EP0107748A1 - Combined suctioning and drying method, and device for curling hair - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a hairdressing method consisting in curling individual locks of hair after washing and during drying of the latter. To this end, a current of suctioning air (A) is channelled inside a suction tube (11) extended by a shaping element (15) ending in a neck portion (37). The current of air (A) is oriented within the tube according to xx'. According to the direction s, the shaping element (15) is brought close to a lock (40) to be treated so that the latter is taken up inside (43) the element (15). Then, according to the direction a, the axis xx' of the element (15) is tilted with respect to that yy' of the lock (40) and this element (15) is slid in the direction t so as to curve the lock (40) into a variable longitudinal position over a rim (54) of the element (15). This produces a "curlpaper" effect, giving volume and waves to the hairstyle whose characteristics can be very variable in order to obtain any hairstyling effect. This effect can be accentuated by the combined use of a force-drying element delivering a jet of hot air in the direction of the end of the shaping element (15). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention is in the field of hairdressing techniques. It is mainly intended to facilitate the shaping of natural or artificial hair by combined means of drying and mechanical deformations.

In general, any shaping of the hair is preceded by a shampoo followed by a rinsing intended, on the one hand, for washing the hair to give it a shiny appearance, on the other hand, to facilitate disentangling and, finally, to allow plastic deformation of the hair under thermal effect, in the theoretical details of which we will not enter.

Before any shaping, the hair is therefore molded. It is then worked strand by strand. Three main techniques are currently known for giving wet hair the desired waves and volume, by physical processes.

Indeed, one of the goals currently most sought after for shaping the hair is to give it a certain "volume". This "volume" of the hair is obtained by imparting a movement to the area adjacent to the root of the locks, that is to say by orienting this root at a more obtuse angle than that of the natural direction of the hair, generally inclined to the scalp. This effect is particularly difficult to obtain by mechanical methods.

The most classic technique to give volume to the hair, commonly called styling (or permanent, when practiced in conjunction with a chemical treatment to accentuate plastic deformations of the hair), consists first of all in a partition. hair wet in locks, using a free hand with a comb in the other hand. Each lock is then wound on a roll, of predetermined size, depending on the radius of curvature desired for the waves of the hair. Each roll is pressed as close as possible to the roots of the wick. A level of tension is moreover usually imparted to the hair of the lock by a pin passing through the roller and bearing, at one of its ends, on the scalp. When all the locks of hair have been wound in the desired direction, we re covers the hair of a helmet ventilated by a jet of hot air.

It is the combination of the effects of torsion, bending and tension of the hair on the rollers and the physical process of heating and vaporization of the water covering the hair which induces (according to mechanical modifications close to those coming into play in steam ironing of fabrics) the phenomenon of plastic deformation of the hair (mentioned above) leading to the "movement" of the hair. This is the reason why the roller must be placed as close as possible to the roots of the lock to give the hair a significant angle with respect to the scalp. In addition, the tension on each hair must be extremely important to achieve an effective and lasting result.

These constraints are very damaging to the hair and lead to a significant loss of it during each styling operation. In addition, this technique is unpleasant and painful when practiced on a living scalp, because the end of the pin compresses and irritates the latter.

• - d'une brosse à développement cylindrique et à poils durs placés radialement, tenue dans une main,
• - et d'un séchoir mobile manipulé par l'autre main.

According to a more recent technique, commonly called "brushing", the hair is shaped by combining the action:

• - a cylindrical brush with hard bristles placed radially, held in one hand,
• - and a mobile dryer manipulated by the other hand.

The theoretical principle is the same as that of styling. The hair is wrapped strand by strand around the brush. A jet of heat applied using the mobile dryer, generally with incorporated blower, is directed towards the brush so as to instantly deform the wick. The result is that a winding direction is imparted to each wick. The possible effects are very varied and very free from the fact that the hairdresser sees constantly evolving before him the result of his action. We end up with ripples, crimps, straightening or smoothing, depending on the combination and orientation of the brush actions and the intensity of the jet of hot air.

This brushing technique is less painful for the hair and for the scalp. On the other hand, the degree of persistence obtained, that is to say the holding of the hairstyle after shaping, is much lower than that resulting from styling. Indeed, the initial voltages communicated to the wicks are lower and the heating is more brutal and less uniform, which results in concentrations of stresses not released within the hair and leads fairly quickly to a cancellation of the effects of shaping of the hair.

Finally, a technique largely reserved for domestic use consists, after classical partition of the hair into locks using a free hand and a comb in the other hand, to wind each of these locks on a curling iron consisting of a cylindrical heating element covered with a cap for bending the locks on the heating element. This formula has the advantage of being easy to implement, using inexpensive equipment, within the reach of everyone.

However, the temperature reached by the iron, around 80 ° on the surface, leads to the risk of burns to the scalp in the event of a false maneuver and to inevitable damage to the overheated hair.

In addition, the operations of both brushing and using a curling iron are imprecise, because the wrist of the hairdresser gets tired quickly due to the difficulty of maintaining the dryer or the iron in a constant position above the patient's head.

In addition, brushing is all the more difficult to achieve that the hand not handling the brush is generally mobilized by a dryer with a heavy and bulky built-in motor and that the operation consisting in regularly rotating the brush to wind the locks is extremely painful. These difficulties have the consequence that the hair shaping operations are rarely performed on oneself using brushing or curling iron techniques. The solution considered in this case is more often styling.

• - Pour une mise en plis, 20 mn pour la pose des rouleaux, 20 à 40 mn pour le séchage, selon la longueur, et 20 mn pour le coup de peigne, soit environ 1 heure.
• - Pour le modelage au fer, 10 à 40 mn pour le séchage selon la longueur et la densité des cheveux, 30 mn à 1 h pour l'usage du fer, 10 à 30 mn pour le coup de peigne final ;
• - Enfin, pour le brushing, 20 à 30 mn pour le séchage brushing proprement dit, 10 à 30 mn pour le coup de peigne final, éventuellement accompagné d'un modelage au fer pour accroître les effets d'ondulation du brushing.

The average durations of a shaping operation carried out by a hairdresser are as follows:

• - For styling, 20 min for laying the rolls, 20 to 40 min for drying, depending on the length, and 20 min for combing, approximately 1 hour.
• - For iron modeling, 10 to 40 minutes for drying depending on the length and density of the hair, 30 minutes to 1 hour for the use of iron, 10 to 30 minutes for the final comb;
• - Finally, for brushing, 20 to 30 minutes for the actual brushing drying, 10 to 30 minutes for the final comb, possibly accompanied by iron modeling to increase the ripple effects of brushing.

It therefore appears that according to conventional techniques, the shaping of the hair occupies a specialist for a period of the order of an hour. This explains the extremely high cost of this type of service.

Consequently, we are moving more and more towards styling techniques of the lightened brushing type and towards hairstyles of the short or medium length type of so-called "natural" appearance, to result in cost prices affordable by the large public.

• - d'une part, de la nécessité pour le coiffeur de mettre en oeuvre un nombre important de brosses adaptées aux différents rayons de courbure des ondulations à donner à la chevelure ;
• - d'autre part, du souci d'assurer un état de propreté et d'hygiène satisfaisant de ces différentes brosses malgré leur utilisation intensive sur des chevelures différentes ; ce qui conduit à des frais d'entretien importants ;
• - et, enfin, comme nous l'avons vu plus haut, de la fatigue du coiffeur manipulant la brosse.

However, in addition to the time necessary for its implementation, the brushing technique poses many problems which arise from:

• - On the one hand, the need for the hairdresser to use a large number of brushes adapted to the different radii of curvature of the undulations to be given to the hair;
• - on the other hand, the concern to ensure a satisfactory state of cleanliness and hygiene of these different brushes despite their intensive use on different hair; which leads to significant maintenance costs;
• - and, finally, as we saw above, the fatigue of the hairdresser handling the brush.

• Il arrive parfois, en cours de brushing, que le séchoir utilisé seul, d'une main et à contre-courant de la chute naturelle de la chevelure, crée un effet de relisse des mèches, résultant de la combinaison entre l'effet thermodynamique accompagnant le séchage et un effet de tension longitudinale des mèches. Cependant, cet effet de "relisse" est relativement désordonné du fait que, selon cette méthode, on se contente de disperser les cheveux sans réellement les coordonner et les diriger dans un espace restreint.

The present invention contributes to an improvement in the usual technique called brushing. It is based on the following observation:

• It sometimes happens, during brushing, that the dryer used alone, with one hand and against the current of the natural fall of the hair, creates a smoothing effect on the locks, resulting from the combination of the accompanying thermodynamic effect drying and a longitudinal tension effect of the locks. However, this "relisse" effect is relatively disorderly because, according to this method, one is content to disperse the hair without actually coordinating and directing it in a limited space.

The object of the present invention is to globally solve the problems of cost price and the difficulties of implementing methods for shaping hair, by rationalizing and completing this "smoothing" effect.

Thus, a first object of the invention is to propose a simplification in the number of tools handled by the hairdresser.

A second object of the invention is to describe a method allows so much to achieve an almost infinite diversity of undulations and their orientation in a hair, using a single shaping organ.

A third object of the invention is to propose a method and devices for shaping the hair, ensuring a perfect state of hygiene over time, this despite reduced maintenance.

A fourth object of the invention is to describe such a method of shaping the hair which, despite its extreme rapidity and simplicity, results in lasting effects of maintaining the volume of the hairstyle.

A fifth object of the invention is to propose a technique for shaping the hair which is extremely gentle for the treatment of hair and can thus be used frequently without any damage to the hair.

A sixth goal is to increase the robustness of the equipment used by hairdressers while reducing its weight and the handling constraints it causes.

In addition, a seventh object of the invention is to propose various extremely simple variants of the above hairdressing equipment which are largely produced from existing devices to reduce the cost and in particular put these devices at the reach of the general public for domestic use.

Finally and above all, the general object of the invention is to bring, by less expensive total operations due to the saving of time, efforts saved by the hairdresser and the reduction of the material used, to better access. of the general public to professional hairdressing services.

To this end, the invention firstly provides a method of handling the hair strand by strand after washing and rinsing. This is preferably implemented after a coarse wringing of the hair, in particular using a conventional suction device provided with a nipple pinch tip. According to this process, the hairdresser first selects one by one, visually or manually, the locks to be treated.

The method of the invention is remarkable in that the hairdresser implements a stream of suction air delimited laterally by the internal walls of a so-called suction pipe. Furthermore, it approaches the first end of this suction tube tion opposite and in the vicinity of the support of the hair and directs the flow of the air current within said suction tube towards the outside of the support of the hair (in particular the scalp in the case of natural hair ).

In this way, the hairdresser successively channels the locks inside said suction pipe. He can thus dry these wicks, hold them, shape them, deform them, apply them against the walls of said tube, without touching them.

According to a particularly simple variant of implementation of this method of directional solicitation by longitudinal traction of the locks of the hair during drying, the air current is created inside the suction pipe by connection of said second end of the latter at the inlet of a vacuum source, such as a conventional vacuum cleaner.

The volume effect is given to the hair by bending the hair longitudinally during drying and by applying a tensile force and a bending torque of axis inclined with respect to the direction of the strands over the length of the strands.

To increase this phenomenon, it is further advised by the invention to provide, at the first end of the air flow suction pipe, a neck with a transverse edge at the end so as to constitute a setting member. form whose operation will appear below.

We approach this shaping member facing and towards the root of a wick to be treated, so as to swallow it in the sheath located in the extension of the necking. Thus, a so-called downstream part of this wick is channeled in the direction of the air flow inside the suction pipe while the other part of the wick located opposite the support for the hair, upstream of the shaping member, is tensioned by traction on the downstream part. Then, the axis of the shaping member, and thereby the downstream part of each wick, is given an arbitrary direction with respect to said upstream part chosen as a function of the desired effect and the wick is gradually made to slide towards the outside of its support, against and on either side of the transverse edge of the shaping member. It is understood that, when the axis of the shaping member is inclined with respect to the upstream part of each wick sucked and pressed inside the tubing, this wick is bent against and on either side of the transverse edge of the shaping member. It is easy to realize, from the above, that this bending combined with the properties of persistence caused by the drying phase of the hair leads, after treatment, to deformation and to a lasting local curvature of the lock in the direction of the bending.

Of course, it will be understood that the successive location of the edge with respect to the drill bit, as well as the resulting traction and the bending torque imparted to the drill bit by the shaping member can be applied according to any direction and any intensity useful for ensuring the winding diameter and the desired orientation of the root of the wick with respect to its support.

In particular, it can be understood that, if this inclination is practiced at an acute angle, equal to or less than that of the hair with respect to the support plane for the hair, the hair is stretched according to its natural slope and flattened of the wick in this region. Likewise, if the inclination is carried out at an angle greater than the natural angle of the wick, an angle of the wicks at their roots greater than the natural angle is obtained and the roots are straightened, leading to an effect of volume greater than that of natural drying.

We also realize that the bending of the wick with respect to the transverse edge combined with the sliding of the wick with respect to this edge causes a "papillote" effect of the wick comparable to that printed on a ribbon. of a gift package scraped by the blade of a pair of scissors. This effect of papillote leads, practically, to a curling of the hair or to undulations, according to the speed of sliding and the angle of the shaping member with respect to the upstream part of the lock.

• - d'agir sur les forces aérodynamiques influençant la mèche et par là même sur l'intensité du couple de cintrage et de l'effort de traction
• - de moduler l'effet de papillotes et donc de faire varier le rayon de courbure des ondulations.

In addition, according to a particularly advantageous complementary variant, the intensity of the flow of the suction air stream inside its tubing is varied according to several stages, in order:

• - to act on the aerodynamic forces influencing the wick and thereby on the intensity of the bending torque and the tensile force
• - to modulate the effect of twists and therefore to vary the radius of curvature of the undulations.

• - la longueur de la partie amont de la mèche à l'extérieur de l'organe de mise en forme,
• - la direction de la partie amont de la mèche vis-à-vis de son support,
• - la direction de la partie aval de la mèche vis-à-vis de celle de la partie amont,
• - l'intensité d'aspiration de l'intérieur de la tubulure d'aspiration,
• - la vitesse de glissement de la mèche à l'intérieur de l'organe de mise en forme.

It will be noted that, according to the method of the invention, the action of the hairdresser on a lock of the hair is therefore carried out according to four independent mechanical parameters, namely:

• - the length of the upstream part of the drill bit outside the shaping member,
• - the direction of the upstream part of the wick with respect to its support,
• - the direction of the downstream part of the wick towards that of the upstream part,
• - the suction intensity from the inside of the suction pipe,
• - The sliding speed of the wick inside the shaping member.

It is thus understood that the hairdresser enjoys great possibilities for improvisation and great freedom in the hairstyling effects as the shaping operation takes place. In particular, it is in no way limited by an absolute dimensional choice of the diameter of the rollers, of heating elements or of brushes as is the case in conventional methods.

• - le coiffeur utilisant des rouleaux d'un diamètre déterminé aura simplement la liberté de choisir l'orientation des rouleaux et leur tension, soit deux degrés de liberté par type de rouleau, l'intégralité de chaque mèche subissant le même effet d'enroulement,
• - De même le fer à friser, ou la brosse dans le cadre des brushing, laisse deux degrés de liberté, l'un constitué par l'orientation de la mèche sur l'outil, et l'autre par l'effort de traction ou de coincement de la mèche sur leur cylindre d'enroulement.

Furthermore, it will be noted that according to conventional methods, the freedom of shaping of the locks is reduced to two degrees per shaping tool used, in particular:

• - the hairdresser using rollers of a determined diameter will simply have the freedom to choose the orientation of the rollers and their tension, ie two degrees of freedom per type of roller, the entirety of each lock undergoing the same winding effect,
• - Similarly, the curling iron, or the brush as part of brushing, leaves two degrees of freedom, one constituted by the orientation of the wick on the tool, and the other by the tensile force or jamming of the wick on their winding cylinder.

• - par l'application de tensions très douces aux cheveux, puisqu'elles s'exercent par effet aérodynamique sur la totalité de la surface latérale de la gaine aval du cheveu dans la tubulure d'aspiration et non localement et agressivement comme c'est le cas avec un fer ou des rouleaux ;
• - de surcroît, cette tension est extrêmement continue au cours du coulissage de la mèche le long de l'organe de mise en forme et son application s'effectue sur la totalité des racines des mèches et est compensée par l'effort de la main du coiffeur et non l'application d'une aiguille au travers d'un rouleau comme c'est le cas dans une mise en plis: En conséquence, le risque de tirer douloureusement les cheveux d'une mèche ou d'effectuer des endommagements du cuir chevelu par irritation ou par brûlure est réduit par rapport aux techniques classiques.

Furthermore, it appears that the conformation is carried out, according to the invention,

• - by the application of very gentle tensions to the hair, since they are exerted by aerodynamic effect on the entire lateral surface of the downstream sheath of the hair in the suction tubing and not locally and aggressively as is the case case with an iron or rollers;
• - In addition, this tension is extremely continuous during the sliding of the wick along the setting member. shape and its application is carried out on all the roots of the locks and is compensated by the effort of the hand of the hairdresser and not the application of a needle through a roller as is the case in a setting in folds: Consequently, the risk of pulling the hair painfully from a lock or of damaging the scalp by irritation or burn is reduced compared to conventional techniques.

• - les effets de tension et de cintrage exercés par l'organe de mise en forme sur la mèche
• - avec les actions physiques (thermodynamiques et mécaniques) assurées sur les cheveux par le jet de séchage, au voisinage et à l'intérieur de la striction, afin d'aboutir à une déformation plastique plus intense.

According to a particularly advantageous variant of the method of the invention, the directional stress of the locks is combined with forced drying. To do this, a directional drying air jet is directed towards the upstream part of each wick in the vicinity of the inlet section of the neck of the shaping member. In this way, we combine:

• - the effects of tension and bending exerted by the shaping member on the wick
• - with the physical actions (thermodynamic and mechanical) provided on the hair by the drying spray, in the vicinity and inside the neck, in order to lead to more intense plastic deformation.

Overall, this variant makes it possible to dry the wick while guiding it, in particular at the level of its root, in any desired direction and in addition to modulate the intensity of the plastic deformation effect by displacement of the point of application vis-à-vis -vis the transverse edge of the shaping member and increase the persistence of the ripple phenomenon by spreading the drying over time.

According to a variant also preferred by the invention, the suction tubing is given a length at least equal to that of the hair to be treated, in order to be able to fully spread the different locks inside the tubing.

Furthermore, according to an advantageous implementation of this variant, the wicks are confined by suction inside the tubing and at least part of said drying jet is derived within the suction air stream. In this way, it is understood that the wick is dried inside a confined volume, which increases the thermal efficiency of drying.

• - d'une part, la mise en mouvement du courant d'air d'aspiration à l'intérieur de ladite canalisation d'aspiration ;
• - et, d'autre part, la création du jet d'air de séchage.

A simplifying variant of implementation of the method of the invention consists in using a single source of air movement, in this case a vacuum cleaner, to carry out:

• - On the one hand, the setting in motion of the suction air stream inside said suction pipe;
• - And, on the other hand, the creation of the drying air jet.

To do this, connect the second end of the suction pipe to the air inlet of the vacuum cleaner. Similarly, the first end of a flexible pipe is connected to the air outlet of this same vacuum cleaner. The second end of this simple piping is extended by a directionally oriented nozzle. A heating system is placed on the path of the drying air jet. And, finally, said nozzle is oriented in the direction of the wick in the vicinity of the neck of the shaping member. Of course, said heating system will preferably be placed as close as possible to the nozzle, and in particular inside the latter, to avoid unnecessary heating of the piping.

It is obvious that, according to this method, a partially recycled stream of heating and air suction is created around the wicks, which limits the necessary heating power and makes it possible to use only one unit. suction.

However, the invention also relates to a device suitable for extremely rapid and simple shaping according to the methods described above of the locks of a hair. This device is remarkable for the characteristic combination of a source of vacuum, such as a vacuum cleaner, provided with a flexible tubing for suction of the locks of hair to be shaped, of which a so-called second end is connected to the inlet of the source of depression. The first free end of the tubing is provided with a neck forming a transverse edge of conformation of the locks constituting the hair shaping member.

When the vacuum source is on, a suction develops in the vicinity of the first end, so that a directed suction air stream is channeled through this tubing and directed from the first end to the second. It is thus understood that, when the first end of a wick is brought closer, it is sucked in and gripped by the shaping member and can then be treated according to the method of the invention.

Of course, the tubing will preferably be given sufficient flexibility to allow effortless manipulation of said shaping member with respect to the hair.

In addition, according to a preferred variant, the device of the invention is further provided with means which can be manipulated manually, capable of generating a jet of drying air in a direction close to the root of the locks and in a variable orientation.

• - de l'action mécanique résultant des efforts combinés de cintrage des mèches et de traction longitudinale de celles-ci par rapport à l'arête de l'organe de conformation prolongeant la tubulure d'aspiration et de séchage forcé à l'aide du jet d'air de séchage
• - et de l'action de déformation plastique rémanente résultant de l'action thermique de séchage des cheveux.

This additional variant ensures shaping of the locks by combination:

• - mechanical action resulting from the combined bending and longitudinal pulling of the wicks relative to the edge of the shaping member extending the suction and forced drying tubing using the jet drying air
• - And the action of residual plastic deformation resulting from the thermal action of drying the hair.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, which descriptions and drawings are given only by way of nonlimiting examples.

• - La figure 1 est une vue générale montrant, d'une part, les caractéristiques d'un appareil combiné d'aspiration et de séchage, selon l'invention, pour effectuer la mise en forme des chevelures ; et, d'autre part, son mode d'utilisation par le coiffeur pour traiter la chevelure d'un de ses clients.
• - La figure 2 expose schématiquement les principes de fonctionnement de l'appareil de la figure 1, selon le procédé de l'invention, pour donner du volume à une mèche d'une chevelure.
• - La figure 3 représente le résultat obtenu après traitement selon le procédé de la figure 2 de la mèche d'une chevelure.
• - La figure 4 décrit schématiquement les constituantes essentielles du dispositif de l'invention.
• - La figure 5 représente une variante de l'organe de mise en forme du dispositif de la figure 1, permettant un lissage des mèches en cours de traitement.

In these drawings:

• - Figure 1 is a general view showing, on the one hand, the characteristics of a combined suction and drying apparatus, according to the invention, for performing the shaping of hair; and, on the other hand, how it is used by the hairdresser to treat the hair of one of his clients.
• - Figure 2 shows schematically the operating principles of the device of Figure 1, according to the method of the invention, to give volume to a lock of hair.
• - Figure 3 shows the result obtained after treatment according to the method of Figure 2 of the lock of hair.
• - Figure 4 schematically describes the essential components of the device of the invention.
• - Figure 5 shows a variant of the shaping member of the device of Figure 1, allowing a smoothing of the locks during treatment.

In Figure 1, we recognize in 1, a combined suction and drying device of hair according to the invention. This is brought by a conventional vacuum cleaner 2, of the type constituted by a vertical, cylindrical, hollow body 3, provided at its lower part with different rollers 4-5-6 facilitating its translation and its multi-directional mutation. tional to the ground and plugged at its upper part by a removable plate 7 using hooks 9, arranged on the periphery of the cylindrical body 3.

• - d'une part, une tubulure, dite d'aspiration 11 (située à gauche sur la figure 1)
• - et, d'autre part, une tuyauterie 13, dite de séchage (située à droite sur la figure 1).

It will be observed that at the upper part of the plate 7 opens parallel, vertically and side by side:

• - On the one hand, a tubing, called suction 11 (located on the left in Figure 1)
• - And, on the other hand, a pipe 13, called drying (located on the right in Figure 1).

Note that the suction pipe 11 is extended at the first end 12 by a member 15 and at its second end 16 by a sleeve 17. Similarly, the pipe 13 is provided at its first end 18 with a sleeve 19 of the same type as 17 and further extended at its second end 20 by a member 21. It appears that the suction pipe 11 and the drying pipe 13 are constituted by a corrugated pipe of the same type, having sufficient flexibility so that the organs 15 and 21 extending them, can be manipulated effortlessly by the respective left hands 23, and right hands 24 of a hairdresser (not shown).

This hairstylist is in the process of shaping, according to a process which will now be described, the hair 30 of a client 32 seated on a seat 33.

Prior to the implementation of this method, the hair 30 has been washed, rinsed and has undergone a coarse spin, according to any known method.

The process of the invention is described schematically in its principles with reference to FIG. 2.

It is in fact noted that the member 15 extending the suction pipe 11 ends at its end 35 with a neck 37.

A stream of suction air A inside the member 15 is established by means which will be described below. Then the hairdresser has, next to a strand 40 to be treated of the hair 30, the end 35 of the member 15 and it brings this end sufficiently close so as to snap part 42 of the wick 40 inside 43 of the neck 37 extending the suction pipe 11.

It will be noted that, due to the vacuum between the outside 44 and the inside 43 of the member 15, the downstream part 42 of the wick 40 is pulled in the direction of the air flow A, in the direction joi embedding the first end 12 of the pipe 11 at the second 16.

When the hairdresser judges that he has brought the organ 15 sufficiently close to the root 45 of the hair 46 of the lock 40, he moves the member 15 in the direction towards t so as to tension the upstream part 48 of the lock 40 screws with respect to the scalp 50. Then it inclines, at an angle a, the axis xx 'of the member 15 with respect to the axis yy' of the upstream part 48 of the wick 40.

As a result, the downstream part 42 of the wick 40 is applied against the internal wall 52 of the member 15 and the wick 40 is bent against and on either side of the extreme edge 54 of the neck 37.

Concomitantly, the hairstylist exerts using his hand 23 a tension on the member 15 which tends along u the upstream part 48 of the lock 40. Then, he slides the lock 40 on the edge 54, in the direction of the outside of the scalp 50, moving back along the body 15.

• - d'une part, à une inclinaison i de la racine 45 des cheveux 46 de la mèche 40 vis-à-vis de la normale locale u au cuir chevelu 50.
• - D'autre part, à un effet de "papillotes" qui produit des boucles 60 et des ondulations 62 de la mèche 40.

It will be readily understood that this displacement of the bending of the wick 40, at a fairly pronounced angle, combined with the thermodynamic and mechanical effects originating from the progressive drying of the hair 46 of the wick 40, gives, after treatment, that is to say once the member 15 has been completely moved away from the lock 40, a conformation of the hair of the type described in FIG. 3.

• on the one hand, at an inclination i of the root 45 of the hair 46 of the lock 40 with respect to the local normal u to the scalp 50.
• - On the other hand, to an effect of "papillotes" which produces curls 60 and undulations 62 of the wick 40.

• - la distance d'application de l'arête transversale 54 vis-à-vis de la racine 45 de la mèche 40,
• - l'angle j donné à l'axe yy' de la partie amont 48 de la mèche 40 vis-à-vis de la normale u au cuir chevelu 50,
• - la direction zz' de la partie aval 42 de la mèche 40 à l'intérieur de l'organe 15 provenant de l'inclinaison a de cet organe 15 vis-à-vis de l'axe yy',
• - et, enfin, la rapidité de la vitesse de glissement selon u de l'arête 54 sur la mèche 40,

It will be readily understood that any effect of volume, that is to say any action on the angle 1 of the root 45 of the hair 46 of the lock 40, can be obtained as well as any radius of curvature r of the loops 60 and ripples 62 by playing in a combined fashion on:

• the application distance of the transverse edge 54 with respect to the root 45 of the drill bit 40,
• the angle j given to the axis yy ′ of the upstream part 48 of the lock 40 with respect to the normal u to the scalp 50,
• the direction zz 'of the downstream part 42 of the wick 40 inside the member 15 originating from the inclination a of this member 15 with respect to the axis yy',
• - and, finally, the speed of the sliding speed according to u of the edge 54 on the drill bit 40,

The member 15 therefore constitutes a device for soliciting and shaping lock by lock of the hair 30 during drying, making it possible to achieve an almost infinite diversity of undulations and of the orientation of the locks in the hair. We will therefore call it a shaping organ.

We also realize that the above-described method of shaping the wicks 40 is carried out inside the shaping member 15, the internal walls of which have no angular characteristic, so that this treatment is extremely gentle for the hair.

FIG. 4 describes the preferred embodiment by the invention of the device 1. It can be seen in this figure that the shaping member 15, extended by the tube 11 and by the sleeve 17 opens out by a first recess 70 at the top of the plate 7 surmounting the vacuum cleaner 2 in a filter bag 72 (whose interest will appear later).

On the left-hand side of FIG. 4, organ 21 also appears in more detail. This is intended to accentuate the drying of the hair in the process of shaping using organ 15, in order to give greater afterglow to the hairstyle effects obtained. To do this, a forced drying is carried out by directing an air jet S towards the downstream part 42 of the wick 40 in the vicinity of the necking entry section 37. It will be understood that the orientation and the point of application of the air jet S can be chosen so as to modulate the localized effects of plastic deformation of the locks 40 leading to the volume of the hair 30.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the tubing 11 has a length at least equal to that of the hair 46 to be treated. Indeed, in this case, it is possible to completely engulf the wicks 40 inside the member 15 and to divert part of the drying jet S inside the piping 11 to confine the wicks during treatment and carry out much more efficient drying, releasing the residual mechanical stresses of the hair 46 and causing no clouding or burning on the hair 30 or the scalp 50.

The drying jet S can, according to a very simple variant, be produced by an autonomous dryer with incorporated resistors, of the type of that commonly used by hairdressers or individuals. The availability sitive described in Figure 4 is more specifically intended for professional use. The member 21 is in fact constituted by a nozzle 75 with directional pipe, extending the piping 13; which is connected by means of a sleeve 19 to the vacuum cleaner 2.

Indeed, according to this variant, the same suction unit 2 is used to create the air stream A inside the pipe 11 and the air jet S inside the pipe 13. This movement air is produced by the ventilation group 77 (constituted in a known manner by a motor and a fan) and electrically supplied by the wire 79. This group 77 is placed vertically in the cylindrical body 3 and opens out through a recess 80 through of the plate 7 in the manifold 13. The direction of rotation of the motor is chosen so that the manifold 11 is situated on the side of the air inlet E and the piping 13 on the side of the air outlet S of the group 77. The operation of the device is then obvious.

It will be noted, moreover, that inside the member 21, on the path of the air jet S and somewhat upstream of the nozzle 75, is located a conventional air heating system 81, of the type with electrical resistances, and that the member 21 (said to be drying thereby) is provided with a handle 82 so that it can be easily manipulated by the right hand 24 of the hairdresser. This original arrangement makes it possible to use only one and the same suction group 77 and lowers the weight of the drying member 21 by subtracting its fan from it and thereby making it more mobile.

Other complementary characteristics of the device 1 give it a particularly easy and effective use.

It will be noted that the end 85 of the nozzle 75 has dimensions smaller than those inside of the neck 37 so that this nozzle can be engaged, as appears in FIG. 4, in the shaping member 15 so that the entire air jet S of the drying is channeled directly inside the suction pipe 11.

According to this variant, the heating member 21 and the shaping member 15 operate in a closed cycle, which increases the efficiency and the thermal qualities of the device 1.

• - le coiffeur peut adapter les caractéristiques géométriques et dimensionnelles des organes actifs du dispositif 1 en fonction des effets de conformation qu'il recherche pour la chevelure
• - et, de plus, le nettoyage de ces dispositifs, qui seuls sont en contact avec les différentes chevelures 30, est particulièrement aisé.

Preferably also, on the one hand, the shaping member 15, on the other hand, the nozzle 75 are removably and interchangeably mounted on the tubing 11 and on the member 21 pro skirting the piping 13. In this way:

• - the hairdresser can adapt the geometrical and dimensional characteristics of the active organs of the device 1 as a function of the shaping effects which he seeks for the hair
• - And, moreover, the cleaning of these devices, which alone are in contact with the various hairs 30, is particularly easy.

Thus, FIG. 5 describes the appearance of one of the shaping members 15 that the invention recommends to adapt to the suction pipe 11. This consists of a nozzle which diverges in the direction xx 'of the current suction air A. The section of this nozzle is rectangular as it appears at its end portion 90. The two long sides 91 and 92 of the end section 90 constitute two transverse edges on which the wicks 40 are bent, according to the method of the invention.

According to the variant described in Figure 5, the end section 90 of the neck 37 is fine and transversely substantially linear along w _wl .

The Applicant has in fact noticed that it was particularly advantageous to give this section 90 dimensions of approximately 5 cm in length L and approximately 5 mm in thickness e. In this case, the suction of the locks 40 through the neck 37 causes them to spread along ww 'and smooth them over one of the edges 91-92.

It will also be noted that the filter bag 72 described above, placed inside the cylindrical body 3 of the vacuum cleaner 2 between the second end 16 of the suction pipe 11 and the first end 18 of the drying pipe 13, allows avoid internal and cyclic circulation of hair 95 which may have been pulled out during the styling operation and entrained by the suction air stream A.

• - d'une part, pour rejoindre en 105 les connexions 107-108 et 109 respectivement de deux contacteurs 111 et 112 et d'une molette de réglage 114,
• - et, d'autre part, pour alimenter électriquement le bloc chauffant 81 par l'intermédiaire des câbles 117.

If we refer to the central part of the removable plate 7 surmounting the vacuum cleaner 2, we note that it has a socket 97 to which is connected an electrical plug 99, extended by a cable 102 penetrating at 104, at vicinity of the sleeve 19, inside the pipe 13:

• on the one hand, to join at 105 the connections 107-108 and 109 respectively of two contactors 111 and 112 and of an adjustment wheel 114,
• - And, on the other hand, to supply the heating block 81 electrically via cables 117.

Indeed, it is advisable by the invention to allow the hairdresser, in particular using the wheel 114, to control via the cable 102 several stages of flow of the suction air stream A, of which one will notice incidentally that it is equal to that of S.

This feature allows the hairstylist to modulate the tensile bending and bending forces applied to the locks and, therefore, gives him greater creative freedom.

The button 111 is in several positions. It also allows the hairdresser to play on the electrical supply by the cable 102 of one or more of the resistors 120-121-122 constituting the heating body 81. The button 112 is a simple on-off switch for the whole of the device for instantly stopping its function in the event of a problem.

Finally, it will be noted that the power supply cable 79 supplies the various buttons 111-112 and thumb wheel 114 acting, via the wire 102, on a switching center in the details of which we will not enter, this type of device being perfectly known to those skilled in the art.

This switching center implements the commands which have been mentioned above.

In addition, it will be observed that the electrical supply cable 79 of the device 1 supplies, on the one hand, the group 77, on the other hand, the heating body 81 via the auxiliary cable 102. This makes it possible to activate the device using the single power cable 79.

Finally, it will be noted that the vertical and almost central arrangement of the ends 16 and 18 of the tubing 11 and of the drying piping 13, at the upper part of the device 1, combined with the action of the rollers 4, 5, 6 facilitating the translation and multi-directional rotation to the floor of the device 1 makes particularly easy the move _- ments of the hairdresser. The overall movements of the device 1, in particular during its transport, can for their part be carried out using the handle 125 (appearing in FIG. 1) which overcomes the plate 7. During these transport phases, it will be seen that it is preferable to disengage the sleeves 17 and 19 from the pipes 11 and 13 in order to reduce the size of the device.

The invention having now been exposed and its interest justified on detailed examples, the plaintiff reserves exclusivity for the entire duration of the patent, without limitation other than those of the terms of the claims below.

Claims (26)

1. A method of directional stressing by longitudinal traction of the locks (40) of a hair (30) during drying, with a view to their shaping, according to which the free end of each lock is introduced into a directed suction air flow (A),
said process being characterized in that - On the one hand, this said suction air stream (A) is delimited laterally by the internal walls of a so-called suction tube (11) of which a said first end (15) is placed opposite and at vicinity of the support of the hair, in particular the scalp (50) - and, on the other hand, the flow of said suction air stream (A) is oriented, within said suction pipe (11), towards the outside of said support for the hair,
so that the different strands of hair (30) are sucked in and channeled successively inside said suction tube (11) and thus they are grasped, held and shaped without touching them. 2. Method according to claim 1 of directional stress by longitudinal traction of the locks (40) of a hair (30) during drying, characterized in that, to establish said suction air stream (A) oriented inside its suction pipe (11), the other said second end (16) of this pipe is connected to the inlet of a vacuum source, in particular of a vacuum cleaner (2). 3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, intended to curl and longitudinally deform the hair during drying, by inflicting on the length of the locks of the hair (30) a tensile force and a bending torque d application axis inclined relative to the direction of the drill bits,
said process being characterized in that: - On the one hand, the air stream (A) is cleaned at the end of said suction pipe (11) . a neck (37) having at its end at least one transverse edge (54) . and constituting a shaping member (15), - on the other hand, we present next to each wick to treating said shaping member (15), - moreover, said member (15) for shaping the wick (40) is brought close enough, in the direction of the support (50) of the wick, so: . to snap at least a part (42) (said downstream) of this wick (40) and to channel it inside said suction pipe (11) . and to stretch, with respect to its said support, the other so-called upstream part (48) of this wick (40), located outside of said tubing (11), between said support (50) of hair (30) and said transverse edge (54), - Finally, the axis XX ′ of said shaping member (15) is more or less inclined with respect to the direction of the upstream part (48) of the wick (40) and the wick is made to slide progressively (40) towards the outside of its said support (50), so as to bend it against and on either side of said transverse edge (54) of the shaping member (15),
so that : - By the successive locations of the edge (54) of the shaping member (15) with respect to the wick (40) - and by the orientation given to this member (15) with respect to the downstream part (42) of the wick (40),
the various hairs (46) constituting the wick (40) are printed with a traction result and a bending torque in any direction and according to any useful intensity so as to impart to it a plastic deformation leading to a desired waving and orientation of the hair (46) wick (40). 4. Method for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: - said suction air stream (A) - inside its tubing (11) - according to several flow rates,
in order to modulate the traction and bending forces on the treated locks (40) and therefore the local effects on the hair (30). 5. Method for shaping locks (40) of hair (30), according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in which is given to said necking (37) of the member (15) for shaping the interior shapes rounded over its entire length, so that the hair (46) can be flattened and made to slide wick (30) inside this neck (37) without applying them against angular areas. 6. A method of shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, according to which said constriction (37) is given to the setting member (15). in the form of a nozzle configuration with a rectangular section (90) whose two long sides of the section constitute two said transverse edges (91, 92). 7. A method of shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said necking (37) is given a configuration in divergent nozzle in the direction of said oriented suction air flow (A). 8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7 above, shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that in addition it directs an air jet (S) of drying: - towards said upstream part (48) of each wick, - in the vicinity of the inlet section of said neck (37) of the shaping member (15),
in order to combine - the effects of tension and bending exerted by said shaping member (15) on the wick (40) - with the effects of plastic deformation provided by the drying jet (S) in the vicinity and inside said neck (37) - And to dry the treated wick (40) while guiding it, in particular at the level of its root (45) in any desired direction, so as to accentuate and modulate the local effects of plastic deformation of the wicks (40) leading to the volume of the hair (30). 9. Method according to claim 8 above, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that: - said suction pipe (11) is given a length at least equal to that of the hair to be treated, - the locks (40) are confined by suction, inside said suction pipe (11), at least part of said drying air jet (S) is derived within said suction air stream (A),
so that each wick is successively dried within a confined volume thereby reducing the drying time. 10. Method according to claims 2 and 8 characterized in that: - firstly, to establish said suction air flow (A) oriented inside said tubing (11), connect said second end (16) of this tubing to the inlet of a vacuum cleaner ( 2), - on the other hand, said first end (18) is connected to a flexible pipe (13) said to be drying at the air outlet of this same vacuum cleaner (2), - in addition, we place: . at the second end (20) of the flexible pipe (13), a nozzle (21, 75)) with an extreme orientation of the precise air jet (S) gushing from this pipe (13), . and, on the path of this air jet (S), downstream of said nozzle and preferably inside this nozzle, a heating system (81) of the air jet (S), - And, finally, this said nozzle (75) is oriented in the direction . the upstream part (48) of each wick (40), . in the vicinity of said necking (37) of the shaping member (15),
so that : on the one hand, a single suction unit (2) and a single motor are used, - And, on the other hand, it increases the heating efficiency of the drying air jet (S) and, thereby, the heating power by recycling inside said heating pipe (13) a part at least the air jet which has previously passed through it and has been introduced into the suction pipe (11), around the wick (40) being treated. 11. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10 for joint shaping and drying of the locks (40) of hair, characterized in that: - On the one hand, we manipulate and position vis-à-vis the wicks (40) using a hand, said member (15) form - And, on the other hand, mobile means (13, 21, 81) capable of generating the so-called drying air jet (S) are manipulated jointly and with the other hand. 12. Device (1) for successively shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30) according to the method of one of claims 1 to 11, constituted by the characteristic combination: - at least one source of vacuum, in particular a vacuum cleaner (2), - a flexible suction tube (11) of the locks (40) of hair to be shaped, . of longitudinal dimension at least equal to that of the locks (40) of hair to be treated, . of which a first free end (12) is provided with a neck (37) providing a transverse edge (54) of conformation, so as to constitute a member (15) for shaping the hair . and a second end (16) of which is connected to the air inlet of said vacuum source (2) so that suction appears in the vicinity of said first end (12) of the tubing (11) when the source vacuum (2) is in suction operation and a directed suction air stream (A) is channeled in this tubing (11), from its said first end (12) to its second (16), within which one can grasp each wick (40) by simply bringing said first end (12) of the tubing (11), said flexible tubing (11) further having sufficient flexibility to allow effortless manipulation of said member (15 ) shaping with respect to the hair (30), - And manually movable means (21) capable of generating a jet of drying air (S): . in a direction close to the root 45) of the locks (40) . and in any orientation with respect to the support (50) of the hair,
in order to allow shaping of the locks by combination: - drying of these locks (40) - and a mechanical action of plastic deformation resulting from combined forces: . twisting the wicks (40) on either side of said transverse edge (54) 'of said shaping member (15), . longitudinal tension and bending on this edge. 13. Device (1) according to claim 12 for successively shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30) characterized in that said source of vacuum is an electric vacuum cleaner (2). 14. Device (1) according to one of claims 12 and 13, for successively shaping the locks (40) of hair, characterized in that said mobile means for generating the air jet (S) for drying consist of by an autonomous dryer with built-in resistors and fan. 15. Device (1) according to claim 13, for successive shaping according to the method of claim 10, locks (40) of the hair (30), characterized in that said mobile means for generating the air jet (S) of drying consist of: - a mobile heating nozzle (75) provided with: . an internal electric heating system (81) . and means (82) capable of making it easy to grasp by hand - And flexible tubing (13) called drying: . a first end (18) of which is connected to the air outlet of said vacuum cleaner (2), . and a second end (20) of which is extended by said movable heating nozzle (75). 16. Device (1) according to one of claims 12 to 15, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30) characterized in that its said member (15) for shaping the hair consists by a divergent nozzle, the mouth (90) of the neck (37) is transversely substantially linear (according to w-w '). 17. Arrangement (1) according to claim 15, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30) characterized in that its neck (37) has a mouth: - about five centimeters wide - about five millimeters thick, so that the aspi ration of the locks (40) through necking causes them to spread and smooth. 18. Device (1) according to one of claims 12 to 17, for shaping locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that its said organ (15) for shaping the hair is removably and interchangeably mounted on said first end (12) of the flexible tube (11) so that it is possible to adapt its geometrical and dimensional characteristics with the desired shaping effects for the hair (30). 19. Device (1) according to one of claims 13 to 18, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that the electric vacuum cleaner (2) constituting said source of vacuum on which is connected the suction pipe (11) has several stages in order to allow modulation of the traction and bending effects on the locks treated by the shaping member. 20. Device (1) according to one of claims 11 to 17 above, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that the nozzle (75) of its said means for generating the air jet (S) for drying is of transverse dimension smaller than that inside of the extreme mouth of the neck (37) of the shaping member (15); so that this nozzle (75) can be engaged in the shaping member (15) so that the entire drying air jet (S) is channeled inside said tube (11), on the downstream part (42) of the wick and that the heating and shaping devices operate in a closed cycle. 21. Device (1) according to one of claims 13 to 20 above, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that said second end (16) of said tubing (11) suction opens almost vertically from the upper part of the vacuum cleaner (2) to facilitate the movements of the manipulator vis-à-vis the hair (30) to be treated. 22. Device (1) according to claim 15 for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that: on the one hand, said vacuum cleaner (2) is provided with means (in particular rollers (4, 5, 6)) facilitating its translation and its multidirectional rotation on the ground, - And, on the other hand, said first end (16) of said flexible tubing (11) and second end (18) of the tubing (13) open vertically, side by side at the top of said vacuum cleaner (2). 23. Device (1) according to claim 22 above, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), the vacuum cleaner (2) is of the type with vertical cylindrical body whose upper part is blocked by a removable plate (7), said device being characterized in that: - On the one hand, the plate (7) is pierced with two recesses opposite which open out in parallel and vertically said suction pipe (11) and drying pipe (13) - And, on the other hand, the ventilation system (77) of the vacuum cleaner (2) is located vertically opposite one of the two recesses and inside said cylindrical body. 24. Device (1) according to claim 15 above, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30) characterized in that a filtration device (72) is introduced: - between said second end (18) of the tubing (13), - And said first end (16) of the piping (11)
so as to avoid the internal and cyclic circulation of free hair (95) entrained by said suction air stream (A). 25. Device (1) according to one of claims 13 to 24 above, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30) characterized in that said means capable of generating an air jet (S ) drying have their resistances electrically supplied by a cable from said electric vacuum cleaner (2), so that said device is powered by the single power cable (79) of the vacuum cleaner (2). 26. Device (1) according to claims 14 and 26, for shaping the locks (40) of a hair (30), characterized in that said independent dryer is supplied by an electric cable, ending in a plug on an auxiliary electrical outlet with which said vacuum cleaner is provided.

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