Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Hair washing machine or device or accessory – Head or neck receiving or supporting sink
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-08
2001-01-09
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Hair washing machine or device or accessory
Head or neck receiving or supporting sink
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170096
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to sinks and shampoo bowls of the type commonly used in beauty salons and barber shops.
Shampoo bowls of this general type typically include a forward edge portion that is formed with a so-called neck rest. The neck rest is a rearwardly extending, rounded cut-out adapted to define a forwardly and upwardly facing depression adapted to receive an individual's neck.
When shampooing an individual's hair in a beauty salon or barber shop, it is common practice to seat the individual in a chair that is positioned forwardly of the shampoo bowl, and tilt the individual's head backward over the bowl. Preferably, the individual's neck is received into and generally supported by the neck rest formed in the bowl.
Numerous prior apparatus and methods have been adapted to allow persons of different heights rest his or her neck into the neck rest of the shampoo bowl. A common technique is to provide for a chair with an adjustable seat height such as Shoji, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,673, Benting, U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,767, and Kanaya U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,851. However, these disclosures involve relatively complicated and expensive apparatus.
Alternately, chairs may be provided with pivotally connected backs to enable each person to reposition the angle of the back, and the position of the chair inwardly and outwardly from the bowl so as to adjust the length between the chair seat and the neck rest. Frequently, however, the individual will not make the necessary adjustment, but will simply “slide” up or down in the chair, thus leaving the lower back unsupported.
In some “European-style” arrangements, the shampoo bowl and chair are connected to a pedestal for positioning in a room such that the beautician or barber stands behind the bowl to wash the individual's hair. In this instance, the shampoo bowl may be pivotally mounted to the pedestal to enable positioning of the bowl to accommodate an individual's height. However, such an arrangement has met with limited acceptance in the United States because the shampoo bowl is traditionally and typically mounted to a wall, and the beautician or barber stands adjacent the bowl when washing the individual's hair.
Another prior apparatus provides for a wall-mounted sink that is adapted for selective linear positioning upwardly and downwardly. This apparatus includes foot-operated means for adjusting the height of the sink in a action similar to a hydraulic beauty or barber chair. However, this apparatus is also substantially more expensive than a simple wall-mounted shampoo bowl.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The general aim of the present invention is to provide for a new and improved wall-mounted shampoo bowl adapted to accommodate individuals of different heights.
A detailed objective is to achieve the foregoing by providing an adjustable wall-mounted shampoo bowl apparatus adapted for use with a conventional chair, the apparatus being less expensive, of simpler construction, and more easily adjusted than prior adjustable wall-mounted shampoo bowls of the same general type.
A more detailed objective is to achieve the foregoing by providing a shampoo bowl which is pivotally connected to a wall-mounted supporting structure such that the forward portion of the bowl may be tilted to a height for receiving the neck of an individual seated in the chair, the pivotal connection providing a frictional drag component sufficient to retain the bowl in the position selectively set by the operator.
These and other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a support structure that is cantilevered from a wall, and a shampoo bowl that is positioned above and supported by the frame. Frictional pivot connecting means between the frame and the shampoo bowl provide for manual tilting of the bowl by the operator while insuring that the bowl remains in the selected position while shampooing an individual's hair. Pairs of rubber bumpers positioned between the frame and the bowl, and on either side of the pivot connection provide for predetermined limits on the angular travel of the adjustable bowl.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1086707 (1914-01-01), Sparenburg
patent: 3849806 (1974-11-01), Strickland et al.
patent: 4328597 (1982-05-01), Bodin
patent: 5007118 (1991-04-01), Ebersole
patent: 5014371 (1991-05-01), Heel
Belvedere Co., Gilda Backwash, Advertising Sheet, 2 Pages., Copyright 1996.
Belevdere Co., Lillo, Advertising Sheet 2 Pages., Copyright 1996.
Belvedere Co., Flexi-Bowl, Advertising Sheet, 2 Pages., Copyright 1986.
Maletti Group, Business Class, Advertising Sheet, 2 Pages.
BJ Industries, Inc., Advertising Brochure, 4 Sheets, Adjust-a-Sink System.
Abelman ,Frayne & Schwab
Belvedere USA Corporation
Phillips Charles E.
Spath Thomas E.
LandOfFree
Adjustable wall-mounted shampoo bowl does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Adjustable wall-mounted shampoo bowl, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adjustable wall-mounted shampoo bowl will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2534517