The present invention relates generally to a hair care apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for cooling and dehumidifying the hair of a user.
Hair care, in general, refers to practices and treatments that maintain overall health and hygiene of the hair from the scalp of an individual. Well-maintained hair is integral to the general hygiene and confidence of the individual in a social setting. Salons and hair wellness centers work to provide healthy and aesthetically pleasing hairstyles. Typically, stylists use chemical hair straightening products such as a relaxer to straighten curly hair. The usage of chemical products is harmful to users if it contacts the skin. An apparatus, which allows a user to preserve the user hairstyle without the application of chemical products, is required. Additionally, their use results in the formation of brittle and easily damaged hair. Over the years, there has been a trend in the hair care industry, especially among the African American community, of moving away from chemical hair straightening products and embracing natural hair. Consequently, the trend has led to a decline in the sale of chemical products. Both women and men sporting long hair prefer natural hair because it allows them the versatility of having curly hair one day and having their hair straightened the next using a curling iron, flat iron, hot comb, or blow dryer. However, women who wish to keep their hair straightened for extended periods find it challenging to do so because of hot and humid conditions, steam from baths or showers, activities that require them to sweat, etc. Unlike Caucasian women, African American and biracial women do not wash their hair every day because their hair does not become oily in the same fashion as Caucasian women. As a result, it is highly desirable for an African-American woman who has straightened hair, to prevent their hair from getting wet until the time comes for them to wash it.
Currently, existing solutions do not allow women to keep their stylized hair free from moisture while showering, exercising, or participating in any other activity. This translates to a lack of exercise, cool showers with a shower cap, comfortless nights, and/or no vigorous activities. Women with straightened hair have to visit a salon to professionally straighten their hair or take time to do it themselves periodically, which costs both money and effort. After having hair straightened without using chemicals, women must take many precautions to preserve straightened hair. Keeping natural hair straight involves staying out of humid environments and avoiding any activity that causes head sweat. This often keeps women from exercising, enjoying long hot showers/baths or even engaging in vigorous passionate sexual experiences. The only other options available to women include, for example, wearing a wig, wearing short hair dues, wearing sports caps, or wearing bands that draw moisture from the scalp but by that time hair roots are already compromised. Women would be glad to embrace an alternative that gives them the freedom to keep their hair the way they want it and still do what they want to do. An apparatus, which absorbs moisture or perspiration from the hair to preserve the opted hairstyle of an individual without affecting his/her lifestyle, is required. Such an apparatus provides the individual with the freedom to engage in vigorous activities without affecting their hairstyle.
Hence, there is a need for an apparatus, which allows a user to preserve hairstyle without the application of chemical products. Furthermore, there is a need for an apparatus, which absorbs moisture or perspiration from the hair to preserve the opted hairstyle of an individual without affecting the user's lifestyle.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In an embodiment, a hair cooling apparatus for cooling and absorbing the moisture of hair of an individual or a user is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a wearable headgear and a portable carrier. In one embodiment, the wearable headgear is configured to provide cooling for the user's hair to prevent moisture. The wearable headgear includes a flexible hose within an interior cavity. The apparatus further comprises a blower unit securely positioned within the portable carrier. In one embodiment, the blower unit is a fan. The blower unit is securely connected to an open end of the flexible hose of the wearable headgear via a connector. In one embodiment, the blower unit is configured to supply air within the interior cavity of the wearable headgear via the flexible hose, thereby providing cooling to the user's hair and protecting from moisture or perspiration for preserving an opted hairstyle of the user without affecting the lifestyle. The blower unit supplies airflow and delivers at high pressure within the interior cavity via the flexible hose. In one embodiment, the blower unit is powered using one or more power sources or batteries. In another embodiment, the blower unit is further configured to connect to a power supply using an insulating cable. The apparatus is further configured to use while running and/or actively engaging in other physical activities.
In one embodiment, the portable carrier could be a backpack. The portable carrier is simple, lightweight, versatile, comfortable to wear, compact and decorative in appearance. The portable carrier could be used during running or actively engaging in other physical activities. In one embodiment, one or more power sources or batteries are securely and removably positioned within the portable carrier. The one or more batteries are configured to provide power to the blower unit. In one embodiment, the batteries could be, but not limited to, lithium ion batteries and rechargeable batteries.
The wearable headgear includes an interior cavity for receiving a portion of the individual's head. In one embodiment, the flexible hose is securely positioned within the interior cavity of the wearable headgear. The flexible hose is configured to circulate air within the interior cavity via a plurality of openings or ducts. The flexible hose further includes an open end and a closed end. The open end of the flexible hose is securely connected to the blower unit via the connector and the closed end increases the pressure of the air to force out via the plurality of openings or ducts of the flexible hose within the interior cavity of the wearable headgear. In one embodiment, the flexible hose is removably connected to the blower unit via the connector. The flexible hose is positioned within the internal cavity in, but not limited to, a zigzag pattern to effectively and uniformly provide cooling for the user's hair throughout the wearable headgear. In one embodiment, the flexible hose is woven into the wearable headgear. In one embodiment, the flexible hose is made of a material includes, but not limited to, plastic, a rubber, and an elastic material.
In one embodiment, the connector is removably connected to the open end of the flexible hose. In one embodiment, the connector includes a push-button. The push-button is configured to quickly and simply connect and disconnect the flexible hose from the blower unit, thereby reducing the amount of time necessary to connect and disconnect the flexible hose to the blower unit. The push-button allows for a snap-on and snap-off type connection. In one embodiment, the wearable headgear further comprises an extended portion on both sides. The wearable headgear further comprises a moisture absorbing material. The moisture absorbing material is shaped and curved to fit around an edge and ear portions of the wearable headgear. The moisture absorbing material is configured to effectively absorb the sweat around the user's brow, ear portions, and the neck portion. In one embodiment, the moisture absorbing material is a sweatband.
In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes a filter. The filter is securely and removably positioned at the blower unit within the portable carrier. The filter is configured to purify the air for providing freshness to the hair. In one embodiment, the filter is a scented, de-odorizing and air cleaning filter and provided with a desiccant to prevent humid air from entering into the flexible hose. In one embodiment, the wearable headgear further comprises a desiccant for drying the user's hair to keep fresh.
In one embodiment, the wearable headgear further includes at least one hole on, but not limited to, a top portion. In one embodiment, the wearable headgear is further configured to enable a user to pull the hair from the hole for securing the hair in the form of a ponytail. The user's hairstyle, for example, a ponytail, is maintained firmly in place even the user moving into the wind or engaging in riding, running, or other physical activities which prevent their hair from getting sweaty and moisture.
In another embodiment, the wearable headgear is configured to enable a user to use while showering or bathing. The user could simply and quickly wear the wearable headgear while providing comfort to the user. In another embodiment, the open end of the flexible hose is pulled out from a top portion of the wearable headgear. Further, the open end is removably connected to the blower unit via the connector. The wearable headgear is used to prevent the hair of the user from getting wet or moisture while showering, bathing or swimming.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and structures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a structure referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or structure shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.
A description of embodiments of the present invention will now be given with reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
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In one embodiment, the portable carrier 14 could be a backpack. The portable carrier 14 is simple, lightweight, versatile, comfortable to wear, compact and decorative in appearance. The portable carrier 14 could be used during running or actively engaging in other physical activities. In one embodiment, one or more power sources or batteries are securely and removably positioned within the portable carrier 14. The one or more batteries are configured to provide power to the blower unit. In one embodiment, the batteries could be, but not limited to, lithium ion batteries and rechargeable batteries.
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In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 further includes a filter. The filter is securely and removably positioned at the blower unit within the portable carrier 14 (shown in
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In an embodiment, the high-pressure storage tank 103 stores carbon dioxide (CO2) or air. In case the high-pressure storage tank 103 stores CO2, the CO2 in the high-pressure storage tank 103 exists as a liquid, but when released it turns into a gas. Therefore, by the time the released gas contacts a user's head, the user only feels the cool air flow. Alternately, if compressed air is used, the compressed air is in the gaseous state in the high-pressure storage tank 103, not a liquid like CO2. The detachable insert elements 110 are detachably attached to the insert layer 105 via fasteners. In an embodiment, the fasteners used are, for example, snap fasteners, hook and loop fasteners, etc. Each of the detachable insert elements 110 is spaced apart to accommodate the network of ducts 109 therebetween. Further, each of the detachable insert elements 110 comprise desiccant materials embedded within for absorbing moisture. The inner layer 106 detachably attached to the insert layer 105, is made of a breathable material. Moreover, the inner layer 106 is positioned proximal to the hair of the user to transfer the cooling gas to the hair. In an embodiment, a regulator is provided on the high-pressure storage tank 103 to regulate the flow of cooling gas to the network of ducts 109. This allows a user to regulate the cooling supplied to the hair via the network of ducts 109.
In an embodiment, the source of the cooling gas can be, for example, a manual air pump, airflow source from a compressor or a CO2/compressed air tank, etc. Further, the airflow source comprises a regulator, which can alter the flow rate delivered to the user's head. In an embodiment, the detachable insert elements 110 fit into the wearable headgear 101. The detachable insert elements 110 are made of a porous material and filled with the desiccant that is used to absorb moisture that builds up between the wearable headgear 101 and the user's hair. In an embodiment, electric heating elements are used to dry out the desiccant after the desiccant has been fully saturated with moisture. The detachable insert elements 110 are removable for the purposes of hand washing and regeneration of the desiccant. The desiccant is reusable and removable from the insert layer 105, exemplarily illustrated in
The advantages of the present invention include: the apparatus 100 effectively absorbs moisture or perspiration from the hair to preserve the opted hairstyle of an individual without affecting the user's lifestyle. The apparatus 100 provides freshness to the user's hair while even the user 108 moving into the wind or engaging in riding, running, or other physical activities and prevents the hair from getting sweaty and moisture. The apparatus 100 is simple, lightweight, versatile, comfortable to wear, and compact. The apparatus 100 could be simply used during running or actively engaging in other physical activities. In one embodiment, the shape and size of the wearable headgear 102 could be varied based on the user's requirement.
The foregoing description comprises illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. Merely listing or numbering the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of that method. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used only in generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein.
This non-provisional patent application is a continuation-in-part application under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/593,416 for “Apparatus for Hair Cooling and Dehumidification”, filed May 12, 2017, and which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 199(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/495,586 for “Hair Cooling and Dehumidification Apparatus”, filed May 14, 2016, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62495586 | May 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15593416 | May 2017 | US |
Child | 16429316 | US |