EP0115288A2 - Curler body and method of manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Hair curler body (1, 1a) consisting of an elongate synthetic foam material body (2) with an about axially extending stiffening insert (3), characterised thereby, that the stiffening insert (3) is embedded as wire (11) into the synthetic material during the foaming thereof, both longitudinal ends of the wire being shortened relative to the length of the synthetic foam material body (2) in such a manner that the wire ends within the synthetic foam material body at a spacing from the longitudinal end faces thereof and that the synthetic foam material body (2) consists of synthetic material, which has been foamed during extrusion and is of low density, and that the outer skin of the synthetic foam material body (2) is compacted to a density adequate for the winding-on of hairs.

Description

The invention relates to a hair roller body consisting of an elongated plastic foam body with an approximately axially extending wire insert. Such curlers are referred to as "papillot curlers". The invention also relates to a method for producing the papillot winder.

From DE-GM 17 67 158 it is known to provide hair curlers made of foam with a longitudinal bore and to pull a stabilizing wire into the bore and at the same time to apply a hair wrap to be held on the winder body. The flexible or elastic, bare or plastic-coated wire can be loosely moved back and forth in the hole and protrudes from the hole at both ends so that a fastening device for a hair wrap can also be attached to it. The curler bodies according to the utility model are relatively stiff and cannot be compared in terms of task and effort with the curler bodies of the papillot type mentioned at the beginning.

_P apillote winders are manufactured using molded foams. In this case, a granulate which is foamed by extrusion and is composed, for example, of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or of polyurethane (PUR) is produced and then processed to give the shaped body. As Extrusionswerk- eug _for example, uses a perforated plate. The total _s chäumten strands are crushed to form the granules directly after exiting. The granules are - even after radiation crosslinking up to a gel content of 20 to 40% - brought into the respective shape and heated until it melts on the surface by heating the mold. By subsequently reducing the mold volume, the hot granules are solidified into a shaped body. If the papillot type hair curlers individually foamed in this way are to be sufficiently stable, a wire section - usually by hand - must be inserted into their core.

The papillot wrappers produced by molded foams have an uncomfortably high specific weight for use. Therefore, hair curlers with density of less than 100 kg / m ^{3 have been} extrusion foamed. However, such winder bodies do not have the stability required for use, since the wire pieces separately inserted during the molding foaming to stabilize the winder body, which have to be shorter than the foam plastic body, could not be integrated into the production process during extrusion foaming.

The invention has for its object to provide a papillot winder which, despite having the lowest specific weight, has the bending stiffness required to fulfill its function, is to be equipped with an outer skin which is sufficiently stiff for winding up hair and, when the wire insert emerges, possibly with the risk of injury, is not to be feared. The solution according to the invention consists in the hair curler body of the type mentioned with an elongated foam plastic body with an approximately axially extending wire insert or core in that the Pailloten type plastic body made of extrusion-foamed plastic be stands and that the wire insert is foamed into the plastic as a stabilizing core.

LDPE with processing additives is preferably used as the plastic, the density of the foamed polyethylene being below 100 kg / m ³ , preferably of the order of 50 kg / m ³ and less. In addition to LDPE, other plastics to be processed in the direct gassing process are also suitable if they have a sufficiently low deformation resistance with relatively high elasticity for producing the hair curler body. For example, high density polyethylene (HDPE) and soft PVC can be used.

A favorable method for producing starting material for the production of the curler body according to the papillote type is that the foam plastic body is produced as an endless profile with endless wire from plastic foam profiles produced in a direct gassing process with physical blowing agents. The continuous profile must then be cut up and processed at the separation points so that the wire insert cannot emerge from the cut surfaces.

In a particularly advantageous, first embodiment of the hair curler body according to the invention and the method for producing the hair curler body, the wire insert at the two longitudinal ends - relative to the length of the plastic body - is to be shortened such that the wire ends within the plastic body at a distance from its longitudinal end faces. The wire insert can consist of one or more individual wires, but also of metal-filled plastic wires. In another cheap one Design of the hair curler body or manufacturing process, the insert may not need to be shortened or bent at the ends when using plastic-coated wires, if the ends of the plastic-coated wire do not in themselves constitute a risk of injury.

Particularly in the case of an inventive curler body made of LDPE, in which only the (preferably cylindrical) outer skin is compressed in the extrusion path and the (circular) ends are formed as cut surfaces with open pores, penetration of the cut wire ends on the cut surfaces can be avoided if the wire ends are open a sufficient distance from the cut surfaces within the winder body. The corresponding shortening can preferably be carried out by punching through the wire and removing the wire ends at a distance from the end of the winder (the punched-out punching of the plastic that remains remains visible but does not interfere); by pushing back the yielding foam material and shortening the wire and allowing the foam material to spring back; Loop or ball head molding and spring back of the foam material, the wire ends anchoring the wire through hairpin-shaped bends or molding ball heads to avoid longitudinal displacement in the plastic body.

There is no need to bend or form ball heads if the foam material that protrudes beyond the wire ends is heated and compressed. This is preferably done with the help of Teflon-coated heating elements, because this means that there is an outside at the papillot ends skin compression occurs, which prevents both the longitudinal displacement of the wire and the piercing of the wire. The use of concave heating elements is particularly advantageous because the dome thus formed at the ends of the papillot covers the piercing area of the wire when the papillot is used.

In addition to the measures described, a good anchoring of the wire insert in the plastic body is also achieved by a stronger material compression as a whole or adjacent to the wire core. A compression, adjacent to the wire core, occurs when the wire is kept relatively cold when it is brought together with the hot foam. In addition or instead of this, the wire can also be ribbed, corrugated or provided with other markings or can be guided through an adhesive or adhesion promoter to avoid longitudinal displacement before being brought into contact with the extrusion foam. A corrugation or other marking is also possible by attacking appropriate tools after the wire has been foamed around the foam material and through this foam material without the foam material being permanently deformed thereby.

• Fig. 1 -eine erfindungsgemäße Schaumpapillote in Längs- und Querschnitt;
• Fig. 2 eine Schaumpapillote mit verdichteten Längsenden;
• Fig. 3 eine Extrusionsanlage für Endlos-Stränge von Schaumpapilloten;
• Fig. 4 eine Konfektionsanlage zum Herstellen von Schaumpapilloten aus Endlos-Strängen;
• Fig. 5 Verfahrensvarianten zum Kürzen der Draht-A bis C enden innerhalb des Schaumkunststoffkörpers;
• Fig. 6 eine Fortentwicklung des Verfahrens nach Fig. 5A; und
• Fig. 7 eine Fortentwicklung der Verfahren nach Fig. 5 und 6;
• Fig. 8 eine Fortentwicklung des Verfahrens nach Fig. 5B.

The grip, thickness and shape of the outer skin of the foam plastic body can also be controlled in a simple manner in the method according to the invention. If the calibration tool used is kept relatively hot compared to the hot foam mass, a relatively thin outer skin results, for example, while this can become very thick when using a relatively cold tool. The grip can be achieved by ribbing or corrugation with longitudinal and / or transverse marking of the extrusions Adjust tools and / or by means of gear embossing immediately after leaving the calibration tool in the not yet fully hardened state. Milling processes can also be used to increase grip. For example, stronger corrugation can be achieved if the material is milled lengthwise with the aid of downstream milling units with saw blade-type milling cutters. Details of the invention are explained on the basis of the schematic illustration in the drawing. Show it:

• Fig. 1 - a foam papillote according to the invention in longitudinal and cross section;
• 2 shows a foam papilla with compressed longitudinal ends;
• Figure 3 shows an extrusion system for endless strands of foam papillots.
• FIG. 4 shows a finishing plant for the production of foam paper lots from endless strands; FIG.
• Fig. 5 process variants for shortening the wire A to C ends within the foam plastic body;
• 6 shows a further development of the method according to FIG. 5A; and
• 7 shows a further development of the method according to FIGS. 5 and 6;
• 8 shows a further development of the method according to FIG. 5B.

1 consists of a plastic body 2 made of highly foamed low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with a stabilizing core or wire insert 3. In the exemplary embodiment, the length of the plastic body 2 was approximately 13.5 cm and its diameter was approximately 1. 0 cm. An average density of 40 kg / m ^{3 was} measured for papillote 1 without wire insert 3. The foam weight of Papillote 1 was 0.39 g per piece. The weight of the 12.5 cm long black wire insert 3 with 0.1 cm diameter was 0.82 g per piece.

The foam papillote 1a according to FIG. 2 differs from that according to FIG. 1 primarily by the longitudinal ends 2a, which are preferably compressed as a round tip. The Verdich Zones are indicated by hatching.

3 consists of eleven linked units. The polyethylene granulate is introduced together with processing additives at the material feed 4 and fed to an extruder 5. The melted in the extruder 5 is acted upon by a gas bearing 6 via metering pumps 7 with propellant gas. The melt prepared in this way is cooled in the recooling zone 8 and fed to a crosshead 9. Here, with the shape of the strand 10, a wire 11 is embedded in the strand core. The wire 11 passes from a wire outlet 12 via a straightening device 13 into the crosshead 9. The finished strand 10 runs through a cooling basin 14 and a take-off 15 to a reel 16.

4, the strand 10 is passed on continuously from the reel 16 into a take-off and cutting unit 17. There, the individual papillots 1 are separated from the strand 10 and pass into a device 18 for shortening the wire ends and optionally into a device 18a for compressing the longitudinal ends of the papillots which protrude beyond the wire ends. Finally, the individual parts are fed to an automatic bundling and packaging machine 19.

The device according to FIG. 5 shows three process variants A, B and C, which in their core can take the place of the devices 18 and 18a and possibly also the take-off and cutting unit 17 of the clothing plant according to FIG. 4. In all three process variants A, B and C, foam 20 arrives from the extruder and wire 11 in the crosshead 9, in which - as in FIG. 3 - the Foam plastic strand 10 provided with a wire core is formed.

In the process variant according to FIG. 5A, the strand 10 is first cut in a process stage I with the aid of a pair of knives 21 which cut the foam body itself smoothly but only clamps the wire insert. At the same time, the papillote 1 to be separated is held with the help of jaws 22. In this process variant, the wire ends 23 are moved into the interior of the papillot by means of two punching knives 24, that the wire 11 is punched through the plastic and that in process phases II and III the papillot 1 cut off with the aid of the clamping jaws 22 in the direction of the arrow 25 withdrawn and the punched-out piece of wire is pulled out with the help of the knife pair 21 in the direction of arrow 26. The finished papillote 1 can be stored in process stage IV.

In the process variant according to FIG. 5B, the individual papillote 1 is completely separated in phase I, in a subsequent process stage II the foam body 2 is pushed together over the wire in the direction of arrow 27 with special clamping tools 28, and the wire ends 23 are in stage III separated with the help of knives 29. In a process stage IV, the foam body can relax again and the finished papillote 1 is put down.

In the process variant according to FIG. 5C, process stages I and II correspond to those of FIG. 5B. In stage III, however, the wire ends 23 are not cut off, but are bent over with the aid of special bending tools 30, so that the wire ends 23, in particular hairpin-shaped, bent over after the foam has been released body in phase IV as wire eyelets 31 in the interior of the papillote 1 to be deposited.

The process steps or devices according to FIGS. 5A to C can be developed further according to FIGS. 6 and 7.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6, the subsequent work steps to be added to the extrusion of foamed papillots, namely pushing back the foam and cutting out and removing a piece of wire, are combined. According to the drawing, a double knife 32 cuts through the foam 33 in phase a, displaces or displaces it in phase b by moving the individual knives apart in the direction of the arrow 34 on the wire core 3 and cuts out a piece of wire 35 in immediate succession. After retraction of the double knife 32, the displaced foam 36 relaxes in phase c and covers the shortened wire ends 37.

Finally, a method is explained with reference to FIG. 7, which is to be advantageously connected to the method according to FIGS. 5A to C and 6, in each case to the phase with papillots finished with regard to the inclusion of the wire ends in the foam. In the successive phases I, II and III it is shown, for example with the aid of concave heating elements 47, which are moved in the direction of arrow 48 against the longitudinal ends 49 of the prepared papillote 1 and are heated in phase II, the longitudinal ends 49 of the molds or heating elements 47 corresponding shape can be given with the wire ends opposite compressed areas 2a. After separating the heating elements 47 in the direction of arrow 50 from the Plastic body 2 according to phase III of FIG. 7 is then a finished papillote corresponding to FIG. 2.

A further development of the method according to FIG. 5B is explained with reference to FIG. 8. The strand 10 running from a reel 38 passes through a take-off 39 into a cutting station with a knife 40. The papillot blanks 41, which are separated there in each case, are clamped in pliers 42 on a turntable 44 which can be pivoted about its axis in the direction of arrow 43 and, together with this, reach a wire shortening station 45, which is similar to that of FIG. 5B. While processing in the station 45, a new blank 41 in a z. B. added by 90 ° offset pliers 42 and in a previously finished papillote 1 in a z. B. by 90 ° offset extension 46 in a bundling and packaging machine 19 (see. Fig. 4) or the like.

Reference symbol list

• 1 = papillote
• 2 = plastic body
• 2a = compressed longitudinal end
• 3 = wire insert
• 4 = material feed
• 5 = extruder
• 6 = gas storage
• 7 = dosing pump
• 8 = recooling zone
• 9 = crosshead
• 10 = strand
• 11 = wire
• 12 = wire drain
• 13 = straightener
• 14 = cooling pool
• 15 = deduction
• 16 = reel
• 17 = cutting unit
• 18 = wire end shortening
• 18a = longitudinal end compression
• 19 = packaging machine
• 20 = foam
• 21 = pair of knives
• 22 = jaws
• 23 = wire ends
• 24 = punch knife
• 25 = arrow direction
• 26 = arrow direction
• 27 = arrow direction
• 28 = clamping tools
• 29 = knife
• 30 = bending tool
• 31 = wire eyelets
• 32 = double knife
• 33 = foam
• 34 = arrow direction
• 35 = piece of wire
• 36 = displaced foam
• 37 = shortened wire ends
• 38 = reel
• 39 = deduction
• 40 = knife
• 41 = papillot blank
• 42 = pliers
• 43 = arrow direction
• 44 = turntable
• 45 = wire cutting station
• 46 = extension station
• 47 = heating element
• 48 = arrow
• 49 = longitudinal end
• 50 = arrow

Claims (28)

1. Hair curler body (1) consisting of an elongated foam plastic body (2) with an approximately axially extending wire insert (3), characterized in that the plastic body (2) formed according to the type of papillot consists of extrusion-foamed plastic and that the wire insert (3) acts as a stabilizing core in the plastic is foamed. 2. Body according to claim 1, characterized in that the plastic consists of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and processing additives. 3. Body according to claim 2, characterized in that the density of the foamed polyethylene is less than 100 kg / m ³ , preferably in the order of at most 50 kg / m ³ . 4. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the outer skin of the plastic body (2) is compressed relative to the open-pored interior of the body. 5. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the material of the foam plastic adjacent to the wire insert (3) is compressed relative to the inside of the body. 6. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a longitudinal displacement relative to the plastic body by ripping, corrugation or other marking of the wire insert (3) is excluded. 7. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the wire insert (3) is glued to the surrounding plastic material. 8. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the wire insert (3) is hot-dip galvanized. 9. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the wire insert (3) is separately plastic-coated. 10. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the wire insert (3) is shortened at both longitudinal ends relative to the length of the plastic body (2), such that the wire ends within the plastic body at a distance from its longitudinal end faces . 11. Body according to claim 10, characterized in that the wire insert (3) is shortened by separating longitudinal end pieces (23) within the plastic body (2). 12. Body according to claim 10, characterized in that the wire insert (3) by hairpin-like bending of the longitudinal end pieces (23) within the plastic body (2) is shortened. 13. Body according to one or more of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the plastic material projecting beyond the longitudinal ends of the wire insert (3), in particular as a round cap of the papillot ends (2a), is compressed (Fig. 2). 14. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the wire insert (3) consists of deformable, non-resilient material. 15. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the wire insert (3) is combined from two or more individual wires. 16. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the outer surface of the foam plastic body (2) has a longitudinal and / or transverse marking in the manner of a ribbing or corrugation. 17. Body according to one or more of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the existing from polyethylene foam with about 40 kg / m ³ plastic body (2) cylindrical shape with about 13.5 cm in length and about 1.0 cm in diameter and centrally contains in the soul an approximately axial black wire insert (3) of approximately 12.5 cm in length and approximately 0.1 cm in diameter. 18. A method for producing a hair curler body (1) according to one or more of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the foam plastic body (2) is produced as an endless profile with endlessly inserted wire (11) from plastic foam profiles produced in direct gassing with physical blowing agents. 19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that the grip and thickness of the outer skin of the plastic body (2) can be adjusted by choosing the temperature gradient between the extrusion tool (9) and hot foam mass (20). 20. The method according to claim'18 or 19, characterized in that the density of the wire insert (3) immediately surrounding foam material is adjusted by choosing the temperature gradient between wire (11) and hot foam mass (20). 21. The method according to one or more of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that the outer skin of the plastic body (2) by design of the calibration tool (9) and / or by embossing immediately after leaving the calibration tool in a not yet hardened state , in particular for generating a corrugation or ripple, for example by means of gear embossing, provided with a longitudinal and / or transverse marking. 22. The method according to one or more of claims 18 to 21, characterized in that the surface of the plastic body (2) is corrugated by longitudinal milling. 23. The method according to one or more of claims 18 to 22, characterized in that polyethylene granules with appropriate additives are fed to an extruder (5) which supplies the melted mass in the extruder (5) from a gas bearing (6) via metering pumps (7) with propellant gas , the melt is cooled in a subsequent re-cooling zone (8) and then fed to a crosshead (9) and that in the crosshead (9) a wire (11) is continuously embedded in the core of the formed strand (10) at the same time as the shaping, and that the strand (10) - if appropriate after intermediate storage, in particular on a reel (16) - is separated into individual pieces (1) with a papillot length. 24. The method according to one or more of claims 18 to 23, characterized in that the wire insert (11) is shortened (24, 29) at a distance from the papillot ends or bent in the area within the foam papillot (1) (31) becomes. 25. The method according to one or more of claims 18 to 24, characterized in that the wire ends (23) are punched through (24) within the foam papillote (1) at a distance from the papillote ends. 26. The method according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the foam body (2) before the bending or punching of the wire ends (23) from the ends is pushed back elastically (28). 27. The method according to one or more of claims 18 to 26, characterized in that the outer skin of the papillot ends (2a) is compressed with the aid of heating elements (27) (Fig. 7). 28. The method according to one or more of claims 24 to 27, characterized in that the wire ends (23) are tempered by applying a pulling cut in the wire shortening.

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