Hairbrush for pets and people that releases active ingredients

• US 7,322,364 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ididit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: I Did It Incorporated
• Inventors: Hurwitz, Marni Markell
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, ROBYN KIEU
• Application Number:
  US11/349,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 132/126, 132111-116, 132/120, 132/159, 401286-288, 401/184, 401/282, 401/28, 151/86, 151/94
• US Class Current: 132/116
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/002 Curry-combs; Brushes shearing sheep B26B19/24
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/003 Devices for applying insecticides or medication A01K27/007 takes precedence; for veterinary purposes A61D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/002 pressurised at moment of use manually or by powered means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/104 Hair brush bristles arrangements for hair brushes A46B9/023

Abstract

A hairbrush for people and pets releases liquid gel perfume, fragrance and/or other active compositions including insect repellant, hair conditioning composition, dye composition, moisturizing ingredients, or antibacterial compounds when brushed or activated by manually depressing a cover. The brush includes a flexible deformable membrane with a plurality of apertures that carries and aligns with apertures in brush bristles for delivery of the liquid gel active composition and is fitted within a first opening of an internal cavity in a brush base. A porous sponge saturated with the liquid gel active ingredient is inserted over the flexible deformable membrane. A cover is inserted through a second opening and rests upon the porous sponge. Brushing action deforms the flexible deformable membrane and squeezes the sponge, releasing the active ingredient during brushing or when the cover is depressed manually.

Claims

1. A hairbrush for humans and pets comprising:

a. a molded brush base with a handle and an internal cavity with a bottom surface having a first opening and top surface having a second opening, respectively;

b. a flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane disposed within said first opening, said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane having apertures aligned with apertures in bristles of a brush fixedly attached thereto;

c. a porous sponge having a top surface and a bottom surface, said porous sponge being saturated with liquid gel perfume, fragrance and/or other active composition comprising insect repellant, hair conditioning compositions, dye compositions, moisturizing ingredients, or antibacterial compounds, and being placed over said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane within said internal cavity;

d. a cover having a top surface and a bottom surface, said cover being slidably fit within said second opening and wherein said bottom surface of said cover presses against substantially the entire surface area of said top surface of said porous sponge;

whereby brushing hair with said hairbrush deforms said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane and squeezes said sponge, releasing said liquid gel perfume, fragrance and/or other active compositions saturated within said porous sponge through said apertures in said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane and said bristles, and pressing the cover squeezes said porous sponge, releasing said liquid gel perfume, fragrance and/or other active compositions saturated within said porous sponge through said apertures in said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane and bristles irregardless of whether said bristles of said brush are in contact with hair.

2. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein each of said first and second openings is elliptical, said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane is elliptical, and said cover is elliptical.

3. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein each of said first and second openings is circular, said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane is circular, and said cover is circular.

4. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein each of said first and second openings is rectangular, said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane is rectangular, and said cover is rectangular.

5. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein each of said first and second openings is square-shaped, said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane is square-shaped, and said cover is square-shaped.

6. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane is composed of rubber having a thickness in the range of 1/32 inch to 3/32 inch.

7. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane aperture has a diameter in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.060 inch.

8. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein each of said bristles has a circular cross section, the diameter of which ranges from 0.010 to 0.060 inch.

9. A hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein each of said bristles has a circular cross section, the diameter of which ranges from 0.005 inch to 0.040 inch.

10. A hairbrush as recited by claim 9, wherein each of said bristles has a circular cross section with a central aperture and a slit along the length of the bristle forming a bristle having a U-shaped cross section.

11. A method for making a hairbrush for humans and pets that releases a perfume, fragrance and/or other active compositions, including insect repellant, hair conditioning composition, dye composition, moisturizing ingredients, or antibacterial compounds comprising the steps of:

a. forming a brush base having an internal cavity with a bottom surface having a first opening and top surface having a second opening;

b. producing a flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane having apertures aligned with apertures in bristles rigidly attached thereto;

c. inserting said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane into said first opening in said internal cavity;

d. inserting a porous sponge having a top surface and a bottom surface and being saturated with liquid gel perfume, fragrance and/or other active composition through said second opening in said internal cavity, said porous sponge being in contact with said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane;

e. slidably inserting a cover having a top surface and a bottom surface through said second opening in said internal cavity, said bottom surface of said cover being in contact with substantially the entire surface area of said top surface of said porous sponge;

whereby said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane and slidable cover create a leak-tight seal for said internal cavity in said brush base, and brushing hair or manually depressing said cover releases said liquid gel perfume, fragrance and/or active composition to hair.