Patents Examined by Brianne Kalach
  • Patent number: 9370231
    Abstract: An apparatus for dreadlocking hair comprising a motor and a means for holding or engaging a strand of hair. The holding means is rotated by the motor, so that the strand of hair is twisted into a dreadlock, that is, a twisted bundle of hair where hair on the surface of the bundle describes a purely helical path, at least in a newly dreadlocked part of the strand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Palock Limited
    Inventors: Palesa Sansole, Hans Henrik Petersen, Andrew Robert James Russell, Roderick McBrien, Digby Redshaw, Neil Bowker
  • Patent number: 9357834
    Abstract: A cosmetic applicator brush having a twisted wire core and an array of thermoplastic bristles with free tips extending radially outwardly from the core, wherein at least some of the bristles have shapes and/or surface textures modified at one or more localities between their free tips and the core by selective irradiation of the aforesaid locality or localities with laser energy. A method of making the brush includes the steps of assembling the core and bristles to form a brush, trimming the bristles to achieve a desired brush profile, and selectively irradiating at least some of the bristles with a laser beam at localities between the bristle tips and the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ALBÉA SERVICES
    Inventors: Clark Bow, Horst Herlitze
  • Patent number: 9346085
    Abstract: The various embodiments herein provide a mechanism for cleaning the interior surfaces of pipes/tubes. The mechanism comprises a power transfer shaft, a power generator, a power transmission means attached to the power generation means and the power transfer shaft, an electrical valve and pump, an electrical unit to generate a dynamic force, a controller for remote force controlling, a liquid guidance system integrated to the power transfer shaft, a movement conditioner for the power transfer shaft; and at least one cleaning tool removably attached to the power transfer shaft. The at least one cleaning tool includes a predefined structure to convert a turning movement of the cleaning tool into a rotational movement of the power transfer shaft for cleaning of the deposits in the pipe/tubes without any damage to an internal body of the pipe & tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventor: Mehdi Khani Moghanaki
  • Patent number: 9346180
    Abstract: An appliance for personal care, such as skin, dental or hair treatment, comprising a dispensing structure (30) for automatically dispensing a fluid. The dispensing structure (30) includes a fluid reservoir (10), a discharge opening (11) and a fluid drive structure (9, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20) for driving the fluid to be dispensed from the reservoir (10) and to and out of said discharge opening (11) in accordance with a dispensing rate/time profile (Sx). The fluid drive structure (9, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20) is arranged for spurting at least once during said dispensing operation for squirting an additional quantity of the fluid to and out of the discharge opening (11) in addition to the fluid being dispensed in accordance with said dispensing rate/time profile (Sx).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jeroen Molema, Anke Sinnema, Wilko Westerhof
  • Patent number: 9320335
    Abstract: Devices and/or methods for treating facial hair are provided in order to soften the feel thereof. The devices and/or methods generally alter the structure of the tips or ends of the hair follicles to enhance their feeling of softness. Some devices and methods employ a high speed impacting principle to split the ends of the hair follicles. Some devices and methods aim to reduce the thickness of hairs near the tips through abrasion. Some devices and/or methods employ both crushing/impacting and abrasion in order to soften the feel of a subject's facial hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventors: Joseph W. Grez, Gerald K. Brewer
  • Patent number: 9265325
    Abstract: A compact for storing a plurality of cosmetics includes a tray for storing cosmetics in a first and a second side; a base having a pair of hinge pins received by the tray, the tray pivoting in the hinge from a first position making the first side accessible to a user to a second position making the second side accessible to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Avon Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Gail Boyé, Joseph R. Tuschong, John A. Alongi
  • Patent number: 9259069
    Abstract: A hair styling tool includes a body, a cylinder extending from the body, the cylinder rotatable relative to the body, a motor for rotating the cylinder, a heater to heat the cylinder, and a styling arm pivotally attached to the body. The hair styling tool may have a generally clam shell configuration, wherein the styling arm is movable between an open position in which the styling arm is distant the cylinder and a closed position in which the styling arm is proximate to the cylinder, such as contacting the cylinder. The styling arm may also include a brush head with fixed or retractable bristles and/or a smoothing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: MM&R Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Ragosta, Bruno Meglio, Claudio Marino, David Richmond, Howard Richmond
  • Patent number: 9238451
    Abstract: The disclosed vacuum assembly can be mounted in a vehicle. The motor/fan assembly is positioned above a chassis wall. Lateral flanges on opposed sides of the tank support the tank in generally horizontal sliding motion from a forward position to an elevated rearward position. A rear flange supports the tank as it pivots to a mounted position in which an inlet on a removable lid on the tank communicates with a hose, and an outlet on the lid communicates with the motor/fan assembly. In a removed position, the inlet and outlet are disconnected. Alignment bosses fit in aligned openings when the tank is in the mounted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: SHOP VAC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil N. Norell, James M. Robitaille, Matthew L. Huff, Melvin E. Wolfe, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9237791
    Abstract: A container for holding cosmetics which has a base assembly, a cover member configured to engage the base assembly, and a receptacle retained by the base assembly. The base assembly and the receptacle are attracted by a magnetic force and a release lever extends between the base assembly and the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: MARK KAY INC.
    Inventor: Kenneth William Hirst
  • Patent number: 9226560
    Abstract: A hair styling device or curler used to shape hair by capturing a tress of hair inside a continuous channel of the curler created by a wrapping element spirally wrapped around a central core element. The continuous channel captures the hair so it is self-holding and does not require additional clips or fixation elements to hold the curler in place. The curler may contain two elements or one element. The curler may be wrapped in either direction to accommodate styling both sides of the head and may be modularly connected to another curler to customize the length of the curler. The curler may be heated by a variety of means or may be left at room temperature for air drying. The curler may contain a blow dryer element, sensors or other smart technology to start or stop any function of the styling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventor: Janel Birk
  • Patent number: 9210980
    Abstract: A hair fastening device including a spring arm and pressuring curve for maintaining the fastening device in a desired location in a user's hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Inventor: Deanna Kowalski
  • Patent number: 9185943
    Abstract: A self-adhesive artificial eyelash system attachable to a subject wearer's existing natural eyelashes to modify the appearance of the existing natural eyelashes is disclosed. The system includes an adhesive that passes between the existing natural eyelashes and adheres to surrounding support strips such that the existing natural eyelashes are disposed between upper and lower support strips and the adhered support strips are supported on the existing natural eyelashes. Artificial lash hairs extend from the support strips and thus are supported on the existing natural eyelashes via the adhered support strips. The adherence layer between the support strips may include mechanical fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: NOVALASH, INC.
    Inventor: Sophy Merszei
  • Patent number: 9173472
    Abstract: An ergonomic makeup shield for use in applying eye makeup and methods of using the same are disclosed. The makeup shield has a generally planar body having a top surface and a bottom surface, the body further including at least four generally straight side, with adjacent sides being connected by generally curved corners and the sides being oriented relative to each other to provide angles between adjacent sides wherein at least two of the angles are acute angles and at least two of the angles are obtuse angles, and wherein the top surface has a perimeter that is smaller than the bottom surface and the top surface is connected to the bottom surface by a generally beveled edge extending around at least two of the generally curved corners and along the respective sides adjacent thereto. The makeup shield also may include scale indicia along at least two of the sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventors: Donna J. Forsythe, Richard F. W. Flett
  • Patent number: 9173469
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a person's hair, having a comb with a spine, a handle that extends axially from the spine and a plurality of teeth that extends transversely from the spine, and at least one finger that extends transversely from the spine substantially perpendicularly to the plurality of teeth, the at least one finger terminating in a lobe that is shaped to comfortably follow a surface of the person's head and shaped to gently scoop and lift hair away from the person's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventor: Xiao Jing Zhang
  • Patent number: 9149106
    Abstract: A method of applying a UV gel manicure to a fingernail and a method for achieving a UV gel fingernail extension. First a nail appliqué made of dry nail enamel is applied to a fingernail. A UV gel is then applied with a brush on top of nail appliqué and is cured using a UV lamp. The result is a UV manicure that applied faster than a conventional UV manicure and it is healthier for a nail. UV nail extensions are achieved by applying an appliqué which overhangs from a fingernail and applying and curing UV gel on top of the appliqué.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Inventor: Fa Young Park
  • Patent number: 9138038
    Abstract: A hair styling apparatus includes a hair-heating device for applying heat to hair. The hair-heating device has a moisture-temperature setting and a dry-temperature setting less than moisture-temperature setting. A moisture sensor detects a moisture-indicating parameter of the hair, and generates a moisture-indicating signal indicative of whether the hair is at or below a predetermined moisture threshold level. A control circuit adjusts the temperature of the hair-heating device from the moisture-temperature setting to the dry-temperature setting in response to the moisture sensor generating a moisture-indicating signal indicative of the hair being at or below the predetermined moisture threshold level. The hair-heating device is active in the dry-temperature setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael John deGrood, Gary Lee McMurray
  • Patent number: 9125474
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an applicator for applying a composition to the eyelashes or the eyebrows, the applicator comprising: an elongate core that extends along a longitudinal axis; and at least two rows of teeth that are connected to respective and different longitudinal faces of the core, each row of the at least two rows comprising: a first set of first teeth that are connected to the corresponding longitudinal face of the core and that form a first angle with the normal; and a second set of second teeth that are connected to the corresponding longitudinal face of the core and that form a second angle with the normal, the core being observed along its longitudinal axis; the second angle being greater than the first angle; and/or at least one first tooth of the first set and at least one second tooth of the second set having free ends that are situated at different distances from the longitudinal axis of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: L'OREAL
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Gueret
  • Patent number: 9119455
    Abstract: A folding component cosmetic compact, the combination comprising a base, insert and cap components, there being a first hinge connecting the insert to the base and a second hinge connecting the insert to the cap, at least one of the hinges being a living hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Lava Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Derik Zhang
  • Patent number: 9113692
    Abstract: A cosmetic applicator and method of manufacturing same, wherein the cosmetic applicator is formed of a substrate and an application element comprising one or more application areas that are cohesively maintained on the substrate in a gapless, side-by-side formation in the presence of wet and/or dry binders. The substrate is subjected to a wetting agent that provides a better bind for the cosmetic slurries as they are printed onto their respective application area. The cosmetic compositions of each cosmetic application area may be different. Various cosmetic effects may be provided to end-users in a portable application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Avon Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Raheel Khan, Leona G. Fleissman, Catholyn T. Griffiths
  • Patent number: 9107485
    Abstract: A hair styling tool includes a body, a cylinder extending from the body, the cylinder rotatable relative to the body, a motor for rotating the cylinder, a heater to heat the cylinder, and a styling arm pivotally attached to the body. The hair styling tool may have a generally clam shell configuration, wherein the styling arm is movable between an open position in which the styling arm is distant the cylinder and a closed position in which the styling arm is proximate to the cylinder, such as contacting the cylinder. The styling arm may also include a brush head with fixed or retractable bristles and/or a smoothing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: MM&R Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Ragosta, Bruno Meglio, Claudio Marino, David Richmond, Howard Richmond