A hairbrush for edge hairs

Abstract

A hairbrush 10 having a body 12 which has a grip portion on a first surface 14 and bristles 32 on a second surface 16 where the first and second surfaces are opposite each other. The body has a wider

Description

The present invention relates to a hairbrush for edge hairs and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a hairbrush for edge hairs on a person's head of hair. Edge hairs are short, fine head hairs that grow around the hairline of a person's head of hair. Specialised brushes, known as edge brushes or edge control brushes, can be used to style edge hairs. Edge brushes typically have smaller heads and finer, more compacted bristles than regular hairbrushes, allowing for more precise control over edge hairs. As edge hairs are more delicate than other hairs, using a brush with finer or softer bristles is necessary to prevent hair breakage. Many existing edge brushes also include a firm, pointed end on the handle for creating partitions and for refining swoops or swirls in edge hairs . However, many existing designs are modelled on the shape and size of toothbrushes, meaning they are not ideal for carrying in small handbags or in the pockets of articles of clothing. This makes them inconvenient for use away from the home, and it is often during time away from the home that hair is in need of brushing or restyling. Furthermore, many existing edge brushes do not come with caps or lids that encapsulate the bristles of the brush, which is important for protecting hair from contaminants that may be picked up by the bristles in a bag or pocket. In addition to this, edge brushes are often used in conjunction with styling gels, jellies or oils. The cap is therefore also important for protecting the contents of a bag or pocket from residual hair products that may remain on the bristles of the brush. Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome or alleviate the above-described disadvantages of the prior art. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a brush for use with a person's head of hair, the brush comprising: a body having, a grip portion for gripping said brush, said grip portion being on a first surface of said body, said body and grip portion each having a wider end opposite a narrower end, a pointed member for engagement of edge hairs on a person's head of hair, said pointed member extending from said narrower end of said grip portion; and a plurality of flexible bristles for further engagement of said edge hairs, said bristles extending outwardly from a second surface of said body opposite said first surface and adjacent to said pointed member. As previously highlighted, the design of most edge brushes resembles that of a toothbrush, with a long, narrow grip portion extending from the brush body which contains the bristles. In the present invention, the grip portion is part of the brush body and opposite the bristles giving the user greater fine control when using the brush. Similarly, in edge brushes that feature a pointed end for further styling, the pointed end is most commonly positioned at the end of the handle. The pointed end of the present invention is also part of the brush body, adjacent to the bristles and extending from the grip portion. These two design features result in a significantly more compact brush that is more easily carried and used away from the home. There is further advantage in positioning the pointed end in close proximity to the bristles in that it allows the user to switch between the two styling modes quickly and without needing to adjust their grip on the brush. Some existing edge brushes also incorporate a comb portion into the brush body but this can lead to tangling of hairs during use. Furthermore, the wider end of the present invention is also suitable for general hair brushing beyond edge hairs. In particular, the softer bristles make it ideal for slicking back hair or refreshing an existing slicked back style. This is difficult to achieve with existing edge brushes as they are too narrow to provide adequate coverage. The wider end of the present invention is wider than existing designs, making it ideal for this purpose while also remaining compact enough for use away from the home. In a preferred embodiment, said pointed member narrows along its length to form a tip. In another preferred embodiment, said tip of said pointed member is sufficiently pointed to create partitions in a person's head of hair. Having a pointed end with a relatively sharp tip allows the user to have more fine control over individual hairs when creating partitions or adding further styling to edge hairs. In an additional preferred embodiment, said pointed member comprises four surfaces, each said surface having a corner with an acute angle, each of said corners converging with each other to form said tip of said pointed member. In a further preferred embodiment, one of said surfaces of said pointed member is substantially triangular and angled such that it extends away from said bristles. Having the tip of the pointed end angled in such a way that it extends away from the bristles is necessary so that the tip does not inadvertently come into contact with the head of the user when they are using the bristled section of the brush. In a preferred embodiment, said grip portion comprises a first indentation in said first surface. An indentation on the surface of the grip portion is ideal for positioning the index finger, allowing for more secure gripping of the brush. In another preferred embodiment, said body is substantially lanceolate . Having a lanceolate (teardrop) shape when viewed from above allows for a seamless transition from the wider end of the brush body to the narrower end from which the pointed end extends, resulting in a more comfortable grip. Furthermore, having a narrower end with fewer bristles allows the user to exert more control over styling a smaller number of hairs. Using the wider end, which contains more bristles, allows the user to cover a larger area and style a relatively large number of hairs at once . In an additional preferred embodiment, said body is formed from a rigid thermoplastic material. Having the main brush body made from a rigid thermoplastic material means that it is firm enough to grip without deforming, but still light enough to be carried without being cumbersome. In a further preferred embodiment, said bristles comprise boar hairs. Boar hair bristles are soft and flexible, making them ideal for detangling or styling finer hairs without breakage. They are also known to efficiently distribute sebaceous oils from the scalp to the rest of the hair, which is a natural form of hair conditioning. Alternatively, hair product can be applied directly to the bristles for even and efficient distribution throughout the hair. In a preferred embodiment, said brush further comprises a cap removably attached to said body for encapsulating said bristles . As discussed above, it is important to protect the brush bristles (and therefore the hair of the user) from potential contaminants, and also to protect the surroundings of the brush (for example, the contents of a handbag) from residual hair product left on the bristles. In another preferred embodiment, said second surface of said body further comprises a plurality of protrusions. In an additional preferred embodiment, said cap comprises at least one second indentation for receiving said protrusions, removably attaching said cap to said body. Some existing designs feature caps that are not securely attached to the brush body, meaning it can come loose which can lead to contamination or loss of the cap. Having protrusions on the brush body that can click into place in indentations on the cap prevents the cap from coming loose, ensuring that the bristles are protected when the brush is not in use. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hairbrush for edge hairs of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the brush of figure 1 from an alternative angle; Figure 3 is a plan view of the brush of figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the brush of figure 1 additionally showing the cap of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the brush of figure 4 showing the cap secured in place over the brush bristles; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the brush of figure 4 from an alternative angle; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the brush of figure 6 showing the cap secured in place over the brush bristles; Figure 8 is a photograph of a user using the bristles of a hairbrush for edge hairs of the present invention to style their edge hairs; Figure 9 is a photograph of a user using the pointed end of the brush of figure 8 to further style their edge hairs; Figure 10 is a photograph of a user using the pointed end of the brush of figure 8 to create a partition in their edge hairs; and Figure 11 is a photograph of a user using the bristles opposite the wider end of the brush of figure 8 to brush regular hairs adjacent to the edge hairs. Referring initially to figures 1 to 3 there is provided a brush 10 for edge hairs. Lanceolate in shape the brush 10 has a body 12 with a first surface 14 and a second surface 16. The first surface 14 has a grip portion 18 with a wider end 20 opposite a narrower end 22 and a first indentation 24 in the first surface. A pointed member 26 extends from the narrower end 22 of the grip portion 18. The pointed member 26 narrows along its length to form a tip 28. The tip 28 is formed by four surfaces 30a to 30d of the body 12, with each surface having a corner with an acute angle, and each of the four corners converging with each other to form the tip of the pointed member 26. Extending outwardly from the second surface 16 is a plurality of flexible bristles 32 adjacent to the pointed member 26. The bristles 32 are grouped together in bunches, with the bunches illustrated as cylinders in figures 1 to 7 . The surface 30d that forms part of the pointed member 26 is substantially triangular and angled such that it extends away from the second surface 16 and therefore the bristles 32. Around the edge of the second surface 16 is a plurality of protrusions 34. Referring additionally to figures 4 to 7 there is provided a cap 36 for the brush 10. The cap 36 has at least one second indentation 38 around its edge for receiving the protrusions 34 on the second brush surface 16. Fitting the protrusions 34 into the second indentation 38 secures the cap 36 to the brush 10 with a snap fit and encapsulates the bristles 32. Referring to figures 8 to 10, there are provided photographs showing the brush 10 in operation. In each photograph, the user has a finger placed in the first indentation 24 of the grip portion 18 to aid with gripping the brush 10. In figure 8, the bristles 32 are being used to brush edge hairs. In figure 9, the tip 28 of the pointed member 26 is being used to add further style to individual edge hairs. In figure 10, the tip 28 of the pointed member 26 is being used to create a partition starting from the edge hairs. In figure 11, the bristles 32 are being used to brush regular hairs adjacent to the edge hairs, in particular the bristles opposite the wider end 20 of the grip portion 18 that offer more coverage are being used. As can clearly be seen in figures 8 to 10, the brush 10 is small allowing fine control of short edge hairs. Typically, the brush 10 is around 50 mm from the tip 28 to the wider end 20 and around 35 mm at its widest between the sides adjacent the protrusions 34. The bristles 32 are around 11mm in length. Although these dimensions allow for optimal performance of the brush while retaining its compactness, the brush would still be effective with a body length between 25 and 100 mm, a width between 17 and 70 mm at its widest point, and a bristle length between 5 and 22 mm, assuming that any changes made to the dimensions are made proportionally so that the brush retains its overall shape. Operation of the brush will now be described. The cap 36 is detached from the brush 10. The user handles the brush 10 by gripping the grip portion 18 and optionally placing a finger in the first indentation 24 to aid with gripping. Hair product, such as edge control gel, can optionally be applied to the bristles 32 or directly to the edge hairs that are to be styled. The user then brushes and styles the edge hairs, switching between using the bristles 32 and the tip 28 of the pointed member 26 as required. The pointed member 26 can be used to create partitions starting from the edge hairs or to add further styling, such as swoops and swirls, to the edge hairs themselves. The user can also switch between using the bristles 32 opposite the wider end 20 of the grip portion 18 for coverage of a larger number of edge hairs or regular hairs, and the bristles opposite the narrower end 22 of the grip portion for finer control over a smaller number of edge hairs. After use, the cap 36 is reattached to the brush 10 by insertion of the protrusions 34 present around the edge of the second brush surface 16 into the second indentation 38 that is present around the edge of the cap, ensuring that the bristles 32 are fully encapsulated by the cap . It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the protection which is defined by the appended claims. In particular, where various embodiments and aspects of the invention have been described above, features and steps of the apparatus and method are interchangeable between the embodiments and aspects of the invention. For example, where dimensions are indicated in the examples set out above these are examples of ideal measurements but should not be taken as being indicative of being essential to the performance of the invention. As another example, the above embodiments use a brush body 12 formed from a rigid thermoplastic material, but a number of other suitable materials, such as wood or metal, may be used. Similarly, the above-described bristles 32 are formed from a 5 70:30 mixture of boar hairs and nylon fibres but other suitable materials may be used, including but not limited to, natural or synthetic fibres such as cactus, agave or other thermoplastic fibres, or a mixture thereof. As a further example, the cap 36 may have a series of 10 shorter indentations around its edge for receiving the protrusions 34 present on the second brush surface 16, or there may be one larger indentation covering the entire edge of the cap. In either case, the one or more indentations may be present on the inner cap surface, as illustrated in figure 4, or on the 15 upper cap surface. Alternatively, the one or more indentations may be present on the second brush surface 16, with the protrusions instead being on the cap 36.

Claims

1. A brush for use with a person's head of hair, the brush comprising:a body having,a grip portion for gripping said brush, said grip portion being on a first surface of said body, said body and grip portion each having a wider end opposite a narrower end,a pointed member for engagement of edge hairs on a person's head of hair, said pointed member extending from said narrower end of said grip portion; anda plurality of flexible bristles for further engagement of said edge hairs, said bristles extending outwardly from a second surface of said body opposite said first surface and adjacent to said pointed member.

2. A brush according to claim 1, wherein said pointed member narrows along its length to form a tip.

3. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein said tip of said pointed member is sufficiently pointed to create partitions in a person's head of hair.

4. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein said pointed member comprises four surfaces, each said surface having a corner with an acute angle, each of said corners converging with each other to form said tip of said pointed member.

5. A brush according to claim 4, wherein one of said surfaces of said pointed member is substantially triangular and angled such that it extends away from said bristles.

6. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein said grip portion comprises a first indentation in said first surface.

7. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein said body is substantially lanceolate.

8. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein said body is formed from a rigid thermoplastic material.

9. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein said bristles comprise boar hairs.5 10. A brush according to any preceding claim, furthercomprising a cap removably attached to said body for encapsulating said bristles.

11. A brush according to claim 10, wherein said second surface of said body further comprises a plurality of protrusions.10 12. A brush according to claims 10 and 11, wherein said capcomprises at least one second indentation for receiving said protrusions, removably attaching said cap to said body.