EP1274327B1 - Wig adjustable to the shape of the user's head and method for carrying out said adjustment - Google Patents

Abstract

A wig adjustable to the size and shape of the user's head includes an inner support or cap designed to cover the user's scalp and whereon is fixed natural or artificial hair. The invention is characterized in the cap is provided, inside, in the entire surface or in at least part of the surface defined by its periphery, a pleating mechanism for producing small pleats thereby reshaping the outline of the cap to make it fit the shape of the user's skull.

Description

The present invention relates to a wig or false hair adjustable to the shape of the user's skull or head. It also targets a process to obtain this adjustment.

Hairpieces or wigs include internal support or shaped cap to cover the user's scalp and on which natural or artificial hair is fixed, said internal support being provided means or arranged to allow the wig to be fixed on the head of the user.

• un dessus destiné à couvrir une zone du crâne allant du frontal au point milieu ;
• un côté gauche et un côté droit (pattes incluses) ;
• un arrière ;
• une partie destinée à couvrir la nuque.

The internal support or cap is generally composed of different parts identified by the areas of the head that they are called upon to cover, such as, for example:

• a top intended to cover an area of the skull going from the frontal to the midpoint;
• a left side and a right side (legs included);
• a rear;
• a part intended to cover the nape of the neck.

A) Procédé dit "machine", selon lequel des bandes ou trames de cheveux (cheveux assemblés entre eux par une tresse réalisée à la machine) sont cousues entre elles sur des rubans de coton ou sur des rubans élastiques, principalement pour la nuque et les côtés ; les bandes ou trames peuvent également être cousues en partie ou en totalité sur un tissu léger formé d'un réseau de mailles tel que tulle, notamment pour le dessus.

B) Procédé dit "main" suivant lequel les cheveux sont noués séparément ou par groupe de deux à quatre sur un tulle ou tissu léger à mailles analogues.

C) Procédé dit "monofilament", selon lequel les cheveux sont noués sur une base de matière translucide, de façon à imiter l'implantation naturelle d'un cuir chevelu.

Wigs can be produced by various known methods. For example :

A) The so-called "machine" method, according to which bands or wefts of hair (hair assembled together by a machine braid) are sewn together on cotton ribbons or on elastic ribbons, mainly for the nape of the neck and the sides; the strips or wefts can also be sewn in part or in whole on a light fabric formed of a network of stitches such as tulle, in particular for the top.

B) The so-called "hand" method according to which the hair is knotted separately or in groups of two to four on a tulle or light fabric with similar stitches.

C) The so-called "monofilament" method, according to which the hair is knotted on a base of translucent material, so as to imitate the natural implantation of a scalp.

We understand that, whatever its manufacturing process, the support internal or wig cap must have a conformation and dimensions allowing it to fit, as best as possible, the shape of the skull of the person who should wear it.

To meet the aforementioned need, wigs are mainly manufactured according to a standard size corresponding to the market average for these items. The outline of their hat is provided with adjustment tabs allowing an adjustment of the order of +/- 2 cm of this contour, which is of course insufficient to cover all the conformations of head. The same model of wig is therefore most often produced in three different sizes, for each of the proposed colors, to best cover demand, which does not solve the problem very satisfactorily by the particular conformation of the skull of each individual and present, by elsewhere, the disadvantage of creating storage difficulties and influencing adversely on the cost of the items.

The adjustment tabs are installed in the neck area of the wig cap to reduce the outline of the latter. However, if these tabs allow a reduction in the outer circumference of the wig, only the base of the nape area is "correctable" and this correction can alter the curve of the wig (from temple to temple and / or back and forth).

It is of course possible to make, according to the different aforementioned processes, custom wigs (US-5,133,370 A), but, in this case, the cost price of such items is extremely high and the the time required to make them is naturally very long.

In US-4,016,888A, it was proposed to resolve the problem of reducing the size of a standard model wig so to give it the characteristics of a small or an extra-small size, by a contraction of the cap on which the hair is implanted, contraction obtained by means of three flexible attachment tabs provided with a link likely to be attached to one or the other of two link elements spaced and fixed complementary. These means of contraction are fixed at the inside of the hat, in the middle part of it, and they are placed parallel on contour lines going from the nape to the frontal area.

If we can recognize that the method described in the document mentioned above makes it possible to reduce the size of a standard model wig, this method does not allow an adjustment of this wig at the head of a user whose form does not correspond to that of the "standard" head for which the wig was made. Indeed, the adjustment that can be authorized by such a system only concerns the front-neck contour, which is insufficient to allow a satisfactory adjustment in the most varied conformations of heads.

In addition, the contraction obtained by the device described in this document, between two fixing points, results in the formation of a bead exterior going from one temple to another, this unsightly bead being more or less less pronounced depending on whether you go from standard size to small size or the extra-small size.

An object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of an adjustable wig, the cap is provided, internally, in at least part of the surface delimited by its circumference or external contour, frowning means allowing to create small gathers and thus to reshape the curve of said cap to adjust it to the shape of the user’s skull.

The gathering means of the internal support or cap can be arranged and distributed over the entire surface of the latter, or in only certain areas of this surface, such as, for example, areas intended to cover the occipital and temporal regions of the leather Scalp.

According to another characteristic provision applicable to wigs made using the so-called "machine" process, the gathering means include a plurality of complementary adjustment means allowing modify the distances between different points in the structure of the cup and oriented along internal contours of said cup (for example: inside of the neck and inside of the right ear to ear left).

According to another characteristic provision applicable to wigs the cap of which is made, at least in part, of a light mesh fabric such that tulle or other, the gathering means comprise a plurality of threads gathered pleats, preferably elastic in nature, fixed in different bonnet stitches and strung or "sneaked", with sliding ability in the stitches of said fabric and in one or more directions, so that each of them can be tied or otherwise fixed, through at least one of its ends, at a point more or less distant from its point of permanent fixing.

• de permettre une très bonne ajustabilité au galbe du crâne des personnes, grâce au fait qu'elle autorise de multiples réglages du bonnet tant pour les différents contours extérieurs et intérieurs (multi-axes : tempes à tempes, front à nuque, etc.) sans recourir à aucun artifice ni intervention de coupe

ou de couture sur le bonnet ; cette excellente ajustabilité au galbe de la tête s'obtient sans flottements résiduels ni dégradation du coiffant.

• d'apporter un meilleur confort au porteur ;
• d'assurer un meilleur rendu esthétique de la coiffure alternative;
• de proposer à la clientèle une seule et unique taille de bonnet pour la quasi totalité des marchés, ce qui permet de réaliser d'importantes économies de gestion, tout en couvrant un marché plus large.

The wig according to the invention has in particular the advantages:

• to allow a very good adjustability to the curve of the skull of people, thanks to the fact that it allows multiple adjustments of the hat for both the external and internal contours (multi-axes: temples to temples, nape forehead, etc.) without use no device or cutting intervention

or sewing on the hat; this excellent adjustability to the curve of the head is obtained without residual wobbles or degradation of the styling.

• to provide better comfort to the wearer;
• ensure better aesthetic rendering of the alternative hairstyle;
• to offer customers a single cup size for almost all markets, which allows significant savings in management, while covering a wider market.

La figure 1 est une vue de face d'une perruque retournée montrant un exemple de mise en oeuvre de l'invention.

La figure 2 est une vue de face analogue à la figure 1 et montrant un autre exemple de mise en oeuvre de l'invention.

La figure 3 est une vue de détail, à plus grande échelle, illustrant un exemple de réalisation des moyens d'ajustement équipant la face interne du bonnet de la perruque, selon le mode d'exécution de la figure 2.

Les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues de détail montrant des exemples de froncement du bonnet à J'aide de ces moyens d'ajustement, selon la figure 2.

La figure 6 est une vue en perspective et à caractère schématique d'un bonnet ou base de perruque, et illustrant une variante de positionnement des pattes d'ajustement.

La figure 7 est une vue en perspective et à caractère schématique d'un bonnet ou base de perruque munie de moyen d'ajustement constitués par des fils de froncement.

La figure 8 est une vue de détail, à plus grande échelle, illustrant le mode d'ajustement représenté à la figure 7.

La figure 9 est une vue en perspective et à caractère schématique, montrant une autre forme de mise en oeuvre de l'invention applicable aux perruques montées selon le procédé dit "monofilament".

The aims, characteristics and advantages above, and others still, will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and from the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of an inverted wig showing an example of implementation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front view similar to Figure 1 and showing another example of implementation of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a detail view, on a larger scale, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the adjustment means equipping the internal face of the cap of the wig, according to the embodiment of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are detailed views showing examples of frowning of the cap with the aid of these adjustment means, according to FIG. 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective view and schematic of a cap or wig base, and illustrating an alternative positioning of the adjustment tabs.

Figure 7 is a perspective view in schematic of a cap or wig base provided with adjustment means constituted by frown son.

FIG. 8 is a detail view, on a larger scale, illustrating the adjustment mode represented in FIG. 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view and schematic, showing another form of implementation of the invention applicable to wigs mounted according to the process called "monofilament".

Reference is made to said drawings to describe exemplary embodiments interesting, but by no means limiting, wigs comprising application of the invention.

According to Figures 2 to 6, the wig retained, by way of example, for illustrate a first example of implementation of the invention is of the kind obtained by the process known as "machine", according to which strips or wefts of hair 1 produced in a manner known per se using natural hair or artificial, are fixed by sewing on the elements constituting the structure of the hat, which comprise, according to the example illustrated, a part consisting of a tulle 2 or other light fabric, intended to cover the region of the vertex, spaced ribbons 3 extending from the edge of part 2 in direction of the occipital and temporal regions, and a band of periphery 4 provided with adjustment means 5 allowing adaptation to the contour of the head. The ribbons 3 can be made of inextensible fabric (cotton, for example) or elastic.

Advantageously, the perimeter strip 4 can be formed by a piece of non-slip stretch fabric of the kind described in the document WO 99144452.A. In this case, other strips of tissue of this gender are also preferably incorporated into the structure of the cap, for example around the vertex V area (band 6), around the area intended to cover the nape of the neck (band 7), a third band 8 can also be placed around the strip 6 and at a distance therefrom.

It is recalled that this non-slip stretch fabric is remarkable in that that it is impregnated with an adhesive substance forming a thin film stretchable on at least its face intended to come into contact with the skin of the skull of a user, this stretch film having a surface non-sticky non-sticky or non-sticky at temperatures below its softening temperature, for example at room temperature, after impregnation of said fabric and drying.

According to a first arrangement characteristic of the invention, the cap of the wig is provided internally in at least one area of the surface delimited by the perimeter strip 4, or in the whole of this surface, of gathering means of said zone, these gathering means allowing to reshape the curve of said cup to adjust it closely to the shape of the user’s skull.

• Front/Sommet-Top
• Sommet-Top/Vertex
• Vertex-Nuque
  

For example, the cap is provided with gathering means in one or more of the following zones:

• Front / Summit-Top
• Summit-Top / Vertex
• Vertex Nape
  

The gathering means are preferably arranged and distributed in the areas of the inner surface of the latter intended to cover the occipital O and temporal T regions of the scalp.

The gathering means may consist of a plurality of additional adjustment devices for changing the distance between different points of the hat structure, so that reshape the curve of said cup.

According to the example shown in Figures 2 to 6, these means additional adjustment include a plurality of flexible tabs 9 fixed, via one of their ends, to the structure of the cap, and the other end of which is provided with a fastener 10.

Advantageously, these adjustment tabs can be formed by a narrow strip of non-slip stretch fabric, such as that described in document WO 99 / 44,452.

On the other hand, the structure of the hat has a plurality of points or additional fasteners 11 able to cooperate with the fasteners 10 flexible legs 9.

According to the example illustrated, the fasteners 10 are constituted by small flat staples, while the fixing points 11 are constituted by flanges formed by the portions of ribbons 3 included between the points of seams 12 ensuring the fixing of the bands or wefts of hair 1 on said ribbons 3.

The flexible tabs 9 are, for example, fixed on the edge 6 of the vertex area, from which they radiate downward, towards occipital and temporal regions.

The adjustment tabs 9-10 are, for example, attached by sewing, to the fixing locations 13 of the anterior end of the ribbons 3 of the structure of the cap on the strip 6 delimiting the region of the vertex V, so that, in one of their position of use, they are placed against the anterior portion of said ribbons.

We understand that by engaging the fasteners 10 of the adjustment tabs 9 in flanges 11 located beyond the normal length of said legs adjustment 9-10, we ensure a reconciliation of the attachment points of these last resulting in a tightening of the wefts of hair 1 included between the fixing points 13 and 11 of the flexible tabs 9, that is to say a frowning of the hat structure; we thus obtain a modification of the curve thereof (Figures 4 and 5).

This setting corrects interior contour faults and outside, shrinking the cup from the inside in vertex-temple directions and vertex-nape, parallel to the ribbons 3 of the hat structure.

One can however also obtain a modification of the curve of the bonnet in inclined or even perpendicular directions to said ribbons. he just hang the adjustment tabs 9-10 on one of the flanges 11 ribbons close to the one against which they are fixed (Figure 5).

For this purpose, loops 14 are fixed, for example by sewing and floating way, on the tapes 3, away from the fixing locations adjustment tabs 9-10. The latter are involved in these loops 14, which allow a deviation of said adjustment tabs and obtaining a narrowing in an oblique direction, even perpendicular to the position of the ribbons 3.

As shown in Figure 6, one or more adjustment tabs 9-10 can also be fixed on one or more ribbons 3 to allow a tightening of the bonnet in the horizontal direction.

It is of course possible, within the framework of the invention, to replace the means for attaching the adjustment tabs previously described in interesting example, by any suitable means of adjustment allowing to modify the curve of the hat in the areas delimited by its outline such as buttons, snaps, hook-and-loop tapes, gathered, ribbons elastics, clips, hooks, staples, lugs, etc. Some of these means can be chosen and used exclusively, or used in association.

According to another particularly interesting embodiment of the invention, applicable to wigs of which the cap or base is made, to at least in part, of a light mesh fabric 15 such as tulle or the like, the means pucks include a plurality of soft pucker wires 16, preferably elastic in nature, fixed at different points on the hat and put on or "basted", with a sliding ability in a plurality of meshes of said fabric and in different directions, for example following the location of their location. So, to get a puckering of the hat in one or more areas of it, just knotting these gathered threads, using at least one of their ends, at points more or less distant from their point of attachment.

The gathering threads 16 may consist of threads of "gimped" rubber.

Following the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7 to 9, the gathering threads 16, are used in the form of open tightening loops affecting the shape of an elongated U whose two strands parallel or approximately parallel have a free end 16a, and are threaded, with a sliding ability in a plurality of meshes of said cap or base 15. By pulling on the free ends of these gathered loops, we obtains small gathers which shrink the wig without forming unsightly bulges, the narrowing spreading so harmonious throughout the gathered area.

We can thus obtain small gathers and very narrow precise, to the desired length. The closure of the loops 16 can be obtained simply by knotting their free ends 16a. Of course, the assembly of said ends could also be carried out using other connecting means such as hooks or the like.

The gathering threads or loops 16 can be oriented to allow adjustments in all directions, so as to allow perfect adaptation of the wig to the outline of the wearer's head.

This adjustment device (like the previous one) can also be applied advantageously to wigs mounted "machine". In this case, each gathered thread is fixed, at the desired location, on a braid or strip of hair and it is overlapped or in interlacing of a plurality of successive adjacent braids or bands, so that it can be tied, by knotting or otherwise, when adjusting of the wig, on a braid or band of hair distant from that on which it is initially fixed, the approximation of the attachment points of the wire gathering allowing a tightening of the wefts of hair included between said attachment points.

When the gathered thread is in the form of a loop open, the two strands thereof are arranged in overlap or in intertwining of a plurality of hair bands, so that its free ends can be assembled by knotting or otherwise, so to constitute a more or less large loop ensuring a bringing together more or less narrow of said braids. Knotting the two strands of puckering can be done inside or outside the wig; when the knot is made outside, it is completely hidden by the hair.

The adjustment system according to the invention is also applicable to wigs mounted using the so-called "monofilament" process.

In this case, taking into account the fact that the base 17 is produced in a material having reduced flexibility, interposed between portions of said base, for example in the tempe-to-tempe direction, of bands 18a, 18b of elastic tulle or other light mesh fabric, a few widths centimeters (Figure 9) allowing the setting up of gathering means previously described.

According to the invention, the definitive shaping of the wig is carried out, conveniently and quickly, when buying it, on the head of the person for whom it is intended.

Fasteners, gathered loops or other gathering means which have not been used for fitting the wig, can be left or eliminated by a simple scissor blow.

The invention also relates to the method for adjusting the size and the shape of the user's head, wigs such as the cap or base consists, in part or in whole, of a light fabric with mesh 15, 18a, 18b, characterized in that one positions, at different points of said base or bonnet, flexible gathering threads 16, preferably of a kind elastic, threaded or "threaded", with sliding ability or sliding, in the stitches of said fabric and in one or more directions, and in that, when adjusting the wig, we pull on the free end or on the two ends 16a of these gathering threads 16, so as to create a plurality of small gathers in the area crossed by them, and we finally attaches said free end or said free ends to said base or hat in the desired gathered or tightening position.

Advantageously, the gathered threads 16 are positioned on the base or cap 15 in the form of open loops, so as to present two parallel or substantially parallel strands threaded or "snuck" in the mesh of said base or hat, and in that the adjustment of the wig to the desired size and shape is obtained by pulling on the two strands of said open loops and joining, for example by knotting, the ends free 16a of said strands.

Claims (10)

1. Wig adjustable to the size and shape of the head of the user, comprising an inner cap or support (2-3-4) which is shaped such as to cover the scalp of the user, and on which the artificial or natural hairs (1) are secured, characterised in that the said cap (2-3-4) is provided in its interior, on all or at least part of the surface delimited by its periphery (4), with gathering means (9-10-11; 16) which make it possible to create small gathers in different directions, and thus to re-model the curvature of the said cap in order to adjust it to the shape of the cranium of the user.
2. Adjustable wig according to claim 1, characterised in that the gathering means (9-10-11; 16) of the inner cap or support (2-3-4) are disposed in one or a plurality of the following areas:

   Front/ Summit-Top

   Summit - Top/Vertex

   Vertex - Nape

   Temple to temple

   Side to side

   and in particular in the parts of the inner surface which are designed to cover the temporal (T) and occipital (O) regions of the scalp.
3. Adjustable wig according to claim 1 or claim 2, the base or cap of which consists at least partly of a light mesh fabric (15, 18a, 18b), characterised in that the gathering means comprise a plurality of flexible gathering threads (16) which are secured at different points of the cap or base, and are threaded such that they can slide in the mesh of the said fabric (15, 18a, 18b), and are oriented according to different inner contours of the said cap, the said flexible gathering threads (16) being in the form of open-ended loops with two parallel or approximately parallel strands, the free ends of which can be joined by being knotted after the said loops have been tightened.
4. Adjustable wig according to claim 3, characterised in that the gathering threads (16) consist of resilient threads.
5. Adjustable wig according to claim 1 or claim 2, the base or cap of which consists at least partly of bands of hair (1) which are assembled in plaits, characterised in that the gathering means comprise a plurality of flexible gathering threads (16) which are secured to the plaits, the said flexible gathering threads (16) being in the form of open-ended loops with two parallel strands disposed such as to overlap or be interlaced with the successive adjacent plaits of a plurality of bands of hair, such as to have two parallel or approximately parallel strands, the free ends of which can be joined by being knotted.
6. Adjustable wig according to claim 5, characterised in that the gathering threads (16) consist of resilient threads.
7. Adjustable wig according to claim 1 or claim 2, the cap or inner support (2-3-4) of which comprises spaced ribbons (3), at least in the areas which are designed to cover the temporal (T) and occipital (O) regions of the scalp, and bands or wefts of hair (1) which are secured by being sewn onto these ribbons (3), and the gathering means of which comprise firstly a plurality of flexible lugs (9), which are secured by means of one of their ends to the structure of the cap, and the other end of which is provided with a fastener (10), and secondly a plurality of securing units or points (11) which can be connected to the fasteners (10) of the said flexible lugs (9), characterised in that the securing points (11) of the fasteners (10) of the flexible lugs (9) consist of straps formed by portions of the ribbons (3) contained between the stitching (12), which ensure that the wefts or bands of hair (1) are secured onto the said ribbons (3).
8. Adjustable wig according to claim 7, characterised in that the adjustment lugs (9-10) are secured by being sewn at the securing locations (13) at the front end of the ribbons (3) of the cap structure, onto a band (6) which is disposed around an area of the said cap which is designed to cover the region of the vertex (V), and in that the ribbons (3) are provided with strap loops (14) which are secured in a floating manner on the said ribbons (3), spaced from the location of securing of the latter, and in which the flexible adjustment lugs (9) can be engaged.
9. Adjustable wig according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterised in that the flexible adjustment lugs (9) are made of an elastic fabric.
10. Adjustable wig according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the structure of the cap of which comprises a flexible peripheral band (4) which is preferably provided with adjustment means (5) and flexible inner contour bands (6, 7, 8) characterised in that these flexible bands consist of a non-slip elastic fabric which is impregnated with an adhesive substance which forms a thin elastic film on at least its surface which is designed to come into contact with the skin of the cranium of the user, this elastic film having a non-slip surface which is non-stick or non-adhesive at temperatures lower than its softening temperature, for example at ambient temperature, after impregnation and drying of the said fabric.

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