U.S. patent application number 11/640640 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-21 for body applicator brush.
Invention is credited to Nancy Dickman.
Application Number | 20070136971 11/640640 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38171691 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070136971 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dickman; Nancy |
June 21, 2007 |
Body applicator brush
Abstract
An applicator brush for applying a beneficial substance,
thoroughly and evenly to the desired area of the body, which
generally comprises a head (applicator pad attached to a disk
support piece) connected to a notched handle. An alternate
embodiment of the brush generally comprises a notched handle
attached to a head, which includes first and second wooden pieces
and an applicator pad. The front surface of second wooden piece and
the back of the applicator pad are glued together, forming a single
unit which can be swapped out. Yet another embodiment of the brush
generally comprises a head which includes an integrally molded disk
attached to an applicator pad. The brush head pivotally clips to a
curved, integrally molded handle. The applicator brush allows for
navigation around the curves of the body and also assists in
reaching difficult-to-reach areas.
Inventors: |
Dickman; Nancy;
(Randallstown, MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver;Royal W. Craig
120 East Baltimore Street
Baltimore
MD
21202-1643
US
|
Family ID: |
38171691 |
Appl. No.: |
11/640640 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60750887 |
Dec 16, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/209.1 ;
15/176.3; 15/176.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 34/04 20130101;
A46B 5/021 20130101; A45D 2200/1081 20130101; A46B 7/04 20130101;
A45D 2200/1018 20130101; A46B 5/0095 20130101; A46B 5/02 20130101;
A46B 5/0054 20130101; A46B 5/0091 20130101; A46B 2200/1046
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/209.1 ;
015/176.3; 015/176.6 |
International
Class: |
A47K 7/02 20060101
A47K007/02 |
Claims
1. An applicator brush for applying a beneficial substance
thoroughly and evenly to the desired area of the body, comprising:
an elongate handle having a notch defined by converging edges
proximate one end of said handle; and a head including a disk
support piece having a peripheral edge seated in the angled edges
of said notch, wherein rear surface of said disk support piece is
attached to an edge of said notch, said head also including an
applicator pad arrayed with bristles on one side, and attached on
opposing side to said disk support piece.
2. An applicator brush according to claim 1, wherein said head is
attached to said handle at an angle.
3. An applicator brush according to claim 1, wherein said angle is
in the range of fourteen degrees to twenty degrees.
4. An applicator brush according to claim 1, wherein said
applicator pad comprises a SHUR-LINE.degree. paint pad.
5. An applicator brush according to claim 1, wherein said bristles
comprise synthetic filaments.
6. An applicator brush according to claim 1, wherein said bristles
comprise natural filaments.
7. An applicator brush comprising: a handle including a notch at
top of said handle; a head including a first piece and a second
piece, wherein said first and second pieces correspond in thickness
to said notch and rear surface of said first piece is fixedly
attached to said notch; and an applicator pad arrayed with bristles
on one side, and attached on opposing side to said second piece;
and a fastener connecting said first piece, said second piece, and
said pad together.
8. An applicator brush according to claim 7, wherein said head is
attached to said handle at an angle.
9. An applicator brush according to claim 7, wherein said first
piece, said second piece, and said applicator pad are circular.
10. An applicator brush according to claim 7, wherein said
applicator pad comprises a SHUR-LINE.RTM. paint pad.
11. An applicator brush according to claim 7, wherein said bristles
comprise synthetic filaments.
12. An applicator brush according to claim 7, wherein said bristles
comprise natural filaments.
13. An applicator brush comprising: a handle including a notch at
top of said handle; and a head including a first piece having a
central aperture, said first piece is fixedly attached to said
notch; and a unit including a second piece having a central
aperture, a screw inserted through said central aperture of said
second piece, whereby head of said screw sits flush with front
surface of said second piece, and an applicator pad arrayed with
bristles on one side, and attached on opposing side to said front
surface of said second piece covering head of said screw, and a nut
positioned around tail of said screw, whereby said screw and said
nut tightly connect said unit and said first piece together.
14. An applicator brush according to claim 13, wherein said first
and second pieces correspond in thickness to said notch.
15. An applicator brush according to claim 13, wherein said head is
attached to said handle at an angle.
16. An applicator brush for applying a beneficial substance
thoroughly and evenly to the desired area of the body, comprising:
a handle including a notch at top of said handle; and a head
including a disk having a planar front surface and a rear surface
having a ramped recess and a bar formed across said recess, and an
applicator pad arrayed with bristles on one side and attached on
opposing side to said planar front surface of said disk.
17. An applicator brush according to claim 16, wherein said recess
is ramped at an angle.
18. An applicator brush according to claim 16, wherein said handle
and said disk are injection molded.
19. An applicator brush according to claim 16, wherein said
applicator pad comprises a SHUR-LINE.RTM. paint pad.
20. An applicator brush according to claim 16, wherein said handle
comprises a wide end for ergonomic grasping, and an opposing end
having said notch for pivotally clipping onto said bar of said
head.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application derives priority from provisional
patent application No. 60/750,887 filed Dec. 16, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an applicator brush,
particularly a round, angled, bristled applicator brush for
independently applying lotion, sun screen, massage oil, or another
beneficial substance to any desired area of the body, and
particularly to the back.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background
[0005] Reaching one's back to apply lotion, sun screen or some
other beneficial substance is usually very difficult without
another person's assistance. This task is especially difficult for
folks who are handicapped, morbidly obese, or who otherwise suffer
from limited mobility. Thus, it would be greatly advantageous to
provide an angled brush that: (1) provides individuals with
independence by allowing them to reach their own backs' and other
difficult-to-reach areas to thoroughly apply a beneficial
substance; (2) possesses a simple and scalable design; (3) is
fabricated of lightweight materials providing an appropriate degree
of flexibility, resiliency, durability, and longevity; and (4) is
inexpensive to manufacture and sell for widespread use and
disposability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is, therefore, the primary object of the present
invention to provide an angled applicator brush with a round
bristled head for applying a beneficial substance thoroughly and
evenly to the desired area of the body.
[0007] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an
applicator brush with a long handle allowing individuals to reach
their own backs' and other difficult-to-reach areas, thereby
providing them with independence.
[0008] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
an applicator brush that possesses a simple and scalable
design.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide an
applicator brush that is fabricated of lightweight materials
providing an appropriate degree of flexibility, resiliency,
durability, and longevity.
[0010] An additional object of the present invention is to provide
an applicator brush that is inexpensive to manufacture and sell to
provide for widespread use and disposability.
[0011] These and other objects are accomplished with an applicator
brush for applying a beneficial substance, such as lotion, cream,
sun screen, or massage oil thoroughly and evenly to the desired
area of the body. The brush generally comprises a head (applicator
pad attached to a disk support) connected to a notched handle. A
front surface of the disk support is glued to the back of an
applicator pad, which is cut to conform to the disk support in a
round piece out of a paint pad. In an alternate embodiment of the
brush, the head generally comprises a first wooden piece, a second
wooden piece, and an applicator pad. A hole is drilled through the
centers of the first and second wooden pieces. First wooden piece
is glued to the handle via the notch. A small screw is inserted
through the hole in second wooden piece such that the head of the
screw is flush with the front surface of the second wooden piece,
and the tail protrudes through the back of it. The front surface of
the second wooden piece and the back of the applicator pad are
glued together, to form a single unit. The pad covers the head of
the screw flush with the front surface of the second wooden piece.
The second wooden piece-applicator pad unit is connected to the
first wooden piece, by inserting the tail of the screw that
protrudes from the hole in the second wooden piece (glued to the
pad) through the hole at the front of first wooden piece. A nut is
positioned around the tail of the screw to tighten it and keep
first wooden piece and second piece-pad unit tightly connected
together. The screw and nut allow for second wooden
piece-applicator pad units to be swapped out and replaced by newer
ones or those having different bristle sizes or configurations.
These units can be replaced for each different beneficial substance
to be applied to the desired area. Yet another embodiment of the
brush generally comprises a head which includes an integrally
molded disk attached to an applicator pad. The brush head pivotally
clips to a curved, integrally molded handle. The applicator brush
allows for navigation around the curves of the body and also
assists in reaching difficult-to-reach areas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiments and certain modifications
thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a close-up front perspective view of the brush 1
of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of an alternate embodiment
of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the disassembled components
of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another alternate embodiment
of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the brush head 18 of the brush 17
shown in FIG. 5.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the handle 19 of the
brush 17 shown in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] The present invention is a body applicator brush 1 for
applying a beneficial topical substance, such as lotion, cream, sun
screen, or massage oil thoroughly and evenly to the desired area of
the body, and especially to the back. FIGS. 1 and 2 are side
perspective and close-up front perspective views of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention. The brush 1 generally
comprises a wooden handle 2 joined to a head 3, the latter
generally comprising an applicator pad 6 attached to disk support
piece 8. The handle 2 may be made of beech, maple wood, or any
other kind of wood thereof that may be deemed suitable. The wooden
handle 2 is long, and as illustrated it is preferably 16 inches
long. The wooden handle 2 is connected to the head 3 via a notch 4
at an angle, preferably in the range of 14.degree.-20.degree.. The
notch 4 is made by cutting into the side of the handle 2 using a
ripsaw attached to a hand held rotary tool (for example, a
Dremel.RTM. tool) to form converging edges. The width of the notch
4 should correspond to the thickness of the disk support piece 8.
Disk support piece 8 is attached to the notch 4 using wood glue
(for example, Elmer's.RTM. wood glue). The front surface 7 of disk
support piece 8 is glued to the back 9 of the applicator pad 6.
Disk support piece 8 may be cut using a hole-cutter drill bit
attached to a drill to form a round piece approximately 2.75 inches
in diameter.
[0021] Applicator pad 6 preferably comprises a bed of synthetic
(Nylon or polyester) filaments cross linked at their base and
bonded to a flexible plastic or cloth sheet. There are a variety of
commercially-available paint pads that can serve this purpose, and
pad 6 can be cut from one of these paint pads to conform to the
disk support piece 8. A preferred paint pad is a SHUR-LINE.RTM.
paint pad, although a variety of other suitable paint pads are
commercially available, and natural filaments such as mohair will
also suffice.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of an alternate embodiment
of the invention and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the
disassembled components of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3,
respectively. In an alternate embodiment of the brush 1, the head
16 generally comprises a first wooden piece 8, a second wooden
piece 13, and an applicator pad 6. In this embodiment, a hole 10 is
drilled through the centers of the first 8 and second 13 pieces.
The hole 10 should be approximately 3/16-1/4 inch in diameter. In
this embodiment, a notch 4 is cut into the handle 2 using a ripsaw
attached to a hand held rotary tool (for example, a Dremel.RTM.
tool). The width of the notch 4 should correspond to the thickness
of the first wooden piece 8, since first wooden piece 8 is glued to
the handle 2 via the notch 4. Wood glue should be used to affix
first wooden piece 8 to the wooden handle 2. A small screw 11 is
inserted through the hole 10 in the second wooden piece 13 such
that the head of the screw 11 is flush with the front surface 14 of
the second wooden piece 13, and the tail of the screw 11 protrudes
out from the back of the second piece 13. The size of the screw 11
should correspond to the diameter of the hole 10. The front surface
14 of the second wooden piece 13 and the back 9 of the applicator
pad 6 are glued together, so that the pad 6 covers the head of the
screw 11. Any suitable glue or adhesive may be used to connect the
second wooden piece 13 and the applicator pad 6 to create a single
unit 15. The second wooden piece-applicator pad unit 15 is
connected to the first wooden piece 8, by inserting the tail of the
screw 11 that protrudes from the hole 10 in the second wooden piece
13 (glued to the applicator pad 6) through the hole 10 at the front
7 of the first wooden piece 8. A nut 12 is positioned around the
tail of the screw 11 to tighten it and keep first wooden piece 8
and the second wooden piece-pad unit 15 tightly connected together.
The screw 11 and nut 12 allow for second wooden piece-applicator
pad units 15 to be swapped out and replaced by newer ones or those
having different bristle sizes or configurations. These units 15
can be replaced for each different beneficial substance to be
applied to the desired area. Even though the second wooden
piece-applicator pad unit 15 can be cleaned easily, the entire unit
15 can be replaced to avoid cleaning or even simply for hygiene
purposes (for example, if more than one individual use the same
applicator brush 1).
[0023] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another alternate embodiment
of the invention. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the pivoting brush head
18. In another alternate embodiment of the brush 17, the head 18
generally comprises a plastic disk 20 having a planar front surface
21 attached to the back 9 of an applicator pad 6. The plastic disk
20 further comprises a rear surface 22 having a ramped recess 23
formed along an edge of the surface 22. The recess 23 is ramped at
an angle, preferably in the range of 14.degree.-20.degree.. A
cylindrical bar 24 is connected across the top of the recess 23 to
both sides 25, 26. The bar 24 is an axis around which the handle 19
rotates, and thereby allows the head 18 to pivot.
[0024] FIG. 7 discloses a perspective view of the plastic handle
19. The handle 19 is curved and comprises a wide end 27 to
facilitate ergonomic grasping, and an opposing end 28 having a
curved notch 29 which clips onto the bar 24 of head 18. The width
of the notch 29 corresponds to the width of the bar 24. When a user
grasps the wide end 27 of the handle 19 and moves the head 18 along
the user's body, the head 18 pivots as the notch 29 turns along the
bar 24. A portion of the opposing end 28 of handle 19 rests within
the recess 23, and has the ability to move within recess 23 as the
head 18 pivots.
[0025] The disk 20 and handle 19 are preferably fabricated of
polyethylene. Additionally, the disk 20 and handle 19 are injection
molded. The applicator pad 6 is glued to the disk 20, using plastic
glue such as TENAX-7R. The head 18 can be easily removed for
replacement, by pulling the handle 19 off of the cylindrical bar
24.
[0026] In use, lotion is applied to the bristles of the applicator
pad 6 and may thereafter be applied to the body part of interest.
The bristled applicator pad 6 helps in applying a beneficial
substance thoroughly and evenly to the desired area of the body.
The long handle 2, 19 allows individuals to reach their own backs'
and other difficult-to-reach areas, thereby providing individuals
with independence. The angled head 3, 16 allows for navigation
around the curves of the body and also assists in reaching
difficult-to-reach areas. The angled, pivoting head 18 also allows
for navigation around the curves of the body and assists in
reaching difficult-to-reach areas.
[0027] The entire applicator brush 1, 17 is lightweight, making it
easy to hold and maneuver around the body. Additionally, the brush
1, 17 possesses a simple scalable design and provides the
appropriate degree of flexibility, resiliency, durability, and
longevity. The components are simple to assemble, inexpensive to
manufacture and sell thereby providing for widespread use and
disposability.
[0028] Having now fully set forth the preferred embodiment and
certain modifications of the concept underlying the present
invention, various other embodiments as well as certain variations
and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described
will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming
familiar with said underlying concept. It is to be understood,
therefore, that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *