US3454015A - Method of making false eyelashes - Google Patents

Description

July 8,}969 B. UDES METHOD OF MAKING FALSE EYELASHES Sheet I of 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1968 C 2 Z A W a L w r 0 5 m w F 5 5 /1 6 7 MW O 20 a l m a FIG.2

F A W x 367A l w INVENTOR. BENJAMIN UDES ATTORNEYS July 8, 1969 B. UDES METHOD OF MAKING FALSE EYELASHES Sheet Filed Aug. 6, 1968 a I AM. W F m A 6 6 B x 0 0 W H05 7 w M h m I V |r\l| 4 B 5 d W m. uhwufil W 1 HU 8 lw V 7 G I F United States tent o1:

3,454,015 Patented July 8, 1969 3,454,015 METHOD OF MAKING FALSE EYELASHES Benjamin Udes, 360 E. 55th St., New York, N.Y. 10022 Filed Aug. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 750,502 Int. Cl. A4lg /02 U.S. Cl. 132-5 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE To manufacture false eyelashes, a strip of paper or other suitable material is employed in a weaving operations as a warp. At both side edges of the strip additional warps are arranged in the form of threads. A weft constituted by a nylon filament or the like is woven through the warp by the use of a shuttle. The resulting product is then curled and/or cut longitudinally to form sections whereof the weft constitutes the lashes and the warp threads constitute a woven support for the lashes. The strip is removed.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a weaving technique employed for manufacturing false eyelashes in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating a subsequent step in the weaving operations;

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic side view of the weaving operation;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic top view of the weaving operation employed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a view of a portion of the product manufactured in accordance with the techniques illustrated in FIGURES 1-4;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the step of imparting a shape to the product of FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 shows a further step in the formation of a false eyelash in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 9 diagrammatically illustrates the end product of the procedure indicated in FIGURES 1 through 8.

Detailed description This invention relates to false eyelashes and the like and to methods and apparatus for manufacturing the same.

It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved technique for the manufacture of false eyelashes.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved technique whereby false eyelashes can be manufactured with mass production techniques thereby minimizing the labor and costs required in producing false eyelashes.

Yet another object of the invention relates to the provision of an improved false eyelash whereof the compo nents are securely connected together without sacrificing any of the detail as is normally required in the fabrication of cosmetic products.

To achieve the above and other of the objects of the invention there is employed a weaving technique wherein the weft is employed to constitute the lashes and wherein the warp is so formed as to constitute supporting edges there being further employed as part of the warp, a flat strip of paper or other such material as will enable the lashes to assume the desired size.

By the use of such a weaving technique there is obtained an intermediate product wherein weft filaments extend between spaced tightly woven edges, the weft filaments straddling the aforesaid strip which is subsequently removed.

Before, however, the strip is removed the intermediate product described above is submitted to a forming operation preferably involving the application of pressure and heat by means of which a curl is imparted to the product.

Thereafter the intermediate product is longitudinally severed along a line at least substantially parallel and midway between the aforesaid edges whereby two sets of lash elements are provided which can be individually cut to the desired length and shape.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed reference to the aeompanying drawing the various figures of which have been briefly described above.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 there will first be noted a plurality of teeth 10, 12, 14, 16, 18;, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 which constitute elements of a reed 30 which is an element well known in the weaving art.

Between the various teeth are located. on the one hand threads 32, 34, 36, and 38 and spaced therefrom at the other side of the reed are located threads 40, 42, 44, and 46.

In a conventional arrangement the teeth which have been noted above are usually equidistantly spaced across the entire expanse of the reed. However, in accordance with the invention there is provided a substantial gap or space 48 through which is fed a strip of material 50. The purpose of this strip will become hereinafter apparent.

Also illustrated in FIGURE 1 is a shuttle 52 moving in the direction shown by arrow 54 at the instant depicted. The shuttle 52 trails behind it a weft thread 56 the purpose of which will hereinafter become apparent.

In accordance with the invention, the strip 50 is preferably a paper-like material such as cardboard or the like. However, suitable substitutes may readily be employed. The function of the strip is to provide a spacing defining the length of the lashes on the false eyelashes to be manufactured but there are supplemental functions such as leading support, being heat resistant, and being adapted to be formed with a curled shape as will be hereinafter shown. As another important function, the paper or its substitute is intended to constitute a form on which the eyelashes can be thermoplastically set.

In general, the strip 50 will have a thickness T lying between the range of .002.125 inch. It has been found, however, that a thickness lying in the range of about .007-.008 inch yields very good results. As aforesaid, the strip may be of a paper-like material but plastic is suitable in many cases as is tin foil and other such types of material which can serve the purposes hereinafter outlined.

The threads 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40, 4'2, 44, 46, which constitute with the strip 50 the warp elements of the weave, are made of conventional weaving materials which may include silk, rayon, wool, cotton, Dacron, Orlon, and nylon. Although four such threads have been shown on opposite sides of the strip 50, other numbers of such threads may be employed. Thus, for example, instead of four such threads on opposite sides of the strip 50 there may be employed '6, 8, or 10 or more such threads. Odd numbers of threads may also be employed where suitable.

As to the weft thread 56, this is preferably a thermosetting material. Monofilament nylon of about 30 denier is preferable but suitable substitutes are constituted by Dacron, Orlon, and rayon or other synthetic materials. Natural materials such as silk or cotton may also be employed if suitably treated so as to be subsequently set in a curled shape by heat and/or pressure treatment. A suitable denier range is from about 10-60.

in addition to monofilament synthetic materials, multicomponent materials may be employed and the denier may vary substantially according to the desired final cosmetic result which is desired.

The width W of the strip 50 is preferably about one inch with a range of .050 inch greater or lesser according to requirements. Actually, the range can be extended to plus or minus .125 inch and this range may be still further extended to give lashes of greater or lesser length as will appear hereinafter.

In any event, it is seen in FIGURE 1 that the weft 56 is laid over the strip 50 whereafter the shuttle 52 is returned in opposite direction as shown in FIGURE 2 according to the direction indicated by arrow 58.

In FIGURE 2 is appears that the return of shuttle 52 brings the weft 56 back under the strip 50 the threads 32-38 and 40 86 having changed positions in a conventional weaving procedure.

The means for interchanging the positions of the different warp elements is well known in the weaving art but is indicated in diagrammatic manner in FIGURE 3.

In FIGURE 3 appears the reed 30 wherethrough pass the warp elements as has been indicated above. Considering FIGURE 3 related to FIGURE 1, the upper portion of the shed is constituted by warp threads 34, 38, 40 and 42 whereas the lower portion of the shed is constituted by warp threads 32, 36, 42 and 46. At the same time, the strip 50 may also be considered as one of the warp elements.

The use of heddles in weaving operations is too well known to warrant detailed description in this text. Consequently, heddle sections 68 and 62 are merely diagrammatically indicated these interchanging positions after each passage of the shuttle 52 in such a manner that the warp and weft elements are woven together to form a unit which is taken up for example on a takeup 64.

The top view of the diagrammatic illustration of FIG- URE 3 appears in FIGURE 4 wherein is illustrated heddle sections 60 and 62 and warp sources 66 from which originate warp threads 32-38 and 40-46. Also appearing on heddle section 62 is the source 68 of the strip 50.

As a part of the conventional weaving operation, there is provided a beat-up comb 70 providing the conventional function of beating the weft thread into the warp after each passage of the shuttle 52. This is an operation which is well known and requires no detailed description in this text except that it should be borne in mind that such procedure has not heretofore been employed in connection with the manufacture of false eyelashes.

In the above description it has been shown how warp and weft elements are combined into a woven unit. The spacing of the various elements in FIGURES l-4 has not, however, been conformed to reality but has been intended merely to illustrate the method by which an intermediate product of the invention is formed. A better view of the intermediate product appears in FIGURE from which it can be seen that the warp threads 32-38 are woven closely together to form a lateral or support edge 76 whereas the warp threads 4046 are closely woven together to form a support edge 78. The weft 56 extends back and forth between the supporting edges 76 and 78 on opposite sides of the strip 50.

As appears in FIGURE 6, the strip 50 defines the spacing between support edges 76 and 78 and also constitutes a support for the weft 56.

The entire intermediate product thusly prepared is subjected, as illustrated in FIGURE 7, to a curling or forming operation. To this end there are employed mold parts 80 and 82 having curved surfaces 84 and 86 these mold sections being employed to subject the intermediate product hereinafter defined by reference character 88 to heat and/or pressure to provide the same with a permanent curl. It is for this purpose that the weft filament 56 as aforesaid is preferably selected from the available thermosetting materials so that once the operation illustrated in FIGURE 7 has been completed, the intermediate product 88 has a permanent curl therein. Also it is desirable to retain the strip 50 in the intermediate assembly to give support of the same and to facilitate further processing and handling thereof.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a further step of the operation whereby the intermediate product is severed longitudinally and midway between the support edges 76 and 78 to form two sections 88a and 88b. The severing can be effected by any conventional cutting device and for purposes of illustration without limitation there have been shown the knife edges 90 and 92. These knife edges can be mechanically or electrically operated or may alternatively be operated by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure. The nature and operation of the cutting device does not in its detail constitute a part of the present invention.

When the step indicated in FIGURE 8 has been completed, there are two strips of eyelash material 88a and 88b. These strips may be of substantial length and are thereafter cut into individual eyelash portions as illustrated in FIGURE 9. Therein the single eyelash illustrasted consists of a supporting edge 76 or 78 from which extend the weft threads 56, the Weft threads 56 constituting the lashes which are woven in integral fashion to the plurality of warp threads constituting the support edges 76 or 78.

As also illustrated in FIGURE 9, the lashes may themselves be subjected to a further cutting operation so as to have the free ends of the weft peripherally conformed to an arcuate shape shown by dotted line 94. The strip 50 can be removed at this time.

The process is thus completed and a multitude of eyelashes are thus formed by weaving together warp and weft elements whereof the warp includes a fiat strip defining the distance between two support edges upon which the weft sections are supported in cantilever manner to provide the basis for forming eyelashes.

To finish off the eyelash of FIGURE 9, an adhesive of conventional cosmetic type may be applied to support edges 76 and 78 and the eyelashes may be otherwise treated and packaged in usual and conventional manners.

In the weaving operation indicated hereinabove, the weft elements which constitute the finished lashes can be spaced on the edges in a number of about 8 to 200 per inch. This range can be exceeded for special constructions. According to the preferred range, however, the weft sections or lashes are spaced along the support edges in a number ranging from about 80 to per inch.

The strip 50 which has been discussed in detail above is a flat element of bendable material which is adapted for being set in a curved shape by treatment with pressure and heat. This strip is generally with a width range W of about 250-1250 inches and may have a thickness of of about .002-.125 inch although preferably being in a range of about .005-.025 inch. The filament constituting the weft and the lashes is, as has been noted above, preferably of a denier of about 30.

While a weaving operation has been generally indicated above in conventional terms, it is to be understood that weaving operations have not heretofore been applied to manufacturing false eyelashes according to the technique described. The weaving operations may assume various forms and may be of the type, for example, which provide doupe, taffeta or satin weaves or combinations thereof. Other types of weaves are also possible in accordance with the invention.

There will now be obvoius to those skilled in the art many modifications and variations of the method, product and apparatus described above.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making false eyelashes comprising weaving a filament between warp threads constituting two spaced edges and across and on opposite sides of a flat strip of material, which serves as a warp and is located between said edges, to form a woven assembly wherein the filament constitutes the weft, and severing the assembly between the edges to form on each of said edges a multitude of filament weft sections adapted to constitute false eyelashes.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising heat treating the assembly to give the same a curled shape wherein said strip constitutes a form.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the strip is of paper-like materials. a

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising further cutting the sections into a plurality of eyelash units each having the free ends of the filament sections conforming to a curved periphery.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising applying an adhesive to the edges whereby the edges can be attached to eyelids.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the edges are spaced parallel warp thread assemblies spaced between .250-l.250 inches.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 where the edges are spaced between one inch.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the weft sections are spaced on the edges between 8 to 200 per inch.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the weft sections are spaced between to per inch.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the strip is a fiat element of a bendible material which is adapted for being set in a curved shape by treatment with pressure and heat and wherein the strip is between 750 1250 inches wide and .002.125 inch thick.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the strip is between .005.025 inch thick.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filament is between 10-60 denier.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,450,259 4/1923 Nessler 132-5 2,421,432 6/1947 Phillips 132-5 3,245,416 4/1966 Aylott 1325 ROBERT PESHOCK, Prim ry Examiner.

JAMES W. MITCHELL, Assistant Examiner.

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