US3172139A - Hairbrush - Google Patents

Description

March 9, 1965 M. M. WIRE HAIRBRUSH Filed Oct. 23, 1965 60 2 :7?0 oooo/oo/ooo Y ,i lIlllllllll//IIIIIIIIA United States Patent 3,172,139 HAIRBRUSH Marvin M. Wire, Hollywood Hills, Calif. (R0. Box 75467, Los Angeles, Calif.) Filed Oct. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 318,347 9 Claims. (Cl. 15--160) This invention relates to a hairbrush incorporating means for cleaning the hairbrush when it becomes clogged or matted with hairs, and is particularly concerned with a hairbrush having a cleaning element which nests into the brush in non-interfering relation during ordinary use of the brush, but when desired, is readily manipulated to remove loose hairs from the brush.

A hairbrush is ordinarily stroked in a sidewise direction when brushing the hair and consequently hair collected by the bristles of the brush are generally arranged transversely of the brush. If one attempts to clean a hairbrush by means of a comb, the comb is usually 4moved through the brush longitudinally of the brush. Since the comb does not catch all the hairs at the first pass of the comb, the hairs that it does not catch are oriented longitudinally and therefore are not caught by the comb in the next pass of the same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hairbrush incorporating a cleaning element which is designed to pick up and remove substantially all of the loose hairs held by the bristles of the brush in a single pass of the cleaning element.

Another object is to provide a hairbrush of the aforementioned type wherein the cleaning portion of the cleaning element incorporated therewith has a plurality of tines or prongs which normally fit between the rows of bristles of the brush but are movable through the rows of bristles to sweep and pull the loose hairs from the bristles; the tines having a design or configuration such that when the cleaning element is returned to its normal position on the brush, the tines spread and separate the rows of bristles on opposite sides of the respective tines and thus eliminate interference by the bristles to the movement of the tines. v

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the hairbrush is provided with a cleaning element having a handle and a plurality of prongs or tines. The handle portion of the brush is recessed to receive the handle of the cleaning element, and the prongs of the cleaning element are seated in grooves formed in the body member of such a depth as to normally mount the prongs with their exposed faces flush with the contiguous surface of the body member. Hence, in the inoperative position of the cleaning element, the latter in effect, becomes a part of the body member of the brush, the handle of the forked cleaning element becoming a part of the handle of the brush. As the prongs of the cleaning element of the instant hairbrush are nested within the grooves in the body member of the hairbrush, they do not present sharp edges which might injure a persons scalp.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the description below of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a plan view of the hairbrush of the invention, showing the cleaning element or fork in the inoperative nested position within the hairbrush;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the forked cleaning element in the position after it has been moved away from the hairbrush for removal of hairs from the brush;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. S is a front end view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional detail taken online 6-6 of FIG. l;

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FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the brush structure showing the grooves for receiving the pivot pin of the cleaning fork; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the insert which is received within the brush handle to lock the fork in position on the brush.

The hairbrush 10 of the present invention, referring now to the drawings, comprises a pivotally mounted multi-tined or fork-shaped cleaning element 12 arranged to be moved into and out of engagement with the hairbrush. Although the hairbrush 10 and the cleaning element 12 can be constructed of any suitable material, in preferred practice, the hairbrush is formed of a plastic material and the cleaning element of a suitable metal, such as stainless steel.

The hairbrush 10 comprises a body or base portion 14 having a handle 16 integrally formed therewith. The inner surface of the base portion 14 is formed with a plurality of parallel rows of cavities 18, each of such cavities having mounted therein, by conventional means, a plurality of bristles indicated at 2li. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, there are tive parallel rows of such cavities 18, mounting five parallel rows of the bristles, the central row of bristles being representedl by numeral 22, the two rows adjacent to the center row being represented by the numeral 24, and the two outermost rows of bristles indicated by numeral 26. If desired, the working face of the brush can be given a rounded configuration, as best shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing, by making the central row 22 of bristles relatively long, and the two adjacent flanking rows 24 somewhat shorter, and by inclining the two outermost rows of bristles 26 outwardly.

The inner surface of the body or base portion 14 of the hairbrush is formed with a recess 28 adapted to receive the tined portion 3l? of the forked cleaning element 12 and such recess includes a plurality of V-shaped parallel grooves 32 disposed between adjacent rows of the bristles, shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing as four in number.

The handle 16 of the brush is wedge-shaped as shown in FIG. 2, and inclines upwardly from the inner end of the handle to the outer end thereof for purposes of rigidity and ease off handling. The handle 16 is formed with -a central slot 34 which extends substantially the entire length of the handle. Extending along each of the side walls of .the slot 34 is .a longitudinally extending groove 36. 'Ihe inner ends of the grooves 36 terminate in a rounded end wall 38, as best seen in FIG. 7, disposed closely adjacent a downwardly curved shoulder element 40 of the base portion 14 of the brush.

A tapered insert 42 is provided for insertion into the slot 34 of the brush handle 16. The insert 42 is formed with a pair of oppositely directed longitudinally extending lugs 44 along the outer edges thereof, adapted to be slideably received by the grooves 36. It will be noted that such lugs have extended portions 46 terminating in a pair orf curved socket-like members 48. The insert 42 is positioned in .the slot 34 by sliding the lugs 44 of the insert into the grooves 36 until the top and bottom edges of the members 48 at the inner ends of the lugs 44 engage with the upper and lower edges of the rounded end walls 38, formed at the ends of the grooves 36. When vthis position of the insert is attained, the insert is received entirely within the slot 34 of the brush handle 16, and in effect, forms an integrated part of the handle 16. It will be seen that when the insert is so positioned in the handle, the end walls 38 and the socket-like members 48 form bearings Sil for the opposite ends of a pivot pm 52 of the forked cleaning element 12, more fully described hereinafter.

The one surface of the insert is so formed as to fair into the contiguous surfaces of the handle 16 at opposite sides ot the slot 34 so that an unbroken com- E posite surface is provided at the inner side of thc handle once the insert is mounted in the slot 34. The insert is of such a thickness that the other exposed surface is set back from the contiguous surfaces of the handle, as best seen in FIG. 4 of the drawing, to thus form a recess 54 extending lengthwise of the handle 16.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the forked cleaning element 12 comprises the tined portion 30, a hub section 56 and a handle 58. The pivot pin 52 may be integrally formed with the hub section S6 of the cleaning element and comprises two outwardly extending pin elements which are received in the bearings t). The pivot pin 52 and the bearings 50, as should now be seen, pivotally support the cleaning element on the brush and permit arcuate movement of the tined portion through the rows of bristles of the brush.

The tined portion 30 of the cleaning element 12 comprises a plurality, shown as four in number in FIG. 1, of spaced parallel tines or prongs 60. Such tines or prongs preferably have a V-shaped cross sectional configuration, as best shown in FIG. 6, for purposes described more fully hereinafter. When the cleaning element 12 is moved to the inoperative or storage position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hub section 56 of the cleaning element is received within the recess 2S and the tines or prongs 60 nest or seat within the V-shaped parallel grooves 32. The recess 28 and grooves 32 are of such a depri that the exposed surfaces of the section 56 and the prongs 60 when received within the former, are fiush with the contiguous surfaces of the body portion 14 of the brush. Also, when the cleaning element is in the inoperative position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 58 thereof is received within the recess S4 provided in the handle 16` of the brush as above described. Hence the handle 58 of the cleaning element 12 is nested completely within the brush handle in that its exposed surface is flush with the surface of the handle 16 at opposite sides of the recess 54. Thus, in the nested, inoperative position of the cleaning element, all of the surfaces of the cleaning element are confined entirely within the brush. As the prongs 60 are so confined, there is no danger of injury to the scalp of the user as the brush is moved over the head in the normal use of the brush.

To assemble the embodiment of the brush illustrated, the body element 14 is laid fiat and the cleaning element 12 is extended through the slot 34 of the handle 16 to bring the opposite ends of the pivot pin 52 into the opposite grooves 36 of the slot 34 at a point adjacent the end of the brush handle, after which the cleaning element is moved forward until the opposite ends of the pin are engaged with the end walls 33 of the grooves 36. The insert 42 is then positioned and fixed within the brush handle by first placing a bonding material or adhesive on the surfaces of the lugs 44 or walls of the slot 34 or both, before the lugs 44 are slideably moved into the grooves 36, to a position in which the socket-like members 48 abut the pin S2.

After a period of use of the brush of the present invention, since the brush is stroked through the hair transversely to the longitudinal row of bristles, hairs loosened from the head of the user, and indicated by numeral 66 in FIG. 3, are oriented in a generally tranverse arrangement relative to the rows of bristles. Thus, when the cleaning element 12 is pivoted from the inoperative position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the longitudinally extending prongs 60 of the cleaning element 12 are lifted in parallel paths from their normal positions between adjacent rows of bristles and the loose hairs 66 are disengaged from the bristles. In this manner, the loose hairs are thus lifted by the prongs from the bristles and the loose hairs are readily removed from the brush in but a single pass of the cleaning element. In this connection, the hub portion 56vof the cleaning element is preferably provided with a shoulder 63 which engages an adjacent downwardly directed shoulder at the lower end of the base portion of the brush to serve as a means to limit pivotal motion of the cleaning element 12 to an 4angular position relative Ito the brush in which the prongs are spaced outwardly of the bristles 20.

After the loose hair has been removed from the cleaning element 12, the element is then pivotally moved to its normal or storage position on the bush. During this movement of the cleaning element, the V-shaped cross sectional configuration of the prongs 60 aids in properly spreading the adjacent rows of bristles on opposite sides of the respective prongs and thus eliminates possible interference of the bristles to the return movement of the prongs. In this manner the prongs are again received in the confining V-shaped grooves 32 of the base portion of the brush without bending the bristles down against the base portion ofthe brush.

As the metallic cleaning element 12 completely nests within the recess 28, grooves 32 and recess 54, the cleaning element reinforces the body of the brush particularly in the region of the greatest stress, that is, the interconnection between the base or body portion of the brush and the handle 15. In fact, the brush of the present invention is quite strong and the cleaning element aids in giving to the brush a long service life.

Although some latch element can be provided for holding the cleaning element in its nested position in the body of the brush, it has been found that a slight friction fit between the cleaning element 12 and the various recess formations receiving the cleaning element is sufficient to hold the cleaning element 12in position. In fact, the mere grasping of the handle 16 of the brush will hold the handle 5S of the cleaning element 12 against accidental pivotal movement during normal use of the brush. To facilitate pivotal movement of the cleaning element from its storage position, it is now preferred to provide a recess 72 at the outer end of the insert to receive the thumb or finger of the user. Once the thumb or finger has been inserted into the recess 72, it is relatively easy to move the handle 58 to complete the bristle-cleaning operation. v

It will be understood that although the combined hairbrush and cleaning element of the invention has been illustrated as formed of three parts, including the insert 42, if desired, the brush 10, including the handle portion thereof, can be formed of one solid piece, and the cleaning element 12 pivotally mounted on the brush in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the invention provides a hairbrush-cleaning element combination which has a number of advantages, including simplicity of construction, ruggedness, freedom from danger of injury when using the brush due to the nesting of the cleaning element entirely within the body of the brush, and effectiveness in removing loose hairs from the brush in but a single pass of the cleaning element.

While I have described a particular embodiment of the invention for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that the invention is not to be taken as limited, except bythe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-'shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and being disposed adjacent the front of the hase portion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles, a recess in the front surface of the base portion of said brush, said recess having a configuration to receive said fork-shaped cleaning element, said recess including a plurality of parallel grooves disposed between and adjacent to said parallel rows of F. 3 bristles, to receive said prongs of said cleaning element, said cleaning element when disposed in said recess and said grooves being substantially Hush with the adjacent surfaces of said brush, and means for pivoting said cleaning element away from the base portion of said brush.

2. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of said brush, with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said bristles, said prongs having a V-shaped cross section with the apex thereof being disposed in a direction toward said base portion of said brush, a recess in the front surface of the base portion of said brush, said recess having a configuration to receive said fork-shaped cleaning element, said recess including a plurality of V- shaped parallel grooves disposed between and adjacent to said parallel rows of bristles, to receive said prongs of said cleaning element, said cleaning element when disposed in said recess and said V-shaped grooves of said base portion of said brush being flush with the adjacent surfaces of said brush.

3. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, .a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said fork portion, said fork portion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a reces-s in the front surface of the base portion of said brush, and having a contiguration to receive the fork portion of said cleaning element, said recess including a plurality of parallel grooves disposed between and adjacent to said parallel rows of bristles, to receive said prongs of said fork portion, and a groove in the back surface of said brush handle and having a configura tion to receive the handle of said cleaning element, said cleaning element when disposed in said recess of said base portion of said brush and in said groove in the handle of said brush being substantially flush with the adjacent surfaces of said brush, said cleaning element being substantially co-extensive with said brush.

4. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said fork portion, said cleaning element having an integral pivot pin extending laterally of said element between said fork portion and said handle of said cleaning element, and a laterally extending bearing adjacent the inner end of said brush handle for receiving said pivot pin, said fork portion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recess in the front surface of the base portion of said brush, and having a configuration t-o receive the fork portion of said cleaning element, and a groove in the back surface of said brush handle and having a configuration to receive the handle of said cleaning element.

5. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality .of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said fork portion, said fork portion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, said prongs of said cleaning element having a V-shaped cross section with the apex thereof being disposed in a direction toward said base of said brush, a plurality of parallel grooves disposed in said base portion of said brush between and adjacent to said parallel rows of bristles, said parallel grooves being V-shaped and adapted to receive said prongs so that said prongs vare disposed entirely within said grooves, and a groove in the back surface of said brush handle and having a configuration to receive the handle of said cleaning element.

6. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush, intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said fork portion, said fork portion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recess in the front surface of the base portion of said brush, and having a configuration to receive the fork portion of said cleaning element, said recess including a plurality of parallel grooves disposed between and adjacent to said parallel rows of bristles, to receive said prongs of said fork portion, and a groove in the back surface of said brush handle and having a configuration to receive the handle of said cleaning element, said cleaning element when disposed in said recess of said base portion -of said brush and in said groove in the handle of said brush being substantially flush with the adjacent surfaces of said brush, said cleaning element being substantially co-extensive with said brush, and a cavity formed in the end of said brush handle adjacent said groove in the back surface :of said brush handle, said cavity being o-f -a size suflicient for insertion of a finger against the handle of said cleaning element disposed in said last-mentioned groove.

7. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said fork portion, said cleaning element having an integral pivot pin extending laterally of said element between said fork portion and said handle of said cleaning element, and `a =laterally extending bearing adjacent the inner end of said brush handle for receiving said pivot pin, said fork portion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recess in the front surface of the base portion of said brush, and having a configuration to receive the fork portion of said cleaning element, and a groove in the back surface of said brush handle and having a configuration to receive the handle of said cleaning element, said brush having la shoulder adjacent the pivotal portion of said cleaning element, and said cleaning element having a stop surface adjacent said pivot pin for engagement with sdraiati' said shoulder when said cleaning element is pivoted a predetermined distance away from said brush.

8. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning ele ment pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a fork portion including a plurality of spaced parallel prongs and a handle connected to said fork portion, said cleaning element having an integral pivot pin extending laterally of said element between said fork portion and said handle of said cleaning element, and a laterally extending bearing adjacent the inner end of said brush handle for receiving said pivot pin, said fork portion being disposed adjacent the front of the base portion of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles and the handle of said cleaning element being disposed adjacent the back of said brush handle, a recess in the front surface of the base portion of said brush, and having a configuration to receive the fork portion of said cleaning element, the handle portion of said brush having a slot therein extending from the outer end of said handle portion to the inner end thereof, a pair of longitudinally extending grooves in the side walls of said slot, the inner ends of said grooves having a semi-circular shape, and an insert received and bonded within said slot, said insert having a pair of longitudinally extending lugs along the lower side edges of said insert, the inner ends of said lugs having a semi-circular shape, said lugs being received in said longitudinally extending grooves of said recess, the semi-circular ends of said longitudinal` grooves and the semi-circular ends of said lugs mating to form a pairof oppositely aligned bearing portions, said bearing portions forming said laterally extending bearings, said pivot pin of said cleaning element comprising a pair of oppositely aligned pin members, said pin members being received in said bearing portions, the handle of said cleaning element being received in said recess of said brush handle adjacent said insert.

9. A combined hairbrush and brush cleaner comprising a hairbrush having a base portion and a handle portion, a plurality of spaced parallel rows of bristles mounted in the base portion of said brush, a fork-shaped cleaning element pivotally mounted on said brush intermediate the ends thereof, said cleaning element having a plurality of spaced parallel prongs disposed adjacent the front of the base portion .of said brush with said prongs disposed between and parallel to adjacent rows of said brush bristles, said prongs of said cleaning element having a V-shaped cross section with the apex thereof being disposed in a direction toward said base portion of said brush.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,845 Lailin Apr. 3, 1900` 1,290,554 Healey Ian. 7, 1919 2,781,739 Dick et al Feb. 19, 1957 3,110,053 Surabian Nov. 12, 1963

Claims (1)

1. A COMBINED HAIRBRUSH AND BRUSH CLEANER COMPRISING A HAIRBRUSH HAVING A BASE PORTION AND A HANDLE PORTION, A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL ROWS OF BRISTLES MOUNTED IN THE BASE PORTION OF SAID BRUSH, A FORK-SHAPED CLEANING ELEMENT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID BRUSH INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, SAID CLEANING ELEMENT HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL PRONGS AND BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE FRONT OF THE BASE PORTION OF SAID BRUSH WITH SAID PRONGS DISPOSED BETWEEN AND PARALLEL TO ADJACENT ROWS OF SAID BRUSH BRISTLES, A RECESS IN THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE BASE PORTION OF SAID BRUSH, SAID RECESS HAVING A CONFIGURATION TO RECEIVE SAID FORK-SHAPED CLEANING ELEMENT, SAID RECESS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL GROOVES DISPOSED BETWEEN AND ADJACENT TO SAID PARALLEL ROWS OF BRISTLES, TO RECEIVE SAID PRONGS OF SAID CLEANING ELEMENT, SAID CLEANING ELEMENT WHEN DISPOSED IN SAID RECESS AND SAID GROOVES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF SAID BRUSH, AND MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID CLEANING ELEMENT AWAY FROM THE BASE PORTIN OF SAID BRUSH.

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