U.S. patent application number 10/463320 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-21 for hand-held unbraider apparatus.
Invention is credited to Robinson-Ferguson, Pauline.
Application Number | 20050081872 10/463320 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32908753 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050081872 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Robinson-Ferguson, Pauline |
April 21, 2005 |
Hand-held unbraider apparatus
Abstract
An apparatus for facilitating the unbraiding process comprising
a handle, a lubricating container, a comb, and a brush integral
with said handle, said parts forming a sequence on the axis of the
apparatus in the order as listed above. To unbraid several parallel
braids, the apparatus is placed over said parallel braids with its
axis parallel to the braids and said comb and brush touching
braided hair. Then lubricant is applied and said handle is pressed
to cause sufficient penetration of teeth of said comb into hair.
Then the apparatus is pulled along said braids causing their
unbraiding under the pressure of said teeth with subsequent
brushing of unbraided portion of hair, and repeating said process
either periodically with interruptions for adjusting the initial
vertical or horizontal position of the handle until the unbraided
hair condition becomes acceptable.
Inventors: |
Robinson-Ferguson, Pauline;
(Bridgeport, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Pauline Robinson-Ferguson
382 Indian Avenue
Bridgeport
CT
06606
US
|
Family ID: |
32908753 |
Appl. No.: |
10/463320 |
Filed: |
October 20, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/120 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 24/26 20130101;
A46B 2200/1046 20130101; A46B 2200/104 20130101; A45D 24/16
20130101; A46B 11/0013 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/120 |
International
Class: |
A45D 024/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A combination lubricator, comb, and brush apparatus comprising:
a sequence of a handle and combination of lubricator, comb, and
brush, all parts extending along a longitudinal axis in stated
order and integral with a general holder, a lubricator having means
to be filled with, contain, and release on the braids at operator's
will the lubricant facilitating separation of hair, a comb with
plurality of teeth forming a row projecting downward from said
general holder and transversal thereto, and perpendicular to said
longitudinal axis, said teeth spacing being approximately equal to
spacing between braids, and a brush with a plurality of bristles
parallel to said teeth of said comb;
2. An apparatus for unbraiding the horizontal braids wherein said
handle is attached to the general holder at the angle of 45.degree.
to 135.degree. with other parts of the claim 1 remaining the
same;
3. An apparatus of claim 1 wherein two parallel rows of said teeth
of said comb are arranged instead of one row.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to hair braiding and in
particular, to taking braids out ("unbraiding"). About 75% of
Non-Caucasian population of the USA braid hair. It takes time and
money to put in braids, especially braiding short naturally curling
hair into a set of many fine braids. Yet braiding out is done not
just for style and convenience. It may have a medicinal merit.
Also, unbraiding is important for hygienic reason. Male and female
braiding styles are different: men prefer horizontal braids, and
women prefer vertical braids. To facilitate unbraiding, some
chemical substances exist such as "Cholestecol Hair Conditioning
Cream." Unfortunately, this substance and the like, do not separate
individual strands and mechanical forces are required to accomplish
the separation. To facilitate unbraiding, single-function devices
have been known for centuries, such as a comb with sole tooth, M.
Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,920. Combinations of a brush and a comb
are popular, see J. Ford, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,633. There the
simultaneous action of a brush and a comb is impossible, and
integration of two these parts in one apparatus yields no new
effect. The present invention discloses the combination of three
components--a lubricator, a comb, and a brush, that permits the
self-unbraiding, combing and brushing of several braids
simultaneously in one movement of the hand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] The more frequent V-type ("vertical") braids are easier to
unbraid by the preferred "vertical" embodiment of the invention. It
becomes more apparent upon studying the description of drawings
thereof:
[0003] FIG. 1 is the side view of the preferred embodiment of the
invention showing an apparatus showing a combination of lubricator,
comb, and brush apparatus of the invention.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan of the embodiment of the invention
on FIG. 1.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the
invention shown in FIGS. 1-2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0006] With reference to the drawings on FIGS. 1-3, new combination
lubricator, comb, and brush apparatus embodying the principles of
the present invention will be described.
[0007] Said apparatus invented, primarily, for unbraiding sets of
vertical braids, is designated by reference numeral 10, and its
components: the handle 12, the lubricator 30, the comb 28, and the
brush 22, are comprising said apparatus 10 in the order as stated,
along the longitudinal axis 18 common for all said parts integral
with the sturdy general holder 16, all said components comprising
apparatus 10.
[0008] Said handle 12 is made to be conveniently held.
[0009] Said lubricator 30 is a container with lubricating fluid or
gel, and a flexible cover 40 permitting exertion of pressure of
operator's thumb on said contents of said lubricator 30.
[0010] Said lubricator 30 has a several small diameter pipes 29
attached to the bottom thereof. Said pipes 29 form a row
transversal to the axis 18, have upper ends opening into said
container, and have lower ends with orifices 31 with means to
regulate the flow of said contents from said lubricator under
pressure of operator's thumb. Said comb 28 has several sturdy teeth
41 forming a row transversal to the axis 18, the distance between
said teeth 41 being approximately equal to the distance between the
braids to be unbraided.
[0011] Said brush 22 has a multiplicity of bristles 26 capable to
penetrate unbraided hair and properly condition and fluff it.
MODUS OPERANDI OF THE EMBODIMENT
[0012] To use said apparatus 10 the operator fills the container of
lubricator 30 with the proper lubricant and closes the cover 40.
Then the apparatus 10 is placed over the braids so that its axis 18
coincides with the general direction of braids to be unbraided, the
orifices 31 being approximately above the braids. Then the operator
presses the cover 40 until braids are sufficiently wetted by the
lubricant to allow comb teeth to penetrate the braids. The
apparatus 10 then is pulled down along the braids unbraiding them,
and bristles 26 of the brush 16 subsequently are fluffing hair
until desirable condition. If necessary, the same set of operations
is repeated on same set of braids if unbraiding was not complete
and, otherwise, is applied onto a next set of braids.
[0013] The components of the invention are well known and can be
easily integrated into an inexpensive efficient unbraiding
apparatus. What makes it an invention is a new capability to
simultaneously unbraid and condition hair in one continuous motion
of one hand. Obviously, with an average skill in the art, the order
of components and geometry of the apparatus design may be changed
to adapt to a particular hair style within the frame of the present
invention.
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