GB2283675A

GB2283675A - Hair styling implement and method

Info

Publication number: GB2283675A
Application number: GB9409065A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Paul Barrows; Debra Jane Elowe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-11-11
Filing date: 1994-05-06
Publication date: 1995-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-06
Also published as: GB9323275D0; GB2283675B; GB9409065D0

Abstract

A hair styling implement 10, which is also sufficiently decorative for it to be worn in the hair after styling as an adornment, is in the form of an elongated, rectangular wire frame 11 of pliable material covered by a fabric 16 such as velour, through which extends a central, elongated opening 17. In use, a section of hair is received through the opening and the implement is rolled under or over the hair until the hair is wound tightly about the implement at the scalp, opposite ends of the implement then being brought together and twisted together thereby to secure a bun in place. <IMAGE>

Description

HAIR STYLING IMPLEMENT AND METHOD This invention relates to an implement for styling hair, the implement particularly also constituting a decorative hair accessory, so that it can continue to be worn on completion of the styling and provide an attractive appearance. A method of styling is also described.

Whilst there are a wide variety of hair styling implements, these are generally intended to be removed from the hair once the styling operation is complete. On the other hand although there are many known hair adornments, these generally play no part in styling the hair.

An object of the invention is to provide a hair styling implement and a method for styling in a convenient manner.

According it) a first aspect of the invention an implement for styling a person's hair is characterised by a body of flexible material, the body having a non-rigid covering, and by an enclosed opening through which at least a section of the person's hair is intended to pass, in use, to enable styling to take place.

According to a second aspect of the invention a method of styling a person's hair using a styling implement comprises arranging at least a section of the person's hair to be received through an enclosed opening in the implement, positioning the implement at or near the bottom of said hair received through the opening, rolling the implement under or over said hair to wrap it about the implement, and bringing respective opposite ends of the implement together to secure the implement in place.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a hair styling implement of the present invention in an initial state, Figures 2 to 4 schematically shows respective steps in the styling of a woman's hair using the implement of Figure 1, and Figure 5 schematically shows, like Figure 4, a completed styling, but in the form of a variation where sections of the hair at opposite sides thereof only are styled.

An implement 10 for styling hair is shown in Figure 1 in its initial state, the implement having a body formed by a loop of flexible wire 11. Any suitable material can be used for the wire, it merely being necessary that it is pliable so that, as will be described, the implement can be bent, bowed or twisted without breaking, and with little or no tendency for the body to return of itself to its former shape. The wire can be of any crosssection and size consistent with its above mentioned properties. In a convenient embodiment the wire is galvanised and/or covered by a plastics material and is of circular cross-section.

In its initial state the body is preferably shaped as shown in the Figure 1 embodiment, i.e. it is a continuous frame formed in a rectangular shape with slightly rounded opposite end sections 12, 13 respectively joining longer straight side sections 14, 15 respectively. Other body shapes could however be used, although an elongated form is preferred.

The body is enclosed in a non-rigid covering 16 which is, in a preferred embodiment, a fabric. Preferred fabrics are velour, velvet or the like.

However other fabrics could be used, as could a non-fabric covering, such as a plastics material with sufficient flexibility to be bent, twisted or bowed, as described, with the body. The covering is preferably to make the implement of decorative appearance, so that, as will be described, the implement can remain in place after it is used for styling hair and be worn as an adornment. Preferably the covering is such that the implement can be hand washed.

The covering is, in the Figure 1 embodiment, arranged around the wire so that the wire still substantially defines the outer periphery of the implement, although the covering could extend beyond the boundary of the wire, which was secured in place within the covering, for example by appropriate stitching. In the embodiment illustrated, the stitching could define a tubular pocket around the inner boundary of the covering to contain the wire. The covering can be formed as one or more sections. The covering can of course be in any selected colour.

At the centre of the covering, there is formed a through opening 17, preferably, as shown, of elongated form, lying parallel to the side sections 14, 15. The opening 17 is formed by any suitable means. It is important that fraying does not occur at the opening and accordingly the opening can conveniently be formed in the same manner as a button hole by sewing along the opposite side to form the hole and then slitting therebetween.

The size and shape of the opening can both separately differ from that shown, although as will be described, with a larger opening, it may, in use, be necessary to twist the opposite ends of the implement in opposite directions so as, in effect, to close up an oversized opening. The opening could be other than central and more than one opening could possibly be provided.

The opening is enclosed, that is, it is always impossible for a section of hair to be passed into it sideways, i.e. in the plane of the opening. In other words the invention does not relate to an implement which could be formed as or into a U-shape, so that a section of hair could then be passed sideways into the implement between the limbs of the U-shape, the free ends of the limbs being brought together to define an opening in which the hair section is received.

A use of the implement will now be described in relation to Figures 2 to 4.

Firstly the section of hair 18 to be styled is combed to lie straight down the woman's neck and back, and the lower free end thereof is then received through the opening 17 of the implement. By then holding the hair taut the implement 10 can be slid somewhat upwardly. Whilst it may be necessary to gather the section of hair together for it initially to enter the opening, the opening is shaped and sized so that thereafter it allows the hair to spread.

Keeping the implement horizontal, and gripping it with one hand either side, the implement is slid down the hair 18 until it reaches about 57.5mm (2-3 ins), from the bottom, as shown in Figure 2.

The next step, as shown in Figure 3, is to roll the implement upwardly under the hair, keeping it horizontal, until the implement has rolled the hair as firmly as possible against the scalp or the nape of the neck, with no further upwards movement being possible. The hair, as a result, is now tightly wrapped around the implement.

Finally, as shown in Figure 4, the opposite ends of the implement are brought up to the centre and crossed over. The crossed over ends are then intertwined simply by twisting the wire at said ends. The bun 19 formed by re styling is thus secured in place in the back of the woman's hair. The implement is of sufficiently decorative appearance to allow it to be worn as a decorative hair accessory. Additionally left in place all night, it will be found that on removal next morning the hair will be curly. The implement is advantageous over known accessories in requiring no catches, pins, clips, grips or zips.

Instead of rolling the implement upwardly under the hair, an alternative method of use is to roll the implement upwardly over the hair. As with rolling under the hair, the procedure for rolling over the hair is carried out until no further upwards movement of the implement is possible.

The two ends of the implement are then brought down to the centre and crossed over. The crossed over ends are then intertwined simply by twisting the wire within the ends of the implement. The result is similar to that shown in Figure 4, but with the decorative, visible part of the implement disposed at the bottom of the bun, instead of at the top thereof, as in Figure 4.

Figure 5 relates to a variation in the use of the implement, where instead of all the combed hair shown in Figure 2 being received through the implement, a section of full width but only half thickness, a centre section only of full or half thickness or only sections of full or half thickness at opposite sides is or are used. The remainder of the steps are then performed as above to create a bun 20 over the remaining section or sections of hair. Figure 5 shows the result of rolling the implement under the hair using sections at opposite sides, the remaining, central section being shown at 21. With rolling over the hair, the decorative, visible part of the implement is at the bottom, instead of the top, of the bun.

A variation of any of the alternative Figure 5 types of use referred to, with the implement being rolled over the hair, involves continuing the rolling process until the rolled over hair is tight. The remainder of the hair is then brought forwards, over the rolled hair wound on the implement. This may be by a manual operation, but preferably, and easiest, it is effected by the woman tipping her head forward so that the remainder of her hair falls forward over the wound hair.

Still with her head tipped forward, the opposite ends of the implement are then brought together and crossed over. The crossed ends are then intertwined by twisting them together. The result is a bun, as previously described with the Figure 5 method involving rolling the implement over, rather than under, the section of hair passing through the implement, but with the remainder of the hair in the form of a pony tail, which emerges from the lower inside of the bun and passes over the intertwined ends of the implement. A 'pony loop' effect is thus created by the loop of the bun and the pony tail extending therefrom.

With all the methods of use, removal of the implement invoives untwisting and disentwining the opposite ends thereof and then carrying out the styling steps in reverse.

As previously mentioned, it is still possible to use the implement even if the opening is too large for the section of hair to be styled, by twisting the ends in opposite directions, thereby to close up the opening somewhat. This twisting may also be required when styling layered hair.

Instead of the body being only a relatively thin frame, it could instead be of greater extent, i.e. of substantially the same size as its covering, having an opening therethrough aligned with the opening in the covering. It would however still be of flexible material to enable the step of Figure 4 to be carried out.

in d further method of use of the implement, the whole of the combed section of the woman's hair is received through the opening 17 and the implement is drawn fully up to the nape of the neck by pulling the hair through the opening. The ends of the implement are then crossed around the pony tail formed by the implement being positioned at the nape of the neck. Finally the crossed sides of the implement are 'scrunched' together into the form of a ball at the woman's neck, i.e. at the top of the pony tail. This method of use of the implement of the invention is outside of the scope of said aspect of the invention.

Claims

1. An implement for styling a person's hair characterised by a body of flexible material, the body having a non-rigid covering, and by an enclosed opening through which are least a section of the person's hair is intended to pass, in use, to enable the styling to take place.

2. An implement as claimed in Claim 1, which is of elongate form.

3. An implement as claimed in Claim 2, wherein its outer periphery substantially corresponds to the outer periphery of the body.

4. An implement as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the body is a continuous loop of pliable wire.

5. An implement as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the opening extends through the covering.

6. An implement as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the opening is of elongate form.

7. An implement as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the wire loop is of generally rectangular shape and said opening is formed centrally in said covering having its longer sides parallel to the longer sides of the wire loop.

8. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the covering is of fabric material.

9. An implement as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the material is velour.

10. An implement as claimed in claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein the opening is formed as in the manner of a button hole.

11. An implement as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 7, wherein the covering is of fabric material, the wire and the fabric being secured together by stitching.

12. A method of styling a person's hair using a styling implement comprising arranging at least a section of the person's hair to be received through an enclosed opening in the implement, positioning the implement at or near the bottom of the hair received through the opening, rolling the implement under or over said hair to wrap it about the implement, and bringing respective opposite ends of the implement together to secure the implement in place.

13. A method as claimed in Claim 12, wherein a lower end of said at least a section of the person's hair is received through said opening and by holding said section taut the implement is then slid upwardly.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein the rolling of the implement is continued until no further upwards movement is possible and the hair is firmly wrapped around the implement.

15. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 14, wherein the respective opposite ends are brought up to the centre of the persons head and crossed over.

16. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 15, wherein said ends are interengaged by twisting respective flexible body portions of the implement.

17. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 16, wherein two opposite side sections only of the person's hair are together received through said opening.

18. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 16, wherein a centre section only of the person's hair is received through the opening.

19. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 16, wherein a section of hair of full width but less than full thickness is received through the opening.

20. A method as claimed in Claim 12, wherein a section of hair of less than full thickness is received through the opening, the implement is rolled over said section to wind the hair about the implement, the remainder of the hair is then brought over said hair wound on the implement, and the respective opposite ends of the implement are brought together to secure the implement in place.

21. An implement for styling a person's hair substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of styling a person's hair substantially as shown in Figures 2 to 4, or Figure 5, of the accompanying drawings.

23. A method of styling a person's hair substantially as hereinbefore described