Hair Detangling Device

Abstract

A hair detangling device having a pair of parallel combs or brushes mounted for reciprocating movement along their length in opposite directions has a drive mechanism including a pair of bell cranks each having one end connected to a reciprocating driving member to rock the bell cranks simultaneously so that their other ends move successively toward and away from each other.

Description

This invention relates to apparatus for detangling hair having a pair of parallel combs or brushes or other elongated hair engaging members mounted on a handle together with driving means for imparting oppositely reciprocating movement to the combs or brushes and pertains more specifically to the driving mechanism for such an apparatus.

Devices for detangling hair having a pair of parallel combs removably mounted on a handle and having driving means for simultaneously reciprocating the combs in opposite directions have been previously proposed, but the drive mechanisms for these devices have produced noise and vibration to an undesired extent.

The present invention provides a drive mechanism for opposite reciprocation of a pair of removably mounted parallel combs or brushes which is inexpensive as well as simple and compact in construction so that the handle or housing within which it is arranged can readily be manipulated by the user. It provides high speed reciprocation, preferably at a rate of more than 100 strokes per second of each comb or brush, with minimal noise and vibration.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section showing one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view, partly broken away and in section, of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view, partly broken away and in section, of a portion of the mechanism of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in longitudinal section of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an isometric and exploded view of a portion of still another embodiment which is generally similar to that of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 6 is an isometric exploded view showing modified forms of combs and guide structures; and

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a modified form of support member of the type shown in FIG. 4.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, there is provided a rigid outer housing 10 of molded synthetic plastic composition including a handle portion 11 which is of suitable size and shape to be gripped by the hand of an operator. Housing 10 consists of two half shells joined along a median line extending the full length of the handle and housing by means of conventional bolts (not shown). Mounted within the housing 10 and secured thereto are electric motor 12 and switch 13 connected by cord 14 to a suitable source of electric power. Switch 13 is actuated by push button 15 which projects through the wall of the handle portion 11 of the housing in position to be engaged by a finger of the user or operator. Motor 12 is mounted with its shaft extending longitudinally within the housing parallel to the parting line and carries cooling fan 16, mounted on the hub of which is crank pin 18. A driving member in the form of connecting rod 20 is provided at its upper end with a bushing or hub 22 which receives crank pin 18, and carries at its bifurcated lower end a double socket member 24 extending in the same longitudinal direction as the motor shaft. Seats 26, 28 for compression springs 30, 32 are provided at the upper face of the double socket member 24 between the bifurcated legs of the connecting rod 20 and at the lower face of the double socket member.

Also secured within the housing 10 is an auxiliary framework or chassis 34 which extends across the space between the opposing walls of the housing beneath motor 12 and serves as a support for the comb suspending and driving mechanism. Chassis 34 consists of two identical halves, one of which is shown in FIG. 3, bolted together at ears 36, 36 at the center line and mounted in vibration absorbing rubber bushing 37. Extending across the space between the two halves of the chassis and secured thereto are bridge member 38 which carries spring seat 40 extending between the bifurcated legs of connecting rod 20 above the socket member 24 and in position to engage spring 30, and bridge member 42 extending beneath socket member 24 and carrying another spring seat 44 in position to engage spring 32. When assembled, the socket member 24 is captured between compression springs 30, 32 and is movable, when crank pin 18 is actuated, only by alternate compression and relaxation of the springs between their seats.

A pair of oppositely extending and laterally offset bell cranks 46, 47 is journalled on shafts 48, 49 extending across chassis 34, 34 transversely to the longitudinal direction of the motor shaft on opposite sides of driving member 20. Each bell crank carries at one end a ball 50 which is engaged within the corresponding end of socket 24 and each crank is bifurcated at its other or lower end, having a cylindrical bearing 52 extending transversely between the lower ends of the legs. A pair of laterally offset bifurcated hangers 54, 55 is journalled on a second pair of shafts 51, 57 extending transversely across the chassis 34, 34 above shafts 48, 49. Each hanger 54, 55 carries at its lower or free end a cylindrical support member or bearing 56 which extends transversely between the legs and is longitudinally aligned with bearing 52 of the bell crank disposed on the opposite side of the drive member 20 and spaced from the hanger. Each hanger is provided with a transverse clearance slot 58 through which shafts 48, 49 respectively pass so that each hanger can pivot on its respective shaft 51, 57 without interference with shafts 48, 49 on which the bell cranks are pivoted. Preferably each bell crank and each hanger is of one piece molded synthetic plastic construction.

Through an opening 59 (FIG. 2) in the bottom of housing 10 there extends in parallel spaced relation a pair of identical one piece molded plastic combs 60, one of which is shown in FIG. 1. Each comb is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced yokes 62, 62 extending from its back in position to engage detachably each set of aligned bearings 52, 56. Because of the inherent resiliency of the plastic composition of the combs, each yoke is a snap fit over its respective bearing between the legs of bell crank and hanger respectively so that substantial force must be used to engage and disengage each yoke with respect to its bearing. In addition, each comb is provided with a pair of upwardly extending stabilizing arms 64, 64 adjacent each yoke carrying at their ends bearing elements 66, 66 adapted to fit slidably between the opposing bifurcated legs of the bell crank and hanger respectively, as best appears in FIG. 1. The inner surfaces of the bifurcated legs of the bell cranks and hangers thus serve as guides for bearing elements 66, 66 and maintain the combs in upright position parallel to each other when the yokes 62 are engaged with the bearings 52, 56. Other hair engaging members such as brushes can be substituted for combs 60.

In operation, rotation of the motor shaft causes crank pin 18 to reciprocate driving member or connecting rod 20 upwardly and downwardly transversely to the direction of the length of the combs while its double socket is restrained between compression springs 30, 32. This movement causes simultaneous rocking or oscillation of bell cranks 46, 47 on their shafts so that their lower ends move successively toward and away from the zone between them and provides reciprocating movement for each comb in a longitudinal direction while supported on aligned bearings 52, 56; the direction of movement of each comb is opposite to that of the other; hangers 54, 55 pivot on their shafts to accommodate the longitudinal movement of the combs. By proper selection of springs 30, 32 which resiliently oppose reciprocatory movement of the driving member noise and vibration is minimized even at very high speed operation.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, there are mounted within housing 70 an electric motor 72 on the shaft 74 on which are secured two cams 76 and 78 and a fan blade (not shown). Also mounted within housing 70 and secured to its inner wall are two support members 80, 82 made of elastically bendable material, for example, rubber or a synthetic elastomer, which serve to support and guide combs 84, 86 in a position parallel to each other. Extending transversely from the back of each comb near its center is a yoke 88, 90, the two sides of which engage cams 76, 78 respectively. Consequently, each comb makes a single reciprocation (back and forth) for each rotation of the cam shaft. Adjacent opposite ends of the back of each comb are projecting tongues or arms 92, 94 which are snapped or buttoned into recesses in support members 80, 82. Thin or weakened zones 96, 98 in which bending or flexing can occur are provided in the support members so that each comb can be moved back and forth in the plane of the drawing without substantial resistance. Motor 72 is firmly secured to the housing 70 by bolts 100 and vibration absorbing elements may be provided to eliminate undesired vibrations.

In FIG. 5, there is shown another embodiment which is the same as that of FIGS. 1-3 except that connecting arm 110 is substituted for connecting rod 20. In this embodiment, the enlarged ends of bell cranks 112, 114 which may be made of a suitable molded synthetic plastic composition snap or button into suitable apertures in the cross element 116 of connecting arm 110.

In FIG. 6, there are illustrated guide members 120, 122 each of which is secured to the inner wall of housing 70 in a conventional manner. Each is provided with slots 124, 126 into which extend guide pins 128, 130 which are fixed to opposite ends of combs 132 and which extend in the longitudinal direction of the combs. Friction between the guide pins 128, 130 and guide members 120, 122 is very small because each guide pin is provided with an enlarged end portion 134 having rotational symmetry so that there is only line contact (two dimensional) between the guide pins and the guide members.

A modified form of support member 140 is shown in FIG. 7. It performs the same function as the support members 80, 82 of FIG. 4. Each support member 140, which is secured in fixed position to the wall of the housing as shown in FIG. 4, is formed from a single piece of synthetic plastic or elastic material such as rubber or a synthetic elastomer and includes two fork members 142, 144 into each of which is adapted to be snapped or buttoned the projecting tongues of combs similar to those shown in FIg. 1. Each fork member is joined to base 146 by a zone of reduced thickness which extends the full width of the base, approximately twice the width of each fork member. Because of this construction, the support members are relatively insensitive to shocks and to forces applied transversely to the length of the combs, a particularly advantageous feature. These support members 140 as well as support members 80, 82 (FIG. 4) may be secured either to the handle portion of the housing which receives the driving mechanism and electrical wiring, or, if no special handle portion is provided, to that portion of the housing which can be used as a handle. If a separate frame or chassis is provided within the housing for supporting the drive mechanism and/or the electrical wiring, the support members can be secured to such frame or chassis.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a hair detangling device comprising a housing having a pair of elongated hair engaging members mounted generally parallel side by side for reciprocating movement in the direction of their length, the improvement which comprises a first bell crank pivotally mounted with respect to the housing having a first end removably connected to one said member, a second bell crank pivotally mounted with respect to the housing spaced from the first said bell crank and having a first end connected to the other said member, a driving member engaging the second ends of both bell cranks, means for reciprocating said driving member to rock said bell cranks simultaneously about their pivots so that their first ends move successively toward and away from the zone between them to reciprocate said combs oppositely with respect to each other and a spring mounted between said housing and said driving member resiliently opposing reciprocatory movement of said driving member in both directions.

2. A detangling device as claimed in claim 1 in which said driving member is reciprocated transversely to the direction of the length of said hair engaging members and said bell cranks are mounted on opposite sides of said driving member.

3. A detangling device as claimed in claim 2 in which each bell crank is bifurcated and each hair engaging member includes a stabilizing arm extending therefrom into the space between the legs of said bell crank.

4. A detangling device as claimed in claim 3 in which a pair of hangers is pivotally mounted with respect to the housing having their free ends longitudinally aligned with and spaced from the first end of each one of said bell cranks and removably connected to the same one of said members as said aligned bell crank end.