U.S. patent application number 13/274641 was filed with the patent office on 2013-04-18 for hair care product applicator apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is Frank Spadaro. Invention is credited to Frank Spadaro.
Application Number | 20130094892 13/274641 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48086086 |
Filed Date | 2013-04-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130094892 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spadaro; Frank |
April 18, 2013 |
HAIR CARE PRODUCT APPLICATOR APPARATUS
Abstract
A hair preparation applicator apparatus is disclosed. The
apparatus includes a container for holding the hair preparation; a
reservoir for holding a predefined amount of the hair preparation,
wherein the reservoir is attached to the container; an orifice in
the reservoir adjacent to the container for allowing hair
preparation to flow from the container into the reservoir; at least
one tubular element extending from the reservoir and having an
interior volume continuous with an interior volume of the
reservoir; and wherein each of the at least one tubular elements
includes a roller ball on a first end that allows hair preparation
to exit the first end for application to a consumer's skin via the
roller ball.
Inventors: |
Spadaro; Frank; (Coral
Springs, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Spadaro; Frank |
Coral Springs |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
48086086 |
Appl. No.: |
13/274641 |
Filed: |
October 17, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
401/28 ;
401/209 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 19/02 20130101;
A45D 34/041 20130101; A45D 2200/053 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
401/28 ;
401/209 |
International
Class: |
A45D 34/04 20060101
A45D034/04; A45D 19/00 20060101 A45D019/00 |
Claims
1. A hair preparation applicator apparatus, comprising: a container
for holding the hair preparation; a reservoir for holding a
predefined amount of the hair preparation, wherein the reservoir is
attached to the container; a first orifice in the reservoir
adjacent to the container for allowing hair preparation to flow
from the container into the reservoir; at least one tubular element
extending from the reservoir and having an interior volume
continuous with an interior volume of the reservoir; and wherein
each of the at least one tubular elements includes a roller ball on
a first end that allows hair preparation to exit the first end for
application to a consumer's skin via the roller ball.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a
cylindrical shape having a hollow internal volume.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an exterior circumference of
an outer brim of a top end of the container comprises a gutter.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the reservoir comprises a
container having a cylindrical shape and a hollow internal
volume.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein an interior circumference of
an inner brim of a bottom end of the reservoir comprises a raised
lip that fits securely into the gutter of the container when the
reservoir is attached to the container.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first orifice is located
on a side facing the container and wherein the container includes a
second orifice on a side facing the reservoir.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the reservoir is rotatably
attached to the container, and the reservoir may be rotated such
that the first orifice is aligned with the second orifice, thereby
allowing the hair preparation to flow from the container to the
reservoir.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one tubular
element comprises five tubular elements extending from the
reservoir.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one tubular
element comprises five tubular elements, wherein each tubular
element includes a decreasing diameter from the reservoir to a
distal end.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one tubular
element comprises five tubular elements, wherein each tubular
element includes a concave shape.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the reservoir is not
removable from the container.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the reservoir and the
container are composed of a plastic material.
13. A hair preparation applicator apparatus, comprising: a
cylindrical container for holding the hair preparation; a
cylindrical reservoir for holding a predefined amount of the hair
preparation, wherein the reservoir is attached to the container; a
first orifice in the reservoir adjacent to the container for
allowing hair preparation to flow from the container into the
reservoir; five tubular elements extending from the reservoir and
having an interior volume continuous with an interior volume of the
reservoir; and wherein each of the five tubular elements includes a
roller ball on a first end that allows hair preparation to exit the
first end for application to a consumer's skin via the roller
ball.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein an exterior circumference of
an outer brim of a top end of the container comprises a gutter.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein an interior circumference of
an inner brim of a bottom end of the reservoir comprises a raised
lip that fits securely into the gutter of the container when the
reservoir is attached to the container.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first orifice is located
on a side facing the container and wherein the container includes a
second orifice on a side facing the reservoir.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the reservoir is rotatably
attached to the container, and the reservoir may be rotated such
that the first orifice is aligned with the second orifice, thereby
allowing the hair preparation to flow from the container to the
reservoir.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the reservoir is not
removable from the container.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the reservoir and the
container are composed of a plastic material.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT
DISC
[0003] Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of
cosmetics, and more particularly relates to the field of
applicators for hair care products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] There are many different hair care products on the market
today, from shampoos and conditioners to hair growth preparations.
Similarly, there are many different applicator apparatuses
available for applying those hair care products to an individual's
hair or scalp. With regard to hair growth preparations, the
conventional apparatus for applying the preparation to a consumer's
scalp comprises a dropper that consists of a shaft having two open
ends, with an elastic bulb placed on one end of the shaft. The
consumer squeezes and then relaxes the bulb to draw the hair growth
preparation, usually a liquid, into the shaft and then squeezes the
bulb to expel the preparation onto the scalp. Once on the scalp,
the consumer must use his hands to massage the hair growth
preparation onto the scalp.
[0006] One of the problems with the aforementioned conventional
apparatus for applying hair growth preparation to a consumer's
scalp is that the application process can be messy. Once applied to
the user's scalp, the hair growth preparation, being a liquid, can
drip down onto the consumer's forehead, eyes and face, which can be
annoying to a consumer and requires clean-up afterwards. Much of
the hair growth preparation ends up on a consumer's hair, which is
wasteful, since the preparation must be applied to the scalp.
Further, the manual massaging process requires that the consumer
wash his hands to remove the hair growth preparation from his
hands. Another problem with the conventional apparatus is that the
consumer must use his hands during the massaging process, which can
cause hair to grow on the consumer's hands, due to the nature of
the hair growth preparation. Finally, the conventional apparatus
can be unwieldy and difficult to use on a daily basis, which is
usually required for hair growth preparations.
[0007] Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the
prior art as discussed above, and particularly for a more efficient
way to apply hair care products, such as hair growth preparations,
to a consumer's hair and scalp.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Briefly, according to an embodiment of the present
invention, a hair preparation applicator apparatus is disclosed.
The apparatus includes a container for holding the hair
preparation; a reservoir for holding a predefined amount of the
hair preparation, wherein the reservoir is attached to the
container; an orifice in the reservoir adjacent to the container
for allowing hair preparation to flow from the container into the
reservoir; at least one tubular element extending from the
reservoir and having an interior volume continuous with an interior
volume of the reservoir; and wherein each of the at least one
tubular elements includes a roller ball on a first end that allows
hair preparation to exit the first end for application to a
consumer's skin via the roller ball.
[0009] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
present invention will be apparent from the following more
particular description of the preferred embodiments of the
invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at
the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other
features and also the advantages of the invention will be apparent
from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings. Additionally, the left-most digit of a
reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference
number first appears.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair care preparation
applicator, according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side view of the hair care preparation
applicator of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a top view of the hair care preparation applicator
of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 4 is an illustration of various embodiments of the
tubular elements of the hair care preparation applicator of FIG. 1,
according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a coronal or vertical cross sectional view of the
hair care preparation applicator of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a transverse or horizontal cross sectional view of
the hair care preparation applicator of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] The present invention solves the problems of the prior art
by providing an apparatus for applying hair growth preparation
directly to a consumer's scalp using a process that is quick, clean
and does not produce a mess. The apparatus of the present invention
allows a user to roll small amounts of the hair care preparation
directly onto the user's scalp, thereby reducing or eliminating the
possibility of the preparation ending up on the consumer's hair, or
dripping onto the user's forehead and face, while also keeping the
preparation away from the consumer's hands. This eliminates cleanup
and reduces the amount of time taken in applying the hair growth
preparation to the consumer's scalp. Finally, the apparatus of the
present invention is simple and easy to use on a daily basis, which
is beneficial since hair growth preparations usually require daily
use. In this specification, the term hair care preparation or hair
preparation refers to any commercially available consumer hair
product, including shampoo, conditioner, dye, oil, mousse, gel,
straightener, detangler, or the like, whether in liquid, solid,
semi-solid or quasi-liquid form. The term hair growth preparation
refers to any commercially available consumer hair growth product,
including minoxidil and finasteride, whether in liquid, solid,
semi-solid or quasi-liquid form.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair care preparation
applicator apparatus 100, according to one embodiment of the
present invention. The apparatus 100 includes a cylindrical
container 102 for holding a hair preparation, such as a hair growth
preparation. The apparatus 100 also includes a cylindrical
reservoir 104 for holding a predefined amount of the hair
preparation, such as one milliliter, wherein the bottom end of the
reservoir 104 is attached to the top end of the container 102. Five
tubular elements 106 extend upwards from the reservoir 104, each
having an interior volume continuous with an interior volume of the
reservoir 104. Each of the five tubular elements 106 includes a
roller ball 108 on its top end that allows hair preparation to exit
the top end for application to a consumer's skin via the roller
ball 108. The tubular elements 106 serve to apply the hair growth
preparation directly to the consumer's scalp, while avoiding
applying the preparation to the consumer's hair.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a side view of the hair care preparation
applicator of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a top view of the hair care
preparation applicator of FIG. 1. Note that although FIGS. 1-5 show
five tubular elements 106, the present invention supports any
number of tubular elements greater than one. Note also that
although the figures show a cylindrical container 102 and
cylindrical reservoir 104, the present invention supports any shape
or size of container and reservoir that is well-known in the prior
art in this field.
[0020] The purpose of the reservoir 104 is to hold a certain,
predefined amount of the hair care preparation, which is then
applied to the consumer's hair or scalp via the tubular elements.
Certain hair care preparations, such as hair growth preparations,
require a certain dosage that corresponds to a certain volume of
liquid. The reservoir 104 is sized to hold exactly the amount of
hair care preparation that is needed for the consumer for each
use.
[0021] FIG. 4 is an illustration of various embodiments of the
tubular elements 106 of the hair care preparation applicator of
FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
4 shows that element 402, like elements 106 of FIG. 2, includes a
decreasing diameter tube, as the tube extends from bottom to top.
Element 402, however, includes a greater diameter at its base than
elements 106 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows that element 404 includes a
continuous diameter tubular element, while element 406 includes a
concave-shaped exterior surface. The roller balls 108 can be any
roller balls that are well-known in the prior art, such as those
used for well-known sunscreen and deodorant applicators in this
field. As is known in the prior art, the roller balls 108 may
require that pressure is places upon them, so as to push them
inwards and allow the liquid within the reservoir 104 and the
tubular elements 106 to exit and be applied to the consumer's
skin.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a coronal or vertical cross sectional view of the
hair care preparation applicator 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 shows that
an exterior circumference of an outer brim of a top end of the
container 102 comprises a gutter 502. FIG. 5 also shows that an
interior circumference of an inner brim of a bottom end of the
reservoir 104 comprises a raised lip 504 that fits securely into
the gutter 502 of the container 102 when the reservoir is attached
to the container. In one embodiment, the reservoir is rotatably
attached to the container and the reservoir is not removable from
the container when it is attached in this manner. That is, the
reservoir 104 can rotate about its central axis while the container
102 remains stationary.
[0023] FIG. 5 also shows that the top end of the container 102
includes an orifice 510 that faces the reservoir 104 and the bottom
end of the reservoir 104 includes an orifice 512 that faces the
container 102. The reservoir 104 may be rotated such that the
orifice 512 is aligned with the orifice 510, thereby allowing the
hair preparation 506 to flow from the container 102 to the
reservoir 104.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a transverse or horizontal cross sectional view,
along plane 505, of the hair care preparation applicator 100 of
FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows the interior surface of the bottom end of the
reservoir 104. FIG. 6 shows a top view of the orifice 512 in
reservoir 512. As shown in FIG. 6, orifice 512 is not aligned with
orifice 510 of the container (shown in dotted lines). The arrow of
FIG. 6 shows, however, that if the reservoir 104 is rotated
clockwise such that the orifice 512 is aligned with the orifice
510, this would allow the hair preparation 506 to flow from the
container 102 to the reservoir 104
[0025] One or more of the components of the apparatus 100 can be
manufactured from a flexible or elastic material such as plastic.
The apparatus 100 can be made with a variety of plastics films,
such as polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE, etc.). Other materials include
polystyrene, PVC, bioplastics, biodegradable plastics,
thermoplastics (such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene,
polyvinyl chloride and polytetrafluoroethylene) and thermosetting
polymers. Further, it should be noted that the present invention
anticipates any size of container, and therefore apparatus 100 may
be of any size, shape, height and width. In another embodiment of
the present invention, the components of the apparatus 100 may be
composed a transparent and/or translucent plastic.
[0026] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been
disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand
that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of
the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific
embodiments. Furthermore, it is intended that the appended claims
cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments
within the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *