GB2067898A

GB2067898A - Hair curlers

Info

Publication number: GB2067898A
Application number: GB8101802A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Dearing Lambert SA
Current assignee: Dearing Lambert SA
Priority date: 1980-01-23
Filing date: 1981-01-21
Publication date: 1981-08-05
Also published as: GB2067898B

Abstract

A non-heated "cushion" hair curler is provided with a tubular body or resilient material, such as a foamed plastics material, but in which the hard plastics core and side pieces hitherto used are dispensed with and replaced by a stiffly bendable, soft core element like a pipe-cleaner which is longer than the body and can thus extend from it. The projecting ends of the "pipe cleaner" are bent back over the body to retain coils of hair in place.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in hair curlers This invention relates to improvements in hair curlers.

Known hair curlers take a variety of forms but most provide, essentially, a body, usually cylindrical, about which hair can be coiled and a fastening means to hold the coil on the body.

Early hair curlers had parallel metal arms on opposite sides of a cylindrical body hinged at one end of the body. More recently in so-called "cushion curlers" the metal elements have been replaced by an oblong clip of plastics material hinged to one end of a core of the same material passing through a tubular body of resilient foamed plastics material, the free end of the core being releasably engageable with the end of the clip remote from the hinge. With this arrangement the clip is detached from the free end of the core and swung away from the tubular body, hair is wrapped round the body and then the clip is returned to its original position and refastened to the core with its longer arms parallel with and on opposite sides of the body to hold the coil of hair in place.

A variety of other types of curler are available including balls of resilient foamed material formed with circumferential slits into which the hair is wound, ribbed or serrated sleeves of plastics material into which one leg of a separate, U-shaped metal clip may be inserted so that the other leg holds in place a coil of hair wrapped round the sleeve, and also hair curlers indistinguishable from pipe-cleaners and which take advantage of the property of such elements of retaining any shape into which they are bent.

The advent of heated hair curlers has reduced reliance on non-heated curlers but it has by no means eliminated the need for the latter. Heated hair curlers take the form of cylinders of plastics material with cores capable of storing heat. When the cores have been heated to an appropriate temperature by inserting them on electrically heated rods hair is wrapped round each cylinder and held in place e.g. with a U-shaped metal clip.

The great advantage of heated curlers, apart from the fact that they impart a lasting curl to the hair, is that they need only remain in the hair for a short time, whereas non-heated curlers rely for their effectiveness on remaining in the hair for long periods.

However, too frequent use of heated curlers is injurious to the hair, especially to fine hair and there are furthermore situations where heated curlers cannot-be used, e.g. in hospitals where they may be prohibited, or in the absence of mains electricity. Therefore there is a continuing market for non-heated curlers.

Since the wearing of hair curlers in public is unsightly most users maximise the period during which non-heated curlers can remain in the hair by wearing them overnight. Metal curlers or curlers requiring metal clips or curlers in the form of stiff cylinders of plastics material cause discomfort as the head moves on the pillow. Soft curlers with which no clip is used are not very effective. The slitted ball type does not hold the hair securely and is bulky, whereas the "pipe-cleaner" type does not provide a large enough body around which to wrap the hair. Therefore the most popular curler for use overnight is the "cushion curler" described, but the rigid oblong plastics material clip which surrounds the resilient body will cause discomfort especially if it gets into an attitude during the night such that it lies in a plane at right-angles to the head.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a non-heated curler which, though simpler to produce, easier to use and more versatile in its application, will be more comfortable than contemporary "cushion curlers" though more effective than "pipe-cleaner" curlers. It is believed that manufacturing costs can be dramatically reduced although a better product will result.

In accordance with the invention a hair curler comprises, in combination, a sleeve of resilient material and an elongated element longer than the sleeve which can be passed axially through the sleeve to project from both ends of the sleeve, said element being of a soft-surfaced material which is manually bendable and will retain any shape into which it is bent.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a tubular body of resilient foamed plastics material with an axial length and a wall thickness comparable with those of the body of the known "cushion curler", and a pipe-cleaner longer than the tubular body and of smaller diameter than the bore of the body. By a "pipecleaner" is meant, of course, the type of elongated element which is made by twisting together fine wires with a material such as flock trapped between them so that the element is soft to the touch but has enough stiffness to retain any shape into which it is bent.

To use the curler of the invention the pipecleaner is inserted axially through the tubular body so as to project from both ends of the latter, hair is coiled round the outside of the body and then the protruding ends of the pipe-cleaner are bent back over the body to hold the hair in place.

1. A hair curler comprising, in combination, a sleeve of resilient material and an elongated element longer than the sleeve which can be passed axially through the sleeve to project from both ends of the sleeve, said element being of a soft-surfaced material which is manually bendable and will retain any shape into which it is bent.

2. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sleeve is of resilient foamed plastics material.

3. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said elongated element comprises a plurality of fine wires twisted together to entrap short lengths of a soft material laid transversely therebetween.

4. A hair curler substantially as described.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in hair curlers This invention relates to improvements in hair curlers. Known hair curlers take a variety of forms but most provide, essentially, a body, usually cylindrical, about which hair can be coiled and a fastening means to hold the coil on the body. Early hair curlers had parallel metal arms on opposite sides of a cylindrical body hinged at one end of the body. More recently in so-called "cushion curlers" the metal elements have been replaced by an oblong clip of plastics material hinged to one end of a core of the same material passing through a tubular body of resilient foamed plastics material, the free end of the core being releasably engageable with the end of the clip remote from the hinge. With this arrangement the clip is detached from the free end of the core and swung away from the tubular body, hair is wrapped round the body and then the clip is returned to its original position and refastened to the core with its longer arms parallel with and on opposite sides of the body to hold the coil of hair in place. A variety of other types of curler are available including balls of resilient foamed material formed with circumferential slits into which the hair is wound, ribbed or serrated sleeves of plastics material into which one leg of a separate, U-shaped metal clip may be inserted so that the other leg holds in place a coil of hair wrapped round the sleeve, and also hair curlers indistinguishable from pipe-cleaners and which take advantage of the property of such elements of retaining any shape into which they are bent. The advent of heated hair curlers has reduced reliance on non-heated curlers but it has by no means eliminated the need for the latter. Heated hair curlers take the form of cylinders of plastics material with cores capable of storing heat. When the cores have been heated to an appropriate temperature by inserting them on electrically heated rods hair is wrapped round each cylinder and held in place e.g. with a U-shaped metal clip. The great advantage of heated curlers, apart from the fact that they impart a lasting curl to the hair, is that they need only remain in the hair for a short time, whereas non-heated curlers rely for their effectiveness on remaining in the hair for long periods. However, too frequent use of heated curlers is injurious to the hair, especially to fine hair and there are furthermore situations where heated curlers cannot-be used, e.g. in hospitals where they may be prohibited, or in the absence of mains electricity. Therefore there is a continuing market for non-heated curlers. Since the wearing of hair curlers in public is unsightly most users maximise the period during which non-heated curlers can remain in the hair by wearing them overnight. Metal curlers or curlers requiring metal clips or curlers in the form of stiff cylinders of plastics material cause discomfort as the head moves on the pillow. Soft curlers with which no clip is used are not very effective. The slitted ball type does not hold the hair securely and is bulky, whereas the "pipe-cleaner" type does not provide a large enough body around which to wrap the hair. Therefore the most popular curler for use overnight is the "cushion curler" described, but the rigid oblong plastics material clip which surrounds the resilient body will cause discomfort especially if it gets into an attitude during the night such that it lies in a plane at right-angles to the head. A principal object of the present invention is to provide a non-heated curler which, though simpler to produce, easier to use and more versatile in its application, will be more comfortable than contemporary "cushion curlers" though more effective than "pipe-cleaner" curlers. It is believed that manufacturing costs can be dramatically reduced although a better product will result. In accordance with the invention a hair curler comprises, in combination, a sleeve of resilient material and an elongated element longer than the sleeve which can be passed axially through the sleeve to project from both ends of the sleeve, said element being of a soft-surfaced material which is manually bendable and will retain any shape into which it is bent. A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a tubular body of resilient foamed plastics material with an axial length and a wall thickness comparable with those of the body of the known "cushion curler", and a pipe-cleaner longer than the tubular body and of smaller diameter than the bore of the body. By a "pipecleaner" is meant, of course, the type of elongated element which is made by twisting together fine wires with a material such as flock trapped between them so that the element is soft to the touch but has enough stiffness to retain any shape into which it is bent. To use the curler of the invention the pipecleaner is inserted axially through the tubular body so as to project from both ends of the latter, hair is coiled round the outside of the body and then the protruding ends of the pipe-cleaner are bent back over the body to hold the hair in place. CLAIMS

4. A hair curler substantially as described in the final two full paragraphs of the Description.

4. A hair curler substantially as described.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 16th April 1981.

Superseded claims 1 to 4.

New or amended claims

1. A hair curler comprising the combination of a tubular body of resilient material around which a coil of hair may be wrapped, in use, and an element longer than the body, a central portion of the element lying, in use, in the bore of the body, but not attached thereto, so that end portions of the element may project from opposite ends of the body, the element being soft-surfaced and stiffly bendable with shape-retention characteristics such that in use said end portions may be bent back over the body to hold in place the coil of hair wrapped around the body without there being any connection between either said end portion and any other part of the curler except for the junction between said end portion and the central portion of the element.

2. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body is of resilient foamed plastics material.

3. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said element comprises a plurality of fine wires twisted together to entrap short lengths of a soft material laid transversely therebetween.