EP0505754A2 - Rod-type curler without bow and method of its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

A rod-type curler (1) without a bar for curling and fixing dry or moist hair has a curling body (2) made of resilient, restoring foam plastic and is provided with a device for fixing a curved form of the curling body (2) after curling. At least in one end region (5), the curling body (2) has a slot (9) which is closed at the edges or a narrow punch-out which extends parallel to the axis (10) of the curling body (2). Furthermore, the curling body (2) has constant external dimensions over its substantially axial extent. The slotted or punched region of the curling body (2) is elastically deformable to form a loop in order to receive the other end of the curling body (2) in the fixed position. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a non-iron, rod-shaped hair roller for winding and holding dry or damp hair, with a winding body made of resilient, resilient plastic foam and with a device for fixing a curved shape of the winding body after winding. At the same time, a method for producing such a non-iron, soulless, rod-shaped hair curler from flexible, resilient plastic foam is shown. The use of such hair curlers for winding human hair is known. They are used in both private and commercial areas.

A hair roller of the type described above is known from DE-PS 37 13 280. It has a winding body made of plastic foam, which can have an open-pore surface. The winding body here has at least approximately a square cross-section, the resilience being chosen such that only the edges of the winding body are rounded when the hair is being wound up. In one embodiment, the device for fixing the curved shape of the winding body consists of a flexible wire core accommodated in the winding body. In another embodiment, an eyelet is provided at one end region of the winding body and surrounds an opening. The eyelet has considerably larger external dimensions than the rest of the winding body. The opening is dimensioned such that the other end of the winding body, on which a tapering extension is located or is formed, can be inserted into the opening in the eyelet. When inserted, the changes Shape of the eyelet hardly, ie the material in the eyelet area is not significantly deformed.

The design of the fixing device in the form of the plastically deformable core, in particular made of wire, is disadvantageous in several respects. It requires a separate operation to attach it, in which the wire core is inserted axially into the winding body. The ends of the wire core are appropriately bent like an eyelet to counteract the risk of injury. The wire core is of shorter axial length than the winding body. If the winding body is clumsily bent in the area of the core ends, the plastic foam of the winding body is broken open and the end of the wire core protrudes visibly, so that there is an increased risk of injury.

In the other embodiment, in which the hair roller is designed to be soulless and the fixing device is formed from the eyelet with the opening and the tapered neck, the manufacture is difficult because a correspondingly larger piece of material is required for the special design of the eyelet as a result of the protruding areas. It is possible to punch out such curlers from a foamed plastic foam plate by arranging the eyelets and the tapered areas in the opposite direction. However, waste arises at least to the extent of the openings penetrating the eyelets. The wide protruding eyelets are also a hindrance when transporting the hair curlers, i.e. inside the hair curler pack and also when storing the hair curlers after use.

From DE-PS 35 41 842 a curler Papillotenart is known in which the winding body consists of a round sealing cord-like, extrusion-foamed cord or a corresponding section thereof. The facility for Fixing a curved shape of the hair curler here also consists of a deformable core with rounded ends, which is inserted axially into the winding body made of plastic foam. Such wire souls also allow only a limited number of bends before they break. The winding body has a round cross section. A cross section that is constant over the length is achieved in that a calibration is carried out after the extrusion foaming. In this case, either the surface of the extrusion-foamed cord is pulled through a heated nozzle, as a result of which the surface closes in a disadvantageous manner, so that the hair unintentionally slides off on this smooth surface, or the constant diameter over the length is achieved by a peeling process, that creates waste. In this second case, the surface of the winding body is advantageously open-pored and there is a better grip on the winding body when winding the hair. With the use of the wire core, the disadvantages already described are also connected here.

From DE-OS 32 34 672 a hair curler is known, the cylindrical winding body consists of soft plastic foam, which has a closed outer skin on its surface. The ends of the winding body are rounded. The fixing device for the curved shape of the winding body also consists of a plastically deformable wire core. The hair curler is produced in a mold by spraying, the wire core being previously inserted into the mold. This method of manufacture is not only particularly complex, but also disadvantageous insofar as the closed outer skin of the bobbin provides an inadequate grip for winding the hair due to the manufacture. By using the wire core as a fixing device, the disadvantages already described also occur here. It is advantageous on such a wire core that the outer dimensions of the Winding body can not be changed over its length, as occurs in the design of the fixing device as an eyelet and tapered plug-in approach.

The invention is based on the object, starting from a non-iron and soulless hair roller of the type described above, to provide a hair roller in which the fixing device is implemented in a simpler manner than hitherto.

According to the invention, this is achieved in that the winding body has at least in one end region an edge-closed slot or a narrow punch-out which extends parallel to the axis of the winding body, that the winding body has constant external dimensions at least over its essential axial extent, and that the slotted or stamped area of the winding body is elastically deformable into an eyelet to accommodate the other end of the winding body in the fixed position. Such a slot is understood to mean a cut, a narrow punched-out area, a planar opening or a recess. All of these designs are referred to below as slots. The slot is closed at the edge or arranged in the winding body that it begins and ends in this. It is not provided transversely to the axis of the bobbin, but parallel to it and extends over a certain axial area. This takes advantage of the idea that the eyelet does not have to be permanently formed, as is known in the prior art, and thus must always be present, but rather the restoring force of the plastic foam is used to merely form or form the slot in the manufacture of the winding former, which can only be expanded to the eyelet at the moment when the hair has previously been wound onto the winding body and the other end of the winding body into the eyelet formed by deformation of the plastic foam to be inserted. The slot is thus not arranged in the central region of the winding body, but offset to one end region, without, however, extending in the region of the free end of the winding body. Rather, the slot ends at a distance from the free end of the winding body. The slot length is dimensioned such that the plastic foam material of the winding body is not overstressed when the eyelet is formed, so that the slot does not tear any further or tear through the plastic material. The formation of the slot as a cut or at most as a narrow punched out is aimed at weakening the remaining cross section of the winding body at this point as little as possible. The slot can even be made in such a way that the surface of the winding body in the area of the slot walls deforms to form a closed surface or forms a closed surface which is less prone to tearing than an open-pore surface. An open-pore surface, on the other hand, has better retention properties against inadvertent slipping out of the inserted other end of the winding body in the fixed position. It is also important that the outer dimensions of the winding body match in the slotted area and in the unslitting area, so that the winding body - in contrast to the known eyelet design - has constant length over the length or constant external dimensions in the case of angular design. This is the case at least essentially in the central area; rounded ends of the winding body, if this is made by injection molding, do not interfere. Such a hair curler can be produced particularly advantageously from a cord of foamed plastic foam in the extruder. It is only necessary to cut winding bodies from such a raw winding body as an endless cord and to make at least one slot before or after each. Such a hair curler is very simple and has no material waste producible. It is easy to use because it is immediately understood. Since the winding body made of plastic foam can also twist in itself, that is, it can be twisted, the position of the slot can be aligned with its main surfaces without further ado in order to achieve the fixing position, without a pull causing a pain being exerted on the wound tufts of hair. The restoring force of the foamed plastic material of the winding body is surprisingly sufficient to hold the other end inserted through in connection with the formation of a slit, so that accidental opening or leaving the fixing position does not occur. The complete elimination of a wire core eliminates the associated disadvantages and such a hair curler can therefore also be produced comparatively inexpensively. The hair curler no longer contains any hard and solid parts and is therefore also suitable for use overnight.

The winding body can have a round or angular cross section. A round, i.e. cylindrical cross-section can be driven out particularly easily from the nozzle of an extruder. An angular cross-section, for example in a square shape, can be produced simply by cutting hardened plate material from foam plastic. In both cases you can work without waste. Depending on the cross-section chosen, this cross-section also runs through the area that carries the slot.

The slot can expediently have an axial length which corresponds approximately to 3 times the diameter or the relevant dimension of the winding body. The slot is therefore relatively long compared to the diameter. The required opening width of the eyelet can thus be generated by slight axial pressure on the relevant end of the winding body. Unless the other end of the Winding body also has the continuous outer diameter or the relevant outer dimensions, that is, is not tapered, which is expedient in the sense of simple manufacture, the slot must have the axial length described. In contrast, if a tapered other end is formed, the slot can be made shorter.

With a diameter of the winding body of approximately 15 mm, the slot can have an axial length of approximately 45 mm, the unshit region adjoining the free end having an axial length of approximately 15 mm. This results in particularly good usage properties. The specified dimensions do not have to be adhered to exactly, but also depend on the type of plastic material used.

As a rule, it is sufficient to slit only one end region of the winding former. However, it is also possible to choose a symmetrical design and to provide both end regions with a slot. The slots are then expediently arranged symmetrically and in alignment with one another, so that each end can optionally be inserted into an eyelet formed at the other end. It is also possible to arrange the two slots with their planes rotated relative to one another, for example by 90 °, in order in this way to obtain four fixing options over the circumference and to be able to end the winding process of the hair tuft at four points of a revolution.

The method for producing such a non-iron, soulless rod-shaped hair curler from resilient, resilient plastic foam is characterized according to the invention in that an elongated raw winding body made of plastic foam with the simple or multiple axial length of the winding body and at least is formed over the length of constant outer dimensions, and that at least one slot extending parallel to the longitudinal direction or a narrow recess is formed per winding body. A raw bobbin is understood to mean an endless cord, in particular an extruded cord, but also a punched or drilled piece of plastic foam, which as a rule is several times the length of a bobbin, so that several bobbins are formed from a raw bobbin by a cutting process. In the case of injection molding, on the other hand, the winding body is created in the injection mold, which can then be referred to as a raw winding body with the simple axial length of the winding body.

The formation of the slit before, during or after the formation of the winding body from the raw winding body depends on the other manufacturing steps. So it is easily possible to carry out the cutting and the cutting process at the same time with one tool. A flat, narrow core is used in injection molding, which leaves the slot or the narrow recess.

In particular, various advantageous possibilities are conceivable, in fact similar to the known production methods as described at the beginning for curlers with a wire core. The plastic foam can be extruded like a round cord to form the raw winding body and the slot is formed by a partial cut transverse to the longitudinal direction. Such a cut can expediently be carried out with a heated knife, which not only enters the plastic foam more easily, but also closes the cut surfaces of the otherwise expediently open-pore surface. Such a reinforcing effect is axial for the two The ends of the slit make sense and are important so that the slit does not tear when the eyelet is resiliently formed.

But it is also possible that the winding body with rounded ends and at least one slot is made by injection molding. In this case, the surface of the winding body will more or less be closed-pore. However, other measures can be taken to make the surface rougher again, for example the formation of grooves or grooves on the circumference of the winding body.

Another advantageous production possibility arises if the raw winding body is produced by hollow drilling from a foamed plastic foam block. The desired open-pore surface is easily obtained. The disadvantage of this is the generation of the waste.

Figur 1

eine Ansicht des Lockenwicklers in einer ersten Ausführungsform,

Figur 2

eine Darstellung des Lockenwicklers gemäß Figur 1 der der fixierten Stellung und

Figur 3

eine Ansicht eines Lockenwicklers in einer zweiten Ausführungsform.

The invention is further explained and described on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Figure 1

2 shows a view of the hair curler in a first embodiment,

Figure 2

a representation of the hair roller according to Figure 1 of the fixed position and

Figure 3

a view of a hair roller in a second embodiment.

In Figure 1, a hair roller 1 is shown, which consists of a section of foamed plastic in the form of a cord. Such a section forms a winding body 2, which here has a circular cross section 3. This cross section 3 and thus the outer diameter of the Winding body 2 extends constantly over its entire axial length.

A central region 4 is formed on the winding body 2; in which the tuft of hair is wound up and thus taken up, as can be seen in FIG. 2. The middle region is followed by two end regions 5 and 6, which extend as far as free ends 7 and 8 of the winding body 2. In one end region 5, a slot 9 is provided, which extends parallel or in alignment with an axis 10 of the winding body 2 and is provided continuously over the entire cross section, so that the material of the winding body is halved in the area of the slot 9. The two parts of the winding body 2 resulting to the right and left of the slot 9 should be of identical cross-section. The slot 9 is closed at the edge, i. H. it does not overflow into an outer boundary of the winding body 2. In particular, a non-slotted region 11 results in the direction of the free end 7.

The other end region 6 is in no way specially designed. It merges into the central region 4 without change or is designed in exactly the same way as this central region 4. This does not rule out that the end region 6 can also be designed to be tapered in order to make it easier to insert it into the slot 9 which elastically widens into an eyelet enable if the fixing position is to be taken according to Figure 2. Even rounded end regions 5, 6 in the region of the free ends 7 and 8 are not disturbing, but do require a corresponding manufacturing outlay.

The hair roller according to FIG. 1 is wound with its central region 4 over a tuft of hair 12, which is done in the usual way. The winding body 2 is then brought into the curved position according to FIG. 2 and by applying a slight axial pressure according to arrow 13, the can be exercised by a finger of a hand, the slot 9 opens to an eyelet-like opening, which takes about diamond-shaped shape. The other end region 6 can then be easily inserted with the other hand through the eyelet formed from the slot 9. After release, the restoring force of the plastic foam material of the winding body is sufficient to maintain the fixed position, as shown in FIG. 2. It is also readily possible to change the fixed position as shown by pulling the end region 6 a little further.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the hair curler 1. The winding body 2 has a square cross section 14 here. The central region 4 and the two end regions 5 and 6 are also formed here. The slot is designed here as a narrow punch 15 and provided twice, that is, in both end areas 5 and 6. The two punch 15 are aligned with their main surfaces and are also designed to the longitudinal axis that the material areas resulting from the punch 15 and 16 Keep winding body 2 with the same remaining cross-section. The cutouts 15 are very narrow in order to damage these residual cross sections as little as possible. The winding body has a cross section 14 of 10 x 10 mm. The free area 11 is also 10 mm long, while the punch 15 is approximately 30 mm long. It goes without saying that the punching 15 can also be formed by a recess if the individual manufacture of such hair curlers 2 is carried out by injection molding. However, cheaper manufacturing options result from an endless production of a raw winding body from which winding bodies are cut to length. The two punched-outs 15 can also be arranged rotated through 90 ° about the axis 10. It goes without saying that cross sections other than the round cross section 3 or the square cross section 14 can also be realized can.

Reference symbol list:

1

= Curlers

2nd

= Winding body

3rd

= Cross section

4th

= Middle range

5

= End range

6

= End range

7

= End

8th

= End

9

= Slot

10th

= Axis

11

= Area

12

= Hair

13

= Arrow

14

= Cross section

15

= Die cut

Claims (11)

Non-iron, rod-shaped hair curler for winding and holding dry or damp hair, with a winding body (2) made of resilient, resilient plastic foam and with a device for fixing a curved shape of the winding body after winding, characterized in that the winding body (2) at least in An end region (5) has an edge-closed slot (9) or a narrow cut-out (15) which extends parallel to the axis (10) of the winding body (2), so that the winding body (2) has constant external dimensions at least over its essential axial extent and that the slotted or punched area of the winding body (2) is elastically deformable into an eyelet to accommodate the other end of the winding body (2) in the fixed position. Hair curler according to claim 1, characterized in that the winding body (2) has a round or angular cross-section (3, 14). Hair curler according to claim 2 or 1, characterized in that the slot (9, 15) has an axial length which corresponds approximately to 3 times the diameter or the relevant dimension of the winding body (2). Hair curler according to claim 3, characterized in that the slot (9) with a diameter of the winding body of approximately 15 mm has an axial length of approximately 45 mm and the unslit region (11) adjoining in the direction of the free end (7) has an axial length Has a length of about 15 mm. Hair curler according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the winding body (2) has a slot (9) or a punched-out area (15) at both end regions (5, 6), which are arranged symmetrically and in alignment with one another. A process for producing a non-iron, soulless rod-shaped hair curler from flexible, resilient plastic foam, characterized in that an elongated raw winding body is formed from the plastic foam with the single or multiple axial length of the winding body (2) and with at least substantially constant external dimensions over the length , and that at least one slot (9) extending parallel to the longitudinal direction or a narrow recess (15) is formed in each winding body (2). Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the slot (9, 15) is molded in before, during or after the formation of the winding body (2) from the raw winding body. Method according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the plastic foam is extruded in the manner of a round sealing cord to form the raw winding body, and in that the slot is formed in each case by a partial cut transverse to the longitudinal direction. Method according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the winding body with rounded ends and at least one slot (9, 15) is produced by injection molding. Method according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the raw winding body is produced by hollow drilling from a foamed plastic foam block. Method according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the raw winding body or the winding body is produced by punching from a foamed plastic foam sheet.

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