Hair grooming device with biological coatings

Abstract

A comb or brush having a first biological agent such as tourmaline coated on at least the length of the teeth of the comb or the bristles of the brush, and a second biological agent such as silver coated on the tips of the teeth of the comb or the bristles of the brush. In an embodiment the frame of the comb or base of the brush are coated with the same agent as applied to the teeth or bristles, respectively. In a further embodiment the teeth of the comb have a round cross-sectional shape to facilitate movement through tangled hair. The teeth may be formed integrally with the frame of the comb or formed separately and attached to the frame.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/200,844, filed Dec. 4, 2008.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hair grooming devices, and particularly to combs and brushes in which the teeth or bristles, respectively, are coated along their length with a substance such as tourmaline, for example, that has a beneficial biological effect, and coated on their tips with another substance such as silver, for example, for its antimicrobial properties.

BACKGROUND ART

Compositions and agents with antimicrobial and/or other biologically beneficial properties are known in the art. It is also known to treat brushes and combs with these compositions and agents so that healthful benefits are obtained when the brush or comb is used. For example, brushes for grooming animals have been treated with pesticides to kill or repel fleas and other pests when the animal is groomed with the brush. Toothbrushes have been treated with polishing agents or antimicrobial agents to treat teeth and gums when the brush is used, the bristles of mascara brushes have been treated with antimicrobial agents, and hairbrushes have been treated with various agents to impart sheen to the hair and/or impart other healthful benefits to the hair and scalp when the hairbrush is used.

Combs and brushes generally have the antimicrobial and/or other biologically beneficial compositions and agents embedded or mixed in the resin or other material used in the manufacture of the comb or brush, although in some instances the base or frame of a brush is coated with the agent, e.g. tourmaline, and in other instances the bristles of a brush are coated with the agent. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,610,925 (anti-static coating on the bristles of a hair brush), 5,300,290 (bristles of a toothbrush coated with an antimicrobial agent), 5,657,777 (bristles of a mascara brush made of or coated with an antimicrobial oligodynamic metal), 5,722,106 (polishing agent applied to the free ends of toothbrush bristles), 6,357,075 (infrared radiating material mixed in the plastic forming the bristles of a brush), 6,604,531 (bristles of a hairbrush coated with a material containing antimicrobial and deodorizing properties), and 6,925,856 (toothbrush bristles having embedded therein an infrared radiating material), are exemplary of such devices.

Brushes in which the base or frame either has embedded therein or is coated with a biologically beneficial agent have limited effectiveness since this part of the brush does not contact the scalp nor does it contact all of the hair when used.

It is believed that combs having the agent embedded or mixed in the resin used to manufacture the comb also have limited effectiveness because the agent does not directly contact the hair when the comb is used, and it is believed that the plastic from which the comb is made would have an insulating or isolating effect on the agent.

Further, neither prior art brushes nor combs have different agents coated on different discrete areas of the teeth of the comb or bristles of the brush for the different biological properties of those agents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the present invention is a comb or brush having different biological agents coated on different discrete areas of the teeth of a comb or bristles of a brush. In particular, the present invention is a comb or brush in which a first biological agent is coated on the length of the teeth of a comb or the bristles of a brush, and a second biological agent is coated on the tips of the teeth or bristles.

In a preferred embodiment, the teeth of a comb or bristles of a brush are coated along their length with tourmaline and the tips are coated with silver.

In an embodiment of the invention alternate teeth or alternate groups of teeth along the length of a comb, or alternate groups of bristles of a brush, may have different biological coatings.

According to another aspect of the invention, the teeth of a comb have a round cross-section rather than the relatively flat shape commonly given to the teeth. The round shape moves more easily through tangled hair.

A comb according to the invention may be made of any suitable material, including wood, metal or plastic, or combinations thereof, and the teeth may be made integral with the frame or made separately and assembled thereto.

Similarly, a brush according to the invention may be made of any suitable material, including those commonly employed, and may have bristles made of animal hair or plastic for example. Coating of the teeth or bristles may be accomplished by dipping, electrodeposition, or other suitable method. The brush may have any suitable conventional style, including flat or round, for example.

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 in elevation of a typical comb embodying the discrete coatings of biological agents according to the invention, with some of the teeth not shown for simplicity of illustration.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1, depicting the teeth of the comb as having a traditional flattened shape.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2, depicting a tooth of a comb having the preferred rounded cross-section according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2, showing the coating of an additional biological material on the tip of the teeth of the comb.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view shown partially in section of an alternate embodiment of comb wherein the frame and teeth are formed separately and then assembled together.

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation of a different style of comb.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a hairbrush wherein the bristles are coated with multiple biological agents according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of one of the bristles of the brush of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a reduced scale perspective view of a round styling brush to which the invention may be applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring more specifically to the drawings, a comb incorporating the features of the invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The comb comprises a frame 11 with a plurality of teeth 12 extending from one side thereof, and may be integrally formed in one piece from metal, plastic, wood, or other suitable material as commonly employed in manufacturing combs. Further, the comb may have any desired size and may have closely spaced teeth or widely spaced teeth, depending upon the intended use.

As shown in FIG. 2, the entire comb, including the frame and the teeth, are coated with a first biological agent or composition 13. Alternatively, just the teeth may be coated throughout their length or most of their length with the agent or composition. In either event the tips of the teeth are coated with a second biological composition or agent 14. In a preferred embodiment the first biological agent or composition coated on the teeth, and in some embodiments coated on both the teeth and the frame, comprises tourmaline and the second biological agent or composition coated on the tips of the teeth comprises silver. Both of these agents have antimicrobial properties as well as other recognized properties that have healthful benefits.

The teeth may have a conventional cross-sectional shape such as the oblong or flattened shape shown at 15 in FIG. 3, but in the preferred embodiment they have a round cross-sectional shape as indicated at 16 in FIGS. 4 and 5. The coating 13 may be applied to both the frame 11 and teeth 12 as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows the coating 13 on the teeth 12 and FIG. 5 shows the coating 14 on the tips of the teeth. In the example shown the coating 14 is applied over top of the coating 13 for ease of manufacture. If desired, the teeth could have silicone or rubber tips (not shown) to further protect the scalp during use of the comb.

The coating 13 may be applied in any suitable manner, such as by dipping or electrodeposition. The coating 14 preferably is applied by dipping the tips of the teeth in a liquid solution of the coating.

In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the teeth 12′ are formed separate from the frame 11′ and then affixed to the frame in any suitable manner, as by snapping or gluing the base ends of the teeth in sockets or recesses 17 formed in the base. As indicated in this figure the frame may be made of wood and the teeth of metal, but the frame and teeth may be made of any suitable material as needed or desired. The coatings 13 and 14 (not shown in this figure) may be applied to the teeth before or after they are attached to the frame.

FIG. 7 depicts another style of comb 20 that may incorporate the features of the invention. In this regard, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular style of comb.

The invention is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 as applied to a brush 21. In this form of the invention the brush frame or base 22 and bristles 23 may be made and assembled in accordance with conventional methods, and the first and second biological agents or compositions coated on the bristles as in the previously described embodiments. If desired, the base 22 of the brush can also be coated with the first biological agent or composition. Since the bristles tend to flex substantially during use, the coating 13 preferably is applied to the bristles by electrodeposition or a comparable process to prevent it from flaking off during use of the brush. As seen best in FIG. 9 the tips of the bristles preferably are rounded at 24 to avoid damage to the scalp during use.

Although not depicted in the drawings different biological coatings may be applied to alternate teeth or groups of teeth along the length of the comb. Similarly, different agents may be applied to different bristles or groups of bristles in the brush.

The tourmaline coating can be given a variety of colors such as, for example, red, blue, or white, and preferably is applied to a thickness of from about two thousandths of an inch up to about five thousandths of an inch. The silver coating on the tips of the teeth of the comb or bristles of the brush may comprise pure silver. Silver has a relatively low melting point and may be heated to a liquid state so that the tips of the teeth or bristles can be dipped into the liquid silver to coat the tips with the silver.

A comb or brush in accordance with the invention exposes the hair to direct contact with much more surface area coated with the biological agents than do conventionally treated combs and brushes. For instance, conventional brushes coat only the frame or base of the brush with tourmaline, limiting the extent of contact of the agent with hair as the brush is used.

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 comb comprising a base or frame and a plurality of teeth projecting from one side thereof, wherein:

a coating of a first biological agent is applied along the length of at least the teeth; and

a coating of a second biological agent is applied to the tips of the teeth.

2. A hairbrush comprising a base and a plurality of bristles projecting outwardly therefrom, wherein:

a coating of a first biological agent is applied along the length of at least the bristles; and

a coating of a second biological agent is applied to the tips of the bristles.