U.S. patent number 3,651,532 [Application Number 05/036,912] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-28 for wig brush.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Braun, Wettberg & Co.. Invention is credited to Jochen Wettburg.
United States Patent |
3,651,532 |
Wettburg |
March 28, 1972 |
WIG BRUSH
Abstract
A wig brush having a plurality of metallic bristles anchored to
a pliable cushioning material for providing flexible support for
the bristles. The cushioning material is mounted to the brush by
inserting same through an elongated aperture in the brush frame. A
convex forming piece is snap fit into the elongated aperture to
firmly secure the cushioning material against a peripherally
extending lip surrounding the aperture to thereby snugly retain the
cushioning material within the aperture. The forming piece is
adapted to flex the cushioning material so that it will assume a
curved contour extending outwardly from the aperture and will also
provide an air space between the cushioning material and the convex
surface of the forming piece.
Inventors: |
Wettburg; Jochen
(Beerfelden/Odw., DT) |
Assignee: |
Braun, Wettberg & Co.
(Beerfelden/Odw., DT)
|
Family
ID: |
21891355 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/036,912 |
Filed: |
May 13, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/186;
132/313 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B
3/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A46B
3/00 (20060101); A46B 3/20 (20060101); A46b
003/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/186,187,188,159,160
;132/85,120,151-156 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
944,767 |
|
Nov 1948 |
|
FR |
|
983,311 |
|
Feb 1951 |
|
FR |
|
986,851 |
|
Apr 1951 |
|
FR |
|
1,000,272 |
|
Oct 1951 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Feldman; Peter
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A brush implement suitable for brushing wig hair comprising a
frame member having two opposed ends, means forming a handle
portion at one end thereof, means defining an elongated aperture at
the opposite end of the frame member, a pliable cushioning material
spanning said aperture, means for securing the cushioning material
within said aperture, a plurality of bristles extending from said
cushioning material, means for anchoring one end of each bristle in
said cushioning material wherein the opposite free end of each
bristle will project from the cushioning material to engage the wig
hair, means underlying said cushioning material for flexing same to
form a curved contour extending outwardly from said aperture to
define an air space between the cushioning material and the means
underlying same; means underlying the cushioning material includes
a convex forming piece adapted to be snap fit into the elongated
aperture; said means for securing the cushioning material within
the aperture includes a peripheral lip surrounding the elongated
aperture to hold the cushioning material compressed between the
convex forming piece and the lip; said means for anchoring the
bristles includes a stud at the end thereof seated in the
cushioning material; and a cloth backing adhesively bonded to the
cushioning material and overlying the studs on the bristles.
2. A brush implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the convex
forming piece is provided with an angular guide and a further
angular holding portion.
3. A brush implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elongated
aperture in the frame member is provided with a mating recessed
portion corresponding to the angular guide and angular holding
portion, said recessed portion providing for snap fit interlocking
engagement between the convex forming piece and the elongated
aperture.
4. A brush implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein an air hole is
provided through the cushioning material to permit the entry of air
into the space between the cushioning material and the convex
forming piece.
5. A brush implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pliable
cushioning material comprises a rubber fabric conforming in shape
to the elongated aperture.
6. A brush implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bristles
are metallic and uniformly positioned within the cushioning
material and the overall length dimension of the cushioning
material is approximately four times the overall width dimension,
thus providing a brush implement having a relatively narrow shape
and suitable for containment within a purse.
Description
This invention relates generally to brushes, more particularly to
hair or wig brushes suitable for the cleaning, grooming, teasing,
styling, etc., of artificial and natural hair pieces, toupees,
wigs, "falls" and similar articles.
The brush of this invention provides means for flexibility
anchoring a plurality of metallic bristles and further provides an
air space for cushioning the bristles. The brush constructed in
accordance with the invention is fabricated from a frame member
having an elongated aperture. A pliable cushioning material having
a plurality of metallic bristles anchored therein is secured within
said aperture by means of a convex forming piece. An air space is
also formed between the cushioning material and the forming
piece.
The wig brushes presently in use and generally related to the brush
of this invention are usually constructed with a brush frame member
having an oval recessed portion into which a cushioning material
containing a plurality of bristles is adhesively set. The
cushioning material is generally of a slightly larger dimension
than the recessed area and a portion of the cushioning material
will consequently "bulge" or extend outwardly in a curved contour
to provide an air cushion directly under the cushioning material
and between the cushioning material and the recessed brush frame.
This type of brush construction requires more time consuming
production steps or operations and has consequently proven to be a
less economical method of manufacture. Furthermore, the recessed
area into which the cushioning material is adhesively set must be
sufficient in size to facilitate the insertion of the cushioning
material; consequently, the dimension of the prior art brushes was
partly controlled and determined by the dimension of the said
recessed area. In contrast, the wig brush of the present invention
utilizes a different method of construction wherein a relatively
narrow, elongated aperture is provided through the frame member and
the cushioning material is inserted into and retained within the
aperture by means of a convex forming piece. The wig brush, when
constructed in accordance with this method can be of smaller
overall dimensions and in fact narrow enough to be conveniently
carried in a woman's purse, small pocketbook or other carrying
case.
The wig brush of the present invention encompasses a pliable
cushioning material, preferably rubber or rubberlike fabric, for
flexibly anchoring a plurality of metallic brush bristles. The
cushioning material is retained within an elongated aperture in the
brush frame by means of a convex forming piece. The forming piece
in turn will flex the cushioning material so that it will assume a
curved contour extending outwardly from the aperture and will
thereby define an air space between same and the convex surface of
the forming piece. The air space thus formed provides an air
cushion for elastically seating the cushioning material within the
aperture. The overall dimensions of the brush bristles can be
controlled and will be determined by the size and shape of the
aperture. It should therefore be apparent that the wig brush of
this invention can be constructed to a conveniently small or narrow
shape. The utilization of this aperture in conjunction with a
convex forming piece for securely holding the cushioning material
within the aperture thus facilitates manufacture and provides for
more economical production of the wig brushes.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wig
brush incorporating a pliable cushioning material of the general
character described herein.
Specifically it is an object of the instant invention to provide a
wig brush having a pliable cushioning material for anchoring a
plurality of metallic brush bristles, and for providing flexible
support for the bristles.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a wig brush
having a convex forming piece for firmly securing the pliable
cushioning material within an elongated aperture and for further
defining an air space between the forming piece and the cushioning
material.
Another object of this invention is to provide a wig brush wherein
the overall length dimension of the cushioning material is
approximately four times the width dimension thus providing a brush
having a relatively narrow shape and suitable for carrying within a
purse.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will be apparent from the following description of the
preferred embodiment considered in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown some of the
various possible embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wig brush of this invention
showing the handle portion and the plurality of metallic brush
bristles extending from the cushioning material mounted in the
elongated aperture.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view to a slightly enlarged scale, taken
along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and shows the details of the manner in
which the metallic bristles are anchored in the cushioning material
and further illustrates the convex forming piece snap fit within
the aperture and providing an air space between the cushioning
material.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2
and shows the curved contour assumed by the cushioning material and
the general configuration and shaping of the metallic bristles.
FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which the wig brush of this
invention is assembled wherein the cushioning material containing
the metallic bristles is firmly secured within the peripheral lip
surrounding the aperture and is held in this position by means of
the snap fitting convex forming piece.
Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10
denotes generally the wig brush of the present invention. The wig
brush 10 is comprised of a frame member 12 having a handle portion
14 at one end thereof and defining an elongated aperture 16 at the
opposite end thereof. The frame member 12 is preferably made from a
synthetic plastic material; however, metal, hard rubber or wood
fiber frames may be equally as effective. A plurality of brush
bristles 18 are anchored within a pliable cushioning material 20.
The cushioning material 20 is preferably made of rubber or
rubberlike substance which may be easily flexed or stretched to a
desired curved contour and yet will yieldingly secure the
individual bristles mounted therein.
The elongated aperture 16 is surrounded by a peripheral lip portion
22 specifically designed to engage and retain the pliable
cushioning material 20 within the aperture as will be further
described in greater detail herein. The individual bristles 18 are
preferably made of a metallic substance for increased durability.
However, other suitable substances such as stiff animal hair,
nylon, etc., may also be utilized. The bristles 18 are mounted
within the cushioning material 20, and securely seated therein by
protuberances or studs 24 projecting from the end of the bristles
18. The studs 24 prevent the bristles 18 from being "pulled out" of
the cushioning material 20 such as when an axially directed force
is exerted on the bristles 18. A backing 26 preferably of cloth
material, is adhesively bonded to the cushioning material 20 to
secure the position and placement of the studs 24 and will also
prevent the bristles 18 from being "pushed through" the cushioning
material 20.
The pliable cushioning material 20 and anchored bristles 18 are
firmly secured within the aperture 16 by means of a convex forming
piece 28. The convex forming piece 28 is fabricated of the same or
similar material as the frame 12 and has a convex curved surface
30. When the forming piece 28 is inserted into the aperture 16, the
convex curved surface 30, will contact the cloth backing 26 of the
cushioning material 20, to compress the cushioning material 20
against the lip portion 22 of aperture 16 by means of an angular
guide 32 and is retained within the aperture 16 by means of an
angular holding portion 34 which cooperates with a corresponding
recessed portion 36 of the aperture 16 to provide a "snap fitting."
The FIG. 4 illustrates the assembly of the brush showing the
insertion of the convex forming piece 28 into aperture 16 and FIG.
3 shows the convex forming piece 28 in its final position wherein
it is securely retained within the elongated aperture 16.
As previously described, the convex curved surface 30 of the
forming piece 28 contacts the cloth backing 26 to firmly compress
the cushioning material 20 against the lip portion 22. In so doing
the cushioning material 20, being pliable, is flexed and will
"bulge" outwardly or exteriorally from the elongated aperture 16.
This "bulge" or crown will disperse and determine the spacing of
the bristles 18 and will additionally provide an air space or gap
38 between the cloth backing 26 and convex curved surface 30. An
air hole 40 formed through the cushioning material 20 and cloth
backing 26 will assure that suction will not be developed within
this air space 38 and will also facilitate the insertion of the
forming piece 28 by permitting entrapped air to escape via hole 40
during the assembly operation. The air space 38 will provide an air
cushion for the pliable cushioning material 20 so that it can be
deflected when a pressure is exerted on the bristles 18. The air
space or gap 38 will thereby provide an added degree of flexibility
to the bristles 18. The pliable cushioning material 20 will, upon
removal of the pressure on said bristles 18, assume its original
crown or convex shape.
This wig brush construction not only provides an improved method of
fabrication for a wig brush, but also provides the added advantage
of permitting means to control the dimensions of the brush and
bristles so that it can be made in a narrow and convenient
size.
Although this invention was described in relation to the
manufacture of a wig brush 10, it should be apparent to those
skilled in the art that the same or similar construction can be
used in the manufacture of any brush implement. It should also be
noted that the above cited embodiment is intended as exemplary and
while it has described the invention with a specific implementation
thereof other modifications and changes might be made in the
embodiment so set forth and will be apparent to those skilled in
the art.
It should be further understood that all material herein described
or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *