Hairbrush

Abstract

A hairbrush comprising a body and a handle, wherein the body comprises a front portion and a back portion, the front portion comprising a plurality of bristles; wherein the handle is slidably engaged with respect to the body such that the handle is movable between an extended position, in which the handle is graspable by a user, and a retracted position, in which the handle is substantially retracted into the body, wherein the body comprises at least one guide rail that cooperates with an end of the handle so as to guide the handle between the extended and retracted positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hairbrush comprising a body and a handle,
 wherein the body comprises a front portion and a back portion, the front portion comprising a plurality of bristles;   wherein the handle is slidably engaged with respect to the body such that the handle is movable between an extended position, in which the handle is graspable by a user, and a retracted position, in which the handle is substantially retracted into the body,   wherein the body comprises at least one guide rail that cooperates with an end of the handle so as to guide the handle between the extended and retracted positions,   wherein at least one of the guide rails is resiliently flexible, and   wherein the handle and the at least one resiliently flexible guide rail interact to provide a snap fit as the handle moves into the extended position.   
     
     
         2 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one resiliently flexible guide rail or at least one further resiliently flexible guide rail interacts with the handle to provide a snap fit as the handle moves into the retracted position. 
     
     
         3 . The hairbrush of  claim 2 , wherein the resiliently flexible guide rails are elongate cantilevers with a fixed proximal end and a free distal end, the free distal end interacting with the handle to provide the snap fit. 
     
     
         4 . The hairbrush of  claim 3 , wherein the body comprises a first pair of guide rails. 
     
     
         5 . The hairbrush of  claim 4 , wherein the first pair of guide rails are provided either side of the end of the handle and at least one of the guide rails of the first pair of guide rails resiliently flexes in a lateral direction with respect to the handle to provide the snap fit as handle moves into the extended position. 
     
     
         6 . The hairbrush of  claim 4 , wherein the body comprises a second pair of guide rails provided either side of the end of the handle, wherein at least one of the guide rails of the second pair of guide rails resiliently flexes in a lateral direction with respect to the handle to provide a snap fit as the handle moves into the retracted position. 
     
     
         7 . The hairbrush of  claim 6 , wherein the second pair of guide rails are longitudinally spaced apart from the first pair of guide rails. 
     
     
         8 . The hairbrush of  claim 6 , wherein the free distal ends of the at least one resiliently flexible guide rail of the first pair of guide rails and the at least one resiliently flexible guide rail of the second pair of guide rails are at opposite ends of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a ramp portion at the end of handle, the ramp portion being arranged to interact with at least one resiliently flexible guide rail to cause the resiliently flexible guide rail to flex. 
     
     
         10 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the or each of the resiliently flexible guide rails comprises one of a protrusion or recess that is configured to cooperate with a corresponding recess or protrusion on the handle, the protrusion and recess being configured to engage one another when the handle is in the extended and/or retracted positions. 
     
     
         11 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least one rigid guide rail configured to guide the handle between the extended and retracted positions. 
     
     
         12 . The hairbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the handle comprises at least one slot, wherein the slot and rigid guide rail cooperate with one another. 
     
     
         13 . The hairbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the body comprises a pair of rigid guide rails and the handle comprises a pair of corresponding slots, and wherein one of the rigid guide rails and its corresponding slot have a substantially rectangular cross-section and the other rigid guide rail and its corresponding slot have a substantially triangular cross-section. 
     
     
         14 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the end of the handle comprises a tapered portion and the body comprises a correspondingly tapered region that receives the tapered portion of the handle when the handle is in the extended position. 
     
     
         15 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a bridge part that extends over the handle, the bridge part holding the handle captive relative to the body. 
     
     
         16 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front portion and back portion is interchangeable with a respective another front portion and another back portion. 
     
     
         17 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the body defines a cavity and the body comprises an outer wall extending around the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The hairbrush of  claim 17 , wherein the outer wall comprises an opening for the handle to pass through. 
     
     
         19 . The hairbrush of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the guide rails extends across at least a portion of the cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the hairbrush further comprises a removable cover portion, the cover portion being configured to protect the bristles.