US2607064A - Hair brushing and massaging implement - Google Patents

Description

g- 19, 1952 E. SULLIVAN ETAL 5 1 HAIR BRUSHING AND MASSAGNG IMPLEMENT Filed Sept. 17, 1948 wnc/"kom- Erf. LIJYAN 13.3. JNYDER Patentec Aug. 1 9, 95

v mme -rsullivanand Austin .B. SnydeujTedo, r

Qhio, assignors, by mesne assigmne'ts, to

Dwens'Brush Company, Toledo, Ohio, a cor'p'oj y -Ap'flication September 17,1948,seriaNoiwgeye -;Our .inventief relates to implements adapted .and designed forrise 'n hair brushing,-shampooing, and massaging. Ainbject:oftheinvention nis `to provide an ::improved ccombination shamp'oo :brush: scalp :stimulator hair :brush and -eomb, designed. end adapted `for eflieient care a'nd :treatmentof the hairand sca'lp. The invention :providesan im lementot the character indicated :consisting of '-a, plasti fiexble, resilient material 'including aexile back or 'handlewith integral bristles 'or set'a'e (to which the shop .term tendrils is hereineppled) `di' the same material 'and molded integrally with 'the back.

We have 'discovered that-such an imp'lement consisting of polyethylene (polytheney'of 'sditable design as hereinaftersetforth is p'articlarly adapted- 'for the purposes "of our invntin, possessing valuable properties adaptingitto the specified'uses'; r w w A further obj'et of theinvntion=-is te -provide 'a ovel 'form and "designof fixiie; reilient -bristls or tendrils'which when molded ntegrafly with the -flexible baking; opefate- -ii h novel man'er and pbssessdesirable featuresdapting r them for use in hair brushng,shampooing, mas sagingg and-the liker r ;2 Among the-ohjects attained is the provi sion of .ai hairibrushin'g and -massag ing imjlement hair'- ing ctendrils which-provide improved enetrat ion throughthe hair t the' 'salp-'and which provide an: improved'massage actiomwhichare' free from dragging on the hair, which' 'a're freefrom any tendency'to .irritate :or scratch the se'alp; which are effective :in looseningsdandrufi, :which operate to give thehair'an amiual sheemwhich-keep the scalp in good condition, which :mase make therhairsoftr .and..fiuflier. The ivention providesan :article which is :easily cleaned. and kept clean and .provides ahah brushi'ngand massag ing implement which,'-'as compared with :conven tionai hair brushes ami massagin'g limplements, ha sfifimuhls tendencyto pun theshairvoutzor breakitom v i v A further object of ,the invention 'is to provide a 'prush which clears the' nail-"of snarls 'and tangles without pulling. ,The invention further provides an implement well-adapted for 'either dry or wet massaging, which S easy to usefor either ;dry opwet hair hrrshing -and ;Which is glitable and weH adaptd for shampooing; ,A further `.object is, to provide an ,implement 'coh'si'stirg 'of a material :having ohemical'- 'and bhys'ialj properties which ;contribute to :the iinitihd ifbl 'features of the invention. Whi fod that poyethy'lene when molded to the specified for hi;hasthese;desirable propnment 'adapted 'for hairzbrishin'g, ..shampoong,

massaging andth'e like.: e

Fig. 2 vis-'a 'sideelevationxif thesame with` some Fig 3 is a :fragmentet y part .seotional View showing :oneof the ibristles' `"tir-itendril's' integral "with the back of the'impl'ement. .e

'Fi'gt 4 is a top plan View o f an implement .particularly designedror useasa hair brush. i

Fg. is t-side levation `(if-the same with some i ef sectiohal 'elevatn -f 'the impem ent howi Figs. `1 and `2. in r' igs. "1, 2, nd heve n 'strated o'r'eform 'of the invention which' i is'- particularly designed to serve as a combiiations'hampoo brush,;s`ca1p stimuiator, hair mesh; and'tomb. brush consists 'of 'a flexble resilient, -rubber-1ike maserial and -pre`ferab`1y consists of -poyethyl'ene plastic-moldedina singie piece. It comprises a ''ircilar 'body-10, jthe'uppr-'sur'fae 'of which is preferably conve -anti ffray e -forhed with 'a series of cnoentrief 'arrii il-ar' ;ribs oi' `bossfies i '1-1 At i the "center :of the bdy' lfl-i'fan upwardly' ektehded 'member *comprising a 'k'riob l 2 integraliy united to the .bodyv by a neck portion 13' and shoulder '4. 1'Theknobmay'serve as a handle and "also assist the :operator holding-the im= 'element while esegthehoqy ;ro being' grasped 'by the" hand, .with 'the ngers' hearing on o posite sides'of'the'fi'eckfl; j

The body" m isi prerefahl off 'approximate'ly unirormthikness throighouti exceptdire'ctly Ibe- I v ru f said .bdyhihg. ofiav, .threby. gv ngljfiiblty to said* body so 'thatitreadfl forifo'rh's n to the contour ofthescalp or surface whch isbing r te I g.

Thehrush fermd -with'a ruitiplicy of bristles in the form of slender, finger-lke members or tendrils !6 formed integral with the body !O and depending vertically from its under surface !1 (Fig. 3). These tendrils are made of a special conformation, each tendril comprising a plurality of graduated sections or lengths of different diameters, progressively smaller from the body downward. As shown in Fig. 3, the tendril comprises an upper substantially cylindrical section !8 and a lower section or tip !9 of smaller diameter. The upper section !8 is integrally united to the body !0 by a rounded or upward-ly flared shoulder portion 20. A tapered shoulder 2! is likewise provided at the junction of the sections !8 and !9. The lower section !9 is formed with a rounded tip end 22.

The tendrils !6 are preierably arranged in concentric circles and uniformly spaced in the circles, the spacing of the said rings preferably being substantially equal to the spacing of the tendrils in each ring. The tendrils may be 'of equal or substantially equal length so that the tip ends 22 are arranged in an upwardly convex surface, or imaginary surface, indicated by the broken line !Za (Fig 9) parallel with the under surface of the body !0.

Fig. 6 illustrates a somewhat modified form of tendril wherein the upper section 24 is slightly tapered or downwardly convergent. The lower section 25 is also shown as slightly tapered.

Fig. '7 illustrates a form of tendril which comprises three sections or lengths 25, 21, and 28 of difierent diameters stepped downward or progressively smaller from the body !O downward. The tendril preferably consists of at least three sections of stepped diameters as shown in Fig."1, and it will be understood that it may comprise a greater number, depending upon the flexibility and resiliency desired and suited to the particular use for which the implement is designed. The length of the individual sections 25, 21, and 28 of the tendrils, their diameters, the length of each tendril as a whole, and the relative lengths of the different sections of the tendrils are all factors which play a part determining the resiliency, fiexibility, stiifness, penetrating ability, and smoothness of action;

For brushing or shampooing of the hair and for effective massage and stimulation of the scalp, the brushing tendrils should be of sulcient stiffness to penetrate through the hair while the lower end portions or massage tips of the tendrils have sufiicient smoothness and exibility to practically eliminate scalp and skin irritation. The flexible tips 28 with their rounded ends 22 are particularly designed to minimize or eliminate scratching or injury to the scalp. The upper sections of the tendrils being of larger diameter, give suiiicent stiffness and resiliency to insure effective penetraticn of the hair,-and also to insure their return to normal vertical position following each stroke of the brush through the hair.

Fig. 8 illustrates a tendril similar to that shown in Fig. 3 but with .the tendril deflected or bent to one side by the resistance which it meets during the brushing or massaging stroke. The upper section !8 is deflected through a, comparatively slight angle, the bending taking place at the shoulder 20 while the body of the section !8 remains approximately or substantially straight. The lower section or tip !9 is flexed at the shoulder 2! through a comparatvely large angle. The heavy sloping shoulder 20 at the base of the section !8 and the corresponding sloping shoulder 2! at the junction of the sections !8 and !9, serve eifectively as wear resistance against the repeated flexing of the tendril and also contribute to tendril stiifness and springinese. The lower end section or tip is designed to provide the massaging fiexibility desired, while the other sections between the tip and the base serve to support the massaging tip and impart the desired stififness or springiness to the tendril as a whole. It will be seen that the type of tendril Construction above described permits varying degrees of hair brush stlffness or springiness without a corresponding and objectionable increase in the stifiness or harshness of the tip end, such as would normally occur in the use of a tendril or bristleof uniform diameter, or one of a graduating taper design.

Because of the smooth, rounded ends of the tendrils, the fiexibility concentrated in the massaging tips, and the reduction of the drag or pull on the hair owing to such Construction, the article is highly efficient when used as a scalp massage brush. The scalp is gently and properly stimulated without objectionable scalp or skin irritations, such as are usually noticeable after the use of ordinary stiff bristled brushes. In this connection, it should be observed that the polyethylene has a low co-eiiicient of friction which materially aids in the smooth and eficient operation. v In this respect' the material diifers greatly from softlrubber and is free from the pulling action on the hair which characterizes a rubber brush. When the implement is used for brushing long hair, the design of the tendrils with their flexible tips provides an untangling and smoothing action -on tl 1e air without the pulling action which takes place with an ordinary brush. i H

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate an implement which is particularly designed for useas a hair brush.

It comprises a body 30 extended to form a handle 3l. Bristles or tendrils !6 are formed integrally with said body and may be of any of the conformations already described in connection with theimplement shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The body 30, as shown, is formed with a recess orconcavity 32. The tendrils !6 are arranged in straight rows with substantially uniform spacing throughout. This form ,of implement is designed primarily foruse. as 'a' hair brush or combinedbrush and ccmb. *It can also be' used 'eifectively as a -massaging implement, having desirable characteristics for this purpose. as above pointed out in connection with the circular form of implement.

Modifications other than those herein illustrated and describedmay be resorted to within the spirit and scope of our invention. i

We claim: i

1. A brushing and massaging implement com-'- prising a polyethylene' body and', integrally formed therewith, a plurality of polyethylene bristle members depending at closely spaced intervals, each of said bristle members having a slender fiexible terminal end portion of substantial length terminating with a rounded end for Contacting the scalp or thezlikeskin region of the user and an'integrally formed enlarged inner portion having. a substantially un'iform crosssection. r

2. A brushing and massaging 'implement comprisinga plurality of polyethylene bristlemembers andan integral polyethylene body mountng said bristle members on a face thereof and hacking the same against axial movement, each of said polyethylene bristle members having a relatively flexible slender substantially uniformly 5 u cross-sectional elongated terminal end portion terminating with a. rounded end for contacting the region massaged and a relatively inflexible enlarged substantially uniformly cross-sectioned inner portion integrally merged with the rela- 5 tively fiexible terminal end portion at a tapered shoulder at the root of the end portion.

3. A brush and massaging implement comprising a polyethyene body and a multiplicity of polyethylene bristle members integral with and depending from said body, each of said bristle members being united to said body by an upwardly flared tapered shoulder portion and comprising a plurality of coaxial cylindrcal lengths or sections of different and constant diameters successively smaller in a downward direction, the diameter of each successive section being not less than approximately one-half that of the preceding section, the length of each section being several times its diameter, the terminal end section of each being relatively fiexible and terminating with a rounded end.

EMMET J. SULLIVAN. AUSTIN B. SNYDER REFERENCES CITED A The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT OTHER REFERENCES Modern Plastics, issue of February 1948, pages 73-75. i

Plastics. issue of September 1944, page 43.

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