Hair brush

Abstract

A hair brush with an array of bristles ( 4 ). Each bristle extends from a base to a free end. Some or all of the bristles have relatively wide first portion, towards the base of the bristle, and a relatively narrow second portion, towards the free end of the bristle. The bristles are arranged in offset rows and centre lines of the rows are spaced apart such that at least part of the first portion of bristles in one row extends between adjacent bristles in an adjacent row and/or, when viewed perpendicular to the rows, the width of the first portion of the bristles in one row is, over part of their length, the same or greater than the space between adjacent bristles in an adjacent row so as to partially occlude the space between bristles in an adjacent row. The bristles are sized and arranged so that the first portion of the bristles serves to easily penetrate and divide hair between the bristles and the second portion of the bristles enables tension to be applied to the hair when hair flows between the bristles.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A hair brush comprising an array of bristles, each bristle extending from a base to a free end, at least some or all of the bristles comprising a first portion, towards the base of the bristle, having a relatively large cross-sectional area and an elongate second portion, towards the free end of the bristle, having a relatively small cross-sectional area, the first portion having a non-circular cross-section at its base, which gradually transitions to a substantially circular cross-section at the point where it meets the second portion. 
     
     
         40 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein, when viewed in the same direction, the width of the widest part of the first portion of the bristles comprising the first and second portions is at least twice, or three times, the width of the bristle in the second portion at or near to its free end. 
     
     
         41 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein, when viewed in the same direction, the width of the widest part of the first portion of the bristles comprising first and second portions is no more than twelve, or fifteen, times the width of the bristle in the second portion at or near its free end. 
     
     
         42 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein the length of the bristles having first and second portions is no greater than seven, or nine, times its maximum width. 
     
     
         43 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein the length of the bristles having first and second portions is no less than twice its maximum width. 
     
     
         44 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein two opposed edges of the first portion of those bristles having first and second portions taper towards each other with a minimum average angle of at least 10 degrees between the opposed edges over the length of the first portion, and opposite sides of the second portion taper towards each other with a maximum average angle of 5 degrees between opposed edges over the length of the second portion. 
     
     
         45 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  6  wherein two opposed edges of the first portion taper towards each other with a minimum average angle of at least 15 or 18 degrees. 
     
     
         46 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  6  wherein the angle between the opposed edges of the first portion increases from the base of the bristle to the end of the first portion. 
     
     
         47 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  8  wherein the opposed edges of the first portion are curved. 
     
     
         48 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein all opposed edges of the first portion taper towards each other with a minimum average angle of at least 5 degrees between the opposed edges over the length of the first portion. 
     
     
         49 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein the non-circular cross-section is an oval cross-section. 
     
     
         50 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein edges of the first portion lying on a long axis of its oval cross-section approach each other in a curved path over the length of the first section and edges of the first portion lying on a short axis of its oval cross section approach each other in a substantially straight path over the length of the first section. 
     
     
         51 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein all opposed edges of the second portion taper towards each other with a maximum average angle of 3 degrees between the opposed edges over the length of the second portion. 
     
     
         52 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein the array of bristles is formed from two or more adjacent, spaced apart, offset, rows of bristles. 
     
     
         53 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  14  wherein over each row of the array the bristles are all of substantially the same shape. 
     
     
         54 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  14  wherein each row of bristles is substantially straight. 
     
     
         55 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  14  wherein each row of bristles is generally parallel. 
     
     
         56 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  14  wherein the rows are offset relative to each other so that the centre of each bristle in a row is substantially aligned with the midpoint between bristles in an adjacent row. 
     
     
         57 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein the non-circular cross-sectional shape of each bristle with a non-circular cross-section over at least part of its height is aligned in substantially the same direction. 
     
     
         58 . A hair brush as claimed in claim  1  wherein the long axis of the non-circular cross-section of each bristle is aligned with the direction of the long row of which it forms the part.