Hair-product applicator

Abstract

A supply holding hair-treatment liquid has an elongated dispenser spout and is used with an applicator having a body fittable to the supply with the spout projecting a predetermined distance beyond the body. A plurality of hard support core pins are fixed on the body extend adjacent the spouts and respective soft cover sheaths fitted over the support pins form therewith teeth projecting from the body beyond an outer end of the spout when the body is fitted to the supply.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a hair-product applicator. More particularly this invention concerns a device for applying a liquid to hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a device for applying a treatment agent, in particular a bleach or dye, to hair on the body of a person or animal and having at least one applicator part, typically one or more tubular spouts, that transfer the agent, normally a liquid, and that project through and past the applicator. In turn the applicator has an array of teeth that surround the spout(s), that are closely juxtaposed with the spout(s) and that project past the spout(s).

[0003] Hair applicators for applying a coloring agent to hair on the head are known, for example from German patent documents 578,740 and 80 34 382 as well as from U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,867,183, 6,378,529, and 6,746,165. The part that transfers the coloring agent to the hair is typically shorter than the teeth in order to prevent the transfer part from touching the scalp and thus coloring it.

[0004] It has been demonstrated that when the teeth are pressed strongly onto the scalp there can be negative effects, in particular injuries to the scalp. In order to prevent this, the teeth are produced from a softer material, but this leads to their bending so that the transfer part or parts again can come into contact with the scalp.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved hair-product applicator.

[0006] Another object is the provision of such an improved hair-product applicator that overcomes the above-given disadvantages, in particular that avoids injury to the skin of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A supply holding hair-treatment liquid has an elongated dispenser spout and is used with an applicator having according to the invention a body fittable to the supply with the spout projecting a predetermined distance beyond the body. A plurality of hard support core pins are fixed on the body extend adjacent the spout, and respective soft cover sheaths fitted over the support pins form therewith teeth projecting from the body beyond an outer end of the spout when the body is fitted to the supply.

[0008] Because of the soft surface material of the teeth, there can be no negative effect on the skin, in particular it cannot be injured when the user of the apparatus forcefully presses the teeth onto the skin while moving the applicator over the scalp. Although the surfaces of the teeth are soft and elastic, the teeth cannot yield enough to let the spout come into direct contact with the scalp because the core pin ensures adequate stiffness and thus adequate resistance. The technical solution is particularly simple and the teeth can be produced in a two-component injection molding process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0009] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the applicator according to the invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a large-scale axial section through one of the applicator teeth; and

[0012] FIG. 3 is an axial section through the applicator mounted on a supply of hair-treatment liquid.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

[0013] The applicator 1 for applying a treatment agent, in particular a coloring agent is adapted to fit over a bottle or supply 9 of a treatment liquid L has a body 12 formed basically as a threaded cap with an array of nine throughgoing holes 2 adapted to accommodate tubular spouts 11 projecting from the neck 10 of the supply 9, when the body 12 is fitted to the supply 9. The liquid L can be dye, bleach, or some other hair-treatment product. When the supply 9 is squeezed, the liquid L issues from the outer ends of the cylindrically tubular spouts 11.

[0014] In accordance with the invention the body 12 of the applicator is formed with an annular array of nine parallel core pins 4 having bases 5 unitarily fixed to the body 12. These pins 4 are angularly equispaced in a circle around the square array of nine spout holes 2. Each pin 4 has an outer end projecting to a level L.sub.2 past a level L.sub.1 at the outer ends of the spouts 11 (FIG. 3). In addition according to the invention each hard pin 4 is surrounded by a respective softer sheath 7 having a closed outer end 9 forming a soft tip 6 projecting past the level L.sub.2, with each pin 4 therefore forming with the respective sheath 7 a tooth 3 that tapers slightly outward away from the body 12 of the applicator 1.

[0015] The hard core pins 4 mean that, even if the applicator 1 is pressed forcibly against the scalp of the user so as to flatten and deform the soft tips 9 of the teeth 3, the stiff core pins 4 will prevent the teeth 3 from deforming enough that the hard spouts 11 could directly contact the scalp. The treatment liquid L will thus be applied to the hair, not to the skin.

[0016] The core pins 4 are made of a thermoplastic with considerable stiffness, in particular a hardness of 40 to 85 Shore D or 50-190 Rockwell. The core pins 4 also have a longitudinally extended frustoconical shape, having a larger diameter at their base 5 than at their outer ends. The base 5 is molded unitarily formed with the base 12 of the applicator 1 or otherwise permanently fixed thereon. The length of the core pin is 8 to 12 mm, in particular 9.5 mm. The diameter at the outer end is 0.7 to 1.0 mm, preferably 0.85 mm, and at the base end 5 is 1.2 to 1.8 mm, preferably 1.5 mm.

[0017] In the illustrated embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2, each core pin 4 is completely enclosed by the respective sheath 7 forming the rounded tip 9. The sheaths 7 are made of an elastomeric plastic foam with a hardness of 20 to 100 Shore A. They can also be of foam rubber.

[0018] The sheaths 7 even work when they do not extend over the entire length of the core pin 4, but rather encloses only the outer end of the core pin 4 in particular like a cap. The sheaths 7 are colored, preferably corresponding to the color of the coloring agent to be applied. However, the coloring can also deviate from this instead and in particular can be a warning and/or fluorescent color.

[0019] The teeth are preferably produced in a two-component injection-molding process so that both the core pin 4 with higher stiffness and the soft, elastic sheaths 7 are made in a single production process.

[0020] If the applicator is not used, a cap (not shown) is screwed onto the head 1 and held in place by a thread 8 of the body 12 from above so that the core pins 4 and the teeth 3 are covered.

Claims

1. In combination with a supply holding hair-treatment liquid and having an elongated dispenser spout, an applicator comprising: a body fittable to the supply with the spout projecting when fitted to the supply a predetermined distance beyond the body; a plurality of hard support pins fixed on the body and extending adjacent the spout; and respective soft cover sheaths fitted over the support pins and forming therewith teeth projecting from the body beyond an outer end of the spout when the body is fitted to the supply.

2. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the pins and sheaths are made of plastic.

3. The applicator defined in claim 2 wherein the plastic is polypropylene.

4. The applicator defined in claim 2 wherein the sheaths are elastomeric.

5. The applicator defined in claim 4 wherein the sheaths are foam.

6. The applicator defined in claim 2 wherein the sheaths have a hardness of 200 to 100 Shore A.

7. The applicator defined in claim 6 wherein the pins have a hardness of 40 to 85 Shore D or 50 to 90 Rockwell.

8. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the sheaths cover and project past outer ends of the respective pins.

9. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the sheaths are of a color corresponding to the color of the hair-treatment liquid.

10. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the pins taper outward away from the body.

11. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the sheaths only cover outer ends of the respective pins.

12. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the sheaths completely cover the respective pins.

13. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the pins are unitarily formed with the body.

14. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the body is formed as a cap adapted to be screwed onto the supply.

15. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the core pins project past an outer end of the spout.

16. The applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the core pins are arranged in an annular array around the spout.