EP0787444B1 - Hair curler - Google Patents

Abstract

The hair curler (1) is made from a layer (3) of a semi-rigid or rigid material or of paper, having a perforated surface (7), a central fold (9) and zig-zag pleats (13) lying parallel to the central fold. After a lock of hair has been placed between the two halves of the curler it is folded in half and the zig-zag pleats are made permanent by heat treatment and the two halves of the curler are held together by a clip or elastic band.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a "curler", term used in the broad sense, that is to say an object allowing hair shaping.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Traditionally, curlers are made up by objects such as rods and rollers, intended for give particular forms to the locks of hair, that is to say, to complete them.

To do this, the locks of hair are coiled on these curlers, for example in the wet state, and are then dried. In some cases, various treatments of the "permanent" type contribute to the shaping of the hair.

After a while, the curlers are removed and the hair retains a curly or curly shape.

Various techniques have also been used to maintain the curly shape, in particular by using so-called styling or fixing products.

In practice, however, and mainly in depending on the nature of the hair, the shapes that we can get are limited.

Document US 3 871 388 A describes a device for carrying out various layouts of hair (curly or straight form) which consists of a trellis comprising plastic monofilaments and deformable metal wires, arranged parallel to a hinge element making it possible to fold by closing it, said device.

It is used by interposing strands of hair and by deforming the whole in an S shape. English, whose sense of closure, contrary to what is obtained with classic curlers, can be first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

Document US 4,942,892 A proposes a device for shaping the Z-shaped hair, which consists of an element elongated flat central and two folding ends on the central element using two hinges.

The set is made of a plastic material semi-rigid.

This device is not intended to confer a formatting in several zigzags.

Document GB 2 194 437 A describes an element of deformable shaping provided with copper wires intended to allow folding and maintaining in a non-planar shape.

Document US 2,936,766 A describes a strip of resilient material which is rolled up to form loops.

The document FR 649 696 A describes a device consisting of several bars or clamps, intended for waving hair.

Document US 572 027 A describes a device made up of U-shaped wires linked together, allowing a folding.

Document EP 0 039 072 A describes a curler comprising a spring. It is used conventionally to wrap hair and curl it.

Document FR 2 416 667 A describes a device comprising two elongated and flat shaped elements complementary and can be joined together to undulate hair.

The document FR 1 153 109 A describes a device composed of two parts for pinching hair. The parts are flexible and allow to roll up the device and hair in a spiral or helix.

OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide by a simple technique, new forms using a "curler".

It should be noted that the term "curler" must get along broadly as an object used to form and that in particular this does not necessarily imply that the hair should be rolled up on the curler, so that it will appear below.

CHARACTERISTIC ELEMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposes an object for shaping hair, called a curler, consisting of a sheet, of preferably made of a semi-rigid or rigid material or still made of paper, provided with perforations, characterized in that said sheet has been folded in the first direction of its length by forming a central fold and which then has been zigzagged perpendicular to this central fold, and in that it includes a means such as a clips or a elastic, in order to maintain the hair and the Curler in the position obtained after zigzag folding.

Advantageously, the starting sheet comprises on at least half of a side, a cut corresponding to the width and height of a lock of hair which will be interposed between the two thicknesses overlapping the sheet after which the sheet thus folded over of the two halves of the sheet, is folded according to the shape of the zigzag.

The folds mentioned, including the zigzag folds, can be easily made permanent by placing under pressure and by heat treatment of the semi-rigid material in the folded state.

Advantageously, on at least one of the edges of the sheet opposite the central fold, an extra thickness may be intended to avoid crushing the strands of hair. A such additional thickness can be carried out on both sides, especially when you want to introduce products suitable for the intended treatment (permanent, fixing agents or styling).

The interest of the particular shape of this curler lies in the fact that each of the zigzags forms a loop or notch in the wick but that the part between these zigzags remains flat and therefore a flat part is performed on the strands of hair between each of the notches.

New, unattainable special effects with conventional roll-up curlers moreover, since the curler used can be be made in different widths, lengths and zigzag spacing, it becomes possible to get a series of special effects using curlers of this type.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED FORM OF PERFORMANCE OF THE INVENTION

The invention will be described in more detail in reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention in referring to the attached schematic drawings, intended without no limitation, to represent a "curler" according to the invention.

La figure 1 représente une vue en plan du bigoudi déplié "à plat";

La figure 2 représente le bigoudi replié; et

La figure 3 représente une vue en perspective du bigoudi partiellement replié.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the curler unfolded "flat";

Figure 2 shows the folded curler; and

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the partially folded curler.

In the figures, reference marks identical are used for identical elements or similar.

The curler with the general reference 1 is consisting of a sheet 3, preferably made of a semi-rigid material such as polyethylene or resin acrylate, but paper or cardboard can also be considered.

We preferably choose materials that keep in principle their planar shape but which, when they are under pressure combined with thermal action in the folded state, form a permanent fold.

This sheet is provided with a notch 5 and a series of perforations or cutouts 7 shown schematically in the form of a series of holes overlapping during folding according to the central fold 9.

The perforations can also be micro-perforations as will be indicated below, or else one or more large cutouts of the sheet between two zigzag folds.

The sheet lengthwise has a permanent fold 9 which results in part 3A of the sheet and part 3B tend to overlap.

Advantageously, on one side of the sheet, that is to say in the drawing on part 3B which is opposite in fold 9, there is an extra thickness indicated by the reference 11.

Part 3A is folded over on part 3B and the fold 9 is thermally fixed.

In addition, in this position, that is to say in double thickness of sheet 3, a series of zigzag folds 13 were made and fixed by applying pressure combined with heat treatment in the folded state. Well heard, the folds fixed as indicated allow still unfold the curler for use.

Note that the folds can have shapes rounded rather than straight angles.

The notch 5 made at the top of the half 3A of the sheet is intended to receive a wick of hair by applying the leaf in the unfolded state at the base of the hair, receiving the base of the hair in this notch 5.

Then the sheet 3A is folded over the sheet 3B by trapping the hair. Then folding the double sheet trapping the hair according to the folds zigzag 13, we print them ripples that we "fix" by any appropriate means.

The hair was also represented schematically in the form of a wick 15 represented as being visible under part 3B.

Of course, this wick in reality is much more provided than the representations indicate for reasons of clarity of the drawings. The width of the wick corresponds approximately to the width of the cut 5.

In principle, we will choose the length of the sheet, that is to say also the number of zigzags as a function of the length of the hair to be treated, principle should not exceed the length of the sheet.

In order to keep the curler in position folded zigzags, suitable means can be planned. Note that sheet 1, when it is flat (Figure 1), is not strictly rectangular. When tied, because of its trapezoidal shape, it affects the shape shown in Figure 2.

A rigid element 17 can be secured to the portion near notch 5 of part 3B of the sheet by collage, by insertion in cutouts provided for this purpose in the sheet or by any other means and an element of support, for example an elastic band 19 or a clip, can keep the curler in its folded position according to fold 9 in trapping the hair between parts 3A and 3B and shaping using zigzag folds 13. The "fixation" can be achieved by any suitable means, for example example using a hair dryer acting on hair preferably damp and provided with treating agents suitable, i.e. styling, fixing agents, permanent, etc.

The perforations 7 allow the action of the hair dryer and treatment products.

It appeared particularly effective to plan at the zigzag folds of the micro-perforations (not shown) to facilitate the penetration of both fixing elements and hot air flow.

The particular effect obtained by this technique resides in a succession of notches or loops and parts flat.

This allows for special effects not still achieved so far.

It should be noted that it is possible to give a slight fold (represented by the reference 21 of the figure 2) the flat part between each zigzag to create complementary effects i.e. a frank loop followed a slightly deformed flat part, then a slight deformation, again a flat part and then a loop in the opposite direction produced by the following zigzag fold, which is of course in the opposite direction to the previous one.

Although particular forms of invention, it should be understood that many modifications are possible, especially in the choice of material, the dimensions and in particular the zigzag spacing.

This is particularly so when we indicate that the zigzag folds are perpendicular to the central fold, understand that without departing from the scope of the invention, it is possible to make zigzag folds which are not strictly perpendicular to the central fold but which may also be slightly oblique.

Likewise, the central fold should not be made strictly in the middle of the sheet, but one of the parts (3A for example) can extend beyond the other party 3B if desired, without this however bringing any particular advantage.

Claims (5)

1. Hair-shaping item, so-called hair-curler (1), being made with a sheet (3) preferably made of either a semi-rigid or rigid material or also of paper, provided with punched holes (7), characterized in that said sheet is folded a first time lengthwise by forming a central fold (9) and is then folded in zigzag (13) perpendicularly to such central fold, and in that it comprises such means as a clip or an elastic band so as to be able to keep hair (15) and hair-curler (1) in the position reached after said zigzag-folding.
2. Item according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheet (3) comprises on at least one side half a cutting (5) corresponding to the width and the height of a hair lock which will be put between the two superimposed thicknesses of the sheet (3), after what the sheet being folded by recovering both sheet halves (3A, 3B) is folded in zigzag (13).
3. Item according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the folds (9, 13) are made permanent by pressure application and thermal treatment of the material in the folded condition.
4. Item according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that on at least one of the sheet edges (3A) being opposed to the central fold (9) an over-thickness (11) is provided.
5. Item according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a slight folding (21) is provided on the flat part between respective zigzags.

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