US3861407A

US3861407A - Hair dye applicator

Info

Publication number: US3861407A
Application number: US380397A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel Gabriele
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-07-18
Filing date: 1973-07-18
Publication date: 1975-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-21

Abstract

A hair dye applicator has an elongate substantially cylindrical body. A comb is fixed to and extends along the length of the body. The body is depressed on each side of the comb to form recesses having bearing surfaces. A substantially cylindrical sponge is provided with a longitudinal slot to form two substantially semi-cylindrical lobes connected to each other at a connecting portion. Each of the lobes is receivable in one of the respective recesses on opposite sides of the comb when the teeth of the comb pass through the connecting portion. The cylindrical body is provided with an internal conduit which is in fluid flow communication with a removable flexible-walled hair dye container detachably connected at one end of the cylindrical body. Interchangeable nose pieces are provided which are connectable at the other end of the cylindrical body. Each of the nose pieces is associated with a fluid dispensing channel to selectively permit, by interchanging the nose pieces, dispersing the hair dye either through the hose piece tip or through a pair of apertured tubes which extend between the cylindrical sponge lobes and the respective bearing surfaces. In this manner, the hair dye may be dispensed and the respective sponges absorb the hair dye to uniformly apply the same either to the hair by the cylindrical lobes when combed by the comb or to the hair roots when the latter are messaged by sponges provided about portions of the nose pieces.

Description

United States Patent [191 Gabriele [451 Jan. 21, 1975 HAIR DYE APPLICATOR [76] Inventor: Samuel Gabriele, 1055 66th St.,

Brooklyn, NY. 11219 [22] Filed: July 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 380,397

[52] US. Cl. [32/108 [51] Int. Cl A45d 24/16 [58] Field of Search ..132/108, 9,144,119,110,

Primary Examiner-G. E. McNei11 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Friedman & Goodman [57] ABSTRACT A hair dye applicator has an elongate substantially cylindrical body. A comb is fixed to and extends along the length of the body. The body is depressed on each side of the comb to form recesses having bearing surfaces. A substantially cylindrical sponge is provided with a longitudinal slot to form two substantially semicylindrical lobes connected to each other at a connecting portion. Each of the lobes is receivable in one of the respective recesses on opposite sides of the comb when the teeth of the comb pass through the connecting portion. The cylindrical body is provided with an internal conduit which is in fluid flow communication with a removable flexible-walled hair dye container detachably connected at one end of the cylindrical body. Interchangeable nose pieces are provided which are connectable at the other end of the cylindrical body. Each of the nose pieces is associated with a fluid dispensing channel to selectively permit, by interchanging the nose pieces, dispersing the hair dye either through the hose piece tip or through a pair of apertured tubes which extend between the cylindrical sponge lobes and the respective bearing surfaces. In this manner, the hair dye may be dispensed and the respective sponges absorb the hair dye to uniformly apply the same either to the hair by the cylindrical lobes when combed by the comb or to the hair roots when the latter are messaged by sponges provided about portions of the nose pieces.

12 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAH2 1 I975 "gum m n PATENTEBJANZI I975 SHEET 3 [IF 3 HAIR DYE APPLICATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to hair dispensers, and more particularly to a hair dye applicator which is suitable for dispensing hair dye and uniformly applying the same to hair. By interchanging nose pieces, the hair dye applicator becomes particularly suitable for messaging and applying hair dye either to the hair being combed or to the roots thereof.

Various hair dye dispensers and applicators are already known. However, most of the known applicators have serious disadvantages which have limited their commercial use. For example, some of the known applicators do not provide accurate control of the hair dye to be dispensed. Controlled dispensation of hair dye sometimes requires manipulation and positioning the device with respect to the scalp. As a result, too much or too little dye is frequently applied this leading to undesired results.

Another disadvantage of known dispensers and applicators is related to the manner in which these applicators distribute the dye to the hair. Dying of the hair generally requires careful handling since the hair dye has to be frequently distributed over the scalp in order to prevent streaks. The latter generally arise when the hair dye is too generously applied in some areas while insufficiently applied in others. Generally, application of hair dye has been a messy and often dangerous task. Some dyes contain harmful chemicals which require the user to wear protective gloves.

Another disadvantageous feature of some of the prior art applicators is that they are limited to dispensing dye and do not provide or incorporate means for simultaneously combing the hair. Also, the applicators which are designed to apply hair dye are typically not suitable for dying the roots. With the latter described applicators, it is necessary to work the hair dye into the roots manually, this also requiring the utilization of suitable rubber or protective gloves.

Some applicators, by virtue of their designs, are comfortably utilized only by right-handed users. In this sense, the applicators are not universal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hair dye applicator which is not possessed of the above described disadvantages associated with comparable applicators of the prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair dye applicator of the type under discussion which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hair dye applicator as above described which is simple to use and may equally well be utilized by either a right-handed or left-handed person.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a hair dye applicator which uniformly applies hair dye to the hair without causing streaks in the same.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair dye applicator which selectively permits the dispensing of hair dye through a nose piece or through apertures disposed in the region of the comb forming part of the applicator.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a hair dye applicator which is provided with sponges which are adapted to absorb the dispensed hair dye and selectively and uniformly apply the same to the hair or to the roots thereof.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a hair dye applicator which provides interchangeable nose pieces for permitting dispensation of hair dye directly to the scalp through a channeled nose piece or dispensation of hair dye through apertured tubes, forming a part of the nose piece, which are respectively disposed beneath two sponges flanking a comb forming part of the hair dye applicator.

In order to achieve the above objects, as well as others which will become apparent hereafter, a hair dye applicator in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongate substantially cylindrical body. A comb is fixed and extends along the length of said body. Said cylindrical body is depressed on each side of said comb to form recesses having bearing surfaces directed in substantially the same direction as the direction of projection of the teeth of the comb. An elongate sponge is provided with a longitudinal slot to form two substantially elongate lobes connected to each other at a connecting portion. Each of the lobes is receivable in one of the respective recesses on opposite sides of the comb when the teeth of the comb pass through the connecting portion. The sponge is adapted to absorb hair dye and uniformly apply the same to hair being combed by the comb. The sponge is supported during combing by said comb and said bearing surfaces.

According to a presently preferred embodiment, an elongate tapered nose piece is provided at one end of said cylindrical body. Said nose piece is suitable for probing and separating hair. Also, handle means may be provided at the other end of said cylindrical body. Advantageously, a front sponge is provided having an elongate aperture therethrough which surrounds at least a portion of the nose piece. The front sponge is adapted to message and apply dye absorbed by said front sponge to the roots of the hair.

According to one presently preferred construction, the cylindrical body is connectable at one end to a flexible-walled fluid container containing hair dye. The fluid container serves the function of a handle which may be gripped by the user. The cylindrical body is provided with internal conduit means extending between the two ends of the cylindrical body. One end of said conduit means is in fluid flow communication with the fluid container when the latter is connected to said one end of said cylindrical body. A nose piece is provided with a channel therethrough which is removably mounted on the other end of said cylindrical body. The channel is in fluid flow communication with the other end of said conduit means when said nose piece is connected to said cylindrical body. In this manner, hair dye may be dispensed through said conduit means and said nose piece by depressing the flexible walls of the fluid container.

According to another construction of the nose piece, which can be interchanged with the above described nose piece, the further nose piece is removably connected to the other end of said cylindrical body. The nose piece is provided with two spaced apertured tubes each in fluid flow communication with said conduit means when the nose piece is connected to said cylindrical body. Each of the apertured tubes extends between a respective elongate sponge lobe and a bearing surface. In this manner, hair dye may be dispensed through said conduit means and said apertured tubes by depressing the flexible walls of the fluid container. When so dispensed, the dye is absorbed by the elongate sponge lobes and evenly or uniformly applied to the hair when the same is combed.

With each of the above nose pieces, a front sponge may be provided having an elongated aperture therethrough and surrounding at least a portion of the nose piece. The front sponge is adapted to message and apply dye absorbed by the front sponge to the roots of the hair. Advantageously, the nose piece is elongated and tapered and suitable for probing and separating hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the hair dye applicator in accordance with the present invention, shown with a first type of nose piece adapted to dispense hair dye through the nose piece at the tip thereof;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the hair dye applicator, shown provided with a second type of nose piece adapted to dispense hair dye on each side of the comb forming part of the applicator;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section of the hair dye applicator of FIG. 1, taken along line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the hair dye applicator shown in FIG. 2, taken along line 44;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the first type of nose piece which can be mounted on the applicator;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the second type of nose piece adapted to be mounted on the hair dye applicator;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 1, but shown with a substantially cylindrical sponge mounted on the comb forming part of the hair dye applicator;

FIG. 8 is a cross section of the hair dye applicator shown in FIG. 7, taken alone line 88;

FIG. 9 is a cross section of the hair dye applicator shown in FIG. 7, taken along line 9-9; and

FIG. 10 is a cross section of the hair dye applicator shown in FIG. 7, taken along line l0l0.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now the drawings, in which identical or similar parts have been designated by the same reference numerals, and first referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the hair dye applicator is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The applicator comprises an elongate substantially cylindrical body 12 which is provided at one end thereof with a recessed threaded portion 14. An opening 16 is provided at the other end of the cylindrical body 12.

According to the presently preferred embodiment, two apertures I8 are provided one to each side of the centrally located aperture 16. The function of the apertures 18 will be described hereafter.

Extending between the recessed threaded portion 14 and the aperture 16 is an elongate channel, conduit or tube 20 which is in fluid communication with the recessed threaded portion 14 and the opening 16. Thus, the tube 20 has its end openings exteriorly accessible of the cylindrical body 12.

Depending or projecting from the cylindrical body 12 is a comb 22 which may either be embedded in the cylindrical body 12 or may be connected thereto in any conventional manner, such as by adhesion.

A hair dye fluid container or bottle 30 is shown provided with a neck 32 which is threaded with a thread 34. The thread 34 is adapted to threadedly engage the recessed threaded portion 14 to provide a sealed connection therebetween whereby the dye may not escape from the bottle 30 except through the tube 20. Advantageously, the bottle 30 has a thin flexible wall which may be depressed to force the dye out of the bottle, as will be further described hereafter. The provision ofthe bottle 30 is not a critical feature of the present invention. Any means of feeding hair dye fluid into the tube 20 may be utilized. However, when a container such as bottle 30 is utilized, and connected at one end of the cylindrical body 12, the bottle 30 also functions as a handle which may be gripped by the user and squeezed when necessary to easily and conveniently dispense hair dye.

It should also be noted that the provision of the recessed threaded portion 13 is not in itself critical since, as explained above, any other mode of providing fluid flow communication between the tube 20 and a source of hair dye may be utilized. When the hair dye applicator is utilized in conjunction with a bottle 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, provision of the recessed threaded portion 14 provides a convenient and economical way of providing the desired connection.

According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, nose pieces are provided which are adapted to be mounted on the cylindrical body whereby portions thereof are inserted into the

apertures

16 and 18, as to be described. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 7, a first type of nose piece unit 38 is provided with a nose piece designated by the reference numeral 40. The nose piece 40 is provided with a neck 42 which is configurated to be insertable into the aperture 16 of the cylindrical body 12. The neck 42 is provided with an elongate aperture 43 adapted to sealingly receive interiorly therein one end of the tube 20. The nose piece 40 is provided with a tapered portion 44 which terminates in a nozzle tip 46 at the end of the nose piece 40 opposite to the position of the neck 42.

The first type of nose piece 40 is provided with an elongate channel or hole 48 which extends through the nose piece and is in fluid flow communication with the aperture 43 of the neck 42. At the end of the channel 48 in the region of the nozzle tip 46, the channel ends in opening 50.

When the neck 42 is inserted into the opening 46 of the cylindrical body 12 and the tube 20 is inserted into the aperture or hole 43, the interior of the tube 20 is in fluid flow communication with the channel 48 so that fluid forced into the tube 20 passes into the channel 48 and is dispensed at the opening 50.

One important feature of the present invention is the provision of a front or nose piece sponge 52 which has an elongate aperture therethrough and surrounds at least a portion of the nose piece 40. The front sponge 52 is adapted to message and apply hair dye absorbed by the front sponge to the roots of the hair. The nose piece 40, and in particular the tapered portion 44, is made elongated and of sufficient length so as to extend beyond the front sponge 52. In this manner, the nose tip 46 is suitable for probing and separating hair.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of an elongate sponge, here shown to be in the form of a substantially cylindrical sponge 70, shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 which is provided with a longitudinal slot to form two substantially elongate cylindrical lobes 70a. As best shown in FIG. 9, the cylindrical body 12 is provided with depressions on each side of the comb 22 to form recesses having bearing surfaces 56 directed in substantially the same direction as the direction of projection of the teeth of the comb. Each of the lobes 70a is receivable in one of the respective recesses on opposite sides of the comb 22 when the teeth of the comb pass through a connecting portion 70b which connects the lobes 70a to each other. The sponge 70 is adapted to absorb hair dye and uniformly apply the same to hair being combed by the comb. The teeth of the comb 22 pierce or extend through the connecting portions and the sponge 70 is supported by the comb 22 and the bearing surfaces 56 during combing.

In utilization of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the cylindrical body 12 is first fixed to the bottle 30 by threadedly engaging the neck 32 with the recessed threaded portion 14. The bottle neck 32 is tightened so as to form a sealed connection to assure that hair dye leaving the bottle 30 can only flow into the tube 20. The nose piece 40 has its neck 42 inserted through the aperture 16 so that the hole 43 receives the end of the tube 20 therein. The connection between the neck 42 and the tube 20 should provide a sealing connection to assure that fluid flowing in the tube 20 can only pass into the channel 48 and not leak out at the point at which the connection is made. Although the particular mode of coupling or connecting the nose piece 40 to the tube 20 is not critical, it is desirable, for example, to somewhat reduce the diameter of the hole 43 to provide little or no clearance between the inner surface of the hole 43 and the outer surface of the tube 20. In this manner, a pressfit relationship can be achieved which is normally sufficient to prevent leakage.

When connected as shown in the FIGURES, the bottle 30, filled with hair dye, is gripped by the user as a handle and the hair dye applicator is moved over the portions of the scalp which are to be treated. At the desired locations, with the opening 50 in the region of the scalp where hair dye is to be dispensed, the flexible walls of the bottle 30 are depressed to thereby cause the hair dye to be urged through the tube and the channel 48. Once a desired amount of hair dye has been dispensed onto the scalp, it is possible, with the first type of nose tip 40, to apply the front or nose sponge 52 onto the portion of the scalp where dye was dispensed so that some dye is absorbed by the sponge. Subsequently, the nose or front sponge 52 may be rubbed on the desired portions of the scalp to message and apply hair dye absorbed by the front sponge 52 to the roots of the hair.

While the above described embodiment of the first type of nozzle 40 is particularly suitable for directly applying dye to the scalp and messaging and applying the dye to the roots of the hair, a second type of nose piece 40a forms another important feature of the present invention, as to be described in connection with FIGS. 2,

4 and 6. The second type of nozzle 40a is similarly provided with a neck 42 having an aperture or hole 43 passing therethrough. However, the nose piece 40a is not provided with a channel 48 therethrough. Instead, the nose piece unit 54 comprises a solid nose piece 40a provided with a tapered portion 44a terminating in a nose piece tip 46a. A front sponge or nose piece 52 may similarly be provided on the nose piece 40a.

The second type of nose piece unit 54 is provided with a chamber or recess 64 which is in fluid flow communication with two spaced apertured tubes 58 provided with spaced apertures 60 along their length which communicate with internal channels 62. The apertured tubes 58 are each closed at one end while the other end thereof is in fluid flow communication with the chamber 64. The nose piece unit 54 is removably connected to the cylindrical body 12. Each of the apertured tubes 58 is positioned between a respective cylindrical sponge lobe a and a bearing surface 56 formed by the depressions in the cylindrical body 12 to each side of the comb 22 when the nose piece unit is mounted on the cylindrical body.

When the bottle 30 is depressed, fluid is forced therefrom into the tube 20 of the cylindrical body 12 and thereafter into the chamber 64. However, unlike with the nose piece 40, the fluid cannot escape through the nose piece but is forced into the respective channels 62 of the apertured tubes 58. As best shown in FIG. 2, the apertured tubes 58 are so disposed to each side of the comb 22 so that when a body or comb cylindrical sponge 70 is mounted on the comb 22, the sponge 70 absorbs the hair dye ejected from the apertures 60 and become saturated, to the extent desired by the controlled depression of the bottle 30. When the hair is combed with the teeth of the comb 22, which protrude beyond the sponge 70, the hair is caused to frictionally engage or abut against the sponge 70. In this manner, the hair is easily and uniformly dyed or otherwise treated.

To assure that the apertured tubes 58 are positioned within the recesses formed in the cylindrical body 12 and do not interfere with mounting of the sponge 70, the cylindrical body 12 may be provided with two axially oriented apertures 57, as shown in FIG. 2. The axial apertures 57 are spaced from each other a distance approximately equal to the spacing between the apertured tubes 58. Each of the axial apertures 57 are substantially coextensive with the respective planes of the bearing surfaces 56. In this manner, each of the apertured tubes 58 extends through a respective axial aperture 57 and is supported between a respective bearing surface 56 and a sponge lobe 30a.

Several observations become clear from the above description of the drawings. Firstly, the cylindrical body 12 may, but does not have to be, hollow as shown. Thus, the cylindrical body 12 may be solid and formed with a conduit or hole extending along its full length. Also, while the body or comb sponge 70 has been described as being substantially cylindrical, this, of course, is not a critical feature of the present invention and any other configurated sponge may be utilized. In this connection, it should be mentioned that by utilizing two substantially identical lobes to each side of the comb 22, the hair dye applicator 10 can be used with equal facility by a left-handed or right-handed user.

Similarly, the front or nose piece sponge 52 need not be cylindrical as shown but may be square or any other desired configuration, with different degrees of advantage.

The lobes 70a have been shown in FIG. 9 to be connected to each other by means of a connecting portion 70b. While such construction represents the presently preferred embodiment and facilitates the manufacture of the applicator, it should be clear that the specific manner in which the sponges are retained on the comb 22 is not itself critical. Thus, each of the lobes 70a can equally be secured to the bearing surfaces 56 in any conventional manner, such as by adhesive.

Although the body or comb sponge 70 as well as the front or nose piece sponge 52 may always be mounted as shown in FIG. 7, irrespective of which nose piece is utilized, it should be clear that the sponge 70 is advantageously utilized with the nose piece unit 54 whereby dye is dispensed through the apertures 60 of the apertured tubes 58 extending along the sponge 70. On the other hand, the front sponge 52 is advantageously utilized with the nose piece 40, wherein the dye is directly applied to portions of the scalp and the dye is distributed by the front sponge 52 while the latter messages and applies the hair dye to the roots of the hair. Advantageously, however, each of the

sponges

52 and 70 are removable so that either the comb 22 or the nose tips 46 and 46a may be utilized for their specialized purposes irrespective of the application of dye. Clearly, the hair dye applicator may be utilized as a comb when the sponge 70 is removed while the tapered portions 44 and 44a may be used as probes suitable for separating hair.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be construed as a limitation of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair dye applicator comprising an elongate substantially cylindrical body, fluid conduit means extending through said cylindrical body between the ends thereof; first connecting means at one end of said cylindrical body for interchangeably connecting the latter and said conduit means to a flexible walled fluid container containing liquid to be dispensed; an interchangeable nose piece mountable on the other end of said cylindrical body, said nose piece having a fluid dispensing channel having at least one opening at a selected location relative to said cylindrical body; and second connecting means on the other end of said cylindrical body for interchangeably connecting said nose piece to said cylindrical body and for placing said conduit means in fluid flow communication with said fluid dispensing channel, whereby said cylindrical body may be connected to a flexible walled fluid containing hair dye and a suitable nose piece may be connected to said cylindrical body for dispensing fluid in the fluid container at a selected location relative to said cylindrical body by squeezing the fluid container and by forcing the fluid through said conduit means while the applicator is passed through the hair.

2. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 1, further comprising a combed fixed to and extending along the length of said cylindrical body, said cylindrical body being depressed on each side of said comb to form recesses having bearing surfaces directed in substantially the same direction as the direction of projection of the teeth of the comb; and an elongate sponge provided with a longitudinal slot to form two substantially elongate lobes connected to each other at a connecting portion, each of said lobes being receivable in one of said respective recesses on opposite sides of said comb when the teeth of said comb pass through said connecting portion, said sponge being adapted to absorb hair dye and uniformly apply the same to hair being combed by said comb, said sponge being supported by said comb and said bearing surfaces during combing.

3. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein said nose piece is tapered and suitable for probing and separating hair.

4. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible walled fluid container includes a threaded neck and wherein said first connecting means comprises a complementary thread formed at said one end of said cylindrical body suitable for threadedly engaging the threaded neck of the fluid container in sealing relation.

5. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 3, further comprising a front sponge having an elongate aperture therethrough and surrounding at least a portion of said nose piece, said front sponge being adapted to message and apply dye absorbed by said front sponge to the roots of the hair.

6. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein said nose piece is elongate and tapers along the longitudinal direction of said cylindrical body, said nose piece having a point at a position remote from said other end of said cylindrical body along the longitudinal length thereof, said fluid dispensing channel extending through said nose piece and opening at the pointed end thereof, whereby hair dye may be dispensed through said conduit means and said nose piece at the pointed end of the latter by depressing the flexible walls of the fluid container.

7. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 6, further comprising a front sponge having an elongate aperture therethrough and surrounding at least a portion of said nose piece, said front sponge being adapted to message and apply hair dye absorbed by said front sponge to the roots of the hair.

8. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein a comb is fixed and extends along the length of said cylindrical body, said cylindrical body being depressed on each side of said comb to provide recesses having bearing surfaces directed in substantially the same direction as the direction of projection of the teeth of the comb; further comprising an elongate sponge provided with a longitudinal slot to form two substantially elongate lobes connected to each other at a connecting portion, each of said lobes being receivable in one of said respective recesses on opposite sides of said comb when the teeth of said comb pass through said connecting portion, said nose piece being removably connected to said other end of said cylindrical body, said nose piece being provided with two spaced apertured tubes forming said fluid dispensing channel and each in fluid flow communication with said conduit means when said nose piece is connected to said cylindrical body, each of said apertured tubes extending between a respective elongate lobe and a bearing surface when said nose piece is mounted on said cylindrical body, whereby hair dye may be dispensed through said conduit means and said apertured tubes by depressing the flexible walls of the fluid container.

12. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 8, wherein said cylindrical body is provided with two axially oriented apertures at said other end of said cylindrical body, said axial apertures being spaced from each other a distance approximately equal to the spacing between said apertured tubes, each of said axial apertures being substantially coextensive with the respective planes of said bearing surfaces, whereby each of said apertured tubes extends through a respective axial aperture and is supported by a bearing surface.

Claims

1. A hair dye applicator comprising an elongate substantially cylindrical body; fluid conduit means extending through said cylindrical body between the ends thereof; first connecting means at one end of said cylindrical body for interchangeably connecting the latter and said conduit means to a flexible walled fluid container containing liquid to be dispensed; an interchangeable nose piece mountable on the other end of said cylindrical body, said nose piece having a fluid dispensing channel having at least one opening at a selected location relative to said cylindrical body; and second connecting means on the other end of said cylindrical body for interchangeably connecting said nose piece to said cylindrical body and for placing said conduit means in fluid flow communication with said fluid dispensing channel, whereby said cylindrical body may be connected to a flexible walled fluid containing hair dye and a suitable nose piece may be connected to said cylindrical body for dispensing fluid in the fluid container at a selected location relative to said cylindrical body by squeezing the fluid container and by forcing the fluid through said conduit means while the applicator is passed through the hair.

9. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said lobes is generally cylindrical in configuration.

10. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 8, further comprising a front sponge having an elongate aperture therethrough and surrounding at least a portion of said nose piece, said front sponge being adapted to message and apply dye absorbed by said front sponge to the roots of the hair.

11. A hair dye applicator as defined in claim 8, wherein said nose piece is elongated and tapered and suitable for probing and separating hair.