Waterproof sheet for hair washing and automatic hair washer using such waterproof sheet

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6291051
  • Patent Number
    6,291,051
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, October 5, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 18, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
The present invention prevents the leakage of wash water by securely eliminating a gap between an opening of a face cover and a face of a person under hair washing regardless of the size of the face of the person, when hair washing is performed using an automatic hair washer. A hair washing waterproof sheet comprises an approximately rectangular vinyl sheet having an opening 1a of such a size that a head can be inserted though, in the center. The waterproof sheet has an outer circumference part 1c and an inner circumference part 1b which are passed through by elastic braids, thereby being stretchable. Further, magic tapes 2 for fixing the inner circumference part 1b to the person under hair washing are provided at opposed positions of a lower part of the inner circumference part 1b.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a waterproof sheet for hair washing which prevents wash water from leaking through a gap between a face cover of an automatic hair washer and a face part of a person under hair washing, while hair is washed, and an automatic hair washer using such a waterproof sheet.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION





FIG. 5

is a perspective view schematically illustrating a structure of a face cover part of a prior art automatic hair washer.




Reference character B


2


designates an automatic hair washer. Numeral


3


designates a cistern and numeral


4


designates a face cover openably/closably attached to the cistern


3


so as to cover the cistern


3


. The face cover


4


has an opening


4




a


for putting out the face of a person under hair washing, lying on his back and inserting his head toward the cistern


3


. A face seal


21


having flexibility of materials such as rubber is attached along the opening


4




a.






When the head of the person under hair washing is directed to the cistern


3


and then the face cover


4


is closed, the face seal


21


along the opening


4




a


of the face cover


4


is adhered to the face part of the person under hair washing, thereby, while the hair is washed, preventing the wash water from leaking through a gap between an edge part of the opening


4




a


and the face of the person and splashing on the face of the person.




However, in the prior art automatic hair washer, since the sizes of the faces vary with persons under hair washing, pressures applied by the face seal to the faces vary with persons, whereby some persons feel something is wrong on the face. Or, when the face of the person under hair washing is quite small, for example, when the person under hair washing is a child, the face seal is not adhered to the face when the face cover is closed. Therefore, a gap is produced between the face part of the person and the face seal, whereby the wash water leaks through the gap.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned problem and has an object to provide a waterproof sheet for hair washing which can fit to the face of a user according to the size of the face of the user without making the user feel that something is wrong and can prevent the leakage of water, and to provide an automatic hair washer using such a waterproof sheet.




Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and specific embodiments described are provided only for illustration since various additions and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from the detailed description.




According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hair washing waterproof sheet used when hair washing is performed with an automatic hair washer, which comprises a cistern capable of accommodating a head part of a person under hair washing, and a face cover which is openably/closably attached to the cistern and has an opening for directing only a face outside, the hair washing waterproof sheet preventing wash water from leaking through a gap between the opening of the face cover and the head part of the person, comprising: an approximately rectangular sheet having an opening in the center; an outer circumference part attached to the automatic hair washer and an inner circumference part in contact with the head part of the person under hair washing, the outer and inner circumference parts being made crinkled by elastically stretchable strings; and coupling means for fixing the inner circumference part to the person under hair washing, the coupling means being provided at opposed positions of a lower part of the inner circumference part. Therefore, when the head is inserted through the opening toward the cistern, the hair washing waterproof sheet can be adjusted according to the size of the face of the person under hair washing so that a gap is not formed between the opening of the face cover and the face part of the person under hair washing, thereby preventing the leakage of the wash water without making the person under hair washing feel something is wrong at the face.




Further, the leakage of water can be prevented more economically with relative to the face cover which is used in the prior art automatic hair washer.




According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic hair washer using the hair washing waterproof sheet according to the first aspect, comprising: a hook for fastening the outer circumference part of the hair washing waterproof sheet, the hook being provided at an edge part of the opening of the face cover. Therefore, it is easy to attach/detach the hair washing waterproof sheet to/from the face cover.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a plan view illustrating a structure of a hair washing waterproof sheet according to a first embodiment of the present invention.




FIGS.


2


(


a


),


2


(


b


), and


2


(


c


) are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, which schematically illustrate a structure of a face cover of an automatic hair washer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.




FIGS.


3


(


a


) and


3


(


b


) are a perspective view and a front view, respectively, which illustrate a state where the hair washing waterproof sheet of

FIG. 1

is attached to the automatic hair washer of FIG.


2


.




FIGS.


4


(


a


) and


4


(


b


) are a side view and a perspective view, respectively, which illustrate a state where the hair washing waterproof sheet is attached to a person under hair washing.





FIG. 5

is a perspective view schematically illustrating a structure of a face cover part of a prior art automatic hair washer.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Embodiment 1





FIG. 1

is a plan view illustrating a structure of a hair washing waterproof sheet according to the first embodiment of the present invention.




A hair washing waterproof sheet A comprises an approximately rectangular sheet, such as a vinyl sheet, which has an opening part


1




a


having such a size that a head part can be inserted, in the center thereof. Each of an inner circumference part


1




b


and an outer circumference part


1




c


of the waterproof sheet is made in the form of a tube and an elastically stretchable string is passed through the tube, whereby the inner and outer circumference parts are stretchable. In this case, the strings are elastic braids. Further, magic tapes


2


(coupling means) are provided at opposed positions in a lower part of the inner circumference part


1




b


of the hair washing waterproof sheet A.




FIGS.


2


(


a


),


2


(


b


), and


2


(


c


) are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, which schematically illustrate a structure of a face cover part of an automatic hair washer according to the first embodiment.




In the figures, the same reference numerals as those in

FIG.5

designate the same or corresponding parts. Character B


1


designates an automatic hairwasher. Numeral


5


designates a neck receiving part. Numerals


6




a


and


6




b


designate hooks provided along the opening part


4




a


, and the hooks


6




a


and


6




b


are provided at an entering edge part of the face cover


4


and under the neck receiving part


5


inside the cistern


3


, respectively. The hooks


6




a


and


6




b


are formed by curving U-shaped bars in the form of semi-ellipse. Here, the U-shaped bar provided at the entering edge part of the face cover


4


is covered by an acrylic cover.




FIGS.


3


(


a


) and


3


(


b


) are a perspective view and a front view, respectively, which illustrate a state where thus constructed hair washing waterproof sheet A is attached to the automatic hair washer B


1


.




In the figures, the same reference numerals and characters as those in

FIGS. 1 and 2

designate the same or corresponding parts. Numerals


7




a


and


7




b


designate fasteners for fixing the outer circumference part


1




c


of the hair washing waterproof sheet A to the hook


6




b


. The fasteners


7




a


and


7




b


prevent the hair washing waterproof sheet A attached to the face cover


4


from coming off the hooks


6




a


and


6




b.






In the figures, an upper part of the outer circumference part


1




c


of the hair washing waterproof sheet A is fastened to the hook


6




a


of the face cover


4


and a lower part of the outer circumference part


1




c


thereof is fastened to the hook


6




b


which is provided on an inner surface of the cistern


3


.




FIGS.


4


(


a


) and


4


(


b


) are a side view and a perspective view, respectively, which illustrate a state where the hair washing waterproof sheet A is attached to a person under hair washing.




In the figures, the inner circumference part


1




b


of the hair washing waterproof sheet A is in contact with the face of the person under hair washing. Further, the magic tapes


2


provided at slightly lower positions of the inner circumference part


1




b


are coupled with each other at a neck part of the person under hair washing, whereby the lower part of the hair washing waterproof sheet A is in contact with a rear surface of the neck of the person.




Hereinafter, a method of using the hair washing waterproof sheet A will be described with reference to

FIGS. 3 and 4

.




Initially, the face cover


4


is made open, and then the lower part of the outer circumference part


1




c


of the hair washing waterproof sheet A is hooked to the hook


6




b


and fixed by the fasteners


7




a


and


7




b


. Next, the person under hair washing inserts his head through the opening


1




a


of the hair washing waterproof sheet A toward the cistern


3


. Then, the magic tapes


2


are coupled with each other at the neck part of the person under hair washing, whereby the lower part of the hair washing waterproof sheet A is in contact with the rear surface of the neck of the person. Thereafter, the face cover


4


is closed and the upper part of the outer circumference part


1




c


of the hair washing waterproof sheet A is fastened by the hook


6




a


. Here, the pressure applied to the face by the elastic braid of the inner circumference part


1




b


can be adjusted with the magic tapes


2


.




The outer circumference part


1




c


of the stretchable hair washing waterproof sheet A is fastened by the hooks


6




a


and


6




b


and then fixed by the fasteners


7




a


and


7




b


. Therefore, even when the person under hair washing moves his head while hair is washed, the hair washing waterproof sheet A does not come off the automatic hair washer B


1


, whereby the wash water is not scattered from the opening


4




a.






As described above, the hair washing waterproof sheet A according to the first embodiment comprises a vinyl sheet having the circular opening


1




a


through which the head can be inserted, in the center thereof, the inner circumference part


1




b


of the vinyl sheet is passed through by an elastic braid, and the magic tapes


2


are provided at opposed positions of the lower part of the inner circumference part


1




b


. Therefore, when the head is inserted through the opening


1




a


toward the cistern


3


, the hair washing waterproof sheet A can be adjusted according to the size of the face of the person under hair washing so that a gap is not formed between the opening


4




a


of the face cover


4


and the face of the person, thereby preventing the leakage of wash water without making the person under hair washing feel something is wrong at his face.




In addition, the hair washing waterproof sheet A according to the first embodiment comprises a vinyl sheet, elastic braids, and magic tapes, thereby preventing the leakage of water more economically with relative to a face seal which is used in the prior art automatic hair washer to prevent the leakage of water.




Further, in the automatic hair washer B


1


according to the first embodiment, the hooks


6




a


and


6




b


are provided along the opening


4




a


of the face cover


4


, the hair washing waterproof sheet A is attached along the opening


4




a


, and the hair washing waterproof sheet A is further fixed by the fasteners


7




a


and


7




b


. Therefore, the hair washing waterproof sheet A can be attached to the face cover


4


so as not to come off the face cover while hair is washed and can be easily detached after hair washing is finished.



Claims
  • 1. A hair washing waterproof sheet used when hair washing is performed with an automatic hair washer, which comprises a cistern capable of accommodating a head part of a person, and a face cover which is openably/closably attached to the cistern and has an opening for directing only a face outside, the hair washing waterproof sheet preventing wash water from leaking through a gap between the opening of the face cover and the head part of the person, comprising:an approximately rectangular sheet having an opening in the center; an outer circumference part attached to the automatic hair washer and an inner circumference part in contact with the head part of the person, the outer and inner circumference parts being made crinkled by elastically stretchable strings; and coupling means for fixing the inner circumference part to the person, the coupling means being provided at opposed positions of a lower part of the inner circumference part.
  • 2. An automatic hair washer using the hair washing waterproof sheet of claim 1 comprising:a hook for fastening the outer circumference part of the hair washing waterproof sheet, the hook being provided at an edge part of the opening of the face cover.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
11-024049 Feb 1999 JP
US Referenced Citations (10)
Number Name Date Kind
3854148 La Rose Dec 1974
5022102 Louvaris Jun 1991
5099865 Flannery et al. Mar 1992
5146629 Barnes Sep 1992
5289597 Sidola Mar 1994
5337423 Young Aug 1994
5906012 Sakane et al. May 1999
5940885 Matthews Aug 1999
5946745 Magee Sep 1999
5953768 Jarosz et al. Sep 1999
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number Date Country
6-217820 Aug 1994 JP
7-08317 Jan 1995 JP
7-177924 Jul 1995 JP
7-184715 Jul 1995 JP
02000217625-A Aug 2000 JP