Apparatus for Applying Liquid Agents to Hair on the Head
The invention relates to an apparatus for applying for liquid agents, such as hair cosmetics and/or dyeing and/or bleaching liquids, to hair on the head by means of wicks which are arranged in parallel rows and, on account of their capillary action, obtain the liquid agent from a reservoir chamber, with the wicks forming the tines of a comb.
The invention relates to an apparatus for applying liquid agents, such as hair cosmetics and/or dyeing and/or bleaching liquids, to hair on the head by means of wicks arranged in parallel rows which in particular due to their capillary action receive the liquid agent from a reservoir.
Such an apparatus is known from DE 41 32 829 [GB 2,248,549]. This known apparatus has a large number of parts, and is difficult to manufacture and use.
The object of the present invention is to improve an apparatus of the above-described type in such a way that few parts are necessary for uniform distribution of the agent, manufacture is simplified, and use is facilitated.
This object is achieved according to the invention by the fact that wicks form the teeth of a comb.
Such an applicator requires no additional comb teeth; instead, the wicks themselves arrange the hair. Sufficient hair gets between the wicks when spaces are present between the wicks and/or the wick rows, and the width of the spaces corresponds to at least half the diameter of the wicks.
It is preferred that the cross-sectional area transverse to the longitudinal extensions of the wicks forms a square of 4, 9, or 16 units. As a result of the arrangement of the wicks on a square or round base surface, no orientation direction is required during use, so that the hair may be treated equally uniformly in any position of the apparatus.
In one particularly advantageous design, comb teeth are provided in particular parallel to the wicks, between and/or to the side of the wicks, thereby enhancing the combing action of the apparatus. It is advantageous when the comb teeth are situated inside the wick rows. Manufacture and assembly are simplified and stability is achieved when the comb teeth are connected to a frame, in particular in one piece, that is attached to a wick holder (applicator holder) and/or to the wicks.
It is particularly advantageous when pointed projections of the wick holder protrude into indentations in the wick holder that accommodate the wicks in order to prevent longitudinal shifting of the wicks. These pointed projections preferably do not constitute additional parts, but rather are integrally molded onto the wick holder.
Simple and secure penetration of the wicks into the hair is ensured when the free ends of the wicks have a tapered or rounded design.
The wicks may be composed of a fibrous material in order to have capillary action for transporting the liquid agent. Alternatively, the wicks may be made of a sintered material. The wick holder may also be made of the same sintered material, and the wicks and the wick holder are preferably designed as one piece, which allows a great variety of shapes of the wick holder and in particular of the wicks.
One particularly simple and secure design is provided when the side of the wick holder facing away from the wicks contacts the contents of the reservoir. It is also advantageous when the wick holder has three or four layers containing lateral semicylindrical or partially cylindrical indentations for the wicks. Such a shape of the wick holder allows multiple wick rows to be easily arranged and securely held.
To prevent the wicks from contacting the scalp, pin-shaped spacers are provided next to the wicks that project out farther than the wicks.
If the wicks are made of a fragile or flexible material they may have an internal insert. This insert may project outward and act as the respective spacer.
It is also advantageous when the wicks are produced with a supporting plate in the two-component injection molding process, thus allowing the wicks to be made of relatively soft plastic.
Several illustrated embodiments of the invention are illustrated in sectional views in the drawings and described in greater detail below. The drawings show the following:
In the design shown in
The container 1 that acts as an applicator holder has a coaxial annular collar starting at the container edge at the level of the wick holder 3 and having an outer rear edge inserted into a housing 6 that encloses the container 1. On the side opposite the container 1 a cap 7 may be mounted on the annular collar 5 that protects the wicks when the apparatus is not in use. A conically expanding edge region 8 proceeds from the rim of the cap 7 and has an increasingly larger diameter away from the reservoir, thereby forming an annular base for a stand by means of which the apparatus may be stood upright.
The design illustrated in
In the embodiment according to
The spaces 11 located between the wicks 4 have a width B1, B2 that is at least half the diameter D of the wicks 4. The wicks are arranged in a square of 4, 9, or 16 units, as shown in
In this case the sintered materials conveying the liquid are composed of mixtures of pulverized materials. The proportions of the individual materials in the mixture (such as PP and PE plastics) determine the resultant properties. In addition to the material composition, the grain size, sintering temperature, and pore size determine the properties.
The illustrated embodiment according to
In the designs according to
The embodiments according to
The number of spacers 16 is based on the number that ensures that a sufficient distance is always provided between the ends of the wicks and the scalp in any position of the apparatus. In the illustrated embodiment according to
In the illustrated embodiments according to
The illustrated embodiment according to
In the illustrated embodiment according to
In
On account of the porous, in particular open-pore, structure of the plastic of the wicks 4, it is possible for the liquid agent to flow outward from the wicks, and/or to pass through the wick cavity 17 and emerge at the front, and/or to flow outward through thin channels (not illustrated) provided in the wall of the wick. A reinforcing element 18 may be situated inside the wick cavity, as described above. The element 18 does not hinder the liquid flow when the diameter of the element is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the cavity 17.
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the wicks are separated from one another a spacing corresponding to at least half a diameter of the wicks.
3. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the array of wicks is substantially square and has 4, 9, or 16 wicks.
4. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the comb teeth are provided to the wicks, between or spaced adjacent to the wicks.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the comb teeth are situated inside the wick rows.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising
- a frame carrying the comb teeth attached to the wick holder or to the wicks.
7. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the wicks project on both sides from the wick holder, and the wick holder forms semicylindrical or partially cylindrical indentations that enclose outer sides of the wicks, the wick holder having pointed projections that protrude into the indentations to prevent longitudinal shifting of the wicks.
8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the projections are integrally molded onto the wick holder.
9. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein free ends of the wicks have a tapered or rounded shape.
10-12. (canceled)
13. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising
- filling material in the reservoir, the one side of the wick holder contacting the filling material of the reservoir.
14. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the wick holder has three or four layers containing lateral semicylindrical or partially cylindrical indentations for the wicks.
15. The apparatus according to claim, further comprising
- spacers attached next to or between the wicks and having free ends projecting out from the other side of the holder farther than free ends of the wicks.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the spacers are pin-shaped and of plastic.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the spacers enclose the wicks from outside.
18. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the spacers are situated between the wicks.
19. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the spacers are situated axially parallel to the wicks.
20. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the spacers have a smaller diameter than the wicks.
21. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the spacers are attached to the wick holder.
22. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the spacers taper generally conically outwardly.
23. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the wicks each have a longitudinally throughgoing passage.
24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein each wick has a pin-shaped reinforcing element the respective passage.
25. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the element completely fills the passage.
26. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein each passage is closed off at an outer end of the respective wick.
27. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein each passage is open at an outer end of the respective wick, and the reinforcing element in the form of a spacer projects beyond the end of the wick.
28. An apparatus for applying liquid agents to hair on the head, the apparatus comprising:
- a wick holder having a pair of sides, one of the sides forming a reservoir for the liquid agent;
- a plurality of rows of wicks in a substantially rectangular array, the wicks being and formed of a single sintered piece with the holder, projecting from and forming comb teeth on the other side of the holder, and being exposed at the one side thereof for drawing liquid agent from the reservoir by capillary action through the holder.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 10, 2005
Publication Date: Jun 26, 2008
Inventors: Ulrich Fleischer (Finnentrop), Frank Romer (Finnentrop)
Application Number: 11/887,889
International Classification: A45D 34/04 (20060101);