APPLICATEUR DE TRAITEMENT DES CHEVEUX

HAIR TREATMENT APPLICATOR

Abrégé français

La présente invention concerne un applicateur de traitement des cheveux (1) pour appliquer un produit de traitement des cheveux sur des cheveux. L'applicateur comprend : - une poignée (2) comprenant une première extrémité et une seconde extrémité ; et - une première structure de retenue (3a) et une seconde structure de retenue (3b) pour recevoir, retenir et diffuser ledit produit de traitement des cheveux, les deux structures de retenue étant connectées à ladite poignée. La première structure de retenue et la seconde structure de retenue sont situées au niveau de la première extrémité et de la seconde extrémité, respectivement, et les structures de retenue sont différentes l'une de l'autre.

Abrégé anglais

There is provided a hair treatment applicator (1) for applying a hair
treatment product to hair. The applicator comprises: - a handle (2) comprising
a first extremity and a second extremity; and - a first retaining structure
(3a) and a second retaining structure (3b) for receiving, retaining and
spreading said hair treatment product, both retaining structures being
connected to said handle. The first retaining structure and the second
retaining structure are located at the first extremity and the second
extremity, respectively, and the retaining structures are different from one
another.

Revendications

6
What is claimed is:
1. A hair treatment applicator (1) for applying a hair treatment product to
hair, the
applicator comprising:
- a handle (2) comprising a first extremity and a second extremity; and
- a first retaining structure (3a) and a second retaining structure (3b) for
receiving,
retaining and spreading said hair treatment product, both retaining structures
being
connected to said handle;
characterized in that said first retaining structure and said second retaining
structure
are located at said first extremity and second extremity, respectively, and
said
retaining structures are different from one another.
2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein one of said retaining
structures
comprises two heads (4a,4b).
3. An applicator according to claim 2 wherein the other retaining structure
comprises
one head (5)
4. An applicator according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of
said
structure comprises tines (6).
5. An applicator according to claim 4, wherein said structure comprising said
tines
further comprises at least one baffle (7).
6. An applicator according to claim 4 wherein said tines have a surface which
is
concave towards the middle plane (P') of the head, in a cross section in a
plane (P)
parallel to the tines' longitudinal axis (A1).
7. An applicator according to any of the preceding claims wherein said
retaining
structures are facing in directions (D1,D2) which are generally opposite and
perpendicular to the handle's longitudinal axis (A2).

7
8. A kit-of-parts comprising an applicator according to any of the preceding
claims,
and a hair treatment product.
9. A process of treating hair with a hair treatment product and an applicator
according
to any of claims 1-7, which comprises the steps of applying said product onto
at
least one of the retaining structures, then applying said retaining structure
onto a
selected strand or strands of hair, holding the applicator by the handle.
10. A process according to claim 9 which comprises the additional and
subsequent steps
of applying said product onto the other retaining structure, then applying
said other
retaining structure to another selected strand of hair, holding the applicator
by the
handle.
11. A kit-of-parts according to claim 8 or a process according to claims 9 and
10 where
said treatment product is a hair coloring product, or a product for the
bleaching of
selected strands of hair.

Description

CA 02612638 2007-12-18
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HAIR TREATMENT APPLICATOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hair treatment devices. More particularly,
the present
invention relates to an applicator for applying a hair treatment product, such
as a hair
colorant or preferably a product for the bleaching of selected strands of
hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Applicators for applying a hair treatment product to hair are known. There are
typically
two types of applicator. The first type of known applicator comprises a handle
and a
retaining structure connected to said handle. In this design, the structure is
for receiving,
retaining and spreading said hair treatment product, and generally is
comprised of a series
of tines. Such applicators are disclosed in US 6,079,420, US 6, 142,157 and,
more
recently, in US 2004/0065338. All these applicators have a retaining structure
which
comprises a predetermined arrangement of tines. Such applicators with tines
provide a
consistent result from hair root to hair tip, and/or from strand to strand.
However, such
applicators with tines offer little or no flexibility as to the application
pattern for the hair
treatment product, whereas different areas of the hair might call for
different application
pattern. The second type of applicator comprises brushes with bristles instead
of tines.
Such applicators with bristles provide for the desired flexibility, however
they do not
provide for a consistent result from root to tip, or strand to strand.
Therefore, currently
there is no one applicator design that meets both these needs. It is thus an
object of the
present invention to provide an applicator which would address these
shortcomings. In
particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an applicator
for a hair
treatment product, which allows some flexibility in the pattern of application
of the hair
treatment product, and which ensures a consistent application of hair
treatment product,
once a particular pattern has been chosen.

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2
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its broadest embodiment, the present invention encompasses a hair treatment
applicator
(1) for applying a hair treatment product to hair, the applicator comprising:
-a handle (2) comprising a first extremity and a second extremity; and
-a first retaining structure (3a) and a second retaining structure (3b) for
receiving,
retaining and spreading said hair treatment product, both retaining structures
being
connected to said handle;
and said first retaining structure and said second retaining structure are
located at said
first extremity and second extremity, respectively, and said retaining
structures are
different from one another.
In a second embodiment, the present invention encompasses a kit-of-parts and a
hair
treatment product. In a third embodiment, the present invention encompasses a
process
of treating hair with a hair treatment product and the applicator of the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a bottom view of the applicator.
Figure 2 is a side view of the applicator.
Figure 3 is a top view of the applicator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Applicator:
The applicator (1) of the present invention comprises a handle (2) with two
extremities.

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3
At the first extremity there is provided a first retaining structure (3a), and
at the second
extremity there is provided a second retaining structure (3b). Each of said
retaining
structures is able to receive and retain the hair treatment product that is to
be applied onto
the hair. By "retain", it is meant that the structure is able to prevent the
hair treatment
product from freely dripping from said structure, thus enabling the user to
apply the
product onto the hair before the product has dripped from the structure. To
that end, each
of said retaining structures can comprise a variety of elements such as a
spongy material,
or bristles or tines arranged on a supporting surface whose plane is generally
perpendicular to the direction of said tines or bristles. In the preferred
applicators of the
invention, the retaining structures comprise a plurality of tines (6) arranged
in a
predetermined pattern on a supporting surface. Indeed, tines are considered
most
appropriate for a consistent pattern of application of the hair treatment
product. Most
preferably, both retaining structures comprise tines arranged along several
parallel lines,
on such a supporting surface. Comb-like structures, where tines are arranged
along a
single line without a supporting surface, are not considered suitable for the
present
invention.
It is essential that the retaining structures which are located at the two
extremities of the
handle are different from one another, thus enabling flexibility in the
pattern of
application of the hair treatment product. The retaining structures can be
different in any
manner, provided that the two structures provide a different pattern of
application of the
product onto the hair. For instance, one structure could comprise a sponge and
the other
structure could comprise tines. In a preferred execution, however, both
structures
comprise tines, but the tines are
arranged differently in the two retaining structures. In the most preferred
embodiment of
the invention, one of the retaining structures (3a) comprises two heads
(4a,4b), and each
of said heads comprises a plurality of tines (6), and the other retaining
structure (3b)
comprises only one head (4c), and said head comprises a plurality of tines
(6). In the
execution shown in Fig 3., the arrangement and the size of the tines in the
two structures
are different, and the sizes of the structures themselves are also different.
Structure (3b),
in the execution in Fig. 3 allows a much more precise application of the hair
treatment

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4
product, suitable for application to smaller sections of hair, or to hair on
the back of the
head.
In a preferred embodiment, there is provided at least one baffle (7) between
the tines,
substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (A2) of the handle. The height
of the baffle
is preferably no more than about half the length of the tines. The baffle
helps to retain the
product after it has been applied to the structure, and before it is applied
to hair. In a most
preferred embodiment, there are baffles provided between all tines aligned
parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the handle.
In a preferred einbodiment, the tines have a surface (8) which is concave
towards the
middle plane (P') of the head, in a cross section in a plane (P) parallel to
the longitudinal
axis (Al) of the tine. Indeed, we have found that such a concave structure
helps draw
product out along hair strands and prevents residual product hang up in the
retaining
structure.
In a preferred embodiment, the retaining structures (3a,3b) are facing in
directions
(D1,D2) which are generally opposite, and perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis (A2) of
the handle. Indeed, we have found that it is in this configuration that the
applicator is
most conveniently used, and only one of the retaining structures applies
product to hair at
any given point in time.
Any of the preferred features described herein (baffles, concave tines,
retaining structures
facing opposite directions) can also be used independently, i.e. on
applicators which are
not according to the invention. Such applicators are expressly disclosed in
this statement
so as to reserve the right to seek patent protection for such applicators in
other patent
applications claiming priority from this application for the subject matter
which is
disclosed here, or in divisionals from this patent application.
The Kit-of-Parts:
In a second embodiment, the present invention encompasses a kit-of-parts
comprising an
applicator as described herein, and a hair treatment product. The hair
treatment product is

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preferably a product for highlighting/dying/coloring strands/sections of hair.
The kit-of-
parts preferably further comprises usage instructions to perform the process
described in
the following section.
5 The Process:
In a third embodiment, the present invention encompasses a process of treating
hair with
a hair treatment product and an applicator as described herein. The process
comprises the
steps of applying the hair treatment product onto at least one of the
retaining structures,
then applying said retaining structure onto a selected strand or strands of
hair, holding the
applicator by the handle. Those two steps are repeated until all the hair that
is to be
treated has been treated. If the retaining structure still comprises some
product after a
strand of hair has been treated, then another strand of hair can be treated
before some
more product is applied onto the retaining structure.
The process of the present invention may further comprise additional and
subsequent
steps of applying said product onto the other retaining structure of the
applicator, then
applying said other retaining structure to another selected strand of hair,
preferably one
which has not been treated in the first steps, holding the applicator by the
handle.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process is a process
for
highlighting strands of hair.

Dessin représentatif