Eyebrow grooming tool

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6406157
  • Patent Number
    6,406,157
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, December 2, 1999
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, June 18, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Dexter; Clark F.
    Agents
    • Breaux; Joseph N.
Abstract
An eyebrow grooming tool that includes a molded plastic handle and a razor blade cartridge holding assembly in connection with the plastic handle. The razor blade cartridge holding assembly is provided with a light source shining through two elongated transparent windows positioned on either side of the razor blade cartridge for illuminating the eyebrow to be trimmed. A brush for grooming the eyebrow before and after trimming by the razor assembly is provided at the back end of the handle.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




The present invention relates to grooming tools and more particularly to an eyebrow grooming tool that includes a molded plastic handle including a gripping portion, a battery compartment door in the back side thereof in connection with a battery compartment formed therein and housing a battery connector therein, two eyebrow pencil storage tubes formed into the bottom end thereof, a brush portion extending from the bottom end portion thereof, a razor blade cartridge holding assembly attached to a front end of the handle with a tubular support arm, the razor blade cartridge holding assembly including two light source cavities formed on either side of a T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot open on one side of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly and each covered by an elongated transparent window; a blade cartridge ejection spring secured to an interior side wall defining the blade cartridge insertion slot opposite the open side thereof; a blade cartridge retaining mechanism including a flexible resilient retaining pin positioned through a pin passage hole formed through a bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot and deflectable between a position extending past the bottom surface and into a pin receiving cavity formed within a bottom of each razor blade cartridge and a positioned below the bottom surface; a light source positioned within each of the light source cavities and connected to the battery connector and a two-position on/off switch by wires running through the tubular support arm; and a razor blade cartridge sized and shaped to slide into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot and having a pin receiving cavity formed within the bottom cartridge surface positioned such that when the razor blade cartridge is fully inserted into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot the pin receiving cavity is aligned with the pin passage hole formed through the bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot.




BACKGROUND ART




Trimming eye brows can be difficult because the trimmer's hand often obscures the light onto the eyebrow to be trimmed. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have an eye brow trimming tool that included a light source adjacent to a trimming blade to direct light onto the eyebrow being trimmed. In addition, because it is important that the eye brow hairs of the eyebrow be brushed into their natural positions before trimming, it would be a further benefit to have an eyebrow grooming tool that included an eyebrow trimming mechanism in combination with an eyebrow brushing mechanism.




GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION




It is thus an object of the invention to provide an eyebrow grooming tool that includes a molded plastic handle including a gripping portion, a battery compartment door in the back side thereof in connection with a battery compartment formed therein and housing a battery connector therein, two eyebrow pencil storage tubes formed into the bottom end thereof, a brush portion extending from the bottom end portion thereof, a razor blade cartridge holding assembly attached to a front end of the handle with a tubular support arm, the razor blade cartridge holding assembly including two light source cavities formed on either side of a T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot open on one side of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly and each covered by an elongated transparent window; a blade cartridge ejection spring secured to an interior side wall defining the blade cartridge insertion slot opposite the open side thereof; a blade cartridge retaining mechanism including a flexible resilient retaining pin positioned through a pin passage hole formed through a bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot and deflectable between a position extending past the bottom surface and into a pin receiving cavity formed within a bottom of each razor blade cartridge and a positioned below the bottom surface; a light source positioned within each of the light source cavities and connected to the battery connector and a two-position on/off switch by wires running through the tubular support arm; and a razor blade cartridge sized and shaped to slide into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot and having a pin receiving cavity formed within the bottom cartridge surface positioned such that when the razor blade cartridge is fully inserted into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot the pin receiving cavity is aligned with the pin passage hole formed through the bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot.




Accordingly, an eyebrow grooming tool is provided. The eyebrow grooming tool includes a molded plastic handle including a gripping portion, a battery compartment door in the back side thereof in connection with a battery compartment formed therein and housing a battery connector therein, two eyebrow pencil storage tubes formed into the bottom end thereof, a brush portion extending from the bottom end portion thereof, a razor blade cartridge holding assembly attached to a front end of the handle with a tubular support arm, the razor blade cartridge holding assembly including two light source cavities formed on either side of a T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot open on one side of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly and each covered by an elongated transparent window; a blade cartridge ejection spring secured to an interior side wall defining the blade cartridge insertion slot opposite the open side thereof; a blade cartridge retaining mechanism including a flexible resilient retaining pin positioned through a pin passage hole formed through a bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot and deflectable between a position extending past the bottom surface and into a pin receiving cavity formed within a bottom of each razor blade cartridge and a positioned below the bottom surface; a light source positioned within each of the light source cavities and connected to the battery connector and a two-position on/off switch by wires running through the tubular support arm; and a razor blade cartridge sized and shaped to slide into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot and having a pin receiving cavity formed within the bottom cartridge surface positioned such that when the razor blade cartridge is fully inserted into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot the pin receiving cavity is aligned with the pin passage hole formed through the bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS




For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are given the same or analogous reference numbers and wherein:





FIG. 1

is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the eyebrow grooming tool of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a side plan view of the eyebrow grooming tool of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is side plan view of the razor blade cartridge in isolation showing the retaining ledges, the two angled razor blades, and the pin receiving cavity formed within the bottom cartridge surface.





FIG. 4

is a side plan view of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly in isolation with the razor blade cartridge removed to show the two light sources positioned within the light source cavities beneath the two elongated transparent windows, the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot, the blade cartridge ejection spring secured to the interior side wall defining the blade cartridge insertion slot opposite the open side thereof, and the blade cartridge retaining mechanism including the flexible resilient retaining pin positioned through the pin passage hole formed through the bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot.





FIG. 5

is a partial side plan view of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly with the razor blade cartridge fully inserted.





FIG. 6

is a second partial side plan view of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly.











EXEMPLARY MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION





FIG. 1

shows an exemplary embodiment of the eyebrow grooming tool of the present invention generally designated


10


. Eyebrow grooming tool


10


includes a molded plastic handle, generally designated


12


; a blade cartridge ejection spring


14


(FIG.


4


); a blade cartridge retaining mechanism, generally designated


16


(FIG.


4


); two diode light sources


18


(FIG.


4


); and a razor blade cartridge, generally designated


20


(FIG.


3


).




Molded plastic handle


12


includes a gripping portion


22


, referring to FIG.


2


), a battery compartment door


24


in the back side thereof in connection with a battery compartment


26


formed therein and housing a battery connector


28


therein, two eyebrow pencil storage tubes


30


(both shown in

FIG. 1

) formed into the bottom end


32


thereof, a brush portion


34


extending from bottom end


32


thereof, a razor blade cartridge holding assembly, generally designated


36


attached to a front end


38


of handle


12


with a tubular support arm


40


.




Referring to

FIG. 4

, razor blade cartridge holding assembly


36


includes two light source cavities


46


formed on either side of a T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot


50


open on one side of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly that are each covered by an elongated transparent window


56


. Bade cartridge ejection spring


14


is secured to an interior side wall


60


defining the blade cartridge insertion slot


50


that is opposite the open side thereof. Blade cartridge retaining mechanism


16


includes a flexible resilient retaining pin


62


positioned through a pin passage hole


64


(shown in dashed lines) formed through a bottom surface


66


defining blade cartridge insertion slot


50


that is deflectable between a position extending past bottom surface


66


and positioned below bottom surface


66


(see FIG.


6


).




The diode light source


18


is positioned within each of the light source cavities


46


and are connected to the battery connector


28


and a two-position on/off switch


70


(

FIG. 2

) by wires


72


running through tubular support arm


40


.




Referring to

FIG. 3

, razor blade cartridge


20


is sized and shaped to slide into T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot


50


(

FIG. 4

) and has a pin receiving cavity


74


formed through the bottom cartridge surface


76


such that when, referring to

FIG. 5

, razor blade cartridge


20


is fully inserted into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot


50


pin receiving cavity


74


is aligned with pin passage hole


64


(

FIG. 4

) formed through bottom surface


66


defining the blade cartridge insertion slot


50


allowing flexible resilient retaining pin


62


to engage pin receiving cavity


74


and hold razor blade cartridge in place for use. Referring to

FIG. 6

, when it is desired to remove razor blade cartridge


20


for replacement, flexible resilient retaining pin


62


is pulled outward from pin receiving cavity


74


allowing ejection spring


14


to force razor blade cartridge


20


outward through the open side of T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot


50


.




It can be seen from the preceding description that an eyebrow grooming tool has been provided that includes a molded plastic handle including a gripping portion, a battery compartment door in the back side thereof in connection with a battery compartment formed therein and housing a battery connector therein, two eyebrow pencil storage tubes formed into the bottom end thereof, a brush portion extending from the bottom end portion thereof, a razor blade cartridge holding assembly attached to a front end of the handle with a tubular support arm, the razor blade cartridge holding assembly including two light source cavities formed on either side of a T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot open on one side of the razor blade cartridge holding assembly and each covered by an elongated transparent window; a blade cartridge ejection spring secured to an interior side wall defining the blade cartridge insertion slot opposite the open side thereof; a blade cartridge retaining mechanism including a flexible resilient retaining pin positioned through a pin passage hole formed through a bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot and deflectable between a position extending past the bottom surface and into a pin receiving cavity formed within a bottom of each razor blade cartridge and a positioned below the bottom surface; a light source positioned within each of the light source cavities and connected to the battery connector and a two-position on/off switch by wires running through the tubular support arm; and a razor blade cartridge sized and shaped to slide into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot and having a pin receiving cavity formed within the bottom cartridge surface positioned such that when the razor blade cartridge is fully inserted into the T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot the pin receiving cavity is aligned with the pin passage hole formed through the bottom surface defining the blade cartridge insertion slot.




It is noted that the embodiment of the eyebrow grooming tool described herein in detail for exemplary purposes is of course subject to many different variations in structure, design, application and methodology. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept(s) herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.



Claims
  • 1. An eyebrow grooming tool comprising:a molded plastic handle including a gripping portion and further including a battery compartment, a battery connector within the battery compartment, a battery compartment door removably covering the battery compartment, two eyebrow pencil storage tubes formed into a bottom end of the handle, a brush portion extending from said bottom end of the handle, a razor blade cartridge holding assembly attached to a front end of said handle by a tubular support arm, said razor blade cartridge holding assembly including two light source cavities formed on either side of a T-shaped cross sectional cartridge insertion slot open on one side of said razor cartridge holding assembly and each covered by an elongate transparent window; a blade cartridge ejection spring secured to an interior side wall defining said blade cartridge insertion slot opposite said open side thereof; a blade cartridge retaining mechanism including a flexible resilient retaining pin positioned through a pin passage hole formed in the razor blade cartridge holding assembly and deflectable into and out of said blade cartridge insertion slot; a light source positioned within each of said light source cavities and connected to said battery connector and a two-position on/off switch by wires running through said tubular support arm; and a razor blade cartridge slidably received in said T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot and having a pin receiving cavity in which said flexible resilient retaining pin is removably received such that when said razor blade cartridge is fully inserted into said T-shaped cross sectional blade cartridge insertion slot said pin receiving cavity is aligned with said pin passage hole in a manner to receive an end of said flexible resilient retaining pin positioned through the pin passage hole.
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