Hair coloring apparatus, kit and associated methods

Abstract

A hair coloring apparatus, kit, and related methods are provided. The apparatus includes a container having a medial body portion and an inner container chamber formed in the medial body portion for containing a first hair coloring solution. The container also includes an interior recess for containing a second hair coloring solution and a plunger used for mixing the second hair coloring solution into the first hair coloring solution within the inner chamber. The apparatus also includes a recess closing means such as a valve to isolate the second hair coloring solution from the first hair coloring solution prior to mixing. The apparatus also includes a hair color mixture dispenser connected to the container. The dispenser includes a brush applicator having a plurality of clusters of flexible bristles for applying a hair coloring mixture onto the hair of a user.

1 - 58 . (canceled)  
     
     
         59 . A hair color dispenser comprising: 
 a brush applicator having a proximal brush applicator end, a distal brush applicator end, a plurality of hair color extrusion channels positioned between the proximal brush applicator end and the distal brush applicator end, and a plurality of flexible bristles associated with the distal brush applicator end, positioned along a length of the distal brush applicator end, and each adjacent at least one of the plurality of hair color extrusion channels; and    an extrusion channel closer adapted to be positioned adjacent the open distal body end portion of a container and the proximal brush applicator end of the brush applicator to selectively close the hair color extrusion channels so that a hair color fluid when positioned within the container is prevented from flowing into the plurality of hair color mixture extrusion channels.    
     
     
         60 . A dispenser as defined in  claim 59 , wherein the extrusion channel closer includes: 
 a rotatable closure cap connected between the open distal body end portion of the container and the proximal brush applicator end of the brush applicator and having a plurality of rotatable closure cap openings in fluid communication with a corresponding plurality of the hair color fluid extrusion channels, wherein rotating the closure cap in a first direction allows fluid hair color to flow through the plurality of rotatable closure cap openings and rotating the rotatable closure cap in a second direction substantially prevents hair color fluid from flowing through the plurality of rotatable closure cap opening.    
     
     
         61 . A dispenser as defined in  claim 60 , wherein the extrusion channel closer further comprises a membrane adapted to be positioned between the open distal body end portion of the container and the rotatable closure cap and having a plurality of membrane openings adapted to be in fluid communication with an inner chamber of the container and the rotatable closure cap, at least one of the plurality of membrane openings substantially axially aligned and in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of closure cap openings when the closure cap is rotated in the first direction to allow the hair color fluid to flow through the plurality of rotatable closure cap openings, and each of the plurality of membrane openings substantially nonaligned with each of the plurality of closure cap openings when the closure cap is rotated in the second direction to substantially prevent the hair color fluid from flowing through the plurality of rotatable closure cap openings.  
     
     
         62 . A dispenser as defined in  claim 59 , wherein the proximal brush applicator end includes a proximal lengthwise extent and a proximal widthwise extent, wherein the distal brush applicator end includes a distal lengthwise extent and a distal widthwise extent, wherein the distal widthwise extent is substantially shorter than the proximal widthwise extent, wherein each of the plurality of hair color extrusion channels is substantially unobstructed and is positioned spaced apart in a single row along the distal lengthwise extent of the distal brush applicator end to provide substantially uniform lengthwise distribution of the hair color fluid, and wherein each of the plurality of flexible bristles is positioned in a surrounding relationship to at least one of the plurality of hair color extrusion channels to provide concentrated wetting of each of the plurality of flexible bristles positioned therewith to thereby further provide substantially uniform lengthwise dispersion of the dispensed hair color to a lengthwise area of hair of the user.  
     
     
         63 . A dispenser as defined in  claim 59 , wherein the hair color dispenser is adapted to be relatively permanently affixed to an open distal body end portion of the container to prevent separation of the hair coloring dispenser from the open distal body end portion of the container by the user to thereby prevent spilling of hair color fluid when positioned in the container  
     
     
         64 . An dispenser as defined in  claim 59 , wherein the proximal brush applicator end of the hair color dispenser is adapted to be integral with an open distal body end portion of the container to prevent opening of the container by the user to thereby prevent spilling of the hair color fluid when positioned in the container.  
     
     
         65 . A hair fluid dispenser comprising: 
 a brush applicator having a proximal brush applicator end, a distal brush applicator end, a plurality of hair fluid extrusion channels positioned between the proximal brush applicator end and the distal brush applicator end, and a plurality of flexible bristles associated with the distal brush applicator end, positioned along a length of the distal brush applicator end, and positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of hair fluid extrusion channels; and    an extrusion channel closing valve connected between the open distal body end portion of the container and the proximal brush applicator end of the brush applicator to selectively close the hair fluid extrusion channels so that hair color fluid within an inner chamber of a container is prevented from flowing into the plurality of hair fluid extrusion channels, the extrusion channel closing valve including a rotatable closure cap having a plurality of rotatable closure cap openings adapted to be in fluid communication with a corresponding plurality of the hair fluid extrusion channels so that rotating the closure cap in a first direction allows the hair fluid when positioned in the inner chamber of the container to flow through the plurality of rotatable closure cap openings and rotating the rotatable closure cap in a second direction substantially prevents the hair fluid when positioned in the inner chamber of the container from flowing through the plurality of rotatable closure cap openings.    
     
     
         66 . A dispenser as defined in  claim 65 , wherein the proximal brush applicator end includes a proximal lengthwise extent and a proximal widthwise extent, wherein the distal brush applicator end includes a distal lengthwise extent and a distal widthwise extent, wherein the distal widthwise extent is substantially shorter than the proximal widthwise extent, wherein each of the plurality of hair fluid extrusion channels is positioned spaced apart in a single row along the distal lengthwise extent of the distal brush applicator end to provide substantially uniform lengthwise distribution of the hair color fluid, and wherein each of the plurality of hair fluid mixture extrusion channels adjacent the distal brush applicator end is substantially unobstructed.  
     
     
         67 . A hair fluid dispenser adapted to be connected to an open distal body end portion of a container to dispense hair fluid therefrom, the hair fluid dispenser comprising: 
 a brush applicator having a proximal brush applicator end, a distal brush applicator end, a plurality of hair color mixture extrusion channels positioned between the proximal brush applicator end and the distal brush applicator end, and a plurality of flexible bristles associated with the distal brush applicator end positioned along a length of the distal brush applicator end and positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of hair fluid extrusion channels, the proximal brush applicator end of the hair fluid dispenser being adapted to be associated with the open distal body end portion of the container to prevent opening of the container by the user to thereby prevent spilling of the hair fluid;    an extrusion channel closing valve connected adjacent the distal brush applicator end of the brush applicator to selectively close the hair fluid extrusion channels; and    a multi-prong closure cap positioned adjacent the distal brush applicator end and having a plurality of teeth each sealingly positioned within one of the plurality of hair color mixture extrusion channels to selectively close the hair fluid extrusion channels so that hair fluid when positioned within the inner container chamber is prevented from flowing out of the plurality of hair fluid extrusion channels.    
     
     
         68 . A hair fluid dispenser adapted to be connected to an open distal body end portion of a container having an inner container chamber to contain a hair fluid within to dispense the hair fluid therefrom, the hair fluid dispenser comprising: 
 a brush applicator having a proximal brush applicator end including a proximal lengthwise extent and a proximal widthwise extent, a distal brush applicator end including a distal lengthwise extent and a distal widthwise extent substantially shorter than the proximal widthwise extent, at least one hair fluid extrusion channel positioned between the proximal brush applicator end and the distal brush applicator end, and a plurality of flexible bristles associated with the distal brush applicator end and each positioned along the distal lengthwise extent of the distal brush applicator end and positioned adjacent the at least one hair fluid extrusion channel to provide substantially uniform lengthwise distribution of the hair fluid; and    an extrusion channel closing valve positioned adjacent the open distal body end portion of the container and the proximal brush applicator end of the brush applicator and adapted to selectively close the at least one hair fluid extrusion channel so that the hair color fluid when within the inner chamber of the container is prevented from flowing into the at least one hair fluid extrusion channels.    
     
     
         69 . A dispenser as defined in  claim 68 , wherein the extrusion channel closing valve includes a non-removable rotatable closure cap connected between the open distal body end portion of the container and the proximal brush applicator end of the brush applicator and having at least one rotatable closure cap opening selectively in fluid communication with the at least one hair fluid extrusion channel, and wherein rotating the closure cap in a first direction allows the hair fluid to flow through the at least one rotatable closure cap opening and rotating the rotatable closure cap in a second direction substantially prevents the hair fluid from flowing through the at least one rotatable closure cap opening.  
     
     
         70 . A dispenser as defined in  claim 69 , wherein the at least one hair fluid extrusion channel adjacent the distal brush applicator end is substantially unobstructed, and wherein each of the plurality of flexible bristles is positioned in a surrounding relationship to the at least one hair fluid extrusion channel to provide concentrated wetting of each of the plurality of flexible bristles positioned therewith to thereby further provide substantially uniform lengthwise dispersion of the dispensed hair fluid onto hair.