Device for electrostatically charging the scalp or hair to attract formulations

Abstract

A device for application of a hair formulation comprises a body structure having one or more tines at a front end, wherein a tip of a tine includes an electrode; an electrostatic charger electrically connected to the electrode; and a handle extending from the body structure at an obtuse angle with respect to the front end of the body structure.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A device for application of a hair formulation, comprising:
 a body structure having one or more tines at a front end, wherein a tip of a tine includes an electrode;   an electrostatic charger electrically connected to the electrode; and   a handle extending from the body structure at an obtuse angle with respect to the front end of the body structure.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a cartridge containing a hair formulation, wherein the cartridge fits at a back end of the body structure. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the cartridge comprises a product identification tag, and the device includes a product identification tag reader. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the product identification tag includes instructions for the electrostatic charger. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions include instructions for turning on the electrostatic charger. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions include instructions for setting a voltage output by the electrostatic charger. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the hair formulation includes cationic, anionic, zwitterionic polymers or surfactants. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein all tines are arranged to lie in one plane. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the plane is a horizontal plane with respect to top and bottom sides of the device 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tine has a conical shape that decreases in diameter with forward length. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising more than one tine, wherein adjacent tines are separated by a lengthwise space between the tines that is approximately the same as the average width of a tine or greater. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making a device for cleansing hair, comprising:
 assembling a device to have a body structure having one or more tines at a front end, wherein a tip of a tine includes an electrode; an electrostatic charger electrically connected to the electrode; and a handle extending from the body structure at an obtuse angle with respect to the front end of the body structure.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising placing a cartridge containing a hair formulation at a back end of the body structure, wherein the cartridge includes a machine readable product identification tag. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the device includes a product identification tag reader. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the machine readable product identification tag includes instructions that control the electrostatic charger. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions control the electrostatic charger to turn on or to set a voltage. 
     
     
         17 . A method for cleansing hair, comprising:
 with a device, applying a hair formulation to hair or scalp or both;   with the device, agitating the hair formulation; and   with the device, creating an electrostatic charge on the hair or scalp or both.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein no external water is mixed with the hair formulation after applying. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the hair formulation includes cationic, anionic, zwitterionic polymers or surfactants. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the agitating step further comprises contacting the hair or scalp with more than one tine provided on the device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising, before the applying step, placing a cartridge at a back end of the device, wherein the cartridge contains the hair formulation.