Gel comb

Abstract

A hair care product that has a handle and teeth, such as a comb or pick that includes a reservoir in the handle for the retention of liquid or semi-liquid hair care products, such as gels, mousses and the like. The teeth of the hair care product is in communication with the reservoir in the handle such that when the reservoir in the handle is stimulated such that the contents of the reservoir can travel through the handle and into the area of the teeth, a plurality of apertures irrigated into the teeth allow for the dispensing of the liquid or semi-liquid product through the apertures and onto the user's hair thereby allowing for quick application and easy storage of the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products. To stimulate the reservoir, the handle can either be squeezed or a pump can be installed on the handle that can optionally open and close the reservoir and its communication with the teeth portion of the comb or pick.

Description

REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application claims the priority of provisional application 61/003,929, filed Nov. 20, 2007 entitled GEL COMB by Anthony G. Emerson.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of hair care products and specifically to a comb or pick that includes a reservoir for liquid or semi-liquid products for application to the hair through squeezing of the handle of the comb or pick and the release of the liquid or semi-liquid product through apertures found in the teeth of the comb or pick.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Hair styling products constitute a large industry for hair of all types. These products can take the form of foams, mousses, gels, liquids and the like. Typically, a person applies the product to the hair and then works the product in with a comb or pick. With this method, it is required that if a person wishes to apply the product while away from his or her bathroom, he or she must take the product along with him or her, along with the comb or pick. There is a need, therefore, to provide a means for applying a hair product that is found within the comb or pick itself, thereby reducing the number of items needed to be carried to keep a hairstyle fresh throughout the day.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the present invention teaches an applicator device for the application of liquid or semi-liquid hair care products comprising: a handle; a reservoir in the handle for containment of the hair care products; a plurality of teeth in communication with the handle; a plurality of apertures in the plurality of teeth for the expulsion of the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products contained in the reservoir in the handle; and a means of transferring the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from the reservoir to the plurality of apertures in the plurality of teeth.

The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that the means for transferring the liquid or semi-liquid hair products from the reservoir is the manual squeezing of the handle such that the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products are displaced from the reservoir and transferred to the apertures in the plurality of teeth.

The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that the means for transferring the liquid or semi-liquid hair products is a handle that when placed in a first position provides a barrier separating the reservoir from the plurality of apertures and when placed in a second position allows for the free flow of the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from the reservoir in the handle to the plurality of apertures in the plurality of teeth.

A second embodiment of the instant invention teaches a method for applying liquid or semi-liquid hair care products to a user's hair comprising: the placement of the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products in a refillable reservoir wherein the refillable reservoir is contained in an apparatus the apparatus further comprising: a handle that houses the reservoir, which contains the hair care products; a plurality of teeth in communication with the handle; a plurality of apertures in the plurality of teeth for the expulsion of the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products contained in the reservoir in the handle; and a means of transferring the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from the reservoir to the plurality of apertures in the plurality of teeth; the transfer of the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from the reservoir to the plurality of apertures in the plurality of teeth through the transferring means.

The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that the means for transferring the liquid or semi-liquid hair products from the reservoir is the manual squeezing of the handle such that the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products are displaced from the reservoir and transferred to the apertures in the plurality of teeth.

The above embodiment can be further modified by defining that the means for transferring the liquid or semi-liquid hair products is a handle that when placed in a first position provides a barrier separating the reservoir from the plurality of apertures and when placed in a second position allows for the free flow of the liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from the reservoir in the handle to the plurality of apertures in the plurality of teeth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of one the preferred embodiment of the instant invention wherein the hair care device is a pick.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the instant invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the preferred embodiment wherein the interior portion of the valve in the handle is visible.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the instant invention wherein the apertures in the teeth can be seen.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the invention wherein the release of hair product from the teeth can be seen.

FIG. 6 is a close up view of the section marked 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternate embodiment wherein the hair care device is a comb rather than a pick.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning to the drawings, the preferred embodiment is illustrated and described by reference characters that denote similar elements throughout the several views of the instant invention.

The current invention involves a hair comb or pick that has a hollow handle. Inside the handle is an inner tube that holds the hair product. The inner tube is then depressable through any number of means to get the hair product into the hollow handle of the pick or comb. Once in the hollow handle of the pick or comb, the hair product can exit the pick or comb through a plurality of holes. Once the product exits the holes, it is on the user's head and the pick or comb is used to work the product into the hair.

The preferred embodiment is a hair pick 10 as shown in FIGS. 1-6. The pick 10 has a handle 11, a base 12 attached to the handle 11, and a plurality of teeth 13 that extend from the base 12. Between the main body of the handle 11 and the base 12, there is positioned a depressable valve 14. As can be seen in FIG. 2, as the valve 14 is depressed, there is a plunger 16 inside the neck of the handle 11 that displaces liquid or semi-liquid hair care products that are contained in a reservoir 15 located in the handle 11. Once the valve 14 is depressed, the plunger 16 is forced into the reservoir 15 and a path between the reservoir 15 and the base 12 is created for passage of the hair care products therethrough. The user manually squeeze the handle 11 after the valve 14 is opened thereby allowing for the movement of hair care products.

The hair products pass through the base 12 and into the plurality of teeth 13 and exit through a plurality of apertures 17 located in the teeth 13. This is demonstrated in FIGS. 4-6. Once the hair care products have made their way through the teeth 13 and out through the apertures 17, the hair care products are dispersed into the hair 18 for styling.

An alternate embodiment is shown FIG. 7. The mechanism is the same as with the pick 10, but is used with a comb 20. The comb 20 has a handle 21 with a reservoir 22 that contains liquid or semi-liquid hair care products therein. A button 24 is located at the top of the handle. A barrier 23 exists between the reservoir 22 and the plurality of teeth 27 in the comb, the plurality of teeth 27 being connected to a passageway 25 through which the hair care products can pass once the barrier 23 is broken through depression of the button 24.

As with the pick 10, hair products pass through the passageway 25 and into the plurality of teeth 27. Once the hair care products have made their way through the teeth 27 and out through apertures found in the teeth 27, the hair care products are dispersed into the hair for styling.

The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible and alternatives are implicit. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention.

Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of any apparatus embodiment, a method embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.

Claims

1. An applicator device for the application of liquid or semi-liquid hair care products comprising:

a handle;

a reservoir in said handle for containment of said hair care products;

a plurality of teeth in communication with said handle;

a plurality of apertures in said plurality of teeth for the expulsion of said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products contained in said reservoir in said handle; and

a means of transferring said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from said reservoir to said plurality of apertures in said plurality of teeth.

2. An applicator device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for transferring said liquid or semi-liquid hair products from said reservoir is the manual squeezing of said handle such that said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products are displaced from said reservoir and transferred to said apertures in said plurality of teeth.

3. An applicator device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for transferring said liquid or semi-liquid hair products is a handle that when placed in a first position provides a barrier separating said reservoir from said plurality of apertures and when placed in a second position allows for the free flow of said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from said reservoir in said handle to said plurality of apertures in said plurality of teeth.

4. A method for applying liquid or semi-liquid hair care products to a user's hair comprising:

the placement of said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products in a refillable reservoir wherein said refillable reservoir is contained in an apparatus said apparatus further comprising: a handle that houses said reservoir, which contains said hair care products; a plurality of teeth in communication with said handle; a plurality of apertures in said plurality of teeth for the expulsion of said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products contained in said reservoir in said handle; and a means of transferring said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from said reservoir to said plurality of apertures in said plurality of teeth;

the transfer of said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from said reservoir to said plurality of apertures in said plurality of teeth through said transferring means.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for transferring said liquid or semi-liquid hair products from said reservoir is the manual squeezing of said handle such that said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products are displaced from said reservoir and transferred to said apertures in said plurality of teeth.

6. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for transferring said liquid or semi-liquid hair products is a handle that when placed in a first position provides a barrier separating said reservoir from said plurality of apertures and when placed in a second position allows for the free flow of said liquid or semi-liquid hair care products from said reservoir in said handle to said plurality of apertures in said plurality of teeth.