Hairbrush for pets and people that releases active ingredients

• US 7,337,784 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: I Did It Incorporated
• Original Assignee: I Did It Incorporated
• Inventors: Hurwitz, Marni Markell
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan; Robyn
• Application Number:
  US11/186,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 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

Abstract

A hairbrush for people and pets releases a 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 that carries brush bristles and has a plurality of apertures for delivery of the active composition and is fitted within a first opening of an internal cavity in a brush base. A porous sponge being saturated with the 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. Manually depressing the cover also releases the active ingredient even though the bristles may not be in direct contact with the hair at that time.

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 bristles of a brush fixedly attached thereto and having a plurality of apertures located in-between said bristles;

c. a porous sponge having a top surface and a bottom surface, said porous sponge being saturated with perfume, fragrance and/or other active compositions including insect repellant, hair conditioning compositions, dye compositions, moisturizing ingredients, or antibacterial compounds, being placed over said flexible deformable 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 is pressing 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 perfume, fragrance and/or other active compositions saturated within said porous sponge through said apertures in said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane, and

whereby pressing the cover squeezes said porous sponge releasing said perfume, fragrance and/or other active compositions saturated within said porous sponge through said apertures in said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane even when said bristles of said brush are not in contact with hair.

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

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

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

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

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

7. The hairbrush as recited by claim 1, wherein said bristles are metallic and have a first rounded end and a second nail head end, respectively, and wherein said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane is permanently attached to said metallic bristles by inserting said rounded end and pushing said bristle until said nail head contacts said flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane, and thereby creating a permanent attachment of said bristles by glue cement.

8. A method for creating 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. creating a brush base with an internal cavity with a bottom surface having a first opening and top surface having a second opening, respectively;

b. producing a flexible, deformable, one-piece membrane with bristles rigidly attached thereto and having a plurality of apertures;

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 perfume, fragrance and/or other active composition through said second opening in said internal cavity, wherein said porous sponge is 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, wherein said bottom surface of said cover is 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 of said internal cavity in said brush base; and

whereby brushing hair or manually depressing said cover releases said perfume, fragrance and/or active composition to hair.