Patent Application
20210212430
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for curling hair.
Known apparatus for imparting curls to sections of hair include heated curling irons, curling tongs and wands, most of which comprise a cylindrical heated element attached to a handle. To use these devices each section of hair to be curled is wound around the heated element and then removed, repeating the action on different section of hair around the head.
Rollers are also commonly used for curling hair. Rollers may be unheated or can be pre-heated before use. Heated rollers comprise a hollow cylindrical roller body which is heated before use. A section of hair is wrapped around the roller from starting at the end of the hair and rolling towards the scalp. The roller is then secured at the scalp and heat from the roller transfers to the hair wrapped around it as the roller cools. Heated rollers are typically quite heavy and there is always a risk that the user may burn their fingers when putting the rollers into the hair. In addition, rollers can generally only be used to wrap hair in one direction, that is from the end of the hair to the scalp, thereby producing only one type of curl.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,671,957 describes a hair curling device having a flexible flat base portion, a stem secured to the base portion and a bowl portion which comprises a frusto-conical portion extending from the stem and having a flange extending from its top edge. With hair wrapped around the stem the frusto-conical portion is folded over so that the flange aligns with the base. The frusto-conical wall decreases in thickness from the stem to the flange where the thickness is smallest. The device relies on friction between the flange and the base to prevent the device unrolling and sliding down a user's hair. The hair curling devices are not designed to be heated directly.
WO2017/098282 to the present applicant describes a hair curling apparatus which comprises first and second side portions joined by a central stem, one of the first and second side portions has a convex and a concave configuration. Once hair is wrapped around the stem, the curved side portion is folded over to form a closed confirmation, enclosing the hair within the apparatus. The apparatus is thermally conductive and each can be heated individually. The apparatus relies on friction between internal flange and the base to prevent the unrolling of the hair within.
It would be desirable to provide an improved apparatus for curling hair for use both in salon and home environments.
According to the invention there is provided apparatus for curling hair comprising first and second side portions which are secured together in a spaced apart relationship via a connector portion, the connector portion being positioned substantially centrally with respect to each side portion; wherein the side portions are fabricated from a material which is both resilient and thermally conductive;
and wherein the first side portion is substantially flat and the second side portion is configured such that it is provided with two fixed states: a first state in which the first side portion is convex in shape and bends away from the second plate; and a second fixed state in which the first side portion is concave in shape and folds over to cover both the connector portion and the first side portion;
and wherein the first side portion is provided with at least one barrier member extending from the first side portion towards the second side portion in substantially the same direction as the connector portion and spaced apart from the connector portion, wherein the at least one barrier member has a height, and the connector portion has a length and the ratio of the height of the barrier member to the length of the connector portion is at least 1:3.
The second side portion is folded over the first side portion after the hair has been wound around the connector portion. This helps to hold the hair in place, to heat the hair rapidly and to secure the apparatus in the user's hair. Typically, the second side portion is slightly wider than the first side portion. The at least one barrier member helps to prevent hair from unwinding from the apparatus, by creating closed gateways to stop the anti-rotational gravitational force. This helps to keep hair trapped within the apparatus. The at least one barrier member also helps to conduct heat through the apparatus and to the hair held within it.
Preferably, the second side portion is provided with cooperating means for cooperating with the at least one barrier member.
The at least one barrier may be a substantially continuous wall extending around the connector portion, the wall including at least one slot in which a section of hair may be engaged.
The apparatus may comprise a plurality of barrier members in the form of spaced apart discrete wall elements.
The apparatus may comprise a plurality of barrier members in the form of spaced apart elongate protrusions. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises at least five elongate protrusions. Preferably, each elongate protrusion has a length of at least 5 mm. More preferably, each of the elongate protrusions has a length between 5 mm and 10 mm.
Preferably, the cooperating means for cooperating with the at least one barrier member comprises a plurality of holes shaped and positioned to align with the at least one barrier member when the second side portion is in the second fixed state.
Alternatively, the cooperating means for cooperating with the at least one barrier member may comprise a channel positioned such that the at least one barrier member locates within the channel when the second side portion is in the second fixed state.
The at least one barrier member may include at least one slot in which a section of hair may be engaged.
Preferably the connector portion is substantially cylindrical in shape. In use, hair to be curled is wound around the connector portion of the apparatus. The hair may be wound in-between the connector portion and the at least one barrier member. The barrier members may penetrate the section of hair wound around the connector portion.
Preferably, the connector portion has a length of not more than 40 mm. More preferably, the connector portion has a length not more than 20 mm. Advantageously, the connector portion is between 10 mm and 15 mm and more advantageously, 13 mm.
Preferably the side portions each have a width that is substantially larger than the length of the connector portion. More preferably, the side portions each have a width that is at least three times larger than the length of the connector portion, still more preferably, the side portions have a width that is less than ten times larger than the length of the connector portion. The ratio of width of the side portions to the length of the connector helps to ensure that all of the hair to be curled is covered by the side portions and helps ensure even delivery of heat to the hair during heating and from the hair during cooling.
The side portions may be between 60 and 80 mm wide and preferably between 65 and 75 mm wide and more preferably 70 mm wide.
Each of the first and second side portions may be circular in shape.
One or both of the side portions may include a plurality of holes therein. The advantage of such an arrangement is that heated hair may cool more quickly. Cooling of the hair is required to set the curl in the hair.
The connector portion may be provided with a plurality of holes therein. Preferably the connector portion is hollow.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming curls in hair using the apparatus described above, comprising the steps of:
(a) winding a section of hair around the connector portion of the apparatus;
(b) moving the second side portion from a first fixed state, to second fixed state;
(c) applying heat to the apparatus;
(d) allowing the apparatus to cool; and
(e) removing the apparatus from the hair
Advantageously, heat is applied to the apparatus using a heater. Preferably the heater is in the form of a heating tool, which may have heating plates of a shape corresponding to the shape of the apparatus. The heat may be applied to the apparatus by grasping the apparatus between a pair of heated plates, such as those on a hair straightener device.
Advantageously, the second side portion of the apparatus is provided with cooperating means for cooperating with the at least one barrier member and in step (b) the at least one barrier member located on the first side portion is aligned with and located into the cooperating means located on the second side portion.
Advantageously, the majority of the section of hair is wound into a channel located in-between the connector portion and the at least one barrier member.
The invention provides an improved apparatus and method for curling hair for use both in salon and home environments.
In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of apparatus for curling hair, and are by way of example:
Referring now to
The curler 10 is fabricated from a silicon rubber that is thermally conductive. This allows the curler 10, and the hair within it to be heated, once the curler 10 is in a closed configuration. Conventional hair straightening irons may be used to heat the curler 10 by clamping the jaws of the straightening irons around the curler 10. The barrier members or protrusions 18 also help to conduct heat from the straightening irons to the hair. The thermally conductive silicon rubber may include thermochromic pigments so that the curler 10 changes colour with temperature. Preferably the thermochromic pigment changes colour at around 30° C., indicating that the hair has cooled sufficiently to set the curl.
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| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1808306.3 | May 2018 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2019/051398 | 5/21/2019 | WO | 00 |
