Coating implements with material supply – Including tool – Confronting tool faces
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-11
2003-09-30
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Including tool
Confronting tool faces
C401S009000, C401S207000, C401S196000, C132S208000, C132S108000, C132S270000, C132S221000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06626599
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for applying a product, especially a liquid-to-viscous product, to a section of hair, and to a method of hair treatment using this device. The invention is most particularly suitable for applying a hair dye product onto hair section by section. The device of the invention may serve for any other hair treatment, such as hair perming, conditioning or other specific treatments. The invention is particularly advantageous for applying a relatively liquid product under clean conditions. However, the product to be applied can be in the form of a cream, a gel or a liquid of relatively high viscosity.
In the case of a hair dye product, hair dyes are typically taken up from a bowl. Such dyes are intended either for overall use, called “whole head” use, in which the hair is completely impregnated with the product for the purpose of modifying the colour of all of it, or for partial use, called use “in sections,” in which only certain parts of the hair are impregnated with product so as to obtain, once the treatment has been completed, a non-homogeneous or streaked color effect, thus emphasizing a particular movement of the hair with lighter or darker shades of color than the natural or overall shade of the hair.
FR-A-2,589,337 describes a device for applying a hair dye comprising, firstly, a bottle storing the product to be applied and, secondly, an applicator head fitted to the bottle. The applicator head has an orifice for supplying the product and bears, at its free end, a two-tined fork that the user can guide from one end of a section of hair to the other, when the hair section is placed between the two tines of the fork, for the purpose of applying the product to the section of hair. The space separating the two tines opens directly at their base into an open cavity in which the product accumulates, into which space the supply orifice emerges. This cavity is bounded on its open face by a moveable flap capable of exposing the cavity for the purpose of cleaning the application head easily.
Another type of device for applying a hair product in sections is described in FR-A-2,764,488. This device includes a tip for isolating a given section of hair, and applicator means for dipping into a hair product. The applicator means includes at least one row of teeth. The hair product is applied to the isolated section of hair by bringing the section of hair into contact with the applicator means and by moving the applicator means relative to the section of hair from the point of initial contact towards a free end of the section of hair. Receiving means are provided for keeping the section of hair in application contact with the applicator means throughout their movement.
Other types of devices for applying a hair product in sections are in the form of a comb having, inside, supply channels communicating with a product reservoir. These supply channels open out to the tips of the tines of the comb or to the spaces separating the tines.
Such devices generally suffer from the same drawbacks due to the fact that, in particular, they have an open structure. As a result, because of this structure, the product retained on the applicator means has a tendency to run, especially when the product is relatively liquid. Furthermore, because the hair to be treated does not form a planar surface, the user often needs to change the orientation of the application device depending on the area to be treated. Such an operation also increases the risk of the product running in undesirable areas. In addition, certain applicators of this kind have the drawback of a relatively short autonomy.
Another type of applicator of the section type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,893. With this type of applicator, the part of the hair to be dyed is introduced into a sealed capsule containing a dye product. The section or sections of hair are held in the capsule throughout the time needed for the dye product to act. This type of applicator is well suited for applying products requiring a certain laying time but it is not at all suitable for the aforementioned dyeing in sections.
One of the objectives of the invention is therefore to provide a device for applying a hair product to sections of hair, which does not have the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to the devices of the prior art.
It is in particular an objective of the invention to provide a device allowing a hair product to be applied in a clean and non-sullying manner, and to do so whatever the viscosity of the product to be applied.
Furthermore, it is an aim of the invention to provide a device which has an advantageous manufacturing cost.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device allowing a hair product to be applied, which is simple to use and which allows the product to be applied over the entire length of the section of hair, from the root to its free end, or conversely, from the free end to the root. The application device of the invention is particularly suitable for use at home, either by the consumer himself or by a third person not having any specific experience in hair dyeing.
Although the invention preferably has one or more of the above-mentioned objects and advantages, certain aspects of the invention could be practiced without necessarily accomplishing one or more of the objects and advantages.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In one aspect, the invention includes a device for applying a hair product, for example a dye product, to sections of hair, the device comprising a component made of at least one elastically deformable material and at least partly defining a reservoir for the product, wherein the component also at least partly defines a slot which communicates with the product reservoir and opens onto the outside of the device, the slot being bounded by two edges which, at rest, are substantially contiguous over at least one portion of the slot so as to create a seal, wherein a section of hair is able to pass through the slot so as to allow the section of hair to be coated with the product in response to movement of the device in a longitudinal direction with respect to the section of hair.
It is clearly understood that the intended seal, within the context of the present application, is understood to mean a seal or quasi-seal relative to a given composition. It is clear that the conditions for obtaining such a seal (in particular, the density of the elastic material, the relative bearing of the edges defining the slot) vary according to the viscosity of the product. Likewise, such a seal corresponds to a seal under normal conditions of use, particularly with regard to the lifetime of the device.
This arrangement allows the section of hair to be brought into contact with the product, continuously, over all or part of its length, and without appreciable flow of product out of the reservoir. For this purpose, the user takes hold of a precise section of hair, which preferably is as thin as possible, and positions it in the slot. The movement is simple and precise and makes it possible for the desired dyeing of hair in sections to be carried out rapidly over all or part of its length. During application, the seal is provided whatever the position of the application device. Any outflow of product is almost impossible when the elasticity of the elastically deformable component which defines the slot is chosen appropriately. In addition, the risk of the product coming into contact with the user's hands is markedly reduced.
Furthermore, while allowing relative movement of the component partly defining the slot along the section of hair, the component prevents substantially any movement which would lead to its contact with
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP
L'Oreal (S.A.)
Walczak David J.
LandOfFree
Device for applying a product to a section of hair does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Device for applying a product to a section of hair, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Device for applying a product to a section of hair will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3021418