GB2423248A

GB2423248A - Hair Collar

Info

Publication number: GB2423248A
Application number: GB0503583A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Bramwell Cannon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-02-22
Filing date: 2005-02-22
Publication date: 2006-08-23
Also published as: GB0503583D0

Abstract

A hair collar for preventing or limiting the passage of loose hair down a neck during haircutting, the hair collar comprising a body which is formed at least in part of a layer of polychloroprene. Preferably, the polychloroprene is Neoprene RTM, and the collar is substantially U-shaped, ending in two arms 16 that can be attached via hook and loop fasteners 14. The polychloroprene body may be backed by a layer 26 (eg. nylon).

Description

HAIR COLLAR

The present invention relates to a hair collar for preventing or limiting the passage of loose hair down a neck of a user during haircutting.

Hair collars are well known and used by a majority of hairdressers and barbers.

Hair collars are formed of a blank of dense closed-cell rubber material, shaped to fit a neck of a user. The rubber material is stiff, heavy and difficult to conform to a user's neck. As a result, loose hair easily passes down the neck, causing irritation between underlying clothes and adjacent skin The present invention seeks to overcome this problem.

According to the present invention, there is provided a hair collar for preventing or limiting the passage of loose hair down a neck during haircutting, the hair collar comprising a body which is formed at least in part of a layer of polychloroprene.

Preferable and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 13, inclusive The present invention will now be more specifically described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a hair collar, in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a hair collar 10 which comprises a U- shaped or substantially U-shaped body 12, and a hook and loop fastening device 14 for releasably fastening two arms 16 of the body 12 together.

The body 12 is formed from a blank of polychloroprene, for example Neoprene RTM. The polychioroprene comprises an open-cell structure 18 leading from one major or inwardly facing surface 20 in a direction towards the other major surface 22, and a closed-cell structure 24 forming the outwardly facing skin' or surface 22. The polychioroprene has a thickness of typically 3 millimetres (mm) to 5 mm.

Preferably, the layer of polychloroprene is fully backed or laminated on at least the inwardly facing surface 20 with a layer of nylon 26. However, a second laminate layer of nylon may be utilised extending over the closed-cell outwardly facing surface 22 of the polychloroprene layer. Instead of nylon, the or each laminate layer may be of any other suitable material.

The endless or continuous edge 28 of the body 12 is sealed to improve comfort for the user and to prevent loose hair retention. Any suitable sealing or combination or sealing means can be used, and for example can be an adhesive coating, welding and/or stitching.

The U-shape of the body 12 is slightly necked or wasted at a position 30 partway along the longitudinal extent of the arms 16. This provides an improved fit for a neck of a user.

A hook part 32 of the hook and loop fastening device 14 is provided adjacent to the distal end of one arm 16 of the body 12, on one major surface 20,22 of the body 12, and a loop part 34 is provided adjacent to the distal end of the other arm 16, on the other major surface 20,22 of the body 12. As such, in use, portions of the two arms 16 can be overlapped and releasably interconnected.

Although the hook and loop fastening device 14 is suggested, any other suitable arrangement for releasably connecting the two arms 16 of the body 12 can be utilised.

The use of polychloroprene (Neoprene RTM) is extremely advantageous due to its flexibility and elastic properties. This enables the hair collar to fully conform to the contours of a user's neck, unlike traditional hair collars. It is possible to form the hair collar from a single flat blank of polychloroprene, without the need for introducing three dimensional profiling in an attempt to better match a neck when fitted.

The use of polychioroprene having in part an open-cell structure is beneficial by allowing an extremely comfortable fit when secured around a user's neck. The closed- cell outwardly facing surface prevents hair being trapped on the hair collar and possibly transferred to the next user.

It is thus possible to provide a hair collar that has a significant improvement in fit, and thus greatly reduces or eliminates the passage of loose hair down a user's neck during haircutting.

The embodiment described above is given by way of example only, and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hair collar for preventing or limiting the passage of loose hair down a neck during haircutting, the hair collar comprising a body which is formed at least in part of a layer of polychloroprene.

2. A hair collar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polychloroprene layer has at least in part an open-cell structure.

3. A hair collar as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body includes a first laminate layer provided on a major surface of the polychloroprene layer.

4. A hair collar as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body blank further includes a second laminate layer provided on another major surface of the polychioroprene layer, and opposite the first laminate layer to sandwich the polychioroprene layer between the first and second laminate layers.

5. A hair collar as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the or each laminate layer is nylon.

6. A hair collar as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the or each laminate layer extends fully across a respective major surface of the polychloroprene layer.

7. A hair collar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polychloroprene is Neoprene RTM.

8. A hair collar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body is U-shaped or substantially U-shaped for accepting a neck of a user.

9. A hair collar as claimed in claim 8, wherein the U-shape is slightly wasted or necked for improved fit.

10. A hair collar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fastening device for releasably fastening two parts of the body together.

11. A hair collar as claimed in claim 10, wherein the fastening device is a hook and loop fastening device.

12. A hair collar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein edge or edges of the body are sealed.

13. A hair collar as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sealing is in the form of an adhesive coating, welding and/or stitching.

14. A hair collar substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.