WO2008096960A1

WO2008096960A1 - Tool for cleansing scalp

Info

Publication number: WO2008096960A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/006789
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eui Hoon Park; Woong Gul Choi; Gyu Sik Kim; Woo Jung Lee
Original assignee: NABION CO Ltd
Current assignee: NABION CO Ltd
Priority date: 2007-02-08
Filing date: 2007-12-24
Publication date: 2008-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2009-08-08
Also published as: KR100782570B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a scalp cleansing implement, which includes a fmger-fitting part formed on an upper portion thereof for inserting fingers thereinto with them spread apart, a liquid storage part formed in the body thereof for storing a cleansing solution, and a plurality of soft lugs and liquid discharge outlets formed on the bottom surface of the body, thereby providing an excellent cleansing and massaging effect without any need for placing the cleansing solution into the palm of the hand to apply it onto the hair and scalp, and without any blockage of liquid discharge outlets upon the cleansing solution discharge.

Description

TOOL FOR CLEANSING SCALP

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a scalp cleansing implement, and more particularly, to a scalp cleansing implement, which includes a finger-fitting part formed on an upper portion thereof for inserting fingers thereinto with them spread apart, a liquid storage part formed in the body thereof for storing a cleansing solution, and a plurality of soft lugs and liquid discharge outlets formed on the bottom surface of the body, thereby providing an excellent cleansing and massaging effect without any need for placing the cleansing solution into the palm of the hand to apply it onto the hair and scalp, and without any blockage of the liquid discharge outlets upon the cleansing solution discharge.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, hair cleansing is performed regularly in a hair salon or at home through a series of steps of: wetting the hair; applying a cleansing solution, such as shampoo to the wet hair; massaging the scalp gently with fingertips, allowing suds to be distributed throughout hair; and rinsing the hair with water.

However, such hair cleansing process causes inconvenience in that users have to place the cleansing solution into the palm of the hand to apply it onto the wet hair, which causes the cleansing solution flow through the hands since shower is separated from a cleansing solution container, and also has problems in that it is difficult to generate a rich lather and provide the effect of massaging the entire scalp because the users produce bubbles themselves and massage the scalp with their own fingertips, and hence it cannot provide a satisfactory cleansing effect. In the meantime, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 10,313,947 and 1,146,865 and Korean Utility Model Publication No. 199,015,246 respectively disclose a hair brush for cleansing the hair through the steps of: ejecting a solution, such as hair tonic or hair restorer induced from a liquid container, through a brush face; and directly applying the liquid on the hair to clean it.

However, in case of the hair brush disclosed in the above documents, since a cleansing solution is discharged through a front end portion of a brush, if the brush is made of a material having strong rigidity to prevent deformation of liquid passageways due to the brush being pressed down, the front end portion of the brush may excessively stimulate the scalp to cause pain. On the other hand, if the hair brush is made of a material having weak rigidity to prevent pain, it is difficult to properly apply the cleansing solution on the scalp since the brush is deformed due to the weak rigidity.

Furthermore, since the cleansing solution remaining after use is coagulated in fine liquid discharge passageways of the brush, it cannot be reused immediately, and hence, must be washed out immediately after use. Additionally, in case of cleansing solutions without thickener, it is difficult to easily adjust the discharge amount of cleansing solution due to a weak viscosity of cleansing solution, and cleansing solution may spill if a liquid container is not used.

Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Publication No. 10,328,918 discloses a cleaning solution holding container, which discharges a cleansing solution through a brush part connected thereto by pressing down a pressing lid. However, such hair brush provided therewith has a problem in that it is impossible for the elders having weak grasp force or power to clean their hair by themselves since they themselves have to press down the pressing lid. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a portable scalp cleansing implement which anyone can easily and conveniently use without causing severe skin irritation, and which can provide both a cleansing effect and a massaging effect.

Accordingly, the present inventor have made extensive efforts to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and as a result, developed a scalp cleansing implement, which includes a liquid storage part formed in the body thereof for storing a cleansing solution, a plurality of soft lugs and liquid discharge outlets formed on the bottom surface of the body, and a finger-fitting part formed on an upper portion thereof for inserting fingers thereinto with them spread apart, and confirmed that the scalp cleansing implement of the present invention can provide an excellent cleansing effect and a massaging effect without any need for placing cleansing solution into the palm of the hand to apply it onto the hair and scalp, and any blockage of the liquid discharge outlets upon the cleansing solution discharge, thereby completing the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a scalp cleansing implement having a cleansing effect as well as a massaging effect, which anyone can easily and conveniently use without causing severe skin irritation.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a scalp cleansing implement comprising: a domelike body connected to a brush part to form a liquid storage part therein a stopper having a liquid supply inlet formed on an upper portion thereof, which is connected to a finger-fitting part for preventing the fingers from being separated from the finger- fitting part; a finger-fitting part for inserting fingers thereinto with them spread apart, through which the stopper is integrally connected to the body; a backflow prevention valve mounted in a liquid passageway communicating with the liquid supply inlet, formed inside the finger- fitting part, for preventing backflow of liquid to a liquid supply part; and a brush part having a plurality of liquid discharge outlets and a plurality of lugs formed on the bottom surface thereof, which is coupled to an outer periphery of a lower portion of the body.

The plurality of lugs is preferably made of flexible synthetic resin or rubber. The body is made of a semi-transparent or transparent material to allow the user to check the volume of the liquid. A portion of the brush part can be reversibly deformed by pressure.

In addition, the liquid discharge outlets are straight type fine holes. The liquid is preferably one selected from the group consisting of a cleansing solution, a cosmetic liquid, a hair restorer, and a mixture solution thereof, which have low viscosity. The viscosity of the liquid is within a range of from 15cP to 25,00OcP.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a scalp cleansing implement according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the principle of a backflow prevention valve of the scalp cleansing implement according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 2(a) shows the principle of the backflow prevention valve for introducing a cleansing solution into the inside of the body, and FIG. 2(b) shows the principle of the backflow prevention valve for preventing backflow of cleansing solution introduced into the inside of the body. FIG. 3 shows a brush part of the inventive scalp cleansing implement. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a change in the shape of the scalp cleansing implement when the implement is used, wherein FIG. 4(a) is a side cross- sectional view showing the state before use of the scalp cleansing implement, and FIG. 4(b) is a side cross-sectional view showing the state of the scalp cleansing implement during use.

FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional view of the inventive scalp cleansing implement, wherein FIG. 5(a) is a schematic view of the scalp cleansing implement, FIG. 5(b) is a bottom view of the brush part, FIG. 5(c) is a side view of the brush part, and FIG. 5(d) is a side view showing a stopper, a finger- fitting part and the body. <Explanation on essential reference numerals in drawings> 1 : stopper 2: finger- fitting part 3: body

4: brush part 10: liquid supply inlet

20: liquid passageway 30: backflow prevention valve 40: liquid storage part 50: liquid discharge outlet

60: lugs 70: press-fitting groove

80: grip for attachment and detachment 90: press-fitting projection

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a scalp cleansing implement having a cleansing effect as well as a massaging effect, which anyone can easily and conveniently use without causing severe skin irritation. The scalp cleansing implement includes a stopper 1, a finger- fitting part 2, a body 3, and a brush part 4.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the body 3 has a predetermined thickness and width to form general outward appearance of the scalp cleansing implement. Preferably, the upper surface of the body 3 is formed in a domelike shape in order to enhance contact force between the body 3 and the palm of the hand and provides a good grip when it is in close contact with the palm of the hand. The body 3 preferably has a liquid storage part 40 formed therein for storing a liquid such as a cleansing solution, and is made of a semi-transparent or transparent material to allow the user to visually check the volume of the liquid contained in the liquid storage part.

Furthermore, in the scalp cleansing implement, the finger-fitting part 2 is formed vertically at the selected area of an upper portion of the body 3, and the stopper 1 extends horizontally from the top end of the finger-fitting part 2. The finger- fitting part 2 fits onto the user's fingers. It is preferable that the finger-fitting part 2 has thickness that does not cause inconvenient feeling and has a height corresponding to the thickness of an adult's finger when the finger-fitting part 2 fits onto the fingers, such that there is no gap formed between the stopper 1 and the fingers and the body is in close contact with the palm of the hand.

In order to prevent the fingers from being separated from the finger-fitting part 2 when the fingers are inserted into the finger-fitting part 2, the stopper 1 is formed on the top of the finger- fitting part 2. At this time, the upper surface of the body 3 is in close contact with the palm of the hand by the stopper 1 , so that the user can use the scalp cleansing implement in a stable manner. The stopper 1 has a liquid supply inlet 10 formed as an opening, on an upper portion thereof in such a way that the entrance of a liquid container is fit into the liquid supply inlet 10 to supply a desired amount of cleansing solution. The supplied liquid is introduced into the liquid storage part 40 of the body through a liquid passageway 20 formed in the finger-fitting part 2.

A backflow prevention valve 30 is mounted in the liquid passageway 20 of the finger-fitting part 2 such that liquid is introduced into the liquid storage part 40 in the body through the liquid passageway 20 equipped with the backflow prevention valve 30 when liquid is supplied through the liquid supply outlet 10 of the stopper 1, and the backflow prevention valve 30 prevents backflow of liquid from the liquid storage part to the liquid passageway 20. (See FIG. 2)

In the meantime, as shown in FIG. 3, the brush part 4 has a press-fitting projection 90 adapted to press-fit the outer periphery thereof to the outer periphery of the lower portion of the body 3, and the press-fitting projection 90 is press-fit into a press-fitting groove 70 formed on the outer periphery of an opening of the body 3 having an arc-shaped section, so that the body 3 and the brush part 4 can be easily detached. Meanwhile, even the inside of the scalp cleansing implement according to the present invention can be entirely cleaned since it can be easily disassembled when a grip for attachment and detachment 80 formed on an end portion of the bottom surface of the body 3 is pulled downward. The brush part 4 includes a plurality of lugs 60 and a plurality of liquid discharge outlets 50 formed on the bottom surface thereof. The brush part 4 may be made of a flexible synthetic resin, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and so on, which is used by mixing at a given ratio. Alternatively, the brush part 4 may be made of a resin with similar hardness to and the same shrinkage as the above flexible synthetic resin.

The liquid discharge outlets 50 are formed as straight fine holes such that when the user presses the scalp cleansing implement against a desired scalp area, the flexible brush part 4 is deformed by a pressing force to cause an increase in the size of the liquid discharge outlets 50 of the brush part 4 and thus liquid contained in the liquid storage part 40 of the body 3 is discharged to the desired scalp area through the liquid discharge outlets 50. Hence, the scalp cleansing implement allows the user to cleanse the scalp without any liquid in contact with the palm of the hand, and can adjust the amount of the liquid discharged, through the control of the pressure exerted on the scalp by the scalp cleansing implement. Furthermore, when the scalp cleansing implement is not used, liquid is not discharged to the outside. In addition, the lugs 60 have the same shape as that of a general hair brush such as a conical shape, a linear shape and so on, and are preferably made of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), silicon, elastomer or the like, which the degree of rigidity and intensity with which they can be reversibly deformable upon massaging and brushing the scalp, or made of an elastic body, such as flexible synthetic resin or rubber, but are not limited to the above-mentioned shapes and materials. The lugs 60 can brush and massage the scalp to enhance the blood circulation of the scalp, cleanse the hair as well as the scalp, and prevent inflammation of the scalp or hair loss due to chemical materials since liquid containing a great amount of chemical material is not directly applied onto the scalp.

The lugs 60 and the brush part 4 have different rigidity since materials used for each of them are different. Users can cleanse the hair according to their preference since the hardness of the lugs 60 can be changed to suit the user's taste. Accordingly, it is preferable to replace only the damaged lugs 60 if the lugs 60 are damaged, worn out or deteriorated due to massage, and so on. As an example, in order to replace the lugs 60, each lug 60 may have a spiral coupling protrusion formed on the top end portion thereof and the brush part 4 may also has a coupling protrusion in a region corresponding to the coupling region of the lug 60, so that the lug 60 can be detached from the brush part 4 when the lug 60 is rotated from the lower portion of the coupling protrusion of the brush part 4.

According to the present invention, since liquid is not discharged through the lugs 60, it is not hardened inside the lugs 60 and thus does not block the liquid passageway. Furthermore, the scalp cleansing implement does not cause excessive stimulation of the scalp since the lugs 60 are not made of a material having strong rigidity, and can be used for a cleansing solution, a hair treatment solution or a hair restoration solution, which have low viscosity, since liquid is discharged from the liquid discharge outlets 50 only when the user applies a pressing force to the desired scalp area.

In general, the cleansing solutions contain various kinds of surfactants to provide a cleansing function. However, since the surfactants have flowability like water due to its low viscosity, they flow through from the user's hand while being placed in the palm of the hand. Accordingly, to solve the above problem, commercially available conventional cleansing solutions are added with salts, such as sodium chloride (NaCl) to cause salting out phenomenon in the cleansing solutions, thus increasing viscosity. But since the salting out phenomenon reduces cleansing ability, the surfactant must be added as much as the amount that can offset reduced cleansing ability.

Accordingly, the scalp cleansing implement according to the present invention is characterized in that it can be used for cleansing solutions having low viscosity.

In the present invention, viscosity measurement of cleansing solutions was carried out with a number 4 spindle at 12 rpm using DV-II+ model (Rookfield

Co.) at room temperature. As a result of the measurement, viscosity of the commercially available conventional cleansing solution is within a range from 25,00OcP to 35,00OcP, whereas it is preferable that viscosity of the cleansing solution used in the scalp cleansing implement according to the present invention is within a range from 15cP to 25,00OcP. If the viscosity of the cleansing solution is more than 25,00OcP, it is difficult to discharge it through the liquid discharge outlets, but if the viscosity of the solution is less than 15cP, the solution may leak out before use due to low viscosity. The viscosity of 15cP is a result value measured with a number 4 spindle at 12 rpm using the same measuring instrument.

Use of the scalp cleansing implement according to the present invention, is through a series of steps of: liquid such as a cleansing solution or the like is injected to the liquid supply inlet 10 formed on the upper portion of the stopper 1 , injected liquid is stored in the liquid storage part 40 in the body 3 through the liquid passageway 20 formed in the finger- fitting part 2; if the user inserts his or her fingers into the finger- fitting part 2 with them spread apart, grasps the body 3 with the palm of the hand and presses the brush part 4 onto the desired head area, liquid is discharged and concentratively applied to the desired head area. Thereafter, when the user brushes the desired scalp area to which the liquid is applied, the lugs 60 mounted on the bottom surface of the brush part 4 massage the scalp, thus enhancing blood circulation and cleansing the scalp as well as the hair.

FIG. 4 (a) shows the state before use of the scalp cleansing implement and FIG. 4(b) shows the state where the scalp cleansing implement is pressed against the scalp. As shown in FIG. 4(b), when the scalp cleansing implement is pressed against the scalp, the brush part 4 is deformed concavely at the bottom portion thereof to make excellent contact with the scalp surface, such that the lugs 60 of the brush part 4 can enhance a massaging effect and a finger-pressure treatment effect.

FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional view of the scalp cleansing implement, wherein FIG. 5(a) is a schematic view of the scalp cleansing implement, FIG. 5(b) is a bottom view of the brush part, FIG. 5(c) is a side view of the brush part, and FIG. 5(d) is a side view showing a stopper, a finger-fitting part and the body.

Therefore, the portable scalp cleansing implement according to the present invention can allow anyone to easily and conveniently use it without causing severe skin irritation, and provide the cleansing effect as well as the massaging effect.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above in detail, the present invention has effects to provide the portable scalp cleansing implement allowing anyone to easily and conveniently use, and at the same time having a cleansing effect and a massaging effect. In addition, the portable scalp cleansing implement can be easily used in hair salons and at home without feeling any fatigue on the hand in spite of long-term use since the fingers can easily fit into the body with them spread apart, maximize the cleansing and massaging effects even with a small amount of liquid since liquid having low viscosity without any thickener contained therein, can be used to effectively apply the liquid onto the hair and scalp, and sufficiently provide the massage effect and finger-pressure treatment effect to the scalp through the lugs with proper stimulation.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the specific features, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this description is only for a preferred embodiment and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Thus, the substantial scope of the present invention will be defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

THE CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

L A scalp cleansing implement comprising: a domelike body connected to a brush part to form a liquid storage part therein; a stopper having a liquid supply inlet formed on an upper portion thereof, which is connected to a finger-fitting part for preventing the fingers from being separated from the finger- fitting part; a finger-fitting part for inserting fingers thereinto with them spread apart, through which the stopper is integrally connected to the body; a backflow prevention valve mounted in a liquid passageway communicating with the liquid supply inlet, formed inside the finger-fitting part for preventing backflow of liquid to a liquid supply part; and a brush part having a plurality of liquid discharge outlets and a plurality of lugs formed on the bottom surface thereof, which is coupled to an outer periphery of a lower portion of the body.

2. The scalp cleansing implement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lugs are made of soft synthetic resin or rubber.

3. The scalp cleansing implement according to claim 1, wherein the liquid discharge outlets are straight type fine holes.

4. The scalp cleansing implement according to claim 1 , wherein the body is made of a semi-transparent or transparent material to allow the user to check the amount of the cleansing liquid.

5. The scalp cleansing implement according to claim 1 , wherein said portion of the brush part can be reversibly deformed by pressure.

6. The scalp cleansing implement according to claim 1 , wherein the cleansing liquid is selected from the group consisting of a cleansing solution, a cosmetic liquid, hair restorer, and a mixture thereof, which have low viscosity.

7. The scalp cleansing implement according to claim 6, wherein the low viscosity of the liquid is within a range from 15cP to 25,00OcP.