Styling brush with retractable bristles

Abstract

A retractable bristle brush has a handle with a stem attached at one end thereof to one end of the handle and extending longitudinally therefrom. A cylindrical barrel extends concentrically around the stem and has a plurality of spaced holes therethrough. A plurality of bristles is affixed at one end to the stem and project at their other end through the holes in the barrel. An actuator is connected with one of the barrel and stem to move the barrel and stem relative to one another to deflect the bristles and cause them to retract through the holes to a shielded position inside the barrel. The natural resiliency and memory of the bristles causes them to move the barrel and stem relative to one another to their original position with the bristles extended through the holes when pressure is released from the actuator.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/152753, filed Sep. 22, 2008.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hair brushes, and more particularly to a styling brush for curling hair, wherein the brush has retractable bristles to enable it to be easily withdrawn from hair curled around the brush.

BACKGROUND ART

Brushes used for styling hair include brushes having a round cross-section, with bristles projecting radially outwardly from the brush around its circumference. These brushes are commonly used to curl hair by winding or wrapping the hair around the brush, and in most cases applying heat and/or one or more hair treatment solutions to set the curl. While such brushes are effective for the intended purpose, the disadvantage is that they are difficult to remove from the curl without disturbing it. The only way to remove the brush is to pull it axially out of the curl, either with or without first unrolling or partially unrolling the curl. In either event, strands of hair are enmeshed in the bristles of the brush and the curl or other style imparted to the hair is damaged.

In an effort to solve this problem, brushes have been designed that have retractable bristles so that after the curl is formed the bristles can be retracted and the brush pulled axially out of the curl without disturbing the styled hair. Exemplary of such prior art brushes are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,962,742, 4,191,200, 4,467,821 and 4,596,261. While these brushes do solve the problem of withdrawing the styling brush after the curl or other style is formed, they are relatively complex and expensive in construction, and/or are relatively difficult to operate.

Accordingly, there is need for a simple and inexpensive styling brush that is easy to use and that can be withdrawn from a curl or other hair style without disturbing the styled hair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a simple and inexpensive styling brush that is easy to use and that can be withdrawn from a curl or other hair style without disturbing the styled hair.

With the present invention a stylist rolls the hair around the brush to form a curl, and when it is desired to remove the brush from the styled hair the stylist can use a single finger or the thumb on the hand holding the brush to retract the bristles so that the brush can be pulled from the styled hair without disturbing it.

More specifically, the brush of the invention comprises a handle with a longitudinally extending stem attached to one end of it, a barrel or mandril concentrically surrounding the stem and having a plurality of spaced holes through it, and a plurality of bristles attached to the stem and extending through the holes in the barrel. The barrel and stem are movable relative to one another to cause the bristles to either extend out through the holes or to retract into the barrel. Either the stem or the barrel can be moved to retract the bristles.

In its normal at-rest condition the bristles are extended so that the brush can be used normally to curl or otherwise style hair without requiring the user to first manipulate the bristles to place them in an operative position. In the preferred embodiments action by the user is required only to retract the bristles. A unique feature of the present invention is that the bristles themselves are used to cause relative movement between the stem and barrel, without requiring any user intervention to restore the brush to its normal usable condition, and eliminating parts that are used for that purpose in conventional retractable bristle brushes. However, spring means may be associated with the barrel or the stem, if desired, to aid in returning the barrel or stem to their original position, with the bristles extended.

In one form of the invention the barrel is movable relative to the stem, and in a second form the stem is movable relative to the barrel. In the first form the user has only to press his or her thumb against the rearward end of the barrel to cause it to move relative to the stem, deflecting the bristles, which are fixed at their inner end to the stem, and causing them to retract through the holes in the barrel so that they no longer contact the hair wound around the barrel. In the second form, a finger- or thumb-actuated button is connected through an opening in the handle with an extension on the rearward end of the stem to move the stem relative to the barrel, which is fixed to the handle, causing the bristles to deflect and retract through the openings in the barrel.

The barrel is longitudinally movable in a first embodiment of the first form of the invention, and rotatable in a second embodiment. Similarly, the stem is longitudinally movable relative to the barrel in a first embodiment of the second form of the invention, and rotatable relative to the barrel in a second embodiment. Rotation of the barrel or stem, whichever is movable, may be either right or left.

The holes through the barrel may be arranged in any suitable pattern, including circumferential rows, or longitudinal rows, or spiral rows, and may have any suitable shape, including round, oval, or other shape such as a slot that accommodates the bristles as they extend and retract and that supports them in their operative position. Guides may be provided on the interior of the stem to guide the bristles into the holes when they are moved from their retracted position to their extended position, either by way of deformations in the barrel itself or by attachment of separate guide members to the inner surface of the barrel. One form of guide may comprise a tube or straw-like bristle holder associated with each hole, and in which the bristles for that hole are confined and guided. The spaces of the barrel between the holes define blank areas where the bristles rest and are hidden when in their retracted position.

The barrel may be formed with longitudinal ribs that project above its outer surface to hold the hair wound around the barrel away from the exposed ends of any bristles protruding through the holes in the barrel.

The bristles may be withdrawn completely through the holes in their retracted position, or only partially withdrawn through the holes so that any potential problem of realignment of the bristles with the holes as they are moved from their retracted to their extended position is eliminated.

The stem may be of the twisted wire type or the plug type, and the bristles may be made of a plastic material, or comprise boar's hair, or be made of other suitable bristle material. In all forms of the invention the natural resiliency and memory of the bristles is used to move the barrel and stem relative to one another to extend the bristles.

Further, latch or detent means may be associated with the movable barrel or stem to hold it in its moved position, and the tab, button or barrel hub may be configured so that the finger can engage it to move the stem or barrel in both directions rather than in a single direction as described hereinafter in connection with the preferred embodiments.

A predetermined amount of tourmaline or silver may be added to the outer surface of the barrel to create an ionic atmosphere for added health benefits to the scalp and hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a retractable bristle styling brush incorporating the principles of the invention, showing the bristles in their extended operative position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the brush of FIG. 1, showing the bristles in their retracted position inside the barrel.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first form of the brush of the invention, wherein the barrel is movable longitudinally relative to the stem, showing the bristles in their extended position.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the brush of FIG. 3, showing the bristles in their retracted position.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a second form of the brush of the invention, wherein the barrel is rotatable relative to the stem, and showing the bristles in their extended position.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the brush of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the brush of FIG. 5, showing the bristles extended in the right-hand side of the figure and retracted in the left-hand side.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an embodiment of the brush of the invention wherein longitudinal ribs are on the outside of the barrel, and showing the bristles in their extended position.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the brush of FIG. 8, showing the bristles in their retracted position.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of the brush of FIG. 8, showing how exposed ends of the bristles in their retracted position are below the level of the tops of the longitudinal ribs and out of contact with hair wound around the barrel.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form of brush according to the invention, wherein the stem is movable longitudinally relative to the barrel.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a further form of the invention, wherein the stem is rotatable relative to the barrel.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a barrel having the holes arranged in a spiral pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first form of retractable bristle brush according to the invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIGS. 1-4. The brush comprises a handle 11 having a stem 12 attached to one end thereof and extending longitudinally therefrom. A barrel 13 is disposed concentrically around the stem and has a rear hub 14 slidable on a rearward end portion of the stem. The stem is shown as having the same diameter as the handle, but it may have the same or a different diameter than the handle. The barrel has a plurality of holes 15 formed through it, arranged in circumferential rings in the embodiment shown, and a plurality of bristles 16 are attached at their inner end to the stem and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 project radially outwardly therefrom through the holes in the barrel. By pushing the hub 14 forwardly on the stem, the barrel deflects the bristles, causing them to retract through the holes as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. When pressure on the hub is released, the natural resiliency and memory of the bristles causes them to move the barrel rearwardly, whereupon the bristles again extend outwardly through the holes. Although not shown, the rearward end of the hub may be shaped so that it can be engaged by the finger or thumb to move the hub and thus the barrel in both directions, and if desired a spring means (not shown) may be connected with the barrel to help restore it to its original position.

A second form of brush according to the invention is indicated generally at 20 in FIGS. 5-7. In this form of the invention the barrel 21 is rotatably mounted on the handle 22. A small tab 23 projects from the rearward end of the barrel, and by engaging this tab and pushing it sideways the barrel can be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the stem 24, causing the bristles 25 to deflect and retract through the holes 26 in the barrel. As in the previous form of the invention, when pressure on the tab is released, the natural resiliency and memory of the bristles causes the barrel to rotate to its original position, whereupon the bristles again extend outwardly through the holes. If desired, spring means (not shown) may be connected with the barrel to help restore it to its original position.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is indicated generally at 30 in FIGS. 8-10, wherein longitudinal ribs 31 are formed on the outer surface of the barrel 32. These ribs hold hair H wound on the barrel away from any exposed ends of the bristles 33 that project through the holes 34 in the barrel. In this form of the invention the holes 34 are arranged in a longitudinal pattern. In other respects, this form of the invention incorporates the features of any of the other forms of the invention disclosed herein. That is, the barrel can be moved relative to the stem, or the stem moved relative to the barrel, and the relative movement can be longitudinal or rotational, and aided with a spring means if desired.

A still further form of the invention is indicated generally at 40 in FIG. 11. In this form of the invention the barrel 41 is fixedly attached at its rearward end to the handle 42, and the stem 43 has a longitudinal extension 44 that is reciprocally received in a bore 45 in the handle. A push button 46 is connected to the extension through a slot 47 in the handle. By pushing the button forward (or rearward in an alternate embodiment, not shown) the bristles (not shown) are deflected and retracted through the holes (not shown) in the barrel as in the previous embodiments. The natural resiliency and memory of the bristles return the stem and bristles to their original positions upon release of the button.

An alternate embodiment of the brush in FIG. 11 is indicated generally at 50 in FIG. 12. In this form of the invention the extension 51 on the stem 52 is rotatably received in a bore 53 in the handle 54, and a push tab 55 is connected with the extension through a slot 56 in the handle. By pushing the tab sideways the stem is rotated, causing the bristles (not shown) to deflect and retract through the holes (not shown) in the barrel. Upon release of pressure on the tab the natural resiliency and memory of the bristles causes the stem and bristles to return to their original positions.

FIG. 13 depicts the holes 60 through the barrel arranged in a spiral pattern.

The holes may have a circular shape as shown in the figures, or an oval shape (not shown), or slot (not shown), or other shape suitable to accommodate the bristles and support them in their extended position. Further, guide means (not shown) may be provided on the inner surface of the barrel to guide the bristles into the holes. The guide means may comprise tapered trough-like depressions leading to the holes on the inner surface of the barrel, or tube-like members affixed to the inner surface of the barrel and in which the bristle or cluster of bristles for that hole are confined and guided, or other means.

Although particular embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described in detail herein, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A retractable bristle brush, comprising:

a handle;

a stem attached at one end thereof to one end of the handle and extending longitudinally therefrom;

a cylindrical barrel concentrically surrounding the stem, said barrel having a plurality of spaced holes therethrough;

a plurality of bristles affixed at one end to the stem and projecting at their other end through the holes in the barrel; and

actuating means connected with one of the barrel and stem to move the barrel and stem relative to one another when pressure is exerted against said means to deflect the bristles and cause them to retract through the holes to a shielded position inside the barrel, wherein the natural resiliency and memory of the bristles causes them to move the barrel and stem relative to one another to their original position with the bristles extended through the holes when pressure is released from said actuating means.