Claims
- 1. A system for applying a hair product to hair strands, the system comprising:
an applicator comprising
a reservoir forming portion for containing a hair product to be applied, an applicator portion configured to apply hair product to hair strands, the applicator portion comprising an application area configured to engage with at least one hair strand during relative movement, in a direction longitudinal to the at least one hair strand, of the applicator with respect to the at least one hair strand, wherein the at least one hair strand is at least one strand previously isolated from other strands, and at least one passage configured to transfer hair product between the reservoir forming portion and the application area during the relative movement of the applicator so as to substantially coat the at least one hair strand with hair product; and a flexible sleeve comprising two open ends, the sleeve being configured to receive the at least one hair strand via one of the open ends and to enclose the at least one hair strand over at least a portion of the length of the at least one hair strand.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve is configured to be associated with the applicator so as to be placed around the at least one strand substantially simultaneously with at least a part of the relative movement of the applicator.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir forming portion defines a volume configured to be varied, and wherein the system is configured to supply hair product to the application area in response to reducing the volume of the reservoir forming portion.
- 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the reservoir forming portion comprises at least one elastically deformable wall, wherein the volume of the reservoir forming portion is configured to be reduced via pressure exerted on the elastically deformable wall.
- 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one elastically deformable wall comprises a bellows.
- 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a single piece construction.
- 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the single piece construction is formed via extrusion blow molding.
- 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the applicator portion comprises a portion attached and fixed to the reservoir forming portion via at least one of snap fastening, threading, adhesive bonding, clamping, and welding.
- 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the applicator defines an elongate shape and the flexible sleeve is configured to slide onto the applicator via the applicator portion of the applicator.
- 10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one open end of the flexible sleeve is configured to substantially ensure at least partial and reversible closure of the at least one open end.
- 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one open end comprises a free edge, and wherein the at least one open end is configured to keep the free edge substantially in contact with itself.
- 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one open end is configured to clamp the free edge on itself.
- 13. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the two open ends is configured to substantially ensure at least partial and reversible closure of itself.
- 14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one open end comprises a spring structure configured to restrain a free edge of the at least one open end such that the free edge clamps onto itself.
- 15. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one open end comprises a flexible material having a relatively weak shape memory.
- 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the flexible material comprises a sheet comprising at least one of an aluminum based material and a material based on a complex of aluminum and plastic.
- 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve is formed from one of a transparent material and a translucent material.
- 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve is formed via one of extrusion, at least one of welding and bonding two sheets to one another along two longitudinal edges, and folding a sheet on itself and at least one of welding and bonding two longitudinal edges to one another.
- 19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hair product contained in the reservoir forming portion.
- 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the hair product comprises at least one of a cosmetic product and a care product.
- 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the hair product comprises at least one of a bleach product and a coloring product.
- 22. A method for applying a hair product to hair strands, the method comprising:
engaging an application area of an application portion of an applicator with at least one strand of hair, the application area being supplied with hair product via at least one passage configured to communicate with a reservoir containing the hair product; maintaining the engagement between the application area and the at least one hair strand while causing a relative movement of the applicator with respect to the at least one hair strand in a direction longitudinal to the at least one hair strand, so as to substantially coat the at least one hair strand with the hair product; and substantially enclosing at least a portion of a length of the at least one hair strand with a flexible sleeve having two open ends while causing at least a portion of the relative movement of the applicator with respect to the at least one hair strand.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the application area is engaged with the at least one hair strand at a point on the at least one hair strand situated in the vicinity of the scalp, and wherein the relative movement of the applicator with respect to the at least one hair strand occurs in a direction toward of a free end of the at least one hair strand.
- 24. The method of claim 22, further comprising at least partially closing an open end of the flexible sleeve closest to the scalp, wherein the open end closest to the scalp is closed on the at least one hair strand so as to limit flow of product in the direction of the scalp.
- 25. The method of claim 22, further comprising disengaging the application area from the at least one hair strand, and, after disengagement, at least partially closing an open end of the flexible sleeve remote from the scalp so as to limit the flow of product through the open end of the flexible sleeve remote from the scalp.
- 26. The method of claim 22, further comprising working the at least one hair strand inside the flexible sleeve so as to improve the coating of the at least one hair strand with hair product.
- 27. The method of claim 22, wherein the hair product comprises at least one of a coloring product and a bleaching product.
- 28. A device for enveloping the at least one hair strand having hair product applied thereto according to the method of claim 22, the device comprising:
a flexible envelope having two open ends and an elongate shape, wherein the flexible envelope is configured to receive the at least one strand and wherein at least one of the open ends is configured to at least partially close the at least one open end on the at least one hair strand after at least partially inserting the at least one strand into the flexible envelope.
- 29. The device of claim 28, wherein each of the two open ends is configured to at least partially close itself on the at least one hair strand after inserting the at least one hair strand in the envelope.
- 30. The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one open end comprises a ring formed of a flexible material having a relatively weak shape memory.
- 31. The device of claim 30, wherein the ring comprises at least one of aluminum and a spring structure.
- 32. A method for applying hair product to hair strands, the method comprising:
engaging, with at least one strand of hair, an orifice defined in an elongate portion of an applicator, wherein a flexible sleeve is placed on the elongate portion; applying hair product to the at least one hair strand via the orifice while sliding the at least one strand through the orifice; and pulling the at least one strand at least partially into the flexible sleeve with the applicator.
- 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising removing the elongate portion of the applicator from the flexible sleeve.
- 34. The method of claim 33, further comprising closing at least one end of the flexible sleeve onto the at least one strand.
- 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising closing a second end of the flexible sleeve.
- 36. A system for applying a hair product to hair strands, the system comprising:
an applicator comprising
a reservoir forming portion for containing a hair product, and an applicator portion configured to be in flow communication with the reservoir forming portion, the applicator portion comprising an elongate member defining an orifice configured to engage and apply the hair product to at least one hair strand while moving the applicator with respect to the at least one hair strand so as to slide the at least one hair strand through the orifice; and a flexible sleeve configured to be placed on the applicator portion of the applicator, the sleeve being configured to at least partially enclose the at least one hair strand and to retain hair product applied to the at least one hair strand.
- 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the flexible sleeve is configured to be in a shortened configuration when the sleeve is placed on the applicator portion and in a lengthened configuration when the sleeve at least partially encloses the at least one hair strand.
- 38. The system of claim 36, wherein the orifice comprises a slot.
- 39. The system of claim 36, wherein the flexible sleeve is configured to be associated with the applicator so as to be placed around the at least one strand substantially simultaneously with at least a part of the relative movement of the applicator.
- 40. The system of claim 36, wherein the applicator comprises a single piece construction.
- 41. The system of claim 36, wherein the applicator portion comprises a portion attached and fixed to the reservoir forming portion via at least one of snap fastening, threading, adhesive bonding, clamping, and welding.
- 42. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one open end of the flexible sleeve is configured to substantially ensure at least partial and reversible closure of the at least one open end.
- 43. The system of claim 42, wherein the at least one open end comprises a free edge, and wherein the at least one open end is configured to keep the free edge substantially in contact with itself.
- 44. The system of claim 43, wherein the at least one open end is configured to clamp the free edge on itself.
- 45. The system of claim 42, wherein the at least one open end comprises a spring structure configured to restrain a free edge of the at least one open end such that the free edge clamps onto itself.
- 46. The system of claim 36, further comprising a hair product contained in the reservoir forming portion.
- 47. The system of claim 46, wherein the hair product comprises at least one of a cosmetic product and a care product.
- 48. The system of claim 47, wherein the hair product comprises at least one of a bleach product and a coloring product.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
02 07285 |
Jun 2002 |
FR |
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Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. provisional application No. 60/390,110, filed Jun. 21, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60390110 |
Jun 2002 |
US |