EP1509103A1

EP1509103A1 - Ultrasonic device for the treatment of hair and other fibers

Info

Publication number: EP1509103A1
Application number: EP03726942A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Theodore Jay Verbrugge; Ke Ming Quan
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 2002-05-22
Filing date: 2003-05-19
Publication date: 2005-03-02
Also published as: WO2003099058A1; MXPA04010677A; US20030217438A1; AU2003228243A1; JP2005525209A

Abstract

An ultrasonic device (10) for the treatment of hair and other fibers. The device generally includes an applicator, capable of coupling a topically efficacious frequency to fibers, and an insulator, capable of preventing acoustic coupling of the topically efficacious frequency to a surface supporting the fibers.

Description

ULTRASONIC DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF HAIR AND OTHER FIBERS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of ultrasonic devices for the treatment of hair and other fibers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Devices that utilize ultrasonic mechanical vibrations are well known in the art. The treatment of natural and synthetic fibers to produce, alter, or remove a set in a fiber, has been the subject of prior work. For example, chemical agents are sometimes used, with or without heat, to produce a set in a fiber or for the removal of an existing fiber set. However, these methods are slow, laborious, ineffective, not topically efficacious, and the chemical agents used can ultimately damage the fibers being treated.

Piezoelectric devices generally produce ultrasonic mechanical vibrations. Piezoelectric devices, which convert electrical impulses into mechanical vibrations, are generally based on the fact that certain crystals, when subjected to an applied electrical potential to produce a pressure, will yield a mechanical motion. Resonant crystals and ceramics are used to generate such mechanical waves in solids and liquids. For high frequency, ultra-sonic vibrations to be generated, crystals often operate in their thickness mode, where the crystal becomes alternatingly thicker and thinner as it vibrates. However, crystals can also operate in shear and bending modes.

Imai, U.S. Patent No. 6,196,236, discloses a hair curling applicator utilizing longitudinal modes of vibration. Imai requires a user to manually wind hair around a hollow barrel. The hollow barrel oscillates longitudinally causing the wrapped hair to absorb ultrasonic energy in a shear, or transverse, mode. Wrapping hair around the barrel is not convenient, especially if the hair has an applied treatment on it. Additionally, the user must wrap different portions of the treatment area sequentially, resulting in an inefficient use of time. Finally, safety is a concern, as the end of the vibrating barrel is not prevented from touching tissue. Such contact can cause sonic, tissue burns. It would be typical that direct, physical contact or presence of an ultrasonic device with tissue could cause absorption burns, heat production burns and frictional burns. If the ultrasonic device has good acoustic coupling, it is possible to actually cause cavitation to occur inside tissue.

Shiginori, Japanese Publication JP 9-262120, teaches a hair drying, bleaching, and weaving device that also requires winding hair around a vibrating body. The presence of protruding vibrating bodies allows for an increase in treatment area, however, this teaching also requires wrapping hair around the vibrating body. Additionally, the protruding vibrating bodies do not provide uniform vibration as the protrusions at the end farthest from the generator deflect more than those closer to the generator. This limits the number of protrusions in order to maintain uniform motion. Finally, safety is problematic as the end of the vibrating body is not protected thus, the user could experience ultrasonic tissue burning.

Shigihara, U.S. Patent No. 5,875,789 discloses a device for the permanent curling of hair. The user winds hair along a rod portion, where presumably longitudinal vibrations impart energy to the hair through frictional forces causing curling to occur. Again, wrapping hair around a rod portion is not convenient, especially if the hair has an applied treatment on it. Additionally, the user must wrap different portions sequentially, resulting in an inefficient time usage. Again, safety is a concern, as the end of the rod portion is not prevented from contact with tissue.

Goble, U.S. Patent No. 3,211,159 discloses a hair treatment device that uses radial modes of vibration. This teaching does not require the wrapping of hair in order to provide treatment, however, multiple treatments are required in order to treat a large volume of hair. Additionally, safety is a large concern as a transducer that uses radial vibration modes can contact tissue and cause damage along the entire length of the transducer, and not just from the end as would happen from a transducer using longitudinal modes of vibration. Therefore, it would be an improvement in the art to be able to provide a novel device that provides a treatment for a fiber, particularly hair, using a less reactive chemical agent, yet still provide a faster, less labor intensive, and more topically efficacious treatment experience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a comb assembly for fibers comprising an applicator and an insulator. The applicator is capable of coupling a topically efficacious frequency to the fibers when the fibers are in communication with the applicator. The insulator prevents acoustic coupling of the topically efficacious frequency to a surface supporting the fibers.

Further, the invention is a fiber treatment device comprising a housing, at least one ultrasonic generator fixably mounted to the housing, and at least one comb device removeably attached to the housing and cooperatively associated with the ultrasonic generator for contacting engagement with at least one surface of the ultrasonic generator. At least one fiber is positioned proximate to the ultrasonic generator when the ultrasonic generator is energized to a topically efficacious frequency. At least one product is dispensed to the at least one fiber and the topically efficacious frequency efficaciously deposits the at least one product to the at least one fiber.

Additionally, the invention is a fiber treatment device comprising an ultrasound generator capable of converting electrical energy to a mechanical vibration having a topically efficacious frequency and a comb device coupled to the ultrasound generator, the comb device at least partially encapsulating the ultrasound generator. The comb device and the ultrasound generator define a treatment region in which a fiber to be treated is placed in said treatment region, and, the topically efficacious frequency is communicated from the ultrasound generator to the fiber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fiber treatment device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fiber treatment device of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2; and, HG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a fiber treatment device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to an ultrasonic device for the treatment of fibers, such as hair. The purpose for utilization of ultrasonic energy is not limited to, but includes, providing a more efficient manner in which to treat a fiber with a chemical agent. Increased efficiency in this manner reduces the amount of active chemical agent necessary, and can also reduce the required concentration of active chemical agent required to provide a topically efficacious result. Additionally, the required treatment time can be reduced, thereby providing a time saving way to provide long-term fiber care at a reduced cost.

FIG. 1 illustrates a fiber treatment device in accordance with the present invention and is labeled generally by the numeral 10. The fiber treatment device 10 includes an ultrasound generator (or applicator) 12, comb device 14, optional at least one reservoir 16, optional reservoir drive motor 18 and gear system 19, and optional converging device 17. Without attempting to be limiting, comb device 14 can have a plurality of protuberances 11 that extend outwardly from comb device 14 in a geometry generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of comb device 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, fiber treatment device 20 can be arranged to provide a substantially angular relationship between ultrasound generator 22 and comb device 24 with the remainder of fiber treatment device 20. It is believed that an angular relationship between ultrasound generator 22 and comb device 24 with the remainder of fiber treatment device 20 could provide an ergonomic benefit to a user. This ergonomic benefit could be realized by allowing for an increased access and an improved efficacious treatment of fibers present on a support surface that is practically and/or ergonomically difficult for a user to reach.

Referring to FIG. 1, ultrasound generator 12 is capable of converting an applied electrical power into a mechanical vibration. As non-limiting examples, the electrical power applied to ultrasound generator 12 can be supplied from a conventional wall outlet or from an internal, or external, rechargeable, or disposable, battery, or any other power source, contained within fiber treatment device 10. The applied power could then be converted by a power supply to the desired oscillatory frequency and voltage level. In a preferred embodiment, the converted power is then applied across piezoelectric ceramic plates to generate a pressure wave or a mechanical wave at the desired oscillatory frequency. Exemplary and non limiting frequencies providing topically efficacious treatments and developed by ultrasound generator 12 preferably range from 15 KHz to 500 KHz, more preferably from 18 KHz to 300 KHz, and most preferably from 20 KHz to 150 KHz.

Power for ultrasound generator 12 can be provided by either conventional commercial methods and converted to a necessary voltage by power supply 15. Alternatively, batteries contained within fiber treatment device 10 can provide power for ultrasound generator 12. Internal batteries could enable fiber treatment device 10 to be placed within a recharging receptacle while not in use as would be known to one of skill in the art. Power supplied by power supply 15 or internal batteries could also be used to heat the fiber treatment device 10 if a fiber treatment regimen so requires thermal energy to provide a more efficacious fiber treatment.

Referring again to FIG. 1, fiber treatment device 10 generally comprises a comb device 14. Comb device 14 can comprise a plurality of protuberances 11 or any other device for converging and/or collecting fibers into a region proximate to ultrasound generator 12. Comb device 14 is preferably physically coupled to ultrasound generator 12. However, as would be known to one of skill in the art, it is possible to provide ultrasound generator 12 and comb device 14 as separate components without any physical attachment. However, if physical coupling or attachment is desired, it can be accomplished by providing direct attachment of comb device 14 to ultrasound generator 12. In alternative embodiments, such physical attachment can be accomplished by attaching comb device 14 to an insulative housing encasing ultrasound generator 12, or directly to fiber treatment device 10.

Comb device 14 should acoustically insulate ultrasound generator 12 from direct physical contact with a surface supporting any fibers to be treated. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the prevention of direct acoustic coupling of mechanical vibrations produced by ultrasound generator 12 to a fiber support surface could prevent any subcutaneous damage to the fiber support surface. However, comb device 14 should also provide a region where ultrasound generator 12 is capable of physically coupling with the fibers to be treated in order to acoustically couple the mechanical vibrations produced by ultrasound generator 12 to the fibers.

In one exemplary, but non-limiting embodiment, the prevention of physical coupling of the ultrasound generator 12 with a fiber support surface can be accomplished by acoustically insulating comb device 14 from ultrasound generator 12. Acoustic insulation or acoustically insulated as used in the present invention means that comb device 14 is not acoustically resonant with ultrasound generator 12. This means that comb device 14 remains stationary while ultrasound generator 12 is active. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that a mechanical gap between ultrasound generator 12 and comb device 14 can provide sufficient acoustic insulation between ultrasound generator 12 and the fiber support surface. It is known in the art that the acoustic impedance of air (the product of air density and air acoustic velocity) is negligible. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that if comb device 14 is manufactured from an acoustically insulative material, even direct physical attachment of comb device 14 to ultrasound generator 12 will provide comb device 14 with sufficient acoustically insulative properties due to the high impedance mismatch that can effectively dampen an incident mechanical vibration at the junction of the ultrasound generator 12 and comb device 14 materials.

Physical coupling and acoustic insulation can be accomplished by the choice of construction and the method of physical attachment of comb device 14 to ultrasound generator 12. Because comb device 14 is preferably not acoustically coupled to ultrasound generator 12, the materials selected to manufacture comb device 14 should preferably be insulative in nature, such as plastic or wood. However, it would be known to one of skill in the art that the comb device 14 can be manufactured from metal and provide no acoustic coupling, for example, by providing an acoustic insulator between ultrasound generator 12 and comb device 14. Additionally, polymeric materials can be impregnated with a metal, or metals, to provide an acoustically insulated comb device 14 that provides an efficacious, ultra-sonic, fiber treatment. A metal impregnated polymer can provide a more resilient structural device, yet still provide the physical acoustic insulative ability required.

It is also believed that comb device 14 could be manufactured from a compliant material. The use of a compliant material for comb device 14 could allow comb device 14 to maintain continuous contact with any irregular or curved fiber support surface. It is believed that continuous contact with a fiber support surface can provide a more efficacious treatment to fibers, or the regions of individual fibers that are in close proximity to the supporting surface.

In another non-limiting embodiment, the comb device 14 could be only partially in direct physical contact with ultrasound generator 12. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that when ultrasound generator 12 is in a resonant vibratory mode, the displacement of vibrations will vary along the length of the axis of vibration of ultrasound generator 12. As would be known to one of skill in the art, this vibratory displacement is generally at a minimum at the quarter wave line and generally maximum at the distal end or face of ultrasound generator 12. Therefore, it would be possible to have direct physical attachment of comb device 14 to ultrasound generator 12 in the region of ultrasound generator 12 where the magnitude of displacement is minimal. Direct physical attachment of comb device 14 to the ultrasound generator 12 in this manner could secure the comb head in a permanent position. However, it is believed that the choice of materials for manufacturing comb device 14 could be limited to those materials producing a significant acoustic mismatch with ultrasound generator 12.

In a further exemplary, but non-limiting, embodiment, comb device 14 could be in complete physical contact with ultrasound generator 12. However, the choice of the materials that can be used could be limited in order to provide an acoustic mismatch. This acoustic mismatch could be necessary in order to provide incomplete acoustical coupling between the ultrasound generator 12 and comb device 14. When a significant acoustic mismatch is present in dissimilar materials in direct contact, it is believed that the material used to manufacture comb device 14 would need to be heat resistant. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that a significant amount of heat would be generated at the interface between ultrasound generator 12 and comb device 14 when ultrasound generator 12 and comb device 14 are in direct physical contact.

Referring to FIG. 2, even though comb device 14 provides at least partial acoustical insulation from ultrasound generator 12, it is preferred that at least a portion of ultrasound generator 12 be an acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 to provide an acoustically coupleable surface for the fibers to be treated. It is believed that any geometry, including, but not limited to rectilinear, ovular, circular, and combinations thereof, can be used to provide a sufficient acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 for ultrasound generator 12. However, it should be realized that the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 should be of sufficient size to facilitate the treatment of fibers. Surprisingly, it would found that a rectilinear geometry for ultrasound generator 12 and acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 provided the most efficacious fiber treatment. Thus, a rectilinear profile for acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of from about 10 millimeters to at least about 150 millimeters in length, most preferably 40 millimeters in length, and from at least about 3 millimeters to at least about 10 millimeters in width would provide the most efficacious treatment. Without being limited to theory, it is believed that this rectilinear geometry provides the most efficacious result as a treatment is directed to a relatively broad width of fibers with each use.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, comb device 14 is also provided with a plurality of protuberances 11 to guide fibers in a generally orthogonal relationship toward the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of ultrasound generator 12. It is also believed that protuberances 11 could increase both the coupling of fibers located proximate to ultrasound generator 12 and acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 and the inter-fiber acoustic coupling. Preferably, protuberances 11 are not affected by, or acoustically coupled to, ultrasound generator 12. Preferably, protuberances 11 have a small cross-sectional area in relation to the area of acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13. It is believed that this facilitates increased fiber contact with the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of the ultrasound generator 12. It has been found that the thickness of protuberances 11 should preferably be less than about 2 millimeters.

Preferably, protuberances 11 have a relative spacing from each other that facilitates large quantities of fibers to pass proximate to the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of ultrasound generator 12. However, the relative spacing of protuberances 11 should prevent the accidental contact of body appendage tissue with the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of ultrasound generator 12. Preferably this inter-protuberance spacing is less than about 8 millimeters and is preferably at least about 5 millimeters. However, an inter-protuberance spacing of less than about 5 millimeters can still provide sufficient efficacious contact between the fibers and the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of ultrasound generator 12.

Preferably protuberances 11 have an overall length that prevents accidental contact of any portion of ultrasound generator 12 with a fiber support surface. Thus, it is preferred that the overall protuberance length range from at least about 5 millimeters to at least about 30 millimeters. However, one of skill in the art would realize that a protuberance 12 length of less than about 5 millimeters or at least about 30 millimeters could be used to provide an efficacious treatment.

As shown in HG. 1, it is also believed that comb device 14 could be fashioned with a converging device 17 that efficaciously surrounds and completely collects and compresses fibers into a region proximate to the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of ultrasound generator 12. It is believed that collecting and compressing fibers with converging device 17 could increase acoustic coupling from the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of ultrasound generator 12 to the fibers.

Converging device 17 could also be designed to have a reflectance, R, expressed as: Z₂ + Z_!

where, Zi = the acoustic impedance of wet fiber, and, Z = the acoustic impedance of the reflector. Zi and Z₂ are defined by the equations:

Z₂ = p₂c₂ and,

where, pi = the density of wet fiber, p₂ = the density of the reflector, c = the acoustic velocity in wet fiber, and, c₂ = the acoustic velocity in the reflector. Acoustic velocity is the speed at which a pressure wave propagates in the selected medium. Values for the acoustic velocity and density of exemplary fibers and other materials are tabulated below. However, the values of acoustic velocity and density for numerous other fibers and materials can be found in The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 78^th edition, Fundamental Physics of Ultrasound, by V.A Shutilov, Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair, 3d ed., by Clarence R. Robbins, and IEEE Transactions on Sonics and Ultrasonics, Vol. SU-32, No. 3 (1985), pages 381-394, all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

Converging device 17 is preferably removeably and/or releasably attached to the distal end of comb device 14 to form an open cavity between converging device 17 and the acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13 of ultrasound generator 12. It is preferred that the materials selected to construct the converging device 17 provide an overall reflectance, R, so that:

I R I > 0, and more preferably the materials selected to construct the converging device 17 provide an overall reflectance, R, so that:

| R | > 0.5. Therefore, the inner surface, that is, the surface of converging device 17 closest to ultrasound generator 12 and acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13, should be constructed of a material that effectively reflects acoustic waves generated by ultrasound generator 12. Exemplary and non-limiting reflective materials include metals and porous materials, such as wood. Most preferably, converging device 17 is constructed to have a thin metal sheet, film, or foil that has a region of air behind and positioned away from ultrasound generator 12 so that an acoustic vibration originating from ultrasound generator 12 will be significantly reflected in an opposite direction from the incident wave. This is generally known in the art as an air-backed reflector. Without desiring to be bound by theory, it is believed that such a reflector is effective because air generally has significant contrasting acoustic impedance in contrast with any liquid or solid material. However, it would be known to one of skill in the art that converging device 17 not provide any reflectance.

It is also believed that converging device 17 should interlace with protuberances 11. However, it would be known to one of skill in the art that converging device 17 could be provided for comb device 14 in any configuration. This could provide the benefit of minimizing unintended energy leakage beyond the geometry defined by comb device 14. Additionally, converging device 17 could also provide improved acoustic coupling between ultrasound generator 12 and the fibers by compacting the fibers in a region proximate to ultrasound generator 12 and acoustically coupleable exposed surface 13. It would be known to one of skill in the art to provide a geometry for converging device 17 in order to interlace converging device 17 with protuberances 11. As is also shown in FIG. 1, fiber treatment device 10 preferably includes a number of reservoirs 16, shown as cartridges. One advantage of a multiple reservoir dispensing system is that materials that would be incompatible for storage together may be stored in separate reservoirs and then dispensed together for use. Because the materials are mixed at the point of use as needed, there is better control over the amount of product mixed, resulting in minimal or no wasted product.

Any suitable reservoir 16 may be utilized in the present invention. It should be understood that the reservoir utilized may be fully or partially internal to the fiber treatment device 10, or fully or partially external to the fiber treatment device 10, and may or may not be removable from the fiber treatment device 10. Additionally, the reservoir 16 utilized may be permanent or disposable to the fiber treatment device 10. Non-limiting examples of suitable reservoirs 16 include positive displacement type reservoirs, such as a cartridge, and pump-evacuated type reservoirs, such as sachets, bladders, blisters, and combinations thereof. It is also believed that pre-loaded cartridge reservoirs could be used as single use disposable cartridges, multiple use disposable cartridges, or refillable cartridges, and that empty cartridges may be available for loading with suitable materials by the end user.

In the practice of the present invention, the reservoir 16 may be adapted for dispensing equal or different amounts of material. In any regard, it is preferred that the dispensing system be utilized for the delivery of precise, controlled, or efficacious amounts of treatment materials. It is also preferred that one or more of the reservoirs 16 of the present invention be loaded with a fiber treatment material in a sequential fashion. However, as it would be known to one of skill in the art, that sequential dispensing may also be accomplished by sequentially dispensing from different reservoirs 16 or combinations of reservoirs 16. Further, it should also be understood that a number of repeatable sequences could also be dispensed from either one reservoir 16 or a combination of reservoirs 16.

Reservoirs 16 are placed within the reservoir holder with one or more of the reservoirs 16 in liquid communication with the comb device 14. In an exemplary embodiment, a dispensing actuator actuates motor 18, which through gears 19, is adapted to dispense material from reservoir 16 through dispensing passageways to comb device 14. Liquid communication of material from reservoir 16 to comb device 14 can be accomplished by use of a plurality of dispensing apertures. The released material can be dispensed to the fiber being treated either from an aperture disposed on comb device 14 or from an aperture located on protuberance 11. Thus, incompatible chemistries, or chemistries that, after mixing, have a finite shelf life are mixed and/or dispensed at the point of application directly to the fibers. Further, the chemistries could be further mixed at the point of application by the presence of the mechanical, ultrasonic vibrations produced by ultrasound generator 12.

A method of use for a fiber treatment device commensurate with the scope of the present invention provides for the treatment of fibers, particularly hair. First, it is preferred that a user pre-wets the hair fibers to be ultrasonically treated. Non-limiting examples for pre-wetting hair include rinsing with water and/or cleaning the hair fibers with a cleaner, such as shampoo, or a cleaner/conditioner, such as PertPlus™, manufactured by The Procter & Gamble Company. Next, the treatment product, or active compound, to be applied to the hair fibers is applied in a topically efficacious amount to produce the results desired for the hair fiber being treated. Preferably, the treatment product is dispensed directly from the fiber treatment device when the fiber treatment device is equipped with reservoirs containing the treatment product. However, if the fiber treatment device is not so equipped, the treatment product can be manually applied to the hair fibers through conventional methodologies.

Finally, the operationally energized fiber treatment device is placed in contact with the treated hair fibers preferably using a steady and continuous motion from the root end of the hair fiber to the tip end of the hair fiber. Preferably, this motion is repeated until all desired hair fibers are efficaciously treated. Of course, the total time required to provide such a topically efficacious treatment will depend upon the length and thickness of the hair fibers being treated and the desired resultant color intensity. However, it has been found that when coloring hair with a visible root line or when coloring patched gray hair, it may be preferable to apply the use of the ultrasonic fiber treatment device for longer time periods than would normally be required for hair fibers not exhibiting these characteristics.

It is also envisaged that the exemplary procedure described supra can also be used for the topically efficacious treatment of pet hair fibers and other keratinous and non- keratinous fibers. Therefore, it is intended that fabric and other fibers can be treated using the ultrasonic fiber treatment device and an active compound as discussed above.

EXAMPLES

Colorimetry can provide a quantitative evaluation of the efficacy of color uptake in a fiber dyeing process. Further, it is believed that colorimetry data can also correlate strongly with data generated using other fiber color uptake assessment methods. Measurement of Color Uptake

The level of color uptake to subject hair switches was determined by comparative colorimetric measurements of the change color of treated virgin Yak and Human mid- brown hair substrates. Such hair is available from Hugo Royer International Ltd., Berkshire, England. The average switch weight was about 1.5 grams. Colorimetric measurements were made with a hand-held colorimeter manufactured by the Minolta Corporation. The comparative change in color was reported as ΔE in color space using L.a.b. coordinates. Test Method

Baseline L.a.b. values, based on the CIE L.a.b. system, of virgin Yak or Human mid-brown hair switches were determined by colorimetry. The virgin Yak hair utilized had an average L = 86.2, a = 1, and b = 13.3. The virgin Human mid-brown hair analyzed had an average L = 23.25, a = 7, and b = 7.55. The initial L.a.b. value and mass of each switch was recorded.

Each switch was saturated with de-ionized water and allowed to air dry to a demonstrated mass increase of 70 percent of the dry switch weight. Either Clairol® Natural Instincts® 22, Clairol® Nice'n Easy® 122, or Clairol® Herbal Essences® 48 (all manufactured by The Procter & Gamble® Company) was applied to each switch in a ratio of 2:1 wt/wt product to hair. Each switch was then placed in contact with the operationally energized fiber treatment device, described supra, using a steady and continuous motion from the root end of the fiber to the tip end of the fiber for five minutes. The fiber treatment device operated with an output of 20 to 30 W at 25°C, and an acoustic frequency of 40 kHz.

After treatment, each switch was rinsed with de-ionized water for one minute, and shampoo for one minute (e.g., Healthy*Shine® by Clairol®, manufactured by The Procter & Gamble® Company) at a ratio of 0.5:1 wt/wt shampoo to hair. Each switch was air- dried and a final colorimetric measurement made and recorded. Control Samples

Ten replicate samples of Yak and Human mid-brown hair were treated as described supra, without ultrasonic treatment. Five control samples remained in contact with the applied product for five minutes. Five additional control samples remained in contact with the applied product for 30 minutes. Each control sample was then air-dried. Final mass and L.a.b. colorimetric measurements were then made and all measurements recorded. Calculation

The calculated value of the representative color change in L.a.b. coordinates was presented as ΔE. ΔE represents the difference between the initial and final colorimetric Lab value. In other words:

ΔE = - (Lend — Lstart ) + (aend — astart ) + (bend — b start J .

Results of the average ΔΕ values for the representative samples of Yak and Human hair are detailed in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1. Comparison of Color Uptake for Yak Hair Using 40 kHz Ultrasound @ 20 - 30 W @ 25°C

Table 2. Comparison of Color Uptake for Human mid-Brown Hair Using 40 kHz Ultrasound @ 20 - 30 W @ 25°C

Without desiring to be bound by theory, it is believed that a unit change in ΔE represents a just perceptible difference in color to an ordinary observer. Thus, a large change in ΔE represents a significant color change. From the data represented in Tables 1 and 2, it is believed that hair color uptake using a five-minute ultrasonic treatment process using the present invention could be comparable to a conventional 30-minute color uptake process without any ultrasonic intervention.

The foregoing examples and descriptions of the preferred embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible and contemplated in light of the above teachings. While a number of preferred and alternate embodiments, systems, configurations, methods, and potential applications have been described, it should be understood that many variations and alternatives could be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that such modifications fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber treatment device characterized by: a housing; at least one ultrasonic generator fixably mounted to said housing; at least one comb device coupled to said housing and cooperatively associated with said ultrasonic generator for contacting engagement with at least one surface of said ultrasonic generator; further characterized in that at least one fiber is positioned proximate to said ultrasonic generator when said ultrasonic generator is energized to a topically efficacious frequency; and, further characterized in that at least one product is dispensed to said at least one fiber and said topically efficacious frequency efficaciously deposits said at least one product to said at least one fiber.

2. The fiber treatment device of Claim 1 further characterized by: at least one material reservoir for supplying said at least one product further characterized in that said at least one material reservoir is in fluid communication with said comb device.

3. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said comb device is removeably coupled to said housing.

4. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said topically efficacious frequency is preferably from about 15 KHz to about 500 KHz, and more preferably from about 20 KHz to about 150 KHz.

5. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said comb device is acoustically insulated from said ultrasound generator.

6. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said comb device comprises an acoustically insulative material.

7. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said comb device is removeably coupled to said ultrasonic generator.

8. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said fiber treatment device efficaciously heats fibers treated thereby.

9. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said comb device has a plurality of protuberances disposed thereon.

10. The fiber treatment device of any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said comb device further comprises a fiber converging device for converging said fibers to a region proximate to said ultrasound generator.