HAIR GROOMING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a hair grooming device which provides improved styling, tactile and visual character and grooming of the hair.

Despite the prior art there remains a need for improved hair grooming devices.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a hair grooming device comprising a bristle or tooth-bearing head, a nebuliser and a power supply therefore and a reservoir for containing a fluid to be applied to the hair during use by the nebuliser, wherein the nebuliser comprises a gauze defined by a rigid ring, a reservoir for containing a composition to be nebulised and a circuit connected to the power supply.

Preferably, the fluid is a hair care composition. Preferably, the fluid is selected from conditioners, style compositions, shampoos, serums, fixatives or relaxers, colourants and mixtures thereof.

Preferably, the device is a comb, brush or hair iron. Most preferably it is a brush.

The nebuliser is selected from those known in the art and comprises a gauze defined by a rigid ring, a reservoir for containing a composition to be nebulised and a circuit connected to the power supply. Such a nebuliser is commercially available from Aerogen®. When an electric

current is passed through the nebuliser gauze the gauze vibrates. Vibration of the gauze causes liquid material inside the reservoir in contact with the gauze to form small particles, or nebulise. This is emitted as a mist during use .

Preferably, the gauze comprises apertures of average diameter from 1 to 100 micron and most preferably from 5 to 20 micron. An especially preferred aperture size is from 7 to 13 micron.

Preferably, the gauze is convex with regard to the reservoir. This improves the movement of the nebulised fluid on to the hair during use.

Preferably, the nebuliser is located within the head and the head also comprises an aperture for releasing the nebulised fluid during use on to the hair. Preferably, the aperture is a hole or slot in the head. In a preferred embodiment there is a plurality of apertures.

Where the device is a brush it is preferred that the aperture is located centrally on the brush head. More preferably, the aperture is surrounded by bristles. Where there are more than one aperture they are preferably arranged symmetrically on the brush head to provide uniform release of nebulised.

Where the device is a comb it is preferred that there is a plurality of apertures located uniformly on the comb head.

Preferably, the nebuliser is located in a chamber in the device and the chamber is connected to the exterior by a channel .

Preferably, the reservoir comprises a means for pulling the hair care composition to the nebuliser by capillary action. Preferably, the means for pulling comprises a wick. Suitable wicks are threads or strands of an absorbent material. An alternative could be conduits in the reservoir which are narrow enough to pull the material on to the nebuliser through capillary action.

Preferably, the means for pulling comprises a porous material. Suitable porous materials include sponges, pads or cloths.

Preferably, the means for pulling comprises a material selected from cotton wool, glass wool, cellulose acetate, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyesters and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the reservoir has a base wall and a top wall connected alternately by a first side wall, an end wall, a second side wall and a mesh wall, wherein the mesh wall extends no more than 120% of the height of the mesh when the device is held in a grooming position.

Preferably, the mesh wall extends no more than 110% of the height of the mesh when the device is held in a grooming position .

By grooming position is meant that the device is held in a position which maintains the base wall of the reservoir parallel to the ground.

Preferably, the reservoir is elongate and extends outwardly from the device. More preferably, the reservoir is flat.

Where the reservoir has a length, a width and a depth the length runs along the base wall and between the two side walls. The width runs from the base wall to the top wall along the side wall. The depth runs along the base wall from the mesh wall to the end wall.

Preferably, the depth of the reservoir is from 1.1 to 10 times the width.

Preferably, the length is from 1.1 to 5 times the width.

These preferred dimensions represent a preferred reservoir which has a reasonable volume, i.e. enough to contain enough composition to be nebulised for one hair treatment, without being too bulky.

Preferably, the reservoir has a volume of from 5 t 20 ml.

The preferred reservoir in the device of the invention is thus able to deliver the composition to be nebulised no matter how much composition remains in the reservoir, so long as the device is held with the base wall of the reservoir parallel to the ground.

Preferably, the device comprises a handle which houses the power source. Alternatively, the power source could be separate and the device powered through the mains. The invention will now be described with reference to the following non-limiting drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic section of a brush according to the invention, and Figures 2a, b and c are plan views of a brush according to the invention.

In detail Figure 1 shows a brush head 1 connected to a handle 2 which houses a power supply 3. The head 1 houses a nebuliser 10 which consists of a support 5 for a gauze 7 and a reservoir 6 containing a hair care composition. The brush head 1 also has bristles 8 depending there from and an aperture 9 in the head 1 for release of the nebulised hair care composition.

Figure 2 shows three embodiments of apertures according to the invention. Figure 2a shows a brush head 1 with an aperture 9 which runs centrally down the brush head and is surrounded on all sides by bristles 8. In Figure 2b there are three apertures spaced uniformly and perpendicular to the general longitudinal axis of the brush (not shown) . In Figure 2c there are six apertures arranged in two lines of three diamond shaped apertures.

Figure 3 shows a cartridge 101 comprising a reservoir 104 for containing a fluid to be nebulised. The reservoir 104 is defined by a housing 103 which is fitted with a screw thread

for fitting to a nebuliser (not shown) . The reservoir contains a porous rod 102 for soaking up the fluid.

Figure 4 shows a nebuliser assembly 106 which comprises a housing 112 shaped to provide an inner bay 107 for receiving a cartridge as illustrated in figure 3. The inner wall 108 of the housing comprises a co-operating screw thread 110 for co-operating with the screw thread on the cartridge. The housing also comprises a screw thread for attachment to the grooming device (not shown) .

The assembly also comprises a nebuliser 111 at its base. The nebuliser is located so as to contact the distal end of the porous rod so as to enable passage of fluid through the nebuliser during use. The nebuliser attached to a power source through wiring 113.

Figure 5 shows part of a grooming device 115 with an aperture 117 in its outer wall 118. The nebuliser 11 is located within the aperture such that any nebulised material egresses through the aperture and on to the hair during use of the grooming device.

The device also comprises a pair of opposing walls 114 which comprises a screw thread for attaching the nebuliser assembly as described in figure 4 into the recess between the two opposing walls 117.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a reservoir 1 with a base wall 203, a top wall 205 and side walls 206, and end wall 207. Front wall 204 has a nebuliser mesh which is attached

to an electric power source (not shown) . The composition in the reservoir egresses the reservoir through the mesh to create a nebulised stream of the composition.

The reservoir is defined by a cuboid shape with depth a, width b and length c.

Figure 7 shows a brush end on (handle pointing away from view) . The device comprises a reservoir 201 as illustrated in the first figure. The device comprises a bristle array 8 on a brushing head 209.

The mesh 202 nebulises the composition contained within the reservoir and emits it towards the head of the user.