JP3905476B2 - Apparatus and system for assessing hair condition - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
(Technical field)
The present invention relates to an apparatus, method and system for assessing the condition of hair, in particular for assessing the degree of damage in hair.
[0002]
(background)
In the field of hair care, it is often important to assess the condition of the consumer's hair.
In particular, it is often valuable to be able to evaluate the degree of damage received by hair. It is known that if the hair is damaged as a result of, for example, brushing, bleaching, permanent, hair dyeing, etc., the surface of the hair fibers becomes even rougher. This decrease in smoothness is believed to arise from changes in the structure of the outer skin, the outermost layer of hair fibers.
It is known to assess damage in terms of roughness and implications by measuring the degree of friction caused by exposing the hair to specific conditions. For example, the ease of combing is usually used as a measure of smoothness. In the comb-through test of the force required to entangle, it is common to evaluate friction, roughness, and damage by using a bundle of hair fibers and passing the comb through it.
[0003]
European patent application EP-A-965,834 describes a friction measuring device for evaluating the effect of cosmetics on skin, hair, membrane tissue and eyes. This instrument evaluates the friction by the deformation means of the deformable assembly on the probe.
Japanese patent application JP 63/163143 measures the degree of hair damage by comparing forward and backward friction forces. These forces are measured by torque meter means.
In Japanese Patent Application JP 62/273433, the friction between hairs is measured by passing the fluid through turbulent flow over the hair bundle and detecting the pressure loss in the fluid and measuring the friction.
It would be desirable to be able to provide a system that can conveniently measure and analyze the surface friction of hair. It would also be desirable to provide a means to correlate this with damage levels beyond the range of hair types.
[0004]
(Detailed explanation)
Method According to a first aspect of the invention, providing a friction member, pulling a bundle of hairs through the friction member, thereby generating a friction sound signal, and capturing the friction sound signal by a noise sensor. A method of measuring friction generated by a bundle of hair fibers is provided. In general, the captured noise signal is converted into a form that can be displayed. The converted signal is then displayed using display means. Such means may include, but are not limited to, a display screen selected from the group consisting of a computer screen, a cathode ray tube display device, and a liquid crystal display device.
In the present invention, the friction generated by a bundle of hair is measured. The hair may be of any mammal, preferably human, dog, horse or cat, and more preferably human hair. A bundle of hair may be a hair sample or a hair piece, but is preferably hair growing on the consumer's head.
[0005]
In this method, it is necessary to use both a friction member and a noise sensor. Pull the friction member through a bundle of hair to contact and pass on the surface of the individual hair. This causes friction between the friction member and the hair. The resulting friction noise is considered to depend on the level of friction between the friction member and the hair surface.
The friction member is generally molded from a rigid material, preferably a polymer material. For example, it may be formed from high density polyethylene (HDPE).
The friction member is preferably in the form of comb means having a plurality, preferably at least 3, more preferably at least 4 teeth. Ordinarily, the comb means passes a bundle of hair through the use of a normal comb. This may be done by the subject being evaluated or by another person.
The generated frictional sound signal is captured by a frictional sound sensor, preferably a microphone. The microphone may be, for example, a standard electronic microphone or a noise canceling microphone.
[0006]
Once the frictional sound is collected, it can be displayed and analyzed in any suitable manner. Preferably, a visual display unit is also provided to convert the friction sound sensed by the sensor into a signal, which is then transferred to the visual display unit for display. For example, it may be displayed in the form of a trace of sound amplitude points over time. This conversion may be accomplished using known means.
Preferably, the display of the signal is substantially instantaneous so that the frictional sound produced by pulling the friction member through the bundle of hair is displayed simultaneously with pulling the friction member through the bundle of hair. is there.
In the method, the displayed friction sound signal is obtained by a single pass of the friction member through a bundle of hair. Alternatively, the friction member may be pulled through the hair two or more times. Results may be cumulative or averaged.
[0007]
The inventive methods provided herein may be suitably performed alone, but may be further performed in combination with other methods of assessing hair damage. Such methods in addition to the methods herein include intuitive self-assessment by a subject, visual or physical assessment by another person such as the subject or a beauty consultant, and other devices for measuring hair damage. Evaluation, chemical evaluation of hair, such as, but not limited to, evaluating broken and unbroken amounts of cysteine disulfide bonds in a subject's hair, and combinations thereof. A method for measuring hair damage suitable for use herein includes a device that evaluates damage in terms of roughness and connotation by measuring the degree of friction caused by exposing the hair to specific conditions. Although the method to employ | adopt is mentioned, it is not limited to this. For example, the ease of combing is usually used as a measure of smoothness.
In the comb-through test of the force required to entangle, friction, roughness, and damage are assessed by using a bundle of hair fibers and passing the comb through it.
[0008]
Apparatus The present invention also provides, in the second aspect, an apparatus suitable for use in the method of the first aspect. The apparatus includes comb means having a plurality of teeth and a friction sound sensor. Preferably, the device as a whole is designed to be suitable for hand use. It often stretches. The comb means is generally placed at one end of the elongating device.
Preferably, the device is provided with at least two separable parts. In this case, the first part includes comb means, and the second means is a friction sound sensor and optionally means for converting the signal detected by the friction sound sensor into a signal that can be transferred to the visual display unit. Including a housing containing.
In order to achieve optimum sensitivity to the generated frictional noise, a noise sensor should be in close proximity to the comb means. In general, however, it should not contact the comb means.
[0009]
Therefore, a protection means is generally provided between the noise sensor and the comb means to prevent contact between the two components. This is for protection and may be made of any material that acts to prevent contact between the comb means and the noise sensor, while allowing the frictional sound signal generated by the contact between the hair and the comb means to pass.
For the purpose of detecting the friction sound signal generated by the comb means and the hair, it is considered preferable to detect the frequency in the range of about 50 Hz to about 5 kHz.
An apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. The device 1 is shown as an elongated shape. It has a comb means 3 with teeth 4 at the free end 2. The comb may be molded from HDPE. The device 1 may be stored on a magnetic stand, for example, before use, between uses, or after use.
The passage of teeth through the hair sample produces a frictional sound that is detected by the microphone 5. Between the microphone 5 and the comb is a protective means 6 formed from a foam, preferably an open-cell foam. The microphone 5 is connected to a circuit board 7 that converts the generated frictional sound into an electrical signal that passes along the cable 8 to means (not shown) for converting the signal into a visual display. For ease of use, the cable 8 may be placed telescopically.
[0010]
The device 1 is constructed so that the microphone 5 detects the signal at any time.
The switch 9 can be switched by depressing the switch cover 10 to indicate that a frictional sound signal display and / or recording should occur.
Recording is indicated by an “on / off” LED whose signal is visible from the outside by the light tube 12.
The microphone and the circuit board are contained in a protective housing 13 that is detachably connected to the comb 3. The comb 3 may be removed by twisting, for example. This has the advantage that the comb may be removed or replaced with a new comb for cleaning.
[0011]
It has been found that there is a relationship between the friction caused by putting a comb into the hair and the damage to that hair, but this is only the case when friction sounds are used to assess the friction level as in the present invention. Found that is not an important factor. The occurrence of frictional noise is an accurate indicator of friction level, but to assess whether the increase in friction is due to damaged and / or rough hair surfaces or due to other factors (eg curly hair) It was found that it is important to determine the characteristics of the hair to be examined. This has been found to allow any particular hair sample (eg, individual consumer hair) to accurately analyze the level of damage in that particular hair sample. In the present invention, it may be observed that the level of friction and damage changes within a single sample due to a change in the amplitude point as the comb means passes through the sample.
[0012]
System Accordingly, in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for assessing the level of damage in a hair test sample comprising:
[0013]
Defining a set number of hair categories H. When a standard sample in the hair category is subjected to the above method, a representative one of the standard traces T of the resulting friction sound signal is associated with each hair category H.
Assigning a test hair sample to one of the setting categories Ht;
Performing the above method on a sample of hair;
Visually displaying on the screen the friction sound signal generated as a trace;
And comparing the sample trace Tt with the standard trace T associated with the category Ht.
This system requires the definition of multiple setting categories for hair.
These categories are defined by the tendency to cause friction. For example, in one of the systems, three categories can be set: high friction, medium friction, and low friction.
[0014]
The various types of hair are then assigned to one of these categories set according to the relevant factors. Ethnic origin (eg whether the hair is Western, Asian or African); wave (whether the hair is straight, curled or curly); the hair is pre-treated (perm These factors may be selected based on whether they have undergone bleaching, or hair dyeing). Thus, this aspect of the invention is based, at least in part, on the recognition that the level of frictional sound depends not only on the damage level but also on other hair characteristics.
A standard trace is associated with each category. This trace is a diagram of the frictional noise expected to be produced by a hair sample in a defined category when subjected to the above method.
In the system of the present invention, the hair sample to be examined, which may be a hairpiece, but generally growing on the consumer's head, is one of the predefined categories according to the factors discussed above. Assigned to one.
[0015]
The method of the present invention is then performed on the sample to be examined in substantially the same manner that was generally performed to produce the standard trace described above. The generated friction sound signal is displayed on the screen as a trace, and this sample trace is compared with a standard trace. It can then be evaluated whether the hair sample is damaged more or less than expected from the above characteristics.
An important factor is the amplitude point of the generated frictional sound. In particular, when the trace is presented as a graph of the relationship between amplitude points and time, the area under the curve is generally proportional to the friction level.
Thus, this system has the advantage that the level of damage can be accurately assessed on any particular hair sample, taking into account the friction level to be expected as a result of its characteristics. For example, untreated (untreated) straight hair inherently produces a lower level of frictional sound than untreated curled hair. Therefore, in order to assess the need for the use of treatment products on the hair, it is important to pre-determine the natural level of frictional noise expected for the relevant category of hair.
[0016]
For example, the hair categories depicted in FIGS. 5-10 may be used as the predefined categories and the traces used as standard traces in the method according to the invention. FIG. 5 shows a standard trace of gray hair with a European perm. FIG. 6 shows a standard trace of European curled brown hair. FIG. 7 shows a standard trace of Asian brown hair. FIG. 8 shows a standard trace of gray hair. FIG. 9 shows a standard trace of brown permed and bleached European hair. FIG. 10 shows a standard trace of European untreated brown hair. The level of friction decreases from FIG. 5 to FIG. This is proportional to the area under the trace and generally the amplitude point of the trace.
This system can also be used directly by the consumer, but is preferably applied by a craftsman or advisor, for example in a store or salon. It is contemplated that after an assessment has been made, a suitable treatment for the hair may be further proposed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view from above of a preferred apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an end view of the same device.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view from the side of the same device.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the same device.
FIG. 5 shows sample traces of six different categories of hair.
FIG. 6 shows sample traces of six different categories of hair.
FIG. 7 shows sample traces of six different categories of hair.
FIG. 8 shows sample traces for six different categories of hair.
FIG. 9 shows sample traces of six different categories of hair.
FIG. 10 shows sample traces of six different categories of hair.

Claims (17)

A method of measuring friction in a bundle of hair,
(1) providing a comb means having a plurality of teeth;
(2) pulling the comb means through a bundle of hair and generating a frictional sound signal by passing through the comb means;
(3) capturing a frictional sound signal by a noise sensor that detects sound in a frequency range of 50 Hz to 5 kHz,
In order to evaluate the level of damage on a test sample of hair, using a method characterized in that a protective means is located between the comb means and the noise sensor to prevent contact between the comb means and the noise sensor System,
Defining a set number of hair categories H;
When a standard sample in a hair category is subjected to the method of measuring friction, a representative one of the standard traces T of the resulting frictional sound signal is associated with each hair category H;
Assigning a test hair sample to one of the setting categories Ht;
Performing the method of measuring friction in a test hair sample;
Visually displaying on the display screen the signal of the friction sound generated as a trace;
Comparing the standard trace T associated with the category Ht with the sample trace Tt;
Including
A system in which the assignment of test hair samples to one of the set categories takes into account one or more of the following factors: ethnic origin, wave and past hair treatments . 2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the comb means has 3 or 4 teeth. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective means is formed from foam. 4. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bundle of hair is from a mammalian subject. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the bundle of hair is from a subject selected from the group consisting of humans, dogs, horses, and cats. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising visually displaying the frictional sound signal via a display means. The system of claim 6 display unit, a computer screen, a cathode ray tube apparatus, and is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display device. The system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the frictional sound signal is displayed in the form of a trace showing the variation of the amplitude point of the sound over time. 9. The system according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein capturing the frictional sound signal by the noise sensor and visually displaying the frictional sound signal occur simultaneously. 10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising using a generated frictional sound signal to assess the degree of hair damage. A device suitable for use in a system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a comb means, a noise sensor and a protection means.   12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the teeth are molded from a rigid polymer material.   The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stiff polymer material is high density polyethylene.   14. A device according to any one of claims 11 to 13, formed from two parts which are removably attached, the first part comprising comb means and the second part containing a frictional sound sensor.   The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the frictional sound sensor is a microphone. The system of claim 1 , comprising defining at least three different setting categories H, each associated with a separate trace T. The system of claim 16 , wherein the test hair sample is hair growing on a consumer's head.

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