Patent Application
20160286929
The present invention relates to comb devices. More specifically, the present invention provides a comb configured to dispense liquid therefrom.
Many hairdressers and hair stylists spend a significant amount of time untangling a client's hair due to knots formed. In addition to being time consuming, untangling hair is extremely painful due to the tugging and pulling a comb through the hair. Unnecessary hair loss can occur if an individual pulls too hard with a comb, resulting in the tangled hair becoming caught on the comb and pulled out from his or her scalp. Furthermore, individuals with a sensitive scalp can experience intense pain, irritation, and excessive hair loss when trying to comb out tangles and knots.
Conventional combs include tines extending at a uniform length therefrom. The uniform length of the tines prevents the comb from untangling hair at various depths of the knot, resulting in excessive combing. Further, many people will wet or wash their hair before using a comb to untangle and remove knots therefrom. However, this is also time consuming and requires additional grooming supplies in order to continuously spray or wet hair. Therefore, there exists a need for a comb configured to untangle knots and allow a user to selectively dispense liquid onto hair.
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to comb devices. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to combs and brushes that dispense liquid, such as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0279513, U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2008/0210251, U.S. Patent No. 8,347,894, U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,806, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0126752.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. These devices comprise a comb with a reservoir therein which expels liquid from between the tines of a comb during compression of the reservoir. However, these devices fail to provide a plurality of tines alternating in length and each comprising a plurality of liquid dispensing apertures along the length thereof in order to provide a means for untangling hair at various depths on a user's head.
In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing comb devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of liquid dispensing combs now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new liquid dispensing comb wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when combing hair in order to remove tangles or knots therefrom.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved comb device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. The liquid dispensing comb comprises a handle attached to a head, wherein the head is hollow and includes a shaft extending from the handle and a plurality of tines extending perpendicularly from the shaft. A plurality of apertures are included along the length of each tine so to allow liquid to pass therethrough. Further, each tine alternates in length so as to allow the comb to access varying depths of a portion of tangled hair. A bladder is disposed within the interior of the handle, wherein the bladder is configured to store and selectively release liquid into the head of the comb.
Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the liquid dispensing comb. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for combing hair in order to remove tangles and knots therefrom. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to
A plurality of tines 15 extend perpendicularly from the shaft 22, wherein the tines 15 are also hollow to allow liquid to pass therethrough. The tines 15 are in fluid communication with the shaft 22 for allowing liquid to pass from the shaft 22 into the tines 15 of the comb 11. In the illustrated embodiment, each tine 15 comprises a circular cross section and tapers from the shaft 22 towards the distal end thereof. Further, the tines 15 preferably comprise a rounded distal tip in order to prevent injury or pain when applying pressure to a user's scalp while combing hair.
In the illustrated embodiment, one or more tines 15 of the plurality of tines 15 are provided at a first length, and one or more tines 15 of the plurality of tines 15 are provided at a second length, wherein the second length is less than that of the first length. Preferably, the plurality of tines 15 alternate between tines 15 of the first length and of the second length from the proximal end 15 to the distal end 14 of the shaft 22. In other embodiments, the tines 15 may alternate between a first length, a second length, and a third length. Preferably, the tines 15 are spaced at a fixed interval. Each tine 15 alternates in length from the adjacent tine 15 so as to allow the comb 11 to access various portions of tangled or knotted hair. The alternating tine 15 length allows different depths of the tangled hair to be accessed via the tines 15 when passing the comb 11 therethrough. This further allows for different portions of the hair to be pulled on by the comb 11, thereby releasing or untangling different parts of the hair with each stroke of the comb 11.
A plurality of apertures 23 are included along the length of each tine 15 so to allow liquid to pass therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, the apertures 23 are circular in shape, however, in other embodiments the apertures are any suitable shape. Preferably, the apertures 23 are disposed along each tine 15, rather than between each tine 15, in order to penetrate and immediately saturate the knot with liquid.
The handle 13 comprises an open interior volume and houses a bladder 19 configured to selectively release liquid into the interior of the head 12 of the comb 11. The bladder 19 is composed of any suitable flexible material, such as rubber. Preferably, the bladder 19 is partially exposed and extends outward from the handle 13 in order to allow a user to squeeze the bladder 19. The exposed portion of the bladder 19 comprises a control 17 that allows a user to selectively release liquid into the interior of the head 12 of the comb 11. In other embodiments, the bladder 19 is fully housed within the handle 13, wherein the handle 13 is squeezable in order to selectively release liquid from the bladder 19 into the head 12 of the comb 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the bladder 19 comprises a first end 24 and a second end 25, wherein the second end 25 comprises an opening for receiving liquid therethrough. Further, the handle 13 comprises an opening aligned with the opening of the bladder 19 so as to allow a user to fill the bladder with liquid. A plug 26 removably covers the aligned openings of the bladder 19 and handle 13 so as to prevent liquid from leaving the comb 11 therethrough.
The comb 11 further comprises a valve 20 in order to control the flow of liquid from the bladder 19 to the head 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the valve 20 is secured to the first end of the bladder 19 and extends into the head 12 of the comb 11. Any suitable valve 20 can be used to selectively control the flow of liquid, such as a check valve. The valve 20 is configured to open and close in order to release liquid from the bladder 19 into the head 12 of the comb 11.
The control 17 that allows the valve 20 to open and close. In the illustrated embodiment, the control 17 comprises an edge of the bladder 19 protruding outward from the exterior of the handle 13. The flexibility of the bladder 19 allows a user to apply pressure to the control 17, thereby applying pressure on the bladder 19. As the pressure is applied to the bladder 19, liquid will be forced through the valve 20 and into the head 12 of the comb 11.
Referring now to
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/140,782 filed on Mar. 31, 2015. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62140782 | Mar 2015 | US |
