U.S. patent application number 12/074008 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-02 for hair brush.
This patent application is currently assigned to Conopco Inc, d/b/a UNILEVER, Conopco Inc, d/b/a UNILEVER. Invention is credited to Jeffrey M. Kalman, Carolyn Marie McNeeley, John Richard Nottingham, Rachel Marie Nottingham, Richard Skinner, John Wilford Spirk, Jeffrey Silver Taggart, Jay Tapper, Brian Douglas Wall, Stephen Lee Wire.
Application Number | 20090083918 12/074008 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40506544 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090083918 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Taggart; Jeffrey Silver ; et
al. |
April 2, 2009 |
Hair brush
Abstract
A hair brush for detangling a user's hair comprising a head and
a handle, wherein the head comprises an upper part which is
connected to the handle, the head further comprising a
bristle-bearing pad which comprises a vibrating motor, the brush
further comprising an isolator assembly, the isolator assembly
comprising a first connecting member for connecting to the
bristle-bearing pad and a second connecting member for connecting
to the upper part of the head.
Inventors: |
Taggart; Jeffrey Silver;
(McLean, VA) ; Kalman; Jeffrey M.; (Cleveland
Heights, OH) ; Nottingham; John Richard; (Bratenahl,
OH) ; Spirk; John Wilford; (Gates Mills, OH) ;
Tapper; Jay; (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) ; Nottingham;
Rachel Marie; (Cleveland Heights, OH) ; McNeeley;
Carolyn Marie; (Fairview Park, OH) ; Skinner;
Richard; (Bebington, GB) ; Wall; Brian Douglas;
(Bebington, GB) ; Wire; Stephen Lee; (Bebington,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
UNILEVER PATENT GROUP
800 SYLVAN AVENUE, AG West S. Wing
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS
NJ
07632-3100
US
|
Assignee: |
Conopco Inc, d/b/a UNILEVER
|
Family ID: |
40506544 |
Appl. No.: |
12/074008 |
Filed: |
February 29, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60977066 |
Oct 2, 2007 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/22.1 ;
15/159.1; 15/160 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 15/0002 20130101;
A46B 5/00 20130101; A46B 2200/104 20130101; A46B 13/023
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/22.1 ; 15/160;
15/159.1 |
International
Class: |
A46B 13/00 20060101
A46B013/00; A46B 9/02 20060101 A46B009/02; A46B 5/00 20060101
A46B005/00 |
Claims
1. A hair brush for detangling a user's hair comprising a head and
a handle, wherein the head comprises an upper part which is
connected to the handle, the head further comprising a
bristle-bearing pad which comprises a vibrating motor, the brush
further comprising an isolator assembly, the isolator assembly
comprising a first connecting member for connecting to the
bristle-bearing pad and a second connecting member for connecting
to the upper part of the head.
2. A hair brush according to claim 1 wherein the first connecting
member is disposed transversely to the second connecting
member.
3. A hair brush according to claim 1 wherein the isolator comprises
a vibration damper.
4. A hair brush according to claim 1 wherein the second connecting
member is disposed in a direction which is transverse the general
longitudinal axis of the brush.
5. A hair brush according to claim 1 wherein the isolator assembly
is substantially resilient.
6. A hair brush according to claim 1 wherein the motor is housed
within a motor mount and the isolator is fixedly connected to the
motor mount.
7. A hair brush according to claim 1 wherein the motor drives a
drive shaft which is connected to an eccentric counterweight.
8. A hair brush according to claim 7 wherein the eccentric
counterweight is connected to a counterweight axle which is
maintained by a recess in the counterweight at one end and a
bristle-bearing pad base plate at its other end.
Description
[0001] The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to
vibratory devices wherein gyratory movements are translated into
pulses, typically for massage or cleaning, but in this case, for
enhanced detangling of curled or unbrushed hair wherein brushing
and detangling can occur with less effort and with less damage to
the hair.
[0002] A problem with most prior vibrating hair brush devices is
the communication of the vibrations through the handle to the hand
of the user. The hand can function as a substantial dampening force
on the vibratory movement, thereby reducing its effectiveness, and
also, over time, the absorption of the vibrations by the hand can
become uncomfortable and unpleasant to the user. U.S. Pat. No.
2,465,250 discloses soft cushions 7, 11 in a vibratory hair brush
providing a floating support for edges of a brush plate but are
limited in their usefulness due to their structural position
relative to the vibrating actuator and the bristles, and thus, also
in purposeful translation of the actuator vibrations to a desired
bristle movement.
[0003] Accordingly, there is a need for a vibrating hair brush
which is comfortable to both a user's hand and scalp during
operation.
[0004] According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a
vibrating hair brush which is more comfortably used by the user. In
this description, it should be understood that the term "vibrating"
should be understood to include oscillating and the term "brush"
should be understood to include embodiments that might
alternatively be described as combs.
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention provides a hair brush for
detangling a user's hair comprising a head and a handle, wherein
the head comprises an upper part which is connected to the handle
and a bristle-bearing pad which comprises a vibrating motor, the
brush further comprising an isolator assembly, the isolator
assembly comprising a first connecting member for connecting to the
bristle-bearing pad and a second connecting member for connecting
to the upper part of the head.
[0006] The isolator assembly thus provides the mechanical link
between the bristle-bearing pad and the upper part of the head, and
thus the handle. Preferably, the bristle-bearing pad and upper part
of the head are not connected to each other.
[0007] Accordingly, the vibration of the brush as a whole is
controlled by the isolator and by using independent connecting
members the isolator is able to damp vibrations to the handle
without damping vibrations to the bristle-bearing pad.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment the first connecting member is
disposed transversely to the second connecting member. By
transversely mounting the connecting members one is able to tailor
the vibrating pattern of the bristle-bearing pad. Tailoring can be
effected by changing the physical nature of the members such that
different degrees of vibration are transmitted by the different
members. Preferably, the first and second connecting members are
disposed generally within the same plane and more preferably the
plane is parallel to the general bristle-bearing plane of the
bristle-bearing head. Where the bristle-bearing surface is curved
the general plane of the bristle-bearing pad is the plane of the
outermost edge of the pad.
[0009] Preferably, the isolator comprises a pair of first
connecting members located at opposite sides of the isolator.
[0010] Similarly, the isolator may comprise a pair of second
connecting members located at opposite sides of the isolator.
[0011] Preferably, the first connecting member is rigidly fixed to
the bristle-bearing pad and more preferably it is rigidly fixed by
screws, adhesive or other such fixing means.
[0012] Preferably, the second connecting member comprises an arm
which is shaped to fit into a notch on the upper head part.
[0013] Preferably, the second connecting member comprises a
vibration damper. The vibration damper damps the vibrations made by
the motor and so reduces the transmission of vibrations from the
bristle-bearing pad to the handle. This then makes the device more
comfortable to use for the user.
[0014] Preferably, the damper comprises an elastomeric section to
the member. In one embodiment the elastomeric section is sandwiched
between a rigid end-piece which connects to the upper part of the
handle and a rigid extension piece which is contiguous with the
remainder of the isolator.
[0015] Preferably, the second connecting member is disposed in a
direction which is transverse the general longitudinal axis of the
brush. This allows the designer to tailor the vibrational pattern
of the bristle-bearing pad. It also further reduces the incidence
of vibration in the handle of the hair brush without reducing the
vibrations of the pad.
[0016] Preferably, the second connecting member is substantially
resilient. This maximises the damping effect of the vibrations and
so reduces the vibration of the handle during use.
[0017] Preferably, the isolator is substantially resilient. This
increases the isolator's efficiency in damping vibrational movement
to the handle during use. Preferably, the resilient materials
include elastomers such as styrene butadiene block copolymers and
silicone elastomers.
[0018] Preferably, the motor is housed within a motor mount and the
isolator is fixedly connected to the motor mount.
[0019] Preferably, the motor drives a drive shaft which is
connected to an eccentric counterweight. The eccentric
counterweight provides vibration in the motor housing as it is
rotated about the motor's drive shaft axis.
[0020] Preferably, the motor is vertically mounted such that the
drive shaft rotates about an axis which is orthogonal to the
general plane of the bristle-bearing pad. A vertically mounted
motor enables oscillation of the eccentric counterweight in a
direction which produces oscillation of the bristle-bearing pad in
the general plane of the pad thus decreasing discomfort to the user
when the brush is held too closely to the scalp.
[0021] Preferably, the eccentric counterweight is connected to a
counterweight axle which is maintained by a recess in the
counterweight at one end and a bristle-bearing pad base plate at
its other end. This provides an additional means for transferring
the vibration of the motor housing to the bristle-bearing pad since
the axle is directly connected to the base plate of the pad.
[0022] Preferably, the bristle pad is supported within the brush
head by a vibrating motor and isolator assembly disposed for
directing a vibratory movement of the motor to a bristle pad
movement in a plane generally parallel to a user's scalp. The motor
and isolator assembly effectively translate a circular vibratory
movement of an offset weight into an elliptical movement of the
bristle pad while insulating the vibration caused by the movement
of the weight from a handle to the brush. The elliptical movement
has a greater axis in a direction perpendicular to an extending
direction of a user's hair.
[0023] Preferably, the vibrating motor and isolator assembly
includes an elastomeric interface having a first stiffness in the
handle axial direction and a second stiffness perpendicular to the
handle axial direction, both of these directions being in a plane
generally parallel to a user's scalp. It is preferred that the
first stiffness is less than the second stiffness so that the
elliptical movement generated has a longer elliptical axis in the
handle axial direction.
[0024] Another aspect of the subject embodiments is that the
vibratory movement is intended to operate in a frequency range
generally lower than most prior art vibratory brushes. Empirical
evidence has determined that highly effective detangling can occur
with the vibrating bristles operating in a frequency range between
20-100 Hz and more preferably between 30-65 Hz, with the most
efficient detangling of the hair, in terms of the user effort
required to pull the brush through hair, being either one of 42 Hz
or 65 Hz. Thus, an improved method for detangling hair comprises
brushing the hair with a brush having vibrating bristles operating
in a frequency range between 20 to 100 Hz and disposes to operate
in a curvilinear direction within a plane positioned generally
parallel to a user's scalp, or possibly for longer hair, an
extending plane of a user's hair as the hair extends from a user's
scalp. The brushing comprises the bristles operating in an
elliptical pattern having a first longer axis of movement in a
direction perpendicular to a user's hanging or extending hair
direction and a second shorter axial movement parallel to the
user's hanging or extending hair direction.
[0025] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with
reference to the following figures in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a top planar view of one embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a side planar view of the embodiment of FIG.
1;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a front planar view thereof;
[0029] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a top view with a top cover plate removed;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a broken out sectional side view;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a perspective view generally showing the
embodiment in use by brushing a user's hair;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a reference diagram of an elliptical plane;
and
[0034] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method of operating the
embodiment.
[0035] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it can be seen that the
subject embodiment comprises a handle portion A and brush head
portion B. In this description, it should be understood that the
term "brush" encompasses embodiments that might alternatively be
described as combs. The handle portion is ergonomically configured
for ease of use while being held in a user's hands. A longitudinal
axis of handle A is generally along the lines C-C of FIG. 1. The
brush head portion B comprises a plurality of bristles 10 which
normally extend from a bottom wall 12 of the head portion in a
manner to engage and extend through the hair of a user. The
illustrated embodiment shows a somewhat spherically configured
bottom wall 12 as one species of an embodiment, but it is intended
that other bottom wall configurations can be included as an
alternative embodiment, such as flat or tubular. Bristle stiffness
can vary from relatively stiff to soft, although it is preferred
that they are relatively stiff; the bristles typically having a
cantilevered beam stiffness of greater than about 100 Newton/meters
when attached to the bristle pad.
[0036] As will be discussed herein in more detail, the head portion
B is intended to vibrate and such vibratory movements are insulated
from the handle portion A so that the vibrations are diminished in
translation to the handle and a user's hand. For the avoidance of
doubt, the term "vibrating movement" should be understood to
include an oscillating or reciprocating movement. Accordingly, a
brush head upper housing comprising a top wall 14 is spaced from
the handle as at area 16 to accommodate the vibratory movement
without tapping contact to the handle portion A.
[0037] With reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the subject brush
includes a motor 20 operating an actuator 22 comprising an offset
or counter weight relative to motor shaft 24 so that as the motor
rotates the shaft, the weight 22 will cause an eccentric bias
relative to the shaft inducing a vibrating movement of the motor
and weight assembly. Such a movement will generally have a circular
momentum in an actuator plane essentially parallel to a plane
defined by the lines C-C and D-D of FIG. 1. In this description, it
should be understood that the term "brush" encompasses embodiments
that might alternatively be described as combs.
[0038] An aspect of the subject embodiment includes the translating
of the motor and weight circulatory vibratory motion into a
curvilinear pattern, such as an elliptical movement, of the bristle
pad in a particular plane of movement. An isolator elastomeric
member 40 is affixed to the motor 20 and also affixed to the
bristle pad assembly 10, 12, 14 so that the vibratory motion
induced by the motor can be translated to the bristles 10. The
motor 20 is received within a cavity 42 of the bristle pad head
portion sized to allow receipt of the motor 20 and the rotational
movement of the offset weight 22 that causes the desired vibratory
movement. The vibrations created by the off center weight are
transmitted to the brush head 14 due to the motor and weight
assembly being connected to the brush head by hard, stiff
connections. The isolators 40 allow this motion to exist by letting
the head move mostly independently from the handle by close receipt
of the isolator ring lobes 50 within mating lobe cutouts 52 and the
clamping of the lobes within the cutout 52 by sandwiching the lobes
between the brush head 14 and upper motor cap 56. The top wall 14
and cutouts 52 are affixed hard plastic pieces ultimately
supporting the bristles 10. The particular configuration of the
isolator 40 is such that the lobes are closely received within the
cutouts 52 and a webbing 60 includes a slot 62 for close mating
reception of cap cutout 64 of fastening cap 56. In addition, the
end portions of the elastomeric lobes 50 and webbing 60 are also
received within handle portion cutouts 70 so that the isolator 40
effectively isolates the vibratory movement of the head portion
away from the handle portion A. As can be seen with reference to
FIGS. 5 and 6, the head portion assembly thus can float within the
handle portion A because the vibrating actuator and motor assembly
including cap 56 is spaced from the interior wall 80 of the handle
portion. Except for that portion of the elastomeric ring received
within the handle cutouts 70, the ring is affixed within the
cutouts 70 when the upper handle half 78 is fastened on to the
lower handle half 76. Other items shown within FIGS. 4 and 5
include a battery compartment 90 (although the device could also be
a corded), electrical wire passage ways for the motor 92, an on-off
switch 94 and a switch pad 96. A decorative cover 98 within the
handle 78 covers the motor cap 56.
[0039] Another aspect of the isolator 40 is that it is configured
to translate the circular vibratory movement of the eccentric
weight 22 into an elliptical movement in a plane generally parallel
to the bristle pad. More particularly, it can be seen that the
isolator 40 is not supported along the direction of the axis CC
(FIG. 1), but is supported along a line perpendicular to the axial
direction and a second stiffness perpendicular to the handle axial
direction, the first stiffness being less than the second
stiffness. The effect of such mounting assembly is that the
vibratory movement of the motor and weight will be greater in a
direction along the lines C-C than along the line D-D. (See FIGS. 1
and 8) If a user's hair (see FIG. 7) is mostly aligned with line
D-D (see FIGS. 1 and 8), then the vibratory movement of the
bristles 10 will be to effectively vibrate in a manner having a
greater extent perpendicular to the hair's extending direction than
along, i.e. parallel, to said direction. This tends to untangle
twisted or knotted hair by the bristles separating the hairs by
slightly pulling them apart, and even more slightly pushing and
pulling the hair in its extending direction for better detangling
the hair with less effort and less damage to the hair in the
detangling process. A related benefit is that friction between the
bristles and the hair, in particular the static friction, is
reduced.
[0040] With reference to FIG. 6, another aspect of the present
embodiments is that the vibratory movement of the head portion B is
in a curvilinear plane generally normal to a user's scalp to avoid
vibrating the bristles into the scalp, which has been observed to
result in an unpleasant sensation to a user. In the perspective
view of FIG. 6 the eccentric weight 22 is clearly seen as to how,
upon rotation of the motor shaft, an eccentric bias is imposed on
the motor 20 and thus also onto the isolator support member 40.
However, since the rotation of the weight 22 is merely in an
actuator plane generally defined by the engagement line 82 between
the upper and lower half shells 12, 14 of the head portion B, the
resulting elliptical movement of the bristles 10 is in a plane
generally parallel to the actuator plane.
[0041] With reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, a method of operating the
present brush embodiment for enhanced detangling of hair comprises
turning on the brush so that the bristles vibrate 120 in the
desired elliptical plane parallel to the bristle pad plane 82 (FIG.
6). The brush is then aligned 122 in a position relative to the
user's hair so that the extending direction of the hair is
generally aligned with axial direction D-D of the brush head, i.e.,
where the ellipse major axis is perpendicular to the hair
direction. Brushing of the hair along the extending direction of
the hair will thus provide a detangling effect that is more
efficient in the hair detangling with less user effort to pull out
the tangles and with minimum fatigue to the user's hand.
[0042] For hair that does not normally hand such as shown in FIG.
7, i.e., very curly hair that may extend fairly outwardly from the
user's scalp, similar principles apply except that the user's
brushing of the hair comprises a pulling along the length of the
hair, or a picking thereof, to induce the hair's extending
direction outwardly from the scalp, instead of falling there from.
The present invention is particularly useful with such hair and
with hair that is long (i.e. beyond chin length) and with hair that
is dry or damaged.
[0043] The subject embodiment have also been described with
reference to the brushing of human hair, but the subject brush can
also be employed to untangle other things such as animal or pet
hair or even tangled strands of other materials than hair.
[0044] The exemplary embodiment has been described with reference
to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and
alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the
preceding details description. It is intended that the exemplary
embodiment be construed as including all such modifications and
alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended
claims or the equivalents thereof.
* * * * *