Liquid Hair Product Dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair is provided having a body with a handle and an arch shaped portion. Teeth extending from the body in the arch shaped portion are configured to disburse liquid from openings at distal ends thereof. A liquid supply positioned in a cavity of a handle on one end of the body is communicated under pressure to the openings in the teeth, by compression of flexible sidewalls of the handle.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair, comprising: a body having a first end and a second end; said body having a central portion in between said first end and said second end; a first handle positioned at one of said first end or said second end of said body; an arch formed in said central portion of said body; a plurality of teeth extending to distal ends, from first ends thereof positioned along a facing surface of said arch; a first cavity located within said first handle, said first cavity surrounded by a first handle sidewall defining said first handle; a conduit, said conduit communicating from said first cavity to axial passages running through said teeth; said axial passages communicating with openings at said distal ends of said teeth; a first fluid supply positioned within said first cavity; compressible portions formed in said first sidewall; and said compressible portions deflectable to thereby force fluid from said first fluid supply within said first cavity, through said conduit to said axial passages to a dispensing of said fluid from said openings at said distal ends of said teeth.

2. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 1, additionally comprising: said plurality of teeth extending in a radial pattern from said first ends thereof at said facing surface along a respective axis thereof toward respective distal ends thereof.

3. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 1, additionally comprising: a first cap, said first cap removably engageable with a first opening which communicates with said first cavity; said first fluid supply held within a reservoir cavity formed by a surrounding flexible reservoir sidewall of a first fluid reservoir; and said first fluid reservoir positionable through said opening into said first cavity to a sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit.

4. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 2, additionally comprising: a first cap, said first cap removably engageable with a first opening which communicates with said first cavity; said first fluid supply held within a reservoir cavity formed by a surrounding flexible reservoir sidewall of a first fluid reservoir; and said first fluid reservoir positionable through said opening into said first cavity to a sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit.

5. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 3, additionally comprising: an opening formed through said first handle sidewall; said reservoir sidewall of said first fluid reservoir being viewable through said opening; and said reservoir sidewall of said first fluid reservoir being compressible by contact therewith through said opening.

6. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 4, additionally comprising: an opening formed through said first handle sidewall; said reservoir sidewall of said first fluid reservoir being viewable through said opening; and said reservoir sidewall of said first fluid reservoir being compressible by contact therewith through said opening.

7. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 3, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; and said pipe communicating in a sealed engagement through said flexible reservoir sidewall.

8. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 4, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; and said pipe communicating in a sealed engagement through said flexible reservoir sidewall.

9. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 5, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; and said pipe communicating in a sealed engagement through said flexible reservoir sidewall.

10. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 6, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; and said pipe communicating in a sealed engagement through said flexible reservoir sidewall.

11. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 3, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; said pipe engageable with a valve positioned in said flexible reservoir sidewall; and said valve being a one-way valve allowing said first fluid supply to flow only in a direction toward said conduit whereby backflow of said first fluid supply into said first fluid reservoir is prevented.

12. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 4, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; said pipe engageable with a valve positioned in said flexible reservoir sidewall; and said valve being a one-way valve allowing said first fluid supply to flow only in a direction toward said conduit whereby backflow of said first fluid supply into said first fluid reservoir is prevented.

13. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 5, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; said pipe engageable with a valve positioned in said flexible reservoir sidewall; and said valve being a one-way valve allowing said first fluid supply to flow only in a direction toward said conduit whereby backflow of said first fluid supply into said first fluid reservoir is prevented.

14. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 6, wherein said sealed connection of said reservoir cavity with said conduit comprises: said conduit running axially through a pipe projecting into said first cavity; said pipe engageable with a valve positioned in said flexible reservoir sidewall; and said valve being a one-way valve allowing said first fluid supply to flow only in a direction toward said conduit whereby backflow of said first fluid supply into said first fluid reservoir is prevented.

15. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 3 additionally comprising: said first fluid supply selectable from a kit, said kit having a plurality of said fluid reservoirs each of said plurality having a different type of hair treating fluid therein.

16. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 11 additionally comprising: said first fluid supply selectable from a kit, said kit having a plurality of said fluid reservoirs each of said plurality having a different type of hair treating fluid therein.

17. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 12 additionally comprising: said first fluid supply selectable from a kit, said kit having a plurality of said fluid reservoirs each of said plurality having a different type of hair treating fluid therein.

18. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 13 additionally comprising: said first fluid supply selectable from a kit, said kit having a plurality of said fluid reservoirs each of said plurality having a different type of hair treating fluid therein.

19. The dispenser for dispensing liquids into the hair of claim 14 additionally comprising: said first fluid supply selectable from a kit, said kit having a plurality of said fluid reservoirs each of said plurality having a different type of hair treating fluid therein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive examples of embodiments and/or features of the disclosed liquid hair product applicator. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative of the invention herein, rather than limiting in any fashion.

[0021] In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 depicts the device herein showing a body having an arch in a central portion thereof and having handles extending from opposing ends of the body for holding fluid reservoirs, which activate by squeezing to dispense fluid from teeth extending around the interior edge of the arch of the housing.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a mode of the device having a single handle extending from one side of the arched housing which may be held by a single hand of the user.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the device showing a replaceable fluid reservoir engageable within the handle cavity of the body of the device and a removably engageable cap.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows the fluid reservoirs provided from a kit of fluid reservoirs which hold differing hair care products each of which is positionable in the cavity of a handle of the body during use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only and such are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

[0027] Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-4, wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1, the device 10, in one preferred mode, having two handles 12 positioned at opposing ends of the body 14 of the device 10. Each handle 20 is adapted for a gripping engagement with one or both hands of a user. In the mode of the device 10 of FIG. 1, at least one and preferably both of the handles 12 have fluid reservoirs 16 positioned therein for holding a fluid to be dispensed from the device 10.

[0028] In disposable one-use versions of the device 10, the reservoirs 16 containing the liquid of choice such as dye, conditioner, or coloring would be pre-positioned in the handle 12 for dispensing by the user. In a mode of the device 10 which is for ongoing use, the fluid reservoirs 16 may be chosen by the user from a plurality of different types of fluid reservoirs 16 from a kit such as in FIG. 4, where each fluid reservoir 16 contains a different liquid dye, conditioner, or colorizing agent of choice within the fluid reservoir 16 cavity within the flexible sidewall 33 of the fluid reservoir 16. The chosen fluid reservoir 16 would then be positioned in the cavity 21 of the handle 12 and operatively engaged in a sealed connection with the internal fluid conduit 24 to dispense the chosen fluid through the axial passages 26 in the teeth 30 during use.

[0029] Such operative engagement is preferable in a removable sealed connection of the internal cavity within the flexible sidewall 33 of the fluid reservoir 16 holding the fluid of choice, with the conduit 24 or conduits communicating with the axial passages 26 in the teeth 30 of the device 10. One such removable sealed connection is shown in FIG. 3, where a valve 17 positioned in the sidewall of the fluid reservoir 16 will sealably engage around a tube 19 projecting into the cavity 21. Once the fluid reservoir 16 is slid into the cavity 21 and the valve 17 pushed onto a sealed engagement with the tube 19, fluid from the fluid reservoir 16 can flow into the conduit 24 which extends through the projecting tube 19 and run through the body 14 to the teeth 30. The valve 17 would, thus, form the sealed connection thereafter allowing communication of the liquid held within the fluid reservoir 16 during use. Other sealed connections as would occur to those skilled in the art are anticipated within the scope of this patent, such as forming the tube 19 as a spear which pierces the sidewall of the fluid reservoir 16 which would form a seal around the exterior of the tube 19.

[0030] The body 14 of the device 10, as noted, has one or plurality of handles 12 extending therefrom. One or both handles 12, depending on the number, may be user-actuated to pressurize and dispense fluid held within the fluid reservoir 16 from the individual teeth 30 projecting from a facing 36 of an arch shaped central portion 32 of the body 14 of the device 10. One mode of such user actuation is shown by forming the handle 12 to be compressible or having compressible portions 18 of a sidewall forming the handle 12. A squeezing grip by the user on the compressible portions 18 of the handle 12 will deflect the cavity sidewall 29 (FIG. 3) which on the exterior defines the handle 12. This squeezing and deflection thereby reduces the volume of the cavity 21 in which the fluid reservoir 16 is positioned in the sealed connection with the internal conduit 24. The force of this reduction in volume of the sealed cavity 21 causes fluid within the fluid reservoir 16 to communicate under pressure through the conduit 24 to a dispensing from the axial passages 26 in the teeth 30.

[0031] To prevent back flow of the fluid into the fluid reservoir 16, the valve 17 engaged in the sidewall of the fluid reservoir 16 may be a one-way valve which prevents back flow of fluid into the fluid reservoir 16 once deflection of the cavity sidewalls 29 cease deflection. Such one-way valves are well known and need not be depicted, for example a deflecting flap on the valve 17 which opens during outgoing fluid movement during deflection of the cavity sidewalls 29 and moves back to seal the valve 17 upon cessation of such fluid movement. Such prevention of back flow will also prevent air from moving into the fluid reservoirs 16 and maintain them easy to compress for subsequent liquid dispensing.

[0032] Using such compressible cavities 21, the fluid reservoir 16 can be a compressible sealed package that is inserted within a cavity 21 within each handle 12 with portions thereof which project from side openings 20 in the handle 12. These side openings 20 when present serve two purposes. First, they allow the user to view which type of fluid reservoir 16 is housed in the cavity 21. Second, they provide the user an opening through the sidewall 29 of the cavity 21 to push on the sidewall of the fluid reservoir 16 to prime the system or to expel remaining liquid contents when the reservoir is almost empty.

[0033] Replacement of the fluid reservoir 16 with a new fluid reservoir 16 filled with the fluid of choice for deposit to the hair, as shown in the exploded view in FIG. 3, is accomplished in a first step by removal of a cap 22 from the opening which communicates with the internal cavity 21 in the handle 12. Thereafter any fluid reservoir 16 within the cavity 21 may be removed, and a new fluid reservoir 16 of choice may be slid into the cavity 21 and positioned in the sealed engagement with the axial passage 26 in the body 14. Such a sealed connection, as noted, may be through a one way valve 17 positioned in the sidewall of the fluid reservoir 16 with a projecting tube 19 having the axial passage 26 connected therein.

[0034] Of course, the handles 12 may simply be formed to be compressible, and the interior cavity 22 within them simply filled with the fluid of choice for disbursement to the hair strands. As noted, such a configuration may be formed with a one-use version of the device 10. However, the use of fluid reservoirs 16 formed with polymeric or flexible sidewalls 33 surrounding the internal cavity of the fluid reservoirs 16, which may be simply inserted into the cavities 21, and easily replaced, allows for easy replenishment and changing of pre-mixed liquids such as hair color, dye, or conditioner or the like.

[0035] As noted above, when employed, the fluid reservoirs 16 formed with flexible sidewalls 33, would slide into the cavity 21 with the cap 22 removed, and placed in the sealed connection with the interior conduit 24 leading from the reservoir 16 in a handle 12 to axial passages 26 which terminate at openings 28 at the distal end of hollow elongated members forming teeth 30 on the comb device 10. Each such fluid reservoir 16 may be from a kit 40 of fluid reservoirs 16 holding different fluids for dispensing to the hair of the user such as shown in FIG. 4. Forming the flexible sidewalls 33 of the fluid reservoirs 16 to be transparent, and/or placing content-identifying indicia on the sidewalls, allows the user to view the contents of the cavity 21 by viewing such through the openings 28 in the handles 12, before dispensing it to their hair.

[0036] As can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the device 10 can be configured with a body 14 having one or two handles 12 extending from one end, or opposing ends, of a central portion 32 of the body 14. The central portion of the body 14 is preferably curved form an arch 34 having a facing surface 36 edge of the central portion 32 of the body 14 curving upward or in a direction away from a lower edge of each handle 12.

[0037] Extending in a substantially radial configuration toward an imaginary center point of the arch 34, from the facing surface 36 of the arch 34, are a plurality of hollow members forming radially disposed teeth 30 of the device 10 for combing hair strands therebetween. As noted, some or all of the teeth 30 extend from a first end engaged to the facing surface 36 defining the arch 34, to fluid dispensing openings 28 located at distal ends of the teeth 30. Axial passages 26, shown in the enlarged portion of FIG. 1, are located preferably in each of the teeth 30. As noted, these axial passages 26 are in sealed communication with the internal conduit 24 which is in sealed engagement with the fluid cavity of one or more fluid reservoirs 16. The teeth 30 extending from the facing surface 36 or edge along the arch 34 are substantially in the same plane.

[0038] In this fashion, fluid forced from each fluid reservoir 16 travels through the internal conduit 24 and through each of the axial passages 26 to be dispensed evenly from the openings 28 at the distal ends of the teeth 30. This allows the user to comb the teeth 30 through their hair on both the top portion and side portions of their head and concurrently dispense fluid into the hair on the sides and top portion of their head, while holding one or two handles 12 of the device 10 during combing of it through the hair.

[0039] In this fashion, fluid such as dye or conditioner or the like is evenly disbursed in the pathways in the hair formed by the moving teeth 30 from which it flows, as the user compresses the fluid reservoirs 16 within the cavities 21 within the handles 12 being used for combing. This concurrent combing and fluid dispensing action within the arched body 14 allows for hair on all sides of the head to receive the fluid of choice evenly and quickly with little or no need for the user to employ massaging fingers or other messy options normally used to evenly dispense fluid to the hair of the scalp.

[0040] As noted, there is shown in FIG. 2, a mode of the device 10 which operates in the same fashion noted above but allows for the combining and disbursement of fluid using a one handed grip to a single handle 12 on one end of the body 14 adjacent the arched portion of the body 14. This mode operates the same as the two-handled 12 version and some users may find it easier to manipulate such as with their dominant hand they normally employ to comb and brush their hair.

[0041] Additionally noted above, FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the engagement of the fluid reservoir 16 into the fluid cavity 21 of a one handled or two handled body 14. As shown, the cap 22 is removably engageable to an opening 35 which communicates with the internal cavity 21 within one or both handles 12 depending on the number of handles. The cap 22 may frictionally engage with the opening 35 or may use a threaded or bayonet style engagement (not shown but well known) between the end of the cap 22 and the cavity sidewalls 29 surrounding the opening 35.

[0042] Also shown is the fluid reservoir 16 which may be individual or chosen from the kit of differing fluid reservoirs of FIG. 4. With the cap 22 removed, the fluid reservoir 16 is positionable into the cavity 21 to the sealed connection with the conduit 24 shown in FIG. 1, using the one way valve 17 or other sealed connections as would occur to those skilled in the art. Thereafter the cap 22 is engaged with the opening 35.

[0043] In all modes of the device 10, as noted, the fluid reservoirs 16 may be provided individually, or prepositioned within the cavity 21, or in a mode of the device 10 with additional utility they may be provided from a kit of fluid reservoirs 16. Such is shown in FIG. 4, where a plurality of fluid reservoirs 16 are shown in a kit 40. From this kit 40, the user may choose the desired fluid reservoir 16 containing the desired hair care products or dye or coloring. This chosen fluid reservoir 16 may then be operatively positioned in the cavity 21 of the handle 12 on one or both ends of a body 14 of the device 10.

[0044] It should be noted that any of the different depicted and described configurations and components of the liquid hair product dispensing device herein, can be employed with any other configuration or component shown and described as part of the device herein. Additionally, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof and/or steps in the method of production or use, a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it will be appreciated that in some instance some features, or configurations, of the invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims.

[0045] Further, the purpose of any abstract of this specification is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. Any such abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting, as to the scope of the invention in any way.