Aerosol Dispensing Attachment

Abstract

An aerosol spray dispensing comb for applying an aerosolized spray compound to strands of hair through multiple prongs comprising a connection for fluidly mating with a receiving connection in an aerosol can spray nozzle, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing an aerosolized spray, with each of the hollow prongs having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along the lateral sides. The proximal ends are fluidly attached to the connection in the aerosol can and the distal ends are closed.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent document is a continuation of PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US12/64981, filed Nov. 14, 2012, designating the United States and published in English, which claims benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/295,287 filed Nov. 14, 2011, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to attachments for dispensing an aerosolized spray, and more particularly to a multi-pronged attachment capable of dispensing an aerosolized spray through its prongs.

BACKGROUND

Hairstylists spend many hours styling and caring for hair. They use many basic tools in their craft including brushes, combs, hot irons, clips, and sprays. To style a customer's hair, the stylists often will use all of these tools in some combination in a process that may take many hours. The styling process involves combing through a body of hair with one hand and spraying that hair with styling or holding spray with another hand. Because stylists typically only have two hands, it is difficult to toggle between holding hair, holding a spray can, and holding a comb.

There are tools in the art that combine brushes and combs with pump sprays to assist in styling hair. There are brushes or combs with attached pump spray bottles. However, these fluid dispensing combs have compressible containers holding their solutions which are incapable of holding a liquid or solution under pressure. They are incapable of delivering an aerosolized compound. Many, if not most, of the industry standard holding compounds are delivered using aerosol sprays.

To reach individual strands of hair, stylists have sprayed holding compounds directly onto the comb or pick before going through the hair. Also there are styling tools with a comb attached to an aerosol dispenser. However, such dispensing styling combs release the spray compound through a spray nozzle spaced apart from the styling comb.

The liquid dispensing combs and brushes in the art contribute to the wasteful dispensing of styling compounds by allowing the compound to be applied to the scalp or on top of the body of hair to be styled. The liquid dispensing styling combs do not prevent the application of spray to the scalp and, because of the separation of the spray nozzle and the comb, allows the styling compound to be applied to the top of the body of hair being styled as opposed to the individual strands underneath.

Hair extensions are a major part of the haircare industry. Some extensions are applied by interlacing them with netting that is wrapped around a head. When hair extensions are applied to this netting or otherwise attached to the head, it becomes difficult and sometimes impossible to apply topical medications to the scalp areas covered by the netting. Medication can only be applied once the extensions are removed. Topical disorders such as psoriasis affect many people with or without hair extensions. Efficient and effective ways of dispensing topical treatments would be of great benefit.

BRIEF SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol spray dispensing system that can comb through a body of hair and apply an aerosol spray through its prongs directly to strands of hair to be styled while preventing the spray from being wastefully applied to the scalp. It is the object of the present invention to provide such a system that comprises a nozzle cap having a receiving connection through which the nozzle cap dispenses an aerosolized spray; a comb comprising a connection for fluidly mating with the receiving connection, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing an aerosolized spray, with each prong having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along the lateral sides. The proximal ends are fluidly attached to the connection and the distal ends are closed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an aerosol spray dispensing system comprising three hollow prongs. The hollow prongs can be textured to provide increased friction with hair. There is a system wherein the apertures are arranged such that the aerosolized spray dispenses in directions perpendicular to the hollow prongs. There is a system wherein at least one of the hollow prongs is undulant or wherein at least one of the hollow prongs is bent. There also is a system wherein each of the hollow prongs are bent at varying angles or a system wherein the hollow prongs have varying lengths. The receiving connection and the connection are rotatably attached in some systems provided.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol spray can comprising a substantially cylindrical can having an axis and containing pressurized liquid; a nozzle cap having a first connection through which the nozzle cap dispenses an aerosolized spray; a comb comprising a second connection for fluid attachment to the first connection, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing an aerosolized spray, with each of the prongs having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along the lateral sides; wherein the proximal ends are fluidly attached to the second connection; and wherein the distal ends are closed; wherein the elongated prongs extend in a direction perpendicular to the axis; and wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged such that the aerosolized spray dispenses in directions perpendicular to the hollow prongs. The first connection can be a female connection and the second connection can be a male connection.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of achieving the appearance of hair with volume and fullness. The method uses an aerosol spray can with an axis and containing pressurized liquid; a nozzle cap having a female connection through which the nozzle cap dispenses an aerosolized spray; a comb comprising a male connection for fluid attachment to the female connection, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing an aerosolized spray, with each prong having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along the lateral sides; wherein the proximal ends are fluidly attached to the male connection; and wherein the distal ends are closed. The method comprises inserting the hollow prongs into a body of hair comprising strands of hair; manipulating the strands of hair; dispensing the aerosolized compound through the plurality of apertures along the lateral sides onto the strands of hair.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of applying a topical solution to a portion of scalp covered by a hair extension attached to a netting placed over said scalp comprising the use of a spray can containing said topical solution; a nozzle cap having a female connection through which the nozzle cap dispenses the topical solution; and a comb comprising a male connection for fluid attachment to the female connection, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing the topical solution, with each hollow prong having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along the lateral sides. The lateral sides comprise a top side and a bottom side, the proximal ends are fluidly attached to said male connection, and the distal ends are closed. The method comprises inserting the hollow prongs underneath the netting and dispensing the topical solution through the plurality of apertures along the lateral sides onto the scalp.

The strands can be manipulated while dispensing the aerosolized compound. The body of the hair can be on any mammal including human, canine, equine, or feline. The method also can comprise a step wherein the strands of hair are manipulated to a desired position, held in that position, and the aerosolized compound is dispensed. The aerosolized compound can be a holding spray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the female connection of the spray nozzle and the male connection of the multi-pronged comb.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a three pronged comb with a bridge on the proximal end of the elongated prongs.

FIG. 3 is top plan view of a three pronged comb attached to the nozzle cap of an aerosol spray can.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of an aerosol dispensing system and an aerosol spray can.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention utilizes aerosol spray technology to dispense solutions to a body of hair for even application. Aerosol, as used herein, is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas. An aerosol system dispenses an aerosol mist using a container holding a pressurized liquid containing the compound to be delivered by the mist. When the container valve is opened, the gas within the can expands and expels the pressurized liquid from an opening in a nozzle. Aerosolized sprays can contain cosmetic solutions and medicines but are not limited to either.

The present invention provides a multiple pronged comb 40 that dispenses aerosolized spray 37 through a plurality of apertures 35 aligned along the shaft of the prongs 30 of the comb 40. The prongs 30 are hollow and, as shown in FIG. 2, the distal ends 39 of the prongs 30 are closed so that the spray 37 dispenses through the apertures 35, not along the scalp, but, preferably, directly on strands of hair. The proximal end 31 of the prongs 30 is fluidly connected to a male connection 20 through a bridge 33. The male connection 20 can be mated with a spray nozzle of a conventional aerosol container so that an aerosol spray can be dispensed from the aerosol container, through the nozzle, and out through the apertures 35 in the prongs 30. FIG. 1 shows the female connection 10 of an aerosol container with which the male connection 20 can be mated.

Although male and female connections are shown in the drawings, other suitable mating connections can be used. In some embodiments, the spray nozzle can comprise a male end while the bridge 33 comprises a female end.

The prongs 30 can be used to tease, or backcomb, hair to provide the appearance of more volume. This can be performed by rapidly running the prongs back and forth along hair strands to create friction between the hair and the prongs 30. To assist in teasing hair, the prongs 30 can be textured to increase the amount of friction created. Therefore, the prongs can be undulant, or wavy, while still comprising apertures 35. In some embodiments, not all of the prongs 30 are textured or undulant.

The aerosol spray dispensing system comprises a nozzle cap 47 and a comb 40. In FIG. 4, the nozzle cap 47 has a female connection 10 through which an aerosolized spray can be dispensed through a spray opening 15. FIG. 1 shows the female connection 10 of nozzle cap 47 and the male connection 20 of comb 40 located on the proximal end 31. However, there can be other embodiments where the type of connection between the nozzle cap and the comb varies. The female connection 10 is to be fluidly connected to the comb 40, by following line T, with a male connection 20 as shown in FIG. 4. The male connection 20 has an male opening 25 to receive the aerosol spray dispensed through the female connection 10 so that the spray is carried through to the elongated prongs 30 on the comb 40.

In FIG. 2, bridge 33 is at the proximal end 31 of comb 40 and contains the male connection 20. The male connection 20 and the prongs 30 are fluidly connected within the bridge 33 to carry the flow of the aerosol spray.

As shown in FIG. 1, both the female 10 and the male 20 connections have notches 12, 22 to provide sturdiness to the attachment and, in some embodiments, rotatability. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the connections would be disconnected. The comb 40, which has the male connection 20 on its proximal end 31, would then be turned clockwise or counterclockwise, and then reinserted into the female end 10. There can be embodiments that allows for rotation without decoupling the connections.

Aerosol spray can 50 can be of the style common in the art. Can 50 can comprise a nozzle cap 47 having a female, or first, connection 10 through which said nozzle cap 47 dispenses an aerosolized spray and can mate with a male, or second, connection 20. As shown in FIG. 3, button 45 rests on the top of can 50 with ridges to be depressed in order to release the aerosol spray 37 through nozzle cap 47. Can 50 is substantially cylindrical having an axis and containing pressurized liquid.

The comb 40 comprises at least two elongated prongs 30 for dispensing the aerosolized spray 37. Each prong has a proximal end, a distal end 39, and lateral sides that are lined with a plurality of apertures 35. The proximal ends of the prongs 30 are fluidly attached to the male connection 20 at the proximal end 31 of the comb 40. The prongs 30 themselves are hollow throughout to their distal ends 39, which are closed.

The size of the apertures 35 can vary along the prongs. In some embodiments, the smaller sized apertures 35 are located on the proximal end 31 and the larger sized apertures 35 are located on the distal end 39. The apertures 35 and there immediately surrounding area can be adapted with techniques known in the art to alter the volume of spray emitted from the apertures or to alter the direction of the spray.

In FIG. 2, comb 40 has three prongs 30, each of which are fluidly connected to bridge 33 and fluidly connected to the male connection 20. The elongated prongs 30 can have different embodiments determined according to the texture of the hair being styled or the type of style to be given to the hair. There can be embodiments with two prongs, four prongs or more. Each prong can be sufficiently spaced apart from one another to be movable through a body of hair.

The three prong comb 40 shown in the figures can be referred to as a “pick” configuration because of the length of the prongs 30. The prongs 30 can be about two inches to about five inches long and any combination and subcombination therein. In some embodiments that may be preferred, the prongs 30 can be about 3.5 inches long. There can be embodiments comprised of prongs of multiple, varying lengths. The prongs can also be bent at angles to have an undulant configuration or be at least partially undulant. The prongs 30 of the comb can be perpendicular to the aerosol spray can 50. In some embodiments, the prongs 30 can be fashioned to have an acute or obtuse angle to the connected aerosol spray can 50. In such embodiments, the prongs 30 can be fluidly attached to the male connection 20 at the desired angle. In some embodiments, the prongs 30 extend in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the aerosol can being used. The prongs can be made of sturdy plastic, stainless steel, or some other embodiment suitable in the art. The prongs are also of sufficient diameter to comb through hair.

The apertures 35 along the lateral sides of the prongs 30 begin some distance from the male connection 20 and can start about 1.5 inches away and extending to the distal ends 39 of the prong. The bridge 33 can be about 0.5 inches with the apertures 35 beginning about one inch from the bridge 33. This length is free of apertures 35 because it is expected that that length of the pick will not be within the body of hair. This length can vary depending on the style of comb used.

The distal ends 39 of the prongs 30 are closed to prevent the aerosolized spray 37 from being applied to the scalp. Styling spray is meant for use on the body of hair and is wasted when applied to the scalp or just on the top part of the hair body. The present invention has apertures 35 along the lateral sides of the prongs 30 to allow a stylist to apply a styling compound to the strands of hair with better efficiency than standard spray combs with direct spray attachments. Its increased efficiency makes the system more environmentally safe.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show aerosol spray 37 being dispensed from the apertures 35. The orientation of the apertures 35 on the prongs 30 can vary. For very coarse hair, the apertures 35 can be placed closer together. The opposite can be done for hair considered light or loose. In some embodiments, some prongs may have a different number of apertures than the other prongs. There also can be embodiments wherein a prong is solid with no apertures while the remaining prongs are hollow with apertures along the lateral sides. The apertures 35 can be fashioned in the style of a convention spray nozzle like nozzle 15. In some embodiments, the apertures 35 can be merely holes.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the aerosol spray 37 being dispensed from a plurality of apertures 35 at different angles. Such a spray configuration allows the strands of a body of hair to be coated with the styling compound instead of the scalp. In some embodiments , the plurality of apertures are arranged such that the aerosolized spray dispenses in directions perpendicular to the prongs 30.

The present invention also provides a method of achieving the appearance of hair with volume and fullness. This method comprises using an aerosol spray can with an axis and containing a pressurized liquid, a nozzle cap with a connection through which the nozzle cap dispenses the aerosolized spray, and a comb as described herein. The method comprises inserting the prongs of the comb into a body of hair comprising strands of hair. The hair stylist manipulates the strands of hair into a style preferred by the customer while dispensing the aerosolized compound through the plurality of apertures along the lateral sides onto the strands of hair. The stylist may also want to manipulate the strands of hair to a desired position, then hold the hair in that position before dispensing the aerosol spray. The aerosol spray can be a holding spray.

The present invention also provides for a method of applying a topical solution to a portion of a scalp that may be overlaid by an artificial covering such as hair extensions. The topical solution could be medicinal or cosmetic. In one embodiment that may be preferred, the method comprises inserting said hollow prongs underneath netting to which hair extensions are attached. The topical solution can then be dispensed through the plurality of apertures along the lateral sides onto the scalp that would otherwise be unreachable.

The lateral sides of the hollow prongs can have a top side and a bottom side. The top side faces the hair once the attachment is inserted into a body of hair. The bottom side faces the scalp once the attachment is inserted. In some embodiments that may be preferred, the plurality of apertures are placed along the bottom side of the hollow prongs so that application of the solution is most efficient and is not wasted on the body of hair.

The present invention can be used on any type of hair, including mammalian hair, such as human, canine, equine, or feline.

Claims

1. An aerosol spray dispensing system comprising:

a nozzle cap having a receiving connection through which said nozzle cap dispenses an aerosolized spray;

a comb comprising a connection for fluidly mating with said receiving connection, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing an aerosolized spray, with each said hollow prongs having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along said lateral sides;

wherein said proximal ends are fluidly attached to said connection; and

wherein said distal ends are closed.

2. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, comprising three hollow prongs.

3. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said hollow prongs are textured to provide increased fiction with hair.

4. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said apertures are arranged such that said aerosolized spray dispenses in directions perpendicular to said hollow prongs.

5. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said hollow prongs is undulant.

6. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said hollow prongs is bent.

7. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 6, wherein each of said hollow prongs are bent at varying angles.

8. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said hollow prongs have varying lengths.

9. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said receiving connection and said connection are rotatably attached.

10. The aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said hollow prongs are spaced apart from each other according to hair texture.

11. The aerosol spray can comprising:

a substantially cylindrical can having an axis and containing pressurized liquid;

a nozzle cap having a first connection through which said nozzle cap dispenses an aerosolized spray;

a comb comprising a second connection for fluid attachment to said first connection, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing an aerosolized spray, with each said prong having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along said lateral sides; wherein said proximal ends are fluidly attached to said second connection; and wherein said distal ends are closed;

wherein said elongated prongs extend in a direction perpendicular to said axis; and

wherein said plurality of apertures are arranged such that said aerosolized spray dispenses in directions perpendicular to said hollow prongs.

12. A method of applying a topical solution to a portion of scalp covered by a hair extension attached to a netting placed over said scalp comprising the use of a spray can containing said topical solution; said method comprising:

a nozzle cap having a female connection through which said nozzle cap dispenses said topical solution;

a comb comprising a male connection for fluid attachment to said female connection, at least two hollow prongs for dispensing said topical solution, with each said hollow prongs having proximal and distal ends and lateral sides with a plurality of apertures along said lateral sides;

wherein said lateral sides comprise a top side and a bottom side;

wherein said proximal ends are fluidly attached to said male connection; and

wherein said distal ends are closed;

inserting said hollow prongs underneath said netting; and

dispensing said topical solution through said plurality of apertures along said lateral sides onto said scalp.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said bottom side faces said scalp and said plurality of apertures are placed along said bottom side.