Patent Application
20240016287
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an oval ring hair brush with excellent water drainage.
There may be a situation where, after washing one's hair or swimming, the wet hair is combed before being dried. In such a situation, for reason such as increased weight of the hair as it containing water, in combing the hair with a common comb or brush, it may be difficult to remove water adhering to the brush or it may be hard to smooth the hair. Hence, a brush suitable for combing wet hair has been desired. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 show brushes to be used as such a brush for combing wet hair.
However, as each of the brushes disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 mentioned above is composed of a plurality of members, the brush is kept in a wet state with water remaining inside the constituting parts, for example. This causes an inconvenient situation where water remains in the brush so water in the hair is hard to remove during use or keeping the brush hygienic is difficult after use. Even brushes available for wet hair other than the foregoing brushes still do not have a shape facilitating removal of water from a body. Hence, a brush to be used suitably for wet hair has been required.
There exist shampoo brushes used in scalp massage during washing of hair. While these brushes are used for wet hair, they are intended to massage or wash scalps. For this reason, these brushes become insufficient in length if they are to be used mainly for combing hair, causing inconvenience such as reducing the amount of hair that can be combed at a time.
The present disclosure is intended to provide a brush with excellent water drainage capable of solving the foregoing problems.
To solve the foregoing problems, the present disclosure provides the following means. In the following explanation, signs in the drawings, etc. may be added in parentheses to facilitate understanding of the disclosure. However, each constituting element of the present disclosure is not limited to such a specific structure but should be interpreted extensively in a range allowing a person skilled in the art to understand the disclosure technically.
One means of the present disclosure is intended for a hair brush (1) used for combing wet hair, comprising:
The linear parts each have an elliptical shape in a section in a transversal direction,
The hair brush of the foregoing configuration includes the brush base having an elongated annular shape, namely, an oval ring shape, thereby providing a configuration causing water to flow out through the through hole formed at the center of the brush base. The brush base includes the linear parts each formed into an elliptical shape in a section and is curved in such a manner as to protrude toward the upper side during use, thereby providing a configuration causing water to flow down easily from the hair brush. Furthermore, defining a configuration with this curved shape similar to the shape of the head of a user facilitates combing of hair. While the brush base has the curved shape, the configuration of the brush base is such that the pyramidal projections are not directed inward in conformity with this curved shape but extend parallel to each other. This configuration prevents the occurrence of a situation where hairs containing water gather inside the curved shape so it becomes hard for the water to flow down during use. This allows combing of the hairs with certain gaps between the hairs, making it possible to smooth the hairs easily and remove the water from the hairs easily. The hair brush is configured in such a manner that the hair brush can be held in a suspended position after use by inserting a hook of a holder having a hook-like shape into the groove part. While the hair brush is held after use, water adhering to the hair brush can be removed effectively.
Meanwhile, the hair brush is not always required to be held in the foregoing suspended position after use. Even if the hair brush is laid with the pyramidal projections of the hair brush pointed upward and an upper surface of the brush base contacting a placement surface or conversely, with the pyramidal projections pointed downward and the tips of the pyramidal projections contacting the placement surface, it is still possible to remove water present effectively. The shape with the through hole at the center, with the linear parts of the brush base each having an elliptical shape in a section, and with the brush base curved in such a manner as to protrude toward the upper side provides a configuration where water drains well and is unlikely to stay at a surface of the brush base.
The brush base and the pyramidal projections are formed integrally without using a plurality of members. Thus, during use and after use, remaining of water can be reduced in a connection between members, for example. Furthermore, the configuration of the hair brush has a certain level of performance or more determined as a result of the predetermined test described above for measuring the amount of water remaining in the hair brush. Thus, this configuration provides the hair brush with performance sufficient for functioning as a hair brush for combing wet hair. Moreover, as the hair brush has a configuration without a handle extended from the brush base, a user is to grasp the brush base in the transversal direction during use. By doing so, the power of the user is transmitted easily to hair, so that the resultant configuration allows the hair to be combed easily in a comfortable way even if the hair is heavy wet hair containing water.
Preferably, in the above-described hair brush, the through hole is formed at the brush base in such a manner that a distance from an outer periphery of the brush base to the through hole is constant in a plan view.
Preferably, in the above-described hair brush, the brush base has a length in the longitudinal direction that is equal to or greater than twice and equal to or less than 3.0 times the length of the brush base in the transversal direction in a plan view.
Preferably, in the above-described hair brush, in a side view of the brush base in the longitudinal direction, the brush base has a radius of curvature at the lower surface that is equal to or greater than 150 mm and equal to or less than 400 mm.
Preferably, in the above-described hair brush, the brush base has a length in the transversal direction that is equal to or greater than 40 mm and equal to or less than 70 mm and has a length in the longitudinal direction that is equal to or greater than 100 mm and equal to or less than 180 mm.
Preferably, in the above-described hair brush, each of the pyramidal projections is a cone having a diameter at a bottom that is equal to or greater than 2.5 mm and equal to or less than 3.5 mm, a height that is equal to or greater than 15.0 mm and equal to or less than 25.0 mm, and a diameter at a position closer to the bottom by 0.1 mm than a tip that is equal to or greater than 0.8 mm and equal to or less than 2.0 mm.
A hair brush according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that it has an elongated annular shape, namely, an oval ring shape, has excellent water drainage, and is configured particularly suitable for combing wet hair.
The hair brush according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below by referring to the drawings. The embodiment and examples below are described merely as examples of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the technical scope of the present disclosure. Also, while dimensions of the hair brush are given as examples, the hair brush is not limited to these dimensions. Constituting elements common between the drawings are given the same sign.
As shown in the drawings, a hair brush 1 according to the present embodiment has a configuration including a brush base 2, and a plurality of conical projections 3 projecting from the brush base 2. The hair brush 1 including the brush base 2 and the conical projections 3 is formed integrally using an elastic material. While the material to be used for forming the hair brush 1 is resin with elasticity such as polyethylene or polypropylene, for example, the hair brush 1 is not limited to such a material.
For the purpose of convenience, in the present description, a surface of the brush base 2 provided with the conical projections 3 is called a lower surface a surface on the opposite side to the lower surface is called an upper surface. Likewise, a direction in which the conical projections 3 extend from the lower surface of the brush base 2 is called a lower side and its reverse direction is called an upper side. The directions of the lower side direction and the upper side are collectively called a top-bottom direction. A direction referring to this top-bottom direction may be called a thickness direction of the brush base 2. A direction vertical to the top-bottom direction and in which the brush base 2 extends in a plan view is called a longitudinal direction. A direction vertical to the top-bottom direction and the longitudinal direction and corresponding to a width direction of the brush base 2 in a plan view is called a transversal direction.
As shown in the plan view of
The linear parts 2c and 2d are formed in such a manner as to connect the semicircular parts 2a and 2b to each other. Each of the linear parts 2c and 2d has a rectangular shape extending in the longitudinal direction in a plan view. As shown in the sectional view of
In the present description, the elongated annular shape of the brush base 2 may be called an oval ring shape and the brush 1 including the brush base 2 having the oval ring shape may be called an oval ring brush. However, the elongated annular shape and the overall ring shape do not strictly mean a shape with the semicircular parts 2a and 2b at the both ends linearly connected to each other or a shape having an ellipsoidal outer periphery and the through hole 4 formed at the center of the ellipse as described above but include a shape obtained by deforming these shapes to a degree that does not damage the function of the present disclosure. Likewise, in the present description, the elongated circle or the elliptical shape does not strictly mean a shape with semicircular parts at both ends linearly connected to each other but includes a shape obtained by deforming this shape to a degree that does not damage the function of the present disclosure.
As shown in the side view of
The groove part 5 is provided at a position extended from the through hole 4 in the longitudinal direction in such a manner as to be continuous from the through hole 4 and to extend from the lower side toward the upper side. In other words, the brush base 2 has a short length in the top-bottom direction, namely, is reduced in thickness at the position of the groove part 5. The sectional view of
For determining an optimum dimension for the hair brush 1 of the present embodiment, the inventors prepared two or more hair brushes 1 of their respective dimensions and conducted a use test targeted at 30 women ranging in age from 20s to 40s. As a result, dimensions were determined as follows for the hair brush 1.
A length L1 of the brush base 2 in the transversal direction is preferably equal to or greater than 40 mm and equal to or less than 70 mm, more preferably, equal to or greater than 51 mm and equal to or less than 63 mm and is 57 mm, for example. A length L2 of the brush base 2 in the longitudinal direction is preferably equal to or greater than 100 mm and equal to or less than 180 mm, more preferably, equal to or greater than 130 mm and equal to or less than 159 mm is 144 mm, for example. A length of the brush base 2 in the top-bottom direction, namely, the thickness thereof is preferably equal to or greater than 5 mm and equal to or less than 20 mm, more preferably, equal to or greater than 7 mm and equal to or less than 15 mm and is 10 mm, for example.
In a plan view, the length L2 of the brush base 2 in the longitudinal direction is preferably equal to or greater than twice and equal to or less than 3.0 times, more preferably, equal to or greater than 2.3 times and equal to or less than 2.9 times the length L1 thereof in the transversal direction. Setting the dimensions and the dimensional ratio for the brush base 2 in this way provides a shape suitable for a user to use the hair brush 1 while grasping the brush base 2 in the transversal direction.
A length L3 of the through hole 4 in the transversal direction is preferably equal to or greater than 4.0 mm and equal to or less than 8.0 mm, more preferably, equal to or greater than 5.4 mm and equal to or less than 6.5 mm and is 5.9 mm, for example. A length L4 of the through hole 4 in the longitudinal direction is preferably equal to or greater than 70 mm and equal to or less than 120 mm, more preferably, equal to or greater than 85 mm and equal to or less than 104 mm and is 94.3 mm, for example. Setting the dimensions in this way causes water to flow down easily through the through hole 4. The location and size of the through hole 4 are determined so as to provide a favorable state in terms of each of the strength of the brush base 2, the rigidity of the brush base 2 during use, flowability of water, and air permeability.
A length L5 of the groove part 5 in the longitudinal direction is preferably equal to or greater than 10 mm and equal to or less than 18 mm, more preferably, equal to or greater than 11 mm and equal to or less than 15 mm. A length of the groove part 5 in the transversal direction is equal to that of the through hole 4 in the transversal direction. Setting the dimensions in this way provides a shape allowing a hook of a holder for suspending and holding the hair brush 1 to be inserted easily.
Regarding a radius of curvature of the brush base 2 in a side view in the longitudinal direction taken from an extension of the transversal direction (taken from the direction of
The conical projections 3 each have a conical shape and is formed in such a manner as to extend from the lower surface of the brush base 2 toward the lower side. The conical projections 3 are arranged in three rows extending linearly in the longitudinal direction at each of the linear parts 2c and 2d. The conical projections 3 in these three rows are arranged at the same interval. The conical projections 3 in the innermost row and the conical projections 3 in the outermost row are arranged at the same positions as viewed in the longitudinal direction. In the row sandwiched between these rows, the conical projections 3 are arranged at positions between the conical projections 3 in the innermost row and the conical projections 3 in the outermost row as viewed in the longitudinal direction. The conical projections 3 arranged at the linear parts 2c and 2d are equally spaced from the other adjacent conical projections 3. The conical projections 3 are further arranged at the semicircular parts 2a and 2b. These conical projections 3 are arranged along extensions of the rows of the conical projections 3 at the linear parts 2c and 2d, for example. These conical projections 3 extend parallel to each other from the lower surface of the brush base 2 and have heights equal to each other. For this reason, a virtual plane composed of the tips of these conical projections 3 forms a plane parallel to the lower surface of the brush base 2.
The conical projections 3 are formed thicker than those of conventional common brushes. In particular, the conical projections 3 are each thick at a bottom, specifically, at a position in the vicinity of its root. Forming the conical projection 3 into such a relatively thick shape does not damage a combing function to be damaged by seriously bending of the conical projection 3 caused by wet hair increased in weight for inclusion of water, thereby achieving a configuration facilitating combing of the wet hair against the resistance of the hair.
As shown in
The conical projection 3 is not limited to a shape with a strictly circular section but may have an ellipsoidal section or may have an egg-like shape. In one configuration, a projection having a pyramidal shape that may be a polygonal pyramidal shape such as a triangular pyramidal shape other than a cone may be provided instead of the conical projection 3.
As shown in the drawings, the hair brush 1 has a configuration without a handle extended from the brush base 2. Thus, for using the hair brush 1, a user is to grasp the brush base 2 in the transversal direction during use. Combing wet hair requires larger power as it is subjected to higher resistance than combing dry hair. In the presence of a handle extended from the brush base 2, the user is to smooth hair by mainly grasping the handle. In this case, a certain distance is generated between a grasped part and the conical projections 3 to increase moment acting on the handle, resulting in increased burden on the user. By contrast, if the user uses the hair brush 1 while directly grasping the brush base 2, increase in the moment acting on the handle is suppressed to increase usability without increasing burden on the user. While the hair brush 1 is mainly intended to smooth hair increased in weight for inclusion of water, use of the hair brush 1 by causing the user to directly grasp the brush base 2 in this way facilitates combing of the wet hair in a comfortable way.
While the hair brush 1 has a configuration with excellent water drainage as described above, a water drainage performance test showing the amount of water remaining in the hair brush 1 was conducted in the following manner.
First, the hair brush 1 is entirely sunk into water completely with the lower surface side, namely, with the direction of extension of the conical projections 3 pointed upward. Then, while the hair brush 1 is completely under the water, the hair brush 1 is slowly lifted from the water while maintained horizontally to be pulled out of the water entirely. Next, the hair brush 1 is retained for 30 seconds while kept in this horizontal position. Then, the weight of the entire hair brush 1 is measured and the weight of the hair brush 1 measured in advance is subtracted from the measured weight. By doing so, it becomes possible to obtain the weight of the water remaining as a result of adhering to the hair brush 1, etc. Here, the foregoing test was conducted several times and an average of resultant weights was measured as the amount of remaining water. Furthermore, the amount of remaining water showing result of this measurement was divided by a projected area of the hair brush 1 in a plan view to measure the amount of remaining water per unit projected area. In calculating the projected area, the projected area of the through hole 4 formed inside the hair brush 1 was not excluded.
The above-described water drainage performance test was conducted on the hair brush 1 with a projected area of about 7500 mm2 and the amount of remaining water was 1.8 g. Specifically, the amount of remaining water per unit projected area was 2.4×10−4 g/mm2.
Meanwhile, the above-described water drainage performance test was conducted on a brush with a conventional configuration and the amount of remaining water per unit projected area was 12.3×10−4 g/mm2. The above-described water drainage performance test was further conducted on a brush having a similar shape to the hair brush 1 and not including the through hole 4, and the amount of the remaining water per unit projected area was 8.8×10−4 g/mm2.
The inventors conducted various types of experiments and found that sufficient water drainage performance can be obtained by setting the amount of remaining water per unit projected area equal to or less than 6.0×10−4 g/mm2 during the above-described water drainage performance test. It was also found that a configuration with more excellent water drainage performance can be obtained by setting the amount of remaining water per unit projected area more preferably equal to or less than 4.0×10−4 g/mm2, still more preferably, equal to or less than 3.0×10−4 g/mm2.
The hair brush 1 of the present embodiment has the following characteristics.
The hair brush 1 includes the brush base 2 having an elongated annular shape, namely, an oval ring shape, thereby providing a configuration causing water to flow out through the through hole 4 formed at the center of the brush base 2.
The brush base 2 includes the linear parts 2c and 2d each formed into an elliptical shape in a section and is curved in such a manner as to protrude toward the upper side during use, thereby providing a configuration causing water to flow down easily from the hair brush. Furthermore, defining a configuration with this curved shape similar to the shape of the head of a user facilitates combing of hair.
While the brush base 2 has the curved shape, the configuration of the brush base 2 is such that the conical projections 3 are not directed inward in conformity with this curved shape but extend parallel to each other. This configuration prevents the occurrence of a situation where hairs containing water gather inside the curved shape so it becomes hard for the water to flow down during use. This allows combing of the hairs with certain gaps between the hairs, making it possible to smooth the hairs easily and remove the water from the hairs easily.
The hair brush 1 is configured in such a manner that the hair brush 1 can be held in a suspended position after use by inserting a hook of a holder having a hook-like shape into the groove part 5. While the hair brush 1 is held after use, water adhering to the hair brush 1 can be removed effectively.
The brush base 2 and the conical projections 3 are formed integrally without using a plurality of members. Thus, during use and after use, remaining of water can be reduced in a connection between members, for example.
The configuration of the hair brush 1 has a certain level of performance or more determined as a result of the predetermined test described above for measuring the amount of water remaining in the hair brush 1. Thus, this configuration provides the hair brush 1 with performance sufficient for functioning as a hair brush for combing wet hair.
As the hair brush 1 has a configuration without a handle extended from the brush base 2, a user is to grasp the brush base 2 in the transversal direction during use. By doing so, the power of the user is transmitted easily to hair, so that the resultant configuration allows the hair to be combed easily in a comfortable way even if the hair is heavy wet hair containing water.
The hair brush 1 is configured on the assumption that a user grasps the brush base 2 directly. In response to this, semicircular shapes are formed at the both ends of the brush base 2 in the longitudinal direction to provide a configuration with a good fit even if the thenar or hypothenar of a palm abuts on these parts. Furthermore, forming a central region of the brush base 2 in the longitudinal direction into a linear shape allows power from fingers to act easily on the brush base 2.
The oval ring hair brush with excellent water drainage according to the present disclosure is preferably applied as a hair brush particularly for combing wet hair.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-169835 | Oct 2021 | JP | national |
The present application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/JP2021/038470, filed Oct. 18, 2021, which claims priority to JP Application No. 2021-169835, filed Oct. 15, 2021, both of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2021/038470 | Oct 2021 | US |
| Child | 18477125 | US |
