Patent Application
20220361646
The present invention relates to a volume hair dryer brush. As one non-limiting example, the invention relates to a volume hair dryer brush with an roughly elliptical barrel. As another non-limiting embodiment, the invention relates to a volume hair dryer brush with a roughly elliptical barrel where the density of the bristles and tufts on the narrow sides of the ellipse are less than the density of the bristles or tufts on the long sides of the ellipse. As an alternative non-limiting embodiment, the invention relates to a volume hair dryer brush where the narrow sides of the ellipse lack bristles or tufts whatsoever. As a further non-limiting embodiment, the invention relates to a volume hair dryer brush with an elliptical barrel where the barrel is coated in whole or in part, including but not limited to having coating in the shape of strips at any location on the barrel. The invention also includes, but is not limited to, a volume hair dryer brush having an elliptical barrel wherein a handle that attaches to the barrel is detachable.
The cross-section of the barrel of prior art volume hair dryer brushes tends to be of two shapes: (1) either the barrel is completely round or (2) the barrel has two wider side surfaces that are relatively flat with minimal curvature.
There are disadvantages to both shapes of prior art volume hair dryer brushes. For example, in the round barrel volume hair dryer brushes, the bristles or tufts tend to be the same length, material, and shape regardless of the placement on the barrel. Additionally, round volume hair dryer brushes easily tangle, which affects the smoothing properties of the brush and decreases the likelihood of use.
Prior art volume hair dryer brushes that have a barrel having a cross section with relatively flat surfaces are known to create dents, particularly with less skilled users. Additionally, the flat profile volume hair dryer brush also can be more difficult to get close to the hair root and provide lift for volume.
There is a need for a volume hair dryer brush where it is easier to work the dryer brush through the hair. There is also a need for a volume hair dryer brush that improves and increases the heat and air contact with the hair, and allows for better root coverage than prior art volume hair dryer brushes. Additionally, there is a need for a volume hair dryer brush that shows improvement in lift and volume as well as smoothing, without causing dents to occur during use.
The present invention encompasses embodiments of a volume hair dryer brush where the cross-section of the barrel is roughly elliptical in shape.
In the volume hair dryer brush of the present invention, the barrel, when viewed in cross section, is in the shape of an ellipse. There are two sides that are longer along the ellipse, the “long sides”, and two sides that are narrower along the curve of the ellipse, the “narrow sides”. In one non-limiting embodiment, both the long sides and the narrow sides have a curved surface. In one non-limiting embodiment, there is a grip portion that is attached to the top of the barrel. The grip portion may be of any shape or material that can assist the user in using the tool. In one non-limiting embodiment, the grip portion is designed to remain cooler to the touch than the heated surfaces of the barrel.
In one non-limiting embodiment, the volume hair dryer brush may have an elliptical barrel that is attached to a handle. In some non-limiting embodiments, the handle of such a brush may be detachable.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the volume hair dryer brush is powered by an electrical source and may be corded or cordless. In other non-limiting embodiments, the volume hair dryer brush may be powered by any source of energy, including but not limited to by battery or by solar energy.
In some non-limiting embodiments of the volume hair dryer brush, the barrel will avoid having curves that approximate a round shape, i.e., the length of the narrow sides will be less than the length of the long sides. In other non-limiting embodiments, the narrow sides of the roughly elliptical barrel of the volume hair dryer brush will be shorter in the length than the long sides, but the length of the narrow sides should be sufficiently large so as to not create dents upon use.
Another way to describe the roughly elliptical shape of the barrel of the volume hair dryer brush is to refer to the two axis components of an ellipse, i.e., the major axis of the ellipse which is longest diameter of the ellipse (Et) and the minor axis of the ellipse which is the shorter diameter of the ellipse (Es). In preferred embodiments, Es will be less than Et. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the minor axis of the ellipse will be about 10%-85% the length of the major axis of the ellipse, about 25%-75% the length of major axis of the ellipse, about 25%-67% the length of the major axis of the ellipse, about 25%-50% the length of the major axis of the ellipse, about 50%-67% of the length of the major axis of the ellipse, or about 50%-75% of the length of the major axis of the ellipse. In one preferred embodiment, the length of the minor axis of the ellipse will be about 50% the length of the major axis of the ellipse. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the length of the minor axis of the ellipse will be about 60%-67% the length of the major axis of the ellipse.
The elliptical shape of the barrel of the volume hair dryer brush of embodiments of the present invention may also be described in terms of the curvatures associated with the narrow sides and the curvature associated with the long sides. In one non-limiting embodiment, the curvature associated with the narrow sides may be equal to or greater than the curvature associated with the long sides of the barrel, i.e., the narrow sides will have the same curve or a tighter curve than the long sides.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the barrel of the volume hair dryer brush has bristles or tufts that can be of any type, size, or shape and placed in any pattern or at random on the barrel. In some non-limiting embodiments, the bristles or tufts (1) could be flexible, semi-flexible, firm, rigid, or any combination thereof; (2) could vary in height or be uniform in height; (3) could have a variety of diameters or cross-sections, be fin-shaped, taper, be uniform in diameter, or any combination thereof; or (4) could be set in waves and/or have a ball ends. Multiple types of bristles or tufts may be combined on the same volume hair dryer brush. The bristles or tufts may be made of any natural, synthetic, or a combination of natural and synthetic material that will withstand the heat generated by the volume hair dryer brush, including but not limited to silicone bristles or tufts, silicone-coated bristles or tufts, nylon bristles or tufts, plastic bristles or tufts, metal bristles or tufts, or coated metal bristles or tufts.
In some non-limiting embodiments of the volume hair dryer brush, the bristles or tufts may be placed on the long sides of the roughly elliptical barrel as well as on the narrow sides of the barrel so long as the density of the bristles or tufts on the narrow sides is less dense than the density of the bristles or tufts that are placed on the long sides. In an alternative non-limiting embodiment, the narrow sides of the barrel may not have any bristles or tufts and thus the narrow sides of the barrel are fully exposed, providing a significant amount of surface area to contact the hair with airflow and heat. In another alternative non-limiting embodiment, one of the narrow sides of the barrel does not have bristles or tufts while the other narrow side has bristles or tufts that are less dense than the bristles or tufts on the long sides of the barrel.
In embodiments having a lack of bristles or tufts on one or both of the narrow sides of the barrel, or alternatively having a decrease in density of the bristles or tufts one or both of the narrow sides, the volume hair dryer brush is easier to use, creates less friction, allows for better heat permeation including but not limited to at the roots, smooths hair, greatly increases lift and volume, and/or can decrease the amount of time that the hair is exposed to heat resulting in less damage to the hair.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the bristles or tufts on the long sides and, when present, the narrow sides may be permanently set in place in rows or in a pattern or set randomly. In other preferred embodiments, the arrangement of bristles and tufts may, but is not required to, vary between the long sides and narrow sides or vary between each of the four sides of the barrel.
In non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, any bristle or tuft in any configuration may be used so long as there are no bristles or tufts on either or both of the narrow sides of the barrel or, alternatively, the density of the bristles or tufts on either or both of narrow sides of the barrel is less than the density of the bristles or tufts on the long sides of the barrel.
As non-limiting examples, less density can be obtained by having fewer bristles or tufts on the narrow sides than on the long sides of the barrel; by having finer bristles or tufts on the narrow sides than on the long sides; and/or by having bristles or tufts of a different shape, thickness, height, or kind on the narrow sides versus the long sides. In another non-limiting example, the bristles or tufts on one or more of the narrow sides create less friction per inch against hair than the bristles or tufts on the long sides. In one non-limiting embodiment, one or both of the narrow sides of the volume hair dryer brush may have a single row of bristles or tufts.
In some non-limiting embodiments of the volume hair dryer brush, the barrel may have vents through which air may be forced so as to blow dry the hair. The volume hair dryer brush may have vents that are of any shape, including but not limited to oval-shaped, circular, curved, or slotted. Further, the vents may be of the same size or of varying sizes. Additionally, the vents may be placed in any pattern or at random on the barrel. In some embodiments, the vents may have differing sizes, shapes, and/or be in different patterns on the same barrel. In one non-limiting embodiment, the vents may be placed in a curving repeating pattern. In another non-limiting embodiment, the vents may be placed in a series of straight lines. In one non-limiting embodiment, the pattern of the vents on the long sides of the barrel may differ from the pattern of the vents on the narrow sides of the barrel.
Non-limiting embodiments of the volume hair dryer brush of the present invention also may include brushes where the barrel may have texture and/or a coating. As a non-limiting example, any side of the barrel may have texture and/or a coating located on all or substantially all of at least one side of the barrel. In another non-limiting embodiment, the volume hair dryer brush may have all or substantially all of sides of the barrel coated. In further non-limiting embodiments, the areas of texture and/or coating may be in the shape of strips, dots, channels or other shapes or patterns or at random on any location of the barrel.
In some non-limiting embodiments, one or both of the narrow sides of the barrel can be fully or partially covered with texture and/or coating. In other non-limiting embodiments, the narrow sides of the barrel may have texture and/or coatings in the shape of strips. In other non-limiting embodiments, one or both of the narrow sides of the barrel may not be coated, may not be textured, or may not be coated or textured.
In other non-limiting embodiments, the coating material may protect the hair from heat and/or promote shine. Such coatings, when present, can include, but are not limited to coatings made of silicone. Other non-limiting examples of coatings may include, but are not limited to silicone strips and/or silicone strips with silicone bristles. In certain non-limiting embodiments, volume hair dryer brushes where one or both of the narrow sides do not have any bristles or tufts may have coating in any pattern or placement. In other non-limiting embodiments, volume hair dryer brushes where one or both of the narrow sides are less dense than the bristles or tufts on the long sides of the barrel may have a coating in any pattern or placement.
The features, nature, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings which correspond to the same.
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The reference numerals used in the detailed description of the embodiment below correspond to the reference numerals used in the accompanying drawings.
The present invention encompasses embodiments of a volume hair dryer brush having a roughly elliptical barrel.
In
In one preferred embodiment, the volume hair dryer brush may have an elliptical barrel that is attached to a handle. The handle may be decorative in some preferred embodiments, such as shown in
While
Another way to describe the rough shape of the cross-section of the barrel B of the volume hair dryer brush 100 is to refer to the two axis components of an ellipse. In
The elliptical cross-section of the barrel B of the volume hair dryer brush 100 may also be described in terms of the curvatures associated with the narrow sides n and the curvature associated with the long sides l, as indicated in
A view of the front of the volume hair dryer brush 100 is shown in
In some preferred embodiments, the bristles or tufts (1) could be flexible, semi-flexible, firm, rigid, or any combination thereof; (2) could vary in height or be uniform in height; (3) could have a variety of diameters or cross-sections, be fin-shaped, taper, be uniform in diameter, or any combination thereof; or (4) could be set in waves and/or have a ball ends. Multiple types of bristles or tufts may be combined on the same volume hair dryer brush. The bristles or tufts may be made of any natural, synthetic, or a combination of natural and synthetic material that will withstand the heat generated by the volume hair dryer brush, including but not limited to silicone bristles or tufts, silicone-coated bristles or tufts, nylon bristles or tufts, plastic bristles or tufts, metal bristles or tufts, or coated metal bristles or tufts.
In preferred embodiments of the volume hair dryer brush 100, as shown in
In preferred embodiments, the lack of bristles or tufts 30 on one or both of the narrow sides n of the barrel B, or alternatively the decrease in density of the bristles or tufts 30 on one or both of the narrow sides n, makes the dryer brush easier to use, creates less friction, allows for better heat permeation including but not limited to at the roots, smooths hair, greatly increases lift and volume, and/or can decrease the amount of time that the hair is exposed to heat resulting in less damage to the hair.
In some preferred embodiments, the bristles or tufts 30 on the long sides l and, when present, the narrow sides n may be permanently set in place in rows or in a pattern or set randomly. In other preferred embodiments, the arrangement of bristles and tufts 30 may, but is not required to, vary between the long sides land narrow sides n or vary between each of the four sides of the barrel B.
In preferred embodiments, any bristle or tuft 30 in any configuration may be used so long as there are no bristles or tufts 30 on either or both of the narrow side n of the barrel B or, alternatively, the density of the bristles or tufts on either or both of narrow side n of the barrel B is less than the density of the bristles or tufts 30 on the long sides l of the barrel B.
As non-limiting preferred examples, less density can be obtained by having fewer bristles or tufts on the narrow sides than on the long sides of the barrel; by having finer bristles or tufts on the narrow sides than on the long sides; or by having bristles or tufts of a different shape, thickness, height, or kind on the narrow sides versus the long sides. In another preferred example, the bristles or tufts on one or more of the narrow sides create less friction per inch against hair than the bristles or tufts on the long sides. As one non-limiting preferred example, one or both of the narrow sides of the dryer brush may have a single row of bristles or tufts.
In another preferred embodiment (not shown), the barrel of the volume hair dryer brush may have texture and/or a coating. As one preferred example, any side of the barrel may have texture and/or a coating located on all or substantially all of at least one side of the barrel. In another preferred embodiment, the volume hair dryer brush may have all or substantially all of sides of the barrel coated. In further preferred embodiments, the areas of texture and/or coating may be in the shape of strips, dots, or other shapes, or at random, on any location of the barrel.
Preferred embodiments also may include volume hair dryer brushes where one or both of the narrow sides of the barrel are fully or partially covered with texture and/or coating. In other preferred embodiments, both of the narrow sides of the barrel may have texture and/or coatings in the shape of strips of any length or width. In some preferred embodiments, one or both of the narrow sides of the barrel may not be coated, may not be textured, or may not be coated or textured.
In other preferred embodiments, the barrel of the volume hair dryer brush may have a coating that may protect the hair from heat and/or promote shine. Such coatings, when present, can include, but are not limited to coatings made of silicone. In one preferred embodiment, the coating comprises one or more silicone strips, silicone strips with silicone bristles, silicone strips with silicone knobs or bumps, and/or silicone channels.
In certain preferred embodiments, a coating may be used in any pattern or placement on a volume hair dryer brushes having a roughly elliptical barrel where one or both of the narrow sides of the barrel do not have any bristles or tufts. In other preferred embodiments, a coating may be used in any pattern or placement on a volume hair dryer brushes having a roughly elliptical barrel where one or both of the narrow sides of the barrel have bristles or tufts that are less dense than the bristles or tufts on the long sides of the barrel.
In one preferred embodiment, the volume hair dryer brush may be, but is not required to be, coated with any heat conductive material, including but not limited to ceramic or ceramic or silicone or titanium, tourmaline, copper, or other metals, to reflect heat from the hot air of the dryer. In some preferred embodiments, all surfaces of the barrel of the heated straightening dryer brush may be heated, directly or indirectly, from any known heating mechanism other than exposure to the hot air of the dryer. In other preferred embodiments, any of the surfaces of the heated straightening dryer brush, including but not limited to the exposed curved side surfaces, also could be separately heated, directly or indirectly, from any known heating mechanism other than exposure to the hot air of the dryer.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular configurations of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the present disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding configurations described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
The present invention is a non-provisional application claiming benefit from a U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/187,331, filed May 11, 2021, as well as U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/187,306 and Provisional Application No. 63/187,305, also filed on May 11, 2021. The contents of the three provisional applications are herein incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63187331 | May 2021 | US | |
| 63187306 | May 2021 | US | |
| 63187305 | May 2021 | US |
