet 10 in the orientation shown in figure 4(a), applies force to the tube to force hair-treatment fluids into the cavity, and pulls the comb portion through hair to be treated as shown in figure 4(a).
When hair is no longer being pulled through the comb, the operator releases force on the tube 30, while any fluid that continues to flow into the chamber is received in the cavity and not expelled into the comb portion.
[28] With reference to figure 5, barriers 34 are shown arranged between the slots 26 of the portions of the comb that dispense hair treatment chemicals.
The barriers are shown in V-shapes but they could be of other configurations that would block flow of chemicals from the dispensing slots 26 to hair that is not intended to be treated. Thus, for example, if the operator applies too much force to the tube resulting in excessive flow of chemicals out of the slots 26, the barriers 34 will prevent flow of such excess to hair passing through adjacent slots 27 not intended to be treated.
[29] With reference to figure 6, spacer 36 is shown attached to the opposite side of the applicator. This spacer can take many shapes and may be, for example, a series of slim bars that simply prevent direct contact between applicator and the scalp. This is particularly useful when applying somewhat caustic chemicals, such as a hair relaxant, and reduces the possibility that these caustic chemicals will contact the scalp directly.
[30] It will be appreciated that an improved applicator for hair-treatment products has been described. Modifications within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art.