GB2292675A

GB2292675A - Grooming apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2292675A
Application number: GB9419993A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-08-26
Filing date: 1994-10-04
Publication date: 1996-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2014-10-04
Also published as: GB2292675B; GB9419993D0; GB9417255D0

Abstract

Apparatus for applying liquid or gel to hair. Grooming apparatus comprises a housing with an inner (2) and outer (1) casing, an elongate handle (21) and comb elements (11). Two cylindrical foil cartridges of concertina construction (3, 4) which contain dye colour base and dye colour developer lie in the inner casing (2). An elongate plunger rod (7) carrying rupture elements (5, 6) and spike projections connected to a plunger handle (8) extends along the inner casing (2). The hair treatment material is released by pumping the plunger handle (8) which causes the cartridges to compress and rupture. Continued pumping mixes the dye components. The dye is released from the inner casing (2) to impregnate a pad (12) of expanded polystyrene. Comb elements (11) extend downwardly from the pad. The dye contacts the hair either by touching the pad (12) or by seeping down the comb elements (11). The dye may be prevented from impregnating the pad by rotating the inner casing from an "on" position to an "off" position. <IMAGE>

Description

Grooming Apparatus The present invention relates to grooming apparatus, and in particular to grooming apparatus for use in applying a treatment material such as a liquid or a gel to hair.

There are numerous instances where for cosmetic reasons it is desired to apply a treatment liquid or gel to the hair.

Such an instance is for example where a coloured hair dye is applied to a persons hair.

An improved apparatus has now been devised for such grooming purposes.

According to the present invention, there is provided grooming apparatus comprising a housing for a container of treatment material, an array of hair grooming filaments extending away from the housing, and means for delivering treatment material from the container through the housing to the region of the array of hair grooming filaments.

It is preferred that the container is rupturable, in which case the grooming apparatus preferably further comprises rupture means actuatable to rupture the container. The rupture means preferably comprises a rupture element desirably comprising one or more puncturing protrusions.

In one embodiment the container may be collapsible, for example, the container may be of concertina type construction.

Desirably, the treatment material comprises a liquid, preferably a dye liquid.

Two containers of material may be provided, particularly where the material is a dye, where one container may contain the dye colour base and the other the dye colour developer. Desirably the rupture means is arranged to rupture both containers when actuated.

Advantageously, the rupture means is hand actuatable to rupture the container or containers, desirably comprising a handle member movable relative to the housing between a nonrupturing and a rupturing position. It is preferred that the member is normally biased to a non-rupturing position preferably by means of resilient biasing means.

It is preferred that the handle member comprises the handle of a plunger having a plunger rod disposed in the interior of the housing and carrying one or more rupture elements arranged to rupture the container or containers.

Especially where two containers are provided, it is preferred that means for mixing the materials from the ruptured containers is provided. Where a plunger is provided, reciprocating movement of the plunger may mix the materials together.

Desirably, the apparatus further comprises an absorbent body arranged to absorb material from the ruptured container or containers. The absorbent body preferably provides means by which the material from the ruptured container(s) may be delivered to the region of the array of hair grooming filaments.

Advantageously, the hair grooming filaments extend from the absorbent body. The absorbent body may comprise a strip or pad, preferably of expanded polystyrene foam.

It is preferred that an inner housing is provided internally of the outermost housing, the inner housing containing the container or containers of treatment material. The inner and outermost housing are preferably substantially cylindrical and desirably arranged to be rotatable relative to one another between a dispensing position in which treatment material may be dispensed to the exterior of the housing, preferably via the absorbent body, and a position in which dispensing of the treatment material is substantially inhibited. For this purpose it is preferred that the inner and outermost housings are provided with respective apertures arranged to lie adjacent one another in the dispensing position.

The invention will now be further described in a specific embodiment, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of grooming apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figures 3 to 7 are detailed views of various components of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of grooming apparatus shown comprises a comb 20. Comb 20 comprises an elongate handle 21 comprising a cylindrical outer casing 1 and a telescopically fitted plunger handle 8. An inner cylinder 2 is positioned within the outer casing 1 and rotatable about its axis by 900 between an "off" position and an "on" position shown in Figures 7e and 7f respectively. Inner cylinder 2 is provided with a longitudinally running guide rail 22 and a longitudinally running slot 23, the purpose of which will be explained below.

The inner casing is rotated between the "on" and "off" positions by means of rotation of plunger handle 8 which causes corresponding rotation of a rotary switch 10 having a detent 24 movable between on/off positions in an arcuate groove 25 in the inner surface of outer casing 1.

Internally of inner casing 2 are disposed a pair of cylindrical foil cartridges 3,4, of concertina construction, one of which contains a liquid dye colour base and the other of which contains a liquid dye developer. An elongate plunger rod 7 is connected to plunger handle 8 and extends along the axis of inner cylinder 2. Plunger rod 7 carries a pair of rupture elements 5,6 arranged to be positioned adjacent an end of each respective cartridge 3,4. A biasing spring 9 is provided to normally bias the plunger to the extended position shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, cartridge 4 is provided with a longitudinally running slot 26 through which the portion of the plunger rod 7 is intermediate rupture elements 5,6 may pass.By pumping the plunger handle 8, the plunger rod 7 and rupture elements 5,6 move reciprocatively internally of inner cylinder 2 causing foil cartridges 3,4 to compress concertina fashion and become ruptured thereby releasing dye colour base and dye colour developer respectively. Continued pumping of handle 8 causes the colour base and colour developer to become thoroughly mixed. Each rupture element is provided with spike projections 28 to aid in rupturing the due cartridges, and apertures 29 to permit dye to pass therethrough to aid mixing. A slot 30 co-operates with guide rail 22 to aid the reciprocating movement of the plunger.

Inner cylinder 2 is provided with sealing bulkheads A,C and D to prevent leakage of dye from the ends of the cylinder. A spoked bulkhead B permits mixing of the dyes from ruptured cartridges 3,4.

When the dye developer and base have been thoroughly mixed, plunger handle 8 is rotated through 900 rotating the rotary switch 10 (and thereby inner cylinder 2) from the "off" position to the "on" position. In the "on" position slot 23 in the inner cylinder is orientated adjacent a corresponding slot 31 in the outer casing which slot 31 is packed with a pad 12 of expanded polystyrene foam. Mixed liquid dye can therefore impregnate pad 12 and become dispersed therethrough. A line of comb elements 77 extend downwardly through pad 12 from slot 31.

In use, when the mixed dye has seeped onto and impregnated the pad 12, the user may comb elements may be drawn through the hair in a conventional combing manner. The dye in the pad 12 (or seeping down comb element 11) then contacts with and dyes the hair in a convenient manner. The apparatus may be disposable after use and may therefore be manufactured from relatively inexpensive materials such as moulded plastics or the like.

Claims

Claims:

1. Grooming apparatus comprising a housing for at least one container of treatment material, an array of hair grooming filaments extending away from said housing, and means for delivering said treatment material from said container through said housing to the region adjacent said array of hair grooming filaments.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising rupture means actuatable to rupture said at least one container.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said rupture means comprises a handle member movable relative to said housing between a non-rupturing position and a rupturing position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said handle member is normally biased to said non-rupturing position by resilient biasing means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said handle member comprises a handle of a plunger having a plunger rod disposed in the interior of said housing and carrying at least one rupture element arranged to rupture said at least one container.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein said rupture means comprises one or more puncturing protrusions.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said container is collapsible.

8. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said container is of concertina type construction.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said treatment material comprises a liquid.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said liquid is a dye.

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 9, comprising two said containers of treatment material, one of said containers containing a dye colour base and the other container containing a dye colour developer.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said rupture means is arranged to rupture each of said containers simultaneously when actuated.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising means for mixing the dye colour base and the dye colour developer when said containers are ruptured.

14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising an absorbent body arranged to absorb material from said ruptured at least one container.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said absorbent body is arranged to deliver said treatment material adjacent to said array of hair grooming filaments.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said hair grooming filaments extend from said absorbent body.

17. Apparatus according to any of claims 14 to 16, wherein said absorbent body comprises a strip or pad of expanded polystyrene foam.

18. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said housing comprises an inner casing provided internally of an outermost casing, said inner casing containing said at least one container of treatment material.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein both said inner and outermost casings are substantially cylindrical and are arranged to be rotatable relative to one another between a dispensing position in which said treatment material may be dispensed to the exterior of the housing, and a position in which dispensing of said treatment material is substantially inhibited.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said means for delivering said treatment material comprises an aperture in each of said inner and outermost casings, said apertures arranged to lie adjacent one another in said dispensing position providing a respective opening through said inner and outermost casings to the region adjacent said array of hair grooming filaments.