Environmentally safe hairbrush with automatically disentangling removable handle, magnetic rollers and removable bristles

Abstract

A hairbrush comprises a detachable handle; a metal roller including linear apertures and disposable bristles, and a coupling mechanism allowing the roller to automatically rotate on an axis of rotation when it encounters a tangle during use. A degree of resistance of the roller to rotation varies to correspond to a hair type of the client. A ribbed inner wall of a receiving portion of the roller receives a top portion of the handle. The top portion may have within it prongs and a movable piece inward of the prongs that varies the pressure against rotation of the roller. Ball bearings extend outwardly from the prongs to the ribbed inner wall. Bumps on the prongs keep the handle from detaching from the roller unless an exertion is made. A magnetic attraction between the rollers emplaces the rollers firmly in the hair and allows the brush to be extended.

1 . A hairbrush for use on hair of a client, comprising:
 a handle;   a hair roller including bristles;   a coupling mechanism coupling the handle to the hair roller, the coupling mechanism allowing the hair roller to automatically rotate on an axis of rotation when the hair roller encounters a tangle during use of the hairbrush, the coupling mechanism having a setting to vary a degree of resistance to the rotation of the hair roller to correspond to a hair type of the client,   wherein the coupling of the hair roller to the handle can be manually overcome to detach the handle from the hair roller.   
     
     
         2 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         3 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes a ribbed inner wall of a receiving portion of the hair roller. 
     
     
         4 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes ball bearings situated between prongs of the handle and an inner wall of a receiving portion of the hair roller, the receiving portion located at a proximal end of the hair roller. 
     
     
         5 . The hairbrush of  claim 3 , wherein the roller has a magnet at a distal end thereof for attraction to other rollers set in the client's hair. 
     
     
         6 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the setting is controlled by an axially movable piece that projects through an outer surface of the handle. 
     
     
         7 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the hair roller is metal and has substantially parallel linear apertures through which bristles protrude. 
     
     
         8 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the handle has a magnetic pin stored at a proximal end of the handle, the pin capable of being used to part the client's hair. 
     
     
         9 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the bristles of the hair roller are disposable. 
     
     
         10 . A method of rolling hair for one or more clients, comprising:
 setting a position on a hairbrush, the hairbrush comprised of a roller and a handle, the handle having a top portion and prongs, the position determining a resistance to rotation of the roller relative to the handle by determining how tightly the prongs press against a receiving portion of the roller;   applying the hairbrush to the hair so that the roller rolls the hair; and   rotating the roller relative to the handle when the roller encounters a tangle in the hair   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising detaching the handle from the roller to allow the roller to remain in the hair. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further including re-setting the hairbrush to a second position for a second client, wherein the second client has a different hair type than the first client. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining the tightness by setting an axial position of an element inside the prongs. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising removing the roller from the hair and separating a bristle assembly from the roller for disposal of the bristles assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising inserting a new bristle assembly into the roller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising repeating the method for each of a number of rollers that remain in a person's hair and are held in place using magnets. 
     
     
         17 . A hairbrush, comprising:
 a hair roller having a receiving portion;   a handle including a top portion and prongs, the prongs having an axially movable element inward of the prongs, the top portion mating with the receiving portion so that when a position of the axially movable element is set in a fully retracted position, the top portion is rotatable inside the receiving portion and when the axially movable element is set in a less than fully retracted position, the top portion is harder to rotate inside the receiving portion,   wherein the handle is detachable from the hair roller.   
     
     
         18 . The hairbrush of  claim 17 , including ball bearings between the prongs and the receiving portion. 
     
     
         19 . The hairbrush of  claim 17 , wherein the prongs have bumps and wherein the receiving portion has a channel for receipt of the bumps. 
     
     
         20 . The hairbrush of  claim 17 , wherein the roller is not rotatable relative to the handle when the axially movable element is in a fully extended position. 
     
     
         21 . The hairbrush of  claim 17 , wherein the roller is extensible and comprises a first roller and a second roller, the first and second rollers aligned linearly and held together magnetically. 
     
     
         22 . A method of using a hairbrush, comprising:
 (a) inserting a bristle assembly into a roller of a hairbrush, the roller having linear apertures, so that the bristles project through the apertures;   (b) applying the hairbrush to hair of a person so that the roller rolls the hair and repeating this step (b) until the bristles need to be changed;   (c) separating the bristle assembly from the roller for disposal of the bristle assembly; and   (d) inserting a new bristle assembly into the roller.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further including steps of removing the handle so that the roller detaches from the handle and remains in the hair, removing the roller from the hair and re-attaching the handle to the roller before the step of separating the bristle assembly from the roller. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a plurality of hair rollers set in position in the hair on a head of a person,   each hair roller of the plurality of hair rollers including a first end and a second end, the first end having a first magnet embedded therein, the second end having a second magnet embedded therein, each first magnet having an opposite magnetic charge to each second magnet, the hair rollers of the plurality of hair rollers configured in the hair so that first and second ends of the hair rollers having the same magnetic charge are not so close to one another as to cause a repelling force that moves the hair rollers out of position in the hair.