US20160316903A1 - Dual-Purpose Hair Care Device - Google Patents

Abstract

A dual-purpose hair care device for styling hair. The device includes a base having a first end and a second end. The second end has a handle that enables a user to maneuver the device. The first end is oval-shaped and includes a foam pad on one side and a cushion on the opposing side. The foam pad includes a plurality of apertures adapted to receive hair therethrough. The foam pad curls an area of hair when the foam pad is pressed against the hair and rotated in a circular motion. The cushion on the opposing side has a plurality of bristles extending outwardly therefrom. The bristles can be dragged along hair to brush it into a straight hairstyle or to detangle the hair. The bristle and foam pad combination provides variety and convenience to the user in styling his or her hair.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/155,149 filed on Apr. 30, 2015. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to hair care devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to brushes for curling hair.
• Many people change the appearance of their hair throughout their lifetime. To do this, they cut, dye, or style their hair in different ways. There are many people that style their hair so that it is curly or has a twisted appearance. Currently, there are existing hair curling devices that can be used to create ringlets, twists, or spirals in the user's hair. However, many of these devices require heat and a power source. Thus, the user is limited in where and when these types of hair curling devices can be used.
• Further, creating a curl by heating the hair can cause damage to the hair, such as burning or breakage. In addition, using heated hair curling devices creates ringlets that are unnatural, i.e., not originally existing. However, there are many individuals with naturally curly or afro-like hair who desire to accentuate natural or existing curls.
• While there are devices for creating curly hair for individuals with afro-like hair, these devices are difficult to use. They are often entirely composed of foam and can be hard to grip and maneuver during the curling process. Further, the user is limited to just one type of hairstyle because the foam can only be used to curl hair. Thus, there is a need for a portable device that can curl hair as well as detangle hair or brush hair straight without the use of heat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of hair brushes now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a hair brush that allows the user to curl, detangle, and straighten his or her hair. The present invention comprises a base having a first end and a second end. The first end is preferably oval-shaped and comprises a foam pad on one side and a cushion having a plurality of bristles extending therefrom on the opposing side. The second end comprises a handle for maneuvering the first end over hair.
• The foam pad is preferably oval-shaped and comprises a plurality of apertures extending therethrough. However, the apertures do not extend through the base. The apertures can be any suitable size; however, apertures with a smaller diameter produce tighter curls. In use, a user presses the foam pad against his or her hair and rotates the foam pad in a circular motion thereby producing a twisted look. An opposing side of the first end comprises a cushion having a plurality of bristles extending outwardly therefrom. The cushion reduces tension between the bristles and the hair thereby preventing breakage and other damage. The bristles can be used to brush hair straight or detangle hair. Thus, the device provides variety and convenience for hairstyling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the hair care device.
• FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the foam pad of the hair care device.
• FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the bristles of the hair care device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the hair care device. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
• Referring now toFIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the hair care device. The device comprises arounded base100 having afirst end102 andsecond end104. Thebase100 is preferably composed of a rigid material, such as wood, hard plastic, and the like. In the depicted embodiment, thefirst end102 is oval-shaped. In various embodiments, the first end is rectangular or any other suitable shape. In the preferred embodiment, the base comprises asecond end104 having a handle. In the depicted embodiment, thesecond end104 comprises anaperture106 extending therethrough. Theaperture106 is adapted to receive cable, rope, and the like. A cable can be threaded through theaperture106 and tied such that the device can be more easily stored or transported. In the depicted embodiment, thefirst end102 of thebase100 further comprises afoam pad108 on one side and acushion110 on an opposing side wherein thecushion110 has a plurality ofbristles112 extending therefrom.
• Referring now toFIG. 2, there is shown a close-up view of the foam pad. One side of thefirst end102 of thebase100 comprises afoam pad108 having a plurality ofapertures114 adapted to receive hair therethrough. However, in the depicted embodiment, theapertures114 do not extend entirely through thebase100. To achieve a curled or twisted look, a user holds the handle such that the foam pad is pressed against his or her hair. Preferably, the user's hair is short, afro-like, and damp. The user then rotates the foam pad continuously in a circular motion while still pressing the foam pad against his or her hair. The texture of the hair interacts with the texture of the foam pad to generate friction. Due to the friction, the apertures become suction-like, pulling the hair inward. The foam pad works well with damp hair as the foam is absorbent and sponge-like, thus further gripping the hair. The curled or twisted look is generated as the hair is pulled into the aperture and rolled therein by the circular motion of the foam pad against the hair.
• As the hair is curled and twisted while it is pulled into the apertures, the size of the aperture determines how tight the curl is. For example, the curl generated cannot have a diameter larger than a diameter of the aperture because the hair must be pulled into the aperture in order to generate the curl. Thus, apertures with a smaller diameter produce tighter and narrower curls whereas apertures with a larger diameter produce looser and wider curls. However, it is possible to generate tighter curls when the apertures have a larger diameter by repetitive passes of the foam pad over a section of hair. The foam pad will continue to generate friction with the hair and thus, continue to twist the hair. Although friction is created between the foam pad and the hair, the soft and resilient foam material protects the hair from breakage and other damage. Further, the foam material is flexible so as to conform to the shape of the user's head.
• Further, the pattern in which the apertures are spaced on the foam pad can also produce different hairstyles. Because the hair is curled when it is pulled into the apertures, the location of the aperture determines which area of hair is curled. In the depicted embodiment, theapertures114 are randomly spaced along the foam padding. When the apertures are randomly spaced, the curls produced by use of the foam pad will be randomly spaced. In alternative embodiments, the apertures are evenly spaced. When the apertures are evenly spaced, the curls produced will be evenly spaced. However, even if the apertures are evenly spaced, multiple passes of the foam pad over the hair may produce curls that are not evenly spaced because the apertures may not be in line with the curls previously generated.
• Referring now toFIG. 3, there is shown a close-up view of the bristles. On an opposing side of the base, the device comprises acushion110 having a plurality ofbristles112 extending outwardly therefrom. In the depicted embodiment, thecushion110 is oval-shaped. The oval shape of the cushion provides comfort to the user when brushing his or her hair. The rounded edges of the cushion are more likely to align with a user's hairline. This lowers the chance that bristles extending from the cushion will scrape against a user's skin in areas beyond the hairline. For example, a rectangular cushion may have bristles that extend onto the forehead or neck as the bristles are dragged through the hair. Further, thecushion110 decreases tension between thebristles112 and the hair while in use because the cushion can give way when met with resistance. This reduces breakage and other damage when brushing or detangling hair with the bristles.
• In the depicted embodiment, thebristles112 are equally spaced and arranged in a grid pattern protruding outwardly from thecushion110. Bristles that are aligned in grid patterns are better for detangling hair because strands of hair are separated evenly. In alternative embodiments, the bristles protrude outwardly in a random arrangement. Bristles that are sporadically placed are gentler on fine hair than those aligned in rows.
• In the preferred embodiment, thebristles112 are boar bristles. Boar bristles are beneficial to the scalp because they do not grip the hair tightly and help to distribute natural body oil throughout the hair. This gently stretches the hair, smooths the outermost part of the hair, and create shine. In alternative embodiments, the bristles can be composed of nylon, stainless steel, horse hair, and the like. Bristles made of nylon and other plastics grip the hair more tightly. A tighter grip on the hair allows for better detangling as the bristles do not easily pass over knots and tangles.
• If the user desired to straighten or detangle his or her hair, the user can rotate the device so that the bristles are in contact with an area of hair. The user can then grip the handle and drag the brush along the length of the hair such that bristles extend through the hair. This allows the bristles to separate and straighten the strands of hair. As the strands are straightened, the bristles detangle the hair by separating knots created between strands of hair. The user can repeat this brushing pattern until the desired hairstyle is achieved. The device may be provided with bristles of varying thickness and density for use in brushing thick or thin hair.
• It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
• Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

I claim:

1) A dual-purpose hair care device, comprising:

a base having a first end and a second end;

wherein the second end has a handle;

a foam pad attached to a side of the first end;

wherein the foam pad is adapted for use in curling a user's hair;

wherein a plurality of apertures extend through the foam pad;

a cushion attached to the first end on the opposite side as the foam pad;

wherein a plurality of bristles extend from the cushion.

2) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the base is rounded.

3) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the first end is oval-shaped.

4) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the first end is rectangular.

5) The device ofclaim 1, further comprising an aperture in the second end adapted to receive a cord therethrough.

6) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the apertures are equally spaced.

7) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the bristles are boar bristles.

8) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the bristles are made of nylon.

9) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the bristles are arranged in a grid pattern.

10) The device ofclaim 1, wherein the bristles are equally spaced.

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