Hairbrush apparatus

Abstract

A hairbrush apparatus comprising a handle formed with a lumen, a brush head including a housing having an interior air-receivable chamber, at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets, and an air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and mounted so as to allow relative movement therebetween into a number of mutual dispositions thereof including those in which the air blocking element prevents one of a first portion or a second portion of the chamber from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen while allowing such exposure to the other one of the first and second portions of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel.

Description

[0001] HAIRBRUSH APPARATUS

[0002] TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

[0003] The presently disclosed subject matter is in the field of hairbrush apparatuses combined with hair drying functionalities.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below.

[0006] • WO2022263774A1

[0007] • WO2023118682A1

[0008] • EP3845091A1

[0009] Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0010] GENERAL DESCRIPTION

[0011] The presently disclosed subject matter provides hairstyling apparatuses. Hairstyling includes any activity related to styling the hair, such as in a non-limiting example, brushing as well as drying, and blowing air- hot, cold or room temperature, onto the hair.

[0012] According to the present subject matter there is provided a basic structure including a hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus including a handle formed with a lumen; a fan operative to draw air into the lumen; a brush head including: a housing attached to the handle, the housing including an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior air-receivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface; the exterior surface including a hairfacing outer area and the interior surface including an inner area corresponding to the hair facing outer area and facing in a direction away from the hair facing outer area; hair contacting elements protruding outwardly from the hair facing outer area of the exterior surface and defining together therewith a hair-contacting region of the brush head; at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements; at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets.

[0013] According to an aspect of the present subject matter there is provided the basic structure and an air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and mounted so as to allow relative movement therebetween into a number of mutual dispositions thereof including those in which the air blocking element prevents one of a first portion or a second portion of the chamber from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen while allowing such exposure to the other one of the first and second portions of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present subject matter the air blocking element is mounted statically relative to the handle, and the housing with the chamber is rotatable relative to the handle with the air blocking element.

[0015] According to yet another aspect of the present subject matter when seen in a crosssection of the brush head taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and passing through at least one of the first and second airflow outlets, the outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h, a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance b smaller than Zz, a hair contacting element closest to the outlet projects from the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than b, the housing has laterally outermost zones of the exterior surface thereof each spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance L, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: li > L / 2- or (h-b) > (b-b).In all the above aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, the apparatus can include the basic structure and one or more of any one of the above aspects.

[0016] Furthermore, in all the above aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, the apparatus can include at least one of the below aspects.

[0017] According to a further aspect of the present subject matter different mutual dispositions between the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element during their relative movement define at least the following states thereof:

[0018] a neutral state, in which the air blocking element is free of contact with the interior surface of the chamber so that the entire chamber is in fluid communication with the lumen and with the at least one first and at least one second airflow channels;

[0019] a first blocked state, in which the air blocking element contacts the interior surface of the air-receivable chamber so that the first portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented by the air blocking element from exposure to the fluid communication with the lumen, and the remainder of the air-receivable chamber is exposed to the fluid communication with the lumen; and

[0020] a second blocked state, in which the air blocking element contacts the interior surface of the air-receivable chamber so that the second portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented by the air blocking element from exposure to the fluid communication with the lumen, and the remainder of the air-receivable chamber is exposed to the fluid communication with the lumen.

[0021] According to yet a further aspect of the present subject matter the hair facing outer area has a central zone spaced from the reference plane to a distance H, the location at which the outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference plane to a distance hi, the projection of the outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference plane to a distance h2, the location at which the hair contacting element closest to the outlet projects from the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference plane to a distance hj, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: (h2-hl) > (hs-h2) or hi >H / 2.

[0022] According to still a further aspect of the present subject matter the channel body further includes a channel body inner surface facing towards the hair contacting elements and including the airflow outlet of the channel, and a channel body outer surface facing in the direction away from the airflow outlet and extending between the channel body proximal and distal ends, the channel body outer surface being spaced from the plane ofsymmetry, along most of the length of the outer surface, to a distance which does not exceed L and which exceeds (li+(L-h) / 2).

[0023] According to still another aspect of the present subject matter there is provided a hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus including:

[0024] a handle formed with a lumen;

[0025] a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;

[0026] a brush-head including:

[0027] a housing attached to the handle and circumscribing the longitudinal axis, the housing including an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior airreceivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface;

[0028] a hair contacting region operative for contacting hair when the apparatus is in use, the hair-contacting region including hair contacting elements located outwardly relative to the outer area the exterior surface;

[0029] at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet, associated with the exterior surface, the at least one first and the at least one second airflow outlets being oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair-contacting region for directing airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;

[0030] at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets; and

[0031] at least one additional channel having an additional airflow inlet on the inner area and an additional airflow outlet on the outer area and providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective additional airflow outlet,

[0032] wherein the additional outlet is positioned and oriented so as to direct air parallelly to the plane of symmetry.

[0033] Embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter can include, are not limited to the following embodiments:1. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus including:

[0034] a handle formed with a lumen;

[0035] a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;

[0036] a brush head including:

[0037] a housing attached to the handle, the housing including an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior air-receivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface; the exterior surface including a hair facing outer area and the interior surface including an inner area corresponding to the hair facing outer area and facing in a direction away from the hair facing outer area;

[0038] hair contacting elements protruding outwardly from the hair facing outer area of the exterior surface and defining together therewith a haircontacting region of the brush head;

[0039] at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;

[0040] at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets; and

[0041] an air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and mounted so as to allow relative movement therebetween into a number of mutual dispositions thereof including those in which the air blocking element prevents one of a first portion or a second portion of the chamber from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen while allowing such exposure to the other one of the first and second portions of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel;wherein, optionally, the apparatus further includes at least one of the following features:

[0042] the air blocking element is mounted statically relative to the handle, and the housing with the chamber is rotatable relative to the handle with the air blocking element; or

[0043] when seen in a cross-section of the brush head taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and passing through at least one of the first and second airflow outlets, the outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h, a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than Zz, a hair contacting element closest to the outlet projects from the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance smaller than h, the housing has laterally outermost zones of the exterior surface thereof each spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance L, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: / / >LI2 or (h-h) > (h-h).

[0044] 2. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus including:

[0045] a handle formed with a lumen;

[0046] a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;

[0047] a brush head including:

[0048] a housing attached to the handle so as to be rotatable relative thereto about the longitudinal axis, the housing including an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior air-receivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface so as to allow fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the lumen, the exterior surface including a hair facing outer area and the interior surface including an inner area corresponding to the hair facing outer area and facing in a direction away from the hair facing outer area;hair contacting elements protruding outwardly from the hair facing outer area and defining together therewith a hair-contacting region of the brush head;

[0049] at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;

[0050] at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets; and

[0051] an air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and mounted statically relative to the handle so that the rotation of the housing with the air-receivable chamber relative to the handle with the air blocking element brings the air blocking element into a number of positions relative to the chamber including those in which the air blocking element prevents fluid communication between the lumen and one of the at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel, while allowing fluid communication between the lumen and the other one of the at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel;

[0052] wherein, optionally, the brush head includes at least one of the following features:

[0053] the prevention of the fluid communication is provided by preventing fluid communication between the lumen and one of a first and a second portion of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel; or

[0054] when seen in a cross-section of the brush head taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and passing through at least one of the first and second airflow outlets, the outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to adistance h, a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than Zz, a hair contacting element closest to the outlet projects from the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance smaller than h, the housing has laterally outermost zones of the exterior surface thereof each spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance L, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: / / >LI2 or (h-h) > (h-h).

[0055] 3. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the apparatus including:

[0056] a handle formed with a lumen;

[0057] a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;

[0058] a brush-head including:

[0059] a housing attached to the handle and including an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior air-receivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface so as to allow fluid communication between the airreceivable chamber and the lumen; the exterior surface including a hair facing outer area and the interior surface including an inner area corresponding to the hair facing outer area and facing in a direction away from the hair facing outer area;

[0060] hair contacting elements protruding outwardly from the hair facing outer area of the exterior surface of the housing and defining therewith hair-contacting region of the brush head;

[0061] at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;

[0062] at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets;

[0063] wherein, when seen in a cross-section of the brush head taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and passing through at least one of thefirst and second airflow outlets, the outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h, a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than Zz, a hair contacting element closest to the outlet projects from the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance Is smaller than h, the housing has laterally outermost zones of the exterior surface thereof each spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance L, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: h >LI2 or (h-h) > (h-h); and

[0064] wherein, optionally, the apparatus further includes at least one of the following features:

[0065] the air blocking element is mounted statically relative to the handle, and the housing with the chamber is rotatable relative to the handle with the air blocking element; or

[0066] the prevention of the fluid communication is provided by preventing fluid communication between the lumen and one of a first and a second portion of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel.

[0067] 4. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the at least one first and the at least one second airflow channels are formed with respective first and second airflow inlets at the interior surface of the chamber, allowing air to flow from the chamber into the at least one first and the at least one second airflow channels via the respective first and the second airflow inlets.

[0068] 5. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein different mutual dispositions between the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element during their relative movement define at least the following states thereof: a neutral state, in which the air blocking element is free of contact with the interior surface of the chamber so that the entire chamber is in fluid communication with the lumen and with the at least one first and at least one second airflow channels;a first blocked state, in which the air blocking element contacts the interior surface of the air-receivable chamber so that the first portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented by the air blocking element from exposure to the fluid communication with the lumen, and the remainder of the air-receivable chamber is exposed to the fluid communication with the lumen; and

[0069] a second blocked state, in which the air blocking element contacts the interior surface of the air-receivable chamber so that the second portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented by the air blocking element from exposure to the fluid communication with the lumen, and the remainder of the air-receivable chamber is exposed to the fluid communication with the lumen.

[0070] 6. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 5, wherein the air blocking element includes a central portion and two flanges extending radially therefrom and a blocking plane of the air blocking element.

[0071] 7. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 6, wherein in the neutral state, the blocking plane of the air blocking element is oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and in each of the blocked states it is oriented at an acute angle to the plane of symmetry.

[0072] 8. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 7, wherein the first portion of the chamber is bounded by the air blocking element in the first blocked state, the inner area, and a first portion of the interior surface therebetween including the first inlet, and the second portion of the chamber is bounded by the air blocking element in the second blocked state, the inner area, and a second portion of the interior surface of the chamber therebetween including the second inlet.

[0073] 9. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 8, wherein:

[0074] the air blocking element includes a first and a second flange extending radially relative to the longitudinal axis, and

[0075] the first and second flanges having edges which are positioned, when seen in the cross section thereof taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry so that:in the first blocked state the first flange edge is disposed at a distal end of the first inlet, which end is distal from the inner area,

[0076] in the second blocked state the second flange edge is disposed at a distal end of the second inlet, which end is distal from the inner area,

[0077] in the neutral state the first and the second flange edges are disposed between the distal ends of the first and second inlet and proximal ends of the first and second inlets.

[0078] 10. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 9, wherein:

[0079] in the first blocked state the second flange edge is disposed at the proximal end of the second inlet, and

[0080] in the second blocked state the first flange edge is disposed at the proximal end of the first inlet.

[0081] 11. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 9 or 10, wherein the air blocking element further includes a central portion and the first and second lateral flanges extend from the central portion in a radial orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0082] 12. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 9 through 11, wherein at the first and second flanges are each formed with a contacting wall having a configuration ensuring tight contact thereof with the interior surface at respective first and second locations thereof in the respective first and second blocked states.

[0083] 13. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 8 to 12, wherein a volume of the chamber is V2, and a volume of each of the first and second portions is VI, which is smaller than the volume V2 of the chamber.

[0084] 14. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 13, wherein the hair contacting elements are rigid and are arranged in longitudinal rows, which can optionally be staggered.

[0085] 15. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 14, wherein the hair contacting region constitutes a part of an insert integrally formed with the housing.16. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 15, wherein the hair facing outer area is unitarily formed in the housing.

[0086] 17. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 16, wherein the air blocking element is formed integrally with the handle.

[0087] 18. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 17, wherein the hair contacting elements are oriented relative to the housing so that the housing is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, relative to the handle and the air blocking element, upon actuation by a force externally applied on the hair contacting elements, when the apparatus is in use.

[0088] 19. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 18, wherein when the housing is rotatable in a first direction, the first portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen, and when the housing is rotatable in a second, opposite direction, the second portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen.

[0089] 20. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 18 or 19, wherein the housing is rotatable in a clockwise and counterclockwise directions each for equal angles of at least 10 degrees, more particularly, at least 20 degrees, further more particularly, at least 30 degrees, still more particularly at least 45 degrees and more particularly at least 60 degrees, for transitioning between the neutral state and the blocked states.

[0090] 21. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 20, wherein the housing is rotatably and detachably mountable to the handle.

[0091] 22. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 21, wherein the at least one first airflow channel constitutes a longitudinally arranged first array of first airflow channels and the at least one second airflow channel constitutes a longitudinally arranged second array of second airflow channels.23. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 20, wherein the housing includes a separation wall projecting from the middle of the inner area and abutting the air blocking element, thereby dividing the inner area into a first and a second part.

[0092] 24. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 23, wherein in the first blocked state of the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element, the first portion of the chamber is bounded by one side of the separation wall, the first part of the inner area, a first part of the air blocking element facing the first part of the inner area, and a first portion of the interior surface therebetween including the first inlet, and in the second blocked state of the air -receivable chamber and the air blocking element, the second portion of the chamber is bounded by the other side of the separation wall, the second part of the inner area, a second part of the air blocking element facing the second part of the inner area, and a second portion of the interior surface therebetween including the second inlet.

[0093] 25. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 24, wherein the brush head further includes at least one additional channel extending from an additional airflow inlet on the inner area to an additional airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area and providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective additional airflow outlet, and wherein the additional outlet is oriented so as to direct airflow therefrom along the hair contacting elements.

[0094] 26. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 25, wherein the shape of a part of the brush head on the side of the reference plane R including the channels, in the cross-section of the brush head perpendicular to the plane of symmetry, is such that it has a maximal width along most of the height of that part.

[0095] 27. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 26, wherein the hair facing outer area has a central zone spaced from the reference plane to a distance H, the location at which the outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference plane to a distance hi, the projection of the outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference planeto a distance h2, the location at which the hair contacting element closest to the outlet projects from the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference plane to a distance hs, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: (h2-hl) > (hs-h2) or hi >H / 2.

[0096] 28. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 4 and any one of Embodiments 5 to 27 when dependent on Embodiment 4 directly or indirectly, wherein the airflow inlets are spaced from the plane of symmetry to a greater distance than at least most other areas of the air-receivable chamber located between the reference plane and the inner area of the interior surface of the housing.

[0097] 29. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 4 and any one of Embodiments 5 to 28 when dependent on Embodiment 4 directly or indirectly, wherein each inlet is located closer to a corresponding laterally outermost zone of the exterior surface than any other area of the air-receivable chamber.

[0098] 30. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 4 or any one of Embodiments 5 to 29 when dependent on Embodiment 4 directly or indirectly, wherein the location at which the airflow outlet protrudes from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area is closer to the corresponding airflow inlet, than to a central zone of the hair-facing outer area, all in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane.

[0099] 31. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 4 or any one of Embodiments 5 to 30 when dependent on Embodiment 4 directly or indirectly, wherein the housing includes a plurality of extensions each constituting a channel body including the airflow channel and having a channel body proximal end merging with the exterior surface of the housing at a location adjacent the corresponding airflow inlet and a channel body distal end adjacent the airflow outlet.

[0100] 32. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 31, wherein the channel body proximal end constitutes the corresponding laterally outermost zone of the housing.

[0101] 33. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 31 or 32, wherein the channel body further includes a channel body inner surface facing towards the hair contactingelements and including the airflow outlet of the channel, and a channel body outer surface facing in the direction away from the airflow outlet and extending between the channel body proximal and distal ends, the channel body outer surface being spaced from the plane of symmetry, along most of the length of the outer surface, to a distance which does not exceed L and which exceeds (li+(L-h) / 2).

[0102] 34. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 31 to 33, wherein the channel body outer surface has a dimension in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane, which is not less than a distance between the central zone of the hairfacing outer area and the longitudinal axis X.

[0103] 35. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 31 to 34, wherein the channel body inner surface is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area.

[0104] 36. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 31 to 35, wherein the brush-head includes a plurality of tensioning pins, protruding from the exterior surface, each located between at least some two neighboring channel bodies.

[0105] 37. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 36, wherein each of at least some of the pins includes an erect portion extending in an orientation parallel to the plane of symmetry.

[0106] 38. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiments 36 or 37, wherein each of at least some of the pins includes a head portion extending at least partially in an orientation transverse to the plane of symmetry.

[0107] 39. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiment 36 to 38, wherein each of at least some of the pins is formed with at least one protrusion protruding from an outer surface thereof.40. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 39, wherein the at least one protrusion extends in an orientation parallel to the orientation of the corresponding airflow outlet.

[0108] 41. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 39 or 40, wherein at least a pair of protrusions is formed on the at least one of the pins.

[0109] 42. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 36 to 41, wherein a side surface of at least one of the two neighboring channel bodies is formed with at least one protrusion extending towards the corresponding pin.

[0110] 43. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 42, wherein the protrusions formed on the pin is arranged on the outer surface of the pin to staggeringly face the least one protrusion protruding from the side surface.

[0111] 44. The hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 43, wherein at least a first and second optical indicator is provided at one or both of the two sides of the hair-contacting region.

[0112] 45. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 44, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first and second airflow channels is formed of an at least partially transparent material allowing the at least first and second optical indicators to illuminate therethrough.

[0113] 46. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 44 or 45, wherein each of the first and second optical indicators includes an array of light emitters.

[0114] 47. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 44 through 46, wherein the first and second optical indicators selectively illuminate based on the emission of airflow out of the first airflow outlet, the second airflow outlet or both the first and second airflow outlets.48. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 44 through 47, wherein the first and second optical indicators are operative to:

[0115] both illuminate whereupon the housing is at the neutral state; and to illuminate only one of the first and second optical indicators in conjunction with the emission of airflow out the respective first and second airflow outlets in the corresponding blocked state.

[0116] 49. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 44 through 48, wherein the first and second optical indicators are actuatable by electromechanical contacts operative to contact to the first and second indicator based on the emission of airflow out of the first airflow outlet upon the rotation of the housing, the second airflow outlet or both the first and second airflow outlets.

[0117] 50. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 49, further including returning elements causing the housing to return to the neutral state when no force is applied thereto causing it to stay in one of the blocked states.

[0118] 51. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 50, wherein the returning elements comprise a pair of opposite poled magnets.

[0119] 52. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 51, wherein the handle includes an air ingress region in the form of at least one fold on an external surface of the handle located relative to the fan so as to facilitate drawing air into the lumen through the at least one fold.

[0120] 53. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Embodiments 1 through 52, further including a heating element located so as to heat air at the hair-contacting region.

[0121] 54. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 53, wherein the heating element is disposed within any one or more of the lumen of the handle and the brush head.

[0122] 55. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 54, wherein the heating element is disposed in the lumen and extends along a length Lh along the longitudinal axis, andthe handle comprises at least one duct positioned in between the heating element and an external surface of the handle extending parallel to the length Lh, said duct is operative for directing air flowing into the lumen to flow therethrough to at least partially bypass the heating element.

[0123] 56. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 55, wherein the duct is formed in an internal sleeve insertable into the lumen.

[0124] 57. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus including:

[0125] a handle formed with a lumen;

[0126] a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;

[0127] a brush-head including:

[0128] a housing attached to the handle and circumscribing the longitudinal axis, the housing including an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior airreceivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface;

[0129] a hair contacting region operative for contacting hair when the apparatus is in use, the hair-contacting region including hair contacting elements located outwardly relative to the outer area the exterior surface;

[0130] at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet, associated with the exterior surface, the at least one first and the at least one second airflow outlets being oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair-contacting region for directing airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;

[0131] at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets; and

[0132] at least one additional channel having an additional airflow inlet on the inner area and an additional airflow outlet on the outer area and providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective additional airflow outlet,wherein the additional outlet is positioned and oriented so as to direct air parallelly to the plane of symmetry.

[0133] 58. A method of operation of a hairbrush apparatus including a handle connected to a brush head, the brush head including an hair-contacting region operative for contacting hair when the apparatus is in use, the hair-contacting region including hair contacting elements, the hairbrush apparatus for selectively directing airflow via at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel, each channel being oppositely positioned on two sides of the brush region, the method including:

[0134] in response to an externally applied force externally applied onto the hair contacting elements, causing rotation of the brush head with respect to the handle, thereby selectively blocking the airflow via one of the at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel.

[0135] 59. The method according to Embodiment 58, wherein the side of the channel that is blocked is opposite to the direction of rotation of the brush-head.

[0136] 60. An apparatus having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

[0137] a handle formed with a lumen and an external surface;

[0138] at least one opening for drawing air into the lumen;

[0139] a heating element disposed in the lumen and extending along its length Lh along the longitudinal axis and operative for heating the air flowing therethrough;

[0140] at least one duct positioned in between the heating element and the external surface of the handle and extending parallel to the length Lh, and being operative for directing the air to flow therethrough to at least partially bypass the heating element.

[0141] 61. A hairbrush apparatus according to Embodiment 60, wherein the duct is formed in an internal sleeve insertable into the lumen.

[0142] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0143] In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, byway of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0144] Fig- 1 illustrates a front view of a hairbrush apparatus, shown in a neutral state, configured in accordance with one example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0145] Fig- 2 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of a brush head of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

[0146] Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, taken along a plane A-A in Fig. 1, each shown with different reference numerals;

[0147] Fig. 4 illustrates a front view of the hairbrush apparatus of Fig. 1, shown in a first blocked state;

[0148] Fig. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 4, taken along the same plane A-A as in Fig. 1;

[0149] Fig. 6 illustrates a front view of the hairbrush apparatus of Fig. 1, shown in a second blocked state;

[0150] Fig. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 6, taken along the same plane A-A as in Fig. 1;

[0151] Fig. 8 illustrates a front view of the hairbrush apparatus of Fig. 1, shown in a second blocked state, rotated to a greater degree than that in Fig. 6;

[0152] Fig. 9A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, taken along a plane B-B in Fig. 2.

[0153] Fig. 9B illustrates a perspective view of the hairbrush apparatus of Fig. 1, with the brush head removed;

[0154] Fig. 10 illustrates a perspective view of an air blocking element of the apparatus ofFig. 1;

[0155] Fig. 11A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a brush head, which an apparatus of the presently disclosed subject matter can have, according to one example of the presently disclosed subject matter, the cross-sectional view being taken along a plane C-C in Fig.

[0156] 2;

[0157] Fig. 11B illustrates another example of a brush head, which an apparatus of the presently disclosed subject matter can have, in the same cross-sectional view as in Fig.

[0158] 11 A;

[0159] Fig. 12 illustrates a perspective view of a brush head of an apparatus, configured in accordance with another example of the presently disclosed subject matter;Fig. 13A illustrates a perspective view of a brush head of an apparatus, configured in accordance with yet another example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0160] Fig. 13B illustrates an enlarged perspective view of a brush head of the apparatus ofFig. 13A;

[0161] Fig. 13C illustrates an enlarged cross sectional view taken along plane D-D in Fig. 13A;

[0162] Fig. 14A illustrates a front view of a brush head in a neutral state, configured in accordance with a further example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0163] Fig. 14BI illustrates a cross-sectional view of the brush head ofFig. 14A, taken along a plane E-E in Fig. 14 A;

[0164] Fig. 14BII illustrates a back view of the brush head in a neutral state ofFig. 14A with portions of the housing removed for clarity, configured in accordance with a further example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0165] Fig. 15A illustrates a front view of the brush head of Fig. 14A, shown in a first blocked state;

[0166] Fig. 15BI illustrates a cross-sectional view of the brush head of Fig. 14A taken along the plane E-E as in Fig. 14A, in the blocked state ofFig. 15A;

[0167] Fig. 15BII illustrates a back view of the brush head in the blocked state of Fig.

[0168] 15A with portions of the housing removed for clarity, configured in accordance with a further example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0169] Fig. 16A illustrates a cross-sectional view of an apparatus, taken along the plane A-A as in Fig. 1, configured in accordance with another example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0170] Fig. 16B illustrates the apparatus ofFig. 16A, in a first blocked state;

[0171] Fig. 17 illustrates a perspective view of a brush head of an apparatus, configured in accordance with yet another example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0172] Fig. 18 illustrates a perspective view of a brush head of an apparatus, configured in accordance with a further example of the presently disclosed subject matter;

[0173] Fig. 19 illustrates a bottom view, which the apparatus of the presently disclosed subject matter can have in accordance with yet another example;

[0174] Fig.20A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the brush head ofFig. 1, taken along a plane F-F in Fig. 1;Fig.20B is a perspective view of an internal sleeve the apparatus of the presently disclosed subject matter can have, in accordance with another example;

[0175] Fig. 20C illustrates a perspective view of an apparatus with a handle comprising a heating element in accordance with another example;

[0176] Fig. 20D illustrates a cross-sectional view of the handle of Fig. 20B, taken along a plane G-G in Fig. 20C; and

[0177] Fig. 21 illustrates an exploded view of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

[0178] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0179] A number of aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter will be described below, each of which can be implemented in a hairbrush apparatus in combination with each other or separately from other aspects, subject to the apparatus and particularly its brush head having a basic structure described below.

[0180] In general, the basic structure of the apparatus according to the presently disclosed subject matter comprises a handle formed with a lumen; a fan operative to draw air into the lumen; a brush head comprising an interior air-receivable chamber and a hair-facing outer area with hair contacting elements protruding outwardly therefrom; at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair-contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements; at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets, such as to direct airflow exiting the outlets towards the hair contacting elements.

[0181] Fig. 1 shows a front view of a hairbrush apparatus 100, in accordance with one example of the presently disclosed subject matter. The apparatus 100 comprises a handle 102 and a brush head 110 shown separately in Fig. 2. The apparatus 100 has a longitudinal axis X, and the brush head 110 has a longitudinal plane of symmetry P comprising the longitudinal axis X and dividing the brush head 110 into two generally identical parts, associated with a first side SI and a second side S2 of the brush head 110. In addition, the brush head has a longitudinal reference plane R shown in Figs. 2 and 3 A, perpendicular to the plane of symmetry P and intersecting it along the longitudinal axis X.The brush head comprises a housing 112 attached to the handle 102, the housing having an exterior surface 114, with a hair-facing outer area 120 that faces the hair during hairstyling thereof, and hair contacting elements 132 mounted to the housing 112 so as to protrude from the hair-facing outer area 120 and defining together therewith a hair contacting region 130, as seen in Fig. 3A.

[0182] The hair-facing outer area can be a unitarily formed as part of the housing or rather it can constitute a part of an insert integrally assembled with the remainder of the housing.

[0183] In the present example, the hair-facing outer area 120 and the hair contacting elements constitute a part of an insert 121 fixedly mounted to the remainder of the housing and constituting a part thereof, such as seen in Fig. 2.

[0184] The hair contacting elements can be arranged in longitudinal rows which, for example, can be staggered relative to each other. They can be arranged in any other form suitable for them to contact hair strands so as to perform an activity related to the hairstyling when the apparatus is in use. For example, they can be in the form of bristles (as in the present example), pins, ribs, boar hair or the like.

[0185] In general, the number of hair contacting elements can be any number allowed by the extent of the hair-facing outer area along the reference plane R. In the present example, the hair contacting region is rather large, as described below in more detail, and it incorporates five longitudinal staggered rows of the hair contacting elements.

[0186] The configuration of the hair-facing outer area according to the presently disclosed subject matter can allow for a relatively large hair contacting region without necessitating a corresponding enlargement of the overall housing dimensions. More particularly, the extent of the hair-facing outer area along the reference plane R can be such as to accommodate more than three hair contacting elements in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of symmetry P, while maintaining the housing within compact overall dimensions. For example, the hair-facing outer area can accommodate four, five, six or more rows of hair contacting elements arranged longitudinally along the brush head. This can be achieved by virtue of the geometric relationship between the airflow channels and the hair contacting region, wherein the airflow outlets are positioned at locations spaced from the plane of symmetry P to distances that do not encroach upon the hair-facing outer area, thereby preserving the available surface area for the hair contacting elements. Accordingly, the brush head can provide enhanced hair engagement through agreater number of hair contacting elements while the housing maintains a form factor suitable for comfortable handling and maneuverability during hairstyling operations.

[0187] The hair contacting elements can be mounted to the housing or formed therewith as a unitary body or formed as a unitary body with an insert mounted to the remainder of the housing and comprising the hair-facing outer area of the housing, as in the present example.

[0188] The handle 102 is formed with a lumen 134 extending along the longitudinal axis X of the apparatus 100, and it comprises a fan 410 operative to draw air into the lumen, as seen in Fig. 9A.

[0189] Whilst in the present example the fan is positioned within the handle, this does not need to be the case. For example, the fan can be positioned within the brush head.

[0190] As best seen in Fig. 3 A, the housing 112 has an interior defined by its interior surface 116, which has an inner area 122 associated with the hair-facing outer area 120 of the exterior surface 114 of the housing.

[0191] The interior of the housing which is in fluid communication with the lumen 134 of the handle 102 via a lumen outlet 136, constitutes an air-receivable chamber 118 of the brush head. The lumen outlet 136 is located at an interface portion between the handle 102 and the housing 112 and allows fluid communication between the lumen 134 and the housing 112.

[0192] The inner area can be formed with a straight surface or with a wavy, jagged or a crennelated surface so as to accommodate the hair contacting elements while forming spaces therebetween to increase a volume of the chamber. In Figs. 3 A and 3B the inner area 122 is shown with a crennelated surface.

[0193] Reverting to Fig. 1 and with further reference to Figs. 2 and 3A, the housing comprises a longitudinally arranged array of first airflow channels 150 at the first side SI of the head brush and a longitudinally arranged array of second airflow channels 152 at the second side S2 of the head brush, all in fluid communication with the air-receivable chamber 118. The two arrays extend substantially along the entire length of the housing 112.

[0194] The first airflow channels 150 each have a corresponding first airflow outlet 140 and first airflow inlet 160, and the second airflow channels 152 each have a corresponding second airflow outlet 142 and second airflow inlet 162, all located on two sides of the hair contacting region 130.In general, the airflow inlets are associated with the interior surface of the airreceivable chamber, the airflow outlets are associated with the exterior surface of the housing and are located on two sides of the hair contacting region, and the channels have a continuous shape suitable to allow air to smoothly flow therethrough from the chamber toward the hair contacting region.

[0195] In the present example, as seen in Fig. 3 A, the respective first and second airflow inlets 160 and 162 are located at the interior surface 116 of the air-receivable chamber 118, the respective first and second airflow outlets 140 and 142 project from adjacent areas of the exterior surface 114 on the two sides SI and S2 of the hair contacting region 130, as discussed in more detail below.

[0196] In general, at least one airflow channel can be positioned on each of the two opposite sides of the hair contacting region, in which case the channel can have a single elongate outlet extending at least along a majority of the brush head along the axis X. Longitudinally arranged arrays of airflow channels can be positioned substantially along a part or the entire length of the housing, parallel to the longitudinal axis X.

[0197] In some embodiments, only one or an array of airflow channels can be provided at one side only. In some embodiments more than two single or an array of airflow channels can be provided along the housing.

[0198] In some embodiments, the number of channels can be different than the number of outlets. For example, a single channel or an array of channels can branch into plurality of outlets. A plurality of channels can terminate at a single elongate outlet.

[0199] In general, the overall shape of the brush head according to the presently disclosed subject matter, in its cross-section taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, can be circular or an oval or continuously curved trapezoidal or any combination of these, and can be symmetric or asymmetric relative to the longitudinal reference plane R However, according to one aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, there can be certain geometric considerations relating to the shape of the brush head and particularly to the hair contacting region, airflow channels, airflow inlets and airflow outlets, which can facilitate creating a desired airflow contacting area and its desired overlap with the hair contacting region of the brush head.

[0200] The shape of the part of the brush head on the side of the reference plane R including the airflow channels can be such as to have a maximal width thereof along atleast a portion of the height of that part defined by a distance between a central outermost zone at the hair-facing outer area and the reference plane R.

[0201] As shown in Fig. 3B, in the present example, the shape of the part of the brush head on the side of the reference plane R including the airflow channels is elongate along the reference plane R, has a maximal width L between laterally outermost zones 166 of the exterior surface of the housing, and it has a width substantially equal to the width L along most of the height of that part along the plane of symmetry P.

[0202] In the present example, this height of the abovementioned part of the hairbrush is defined by a distance H between a central outermost zone 167 of the hair-facing outer area and the reference plane R.

[0203] Whilst in the present example, the laterally outermost zone 166 of the exterior surface of the housing on each side of the brush head is located close to the reference plane R, this does not need to be the case, as it can be located anywhere between the reference plane R and a location from which a hair contacting element closest to the corresponding outlet projects from the hair-facing outer area.

[0204] As seen in Fig. 3 A, in the present example, the remaining part of the brush head, i.e the part that is located on the side of the reference plane R which is opposite to that described above, has a width that gradually decreases in the direction away from the reference plane R.

[0205] In general, the airflow inlets can be positioned at any location along the interior surface of the housing associated with the air- receivable chamber, and the airflow outlets can be located at any location at the exterior surface of the housing, which allows air to flow from the airflow outlets to the hair contacting region. More particularly, the airflow outlets can be located at a longer or shorter distance from the plane of symmetry P than the inlets. In the present example as shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, the outlets 140 and 142 are located at a greater distance from the plane of symmetry P than the inlets 160 and 162.

[0206] In general, the airflow inlets can be located at the interior surface of the chamber at any area thereof spaced from the plane of symmetry P of the brush head. For example, they can be located so as to be spaced from the plane of symmetry P to a greater distance than most other areas of the chamber, e.g. most of those areas that are located between the reference plane R and the inner area of the interior surface of the housing, which as mentioned above, corresponds to the hair-facing outer area thereof.As shown in Fig. 3 A and 3B, in the present example, the first and second airflow inlets 160 and 162 are spaced from the plane of symmetry P to a distance w, which is greater than that of all other areas of the chamber 118 positioned between the reference plane R and the inner area 122. In other words, the first and second airflow inlets 160 and 162 are disposed at locations 164 where the air-receivable chamber 118 has a maximal width W and where they are closer to the laterally outermost zones 166 of the exterior surface 114 than any other areas of the air-receivable chamber.

[0207] In general, the locations of the airflow outlets on two sides of the hair contacting region can be any desired location, though the further this location is from the plane of symmetry P, the larger the hair-facing outer area can be in a direction perpendicular to the plane of symmetry P or parallel to the reference plane R. For example, the above locations can be spaced from the plane of symmetry P to a distance, which at least equals and, optionally, exceeds half of the maximal width L of the brush head. This can allow sufficient space not only for the airflow channels but also for the air-receivable chamber within the housing.

[0208] With reference to Fig. 3B, in the present example, the location at which the airflow outlet projects from the hair-facing outer area 120 is designated as 168 and it is spaced from the plane of symmetry P to a distance h greater than half of the distance L.

[0209] The shape of the hair-facing area and the orientation and dimensions of the airflow outlet can substantially define the geometry of the airflow contacting area. For example, the hair-facing area can be convexly curved with a relatively large convexity / radius of curvature, or rather it can have a small convexity / radius of curvature or even be substantially flat. The airflow outlets can be oriented perpendicularly to the hair-facing area or can be inclined thereto. In the latter case, the orientation of the airflow outlet can be such that, in a cross-section of the hairbrush perpendicular to the plane of symmetry , a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair-facing outer area is located between a location on the hair-facing outer area at which the closest hair contacting element projects therefrom and a location at which the airflow outlet projects from the hair facing outer area. More particularly, the orientation and the dimension of the airflow outlet in the cross-section can be such that the location of the above projection is about halfway between the nearest hair contacting element and the location at which the airflow outlet projects from the hair-facing outer area, or it can be closer to the former than to the latter.With reference to Fig. 3B, in the present example, projection of an outermost point 169 of the airflow outlet 140, 142 on the hair-facing outer area 120 is designated 170 and it is spaced from the plane of symmetry P to a distance h, which is smaller than the distance h. As described hereinabove, h is the distance between the plane of symmetry P and the location 168 at which the airflow outlet 140, 142 projects from the hair-facing outer area 120. A hair contacting element closest to the outlet 140, 142 is designated as 171 and it projects from the outer area 120 at a location 172 spaced from the plane of symmetry P to a distance / ;, which is smaller than h.

[0210] The above relationship between different locations on the hair facing outer area can be summarized as the following two conditions: (i) h >LI2 and / or (ii) (h -h) > (h- ), where L is the maximal width between laterally outermost zones 166 of the exterior surface of the housing and h, h, and are the distance from the plane of symmetry P to the following respective locations: the location 168 at which the airflow outlet projects from the hair-facing outer area 120 (h), the location 170 of the projection of the outermost point 169 of the airflow outlet on the hair-facing outer area 120 (h), and the location 172 at which a hair contacting element 171 closest to the outlet projects from the outer area 120 (l3).

[0211] Whilst in the present example both the above conditions are met with respect to the convexly curved hair-facing outer area, one or both of them can be applicable also to a differently shaped hair-facing outer area including a substantially flat hair-facing area.

[0212] It should be understood that with any shape of the hair-facing area other than a flat shape parallel to the reference plane R, all or some of the above discussed locations can be spaced to different distances not only from the plane of symmetry P but also from the reference plane R. For example, with a convexly curved shape of the hair-facing area, the farther a location on the hair-facing area is from the plane of symmetry P, the closer it is to the reference plane R. More particularly, the location at which each airflow outlet projects from the hair-facing outer area can be spaced from the reference plane R to a distance which is at least not less than half of the maximal distance between the hairfacing outer area and the reference plane R, e.g. between the central outermost zone of the hair-facing outer area and the reference plane R. If the airflow outlet is inclined relative to the hair-facing area, i.e. is not oriented normally thereto, the projection of the outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair-facing outer area can be disposed closer or farther from the reference plane R than the location at which each airflow outletprojects from the hair-facing outer area and can be disposed closer to or farther from the reference plane R than the location at which the hair contacting element closest to the airflow outlet projects from the outer area.

[0213] With reference to Fig. 3B, in the present example, the location 168 at which each airflow outlet 140 and 142 projects from the hair-facing outer area 120, is spaced from the reference plane R to the distance hi which is at least not less than half of the distance H between the central outermost zone 167 of the hair-facing outer area and the reference plane R, the projection 170 of the outermost point 169 of the airflow outlet on the hairfacing outer area 120 is spaced from the reference plane R to a distance fe, which is greater than h , and the location 172 at which the hair contacting element 171 closest to the airflow outlet projects from the outer area 120 is spaced from the reference plane R to a distance hj , which is greater than fe.

[0214] The relationship between distances of the above locations from the reference plane R can be summarized as the following two conditions: (iii) (h2-hi) > (hs-h2) and (iv) hi > H / 2, at least one of which can be met not only when the hair-facing outer area is convexly curved as in the present case but also if it has some other shape and orientation.

[0215] Regarding all the four conditions summarized above, they do not need to be met simultaneously as in the present example. Thus, in some embodiments, the geometry of the brush head may be designed in accordance with only some of the conditions (i) through (iv) described above or entirely without these conditions. For example, conditions (i) and (ii) may not be met in a brush head structured with a large distance L, allowing the distance h to be smaller than half of the distance L, yet large enough to accommodate over three or more hair contacting elements. In another example, the conditions (i) and (ii) may not be met if the orientation of the outlets relative to the central outermost zone is such that the projection of the outermost point of the airflow outlets on the hair-facing outer area is positioned in between the central outermost zone and the location on the outer area of the hair contacting element closest to one of the outlets. In another example, conditions (i) and (ii) may not be met if the orientation of the outlets relative to the central outermost zone is such that the projection of the outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair-facing outer area is positioned in between the location where the outlet projects from the outer area and the laterally outermost zones of the housing.

[0216] In any case, with a relatively large spacing of the airflow outlets from the plane of symmetry P, the hairbrush according to the presently disclosed subject matter can havea relatively large hair-facing outer area, and with the orientation and dimensions of the outlets being such as to meet at least some or most or all of the above summarized conditions, a substantial overlap between the airflow and the hair contacting region of the brush head can be achieved while ensuring that at least a part of the airflow is maintained close to the hair-facing outer area. Consequently, a greater volume of air flowing from the lumen via the interior air-receivable chamber and the airflow inlets into the airflow channels, and exiting the airflow outlets transversely relative to the hair contacting elements, can reach the hair contacting region without escaping away therefrom.

[0217] In the present example, the above airflow is depicted by dashed lines arrows in Fig. 3 A.

[0218] It is noted that viscous forces urge air flowing along the outer area to adhere thereto, thereby reaching the bottoms of at least some of the hair contacting elements. Whilst in the above description reference is made to the airflow outlets per se, since they are associated with the airflow channels, their desired location and orientation can be obtained by a corresponding design of the airflow channels. These channels can thus be formed mostly or partially within a housing wall having the interior and exterior housing surfaces or each can form a part of an extension of the housing projecting outwardly relative to adjacent areas of the exterior surface of the housing. For example, such an extension can be in the form of a channel body having a proximal end merging with the exterior surface of the housing, e.g. at a location thereof adjacent the airflow inlet of the channel, a distal end surface extending generally transversely to the plane of symmetry P, a channel body inner surface facing towards the hair-facing outer area of the housing and comprising the airflow outlet of the channel, and a channel body outer surface facing in the direction away from the airflow outlet and channel body side surfaces extending therebetween. The channel body outer surface can extend substantially along the distance between the central zone of the hair-facing outer area and the longitudinal axis X.

[0219] In some embodiments, the channel body outer surface is spaced from the plane of symmetry P, along most of the length of the outer surface, to a distance which does not exceed Z and which exceeds (L-h) / 2)+ h.

[0220] With reference to Figs. 2 and 3B, in the present example, channel bodies 174 incorporating the airflow channels 150 and 152 each have a proximal end 175 merging with the exterior surface 114 of the housing at the laterally outermost zones 166, and a distal end surface 176, extending generally perpendicularly to the plane of symmetry P.The channel bodies 174 have a channel body outer surface 177 facing in the direction away from the airflow outlet 140, 142, a channel body inner surface 173 extending generally parallelly to the channel body outer surface 177 and comprising the airflow outlet 140 and 142 of the channel facing towards the hair-facing outer area 120 of the housing 112, and channel body side surfaces extending therebetween. The channel body outer surface 177 can be substantially coextensive with the distance H between the central zone 167 of the hair-facing outer area 120 and the reference plane R.

[0221] In the present example, the channel body outer surfaces 177 extend from the laterally outermost zones 166 of the exterior surface 114 of housing 112, such that the maximal distance between these surfaces along the reference plane R of the brush head constitutes the maximal width L of the housing.

[0222] The orientation and the extension of the channel body inner surface of each channel, and thus of the corresponding outlet, along the plane of symmetry P, can be designed in different manners, depending on the configuration of the hair-facing outer area of the housing. For example, when the hair-facing outer area of the housing is convexly curved, i.e. continuously converges towards its central zone, the height and the orientation of the inner surface of each channel and thus of the airflow outlet thereof can be designed so as to direct at least a part of the airflow exiting the airflow outlet substantially towards the bottoms of at least those hair contacting elements that are located between the outlet and the plane of symmetry P including the ones, if any, that are located in the center of the hair-facing outer area. In a particular example, the channel body inner surface can be oriented substantially parallel to the plane of symmetry P and / or, when the hair-facing area is convexly curved, the channel body inner surface can form an acute angle with the hair-facing outer area at least adjacent the location at which the inner surface projects from the adjacent area of the exterior surface of the housing, thereby allowing the airflow exiting the airflow outlet to be directed both towards the hair-facing outer surface and bottoms of the hair contacting elements and areas thereof adjacent the bottoms. Furthermore, with a relatively large extension of the channel body inner surface and its orientation as described above, the above angle can be in the range of 10 degrees or less, in the range of 5-90 degrees, more particularly, in the range of 30-90 degrees, even more particularly in the range of 30-60 degrees. In some embodiments, the above angle can be acute or obtuse and the above angle can be in the range of 5-120 degrees.The channel body outer surface has a dimension in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane R, which can be not less than a distance between the central zone of the hair-facing outer area and the longitudinal axis X. The channel body inner surface can be oriented at an acute angle with respect to the adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area.

[0223] As seen in Figs 2-3B, the channel body outer surface 177 is spaced from the plane of symmetry P, along most of the length of the outer surface 114, to a distance which does not exceed L and which exceeds +(L-h) / 2).

[0224] The channel body outer surface 177 has a dimension in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane R, which is not less than the distance H between the central zone 167 of the hair-facing outer area 120 and the reference plane R. The channel body inner surface 173 is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the adjacent zone at location 168 of the hair facing outer area 120.

[0225] In the present example, with the hair-facing outer area 120 of the housing 112 being convexly curved and thus continuously converging towards its central zone 167, the height and the orientation of the channel body inner surface 173 and thus of the corresponding airflow outlet 140, 142 is designed so as to direct at least a part of the airflow exiting the airflow outlet 140, 142 substantially towards bottoms of at least those hair contacting elements that are located between the outlets 140 and 142 and the plane of symmetry P including the ones, if any, that are located in the center of the hair-facing outer area 120. In the present example this is achieved by the channel body inner surface 173 forming an acute angle a with the hair-facing outer area 120 at least adjacent the location 168 at which the inner surface 173 projects from the adjacent area of the exterior surface 114 of the housing, thereby allowing the airflow exiting the airflow outlet 140 and 142 to be directed both towards the hair-facing outer area 120 and bottoms of the hair contacting elements and areas thereof adjacent the bottoms.

[0226] The extension of the channel body inner surface 173 along the plane of symmetry P, having a length corresponding to the distance between the location 168 at which the airflow outlet projects from the hair-facing outer area 120 and the central outermost zone 167 (i.e., H-hi), can facilitate a relatively large volume of air to exit the airflow outlets 140 and 142 and reach the hair contacting elements 132. Furthermore, the orientation of the channel body inner surface 173 generally parallel to the plane of symmetry P can allow a substantial volume of air to exit the airflow outlets 140 and 142 in a directiontransverse to the hair contacting elements 132, thereby enhancing the airflow coverage at the hair contacting region 130.

[0227] It is noted that the geometric relationships described herein between the airflow outlets 140 and 142, the hair contacting elements 132, and the hair-facing outer area 120 remain substantially unchanged during rotation of the housing 112 relative to the handle 102, whether the housing 112 is rotated toward the first side SI or the second side S2. More particularly, since the airflow channels 150 and 152, the airflow outlets 140 and 142, and the hair contacting elements 132 are all formed as part of the housing 112, the spatial relationship therebetween, including the distances L, h, h, h, , remains the same throughout the rotation of the housing 112. In other words, the distance between the airflow outlets 140 and 142 and the hair contacting elements 132 does not change during operation of the apparatus 100, regardless of the rotational position of the housing 112 relative to the handle 102. This can be contrasted with configurations in which the hair contacting region moves relative to the airflow outlets during rotation, which would result in a varying distance between the airflow outlets and the hair contacting elements depending on the rotational state of the apparatus.

[0228] Whilst the geometry of the brush head relating to the hair-facing area, the airflow channels and their inlets and outlets can essentially facilitate the creation of a desired airflow contacting area as described above, the corresponding considerations relate to only one out of several aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, all of which or each one separately or any combination thereof can be implemented in any brush head having the basic structure described in the first part of the present detailed description entitled “Basic structure of the apparatus and of the brush head”.

[0229] Whilst in the description below, embodiments of further aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter are described with respect to the brush head 110 of the apparatus 100 described above, this description of these aspects is fully applicable to brush heads other than the brush head 110, for example those whose hair-facing area is relatively small, and / or whose airflow inlets are disposed closer to the plane of symmetry P of the brush head than to the outermost areas of its housing, and / or whose airflow outlets are dimensioned and oriented so that most of its air contacting area is spaced from the hairfacing outer area and from bottoms of most of the hair contacting elements.

[0230] One of the further advantageous aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter which will now be described relates the ability of the brush head having the basic structuredescribed above, to selectively direct airflow from the air-receivable chamber to the airflow channels only on one side of the brush head at a time, while at the same time preventing air from reaching the airflow channels on the other side of the brush head.

[0231] The side at which the air is directed to flow thereout can coincide with the side of the brush head that is in fluid contact with the hair being styled. The side at which the air is prevented from flow thereout can coincide with the side of the brush head that is away from the hair being styled. Accordingly, substantially all the airflow from the brush head is directed to the side of the brush head which is in fluid contact with the hair. Directing all the airflow to the hair being styled provides more rapid drying than directing only a portion of the airflow to the hair.

[0232] Thus, according to the presently disclosed subject matter, a brush head having the basic structure as described above can have an air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and mounted so as to allow relative movement therebetween into a number of relative dispositions between the air blocking element and the air-receivable chamber, including those in which the air blocking element respectively prevents one of a first portion or a second portion of the chamber from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen while allowing such exposure to the other one of the first and second portions of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow inlet and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow inlet.

[0233] Different mutual dispositions of the air blocking element and the air-receivable chamber causing different portions of the air-receivable chamber to be in fluid communication with the corresponding airflow inlets can define at least the following modes of operation of the hairbrush apparatus: a neutral mode, in which air is allowed to enter both the first and second airflow inlets; a first blocked mode, in which air is prevented from reaching the first airflow inlet / s and is allowed to reach the second airflow outlet / s; and a second blocked mode, in which air is prevented from reaching the second airflow inlet and is allowed to reach the first airflow inlet / s.

[0234] Whilst the description herein below is provided for a hairbrush apparatus having a single neutral mode and two blocked modes as indicated above, the manner in which these modes are achievable is applicable mutatis mutandis to any other hairbrush apparatus e.g. such as having a number of different neutral modes with different amountof air supplied to different outlets, and number of blocked modes other than two, in which different combinations of outlets are blocked / non-blocked.

[0235] The air blocking element according to this aspect of the presently disclosed subj ect matter, can have any configuration and any manner of mounting within the air-receivable chamber allowing such relative movement therebetween that the change in their mutual disposition results in the change of a portion of the air-receivable chamber that exposes its corresponding airflow inlet to fluid communication with the lumen.

[0236] Thus, in the modes of operation of the hairbrush apparatus mentioned above, each of the above mentioned portions of the airflow chamber and its associated corresponding at least one airflow inlet outlet, change their states at least between the following states: a neutral state in the neutral mode of the apparatus, a blocked state of the first portion of the chamber and its associated first airflow inlet / s in the first blocked mode of the apparatus; and a blocked state of the second portion of the chamber and its associated second airflow inlet / s in the second blocked mode of the apparatus.

[0237] Accordingly, if the volume of the each of the first and second blockable portions of the air-receivable chamber is relatively small, when one of the portions is in its blocked state, the volume of the remainder of the chamber which provides fluid communication between the lumen and the ‘open’ airflow inlets, i.e. other than that / those associated with the blocked portion, is relatively large, allowing substantially all or at least most of the airflow from the lumen to be directed to the ‘open’ airflow inlets.

[0238] In the blocked state a volume of the first portion or second portion is VI, which is essentially smaller than a volume V2 of the entire chamber. Accordingly, during the first and second blocked states substantially all the air is directed to a remaining portion V3. The air in volume V3 flows out of the selected first or second airflow outlets, at a higher rate or pressure than the airflow from the entire volume V2 of the air-receivable chamber, in the neutral state. A higher volume, rate or pressure of airflow from the first or second airflow outlets on the hair at the hair contacting region, allows the hair to be styled more rapidly.

[0239] In some embodiments, in use, initially hair is brushed close to the scalp when the hairbrush apparatus is in the neutral state. Thereafter, as the brushing is performed away from the scalp, the housing is rotated, thereby assuming one of the blocked states and air flows from one of the first or second airflow outlets at the higher volume, rate or pressureof airflow. Thus the higher airflow volume, rate or pressure is experienced by the user away from the scalp, thereby minimizing discomfort therefrom.

[0240] In the present example as seen in Figs. 3 A, 5 and 7, an air blocking element 178 is mounted within the air-receivable chamber 118. The position of the air blocking element 178 relative to the housing 112 determines the mode of the apparatus 100 including:

[0241] - the neutral mode shown in Fig. 3 A, in which the air blocking element 178 and the air-receivable chamber 118 are in their neutral state and air received from the lumen 134 in the air receiving chamber 118 flows into both the first and second airflow inlets 160 and 162 of the respective first and second airflow channels 150 and 152 and out of the respective first and second airflow outlets 140 and 142;

[0242] - the first blocked mode shown in Fig. 5, in which the air blocking element 178 and the air-receivable chamber 118 are in their first blocked state relative to each other, and the air is blocked from reaching a first portion 180 of the air receiving chamber 118, which is a portion comprising the first airflow inlet 160, and thus is prevented from flowing along the first airflow channel 150 out of the first airflow outlet 140; and

[0243] - the second blocked mode, in which the air blocking element 178 and the airreceivable chamber 118 are in their second blocked state relative to each other, and the air is blocked from reaching a second portion 190 of the air receiving chamber 118 comprising the second inlet 162 and thus is prevented from flowing along the second airflow channel 152 out of the second airflow outlet 142.

[0244] The neutral state and first and second blocked states of the air blocking element 178 and the air receivable chamber 118 will now be described in greater detail.

[0245] With reference to Fig. 3 A, in the neutral state, the air blocking element 178 is positioned relative to the chamber 118, such that the air is free to flow from the lumen 134 to both the respective first and second airflow inlets 160 and 162, thereby substantially infusing the entire or at least a majority of the air-receivable chamber 118 with the air. Thereafter, air flows from the respective first and second airflow inlets 160 and 162 through respective first and second channels, 150 and 152, via an intermediate section 179 formed between the respective first and the second airflow inlets 160 and 162 and the respective first and the second airflow outlets 140 and 142. The air from the lumen 134 is thus directed to flow out of the first airflow outlet 140, at the first side SI, and out of the second airflow outlet 142, at the second side S2, as depicted by the dashed lines.With reference to Fig. 5, in the first blocked state, the air blocking element 178 is positioned relative to the chamber 118 such as to prevent the exposure of the first portion 180 from fluid communication with the lumen 134 to the first airflow channel 150. A first remaining portion 182 of the chamber 118 allows fluid communication between the lumen 134 and the second airflow channel 152, thereby substantially all the air from the lumen 134 is directed to flow out of the second airflow outlet 142, at the second side S2, as depicted by the dashed lines.

[0246] With reference to Fig. 7, in the second blocked state, the air blocking element 178 is positioned relative to the air-receivable chamber 118 so as to selectively prevent the exposure of the second portion 190 from fluid communication with the lumen 134 to the second airflow channel 152. A second remaining portion 192 of the chamber 118 allows fluid communication between the lumen 134 and the first airflow channel 150, thereby substantially all the air from the lumen 134 is directed to flow out of the first airflow outlet 140, at the first side SI, as depicted by the dashed lines.

[0247] Each of the first and second portions 180 and 190 of the chamber 118, when blocked, has the relatively small volume VI, and each of the first remaining portion 182 and the second portion 192 of the chamber 118 has the relatively large volume V3, which is essentially greater than VI .

[0248] The first and second blockable portions may be bounded by different surfaces of the chamber and the air blocking element or by the same surface of the air blocking element and some same and some different parts of the interior surface of the housing.

[0249] For example, in the blocked state of the air blocking element and the air-receivable chamber, the blocking can be achieved by the contact therebetween at a contact area of the interior surface of the chamber located between the airflow inlet associated with the chamber portion to be blocked and the inner area of the interior surface of the housing. More particularly, the above contact area can be located closer to the inlet than to the inner area and still more particularly, it can be located so that each portion being blocked is bounded by the air blocking element, the inner area of the interior surface of the housing and the corresponding airflow inlet therebetween.

[0250] With reference to Fig. 5 in the present example, in the first blocked state the first portion 180 is defined by the inner area 122, a surface 194 of the air blocking element 178 facing in the direction of the inner area 122 and the first inlet 160 therebetween.With reference to Fig. 7 in the present example, in the second blocked state the second portion 190 is defined by the same surface 194 of the air blocking element 178, the same inner area 122 and the second inlet 162 therebetween.

[0251] In general, transitioning between the neutral state, the first blocked state and the second blocked state can be achieved by moving the air blocking element within the airreceivable chamber. For example, the air blocking member can be pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the apparatus. Alternatively, the air-receivable chamber can be moveable relative to the air blocking element.

[0252] This aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter is suitable not only for the hairbrush apparatus where portions of the air-receivable chamber are selectively blocked by the air blocking element as described above, but also for apparatuses in which an air blocking element is operable to function like a barrier which can prevent exposure of the airflow inlets to the air-receivable chamber, when one of the handle with the air blocking element and the housing is rotated relative to the other and such inlet is brought into a blockable disposition relative to the barrier.

[0253] In the present aspect, one of the housing with the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element is rotatable relative to the other to bring the apparatus into the modes described above.

[0254] More particularly, the air-receivable chamber can be stationary relative to the housing, the air blocking element can be stationary relative the handle, and the transitioning between the neutral and blocked states thereof described above can be performed by rotating of any one of the handle with the air blocking element and the housing with the chamber relative to each other.

[0255] In some embodiments, the air blocking element can be connected to other components besides the handle, e.g. to another component of the apparatus, such as to a part of the brush head. For example, the air blocking element can be mounted to the channels or to the hair contacting region and the like or a portion thereof. The air blocking element can be connected to an auxiliary component exterior to the apparatus and its position can be controlled by the auxiliary component.

[0256] In some embodiments, the air-receivable chamber can constitute an integral or unitary part of the housing. In some embodiments, the air blocking element can be fixedly mounted to the handle at least indirectly or formed therewith as an integral or unitary body.In embodiments in which the air blocking element is fixedly mounted on the handle, the mounting can be facilitated by fixing elements, e.g. screws, bolts and the like. In some embodiments, any one of the air blocking element and the handle have a female or male component formed to mutually mate for mounting the air blocking element to the handle.

[0257] As best seen in Figs. 9A, 9B and 10, in the present example, the air blocking element 178 comprises a base ring 196 formed with a single or plurality of slots 197 operative for engagement with a corresponding protrusion 198 formed at an upper portion 199 of the handle 102.

[0258] In embodiments in which the housing is rotatable relative to the air blocking element, the housing can assume any selected angle of rotation relative to the air blocking element. Accordingly, the first and / or second airflow outlets are positionable to any one selected angle relative to the styled hair, substantially unlimitedly, and can direct the airflow thereout to the any one selected angle relative to the styled hair.

[0259] For example, the housing can be rotatable, clockwise and counterclockwise, about the air blocking element for at least an angle in the range of 1-180 degrees or more, for transitioning between the neutral mode to the first or the second blocked modes described above.

[0260] In a particular example, the housing can be rotatable, clockwise and counterclockwise, about the air blocking element, for at least an angle in the range of 10-90 degrees, more particularly, in the range of at least 10 degrees, even more particularly, at least 20 degrees, further more particularly, at least 30 degrees, still more particularly at least 45 degrees and more particularly at least 60 degrees.

[0261] As best seen in Fig. 8, the housing 112 is rotated relative to the handle to a 75 angle with respect to the longitudinal axis X, as depicted by the dashed arrow extending from the longitudinal axis X to the hair contacting region 130.

[0262] In the present example of the apparatus 100, the air blocking element 178 is stationary relative to the handle 102 and the housing 112 is rotatable about the air blocking element 178. Accordingly, the housing 112 is operative to assume any selected angle relative to the air blocking element 178. Thereby, the first and / or second airflow outlets 140 and 142, respectively, are positionable to any one selected angle relative to the styled hair, substantially unlimitedly, and can direct the airflow thereout to the any one selected angle relative to the styled hair.In Figs. 5 and 7, the housing is shown rotated relative to the air blocking element 178 to an angle of 10 degrees.

[0263] The rotation of the housing 112 relative to the handle 102 and subsequently to the air blocking element 178 can be seen in the drawings by comparing the distance between one of the outlets 160 to the longitudinal axis X, which centrally extends along the handle 102. As seen in Fig. 1, showing the housing 112 in the neutral state, the distance between the outlet 160 to the longitudinal axis X is designated as Yl. Turning to Fig. 4, showing the housing 112 in the first blocked state, a distance Y2 between the outlet 160 and the longitudinal axis X is shown to be smaller than the distance Yl. In Fig. 6, showing the housing 112 in the second blocked state, a distance Y3 between the outlet 160 and the longitudinal axis X is larger than the distance Y 1.

[0264] The rotation of the housing can be actuated in response to an external force applied onto the apparatus or by an internal force applied by a part of the apparatus.

[0265] In some embodiments, the force applied onto the apparatus to actuate the rotation of the housing can be a mechanical force, an electrical force, a pneumatic force, a magnetic force or the like. In some embodiments, the force can be applied to the handle or to the brush head.

[0266] In some embodiments, the externally applied force can be a force applied onto the hair and / or hair contacting elements, when the apparatus is in use during hairstyling. For example, the external force can be the force applied on the hair by brushing the hair.

[0267] In the example of the apparatus 100 described above and shown in the drawings, during hairstyling, such as when brushing the hair, the force applied by brushing towards side S2 of the brush head, causes the housing 112 to rotate in a first direction, towards side S2, thereby positioning the apparatus 100 in the first blocked mode, in which the first portion 180 is prevented from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen 134, as seen in Fig. 5.

[0268] Upon brushing the hair towards side SI, the housing 112 rotates in a second direction, towards side SI, thereby positioning the apparatus 100 in the second blocked mode, in which the second portion 190 is prevented from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen 134, as seen in Fig. 7.

[0269] In general, all the above aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter can be implemented with any structure of the air blocking element allowing it to prevent fluid communication between the lumen and the selected first or second airflow channels.In some embodiments, the air blocking element has a blocking plane and can comprise blocking units, which can be formed as a single flange, a plurality of flanges, walls, fins, curtains, barriers or any other structure operative to block the airflow from the lumen into the channels.

[0270] In some embodiments, the blocking units comprise first and second flanges. The first and second flanges can be connected to each other by an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion can be formed in any suitable shape such as a cylinder, a structure with a curvilinear cross section, or with a linear cross section. The intermediate portion can comprise a curvilinear cross section convexly or concavely orientated relative to blocking plane M. Alternatively, the first flange can be materially uncoupled from the second flange.

[0271] In some embodiments, the blocking units can operate together such that by actuating a first blocking unit to block the airflow from the selected first or second channels, the second blocking unit is affected as well. In some embodiments, a first and second air blocking unit can operate independently, such that actuation of a first blocking unit to block the airflow from the selected first or second channels does not change the position or operation of the second blocking unit.

[0272] A blocking unit can be disposed at an edge thereof at a distal end of the inlet, which end is distal from the inner area at one side. At the other side another blocking unit can be disposed at an edge thereof at a proximal end of the inlet, which end is proximal the inner area at the other side.

[0273] In some embodiments, the blocking units can be positioned at the selected first or second inlet or outlet or in proximity thereto for sealing the one of the inlets or outlets from air flowing from the lumen. In some embodiments, the blocking units can be positioned within the channels.

[0274] In the neutral state, the blocking plane of the air blocking element can be oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of symmetry P and in each of the blocked states it is oriented at an acute angle relative to the plane of symmetry P, though in some configurations in the blocked states the air blocking element can be oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the plane of symmetry P.

[0275] The first and second flanges can extend from a central portion in a radial orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis X. The central portion can be formed with an arcuate portion or any airflow passageway portion formed with an airflowpassageway in fluid communication with the lumen outlet for allowing air to flow therein to the chamber. The airflow passageway portion can remain open along its longitudinal axis X or can terminate with a closed surface.

[0276] In the present example as seen in Figs. 3A and 3B, the air blocking element comprises a first flange 200 and a second flange 202 extending from the outlet 136 radially relative to the longitudinal axis X.

[0277] In the neutral state as seen in Fig. 3 A, a blocking plane M of the air blocking element 178 can be oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of symmetry P and in each of the blocked states it is oriented at an acute angle to the plane of symmetry P, as seen in Figs. 5 and 7.

[0278] In the present example as best seen in Figs. 9A, 9B and 10, the first and second flanges 200 and 202, respectively, extend from a central portion 210 in a radial orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis X. The central portion 210 is formed with an arcuate portion 212 having an airflow passageway portion 213 in fluid communication with the lumen outlet 136 for allowing air to flow therein to the chamber 118. The central portion 210 terminates with a closed surface shaped as a dome 214. The dome 214 is formed with a conical recess 216 operative to receive a corresponding conical projection 217, projecting from an underside of a cover 218 of the housing 112 and serving as an axle for the rotation of the housing 112 relative to the air blocking element 178.

[0279] At least one of the first and second flanges 200 and 202, respectively, are formed with a contacting wall 220 formed at an edge thereof. The contacting wall 220 is formed to abut a corresponding part 222 of the interior surface 116, and shown in Figs. 5 and 7, to ensure tight contact with the interior surface 116, at least during one of the first and second blocked states, thereby substantially sealing the first portion 180 or second portion 190, to prevent fluid communication between the lumen 134 and the selected first or second airflow channels 150 and 152. The corresponding part 222 comprises a first location in the first blocked state and a second location in the second blocked state The edges constituting the contacting wall 220 of the first and second flanges 200 and 202 are positioned, when seen in the cross section thereof taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry P, such that: in the first blocked state as shown in Fig. 5, the edge 220 of the first flange 200 is disposed at a distal end 224 of the first inlet 160, which end is distal from the inner area 122. The edge 220 of the second flange 202 is disposed at the proximal end 226 of the second inlet 162. In the second blocked state as shown in Fig. 7,the edge 220 of the second flange 202 is disposed at a distal end 224 of the second inlet 162, which end is distal from the inner area 122. The edge 220 of the first flange 200 is disposed at the proximal end 226 of the first inlet 160.

[0280] In the neutral state the first and the second flange edges 220 are disposed between the distal ends 224 of the first and second inlet 160 and 162 and the proximal ends 226 of the first and second inlets 160 and 162.

[0281] As described, the housing and the handle are rotatable relative to the other. A connecting arrangement is provided to connect the housing to the handle while allowing the housing and the handle to rotate relative to each other.

[0282] The connecting arrangement can comprise a single or a plurality of elements, which are connected to the handle in a manner which secures the housing to the handle, and the single or a plurality of elements which are operative to for relative rotation between housing and the handle. In embodiments in which the housing is operative to rotate around the handle, the connecting arrangement is operative to connect the housing to the handle while allowing the housing to rotate about the handle. In embodiments in which the handle is fixed to the air blocking element and the housing is operative to rotate around the handle, the connecting arrangement is operative to connect the housing to the handle via the air blocking element, while allowing the housing to rotate around the handle and the air blocking element.

[0283] In the present example of the apparatus 100 as best seen in Figs. 9A, 9B, 10 and 20, the connecting arrangement comprises a plate 230 formed with recesses 232 for insertion of fixing elements 234 through corresponding recesses 236 formed in a bottom flange 240 of an upper portion 248 of the housing 112 and corresponding recesses 238 formed in a housing base portion 244 of the housing 112. The housing base portion 244 surrounds the upper portion 199 of the handle 102. The flange 240 is spaced away from the air blocking element 178 by a gap 242. The housing base portion 244 along with the flange 240 and the upper portion of the housing 248, are fixedly mutually connected via fixing elements 234 and can rotate about the air blocking element 178 and the handle 102 due to gap 242 and the slight lateral distance of the housing base portion 244 from the air blocking element 178 and the handle 102.

[0284] The fixing elements can comprise any suitable means, e.g. screws, bolts and the like.The connecting arrangement further comprises an element which prevents the disconnection of the housing 112 from the handle 112. A bushing 650 is formed with projections 652 projecting from a ring portion 654 of the bushing 650. The ring portion 654 is formed with ribs 656 protruding from an internal surface of the bushing 650. The ribs 656 are inserted into corresponding slots 660 formed in the base ring 196 of the air blocking element 178 for connecting the bushing 650 to the handle 102 via the air blocking element 178, which is fixedly attached to the handle 102. The projections 652 are arrested between the plate 230 and the housing base portion 244, thereby securing the bushing 650 within the housing base portion 244 yet without abutting therewith so as to allow frictionless rotation of the housing base portion 244 about the handle 102. Thus, the bushing 650 is connected to the handle 102 and is secured within the housing base portion 244 for preventing the disconnection of the housing 112 from the handle 112.

[0285] In some embodiments, in addition to the air blocking element the apparatus comprises a single or more blocking members provided to prevent or minimize the leakage of air into the first or second blocked portion from the remainder of the chamber. The blocking member may comprise a wall, a surface, a sealant, an adhesive or the like. The blocking member may be disposed at any location in the apparatus enabling the blocking member to prevent leaking of airflow.

[0286] In some embodiments, in the first blocked state of the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element, the first portion of the chamber is bounded by one side of the separation wall, the first part of the inner area, a first part of the air blocking element facing the first part of the inner area, and a first portion of the interior surface therebetween comprising the first inlet. In the second blocked state of the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element, the second portion of the chamber is bounded by the other side of the separation wall, the second part of the inner area, a second part of the air blocking element facing the second part of the inner area, and a second portion of the interior surface therebetween comprising the second inlet.

[0287] In the present example with reference to Fig. 16 A, the blocking member comprises a separation wall 250 projecting from the middle of the inner area 122 and abutting the air blocking element 178, thereby dividing the inner area 122 into a first and a second part. Additionally, or alternatively, the blocking member may protrude from the air blocking element.As seen in Fig. 16B, in the first blocked state of the air-receivable chamber 118 and the air blocking element 178, the first portion 180 of the chamber 118 is bounded by one side of the separation wall 250, a first part 251 of the inner area 122, a first part 253 of the air blocking element facing the first part 251 of the inner area 122, and a first portion of the interior surface 116 therebetween comprising the first inlet 160.

[0288] The housing can be rotatable back from the first or second blocked states to the neutral state in any suitable manner, such as by application of the external force, e.g. by brushing the hair away from the sides SI or S2 towards the longitudinal axis X.

[0289] In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises returning elements provided for rotation of the housing centrally towards the longitudinal axis X for transitioning from the blocked states to the neutral states or vice versa.

[0290] The returning elements may be prompted to be activated upon cessation of the external force or upon application of the external force on the apparatus in an orientation towards the longitudinal axis X, or by an actuation button or by any other suitable means.

[0291] The returning elements may comprise electrical contacts operative to connect and disconnect upon rotation of the housing. Additionally, the returning elements may comprise pneumatic actuators, thermal actuators, piezoelectrical devices, springs, magnets and the like.

[0292] In the present example as shown in Fig. 11 A, the return elements comprise a single or plurality of return leaf-like springs 252 placed at one or both sides SI and S2 of the brush head 110.

[0293] Additionally, or alternatively, as shown in Fig. 11B, the return elements comprise a single or more, e.g. a pair of oppositely poled magnets 254 at each side SI and S2 of the brush head 110. The magnets 254 are operative to be attracted to each other so at to return the housing 112 from the blocked states back to the neutral state or vice versa.

[0294] In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises tensioning elements operative to apply force on the hair additional to that applied by the hair contacting elements. The tensioning elements may comprise bristles, pins, boar hairs, ribs, or any other suitable element. The additional tensioning elements may be disposed at any suitable location, typically protruding from the housing at the hair contacting region and / or in proximity thereto or at any location in which there may be contact between the exterior surface of the housing and the hair, such as at one or both sides SI and S2 of the brush head. A single tensioning element may be provided or a plurality thereof.The tensioning elements may be formed in any suitable shape, such as with an elongated body extending parallel or angularly relative to the hair contacting elements and / or extending parallel or angularly relative to the plane of symmetry P and / or the reference plane R (shown in Fig. 3B). The tensioning elements may be formed with further geometrical structures, such as protrusions or may be formed with a smooth external surface.

[0295] In the present example as shown in Fig. 12, a brush head 258 comprises tensioning elements. The tensioning elements comprising protruding pins 260 are disposed at the hair contacting region 130 and protrude outwardly from the outer area 120. A plurality of pins 260 form a matrix of parallelly arranged, longitudinal arrays of the pins 260, which are disposed intermediate arrays of hair contacting elements 132, such as bristles.

[0296] In the present example as shown in Figs. 13A-C, a brush head 261 comprises further tensioning elements. In addition to the pins 260, which are positioned at the hair contacting region 130 and will be referred to herein as the “central pins”, a single or a plurality of side pins 262 are provided at both of sides SI and S2 as best seen in Figs. 13 A and 13B. Fig. 13C shows an enlarged view of the channels 150 and further side pins 262, yet without the hair contacting elements 132, for clarity.

[0297] The side pins 262 are positioned between adjacent pairs of the first airflow channels 150 and between adjacent pairs of the second airflow channels 152, namely between at least two neighboring channel bodies. Fig. 13C shows the side pins 262 positioned in between adjacent first channels 150, it being appreciated that the side pins 262 are positioned in between adjacent pairs of second airflow channels 152 as well.

[0298] The central pins 260 and the side pins 262 comprise an erect portion 264 extending along its longitudinal dimension in an orientation parallel to the plane of symmetry P or at least partially in an orientation transverse to the reference plane R. The side pins 262 further comprise a head portion 266 protruding from the erect portion 264 and extending longitudinally generally in parallel to the reference plane R or at least partially in an orientation transverse to the plane of symmetry P.

[0299] The central pins 260 are formed with a smooth external surface. The side pins 262 are formed with a plurality of protrusions 268 protruding from an external surface 270 thereof. The protrusions 268 are formed with an elongated body extending longitudinally in parallel to the reference plane R or at least partially in an orientation transverse to the plane of symmetry P.In some embodiments, further protrusions are provided on the apparatus such as on the first and / or second airflow channels. These protrusions can be arranged in association with the protrusions formed on the tensioning elements.

[0300] As seen in Figs. 13A-C, the respective first and second airflow channels 150 and 152 are formed with a plurality of protrusions 274 protruding from an outer surface 278 thereof. A pair of adjacent protrusions 268 formed on the side pin 262 is arranged to staggeringly face a protrusion 274 protruding from the respective first and second airflow channels 150 and 152, so as to grip and tension strands of hairs disposed at gaps 280 formed between the staggeringly arranged protrusions 268 and 274.

[0301] It is noted that in some embodiments, the brush head comprises the side pins without the central pins.

[0302] In some embodiments, the apparatus may not comprise the hair contacting elements at the outer area, and rather the tensioning elements positioned at areas other than the outer area, act as the hair contacting elements. For example, tensioning elements positioned at sides SI or S2 may act as hair contacting elements for grabbing the hair during hairstyling. In such a case, the hair contacting region includes the tensioning elements and the area therebetween. The description herein related to the hair contacting region is applicable to the hair contacting region which constitutes the tensioning elements.

[0303] It is noted that the features described with reference to the apparatus of Figs 1A-1 IB and further the features described with reference to Figs. 14A-20, can be incorporated in an apparatus comprising the brush head 258 of Fig. 12 and / or the brush head 261 of Fig. 13A and 13B.

[0304] The apparatus may comprise sensors operative to detect information related to the operation of the apparatus so as to enhance the control of the apparatus. Some nonlimiting examples are as follows: the sensor may comprise a single or plurality of temperature sensors operative to detect the temperature of the air within the apparatus, prior to heating thereof by a heating element or after heating thereof; furthermore, temperature sensors may be provided for detecting the ambient temperature out of the apparatus; the sensor may comprise a single or plurality of airflow sensors operative to measure the properties of the air flowing from the ambient environment into the apparatus, the air flowing within the apparatus and air flowing out of the apparatus; thesensor may comprise a single or plurality of humidity sensors operative to measure the degree of moisture of the hair.

[0305] In the present example as shown in Fig. 11 A, the apparatus 100 comprises a single or more sensors 290, e.g. temperature sensors which may be disposed at the housing base portion 244 (Fig. 9A), which is shown to be formed with a relatively wider diameter than a diameter of the handle 102 and being able to accommodate a plurality of sensors 290 therein. In some embodiments, at least one temperature sensor may be disposed within the heating element 390.

[0306] The apparatus may comprise indicators operative to indicate information related to the operation of the apparatus so as to enhance the control of the apparatus. Some nonlimiting examples are a single or a plurality of optical, acoustic, vibrational, hepatic indicators and the like.

[0307] In some embodiments, a first and second optical indicator is provided at one or both of the two sides SI and S2 of the brush head.

[0308] In some embodiments, a portion of the respective first and second airflow channels or any other components of the apparatus, is formed of an at least partially transparent material operative to allow the optical indicator to illuminate therethrough.

[0309] In some embodiments, an array of optical indicators illuminates through an array of transparent portions of the airflow channels.

[0310] In a non-limiting example, the optical indicators may comprise a light emitter or illuminator, such as a LED, fluorescent light, bulbs and the like.

[0311] In some embodiments, the indicator can be selectively actuated based on the operation of the apparatus. For example, a first optical indicator and a second optical indicator are provided each at one side of the brush head. The first and second indicators illuminate based on the location of the airflow emission. Namely, the first and second optical indicators are operative to both illuminate whereupon the housing is at the neutral state and to illuminate only one of the first and second indicators in conjunction with the emission of airflow out the respective first and second airflow outlets in the blocked states.

[0312] In the present example as shown in Fig. 14A, a brush head 298 comprises a first and second optical indicator 300 disposed at both of sides SI and S2.A portion 306 of the respective first and second airflow channels 150 and 152 is formed with a transparent material operative to allow the optical indicator 300 to illuminate therethrough.

[0313] An array of optical indicators 300 is arranged on both sides SI and S2 of the brush head, such that optical indicators 310 are disposed at side SI and optical indicators 312 are disposed at side S2. The array of optical indicators 300 illuminate through the array of transparent portions 306 of the airflow channels 150 and 152.

[0314] In some embodiments, the actuation of the indicators can be performed by actuators, such as mechanical actuators, electrical actuators, magnetic actuators and the like. In some embodiments, the actuators comprise a single or a plurality of electrical circuits operative to selectively connect and disconnect so as to actuate the indicators and selectively disconnect to deactivate the indicators.

[0315] In some embodiments, an actuator comprises at least a first electrical contact and a corresponding electrical contact formed flexibly, such that in one of the neutral state or the blocked states, the corresponding electrical contact mechanically contacts the first electrical contact so as to actuate the indicator. Upon transitioning to the other state, the corresponding electrical contact mechanically disconnects from the first electrical contact causing the deactivation of the indicator, or vice versa.

[0316] The flexible corresponding electrical contact can be formed to change its shape such as by bending or curving to contact or disconnect from the first electrical contact.

[0317] In some embodiments, additional electrical contacts, such as a second and a third electrical contact may be provided along with their corresponding electrical contacts. In some embodiments, an electromechanical actuator comprises a first central electrical contact, which can be connected to second and third side contacts for closing two electrical circuits so as to activate the optical indicators at both sides SI and S2 in the neutral state. In the blocked states the first central electrical contact is operative to selectively connect to the second side contact to close the electrical circuit at that side and activate the optical indicators at that side while disconnecting from a third side contact to open the other electrical circuit so as to deactivate the optical indicators at the other side. In some embodiments, the first central electrical contact may be static and corresponding side electrical contacts can be movable for selectively establishing contact with one or both side electrical contacts for activating the optical indicators or disconnecting therefrom for deactivating one of the optical indicators.In the present example as shown in Figs. 14BI and 15BI, an actuator for the optical indicator 300 comprises an electromechanical actuator 320 including a first electrical contact 322 in the center, a second electrical contact 324 and a third electrical contact 326 at its sides. The first electrical contact is in electrical contact with a corresponding respective first corresponding contact 332. A second corresponding contact 334 and a third corresponding contact 336 are in selective electrical contact with the respective second contact 324 and third contact 326.

[0318] In the neutral state, as shown in Fig. 14BI, the first contact 322 in the center, the second contact 324 and the third contact 326 are in electrical contact with the respective first corresponding contact 332, the second corresponding contact 334 and the third corresponding contact 336, thereby actuating both the first and second optical indicators 310 and 312.

[0319] In the blocked state, as shown in Fig. 15BI showing the first blocked state, the electromechanical actuator 320 is turned towards the second side S2 thereby disconnecting the second contact 324 from its second corresponding contact 334 causing the deactivation of the first optical indicator 310. The first contact 322 in the center, and the third contact 326 are in electrical contact with the respective first corresponding contact 332 and the third corresponding contact 336, thereby actuating the second optical indicator 312.

[0320] Figs. 14BII and 15BII illustrate another embodiment, alternative to the embodiment shown in Figs. 14BI and 15BI. An actuator for the optical indicator comprises an electromechanical actuator 320’ including a first electrical contact 322’ in the center, a second electrical contact 324’ and a third electrical contact 326’ at the sides of the first electrical contact 322’. A second corresponding contact 334’ and a third corresponding contact 336’ are in selective electrical contact with the respective second contact 324’ and third contact 326’.

[0321] In the neutral state, as shown in Fig. 14BII, the first contact 322’, the second contact 324’ and the third contact 326’ are in mechanical and electrical contact with the respective second corresponding contact 334’ and the third corresponding contact 336’, thereby actuating both the first and second optical indicators 310 and 312.

[0322] In the blocked state, as shown in Fig. 15BII showing the first blocked state, the electromechanical actuator 320’ is turned towards the second side S2 thereby disconnecting, mechanically and electrically, the second contact 324’ from its secondcorresponding contact 334’ causing the deactivation of the first optical indicator 310’. The first contact 322’ in the center, and the third contact 326’ are in electrical contact with the third corresponding contact 336’, thereby actuating the second optical indicator 312’.

[0323] In another additional or alternative example, the first and second optical indicators selectively illuminate at an intensity based on a volume of airflow out of the first airflow outlet, the second airflow outlet or both the first and second airflow outlets. For example, the air flows at the neutral state out of both the respective first and second airflow outlets at a first airflow volume, which is lower than a second airflow volume whereupon the air flows out of only one of the respective first and second airflow outlets during the first or second block states. Accordingly, during the block states the optical indicator is operative to illuminate from an optical indicator at a side SI or at a side S2 at a higher intensity than at the neutral state.

[0324] In some embodiments, the actuation of the indicators can be performed in response to an operation related to hairstyling, such as the rotation of the housing.

[0325] In some embodiments, the air flows at the neutral state out of each one of the respective first and second airflow outlets at a first airflow volume. In the first or second blocked states the air flows out of only one of the respective first and second airflow outlets, such that an airflow volume flowing out of the unblocked airflow outlet in the blocked state is greater than the airflow volume flowing out of one of the respective first and second airflow outlets in the neutral state. Accordingly, the optical indicator can be operative to illuminate at a higher intensity in the blocked state than at the neutral state, in conjunction with the higher second airflow volume in the blocked state.

[0326] In some embodiments, the brush head comprises in addition to the chamber, a service portion for accommodating components related to the operation of the brush head, such as the actuators and connectors to the channels as described in reference to Figs.

[0327] 14A-15BII or any other component. As seen in Fig. 3A, a service portion 337 is defined by a wall 338 and a brush head rear surface 339. The wall can be formed as a straight wall or as a wall with a curvilinear surface, as shown in Fig. 3 A.

[0328] It is noted that the features described with reference to the apparatus of Figs 1A-13B and further the features described with reference to Figs. 16A-20, can be incorporated in an apparatus comprising the brush head 298 of Figs. 14A-15BII.In some embodiments, the brush head may comprise at least one additional airflow channel extending from an additional airflow inlet on the internal surface to an additional airflow outlet on the external surface and provides fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective additional airflow outlet. The additional outlet is positioned parallelly and / or transversely orientated relative to the hair contacting elements.

[0329] The additional airflow channels may be provided in a hair styling apparatus, which comprises an air blocking element.

[0330] In some embodiments, the additional airflow channels may be provided in a hair styling apparatus, which does not include means for controlling airflow thereout or may not include air blocking elements. A further sealing element may or may not be provided to prevent flow of air from one side to the other.

[0331] In the present example as shown in Figs. 16A and 16B, a brush head 340 comprises an array of parallelly arranged additional channels 342, which extend from an additional airflow inlet 344, at the inner area 122 to an additional airflow outlet 346 at the outer area 120. The additional channels 342 provide fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber 118 and the additional airflow outlets 346. The additional airflow outlets 346 are positioned parallelly orientated relative to the plane of symmetry P allowing air to flow thereout, as depicted by the dashed lines.

[0332] In the neutral state, as shown in Fig. 16 A, the air flows out of both sides SI and S2 as shown in Fig. 3A, as well as from both sides of the additional channels 342, as depicted by the dashed lines. The thickness of the dashed not does not indicate a degree of airflow and rather is shown at varying thickness for clarity.

[0333] In the blocked states, the air is prevented from flowing out of one side and is allowed to flow from the other side. As seen in Fig. 16B, which shows the first blocked state, air flows out at side S2 from second airflow outlets 162 of second airflow channels 152, as well as from the additional airflow channels 342 at side S2, the airflow being depicted by the dashed lines.

[0334] The wall 250 is provided as a separation wall to prevent inadvertent flow of air from one side to the other.

[0335] During the blocked states, the wall 250 affectively divides the chamber at a volume between the inner area 122 and the air blocking element 178 into a first and second part which constitute a blocked side and an unblocked side. In the blocked sideair is prevented from flowing thereout and in the unblocked side air can flow out of an outlet and the additional airflow channels at one of the sides. As seen in Fig. 16B showing the first blocked state, the separation wall 250 separates the chamber 118 such that air can flow out of the unblocked side S2 from the second outlet 142 and the additional airflow channels 342 at the second side S2. Air is blocked from flowing out of first outlet 140 and the additional airflow channels 342 at the first side SI.

[0336] It is noted that the features described with reference to the apparatus of Figs 1A-15B and further the features described with reference to Figs. 17-20, can be incorporated in an apparatus comprising the brush head 340 of Figs. 16A and 16B. Furthermore, the separation wall can be incorporated in any of the brush heads described herein.

[0337] In some embodiments, the brush head can be detachably mounted to the handle or to any other element of the apparatus, thereby allowing the brush head to be removed and replaced by another substitute brush head. The brush head replacement may comprise the same features as the original brush head or may comprise different features. In some embodiments, the replacement brush head may comprise different features provided for hairstyling. In some embodiments, the brush head may be replaced due to wear of the original brush head.

[0338] The brush head may be removed from the handle or apparatus in any suitable manner, such as by releasing a fixing element of the brush head.

[0339] In the present example as shown in Fig. 17, a replacement brush head 360 is shown with alternative functionalities such as boar hairs 372 surrounding the hair contacting elements 132, such as bristles.

[0340] The brush head 360 comprises the cover 218 formed with release buttons 378. Upon pressing the buttons 378 the cover 218 is caused to be removed and the brush head can be detached from the handle 102.

[0341] It is noted that the features described with reference to the apparatus of Figs 1A-16B and further the features described with reference to Figs. 18-20, can be incorporated in an apparatus comprising the brush head 360 of Fig. 17.

[0342] At least one heating element can be provided within the apparatus for heating the air prior to its flow into the first and second channels. In some embodiments, the heating element can comprise a heating pad and / or a heating coil and the like and is disposed within the lumen, such as at the lumen outlet or at a bottom portion of the handle. In some embodiments, the heating element is disposed in the brush head, such as in the chamber.In the present example as seen in Fig. 9A, a heating element 390 is disposed within the lumen 134 in proximity to the lumen outlet 136.

[0343] Additionally or alternatively to the heating element, there may be provided a heating element, e.g. an additional heating element, disposed at the hair contacting region or any other location of the apparatus, such as in the brush head. The additional heating element may comprise a heating pad, a coil or any other configuration for heating the air flowing to the first and second channels. The heating element can comprise a plurality of heating elements protruding from a heating pad, such as heating pins, such as the central pins and the side pins described herein, nodes and the like.

[0344] In the present example as shown in Fig. 18, a brush head 400 comprises an additional heating element 402 and is formed as a heating pad disposed upon the outer area 120 at the hair contacting region 130. Accordingly, hair which contacts the hair contacting region 130 during brushing, is heated by the heating element 402. The central pins 260 provided for tensioning the hair as described with reference to Figs. 12, are shown to protrude from the heating element 402 and are operative to heat the air flowing at the hair contacting region 130.

[0345] It is noted that the features described with reference to the apparatus of Figs 1A-17 and further the features described with reference to Figs. 19 and 20, can be incorporated in an apparatus comprising the brush head 400 of Fig. 18.

[0346] The handle is formed with its longitudinal portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis X. The handle comprises the lumen for directing air in the handle to flow to the housing. In some embodiments the handle can house some components of the apparatus, such as the fan, a heater, electrical circuitry and the like.

[0347] As described hereinabove, the fan is operative to draw air into the lumen. The fan can be positioned along the handle or within the brush head.

[0348] In some embodiments, the air may be drawn in other suitable manner such as by a pressurized air chamber located in the apparatus.

[0349] In some embodiments, the air is drawn into the lumen via openings formed at an air ingress region which is defined at any location along the handle or at any location within the hairbrush apparatus operative for drawing air therein. For example, the air ingress region may be defined at a lower portion of the handle.In the present example as shown in Fig. 9 A, the fan 410 is operative to draw air into the lumen 134 via openings 412 formed at an air ingress region 420 located at the lower portion of the handle 102.

[0350] The air ingress region may be formed with a smooth surface, or with folds, slots or protrusions thereon or any other form of a non-smooth surface operative to create a gap between a user’s hand and the external surface of the handle or of the apparatus so as to prevent inadvertent covering of the air openings by the user’s hand during use of the apparatus.

[0351] In the present example as shown in Fig. 19, a lower portion 411 of the handle 102 is formed with a single or plurality of folds 428 formed with the air openings 412 thereon. The folds 428 are shown to form a hexafoil shape, yet it is appreciated that any shape may be formed.

[0352] As described, a heating element may be disposed within the lumen to heat air drawn therein. Exemplary temperatures of the heated air may be in the range of 100-150 Celsius degrees. In some embodiments, an optional internal cooling element may be provided in order to prevent discomfort to the user, caused by heating when holding the handle in the vicinity of the heating element at a hand-holding region. In some embodiments, the cooling element may be a fan or a cooler. In some embodiments, the cooling element may include a mechanism operative to urge flow of relatively cool air in proximity to the user’s hand at the hand-holding region. The relatively cool air has a temperature of a lesser degree than the temperature of air heated by the heating element. In some embodiments, air ducts are provided for diverting a portion of the air away from the heating element. The relatively cool, diverted air is directed to flow between the handholding region and the heating element, so as to minimize the heat experienced by a user when holding the handle at the hand-holding region. The heating element extends along its length parallel to the longitudinal axis. The hand-holding region, or at least a portion thereof, is disposed along the portion of external surface of the handle, which is parallel to the heating element length.

[0353] In the present example as shown in Figs. 20A and 20B, air ducts 440 are provided for diverting a portion of the air shown by arrow 442, away from flow through the heating element 390 and around the heating element 390, so as to minimize the heat felt by a user when holding the handle 102 in the vicinity of the heating element 390 at a hand-holding region 443. The heating element 390 extends along its length Lh parallel to thelongitudinal axis X. The hand-holding region 443, or at least a portion thereof, is disposed along the portion of an external surface 445 of the handle 102 which is parallel to the heating element length Lh.

[0354] The cooler air 442 is directed by the ducts 440 to converge with the heated air, shown by arrow 444, into the brush head 110. The air ducts 440 can be formed with inclined portions 448 to direct the air away from the heating element 390 and then, after bypassing the heating element 390, inclined portions 448 redirect the air towards the brush head 110.

[0355] The air ducts 440 can be formed in the handle at any suitable location. As seen in Figs. 20A and 20B, the air ducts 440 are formed in an internal sleeve 450 insertable into the lumen 134. The internal sleeve 450 is shown formed integrally with the lower portion 411 of the handle 102, it being appreciated that the internal sleeve 450 can be disconnected therefrom.

[0356] Furthermore, the internal sleeve may be formed with apertures 454 and snaps for accommodating the internal sleeve in the handle.

[0357] The air ducts can be provided in a handle of an apparatus in which air flows into the lumen of the handle and is heated by a heating element disposed in the handle. The handle can be part of the hairbrush apparatus described with reference to Figs. 1-20B and 21.

[0358] In some embodiments, the handle can be part of any apparatus which utilized air flowing through the lumen of the handle and is heated by a heating element in the handle, such as any other type of hair styling apparatus, e.g., a blow dryer. In some examples, the apparatus comprising a handle and a heating element in the handle and can be used for applications other than hairstyling, such as a handheld heater.

[0359] The apparatus has a longitudinal axis and comprises a handle formed with a lumen and an external surface, at least one opening for drawing air into the lumen and a heating element disposed in the lumen and extending along its length Lh ’ along the longitudinal axis and operative for heating the air flowing therethrough. The apparatus comprises at least one duct which is positioned in between the heating element and the external surface of the handle and extends parallel to the length Lh and is operative for directing the air to flow therethrough to at least partially bypass the heating element. The at least one duct is operative to minimize the heat experienced by a user when holding the handle in the vicinity of the heating element at a hand-holding region. The air is diverted by the airducts away from the heating element for avoiding its heating by the heating element and thereby having cooler air flowing in the vicinity of the hand-holding region. The cooler air has a temperature of a lesser degree then the temperature of air heated by the heating element.

[0360] In the present example as shown in Figs. 20C and 20D, air flows into a lumen 134’ of a handle 102’ of an apparatus 100’ via openings 412’. A first portion of the air shown by arrow 444’ is directed to flow through a heating element 390’ for heating thereof. Air ducts 440’ are provided for diverting a second portion of the air, shown by arrow 442’, away from flow through the heating element 390’ and around the heating element 390’, so as to minimize the heat felt by a user when holding the handle 102’ at a hand-holding region 443’. The heating element 390’ extends along its length Lh’ parallel to a longitudinal axis X’ of the apparatus 100’. The hand-holding region 443’, or at least a portion thereof, is disposed along the portion of an external surface 445’ of the handle 102’, which is parallel to the heating element length Lh

[0361] The cooler air 442’ is directed by the ducts 440’ to converge with the heated air, 444’ thereout of the handle towards another element 460. The air ducts 440’ can be formed with inclined portions 448’ to direct the air away from the heating element 390’ and then, after bypassing the heating element 390’, inclined portions 448’ redirect the air towards element 460.

[0362] The air ducts 440’ can be formed in the handle at any suitable location, such as in a non-limiting example, in the internal sleeve 450 shown in Fig. 20B.

[0363] The apparatus comprises any suitable power source, such as a wired source in electrical communication with the electrical grid, such as shown by cable 498 in Fig. 21 and / or a disposable or rechargeable wireless power source, such as batteries, in a nonlimiting example.

[0364] In some embodiments, the assembly of the apparatus is performed in the following manner, though it is appreciated that other methods of assembly of the components of the apparatus are contemplated. Furthermore, it is noted that present description relates to the embodiment of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. The assembly of the apparatuses shown in alternative embodiments may vary accordingly. Additionally, it is noted that not all components are required for the apparatus and some components may be omitted.As seen in Fig. 21, the handle 102, which comprises therein components such as the fan and heater, initially receives a securing ring 500 at the upper portion 199 of the handle 102.

[0365] Thereafter, the bushing 650 is inserted onto the base ring 196 of the air blocking element 178, via ribs 656 on the internal surface of the bushing 650, which ribs 656 are inserted into corresponding slots 660 formed in the base ring 196. The housing base portion 244 is positioned about the upper portion 199 of the handle 102.

[0366] The air blocking element 178, along with the bushing 650 and the housing base portion 244 are connected to the handle 102 by insertion of the protrusions 198, formed at the upper portion 199 of the handle 102, within slots 197 formed in base ring 196 of the air blocking element 178.

[0367] To connect the handle 102 and the air blocking element 178 to the upper portion 248 of the housing 112, the plate 230 is positioned at the housing base portion 244 at an end proximal to the air blocking element 178.

[0368] The upper portion 248 of the housing 112 comprises a main portion 510 connectable to a first portion 520, which includes the cover 218 and the hair-facing outer area 120 and connectable to a second portion 530.

[0369] The main portion 510 is attached to the housing base portion 244 by the fixing elements 234, which are inserted into recesses 236 best seen in Fig. 9A, formed in the bottom flange 240 of the upper portion 248 and corresponding recesses 238 formed in the housing base portion 244. In the present example four fixing element 234 comprising screws are provided, though it is appreciated that any number of fixing elements can be provided. In the present example a first pair of fixing elements 234 are inserted also into recesses 232 of plate 230 which is positioned adjacent the bottom flange 240 of the upper portion 248.

[0370] Following attachment of the main portion 510 to the housing base portion 244, the first portion 520 and the second portion 530 are inserted on the main portion 510 and are secured thereto such as by fixing elements or by any other suitable connectors.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:a handle formed with a lumen;a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;a brush head comprising:a housing attached to the handle, the housing comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior air-receivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface; the exterior surface comprising a hair facing outer area and the interior surface comprising an inner area corresponding to the hair facing outer area and facing in a direction away from the hair facing outer area;hair contacting elements protruding outwardly from the hair facing outer area of the exterior surface and defining together therewith a haircontacting region of the brush head;at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets; andan air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and mounted so as to allow relative movement therebetween into a number of mutual dispositions thereof including those in which the air blocking element prevents one of a first portion or a second portion of the chamber from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen while allowing such exposure to the other one of the first and second portions of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one firstairflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel;wherein, optionally, the apparatus further comprises at least one of the following features:said air blocking element is mounted statically relative to the handle, and the housing with said chamber is rotatable relative to the handle with the air blocking element; orwhen seen in a cross-section of the brush head taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and passing through at least one of the first and second airflow outlets, the first and second airflow outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h, a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than / / , a hair contacting element closest to said outlet projects from the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance smaller than h, said housing has laterally outermost zones of the exterior surface thereof each spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance L, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: / / >LI2 or (h-h) > (h-h).

2. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:a handle formed with a lumen;a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;a brush head comprising:a housing attached to the handle so as to be rotatable relative thereto about the longitudinal axis, the housing comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior air-receivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface so as to allow fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the lumen, the exterior surface comprising a hair facing outer area and the interior surfacecomprising an inner area corresponding to the hair facing outer area and facing in a direction away from the hair facing outer area;hair contacting elements protruding outwardly from the hair facing outer area and defining together therewith a hair-contacting region of the brush head;at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets; andan air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and mounted statically relative to the handle so that the rotation of the housing with said air-receivable chamber relative to the handle with the air blocking element brings the air blocking element into a number of positions relative to the chamber including those in which the air blocking element prevents fluid communication between the lumen and one of the at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel, while allowing fluid communication between the lumen and the other one of the at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel;wherein, optionally, the brush head comprises at least one of the following features:the prevention of the fluid communication is provided by preventing fluid communication between the lumen and one of a first and a second portion of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel; orwhen seen in a cross-section of the brush head taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and passing through at least one of the first andsecond airflow outlets, the first and second airflow outlets project from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h, a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than / / , a hair contacting element closest to said outlet projects from the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance smaller than h, said housing has laterally outermost zones of the exterior surface thereof each spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance L, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: / / >LI2 or (h-h) > (h-h).

3. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the apparatus comprising:a handle formed with a lumen;a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;a brush-head comprising:a housing attached to the handle and comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior air-receivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface so as to allow fluid communication between the airreceivable chamber and the lumen; the exterior surface comprising a hair facing outer area and the interior surface comprising an inner area corresponding to the hair facing outer area and facing in a direction away from the hair facing outer area;hair contacting elements protruding outwardly from the hair facing outer area of the exterior surface of the housing and defining therewith hair-contacting region of the brush head;at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair contacting region and orientated so as to direct airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets;wherein, when seen in a cross-section of the brush head taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and passing through at least one of the first and second airflow outlets, the first and second airflow outlets project from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h, a projection of an outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than Zz, a hair contacting element closest to said outlet projects from the hair facing outer area at a location spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance h smaller than h, said housing has laterally outermost zones of the exterior surface thereof each spaced from the plane of symmetry to a distance L, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: h >LI2 or (h-h) > (h- l); andwherein, optionally, the apparatus further comprises at least one of the following features:an air blocking element located within the air-receivable chamber and is mounted statically relative to the handle, and the housing with said chamber is rotatable relative to the handle with the air blocking element; orthe prevention of the fluid communication is provided by preventing fluid communication between the lumen and one of a first and a second portion of the chamber, the first portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one first airflow channel and the second portion of the chamber being associated with the at least one second airflow channel.

4. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one first and the at least one second airflow channels are formed with respective first and second airflow inlets at the interior surface of the chamber, allowing air to flow from the chamber into the at least one first and the at least one second airflow channels via the respective first and the second airflow inlets.

5. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein different mutual dispositions between the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element during their relative movement define at least the following states thereof:a neutral state, in which the air blocking element is free of contact with the interior surface of the chamber so that the entire chamber is in fluid communication with the lumen and with the at least one first and at least one second airflow channels;a first blocked state, in which the air blocking element contacts the interior surface of the air-receivable chamber so that the first portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented by the air blocking element from exposure to the fluid communication with the lumen, and a remainder of the air-receivable chamber is exposed to the fluid communication with the lumen; anda second blocked state, in which the air blocking element contacts the interior surface of the air-receivable chamber so that the second portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented by the air blocking element from exposure to the fluid communication with the lumen, and the remainder of the air-receivable chamber is exposed to the fluid communication with the lumen.

6. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the air blocking element comprises a central portion and two flanges extending radially therefrom and a blocking plane of the air blocking element.

7. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein in the neutral state, the blocking plane of the air blocking element is oriented perpendicular to the plane of symmetry and in each of the blocked states it is oriented at an acute angle to the plane of symmetry.

8. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the first portion of the chamber is bounded by the air blocking element in the first blocked state, the inner area, and a first portion of the interior surface therebetween comprising the first inlet, and the second portion of the chamber is bounded by the air blocking element in the second blocked state, the inner area, and a second portion of the interior surface of the chamber therebetween comprising the second inlet.

9. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein:the air blocking element comprises a first and a second flange extending radially relative to the longitudinal axis, andsaid first and second flanges having edges which are positioned, when seen in the cross section thereof taken perpendicular to the plane of symmetry so that:in the first blocked state the first flange edge is disposed at a distal end of the first inlet, which end is distal from the inner area,in the second blocked state the second flange edge is disposed at a distal end of the second inlet, which end is distal from the inner area,in the neutral state the first and the second flange edges are disposed between the distal ends of the first and second inlet and proximal ends of the first and second inlets.

10. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein:in the first blocked state the second flange edge is disposed at the proximal end of the second inlet, andin the second blocked state the first flange edge is disposed at the proximal end of the first inlet.

11. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 9 or 10, wherein the air blocking element further comprises a central portion and the first and second lateral flanges extend from the central portion in a radial orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis.

12. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 9 through 11, wherein the first and second flanges are each formed with a contacting wall having a configuration ensuring tight contact thereof with the interior surface at respective first and second locations thereof in the respective first and second blocked states.

13. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 to 12, wherein a volume of the chamber is V2, and a volume of each of the first and second portions is VI, which is smaller than the volume V2 of the chamber.

14. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 13, wherein the hair contacting elements are rigid and are arranged in longitudinal rows, which can optionally be staggered.

15. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 14, wherein the hair contacting region constitutes a part of an insert integrally formed with the housing.

16. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 15, wherein the hair facing outer area is unitarily formed in the housing.

17. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 16, wherein the air blocking element is formed integrally with the handle.

18. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 17, wherein the hair contacting elements are oriented relative to the housing so that the housing is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, relative to the handle and the air blocking element, upon actuation by a force externally applied on the hair contacting elements, when the apparatus is in use.

19. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 18, wherein when the housing is rotatable in a first direction, the first portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen, and when the housing is rotatable in a second, opposite direction, the second portion of the air-receivable chamber is prevented from exposure to fluid communication with the lumen.

20. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 18 or 19, wherein the housing is rotatable in a clockwise and counterclockwise directions each for equal angles of at least 10 degrees, more particularly, at least 20 degrees, further more particularly, at least 30 degrees, still more particularly at least 45 degrees and more particularly at least 60 degrees, for transitioning between the neutral state and the blocked states.

21. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 20, wherein the housing is rotatably and detachably mountable to the handle.

22. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 21, wherein the at least one first airflow channel constitutes a longitudinally arranged first array of firstairflow channels and the at least one second airflow channel constitutes a longitudinally arranged second array of second airflow channels.

23. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 20, wherein the housing comprises a separation wall projecting from the middle of the inner area and abutting the air blocking element, thereby dividing the inner area into a first and a second part.

24. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 23, wherein in the first blocked state of the air-receivable chamber and the air blocking element, the first portion of the chamber is bounded by one side of said separation wall, a first part of the inner area, a first part of the air blocking element facing the first part of the inner area, and a first portion of the interior surface therebetween comprising the first inlet, and in the second blocked state of the air -receivable chamber and the air blocking element, the second portion of the chamber is bounded by the other side of said separation wall, a second part of the inner area, a second part of the air blocking element facing the second part of the inner area, and a second portion of the interior surface therebetween comprising the second inlet.

25. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 24, wherein the brush head further comprises at least one additional channel extending from an additional airflow inlet on the inner area to an additional airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area and providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective additional airflow outlet, and wherein the additional outlet is oriented so as to direct airflow therefrom along the hair contacting elements.

26. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 25, wherein the shape of a part of the brush head on the side of the reference plane R including the channels, in the cross-section of the brush head perpendicular to the plane of symmetry, is such that it has a maximal width along most of the height of that part.

27. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 26, wherein the hair facing outer area has a central zone spaced from the reference plane to a distance H, the location at which said outlet projects from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer areais spaced from the reference plane to a distance hi, the projection of the outermost point of the airflow outlet on the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference plane to a distance fe, the location at which the hair contacting element closest to said outlet projects from the hair facing outer area is spaced from the reference plane to a distance hj, such that at least one of the following conditions is met: (h2-hi) > (hs-h2) or hi >H / 2.

28. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 4 or any one of Claims 5 to 27 when dependent on Claim 4 directly or indirectly, wherein the airflow inlets are spaced from the plane of symmetry to a greater distance than at least most other areas of the airreceivable chamber located between the reference plane and the inner area of the interior surface of the housing.

29. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 4 or any one of Claims 5 to 28 when dependent on Claim 4 directly or indirectly, wherein each inlet is located closer to a corresponding laterally outermost zone of the exterior surface than any other area of the air-receivable chamber.

30. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 4 or any one of Claims 5 to 29 when dependent on Claim 4 directly or indirectly, wherein the location at which the airflow outlet protrudes from an adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area is closer to the corresponding airflow inlet, than to a central zone of the hair-facing outer area, all in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane.

31. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 4 or any one of Claims 5 to 30 when dependent on Claim 4 directly or indirectly, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of extensions each constituting a channel body comprising the airflow channel and having a channel body proximal end merging with the exterior surface of the housing at a location adj acent the corresponding airflow inlet and a channel body distal end adj acent the airflow outlet.

32. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 31, wherein the channel body proximal end constitutes the corresponding laterally outermost zone of the housing.

33. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 31 or 32, wherein the channel body further comprises a channel body inner surface facing towards the hair contacting elements and comprising the airflow outlet of the channel, and a channel body outer surface facing in the direction away from the airflow outlet and extending between the channel body proximal and distal ends, the channel body outer surface being spaced from the plane of symmetry, along most of the length of the outer surface, to a distance which does not exceed L and which exceeds (li+(L-h) / 2).

34. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 31 to 33, wherein the channel body outer surface has a dimension in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane, which is not less than a distance between the central zone of the hair-facing outer area and the longitudinal axis X.

35. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 31 to 34, wherein the channel body inner surface is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the adjacent zone of the hair facing outer area.

36. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 31 to 35, wherein the brushhead comprises a plurality of tensioning pins, protruding from the exterior surface, each located between at least some two neighboring channel bodies;optionally each of at least some of the pins comprises an erect portion extending in an orientation parallel to the plane of symmetry;optionally each of at least some of the pins comprises a head portion extending at least partially in an orientation transverse to the plane of symmetry;optionally each of at least some of the pins is formed with at least one protrusion protruding from an outer surface thereof;optionally the at least one protrusion extends in an orientation parallel to the orientation of the corresponding airflow outlet; andoptionally at least a pair of protrusions is formed on the at least one of the pins.

37. A hairbrush apparatus according Claim 36, wherein a side surface of at least one of the two neighboring channel bodies is formed with at least one protrusion extending towards the corresponding pin;38. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 37, wherein the protrusions formed on the pin is arranged on the outer surface of the pin to staggeringly face the least one protrusion protruding from the side surface.

39. The hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 38, wherein at least a first and second optical indicator is provided at one or both of the two sides of the haircontacting region.

40. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 39, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first and second airflow channels is formed of an at least partially transparent material allowing the at least first and second optical indicators to illuminate therethrough.

41. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 39 and 40, wherein the first and second optical indicators selectively illuminate based on the emission of airflow out of the first airflow outlet, the second airflow outlet or both the first and second airflow outlets.

42. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 39 through 41, wherein the first and second optical indicators are operative to:both illuminate whereupon the housing is at the neutral state; and to illuminate only one of the first and second optical indicators in conjunction with the emission of airflow out the respective first and second airflow outlets in the corresponding blocked state.

43. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 39 through 42, wherein the first and second optical indicators are actuatable by electromechanical contacts operative to contact to the first and second optical indicators based on the emission of airflow out of the first airflow outlet upon said rotation of the housing, the second airflow outlet or both the first and second airflow outlets.

44. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 43, further including returning elements causing the housing to return to the neutral state when no force is applied thereto causing it to stay in one of the blocked states.

45. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 44, wherein the returning elements comprise a pair of opposite poled magnets.

46. A hairbrush apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 through 45, further including a heating element disposed within any one or more of the lumen of the handle and the brush head.

47. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 46, wherein the heating element is disposed in the lumen and extends along a length Lh along the longitudinal axis, and the handle comprises at least one duct positioned in between the heating element and an external surface of the handle extending parallel to the length Lh, said duct is operative for directing air flowing into the lumen to flow therethrough to at least partially bypass the heating element.

48. A hairbrush apparatus according to Claim 47, wherein the duct is formed in an internal sleeve insertable into the lumen.

49. A hairbrush apparatus having a plane of symmetry and a reference plane perpendicular thereto and intersecting therewith along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:a handle formed with a lumen;a fan operative to draw air into the lumen;a brush-head comprising:a housing attached to the handle and circumscribing the longitudinal axis, the housing comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface and an interior airreceivable chamber defined by at least a portion of the interior surface;a hair contacting region operative for contacting hair when the apparatus is in use, the hair-contacting region comprising hair contacting elements located outwardly relative to the outer area the exterior surface;at least one first airflow outlet and at least one second airflow outlet, associated with the exterior surface, the at least one first and the at least one second airflow outlets being oppositely positioned on two sides of the hair-contacting region for directing airflow transversely to the hair contacting elements;at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective at least one first and at least one second airflow outlets; andat least one additional channel having an additional airflow inlet on the inner area and an additional airflow outlet on the outer area and providing fluid communication between the air-receivable chamber and the respective additional airflow outlet,wherein the additional outlet is positioned and oriented so as to direct air parallelly to the plane of symmetry.

50. A method of operation of a hairbrush apparatus comprising a handle connected to a brush head, the brush head comprising an air blocking element mounted statically relative to the handle and a hair-contacting region operative for contacting hair when the apparatus is in use, the hair-contacting region comprising hair contacting elements, the hairbrush apparatus for selectively directing airflow via at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel, each channel being oppositely positioned on of two sides of the brush region, the method comprising:in response to an externally applied force externally applied onto the hair contacting elements, causing rotation of the brush head with respect to the handle and the air blocking element, thereby selectively blocking the airflow via one of the at least one first airflow channel and at least one second airflow channel.

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