WO1998043511A1

WO1998043511A1 - Hair-treatment substance application

Info

Publication number: WO1998043511A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/000802
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bradley William Evans
Original assignee: Bradley William Evans
Priority date: 1997-03-27
Filing date: 1998-03-27
Publication date: 1998-10-08
Also published as: GB2340036B; GB9922305D0; GB2340036A; AU6842198A

Abstract

A range of applicators are provided for applying lines of hair-treatment substance, each applicator (1) comprising an applying portion of lands (4) and grooves (5) and a handle (2). The dimensions of the lands and grooves vary from applicator to applicator. A method of applying hair-treatment substance and a wiping means are also described.

Description

HAIR-TREATMENT SUBSTANCE APPLICATION

This invention relates to the application of hair-treatment substance to hair.

GB-A-2256586 discloses a combined brush and comb used to apply tones, touches or streaks of hair-treatment liquid to human hair. The brush-comb has a curved body portion terminating in a tip, which may be used to part the hair, and a head portion having conical comb tines and brush tufts positioned close to the tines. Each tine has one or more grooves perpendicular to its axis to retain the liquid and to replenish the liquid to the brush tufts. In operation, the brush-comb head portion is dipped into a container of the liquid and then the head portion is pulled through the hair, so that the brush tufts apply the liquid to selected areas of the hair. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a range of applicators for applying lines of hair- treatment substance, each applicator comprising a substance- applying portion formed with a series of substantially parallel, alternating land means and groove means, with said groove means being of substantially equal width to each other and said land means being of substantially equal width to each other, and said groove means serving to retain said hair-treatment substance, and a handle portion connected to said applying portion, said groove means of the respective applicators being of significantly different widths from applicator-to-applicator and/or said land means of the respective applicators being of significantly different widths from applicator-to-applicator and/or diameters of the respective applying portions being of significantly different magnitudes from applicator-to-applicator. Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to apply a variety of widths and/or spaces of hair-treatment substance and/or to treat a variety of lengths of hair more readily.

There may be any suitable number of applicators in the range and they may have any suitable diameters, and/or lengths, and/or groove widths and/or groove depths, and/or land widths. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an applicator for applying lines of hair- treatment substance, comprising an applying portion and a substantially inflexible handle portion substantially inflexibly attached to said applying portion, wherein the entirety of the applying portion is substantially inflexible.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to apply hair-treatment substance with precise width of line and spacing between lines. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of applying simultaneously a plurality of substantially parallel lines of hair-treatment substance, characterised by performing a cycle comprised of bringing spaced- apart portions of said substance carried by an applicator into contact with upper parts of outer surfaces of spaced-apart sections of a head of hair, lowering the applicator downwardly to lower parts of said outer surfaces while maintaining the applicator in contact with said outer surfaces, thereby applying said portions as said lines, and raising said applicator. Advantageously, the applicator is removed from the hair prior to raising, and is raised while out of contact with the hair .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus comprising wiping means for wiping an applicator, characterised in that said wiping means has a curved internal outline for extending around said applicator while said applicator is passed through said wiping means.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to remove excess hair treatment substance from the applicator, simply and efficiently.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: -

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are side elevations of differing versions of a hair treatment applicator particularly for colouring, dyeing and bleaching of hair, Figure 4 is a side elevation of an alternative version of the hair treatment applicator,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a wiping apparatus in the form of a dye wipe bowl, Figure 6 is a top perspective view of an alternative version of the wiping apparatus, and

Figures 7 and 8 are side elevations of an alternative version of the wiping apparatus in open and closed conditions, respectively . Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the applicator 1 consists of a rigid single piece of moulded plastics and comprises a handle portion 2 and an applying portion 3, both of substantially circular-cylindrical form. The applying portion 3 comprises a series of alternating, annular lands 4 and annular grooves 5 arranged to trap hair-treatment substance.

In use, as the applicator 1 is slid or rolled down the outer surface of a mesh of the hair of a user, either by himself or herself or by his or her barber or hairdresser, the hair- treatment substance passes from the grooves 5 to the hair. The person using the applicator 1 to apply hair-treatment substance would repeat a series of such downward movements, drawing the applicator 1 down the hair and then away from the hair and up, while out of contact with the hair, in a substantially circular fashion. Several lines of hair-treatment substance are applied to the hair at the same time, the substance being dispersed onto the hair out of the grooves 5 of the applicator 1, the lines being substantially parallel to each other. The thickness of the lines applied to the hair depends on the width of the grooves 5.

In Figure 1 the lands 4 are relatively wide and the grooves 5 are relatively narrow, whereas in Figures 2 and 3 the lands 4 are relatively narrow and the grooves 5 are relatively wide. The applicators 1 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 are part of a range of applicators having differing widths of groove and/or differing widths of land from each other. Four applicators of the following characters are preferred:- Applicator Groove width . (mm) L_____ width (mm)

A 1 3

B 1 5

C 2 5

D 5 10

The grooves 5 are of substantially rectangular cross- section, if desired with a radially outwardly diverging mouth and are preferably each of depth of 3mm. The base of the groove alternatively may be U-shaped in cross-section or may be substantially rectangular with rounded corners.

The applying portions 3 in the range are also of differing diameters, for example to suit the length of the hair meshes to be treated. In Figures 1 and 2 the diameter of each applying portion 3 is significantly less than that in Figure 3, but the handle portion 2 is of the same diameter. The following diameters are preferred for the following hair mesh lengths :-

Applying portion diameter (cm) Hair mesh length (cm)

2 5-10 (short)

3 5-15 (medium) 5 15+ (long)

In the range, each applicator may have, for example, an overall length of 25 cm, e.g. with a handle portion 2 of 15cm and thus an applying portion 3 of 10cm, or an overall length of 20cm, e.g. a handle portion 2 of 12 cm and an applying portion 3 of 8 cm.

In an alternative version, not shown, the applicator may take the form of a rigid rod or tube of plastics with metal or plastics wire spirally encircling an end zone thereof and thereby providing a spiral groove for receiving the treatment substance. In a further alternative version, the groove or grooves and land or lands are at each end of the applicator; this allows one applicator to include two applying portions of different dimensional characteristics.

The treatment substance, for example hair-colouring liquid, is brushed onto the applying portion, pushing the colouring liquid into the groove (s) . The substance could also be in solid form or as a gel, cream, powder, pomade or bleach. The surplus is wiped from the applying portion so that the liquid is only in the groove (s), i.e. with no colouring liquid on the applicator other than in the groove (s) . It can be applied directly onto the hair roots with no likelihood of the liquid coming into contact with the scalp.

Referring to Figure 4, an alternative version is shown. The applying portion 3 with lands 4 and grooves 5 is of the same general form as in Figures 1 to 3. The handle portion 2 ' , however, is of conically tapered form for use by a stylist in sectioning a customer's hair. Once the hair has been sectioned, the applying portion 3 can be utilised to apply hair-treatment substance to the sectioned-out hair.

The applicator 1 can be provided with a reservoir in the body of the applicator 1 to supply the hair-treatment substance to the grooves 5, for example via small holes in the bases of the grooves 5. The applicator 1 can be provided with a sealable opening to fill the reservoir, or the handle 2 and the applying portion 3 can be separable, for example by unscrewing, to allow filling of the reservoir. The reservoir could also be provided with a sponge to facilitate retention of the hair-treatment substance. The handle 2 could be squeezable to force the hair- treatment substance through the holes and into the grooves 5 during use.

Referring to Figure 5, for wiping surplus dye from the applying portion, a wiping apparatus in the form of a bowl 6 may be provided. The applicator 1 is placed from above in a hole 7 in a U-shaped, elastomeric insert 7' in a cut-out in the rim of the bowl 6, by forcing the handle portion 2 downwards between elastomeric portions 8 bounding a slot 9 therebetween. Thereby, the applying portion 3 is placed over the interior of the bowl 6 and the handle portion 2 is external of the bowl. The applying portion 3 is then drawn through the hole 7, removing any excess dye from the applying portion 3, with the surplus being deposited in the bowl 6. The hole 7 is substantially circular, of a diameter substantially equal to that of the applying portion. For a plurality of differing diameters of the applying portions of respective applicators, a corresponding plurality of holes 7 of corresponding differing diameters may be provided; in the case shown, there are two holes 7 of differing diameters.

Referring to Figure 6, the dye wipe apparatus is in the form of a trough 10 having external surface-contacting stabilizing lugs 12 and a lateral leg 14 which not only enhances stability but also provides one tong of a pair of tongs 14, 16 hinged together at 18. Mounted in respective semi-circular channels 20 in the tongs 14, 16 are semi-circular, elastomeric wipers 22 which, when the tongs 14, 16 are brought together about the inner end of an applying portion 3 of an applicator 1, encirclingly embrace that portion. The hair stylist can then pick up the dye wipe apparatus and, with the trough 10 roughly horizontal and the tongs 14 and 16 held together by one hand, with the other hand pull the applicator 1 axially outwards to cause the wipers 22 to wipe surplus dye from the applying portion, whence the surplus flows into the trough 10.

The version shown in Figures 7 and 8 differs from that shown in Figure 6 chiefly in that there is no container for receiving the surplus dye, that the hinge 18' is at the opposite end of the pair of tongs 14', 16' from the semi-circular channels 20, and that the tongs are urged into the open position shown in Figure 7 by a wire torsion spring 24. The hair stylist uses the wiping apparatus of Figures 7 and 8 similarly to that of Figure

Claims

1. A range of applicators for applying lines of hair-treatment substance, each applicator comprising a substance-applying portion formed with a series of substantially parallel, alternating land means and groove means, with said groove means being of substantially equal width to each other and said land means being of substantially equal width to each other, and said groove means serving to retain said hair-treatment substance, and a handle portion connected to said applying portion, said groove means of the respective applicators being of significantly different widths from applicator-to-applicator and/or said land means of the respective applicators being of significantly different widths from applicator-to-applicator and/or diameters of the respective applying portions being of significantly different magnitudes from applicator-to-applicator.

2. A range according to claim 1, wherein the widths of said groove means are substantially 1mm, substantially 1mm, substantially 2mm, and substantially 5mm, and the respective corresponding land widths are substantially 3mm, substantially 5mm, substantially 5mm, and substantially 10mm.

3. A range according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said diameters are diameters of substantially 2cm, substantially 3cm and substantially 5cm.

4. A range according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each applicator has an overall length of between substantially 20cm and substantially 25cm.

5. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein the groove means of each applicator is of substantially rectangular cross-section.

6. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein the groove means of each applicator is of substantially U-shaped cross-section .

7. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein the groove means of each applicator has radially outwardly diverging mouth means.

8. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein the groove means of each applicator has a depth of substantially 3mm.

9. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein each applicator is formed by an elongate member spirally encircled by wire .

10. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein each applicator comprises a second series of substantially parallel, alternating land means and groove means, the two series being at respective opposite end zones of the applicator and being of different dimensional characteristics from each other.

11. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle portion of each applicator is substantially conically tapered.

12. A range according to any preceding claim, wherein each applicator further comprises a reservoir arranged to supply hair- treatment substance to the groove means.

13. A range according to claim 12, wherein the base of the groove means of each applicator is provided with holes that communicate with said reservoir.

14. A range according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the reservoir of each applicator is provided with a sponge.

15. A range according to claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the handle of each applicator is squeezeable to force hair-treatment substance from the reservoir to the applying portion.

16. A range according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein each applicator is substantially inflexible.

17. An applicator for applying lines of hair-treatment substance, comprising an applying portion and a substantially inflexible handle portion substantially inflexibly attached to said applying portion, wherein the entirety of the applying portion is substantially inflexible.

18. An applicator according to claim 17, wherein said applying portion is formed with a series of substantially parallel, alternating land means and groove means, with said groove means being of substantially equal width to each other and said land means being of substantially equal width to each other, and said groove means serving to retain said hair-treatment substance.

19. An applicator according to claim 17 or 18, wherein each applicator has an overall length of between substantially 20cm and substantially 25cm.

20. An applicator according to claim 17,18 or 19, wherein the groove means of said applicator is of substantially rectangular cross-section .

21. An applicator according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the groove means of said applicator is of substantially U-shaped cross-section.

22. An applicator according to any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the groove means of said applicator has radially outwardly diverging mouth means.

23. An applicator according to any one of claims 17 to 22, wherein the groove means of said applicator has a depth of substantially 3mm.

24. An applicator according to any one of claims 17 to 23, wherein said applicator is formed by an elongate member spirally encircled by wire.

25. An applicator according to any one of claims 17 to 24, wherein said applicator comprises a second series of substantially parallel, alternating land means and groove means, the two series being at respective opposite end zones of the applicator and being of different dimensional characteristics from each other.

26. An applicator according to any one of claims 17 to 25, wherein said handle portion of said applicator is substantially conically tapered.

27. An applicator according to any one of claims 17 to 26, wherein said applicator further comprises a reservoir arranged to supply hair-treatment substance to the groove means.

28. An applicator according to claim 27, wherein the base of the groove means of said applicator is provided with holes that communicate with said reservoir.

29. An applicator according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the reservoir of each applicator is provided with a sponge.

30. A method of applying simultaneously a plurality of substantially parallel lines of hair-treatment substance, characterised by performing a cycle comprised of bringing spaced- apart portions of said substance carried by an applicator into contact with upper parts of outer surfaces of spaced-apart sections of a head of hair, lowering the applicator downwardly to lower parts of said outer surfaces while maintaining the applicator in contact with said outer surfaces, thereby applying said portions as said lines, and raising said applicator.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the applicator is removed from the hair prior to raising, and is raised while out of contact with the hair.

32. Apparatus comprising wiping means for wiping an applicator, characterised in that said wiping means has a curved internal outline for extending around said applicator while said applicator is passed through said wiping means.

33. Apparatus according to claim 32, and further comprising a container for collecting surplus hair-treatment substance wiped from said applicator.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said container is attached to said wiping means.

35. Apparatus according to claim 32, 33 or 34, wherein said wiping means is openable to receive said applicator.

36. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said wiping means comprises a pair of tongs.