US3326222A - Adjustable curler - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hair curler having openings therein and prongs on an edge of the hair curler body. Thehair curler can be rolled into any size desired and secured at the desired size by inserting the prongs on the edge of the hair curler into a row of openings formed in the hair curler.

The present invention relates to curlers and particularly relates to womens hair curlers.

Although not limited thereto the present invention will be particularly directed to molded flexible adjustable hair curlers formed by injection or other molding-of flexible plastic materials preferably of the nature of polyethylene or polypropylene.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple readily used conveniently packaged hair curler device which may be used by women for curling their hair.

Another object is to provide an adjustable hair curler which may be readily used for tight or loose curls and which can be readily made in various sizes and which can be packaged flat.

A further object is to provide a novel hair curler which is economical to manufacture, will not be affected by hair oils or cosmetics, which will be inert and which will not release or absorb chemical materials, and which may be comfortably worn at night, while sleeping, and will permit thorough ventilation of the hair during curling.

A further object is to provide an adjustable hair curler which may be packaged flat for merchandising and selling and which may be carried flat with maximum space economy by the user and which need not be made in numerous ways to give a wide variety of different types of hair curl.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most suitable according to one embodiment of the present invention to provide a hair curler formed of a molded flexible pliable sheet of soft flexible polyethylene or polypropylene or less desirably polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate or polyvinyl carbonate.

It has been found most satisfactory to fashion the curlers in the form of relatively thin flat sheets between .05 and .1 inch in thickness with a preferred thickness of .07 inch and having a width and length of 2 1 x 7 inches.

Desirably, the polyethylene used has a preferred density of .92 to .95, a melt index of 6 and a melting temperature of 375 F. to 425 F. in injection molding procedures. The pad is desirably provided with a series of spaced rows of openings throughout the length and width thereof with a marginal portion for reenforcement purposes, which openings may take the form of ellipses, squares, diamonds, triangles, hexagons or other polygons.

The ends of the pad desirably overlap and one side is provided with projecting engagement portions molded integrally with the pad which will snap into any desired 'row of openings and thus give adjustability.

The various openings may have widths varying from A1 to 4: inch with ribs having a thickness of A to 'inch and with the preferred square openings being Ms inch on the side, the circular openings being inch in diameter and the triangular or diamond shaped openings being inch on the side.

Desirably, to aid in the snapping engagement of the end projections the sides of the opening, as well as the side edges of the pad, may be convergent at an angle of about 4 to 8 degrees and desirably about five degrees.

The snap engagements are desirably conical with an outer angle of 45 to 60 and a shoulder angle of 70 to The curler may be made of any diameter ranging from to 1%" and the sheet is molded so that the striations or grain will run parallel to the main dimension of the pad or sheet.

The pad may be readily molded of tubular pellets or diced particles in a steel mold at a temperature of 400 F. and a pellet should desirably be about inch in size.

After molding at a temperature of 350 to 400? F. the pad for best structure should be quickly chilled down to to F. while still in the mold.

Nylon may also be used as molding material but it is not preferred.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the pad in coil or adjustable cylindrical position.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 55 of FIG. 4 upon an enlarged view as compared to FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end view of an alternative construction.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end view of still another alternative construction; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary end view of still another alternative construction.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the flexible and rollable sheet of polyethylene or polypropylene, which may be formed by either pressure or ejection molding has a series of closely spaced openings which are square or rectangular and extend in rows vertically and horizontally with top and bottom margins 11 and 12 and side margins The bottom margins 12 carry the upwardly extending snap elements 14 having conical tip 15 and recess portions 16 and they also carry the sidewardly projecting lock element 17 having the conical head 18 and the recessed root 19. The element 17 is designed to engage the strap 20 having the openings 21.

The edges of the sheet may be beveled on one or all four edges and the openings are slightly convergent as indicated at 22 in FIG. 5 so that the head 15 may readily force its way thereinto and achieve a snap lock as indicated at 23 on the other side. Then the strap 20 may be extended over the hair-to engage the element 17 which may be the same shape as the elements 14.

The element 20 is sufllciently lOng to extend over the entire rolled unit as shown in FIG. 4 and to engage the, element 17 at the other side edge thereof. The elements 14 and 17 are desirably provided with a central recess or core 24 to make them more flexible.

In FIG. 6 are shown circular openings 50 inside of the margins 51 and 52 with elements 53 and 54 functioning the same as the elements 14 and 17.

In FIG. 7, the flexible element 60 has diamond shaped openings 61 with the usual engaging prongs 62 and 63.

In FIG. 8, the structure 70 has triangular elements 71 with the usual prongs 72 and 73.

The strap 20, the main element A and the prongs 14 and 17 are all integrally molded but they may be made separately if desired. The hair may be readily wrapped around the desired cylindrical size determined by the size of the coil of the hair to be for-med. The strap 20 will lock the coil of hair in position.

The material of the device will resist detergents and various hair treating agents and may readily be made to accommodate any size. A package may be carried in flat condition in the pocketbook and it is readily available for home, oflice and use when traveling and it may be snapped or adjusted easily between three to ten different sizes.

The edges may he graduated to indicate size of the cylinder with suitable markings applied along the edges 13.

A wide variety of hair styles may be achieved such as boutfant, fullness and puffed out appearance.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claim.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim:

A womens adjustable flexible plastic hair curler to be formed into a cylinder of desired size and to receive a coil of hair formed of a soft flexible sheet of a plastic material having bottom and top faces and upper and lower ends and side edges and having imperforated marginal portions and having a substantially greater length than width and having a plurality of closely spaced symmetrical openings extending over the length and width thereof inside of said margins and a plurality of locking prongs extending away from one of said side edges to be engaged in said openings and form a cylinder of desired diameter, said prongs having conical heads and reduced diameter stems and said openings being convergent in one direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l961 Lerner et al. 132-41 2/1966 Fisher 123-39

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