Self-cleaning hair brush

• US 20070199170A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joe Dipippo
• Original Assignee: Joe Dipippo
• Inventors: DiPippo, Joe
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/169
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 17/06 Devices for cleaning brushes after use
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/104 Hair brush bristles arrangements for hair brushes A46B9/023
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/10 Adjustable supports

Abstract

A hair brush with a cleaning element for removing entwined hair from the brush after use. The cleaning element of the brush includes a plate(s) with opening through which the bristles protrude. When the plate is expanded, the plate pushes any hairs entwined in the bristles to the tips of the bristles where they are removed. The brush also has a post mechanism, which allows for the adjustment of the cleaning element to various intermediary positions, effectively adjusting the length of the bristles for use of the brush.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning hair brush comprising, in combination:

a brushing element including a body, a plurality of bristles supported by the body and a handle supported by the body;

a cleaning element including plate(s) with a plurality of openings positioned relative to the bristles, a plate lifter and a ring with springs which supports the plate(s), and is disposed within the body of the brushing element; and

a control element engaged with the plate lifter of the cleaning element which allows for the extraction of the control element at the end of the handle.

2. The hair brush, according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning element is moveable with respect to the brushing element between a brushing position and a cleaning position, in the brushing position the plate(s) is/are flush with the brushing element such that the plurality of bristles protrude through the plurality of openings in the plate(s).

3. The hair brush, according to claim 2, wherein in the cleaning position the plate(s) is/are situated about the tips of the bristles (maximum cleaning position).

4. The hair brush, according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning element is movable with respect to the brushing element between a brushing position and a cleaning position, wherein the cleaning element is movable responsive to an external force applied to the control element.

5. The hair brush, according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning element is movable responsive to release of the external force applied to the control element.

6. The hair brush, according to claim 2, further comprising:

a locking element within the control element and the cleaning element to selectively lock the cleaning element in at least one intermediate position between the brushing position and the cleaning position producing different effective length of bristles at each intermediate position.

7. The hair brush, according to claim 2, further comprising:

means for locking the control element relative to the cleaning element to selectively maintain at least one intermediate position so that the cleaning element is moveable between the intermediate position and the cleaning position upon operation of the control element.

8. The hair brush, according to 7, further comprising:

means for returning the cleaning element to a locked intermediate position after the control element has been operated to the maximum cleaning position.

9. The hair brush, according to claim 1, where in the plurality bristles are disposed in staggered rows.

10. A brush, comprising:

a handle portion and a bristle head portion arranged in-line along a long direction of said brush;

a plurality of bristles on said bristle head portion projecting outwardly in a bristle direction generally orthogonal to said long direction of said brush;

said bristles having at least a first use-length available for brushing during a use of said brush;

means for removing external hair from said bristles following said use; and

said means for removing including at least a first cleaning element operable outwardly along said bristle direction, thereby minimizing a risk of bristle damage.

11. A brush, according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for selecting between said first use-length and at least a second use-length of at least one of said plurality of bristles during said use, whereby at least one alternate bristle use-length is available.

12. A brush, according to claim 11, further comprising:

lock means for releasably and lockably selecting between at least said first and said second use-length of said bristles during a use, thereby increasing a convenience of said brush.

13. A brush, according to claim 10, further comprising:

spring assembly means for elastically urging said at least first cleaning element inwardly along said bristle direction, thereby speeding a return of said at least first cleaning element to a use position following a cleaning of said brush.

14. A brush, according to claim 13, further comprising:

at least a first cam projection element on said at least first cleaning element projecting inwardly opposite an outer surface of said cleaning element;

at least a first sliding cam surface element in a sliding contact with said at least first cam projection element on said at least first cleaning element; and

control element means for opposing said inward elastic urging of said spring assembly means and for actuating said at least first sliding cam surface relative to said long direction of said brush, thereby enabling a caming contact to outwardly urge said at least first cleaning element along said bristle direction during a cleaning step.

15. A brush, according to claim 12, further comprising:

spring assembly means for elastically urging said at least first cleaning element inwardly along said bristle direction;

a control element operable in both said lock means for releasably and lockably selecting and said spring assembly means;

said control element operable along said long direction of said brush; and

said control element enabling a ready positioning of said at least first cleaning element to establish at least said first and said second use-lengths of said bristles.

16. A method for cleaning a hair brush, comprising the steps of:

selecting a brush assembly having handle portion and a bristle head portion arranged generally aligned along a long direction of said hair brush;

said brush assembly wherein;

said bristle head portion includes a plurality of bristles on said bristle head portion projecting outwardly in a bristle direction generally orthogonal to said long direction of said brush;

said bristles having at least a first use-length available for brushing during a use of said brush;

said brush assembling including means for removing external hair from said bristles following said use;

said means for removing having at least a first cleaning element operable outwardly along said bristle direction, thereby minimizing a risk of bristle damage and a control element projecting from said handle portion slidable along said long direction to drive said first cleaning element outwardly;

holding said handle portion;

sliding said control element along said long direction and moving said first cleaning element outwardly along said cleaning direction of said hair brush to remove said external hair from said bristles.