Patent Application
20240268547
The present invention relates to a cosmetic device for cleansing the hair.
More generally, a cosmetic product is a product as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 Nov. 2009 on cosmetic products.
Haircare devices that dispense a cleansing fluid are known.
The patent DE3800954 discloses a hair styling device having a hollow rotary body provided on its external circumferential surface with protrusions and recesses for winding, shaping and drying the hair. The body can be driven by a motor disposed in a housing in the form of a handle, with blowing openings arranged in the protrusions and suction openings arranged in the recesses. The openings are connected via ducts to a soundproof central device that contains at least one fan, an outlet connector, an intake connector and an air heater. Via the outlet openings, a permanent-waving, fixing, hair-dyeing agent or other hair treatment agent in the form of steam can be discharged through a blowing nozzle extending parallel to the hollow body along the housing. The hair treatment agent reaches the hair, while excess components are sucked in immediately via the suction openings.
The patent application EP0659363A1 discloses a device for treating the hair, having a generator, a tool holder provided with a gripping handle, and a tool. The generator and the tool holder are designed to provide the tool with at least one supply of steam. They are positioned at a distance from one another and connected by a flexible bundle having at least one duct for supplying the tool holder with steam. The tool holder supports a steam outlet channel, the wall of which has steam dispensing openings passing through it. The generator may be designed to pass other fluids through the tool, the other fluids being able to be blown and/or sucked through the tool.
The United States patent application U.S. Ser. No. 16/805,582, filed by the Applicant on Feb. 28, 2020, discloses a device for applying a formulation for the hair, which comprises a body structure having one or more teeth at a front end, wherein one end of a tooth includes a first and a second opening; a nebulizer with an outlet connected to the first opening; a vacuum system with an inlet connected to the second opening; and a handle continuing the body structure at an obtuse angle with respect to the front end of the body structure.
The United States patent application U.S. Ser. No. 16/805,586, filed by the Applicant on Feb. 28, 2020, discloses a device for applying a formulation for the hair, which comprises an electrostatic charger electrically connected to an electrode; a body structure having one or more teeth at a front end, wherein one end of a tooth includes the electrode; and a cartridge containing a formulation for the hair.
Smart brushes, without dispensing of the product by the brush, are known.
The smart brush Kérastase Hair Coach® sold by Kérastase incorporates sensors capable of detecting the quality of the hair during brushing. A microphone picks up the sound of the hair that passes through the bristles so as to detect frizziness, dryness, split ends and breakage.
Magnetic brushes for the hair, without dispensing of the product by the brush and without Internet connection, are known.
The documents DE200820001569, CN87214763, U.S. Ser. No. 09/898,872, CN2010202009972U, U.S. Ser. No. 11/490,452 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,800A disclose magnetic combs and brushes for the hair.
The patent application WO2020141026A1 discloses a plastic cosmetic applicator having a bristle carrier and having bristles integrally bonded therewith as a single piece. The bristle carrier is a permanent magnet while the bristles as such are non-magnetic. The bristle carrier comprises a core made of a first plastic filled with magnetic particles and forming an interface enclosed by a layer of a second, non-magnetic plastic integrally connected to the bristles as a single piece.
There is a need to provide a device for cleansing the hair, in particular a brush, which affords:
The invention aims to provide a cosmetic device, in particular a brush for the hair, which meets the needs mentioned above, by virtue of:
Optionally, a consumable mechanism, such as a wipe, for recovering fatty constituents and impurities resulting from the cleansing of the hair after use.
Optionally, one or more sensors for detecting the movement of the hand or the proximity of the scalp.
In particular, the aim of the invention is to provide a, preferably portable and compact, device that is capable of cleansing the hair effectively, in particular without rinsing the hair with water being necessary. This device has to be capable of spraying a cosmetic composition onto the hair, which cannot be done with a simple magnetic brush, and also optionally of directing the spent composition toward the brush in order to collect it and to leave the hair clean.
To this end, the invention provides an all-in-one magnetic device, in particular a brush, which is capable of dispensing a haircare composition onto the hair, the scalp or the roots, and if appropriate of eliminating the waste present on the hair, which is optionally generated by a reaction of the composition with undesirable substances present on the hair, the scalp or the roots.
Without limitation, the device according to the invention can be used to apply to the hair:
The subject of the invention is a device for cleansing and/or applying a cosmetic composition for the hair, comprising a body structure provided with one or more application elements, a system for dispensing the cosmetic composition contained in a housing connected to a dispensing opening that opens onto the body structure and a handle extending the body structure; the device has a magnetic system for spraying the cosmetic composition from the dispensing opening toward the hair, the magnetic system being powered by a circuit for supplying electric current.
According to an essential feature of the invention, the device creates a magnetic field of which the source is an electric current. As a result of this feature, the cosmetic composition can move between the dispensing opening and the hair.
Of course, the magnetic composition can also be accelerated upon leaving the dispensing opening by the dispensing mechanism itself, for example if it is provided with a propulsion arrangement. In this case, the speed of the particles between the dispensing opening and the hair is the sum of their propulsion speed and their speed of movement linked to the magnetic field.
The device according to the invention disperses the composition on the hair, the scalp or the roots by virtue of the magnetic spraying system. In addition, it includes application elements, such as teeth, bristles or spikes to promote combing, massaging and mechanical intermingling between the haircare composition applied and impurities present on the hair. Optionally, the waste thus formed can be recovered by the device, for example by reversing the polarity of the magnetic system so as to attract the waste, on a removable wipe positioned on the body structure. It could also be recovered in a reservoir.
According to the invention, “the magnetic system being powered by a circuit for supplying electric current”, it sprays the composition with sufficient force that it reaches the hair. Conversely, it can attract the spent composition with sufficient force that it can be detached from the hair and arrive, for example, at a waste reservoir positioned in the device or a wipe positioned on the body structure.
In one embodiment, the device removes more than “macro” particles such as dandruff. The device provides a cleansing formulation sprayed using a magnetic system together with mechanical intermingling caused by the application elements for dissolving and absorbing the oils, sebum, in order to leave the hair with signs of cleanliness/refreshing.
Since the device can cleanse the hair in a manner at least equivalent to a shampoo used in the shower, the hair is subsequently easy to style, resulting in hair that is healthier for longer.
The invention also relates to a kit for cleansing and/or applying a cosmetic composition for the hair, comprising a device as defined above and a cosmetic composition having magnetic bodies having a nonzero magnetic susceptibility and able to move under the effect of a magnetic field generated by the device.
The invention also relates to a cosmetic method for cleansing and/or for applying a cosmetic composition for the hair, comprising the operations consisting in:
As a result of the magnetic system operating with an electrical source, the composition is distributed effectively on the hair and the scalp and cleansing can be effective.
The dispensing system, such as a mister/atomizer or nebulizer dispenses a composition targeting the hair, the scalp and the roots of the hair.
The application elements such as bristles allow the user to activate the formula with the sebum, to massage the scalp and to disentangle the hair.
The magnetic system sprays, in one direction, the composition onto the hair and optionally, in the other direction, attracts the spent composition away from the hair toward a waste reservoir or a wipe.
The composition dissolves the oil and sebum and puts them into suspension.
The magnetic system attracts the excess formula and sebum so as to detach them from the hair and guide them toward the waste reservoir or the wipe.
At the end of the cleansing, the waste reservoir can be emptied. The wipe may be thrown away and replaced.
Along at least a part of its length, the body structure may have a substantially constant thickness.
A “cross section of a component of axis X” is a section perpendicular to the axis X of the component.
The “longitudinal axis of a component” denotes the line connecting all of the centers of mass of the cross sections of a component.
The bodies having a nonzero magnetic susceptibility are also called magnetic bodies. The expression “magnetic bodies” should not be understood in a limiting manner but covers particles, fibers or particle and/or fiber agglomerates, of any form, having a non-zero magnetic susceptibility.
The concentration of magnetic bodies in the composition is for example between around 0.05% and around 50% by mass, in particular between around 0.1% and around 40% by mass, better still between around 1% and around 30% by mass.
The composition applied can have magnetic fibers or other aspherical bodies, such as particle or fiber chains.
Preferably, the magnetic bodies have no remanent magnetization in the absence of a magnetic field.
The magnetic bodies can have any magnetic material that is sensitive to the lines of a magnetic field, whether this field is produced by a permanent magnet or derived from an induction, this material being chosen, for example, from nickel, cobalt, iron, alloys and oxides thereof, especially Fe3O4, and also gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium or erbium, and alloys and oxides thereof. The magnetic material may be of the “soft” or “hard” type. The magnetic material may in particular be soft iron. The magnetic bodies may or may not have a multilayer structure, having at least one layer of a magnetic material, such as for example iron, nickel or cobalt, and alloys and oxides thereof, especially Fe3O4.
Preferably, the device according to the invention has one or more of the following features, taken alone or in combination:
The device has a system for collecting residues, the residues being in particular waste particles (73). This collection system may be a suction system or a component of the magnetic system.
The magnetic system has one or more solenoids integrated in the body structure.
The circuit for supplying electric current has a switch.
The circuit for supplying electric current has a circuit for reversing the polarity of the current.
The circuit for supplying electric current has a timer circuit.
The circuit for supplying electric current has a current stabilizer.
It comprises a position or movement sensor.
It comprises a gyroscope.
It is connected to an operation computer system, in particular a portable terminal.
The body structure is covered at least partially by a removable support, in particular a wipe.
Preferably, in the kit according to the invention, the cosmetic composition is contained in a reservoir held in a removable manner in the housing.
Preferably, the method according to the invention also comprises the steps consisting in:
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting implementation examples thereof and from examining the appended schematic and partial drawing, in which:
The device 100 is formed by a body structure 140 comprising the first, central dispensing opening 130 for dispensing the composition in the form of droplets or particles.
The body structure 140 may be fixed or able to move relative to the handle 104 of the device 100 or the device may have a member for ejecting the body structure 140 in order to replace it after use.
The body structure 140 may have a central housing containing the nebulizer 112 (not shown).
The central dispensing opening 130 can be replaced by a plurality of dispensing openings that open onto the body structure 140. A dispensing opening may have a circular, oval, oblong shape, and preferably, all the possible dispensing openings are the same shape. Preferably, the longitudinal axis of the one or more dispensing openings is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the device. Thus, dispensing is effected more uniformly.
Preferably, the dispensing opening 130 has a piezoelectric system for a liquid composition or an aerosol valve for a composition of solid particles or capillarities with an arrangement of bristles.
A cartridge 102 containing a reusable cosmetic composition can be disposed on the body structure 140. It can be directly connected to the dispensing opening so as to avoid cleansing of the circuit for dispensing the composition.
The device 100 may include a housing that takes the removable cartridge 102 that contains shampoo and is connected to the nebulizer 112. The cartridge may be configured as a refillable cartridge or a disposable cartridge. In one embodiment, the device 100 may be configured to hold more than one cartridge.
The body structure 140 of longitudinal axis X may have a non-circular, for example polygonal, in particular hexagonal, triangular, square, octagonal, or rectangular, cross section perpendicular to the axis X.
The body structure 140 can also be made with a flattened shape.
The body structure 140 may be made with a constant material thickness, in particular in its portion intended to come into contact with the hair. The material thickness may also be non-constant.
The device 100 has a handle 104 and the body structure 140, which is elongate along the longitudinal axis X, has a free peripheral edge 20 delimited by a perimeter line 74. This device is designed to comb the hair. It is more suitable than a cylindrical sleeve designed to form curls, generally without disentangling.
Preferably, the application elements 12 are molded in one piece with the body structure 140 and are preferably made of an elastomer material so as to make the device flexible.
The application elements 12 may have a shape that is cylindrical or pyramidal, in particular with a triangular base, for example with an edge oriented toward the outside of the body structure 140.
Preferably, the application elements 12 are uniformly distributed on the body structure 140.
The base of the application elements 12 may also be oval or polygonal.
The device 100 has a shape identical to that of familiar appliances for the hair that are widely recognized to inspire confidence in the device, resulting in a use and hand movements that are intuitive during use.
A self-adhesive wipe 23, which is optionally repositionable, is fastened to the surface of the body structure 140. This wipe helps to remove in particular the excess product dispensed during brushing.
The device 100 shown in
The device 100 can comprise its own PCB 180 that comprises communication and control circuits such as a wireless RF communication interface for communicating wirelessly with an external device. The PCB can also contain a movement detector, such as an accelerator/gyrometer indicating the angular position of the device along one, two or three axes.
As a variant, or in addition, a gyroscope can be used, which is a sensor that detects the angular velocity about the three spatial axes, and which is able to detect the rotation of an object.
In the example shown, the body structure 140 is connected to four accelerator/gyrometer sensors 141, 142, 143, 144, which are for example in the form of load cells, disposed around the perimeter thereof.
In
The sensors 141, 142, 143, 144 operate while the user brushes their hair. The device 100 adapts automatically to the hand movement of the user and dispenses only the useful direction of the movement of the hand.
The device 100 is provided with application elements 12 that extend from the longitudinal face 11 of the body structure 140 along a longitudinal axis (not shown). The application elements 12 have a first, free end 55 and a second end 56 connected to the longitudinal face 11 of the body structure 140.
The device 100 shown in
In
A wipe 23 adheres to the body structure 140, for example by means of an adhesive or Velcro®, so as to remove the excess dry shampoo dispensed.
One or more solenoids 75 (or coils) are accommodated in the body structure 140. The one or more solenoids, through which an alternating current generated by the circuit 22 for supplying electric current flows, produce a magnetic field in their vicinity, and of course inside their coils. The strength of the magnetic field depends on the intensity of the current and the characteristics of the coils. It applies a force that is either attractive or repulsive to a composition containing magnetic bodies, proportionally to the change in inductance of the coil. Depending on the direction of the current chosen, the force will have a positive (repulsive) value or a negative (attractive) value. The direction 2 of a magnetic field spraying particles 72 toward the hair is shown by arrows in
As can be seen in the figure, the solenoids 75 are powered by a supply circuit 22 that has, for example, a battery and is optionally stabilized by a diode system (not shown). The supply circuit can be integrated in a circuit board that manages in particular the supply current of the solenoids, via an on/off switch controlling the charging of the battery. The electronic circuit can have a microcontroller 27 or the like so that the device 100 or the cartridge 102 can be operated.
The device 100 can be operated using a computer system such as a portable terminal, for example a smartphone, a tablet, for example of the “iPad” make, or a personal computer.
The operating information is transmitted preferably wirelessly by the terminal, for example via a Bluetooth link.
The application elements 12 may in particular be bristles, tufts of bristles, spikes, teeth, protrusions. They may have a cross section that is constant perpendicular to their longitudinal axis or for example have a conical shape decreasing in size gradually from the second end 56 toward the first end 55 or vice versa. The end 56 may be rounded for a massaging effect and the end 55 may have a chamfer. For example, the end 56 can form a ball 17.
The rounded ends 17 of the application elements 12 may separate the hair for easier access to the scalp and the roots of the hair. The rounded ends may include “massaging bosses” and a chamfered angle for cleansing.
In
The waste particles 73 move in the direction shown by the arrow 3 from the hair toward the wipe 23. Gradually, they are deposited on the wipe 23, which could optionally be thrown away or washed for subsequent use.
The dispensing system 112 may include a nebulizer.
The nebulizer 112 produces mist on demand, for example upon pressing a mist switch positioned for example on the handle 104 to allow it to be operated with the index finger. In one embodiment, the mist switch is a momentary action switch, the default position of which is the off position. When the mist switch is pressed, the nebulizer 112 is started and mist is produced. The nebulizer 112 is supplied with shampoo formulation by the cartridge 102. Releasing the mist switch may stop the nebulizer and the dispensing of shampoo formulation through the dispensing opening 130.
In one embodiment, the mist switch is a multifunctional, multi-position selector, which requires the positive selection of the off position to stop the nebulizer. In one embodiment, the mist switch is a multiple-position selector that has settings for stopping and more than one setting for producing mist, such as light mist or thick mist. In one embodiment, a mist selector may include settings for dispensing mist and without mist.
In one embodiment, the nebulizer 112 includes a compressor, a pump, or an ultrasonic wave generator for generating the mist from the shampoo formulation. In the case of a nebulizer having a pump or compressor 112, such a nebulizer 112 causes air or the shampoo formulation to flow at high speed, propelling the shampoo formulation through a fine nozzle designed to form mist at the opening 130.
In one embodiment, the dispensing system includes a pump mechanism to propel the shampoo formulation through the atomization nozzle at the opening 130. In the case of a nebulizer having a pump or compressor, a single nebulizer 112 may be positioned in the body structure of the device 100. Next, the output of the nebulizer 112 having a pump or compressor is guided through a system of ducts toward the first opening 130.
An ultrasonic wave nebulizer 112 has an ultrasonic wave generator in contact with the shampoo formulation, wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic waves is sufficient for producing the mist. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer also includes a “mesh” nebulizer that has a vibrating mesh that just touches the surface of the shampoo formulation to create mist. Any form of ultrasonic wave nebulizer may use a piezoelectric element. In the case of an ultrasonic wave nebulizer or mesh nebulizer, the nebulizer 112 including a piezoelectric element or a combination of a piezoelectric element and a mesh, the device 100 essentially has three nebulizers.
The cosmetic composition is a haircare composition, such as a shampoo composition.
The cosmetic composition used with the device according to the invention has magnetic bodies.
The magnetic bodies are, for example, magnetic pigments, for example having iron oxide Fe3O4.
The composition may have a ferrofluid, i.e. a stable colloidal suspension of magnetic particles, especially of magnetic nanoparticles.
The term “ferrofluid” also covers an emulsion of droplets of ferrofluid in a solvent. Each drop then contains colloidal magnetic particles in stable suspension.
The cosmetic composition may be contained in a cartridge connected to the nebulizer 112. According to the invention, the cosmetic composition for the hair does not need to be mixed with external water compared with a shampoo used in the shower.
The device 100 allows mechanical actions, combined with a chemical action, such as that of surfactants and molecules capable of capturing and removing oil from the hair, in order to cleanse the hair.
The use of the device 100 has a minimal impact on the hairstyle. Moreover, the device 100 does not require any manual contact with the haircare formulations. The device 100 allows people to cleanse their hair only as required, in order to maintain their hairstyle long term and to limit damage caused to the hair, in contrast to washing their hair each time they take a shower.
While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR2106115 | Jun 2021 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/064067 | 5/24/2022 | WO |
