Patents Examined by Philogene Pedro
  • Patent number: 5706835
    Abstract: A device including pivotally attached first and second panels each having a top, mid-section and foot and a flexible abrasive strip connecting the feet of the first and second handles with a grip in the mid-section of the first and second handles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Inventor: Larry P. Salvino
  • Patent number: 5682908
    Abstract: A hairpin including a base plate, and a pin, wherein the base plate has a first row of longitudinally spaced pin holes and a second row of longitudinally spaced pin holes at two opposite ends, a first row of longitudinally spaced harness loops and a second row of longitudinally spaced harness loops alternatively arranged between the first row of longitudinally spaced pin holes and the second row of longitudinally spaced pin holes. In one embodiment, the pin has one rod section inserted through the first row of longitudinally spaced pin holes and second row of longitudinally spaced pin holes and one row of the first row of longitudinally spaced harness loops and second row of longitudinally spaced harness loops. In another embodiment, the pin has two parallel rod sections with one rod section inserted through the first row of longitudinally spaced harness loops and the other rod section through the second row of longitudinally spaced harness loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Inventor: Kuo-Hua Chou
  • Patent number: 5680875
    Abstract: A dental floss dispenser having a floss securement mechanism to secure the dental floss with respect to the dispenser body and for use during flossing is provided. One embodiment locks a freely rotating internal spool of dental floss relative to the dental floss dispenser. Both the floss securement mechanism and the spool locking are actuated by the hand holding the dental floss dispenser. The dental floss dispenser may also incorporate a finger grip so that the dispenser can be held by the lower fingers, a contoured shape to better fit the hand of the user, a wide or weighted base for easy pick-up, or a U-shaped indentation for quickly grabbing dental floss at the commencement of flossing. The dispenser is further designed to be used during the flossing procedure as an anchor for the dental floss to thereby allow the user to floss without wrapping floss around at least one finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Inventor: Steven Nebeker Winters
  • Patent number: 5678579
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for positioning and moving a flexible element in space. The element is formed into a loop mounted on a pair of positioning handles. The loop, which may be a real or a virtual loop, is mounted on the two handles so as to be movable relative to the handles and to form a working segment of the element between corresponding one free end of the handles, each by one hand or both by the fingers (and thumb) of one hand, positions the working segment in space and manipulation of the loop moves the working segment relative to the handles. The apparatus and method find advantageous application in dental flossing devices, a laparoscopic surgical device or cutting or abrading devices, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Televideo Consultants, Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart L. Meyer, Jonathan I. Meyer, Eric S. Meyer, David M. Meyer
  • Patent number: 5671759
    Abstract: A toy hair wrapping device is disclosed. The device includes a housing for supporting a rotating spindle, a spool, and a motor for rotating the spindle. As the spindle rotates, cord on the spool is dispensed and wrapped around hair in the spindle bore. If the cord becomes unduly tensioned the device will release the cord from the rotating spindle to prevent pulling of the hair or snapping of the cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: Caleb Chung
    Inventors: Caleb Chung, David M. Snively, Joseph C. Beck
  • Patent number: 5669399
    Abstract: A hair forming device for arranging a pony tail or braid. The device comprises a series of rings disposed serially, and overlapping one another just enough to form a junction connecting adjacent rings. The rings may be arranged linearly, or in a matrix forming two series of rings abreast of one another. Teeth project outwardly from the rings, preferably located at the junctions between adjacent rings. The device is essentially planar, although having a nominal material thickness. Hair is preferably divided into two braids, each braid being passed through each ring. The novel device secures the braids in this manner, and is worn as long as the hair style thus achieved is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Hair Hoops, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Camp, Jr., John W. Lindley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5657779
    Abstract: An elongate PTFE material is formed by passing an unsintered PTFE tape across a heated surface in sliding contact therewith while applying tension to the tape, such that the PTFE tape, when its temperature is raised by contact with the heated surface, is longitudinally stretched with simultaneous width and thickness reduction while in contact with the surface. PTFE tapes having different properties, e.g. coefficients of friction at opposite faces can be produced. Such tapes are suitable for use as dental flosses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Westone Products Limited
    Inventors: Jacob Moses Blass, John Murray
  • Patent number: 5657774
    Abstract: This invention features a hairpiece kit having a hairpiece and a headband. The hairpiece comprises a flexible net lace cap and wefts of hair attached to and extending out from top of the net lace cap. The net lace cap is preferably semi-oval shaped with a straight front edge positioned near the forehead of the wearer, with a curved back edge positioned near the crown of the head of the wearer and with a central axis being perpendicular to the front edge of the net lace cap and running from crown of the head to forehead of the wearer. In a most preferred embodiment, the hairpiece is connected to the headband by using strips of attaching material that are attached onto top of the headband and onto bottom of the hairpiece, a hook strip and a loop strip respectively, simplifying separation of the hairpiece from and attachment of the hairpiece to the headband and diminishing costs. The strips of attaching material may be connected to the headband and to the hairpiece by sewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Inventor: Mary Ellen Niese
  • Patent number: 5657778
    Abstract: The brush comprises a wand equipped at one end with a core (6) formed by two twisted branches (7,8) of metal wire. Between the turns of the branches, bristles (9) extending transversely with respect to the core, are trapped. At least a fraction of the bristles (9) of the brush has a transverse section in the shape of an L. The zone of the bristle (9) wedged between the turns of the metal core is flattened either through the effect of unfolding when the angle between the branches of the L opens or through the effect of folding when the angle between the branches of the L closes. This flattening reduces the rigidity of the bristle on the one hand and, on the other hand, preferentially increases the spacing of the bristle with respect to the helical ply formed by the turns. Thus, the flattening creates a disorganized arrangement of the section of the bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventor: Jean-Louis H. Gueret
  • Patent number: 5655552
    Abstract: A process for treating keratinous material, in particular the hair, for the purpose of obtaining a permanent reshaping of the latter, in particular in the form of permanent-waved hair. The process includes the following steps: (i) a so-called "acidic composition" containing at least one carboxylic acid and/or one of the associated salts thereof is applied to the keratinous material to be treated, the pH of the acidic composition ranging from 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventor: Henri Samain
  • Patent number: 5609168
    Abstract: The aqueous-alcoholic hair treatment composition contains 0.1 to 10 percent by weight of one or more film-forming ionic, anionic and/or amphoteric polymer; 0.1 to 9 percent by weight of one or more amphoteric surfactant; 0.1 to 40 percent by weight of one or more alcohol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms and 0.01 to 2.0 percent by weight of one or more organic acid. The aqueous-alcoholic hair treatment composition is also free of cationic surfactants. The aqueous-alcoholic hair treatment composition can be used as a permanent wave pre-treatment agent for treating hair prior to winding the hair on permanent wave curlers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Wella Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Kischka, Ernst Flemming
  • Patent number: 5592957
    Abstract: A hairpiece includes a rear base portion and a front base portion for attaching multiple strands of hair thereto and separate complementary fastening segments for detachably connecting the front base portion to the rear base portion. The rear base portion has a pair of opposite sides and a front end extending therebetween. The front base portion has a pair of opposite sides and a rear end extending therebetween and coextensive with the front end of the rear base portion. The complementary fastening segments are connecting bands respectively attached to the rear end of the front base portion and the front end of the rear base portion. The connecting bands have fastening elements thereon attachable to and detachable from one another to connect the front base portion to the rear base portion for use on the wearer's head and to disconnect and remove the front base portion from the rear base portion without the necessity for removal of the rear base portion from the wearer's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Inventors: Carmine M. Gazerro, Richard Indiveri
  • Patent number: 5575297
    Abstract: A generally hand-shaped hair styling device for independently retaining a plurality of separate sections of hair, comprising a rigid frame assembly comprising a curved rigid base with a plurality of adjacent elongated rigid members joined to and arising in a perpendicular manner from the curved rigid base in such a manner that slots are formed between the adjacent elongated members, each of the slots being of sufficient height and width to accommodate and retain a section of hair containing multiple strands of hair, the section consisting of a sufficient number of strands of hair as to be suitable for braiding, wherein the slots contain adjacent resilient surfaces in close proximity to each other, thereby enhancing the ability of the device to retain the sections of the hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Jerry Hatchett
    Inventors: Jerry Hatchett, Debra L. Meredith
  • Patent number: 5573016
    Abstract: A two-partite hair curler which includes a first relatively fixed part and a second relatively movable part, movable between an extended and retracted position relative to the first part, whereby the second part has a curler surface on which hair is adapted to be wound in the extended position of the first part, and the first and second parts are provided with complementary locking devices for disengageably locking the second part in both the extended and retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Inventor: Carol A. Graves
  • Patent number: 5564445
    Abstract: A hair braiding tool allows the user to simulate a French braid style hair-do. The apparatus includes an elongated body member comprising a continuous curving web. The body is formed of a plurality of generally C-shaped or horseshoe shaped alternating loops each providing a socket into which a section of hair can be placed when simulating a French braid style hair-do. In a second embodiment, an elongated curved comb like member has first and second sets of opposed teeth. The user simply braids alternating sections of hair into the combs in creating the French braid style hair-do.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Inventor: Lisa Query
  • Patent number: 5555900
    Abstract: A cosmetic method utilizes a skin-stretching appliance including a band having a first adhesive strip, patch or pad at a first end of the band and a second adhesive strip, patch or pad at an opposite end of the band. The method also utilizes a covering such as an article of clothing or a wig for a body part of a user. The covering is attached to the band during normal use of the device. The first adhesive strip is attached to a first location on a first side of the body part, and then a first skin area of the body part on the first side of the body part is stretched. Subsequently, a second skin are of the body part on a second side of the body part substantially opposed to the first side of the body part is stretched, and the second adhesive strip is fastened to a second location on the second side of the body part. By virtue of the band and the attached adhesive strips, a stretching force is maintained on the first skin area and the second skin area to at least reduce wrinkles at those areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Inventor: Willard P. Rich
  • Patent number: 5546966
    Abstract: A hair clip comprises a cover having two retaining projections engageable securely with a retaining hole of a base of the hair clip. The retaining projections are protected against the disturbance of an external force capable of causing the retaining projections of the cover to disengage the retaining hole of the base. The retaining projections are provided respectively and correspondingly with one or more adjustment retainers to facilitate the adjusting of the hair accommodating space located between the base and the cover of the hair clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Inventor: Yeong-Bin Lin
  • Patent number: 5544666
    Abstract: A hair styling device comprising a resilient member of elongated material, the device having at its upper extremity a pair of juxtaposed apertures joined by a raised hump. The device includes an additional plurality of apertures formed in a lower serpentine shaped extension. Locks of hair are extended through the apertures and held in place while the user is braiding them. Thus, multiple locks can conveniently be braided by the user with two hands only, thus obviating the necessity for assistance from a third party. The invention also includes a method of braiding hair utilizing the foregoing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Inventor: Bernadine Schach
  • Patent number: 5542439
    Abstract: A brush for applying cosmetic product comprises an elongate core formed by winding two branches of a metal wire into a helix, with bristles being embedded radially on the core and being clamped between the twisted branches. The brush exhibits at least one face bounded by ridges. The diameter of a section of the brush passes through at least one extremum (maximum or minimum) between the two ends of the brush, and the ridges of the abovementioned face are not straight. The width of the face varies from one end to the other of the brush and passes through at least one extremum (maximum or minimum) between the ends. The brush permits mascara to be applied to eyelashes or dye to be applied to hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Gueret
  • Patent number: 5524649
    Abstract: The present invention provides a device for forming eyelashes comprising a support member having a knob and a longitudinal slot, two guide rail portions upwardly extending from an upper end of the knob, and a forming part which connects both ends of the guide rail portions and has a shape for supporting the eyelashes and forming them to a desired angle; an actuating member including a lower portion having a lower end pivotably attached to the slot, and an upper portion having one end flexibly connection to an upper end of the lower portion via a first middle portion and another end flexibly connected via a second middle portion to a slide having a pressure pad attached thereto and a resilient member one end of which is connected to the support member and another end of which is connected to the actuating member; whereby when the lower portion of the actuating member is pressed against the resilient member, the slide is moved along the guide rail portion, and the pressure pad and the forming part cooperate to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Inventor: Jung-Joo Suh