US3477447A - Applicator for hair tinting liquids and the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 1969 c. ELDREDGE 3,477,447

APPLICATOR FOR HAIR TINTING LIQUIDS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 5, 1968 ATTORNE Y5 VENTOR. GLADYS C. ELDREDGE 8Clalms ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE I An applicator for depositing and distributing various liquids on the scalp at the base of the hair. A screw cap,

adapted for attachment to a plastic bottle,,is fitted with" a distributor head carrying a plurality of stiflly flexible liquid-supply nozzles. Liquid is fed to the nozzles adapted to conform at their tips to scalp contour through a manifold passage which is located in the distributor head and which communicates with the bottle through the screw cap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field .The invention relates to devices for treating the scalp and hair and particularly to'liquid applicators.

State of the art It is often desired, for any one of a number of reasons, to apply liquids to the scalp, or hair rootswithout saturating the hair. In the art of hair dyeing, for example, it is necessary periodically to re-dye the hair to maintain uniform hair color. As the hair grows, after being dyed, the natural color of the hair becomes visible near the scalp, at the roots of the hair. To re-establish an even hair color, a technician must apply dye selectively .to the undyed root portion of the hair while avoiding applying dye to the previously dyed portion of the hair. Heretofore, the selective application of dyes to the hair roots has been time consuming. Forty minutes or more of a technicians time has been required just to part the hair and apply dye to the roots thereof. It has been necessary, for example, to part the hair approximately every /3 inch along the scalp. Dye is then applied. to the roots of the hair along each of the parts. After the color of the hair in the root area has achieved the desired tint, each segment of parted hair is combed to pull some of the remaining liquid through the previously dyed portions of the hair thereby producing a fettering effect and achieving a uniform appearance throughout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTlON States atent ice , Liquids are supplied to the-distribution elements I through a manifold arrangement whereby each of the elements openly communicates along a row with the manifold such that fluid entering the manifold is equally distributed to the several individual tubular elements. The manifold is desirably provided in a distributor head .which is in turn anchored to a cap end. The cap end is adapted to fasten to a reservoir. A highly preferred reservoir is a squeeze type plastic bottle of standard type. The cap end is desirably a screw threadl cap. A fluid communication passage is provided in the distributor head so that the manifold openly communicates through the cap end to any reservoir to which the cap is attached from time to time.

Preferably, the entire applicator is molded or cast in one piece with a cap end; a distributor head, including an internal manifold passage mounted transversely of the axis of the cap end; a fluid-communication passage extending from open communication with the manifold passage through the cap end; and a plurality of tubular distribution elements projecting longitudinally from the distributor head, each being in open communication with the manifold. The tubular distribution elements should be approximately parallel to each other with both the attached ends and the projecting ends, respectively, being aligned approximately. in a row.

- The material of construction and the dimensioning of the tubular distributor elements is very important to the proper operation of the device. Thus, the tubular distribution elements, or nozzles should be sufficiently long to extend from the hair line to approximately the crown of the head. By crown" is'meant the region of the scalp at the apex or central top of the head. Thus, the crown is considered to be approximately at the center of the region circumscribed by the hairline. For proper use, the elements must be inserted longitudinally across the scalp, beginning at the hairline. and continuing to the crown of the head, i.e., to approximately the midpoint of the scalp, without any appreciable combing action. Although different lengths may be preferred for use on heads of various shapesor sizes or by various operators, for one reason or another, it has been fotliid that for most purposes the length of the tubular distribution elements, i.e., the distance the elements freely'project from attachment to the distributor head. is'desirably between about 2 /2 and about 6 inches, with about 2 /4 to about 3 inches representing the length presently considered most advantageous for general use. Distribution nozzles in excess of about 4 inches are generally somewhat cumbersome and are less preferred for that reason.

The distribution nozzles are approximately evenly spaced and communicate with the manifold passage in a row. Thus, in use, fluids flow out of the nozzles to the scalp along parallel lines. The spacing of the distribution nozzles is variable. depending on personal preference as -well as the properties of the fluids to be applied. For the application of peroxide and hair dyes generally, the distribution elements are desirably spaced to deposit fluid along-parallel lines approximately corresponding to the parts established by traditional hair dyeing techniques.

Accordingly, the elements are usually spaced about inch from the adjacent elements.

The tubular distribution elements should be stiflly flexible; that is,,they should be sufliciently stiff to resist spreading or deflecting as they are inserted longitudinally into the hair but sufficiently flexible to conform to scalp irregularities. To obtain best results, it is important that the nozzles maintain proper spacing at their distal or discharging ends, even when they are inserted full-length into the hair, but they should be sufficiently flexible or pliable to avoid gouging the scalp. Liquid is discharged on the scalp as the distribution elements are withdrawn from the hair. If the distribution elements are too stiff, an element sliding over a high scalp irregularity will lift the discharge endsof adjacent elements off the scalp thereby resulting in the discharge of liquids into the hair above the scalp or root zone. Thus, the distribution elements should be sufficiently flexible to ensure that the discharging ends of all of the elements can be maintained in contact with the scalp by the application of gentle scalpward pressure as the nozzles are withdrawn longitudinally across the scalp.

While the distributor head may be of any width and carry any desired number of tubular distribution elements, it is preferred to limit the width of the distributor head so that the distal ends of all of the elements may be held against the scalp without difficulty. The curvature of the head is likelyto result in one or more of the elements discharging fluid into the hair above the scalp if the distributor head is too wide. Accordingly, the width of the distributor head is normal y less than about 3 inches and includes the number of distribution elements conveniently and properly spaced within that width. Distributor heads wider than about 6 inches are rarely practical for use on human heads although wider distributor heads may be useful for applying liquids to the skins or hair roots of animals.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawing, which illustrates the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention;

FIG. 1 is a perspective viewshowing the method of use of the applicator, with a portion in section to show the tubular distribution elements and the scalp;

FIG. 2, a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a perspective view of the applicator attached to a reservoir for treatment liquid; and

FIG. 4, a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3 illustrating the internal fluid communication passages of the distributor head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, the applicator is attached to a plastic squeeze bottle reservoir 11 filled with peroxide. The bottle 11 is held in the hand 12, and the tubular distribution elements 13 are inserted longitudinally into the hair 14 from the hairline 14a, peripherally of the head, toward the crown 15 of the head. Gentle scalpward pressure transversely of the distribution elements 13 holds the discharging ends 13a of the elements against the scalp 16. Each nozzle element flexes independently as its discharge end slides over the scalp. Thus, as illustrated, element 13-1 is more severely flexed than is element 13-2 to permit the discharge end 13a of element 132 to contact the scalp 16. (FIG. 2.) t

FIGS. 3 and 4 indicate the construction of the applicator, which includes a plurality of tubular elongate distribution nozzles 13 extending parallel to each other from a manifold passage 17 (FIG. 3) mounted in distributor head 18 transversely of the axis of a cap element 19. The manifold passage 17 openly communicates, via a liquid communication passage 20 through the cap 18,

with the reservoir 11. In its preferred form, the distribution elements 13 taper slightly, as illustrated in FIG. 4, from their manifold ends 13b to their distal or discharging ends 13a. The tapering configuration retards flow of liquid out of the distribution elements. The tapered exterior of these elements also assists in avoiding gouging the scalp.

In use, the operator merely inserts the distribution elements 13 from the hairline 14a along the scalp 16 until the discharging ends 13a of the elements 13 reach the vicinity of the crown 15 of the head. The bottle 11 is then squeezed gently as the operator withdraws the distribution elements gradually across the scalp 16 and out of the hair 14 at the hairline 14a. Gentle scalpward pressure is maintained on the applicator to hold the discharging ends 13a of the elements on the scalp 16 while liquid is being discharged from the bottle to the scalp. This operation is repeated around the perimeter of the head until all of the scalp has been treated. The entire procedure takes only a few minutes in contrast to the much greater periods required by the prior art techniques. After the peroxide is applied, it is allowed to work on the hair roots until the desired color is achieved after which it is combed in conventional manner.

The applicator may be made of any desired material.

It may be assembled from several parts, but in its preferred form it is molded either in one piece or in two symmetrical halves, shaped generally as indicated by FIG. 4, from a plastic material selected to provide the requisite stiffness and pliability for the distribution elements. Nylon, polyethylene and polypropylene are examples of suitable materials of construction.

I claim:

1. An applicator for depositing and distributing a coloring liquid on the root portions of the hair next to the scalp, comprising supply means adapted for attachment to a reservoir; and a plurality of approximately evenly spaced, tubular distribution elements made of a stiffly flexible, yet pliable material openly communicating in a row with said supply means, and projecting therefrom substantially parallel to each other within a common plane, said tubular elements being sufficiently long to extend substantially horizontally from approximately the normal hairline to approximately the crown of the head and sufficiently stiff to maintain approximately their initial spacing when they are pushed longitudinally into the hair, but sufficiently flexible that the distal ends, are concurrently held against the scalp, yieldably conforming to scalp contour despite scalp irregularities, by the application of gentle, scalpward pressure, whereby application of the said coloring liquid is only at the root portions of the hair. I

2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein the supply means includes a cap end adapted for attachment to a reservoir and a distributor head mounted on said cap and including a manifold passage which openly communicates through said cap end with any reservoir to which the cap may be attached from time to time.

3. An applicator according to claim 2, wherein the tubular elements openly communicate in a row with said manifold and project therefrom.

4. An applicator according to claim 3. wherein each of the tubular elements is tapered from the communicating end to the distal end thereof.

5. An applicator according to claim 4, wherein the tubular elements are between about 2% to about 3% inches long.

6. An applicator according to claim 4, wherein the spacing between adjacent tubular elements is approximately A inch.

7. An applicator according to claim 1, comprising a screw cap; a distributor head integral with said screw cap, including a manifold passage transversely of the axis of said screw cap and a liquid communication passage ex. tending from said manifold passage through said screw p; and a plurality of tubular distribution elements corn 5 6 municating with said manifold passage and projecting longitudinally from said distribution head. FOREIGN PATENTS 8. An applicator according to claim 7, wherein the 393,009 10/ 19 8 France. tubular elements project at least about 2 /2 inches from 1,000,642 10/ 1951 rance. the distributor head and are spaced about M4 inch from 5 dj l m ROBERT PESHOCK, Pnmary Examiner J. W. MITCHELL, t E References Cited Assls ant Xammer UNITED STATES PATENTS US. Cl. X.R. 655,816 8/1900 DeVogel 132 114 1 1,088,797 3/1914 Smith 401-28 2,123,558 7/1938 Altheide 132-114

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