GB2518906A

GB2518906A - Re Useable self heating hair bun

Info

Publication number: GB2518906A
Application number: GB1320239.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Aisha Kasim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-10-06
Filing date: 2013-11-15
Publication date: 2015-04-08
Anticipated expiration: 2033-11-15
Also published as: GB201318603D0; GB2518906B; GB201317647D0; GB201320239D0

Abstract

A reusable selfâ€�heating hair styling device 5 contains a fluid which produces heat as a result of an exothermic crystallisation reaction. The fluid may be a super coolable fluid such as a super saturated sodium acetate solution. The reaction may be activated using a metal clicker 1 which initiates nucleation when it is bent or squeezed. The device may be doughnut shaped. When used the device 5 provides a first hairstyle in the form of a bun with the doughnut in place in the hair, and a second hairstyle in the form of curls when the doughnut is removed from the hair. The doughnut may comprise several doughnut shaped elements (7, fig.2) which can be used together to increase the thickness of the resulting hair bun. The device 5 is re-useable when crystallised through boiling or the like.

Description

I

TITLE: REUSEABLE SELF HEATING HAIR BUN

INTRODUCTION & BACK GROUND

A reusable self-heating hair bun including a supercooable fluid for styling hair. In the hair bun the supercoolable fluid such as a super saturated sodium acetate solution or equivalent uses thermo chemistry to produce an exothermic crystaflisation process this reaction generates heat to style and or curl the wearer's hair. This heat is activated using a metal clicker(nucleation initiator) inside the solution when this clicker is bent it produces an instant crystallisation of the liquid this reaction produces heat. This chemical reaction is self-contained and does not require the introduction of any foreign element.

The shape of the invention is in a doughnut 0 shape whose core may or may not be elasticised with fabric to provide grip. The round casing may be made of PVC, TPU or the like this round casing will hold the supercoolable fluid.

Currently hair doughnuts or sock buns are used to give shape to the wearers hair in an up do style but none of these existing methods generate heat. My invention will give the wearer an up do hair bun style but will also style their hair at the same time whilst wearing. This means when the bun is removed the hair will have curled from the gentle heat giving the wearer two hairstyles with this bun.

INTRODUCTION TO THE DRAWINGS

There are two drawings included. Figure 1 shows the top view of the invention.

Figure 2 shows details on the side view of the bun regarding thickness.

[1] In Fig 1 this is the metal clicker(nucleation initiator) inside the supercoolable sodium acetate solution or the like which when bent activates the crystallisation process producing heat within seconds.

[2] This slightly shaded area indicates the hollow core of the hair bun this hole is for the wearer's hair to penetrate.

[3] The darker shading indicates the centre of the piece it may or may not be elasticised to give extra hold/grip in the wearer's hair.

[4] The inside of the bun casing is filled with a supercoolable fluid like supersaturated sodium acetate solution.

[5] The casing could be PVC, TPU or the like. PVC is already used in hand warmers and is environmentally friendly, TPU is more malleable in nature. The casing may or may not feature a silk screen print design. If multiple attached or non attached buns are used this casing may be enclosed in a cloth covering to secure multiple doughnuts together to provide thickness (not shown)' [6] Fig 2 shows more on the side view previewing the thickness of the piece and its 3D nature. This piece would resemble a doughnut [7] This is the design that would add thickness to the hair bun by joining multiple doughnuts together in a one-piece chain. When this chain is folded flat into each other it would then provide increased thickness giving a uniform doughnut shape and could be put in a cotton casing to secure it. Alternatively the folded shape could be secured by simply binding these together with an elastic there could be several doughnut shapes on a chain. Multiple individual doughnuts could also be placed together on top of each other to achieve a thicker doughnut.

Obviously there are different variations possible to this invention, different sizes, thickness and thus volumes of the supercoolable solution Fig 2 is just an example of one. This bun in most cases is rolled into the wearer's hair with hairpins used to secure it.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

My invention makes hair curling more efficient and portable giving the wearer two styles in one, one an updo and the second curls when taken down. It's efficiency lies in the wearer not having to individually style sections of their hair to achieve curls) simply my all in one piece invention would style a head of hair using the self-heating process and high placement on the wearer's head. Not being bound to a traditional stand alone unit the efficiency also lies in the self induced heating occurring in a matter of seconds and taking sometimes hours to dissipate.

The users waiting time is saved compared to if they were waiting for traditional hot rollers to heat up. Approximately the same level of heat is consistently achieved with each use making heating and styling results reliable and as it can be activated after it is placed in the hair it means heat dissipation and retention will also be more efficient The hair bun is non bulky, relatively cheap to produce and non harmful to either the environment or wearer as all elements are non-toxic. It is reusable.

There are multiple variations to this invention one being a similar design in elongated hair flexi-rods and hair rollers.

POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS OR VARIATIONS

The casing could perhaps be made using gel ball material making the piece even more malleable and hence thicker this gives a bigger bun for a bigger hair up do style. These buns could come in numerous sizes individually or in a chain which could then be bound.

The bun could come in a cloth covering or feature a silk screen printing design for aesthetics. The bun casing could come in different colours for example dark brown or beige with the liquid being also in a suitable colour to suit the wearers hair. Velcro could also cover the cloth casing to provide more grip.

My invention idea of self-heating in hair styling tools could also be used in hair rollers and flexi rods as the concept of self-heating eliminates the need for an electric power source or standalone base heating unit to style ones hair. The heat is also gentle.

The heat generated could also be used for conditioning purposes and so forth, not just styling as so many conditioning products depend on heat as a catalyst for hair treatments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Similar to current hair buns the shape will be an 0 doughnut like shape, in 3D terms it will have a thickness to it. The heat process is activated on command by bending or squeezing the metal clicker inside the supercoolable solution in the casing. This will trigger a nucleation event causing liquid crystallisation and generating 264 -289 joules of energy for every gram of fluid lasting for an extended period of time usually a minimum of 45minutes. This will cause the liquid to solidify whilst generating heat used to style the hair. The temperature reached will be approximately a safe 130 degrees Fahrenheit. This heating process works similarly in hand warmers. This supercoolable fluid is comprised of material selected from a group consisting of sodium acetate trihydrate and other fluids which can be super cooled to room temperature levels. The melting point for sodium acetate is 58 degrees. Comprising of the super saturated solution of sodium acetate it may include water, vinegar etc. My invention can still be used for hairstyle up-dos even when the bun is crystallised as it will provide form but no heat and can still give body or wave to the hair texture. Deactivation of the crystallisation occurs by heating the bun to a temperature of approximately 100 degrees reversing the crystallisation process. This could be through boiling the bun in water if then leaving it to cool when it will return to liquid. This deactivation and reactivation process means the bun will be reusable and will be able to heat up and cool down several times.

This invention can be activated prior to or after the device is placed in the hair. It could be made from numerous casings one of them could be by fusing PVC or TPU pieces together and filling these up through a small hole with sodium acetate solution and a clicker. The clicker will be easy to access in this malleable piece by touch and sight it could be free floating or kept in place in the wall of the bun casing.

To achieve bun thickness the overall doughnut shape can be built up using more than one doughnut. In this case the doughnuts could be separate or linked in a chain of doughnuts which when folded into one another will provide the overall doughnut shape even moreso if placed inside a cotton covering case. If no cotton cover is used these doughnuts can be bound together by a simple band or string linking them.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A reusable self-heating hair bun for hair styling comprising of a super coolable fluid capable of self heating when activated through a nucleation event which produces an exothermic crystallisation reaction
2. A self-heating design in a doughnut shape.
3. The individual doughnuts or bun could be separate or linked in a chain of doughnuts which when folded into one another will provide the overall doughnut shape. These linked or individual pieces could also be simply bound.