Detangling hairbrush

Abstract

A hairbrush includes features that enable an individual to firmly grip and maintain a firm grip on the hairbrush as it is used to brush tangled and/or thick hair. Such features may include an indentation in a back surface of a head of the hairbrush and one or more recesses in sides of the periphery of head at locations adjacent to a base of the head (i.e., near a handle of the hairbrush). Methods of grasping such a hairbrush are also disclosed. In addition, hairbrushes with bristles that oscillate, vibrate, rotate, or otherwise move to facilitate their movement through tangled hair are disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A hairbrush, comprising:
 a head with a front including:
 a front; 
 a back including an indentation that can receive a portion of a finger of a hand of an individual holding the hairbrush; 
 a periphery between the front and the back and including a recess that can receive a portion of a finger or a thumb of the hand of the individual; and 
 a base; 
   a plurality of bristles carried by the head and protruding the front of the head;   a transition adjacent to and continuous with the base of the head and having a shape that can receive at least one other finger of the hand of the individual; and   handle adjacent to the transition.   
     
     
         2 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the periphery of the head includes two recesses adjacent to and on opposite sides of the base of the head, a first recess of the two recesses for receiving the finger and a second recess of the two recesses for receiving the thumb. 
     
     
         3 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a handle recess adjacent to the transition for receiving a portion of the at least one other finger as the at least one other finger wraps around the transition and onto handle. 
     
     
         4 . The hairbrush of  claim 3 , wherein the handle includes an enlarged middle portion on an opposite side of the recess for receiving a tip of the at least one other finger. 
     
     
         5 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is coated with a soft-touch material. 
     
     
         6 . The hairbrush of  claim 5 , wherein at least the back and the periphery of the head are coated with the soft touch material. 
     
     
         7 . The hairbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the indentation and the recess in the periphery of the head are positioned to enable an individual to firmly grasp the hairbrush. 
     
     
         8 . A detangling hairbrush, comprising:
 a head with a front including:
 a housing including:
 a front defining a front opening; 
 a back; 
 a periphery between the front of the housing and the back of the housing; and 
 a base; 
 
 a movable base in the front opening of the front of the housing; 
 a group of detangling bristles carried by the movable base; and 
 a plurality of passive bristles carried by the front of the housing and at least partially surrounding the group of detangling bristles; 
   a motor within the head and associated with the movable base in a manner that selectively moves the movable base and the detangling bristles carried thereby while the passive bristles remain substantially stationary;   a handle extending from the base of the head and including:
 an exterior; and 
 a receptacle that receives at least one battery and carries electrical contacts for establishing electrical communication between the at least one battery and the motor. 
   
     
     
         9 . The detangling hairbrush of  claim 8 , wherein the motor causes the movable base to move in a manner that oscillates the detangling bristles. 
     
     
         10 . The detangling hairbrush of  claim 8 , wherein the motor causes the movable base to move in a manner that vibrates the detangling bristles. 
     
     
         11 . The detangling hairbrush of  claim 8 , wherein the motor causes the movable base to move in a manner that rotates the detangling bristles. 
     
     
         12 . The detangling hairbrush of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the back of the housing of the head includes an indentation that receives tips of an index finger and a middle finger of a hand of an individual holding the detangling hairbrush;   the periphery of the housing of the head includes a recess adjacent to the base of the head that receives and enables a portion of the index finger to wrap around the periphery of the housing of the head and extend to the indentation; and   a transition between the handle and the base of the head has a shape that enables a portion of the middle finger to wrap around the periphery of the housing of the head and to extend to the indentation.   
     
     
         13 . The detangling hairbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the exterior of the handle comprises an enlarged, soft body made to be engaged by a pinkie finger and a ring finger of the hand of the individual. 
     
     
         14 . A method for grasping a hairbrush, comprising:
 placing a finger or a thumb in a recess in a periphery of a head of the hairbrush adjacent to handle of the hairbrush; and   wrapping at least one other finger around the handle of the hairbrush.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein placing the finger or the thumb in the recess comprises placing the finger in a first recess on a first side of the head and placing the thumb in a second recess on a second side of the head. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein placing the finger in the first recess comprises placing an index finger in the first recess. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein placing the finger in the first recess comprises placing a middle finger in the first recess. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 placing another finger in an indention in a back surface of the head.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein placing the another finger in the indentation comprises placing an index finger in the indentation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein wrapping the at least one other finger includes placing a portion of the at least one other finger in a recess on a side of the handle and resting a tip of the at least one other finger on an enlarged middle portion of the handle.