WO1996021377A2

WO1996021377A2 - Hair washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO1996021377A2
Application number: PCT/US1995/016969
Authority: WO
Original assignee: Fine, Carmel, Dawn; Handelman, Joseph, H.
Priority date: 1995-01-06
Filing date: 1995-12-28
Publication date: 1996-07-18
Also published as: IL116508A0; AU5414596A; ZA9510718B; WO1996021377A3

Abstract

An automatic hair washing apparatus (10) for washing a person's hair, includes a chamber defining means (12) for defining a chamber (14) in which the crown of the person's (18) head and the hair (16) thereon is receivable. A washing means (20) is located within the chamber (14) for washing hair (16) located therein.

Description

HAIR WASHING MACHINE

THIS INVENTION relates to a hair washing apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to an automatic hair washing apparatus for washing a person's hair.

According to the invention, there is provided an automatic hair washing apparatus for washing a person's hair, which includes a chamber defining means for defining a chamber in which the crown of the person's head and the hair thereon is receivable; and a washing means located within the chamber for washing hair located therein.

The chamber-defining means may be in the form of a housing. The housing may define an access opening through which the person's crown and hair may be inserted in the housing.

The washing means may include a number of jets mounted in the housing on a wall thereof to direct liquid into the chamber. The jets may be connectable to a water supply.

The washing means may also include a dispensing means mounted in the housing to dispense a hair care liquid into the chamber. The hair care liquid may be in the form of a shampoo or a hair conditioner or the like. The dispensing means may be connected to at least one of the jets so that the, or each, jet dispenses a mixture of water and hair care liquid.

The jets may be oriented within the housing so that they are directed towards a scalp of a user.

The jets may be connectable to a domestic water supply. The jets may be such that water is directed onto a user's scalp with sufficient force to facilitate washing of the hair. The jets may also be such that the water is directed onto the scalp with sufficient force to provide a massaging effect on the scalp.

The apparatus may include a control means for controlling the operation of the jets and the dispensing means. The control means may include a selector so that a user can select a desired procedure.

The apparatus may also inc] αde a filling control means for controlling the charging of liquid into the housing.

A liquid pumping means may be provided for pumping liquid in the housing to the jets, thereby causing circulation of liquid in the housing, through the jets.

A resilient sealing element may be arranged on the housing about the access opening. The sealing element may be capable of stretching to be sealingly engageable with different users' heads so that leakage from the access opening is inhibited when hair is being washed, in use.

The apparatus may include a seat with the access opening oriented above and behind the seat. The seat may be adjustable to suit differently sized users.

An outlet may be arranged on the housing. A discharge control means may be provided for controlling discharge of liquid from the housing.

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a three dimensional view of an automatic hair washing apparatus, in accordance with the invention, for washing a person's hair,- and

Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram indicating the operation of the apparatus.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an automatic hair washing apparatus for washing a person's hair, in accordance with the invention.

The apparatus 10 includes a chamber-defining means in the form of a housing 12 which defines a chamber 14 in which the crown of a head and the hair 16 thereon of a person 18 is receivable.

A washing means 20 is located within the chamber 14 for washing the hair 16, in use.

An access opening 22 is defined in the housing 12 through which the person's crown and hair 16 is insertable into the housing 12.

The washing means 20 includes a number of jets 24 mounted in the housing 12 on walls 26 of the housing 12 to direct liquid into the space 14. The jets 24 are connected to a water supply 28 via a water supply line 42. The washing means 20 also includes a dispensing means 30 mounted in the housing 12 to dispense shampoo and conditioner into the chamber 14. The dispensing means 30 includes a shampoo dispenser 32 and a hair conditioner dispenser 34. The shampoo dispenser 32 is connected to the jets 24 via a solenoid valve 36. The conditioner dispenser 34 is also connected to the jets 24 via a solenoid valve 38. The solenoid valves 36, 38 are mounted on a shampoo/conditioner supply line 40. The supply line 40 is connected to the water supply line 42.

The water supply 28 includes a hot water supply line 44 and a cold water supply line 46. A manually operated valve 48 is arranged on each of the lines 44, 46. Hence, the user 18 can adjust the temperature of water supplied to the jets 24.

The lines 44, 46 are joined at 50 to lead into the water line 42. A solenoid valve 52 is mounted on the line 42 downstream of the join 50.

The shampoo/conditioner supply line 40 is connected to the line 42 at 54 downstream of the solenoid valve 52.

The jets 24 are oriented within the housing 12 so that the jets 24 are directed onto a scalp of the user 18 located within the space 14. The supply lines

44, 46 are domestic supply lines. Hence, the jets 24 are such that the water can be directed onto the user's scalp with sufficient force to facilitate washing of the hair 16. The jets 24 are also such that the water directed onto the scalp has a massaging effect on the scalp.

The apparatus 10 includes a liquid pumping means in the form of a pump 56 which is located within the housing 12 for pumping liquid in the housing 12 to the jets 24 via a line 58. Hence, the pump 56 circulates water and shampoo or water and conditioner in the housing, through the jets 24.

An outlet 60 is also arranged on the housing 12. A further solenoid valve 62 is arranged on the outlet 60.

The apparatus 10 further includes a control means in the form of a control device 64. The control device 64 is connected to the solenoid valve 52 to define a filling control means for controlling the charging of water into the housing 12. The control device 64 is also connected to the solenoid valve 36 and the solenoid valve 38 to control the dispensing of shampoo or conditioner into the water supply line 42. The pump 56 is also connected to the control device 64 so that circulation of the liquid in the housing 12 can be regulated. Still further, the control device 64 is connected to the solenoid valve 62 to define a discharge control means for controlling discharge of liquid from the housing 12. The control device 64 includes a manually operable selecting device in the form of a selector 66 so that the user 18 can select a desired washing and conditioning procedure for his or her hair 16.

A resilient sealing element 68 is arranged on the housing 12 about the access opening 22. The sealing element 68 is capable of stretching to be sealingly engageable with different user's heads so that leakage from the access opening 22 is inhibited when hair 16 is being washed.

The apparatus 10 also includes a seat 70 with the access opening 22 oriented above and behind the seat 70. Hence, the user 18, as shown in Figure 1, can sit on the seat 70 with his or her head tilted backwards during operation of the washing means 20. The seat 70 is adjustable to suit differently sized users. Further, the seat 70 has a rest 72 mounted thereon to support a user's neck while his or her head is tilted backwards.

The pump 56 may be operated in a pulsed manner, so that water issues from the jets 24 in a pulsed manner, to improve the massaging effect on the person's scalp.

The apparatus 10 may also have an electrically operable heating means for maintaining the temperature of water in the chamber 14.

By means of the invention an apparatus is provided which can be used to wash and condition hair in a time-saving and efficient manner.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. An automatic hair washing apparatus for washing a person's hair, which includes a chamber defining means for defining a chamber in which the crown of the person's head and the hair thereon is receivable; and a washing means located within the chamber for washing hair located therein.

2. The apparatus as claimed in Claim l, in which the chamber-defining means is in the form of a housing.

3. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, in which the housing defines an access opening through which the person's crown and hair can be inserted in the housing.

4. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, in which the washing means includes a number of jets mounted in the housing on a wall thereof to direct liquid into the chamber.

5. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, in which the jets are connectable to a water supply.

6. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, in which the washing means includes a dispensing means mounted in the housing to dispense a hair care liquid into the chamber .

7. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, in which the dispensing means is connected to at least one of the jets so that the, or each, jet dispenses a mixture of water and hair care liquid.

8. The apparatus as Claimed in Claim 6 or 7, in which the jets are oriented within the housing so that they are directed towards a scalp of a user.

9. The apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8, inclusive, in which the jets are connectable to a domestic water supply, the jets being such that water is directed onto a user's scalp with sufficient force to facilitate washing of the hair.

10. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, in which the jets are such that the water directed onto the scalp has a massaging effect on the scalp.

11. The apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 10, inclusive, which includes a control means for controlling the operation of the jets and the dispensing means.

12. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, in which the control means includes a selector so that a user can select a desired procedure.

13. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, which includes a filling control means for controlling the charging of liquid into the housing.

14. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, which includes a liquid pumping means for pumping liquid in the housing to the jets, thereby causing circulation of liquid in the housing, through the jets.

15. The apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 14, inclusive, which includes a resilient sealing element arranged on the housing about the access opening.

16. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, in which the sealing element is capable of stretching to be sealingly engageable with different users' heads so that leakage from the access opening is inhibited when hair is being washed, in use.

17. The apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 16, inclusive, in which the hair washing apparatus includes a seat with the access opening oriented above and behind the seat.

18. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 17, in which the seat is adjustable to suit differently sized users.

19_, The apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 18, inclusive, which includes an outlet arranged on the housing and a discharge control means for controlling discharge of liquid from the housing.