Patent Application
20200022475
As shown in
Related art roller 10 is typically fabricated from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and useable to retain and shape a fiber. EVA is a lower density thermoplastic having relatively low surface friction and noted for its ease of production, being readily set or blown into a variety of desired shapes. EVA fairly readily plastically deforms when strained, retaining a shape of use, such as a sole of a foot when used as a sandal base, or, in the instance of roller 10, a curled shape when rolled into the configuration of
Example embodiments include retainers with an elongated center or body about which a bundle of fibers, such as synthetic fabrics or animal hair, may be wrapped. The body also has an elongated perforation through which the bundle can pass and be held. In this way, the bundle may both pass through the retainer and seat on an outer surface of the body about the opening. The body and perforation may have nearly consistent elongations, with the body completely terminating just past ends of the perforation, so that the bundle may be wound around nearly the entire length of the retainer and still pass through the perforation at both start and end of the winding. The body may be extremely simple to ease fabrication, resiliency, and facilitate manual usage; for example, the body may be a single-piece elongated solid, such as a prism or cylinder, with a continuous and consistent outer surface and perimeter for winding the bundle. The retainer may be further fabricated from resilient materials that do not permanently deform when the bundle is inserted through the opening, wound, and held for long periods of time, or even after several cycles of the same. For example, an elastic material like styrene-butadiene rubber may present good friction and holding for the bundle, readily return to its original shape, be heavy enough to direct the bundle in a downward helix, and/or be resistant to heat, light, and moisture exposure during use.
Example methods include extending a bundle of fibers through the perforation of an example embodiment retainer and then winding the bundle around the exterior of the retainer. The bundle may then be passed back through the perforation to hold it in the wound position. In the instance a tress of hair is used for the bundle, it may be passed for almost its entire length, so that the retainer rests against skin or scalp, and wound its entire length down the retainer before being passed back through the perforation. Of course, other degrees of insertion and length of winding are usable in example methods. The retainer may be sized to prevent the bundle from overlapping or touching itself as it winds, enhancing drying if the bundle is wet. The bundle may be held in the helical shape about the retainer for any desired amount of time, including a drying time, and then removed by releasing the bundle from the perforation and withdrawing it from the retainer.
Example embodiments will become more apparent by describing, in detail, the attached drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference numerals, which are given by way of illustration only and thus do not limit the example embodiments herein.
Because this is a patent document, general broad rules of construction should be applied when reading it. Everything described and shown in this document is an example of subject matter falling within the scope of the claims, appended below. Any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely for purposes of describing how to make and use examples. Several different embodiments and methods not specifically disclosed herein may fall within the claim scope; as such, the claims may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only examples set forth herein.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited to any order by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another; where there are “second” or higher ordinals, there merely must be that many number of elements, without necessarily any difference or other relationship. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments or methods. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The use of “etc.” is defined as “et cetera” and indicates the inclusion of all other elements belonging to the same group of the preceding items, in any “and/or” combination(s).
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected,” “coupled,” “mated,” “attached,” “fixed,” etc. to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected,” “directly coupled,” etc. to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include both the singular and plural forms, unless the language explicitly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, characteristics, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not themselves preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, characteristics, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The use of “about” in connection with values indicates effective approximation, and such values may vary within a range having substantially similar activity or functionality. As such, values referred to as “about” include similar values and precisions expected with applicable manufacturing tolerances and unavoidable impurities in the element of the value, and generally would be expected to vary less than 15% of the value itself.
The structures and operations discussed below may occur out of the order described and/or noted in the figures. For example, two operations and/or figures shown in succession may in fact be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Similarly, individual operations within example methods described below may be executed repetitively, individually or sequentially, so as to provide looping or other series of operations aside from single operations described below. It should be presumed that any embodiment or method having features and functionality described below, in any workable combination, falls within the scope of example embodiments.
The Inventor has recognized that there is a need for a retaining roller for fiber that allows the fiber to dry quickly and evenly. Related art rollers wrap the fiber in on itself, preventing even and complete drying of the innermost strands in a bundle. The Inventor has further recognized a need for a retaining roller that shapes the fiber in a consistent helix, and not a widening spiral that may lose the appearance of any curl at all at an end. Related art rollers wrap a bundle of fiber in on itself in a spiral shape, creating a larger and less noticeable curl as one proceeds to one end. The Inventor has further recognized that EVA, being lightweight and low friction, is a poor material for retaining most natural and synthetic fibers in a set and consistent downward position, especially when wet; further, EVA tends to plastically deform and take a shape in which it is retained, which in the case of a curler causes curved and depressed deformation in the curler, making winding of the fiber around the curler successively more difficult. Thus, the inventor has recognized both a need for a different shape and method of wrapping fiber about a retaining curler, especially for drying, and further, a need for a material that better holds the fiber in a consistent helix and resists deformation. The Inventor has developed example embodiments and methods described below to address these and other problems recognized by the Inventor with unique solutions enabled by example embodiments.
The present invention is retainers for holding fibers in a rotated position and methods of achieving the same; the few example embodiments and example methods discussed below illustrate just a subset of the variety of different configurations that can be used as and/or in connection with the present invention.
Example embodiment retainer 100 may have a generally continuous and unvarying surface where a fiber bundle may wrap around it. Example embodiment retainer 100 may have a side surface 113 and an end 112. Side surface 113 may have a convex and continuous cross-section about slit 111, such as a rectangle or square with a constant perimeter or a circle or ovoid, presenting an even and/or unvarying circumference about most of a length of retainer 100. End surface 112 may be a simple, unadorned ovoid tip or any other shape close to an end of slit 111; that is, no other attachment or feature is necessary beyond slit 111 in the length direction for securing, although such features may be added. Through use of consistent shaping in outer surfaces, a bundle of fiber wound about the length of retainer 100 may be shaped in a consistent helix with unchanging radius of curvature, as discussed below in example methods.
Example embodiment retainer 100 is made of a more resilient material than EVA, permitting repeated expansions of slit 111 and wrapping of fibers around retainer 100 without significant loss of shape or loss of tightness in closure of slit 111. For example, retainer 100 may be fabricated entirely of a natural or synthetic rubber. A synthetic rubber in particular may be easily formed into desired shapes at low cost. For example, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is a resilient polymer derived from similar bases as EVA but more resistant to deformation; that is SBR has a larger elastic range and stronger rebound properties. SBR can be treated with and absorb many conditioners and enhancers that increase the elastic life and light/heat resistance of the material. SBR is also slightly denser and has a higher surface friction than EVA, resulting in better directional hold down of fiber bundles wound around the same and generating better contact and hold with even wet fibers like organic or synthetic fabrics and animal hair. SBR is also moisture-resistant and has a larger specific capacity of heat than EVA and as such is compatible with drying and setting fiber bundles.
As shown in
Once bundle 101 is wrapped, it may be left in place about retainer 100 for any amount of time. For example, if bundle 101 is a wet tress of hair, it may be left wrapped and secured in retainer 100 by the above steps until dry. Because bundle 101 may not wrap on top of itself, instead wrapping down along a length distance of retainer 100, bundle 101 may be more exposed to ambient air or a heat source, enhancing even and complete drying of bundle 101. If retainer 100 is made of a denser elastic material, such as a rubber like SBR, retainer 100 and bundle 101 secured therewith may be better oriented downward by gravity, to create a vertical helix shape of bundle 101. Such a rubber may have better surface friction for a wide variety of fibers, further enhancing the hold. Further, a resilient material for retainer 100 will hold and secure bundle 101 in slit 111 for a long amount of time, including an air drying time of even dense fibers, potentially eliminating the need for heat treatment for drying. Of course, because materials like rubber can be, or treated with, heat-resistant materials, hot drying of bundle 101 following securing in
Following a desired amount of secured time in the configuration of
It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that example embodiments may be varied through routine experimentation and without further inventive activity. For example, although SBR of a generally rectangular prismatic solid is used in some example embodiments, it is understood that other resilient materials can be used in other shapes, depending on desired curl shape and fiber length. Variations are not to be regarded as departure from the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
