FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a heated hair brush.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One example of a heated hair brush is formed by the Philips heated straightening brush BHH880, having heated bristles, and non-heated bristles that are longer than the heated bristles. It has two temperature settings (170 °C and 200 °C) to best suit a user’s hair type.

US2017112271 A1 discloses a styling brush include a first set of bristles in which at least a portion of the bristle comprises a heating surface, and a second set of bristles that does not comprises any heating surface and a third set of bristles being a combination of heated and non-heated portions, and any combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the second set of bristles and/or at least one of the non-heated portion of the third set of bristles extends radially outward beyond any of the first set of bristles or the heated portion of the third set of bristles, such that a radially exterior most component comprises a non-heated contact. In an exemplary embodiment, the non-heated bristle row is positioned as an outside row and is coupled to the brush head such that the bristles may move relative to the brush head. The movement may be rotational, longitudinal, or radial. The heated bristle row may be positioned such that relative movement between the bristles and brush head is prevented.

The article “The effect of heat on skin permeability” by Jung-Hwan Park, Jeong-Woo Lee, Yeu-Chun Kim, and Mark R. Prausnitz, discloses that although the effects of long exposure (» 1 s) to moderate temperatures (< 100 °C) have been well characterized, recent studies suggest that shorter exposure (< 1 s) to higher temperatures (> 100 °C) can dramatically increase skin permeability. The article describes tests on skin obtained from cadavers (human and pigs).

The article “Assessing the Impact of Heat on the Systemic Delivery of Fentanyl Through the Transdermal Fentanyl Delivery System” by T. Samuel Shomaker, Jie Zhang, and Michael A. Ashbum, describes an experiment on living humans in which heat passing through a fentanyl patch increases skin temperature to 41 °C + 1 °C, (Jie Zhang, PhD, University of Utah Department of Anesthesia, unpublished results, 1998), an effective range for drug absorption. The patch is designed to produce heat for 4 hours and then become inactive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, inter alia, an object of the invention to provide an improved heated brush. The invention is defined by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. The invention is based on the recognition that applying topicals to the scalp may help to increase scalp and hair health. The invention aims to provide practical solutions to improve the effectiveness of applying a topical. One aspect of the invention proposes to modify a hot brush (e.g. a Philips BHH880) to get a multifunctional device that can be used to more effectively ensure that a topical is absorbed by the skin, e.g. the skin of the scalp. In a first mode, the hot brush would work like a classical hot brush, so with safety spacers (non-heated protrusions) that separate the scalp from the hot elements (heated protrusions) that serve to straighten the hair at about 170 - 200 °C. In a second mode, the temperature would be lower, e.g. about 40 °C to 50 °C, and the safety spacers would be lowered so that the hot elements can directly touch the scalp so as to warm the skin to improve the permeability of the skin for the topical. This could be done e.g. mechanically, coupled to a switch that switches the temperature. As a temperature of between 40 °C and 50 °C results in a pleasant spa-like experience, it is expected that users will only slowly move the device over the skin, thereby resulting in that the temperature is applied sufficiently long to effectively increase absorption of the topical by the skin.

One aspect of the invention provides a heated hair brush that comprises heated protrusions; non-heated protrusions; a control unit arranged for controlling a temperature of the heated protrusions; and a mechanism arranged for controlling a position of the non-heated protrusions relative to a position of the heated protrusions. In a first mode, the non-heated protrusions extend beyond the heated protrusions, and the temperature of the heated protrusions exceeds 100 °C. In a second mode, the non- heated protrusions do not extend beyond the heated protrusions, and the temperature of the heated protrusions does not exceed 50 °C. The heated protrusions may be connected to a first carrier, and the non-heated protrusions may be connected to a second carrier. In one embodiment, a distance between the first and second carriers is modifiable, wherein in the first mode, the distance is smaller than in the second mode. In another embodiment, the second carrier is laterally moveable with regard to the first carrier, whereby in the first mode, the non-heated protrusions are parallel to the heated protrusions whereby the non-heated protrusions extend beyond the heated protrusions, while in the second mode, the non-heated protrusions are at an angle to the heated protrusions whereby the non-heated protrusions do not extend beyond the heated protrusions.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figs. 1 - 3 illustrate embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention, by means of side views of a heated hair brush in a first mode I (left view) and a second mode II (right view). A handle H is mounted to a brush base B. The brush has heated protrusions HP and non-heated protrusions NHP. In the first mode I, the non-heated protrusions NHP extend beyond the heated protrusions HP. In the second mode II, the non-heated protrusions NHP do not extend beyond the heated protrusions HP. A control unit C is arranged for controlling a temperature of the heated protrusions HP in such a way, that in the first mode I, the temperature of the heated protrusions HP exceeds 100 °C (e.g. at least 150 °C, and preferably at about 170 - 200 °C), while in the second mode II, the temperature of the heated protrusions HP is set to be higher than normal skin temperature but does not exceed 50 °C. In the second mode II, the temperature could be between 40 °C and 50 °C, e.g. between 40 °C and 45 °C. The control unit C may have user buttons allowing a user to set the desired temperature and the desired mode I or II, a temperature sensor arranged for measuring an actual temperature of the heated protrusions (HP) or a first carrier on which the heated protrusions are mounted, and a processor arranged for controlling the actual temperature to match the desired temperature, all of which are not shown.

The heated protrusions HP may be made from aluminum/or die casted with a coating (e.g. ceramic). The non-heated protrusions NHP may be made from a glass fiber filled type or rubber type of material. The heated protrusions HP and the non-heated protrusions NHP may be alternatingly positioned.

Figs. 2 and 3 show two embodiments of how a mechanism arranged for controlling a position of the non-heated protrusions NHP relative to a position of the heated protrusions could be made. The mechanism could be operated manually or by means of an actuator (not shown). If operated manually, then if the position of the non-heated protrusions NHP is set at the position of the second mode, then this action would prompt the control unit to set the temperature of the heated protrusions HP to a value of between 40 °C and 50 °C. If operated by an actuator, then triggered by a user input selecting the second mode II, a controller may simultaneously control the actuator to go to the position for the second mode II and set the temperature of the heated protrusions HP to a value of between 40 °C and 50 °C. The actuator may be controlled to only go to the position for the second mode II once the actual temperature of the heated protrusions HP is low enough to be safe, e.g. not exceeding 50 °C, as measured by a temperature sensor that may be present to control the temperature of the heated protrusions HP in the first mode I. An indicator (e.g. a LED that may be orange colored) may signal to a user that the device is waiting for the temperature of the heated protrusions HP to be safe.

The heated protrusions HP are connected to a first carrier FC, and the non-heated protrusions NHP are connected to a second carrier SC. As usual, the first carrier FC may be provided with heater elements (not shown), e.g. PTC heaters or (metal) ceramic heaters.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, a distance d between the first carrier FC and the second carrier SC is modifiable. Fig. 2 shows the distance d in the second mode II. In the first mode I, the distance d is smaller than in the second mode II whereby the non-heated protrusions NHP extend beyond the heated protrusions HP.

In the embodiment of Fig. 3, the second carrier SC is laterally moveable with regard to the first carrier FC. In the first mode I (like in Fig. 2 but with the distance d being smaller than shown in Fig. 2), the non-heated protrusions NHP are parallel to the heated protrusions HP whereby the non-heated protrusions NHP extend beyond the heated protrusions HP. In the second mode II, the non-heated protrusions NHP are at an angle to the heated protrusions HP whereby the non-heated protrusions NHP do not extend beyond the heated protrusions HP.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For example, in the first mode, the temperature of the heated protrusions may be switchable, e.g. between 170 °C and 200 °C. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and/or by means of a suitably programmed processor. In the device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. Measures recited in mutually different dependent claims may advantageously be used in combination.