BRUSH AND METHOD FOR TREATING THE HAIR

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for treating the hair with a treatment device. in particular a brush (10), having:a step of simultaneously heating and combing a lock of hair by passing it between teeth (23) of at least one heated combing zone (C) without a steam outlet of the treatment device, andthe application of steam to the lock of hair in at least one steam outlet zone (V), the step of simultaneous heating and combing and the application of steam being carried out on a lock of hair by passing the treatment device through the hair once.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A method for treating the hair with a treatment device, the method comprising: (i) simultaneously heating and combing a lock of hair between teeth of at least one heated combing zone without a steam outlet of the treatment device; and (ii) applying steam to the lock of hair in at least one steam outlet zone, wherein the steps of (i) and (ii) are carried out on the lock of hair by passing the treatment device through the hair at least once.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method comprises two steps of (i), wherein one step (i) is carried out before step (ii) and one step (i) is carried out after step (ii), and wherein the two steps (i) and one step of (ii) are carried out on the lock of hair by passing the treatment device through the hair at least twice.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein in the two steps of (i), the treatment device is passed through the hair at a substantially constant speed.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the treatment device comprises a treatment surface, and the teeth extend from the treatment surface in the heated combing zone, wherein the heating in step (i) is carried out by: a) thermal transmission from the treatment surface heated by heating means of the treatment device; or b) thermal transmission from at least some of the teeth of the at least one heated combing zone without a steam outlet, and wherein the combing in step (i) is carried out by passing the teeth in the heated combing zone.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one heated combing zone comprises: a) teeth comprising at least one heat conducting material, and b) teeth comprising at least one heat insulating material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the teeth comprising at least one heat conducting material in the at least one heated combing zone are heated by the heating means of the treatment device by thermal radiation emitted from the heating means.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the heat insulating material is an elastomer or a plastic.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one heated combing zone comprises: a) a plurality of rows of teeth comprising at least one heat conducting material, and b) a plurality of rows of teeth comprising at least one heat insulating material.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the total number of the teeth in the heated combing zone(s) made of the at least one heat insulating material ranges from 20% to 75%.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the length of the teeth comprising the at least one heat insulating material is at least 10% greater than a length of the teeth comprising the at least one heat conducting material in the heated combing zone.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein step (ii) further comprises: simultaneously combing the lock of hair in the steam outlet zone.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein step (ii) is carried out through at least one row of steam outlets that extend in the at least one steam outlet zone, wherein the steam outlets that extend in the at least one steam outlet zone alternate with the teeth in the at least one steam outlet zone.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein, in each of the at least one heated combing zone adjacent to the steam outlet zone, a row of teeth closest to the steam outlet zone is made of at least one heat insulating material.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the teeth comprising the at least one heat insulating material have an elongated cross section.

29. The method of claim 15, comprising applying a cosmetic product to the hair by a zone of the treatment device while the treatment device passes through the hair.

30. A brush for treating the hair comprising: at least one heated hair combing zone, without a steam outlet, comprising a plurality of teeth wherein heating means are carried out for heating at least two teeth of the plurality of teeth; and at least one steam outlet zone separate from the at least one heated hair combing zone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0124] FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a brush,

[0125] FIG. 2 is a view along II of the brush in FIG. 1,

[0126] FIG. 3 is a cross section on III-III of the example of a brush in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0127] FIG. 4 is a cross section on IV-IV of the example of a brush in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0128] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a brush variant,

[0129] FIG. 6 shows a cross section of a brush variant,

[0130] FIG. 7 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0131] FIG. 8 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0132] FIG. 9 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0133] FIG. 10 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0134] FIG. 11 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0135] FIG. 12 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0136] FIG. 13 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0137] FIG. 14 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0138] FIG. 15 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0139] FIG. 16 shows a top view of a brush variant,

[0140] FIG. 17 shows a cross section of a brush variant,

[0141] FIG. 18 schematically shows a brush variant, and

[0142] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view on XIX-XIX of the brush in FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0143] FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate an example of a brush 10 according to the invention.

[0144] The brush 10 has a gripping handle 15 and a treatment head 20. The head 20 has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. However, this does not have to be the case. The head could be polygonal, oval or round in particular.

[0145] The head 20 forms a treatment surface 21 intended to come into contact with the hair during brushing.

[0146] The head 20 has teeth 23 arranged along a plurality of rows that extend from the treatment surface 21. The rows of teeth 23 extend along a main axis X of the brush. The rows of teeth may have from 8 to 40 teeth, and in this case 8 teeth have been shown for illustrative purposes. The teeth may be attached to the brush, being made in particular of a different material from the treatment surface.

[0147] The head 20 also has a plurality of steam outlets 30 which may be interposed between the teeth 25 of one of the rows of teeth, in this case the central row.

[0148] In the case illustrated, the zones of the treatment surface of the brush that do not have steam outlets constitute heated combing zones C. The zone of the brush having the steam outlets, in this case also having teeth, constitutes a steam outlet zone V that extends along the heated combing zones C along the majority of the length of the latter. The heated combing zones C cover more than 70% of the treatment surface 21 of the brush intended to come into contact with the hair.

[0149] The steam outlet zone, delimited by the lateral edges of the peripheral steam outlets, is elongate along an axis of extension E, in particular parallel to the main axis X. The steam outlet zone extends along a length e greater than or equal to 80% of the dimension s of the treatment surface along this axis.

[0150] In the embodiments illustrated, all of the teeth are identical, but this does not have to be the case. For example, the teeth may exhibit different materials, heights, shapes or orientations.

[0151] Preferably, the teeth 23 each extend along a longitudinal axis Y. The longitudinal axis Y of each tooth 23 may form an angle a with the treatment surface 21 of between 60 and 120, for example substantially equal to 90.

[0152] The teeth 23 are spaced apart from one another by a distance d, measured between the longitudinal axes Y of the teeth, less than or equal to 30 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 15 mm.

[0153] Preferably, the height h of the teeth 23 is less than or equal to 50 mm, better still between 2 and 50 mm, even better still between 5 and 35 mm.

[0154] As can be seen in the FIG. 3, the teeth 23 of the heated combing zones C are heated by heating means. The brush 10 has in particular one or more heating resistors 35, in particular in the head, and the teeth 25 are heated by heat conduction from the head to the distal end of the teeth 25. Preferably, the teeth are made of a heat conducting material, in particular of iron, aluminium, titanium, stainless steel, graphite or ceramic, optionally provided with a coating.

[0155] Preferably, the electrical heating resistor or resistors are situated in the head of the brush.

[0156] The brush 10 may have a system, not illustrated here, for regulating the temperature by virtue of one or more sensors disposed in the vicinity of the heating resistor or resistors or in contact with the brush and/or at the end of at least one of the teeth.

[0157] In a variant, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the heating resistor or resistors 35 extend into the teeth 35 in the form of a heating core 37.

[0158] The source of heat is not limited to the one which has just been described.

[0159] The steam outlets are supplied with steam, in the example illustrated, by an elongate rail 45 that extends in a direction parallel to the main axis X and is arranged in the head of the brush.

[0160] The steam outlets 30 are orifices that open onto the rail, for example between 6 and 10 orifices, which are preferably spaced apart evenly along the rail 45 and each have an axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the median treatment plane such that the steam is output perpendicularly to the treatment surface along an axis W.

[0161] The steam outlets 30 may have any shape, in particular square, rectangular, round or ovoid.

[0162] The rail 45 is supplied with steam by a vaporization chamber 42, heated by a heating element, which is itself supplied with product to be vaporized by a reservoir 48. The reservoir may be in the brush, in particular the handle or the head, as illustrated in FIG. 4, or be remote therefrom in an external base 50 to which the brush is connected by a line supplying product to be vaporized 52, as is illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0163] The reservoir of product to be vaporized, in particular water, may have a volume of between 1 mL and 50 mL when it is in the handle or in the head of the brush.

[0164] Preferably, the steam outlets have a steam flow rate of between 0.5 and 0.95 mLmin.sup.1, the steam being emitted at the mouth of the steam outlets at a speed of between 0.7 cm/s and 15 m/s.

[0165] When the brush is being used, it is passed over the hair at a speed of between 0.5 cm/s and 50 cm/s. The hair may or may not be combed before the brush is used.

[0166] The embodiments in FIGS. 7 to 12 differ from the preceding embodiment in terms of the shape and positioning of the steam outlet zone 30.

[0167] In a variant, as illustrated in particular in FIG. 7, the brush may have a single steam outlet 30 extending along more or less the entire length of the steam outlet zone parallel to the rows of teeth. Preferably, the steam outlet has an opening greater than or equal to 5 mm.sup.2.

[0168] The steam outlet zone V may be positioned elsewhere on the brush. It may be upstream of a single heated combing zone, as illustrated in FIG. 8, or downstream of the latter, as illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0169] The device may have a plurality of steam outlet zones V which are separated from one another by a heated combing zone C, in particular two steam outlet zones V which are separated from one another by a heated combing zone C, as is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 13.

[0170] The two steam outlet zones may be positioned at the periphery of the treatment surface 21, on either side of a single heated combing zone, as is illustrated in FIG. 13.

[0171] The steam outlet zone or at least one of the steam outlet zones V may have a steam containment groove 50 into which the steam outlet or outlets extend, as is illustrated in FIG. 11.

[0172] The steam outlet zone or zones V may extend along only a part of the length of the heated combing zone, as is illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0173] In the example in FIG. 14, the teeth 23 are inclined by an angle a of between 45 and 90 with respect to the treatment surface 21. The steam outlet or outlets 30 may output steam at an angle to the treatment surface 21 other than 90, in particular between 45 and 90, for example substantially equal to the angle of extension of the teeth 23.

[0174] In the variant in FIGS. 15 and 16, the brush has at least one additional treatment zone A, preferably separate from the steam outlet zone or zones and/or from the heated combing zone or zones.

[0175] The additional treatment zone A may be an unheated combing zone having a comb 60 at a temperature less than or equal to 50 C. when the brush is in operation. Preferably, the comb 60 is disposed upstream of the steam outlet or outlets 30.

[0176] The additional treatment zone may be a zone for application of a cosmetic product, having an applicator member 65 for applying a cosmetic product.

[0177] The applicator member 65 for applying a cosmetic product is disposed so as to come into contact with the hair. The applicator member 65 for applying a cosmetic product is preferably porous, elastically compressible, and may advantageously be made of an open-cell cellular material, such as a PE (polyethylene) foam for example. The applicator member may be made from any material that is able to release or diffuse the cosmetic product.

[0178] The applicator member may be removable.

[0179] The brush may have a cosmetic product reservoir, which is not shown.

[0180] Preferably, the cosmetic product is in the fluid state at the time of use.

[0181] The cosmetic product reservoir may be equipped with an electrical resistor, for example a fine screen-printed resistor, making it possible to bring the temperature of its contents to 40-50 C., for example in order to liquefy it.

[0182] Preferably, the cosmetic product is a hair shaping composition, in particular a composition for curling or setting and, preferably, relaxing or straightening the hair.

[0183] The cosmetic product may contain one or more active agents chosen from reducing agents and in particular thiols, oxidizing agents and in particular hydrogen peroxide or persalts such as persulfates, coloring agents such as pigments, direct dyes or oxidation dyes, temporary shaping agents such as styling polymers that are preferably anionic, amphoteric or nonionic, conditioning agents such as silicones, mineral or plant oils, plant waxes, cationic surfactants and cationic polymers, alkaline agents or acids.

[0184] Even more preferably, the cosmetic product contains one or more agents chosen from oxidizing agents, reducing agents or alkaline agents of the hydroxide type.

[0185] In the example in FIG. 17, the brush has teeth 23a made of a heat conducting material and longer teeth 23b made of a material that is a poor heat conductor. The teeth 23a and 23b may alternate within one and the same row, as illustrated in FIG. 17. In a variant, the brush has, perpendicularly to the main axis X, an alternation of rows of teeth 23a made of a heat conducting material and rows of teeth 23b made of a material that is a poor heat conductor.

[0186] In the example in FIGS. 18 and 19, the brush has a steam outlet zone V between two heated combing zones. The brush has, in the steam zone V, an alternation along the main axis X of teeth 23v made of a heat conducting material and steam outlets 30. The brush has, in the heated combing zones C, teeth 23a made of a heat conducting material and teeth 23b made of a material that is a poor heat conductor, which are arranged along a plurality of parallel rows of teeth 23a and 23b extending along the main axis X. Each row of teeth has teeth 23a that are all made of a heat conducting material or teeth 23b that are all made of a material that is a poor heat conductor. In the heated combing zones C, the rows of teeth 23a made of a heat conducting material alternate with the rows of teeth 23b made of a material that is a poor heat conductor. Preferably, the percentage of the number of teeth made of a material 23b that is a poor heat conductor with respect to the teeth made of a heat conducting material is between 45 and 55% in the heated combing zones C.

[0187] Preferably, the adjacent rows of teeth in the steam outlet zone V have teeth made of a material that is a poor heat conductor. The brush may have, as illustrated, a row of peripheral teeth 23p, in particular made of a material that is a poor heat conductor extending all around the periphery of the brush.

[0188] The teeth 23a and 23v made of a heat conducting material of the brush are, preferably, formed integrally with the treatment surface 21, which is made from the same heat conducting material. Thus, the heating means of the brush heat, by thermal conduction, the treatment surface 21 and the teeth 23a and 23v, which themselves transmit the heat received to the hair. The teeth 23a and 23v made of a heat conducting material of the brush are preferably all substantially identical. They may have a cross section that is flattened, in particular oval as illustrated. Their plane of flattening may extend transversely to the main axis X.

[0189] The teeth 23b and 23p made of a material that is a poor heat conductor are, preferably, attached to the treatment surface 21. They preferably have a substantially circular cross section.

[0190] The teeth 23b made of a material that is a poor heat conductor of the heated combing zones C preferably have a height hb greater than the height ha of the teeth made of a heat conducting material. Preferably, the height hb of the teeth 23p made of a material that is a poor heat conductor in the peripheral row is between the height ha of the teeth made of a heat conducting material and the height hb of the teeth 23b made of a material that is a poor heat conductor in the heated combing zones C.

[0191] Numerous modifications can be made to the examples that have just been described, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0192] For example, it is possible for the brush not to have a handle, the back of the brush being used to grip the brush.

[0193] The brush may have several different additional treatment zones, which are or are not separate from one another.

[0194] The steam outlet zone may have heated teeth like the heated combing zone.

[0195] The steam outlets extend from the treatment surface, but they could extend from protuberances, in particular teeth, of the treatment surface.

[0196] The treatment device may be other than a brush, in particular a hair straightener.